Page 26 of Agrippa's Acceptance

“I see.”

“Little Big Ship also talked to me and told me his name.”

The previous night she’d lain in Amukkan’s arms, trying to hide her fear.

“It will be all right,” he’d said quietly. “The marines worked harder than I thought possible for humans. We can depend on them.”

“What about Anatu?”

“She knows what to do.”

“But what if she and the sergeant murder each other?”

“I will stop them.” He lifted up on his elbow to stare down at her. “I know you are worried that you cannot do this. There is a lot of pressure on you, but I know you can do this and I will be with you every step of the way.”

She nodded and held onto him. After a while, she said, can I ask you something.”

“Yes.”

“Why do you hate your cyborg designation so much?”

He was quiet for a long time and she’d resigned herself to not getting an answer, when he said, “the clone in charge of testing my functions after I came online, said I was backwards. So instead of Cyborg 123, he called me cyborg 321. He said that way I will always remember that I am not good enough. That I did not make the cut.”

She felt her ryhov gain speed. If she ever got her hands on that clone, she’d make him sorry he was ever born.

“You are not backwards and you did make the cut. Without you, I would still be a stowaway and miserable. Without you, we would not have the perfect leader for this mission.” She clenched her fists on his chest. “Why would he make such inaccurate statements?

He stroked her fist. “When I first came online, I did not function as I should.”

She snorted. “According to some clone. We all know what they are.”

At his blank look she smiled. “It’s a joke among Tunrians, what is a clone, not an original and sterile with a small, uhm, privates.”

He was quiet for a long time and then his chest shook under her. He did not make a sound, but he was laughing. Satisfaction curled through her ryhov.

The next day, she tried not to stare at Anatu and her husband, but the way they clung to each other made her yearn for something she would never have. Did her family ever worry about her? If they ever had to be apart, would Amelagar hold her so tightly or look at her with such emotion in his eyes.

There was no fanfare or speeches. The president held Anutu against him for a long time, before letting her go. “I will miss you, my human.”

“Come back safely to me, my wife.”

Anatu turned and went into the ship.

The four marines carried large bags that looked like huge sausages to Agrippa. They saluted the president and entered the ship. At last, Amelagar and Agrippa boarded. They’d thought about training two cyborgs as tech and with their ability to upload information it would have been possible. But they couldn’t spare any cyborgs for such an uncertain mission. It took all of them to keep the Rising Sun operational. Besides, there was no way to download solutions to problems that have never occurred before. If there was one thing she’d learned, it was that the moment you figure out a problem, a new one no one knew how to solve, came along.

Agrippa and Anatu had brought their bags onboard a few days ago. For the last two weeks now, they’d mostly lived on the ship. She already desperately missed her private time with Amelagar. Last night they’d taken the time to be together in their cabin for what was probably the last time. Amelagar had claimed the bunk above hers and his bag was neatly stashed in the space allocated for it.

The ship was designed with a bridge in front that had, pilot and engineering stations, it held the cloaking device below it’s deck and two stations for Agrippa and Anatu that allowed them instant access to any of the ship’s functions.

Behind the bridge, in the middle of the room eight bunks, four on each side of the hull served as crew quarters and at the back of the ship was the engines.

Whichever of the crew was not in stasis would occupy the bunks. Anatu and Agrippa would never be in stasis at the same time. If Agrippa had her way, their journey would not be long enough for them to need to go into stasis. But she didn’t want to give the others false hope.

She picked up her heavy bag but before she could sling it over her shoulder, Amelagar took it from her. Agrippa didn’t know what to think of that.

Inside she got another surprise. She was sharing a cabin with Amelagar. She frowned at him. “Why can’t I share with Anatu?” The other woman hasn’t talked to her much, but she’d been friendly since she’d joined their group.

They went to the control room and Amelagar took the captain’s chair and the marines the pilot seats.

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