The Veritian Derelict (Junkyard Dogs) (35 page)

Chapter
49.

UTFN Reclamation Center, onboard Imperial Diplomatic ship
Istanbul,
December 13, 2598.

Faiza and Amanda
were excited to have Faiza's tutor/bodyguard back but would not allow that distraction to interfere with their normal course of study. They had left word with Shawndra that they wished to talk to Carlisle as soon as she became available. They had been studying quietly for several hours the following morning before Carlisle joined them in their chambers. As was the case since they had discovered the usefulness of the systems, both girls were wearing the cranial net accessory for their wrist computers. Using the cranial nets, they were able to communicate with each other without Carlisle being able to hear them.

"
She still looks kind of tired,"
said Faiza, over the net.
"Do you think this is a bad time to tell her about our little secret?"

"I don't know of anyone who is more interested in these wrist computers than she is,"
replied Amanda.
"I think we should tell her as soon as we can."

Carlisle
sat down on the edge of one of the beds.

"Doctor Carlisle?" asked Amanda. "
Thank you for coming. Have you got a few minutes? We have something really important to show you."

Carlisle lifted her head and stretched, drawing her shoulders back before executing an impressive yawn. "I
wish I could just sleep the rest of the day." she said, "Can't be helped. What is it you want to show me?"

"It's something new we found out about the wrist computers," said Amanda.
"We thought you'd be interested. Have you tried out the cranial net that came with your new unit?"

"No
, I thought about it a few times but something always came up and I never actually got around to it."

"Well...we were practicing with them just a
few days ago and found out something totally unexpected. We'd like to show you, but first you'll need to put on the net and use it for a while."

"That shouldn't be a problem," said Carlisle, "I've got
to review a bunch of background information before a meeting with the diplomats later this morning. It'll take at least a couple of hours. I suppose I'll need to put the net on?"

Carlisle
returned to her quarters, which were just a across the corridor, and retrieved the cranial net that had come with her new device. She was back within two minutes. The two younger women eagerly gathered around her and helped to get it properly fitted. Satisfied that net was properly adjusted, Faiza activated it by pressing the small flat disc at Carlisle's temple.

"Now you need to work at the computer just like you would normally," said Faiza. "
Just relax and don't think about it. Stay in here with us while you do your studying and let's talk again in an hour or so."

Carlisle moved her head side to side and then rocked it backwards and forwards, experimenting with the fit.
"This net is really comfortable. I felt a slight tingle when you first put it on me but then it went away. Is that normal?"

"Yes, that's the same thing we felt," replied Faiza.

The two younger women went back to work perusing ship architecture, which was one of the subjects they allotted at least two hours a day for study. Carlisle began going over her files on diplomatic matters again. Before long, in spite of the complexity of the material, she became totally engrossed and completely lost track of time. Faiza, a smile on her face, broke into Carlisle's reverie.

"Tamara?"

Carlisle mentally disengaged herself from the display she was studying. "Yes, what is it?"

"
You need to think about something that you're pretty familiar working with on your computer." Faiza thought for a moment, "See if you can bring up one of the schematics on the
Greyhound
without talking out loud or using the Cyberdex input. Just think the command."

Carlisle did so and was surprised
and delighted to see the hologram appear in the air in front of her. It flickered once or twice before settling into a steady projection. In her excitement, she lost concentration and the holo disappeared. After a few seconds of renewed concentration, the holo reappeared.

"Is this what you've been talking about?"
asked Carlisle. "This is fantastic!"

"
There is more
," sent Amanda, over the cranial link.

"
Yes, much more
," added Faiza.

Carlisle's jaw dropped. "Neither of you spoke out loud? You just sent your thoughts to me over this net?"

"
Yes, we did,
" sent Amanda, "
Now you try it
."

"I'm not sure...
that I know how
," came her reply, half out loud and half over the net.

Carlisle was astounded all over again.

"
This is amazing! Imagine what we can do with this
!" sent Carlisle. She switched over to normal conversation. "Are these nets supposed to work this way?" she asked.

"We don't really know," replied Amanda. "It just kind of happened."

"I can't believe that this is normal," mused Carlisle. "Were you doing anything else?"

"Well, we did some experimenting with
a truthseer practice sensor," said Faiza.

"I'll bet that's what did it," said Carlisle. "Truthseer net plus learning software and the combined power of
both wrist computers. I wonder what adding a third computer will do? Do you know what the range is?"

"We got as far apart as we could on the
Istanbul
and it still worked," said Faiza. "The wrist computers are supposed to have a range of more than a hundred kilometers. We're assuming that this capability extends at least that far."

"We
need to find out," said Carlisle. She thought for a moment. "I know! I have to go out into the Scrapyard later today. That'll be a distance of several kilometers. I'll try to contact you while I'm out there. Have you told anyone else yet?"

"There hasn't been a good opportunity," said Faiza. "Mother and Father
and the Commander are always so busy. We've just been working with the technology to get better at it."

"Let's keep
it to ourselves for a bit longer," said Carlisle, "
but I really think we can use this!
" she added silently.

"When do you go to
your meeting?" asked Amanda.

"In a little over an hour," said Carlisle. "In fact, I'd better start getting ready right about now.
In the meantime, I need more practice with this cranial net. How about if I try to contact you sometime between ten and ten thirty? They usually take a break at around ten o'clock."

"
Sounds good
," sent Amanda.

"
I'm onboard
," added Faiza.

"
Roger that
!" sent back Carlisle.

All three of the women smiled
excitedly at one another.

***

Carlisle sat through one of the more interesting meetings with the diplomats, though she was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to work some more with the newly discovered wrist computer capability. The Ambassador, with help from Lieutenant Harvick, spoke as straightforwardly as he could, informing a room full of normally unruly people that he and Commander Kresge had every reason to expect an attack on the Scrapyard sometime in the next few days. The diplomats greeted the information with a hushed silence and with relative calm, most of them having come to grips with the reality of the situation they found themselves in.

The Ambassador
had further explained that all the tedious maneuvers they had put ship through on the previous day had been necessary for the defense of the Scrapyard. He also assured them that the
Istanbul
was equipped with very heavy shielding and that the plan was to run if things got really bad. He then handled the inevitable questions.

T
he morning break came more quickly than Carlisle had expected it to. She slipped out of the room and into one of the opulent lavatories. With so few women in attendance at the meeting, she had the facility completely to herself. She fished the cranial net out of her handbag and, looking in the mirror, got it properly fitted over her head. She pressed the activation disc at her temple and waited for the ten seconds or so required for the net to become fully integrated with her brain and the wrist computer.

"
Amanda? Faiza
?" she attempted to send. "
Can you read me
?"

There was a short pause...

"
Loud and clear
," sent back Amanda.

"
Likewise
," sent Faiza.

"
I'll be going back into the meeting in just a few minutes
," sent Carlisle. "
You know that
Sondia
and I were in contact over the wristcomp network while we were more than a hundred kilometers apart during the terrorist attack on the New Ceylon station just a few weeks ago
.
I'll bet this will work almost anywhere in the Scrapyard. We can definitely use this
!
We need to work with it some more but we should tell Commander Kresge and Ambassador Saladin before too much longer.
"

"
We'll all be on the
Greyhound
later today
," sent Faiza. "
Maybe we could demonstrate for them then
?"

"
That's a good idea
," Carlisle replied. "
I'll tell Kresge that we have something important to show them
."

Carlisle
left the net on and went back to the assembly room. After the meeting reconvened, she practiced with her new-found ability by sending short summaries of what was being discussed to the two younger women every few minutes. Much of the discussion centered around what the diplomats were to do to remain as safe as possible during the expected battle for the Scrapyard. The atmosphere in the room was serious and subdued. Finally, at twelve o'clock, the meeting adjourned. The diplomats began filing out. Harvick and Talbot, who had discovered that they had a number of common interests, struck up a conversation and left with the main group. Carlisle remained seated until the chamber was almost empty before going to the front of the room to talk to Kresge and the Ambassador.

"
Dr. Carlisle," said the Ambassador, "what did you think of the briefing?"

"It certainly could have gone worse, Excellency," she replied.

"I agree," said Kresge, "these people can actually be quite cooperative when they want to be."

"W
hile I have the two of you together, would it be possible for you to meet with Amanda, Faiza and me for a few minutes this afternoon? We have something we need to show you."

Kresge looked at the A
mbassador, who nodded in the affirmative. "I don't think that should be a problem," said the Ambassador. "What is it about?"

"They found some important information while they were doing their research and shared it with me before they told anyone else." Seeing Kresge's puzzled look, she added, "It will all make sense when we demonstrate."

"I can't wait," said Kresge.

The three of them headed to the grand ballroom
to join the rest of the diplomats for lunch.

***

An hour and a half later, the three wrist computer conspirators met with Kresge, Ambassador Saladin, Harris and Murdock in the front cargo hold of the
Greyhound
.

"Okay, what is it you three wanted to show us?"
said Kresge.

"We found something while we were doing research on the Scrapyard," said Faiza. "Amanda and I decided to practice with the cranial nets that came with our wrist computers and
while we were studying we... I think it's best if we just show you. We've set up a little demonstration. Amanda, if you would go to the far end of the hold with Father."

Amanda and the Ambassador went to the very front of the hold
, putting them about ten meters from Kresge and Faiza.

"Cover your ears,
and close your eyes, Amanda." The redheaded girl did so. Now whisper something in my ear, Commander."

Kresge thought for a moment and
came up with, "Mary had a little lamb."

Faiza sent the phrase to Amanda via cranial net.

"Mary had a little lamb," said Amanda.

There was a moment of shocked silence.

"How did you do that," asked Kresge.