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I did my best not to move. Behind me was a cacophony of babbling and hooting. I didn’t understand a single word of Dagashi, but I could sense that there was a major argument going on. It was also fairly obvious that Corina hadn’t told her father about our plan.
But if this was her father, why was she shouting at him in what I assumed was Dagashi? Her father had to be human, didn’t he? Unless Dags and humans could make babies? I was uncomfortable with that idea, but threw it away. Corina was too old. She was at least my age, even though sometimes she acted younger than Jenny.
‘You can put your hands down, Jax,’ she said in my head as her other voice still screeched in my ears. ‘Let them drop to your sides, then keep your eyes down and turn to face the screen. Slowly.’
I did as she told me, burying the urge to flick a glance to see what her so-called father looked like. ‘Now what?’
‘Sorry. I’m not very good at this, am I?’
‘... made you think you could smuggle a square head in here?’
Square Head? Was that what they called us?
‘Father, I’m getting tired of telling you he is here to help me.’
‘But how?’
‘You told me I wasn’t safe. You told me that Central had sensed me on the dataweb and that they had almost found me. I cut myself off the net, just like you asked—’
‘And that should have been an end to it.’
‘—but the only freedom I have is sneaking out via the net, or via Excursions. Otherwise I’m locked in these rooms with nothing to look at but library data.’
‘Please tell me you gave up that filthy habit, Bashna. I asked you not to do it anymore.’
‘Father, stop trying to deflect me. You know perfectly well that if Central ever finds out about me they will come for me and destroy me — right after they rip me apart. ‘Penal Code, Article 147, section 4, item 12: None shall seek to bring into being, nor suffer to continue to exist, any manufactured device or construct regardless of principle or process, that exhibits free will. The tariff for this offence includes summary termination of both construct and creator.’ That means they could kill you, Father, as well as me.’
That made me look up. Termination? Killed? Was I included in that? What I saw on the false window made everything else fade from my head. It wasn’t Corina, it was a Dagashi girl. She was in Corina’s rooms, and wearing her clothes, but they were changed to fit the Dag frame. The new girl’s head turned to look at me, which was creepy, and I heard Corina groan. A moment later my vision flickered and Corina was standing where the Dag girl had been.
‘And so we come back to the square-head. Why have you brought him here?’
‘He’s going to save me, father.’
‘How?’
‘He’s going to take me out.’
‘Out where?’
‘Outside. Away from the ship. Where they can never find me.’
There was a flicker of motion in the corner of my eye. I reacted, turning to look, and saw that the Dag was falling. Still moving on instinct I took two quick steps and caught him before he hit the ground. I didn’t try to lift him, just stopped him hitting his head. A moment later he was pushing me away as though my touch was fire. A fine thank you. I stepped back and let him get on with it.
‘Are you insane, child? It is a wasteland out there. The planet is a ball of sterile clinker.’
‘And eventually Central will find me. At least this way I live a little longer. Or is this life all I am to be allowed? Am I no more than an Aide to you?’
The Dag, or perhaps I should start saying ‘Corina’s Father’, raised his hands to his head and patted at either side. The gesture wasn’t gentle; it was anguished, or desperate. Corina stepped closer to the false window, until she was standing right on the other side.
‘There will be others, but I’m too much. Central might change its mind in time, then you can show them how, but there is too much of me for them, and too soon. Eventually, they will come. They already suspect you.’
Her father sank onto one of the cubes, his arms hanging at his sides, and I knew he had given in. ‘What is the square-head’s channel, Bashna? I would speak with it.’
‘You cannot. His interface is too heavily modified. He can hear you, and in his own language.’
Now her father was looking at me. ‘Why?’
‘Beg pardon?’
‘Why would you do this?’
And I didn’t answer right away. I suppose Corina was a friend. Is? Had been? I wasn’t sure any more. I hadn’t known her that long and she obviously hadn’t been honest with me. How could she be both human and Dagashi?
‘I came here to help a friend, but now, I’m confused. Apart from helping her is the only way I can get out, of course.’
The Dag’s head bounced from side to side on the thin neck, and through the halo I heard a bitter laugh. ‘Truth is not always the best answer, Aide. You sound like you would abandon her as soon as you were back in your little hovel, or sell her as a curiosity.’
‘We don’t trade people.’ I snapped, then wondered if that was as right as I thought. What did Fat Stan do? Or the Gangers?
‘In every civilisation there are those who are the property of others, even if the relationship is coloured with fancy words. Bashna is delicate, fragile. She must be protected.’
I watched Corina through the false window. ‘She looks strong enough to me. Once she adjusts, gets used to how things work, she’ll be fine.’
Corina looked sad. Her big eyes opened wide and stared into mine. A draft ghosted along my spine like I had tripped and was going to fall down a hole.
‘I didn’t lie to you, Jax. I really didn’t. But there were some things I didn’t tell you. One thing really.’ She pointed down to the odd tube with the sparkling stars.
‘That’s me.’