The shuttle vibrated as it crept higher, heading for the Preor ship where it hovered far above Preor Tower. Not so close that it cast a terrible shadow, but not so far that they needed engines capable of escape velocity to reach the ship. She was amazed by the view of the city and the beauty of the Gulf of Mexico as the view sped beneath her.
Whelon squeezed her hand and she grinned in return. She felt so very free, perhaps for the first time in her life. It was a little like playing hooky from school. She escaped her boring duties to run off with a cute guy and have an adventure. She giggled over the naughty feelings her actions gave her.
“Coming into deck two, hold your position tango, tango,” a sudden feminine voice crackled through the shuttle.
“Penelope,” muttered the pilot. “Not this shit again.”
“Can confirm you are cleared for landing, shuttle ah-5-6-7-8. Proceed to docking bay.” Then the speaker emitted a bunch of strange, grating noises as if someone imitated a helicopter.
Sasha peered over at Whelon, a quizzical expression furrowing her brow, but his only response was an exaggerated face palm.
“What the fuck?” Sasha muttered.
“Hello, my dear!” the voice addressed Sasha directly, a nearby speaker increasing in volume although it took her a few seconds to catch the change. “You must be Whelon’s mate! Good for you, honey. He’s a fine catch. They all are, of course, but—”
“I’m sorry?” Sasha shook her head. “Who am I speaking to?”
The shuttle bumped up and down, clanging as it connected to the airlock.
“I am the ship, dear girl. They call me Penelope. What’s your tag?”
Sasha was confused even further. Why did the ship speak like an old lady mixed with a rebellious teenager?
“I’m Sasha. Are you… okay?”
“Thank you for asking, dear! I’m totally fucking bitchin’. How about you?”
Sasha turned to Whelon, silently begging for help with her gaze, but he simply shook his head.
“Penelope recently lost a good friend of hers… in a sense. His name is Vende and he did not perish, but he went through some changes—including meeting his mate—and it appears she has become unstable without him.”
“She was unstable long before Vende found Dawn,” the pilot muttered.
“So, what you’re telling me is that this machine is having a grief response?”
“I am an artificial intelligence!” Penelope snapped. “Not a machine! I am a complex program designed to run all the ship’s systems and yes, I managed to imprint with the personality of my creator. I improved upon her, if you wish for my honest opinion.” The AI actually managed to sound both superior and immature at the same time.
“Jaken,” Whelon signaled the pilot. “See if you can get a direct order to have Lily examine Penelope.”
“She’d need to come up here,” Penelope sing-songed. “She’s not allowed to travel and I doubt you could get all the masters to sign off on the official documentation.”
“Vende would rescind that for you, Penelope.” Whelon sighed. “He loves his new training platform and he likes you.”
“Then why doesn’t he play with me anymore,” Penelope moaned. Sasha was so affected by the tone she put her arms out but there was nothing to hug.
“I appreciate the thought, dear.” Penelope sighed. “But I’m off to check the chemical composition of every connecting screw on the ship. It gives me something to do with my time.”
Whelon rose from his seat and opened the hatch, helping Sasha onto the dock. She scanned her surroundings in awe, the scope of the room like nothing she had ever seen. She took Whelon’s hand and let him lead her through the dock, past other shuttles and carriers. She shook her head as she tried to take everything in.
“This is awesome!” she breathed.
“You should see the holiday platform—Kouvai Nihon. You will soon, but if this is impressive you will be utterly blown away by Penelope’s work down there.”
Sasha was having trouble absorbing everything she’d seen so far and just shook her head, trying to comprehend the magnificence of the Preor. Humanity hadn’t seen half of what the aliens could do.
It wouldn’t solve the conflict thought, she thought with some regret. It would just make people worse.
The ones who thought of the Preor as a threat would only have their fears confirmed by a display of power like this.
“I think we shall head to the main rooms for now.” Whelon took her arm in a gentle grip and guided her down a nearby hallway. Everything was clean and neat with smooth walls and high ceilings that more than impressed Sasha. Nothing humans had ever created was so efficient and well-kept.
As they came to a juncture where the hallways split off into nearby rooms, a small child came barreling out into the center of the hallways. Sasha put her arms out and automatically caught the young girl. A half-naked woman was two steps behind the girl.
“Thank you!” the woman gasped. “Taulan, where the fuck are you!”
“Up to my elbows in crap and vomit, darling mate.”
“Fuck.” The woman picked up the child and held out a hand. “Hi,” she breathed. “I’m Lana, and—”
The girl roared with laughter and then engulfed her mother in flames. Sasha jumped back a step, but Lana simply stood patiently, almost tapping a foot while the remains of her clothes disintegrated into ash.
“Excuse me,” Lana sighed. “I’d be embarrassed if I wasn’t so used to this. Now all I need is my graduating class and to realize I’ve forgotten my final assignment. I’d love to introduce myself, but I’d like to walk out of this nightmare first. Please give me a moment.”
She turned around with such composure that Sasha was immediately endeared to her. Whelon smiled as they watched her retreat.
“That was Lana joi Taulan, one of the first mated females and the first to have dragonlets.”
“Are they all like that?” Sasha asked with some shock at what she’d witnessed.
Whelon shrugged. “I
