Alkad Mzu datavised the coordinate over.
A wormhole terminus is opening,tranquillity announced.
At the time, Ione was standing knee deep in the warm water of the cove, rubbing Haile’s flank with a big yellow bath sponge. She straightened her back and began wringing out the sponge. Her real attention was focused on a point in space a hundred and twenty thousand kilometres away from the habitat where the vacuum’s gravity density was building rapidly. Three SD platforms orbiting the emergence zone locked their X-ray lasers on to the terminus as it expanded. Five patrol blackhawks accelerated in at four gees.
A large voidhawk slipped out of the two-dimensional rent. Oenone , Confederation Navy ship SLV-66150, requesting approach and docking permission,it said. Our official flight authentication code follows.
Granted,tranquillity replied after it verified the code. The SD platforms were switched back to alert status. Three of the blackhawks resumed their patrol, while the remaining two curved around to form an escort as Oenone accelerated in towards the habitat.
“I’m going to have to leave you,” Ione said.
Jay Hilton’s vexed face peeped over the top of Haile’s gleaming white back. “What is it this time?” she asked petulantly.
“Affairs of state.” Ione started wading towards the shore. She scooped some water up and tried to flush the sand out of her bikini top.
“You always say that.”
Ione gave the disgruntled girl a forlorn smile. “Because it always is, these days.” Sorry, she added.
Haile formshifted the tip of an arm into a human hand and waved. Goodbye, Ione Saldana. I have much sorrow you are leaving, my endlegs itch like hell.
Haile!
I form a communication wrongness? I have shame.
Not wrong, exactly.
Gladness. That was a Joshua Calvert expression. Much favoured.
Ione snapped her teeth together. That bloody Calvert! Anger gave way to something more confusing, a sort of resentment . . . possibly. Hundreds of light-years away, and he still intrudes. It would be. Please don’t use it around Jay.
Understanding is me. I have a great many human emphasis phrases conveyed by Joshua Calvert.
I’ll bet you have.
I want properness in my communication. I ask your assistance in reviewing my word collection. You may edit me.
Yes, all right.
Much gladness!
Ione took another pace, then laughed. Reviewing everything Joshua had said to the young Kiint would take hours. Hours she hadn’t been spending on the beach of late. Haile was becoming very crafty.
Jay leaned against her friend, watching Ione put her sandals on and start back up the path to the tube station. There was a slightly distracted expression on the woman’s face, that Jay knew meant she was busy talking to the habitat personality. She didn’t like to dwell on the topic. More than likely, it would be the possessed again. That was all the adults talked about these days, and it was never reassuring talk.
Haile’s arm twined around Jay’s, the tip stroking her gently.
You taste of sadness.
“I don’t think these horrible possessed will ever go away.”
They will. Humans are clever. You will find a way.
“I hope so. I do want Mummy back.”
Shall we build the castles of sand now?
“Yes!” Jay grinned enthusiastically and started splashing her way back up to the beach. They’d made the discovery together that Haile with her tractamorphic arms was the universe’s best ever builder of sand castles. With Jay directing, they had made some astonishing towers along the shoreline.
Haile emerged from the water in a small explosion of spray. Betterness. You have happiness again.
“So do you. Ione promised to come back for the words.”
It is the best niceness when the three of us play together. She knows this really.
Jay giggled. “She turned purple when you said that. Good job you didn’t say fuck to her.”
The Oenone, ione reflected. Why do I know that name?
Atlantis.
Oh, yes.
And a certain interception in the Puerto de Santa Maria star system. We received an intelligence update from the Confederation Navy last year.
Oh, bloody hell, yes.
Captain Syrinx wishes to talk to you.
Ione sat down in the tube carriage and began towelling her hair. Of course.the affinity contact broadened, allowing Syrinx to proffer her identity trait.
Captain,ione acknowledged.
I apologize for the haste, but please be advised a Confederation Navy squadron will start arriving in another nine minutes and thirty seconds—mark.
I see. Is Tranquillity in danger?
No.
What then?
I am carrying the squadron’s commander, Admiral Meredith Saldana. He requests an interview at which he can explain our full strategic situation to you.
Granted. Welcome to Tranquillity.the captain faded from the affinity band.