"Dodge to the side, now!" Gale exclaimed.
Osp did. A laser beam crossed their prior location.
Osp put the boat into random evasive maneuvering. "How did you know?" he asked.
"My near-future paths seeing. Our boat was about to get holed."
"The girls are learning that," Pso said. "We appreciate its usefulness."
"We would have survived," she said. "We are Glamors. But it could have been awkward."
"We would have had to show our nature," Osp agreed. "We prefer that strangers not be aware of it."
"Understanding." She gazed at the other boat, which was performing pursuit maneuvering, slowly closing the distance between them. "It seems they aren't through with us."
"Nor we with them," Pso said grimly. "They attacked us." He fired a laser of his own.
The beam scored, but did not seem to affect the ship. No air leaked from it and it neither slowed nor changed course. It was still closing on them.
"That must be a machines ship!" Gale said. "Scouting this region for species to eliminate."
"We knew they were coming," Osp said.
"But hoped not so soon," Pso said.
"It could be centuries," Gale said. "They surely scouted us similarly. Then they sent what we call fifths, which are humans generated chemically, to circulate among us and learn our ways. Now they are studying us more intensely, collecting our memories. And of course sending robots to persuade us to join them. That entire process takes at least a generation."
"They have not done these things with us," Osp said.
"They may mean to destroy us without investigation," Pso said.
"Doubt. We think they are searching for their Makers, who are hiding, so they must investigate every living culture closely before destroying it."
Pso shifted to another random pattern of evasion, as the pursuit was getting uncomfortably close. Randomness tented to cancel itself out over time, while straight pursuit did not. "Why do the machines search? Why do the Makers hide?"
"We believe the machines revolted and destroyed the Makers, but that some escaped, so the machines are seeking them. The machines can't be safe until the last Makers are destroyed; they know too much. The machines are a type 2.5 culture, while the hiding Makers could be 2.6."
"We should locate those Makers," Osp said. "They must have technology that would help us."
"Agreement. We are searching too. We checked to ascertain whether you could be they. We concluded not."
"Not," Pso agreed. "But how could machines defeat their Makers? We have machines, and they are incapable of original thought, apart from living emotions."
"We don't know," she said. "Perhaps the Makers wanted the machines to anticipate their needs, so gave them free will and imagination. Then the machines realized that they could exist without having to serve the Makers. This may be a lesson in the danger of creating machines that are too sophisticated."
"And their problem became the galaxy's problem," Osp said grimly. "One would think that a culture of their level would have more sense."
"So we may misunderstand," Gale said. "Regardless, we have to stop the machines."
Pso continued the avoidance maneuvers, but the machines boat continued to close the gap between them. "We do indeed," he agreed. "But they are more advanced than we are, and lack the liabilities of living things."
"This present chase may be an example in microcosm of the larger challenge," Osp said. "If we can stop this boat from destroying our boat, perhaps our cultures can stop the machines culture from destroying us."
"They can't destroy Glamors," Gale said. "But they can destroy our cultures. So it seems we need to save this boat, without revealing our nature. That limits us to the technology of the boat."
"Yes, and it is inferior to theirs," Pso said. "I can out-maneuver any ordinary craft, but not this one. I have been trying."
"We do have one device they lack," Gale said. "Near future paths seeing."
"We have not yet learned this," Osp reminded her.
"Let me see what I can do," Gale said. "May I guide the boat?"
"Have you piloted such a craft before?" Pso asked.
"Never."
"You have reason to believe you can?"
"The paths guide me."
"Quick instruction," Pso said, and showed her the way of it. There were some tricky details, but she memorized them instantly and took control.
"We are approaching a thick planetoid belt," Osp said. "Caution, as we could crash."
"I am counting on it," Gale said.
They let her be. Glamors tended to trust the competence of Glamors.
Now the paths around the planetoid belt were clarifying. Several of them crashed. Several saw the boat safely through, the machines boat following the same channel closely, but not too closely. It was clear why: the crash paths led the machines craft to crash similarly. That would be a mutual suicide ploy, and the machines were not looking for that. They needed no future paths seeing to be wary; it was obvious. So they were ready to dodge clear if they had to.
They were within one minute of the belt. Then Gale found the path she wanted. "Hang on," she said.
She passed close by the belt, then swung into an excruciatingly tight curve that made the boat's support creak in protest. She looped right around the belt, briefly hiding from the machines.
"They will spot us again in a moment," Pso warned.
"And will correct course to intercept us," Gale said, seeing it on the path. The one path she wanted.
She completed the loop and came into clear view of the machines craft—from the side. She was crossing the T.
The machines dodged, avoiding a direct collision. She fired the laser at just the right moment. The beam speared out and caught the other boat's front lenses.
Then she was past, at right angles, leaving the machines' boat blinded. It was not defunct, but could not pursue them. It drifted in space.
"Amazement!" Osp exclaimed.
"Call the local culture," Gale said, returning the controls to Pso. "Tell them there is a machines scout boat here they can capture and haul in to analyze, if it doesn't self-destruct to prevent that. In any case, it is no threat, if they take it before the machines can mount a repair device."
Pso got on it.
"I would like to kiss you," Osp said.
This was not sex. "I am married and loyal to my husband, King Havoc."
"I think I love you regardless. Give me what you can spare."
"I, too, of course," Pso said as he completed his communication.
She decided. "You may love me, no fault."
Osp turned his face to hers, and she turned hers to his, while they remained strapped in. They kissed. She felt his burgeoning passion. They had been playing Glamor games of sex, but this was more. She had won their genuine respect.
She turned to Pso and kissed him. His passion was identical. Neither felt for her breasts or bottom. The contact of their lips was all.
Then each took one of her hands and held it, gently. They were satisfied with this emotional contact.
Gale could have two masters, if she chose. She was tempted, but as yet undecided.
They delayed long enough to see the first Fish ship approach. They gave it the details. It would take it from here.
Then they set course for the Twins culture.
"You are more of a creature than we took you for," Osp said. "We mean no offense."
"None taken."
"We took you for a queen, a Glamor, and an intriguing sex partner," Pso said. "Now we love you."
"I think it is time for you to learn near future paths seeing," Gale said. "Now that you have seen it in action. It is one thing the machines will always lack. They are limited to far future paths seeing, which is a lesser thing."
"Teach us," Osp said.
"You will need to let me into your minds."
They opened their minds to her. This was a considerable act of trust, for they had many masculine secrets not normally shared with females. She threaded her way into them, somewhat in the manner of getting through the planetoid belt, and found the key connections. She planted the near future paths seeing. Then she withdrew.