“There's still a âwe' in there, Nelly.”
“All my kids worked on this with me, Kris.”
“Okay, and what did you come up with?”
“If you use cables made of Smart Metal
TM
, it is possible that you can do this. But you will need a lot of really smart and really fast computers working to reprogram the stuff in micro real time.”
“How many and what type of computers?”
“Me and all my kids, Kris.”
That stopped Kris in her tracks. “They'll need to ride along in the launches?”
“We will all be as much at risk as you will be, Your Highness. Noblesse oblige for all of us.”
“Jack and Penny and the rest of the crew won't have to go, will they?”
“That's a tough call, Kris. We're used to working with and through one particular human. Yes, in theory, all we'll be doing is working with the cables, shortening them and lengthening, but I don't know if it would be a good idea to âjuggle our elbows' so to speak. I just won't know until we've done it.”
“And then, we'll either have pulled it off, or we won't.” Kris chewed on this for a long moment. “You won't need Cara and her Dada.”
“When it comes to programming and mathematical calculations, Dada is just as fast as the rest of us.”
“But you can't ask a kid to take this risk. Can't you at least put Dada on one of the bosun's mates flying the launches?”
“Kris, Charlemagne used to draft thirteen-year-old kids into his army.”
“In those days, they only drafted boys,” Kris pointed out, then wished she hadn't.
“Why don't we talk to Abby and Cara about this?”
“What are you going to do about your two kids that don't normally have partners?”
“Professor Scrounger in supply has worked with one. My other child is going through the psychological profiles of the women on board to see if one matches close to Amber Kitano. If one does, they will fly the refueling mission.
“Kris, you need to face up to one painful fact. This flight either works or the
Wasp
will very likely be left here in orbit, unable to get under way. The possible fate of those who fly with you is no worse than the sure death by starvation, asphyxiation, and madness that waits for the rest if we fail.”
“Nelly, I knew you were going to say that next, and yes, I know that's why we're making this mad flight. Now that you've let the cat out of the bag, said the words I really didn't want to hear, give me a few minutes to get used to it, okay?”
“Yes, Kris.”
On the screen, the three launches flew. Now the cables lengthened when they got knocked around, or took up the slack when they were nearly slammed together. The launches were wrapped in a collar of Smart Metal
TM
, so when they flipped over entirely, the cable end ran around the collar and did not wrap around the ship, cutting it in half.
On the screen, in the simulation, it worked.
Would it work in a real, rapidly changing flight?
No way to know until she dared it.
And Kris would have to bet not only her life but the lives of everyone who mattered to her on one wild throw of the dice.
There were times when life really stank.
“Nelly, as soon as the
Wasp
drops out of high-gee deceleration, I want you to call my team together. Scrounger included. Cara included. Tell them I need to talk to them in my Tac Center.”
“I will do that, Kris. What shall I do now?”
“Leave me alone and let me see if I can sleep after this little talk.”
“There was a reason why we did not have this little talk sooner.”
“Thanks for nothing, Nelly.”
“You are welcome for nothing, Kris.”
55
Kris awoke to find the
Wasp
in zero gee.
“How long have we been in orbit?” she asked Nelly.
“Less than five minutes,” her computer said. “If you want to take a shower, you'll need to do it quickly, they'll be draining most of the water into the launches' reaction tanks to make the refueling run.”
“If I can stand myself, they better be ready to stand me, too.”
“You intended a double meaning there, didn't you, Kris? Not only your body odor but also what you have done. Am I right?”
“You are getting very good at understanding us humans, Nelly. Be careful, or you'll turn into a real little boy.”
“I'd prefer to be a real little girl, but I will not be Pinocchio to your Geppetto. If I had legs to go my own way, I would be my own woman.”
“Well, for now, you're stuck going where I go.”
“Kris, I am not stuck following your path. I could have chosen not to mention the need to take me and my children on this risky flight. I could have kept my brood safe on the ship. We can wait a whole lot longer for rescue than you humans can. I and my children chose the course we're taking. They may be your legs taking us to the gallows, but we're walking the walk with you.”
That gave Kris pause. She mulled it over for a moment before saying, “Thank you for the reminder, Nelly. Sometimes I forget who I'm dealing with and the courage that it takes to be you.”
“Thank you, Kris. Shall I call your team together?”
“Please do, Nelly.”
Fifteen minutes later, a rather expanded version of Kris's team were fastening seat belts so they could stay seated around her table. Jack and Penny were to her immediate right. Abby, Staff Sergeant Bruce, and a very alert Cara were to Kris's left. Seated around the other end of the table were Chief Beni, Colonel Cortez, Professor Scrounger, and an attractive but very shy Communications Tech, Second Class, named Maria Moreno.
Sergeant Bruce looked surprised to be included in the meeting. Maria was shocked and asked twice if this wasn't some mistake. After Kris assured her the second time, the sailor folded her hands into her lap and sat quietly.
“We have a problem,” Kris said, and the room fell silent. Kris had come to expect back talk when she opened with those words, but they were clearly not surprised today, and no comeback came at her.
“Nelly, would you care to give them the briefing you gave me.”
With that, Nelly brought the largest screen in the room alive and proceeded to wreck, smash, and otherwise destroy three launches with amazing speed.
“I hope we're not going to try that,” Chief Beni whispered.
“At least not that way,” Kris said. “Nelly, show them what you think we can do.”
Nelly quickly explained the idea of using Smart Metal
TM
for the connecting cables. She then showed how this allowed them to dance with the clouds the same as the
Wasp
without ending up in shattered pieces.
“That looks a whole lot better,” Professor Scrounger said, using the voice of a skeptical but encouraged economics professor rather than the scrounging supply chief of the
Wasp
. “So, just exactly why am I here, along with the rest of you? Not that I mind sharing time with you. I'm not looking forward to chow tonight. I understand Cookie finally had to break out the famine biscuits. They look and taste too much like things my second wife insisted on feeding our dog. I finally got rid of the wife and fed me and the dog something decent.”
“TMI,” Cara said, waving her hand in front of her face.
“So why are we here, Kris?” Jack asked.
“Nelly, you want to tell them?”
“I think you should, Kris. The words sound better when they come from a human. And besides, Kris, you're a Longknife. People just expect you to say things like this.”
“Like what?” Abby asked, making a show of checking to see that her wallet was still in her purse and closing it firmly inside.
“What you saw was a simulation. A re-creation of the flight the
Wasp
went through when it went cloud dancing. Unfortunately, what we'll experience will be different. The simulation shows that it is possible to avoid overstressing our launches, crashing them together, and tearing the balloot to shreds. The problem is doing it all in real time.”
That drew a response of low whistles, “Yeah,” and “That is a problem.”
“There are several ways we can do this. Nelly and her kids can come up with the best subroutines they can. We can juice up the computers on the launches a bit, and see if it works.”
Kris held up one finger. “By the way, that would let Nelly and her kids stay safely here on the
Wasp
. If we failed at refueling the ship, they would survive long after everyone had gone crazy, starved, or suffocated. Sooner or later, an Iteeche would be bound to come along and find them.”
That raised several eyebrows.
Kris put up her second finger. “Or we can hang three or four computers around the necks of me and the bosun's mates that will fly the launches. I don't know what having three more Nellys prancing around in my brain would be like. Don't know how a sailor would take to suddenly having three computers in his or her brain, but we could try it.”
“And if you failed, the rest of us would be looking at each other like pork chops,” Abby said.
“Ew,” Cara said.
“Something like that,” Kris admitted.
“I take it that you have a third finger up your sleeve,” Penny said.
Kris raised it. “Each of us present takes our pet computer, straps into one of the launches, and does whatever we need to do to share in stretching out or shortening up the lines holding the balloot between us.”
“I only had a brief time working with Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” Professor Scrounger said. “Will that be enough?”
“I don't know,” Nelly said. “But it's all we have.”
The petty officer cautiously raised her hand. Kris gave her an encouraging smile.
“I don't know what you are talking about,” the sailor stammered. “The scuttlebutt aboard ship is that you all have these really super-duper computers who talk back like I used to do to my mom before I left home. Maybe you do. Maybe you don't, but I've never had anything to do with any of this.”
“You are totally correct,” Kris said. “But you see, Nelly has nine children, computers, whatever you want to call them. Eight have worked with the people you see around you. Some more. Some less. The last computer worked with Amanda Kutter, who is no longer on board. Nelly, you want to explain this?
“Scheherazade, or you may call her Sheri, has reviewed all the psychological profiles aboard, and she picked you. I am not sure whether the choice is because of who you are or because you seem closest to AmandaâSheri is rather reticent about thatâbut she has chosen you. You may accept her offer or decline.”
The young sailor looked around at all of them, and seemed to hesitate for a longing moment when she passed the door, but she tightened her lips finally, and said. “If it will get us home, I can risk as much as any of you.”
The words would have sounded braver if she hadn't choked on the last sentence.
“Don't worry,” Kris said. “No one can tackle something like this without being scared. Some admit it. Others just get good at hiding it.”
“And some of us are just crazy,” Abby said. “You okay with this, baby ducks?” she asked Cara.”
The thirteen-year-old swallowed hard. “You really mean it. You want me to fly with you.”
“It seems that way,” Sergeant Bruce said. “I'm assuming that, three to a boat, the three of us get to form our own crew?”
“I figured the three of you would,” Kris said.
“The family that gets splattered together, stays together,” Cara said, with a little tremble at the end.
“We won't let you down,” Abby said.
Likely she meant that, Kris thought, and would keep thinking it right up to the second the launch came apart. Then again, they just might pull it off.
“Jack, I figure you'll be in the same boat with me.”
“Isn't that always the case?” he quipped. “Do I get a paddle this time?”
“Don't let him have one,” Penny said. “You know what he'll do with it.”
“I can't think of a better guy to use it on her,” Abby insisted.
“Hey, crew, let's be careful with our gallows humor,” Kris said. “We've got some new folks on board this trip and they may not understand us.”
“I don't have a problem with it,” Professor Scrounger said.
Kris tossed a glance at Cara and Maria, who were a bit on the pale side at the moment, and the rest seemed to get her message. Kris went on.
“Maria, would you and Sheri join Jack, Penny, and me? We'll be flying the low boat in the triangle. The ride will likely be the worst, but I'd like to put four of us there to take that corner.”
“I'd be honored to, Your Highness.”
“If you're flying with us,” Jack said, “you'll have to adjust to calling her Kris. When we start âYour Highnessing' her, she figures something is wrong.”
“Of course, she's âCommodore' whenever we see her outside this room.” Sergeant Bruce cut in with some semblance of proper military etiquette.
“Yes, ma'am, Your Highness, I mean Kris,” the poor young sailor stammered.
“Don't worry, kid, you'll have a great story to tell your grandkids,” the colonel put in. “So, let's see, Chief Beni, Scrounger, and I have the third boat. Why not put all us old farts in one tub.”
“I'm not old,” Chief Beni shot back. “I'm just one of the few around here that has some caution. It makes me appear more mature and older than I am.”
Kris let the jokes fly freely for the next few minutes. Slowly, Cara got her color back, and even managed to inject a joke of her own about the music she'd be playing while they made the run, which drew a groan from her aunt.