Page 32 of Breaking Ties

“Okay. Useful information.”

“I will be with you if you choose to travel.”

“I would really like to see Aten. Harwin and the big gold goof have called me every other day, if not every day.”

“Ah, because the oracle appeared.”

“Yes. It has made me wary of medical devices.”

“I don’t understand.”

She explained about the medical units and people being near death and the heavy reprogramming that ended in the alterations of the sort she had. “Harwin is one of the transformed. She and a friend were crushed by cargo that one of the crew released too early. Harwin got tremendous strength, and her friend is pyrokinetic. Harwin can also fly now, and she can clap and shear objects a good distance away in two.”

He smiled. “Then we shall visit Aten. I believe the ladies with us would enjoy seeing a world with their people alive and whole.”

Aubrey twisted around in her harness. “Hey, does anyone want to go to a world that has an ancient Hmrain named Ra and his Terran queen consort, Harwin? There are a few thousand humans there as well. Oh, and a few giant pyramids.”

Whisper asked, “Are there tourists?”

“Just us, I think.”

She nodded. “Yes, please.”

The other ladies nodded with smiles.

Vress nodded. “We will have to get some designs from home for the fabricator so you are all comfortable. Aten is very warm.”

“How far is it?”

“It varies from moment to moment. In my vessel, it is about ten days.”

“Varies?”

He smiled. “The planets are not fixed in space. A system works together and moves together, but they are never in the same place moment to moment.”

“Oh. I am going to have to look into stellar cartography.”

“Part of your education?”

“Absolutely.” She smiled. “I will add it to my list of things to learn.”

He laughed. “It is a good thing you have a long lifespan.”

“Yes. That is rather handy.”

From behind them, she heard, “Aubrey, what happened to Avery? She just left?”

“She was taken to her new home by her grandmother-in-law. This is her Hmrain descendant. He’s a superhero.” She brought the image up and held it so the ladies could see it.

There were a few oohs, and Aubrey pulled her tablet back. “I needed her settled before I could relax. She tends to use me for her focus, and I am done with that. Now, she has a new focus, a new life without me as her distorted mirror.”

She settled as the warship got larger. Vress took her hand and said, “Circumspect answer.”

“Thank you. I avoided using the words ‘focused, raging bitch’ so I am congratulating myself.”

There was a snicker from behind them. Vress smiled. “Only a few minutes to the ship. The crew has been warned about your people.”

“Warned?”