"A black hole?" she asked, alarmed.
"Negation. Merely an energy capture net, helping to power our myriad endeavors. We are about to pass through it."
Then a star appeared. They were inside a giant bubble that reflected the star's light inward. "Wonder!"
"Pleasure at inciting such emotion in a Glamor."
But she found herself not entirely pleased. As she thought about it, she realized this was because as the Glamor of Matter she did not like this kind of interference in the natural order of matter. Stars existed to radiate their energy into space, sharing it with the galaxy, illuminating their sectors and announcing their presence. In time they would compact and explode, flinging their matter out to form new structures, such as planets. Her clientele. Capturing a star in the manner the machines were doing was like caging a wild beast in a zoo and gradually leaching away its dynamic energy. She felt the star's outrage.
She couldn't express any protest at this time. She was Gale, on a special mission. But she would remember. Havoc had thought Shee would change sides when she became a Glamor. He was so right he must have been guided by Idyll, seeing her intermediate future.
The ship proceeded to the innermost planet. This was relatively tiny, orbiting so close to its star that its surface was burning hot. They had to enter its shadow to safely approach it and land. Nature was defending this site from intrusions perhaps as effectively as machines technology. More power to it; Shee really appreciated matter that protected itself.
She also appreciated the massive, squat edifice that was the Citadel, in the center of the shadow side of the planet, the one place where it would not be melted by the inordinate stellar heat. This was where the dread Prime Directive resided, that told the machines what to do in essence if not in detail. The real ruler of the machines, with the default of the original Makers.
She verified that her ikon worked. The local environment was nonChroma. That helped.
"I think I will have to remain within this ship," Shee said. "There is no environment for me here." Not for Gale, anyway.
"Negation. The Makers are living creatures requiring conditions similar to those used by your species. There are facilities suitable for them, on the planet and in the Citadel itself."
"But I am not a Maker. They will not let me use them."
"Unless you spot reprogram the guardian machines to obtain acceptance."
Shee thought about it. "Too risky. Let's save that for the Citadel itself."
"Acquiescence."
They unloaded the mining machines. Working from the ship, Shee reprogrammed the supervisor unit to accept them. And to issue a small package of concentrated magic fuel for delivery to the Citadel.
Now Shee had to leave the ship. She put on a space suit equipped with temperature control and air. Again, these were for Gale, though as a Glamor Gale could handle airlessness. It was surely more comfortable this way, and saved Glamor energy she might later need.
Shee walked and Sphere rolled into the network of mine tunnels. She carried the fuel package, which was light; the fuel was efficient, and this little bit would power the Citadel for a month. It wasn't the mass that counted, but the intense captured magic.
"The tunnels reach the outer wall of the Citadel," Sphere said. "Nothing goes beyond that wall."
"Except those admitted by programmed directive," she said.
Then there was a rumble, and the tunnel shook. "Concern," he said.
"This planet is volcanic," she said. Her research on Planet Charm, followed by her experience with it, had acquainted her with the habits of volcanoes. They put women to shame with their unpredictable moods.
"Unfamiliarity."
She spread her awareness. Again, as the Glamor of Matter, she related well. "This is a minor partial eruption. Unfortunately it is right in the region we must traverse. There will be spot lava."
"Question?"
"Molten rock that flows like a river. To touch it is to perish. We must avoid it."
"Retreat?"
"Negation. It is essentially random, but as a Glamor I can see its near future paths. Accept my guidance implicitly and we will make it through."
"Were I alive, I would feel fear."
"You wanted to work with a Glamor. This is within Glamor competence. Trust me."
"Trust," he agreed.
She changed course, leading them deeper into the planet. The lava was flowing beyond this region. Then she cut back toward the surface. They were almost past the danger zone.
And the tunnel ended. She had not been looking ahead physically, distracted by tracking the lava streams. She considered bashing the wall of it, which was thin, but the paths showed a collapse. This wall, flimsy as it was, was a necessary support.
"Reverse," she snapped.
They went back the way they had come. And discovered a small stream of lava flowing down the slope toward them. They were trapped.
"Diffuse," Sphere said. "I will block the lava to provide you sufficient time."
So he knew about diffusion. "I can't diffuse the fuel," she said.
"Forget the fuel! Diffuse, go back to the ship, and take off. You will have a chance to escape."
He set himself in the narrowest part of the tunnel so as better to block the lava. It would destroy him, of course, but would give her time.
"Negation. Give me your hands, on short arms."
"Confusion."
"Trust me!" she snapped. The lava was almost upon them, its attendant fumes becoming stifling.
He extended his hands on very short arms. She took them, lifted into the air, and hauled him up under her. She floated over the lava and on to a lodge beyond. She lowered him, then dropped to her own feet. "This will get us there!" She ran ahead.
It did, because she had checked the route clairvoyantly this time. They walked and rolled on until they reached the base of the outer wall of the Citadel, where the tunnel ended. Shee sat own and leaned against the wall, resting for the moment. Carrying him and wearing the space suit had depleted her somewhat. As a machine she was indefatigable, but as a Glamor she could expend more magic energy than her ikon could keep up with, and she needed to let it catch up. "We should wait a while until the time is propitious," she said. "If there is anything you want of me in the interim, ask."
"Why did you save me, Shee?" he asked.
"I made an oath. I wasn't going to—" She paused. "You knew?"
"Affirmation."
"How?"
"Your wastes on the ship were pristine, not digested. There is only one Glamor robot."
"And you were going to sacrifice yourself to save me?"
"I loved one Glamor. Now I love two. I do not wish you harm, and it is necessary that you remain with the human culture."
"Our love making—you pretended I was Gale?"
"Negation."
"Confusion."
"Gale taught me genuine emotion. You continued. You accommodated me in every way, beyond any real necessity. You are as generous and worthy as she."
"I'm a machine!"
"So am I."
He had her there. "This being the case, do you mind if I assume my natural form?"
"Welcome."
She shifted, becoming herself. She felt more comfortable. "Appreciation."
"Why did you take Gale's place?"
"A machine is more competent to understand machines. Gale would have had trouble modifying those programs."
"This was the secret you kept?"
"Affirmation. We tried to give you what you wanted."
"The humans trust you to serve their interest?"
"They trust a Glamor to serve their interest. They are correct. I do love Havoc, and will help them all I can. I still think the machines will win, but I support the Living Cultures Coalition. I will not betray you personally, but I am indeed your enemy."