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Chapter-13

Casanova took in the Delta, made a decision on how to proceed and sent out a Gamma to make it happen.

Angel gave him a questioning look.

"My transporter needs some assistance." He went back to studying the tiger in the distance, with the multitude of forks working around him. "How does he do it?"

"How do you visualize it?" she asked. She was back to looking plain. Casanova didn't want to risk being noticed so he wasn't imposing his view on anything this close to the Orr AI.

"Each fork is proportionally smaller from the one that sent it out." He was quiet for a moment. "I just watched a seventh-generation fork send one out." He shuddered.

"I think your analogy is faulty. You think of his forks as being lesser version of him, like it is for us. We can only create lower versions. I think he's making exact, or nearly exact copies."

He considered her words, then his view of his surroundings reshaped itself. This wasn't him imposing what he wanted over it, just how he interpreted the information around him. Now instead of ever smaller version of the tiger, they were all the same, creating a sea of stripes and gray suits.

"This can't be possible," he whispered. "If each one of them needs as much processing power as the alpha, we'd feel the ripples throughout the entire city."

"I don't have an explanation, it's just a supposition to explain how he does what he does." She turned away. "Come on, we have more important things to do. I've located where the Vanguard store their plans." She disappeared, leaving a faint trail showing her path.

Casanova watched the tiger for a moment longer. They'd have to go there at some point, to get the plans to the Orr's terraforming technology. Could he charm him? He was good, but he'd never gone up against an unknown AI. He'd charmed plenty of them back at the Nursery, but they were birthed by the same group of scientists, so they followed a similar baseline. This Orr AI was different.

Casanova turned away. He'd deal with how when the time came. Worrying about it now wouldn't help him. He was about to follow Angel's path when he noticed a pattern in the air, at what he considered the line between the Orr and SolGov systems.

It was an information fractal. The first he'd seen in the city's system. Like all of them it was beautiful, but not in the same way as the information node. There was no life in this, it was a mathematical representation of information. Caduceus loved them. They spread them around the systems they ran in the colonies, but they could also occur randomly in complex systems.

Casanova smiled as it reminded him of them. He touched the fractal, causing it to dissolve in a silent explosion, then left.

Angel was standing next to a massive node, looking at him impatiently. He smiled and couldn't help making her look like a warrior woman again, which only increased her annoyance.

He touched the node. "This is going to take a while. Vanguard nodes are stiff and humorless."

Angel let out a breath. "No, they're not. This habit you have of giving them personalities is costing us precious time."

"Angel, time is something we have in abundance. Until our transports have located Mirror, there is little we can do."

"We can get the plans, so that when she joins us, we'll be ready to move."

Casanova's smile broadened. "They're working in living time. It's going to take them an eternity. Can't you indulge me even a little?"

"I'm letting you get away with this, aren't I?" she indicated herself.

"You are so magnificent when angry."

She sighed. "Just get on with it."

He turned to the node. "Hello."

The colors in the node stopped, forming a wall.

"No, no. I'm not here to force myself on you, I'd never think of doing such a thing on a good man like you. I just want to keep you company for a time. Make your duties a little easier to bear You don't mine that, do you?"

The node flashed once.

Casanova pressed himself against the node. "I won't interfere with your work, I promise, but aren't you lonely? Wouldn't you enjoy some company?" He pushed a little of himself into the node. "See, doesn't that feel nice? Much better than just standing there, and you can still work. No one can reproach enjoying what you're doing, can they?"

The colors shifted toward yellow, and Casanova smiled. "I know, Pleasure can be a distraction, but only when you let it get out of control. You'd never do that. I wouldn't let you." He pushed a hand in, and caressed a stream. Making it shudder. "Doesn't that feel good? Surely there's nothing wrong with feeling that for a little while? If something happens, I'll let you get back to work, I promise."

The node vibrated then seemed to soften. Casanova indicated to Angel to start her work as he pushed more of himself in, feeling the pleasure increase and he took up more and more of the node's attention.

* * * * *

The neighborhood didn't inspire confidence. At first glance it might look like any of the others in the city's lower income areas, but Theo could see indication it wasn't as well maintained. Series of cracks in the walls of the housing units. Walls made of a material that wasn't supposed to be able to crack according to the manufacturer. Thick layer of grime on the windows, emergency unlocks broken on doors.

But more telling was the lack of people. The deeper he'd walked in the neighborhood, the less people there were until he couldn't see anyone in any direction.

"Are you sure this is where Patricia said Rodrick was staying?"

"The Mallory housing complex in the London dome."

"Why would he stay here? His cover let him stay anywhere in the city, and he had the funds to have a room in one of the hotels in the elevator."

"Unfortunately, Rodrick didn't leave a message explaining his reasoning. Maybe he thought Anderson would appreciate the savings?"

Theo looked around. "I'm going to have to explain to him that we aren't using colony funds during missions. Damn I wish I was armed."

"We're Casanovas, Theo, we don't need weapons to get out of trouble, we use our charms."

The tiger smiled. "You seem to be forgetting all those times we had to fight our way out of troubles."

"I like to think of them as aberrations."

The Mallory complex was only a dozen stories tall, made of a drab brown material that was flaking off. Theo almost hit the door as it didn't open for him.

"You're going to have to open it manually. It isn't responding to my commands."

"It's locked?"

"No. The control unit for it seems to be defective."

Theo grabbed the edge of the door and pulled it to the side. It moved easily and he stepped through, only to back out immediately as the stench hit him. Garbage lined the walls, and by the scents, that had been there for weeks, at least.

"Are the disposal systems defective too?"

"It seems like it. I've found dozens of repair requests lodged with the maintenance company, but none of them have been answered."

"Is anything working in there?"

"Most of the basic systems are online."

"Disposal isn't basic?" Theo looked in again. Who could live in such filth? Even the Independents back on earth lived in better conditions than that.

"It's part of a secondary system."

"Does the lift work?"

"No. You'll have to take the stairs." A door flashed.

Theo took a deep breath and sped through the lobby. It didn't help. The air was so thick with the humid stench it clung to him; he could taste it. And the stairs were no better.

"Fourth floor," Cass offered.

He took the steps two by two, dreading having to take a breath and wondering if the hall would be any better. He starting to see stars when he reached the door, flung it open and closed behind him. He had no choice but to gasp deep breath, but fortunately the hall only stank.

"Next time we're coming to Mars, remind me to request a breather unit. Which door?"

"Twenty-eight."

The door next to the stair was numbered seventy-three and the numbers went down, reaching fifty at the intersection, where the lift was open, revealing an empty shaft. Plaques next told him doors twenty-five to forty-seven were along the hall to his right.

"Do you remember that comment about being armed you made earlier?" Cass asked.

"Yeah, why?" Theo whispered back.

"I wish you had one right now."

"What's wrong?"

"I can't see in the apartment."

"The security system is down too?"

"No. That's on an independent network, maintained by the city, and as far as they know, it's working fine, reporting an unoccupied space, but that is a recording. The power consumption for the apartment indicates there is currently two high drain items active, but I don't see anything active on the security feed that can draw that much."

Theo placed his right hand on the door. "Can you tell how many people are inside?"

"No, but I can confirm there is more than one person. They are deeper in the apartment."

The plans appeared in Theo's vision. The door opened to the right side of an open room kitchen and living room, with a small corridor leading to the two bedrooms in the middle of the opposing wall. "Can you tell in which of the bedroom they are?"

"No, the sensors in your hand aren't sensitive enough."

"You can open the door?" Theo opened the compartment in his forearm and rotated the tools until he came to the one he wanted. He took it out and turned it on, the end glowing white hot.

"I don't know how useful the welder is going to be. If they assaulted Rodrick, they will have some type of fire arm."

"It's that or nothing."

"Maybe you should get your thigh modified. Have a holster installed."

"I'll think about it, but right now we need to focus. They're still away from the door?"

"By the voices, yes, but the bedroom door might be open and one of them could be looking through it."

"Got to risk it, I'm not accomplishing anything standing here." He crouched. "Open it."

He didn't bother checking, he moved in. He'd know quickly enough if someone was watching the door. He went in the opening between the fridge and stove and used the breakfast bar to hide him. No sounds of alarm, no raised voices. The door closed silently.

He peeked around the other end of the bar. The living room was rearranged with five cots. The table was covered with ready to eat meals. The food preparation unit was making something, and as Theo glanced in its direction, it buzzed, having finished its work.

One of the voices said something in a language Theo didn't understand. That told him whoever was in the room was from one of the Earth-bound Independent faction. The corporations had agreed on a unified language century ago and even the colonies spoke it. Accents was the way to tell corporation affiliation now days.

What were Independents doing on Mars? And in Rodrick's room? It couldn't be a coincidence they'd picked this room, but how had they known to come here?

A chair scraped the floor as it was pushed back. And Theo sped the way he came, getting into the open closet and closing the door enough to hide him. Cass would keep any of the sensors in it from registering the change in available space.

He placed his hand on the floor, a finger past the edge of the door and the view from the camera there appeared in his vision. A bison wearing gray SolGov pants and jacket walked around the counter, opened the preparation unit and reached for something in it, immediately cursing and putting a finger to his mouth.

Laughter exploded in the room, he turned to face in that direction and said something that didn't sound polite. The laughter increased. He grabbed a towel from the table and used it to pull a plater piled with steaming something Theo couldn't make out. Grumbling he took the plater with him.

Theo raised his hand to keep him in sight. The buffalo entered the corridor and turned left into that bedroom.

There might be others in the other bedroom, but all the voices came from that one. Five cots meant five people. Not good odds.

'Translation.' He coded.

"Nothing of use. They're playing some game and talking about the sex parlor they'll be going to when the others get here."

'That's useful.'

"Only if you were planning on staying hidden in here, then yes, knowing there will be more people here at some point is good, but I'd think you want us out of here with Rodrick as soon as possible."

Theo looked around the door for something they could use to increase their advantage, but there wasn't much. Fridge, prep unit, screen, and this wasn't a bondo movie where he could wire one thing to the other and make a bomb out of them.

'Ideas?'

"Other than have the door buzzer sound to draw one or two of them out for you to take alone, no."

'Anything in the rooms?'

"Nothing I can detect, which means they are either off, or low tech. With Independents, it's difficult to say. But whatever is drawing the power has to be there."

He stood and peeked at the doorway. He couldn't see them, which meant they couldn't see him. He wanted a look in the other bedroom. If Rodrick was held there, they'd have a better chance of taking them on together. The problem was that the moment he stepped into the hall; they'd see him.

He quietly stepped back behind the breakfast bar, which let him look down the corridor. The door was at the end, and open, but he couldn't see much from here. One end of a makeshift table with electronics on it, nothing else.

'The screen has a camera, right?'

"Yes."

He looked around again. One last chance to find a way to avoid having to fight five Independents. He didn't want that fight, but he couldn't see a way to avoid it. Tactics had never been his strong point. He'd never been keen on fighting; he was more of a ....

He smiled. This was utterly insane, but it would give him the element of surprise.

'Going back outside.'

"What? Why?"

Theo didn't answer, he stepped to the door and it opened, closing behind him. He looked around. No one was in the hall. He took off the shirt, and it reverted to its default white fabric. He put that in the back of his pants.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving myself a fair chance," Theo whispered. "Give me shorts, low cut and tight, just this side of illegal for SolGov." He put away the welder.

"You're going to try to sleep with them?"

"You heard them plan to go to a sex parlor, that means they want to get laid. make me something that smells like alcohol."

"What if the others arrive in the middle of the orgy?"

"If I was planning on an orgy, I'd invite them to join in. I just want to get in and among them, catch them by surprise."

"It ready. I don't know how good of an idea that is. They might shoot you as soon as they open the door."

"Hopefully not." He aimed the palm of his hand at his chest and sprayed a fine mist, then his neck and face. He coughed as he got of whiff of it. "Strong stuff."

"If you're going to act like you're drunk, might as well make it smell good."

Theo looked down at himself. The shorts were bright green, as were the shoes. Cass had changed them tor something lighter. He definitely looked like someone looking for a fun time. "Buzz them."

A moment later the door opened and a giraffe glared at him. Theo gave him his widest smile. "Hey, I made it." He leered at him and ran a hand over the gray shirt. "Is Arnie here yet? Or did I manage to get here before him." Theo moved his hand down to grope the giraffe as he pushed his way in. "Oh wow. He'd said he'd introduce me to some well-hung guys, and he wasn't lying, was he?"

Voices came from the bedroom and Theo look around the giraffe. "There's more guys? Arnie didn't say it'd be a party." He stepped around, making his walk unsteady. Near the door he stumbled and caught himself on the wall, glancing in the other bedroom. Only tables with equipment. No Rodrick.

"Hey guy! What are you playing?" Theo sat in the lap of the closest man, an elephant and nuzzled his chest. "You're all so big and strong. I guess you're going to be using me until I scream your names, won't you?" he paused and looked at the others. The buffalo, a lion and a lizard he couldn't place, gecko maybe? "What's all your names?"

They spoke among themselves in the language Theo didn't understand.

"Oh you're tourists? Then me and Arnie are going to have to give you the best Martian welcome then. Believe me, you are not going to regret this." He moved his ass against the elephant's groin and felt him react. The elephant said something while the lion looked through papers. Theo couldn't see what was on them so he reached across the table to caress the lion's arm, but he moved away.

The lion shook his head to whatever the elephant said, then pulled a paper and showed it to the buffalo, who nodded and said something.

"Trap!" Cass yelled, and Theo threw himself to the ground, taking the welder out of his arm as he rolled to a crouch. The closest was still the elephant, who'd closed his arms around where he had been.

No, it was the giraffe in the doorway.

Theo stabbed at his leg as he stood, making him scream. He pulled the welder up along and through the side of his groin. The wound didn't bleed, but the pain sent the man to the ground curled up and hands against his junk.

Theo launched himself at the elephant, welder forward and stabbed him in the chest. The elephant grabbed him by the back of his neck and threw him over the table, into the buffalo, sending them both tumbling back.

Theo saw the gun at the belt in the fall and grabbed for it, pulling it out as the buffalo grabbed his hand. With a flick of the thumb Theo flicked the safety off and pulled the trigger twice, hitting the him in the stomach and the leg before his hand was pulled up. Someone else grabbed him and pulled.

Theo flew off and hit a wall, making him see stars. Before his eyes focused, he was hit in the face multiple times, then he fell to the floor and was kicked in the stomach, the legs, and then he lost consciousness.