very—" he flickered, "—proud."
Aimee smiled but she didn't know if the smile was at the prospect of Chara being proud or for the way JOH struggled to define the word.
This lust to learn her way around the Horus was simply a product of survival. She did not want to rely on others. She needed to be self-sufficient.
"JOH, can you tell me what those symbols say?"
Specifically she was interested in the most ubiquitous hieroglyph, an X with a line through the center and two points on each end of the line. It appeared at every intersection.
"That symbol represents the brain of the Horus. What you call the deck . Follow the symbol and you will find the brain.”
Cool.
"And this one?"
It looked like a teacup, but with a ray of sunshine spouting from its core.
"That would represent the closest eatery."
Aimee cleared her throat to disguise her glee at beginning to learn the secrets of this not-so-complex ship. "And this one?" It was a dismembered circle, dissected into equal, unattached pies.
JOH's eyes flat-lined again. He was thinking. "The scientist quarters."
Doubting that he meant their sleeping accommodations, Aimee guessed that it was their laboratories.
"I can accompany you to the deck where Chara is waiting, Aimeeeeeee."
Aimee grinned at the earnest blue face with its eyes now cast into a pair of triangles. "I think I can find my way, JOH. But if I get lost, I'll catch up with you down the hall, okay?"
"You are smart, Aimeeeee."
Approval from this floating computer shouldn't mean anything, but Aimee felt a brief flash of self-pride.
"Thanks, JOH. You're not too bad yourself."
"I am never bad," he stated. "I am always good."
"I believe that." She shook her head and laughed. "Tell Chara I'm on my way."
Aimee gently tapped the screen and continued to smile at the empty panel.
Her eyes slid to the wall, as she tried not to notice the occupants behind it deeply engrossed in a book. It was disconcerting to watch their private moments, but they chose to be on display. On the other side of the corridor the wall was blank. The room was locked . Whoever was behind it elected not to be seen.
Aimee reached an intersection and located the X with the line through it emblazoned on the wall to the left. She turned that way. A few feet later another X marked a spot in the middle of the hall, not at a juncture. Aimee took a deep breath and relaxed, and there it was, a familiar oblong panel. She reached into the air to her left and swung her hand to the right. The doorway to the lateral transport slid open.
So cool.
Pleased with her success at locating the lateral transport, and for having figured out how to commandeer it...all that was left was to determine when to stop the thing. Previously, she had been preoccupied with the view. Now she faced inwards, away from the windows, and noticed a series of symbols flash by at a rapid pace atop the door. They rushed by so swiftly that it was like watching an animated cartoon. There was barely time for the images to even register in her mind. She finally recognized the X and slammed her palm down on it. The transport slid to a stop and the door skidded open.
Across the hall an X was lit up towards the right. She exited the chamber and headed in that direction.
Aimee recognized the approach to the main deck. The drone of activity was like the subtle underscore of a cafeteria. She climbed a set of sparkling stairs and reached the apex, staring into the pulse of the Horus. So many silver-suited bodies. An army of glittering ants. Some had mechanisms attached to their ears. Some engaged in conversation with floating JOH's. And some charted a course on a digital overlay atop the vast expanse of windows. Beyond this flurry of activity was a vista so unique and grand you had to think that Heaven could not be far off in the distance.
Aimee hugged the periphery of the action and stepped up to the closest window, pressing her forehead against it to see if she could glimpse down
Aimee smiled but she didn't know if the smile was at the prospect of Chara being proud or for the way JOH struggled to define the word.
This lust to learn her way around the Horus was simply a product of survival. She did not want to rely on others. She needed to be self-sufficient.
"JOH, can you tell me what those symbols say?"
Specifically she was interested in the most ubiquitous hieroglyph, an X with a line through the center and two points on each end of the line. It appeared at every intersection.
"That symbol represents the brain of the Horus. What you call the deck . Follow the symbol and you will find the brain.”
Cool.
"And this one?"
It looked like a teacup, but with a ray of sunshine spouting from its core.
"That would represent the closest eatery."
Aimee cleared her throat to disguise her glee at beginning to learn the secrets of this not-so-complex ship. "And this one?" It was a dismembered circle, dissected into equal, unattached pies.
JOH's eyes flat-lined again. He was thinking. "The scientist quarters."
Doubting that he meant their sleeping accommodations, Aimee guessed that it was their laboratories.
"I can accompany you to the deck where Chara is waiting, Aimeeeeeee."
Aimee grinned at the earnest blue face with its eyes now cast into a pair of triangles. "I think I can find my way, JOH. But if I get lost, I'll catch up with you down the hall, okay?"
"You are smart, Aimeeeee."
Approval from this floating computer shouldn't mean anything, but Aimee felt a brief flash of self-pride.
"Thanks, JOH. You're not too bad yourself."
"I am never bad," he stated. "I am always good."
"I believe that." She shook her head and laughed. "Tell Chara I'm on my way."
Aimee gently tapped the screen and continued to smile at the empty panel.
Her eyes slid to the wall, as she tried not to notice the occupants behind it deeply engrossed in a book. It was disconcerting to watch their private moments, but they chose to be on display. On the other side of the corridor the wall was blank. The room was locked . Whoever was behind it elected not to be seen.
Aimee reached an intersection and located the X with the line through it emblazoned on the wall to the left. She turned that way. A few feet later another X marked a spot in the middle of the hall, not at a juncture. Aimee took a deep breath and relaxed, and there it was, a familiar oblong panel. She reached into the air to her left and swung her hand to the right. The doorway to the lateral transport slid open.
So cool.
Pleased with her success at locating the lateral transport, and for having figured out how to commandeer it...all that was left was to determine when to stop the thing. Previously, she had been preoccupied with the view. Now she faced inwards, away from the windows, and noticed a series of symbols flash by at a rapid pace atop the door. They rushed by so swiftly that it was like watching an animated cartoon. There was barely time for the images to even register in her mind. She finally recognized the X and slammed her palm down on it. The transport slid to a stop and the door skidded open.
Across the hall an X was lit up towards the right. She exited the chamber and headed in that direction.
Aimee recognized the approach to the main deck. The drone of activity was like the subtle underscore of a cafeteria. She climbed a set of sparkling stairs and reached the apex, staring into the pulse of the Horus. So many silver-suited bodies. An army of glittering ants. Some had mechanisms attached to their ears. Some engaged in conversation with floating JOH's. And some charted a course on a digital overlay atop the vast expanse of windows. Beyond this flurry of activity was a vista so unique and grand you had to think that Heaven could not be far off in the distance.
Aimee hugged the periphery of the action and stepped up to the closest window, pressing her forehead against it to see if she could glimpse down
Similar Books
