From the journal of Jannisett.
Day 112, enroute, Galaxy Unknown.
Jamie once asked Art, "What does your race do?" Art answered, "The universe is a garden; we tend it." So, indeed, Art is a fellahin - but on a far grander scale than I ever imagined. There needs to be a new word; the classifications of Home do not encompass enough for my present existence. But then, from Home, I should not exist. I must practise reading with the computer's dictionary; there are more words to my language than I was taught; some may help me understand all these changes. I wonder why Art did not ask Jamie what our race does? I would like to know the answer.
Two weeks ago Shepherd was disengaged from the console. Sometimes I get confused about the time scales aboard the Sorcerer. The computer-recorder does not correct those mistakes. Jamie said that it does not distinguish between truth and fiction. I am not sure that I can always tell the difference either. (If Becca's disc tells real stories, then it would seem likely that Banker or Eddie would have fallen in love with Jamie by now. But they don't act like the males in those stories. Yet other things about those stories are true. If I meet Grey's best friend or brother and like him, I will know they are true.) So it is my fault if I record dates incorrectly in this journal.
The others have spent a great deal of the travel time with Art and the maps. They have discovered 10 interpolations of the galaxy map. "Slices of time." The oldest map looks familiar "but not quite right" to Art. In eight of the maps there are 1250 StarGates in this galaxy. In the most recent map, there is but the one for which we are heading. The map just before had 1000 StarGates; Art noticed that one of those was just outside this galaxy.
Day 120, enroute, Galaxy Unknown.
Eddie, Jamie, and Banker have helped Art translate the ship maps to the kind they can read. Now Banker can target the StarGate based on his forms of navigation, with Jamie translating from the ship. He says she now has a "nascent skill in alien navigation."
Banker says it will take 2.5 months to get to the next star system under conventional flight. They have been discussing the quality of stars vs. the distance to the stars. I really do not understand those discussions. Art said that it knows when a star is "useful;" but cannot explain in human technical terms. I think it "sees" things with different senses - like Jamie's eyes do. How can there be human words for things humans can't normally do? It is possible that the more new words I learn, the more I will be able to do what no one at Home ever thought of doing.
Day 122, 3rd Unknown System, Island Planet Galaxy.
Apparently calculations indicate that it is safe to Jump to the next star they've chosen. Jamie placed the 'hedron back in the console while I stood guard to make sure no more cables attacked anyone. She went into that odd trance-state for a minute or two and then was able to explain to Eddie that she had shut off the console's functions save for navigation and engineering. I took that to mean there would be no more cable attacks. Then Banker Jumped the ship.
When I awoke, Art wanted to talk about my fainting. Jamie had told it we didn't know why I do so. Art said that Jamie had told it that I had not ceded responsibility for my functioning to anyone, so it wanted to know if I liked to faint, if I liked to sleep. "It impairs my efficiency... and I do not like being helpless under any conditions," I told it. I am not sure that I kept my voice from showing how much that frightens me. The chronometer indicated I had been unconscious for 8 minutes.
Eddie said that the Jump took .3 pts of power, much less than he'd anticipated. However, the double stars in the new system were no better than the last two had been. Art wondered how the Sorcerer had been charged in the centuries before we found him; clearly this type of ship had not been designed with his people in mind. Eddie's answer was as oblique as ever, "I thought the ship was old when we found it had been buried in lava for many thousands of years. That's not very old compared to how old I think it is now." Perhaps that meant that the Sorcerer had not been charged up in all that time?
I asked, "The maps don't tell what kind of stars they show?"
Eddie: "Not enough. They should tell that to Art, but they don't." He turned to Banker and Jamie, "The next jump could be 250% of what this one was."
Jamie: "We should give it a try."
Eddie: "It'd use 4-6 times the power; we could afford that much. But then we'd have to recharge."
Art: "If you choose a binary or trinary system, there'd be a greater chance of at least one useful star."
It is very hard to concentrate on discussions of energy and vectors. I would write all the numbers down save that, because they are meaningless to me, I would probably make mistakes like I do with time and the writings would have no value. It is easier to talk to Art and Roks.
Art asked an intriguing question about decision-making. "What decisions are made by the individual, what kinds of decisions are ceded to the group?"
Eddie: "Something needs to be checked in Engineering." He left. He always misses the interesting talks.
Jamie: "The individual has the last word in decisions affecting himself, if he is capable of doing so. Otherwise, the group does the best they can for the incapacitated one."
Art: "What is the best?"
Jamie: "Whatever keeps them as healthy and sane as possible."
Art: "But what is the standard for health and sanity?" Jamie shrugged. Art continued, "Your race has no standard?"
Jamie: "It is individual choice. Some people would have themselves kept alive no matter the cost, others would rather die than live without conscious awareness or being unable to interact with their environment."
Art: "What is the consensus of the society that is the Sorcerer?"
Jamie: "Personal preference is most important."
I am not sure that Art got its answer. I was deeply considering the notion that I could choose how to die rather than assuming that I would be recycled when damaged past efficient repair, when Art brought the conversation back to my fainting spells.
I: "Fainting destroys my efficiency for that period."
Art: "Does the decision come down to efficiency?"
Jamie: "No!"
I: "I have seen that my protection skills are of no use aboard this ship and usually would not be - save for the little time we thought Roks was an intruder. But I am training with Banker to become a pilot. Of what worth is a pilot who faints during a Jump?"
Jamie: "There is no need for a pilot during a Jump; only before and after. And your worth is not measured in those skills."
Roks: "Why should we value you for a combat freak?" I was stunned. I did not know that I am considered a freak. Jamie was saying more about the value of "conversation and comradeship" but I know that none aboard this vessel use a concubine. I was and am more confused than ever about what is valued. Becca's disc indicates that the greatest value is in human relationships and that, perhaps, is what Jamie was trying to say. But - something is missing, and I don't know what it is.
Then Roks seemed to reverse his stance: "I did not find you worthless when you used your hand to stop the blast beam. You saved my life then. And when I saw your burned hand, I couldn't help but shiver. If anyone is worth less, it is I."
I: "It is my function to protect. That's all I did. Without you we could not talk to Art. Other things can provide protection. You are invaluable."
Art continued asking about decisions and my fainting. Roks turned to him and asked something with an intensity that I have never seen in the small being, <"What are you trying to get at? Would it have anything to do with what we are going to do with Shepherd?">
Art: <"No, no.">
Art turned to me. "Are you sure you would have the fainting cease, when it would mean removing a source of security?"
I was baffled: "Security?"
Art: "There is a modification within you to provide security."
I started to deny any modification when I remembered. How could any of the People forget! "My zot box!"
Roks and Jamie: "Zot box?"
I: "Each of my people is equipped with a zot box within us. It is used by the Maliks for discipline and control."
Art: "And to cause true harm as well as, potentially, death."
I, remembering: "Yes. And to cause death. It is a source of security for the Maliks."
Art: "Do you have an Owner?"
Grey's words are burned in my memory, "No! No more! If you can remove it, I would have it removed. I want the M- the Owners 'taken down'!" I quoted Grey's words, "and I cannot help in that if they can use the zot box against me." I could not help but see that Jamie was labouring under some intense emotion. I thought it might be directed at me; I know I have responded to her once or twice as though she were an Owner. Perhaps "we shall talk" sometime in the future.
Art explained that the zot box was like a chip, placed rather than congenital. Art could remove the box at the risk of damage to myself but, with study, should be able to isolate it instead.
Art and Jamie drew levels of difference between chips and her eyes.
Jamie: "My chip works as designed. The eyes were a screw-up. I had the chip put in of my own free will. I thought the eyes were of my own free will, but I was persuaded to it. That must have significance because one of the Leads in that project attacked us. But that is immaterial at the moment."
Art: "Why do you have them?"
Jamie: "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Art: "Is it still a good idea?"
Jamie: "It's been useful at times. I could not communicate with the BE3 aliens as well as I do now without them. Theoretically I am the only human who can fluently discourse with them. I also could not understand their culture as well as I do without having interacted with them using these eyes. But it also causes problems. With people. And I can't see well in human-normal light."
Art: "In time I could restore your normal human eyes. But I've discovered that these have utilities you have yet to use."
Jamie: "Interesting."
Art: "Are your people interested in greater utility no matter the mode?"
Jamie: "The mode matters. This," she gestured towards her goggles, "is more extreme than most people would put up with."
Art: "What quality have you that others do not?"
Jamie: "I'm not looking at it."
Art: "But I have noticed that you have a certain affinity with the source race - BE3?"
Jamie: "Yes. And the eyes were useful, but they are not really part of me and make people uncomfortable after looking at me for a short period."
Art: "Have you then isolated yourself."
Jamie glanced around the ship with a seemingly involuntary smile: "I wear the goggles which look odd but help me with daylight problems and conceal the eyes. But I cannot go back to my home in the Core; obvious modifications are shunned by Polite Society [and inheritance within her family is only for pure-strain members] ."
Art: "The eyes are not fully integrated; that is something I would like to explore."
Roks: "Would you like partial use or not being able to use them at all?"
Art: "Communication could be done in other ways."
Jamie: "Not as completely. This is the path I chose. Alien communication is what I do."
Art: "Everyone seems to make the choice that is most advantageous."
Jamie: "I am the only human fluent in BE3. Usually humans and BE3s use a third language that is less efficient and less comfortable. Ultimately you were rescued from the egg because I could communicate via these eyes."
Roks: "Gotta admit, you did better than I could've done."
Roks: "What are we going to do with the almost-dead guy?"
Jamie: "Will Shepherd be functional again."
Art: "Yes. What is functional in your culture? The body is functioning. Some of the cognitive circuits, with adjustments, could function as a communications array."
Jamie: "Will he have conscious independent thought?"
Art: "He is damaged. I don't understand your species that well. Or how you see this. Is there any limitation on the use of your biotics at all? Are there no taboos?"
Jamie: "I can't speak for society as a whole."
Art: "What does the society of the Sorcerer think?"
Jamie: "In my family ... we would pull the plug and let him die." I nodded, because that is what the Owners would have had done with a non-functioning unit. Jamie excused herself and came back leading Eddie. She told him, "Shepherd will never be Shepherd again. But he could interface with the ship's communications for us."
I summarized: "He can be recycled, or retained using up some of our limited resources, or be used as a console."
Eddie: "Will he ever talk?"
Art: "He can be re-established to near human norm, possibly even at the norm; however, the original may not be retained."
Jamie: "I don't want him to hurt."
Art: "I would not let pain happen. It's an honourable function and his system will adjust to being the console."
Eddie: "You said he'd be normal. That's using him as a thing!"
I: "I and my people are born to be things. That did not preclude our being People."
Jamie: "Your people have never been things. They've been treated that way." She told Eddie what I'd said about the zot box and the Owners. I could see that he, too, was becoming angry. It was difficult to know what to do; my training precludes anger. It is dangerous when undirected. I could not tell where Eddie and Jamie would direct theirs. Fortunately Art brought the conversation back on track.
Art: "Shepherd can function as com-console while being brought back to normalcy. He is already fitted with the com-connection. In time he will be independent of the console. However, I cannot use his cells for study because he is not conscious. But I need to culture his cells."
Eddie: "Can you fix him if you don't study him?"
Art: "No."
Eddie & Jamie: "Do it!"
Art: "Does this mean that a group decision can be made for the individual's own good?"
The others nodded.
At that moment there was an explosion that showed in the 2nd window of the 3 distance forward screens.
Eddie: "The ship just blew up something in our path. It was an irregular shape, not a ship."
Jamie: "We should leave now."
Eddie: "We can't leave now. I'm still checking Banker's calculations."
Jamie to me: "I've been thinking about that Home of yours. Do you know what that picture of Grey means?"
I: "It is the picture he left for me. You said it meant he was a ranger."
Jamie: "A ranger is an arm of the Imperial government even though the Core chooses to have no official reps in the Fringe."
I protested: "I do not think that Ranger Grey could have your Emperor for an Owner. That is not possible!"
Roks: "If a ranger was involved, someone is interested in what your Owners are doing."
Jamie: "Someday we should look at the PDA of Grey's that you have. Eddie might be able to do something about the bio-key." I have no idea what she was talking about. I have opened the briefcase again and looked at the things in it, but - other than what the others have told me - the only meaning they have is that Grey gave them to me. Mine, from Grey. Like the memories. I wish I could have saved him. Would I have wanted to if he would have been like Shepherd, with no trace of the Grey who - who I knew?
Jamie and Eddie have taught me 'yes'. But I would still have lost Grey. I wonder who has lost Shepherd?
Day 123, 4th Unknown system, Island Planet Galaxy.
Art asked to stay with and monitor me during this Jump.
Roks: "The part he's leaving out is that he could prevent you from passing out but he would learn more if you pass out."
I: "Like learning from the culture of Shepherd's cells? Then I will pass out." It felt odd to be able to make such a choice.
Banker Jumped the Sorcerer to another poor star. Eddie said our power was down over 4%.
Art told me that I can be "fixed" with an energy construct around the zot box, but that he would have to study and aid Shepherd and Jamie's eyes first.
Art: "Banker is the baseline that I am using. You are one extreme."
I: "How am I so different? I would have you tell me about that sometime.
Art: "Your form is elegant and pleasing. There is an organization that the others lack."
I am puzzled. Pleasing elegance and organization do not seem to me to be material; they seem to be the values O- Killian had. It is more important to know why I am a "freak", but I cannot ask that of Art when I must do so through Roks.
Day 124. 5th Unknown system, Island Planet Galaxy.
Banker Jumped to a system that used to have a StarGate, very near the Line. Art reported that it had a "yummy" star and proceeded to re-power the ship. Eddie said that the power-up was going twice as fast as previously, but he did not seem completely pleased. I noticed that Art seemed more at ease, however. We will spend some weeks here to try to get up to 40% power, Eddie said.
Eddie and Jamie plan to spend time scanning the 10 planets and 200 satellites in this system. They have set up a rotation schedule so that all of us - except Art - can help. Eddie wants to check for remains of the StarGate: "Machines can be shut down. I don't know that a StarGate is a machine, but it looks pretty machine-y to me."
I: "What should I look for?"
Eddie: "Things out of place. Straight lines."
Jamie took over explaining that perfect shapes usually do not happen without intent. I found nothing.
Day 125.
Banker and Eddie have set up a flight trainer in the hold. For me to use! It is so exciting! This is such a nice thing for Eddie to have done for me. Even if Banker gave me his 'toy' to use, it was Eddy's idea. Eddie didn't run away, but stayed to show me how it operated. I felt like I was trying to guide a small version of the Sorcerer. (I have named it "Apprentice".) I crashed it several times, unfortunately, but with time I will get better. I never found such pleasure in the Sim-tests back Home. What is the difference? Is it because Eddie and Banker did this for me?
Jamie said I was like a "kid with a new toy." I wonder how children in her clan are trained.
Day 138. 5th (Junkyard) system, Island Planet Galaxy.
Jamie found a section of a continent that's very flat. "This is not natural." She found a 2nd planet with a similar flat section. Eddie found yet another planet where it "looks like the remnants of a man-made thing was dropped on the planet. A junkyard."
I: "Is that the remains of the StarGate?"
Eddie: "I don't know. I've never seen a StarGate close up."
Day 139.
Eddie intensified his search and found a debris field in space. "The result of something fairly recent in terms of solar system time."
There were two areas that had exploded out from the field. Banker tried to identify the time scale.
Eddie said that the debris was all rock, "No remains of worked metal. It might be planetary core material, but these days that's not very valuable and I don't want to think of this ship as a mining ship."
Jamie: "There's no reason not to land and look."
Eddie: "I could carve out a hunk from an asteroid. Use a safety line and pump out the hold's atmosphere as an airlock. I'd want to get the densest material 'cause we've seen nothing with the sensors in the light stuff."
So Eddie got his samples. "Homogeneous and crystallized." If that meant anything, he did not say.
Day 143.
Everyone got into environmental suits while Eddie and Art tested out their new environmental system. It must have worked properly as Eddie started disassembling the old tubing. Now we can close doors. Art said something about the new system having "adapted to humans from data gleaned from the interface with Shepherd." I think that means there was one benefit for us from Shepherd losing himself to the attacking cables. I will thank the new him someday.
Day 145.
Landed on the Junkyard planet; not habitable. Eddie took samples. "This ferro-concrete is not naturally occurring and not from a ship. When these places were abandoned, they were cleansed very brutally or very thoroughly or both. But this was also not made by humans."
Art: "Are you suggesting that this planet was cleansed of its native population?"
Eddie shrugged.
Day 152, 6th Unknown system, Island Planet Galaxy.
Art looked unsteady and gaunt; the power-up was not easy on its 'biotic', I think. Why does Art think it has to hurt itself for us?
The discussion as to where to go next started up again. I did not understand the numbers.
Banker: "We could always Jump back the way we came. If we traveled in the opposite direction, it would give us data on power useage."
Eddie: "We've got a star ship! We could just Jump to the StarGate." I think Eddie really loves the idea of this ship and the speed at which it can travel.
Banker: "I want to plot three jumps and do it all in one day just 'cause we can!"
Jamie: "Let's just go forward. Art's not recharging this ship for some time. He's run down."
The men went back into numbers mode.
Art asked Jamie: "What's the single greatest difficulty in communicating with another race?"
Jamie: "Cultural. It's always cultural."
Art: "Of cultural problems, what's the toughest between species? Is it death? Sex? Individuality?"
Jamie: "It's the overall concept of what Society should be like. Think of how you and I have had to hunt up common ground through Roks."
Art: "Ah yes. Perhaps extremes in physical existence create the least compatibility. For instance, you all move so quickly to me...."
Day 154, 7th Unknown system, Island Planet Galaxy.
Banker: "This is a base 15 thing."
Eddie was amazed at the efficiency of the Jump. I think the Jump was made along the Line. I suppose, if I am to really become a pilot, I should try harder to understand efficiency and the Line. It is very difficult. Jamie said that I "don't have the math." Math was not in my original training and Teacher Katie only showed me addition and subtraction before I took the modeling job.
Eddie has become eloquent about Art's proposed tool for recharging the ship. Apparently Art will grow it over the course of a few years. I think that Eddie has become accustomed to the notion of tools being "grown."
Art has reworked the communications console so that the Sorcerer is now transparent to crew-chips.
Eddie extended the cables so that Shepherd can be tended in Art's room. I stood guard so that no aggressive cables could take away Eddie. He focussed on the work and did not run away. I hope that will last. I have worked out a feeding system with the "goo" sheets - Eddie insists that it is "goo" - so that Shepherd gets nutrients regularly without my having to violate Art's privacy. However, Shepherd's limbs have to be exercised by hand in order to maintain circulatory efficiency as we do not have a complete bio-therapy system on board, so I have adapted my schedule to allow for that. I suspect that Art could grow such tools, but it is still studying our biotic. I know more about human muscles.
Day 156, 8th Unknown system, Island Planet Galaxy.
Another Jump. It was uncomfortable, but I did not pass out! Art said that he has managed to block the signal the StarGate sends out that causes the zot box to turn off my consciousness.
This system has a "good star" and, formerly, housed a StarGate. Art remembers this system. Eddie said that we are now down to 25% power.
Eddie to Art: "This would be a good place to recharge if you feel up to it."
Art: "Perhaps in three weeks or 5 minutes." (Art sometimes has difficulty with time scales too.)
Jamie: "Let's stay here a week and see how Art's doing then."
Art: "This was a major system. Five of the eleven planets were heavily populated."
Eddie, shocked: "There are only two planets! This system was violently depopulated!"
Art: "The sun is different. Something was done to the sun. It's better than it was."
Eddie: "Perhaps somebody dropped planets into the sun."
I: "Who feeds suns?"
Eddie, a little sadly, I thought: "I don't know."
Jamie's sensors reported that the planet nearest the sun showed signs of bombardment. The planet farthest away seemed untouched. It, apparently, had never been populated.
Day 157.
We again rotated the crew through the sensor scans of the orbiting debris. Jamie found a rock, 2-10 times the size of the Sorcerer, that seemed to have an internal sphere.
Eddie: "Signs of a significant gravity field."
Banker: "Which dial shows that? I don't want to go into that minefield - it's dangerous. There're lots of things just orbiting that rock."
I: "If there is danger to the Sorcerer, we should not go there."
Eddie: "I think the ship can defend itself."
Jamie: "Not all of that is rock. I think we should pass on this."
Eddie: "Damn! I really want to investigate this. I don't have any bad feelings about this."
Banker: "I do."
I: "Perhaps we should come back after you have installed an escape pod?"
Eddie: "An e-pod would be a good idea. But it will take a long time for Art to recharge enough for us to come back."
I: "We should have time, assuming we don't get ourselves destroyed first."
Jamie: "We are going to have to wait and recharge somewhere soon. And this is a good star. If we Jump to the StarGate and there's not a good star, we will not be able to go on."
I: "What do we do if there is the Imperial warship for controlling the Island Planet waiting at the StarGate?"
Banker: "It would be nice to know if there's a warship or flotilla there before we Jump straight in. If they destroyed all the other StarGates, then why have they left this one so far from the prison island planet?"
Apparently humans prefer their StarGates on the outer limits of their systems, but not too far from hub traffic, whereas Art's people preferred their StarGates in close to the star. Neither pattern explains that one inhabited planet so far from a StarGate.
Art: "Perhaps the Imperial navy has found and uses ships like the Sorcerer."
Eddie seemed astounded at the idea. I don't know why when both he and Jamie have explained that ordinary people have no idea how, where, or why the "stagnant" government develops cutting-edge technology.
The debate continued as to whether or no the 'Gate would be dangerous to approach; even if there were no warship, there might be recording devices. Eddie kept arguing the probability that, because the Sorcerer is unique, no one knows the StarGate is here but us.
Jamie argued that waiting to recharge was reasonable so that we could Jump or run-away-fast depending on what we found at the 'Gate.
Banker argued that we shouldn't use the StarGate at all, in case of opposition or recordings; in which case, we could use that Sorcerer's internal StarGate instead, at any point.
Day 171.
Art has said that he is up to doing the recharge. I am very afraid that he intends to hurt himself again to benefit the "community of the ship." The ship is small and we have been aboard a long time.
Day 172.
Art did not come in at the end of 12 hours as was his wont in recharging. Roks claims he says he is all right. Eddie will not help me devise a way to get into Engineering to pull Art back, as the ship has no airlocks. I - am - nearly frantic. I - do not know what to do to protect Art. To protect Art from himself. Eddie has promised to find me something to break and then I will lock myself in the hold with the ShipSim and try not to think about Art hurting himself for us. I - wish - Grey was here.
Day 178.
Art is still out there.
Day 185.
Art is still out there.
Jamie has figured out that the 'hedron is manipulatory and configurative. Every facet seems to be both blank and engraved with a symbol. The relationship of the facets to each other determines what shows.
Day 192.
Art is still out there.
Day 199.
Art is still out there.
Day 213.
Art is still out there.
Eddie has become creative in complaining about the "goo". On Trinkal, I found that I could manage on reduced nutrient intake if it was not necessary to maintain fighting strength. I shall try to leave more of the 'real food' for Eddie and the others. The ship does not need my fighting skills and it would be better if I did not react when tempers flare, as they have started to do. We have been on this ship together a long time.
I think I am not crashing the Apprentice as often. I'm not sure.
Day 234.
Art is still out there. I miss our conversations.
Day 252.
Art has come back in!
Jamie: "How badly have you hurt yourself? You've lost a lot of mass."
I: "How can we help get your mass back?"
Art: "It takes a long time and the right materials...."
Banker had the calculations already set up to make a big Jump to the system next to the system with the StarGate, from there he will Jump to deep space and then fly in the conventional mode to the StarGate system. "Sneak up on the back door."
Eddie started speculating on food, clean clothes, and clean air. Then the discussion of the StarGate began again.
Eddie: "I think if you station an interdiction vessel, you'd use a ludicrously big ship."
Jamie: "So people on it won't go insane like we are."
Eddie: "Are not."
Jamie: "Are too."
Later on day 252, 9th Unknown system, Island Planet Galaxy.
The first Jump took us down to 32.8% power.
Later on day 252. Enroute to the 10th (StarGate) system, Island Planet Galaxy.
The second Jump took us to 28%. We've traveled 66% of the way from the last system to the StarGate system.
Jamie's sensors found the expected number of planets in the system ahead. That's one thing she learned how to tell from the star charts while we waited for Art. Then she located the StarGate. Next to it was a gigantic "thing". There were six more lesser "things" around it and "things" at the perimeter of the system.
Jamie whispered: "I wonder if that rock-bound sphere was one of these." Then she asked Art. "How good's the star we just came from? I think we'll be spending months there." She looked at us, "This may take years as Art grows the instrument needed to recharge. We must retreat."
Eddie: "We've never jumped that close before."
Banker: "We've never jumped that often before."
Banker and Eddie settled down and calculated that it would take 35% of the remaining power to get back to the system from which we jumped.
We Jumped back.
Day 253. 9th Unknown system, Island Planet Galaxy.
Art: "I'm going to let you go home soon. I will not do permanent damage to myself. Give me a little while."
They let him go back to Engineering again.
Day 254.
After 24 hours, Art reported that he was halfway done. Eddie reported that power was at 40%.
Day 255.
Art came back in. It slowly walked to its room. "I'll be a little while. I want Janni to come in once a day and hit me to wake me up so that I can check on Shepherd and my experiments. Will you do that?"
I nodded.
Art had lost some 20% more of his mass.
Day 256.
So I hit Art. And then I yelled at it. And then I started crying. I - did not know that I could leak water from my eyes.
Art: "I thought that you, Jannisett, at least would understand."
I: "Understand that you would hurt yourself for us? Why? You were not trained as a protector. A sociologist is not a sacrifice. We could have waited. We should have waited."
Art: "Could they? When I started, the society of the Sorcerer was already tense and running short on supplies."
I: "This is not required of you! You have made yourself a thing for us."
Art: "It is no different than when you chose to stand and protect others. Roks has describe the blast you fended off with your hand. You took the hurt for others."
I: "It is my job. It is what I was born to do."
Art: "And I was the only one who could do this."
I: "I know. Just like Grey. You are like Grey."
I didn't know I could feel so strongly about something other than Grey and not rescuing people. I - have changed - on this ship.
(EPs: 0, total: 4; Peter: 0, total 3)
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