Now Will Machines Hollow the Beast by Benjanun Sriduangkaew

Author:Benjanun Sriduangkaew
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781607015437
Publisher: Prime Books
Published: 2020-12-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The AI Seung Ngo has come modestly: two proxies rather than a small battalion, a show of numbers. Both proxies are tall with impractically long hair—down to the back of their thighs—and have the poreless skin that makes Numadesi think of Xuejiao, ivory lightly swirled through with strands of aquamarine, peridot, turquoise. One body has honeycombed eyes in bright gold, the other has rippling eyes in lavender and harsh fuchsia.

“I apologize for the short notice,” they say in a voice like velvet and cryogenic fumes. “But the Amaryllis has long been a friend of ours, and as ever the commission I have in mind is sensitive.”

For prudence’s sake Numadesi has chosen to receive Seung Ngo on a different ship, a frigate detached from the rest of the fleet, designated Four of Razors. The AI has not objected that this is not Seven of Divide. In truth she doubts it will do much good—if Seung Ngo wants to look for Benzaiten in Autumn, they can find traces of xer whether they’re here or on Seven of Divide. But Numadesi assumes xe can erase xer presence, logs and evidence that xe has ever boarded an Amaryllis ship or interacted with the Amaryllis network. The least she can do is stall, give xer time.

The boardroom she’s picked is airy, furnished in pastel tones that again steer her thoughts to Xuejiao—she thinks of that one bead of red pearl. How could she not tell. How could she not realize. But she bows and applies herself to the veneer of a perfect hostess, a votary dedicated entirely to her duty. “The admiral is presently preoccupied, but it is always my delight to welcome the Mandate. I don’t recall if we have met before, Ambassador?”

One of the proxies regards her with shifting, mobile eyes. “We have, Lady Numadesi. You were there when the Alabaster Admiral accepted the Pax Americana commission. I’m sure you remember, though I wore a different proxy then.”

Numadesi titters at her most high-pitched. “Was that you, Ambassador? Indeed you appeared quite different—my pardon, you cannot expect humans to have memory as accurate as yours! My thoughts so often escape me, my lord frequently chides me for this penchant I have for daydreams. Yes, I think you were much shorter, plumper, a little more ordinary to look at, with black eyes? Is that a drift in fashion in Shenzhen, Ambassador? Oh, I love to hear about fashion. I spend all my time in the fleet, you see, I seldom get a chance to keep up with the latest trends, and by all accounts Shenzhen is the land of tastemakers.”

Seung Ngo gives her a bland smile. “I’ll be happy to accommodate you once we’ve concluded our business. If you wish I can fabricate a wardrobe containing the most recent haute couture in Shenzhen, my vessel has the equipment. Where might the admiral be, if that is not classified?”

She simpers. “I think that is classified? Yes, it is rather. But you can tell me what you require, Ambassador.

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