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She paused and looked at Joel. “In fact, he’s recommended that at least some of the team stay back…”

  Sean started to speak, an air of agitation taking over his demeanor. Molly’s look of sadness lifted and was replaced with humor in her eyes. She quickly held her hand up to him. “It’s ok Sean. We’ll make sure you’re in the undercover crew…” she said shaking her head. “But we need a plan, and then we’ll select who else is best placed to follow that plan.”

  She looked to Joel. “This is your op, chap. I’ll take your recommendations once you and Oz have had a chance to review the intel from ADAM. It’s unlikely that the crew are going to need military skills though. Generally. From what Oz has already looked at, the more ‘normal’ these folks are, the more chance they have of going undetected in this cargo shipping scenario.”

  Joel nodded, snatching a glance at Sean, before looking back at Molly. “Understood,” he said, quietly pleased he might be able to stay and protect Molly from the outside should she need to get into the fray at some point.

  “Great!” Molly said, brighter now that the information dump had been complete. “Let’s meet back here tomorrow with a game plan, and then we can bring the others in on our next move.”

  The warriors nodded their agreements and started getting up to leave.

  Molly was the first one up and out of the door.

  Why are you in such a hurry?

  Conference call with Von.

  Of course. I’d not put that on your official schedule, since it’s technically an off-book hobby.

  Good thing you’re not my PA, eh?

  Hmmm. I’m sure your holo has a function for that.

  It does. That’s why I remembered! Unbelievable… I have an AI in my head and I’m having to separate which things are projects and which are work…

  She tutted to herself as she strode out to the kitchen to grab a protein drink, and then headed back down to the ops room.

  Gaitune-67, Ops Room

  Molly sat in the ops room on her usual console.

  “So what did they say?” she asked, sitting back in the invisible, movement-responsive sofa, her cup of lemon water in hand.

  Von responded over the enhanced holo connection. “The board is agreeable. Well they became agreeable, after they were reminded how it would make the institution look like a trailblazer.” Abigail chuckled to herself, in a way that reminded Molly that beneath her academic seriousness was once a young person like herself.

  Molly grinned. “And they agreed to fully acknowledge the course?”

  Von nodded. “Yep. Full credits for the discussion work and the examination.”

  Molly sat up a little. “This is great news!” she said, her face lighting up even more.

  Von nodded, her smile showing she was rather pleased with her powers of persuasion. “The only thing that remains,” she added, changing her tone a little, “is how to recruit the students.”

  Molly uncrossed her legs and poked at the holo in front of her, sharing her screen. “We almost have that covered as well. My team has worked up a campaign to use through the university Ethertrak. It’s designed to have maximum resonance with our key demographic.”

  Von’s eyes scanned the material on the screen.

  Molly continued. “What we need to do next is recruit ourselves a spokesperson. Someone who knows the material, and understands the power that this insight has in negotiating peace. Someone who is also articulate and can relate to the students who will be taking the course.”

  Von stopped reading, and looked off into the distance. “I can probably reach out to a number of people who would be keen to represent this program. Counselors, board members…”

  Her voice disappeared into her throat as she realized that Molly was shaking her head. “No, no…” Molly chuckled lightly. “You misunderstand me. We’ve got a short list already.”

  Von’s eyes widened, and she began to apologize.

  Molly beamed at her again. “A very short shortlist,” she added.

  Von looked intrigued.

  Molly continued. “Professor Von… I was hoping that you might be agreeable to being our spokesperson.”

  Abigail suddenly looked a little taken aback and flustered. “You mean… you want me to talk on recordings and… for the campaign?” she tried to clarify, a little flustered.

  Molly nodded. “Yes. Exactly. You’re the person who is the most qualified.”

  Von took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. “I… I don’t know what to say…” she said, her face flushing beet red.

  Molly sat back on the couch again. “Well…” she said, her voice giving the sense of being more serious now, “I was hoping you’d say ‘yes’.”

  Von’s eyes were alive as she stared into the camera. “Yes! Yes… I would love to. Yes!” she exclaimed, her serious professor-like demeanor abandoned.

  Molly smiled, feeling the older woman warm to her the more interaction they shared. “Well good then,” she said satisfied. “It’s just as well. My team has already started pulling together some scripts that might work. I’d hate to have to make them rewrite them for some stuffy board member.”

  The two women chuckled as co-conspirators.

  As their humor subsided, Von brought them back on point. “So how do we go about doing this then?”

  Molly tilted her head, contemplating their next move. “I think what we need to do is start filming. What say you if I bring my team over to capture the footage? I’m sure they can get the scripts over to you in the next few days… and then perhaps we film after that?”

  Von nodded enthusiastically. “Of course. That sounds wonderful. We have a semester break coming up next week so the campus will be quiet.”

  Molly bobbed her head, considering whether they actually might want students in the reel at all, but then figured it was a detail they could resolve later if they decided that they did. “Great. That’ll work,” she agreed.

  Von’s face changed suddenly, as she seemed to look around her university office before bringing her eyes back to her holo. “Tell me. I know you said you were well funded… but I’m curious where the funding is coming from to do all this?”

  Molly took a deep breath. “Well, we have some private funds from parties interested in educating our leaders to make more informed decisions… And a number of industry leaders who have been adapting their working practices in line with some of the principles you’ve been advocating. They want to make sure that they can select their workforce from these informed leaders too…”

  She realized she was being vague. “You know, as we work together I’ll be able to show you more and more. For now, just know that this is all above board, and being done for the right reasons. After all, there is no way this kind of strategy can benefit those who would have motive to exploit the population… and you know what a positive effect your strategies have on civilizations as a whole.”

  Von seemed to take comfort in the reassurance. This Molly Bates was right. There is no way that anyone could be using these strategies for bad intent. It just wouldn’t be of any benefit to them. Von smiled. “Ok. I’m happy to proceed.”

  Neechie had managed to find his way into the ops room as Molly had sat talking with Abigail, and just then jumped up on the invisible sofa.

  “My ancestors!” exclaimed Abigail. “Is that…?”

  Molly nodded, stroking his head as he nuzzled up to her thigh and then jumped into her lap. “A sphinx. Yeah. He’s our mascot around here.”

  Von leaned forward, trying to see him better. “He’s a little cutie!” she remarked.

  Neechie looked up at Molly as if to say, See, told you so. I am, aren’t I?

  “Yes you are, Neech,” Molly agreed, pulling her hot mug out of the way so as not to burn him. “You are…” she repeated, stroking him with her free hand. Suddenly she felt a little light headed.

  “Ok,” she said, looking back up at the screen. “I need to head out and get back to my people. We’ll get some scripts ov
er to you in the next day or so, and if you’re happy to continue working on the syllabus, feel free to send it over when you’re ready for me to take a look.”

  Von snapped back into business-mode. “No problem. I’ll do that.” She grinned and waved at the Sphinx. “Bye Neech!” she said. “Bye Molly,” she said, looking a little more grounded and waving to Molly.

  The call disconnected, and Molly put her mug down immediately.

  “What is it Neechie? Are you trying to show me something?” she asked, looking down at the Sphinx in her lap.

  He meowed, and then Molly felt herself start to drift through realms. She saw images of places she had never seen before. An image of a series of planets in a weird array - balanced in a cluttered orbit.

  She saw an entrance to a tomb, and some old markings that reminded her of the Zhyn characters. But ones that she didn’t recognize.

  She felt like she was losing consciousness, and she put her feet on the floor, causing Neechie to jump off her lap and onto the console floor. She focused on her breathing, allowing the images to come and go, but putting her attention on the present. On the sensations in her body - keeping herself grounded in this reality.

  She saw space. But a space cluttered with stars. She looked around trying to recognize a constellation. A feature. Something that would tell her where she was.

  She recognized nothing.

  Breathe - she told herself.

  She was aware of Oz, and words coming from Oz. But she was too far into the realm visions to really understand.

  Then she felt like she turned back over her shoulder, and looked behind her, and she was no longer in space, but in a bedroom, looking down into a drawer, near a bed.

  Breathe. You’re safe, she told herself.

  Then everything grayed out a little, and she became aware of the lights in the ops room through her eye lids. She felt herself hyperventilating as her awareness in the present world came back, and she kept breathing, feeling a little nauseous and out of sorts.

  Molly? What’s happening?

  Molly heard Oz’s words this time.

  It’s ok, Oz. I’m back. I’m right here.

  ‘Nother realm jump?

  Yep.

  I’m blaming the Sphinx.

  Molly breathed heavily through her nose in a half snort. The Sphinx sat looking at her, unimpressed, as if trying to assess her condition.

  Me too. I think we should rename him Mercury - the messenger.

  Gaitune-67, Safe house, Kitchen

  Joel looked over at her, his eyes full of concern. “So you really think it was a message?” he asked.

  Molly shrugged, leaning back against the counter top. “I don’t know what else it could have been. I mean… unless I’m just seeing random scenes that are neither past, present, nor future.”

  She moved over to one of the chairs and sat down at the kitchen table. “I just don’t know what to think anymore… I just know what I feel. And it felt like a message.”

  Joel folded his arms, and shifted his weight to his other foot. “Shame there’s no way to get in touch with Arlene. This was precisely what she was meant to be helping you with…”

  Molly cocked her head. “Hmm… But is there no way to get in touch with her? I mean, they headed off to ancestors know where… but, we can call anywhere from that ops room. Distance is irrelevant. So assuming they’re on a Federation ship they must be reachable.

  At that moment Molly heard someone sitting down in the common area, and then the noise of a game playing on the holo. She looked towards the door.

  Joel frowned, as he watched her get pulled out to the common area by the noise.

  He followed her, standing in the doorway.

  Molly had stepped through to look at who was sitting on the sofa. “Sean?”

  Sean looked up, surprised that anyone was around. “I was … I was just chilling out for ten minutes. I needed a break from cataloging the-”

  Molly shook her head, dismissing his excuses for slacking on the job. “It’s ok. We were just talking about something, and I thought you might know about this. Giles and Arlene went off on some mission. Giles didn’t tell me where exactly, but I can take a guess. If he’s in a Federation ship, how would I get hold of him?”

  Sean shrugged. “Ops room. Ask ADAM which ship, and then connect a call with that ship’s EI.”

  Molly looked confused. “Ok. And do you know how it is these EIs can be in touch over such ridiculous distances?”

  Sean nodded nonchalantly. “Sure.”

  Molly waited, dropping her head, and raising her eyebrows pushing him to explain.

  Sean sighed. “Tech-no-lo-gyyyyy, of course,” he said patronizingly.

  Molly rolled her eyes into the top of her head as she turned and headed back into the kitchen.

  Joel’s smirk turned to full on laughter as he headed back in ahead of her. “That goon…” he chuckled.

  Molly laughed away to herself, her chest bouncing as she tried to keep it inaudible. “I never know if he’s being earnest, or if he’s just fucking with us!” she admitted.

  Joel shook his head and retrieved his mocha from the counter where he had left it a moment before. “Yeah… me neither. The guy is a mystery…” he added, still laughing quietly to himself.

  Molly leaned against the fridge. “Ok. So I’ll give them a call and see if Arlene has any suggestions. And beyond that I think I should probably spend some more time with the little guy. See if I can get some practice.”

  Joel’s face crumpled in confusion. “Little guy?” he asked, crossing his legs, and folding his hands in front of his crotch.

  Molly had opened the fridge and was taking out the remains of one of her shakes. “Yeah… Neechie,” she responded, without looking up.

  “Oh. Right. Of course…” Joel agreed quickly, relaxing instantly.

  Molly closed the fridge door and turned to leave. She spun back to look at him. “What did you think I meant?” she asked.

  Joel blushed, and shook his head. “I… had no idea,” he lied, picking up his mocha and hiding behind a slurp. A slurp that was way too much, and way too hot.

  He swallowed, ignoring the pain, as Molly bobbed her head once, and drifted out of the kitchen oblivious.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Administration House, Staðall University, Spire

  Dean Alfred Radcliff sat comfortably in his chair reading on his holo. There was a timid knock on the door.

  “Enter,” he said brusquely, swiping away the screen and sitting up a little.

  His assistant poked her head into the office. “Dean Radcliff, there is a gentleman here to see you. He says you have an appointment, but I don’t see anything on your schedule.”

  Radcliff sat up properly, and flicked through to his schedule. He was blocked out until his meeting with the heads of the science department at four. He looked up, frowning. “Nothing on my schedule. Who is he?”

  His assistant looked awkward, stepping gently into the room, intending to close the door so she couldn’t be heard. Before the door was closed it was pushed open again, and there stood a rather tall Ogg, in a smart-looking atmosuit, not altogether unlike one that Radcliff owned for meeting and greeting visits he often needed to do.