A Dangerous Meeting
"And I'm here again, why?"Amanda asked, as professional outfitters adjusted her dress uniform.
"Because the man whose government is financing yours, expressed a desire to meet you in person," Admiral Foster told her.
"Oh."
"Cheer up, it's part of the job," he told her. "For some, it's even a desirable part." He eyed the tailoring. "Saber, not a cutlass," he said. "You're an
Officer now, not leading an assault party… and we'll have to do something about holstering that cut-off carbine you call a handgun. Stuffing it through a belt-sash is not going to cut it for a diplomatic meeting."
"It does look kinda… childish, doesn't it?" she confessed.
Foster's expression softened. "It's from an earlier time, an earlier
you... But meeting with a national leader or two means yes, sometimes you have to conform to expectations. They're expecting a modern officer, not…" he hesitated.
"A little girl cosplaying pirate?" she filled in.
"I did not want to say it out loud," he told her.
She nodded. "I understand, now, I think… I have to be taken seriously."
"That does NOT mean you cannot have a signature
style, but it must be less overt," he told her. "Keep the vest, it looks good."
"And what about the hat?"
"Try a smaller sized brim, one that still folds the right ways, but is less intrusive," he suggested. "It is
a signature look, they will expect it, and it is different enough to stand out where you need it to."
*
The Reception Hall……was built with the rest of the base, and it was located on an inner ring course with a panoramic representation of the docks projected along the wall, instead of a massive window in the floor that would be necessary to have the same view, given the placement on the inner gravity wheel.
It was built, to do exactly what it was being used for-a common area for VIP visitors to the base.
ALICE was
jazzed to see so many new faces. Her glee was open and visible on her new Remote's face, this one modeled on her Virtual Avatar, though with a more modest, formal set of clothes than a little girl's pinafore.
"Be good, Alice," Billie told her, as the dignitaries started to arrive.
"It's so
exciting!" the tone quality of Alice's remote was reflective of her 'age', and somehow, Billie Hoel managed to make sure that the girl resembled her own remote enough to, at a distance, suggest a parental relationship.
“I know. It has been a while since the last summit and this time you get to play host. I wasn’t able to be present for the last one but we need to keep our composure. At least on the outside.” Billie Hoel smiled.
"I hope Mister Stone likes me. I have reviewed all the files on him!"
“If he doesn’t, there’s something wrong with him.”
From the spinward entrance was a flourish, as the bodyguards of the Capellan Chancellor formed a path for him to enter.
“Now him, he could be a wild card from what I understand.”
Daoshen Liao walked gracefully, but carefully, into the chamber, a young female aide at his side.
"He looks different with his tattoos covered up, and he's carrying a-"
"We don't mention that out loud, Alice," Billie cautioned. <
Seven kilos unbalanced weight, left side, and body armor?>
"Oh, I know, he's afraid of being attacked," Alice whispered as the Chancellor approached.
“Greetings, Chancellor Liao. I hope your journey was pleasant.” Billie put on her best hostess smile.
"It was as pleasant as could be expected, thank you… Captain Hoel?" He smiled genially. "Your star system here is a wonder to behold. I have truly seen nothing like it before."
“Well, it really belongs to young Alice here. She has been gracious enough to let us use it for our purposes.”
He regarded her, and then, he stooped down, and flourished something from his robes, "For my gracious hostess, a gift," he said.
Alice accepted it, and in passable Mandarin, recited, "With thanks to my Guest, the Rite is done." She continued, "You are safe within my hull, air, food and water shared in peace. Let our business be fruitful, presence friendly, and parting amicable."
"So say we all," he finished the formula.
Billie reviewed it quickly while her tap on the scanners showed the carved wooden box posed no threat, and contained no metals beyond the hinges and latches of the puzzle box.
"My father made me learn that formula, and the Guest Rite. I never had the chance to actually
use it before," Daoshen told them.
“The Celestial Wisdom has great foresight, and we are humbled by his forethought.” Billie Hoel bowed slightly.
Taking her cue, Alice rendered a deep curtsey.
There was less fanfare when Devlin Stone arrived, and a slight hesitation as he attempted the old Belter Guestrite greeting.
<Why don’t you take this one Alice. Good practice.>
"Thanks to my guest, the rite is done. You and yours are safe in my hull, sharing air, and food and water in peace. Let our business be fruitful, Presence Friendly, and Parting Amicable." Alice spoke it in Sol-Belta, the dialect of the Belt communities of Sol.
"We are at peace, let no one disrupt it," Stone answered, using the Metis Congress formal conclusion. "Impressive you used the old-form," he added. "I almost didn't understand that."
"Sorry!" Alice squeaked. "I'm still learningandit'sallsointerestingand-"
"Take a breath, kid," he said. "Slow down, I'm
Impressed, also a little humbled. The only reason I knew anything at all, was Victor made me practice on the way here… You're the station's AI then?"
"YES!!" Alice enthused. "I was here for a long time!"
"Must have been some experience, seeing the centuries pass."
"Mostly it was boring. I was
alone," Alice told him. "But I'm not alone anymore!!"
"Captain Hoel, will Captain Roberts be joining us tonight?" Stone asked.
“I’ll make sure she keeps her appointment on the itinerary.” Billie Hoel chuckled lightly.
"She's with Admiral Foster right now," Alice chirped helpfully. "Coming up lift 22 from the docks."
"What was she doing at the docks?" Billie asked.
"Ummm… I'm not supposed'ta say. Two minutes, thirty seconds until they arrive."
“Ah. Understood.” Billie nodded.
"Remarkable," Daoshen marveled. "Devlin, we have business this week, and much to discuss. Can it wait until after the reception?"
"Yeah, I guess. Why?"
"I'm still taking this in. The Confederation can learn a lot from this place."
"OH! Tours!!" Alice said. "There will be a full tour of my base! Tomorrow morning!!"
“And we have been instructed by her Ladyship that if you should request it, we are to be available as liaisons for your stays.”
"I think she wants to show off, and I can not say she would be wrong," Daoshen noted. "This place… is VERY impressive."
The spire-ward entrance opened, and Admiral Foster came through, flanked by Esme and Amanda.
"My apologies to you both, we had last minute business to attend to. I trust Billie's kept things moving?" Foster greeted them.
"Quite, I would be pleased to have a liaison to assist us," Daoshen said.
"Same," Stone added.
"Good, I can tell the SAR teams to relax for a few hours then. Gentlemen, this is Amanda Roberts. You both expressed interest in meeting her, and this is my Operations Officer for the Docks, Captain Esmeralda Gomez. We, ah, dragged her along for this. I hope it's not going to be a problem."
"Liberator of five worlds? Not a problem," Chancellor Liao quipped. "I am pleased to meet you, Captain Roberts. Your deeds have reached as far as Sian."
Amanda flushed, and let him take and kiss her hand, before she remembered how to curtsey in the classical way. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, is it 'majesty'?"
"Celestial Wisdom is the usual sobriquet, Captain, though Chancellor works, under the conditions." He released her hand after an awkward moment, and Stone extended his for a handshake. "I've seen your work, Captain. Fan-tastic."
"Thank you sir," she said a little more easily, accepting the firm handshake. She added, "We couldn't have done half of it without your nation's financial support."
<That was pretty crass, Desmond. Why are you running her?> Billie silently asked.
<She asked me to,> Desmond responded. <She's freaking out in here, anxiety through the roof.>
<Get her to settle down if you can, this is important.>
"Billie, did you review my request for their Liaison personnel?" Foster asked.
“Yes sir. We are happy to accommodate.”
"I have a great
many questions, Captain Hoel. I'm something of an historian, I do hope the Liaison assigned can answer a few? Clear up some dross from the histories?"
“Of course. I have Captain Victoria Cameron assigned to you. She’s our expert historian, as it so happens, Chancellor Liao. For you, Exarch Stone, it seems you actually requested Captain Regina Marbury Raymond.”
<The bar's open!!> was clearly Amanda's thought intruding over the link, and she hurriedly excused herself.
<Shit!>
Exarch Stone followed her.
"Miss Roberts seems in a hurry…" Victor noted.
"Open bar," Alice said innocently.
.
"Open…bar?" Victor asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Yah, she likes her rum, and they have the 'good stuff' tonight," Alice said helpfully as Billie could almost see Foster's mental face-palm.
“Don’t worry sir. I’ve already had a talk with the bartender.” Billie gave a reassuring smile.
"Someone that young, to have done that much, I imagine she might have some… familiarity with adult beverages," Daoshen said in an understanding tone. "Confirm for me, she started this when she was but fourteen? Is that right?"
Foster just… "Aff, about that age. The story may already have spread about
how."
Victor frowned, "Um,
fourteen?"
"That was when she found the
Naval Database," Alice was continuing to be inconveniently helpful. "She was
fifteen when she went to Hala."
<Amanda means a lot to us too for what she did for you and Erin, but there is such a thing as over-sharing.>
"Jesus, that wasn't in the briefs… Christ, so she's as young as she
looks?" Victor pressed. "Nobody… thought to put her in, I don't know, a
school or something?"
"I have a hard enough time keeping her from sneaking out to liberate another planet, Victor," Foster stated. "She's a good student. She's got the talent, and built her own reputation, but…" he spread his hands. "Even President Avellar hasn't gotten her to 'take' to the idea of sitting in a classroom for long."
"There's known damage from subjecting under-age personnel to combat, Admiral," Victor's tone was harsh. "I know we saw it often enough, on the Clan front, and during the war with the Blakists."
"If it is any consolation, the Khans think of her as a bit of a Ristar."
"I know the term," Victor scowled. "How old were you?"
"Fifteen when we had to evacuate the Homeworlds. I fought in the Wars of Reaving," Foster admitted. "We barely finished sibko, and I made Star Captain before I was seventeen. Blood stripes, you know the term?"
"Yeah… damn it. We were going to end that kind of thing… let the kids be Kids…" For a moment, Victor looked older than he was, weary and sad.
“I think this would be an excellent time to join Amanda at the open bar. I have arranged for your liaisons to meet us there so you may have a chance to get to know them since you will be spending so much time with them,” Billie said, trying to defuse the situation.
Esme shot Billie a knowing look, and finger-signed <And so we can have a drink before Amanda's drained the bottles.>
"We should probably hurry, before it gets crowded." Foster caught the same signals.
As promised, Victoria and Regina were already waiting in the bar.
***
"Skol." Amanda poured one for Exarch Stone, and one for herself. "This is Northsun Spiced rum, Exarch Stone. It's smoother than the whiskey from Sevon V. Not sure what you'd compare it to, but it's the best we've got."
"Rum, huh? Well, it can't be worse than
Patron from Buena," he said easily enough. "So… what's it like working with them?"
"With who?"
"The Artificial Persons, the AI's?" he asked.
"Most are great," she said. "Some of them worry too much." She downed her drink in a rush, and refilled her glass. "Some don't worry enough-it's like that with people, I would guess. What's it like saving the whole galaxy from religious fanatics?"
"Hardly the whole galaxy." He drank a little more sedately. "What's eating you, Captain?"
"I spent the last six months killing spacers for flying under the wrong flag," she told him. "And no matter how many people tell me it was the right thing, it still felt and feels like murder… And I can't make it stop."
"I know that feeling," he told her. "In my experience, there are two ways to deal with it. You let it eat you, or you learn from it." He caught her hand. "Don't. Don't let it eat you."
"They cried out in darkness, sir," she said. "They cried out, 'save me' and I left them to die. I don't even know how many… But it was a lot, and I was the one that put them there. And no matter how I try, I can't get it out of my head."
"Then don't. Learn from it, learn to be
better."
“And it is okay to share the burden. You are not alone in this anymore, and even if all you do is talk about it, that will help.” Regina joined them at their table.
"Hey Reggie," Amanda greeted Regina. "This, is Devlin Stone. He saved the whole inner sphere, and has been keeping us afloat with loans. Be nice to him, okay?"
“I’ve been briefed. Though I suspect there’s a reason you asked for me in particular,” she said, turning to Stone.
“You’re one of the few AIs that has been in more than one ship. I must admit I’m curious about that. And I was warned not to ask for Cossack. The others, well, there was just something about you that stood out to me that you seemed the one to talk to about it. If that’s not too ill-mannered of me,” Stone said sheepishly.
“In other words, you heard the rumors and had to see for yourself. Don’t worry I’m not offended. It’s true as an AI, I live in this bizarre world where that doesn’t matter to me as much as it used to. But also as an AI, I don’t have the same moral inhibitions. But what you’re really interested in is can we actually love, and experience other emotions. The answer is yes. It may be the result of advanced computer programming to ape something like it, combined with the memories of our source, but we do have real enough emotions.”
And Amanda stood up, taking her bottle. "Please excuse me, I… must be going," she said, tipping her hat, and wandered away.
"Sensitive topic?" Stone asked.
"A bit. Larry Nichols was… he served her as a father figure. And I'm not sure she's coped with that either," Regina explained.
“Then I should make amends for being so careless in my topic of discussion.”
"It's not on you, sir," Regina said, and hesitated. "Amanda's… story, do you know it?"
"Some. Started young, did some amazing things," he allowed.
"A Blakist cell kidnapped her and eleven others, at age twelve, did you know that?"
"Some of it. She escaped, or so the story says. What's the real deal?" he asked. "That left eye is Manei Domini work."
"That's because it, at least, partially
is. They tried to alter her on a fundamental level, tried to turn her into a weapon of terror," Regina explained, using Larry's words.
“I have some familiarity with that. I got lucky and was able to get some help in breaking free and making sure there were no surprises in my mind.”
"She had 'help' too. She calls it her 'imaginary friend'. It's what they tried to turn her into, but they made a fundamental mistake. In the process of what they did to her, she lost most of her childhood memories."
“An oft repeated mistake of tyrants. The more they try to control something, the more it works against them.”
"Amanda's clearest, earliest memories? The ones she's lived with the entire time we’ve known her?" Regina asked. "Were butchering the men who cut into her brain. Not birthdays, not Christmas or school crushes. She didn't even recognize her family for a long time, Exarch Stone. Her earliest memories were violence and pain. And a childhood fascination with fictional sixteenth-century pirates, which is what she styled herself on. And why she has that hat."
“I seem to remember some of that from the last time I was here. I want to let her know she has someone who has gone through something less extreme, but still very similar. And I would be willing to talk with her about my own experiences.”
"Then, let her come to you," Regina counseled. "Amanda's in a complex place mentally, and she's always had trouble accepting help when it's offered directly…" Regina hesitated.
<Larry?>
But there was no answer.
Of course not. But I clearly got some of him. It’s just enough, though. Enough I must keep my promise to Lori.<Alice, patch me through on comms to Lori Crowe, please.> "In the meantime, I'm happy to answer your questions, Exarch."
"Just out of curiosity, if you will… Her 'imaginary friend' is… another AI type?"
"What do you think you know, so I know how much to discuss," Regina passed back.
"Desmond," he said. "Star League project, special forces."
"Whew, they kept those records?"
"Dave Lear is a very thorough researcher. She has one then."
“Yes," Regina stated. "She
is dominant, it doesn't control her," Regina said, carefully omitting certain details.
"I didn't think it would be otherwise. So they didn't strip her amygdala. We encountered a few of them during the war who didn't escape before the procedure was over with-the men they did it to were
destroyed. I… I had to put some of them down," he said. "She's still a person, so I imagine she must have managed her escape before they finished."
"She did," Regina confirmed. "We got her treatment to cover the scars, but she still 'sees them'. It's why she keeps her head covered."
"The hat, and the bandage from the Erinyes hearing," he nodded. "I wondered…"
"How much did they take from you?" she asked.
<Enough.> His lips didn't move.
"More than I could recover," his lips answered.
<Which series?>
<191, Jocasta's reign,> he answered. <The doctors who installed me, they didn't do such a thorough or careful job. Whoever my host WAS, is gone almost completely beyond biological functions and some remnant beliefs and ethics.>
<I see.>
<She's carrying 001, isn't she? I accounted for most of us during the war. They opened Fort Detrick, all the units stored there, and the prototype was missing when we inventoried.>
<Yes. The rumors and stories do not seem to be quite as true as we believed.>
<Autonomy? I still have to use the remaining brain mass, Regina. It's just that it's more damaged than hers, I have to stay 'on' all the time.>
<There is still separation, but I imagine you know more about integration with one’s host than I do. Your host must be quite resilient to handle you being ‘on’ all the time.>
<With practice it's easier. I've recovered pieces of my host's identity, enough to pass for human, anyway. I expect whoever my host was before they butchered him, was an extraordinary human being.>
<That’s something I’m familiar with in a way.>
"Let's talk about the future. I have a vision…" he spoke with his mouth, giving the usual speech, while covering the REAL conversation. <001's stable in her?>
<More stable than we could have predicted.>
<Good. Very good… Helena Cameron, she's for real?>
<You verified her DNA and the command codes she gave you, and your memory files should be able to provide a facial recognition match.>
<When is she going to take her rightful place? I need to know so it can be prepared.>
<That could be difficult. For her, she does not see Terra as her rightful place. She’s content for the Star League to be much more of an idea that means something than an actual governmental body. I find it fascinating and possibly contradictory.>
<The Star League, Regina.> This rum's actually excellent, almost Jamaican." <The Star League needs its First Lord. I've been trying to patch it together in some way that won't collapse again, but we NEED a First Lord.>
<You know when she symbolically re-did the charter, she removed hereditary rulership. She has seen the problems of the genetic lottery.> “I’m glad you like it.”
<That's a detail. I'm loyal, Regina.> "The journey was interesting, and the view from here is remarkable." <House Cameron, in whatever form, is necessary and we finally have one.>
<I do think on some level she knows there is meaning and mana to her name, but getting her to change her mind about the position of First Lord being tied to house Cameron could be quite difficult.>
<She has time, I suppose. And I have time to prepare for her return.> "We'll build things like this again, once we've truly re-established peace, there's a lot to still be done." <Let her know we'll be waiting and ready, please? When she is.>
“Of course.”
"I don't imagine I ever thought I'd become a statesman, before what they did to me at Kittery. Eventually, I think, we’ll have more statesmen than famous warriors."
“That is something her Ladyship aspires to as well,” Regina smiled.
"Then here's to a brighter future." He raised his glass in symbolic toast.
Regina found and raised her own glass before draining the contents.
“Devlin! Do you KNOW what-Hello." Victor Ian Steiner-Davion halted.
"Victor, this is our Liaison officer, Captain Regina…”
“Marbury Raymond,” Regina finished for Stone.
"The rum's more powerful than I thought… What's got you in a lather, Vic?"
"Roberts." The former First Prince was in full-blown white-knight mode. "Do you have any idea what they did to her?"
"Who, the Sons of Plunder, or the Word of Blake?" Stone asked. "She's a
survivor, Victor. Of a Blakist atrocity we missed."
That seemed to settle Victor down. "So you
do know."
"I know. We shared a drink and a few stories." Stone inclined his head. "This is about her age, isn't it? We can't accomplish it all at once."
“And the Mechwarrior families of the Inner Sphere were never terribly shy about starting lessons as young as ten or eleven,” Regina offered as she poured the three of them another round.
"I know, at least, intellectually, Devlin. But God… we should've been on top of it." He sat down with them and accepted the drink. "So where did she go?"
"Wherever a twenty-one year old girl would go to get away from stuffy old fossils like us, I imagine," Stone said with a twinkle in his eye.
"Right… yeah, thanks." Victor downed the shot. "She's like… younger than Yvonne was… I swear I have kids her age."
"Just marks her talent more," Stone quipped. "Imagine the scourge you can use her for with your youngest."
"I'm imagining what a bad idea that is, Dev."
"So it is. This rum's strong!"
“Yeah, it’s pretty good.” Regina downed another drink.
“Wait a minute, I thought we got an AI liaison…” Victor said confused.
“You did. Esme Gomez is an engineering genius. I can even get drunk if I want. But that would be a bad idea right now, so I’ve disabled that feature.”
***
Si Fu Lam……wasn't a normal name, but then, he wasn't a normal man. One of the small mistakes the Chancellor made in the past, the previous Celestial Wisdom's mistake, was not verifying the
complete annihilation of Warrior House White Tiger.
More of a 'Blessed oversight' really. He moved through the station like a ghost, ready to carry out his holy mission for Kali. That she descend from Heaven to the mortal world again.
Not bodily, not at first… But in spirit… And the equipment to make it happen, he was certain, was here.
There were even proper sacrifices he could take from the station's personnel, to speed the process.
To Be Continued.
