do appreciate the logic behind it. I currently have over twenty blackhawks deploying sensor satellites around the orbit where the Laymil home planet used to be. It’s extremely important research work. I’d hate to see it jeopardized.”
“They would only have to be recalled for three or four days at the most,” Syrinx said. “Our scheduling is very tight, here. Surely a small delay wouldn’t effect the research too much?”
“I’ll recall them for now. But if you’re still here after a week, I’ll have to review the policy. As I said, this is part of the effort to find an overall solution. That is not to be regarded lightly.”
“Believe me, we don’t, ma’am,” Meredith said.
She stared at him, trying to work out what was going on behind his blue eyes. But his answering stare offered no clue. “I have to say, I find it ironic that Tranquillity has become so important to the Confederation and the Kingdom after all this time,” she said.
“Ironic or pleasing? Chance has finally brought you the chance to vindicate your grandfather’s actions.”
There was no humour in his tone, which surprised her. She’d assumed he would be more sympathetic than Prince Noton. “You think Grandfather Michael was wrong?”
“I think he was wrong to pursue such an unorthodox course.”
“Unorthodox to the family, perhaps. But I assure you it’s not chance which has brought us together. This whole situation will prove how right he was to act on his foresight.”
“I wish you every success.”
“Thank you. And who knows, one day I might earn your approval, too.”
For the first time, he produced a grudging smile. “You don’t like losing arguments, do you, Cousin Ione?”
“I am a Saldana.”
“That much is painfully obvious.”
“As are you. I don’t think every Confederation admiral would have coped as well as you at Lalonde.”
“I did not cope well. I ensured my squadron survived; most of it, anyway.”
“A Confederation officer’s first duty is to follow orders. Second duty is to the crew. So I believe,” she said. “As your original orders didn’t cover what you encountered, I’d say you did all right.”
“Lalonde was . . . difficult,” he said heavily.
“Yes. I know all about Lalonde from Joshua Calvert.”
Syrinx, who had been looking considerably ill at ease while the two Saldanas conducted their verbal fencing, glanced sharply at Ione, her eyebrows raised in interest.
“Oh, yes,” Meredith reflected. “Lagrange Calvert. Who could forget him?”
“Is he here?” Syrinx asked. “This is his registered port.”
“He’s away at the moment, I’m afraid,” Ione told her. “But I’m expecting him back any day now.”
“Good.”
Ione couldn’t quite fathom the Edenist’s attitude. Why do you think she’s interested in Joshua?
I have no idea. Unless she wants to punch him on the nose for Puerto de Santa Maria.
I doubt it. She’s an Edenist, they don’t do things like that. You don’t suppose she and Joshua . . . ?
I doubt it. She’s an Edenist, they have more taste.
• • •
Athene didn’t want him to come to the house. It would be too upsetting for the children, she explained. Though they both knew it was she who was discomforted by the whole idea; keeping him away was a way of establishing a psychological barrier.
Instead, she chose one of the spaceport reception lounges in the habitat’s endcap. There was nobody else in the spacious room when she arrived, not that there could be any mistake. The hulking figure was sitting on a deep settee in front of the long window, watching service crews bustling around the voidhawks on their pedestals outside. It was a squadron assigned to assist the Kulu Kingdom in the Mortonridge Liberation campaign, one of them would soon be transporting him to Ombey.
I missed this,he said, not turning around, I watched the voidhawks through the sensitive cells, of course, but I still miss this. The habitat perception doesn’t provide any sense of urgency. And my emotions were not suppressed exactly, but less colourful, not so keenly felt. Do you know, I think I’m actually becoming excited.
She walked over to the settee, an extraordinary sense of trepidation simmering in her mind. The figure stood, revealing its true height, several centimetres taller than she. As with all Tranquillity serjeants, its exoskeleton was a faint ruddy colour, although a good forty per cent of its body was covered in bright green medical nanonic packages. It held up both hands, and turned them around, studying them intently, its eyes just visible at the back of their protective slits.
I must be quite a sight. They force-cloned all the organs separately, then stitched them together. Serjeants take fifteen months to grow to full size usually; that would be far too long. So here we are, Frankenstein’s army, patched together and rushed off the assembly line. The packages should have done their work before we reach Ombey.
Athene’s shoulders drooped, mirroring the dismay in her mind. Oh, Sinon, what
What I had to. The serjeants must have some controlling consciousness. And seeing as how there were all us individual personalities already available . . .
Yes, but not you!
Somebody has to volunteer.
I didn’t want you to be one.
I’m just a copy, my darling, and an edited down one at that. My real personality is still in the neural strata, suspended for now. When I get back, or if this serjeant is destroyed, I’ll return to the multiplicity.
This is so wrong. You’ve had your life. It was a wonderful life, rich and exciting, and full of love. Transferring into the multiplicity is our reward for living true to our culture, it should be like being a grandparent forever, a grandparent with the largest family of relatives in the universe. You carry on loving, and you become part of something precious to all of us.she looked up at the hard mask that was its face, her own frail cheeks trembling. You don’t come back. You just don’t. It’s not right, Sinon, it isn’t. Not for us, not for Edenists.
If we don’t help the Kingdom to liberate Mortonridge, there may not be any Edenists for very much longer.
No! I won’t accept that. I never have. I believe Laton if no one else does. I refuse to fear the beyond like some inadequate Adamist.
It’s not the beyond we have to worry about, it’s those that have returned from it.
I was one of those who opposed this Mortonridge absurdity.
I know.
By committing ourselves to it, we’re no better than animals. Beasts lashing out; it’s filthy. Humans can be so much more.
But rarely are.
That’s what Edenism was supposed to be about, to lift us above this primitivism. All of us.
The serjeant put its arm out towards her, then withdrew it hurriedly. Shame leaked out into the affinity band. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to come. I see how much this hurts you. I just wanted to see you with my own eyes one last time.
They’re not your own eyes; and you’re not even Sinon, not really. I think that’s what I hate most about this. It’s not just Adamist religions the beyond undermines, it’s ruined the whole concept of transference.
