week ago, so we've kept signatures disabled or muted -- if we hadn't, we'd have know the burst was coming, and we could have maneuvered out of the way.
It's worse when you're tethered to an asteroid, isn't it, Varien says.
Occasionally, she says. When we're in the river, though, with the rest of the rocks, it's more constant. Here, we've got a little protection, but it's not total.
Can Ishy repair the engine?
I don't know. She's looking at it with Serena now. I'm going to assume the worst.
What's the worst? Varien asks.
The worst is, we're immobilized here. Adrift with the rock, can't go anyplace. The worst is, we're sitting ducks if the patrols pick us up.
What happens if they do?
I've been on the Citadel's list for four hundred years, Tasneem says. If they find us, they'll kill all of you, and they'll martyr me as slowly and as visibly as they can.
Varien exhales a throaty breath. Do we have weapons?
No, Tasneem says. I mean, the ship itself can be a weapon. But my war is one without deaths. So no guns, no bolts, no bombs. You can't improve the system by removing people from it. You improve the system by improving people themselves.
Varien looks worried.
It's okay to be scared, Tasneem says. You're in the mix now. This isn't Saffron.
I am scared, Varien says. I don't know what to do about it. I've never really been afraid of anything in my life.
When I lived on Earth, Tasneem says, when I was very small, I was scared of all sorts of things. Earth was pulling itself apart. Every week another storm claimed another few thousand lives. I would wake up to the sound of thunder, and it terrified me. The Earth I knew was a dying one, tortured and afraid.
Were you alone?
My mother was there, Tasneem says. She would hold me, and she would tell me stories about a new home. She made it up, all of it, but it soothed me. And then it came true, and we moved to Station Ganymede. We were safe, and she died knowing that I was safe. Her stories weren't real, but they became real.
So I should just tell myself lies? Varien asks. Just make up a fairy tale about a safe place?
Tasneem smiles. I can do you one better.
• • •
You've met almost everyone aboard the Maasi , Tasneem says.
She points at her bed, and Varien sits down.
Who else is there? Varien asks. I haven't seen anyone except for Serena, Tarae, Oona, Ishy and you.
Tasneem taps her wristband. Have you ever seen one of these?
Jewelry? Varien asks.
She removes the wristband and hands it to him.
As he cradles it, inspecting it, she says, This is a vintage personal databand. They were invented on Station Ganymede, and quickly became indispensable. They're like the backstraps you see people wearing now, except the databand was removable. You've seen a backstrap?
Yes, Varien says. I knew a man on Saffron who had one in the shape of a dragon.
So you know them, then. Good. Backstraps are elegant things -- they're indistinguishable from skin unless you want them to be visible, and they do a lot more than a databand did. These wristbands came with earpieces. They could talk to you, though rather robotically. They would direct your movements through a space, or contact people for you, but altogether they were very limited. The backstrap is more of a body augmentation. Did your friend have health issues?
He said he wore his to curb his alcoholism, Varien says.
I thought so. Backstraps actually interact with your body in ways that the databand didn't.
So why do you wear it? It's half a millennium old. Is it just to remind you of the old days?
Oh, no. I'm not sentimental at all. I wear it because -- well, it's easier to show you. Give me your wrist.
Varien leans forward and extends his arm.
Tasneem fits the databand around his wrist.
Your arm's a little bigger than mine, she says. Okay, now this.
She removes a small earpiece and hands it to him. Varien inspects it curiously, then tilts
It's worse when you're tethered to an asteroid, isn't it, Varien says.
Occasionally, she says. When we're in the river, though, with the rest of the rocks, it's more constant. Here, we've got a little protection, but it's not total.
Can Ishy repair the engine?
I don't know. She's looking at it with Serena now. I'm going to assume the worst.
What's the worst? Varien asks.
The worst is, we're immobilized here. Adrift with the rock, can't go anyplace. The worst is, we're sitting ducks if the patrols pick us up.
What happens if they do?
I've been on the Citadel's list for four hundred years, Tasneem says. If they find us, they'll kill all of you, and they'll martyr me as slowly and as visibly as they can.
Varien exhales a throaty breath. Do we have weapons?
No, Tasneem says. I mean, the ship itself can be a weapon. But my war is one without deaths. So no guns, no bolts, no bombs. You can't improve the system by removing people from it. You improve the system by improving people themselves.
Varien looks worried.
It's okay to be scared, Tasneem says. You're in the mix now. This isn't Saffron.
I am scared, Varien says. I don't know what to do about it. I've never really been afraid of anything in my life.
When I lived on Earth, Tasneem says, when I was very small, I was scared of all sorts of things. Earth was pulling itself apart. Every week another storm claimed another few thousand lives. I would wake up to the sound of thunder, and it terrified me. The Earth I knew was a dying one, tortured and afraid.
Were you alone?
My mother was there, Tasneem says. She would hold me, and she would tell me stories about a new home. She made it up, all of it, but it soothed me. And then it came true, and we moved to Station Ganymede. We were safe, and she died knowing that I was safe. Her stories weren't real, but they became real.
So I should just tell myself lies? Varien asks. Just make up a fairy tale about a safe place?
Tasneem smiles. I can do you one better.
• • •
You've met almost everyone aboard the Maasi , Tasneem says.
She points at her bed, and Varien sits down.
Who else is there? Varien asks. I haven't seen anyone except for Serena, Tarae, Oona, Ishy and you.
Tasneem taps her wristband. Have you ever seen one of these?
Jewelry? Varien asks.
She removes the wristband and hands it to him.
As he cradles it, inspecting it, she says, This is a vintage personal databand. They were invented on Station Ganymede, and quickly became indispensable. They're like the backstraps you see people wearing now, except the databand was removable. You've seen a backstrap?
Yes, Varien says. I knew a man on Saffron who had one in the shape of a dragon.
So you know them, then. Good. Backstraps are elegant things -- they're indistinguishable from skin unless you want them to be visible, and they do a lot more than a databand did. These wristbands came with earpieces. They could talk to you, though rather robotically. They would direct your movements through a space, or contact people for you, but altogether they were very limited. The backstrap is more of a body augmentation. Did your friend have health issues?
He said he wore his to curb his alcoholism, Varien says.
I thought so. Backstraps actually interact with your body in ways that the databand didn't.
So why do you wear it? It's half a millennium old. Is it just to remind you of the old days?
Oh, no. I'm not sentimental at all. I wear it because -- well, it's easier to show you. Give me your wrist.
Varien leans forward and extends his arm.
Tasneem fits the databand around his wrist.
Your arm's a little bigger than mine, she says. Okay, now this.
She removes a small earpiece and hands it to him. Varien inspects it curiously, then tilts
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