Manifest reports. Res-pods received . . . God, look at the casualty count. They were getting hundreds from the front.”
“Stand by, Grenada . We’re linking us up with your signal from the Elphinstone. ”
Other systems were trying to come online. Lights flashed within the frigate.
“ Grenada, we need a clearer signal. Move closer.”
“Copy that.”
The scout ship drifted nearer. The antennae clusters of the two vessels extended toward each other like tentacles.
“There it is,” the captain snapped his fingers as the data file was received. “Full manifest.”
The light grew. Grenada was close enough that her crew could see shadows cast against the frigate’s windows from within.
“There may still be some pressurization, Command. There’s something moving in there.”
The captain and the command deck crew strained forward, trying to peer into the wreckage of the Elphinstone.
“Move us closer.”
The tight-beam was failing. The frigate’s systems, awakened momentarily, were winking out one by one.
“ Grenada , this is Command. We’ve analyzed that manifest. The Elphinstone had discharged a pod just prior to blackout. Repeat, a body was discharged. It looks like the trajectory was back toward the light line terminus.”
“Did you see that?” one of the crew asked.
The windows of the two ships were staring into each other. Those of the Grenada were wide and dark and empty. The windows of the Elphinstone blinked with a faint but steady will-o-the-wisp light.
“There’s someone over there. Closer,” said the captain. “Take us closer.”
The light was dancing now.
“ Grenada, this is Command. Please respond.”
The captain and the crew did not respond. They stared at the light, their minds no longer their own. They stared across the diminishing space at the portals of the other ship, transfixed. Proximity alarms sounded dully on the Grenada’s command deck as the ships neared impact. The antennae of the two ships were entangled now, metal spars shattering like ice.
“Closer,” the captain whispered.
The scout ship fell toward the frigate like a feather into fire. Neither the crew nor the captain even stirred to evade the collision. Flame blossomed as the hulls kissed. There were screams encased in static, then silence.
“ Grenada ?” The transmission from Command echoed into the void. “ Grenada ?”
The ships of the dead fleet drifted together.
Seventeen
I n the lab the next morning, there was what appeared to be a flawless, naked human male strapped to the table where Tsai-Liu and Davis worked. As soon as Beka saw him, she realized that her suspicions were true.
Aggiz didn’t. “I thought we were done with meat-sacks—with blanks. They don’t work. We’ve been through this.”
“Look at his eyes, Aggiz,” Beka whispered. “They’re not blank.”
They were not indeed. They were bright, focused and very much alive. Fear waged war with hatred into them. He glared at them silently.
“It won’t work on a human, Davis.” Aggiz’s voice rose. “You can’t map those memories onto a human brain and expect to get anything useful. This isn’t—we didn’t . . .”
“It’s not a human, Aggiz,” Beka whispered.
Davis looked up from where he and Tsai-Liu were preparing their surgical implements. He looked triumphant, though his eyes were red and ringed. He looked as though he’d gotten about as much sleep as Beka last night. “You, Aggiz, are looking at something that should no longer exist—at the closest our race ever came to extinction. I gambled that somehow, someway, Tholan and his cronies would be keeping a handful around.” He smiled jauntily. “You also happen to be looking at System’s foremost expert on how they function.”
Beka watched as comprehension slowly dawned on Aggiz’s features.
“That’s right, my friend. You’re looking at a bona fide synthetic. Straight out of the legend. Three hundred years young.”
“But they
“Stand by, Grenada . We’re linking us up with your signal from the Elphinstone. ”
Other systems were trying to come online. Lights flashed within the frigate.
“ Grenada, we need a clearer signal. Move closer.”
“Copy that.”
The scout ship drifted nearer. The antennae clusters of the two vessels extended toward each other like tentacles.
“There it is,” the captain snapped his fingers as the data file was received. “Full manifest.”
The light grew. Grenada was close enough that her crew could see shadows cast against the frigate’s windows from within.
“There may still be some pressurization, Command. There’s something moving in there.”
The captain and the command deck crew strained forward, trying to peer into the wreckage of the Elphinstone.
“Move us closer.”
The tight-beam was failing. The frigate’s systems, awakened momentarily, were winking out one by one.
“ Grenada , this is Command. We’ve analyzed that manifest. The Elphinstone had discharged a pod just prior to blackout. Repeat, a body was discharged. It looks like the trajectory was back toward the light line terminus.”
“Did you see that?” one of the crew asked.
The windows of the two ships were staring into each other. Those of the Grenada were wide and dark and empty. The windows of the Elphinstone blinked with a faint but steady will-o-the-wisp light.
“There’s someone over there. Closer,” said the captain. “Take us closer.”
The light was dancing now.
“ Grenada, this is Command. Please respond.”
The captain and the crew did not respond. They stared at the light, their minds no longer their own. They stared across the diminishing space at the portals of the other ship, transfixed. Proximity alarms sounded dully on the Grenada’s command deck as the ships neared impact. The antennae of the two ships were entangled now, metal spars shattering like ice.
“Closer,” the captain whispered.
The scout ship fell toward the frigate like a feather into fire. Neither the crew nor the captain even stirred to evade the collision. Flame blossomed as the hulls kissed. There were screams encased in static, then silence.
“ Grenada ?” The transmission from Command echoed into the void. “ Grenada ?”
The ships of the dead fleet drifted together.
Seventeen
I n the lab the next morning, there was what appeared to be a flawless, naked human male strapped to the table where Tsai-Liu and Davis worked. As soon as Beka saw him, she realized that her suspicions were true.
Aggiz didn’t. “I thought we were done with meat-sacks—with blanks. They don’t work. We’ve been through this.”
“Look at his eyes, Aggiz,” Beka whispered. “They’re not blank.”
They were not indeed. They were bright, focused and very much alive. Fear waged war with hatred into them. He glared at them silently.
“It won’t work on a human, Davis.” Aggiz’s voice rose. “You can’t map those memories onto a human brain and expect to get anything useful. This isn’t—we didn’t . . .”
“It’s not a human, Aggiz,” Beka whispered.
Davis looked up from where he and Tsai-Liu were preparing their surgical implements. He looked triumphant, though his eyes were red and ringed. He looked as though he’d gotten about as much sleep as Beka last night. “You, Aggiz, are looking at something that should no longer exist—at the closest our race ever came to extinction. I gambled that somehow, someway, Tholan and his cronies would be keeping a handful around.” He smiled jauntily. “You also happen to be looking at System’s foremost expert on how they function.”
Beka watched as comprehension slowly dawned on Aggiz’s features.
“That’s right, my friend. You’re looking at a bona fide synthetic. Straight out of the legend. Three hundred years young.”
“But they
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