Binary Existence (Across Horizons Book 4) by Stan C. Smith

Author:Stan C. Smith [Smith, Stan C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-04-08T16:00:00+00:00

13

Yanlip

47,659 years in the past - Day 4

Lincoln was contemplating why the robotic caretakers had become so critical to his group. “Maybe the virtual beings did this on purpose,” he said. “You know, to give us a better chance of success. After all, they seemed really enthusiastic about Ripple’s plan.” He was sitting near the entrance gap with Jazzlyn, Virgil, Derek, and Maddy, while Skyra, Elah, and Veenah followed the bolup boy Yanlip around the courtyard and talked with him using Ripple as their translator. The nandup women had been delighted the first time they heard Yanlip laugh out loud, and now they seemed to be on a mission to make him do so as frequently as they could. The boy seemed completely recovered from his massive head wound.

“If they intended to send the robots with us, I’d think they would have told us first,” Virgil countered. “In fact, they specifically pointed out that the caretakers would be useless to us here, as we’d have no means of keeping them charged.”

“Seems pretty simple to me,” Derek said. “Jazzyln got hurt, the robots saw an opportunity to help, so they entered her body, then we jumped here before they could exit her body.”

Maybe Derek was right, but Lincoln had a hard time believing the virtual beings wouldn’t have forecast Ripple’s ability to interface with the robots. Sure, it had seemed unlikely to Lincoln at first, but the virtual beings must have known it could be possible. He let out a long sigh. “I guess we’ll never know. Even if Ripple could simply ask the caretakers, there’s a good chance they themselves wouldn’t know either.”

Maddy spoke up. “Lincoln, that devious drone from your future has provided me with some details about what has transpired while I have been dormant, and I am concerned for your well-being. Apparently, you have made some choices which do not fit your previous behavioral patterns.”

“Such as?” Lincoln asked.

“Such as, you have fallen in love with a female of another species, which could be considered ethically questionable.”

“That doesn’t matter,” he said. “We’re in a different timeline, 47,000 years in the past. We can create a whole new set of ethics.”

Maddy’s lights flashed to indicate she was giving his words consideration. “Have you been doing your prescribed meditation exercises each day?”

Lincoln glanced at his team members. To their credit, they kept quiet. “No. Haven’t had the time nor the inclination.”

“Have you been going on your daily runs to level your emotions?”

“No, the only running I’ve been doing lately is to escape from predators or people intending to kill me. I think my recreational running days are over.”

“Oh, dear. You do not even have access to any of your therapists here.”

Derek finally let out a snicker.

“From this point on, Maddy, you are my official therapist. You’re the only one who ever helped me anyway.”

“Oh, my goodness. I do hope Skyra is a strong woman. She may not know what she’s getting into.”

“You don’t have to worry about Skyra,” Jazzlyn said. “She is plenty strong.

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