‘Our position gives us an obligation,’ Justine said.
‘Only according to human morals,’ Ilanthe said. ‘These are aliens.’
‘I wish to remain true to myself, thank you,’ Justine said primly.
‘Of course you do.’
‘I vote against any physical force being used against the Empire fleet, no matter how restrained. We need to seek an alternative.’
‘Thank you, Mother,’ Kazimir said. ‘Anyone else against the motion?’
Creewan raised his hand.
Kazimir looked round the table. ‘Then it is the majority vote that the Navy delivers a warning to the command ship, and subsequently disables it if that warning is ignored. I will initiate that immediately.’
‘And what if they keep on coming after the command ship is taken out?’ Justine asked. ‘Which they will, and you all know it.’
‘Then I will reconvene this committee,’ Kazimir said.
She let out an exasperated hiss of breath, and against all etiquette withdrew instantly. The others stared at the vacated space as the perceptual reality adjusted to her absence.
‘That’s what being in a real body does for you,’ Ilanthe muttered archly.
‘I will, of course, provide a secure link to the Navy ship delivering the ultimatum,’ Kazimir said. ‘All of you will be able to access the event.’
‘How long until the demand is made?’ John Thelwell asked.
‘I’d like to bring in a ship which I know has the ability to disable a Starslayer without loss of life,’ Kazimir said. ‘We have that capability in the Hancher assistance squadron. Flight time will be within ten days. The warning will allow them one Earth day to turn round.’
‘We’ll be back here in a fortnight, then,’ Gore predicted.
Less than a second after the meeting officially ended, Ilanthe requested access to Gore’s personal perceptual reality. He’d been expecting it and permitted her entry as he ambled along the white-sand beach below the headland. She walked up out of the water, wearing a blue and white bikini.
‘Very Ursula Andress,’ he said appreciatively. Gone was the spiky Cat hairstyle of the meeting, she was shaking droplets out of long honey-coloured tresses.
‘Thank you.’ Ilanthe squinted up at the noon sun, holding a pale hand across her forehead. ‘The governors you have configuring this place are very crude. Am I likely to get sunburn?’
‘They’re not crude, just strong. Prevents hostiles trojan-ing in nasty surprises. And no, you won’t get sunburn, just increase your skin pigmentation factor.’
‘Ah.’ She blinked as her skin darkened to a rich bronze. ‘It’s still a very earthy environment to me. Will you get me drunk and seduce me?’
‘Sex is common enough between enemies.’
‘Oh, Gore,’ she pouted. ‘We’re not enemies. Besides we both got what we wanted out of the meeting.’
‘Did we?’
‘We both voted for the same thing. Why? Is dear Justine still sulking?’
He started walking along the shoreline again. ‘One word of genuine advice: don’t ever underestimate my daughter. I still do occasionally. It’s a mistake.’
‘Point taken. Do you think Kazimir will delay because of her?’
‘Fuck no. He’s the most Right Stuff human you’ll ever meet. Government gave him a clear order, so he clicks his boot heels, salutes, and presses the button.’
‘You are so anachronistic. You really should update your references.’
‘What? Haul myself all the way into the twenty-fifth century?’
‘Well, one step at a time.’
‘That’s when you were born, wasn’t it?’
She chuckled. ‘They’re right. You are pure evil.’
‘Who’s they?’
‘Just about everybody.’
‘They’re probably right then. So what can I do for you?’
‘Can we deal?’
‘On the Pilgrimage? Sure.’
‘Interesting capitulation. Why do I not believe you?’
‘It’s going to be a cusp event. Every Faction knows it. Hell, even some of the animals outside are waking up to what’s going on. The Darwinists are wetting themselves with excitement. And your lot aren’t much better, running round, pushing and prodding in places you shouldn’t.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘That arsehole Marius is clocking up a lot of lightyears.’
She pretended shock, her hand going to the base of her throat. ‘As is your Delivery Man.’
‘True Conservatives are paranoid little creatures. They have good cause.’
‘You claim you’re not one of them?’
‘I have an affiliation.’
‘Funny, according to our files you’re the chairman of the board.’
‘You really should update your references.’
She put her hands on her hips. ‘Look, do you want to deal or not?’
‘You’re very hot in that pose, you know that?’
‘Gore!’
‘All right, what are you offering?’
‘Some détente. A little less manipulation from both sides.’
‘Let the animals decide, you mean. I don’t think I can buy that coming from you. In any case, we’ve both spent so long moving our pawns into place that they’ll just keep on going without us now.’ He tilted his head to one side, and smiled. ‘Or am I missing something?’
‘No.’
‘Really? Perhaps some critical event that you need to work smoothly?’
‘Moments like that are made up by historians after the event to justify their own dreary existence. There’s no one thing which will make or break the Pilgrimage.’
‘Really? Have you ever tried telling Ozzie or Nigel that the actions of an individual are historically invalid?’
‘Nobody manipulated them. And this is a distraction. We simply want both sides to cool down.’
‘So the Accelerator Faction wants to let galactic events be decided by animals. Humm. No wonder you don’t like my environment, it doesn’t have any flying pigs.’
‘Is that your answer?’
‘No. But I am mildly curious. Unless either a Faction or ANA:Governance itself intervenes, the Pilgrimage ships will launch. So what the fuck exactly is the Accelerator line on the galaxy being devoured by the Void, exterminating all life including ourselves?’
‘It won’t happen. This is why I’m here, to tell you we have taken precautions in the event of the worst-case scenario.’
Gore stopped and turned to stare at her, genuinely surprised. ‘What the fuck are you talking about?’
‘If the Void’s boundary sweeps through this sector of space, Earth and ANA will be perfectly safe.’
‘You don’t know that.’
‘Oh yes we do.’
‘I really, really, hope you’re not basing your goals on some chunk of weapons technology you’ve managed to cobble together with a couple of old replicators. The Raiel can’t defeat the boundary. Even ANA:Governance can’t work out what will happen if and when the Void’s boundary washes across itself.’
‘That level of expansion is extremely unlikely, to the point of sheer impossibility. Firstly, the stars of the Wall have tremendous mass; enough to empower the will of every Living Dream pilgrim for centuries. It is an absolute fallacy that every star in the galaxy will be engulfed by the Void. Raiel propaganda shouted in tedious repetition by the Ocisens. The Raiel are an ancient failed race, as changeless as the Void itself, they have no right to dictate to us. Even if the entire galactic core gets devoured it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing alive in there, the planets are radiation-saturated husks of rock. You even believe it yourself, always accusing us of wanting the devourment. Have I ever said that?’
‘No. I know exactly what Accelerators want: fusion. Right? You want to merge ANA with the fabric of the Void continuum. You think that’s how we’ll achieve post-physical status.’
‘You have accessed
Inigo’s dreams, we know the Conservatives have analysed them as thoroughly as everyone else. Inside the Void, the mind directly affects the fabric of the universe, we can take charge of our own destiny.’
‘No, no, no,’ Gore shouted. ‘The Void is not a fucking universe, it is a microverse, a tiny insignificant little speck of nothing. In cosmological terms, it doesn’t even register. You can play God in there, for sure, the Waterwalker does it. But you’re only God in there, nowhere else. It is an alien version of ANA, that’s all. That’s not transcendence, it’s being so far up your own ass you can’t see what’s going on outside.’
‘It is a huge opportunity for growth. The Void has stalled, it has been changeless for millions – billions – of years. We can reinvigorate it. Humans have already begun that process; ordinary pitiful animals that now have mental powers even we can only fantasize about. Imagine what will happen when ANA has full access to such a technology, and begins to manipulate it in new directions.’
‘Sweet Ozzie, you are pitiful. I’d be contemptuous if I considered you sentient, but you’re not even that.’
‘We knew you would be opposed to the fusion, this is what our offer concerns.’
‘Go on,’ Gore said suspiciously.
‘We will duplicate ANA. Those who wish to attain fusion with the Void can stay here, those who do not can transfer over and fly free.’
‘That doesn’t solve a fucking thing, girlie. The Void can’t be allowed to fuse with a post-physical mind, or even ANA – which, face it, isn’t there yet.’
Ilanthe’s expression hardened. ‘Your language betrays you. Can’t be allowed? You don’t have the right to make that judgement. Evolution will occur, either triggered by the Pilgrimage, or a more direct connection. For all you know the Waterwalker himself may bring about expansion.’
‘He happened a thousand years ago, ten thousand for all we know.’
‘Time is irrelevant in there.’
‘Shit! You’re not Accelerators, not any more, you’ve seen the light and converted to Living Dream.’
‘We have seen an opportunity to advance ourselves, and taken it. We have never hidden our purpose from anyone.’
‘Accelerators didn’t start out lusting after the Void.’
‘Now you are betraying your age, your own changeless nature.’
‘I should just get out of the way then, should I? Maybe simply erase myself? Make it all nice and simple for the New Order.’
‘You are responsible for your own destiny.’ She shrugged an elegant shoulder. ‘Your choice.’
‘Okay, granted; and I will make it, believe me. But assuming you’re right and the Void doesn’t expand like a hyperspace tsunami when the Pilgrimage gets inside, how are you going to fuse ANA with it?’
‘We don’t have to. Highers will travel with the Pilgrimage ships. They will study the true nature of the Void fabric and the mechanism which generates it.’
‘If it can be built once,’ Gore said quietly, ‘it can be built again.’
Ilanthe smiled. ‘Now you understand. We can build a second Void here in this solar system and bring about the fusion right away. ANA will evolve and transcend.’
‘Nice science experiment. What happens if it doesn’t work? ANA is the core of Higher culture, Earth is the physical centre of the Commonwealth. If you take that away, two cultures will suffer.’
‘I never thought I’d hear that: Gore Burnelli, whining liberal. Normal, Higher and Advancer humans will have to make their own way in the universe. That, too, is evolution.’
‘In a galaxy that your arrogance will have given a very short future.’
‘Our solution is one that will satisfy all Factions. Both of us can carry on almost as before.’
‘You weren’t even born on Earth. I was. It’s my home. And I’m not letting anyone fuck with it.’
‘Then you are even less developed that we gave you credit for. Our offer stands. I expect the other Factions will take us up on it when they see the inevitability of what is to come.’
‘Are you planning to blow the Empire fleet out of space?’
Ilanthe looked genuinely indignant. ‘Of course not. They are an irrelevance. Kazimir will deal with them, one way or another.’ She smiled coldly. ‘Please consider our offer, Gore. It is made in the spirit of reconciliation. After all, if anyone can be said to be ANA’s father, it is you. Time perhaps to let go and allow your child to make its own way in life.’ She trotted back into the waves and dived below the water.
Gore stared at the surf where she disappeared, his mind tracing her withdrawal from his personal reality. ‘Fuck me,’ he grunted.
When he walked along the dirt track that curved up around the headland he found Nelson already sitting by the pool at the base of the tower. As usual, there was a tall drink on the table beside him.
‘Did you get all that?’ Gore asked as he sat down.
‘I got it all. I just don’t think I believe much of it. For a start she’s being very glib about the Pilgrimage ships actually getting inside. What are you going to do?’
‘I knew they wanted the kind of abilities the Void fabric has, that’s a logical development on the way to becoming post-physical, but I’m concerned about their method of acquisition. I don’t believe a damn word about some bunch of selfless academics going with the Pilgrimage to study how the thing is put together. We’re going to have to root around a little harder to find out what they’re really up to out there. Find out what you can about that guy Marius was visiting on Arevalo, that physicist: Troblum.’
‘Will do. And what if ANA does finally become capable of ascending to post-physical status?’
‘I’ve always known it would right from the start. That was the whole point of it – well, that and giving ourselves the ability to defend the Commonwealth.’
‘Are you going to try and stop it?’
‘Of course not. I just don’t want the natural process hijacked. And that’s what’s going to happen if we’re not careful.’
*
It was already night when Aaron’s regrav capsule landed on the pad of St Mary’s Clinic, just outside the reception block. He stepped out and looked round. The clinic was set in four square miles of thick forest, with individual buildings scattered across the landscape. Tall gistrel trees formed a dark wall around the pad, their long feathery branches blocking any view of the villas, medical blocks, spas, and leisure domes he knew were out there. The only light came from the long windows of the reception block, thirty metres away, shining round the black trunks.
Corrie-Lyn stood beside him, straightening her blouse. Her face screwed up. ‘Gosh, I love the whole gloomy jungle-with-wild-creatures look they’ve gone for. Very welcoming.’
‘Perhaps we could get your manic depression eradicated while we’re here.’
‘Screw you.’
‘Now remember, darling, happy faces.’
He gripped her hand and produced a big bright smile. She almost shook free, then remembered and drew a reluctant breath. ‘Okay, but this better be quick.’
The reception doors opened as they walked towards the low building. It was a plush interior, which looked as if it had been carved out of pink and gold marble, with secluded grotto chambers recessed into the wall of the central hall. Most of the chambers had been utilized by exclusive retail outlets as display booths for their inordinately expensive designer clothes and products.
Their personal clinician was waiting to greet them; Ruth Stol, who was clearly designed to promote the clinic’s expertise, with a body that resembled a teenage goddess draped in semi-translucent silver and pink fabric. Even Aaron, who was perfectly mission-focused, took a moment to admire and smile at the vision of vitality who extended her flawless hand in greeting. His field functions detected a discreet scan from the building security net, which he deflected easily enough, showing the sensors an image of a moderately overweight man. The additional volume around his torso was actually provided by a bandolier harness carryi
ng an array of weapons.
Ruth Stol was devoid of all enrichments, though she had more macrocellular clusters than the average Advancer, and her nervous system shone with impulses operating at the kind of rate which normal humans could only achieve with a serious dose of accelerants.
‘Thank you so much for choosing our clinic, Mr Telfer,’ she said. Her hand pressed against Aaron’s palm, squeezing flirtatiously. His biononics ran a check for pheromone infiltration. Paranoid! But her touch and voice were definitely arousing him, his exovision grid showed his heart rate up, skin temperature rising.
‘No infiltration,’ his u-shadow reported. So it was all natural, then. Hardly surprising. ‘You’re welcome,’ Corrie-Lyn said in a voice so cold it should have produced ice droplets.
‘Er, yeah,’ Aaron mumbled belatedly. He reluctantly withdrew his hand, enjoying the coy amusement in the clinician’s limpid green eyes. ‘Thanks for seeing us at such short notice.’
‘We’re always happy to help couples achieve a more secure relationship,’ Ruth Stol said. ‘I believe you said you wanted twins?’
‘Twins?’ Corrie-Lyn repeated blankly.
‘That’s right.’ Aaron put an arm round Corrie-Lyn’s shoulders, feeling the muscles locked rigid. ‘The best we can have.’
‘Of course,’ Ruth Stol said. ‘Boys or girls?’
‘Darling?’ Aaron enquired.
‘Boys,’ Corrie-Lyn said.
‘Do you have an idea of their physiological status?’
‘At least as good as you,’ Aaron told her, which produced another smile. ‘And I’d like the pair of us to be advanced to that level, too. It’s about time I went cutting edge.’ He patted his bulky stomach ruefully. ‘Perhaps a little metabolism tweaking to thin me down.’
‘I’d be very grateful for that,’ Corrie-Lyn said. ‘He’s so repugnant to look at right now. Never mind sex.’
‘Oh, darling, you promised not to mention that,’ Aaron said tightly.
She smiled brightly.
‘It’s a wonderful step to acknowledge any problems right at the start,’ Ruth Stol said. ‘You’ll be an enviable family. We can begin our appraisal tomorrow, and review what we can offer you. Our premium service will fast-track your changes; I don’t expect this to take more than a couple of weeks. Were you intending to carry the twins yourself?’ she asked Corrie-Lyn. ‘Or is it going to be a womb tank?’