The Machine's Child (The Company) by Kage Baker

Author:Kage Baker [Baker, Kage]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fiction - Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Dr. Zeus Incorporated (Imaginary organization), Immortalism, Cyborgs
ISBN: 9780765315519
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2007-08-28T07:00:00+00:00

Fair skies, wind's out of the south-southwest, temperature twenty-three degrees Celsius, swells at

one meter! The Captain's voice rang with strange triumph.

Alec opened his eyes to a breakfast tray heaped with oyster savory, fresh strawberries in zabaglione, and vitamin-fortified orange juice. Beside him, Mendoza yawned and stretched.

"Coffee," she implored.

To be sure, dearie, Jamaica Blue Mountain with cream. Coxinga extended one of its arms with a mug freshly poured. And there's yers, Alec lad. Now then! We been here in 1863 long enough. I

reckon it's time to move on.

"Okay," said Alec sleepily, rolling over. Edward, in the act of shaking out his virtual napkin, looked up sharply.

We're to make a time jump? Ha. Then all that moonshine last night was intended to accomplish something! What have you found out, Captain?

What I needed to know, the Captain told him silently. Are you up to another ride this morning,

boyo? Yer old Captain's solved the wench's riddle at last. With her at the figurehead, we can cut

through to the future easy as climbin' through the lubber-hole!

"Huh?" Alec and Nicholas sat bolt upright, obliging Mendoza to clutch at her coffee.

"What is it?" she asked, looking worriedly at Alec.

"Nothing!" Alec said, reaching for the oyster savory. "Just feeling bouncy this morning. So, er, Captain sir—what do you reckon, shall we lay in a course for the twentieth century? Say, 1996?" You're absolutely sure about this? No way you could be mistaken at all? He sipped his coffee and almost gagged. It was liberally laced with time travel cocktail.

Aye, lad, the Captain said aloud. And you may rest easy on the calculations, by thunder. I been

running a program all night to check my figures.

"Is it particularly hard to get to 1996?" Mendoza said, reaching for the toast.

No, ma'am. But the further you go past the year 1950, the more crowded things is, so it's as well

to be certain sure where you make landfall, lest you capsize some swab what ain't watching out. As

you'll remember, I'm sure?

"Oh," said Mendoza, who didn't remember anything of the kind but didn't want to say so.

"Yeah," said Alec, as confidently as he could. "Because that's the era we need to start turning over some of those bank accounts to electronic transfer, isn't it, Captain?" He popped an oyster patty in his mouth and chewed, looking sincere.

I reckon our lawyers will have done that already, lad, but there ain't no harm making sure, now,

is there? the Captain said. What's more, we could do with a spot of provisioning. They had them

supermarket things back then, see.

What on earth is a supermarket? Edward spooned down virtual zabaglione.

What it sounds like, what d'y'think? the Captain replied silently. All the beef chops and brandy yer

little heart desires, me bucko. But no cigars! Understand? You can do what you like in cyberspace,

but Alec's got to use them lungs.

Fair enough, said Edward. He set aside his empty dessert glass and looked hungrily at Mendoza. Try not to dawdle, Alec.

Alec glared at him and Nicholas just shook his head.

All the same,

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