******
Reece still boiled within as they made their way into Laina’s quarters, and when he stepped inside and saw just how large and luxurious it was, it only served to make him even angrier.
Two crewmembers brought the cargo into the room. Using anti-gravity motivators attached to it, they barely managed to clear the doorway. The crystalline structure within the object reflected the room lights, flashing a spectrum of colors that forced Reece to squint his eyes. Laina motioned for them to position it in a cleared-out corner of the room.
The crewmembers soon left, leaving the three of them alone. Reece watched as Julius and Laina sat themselves on a plush sectional couch that wrapped around an ornate table. They both looked over to him, waiting for him to join them.
“I’d rather stand,” Reece said.
Julius looked around at the decadent surroundings. “We should have met in my quarters.”
“Yes,” Laina said. “I’m sure that closet you live in would have been immensely comfortable. Stand if you want, Reece, but after you hear what I’m going to say, you’re going to feel the need to sit.”
Reece glared at her. He walked over to a stool he saw in a corner, grabbed it, and sat across from them.
“Better, I guess,” Laina said. “Now let’s get down to it.”
Laina began to recount to them every detail about some dream she’d had of someone named Chorus: from the fiery death she awoke to the playback of the battle that would have cost them their lives.
He and Julius both listened, but Reece gave Laina a dubious look throughout. After Laina finished, a dead silence seemed to linger for an eternity.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Reece finally said, so loud that it made Laina jump.
He began to stand up to leave.
“Halt, Lieutenant,” Julius said. “This meeting is only beginning.”
Reece glared back. “How in the hell am I supposed to believe that load of crap?”
“Because I believe it,” Julius said. “And I am your captain. Now calm down and sit.”
Reece held position for a second, and then returned to his stool.
“Listen,” Julius said. “Laina knew about certain aspects of this attack that nobody knew. And what was more telling is that task force we went up against: it was a joint UEP and Mars Confed military force—and there was some serious firepower that I haven’t seen since the war. Those were not mere police forces back there; they were pure military all the way.”
Reece said nothing, and Julius motioned to the object.
“There’s something really important about that thing,” Julius said.
“Important enough,” Laina added, “to bring together governments that were at war with each other not too long ago.”
Reece let out a slow breath. “Fine,” he said. “It’s something important… but A.I.? How do you know that?”
“Before I actually saw the relic, I only suspected it,” Laina said. “But after actually laying my eyes on it, I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is exactly what it is. I saw it once before, you know. Back when it was alive.”
“What do you mean you saw it when it was alive?” Julius said, turning toward her. “Does this have to do with your father?”
Laina nodded. “A long time ago, when I was a little girl, my father showed it to me—back when Omega Research had initially created Majesty.” Laina’s eyes became dreamy. “It was so beautiful, even though I didn’t even really understand what it was I was looking at. My father didn’t explain it. I simply tagged along because he had nowhere else to put me that day—this was shortly after my mother passed away.
“Anyhow, I overheard my father talking to some of the scientists about it. They were saying how it exceeded their expectations and was learning at an incredible rate. When I got older, I pieced together what it was—but by that time my father was not around for me to ask.”
Laina stood up and walked over to the relic. Her eyes became distant as she focused her attention on the crystal structure.
“When it was turned on,” Laina said, “the crystal was so colorful—like a light show. What I remember the most, though, was that the closer you got, the better you could see tiny lights inside. They danced beneath the larger colors—and it just looked like, I don’t know, some kind of show… like the light was alive and it was… performing a dance for us.”
Her eyes squinted as she looked the relic up and down. Then she frowned.
“This is not the same one though,” she said.
Julius stood and walked over. Reece followed suit.
“What do you mean?” Julius asked.
Laina shook her head. “It’s not the same one. It’s smaller. And the crystal… It looks a little different.”
“That was a long time ago, Laina,” Julius said. “What—over a hundred years ago? You can’t possibly remember it that well.”
“Oh, but I do. I remember this like it was yesterday, Julius. It became so very clear to me after I had the vision—the conversation with it. Every detail about that day, almost as if I was there again to relive it.”
“Wait a minute, I’m missing something here,” Reece said. “What are you saying this actually is?”
“A conduit,” Julius said. “The very thing that houses the A.I. consciousness.”
“And it’s alive,” Laina said. “But it is not the same one from the war. It’s a newer one.”
Reece took a sudden step back. “Then we should destroy it.”
Laina whirled back toward Reece. “No!”
“Do you know how many were killed by these things?” Reece said. “I may not have been around back then, but I know people that were. It has to be destroyed! Julius—you tell her!”
Julius ignored his outburst. “Why did it pick you to communicate with, Laina?” he asked calmly.
Laina shrugged with her palms out. “I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with my father. It also said we have something to do with its future and some important events.”
“Or maybe,” Reece said, “it’s just using you like a puppet to get its own way! These things are smart, smarter than we are. Maybe it just wants to start another war—did you think of that, maybe?”
“Gentlemen,” Laina said. “We would be dead if it was not for the warning it gave us. We at least owe it the benefit of the doubt.”
“Laina,” Julius said, “we do not have the sophistication or expertise to even know how to turn this thing on. And even if we did, I wouldn’t do it. Reece is right: we could very well be the victims of manipulation here.”
“No!” Laina said, throwing her hands up in the air. “You can’t just ignore what happened back there—”
Julius put up a hand. “My first inclination is to throw this thing out the damn airlock and fire a volley into it. But I’m going to refrain from doing that because I want to know more. Otherwise… ” He looked at Reece. “Tash would have died for nothing. So I want answers not more questions.”
“This is insane, Julius,” Reece growled. “You two have no idea what you’re dealing with here.”
“Actually,” Julius said. “I do have a very good idea what we’re dealing with. I’ve faced this thing myself before. I fought the A.I. a long time ago, and I helped kill it.”
“You helped kill the A.I.? You?” Reece laughed. “Give me a break. You’re just a pirate, Julius! How could you know anything about this thing?”
Laina gave them both a weary look. “I think we need to talk about this later, when testosterone levels are a little less elevated. In the meantime, boys, keep your mouths shut while I go alter some arrangements I’d made.”
“So you really are going to stay?” Julius asked. “You’re not leaving?”
Laina stared at the relic. “At least for the foreseeable future. Wherever that ends up leading me.”