Zooey, Scene Five
09 Sep 2023Ryuko Ntsikana
Audio Portion at bottom, for listening convenience.
Zooey. Part V
Xochitl’s Capital Ship.
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The tablet vibrated audibly, catching Inspector Gladsen's attention as he picked it up to examine the information displayed on its screen. Typical rosters of people and ships being transported by commercial capital ships, to subsidize their funding, were universal public records. These records were maintained by a few universal firms that offered insurance for capital-class ships, outposts, ports, and stations. This, in turn, indirectly supported law enforcement, an agency the entity he was still a part of had ensured he maintained, with a courteous bump in position for being a good host.
Monty reminded himself that he was now a prior host as he sent a simple message to the interested parties onboard Xochitl’s capital ship.
He made himself a tumbler of coffee in the quaint kitchenette of his quarters as he waited for the recipients to arrive. Monty reflected on his experiences as a host for the sentient symbiotic creation. Although it had the capacity to inflict terrible damage on a scale he couldn't begin to imagine, it had not done so. Some of its actions had been distasteful and perhaps unethical, but their morality depended on the observer's perspective.
For Monty, the entire experience had been beneficial, albeit taxing. It had cured him of unknown ailments, taken him to places he'd never have seen in his lifetime, provided him with more monetary funding than he could have dreamed of having, and even elevated his career with a significant promotion.
While one could argue that infecting systems and individuals against their will was amoral, others might argue that the ends justified the means or that two wrongs did not make a right, depending on their point of view.
As the door chimed at his quarters, Monty couldn't help but smirk. Sipping his coffee, he walked over to let his expected guests in. To his surprise, not only did Yatziri and Art arrive, but Rex, Avery, and Xochitl were also present. Xochitl's gaze was particularly unnerving, as her blue human eye and amber cybernetic one locked in perfect unison, projecting an emotionless stare that felt as intense as Medusa on a bad hair day.
Xochitl remained silent, positioning herself against the bulkhead, while everyone else found seats. Monty shivered involuntarily as he presented his tablet for all to see.
"You were correct; neither of them thought to change the registry or the bland shipyard paint scheme since taking possession of the ship or at any time after their departure. This is an internal hangar picture of the ship, onboard a commercial capital ship headed back to the core worlds of humanity."
Yatziri glanced over her shoulder at Xochitl, who remained silent, her gaze seemingly focused on something beyond the room. Yatziri knew Xochitl's neural processor was analyzing the presented data.
Rex looked at Art, who was reclining with a self-satisfied smile.
"It appears you were right, Art. They didn't think to change either the registry or the paint scheme. Coupled with the information provided by Inspector Gladsen about the modifications made to the ship, we'll have their unique power plant reading and can track them through the navigational beacons of inhabited systems."
Monty placed the tablet on the table in front of him and leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs.
"We have a direction and can track them once they get there. The question is, what next?"
Yatziri glanced around at everyone except the stoic Xochitl behind her. "That part is simple. We reunite the family."
Rex leaned back in his seat, lost in thought. "It reanimated Zooey. Why choose this direction?"
"She wasn't reanimated; rather, the two parts incorporated each other," Monty clarified, looking at Rex. "It can heal the physical, but Zooey's injuries left her mentally limited. From my experiences as a past host and seeing what it wanted to accomplish, it needs Zooey whole to create their final form."
Rex turned his attention to Avery, who shook her head. "She has no known relatives, but understand that this is neither a yes nor a no."
Yatziri chimed in, "Good news for all of us. We intercept them and offer to combine our resources. It's a win-win."
Rex thought for a moment, his eyes on the floor.
Avery shook her head again. "We have nothing to offer that it wants."
Rex looked up to Avery. "Again, with clarity."
Monty interjected, "This ship's AI is not on the same level. It's at home within the building blocks of life itself and can navigate between biological and technological realms effortlessly. Achieving parity would require several medically unethical evolutionary steps. We'd be offering an antiquated resource that would be of no real use."
Rex responded, "We have a capital ship they can work from, far superior to their dinky little ship."
Monty shook his head. "If it becomes an 'us versus them' scenario, it would infect as many solar systems' worth of assets as needed to oppose us."
Avery added, "It has evolved beyond such pettiness."
Rex looked flustered at the idea of the capital ship's significance being diminished.
Xochitl, who had remained silent, spoke up. "Family. That's the one thing it doesn't have and can't co-opt."
So the chase begins. The commercial ship several thousand light-years ahead. Can they catch it?