Scene 1: The Gymnasium

Anevay:

First we load into the buzz-landers. They're small tubes, so there's not much room for you and the gun. But the suit is a big part of it. That adds a lot of bulk. We can still move, sure, but it's not the same.
So, you're stuck in a tube. It's dark, but that's not a problem. It's only annoying when something itches. One time, my foot....
Then, you feel it turn upside down. We always launch head-first because that's how we come out of the landers. What a noise! It's dead-quiet for a few seconds while the bay opens, but you know that once that little red light comes on, it's just you and your armor and the tube. You better hope your line holds or you're not getting back. No room for two in a tube.
Whoomp! You're out! Your head weighs so much you're going to black out and you know why the tube is so tight tight and your armor is suddenly tight tight like your legs are going to fall off and it smells different because the mix just changed, just enough to keep you going.
Wham! The shock just goes through you and your head buzzes and you know you've just landed. The spikes are gripping fast and the cutter is running circles around your head like a chain-saw halo and then there's a sky over you and the tube isn't tight anymore.
A new shock hits you from below and the mix smells a little different again because you just got a big dose so you can take it. Everything is happening in slow motion and that's good because you aren't in the tube anymore but shooting at the ceiling and you better spread those legs post-haste or you're just going to fall back into the tube and then you won't be any good to anyone.
It's usually dark when you land. But it was dark in the tube, so you had time to adjust and you cock your hip just so like flicking your hair and better bring that gun around and get ready to fire because they're going to be on you in no time, even if time is moving at half-speed.
You don't even have to aim, really. They're big and you're just there to put holes in them. You don't even have to kill one—just immobilize it. I like three in the legs and a couple in the arms. That leaks them quick and then it's just a slipping hazard.
This is when we're really together. You have to be together on this. That's why we do the chants, to show how together we are.

Fingers work as one
Fingers and a thumb
Hand holds the gun
Eyes see when it's done.

Now, maybe someone decides they want to get fancy. Maybe it's you. So you cock your hip just so like flicking your hair and the gun's behind you again and now you flick your wrists and there's two little handles in each hand. You feel the impact and instinct makes you grip it like dear life and now the fun really gets going. Because once someone gets the fancy bug, it spreads fast and no one's shooting anymore but we're all dancing and putting big ugly gashes in things.
And this is my favorite part, really, because there's no recoil on the gun and so you never get to really feel the kill. But when you're dancing and spinning and kicking and slashing, there's just that little bit of resistance that lets you know you just hit a target and it's time to put a little more effort behind it and keep on going until there's no tomorrow.
That always pisses them off. They get so crazy-mad when you stop using long-range and get up on them because they figure they have a chance. I almost feel sorry for them. We've got armor and long knives and all they have is an arm that could take your head off if you hadn't poked a hole in it and spilled out all their strength on the floor.
Well, and they have poison. One of the hands is poisonous. I think the Vencume used it as a natural defense and they used it on you when they put your hand back on, but now it's a mean, black paste and it's good we've got armor, even if we can take a strong dose of it. That's part of our design. The Vencume did that, not those three freaks.
Once you've sliced-and-diced everything with more than two arms, it's time to get those over to where you came in and sometimes there's a little life left in them. You just want to put it down next to your exit so that when you leave, it comes with you.
But first, you need to see what's left of anything with only two arms. If it's nothing, and it usually is, then time to hop-a-plop back into the tube and don't hit your head on the way down. Because, you know, nothing left, so it's okay to leave a few holes in things.
You just hitting the floor isn't enough, though. You really have to jump on it to get the tube to close. Then it's radio for a reel-in and, home-again-home-again, get out of the armor, check for leaks, and count your ammo.
And you're hungry after. Always, hungry after. And there's things to do and Cerberus wants a report on how it all went down.
And seeing you, if we have to. Just in case we missed something.

Narrator:

Becca had gone to observe the redheads practice in their gym. There had been several injuries over the last month and she wanted to know why. On her way to the outermost ring, she felt the increasing centrifugal force bearing down on her shoulders and knees.

Becca:

And they practice under this pressure! How long have they been doing it? No wonder they look like Peggers...

Narrator:

Walking down the corridor to the gymnasium had winded Becca. It was like trudging up a mountain under a four-day knapsack. Whatever acrobatics the girls where doing were mere background to Becca's desire to find a seat and catch her breath.
aNdrea and aLtsoba were boxing, dancing back and forth and taking direct punches at each other, occasionally connecting with a jaw or stomach. They wore no gloves and stopped, after particularity powerful blows, to apply spray to whatever had been injured.
aNnora and aRlene were also going through some martial moves, but these involved high kicks and sweeps; it looked like dancing...until one landed a blow and the other came crashing down. Whoever had been dropped had to roll away from a quick succession of stomps from her attacking sister.
To one side, aLima was doing rounds on a pommel-horse, her body spindling gracefully around her hands that worked up and down with machine-like precision. Hand forward, hand backward, one after the other, on a pommel, and off. Her ankles were locked with each flair before she broke suddenly into wild scissors, over her head, from one side to the other. The routine ended with a spinning handstand and flawless dismount. The child hadn't even broken a sweat.
Becca felt envy boil in her stomach when aLima jumped with ease for another round.

Becca:

Do they ever get tired? Even back home, men only run a routine for two minutes at most. Here she is, running three minutes at a time and then going back for more. What did the Vencume do to their muscles? How can they stand this gravity?

ANEVAY:

You find it tiring. Do you want to sit down? I have this balance ball. It might be more comfortable than the floor.

Becca:

(internal) I'm about to show them how uncoordinated a human can be. (external) I'm fine on the floor. It won't roll out from under me.

Anevay:

Suit yourself...It can't really roll from you once you're on it. But, you have to have decent balance first, of course.

Becca:

What are the Vencume doing?

Anevay:

The ones on the bridge cleared out and ran off to the Library. I say, let 'em. Fewer to keep tabs on.

SOUND: A roar

Narrator:

A roar at the back of the room caught Becca's attention. It was aCadia slashing at a cloth dummy with blades she had attached to her forearms. The girl pulled her arms up, crossing before her face, and the blades retraced.  Another howl and double-slashing motion, and the shining metal edges unfurled, adding extra force to the cutting motion.

Becca:

They don't seem upset that you've taken over.

Anevay:

Why would they? We haven't shown them any aggression.

Becca:

But aren't you going to upset the 'schedule' by not doing what they want?

Anevay:

We're two days from Peg-51. Evie figured something out and so it takes us less time to get from point A to point B. I think it's a better snapback or something. Whatever it is, we can get somewhere in a few days rather than months. Cerberus was pretty pleased with that.

Becca:

You don't like the three designers, do you?

Anevay:

We had to convince them that taking out the Tzikzik threat was more important than any Vencume schedule. We can do it; we have time. I mean, if we're supposed to fight them, then we should fight them. It bugs me that those monsters are out there. We're Human, right? We have to take care of Humans. If we ignore it, then we aren't better than them. No...we have to handle that before we do anything else. We might have been bred for war, but we don't desire it.

SOUND: Acadia yells

Becca:

So because you don't desire a war, you're going to go and have one?

Anevay:

Problems are watered by absence. We don't like to run away. We like to face things head on.

Becca:

Tell me how you recover a ship....

Scene 2: Overthrow Mechanics

Narrator:

Mirabilis was concentrating its time in the Vencume garden while Renatus and two other Vencume had moved to another section of the ship that Becca understood to be a nursery for the Human-form Tzikzik. An additional six pilots had come out of advancement and another seven redheads were about to enter.

Meals during the last month had continued as normal. The only absence was two redheads who took over the bridge while the designers were eating.

The three girls were chatting about the main bridge and the video-screen they had installed.

Ilyssa:

We used a Vencume skin for it. It can do the color-shifts easily enough.

Becca:

That's horrible! You had to skin--

Idana:

Why would we skin anyone if we can just grow it?

Becca:

Oh. I guess considering how disposable or..uh..how available parts are, it makes perfect sense.

Ilyssa:

This new system uses a model of a Human eye lens, but using a cuttlefish model for the retina that lacks a blind-spot. And that feeds into the Library which is then displayed on the Vencume skin. The skin works as well as any LCD, as long as it's kept wet.

Idana:

We have to paint it with a nutrient solution.

Imala:

It was iSkandar's idea.

Narrator:

Becca imagined that iSkandar was a part of the overthrow, no matter how bloodless it may have been. "He" was always there, assisting.

This lithe creature reminded Becca of a surgeon she had worked with during her residency. Dr. Kemel had been self-deprecating man with a mop of prematurely gray hair and a wan smile. Through political maneuvering, he had eventually become the department head, bypassing the usual procedure. Once he achieved this position, Becca never saw him again; the department only interacted with those he had delegated to handle situations.

Idana:

We'll finally get to prove ourselves.

Becca:

But didn't the redheads have to convince you to--

Ilyssa:

We'll need a list of attack locations. Once we have that, we'll just work our way down the line. Sadly, we can only get the Human locations from the Shipping Authority, so no idea what the other civilized races are doing.

Imala:

As we recover ships, we'll deliver them to the various stations. Our step-siblings have been busy, but it's doubtful they know about us.

Idana:

And as we start to work the edges, we'll also be in-line to intercept any, ah..."secure" bursts. So, we can monitor if there are any more attacks, as well as how public opinion is going.

Ilyssa:

I also want copies from the data-banks of any ships we recover, so we can monitor how the attacks took place and how they changed over time.

Idana:

If we want them back in one piece, we can't use the collapser.

Ilyssa:

Pity. That would make this much easier.

Scene 3: Mess-hall

(Don't forget, Vencume always chitter)

Narrator:

As they got closer to Peg-51, new concerns were raised. A small meeting was held in the mess-hall.
iLyssa, iDana, and iMala sat on one side of the table with iSkandar standing behind them. Becca, Evie, and Gordon sat opposite them with Buer behind them.

Buer was heavily involved in getting the ship adjusted. This slightly-squatter Vencume--or maybe Becca was just superimposing her great-aunt on it--seemed intently interested in assisting the girls. Becca imagined her great-aunt Lytle directing the girls' movements, or chuckling behind a hand after answering some seemingly obvious question. Buer was happy to explain the higher functions of the ship and the cloning factory. Becca also remembered that Mirabilis had called Buer "Assistant", so it might have been in its nature to help whoever was in charge.

iDana was pointing to a map she'd made that was laying on the table. She frowned and tapped a star marked Peg-51.

Idana:

(chittering) We can't just fly past the station. They're on the lookout for this ship.

Buer:

They're on the lookout for a Vencume ship. Do Humans know the difference between one ship and another?

Becca:

(chittering) So, we tell them, I mean, someone tells them that the situation has been handled and there will be no more attacks of any kind.

Evie:

That's how you deal with a grass-fire. Run through to the other side where there's nothing left to burn.

Idana:

(chittering) The Shipping Authority isn't going to let you go that easily. They probably want Doctor-Doctor's head.

Gordon:

(chittering) So give it to them.

Ilyssa:

(chittering) She's too useful to us. We're not going to do something like that.

Gordon:

(chittering) No, I wouldn't expect you to. But, I do know that we're having this conversation with a woman who lost her right hand, and another that lost a lot more than that, and they look fine to me.

Evie:

Didn't I tell you I was the woman to get you a new head?

Becca:

(chittering) Oh, a hand or an arm is one thing. A head has a brain in it.

Imala:

(chittering) It doesn't have to be a working brain.

Evie:

(chittering) iDana figured out how to replicate fingerprints. I bet she can do retinals as well.

Iskandar:

They will chase them until they have them.

Buer:

Or until they think they have them. Third Human is useful.

Gordon:

Hey, I even got a name-change out of the deal!

Ilyssa:

(chittering) Doctor-Doctor is familiar with the process. You will grow the decoy parts.

Idana:

(chittering) An entire head is complicated--

Ilyssa:

(chittering) iSkandar will assist.

Imala:

We should have done this in the first place. We could have avoided that fight with the ZhengYang.

Becca:

You had no way of preparing for that.

Ilyssa:

(chittering) We're growing goofy Gordon a set, too. So, we'll need his chip. We still have the tank from last time.

Gordon:

Aren't you just dropping me off?

Idana:

You're a risk. You stay here where we can watch you.

Imala:

Anyway, we have other things to learn. We need someone like you.

Scene 4: the factory

Narrator:

iSkandar took Becca to the "factory", where clones and parts were grown. Becca found it hard to focus on anything there because of the still-unexplained "shimmer" effect. If she concentrated, she could ignore it.
There was a tank filled with a thick, milky liquid. iSkandar made an adjustment to the machine next to it.

Iskandar:

We have the map, so we can extrapolate the information for what we want.

Becca:

(chittering) What is this?

Iskandar:

Calcium solution. We have to make the...frame-work? The skeleton. We do not grow the whole being here. Those are other tanks. We will still have to leave these in advancement to let some parts grow naturally.

Narrator:

The device started to trace a pattern on the x, y, and z axises. The creamy solution hardened in places and half-formed a skull.

Becca:

(chittering) Are we making all of this in the same tank?

Iskandar:

Yes.

Becca:

(chittering) The bones are all going to have the same genetic signature.

Iskandar:

No one will check them.

Becca:

(chittering) How can you be so sure?

Iskandar:

By the time anyone gets to that point, the problem should have resolved itself. We are counting on Human shock and disgust. You are curious creatures, but there are some questions even you do not ask.

Becca:

(chittering) You're also counting on us not knowing how advanced your stem-tech is.

Iskandar:

There is that.

Becca:

(chittering) Is this where you made Evie's arms and legs?

Iskandar:

(almost laughing) You are careful to not mention your own hand.

Becca:

(chittering) What about her bone marrow? We use that to protect ourselves against infection.

Iskandar:

In that case, it was grown separately and injected before we added anything else. We know about marrow; you taught us. You have some in your hand. Another section of the ship is already in advancement and we cannot complicate the field more than we have. These will have no marrow; they will be slightly lighter. (pause) How much does a Human head weigh?

Becca:

(chittering) I've never weighed one. I think it's five kilos.

Iskandar:

Humans identify with heads and hands. All your information takes those images and nothing else. You do not account the entire being.

Becca:

Faces and hands are unique. Scars prove a lifetime of activity. A person who frowns or laughs forms lines that show how they frowned of laughed during their life. Fingerprints map the random nature of our birth.

Iskandar:

You must find it hard to relate to us.

Narrator:

Becca looked at the shimmering creature beside her and saw that gray-haired surgeon from so long ago. His eyebrows were raised over pained eyes and a half-smile hid some uncomfortable truth.

Becca:

We find ways.

Narrator:

After the skulls were finished, they worked on rolling out meters of blood vessels and nerves. Becca was threading the vessels through the muscles they had made while iSkandar worked on the more delicate task of laying out a nervous structure. Another machine formed cartilage ears and noses.
Becca was jealous of iSkandar's multiple hands and ability to multi-task.

Becca:

(internal) His hands always turn yellow before they move quickly, but they turn blue when he slows down for precision work. I wonder if there are two nervous systems and the color shows which is active.

Narrator:

Even at that, the task took several days and they did not leave the factory while it was done. Becca was distracted at one point when she thought she could see the stars through the walls and floor of the room.

Becca:

(internal) This must be part of that shimmering effect. Or I'm tired. This is tiring work.

Narrator:

She took four-hour naps every ten hours and ate zero-gee rations.
iSkandar had only stopped working twice, to rest in a tank of a cloudy solution. Becca felt herself nodding off as the creature floated in his tank for an hour.

Becca:

(internal) Is he sleeping? Eating?  We must be right on top of Peg-51 by now. This is taking forever.

Narrator:

The heads were almost complete. iSkandar did most of the work there and left the hands to Becca. It might have been his way of letting her work on something that was less disturbing; as the hands became less like bits and more like human parts, Becca found working on them more difficult.
She had been working on the heads as well, but had to stop.

Becca:

(chittering) It's looking at me.

Iskandar:

It has no eyes.

Narrator:

iSkandar injected the raw material for the "brain" through the base of the skull and sprayed the hands and heads with a solution.

Iskandar:

We will leave this in advancement and come back.

Scene 5: hallway

Narrator:

Becca took the opportunity to clean up and change clothes. She ran into Evie on the way.

Evie:

You look like hell. How'd you get so messy?

Becca:

We've been at it for days.

Evie:

You've been in there a half-hour. Days? Maybe it just feels that way.

Narrator:

Becca went to iSkandar without showering. He was standing next to Buer, both creatures a dull gray with pale, interlaced hands. As Becca approached them, neither seemed to register her presence.

Becca:

(internal) They're talking about something. They're communicating. They're leaving everyone out of that conversation.

Narrator:

Closer to them now, Becca saw they were holding three hands, each covered in that fine, white down.
Becca thwacked iSkandar on the side. He shook himself into a pale blue as Buer shuddered red.

Iskandar:

You went to clean. Why have you not done so?

Becca:

(chittering, livid)We were in advancement. No one said we were going to be in advancement. I'm getting older doing this. You never told me how long this was going to take.

Buer:

The factory is in advancement now. This step can be left unattended.

Becca:

(chittering) How many days have I been in there?

Buer:

Three-hundred percent. We will be at Peg-51 tomorrow. You will be in the factory another six days.

Iskandar:

Doctor can spare two weeks, surely.

Becca:

(chittering) If I had known! If someone had explained it!

Buer:

We are explaining it now.

Iskandar:

I will finish the process. Doctor did not understand and will not be able to perform any duties while in this state of mind.

Becca:

(chittering) Fine! Six more days! I can do that. I just wish someone had told me how long this would take. What if it had taken years? I'd be coming out of there an old woman.

Buer:

Becca, Rebecca...I'm sorry.

Becca:

(chittering) Don't do that. Don't use my name like that.

Buer:

Does it upset you to Humanize us?

Becca:

(chittering) Yes. You're not Human. I can't look you in the eye. I don't see you frown or nod or smile. You've crossed a line with me.

Buer:

You gave us Human names.

Becca:

(chittering) I didn't do that. iMala did that. I just went along with it because...It made things easier. You're not Human and you never will be.

Buer:

Gentle Blue: iMala, Cautious Blue: iDana, Noisy Blue: iLyssa . Doctor: Becca, Engineer: Evie, Third Human: Gordon. You are unique. You name each other accordingly. Does my naming your uniqueness upset you?

Becca:

(chittering) You're alien.

Buer:

We don't want to upset you. This is an unusual circumstance for you. No Human has experienced these things. I think...I am of the opinion...You are not faint-hearted. We over-estimated the curious nature of Humans. Our experience with you is limited. You will teach us?

Becca:

(chittering) You thought we were like you.

Buer:

We have...Vencumized you as you have Humanized us.

Iskandar:

We must return and finish the process. That is...if Doctor will come.

Becca:

(chittering) Yes. Let me go clean up. I'll be right there.

Scene 6: The Factory

Narrator:

The skin had spread across the human skulls and hands. Unseeing faces gaped through a miasma of pinkish liquid. iSkandar pulled out a tray of eyes and started to attach them.
Meanwhile, Becca checked the fingerprints on the hands to make sure everything matched there. It looked like iDana's process worked and she set about scarring the decoy Evie hands. She had a reformulated spray that would heal, but would keloid.

Becca:

(internal) I can give them two weeks of my life. It's not that much and it's not the kind of thing I'll be doing on a regular schedule. What can you do in two weeks anyway? I mean, besides make a head and a pair of hands. I'm glad he's handling that part. Why would I ever make a head back home? Maybe eyes? I bet I can grow a new ear. I know how this works. This is an internship all over again.

Narrator:

The hair had been the toughest part. Evie's hair was naturally a warm black, but the Shipping Authority would be looking for white hair. They couldn't tweak the genetics to make it grow out white and had to resort to the trauma of electric shocks to force the follicles to give up the pigment. With each zap, the face on the head would contort, life-like. Becca only watched it the first time. After that, she had to look away and gnaw on the knuckle of her left thumb to keep from screaming.

Scene 7: Laboratory

Narrator:

When the finished products were brought to the designer's lab, Evie was waiting with Ulan and Uma.
The twins tapped the glass and frowned.

Ulan:

Dead.

Uma:

Blech.

Evie:

I have a weird shaped head.

Ilyssa:

What's so weird about it?

Idana:

It was worse before.

Becca:

I don't know how you can stand to stare at that thing. It's ghoulish.

Gordon:

It's hard to look at yourself like that. But you have to. It's not like a mirror. You see things differently when it's not reversed.

Evie:

(laughing) Every time I turn around on this ship, I see myself.

Narrator:

iMala was setting up the pressurized tank. One of the cuffs had been sealed off. iDana plucked out Gordon's right decoy hand and plopped it in the tank. iLyssa shoved her hand in one of the cuffs and tested the gun-like device that would move the chip. Gordon obliged and placed his right hand in the other cuff.
Moving Gordon's chip was a quick process, the girls having done it once before. iMala was also pleased to use her pain-killing device on a larger and unknown subject.
Once it was done, Evie started to roll up a sleeve.

Evie:

I suppose I'm next.

Idana:

We're not moving your chip.

Ilyssa:

We have to replace your eyes and hands. We're going to give them what you have and give you something that matches how you were before.

Evie:

I thought you were just...

Narrator:

iSkandar gestured to a chair and uncovered a tray with a set of surgical tools.

Becca:

(chittering) You knew. You didn't tell me that.

Idana:

Why else would you scar the hands?

Evie:

I don't know if I can do this.

Becca:

(chittering) Why doesn't anyone ever tell me anything?

Iskandar:

That was our assumption again. You ask many questions, but did not ask about that.

Evie:

(wriggling) What does it matter?

Ilyssa:

Think about later. Once all this is over and done with...we have to make you match how it was.

Evie:

(squirming) I can't. I...I wish I could. No, I can't.

Idana:

It's only for a couple of minutes. It won't be any time at all.

Evie:

No. You don't....You don't know what it's like.

Idana:

Now you're making assumptions.

Imala:

We'll knock you out. We'll wake you up when we're re-attaching them so we can map the nerves.

Evie:

(crying) No, no....I want to. Really, I want to. I....It's too much like...I don't care. I'll be a refugee my whole life.

Ilyssa:

Strap her down. This is stupid.

Uma:

(chittering) Do me. Take out one of my eyes and replace it.

Narrator:

The others turned to look at the twin. iSkandar rotated with tools clattering.

Uma:

(chittering) I'll do it. I'll do it to prove the process. I can be half-blind for a couple minutes, if it puts her mind at ease.

Narrator:

iMala made an adjustment to her pain-killing device and pointed it at Uma. iSkandar moved towards the girl with scalpel raised.

Evie:

No! I'll do it. Don't do that to her. I'll sit still. I'm sorry. Please...I'll do it. I'll sit still for it. Don't blind her.

Narrator:

iMala made another adjustment to her pain-killing device.
iSkandar moved with the utmost, blue-handed precision, removing Evie's eyes and leaving as much nerve-stalk as possible. Evie gripped the chair with white knuckles and clenched jaw. She had flinched a few times and iSkandar had to hold her head still.
The old eyes went into the tank with the head.

Idana:

We'll attach that later

Narrator:

Evie's new eyes went in a second later. They were a teary dark brown that quickly turned red as Evie sniffled.

Becca:

How are you doing?

Evie:

It's a little off. I have to get used to them. The focus is OK. My head feels strange and full.

Imala:

Let me know if you get hungry or nauseated. I've seen that side-effect.

Narrator:

Evie's hands took more time. The new ones, scars and prints intact, were seamlessly placed as the old, flawless hands fell away like so much dead skin. iDana placed them in the tank with the strange, lifeless head.

Gordon:

You're feeling OK?

Evie:

I feel like a child's toy. A spoiled, angry child that knows its mother will just buy it new one.

Scene 8: Off Peg-51

Narrator:

The Shipping Authority wasn't taking any chances. Peg-51 had been turned into a military outpost.
Well, it was as much of a military outpost as could be gathered in a month's time. The cruiser that led the battle group, the XingLong, was waiting by the station with a destroyer, the JianYang. It was assumed that the two frigates of the group were running a picket along the border.
The four original pilots had already been sent to their ships, awaiting a launch command that the three designers felt would be inevitable. The redheads were in full armor and hopping from foot to foot: full of adrenaline with clips were full of five-centimeter bolts that they were anxious to fire into any intruder.
Mirabilis had been brought out of retirement from the garden and manned the comm between the ship and the station.

It may have been Mirabilis' time in the garden, but this Vencume reminded Becca of Old Man Sazji. None of the children in town knew--or cared--who he was or what he might have done before, but they all knew him as the old goat with the fruit trees in his yard. Every year, in late summer, the children would raid the trees, clambering over the wall like so many monkeys. It was a yearly ritual: climbing the wall, plucking as many fruit as one could, and scampering away before Old Man Sazji--dressed in a towel and face still white with shaving foam--would come out and wave his ancient straight-razor at them. His garden was always littered with rotten fruit that he could not be bothered--or was too old--to pick up.

And, going further, Becca remembered going to Mr. Sazji's funeral as an adult. It turned out he'd been a diplomat during one of the flare-ups in the south. They had read about it in school, but the name had never clicked. Old Man Sazji was just a crazy relic that shouted at children and Becca's personal truth could never be wiped away by anything that history said.

Becca, Gordon, and Evie circled in the background, listening. Gordon had one of the Vencume translators with him, the volume turned down low. Mirabilis made an adjustment to the comm, like an old man trying to tune in his favorite evening drama. The Vencume hesitated before chittering.

Mirabilis:

Please, Peg-51, forgive our sudden appearance. We are trying to fix a mistake we have made. We must apologize for any misunderstandings that may have occurred. The Tzikzik threat will be neutralized soon and we only ask for Human patience and cooperation in this venture.

Male Translator:

Peg-51 does not see arrival. Vencume mistake. Vencume misery. Poor timing. Tzikzik soon unthreatened. Human follow.

Gordon:

That's going to start a war.

Peg-51:

(radio) Poor timing or not, we cannot allow these attacks to continue. We need to know that this is not a Vencume activity. What guarantee do we have?

Male Translator:

Bad occasion. Attack unplanned. Vencume action. Human submittal.

Becca:

(chittering) Mirabilis, ignore the translator and let us do it. This stupid little machine can't handle it.

Evie:

(chittering) They want to know that this isn't a Vencume thing and they want a guarantee.

Mirabilis:

We offer the Humans that offended you, but only what we could recover. We will send the parts to show that we have settled the issue with the ship that attacked you.

Male Translator:

Human trophy to deliver. Technology further mechanics in time.

Becca:

(chittering) Mirabilis! Speak more plainly! They're going to get confused!

Mirabilis:

We will handle the remaining Tzikzik and there will be no more attacks. We have the means to settle the situation and are taking such measures.

Male Translator:

Vencume assist Tzikzik situation. Attack not. Vencume wager ship for destruction.

Evie:

They're going to flip out and starting firing any minute.

Peg-51:

(radio) We do not wish to wager anything. We only want the prisoners returned to us so we can question them further.

Male Translator:

No wager. Human trapped question more.

Gordon:

I need to work on the translators. This isn't going to get us anywhere.

Mirabilis:

No wager! We offer the Humans. We give what was recovered. Tzikzik issue resolved. We will settle it.

Male Translator:

Wagerless. Humans returned. Tzikzik handled. Vencume absolve.

Evie:

That sounds a little better.

Peg-51:

(radio) So you will return the Human prisoners and we will handle the remaining Tzikzik attacks?

Male translator:

Human returned trapped. Tzikzik attack Human solve.

Gordon:

(chittering)  Just say 'yes'! Say you're returning the parts you found!

Mirabilis:

Human remains returned. We return parts we found. We destroy Tzikzik.

Male Translator:

Humans returned. Parts found. Vencume Tzikzik ended.

Evie:

Parts found should be enough.

Narrator:

An un-named Vencume was sent to the station with the decoy parts. It felt like forever until the Shipping Authority responded.

Peg-51:

(radio) We see that you have recovered...three people. We only asked for two, but you might have been a little... overzealous in bringing these back to us.

MALE TRANSLATOR:

Three Human returned. Human ask two Human. Vencume misplaced joy payment.

Mirabilis:

We apologize for any misunderstanding. We did not know what was involved.

MALE TRANSLATOR:

Vencume misery. Misunderstanding. Lack of knowledge.

Gordon:

(whispering) They're trying to figure out what to do. Another effect of the heads, besides getting them off our backs, is to shock them a little. Humans still don't know much about the Vencume or how they deal with things. Presenting them with...scalps...will make them think we're capable of anything.

Peg-51:

(radio) We will give you attack locations. Inform us if there is need for assistance and we will help.

Male Translator:

Much fight place given. Human give hand to fight.

Mirabilis:

We should be able to deal with the issue, but we will let you know if more help is needed. Again, we apologize for this. We know it will not bring back the dead. We will bring back your ships. There will be no more dead. We are sorry this has happened.

Male Translator:

Problem Vencume solve. Vencume misery. Human missing Human Vencume not find. No more reducement. Vencume misery.

Narrator:

Now that this business was settled, the massive Vencume ship left Peg-51 and started the trek to Big Bear-47.

Evie:

I bet they don't think we can do it. Or they want to send us on a wild goose chase.

Gordon:

They wanted to lie to us and make us go away, but they also think that we know more than we're letting on, which is true. That this is such an out-of-the-way outpost puts their backs against the wall. They gave us some information so we'd leave, but they're going to watch us very carefully. Don't be surprised if we run into them again.

Scene 9: Becca and Evie's Quarters

Narrator:

Buer came to Evie and Becca's quarters and asked them if they could move in with the twins. aLima and aNdrea had come to help with the move.

Buer:

Additional Red are coming out of advancement, but there is not room on the red arm. If you could move to the black arm, we can put them here in white.

Alima:

There's going to be another seven of us, and we only have the ten beds. The pilots were able to double up when they made those additional six, but we don't have that kind of space.

Becca:

What's the 'black arm'?

Andrea:

It's the five arms of the section: white, blue, yellow, red, and black.

Alima:

Just like on a Vencume. We're already in red, and the pilots have yellow, but we need more room.

Andrea:

There's only two of you in white, but there's three people in black, so we should just move you there.

Evie:

(chuckles) It's also easier to ask us to move than the twins.

Scene 10: The Twins' Quarters

Narrator:

When Becca and Evie arrived, Ulan and Uma were overjoyed that they were going to share their quarters with others. They already used one of the rooms for themselves and had left Gordon in his own, with its spare bed.
The twins had placed drawings of the occupants on the doors. Evie was drawn in orange and brown. Becca's drawing was in shades of green and Gordon's in purple. The twins had even cleared the last room--next to the one for Evie--overturning the beds and stacking them on top of each other to form a crude workbench. There was a drawing of the mechanical mantis on that door.

Evie:

My equipment is being moved here as well?

Andrea:

Cerberus needs that space. They said they were working on something.

Alima:

And it's not your equipment, anyway. Some of the things that you were using have been moved down, but we're only lending it to you.

Evie:

I'm being kicked out of the lab? Are there going to be more designers as well? Is that it? They've getting more hands and they think they don't need me?

Buer:

No more Blue Tzikzik. Three is dangerous enough.
The twins giggled.

Evie:

It's unacceptable! I gave them the plans for a better snapback on the borrowed-time field. Slowing down the field is pointless unless the snapback can catch up to the MOUS's reference frame! I did that and I think a little recognition is in order. This is preposterous. (sigh) They have to see it differently. I'll be right back.

Gordon:

Have fun storming the bridge.

Narrator:

Becca only had a couple changes of clothes, so unpacking consisted of laying the neatly folded bundles on the spare bed in her room.

Gordon:

Need any help?

Becca:

Oh, I don't know.

Narrator:

Becca picked up a slipper and pantomimed lifting its imaginary massive weight.

Becca:

I....nnng...almost.....there! I'm done.

Gordon:

(laughs, then suddenly serious) Listen, Becca, I've been right bastard in the past but I know that act isn't needed anymore. It never did what I wanted it to do, anyway. If we're going to be jammed in here together, I just want to get that out now. I'm hoping we can start over.

Becca:

What act was that?

Gordon:

The bold, dashing pilot, of course. You know how it is on the pebble-jumpers; all the guys have to be Dick Daring and wow the ladies and the other pilots just look down on you if you're a decent human being. It was a month on the Dizhou before I knew that wasn't how the deep-space flights went but it was too late to be someone else. I know that sounds dumb, but I've been there in the thick of it. I thought that I could drop the act around you, but I'd already done the damage and nothing makes a lie stand out more than telling the truth. I figured you'd just hate me for a whole new set of reasons and I didn't want to deal with it. Call me lazy.

Becca:

Lazy.

Gordon:

Deserved. I just had a lot of time in that garden. I...When you spend your whole life trying to impress people, and there's no one to impress, you come to a new understanding of yourself. Do you think we can all start over?

Becca:

I think everyone on this ship is starting over, one way or the other. Even the Vencume.

Gordon:

Are you afraid of them or for them?

Becca:

That's an odd question.

Gordon:

I feel afraid for them. I've been reading their history on the comm and parts of it don't make sense. I think they're very, very lonely and they're trying to fill it with adopting something very dangerous.

Becca:

People with low self-esteem will date anyone. If what iMala said is true, and the Vencume hate themselves, then we could be looking at the biggest codependent relationship in the galaxy.

Gordon:

Yeah, but this one has kids involved. That's going to be an awful custody battle.

MUSIC:

Narrator:

When Evie came back several hours later, she had a surprised look on her face.

Evie:

I ran into my mantis on the way down here, and then I ran into it again, but on another floor. Did you know that they've made five more of them?

Becca:

The same design or variants?

Narrator:

Becca was brushing Uma's hair while Ulan sat to one side and drew the two of them.

Evie:

Looked the same. I couldn't tell.

Narrator:

Becca continued to brush Uma's hair back and started to separate it into sections for a braid.

Gordon:

Emulation is the greatest form of flattery.

Becca:

Well, they must have seen a use for it. What was the mantis doing?

Evie:

The first one had a bundle of laundry. The second one was carrying what I guess was dirt. It was in a covered container.

Becca:

But you built the first one to help out on a ship, so that makes sense.

Narrator:

Becca had finished braiding Uma's hair. The girls stood up and switched places, Uma continuing the drawing where Ulan had left off.

Gordon:

You should be happy that they like your design. Coming from that bunch, I'd take it as a compliment.

Uma:

Good gray design. More gray design.

Evie:

Becca, why are you braiding their hair?

Ulan:

Pretty.

Uma:

See? Pretty drawing. Pretty sister. Pretty me.

Evie:

There's more to life than being pretty.

Ulan:

Pretty is nice.

Evie:

Pretty doesn't last. Pretty is only for now.

Uma:

Enjoy now. Now is now.

Scene 11: Kitchen

NARRATOR:

Evie and the twins had an shouting-match after that, so Becca went back to the kitchen. It got her out of the tense situation and cooking helped clear her head.
There were three redheads there she didn't know. They introduced themselves as aTlanta, aDelaide, and and aSabi--they even had their names written on the collars of their work-suits!--and they asked how they could help in preparing a meal. When Becca told them she had planned on imambayildi, they immediately collected the aubergine, tomato, onion and parsley without her telling them what was in the dish.

Becca:

You know what's in it?

Adelaide:

We've always known. It's served cold.

Atlanta:

But your daughter Huri prefers karniyarik, with meat.

Becca:

(internal)How do they know about my daughter?

Atlanta:

We have some information they don't.

Asabi:

We always knew they were there, but...it's odd. It's like they're behind us.

Atlanta:

Not that they're stupid.

Adelaide:

Just less friendly.

Becca:

(internal) They have my information. They have Gordon's. The others have only Evie's. (external)
You know what a bursa is?

Asabi:

It's a fluid sac that forms a cushion between tendons and bones." aSabi was dicing the onion, cutting one side, cross cutting the other, finally chopping off piles of perfectly diced onion. She kept her fingers curled the entire time, only exposing her knuckles to the blade.

Atlanta:

When it's inflamed, it's called bursitis. Why?

Becca:

I was just curious.

Adelaide:

We're not like the others. They're very angry. I think they get mad because we're not angry the way they are.

Atlanta:

Yeah, I got aNnora in an arm-lock during practice and she was really mad.

Asabi:

They're very proud. But we came later. They've already seen combat. We'll see some soon. They might like us then.

Scene 1: Mess-hall

Narrator:

The mess-hall was getting crowded.
Gordon was sitting at a table with Evie and the three designers. As Becca approached the table, a voice called over the room.

Olivia:

Becca! Becca! Come sit with us!

Evie:

Someone just got popular.

Narrator:

Becca rolled her eyes and took her plate over to the pilots' table. The ten girls shuffled in their seats.
The pilot who had called Becca over introduced herself as oDette. She had slightly thicker lips than the others.
Introductions were made: besides oDette, there were oLivia, oRtense, oCtavia, oLena, and oRenda.

Becca:

How do you pick your names?

Orendea:

The Library picks them for us, by meaning and organization.

Olena:

There was a baby-name book on one of Evie's data-sticks. Once the Library knew it was for unique identifiers, it decided to use them for us.

Ortense:

oRtense tapped the collar of her jump-suit. "write down our names, to make it easier while we're getting to know each other.

Olivia:

You first pilots aren't having any trouble, are you?

Olathe:

No.

Octavia:

(whispering) There's more of us than them, so they're sorta threatened.

Ofira:

We can also hear you just fine!

Narrator:

They ate in relative silence after that. The new pilots still smiled at Becca and each other while the first four glowered at their end of the table.

Becca:

(intenral) This new batch is friendlier. Batch. I just called them that. Like a batch of cookies or something. This new breed? This new series? These new girls...

Odette:

So, tell us about him.

SOUND: others giggle

Becca:

Who are you talking about?

Ortense:

How many hims are there on this ship?

Becca:

Oh...(internal) She means Gordon. (external) He...he always annoyed me.

Ovida:

We don't like him.

Olivia:

Oh, he's OK. He's a lot like us.

Becca:

You mean, you're a lot like him.

Orenda:

You should come watch us launch.

Oriana:

Becca's not going to care about that. She's a doctor. She doesn't care about ships.

NARRATOR:

The first four stood and walked out, leaving their plates behind. oDette helped the others collect the dirty dishes into a stack and take them back to the kitchen.

Octavia:

Are you up for it? You want to watch a launch some time?

Becca:

Yes. I'd love to.

Octavia:

Our first proper run. We'll be hitting one soon. You'll enjoy it.

Scene 2: Pilot's Bay

NARRATOR:

The passenger-ship, Qiu Gong, was just ahead of them.
The pilots dragged Becca to the launch bay.
Becca was left in a control room where she peered at five ships, held nose-up by massive, crescent-shaped arms. As each pilot approached her ship, a slice folded out, like a slide on a microscope. The slide had a Human-shaped indentation that each girl lay on, spread-eagle. Once they fit their hands into the gloves and their feet into the boots that waited at four points of each star, the slides folded back into the ships.
The control-room door locked and the crescent arms lifted each ship, rotating it nose-down.  The floor of the bay opened up to the passing stars and the ships were held over the gaping void. One-by-one, as each ship let off that first spark of engine-flair, the crescent arm released them into the exterior.
It may have been fifteen minutes later; the first ship suddenly appeared in the bay, firing retros and letting the massive crescent grasp it.
One-by-one, the ships returned. The floor closed underneath them and the door from the control-room to the bay unlocked.
The ships were turned right-side-up and the pilots exited.

Olivia:

How was that? Exciting, huh?

Becca:

Was that the whole fight?

Ortense:

Oh, no. We've just knocked out the sensor array and engines. The Reds have it from here.

Scene 3: Becca's Bay

Narrator:

Two of the redheads came to Becca in an ad-hoc sickbay. aNaba had long gash along her left side—the amour was striped in the thick, black, poisonous paste.

Becca:

What did you find?

Avari:

Oh, they spaced the passengers. Nothing from them. Those other Tzikzik are messy bastards, that's all.

Anaba:

Booga-booga, and all that. Ew.

Becca:

(internal) To just be thrown out like that; how horrifying.

Anaba:

I don't think they met a lot of opposition. They must have killed them first.

Avari:

Yeah...they probably stung them or just tore them apart. Passenger ships should have some kind of defense, you know?

Becca:

This gash on your side...Did you get some of that poison in here? It's discolored.

Anaba:

It itches. Part of it is numb.

Avari:

Make sure you don't touch that stuff. Might drop you in a heart-beat.

Becca:

Your sisters wanted me to see their launch....the pilots? They were quite excited by it.

Avari:

(laughs) They just want to show off that launching system. Sure, it's neat, but it's so removed from the dirty work.

Becca:

And you do the dirty work. You and the others.

Avari:

Our older sisters use too many bolts. It's wasteful. They just start firing without thinking about where to put them.

Becca:

Didn't that cause a fight earlier?

Anaba:

They yelled at us for moving too slow! Can you believe it? We're not afraid, but a little caution would be nice.

Avari:

Well, this was the first sortie. We'll get it worked out.

Scene 5: The Garden

Narrator:

Becca was in the garden with aVariella, one of the new redheads. They were transplanting pallets of radish, beet, and potato seedlings when oRtense came to her.

Ortense:

Will I ever have children?

Becca:

That's up to you. I hear you're intact, so you have the possibility.

aVariella:

Why would you want kids?

Ortense:

Do you think it will be soon?

aVariella:

You in some kind of hurry? We have too much to do right now to hassle with that.

Becca:

Oh, not for a few years yet. When you're older.

Ortense:

Because I want children.

Narrator:

Becca stood and led the blonde out of ear-shot of aVariella.

Becca:

What brought this on?

Ortense:

You have to promise to not tell anyone.

Becca:

I promise.

Ortense:

(whispering) I had a dream...You know dreams? And I was flying with Gordon. And we flew through the sky, but it was a funny sky—all blue and no stars. And we didn't have ships. It was just us, flying in the sky. And I saw....uhm...But we were flying and then we were flying together and I was warm but the air was cold and we were together. And then I had babies. They were all blonde and they could fly.

Becca:

So you want babies?

Ortense:

They were little. And they needed me and I loved them and they loved me. They loved me no matter what. And I had to take care of them, but it was OK because they were mine.

Becca:

Someday, you might have children. But they're a lot of work. It's not like when you were little.

Ortense:

There was a lot of blood, and it hurt, but it was OK. And they cried a lot.

Becca:

Yes. Babies cry a lot.

Ortense:

But I could have babies? Someday, when I'm older?

Becca:

(thinking about something) Did you ever play with dolls when you were little?

Ortense:

We never were little like that. I see what you mean, but no. We always played with ships and songs. We never played like that.

Becca:

I'll bet, if you wanted to, someday, you could do whatever you wanted to. You know, I had a baby. A daughter.

Ortense:

It hurts to be away. You want to see her grow up, but you still think she's your baby. She'll always be small to you and it hurts because you think she'll be big when you get back.

Becca:

Yes.

Ortense:

You'll get back. We're going to make sure. You're going to see her again and she won't be all grown-up when you see her. We'll make sure.

Narrator:

Becca watched the blonde skip out of the garden and returned to the bed of seedlings.

aVariella:

What did she want?

Becca:

I'm going to claim patient-doctor confidence on that one.

aVariella:

Suit yourself. They can't keep on task. Silly blondes.

Becca:

I hear you're teaching them a few new tricks. iMala said your sisters were learning more efficient use of the weapons.

aVariella:

Oh, that. They saw how we didn't have to stop to reload as often. They're quick learners. (laughs) We never could have just come out and said it. They're too proud.

Becca:

But you're all starting to get along a little better?

aVariella:

Once we taught them how to play chess, it all started to work out.