Social Interlude

The four of them stood together, amid a group of colony scientists and engineers, inside one of the newly built domes.  The plasteel of the south-facing half of the dome was adjusted for polarized transparency; the northern section was restfully opaqued in deep green shadows.  All attention was focused on the emerging sky-dome.  No one spoke; all movements were hesitant and brief.

Then the show was over, the colony's infrastructure complete.  A tall bearded man began to applaud, and after a moment others joined in; and a moment after that various ululations and whistling accompanied the applause.  M'D'li brought his metalloceramic hands together, and the slight ringing tone rose just above the room's noise.  "Interesting custom," he said.

Then a table of drinks was wheeled into the center of the room, and a Bajoran announced, "Please everyone, celebrate.  We have replicated champagne, Aldebaran whiskey, and fermented equine milk."  Mala handed M'D'li a glass of champagne and urged him to sip slowly.  The result brought a subdued bout of laughter, and he struggled to laugh and sip at the same time.  Though the plasmoids couldn't consume anything other than plasma-state elements, their robotic noses were equipped with chemical discrimination software, enabling a synthetic sense of smell.  They dipped their faces near sampled drinks, then emptied the still-full glasses into the recycler in the back of the room.

A Talaxian biochemist, Haelex, was M'D'li's colony contact; they'd begun communication shortly after the Arcadia came in-system, as she'd been fascinated to learn a Wrnlaxi was on board.  No one in their sciences department had met a Wrnlaxi, and M'D'li garnered more than his share of attention before the terraforming began.  Though the biochemist was welcoming to all their party, Mala was inevitably saddened by the presence of the Talaxian woman; she so resembled Jasol.  Jasol had left the ship shortly after the 20-year jump to seek out his family, and had not kept in touch.  Considering his attitude at the time, Mala doubted she'd hear from him anytime soon.  And she disliked nostalgia.

Now Haelex headed their way, followed by a man with Asian features and long white hair.  "This is Jul Kaino; he's eager to meet all of you," she said.  Haelex touched the man's arm, bringing him forward, and presented them to him.  Mala gained three swift impressions of Kaino, all of them surprising.  Her inner senses were brushed slightly, letting her know the man had an implant similar to her own.  Kaino's eyes roved quickly over each of them, then began to do so again, as if he couldn't decide which of them was the most interesting.  Upon his left shoulder a small bird nestled, wings delicately fluffing.  Then a second glance showed Mala the creature was not really a bird.  Its feathers were white one moment, then transparent the next, revealing its robotic form.

Jul Kaino bowed.  "I am so pleased to make your acquaintance.  By way of further introduction, allow me."  He lifted his shoulder and the bird took flight.  A card appeared in its beak, and the creature hovered before Mala and M'D'li, then dipped down to the plasmoids' height.  The card read: Jul Kaino, Robotics Consultant — Almost 'Live Decor Specialist.  By the time the bird returned to Kaino the card had disappeared.  Mala laughed.  "That does explain your vivid interest in our little group."

"I am sure that so gracious a lady as Lieutenant Commander Hendriksson would never be lacking in gentlemanly interest."  Kaino smiled toward her, his cybrnetics keeping a polite distance from hers.  Then his attention moved to the plasmoids.  "Might I ask a somewhat personal question?"

Floats Serenely waited a moment, until his complant translated the request more clearly.  Then he replied, "No one has ever said that before.  What would you like to know about our persons?"

"I notice a distinct resemblance between your plasmoid aspects and the famed bard/composer Tribal One.  Could you be related to that One?"

Mala wished he had not brought up the subject.  Since re-encountering the huge plasmoid being, a rift had developed between Floats Serenely and Hovers Questioning.  FS had not only forgiven Tribal One for its attempt to assimilate the plasmoids, it had become a devotee of the bard's music.  HQ rejected such forgiveness and in less than subtle ways remonstrated with Floats Serenely.

Now Floats Serenely's plasma sparkled bright yellow, as it replied, "Yes, we were all of the same beginning, within the Oniiri Vortex.  We were in a state of ignorance at the time, regarding the outside world.  I'm pleased that Tribal One has become such an excellent musician, and I carry an uploaded version of its latest composition within robotic memory."

"Ah!"  Kaino nodded.  "I thought so.  How fortunate you are.  Such a variety of tonalities the One possesses.  I too have a collection.  Perhaps we could compare and share?"

"Of course," FS agreed.

HQ's plasma turned murky, and it stalked away toward the drinks table.

Jul Kaino looked from it, back to FS, then to M'D'li, and finally to Mala.  "I would like to show you my own humble wares, if I may.  This is a marvelous serendipity, having exemplars of cybernetics and robotics visiting our colony.  I'm still unpacking of course.  But... if you please..."  Kaino gestured toward the door with a slight tilt of his head.

"We'll be glad to join you," M'D'li said, then glanced at Mala.  She nodded.  She found the roboticist oddly charming – though with an emphasis on the 'odd'.  She was curious what Almost 'Live Decor would be like.  "Hovers Questioning," she called out, raising her voice, as well as sending him a tightbeam message to please be cooperative.

"I'm busy," the plasmoid replied in a bass-toned voice.  His plasma was spikey gray.

"I'll see that he mingles," Haelex assured them, and moved in HQ's direction.

Jul Kaino led them outside, and across an empty space between rows of domes.  "During the next night cycle nanites will pave the streets," he explained.  Kaino's dome was smaller than the one they'd just left – which, after the celebration, would become a group of sci research labs.  He gestured expansively.  "This will be my home as well as design studio and workspace."  Kaino dragged a partition down from the ceiling and slid it across the center of the interior, separating one clump of plasteel packing crates from another.  He touched one crate open and pulled out a console, then set it on top of the crate.  "My music collection is stored here, FS.  Help yourself to whatever pleases you, and make a copy of One's latest, if you don't mind."  Then Kaino began moving the other crates, touching them open, and pulling some toward the wall.

"Could we help?" M'D'li inquired.

"No, no, just make yourselves comfortable while..."  Kaino glanced around.  "Oh, I think the chairs are in the other room."  Hurrying around the partition he opened more crates.

"None needed for me," M'D'li told him.  When Kaino glanced back around the partition, M'D'li demonstrated his favorite relaxed posture, leaning back on his tail.

"Oh, how delightfully convenient!" Kaino enthused, then rolled out a plush Ottoman and plunked it down, gesturing to Mala.  "This will only take a few moments.  I promise.  That's the joy of modularity."

Kaino pulled an assortment of metallic shapes from one crate, then began rummaging into the next.  His movements appeared effortless, as if each were held in bodily memory, awaiting activation.  His words were a swift flowing stream, accompanying, even rushing ahead of, his actions.  Mala watched in fascination, finding such graceful fluency itself an artform.  "I want so much for you to see my Autumn Tree.  You're very kind to humor me.  Are you aware there's a trend now toward physical items of decor?  For years and years holo was everything!  But the more aesthetically discerning are incorporating real objects into their homes and offices.  I'm happy to say that includes many beings in this colony – which is the reason I came here.  I have an apprentice, but he's researching mini-interfaces on a Bynar orbital.  So for now, I work alone."

Kaino grasped vertical metallic pieces and twisted them together, then inserted the stalk into an intricate design of artificial roots.  The roots rested within a wide shallow basin of nano-chemical nutrient.  Then he began to join horizontal modules to the vertical.

"Oh, it really is a tree!"  Mala laughed.

Kaino turned toward her, a smile flickering across his expression.  "Well, of course.  What did you expect?"

Soon twigs were joined to the branches, then finely etched leaves.  Mala's cybernetics pinged in resonance when Kaino switched on the tree's electronics.  That instant transformed the tree from a caricature to a synthetically living system.  Patterns of golden current danced among roots, ran up through the trunk and spread along branches.  Leaves glowed yellow, gradually deepening to orange and red.

Kaino grasped Mala's hand and led her to the robot tree.  When she stood beneath it, the leaves began to sing in whispery soft tones.  Kaino getured for M'D'li, and when he took Mala's place the tones dropped and quickened, until the song resembled an alto sax.

"Lovely," Mala said.  "Enchanting.  I understand what you mean by 'Almost 'Live'."

Jul Kaino took her hand again, and brushed a kiss across her fingers.  "I'm glad it pleases you."  He sighed, then said, "I don't suppose your starship quarters have adequate space for robotic decor."

"No." She met his gaze.  "I'm afraid not.  That's part of the price of being a wanderer."