Log 1 Matter | Antimatter (37 page)

Wilds needed laboratory workers.

She opened the front door seeing leaves piled
up at the base. She’d clean tomorrow. Entering the foyer, she
closed the front door, and then entered the main home. It was
shaped like a horseshoe, the open mid-section tucked into the cliff
face and facing the ocean and cove. Glass windows adorned the
entire right side, and she lit her gas fires, and turned on just
two lights. It was all open plan. The lounge first, which was
curved, the gas fire next, which abutted the left wall but
stretched into the rooms forming a division of sorts, the study and
reading area were next, followed by another gas place then her
bedroom. The bathroom was built into the cliff, as was the kitchen,
which was kind of tucked in behind the first gas fire. She still
had a view there, but preferred her views from the couch, chair, or
bed.

There was a knock on her door and Ara heard
laughter. She went to open it finding her four co-workers with
baskets of delicious smelling, hot food.

Denn said, “We knew you were coming home but
we had an emergency.”

“Come in.”

They crowded in, all dressed in Wilds
uniforms that were comprised of dark blue shorts, boots, and polo
shirts. They hugged her as they entered. While Ara felt like a
giant compared to Leoan and Karan, Xavier’s six foot one hulking
form made her feel normal. He had the really dark, almost red, skin
of someone from Baalop in Lustro Station. He never talked about his
life before Wilds and they didn’t pry. He was a gentle man who
loved animals far more than people. Xavier gave her a tight hug and
made his way to a stool, his stool that he brought to her place so
that it could bear his weight.

Leoan said, “We would have cleaned and warmed
your place but the cubs came.”

“Oh, I didn’t want to miss that!” Ara looked
at the lanky, freckled redhead. She had a fascination for Leoan’s
hair, reminding Ara of Caleb’s. His was a little darker red though,
and straighter. Leoan was like her, with hair that leaned to the
frizzy variety.

“We took lots of images,” Leoan promised
her.

Within moments, they had put food in her
cooler and cupboards. Karan, her athletic friend, was unpacking the
hot meal. She was heavily into weights and worked out with Xavier
every day. Her blue eyes met Ara’s. “We won’t stay; we have to get
back. The lion cubs were having problems breathing.” Karan finished
setting up dinner on Ara’s breakfast bench.

They chatted for a little while but assured
Ara they’d call her if needed. Ara sat down, inhaling the stir-fry
they had brought.

“Interesting conference?” Denn asked, raising
his eyebrow, still annoyed he couldn’t go. His brown hair was tied
back, as usual, while his pale brown eyes were trained on the food.
He had a sharp, intelligent face and loved eating as much as Ara
did. He reached out and plucked a green sugar pea from her
plate.

“They recorded the entire thing but, between
Tara’s shopping and Kee’s obsession with sightseeing, I’m
exhausted.” Ara lifted her fork and began to eat; the vegetables
were slightly crunchy, the meat melted in her mouth. “Hmmmm, this
is good.”

Leoan groaned. “Not another dinner and film
fest coming up?”

“I’m afraid so, just bring a lot to drink.”
Tara and Kee liked to entertain and drag out their holiday shows.
“It’s okay for you lot, I was there this time!”

Xavier said, smiling at her, “Twice the drink
for you then.”

“Amen to that.” Ara leaned down and rummaged
through an unpacked bag she’d dumped in the kitchen to unpack her
chocolate snacks, and handed Denn the thumb drive of the recorded
conference. “How’s Heather?”

“Great. Next time I’ll ask my wife to break
her leg on a boring week.”

They commiserated.

“Where’s our chocolate, Ara?” Karan
asked.

“Oops, almost forgot.” At their incredulous
looks, she handed them their gifts and treats. “I did forget!”

“We’ll let you off this time because you came
through.” Karan blew her cheeks out. “We’re glad you’re back. See
you in two days. Get settled in first, there’s a pile of work
waiting for you.”

“I will. But call me…”

“We will.”

Chatting with each other, they left. Xavier
gave her another hug and smile before he joined them. Ara closed
the door, sat back at her kitchen bench and ate the very tasty
meal. She shivered a little so she moved and sat on one of the low
benches that surrounded the rounded gas places. Her back warmed up
quickly as she balanced the plate on her lap.

It was with some satisfaction that she made
her bed, and lay down that night. Sleep came easily but it always
did for some reason there. It was the first time ever she felt
really good and at peace. Ara almost began to think of forgetting
about planet engineering and finding out about an apprenticeship on
Wilds. It depended on her connection with Maya and she had
discreetly asked Bel and Tekko to help her find a way to disconnect
herself from the Cardinal Unit.

Ara sat bolt upright and looked wildly
around.

Her Voice was blaring at her. She rubbed her
eyes and picked it up. “Hello?”

Denn said urgently, “We need you. I’m coming
to pick you up. Be ready.”

Ara turned on her outer lights, dressed, ran
up the path in the rain, and jumped into the pickup truck. Denn
drove them fast to the main breeding installation, which was a good
ten minutes away. While they drove, Ara used a small light and read
the latest obs. By the time she was in, and holding a cub, Ara knew
it was too late.

Xavier’s deep voice reflected his pain. “We
should have called you sooner.”

Ara squeezed his arm. “There’s not much I
could have done that you haven’t tried already.” Even as she said
the words, Ara wondered. The tiny body sat in her hand, and she
stared at him while the team cared for the remainder. Could she
connect to the Maya, should she? Xavier remained by her side,
watching her carefully.

Ara closed her eyes and triggered her implant
to send a query pulse to the Cardinal Unit. She needed more than
just a connection; somehow she needed to allow for the CU to help.
Ara knew the implants had some kind of projection ability; she had
never used it deliberately. She followed it all the way, determined
to watch the process this time and take an active role in it. An
image appeared in her mind. It was a lab. There were many
workstations with lights flicking on and off. Machines and robots
were moving around turning eggs that appeared to be damaged
somehow, and caring for a range of sick or injured species. Ara had
never seen this place before, only flashes of labs in her dreams
and connections. A robot moved up to her projection, and lifted a
mechanical arm. She felt a connection to her implant, and detected
nanites injected into the particle stream that created her
projection and the plasma link that led all the way back to her
real body. As the nanites traveled, Ara was able to read the data
package that came with them. They had been specially programmed for
the cub in her hand. A flash of instructions seared on her mind,
and she left, opening her eyes again to the cub, now wiggling in
her hand.

“Ara … he’s getting stronger!” Xavier’s
voice, while quiet, reached Denn, Karan, and Leoan.

“How did you do that?” Denn sounded
amazed.

“I connected to the Cardinal Unit, using my
implant, and they have a lab for the injured and sick. They must
have millions of packages for all kinds of emergencies.” Ara
struggled to explain what she saw and her friends saw it as
wondrous rather than freaky. It was the first time since Gralten
she had done anything like that with people around. “They send
nanites using the standard plasma lines we have with Maya.”

After quite a few questions, Ara almost fell
but Xavier gripped her arm and transferred the cub to Denn.
“Ara?”

“I’m okay, just feel weak and
disorientated.”

“And pale.” Karan took her by the arm. She
gave the team a sharp look. “You lot look after the cubs and I’ll
look after Ara.”

Grateful for the help, Ara was supported by
Karan to the small kitchen and barely managed to lift the warm cup
of hot chocolate to her lips after Karan made it from her personal
supply. “Wow, you really are crashing.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I’ll be doing that again.
I don’t think the Mobile Unit is supposed to transfer nanites like
that.”

Karan’s blue eyes met hers and she said
casually, “We forget you are the Mobile Unit. Whatever that
is.”

Ara smiled and sipped. She put her drink
down. “You know damn well what it is, as much as anyone … and, no,
I’m still in the dark as much as anyone.”

Karan nodded, and sighed. “Do you miss the
life you could have had? I mean as a potential queen?”

“Absolutely not. I love my life and love my
work. I love my friends too; they take good care of me.”

“Don’t get mushy on me, Ara. I like you just
as you are.”

Their eyes met and they both laughed.

After her drink, Karan returned to work. Ara
just managed to get up, and Denn collected her to take her
home.

Jamie followed along behind as Denn drove Ara home.
He turned up the comms and brought up a visual in the pickup truck
to listen and watch. Like Ara, he had caught sight of a blinking
light.

“What’s that?” she was saying and pointing to
her right.

Denn slowed down and looked. “Don’t know.
It’s on the ocean by the looks. I don’t recall any shipping
deliveries or passenger ships on the way in.” He pulled over to the
side of the road and stopped the pickup truck slowly in the
dirt.

Jamie pulled in and waited. He tapped on his
EBrain to activate the secondary team. They were checking Ara’s
home, and the route Denn and Ara had been driving down.

“I’ll see if I can pull up any information on
it. Are you okay or shall I take you home first?”

“No, I’m fine. More interested in the vessel
at the moment.” Her voice was slurring so much Jamie was
concerned.

Denn was pulling out his tablet from the
middle console but Jamie was already checking the traffic that
should be on the ocean. There wasn’t supposed to be anything
sailing.

“According to the registry they aren’t
supposed to be there. There are no emergencies listed either. Back
to the installation?”

“Yeah, we better check this out.”

Jamie cursed. She should be telling
security.

“Ah, maybe we should just alert security. I’m
pretty bushed and it’s not our job.”

Denn was nodding. “Good idea. I’ll ring them
now.”

Jamie nodded his approval as Denn used his
Voice to notify security. This was where it would get interesting.
Was security going to check it out, or just pacify Denn?

“Hi, it’s Denn. We’re working late
tonig…”

Jamie snorted, as if security didn’t know
that already. Still, he reasoned, at least Denn was
informative.

“…the way home to Ara’s. We spotted an
unidentified and unregistered vessel on the ocean.” Denn was
lifting his GPS and looking out to the vessel. He gave the
coordinates. “Oh, you’ve seen it. Great. Could you let us know what
you find? We’ll be up all night.”

Jamie was pleased. Security was telling Denn
that they had already sent out a patrol boat with several guards
and that they would send a security team to the installation too,
as a precaution. It was a pleasure to work with effective
professionals. Jamie had vetted all the teams; however, with the
level of deception growing, it was hard to be one hundred percent
certain of anyone. He saw Denn pull out and start driving to drop
Ara home.

He called up Jones, his number two protection
guard on this watch. “Make sure Ara gets home and stays home. I’m
going to check out the disturbance.”

“Right. Do you want me to join you after and
leave babysitting to the second team?”

Jamie was aware that, while he wasn’t
impulsive like Ara was at times, he could be too autonomous.
Tonight wasn’t one of those nights. “Yes and join me by the boat
house in thirty.”

“See you then.”

It was silly, but even now Jamie felt a
thrill going off to check what he hoped was dangerous but not
dangerous at the same time. He grinned as he turned his over lander
around and drove to the boathouse. He sent in a quick report and
summary of what he wanted to do. Peter contacted him. “Hey, do you
want some wings?”

“I thought you were on duty at the CIC?”

“Finished, but I’m wide awake and ready for
anything.”

Jamie laughed. “Alright, ultra-quiet wings. I
think the disturbance is a diversion. They’ll be acting like dumb
arse fishermen or someone in trouble who forgot their beacon.”

“Roger that… Ah, Sam says there’s activity in
the north east quadrant, boss.”

“Ah, second thoughts bring the mole.” The
mole was a machine designed and tested by Ara for Wilds. It was
Peter who saw its usefulness when they found the tunnels. She had
wanted the liquid metal to “mesh” with the organic component but
had not been successful to date. Thank Maya for not helping her.
Curse the Natal who had given her the idea.

“RT.”

Jamie headed down a dirt road to his left,
and followed it to the end to the boathouse. Peter could fly or
drive anything. And while Korbet said he couldn’t warn Ara, he
hadn’t said anything about investigating. This would be a test of
the honeypot idea. If Ara was actually just the draw card, the
lure, she shouldn’t need to see or do anything. Her stumbling on
the Establishment meeting was purely accidental. Jesran had dealt
with that scare very well. But then Ara hadn’t said anything
regarding Maya during that incident. Jamie realized they would have
to start extracting from Ara using Lyon methodology. Aggressors,
like Jamie, could extract any information. It would be painful for
her, but he had to stop worrying about that. Maybe stumbling on the
Establishment hadn’t been accidental. Not for the first time Jamie
cursed. None of their risk/mission assessment plans included Maya
and the CU lying or concealing from them. It was a mistake, he was
sure. It dismayed Jamie to know Maya could be a complete bitch.