Kris Longknife: Defender by Mike Shepherd Read Free Book Online Page B

feathers flocking together. At least we’ve made do.”
    “But they weren’t facing annihilation like they are now.”
    “What are you getting at, hon?”
    “Nelly thinks she can translate a lot of human into Alwan,” Kris said.
    “Not everything,” Nelly was quick to put in. “Their idioms and references to history or myth are still way over my head, but to the extent that one word means one thing, I can get what they’re saying and say something back.”
    “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, has humanity come that far since we dropped out? Kris, I kept hearing you talk to Nelly and Nelly talk back, but I had no idea she was that kind of girl.”
    “Nelly is special all by herself,” Kris said.
    “Me and my kids. I’ll have to introduce you to them. You’ve already met Mimzy; she works with Penny. Sal works with Jack. Speak up for yourself, son.”
    “I am glad to meet you, Granny Rita,” Sal said from Jack’s neck.
    “Sal doesn’t sass people back like his mom,” Jack said. “He’s a good Marine.”
    “Yes, sir, Skipper,” Sal answered.
    “Each computer is different?” Granny asked, incredulous.
    “I developed my unique personality working with your great-granddaughter,” Nelly said. “Each of my kids has a kernel from me but is free to program their own self-organizing matrix as they, and their human, see fit. I’m rather picky who I let have one of my kids.”
    “Boy is she,” Sal said.
    “Is there any chance that I could get one of your computers?” Granny asked. “Not one like Nelly, but your ship store must have some decent ones for sale. Even the simplest one you got would be so much beyond what we have.”
    “Nelly, tell Abby to drop down to the ship store and get Granny a top-of-the-line with a full set of apps.”
    “Abby says she’s not your slave, only your maid,” Nelly said, “but for Granny Rita, she’ll be glad to hit the store and put it on your tab.”
    “Tell Abby thank you very much,” Granny said.
    “You’re welcome,” Nelly answered.
    “What I put up with,” Kris grumbled.
    “Abby also says you need a bath and hair wash if you’re going on what passes for media on Alwa. She’s got Cara getting the computer. She knows more about those things than anyone else on board, so you should get your sweaty ass back up to your room and give your maid some time to make you presentable.”
    “Who’s Cara?” Granny asked.
    “Abby’s thirteen- almost fourteen-year-old niece,” Jack said.
    “Ship’s mascot,” Nelly added.
    “And general teenage pain in my neck,” Kris said as she stood and prepared to obey her maid’s orders.
    “Is this bath big enough for two?” Granny asked. “I intend to stand just offstage and watch. And, yes, honey, if you blow what I’ve worked eighty years to put together, I will step on camera and go into damage control mode.”
    “We Longknifes are so trusting,” Kris said, and led the way to her quarters.

7
    Being interviewed for Alwa’s
Sharp Eye View
wasn’t all that different from media in human space.
    Except, Kris hoped, no one would take a shot at her.
    The site of the interview was once again the Forward Lounge. A large space was set off from the customers. Kris sat with her back to the screens, which showed Alwa passing beneath them: green land, blue oceans, dryer tan strips, and clouds. On the nightside, you could spot the dryer strips by the lights of human towns and isolated farms.
    The cameraman, or cameraAlwan, was tickled to be in space for the first time and spent the entire first orbit drifting in front of the screens, filming what passed below.
    In the meantime, an Alwan introduced to Kris as Straight Tongue did his best to talk to Kris. He wore more clothing than Kris had seen on an Alwan though it still was not as much as a human. He did, however, sport a bow tie in some tribute to human fashion.
    “Much, much talk,” he said around clicks and warbles. Kris could just make out the human words if she put her