Chaotic Futures, page 31
Merlie inquired.
Escher replied.
The group had no sooner exited the traveler than an emergency warning reached every implant and comm system.
Z led Escher and Ceda who raced for a cargo traveler. They leapt aboard with several sisters and suits, as the ship lifted.
Other sisters and suits jumped aboard a second traveler, and the pilot flew in the same direction.
Miranda sent, chuckling darkly as Admiral Tachenko would have done.
Sven inquired.
Miranda replied.
Nebulon warned.
Peña gazed around the buildings and watched the Radags walking across the plaza. Many females were scarred, but they walked as if free from fear. Even the race to the travelers of sisters and suits hadn’t perturbed them. It seemed to be a cycle’s normal event.
In the distance, muted booms sounded, and the Storyteller contingent regarded Miranda and Nebulon.
Nebulon sent. Then she ran toward another cargo traveler, while six other sisters hurried to join her.
Miranda inquired congenially, indicating the way with a wave of her arm.
25: New Darmian City
Sven asked.
It was obvious to Miranda and the sisters that battles and their aftermaths were a foreign concept to Sven.
Miranda replied.
Sven looked for help with what must be the obvious question. But it seemed it was his burden to shoulder. So, he asked,
Miranda explained gently.
Sven stopped in his tracks, and he shook his head, having a difficult time comprehending the world on which he’d landed. he sent.
Miranda said.
Sven asked.
Miranda replied.
Sven regarded Miranda, as he tried to see the positive aspect of dead warriors.
Miranda replied.
Sven inquired.
Miranda replied.
Sven queried.
Miranda replied.
Sven replied, understanding the difficult task the digital sentients were taking on. It made him feel insignificant, as his life would pass in a relatively short period of time. he managed to send.
Peña sent, laying a companionly hand on Sven’s neck. She could see he was struggling with the limitations of his mortality.
Sven had heard Alex’s name before, but he’d never seen the man’s influence crystalized in the fashion of the Radag concept.
Miranda showed the sisters and Sven the area that was reserved for the Jatouche repair facilities.
Merlie asked.
Miranda replied.
Merlie continued.
Miranda replied.
Sven tried to school his face, but he knew he’d failed. Ticks of time later, he heard Peña send,
Sven asked Merlie privately.
Merlie replied.
Sven asked eagerly.
Merlie shared the agreed on price for ninety-eight tanks and supplies, and Sven nearly shouted in joy. Instead, he said,
Merlie returned. She knew how invaluable Sven was to the sisters’ success, but she was also aware that he’d always feel on the outside.
The group was exiting the new Jatouche space when they met Z. He carried two sisters, who had their arms around his neck. One sister was missing both legs, and the other had a crushed leg.
Miranda commented, accepting a sister.
Z replied.
Peña and Merlie greeted the sister whom they took from Z, and they followed Miranda to a small area where a kernel transfer process was available. Sister avatars stood silently along one wall.
Z inquired.
Peña replied.
There was another quick exchange, and Miranda and Peña came to a second agreement.
Z asked his partner, having focused on the sisters’ kernel transfers.
Miranda replied.
Z sent proudly.
Miranda quipped. Then she saw Z’s back when he turned, and her processes halted for a tick of time. she sent calmly even though her emotional algorithms were in ascendance. Z’s back exhibited burn marks that had scored the avatar down to bare ceramics.
Z sent.
Peña and Merlie saw suits descending travelers. Some were carried, and others carried sisters. Immediately, Peña gave orders, which Merlie relayed to the Transcendence.
Aboard the carrier, sisters leapt to prepare more Jatouche tanks, and several dropped planetside to assist.
Some of the last suits to exit a cargo traveler were Jasper, Lita, Ceda, and Escher.
Ceda’s mask-helmet was up, and she was crying. Her suit was singed, but, otherwise, she seemed unhurt.
Jasper and Lita carried Escher between them. His entire left leg and hip were missing, and he appeared lifeless.
Z explained before anyone assumed he was dead.
While the Darmian forces were organizing to lift, the Transcendence traveler landed, and sisters spilled out. The damaged sisters and the injured suits were collected. Then the traveler swiftly launched for the carrier.
Ceda stood forlornly watching the shuttle disappear. Lita and Jasper tried to comfort her.
Ceda complained bitterly.
Jasper responded.
Lita pointed out.
Then Ceda broke down, and Lita folded the ex-clone into her arms. In the meantime, Jasper made his way to Miranda to discuss some of the new tactics the warriors were employing.
Peña had observed the fighting’s aftermath. She linked to Miranda,
Miranda replied,
Peña asked.
Miranda replied.
Merlie inquired.
Miranda explained.
Peña, Merlie, and Sven returned to the Transcendence.
Sven took charge of the Jatouche facility. Having carefully recorded the space, he organized ten tanks and their supplies to drop first. However, he and nine sisters dropped planetside with material that would provide the infrastructure for the tank installations.
After the emergencies settled, Merlie connected to Nebulon. Every Storyteller sister joined the call to listen.
Merlie inquired.
Nebulon returned.
Merlie asked.
Nebulon riposted.
Merlie pressed.
Nebulon elaborated.
Merlie continued.
Nebulon replied.
Merlie sent.
Nebulon explained.
Merlie asked.
Nebulon pointed out.
Merlie replied.
Nebulon continued.
After a brief pause, Merlie sent,
When Sven had the basic infrastructure ready for the first ten tanks, the sisters with him moved on to expand the services. Then Sven requested the drop of the next ten tanks and their supplies. He waited in the plaza for the traveler to land.
Bibi stepped beside Sven and gazed upward. she inquired tongue-in-cheek.
Sven replied, enjoying the opportunity to engage in banter after the horrific events a few cycles ago. He’d heard the detonations of the mini-minelettes, as the Darmian forces attacked the warriors preparing to assault the city again.
Bibi asked.
Sven replied, which made Bibi laugh.
Bibi sent.
Sven admitted.
At that moment, the traveler dropped through the sky, headed for a landing in the plaza.
Sven sent, extending his hand.
Bibi lifted her mask-helmet, gave Sven a bright smile, shook his hand, and headed toward a group of suits.
Sven had been stunned by the youthful face that had smiled at him from inside the suit. You should be attending university, he thought. Not fighting deadly warriors for the freedom of their abused citizens.
With a shake of his head, Sven focused on the cargo traveler dropping its ramp. Four sisters carried a weighty tank off the traveler, and Sven sent its intended location. When all the tanks were offloaded, he issued instructions for the assembly of storage shelving.
The last item to move was a massive tank of fluid for the medical tanks. Three grav palettes caught the extended edges of the tank and hefted it. Then, oh-so carefully, the sisters moved it to a corner of the space. Finally, fluid transport piping was laid to service the Jatouche tanks.
Sven left it to the sisters to run the diagnostics on the tanks. When they were satisfied, they headed for the traveler. As they passed Sven, he sent, which the sisters thought was humorous.
a sister noted.
Sven added, with a grin.
Aboard the Transcendence, Merlie linked to Peña. she sent.
Peña admitted.
Merlie replied.
Peña sent.
Merlie teased.
Peña retorted, which had Merlie sounding her laughter.
Peña grinned at Merlie’s antics. At the same time, she gave thought to the discussion that she would need to have with Sven. It was important that she judge how the Darmian circumstances had affected him.
Cycles later, Miranda and Nebulon were on hand to greet Gurderg and her friends when they woke.
The sister eased the matrons out of their tanks onto tables. They had a great deal of dense fur to dry. Then they covered them with sheets and removed their inducers.
“Did something go wrong?” Gurderg’s friend inquired nervously.
“You were in the tanks for many cycles,” Miranda replied. “The repairs were successful.”
Each matron sat up and peeked under their sheets. On the one hand, they were nervous about being nude. On the other hand, they saw strong, unblemished bodies.
Sisters pulled down the mirrored metal at each table.
The more the matrons saw of their reflections, the lower they let the sheets drop. Finally, the sheets ended on the decks, as the females turned and twisted in front of the mirrors, examining their smooth fur.
Gurderg leaned close to the mirror, and she searched her reflection. Her muzzle was pristine. “I won’t spit anymore,” she said happily.
“Not unless you want to make a point,” Nebulon said matter-of-factly, which had the matrons chortling.
“Perhaps, we should dress,” the other friend suggested, beginning to feel self-conscious.
When the traveler with Gurderg and her friends landed, Miranda asked, “What would you like to do, Gurderg?”
“Stay on the end of the ramp with my head held high,” Gurderg replied.
It wasn’t long before a matron passed. She paused, because she couldn’t recognize the three females.
“Are you new to our city?” the passing matron asked the three females on the ramp.
“I arrived with you from the enclave,” Gurderg replied, with a gleam in her eye.
“Gurderg?” the passerby exclaimed.
“This is the result of the Jatouche repair process, which the three of us have undergone,” Gurderg replied. Then she introduced her friends.
The astounded matron set up a howl that had every nearby Radag running to her aid.
The group had no sooner exited the traveler than an emergency warning reached every implant and comm system.
Z led Escher and Ceda who raced for a cargo traveler. They leapt aboard with several sisters and suits, as the ship lifted.
Other sisters and suits jumped aboard a second traveler, and the pilot flew in the same direction.
Peña gazed around the buildings and watched the Radags walking across the plaza. Many females were scarred, but they walked as if free from fear. Even the race to the travelers of sisters and suits hadn’t perturbed them. It seemed to be a cycle’s normal event.
In the distance, muted booms sounded, and the Storyteller contingent regarded Miranda and Nebulon.
25: New Darmian City
It was obvious to Miranda and the sisters that battles and their aftermaths were a foreign concept to Sven.
Sven looked for help with what must be the obvious question. But it seemed it was his burden to shoulder. So, he asked,
Sven stopped in his tracks, and he shook his head, having a difficult time comprehending the world on which he’d landed. he sent.
Sven regarded Miranda, as he tried to see the positive aspect of dead warriors.
Sven had heard Alex’s name before, but he’d never seen the man’s influence crystalized in the fashion of the Radag concept.
Miranda showed the sisters and Sven the area that was reserved for the Jatouche repair facilities.
Sven tried to school his face, but he knew he’d failed. Ticks of time later, he heard Peña send,
Merlie shared the agreed on price for ninety-eight tanks and supplies, and Sven nearly shouted in joy. Instead, he said,
The group was exiting the new Jatouche space when they met Z. He carried two sisters, who had their arms around his neck. One sister was missing both legs, and the other had a crushed leg.
Miranda commented, accepting a sister.
Peña and Merlie greeted the sister whom they took from Z, and they followed Miranda to a small area where a kernel transfer process was available. Sister avatars stood silently along one wall.
There was another quick exchange, and Miranda and Peña came to a second agreement.
Z sent proudly.
Z sent.
Peña and Merlie saw suits descending travelers. Some were carried, and others carried sisters. Immediately, Peña gave orders, which Merlie relayed to the Transcendence.
Aboard the carrier, sisters leapt to prepare more Jatouche tanks, and several dropped planetside to assist.
Some of the last suits to exit a cargo traveler were Jasper, Lita, Ceda, and Escher.
Ceda’s mask-helmet was up, and she was crying. Her suit was singed, but, otherwise, she seemed unhurt.
Jasper and Lita carried Escher between them. His entire left leg and hip were missing, and he appeared lifeless.
While the Darmian forces were organizing to lift, the Transcendence traveler landed, and sisters spilled out. The damaged sisters and the injured suits were collected. Then the traveler swiftly launched for the carrier.
Ceda stood forlornly watching the shuttle disappear. Lita and Jasper tried to comfort her.
Ceda complained bitterly.
Then Ceda broke down, and Lita folded the ex-clone into her arms. In the meantime, Jasper made his way to Miranda to discuss some of the new tactics the warriors were employing.
Peña had observed the fighting’s aftermath. She linked to Miranda,
Peña, Merlie, and Sven returned to the Transcendence.
Sven took charge of the Jatouche facility. Having carefully recorded the space, he organized ten tanks and their supplies to drop first. However, he and nine sisters dropped planetside with material that would provide the infrastructure for the tank installations.
After the emergencies settled, Merlie connected to Nebulon. Every Storyteller sister joined the call to listen.
After a brief pause, Merlie sent,
When Sven had the basic infrastructure ready for the first ten tanks, the sisters with him moved on to expand the services. Then Sven requested the drop of the next ten tanks and their supplies. He waited in the plaza for the traveler to land.
Bibi stepped beside Sven and gazed upward.
At that moment, the traveler dropped through the sky, headed for a landing in the plaza.
Bibi lifted her mask-helmet, gave Sven a bright smile, shook his hand, and headed toward a group of suits.
Sven had been stunned by the youthful face that had smiled at him from inside the suit. You should be attending university, he thought. Not fighting deadly warriors for the freedom of their abused citizens.
With a shake of his head, Sven focused on the cargo traveler dropping its ramp. Four sisters carried a weighty tank off the traveler, and Sven sent its intended location. When all the tanks were offloaded, he issued instructions for the assembly of storage shelving.
The last item to move was a massive tank of fluid for the medical tanks. Three grav palettes caught the extended edges of the tank and hefted it. Then, oh-so carefully, the sisters moved it to a corner of the space. Finally, fluid transport piping was laid to service the Jatouche tanks.
Sven left it to the sisters to run the diagnostics on the tanks. When they were satisfied, they headed for the traveler. As they passed Sven, he sent,
Aboard the Transcendence, Merlie linked to Peña.
Peña admitted.
Peña grinned at Merlie’s antics. At the same time, she gave thought to the discussion that she would need to have with Sven. It was important that she judge how the Darmian circumstances had affected him.
Cycles later, Miranda and Nebulon were on hand to greet Gurderg and her friends when they woke.
The sister eased the matrons out of their tanks onto tables. They had a great deal of dense fur to dry. Then they covered them with sheets and removed their inducers.
“Did something go wrong?” Gurderg’s friend inquired nervously.
“You were in the tanks for many cycles,” Miranda replied. “The repairs were successful.”
Each matron sat up and peeked under their sheets. On the one hand, they were nervous about being nude. On the other hand, they saw strong, unblemished bodies.
Sisters pulled down the mirrored metal at each table.
The more the matrons saw of their reflections, the lower they let the sheets drop. Finally, the sheets ended on the decks, as the females turned and twisted in front of the mirrors, examining their smooth fur.
Gurderg leaned close to the mirror, and she searched her reflection. Her muzzle was pristine. “I won’t spit anymore,” she said happily.
“Not unless you want to make a point,” Nebulon said matter-of-factly, which had the matrons chortling.
“Perhaps, we should dress,” the other friend suggested, beginning to feel self-conscious.
When the traveler with Gurderg and her friends landed, Miranda asked, “What would you like to do, Gurderg?”
“Stay on the end of the ramp with my head held high,” Gurderg replied.
It wasn’t long before a matron passed. She paused, because she couldn’t recognize the three females.
“Are you new to our city?” the passing matron asked the three females on the ramp.
“I arrived with you from the enclave,” Gurderg replied, with a gleam in her eye.
“Gurderg?” the passerby exclaimed.
“This is the result of the Jatouche repair process, which the three of us have undergone,” Gurderg replied. Then she introduced her friends.
The astounded matron set up a howl that had every nearby Radag running to her aid.
