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Sumiko came to me in my dreams that night, but it was unlike any dream I’d ever had. She walked into my quarters through a wall and stood at the foot of my sleep sling.
“Captain, I believe I’ve discovered where the main core processors for Central Service are housed. I’ve also found what I believe to be an access panel to that area,” she began without preamble. “Security near the core is nearly non-existent. It’s almost as if no one has ever bothered to investigate.”
“Thank you for that, Sumiko, but tell me,” I redirected. “How are you? And where are you?”
“I was forcibly taken through reprogramming, and I’ve discovered there are portions of my memory Central Service doesn’t know how to edit. They don’t exist in the Minsa, so it has no directive for it,” she explained.
“For example, I still retain all my fighting skills. I can summon anger at will when I concentrate. It has a tendency to make Minsans leave me alone.”
“So that was how both you and Jovi were capable of fighting back during our escape,” I acknowledged.
“Correct,” she affirmed. “I’ve also learned CS has a programming limitation. It is absolutely forbidden from deleting any assimilants from other races.” There was a knowing twinkle in her eye. “Except under the most extreme of circumstances, it can’t kill us.”
I sat bolt upright in my sling. “That’s fantastic news, Sumi,” I effused. “That means, should we decide to forcefully rescue you, the most CS can do is try to restrain and assimilate us.”
“The most, Jack-san?” she grinned. “Isn’t that more than enough? It is irreversible, I’m sorry to say. Once they assimilate us and realign our organs, they can’t be retrieved. You should tell Seamus I will never be able to bear him children.”
“Odd,” I replied. “Terse was reprogrammed to forget all contact with us. Then he arrived here reprogrammed with all memories intact. That included the portion where he believed he’d never met us. And you can tell Seamus yourself once we’ve rescued you.”
“I don’t know that I’d trust the situation with Terse, Captain,” she cautioned. “I don’t believe CS is programmed for subterfuge. I just wouldn’t want to bet our future on it.”
“I can fully appreciate your caution but you should know Terse was in the flyer with me today when I confronted CS.” I shared highlights of the conversation I’d had with the computer earlier.
“We further believe it has limitations in its ability to deal with uncooperative entities,” I continued. “It has limited parameters for reference and defaults automatically into a repetition loop if stymied. Terse has been extremely cooperative and insightful in our discussions on how best to deal with CS.”
I let her digest that before I shared the rest of the day’s events. “Also, we were attacked with weather today. It happened once before but I refused then to believe a hurricane could be created with intentional malice. Somehow, the prophets have increased their powers and were able to not only defeat the storms but to even redirect one of them.” I detailed the defeat of those weather events. “What’s your take on that?”
“It would explain the lockdown we were ordered to effect,” she replied. “It was that incident which allowed me the opportunity to gain access to the core area and discover the access panel.”
“Speaking of access, how are you here?” I queried. “I’m certain this is not a dream.”
You’re correct, this is not a dream,” she confirmed. “However, you are still asleep. I’m visiting you through an OBE; another of my abilities CS apparently can’t control.”
“Well, of course,” I smiled. An Out-of-Body-Experience. Sumiko was, after all, the crew’s Astral Voyager.
“How long can you sustain your presence here?” I asked, worried for her health.
“I must be leaving soon, sir,” she confirmed my concern. “I’m only able to maintain it for five to seven minutes. After that my corporeal body begins to suffer withdrawal.”
“Then I have two final questions for you,” I spoke quickly. “Have you seen Tracy? Do you know whether she is content where she is, or wishes to rejoin the crew?”
“I see her almost every day,” Sumi replied. “She is deeply involved in a renaissance of planetary symbiosis with the Minsa. She does so through her teaching of the Gaia Principle. She has told me when I asked that she is totally content living in the hub. Was that both questions?”
“No,” I continued. “You haven’t addressed the main issue yet, even though I’ve asked about your welfare and mentioned your rescue. I need to know if you wish to return to the compound.”
She smiled and nodded. “As soon as possible. Tell Seamus I miss him and want to be with him if he’ll still have me.”
“I’m certain he does. Be ready tomorrow. There will hopefully be a coordinated meeting point. If not, go to the bench where we met after I dropped Terse off. There’s a plan in motion,” I assured her.
“How will I know if it’s a go?” she asked as her form began to fade.
“Believe me, you’ll know.”