“It’s not an act.” Even to his own ears, Jadis’s voice was weak. “I had someone.”
It was quiet. Jadis’s hands strayed over the edge of the console, his mind bringing back memories of his childhood and swimming the green pools of Ces’tia. Spinning in the waves that D’yanna created with her easy acrobatics.
“I thought you said it wouldn’t work?” It wasn’t reproachful. She sounded more curious than anything else.
“It won’t work with you.” Jadis walked away, his eyes on the door to his pool. What he really needed was a swim. That would clear his head.
“Oh,” she said softly. “I’m sorry.”
Closing the door, he tossed his coat on a nearby chair, removed the tabs that protected his gills, and dove into the water.
Jadis was just falling asleep on an outcropping of moss near the bottom of his pool when he received a notification from his separated consciousness. He was about to reintegrate when Pseudo-Jadis appeared in holographic form wearing a velvet robe and sitting on an old Victorian chair. In his hands was what looked to be a tumbler of some brown fluid.
This was not the first time one of his detached personalities decided to contact him in such a way. In fact, they would sometimes try to find ways to outshine the others. He knew why they did it, or rather why he did it.
“Jadis, old boy. Let’s have a talk,” Pseudo-Jadis said.
Jadis swam to the surface, the holographic image rising with him. Activating one of his heat fans, Jadis sat in a heavy chair specially made to contour his conflicting form. A pair of cushions cupped the rigid abdomen. The middle part of the chair hugged his reptilian spine. He sighed contently, enjoying the comfort of being home again.
“What is it this time?” Jadis asked.
“We should talk about that developing situation,” Pseudo-Jadis pointed back to the main deck. “But first, we need to discuss some items you haven’t noticed. Right arm, beneath the fold.”
Jadis lifted an arm and peeled back the flap of skin that wasn’t there when he first arrived at Betta’s Station. His stomach dropped as an orange and green fluid seeped out and dribbled down his back. A brief flash of Betta vomiting into his coat interrupted his thoughts. He could smell the faint scent of the Polaris Sunset, though there was something stronger that he recognized. “It’s got her scent.”
“We’ve got her scent. It’s like she marked us,” Psuedo-Jadis said.
“Like property,” Jadis agreed. “Although I’d prefer—”
“No.” Pseudo-Jadis shook his head. “No, you wouldn’t.”
He dreaded asking for more information. His pseudo minds were usually thorough when doing their diagnostics.
“Hands.”
Jadis raised his hands to study them. Touching index fingers with his thumbs he felt a strange stickiness at each press. “What is that?”
“There’s worse. Your back.” This time Pseudo-Jadis turned around and removed his velvet robe. On the scaly black flesh, near his shoulder blades were two parallel lumps. They pulsated as he sat there.
Jadis looked over his shoulder to see the fabric moving regardless of the rise and fall of his breathing. “More surprises.” All he wanted was to have some semblance of normal. “There can’t be anything else.”
“In more than 50 years, we haven’t had such a big change until Betta.”
“I know. But why her? And why now? We’ve been in contact with hundreds of Humans and never a problem.”
“But D’yanna may have changed us. Maybe it has something to do with being so close, sharing fluids. I suggest we go under a scanner. There’s also plenty for you to get caught up on once we reintegrate.”
“Maybe we keep our distance until we reach the station,” Jadis suggested.
“Or maybe we learn everything about her while we have the chance. If she’s the catalyst for this change, it could be useful data when we find the scientist.”
Jadis agreed and activated the reintegration. For a moment, he felt like two separate entities staring at one another, and then he was one whole being. It was an instantaneous process where two complete and separate memory paths became one.
He recalled the conversation with Olly right where he’d left off.
“I got 40,000 marks for info on a name.”
“Sounds like a reasonable start. What’s the name?” Olly asked.
“Drew. Calls himself Big Dee. You know him?”
Olly whistled. “He’s a miner over in Fabrications and Survey. Big Dee’s the one you call if you want some off the books drilling in a good spot. There are deposits that aren’t enough for a corporation, but for an individual willing to buy the maps it’s a treasure trove. He got the name Big Dee because he lends out one of his own A-25 Diggers for a price. There’s only ten A-25’s in this sector.”
“I’m guessing he gets a recoup for the rental?”
“And some big guns backing his security.”
“How deep do his black-market ties go?” Jadis asked.
“That, I don’t know since I was ex-communicated. 40,000 marks, right? In my account now or this call ends.”
Jadis transferred the marks quickly. “One more name.”
“Same price.”
“Let’s call this one a favor, Olly. I’m low on marks too. George Reganta.”
Olly smiled. “Finally met the girl, eh? She’s a smart one. Nearly took down a syndicate on Arys-27. Word is Pilo didn’t want to lose her talents and the syndicate didn’t want her interfering, and her father, George, got leverage to let her live. That’s all I know about Betta. That one’s free. George on the other hand has made a name for himself in the syndicate, at least, when I was a part of it. He’s not someone I’d put on my bad side.”
“She thinks he’s dead,” Jadis said.
“He might be by now. Betta’s Station was off limits. It was an edict from syndicate, Pilo, and the feds,” Olly admitted.
“What changed?”
“I don’t know. I heard someone tried to take out the station. Feds are all a buzz over here, questioning anyone that went on holiday. That’s at least worth another 20,000, Jadis. You owe me.”
Jadis sent across another 20,000, shaking his head at the balance remaining.
Olly was grinning now. “Hey, Jadis. You didn’t even ask me about the Queen of Five. The look on your face makes me think you can’t afford that info. Since we’re old friends, I’ll say this: ‘Don’t go home.’”
The call ended. Jadis immediately directed a call to Manager Tylen. He was put in a queue to leave a message. That never happened. He was priority. He was always priority. He tried the other managers with the same result.
The next call was to the feds.
A familiar face appeared, one with a perfect hair-cut and a fake smile. “Ah. Jadis. I told them we’d hear from you soon. Anything to report?” Agent Brown asked.
“I can’t contact my station. You don’t know anything about that, do you?”
“No. Our counterparts have cut off communication as well. Most of our resources are being used to track the ship that attacked Betta’s Station. They have been recalled. Their current E.T.A is twenty hours from the primary power station.”
“And we are at least forty hours out. Let me know if you hear something earlier. Any update on the queen?”