He’d clumsied again. Rather than apologize, which she’d told him he did too readily, he attempted a chuckle. “I didn’t expect such a trope from you.” She glanced at him. Her eyes lighted the dusk. “Oh, you know your physics, but I think of you more in terms of sea and wind and—Yes, the universe does still hold plenty of surprises.”She dropped whatever annoyance she had felt. Earnestness remained. “And we won’t go static, either. Like my Lahui, why, they’ve got all sorts of evolving to do yet. I bet they’ll become something nobody foresaw.”
He knew he should mumble agreement and proceed to inconsequentials. He couldn’t. Was that stubbornness, or was it respect for her intelligence? “Will it matter, though?”
“What do you mean?”
“The cybercosm tolerates us—”
“It helps us!” she exclaimed. “Without it, Earth would be … a poisoned desert … and savages fighting for scraps.”
“Maybe, Or maybe we would have solved our problems by ourselves.” He raised a hand. “In any case, the situation is what it is. Very well, I grant you, the cybercosm is not unkindly. It serves us, you might even say it indulges us. The monsters, the genocide artists of history, those were human.”
“And we’re freed of their kind.” . “To what end? To keep us contented, out from underfoot, while the cybercosm goes on to its destiny?”
“Which is?” she demanded.
“You’ve heard. It’s been prophesied for centuries, since before artificial intelligence existed. Mind, pure mind, taking over the universe.”
“Do you mind?” Her laugh went sweet through the quietness. “Me, I’m not jealous. I just want my people to make their own future.”
“But in that, aren’t they constrained, guided, shaped to fit into limits set for them?”
She tossed her head. “I haven’t noticed much constraint or guidance on me lately.”
No, he thought. She was with him on a mission they did not understand. Lilisaire’s cause, devious and dubious. Irony: It would deny a home in space to humans who shared his longings; it would confront and in some dark way endanger the order of things that nurtured Aleka; yet still they waged their forlorn campaign.
Together.
The words flew out as if of themselves. “I don’t believe anything short of reconditioning could compel you. I’ve never known anyone more independent.”
She caught his hand. The clasp glowed. “Gracias. You’re no auhaukapu either.”
They stopped once more and faced one another. Briefly, marvelingly, he wondered how that had happened. It was at a deserted intersection. The sky had turned violet and the Moon, waxing toward the half, seemed brightened thereby. They did not let go their hold.
“How I want you to meet the Lahui,” she said low. “I can imagine you joining us. We could use your skills and, and you.”
He shook his bewildered head. “No, I’m too old, “too alloyed with my habits,”
Her teeth gleamed. “Nonsense! You outperform every young buck I can name. That time in Over-burg—”
“The fight? That was nothing.” He forced honesty: “And, in a way, I brought it on.”
“How?”
“Oh, I—I’d accepted Bruno’s .. , hospitality, and he naturally expected—“ Kenmuir choked.
“Maopopo ia’u,” He heard the scorn. “I know. He figured me for property, like his women.”
Trapped, he floundered about. “I, I didn’t like it—didn’t see how to say no, when he got insistent—”
“Why should I blame you?” she asked soothingly.
“But I think you should know—I’d like you to know—“ He struggled. “When I was alone with her, I couldn’t.”
“Oh, Kenmuir,”
“The situation, and, and clearly she didn’t care—I said I was very tired, and she yawned, and … we both went to sleep.”
Aleka threw back her head. Her laughter rang.In Kenmuir, chagrin faded to ruefulness. His heart thuttered less loudly. After all, how important was this? Lilisaire. Meanwhile, he had—reassured?—his friend.
Aleka sobered. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be.” He managed a smile. “It is rather funny.”
She took his other hand as well and looked directly up at him. “You’re a lovely man, you are. And we have no idea where we’re bound. Most likely to failure. Maybe we’ll go free, maybe not. But Pele grins.”
He waited.
“We’ve got tonight,” she said.