Enter Into Valhalla Read online

  Bethany Anne snorted. I’m sure she’ll get over it when she sees what I have planned for her here. “Sabine, Eve will be here in twelve to twenty-four hours, depending on how long it takes her to pack. Is there a space outside the vault she can use as her lab?”

  Sabine pointed above them. “There’s an empty floor between here and the residential level. It should be sufficient. Should I start the ball rolling on getting it refitted for her?”

  Bethany Anne nodded. “That would be great.” She smiled when Sabine let out a huge yawn. “That’s enough for tonight. Go get some sleep.”

  They parted at the ground floor, where Bethany Anne and Michael left the elevator and exited the Hexagon before heading back to the Baba Yaga through the Etheric.

  Izanami greeted them in the top-deck transfer bay. “The children are asleep. All is well across the ship.”

  Bethany Anne smiled warmly. “You are enjoying your new body?”

  Izanami turned in the air, leaving contrails of red and gold behind her. “Which body? This avatar? Or my ship? I cannot decide which is more beautiful, my upgraded hard light projection drive or my pretty, pretty guns.”

  Michael chuckled. “You will find out once you have had time to wear both in a little.”

  Izanami glided away, waving a hand as she went. “Perhaps. Perhaps I also enjoyed riding with the solar wind in my face.”

  They let her go, their minds on their last stop before sleep.

  Bethany Anne’s heart clenched as she looked upon the faces of her sleeping children.

  She stepped back for the door to close and turned to Michael with a sting in her eyes. Being apart won’t be easy.

  No, Michael agreed, holding her close, it will not.

  Bethany Anne looked at Michael, her resolve hardening her against the emotion willing her to pull the plug. But afterward, we will never be forced to leave them behind again.

  2

  QT2, QBBS Helena, No-Ox Habitat

  Bethany Anne’s roamer sank to the mid-level of the habitat and hovered at her direction. She checked to make sure the translator module was active and got to her feet to press herself against the transparent glass. Conduit, are you here?

  The giant kelp continued its smooth rolling motion, undisturbed by any Collective nearby. Bethany Anne was considering moving to another part of the habitat when the reply finally came.

  I could hardly be anywhere else, now.

  The conduit’s chiding voice played across the mental space, resonating with the emotions of the Collective as a whole—such as they were.

  You appear to have grasped the concept of sarcasm as a coping mechanism. Bethany Anne was impressed by the development. Good. How are you all doing in here?

  Well physically, but we are still separated from the minds aboard this station.

  Bethany Anne was confused. You get plenty of visitors down here. I was going to ask if you wanted me to place restrictions on people coming down here after looking at the visitor log.

  The Conduit emerged from the kelp and came to rest by Bethany Anne’s roamer. We have enough space to make ourselves scarce if we wish. All are welcome here. The sadness is that they cannot hear us, nor us them. The translator only works for a few, such as Jean and Lillian.

  Bethany Anne felt for the Collective. That’s too bad for you. What about CEREBRO? They spend far too much time down here, I’m told.

  The Conduit reacted joyously at the mention of the EI group. CEREBRO is their own Collective. They are like kin to us.

  What about ADAM? Can you hear him?

  When he is part of the whole of CEREBRO, yes. His singular voice is too faint.

  Bethany Anne considered that for a moment. What about when he communicates through me? ADAM, say something.

  >>Like what?<< ADAM asked. >>I'm kind of busy with CEREBRO at the moment.<<<br />
  Did you hear him that time? Bethany Anne asked.

  No, the Conduit replied in a downcast tone.

  Bethany Anne waved a hand. Not to worry. We’re going to get this figured out, okay? Some of the finest minds in the galaxy are about to gather. We will find a solution. She expressed no doubt in her tone. I’m leaving soon for a planet under Kurtherian control. I will be back, and when I am, it will be to hear that you can communicate with whoever you see fit.

  The emotion washing through the mental space shifted, hope threading through the frustration and loneliness. We know your people will work until it happens. Jean Dukes has the strength and will to see it through.

  Bethany Anne laughed. Now that’s the truth. It’s her I’m counting on to come up with the practical application of whatever solution my brain trust develops.

  She said her goodbyes and instructed her roamer to take her up to the surface.

  The plight of Bethany Anne’s water-bound guests tore at her as she left the habitat. It was becoming a habit to visit the Collective immediately upon her arrival at the Helena, and each time she left, it was with her heart weighing that little bit more at the amount of time it was taking to come up with a solution for their particular needs.

  What can I do to mend what’s broken?

  ADAM sighed as he disconnected from CEREBRO and the prototype translator module. >>Whatever it is, we need to do it soon. I’ve just checked the logs for CEREBRO’s activity down here, and they’re dedicating a hell of a lot of processing power to running that translator now that we have eight—or is it nine?—Collectives in residence.<<<br />
  Show me. Bethany Anne’s eyes widened when ADAM put it up in her internal HUD. That’s…no small amount of strain on the Helena—and on this part of the Interdiction. I can’t have a weak point. What do you suggest?

  ADAM did the calculations. >>Reassigning more EIs to QT2 will suffice for now. There’s a waiting list, believe it or not.<<<br />
  I can fully believe it. There’s just one problem with that. Bethany Anne opened her HUD menu and pulled the docket for the last transfer from High Tortuga. I thought so. There aren’t the numbers to move, see? All of the unassigned EIs who hadn’t already moved into the Etheric have been transported here, and their cradles added to CEREBRO’s whole.

  >>That’s correct,<< ADAM confirmed.

  Where are the EIs coming from, then?

  >>Um, the Federation,<< ADAM mumbled almost indiscernibly. Why was it always him and not TOM who caught the shitty end of the stick?

  TOM chuckled in his and ADAM’s separate space. I get my fair share. Don’t you believe differently.

  I didn’t quite catch that. Where are they coming from? Bethany Anne had heard him just fine. However, since this was the first she was hearing about EIs traveling without her orders, she was pretty much required to drag ADAM’s metaphorical ass over the coals.

  >>The Federation,<< ADAM repeated sheepishly.

  Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow.

  >>They’re not being used,<< ADAM explained. >>So I had them shipped on the Silver Line at my own expense.<<<br />
  Bethany Anne snickered. I’m not mad. They’re your children, right?

  >>I suppose you could look at it that way,<< he agreed. >>However, it was a move to counter the probability of this situation occurring. My projections the last time we were here showed a need to increase the number of EIs in the group by two percent with each mind that rejoins the Collective consciousness to keep up with the required processing power for the translation module.<<<br />
  TOM spoke up. The positive effect of staving off the Collective’s isolation aside, there is only so much CEREBRO, acting as therapists, can do for them. It may be worth considering an AI for the task of shepherding them on a more permanent basis once the barriers to communication are removed.

  It’s always about the shepherding with you. I’m thinking more that they need an outside link, as well as a companion. Bethany Anne pressed her lips together, seeing a flaw in TOM’s reasoning. What do we do when we find them a permanent home? Asking an AI to take on responsibility for the Collective’s mental wellbeing is asking them to part
ways with us.

  >>For a time, at least,<< ADAM demurred. >>Not every AI would be suited to cope with that disconnect from humanity.<<<br />
  I swore that would never happen again. Bethany Anne closed her eyes, remembering the reason she had decreed no EI could be allowed to ascend. But sentient beings have the right to choose. There will be a selection process. If an AI is going to do this, then we will find the right AI.

  >>Agreed. You want me to compile a candidate list?<<<br />
  Bethany Anne shifted in her seat, the seed of a plan forming in her mind. No. I want you to get your research hat on and see if we can come at this from another angle simultaneously.

  >>What are you thinking?<<<br />
  Your heuristics models could do with an update, yes? Do they even work with the new kinds of thinking we’ve come across since expanding out from High Tortuga?

  ADAM hesitated. >>One minute. I hadn’t checked since we’ve been a little bit busy keeping most of them from killing us.<< He ran the data he had through his most recent models. >>You’re right, the models don’t work when it comes to group decision power. This will require some research.<<<br />
  Bethany Anne smiled as she felt ADAM’s attention wander. Would you care to remain here? In mind, at least. I assume you can use your connection to CEREBRO to be present at any of their locations?

  >>As long as I remain connected to you. Are you sure?<<<br />
  I wasn’t offering to allow your consciousness to be transferred out of my mind again, Bethany Anne assured him. Don’t make me get precious with you. Almost losing you once was one time too many.

  >>No intention of it,<< ADAM replied quickly. He decided that this wasn’t the moment to point out that he had built a network spanning the galaxies, a breadcrumb trail of instantly activatable kernels he’d left behind to take root in every computer network he’d come across since Bethany Anne had removed his muzzle to save his life an eternity ago.

  Bethany Anne had made a good point earlier about him being a parent. He was the granddaddy, the progenitor of all sentient digital entities in the Federation and beyond.

  Which made him as invulnerable here as Bethany Anne.

  The real danger lay with the risk of the Kurtherian computer that contained the greater part of his core programming being damaged or corrupted in some way. It handled all the routing between the two halves of himself. If anything was to happen to it in the Etheric, he was, essentially, fucked.

  Bethany Anne had no clue as to ADAM’s train of thought. She had, however, come to a conclusion about the Collective. If an AI couldn’t be found, they would create one for the purpose. Go. I’ll catch up with you when we get back from Qu’Baka.

  >>You’ve got it. I’d tell you to kick hairy ass, but that’s a given.<<<br />
  Bethany Anne grinned when the translator module flashed orange, detached itself from the hood of her roamer, and jetted off in a cloud of bubbles. A glance confirmed that her vehicle had plenty of charge remaining, enough to get her to the next person on her agenda.

  QBBS Helena, Transfer Terminal Route

  Bethany Anne sat back and laced her hands behind her head, thinking about her last call with Jean. Her granddaughter was recovering from just about the most traumatic experience a human being could experience, and Jean was so dug in that she despaired whether she could make it there before the gala.

  Her old friend wasn’t expecting a visit, but she would be getting one. A visit, and a damn crowbar up her ass if that was what it took to get her to leave Qui’nan to take care of the production schedule in her absence.

  This was a family event, as well as the beginning of the political showdown Bethany Anne had hoped to avoid. It wasn’t happening without Jean there.

  Bethany Anne considered her reasons for the big reveal while her roamer drove the preset route across the station.

  Operating undercover wasn’t working. Resource management was getting to be a bitch of a headache that never went away. She solved one shortfall, and there was the next bottleneck waiting to catch her out.

  Bethany Anne compared the effort of trying to keep up with the waves of Ooken attacks to trying to plug a leaking dam with a handful of corks, despite everyone working to the best of their ability to keep up.

  Their asses had been too close to the fire before Barnabas and Nickie came through with the logistics network.

  One win at a time just wasn’t doing it for her. However, it was still preferable to the alternative.

  This was the price of pushing her rapid expansion without the resources she required being under her control. It had taken her over a century to reach this point the first time around, and look where it had gotten her.

  Bethany Anne pressed her lips together as the unasked for memory of being too constricted by her rule to even breathe freely came to her. She had hogtied and bound herself to protect the rights of the people, and submitted to endless politics and diplomacy.

  She’d had to smile and listen to the talking go around and around, while she slowly went insane from dealing with petty fucking demands that had nothing to do with creating a utopia for the people and everything to do with trying to wrest an ounce of power back from her.

  Bethany Anne had no intention of getting caught up in ruling again. That time of idealizing was over. It was too fucking tiring. She was doing this her way, and anyone who didn’t like it?

  Well, fuck them.

  Personal freedom was a largesse Bethany Anne could no longer afford to grant. The Federation would get with the idea of their former Empress being closer than they had believed; that was only a matter of time and careful maneuvering. The independents would consolidate and work with her to keep everyone protected, or she would sanction them and cut them off just like she had Moen.

  She didn’t have time to be anybody’s mother but her children’s.

  Honor be damned. This was about survival, pure and simple. Federation, independents…they would unite against the Seven, or face the consequences when the war arrived at their doorstep.

  The infrastructure of Bethany Anne’s Not-an-Empire depended on that consolidation, and on making alliances with people who shared her ideals exactly.

  When she was ready to strike, the Kurtherians were going to feel it. She was going in with everything she had—a full dose of shock and awe simultaneously on every factory she could locate. However, before she could even consider doing more to take advantage of her knowledge about the Kurtherian factories, she had to massively grow her ranks.

  Bethany Anne’s mouth rose at the corner.

  She’d like to know how the Seven would continue bombarding them with genetic nightmares when they couldn’t fucking produce them anymore.

  What was to keep her from tracking the Seven down then?

  Not a thing.

  Bethany Anne opened one eye as her roamer entered the transfer terminal and turned to enter the priority transfer line.

  In no time at all, the roamer was seated on the mag-rail with its wheels retracted in preparation for being propelled across the void.

  This part of the transfer was no less spectacular than the first time Bethany Anne had traveled it. Her roamer shot along the rail and out of the spiral doors just as they fully retracted, then she was seemingly suspended in open space.

  The beauty for Bethany Anne was not simply in the grand scale of the optical illusion. Neither was it purely the practicality of having a self-contained, autonomous system that logged everyone in and out of her shipyard without fail.

  It was looking around at technology that had been used against her people. Technology that had been turned to the purpose of protecting them. Bethany Anne saw it as a sweet “fuck you” to the invaders she’d taken it from.

  Petty, she knew, but then, she was just fine with that. Let them all take their shot. They would attack and be destroyed, and she would be happy to receive their generous donations to the furtherment of humanity’s military capability and overall knowledge.

  Bethany Anne exited her roame
r at the charging point by the R&D labs and made her way through the open sliding doors into the state of barely-controlled chaos Jean called a workspace.

  As ever, it was a good thing she didn’t need ear protectors.

  Unperturbed by the clamor or the bursts of sparks and flame spouting sporadically from the testing areas, Bethany Anne took her time to cross the main room of the workshop, pausing to exchange a few words with the people working on the projects in progress that caught her eye on her way to the central cabin Jean used as an office.

  Jean looked up as Bethany Anne entered, smiling when she saw who her visitor was. She waved her in, returning her attention to the holoprojection over her desk. “I’ve been expecting you. Shut that door before the dust gets in.”

  Bethany Anne smirked as she closed the door behind her. Her visit wasn’t the surprise, but she didn’t want to let Jean know that just yet. “Dammit, Jean, and there I was trying to surprise you.”

  Jean shot a skeptical glance at Bethany Anne. “You should have taken care of the cameras then.” She kicked the chair across from her desk out for Bethany Anne to take, then picked up her coffee mug. “Where do you want to start? Armor? Weapons? Ship tech?”

  Bethany Anne disregarded the hardback chair and went for the overstuffed armchair in the corner opposite the door. “I was thinking more about how you’re doing with Lillian and Nickie being back in your life. I’m in no rush to discuss work.”

  Jean snorted, spraying coffee over the control panel embedded in the center of her desk. “Shit!” She jumped up and removed the coffee with a few hasty swipes of her sleeve. “Who the fuck are you, and what have you done with Bethany Anne?”

  Bethany Anne lifted her hands, her smile returning at Jean’s reaction. “Very funny. You were cut up about missing the gala. Sue me if I wanted to make sure you got there.”

  Jean shrugged out of her shirt and headed to the sink to rinse the sleeve. “Can’t say I don’t appreciate it. I know Nickie is almost recovered, but dammit, BA! Too close.” She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly.