Girl Talk (2)

Mala sipped from her tumbler of mango juice, watching the waves ebb and flow.  She'd set the program for low waves and a mild breeze.  Her thoughts and emotions turned once again to Jer, remembering the time they'd spent here.  He was of course never far from her thoughts these days.  Despite his own preoccupations, she believed his feelings for her were still alive and strong.  Nevertheless, there remained the possibility he might leave the Arcadia, leave her.  His role aboard the ship had yet to be decided, by their new captain.

Mala knew she might have to accustom herself to being alone again.  She considered for a few moments how her life had zigged and zagged between the solitary self-hood she'd inherited from her reclusive aunt, and her sometimes determined rebellion, in reaching out to others.  Though often her connections had been temporary, deliberately so, she still hoped for something more, where Jeremy Haskins was concerned.

But at the present moment, she'd responded to tentative offers of simple, companionable friendship.  Mala had enjoyed discussing work-related issues with Lieutenant Lily Macalister, who'd transferred from Security to Flight Control nearly a year ago.  During their extended leave, they'd had a few lunches and coffees together.  Then, after the massive near-tragedy, and its aftermath of rather giddy confusion – when people realized they weren't going to die, but had only vague recollections of why, Mala and Lily had taken a girls night out, moving through a series of parties and promenade bars.  Their friendship began to consolidate.

Now they lounged beachside, in wicker chairs, a small table between them, containing pitchers of juice and tea.  Lily was only the second person with whom Mala had shared her Hawaiian virtual life.  Mala turned her head and pointed south, to where a red tiled roof was visible among a line of palms.  "That's where I grew up."

"What a marvelous place, Mala!  Thanks for inviting me.  I've never yet made it to real-life Hawai'i."

"If we had a bit more time I'd give you a surfing lesson."  Mala laughed at Lily's startled expression.  "Actually though, I'm feeling more and more restless to be on the move again – warp speed.  We're ready, Lily – Flight Control is anyway.  Everyone in the department is adequate in handling the new bridge tech.  More than adequate, after yesterday's training session.  Of course the helm programs didn't undergo many basic changes."

Mala took another sip of her juice, then laughed lightly.  "Sometimes though, I feel like Arcadia herself is hiding things from me.  Like a game.  And she's waiting, to see how long it takes me to find her out.  And that feeling is stronger, since the bridge's holo-restructuring."

"You're anthropomorphizing the ship again."  Lily also laughed.

"Maybe.  But I think Captain - or rather Admiral - April had definite ideas about the ship's selfhood.  I noticed the expression on his face at times, when he was walking the decks."  Mala sighed.  "Of course it's not something I could ask him about.  I wish he and I could have talked more, about many things.  But the timing was never right.  I feel sad now – for lost opportunities.  His life experiences are exceptional."

"Well, your own are rather remarkable," Lily reminded her.  Their glances met.

"I've told no one but you and Jer, you know, about my dragon AI and its compressed alien ghosts.  I doubt I'll want to tell anyone else."

"I appreciate your confidence, Mala.  No one will hear it from me.  I realize you didn't plan to tell me - it just seemed to slip out when we were talking that night."

"Um.  After late night drinks, and coming to grips with not dying.  You were a good listener."

"Have you tried running the dragon's stored memories through the holodeck again?"

Mala shook her head.  "Not sure when or if.  Though it's tempting."  Mala's half-grin was wry.  It's easier to control when I just access through my implant.  Before I understood what the alien scenes meant, I thought they were just a form of cyber art.  Now I know they're uploaded memories, and that real personalities lie beneath, waiting for a way to be brought to life.  The inner feeling is different when I interface.  Their thoughts sometimes whisper to me.  The dragon's created a language program for me."

"As I said, remarkable.  Sometimes I envy you - other times I'm afraid for you, Mala."

"Oh, the dragon can't trigger interface, only I can do that. Though It bothers me that I can't - or won't - do something for the uploads.  I think my cybernetics could handle the decompression of one personality.  But could I live like that?  Sharing my mind, my life."

"Mala!  You aren't seriously planning to...."

Mala made a slight waving gesture with her hand.  "No, I'm not.  Because it might interfere with my work.  But when I imagine what I could learn from one of them... No, don't worry.  In a choice between them and the Arc, I choose the Arcadia."

She quickly finished her drink, then said, "And it's time for me to close down this program and get back into uniform.  Captain Rampart may call for a meeting this morning.  I admit to some nervousness.  What will he think of someone like me?"