Everyone else jumped. Except the other gun bunny. He had apparently known it was coming.
A second sharp blast followed the first.
Javier sat patiently until he saw her put the damned whistle away. A string of curse words appeared on the diagnostics readout at the bottom of the flat screen. Apparently, Suvi had learned some new ones along the way.
Movement at the very edge of the sensor range caught his attention. Looked like a bear from the size and heat signature, but it was moving away from them at a slow amble, so he figured it was safe. Maybe remind everyone to make enough noise to scare off local critters. Last thing he needed right now was angry momma bear.
The two women pathfinders made absolutely no sound.
One minute nothing. Next, they pop out of the brush and stand right next to him. And he’d been watching them approach on the scanner, the last forty meters. What the hell did these people do that they needed this kind of experts, anyway?
Sykora was in her element. “Status report,” she barked.
The shorter of the two, the brunette with the nice hips, came slightly to attention. The blond with the long legs caught him staring and winked.
Javier considered his chances. Might be worth trying.
“We found the wreck, ma’am,” Pathfinder Brunette said. “Either there were shipwrecked survivors, or there are locals. We found evidence of habitation.”
Javier looked up at the three women. “Bear?”
All three blinked down at him. Apparently they had forgotten he spoke.
“Negative,” the brunette said. “Firepit, hand–made pottery, agriculture, closeable door into a cabin that appears recently used.”
“But no one appeared,” Sykora stated flatly.
“Affirmative, ma’am,” the brunette agreed.
Sykora thought for a second. “Three minute break here, then we’ll push on.” The two women dropped in place and pulled out canteens.
The giant redwood tree turned around and looked down at him. “Aritza, push the drone vertical and do that long range scan trick again. I want to see the wreck.” Pause. “Please.”
The drone took off straight up, but Javier pushed a button on a screen quickly before anyone noticed the discrepancy.
You don’t exist , he typed. Don’t anticipate me. These people are smart and dangerous.
Sorry .
Javier took it up to 200 meters and hovered. One quick rotational scan, and then he focused in on the wreck. This was where Suvi would help.
Hard scan that thing for me. Inventory everything you can. And don’t let anything sneak up on us.
Will do, boss.
He poked the volume button and the screen like he was actually controlling it, but he knew Suvi was flying the remote now. After he escaped these yahoos, he might have to upgrade the remote so she could fly it from whatever ship he poured her into next.
And maybe add a gun.
Let’s see: two bears, a small herd of elk–like critters, and he was pretty sure that was the local equivalent of a bobcat. Hopefully it wasn’t the local version of a wolverine.
Javier looked up at her. “Path’s clear,” he said, “you might warn people that there are a few dangerous creatures in the woods.”
Sykora smiled down at him. “You mean, besides us.”
Javier rolled his eyes in pure reflex.
Ogre–lady trying to be funny might be worse than her as a total hard–ass.
He sighed to himself as he stood up. Another day, another drachma .
Ξ
Suvi was torn. On the one hand, it was good to be awake and doing something. On the other hand, she had been weeks off–line. Things had happened, and Javier wasn’t filling in the details.
The tall lady seemed to be in charge. And scary. Suvi really needed her processing core to read the inter–personal dynamics playing out around her. The chip she was on was barely big enough to hold her personality and near–term memory.
As it was, she’d had to off–load some of her consciousness onto the portable. There was certainly space for files, but the processor on that thing was
A second sharp blast followed the first.
Javier sat patiently until he saw her put the damned whistle away. A string of curse words appeared on the diagnostics readout at the bottom of the flat screen. Apparently, Suvi had learned some new ones along the way.
Movement at the very edge of the sensor range caught his attention. Looked like a bear from the size and heat signature, but it was moving away from them at a slow amble, so he figured it was safe. Maybe remind everyone to make enough noise to scare off local critters. Last thing he needed right now was angry momma bear.
The two women pathfinders made absolutely no sound.
One minute nothing. Next, they pop out of the brush and stand right next to him. And he’d been watching them approach on the scanner, the last forty meters. What the hell did these people do that they needed this kind of experts, anyway?
Sykora was in her element. “Status report,” she barked.
The shorter of the two, the brunette with the nice hips, came slightly to attention. The blond with the long legs caught him staring and winked.
Javier considered his chances. Might be worth trying.
“We found the wreck, ma’am,” Pathfinder Brunette said. “Either there were shipwrecked survivors, or there are locals. We found evidence of habitation.”
Javier looked up at the three women. “Bear?”
All three blinked down at him. Apparently they had forgotten he spoke.
“Negative,” the brunette said. “Firepit, hand–made pottery, agriculture, closeable door into a cabin that appears recently used.”
“But no one appeared,” Sykora stated flatly.
“Affirmative, ma’am,” the brunette agreed.
Sykora thought for a second. “Three minute break here, then we’ll push on.” The two women dropped in place and pulled out canteens.
The giant redwood tree turned around and looked down at him. “Aritza, push the drone vertical and do that long range scan trick again. I want to see the wreck.” Pause. “Please.”
The drone took off straight up, but Javier pushed a button on a screen quickly before anyone noticed the discrepancy.
You don’t exist , he typed. Don’t anticipate me. These people are smart and dangerous.
Sorry .
Javier took it up to 200 meters and hovered. One quick rotational scan, and then he focused in on the wreck. This was where Suvi would help.
Hard scan that thing for me. Inventory everything you can. And don’t let anything sneak up on us.
Will do, boss.
He poked the volume button and the screen like he was actually controlling it, but he knew Suvi was flying the remote now. After he escaped these yahoos, he might have to upgrade the remote so she could fly it from whatever ship he poured her into next.
And maybe add a gun.
Let’s see: two bears, a small herd of elk–like critters, and he was pretty sure that was the local equivalent of a bobcat. Hopefully it wasn’t the local version of a wolverine.
Javier looked up at her. “Path’s clear,” he said, “you might warn people that there are a few dangerous creatures in the woods.”
Sykora smiled down at him. “You mean, besides us.”
Javier rolled his eyes in pure reflex.
Ogre–lady trying to be funny might be worse than her as a total hard–ass.
He sighed to himself as he stood up. Another day, another drachma .
Ξ
Suvi was torn. On the one hand, it was good to be awake and doing something. On the other hand, she had been weeks off–line. Things had happened, and Javier wasn’t filling in the details.
The tall lady seemed to be in charge. And scary. Suvi really needed her processing core to read the inter–personal dynamics playing out around her. The chip she was on was barely big enough to hold her personality and near–term memory.
As it was, she’d had to off–load some of her consciousness onto the portable. There was certainly space for files, but the processor on that thing was
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