Heretic by C. Gockel

Author:C. Gockel [Gockel, C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: C. Gockel

Chapter Sixteen

James gently lowered Noa to the floor. The gates' voices were buzzing in his mind, but the ether between him and Noa was quiet and that silence was a gaping chasm.

Turning her head to the side, he checked her pulse. He'd used the lowest power setting and her pulse was slow but steady. Her lips were slightly parted, and from this angle her scars weren't visible. Even unaugmented, she was still an artist's rendition of beauty from the time before races were blended. Her lips were full, her cheekbones high, her skin flawless and dark. Or maybe he just found her beautiful because he was programmed to find her so? Setting the stunner down, he backed quickly away.

His chronometer app beeped in his mind, barely audible over the gates' flurry data exchange and debate. In the past few minutes he'd picked up that, to the gates, the Luddeccean philosophy was a “contagion.” They were afraid of it spreading if the Ark reached Sol System.

The Ark's ether was alive with conversation, too.

“I can't believe James is a 'bot,” said Chavez. “He seemed so smart ...”

“According to the Luddeccean, he's tied to the time gates somehow,” said Kara. “Maybe they make him smarter?”

“But that would mean he'd have to have some way of communicating with them at faster than light speeds,” protested Kuin.

“It's a lie,” said Raif. An app in his mind sparked and whispered, “You did such a good job at imitating a father figure you fooled him.” The boy had spent more time with James than anyone since his father died.

“I knew something was wrong with him!” Monica interjected. “Turning him over to the Luddecceans isn't unethical and it will buy us time.”

Ghost's thoughts flew to Monica. “I agree! I need another hour … every moment is precious.”

Manuel's response was fast, clipped, and angry. “No! As soon as he's off our ship, they're going to start firing on us.”

Monica said, “He's a 'bot, and it's worth a try!”

“He's our 'bot,” Manuel replied.

And James felt his circuits spark.

Monica asked, “What does the commander think?”

“The commander is with him now,” Sterling said.

“She shouldn't be alone with him!” Monica protested. “He could be dangerous.”

Sterling started to page Noa through the ether. James's chronometer was ticking down. He had three point five minutes to convince the gates to transmit the calculations for the time sphere, to send those numbers to Ghost, and to blast himself out of an airlock. He couldn't help giving Noa a last longing look. He'd been a slave to his programming—and through that, to Noa. He couldn't hate her for it. Noa was right. He was afraid. Terrified. Still, he had to save her. He was programmed that way.

He quickly exited their quarters. Sterling was frantically paging Noa's private channel. It didn't matter that people knew he could hear their private conversations anymore. Opening the ladder access hatch, James responded to Sterling's hail, “She's fine, Lieutenant. Don't leave your post.” Over the general ether, he said, “I'll have your coordinates in just a minute, Ghost.

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