“This is within tolerance. Barely.”

  - Recollections from a conference of QIs

  Vol’Chaat kept one of the unopened blue bars for zherself and gave the others back to Feebee, “We’re not animals.” Then added, with what Feebee took for a grin, “You will need them where you’re going. And I will enjoy this later.”

  Yes – I’m sure you will, thought Feebee.

  ‘Did you really just eat a chunk of Choc?’ asked the QI.

  ‘No! Nuts and mixed berry chocolate - my fave. The blue is Choc.’

  ‘And zhe took actual Choc?’

  ‘Yes. One. A bar of blue.’ There was then a pulsing scratchy sound. It was the QI laughing. The sound annoyed Feebee but she liked that the QI was trying.

  So said nothing.

  As they shepherded Feebee aboard the copter she stumbled and fell against the control panel at the entrance.

  “Sorry, I’m having a bad day.”

  As she moved away, she inadvertently left an Autonomous Nanite Group, an ANG, on the panel.

  Vol’Shaar sat near the back, on her own with Hissy strapped to the side of the copter.

  The rest of the Drexari stayed away from Hissy, unsure how to behave in her presence.

  For Vol’Shaar it was different. The crew of the copter were all showing her respect for what zhe had achieved. Had she really captured the Silent Flame?

  As they approached the Orbital, Feebee reviewed the plan with the QI.

  ‘Nice of them to give us a lift. Made it easier.’

  ‘Yes’

  ‘Are you nervous?’ asked the QI.

  ‘No. Are you?’

  ‘Our background processes are thrashing, checking and rechecking redundant operations. Does that count?’

  ‘Yes. Calm down. You’ll cause us to overheat.’

  The QI sent its scratchy laugh back to Feebee.

  Feebee just sat and watched; the epitome if stillness. The QI did its work.

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  ‘The ANGs have uploaded. It’s going to take some time for them to by-pass the copter’s security and get into the Orbital … Oh. They’re in. There was a password written on the control panel. Looks like it’s a God Key, gets us into everything.’ The QI made that scratchy pulsing sound again.

  ‘Ack’ Feebee liked it when the QI was having fun. It usually meant someone else was going to have a bad day.

  ‘Strap up. There’ll be some noise as we dock. I’ll be careful not to destroy the Orbital. Not for now anyway.’

  ‘That would be nice.’

  Feebee had forward visibility through the cockpit as the copter made its approach to the Orbital.

  They passed through a veil. It rippled and flowed around the copter, holding the local atmosphere.

  They emerged in a huge hanger. Still travelling fast. Rows of copters were lined up on one side.

  ‘Similar to this one. Lots of them.’

  ‘Almost similar,’ pointed out the QI, ‘not damaged from a crash landing.’

  The Scouts levelled their weapons, spooked by Feebee’s sudden laugh.

  There were maintenance bays on the other side. The copter started to slow. It was then that the pilot and their 2iC began to find the controls heavy, almost unresponsive.

  “We’re losing control. Brace for impact.”

  Feebee had already belted up hard, making sure all straps were secure. She’d also cut the straps of the two Drexari on either side of her.

  “Impact. Impact,” the pilot said with all the stillness he could manage.

  They hit the hanger deck hard, spun off to one side and slid towards the line of copters. Deck crews scattered. All pretence of stillness was gone as the pilot took out three copters. The two Scouts next to Feebee were thrown into a heap on the floor as the copter slowly ground to a halt.

  Feebee stepped from the wreckage, “One of your better landings?” she asked the pilot who was staring at the carnage, wondering who he could blame.

  “Subtle,” was all that Ember said as she walked past Feebee.

  Zhe then called back, “Well, come on. And bring the human with you. This way.”

  Ember led them through the Orbital’s central walkways to the command area. As they followed, Feebee was limping, having difficulty walking. The Drexari guarding her laughed at her fragility, ‘A small crash landing and it can hardly walk’.

  ‘Commencing disruption,’ the QI said and almost immediately, lights dimmed and then got blindingly bright.

  Next, the temperature started to rise. Chillers, used to keep the temperature just above freezing, started to struggle as they were ordered to produce hot air. Their aim, an exhausting 30oC.

  Every time Feebee stumbled into the wall, or rested, Choc was placed on a control panel, in an air duct, around some key interface; the placement guided by the QI and the enslaved AI.

  It was being cooperative. It was also being threatened with an immediate reset into the Digital Void.

  She noticed Vol’Chaat watching her, so made sure to offer zher some chocolate.

  She declined, looked around then quietly whispered, “I do not like your nuts and berry chocolate. The plain chocolate though, it’s a taste bomb. My egg-carrier sometimes got it for me from smugglers.”

  Feebee nodded sagely, “Yes, it is, you are lucky. What you have there is the best. It’s a taste bomb, designed to explode in the mouth.”

  Vol’Sareth walked with the other commanders to the Command Conclave.

  Other leaders would be present, but this was her moment to be carved in history.

  Doors that had previously opened, failed, those open, snapped shut, sometimes trapping the guards that walked with her. Corridors plunged into darkness. Something was wrong.

  The crew on the Orbital began to talk in whispers.

  “Even the Silent Blade is ignored.”

  “The ship has become cursed.”

  “There’s a human aboard.”

  Ember led the elite Vol war-clade Scouts that could still walk, and Feebee, to the Command Conclave.

  All doors opened for Feebee. And closed after her.

  All lights were at a constant ambient level.

  ‘Is it the Silent Flame?’

  As they waited, Ember crossed to stand beside Feebee who turned and spoke quietly, “You should not come into this room. Stay outside, do not venture far.”

  Ember was about to protest but Feebee raised one hand, just a bit. It was the smallest of movements but one easily picked up by a practiced proponent of Stillness,

  “Please. Don’t. But stay near.”

  With a quiet nod Ember withdrew to the other side of the corridor, “Guards. When the Conclave arrives, see that this human is escorted into their esteemed presence. Be on alert, it is a human.”