"Come on, people!" Michael tried to rush everybody along, with quick glances at his wristcron. The Twins had been waiting patiently with him, but when the Gates were delayed due to O-Storm activity, both 23 and Tamlynn had wandered off to get some more work done. Now in less than fifteen minutes, they had to get to both Picadarcel and wherever the night’s festival that Jacine was taking them to was. Michael pulled rank and got a priority code for their Gate out -- there was always a pile-up after a Storm.

The Gate opened on the small terminal of Picadarcel. There wasn’t much activity beyond, and Michael took a moment to look for Jacine. His sister wasn’t within sight. Next to him, Rhin didn’t pause, but walked though. Michael shrugged and followed, with the rest of the Gang behind him.

"Hi Michael." The voice wasn’t Jacine’s. Michael looked around to see Rena waiting next to the cube. The Peace Officer was smiling as she welcomed her friend’s brother.

Michael smiled back at her -- Rena had known him for years, even though he only rarely came to Jacine’s home. More often, when the siblings would visit, it was Jacine who would go to where Michael happened to be at the time. Speaking of whom... "Hello Rena. Where’s Jacine?"

"She’s at home. She wanted you to drop by there first, before going on to the Festival." Rena grinned, "Jacine had been waiting for you herself, but when the Gates were delayed, she wanted to get more work done."

Everybody in the group laughed, looking towards 23 and Tamlynn. 23 looked slightly sheepish, while Tamlynn just shrugged, not apologetic in the least. Michael started towards the people-movers, but Rena stopped him.

"I’m sorry, officers, but I’ll have to keep your weapons locked up while you’re in our town. They’ll be returned when you leave."

Michael followed Rena’s gaze, and fought to hold back a grin -- the Peace Officer was talking to Zam and Rhin, who both had dubious expressions on their faces. He mocked frowned, "I told you that before we left."

Rhin unhooked a trank from her belt and handed it over, "I know, but this is a frontier town... When I visit home, we never go anywhere without tranks because of the Recessives." Or lasers. Her town fought a continual holding pattern with their exiled, changed, former friends, now enemies.

"Picadarcel is a little different." Rena knew they were in a hurry, so didn’t expand, but neither did she let them leave while she patiently waited for Azami.

Michael’s gaze flicked over the things on ‘Zam’s belt in mild bafflement -- the tall officer wasn’t wearing a trank gun. But she did look embarrassed.

"I’m sorry. I tend to forget." Azami unhooked one of the pouches off her belt and gave it to the Peace Officer. Rena handled it gingerly, and promptly put it into a small iron lockbox.

Michael, 23, and Tamlynn all looked at Azami with puzzlement and not a little apprehension.

"Plastique," Azami explained, "I was doing a demonstration earlier."

"Oh." Michael decided not touch that topic. He waved goodbye to Rena and the group piled into a people mover, programming it for Jacine’s block. As it traveled the roads, they were silent as they tried to get a feel for the town Jacine lived in. There were trees everywhere, and a kaleidoscope of colors as most of the fruit was just finishing their growing season. Tall vines grew up houses, leaden with grapes and berries. Where there weren’t trees, fields of corn and wheat grew, waving in the wind.

The Terminal was near the middle of the "old-town", which had been built to look like old pictures of towns in the mid-twentieth century. There were some shopping areas and commercial buildings, with streets dividing them in regular groups. With their RCF background, the group knew that however rustic it tried to look, the town was up to date in defenses.

As they moved further out, the houses tended to clump together; several on a block with small yard spacing between them, then for a few kilometers there would be a small orchard of trees and fields before the next batch of houses. The main part of town was in a small valley, and the roads curved upwards to the tops of short hills.

The people mover stopped at the edge of one block, and Michael and the others got out. Michael explained, "The people movers stop a couple of kilometers from the edge of town so that the electrical noise isn’t overwhelming for the Recs, and so that when they do come in, there’s less to repair later." He lead the way past several houses, stopping in front of a one-story grey house. It had the ubiquitous berry vines on the side that was facing them. A row of citrus trees lined the block outside, and the path leading to the front door was shaded by an apple tree. Strawberries grew in small plots by the path.

Moving up beside the front door, Rhin paused to dip her fingers in the fountain that was cheerfully spraying water in the air in a series of arcs around a small bush that was growing in the middle of it. 23 fished out a penny from his belt pouch and tossed it in. Zam shook her head as she watched it, "And he throws away more change..."

"Nope. Exchanged it for a wish."

All three women immediately tried to get him to tell what he’d wished for. 23 laughed and evaded all questions, even though it hadn’t been that serious. Michael chuckled at them, and rang the door bell.

A train blasted a warning call and rushed by them. Even Michael jumped slightly before he settled down, muttering under his breath. Azami, Rhin, and 23 were still looking around and Tamlynn wryly grinned at them, "That was Jacine’s doorbell."

"Her doorbell." Zam and Rhin traded dubious glances with each other and 23, "Right."

Michael, without turning his head, remarked, "I personally hate it, but..." He shrugged, "She’ll have a new one soon enough. She changes them periodically."

"Doesn’t that get confusing?" 23 asked.

"To everybody else, yes." Michael didn’t add to his statement as the door opened and he was holding an armful of sibling.

After greeting her brother, Jacine darted back inside, waving everybody else to follow her. "Hi people! We don’t have much time. Dump your stuff there," she pointed in a corner in the living room, "And come pick out masks." Jacine ducked into her bedroom.

"Masks?" The three women followed her eagerly, while the two men hung around out in the living room and exchanged equally dubious looks. Jacine’s voice floated back out to them, "If you two don’t come in and pick ‘em out, we’ll choose for you!"

Michael laughed, "I think we’d better." 23 agreed and they moved in.

Jacine ducked back out of her room with a grin on her face. The women were having as much fun as she’d expected them to with the Festival Masks. Jacine thought with faint regret that she would have loved to have seen what ‘Zam could have come up with for original designs, but there just hadn’t been enough time. She caught a glimpse of the time and silently squeaked her dismay. Her only hope was that the Festival would be a little late starting. Activating the comset, she called her friend in Shaneysville and let him know they were heading out now and she was really sorry for being late.

"That’s okay, Jacine. The Festival doesn’t really start for another 40 minutes."

"What???!!!"

Michael, Rhin, and Tamlynn all came out of the room at the yell. They saw Jacine on the comset, talking with a man. Jacine saw their worried/curious expressions and grimaced. She finished up her end of the conversation, "All right, we’ll be there soon. Bye, Art." Then she turned to them, "The Festival starts in a half hour. We’ve got plenty of time to get there."

Michael laughed, "Someone else who knows your habits, huh?"

"Hey," Jacine pointed out, "I was ready on time. It was the O-Storms that made you people late."

"Well," Michael shrugged, "It happens. But I think a ‘half-hour’ is just enough time to get there and not be late -- not ‘plenty of time’."

"Everything’s relative." Jacine grinned, then reached in her pocket to make sure she had the tickets. "If you’ve picked out masks, we’d better get going." She stopped mid-stride and looked, actually looked for the first time, at the three women. "Didn’t I tell you to come in dresses or skirts?"

"You’re not," Rhin pointed out, even as Azami lifted a tote-bag in response.

Jacine grimaced, then her expression lightened, "I will if you will."

"Okay!" Tamlynn glanced at the guys, "Five minutes."

23 rolled his eyes, and Michael muttered something under his breath.

"I heard that." Jacine paused to grin at her brother, then they moved into her room, leaving the men out in the family room.

"Five minutes?"

23 had to eat his words after only four. The women came back out, Azami still working with her hair, but all the women were in their formal outfits and the group of them together made quite a picture. Apparently Michael thought so too, as he darted into Jacine’s room and came back out with a camera. "Smile." They laughed at him, and he used that for his picture.

"Ohh... -- look over there!" Rhin pointed to a fountain that was being lit-up in colors of blue base, purple middle, indigo top, and the falling drops were laser-lit with sparkling red.

Azami moved her attention from the three-tiered spout-fall, and sighed happily in artistic bliss, "This is wonderful."

"I wonder how much all this electricity is costing them?" 23 hadn’t seen any conversion centers, and a standard generator would be --

"Spoil sport." Tamlynn thumped him in the arm, interrupting his thoughts.

Michael looked worriedly at Jacine, whose eyes had gone unfocused at 23’s question, "Jas -- not now!" She blinked and came out of it.

Art, Jacine’s friend, remarked, "I’m not saying how much the total moneys are, but it’s well made up for in the number of people who Gate in. We’ve only been doing it for three years, but every year it gets bigger. One of the City Planning goals is to eventually be able to afford a Shield. If we had a Shield, we could expand out even to the edge of Old Tampa and do some Reclamation and if our tourist industry has expanded, maybe museums and tours."

"A worthy goal," Michael agreed. Too many cities were trying still to only survive. New Tampa was looking to the future and had found its own brand of goods to sell; not the industry that others were still attempting to recreate, but tourism in the form of this exotic Water Festival. He started to ask a question, but stopped at a glare from Tamlynn.

"Shhh..." Tam was too tired to allow practicalities to interfere with her enjoyment. She was going to enjoy as much of this Festival that she could, and not even think about work, and then go straight to bed at Jacine’s house and not get up for twelve hours. That was her plan, and she was going to stick to it, even if it meant thumping 23 and glaring at Michael. She looked out across the small lake to the waterfall on the edge and allowed herself to be mesmerized by the falling water as it stood out in the darkness immediately surrounding it.

Eventually, the fountains died down and the lights dimmed. Instead of disappointment, the vast crowd in the stadiums radiated anticipation and the noise level increased dramatically as people started moving out.

"There’s more?" Michael looked at Jacine.

She grinned, "I told you you’d need the masks..."

As one, Rhin and Azami drew in their breaths. "Not..." Rhin started. "A Ball?" Azami finished. Their eyes gleamed in anticipation.

Art stood up and stretched, then pointed across the way, where lights had started to go on. "Over there, in the meadow. There are even a few mazes for people to get lost in."

Azami twirled around, her skirts spinning out around her legs before coming back in to her partner and his hand. He guided her around the court for another round before the music stopped. "Thank you," Azami spoke with pleasure, reveling in the joy of smooth movement and the fun of the exertion.

"No, thank you." The man raised her hand and kissed it, then let her go as he faded into the crowd.

Someone sighed behind her, and Azami turned to see Rhin staring after her former partner, "Azami, you have all the luck."

"But they never stay." The two of them laughed, then headed back to the area of the garden the group had claimed as their wallflower spot. They saw Michael standing there, but nobody else. Rhin frowned, "Azami, you’re going to have to drag him out there."

"I know. I’ve been working on it. But as long as Jacine was there, I wasn’t having much luck." Even though Jacine had also been trying to get her brother to go have some fun.

"She’s not there now," Rhin pointed out.

"No," Azami looked around, "I wonder where she is?"

As they reached Michael, Tamlynn and 23 also showed up. "Oh, that was fun!" Tamlynn was laughing, but obviously tired. 23 was also laughing, "I didn’t step on your toes too many times, is that what you’re saying?" Tamlynn ruffled his hair, "I’m just glad I finally got you out there!"

The music started up again, soft and melodic. "Oh!" Rhin snagged 23’s hand and moved back onto the dance floor with him, claiming the right of the slow dance.

Tamlynn casted a regreatful eye on Michael, then left to go get some drinks. Azami sighed as she watched her leave.

"What?"

"Huh? Oh. Never mind." Azami shook her head -- Michael, as always, was completely clueless. Poor Tamlynn. It’s going to be a long time before he’s comfortable enough to even think about it. She watched him as he shifted the cane from his left hand to the right. "Michael, why do you have Jacine’s cane?"

"She’s dancing."

Azami clamped her lips down to avoid saying anything really stupid. But she couldn’t stop her eyes widening, and she internally cursed herself for having falling into the trap of assumptions.

Michael noticed both reactions, and his mouth twitched up without the emotion touching his eyes. "She needs a partner who can support her weight from that leg, and somebody who’s used to her, but given those requirements, she can do some of the gentler dances." He scanned the crowd, then pointed to a spot on the dance floor.

{misc stuff and fun}

Jacine woke from a tangled blur of dreams that started with a beaver, a rabbit, and a talking otter, and ended with a dark-haired adventurer who kissed her goodbye and left on his sailing ship after a night that had involved much more than kisses. She snatched after the memories of the dream -- particularly the details about the adventurer; but they faded into only knowledge of what had happened, not the vividness of it happening. Jacine groaned softly, not wanting to wake any of the others sleeping around her, and stared at the ceiling. Subvocalizing her thoughts, she muttered, "Calm down, girl. You’re just horny. Too many other women around, changing your cycles." Rolling her eyes at herself, "Yeah, right. Admit it girl -- you need a man!" With another low sigh, she rolled over and prepared to go back to sleep. Instead, she found herself staring at Craig-23, who was sleeping on his side less than an arm’s length away from her.

His dark hair was tousled with sleep, and a bare shoulder and arm were exposed above the sleeping bag. His face didn’t have either the disarming cuteness of when he was laughing and smiling, nor the grim seriousness it had at other times. Jacine regarded his sleeping face, wondering what it said about him. Some people said that when people slept, they looked innocent and childish. 23 definitely didn’t look like a boy. Even sleeping, he was a man.

Sticking out on top of the sleeping bag, his arm was crooked to curve across his chest, with the hand resting under his head. His arm wasn’t smooth or very hairy; instead it was just right for stroking, running a finger down the outline of muscles under the skin, watching shudders ripple through as self-control lost out... Even better, to run kisses up it, moving to the smoothness of his neck, then on to his cheek -- though the prickliness of outgrowing beard before a shave was a bit of a deterrent. His ear, then. Jacine decided that his ear was definitely nibblable. She ran her eyes back to his shoulder and wished that his sleeping bag wasn’t quite pulled up to cover all of his chest.

Jacine reached out a hand towards his shoulder, without knowing what she was doing. She came to her senses before she finished the gesture, and snatched it back, face burning with shame. What the HELL are you doing, girl??? He’s a friend! Your partner. Pressing her hands to her eyes, Jacine tried desperately to derail her thoughts.

On 23’s other side, Rhin murmured and rolled over, still sleeping. Jacine took her hands away from her eyes and looked at her. Rhin’s fiery hair was spread in curls across her face, strands running down her cheeks, wafting lightly with movement as Rhin settled to a new position. Her pixie face was relaxed, losing the animation of awakeness. Or the light in her eyes when she looks at 23. They were sleeping much closer together than the others, but there was still a foot of space between 23 and Rhin. Jacine smiled at her earlier thoughts of 23, Silly, he’s Rhin’s. She knew that Rhin put no claims of ‘ownership’ on anybody, but they were going out together, and a dream was only a dream. Jacine stretched and yawned, I’m awake now. The chron readout was way too early for actually getting up, but Jas didn’t really want to go back to sleep with romantic thoughts of 23 going through her head. I think I’ll go down to the workroom.

Wiggling out of her sleeping bag, Jacine looked at her crutches on the other side of the room and decided to just crawl. Hooking her left foot over her right one to keep her leg off the floor, she used her hands and arms to drag herself over the smooth floor to the panel in the wall that opened on the pole she used to descend into her workroom. Jacine slid down the pole and landed on her right foot. Bracing herself on the wall, she limped over to one of the tables covered with wires and circuits and soldering tools. She sat down in the chair and looked around, wondering what she could work on, out of all her various projects, that would distract her from hormones floating around.

Deciding to work on a robot she was creating for a friend of hers, she found the servo-joint tools and started some adaptations to the hand’s tensile strength. It was to be a multi-functional ’bot, with voice commands. Her friend was a paraplegic, and determined to live on her own. Jacine had already installed the same sort of general house-keeping program that she had developed to explain the circuit connections though her own house. She hadn’t released that series to the general public. The robot she was currently working on was to be a companion droid, to pick up and handle things, to retrieve papers from other people’s hands, and to go shopping. It probably could also be adapted to be defensive, but Jacine thought she’d add that on later. She wanted the patent to just be the companion droid to avoid any hint of military or paranoia usage. Shuddering, Jacine thought briefly about what it would have been like if the bullies of high school had adapted a personal defense robot to an offensive one.

Wrenching her mind off that thought, she thought wryly that remembering high school was always good for settling her hormones. Not much romantic there. Then she thought of Wes, and some of the nights they’d spent together, giggling over homework, exchanging kisses for right answers, forgetting completely about homework... Growling in frustration, Jacine reached into the robot with one of her mini-screwdrivers and tightened a wire connection. But her mouth quirked up in a gentle smile as 23’s face floated in front of her eyes. A thought floated through her mind, I didn’t know I felt that way about him.

When Rhin woke up the next morning, the house was quiet and dimly lit with sun streaming in the large south window. For a moment, Rhin just enjoyed the feeling of waking up with nowhere to go, while she stared out the window at the birds flying around. Then she frowned and looked at the chronset. Nine-thirty? But it's too dark. She crawled out of her sleeping bag and padded to the side of the window. Rhin's lips twitched up in a grin as she examined the control panel and noted the automatic glare-protector pre-programmed to levels of intensity and currently set at "sleeping".

Rhin turned to survey the rest of the group and see who was up and who was not. Michael and Tam were still sleeping soundly. There was no sign of Zam or Jacine, though their sleeping bags were still on the floor. 23 was watching her, with his head propped up on his pillow but still in his sleeping bag. He grinned when she met his eyes. She walked over and stood over him for a moment, just looking. He didn’t move, but continued to grin with a certain smugness. Rhin chuckled quietly, then knelt down to give him a good morning kiss. "Getting up?" she whispered. 23 shook his head in negation and burrowed deeper into his sleeping bag. "Silly." Rhin ruffled his hair then got up.

Moving silently into the kitchen, Rhin found a pot of hot chocolate simmering cheerfully on the stove. She poured herself a cup in a mug that read '2167: Annual Meeting of ASME'. She hunted briefly through the sets of spices on the wall, but a soft voice interrupted her.

"There's no coffee -- I already checked." Zam' voice was tinged with amusement.

"No coffee? How can anyone live?" Rhin turned in a semi-circle and found Zam sitting on the floor next to the sliding glass doors in the dining room, with Scarface draped across her lap.

Azami shifted her arms and the boa slithered off her right arm and started twining around her left wrist. Without replying to Rhin's hypothetical question, she commented, "This is one of the friendliest snakes I've come across. Even Midgard is getting crotchety in her old age. I wonder how Jacine got him."

Rhin sat down in a chair by her friend, "Where is Jacine anyhow?"

Zam shrugged, "Don't know. I got up an hour ago and she wasn't around then."

In soft voices, they started comparing notes on the Water Festival. Scarface untwined himself from Azami and coiled in the miniature ficus tree in the dining room. After about a half-hour or so, 23 came in and joined Azami and Rhin. With his arrival, they realized they were hungry. They poked around in the various cabinets and cupboards and fixed breakfast with much low laughter and giggles.

Not too much longer after that, they heard noises from the living room, and Michael stumbled in, looking very sleepy indeed. They looked at him, amused. He blinked at them, blurrily. "Tamlynn's going to catch some more sleep, so she moved into Jacine's room." He looked at the kitchen. "I see you've had breakfast."

The three awake people looked at each other and laughed again. 23 grinned, "You could say that. We don't do much personal cooking in Island City."

"Umm..." Michael brushed some flour off the counter. "You didn't really have to." He walked a little further into the kitchen and poured himself some orange juice from the ‘fridge. "Wren, could you make me my usual? Except I'd like three pancakes today."

A computer synthesized voice projected through speakers in the kitchen. "Reconfirm, Michael. Your 'usual': Two pancakes. Today, three. 'Lots' of maple syrup. Two French Toast. 'Lots' of powder sugar. Three eggs, scrambled. And chopped hash browns on the side."

"Confirmed." And Michael moved out of the kitchen as side panels started sliding open and mechanical arms moved out to assemble ingredients and collect pots and pans.

He moved into the dining room, where his friends were regarding him with surprised, but amused, grins. After a moment, they moved to the edge of the kitchen, to watch the autobots work.

"Jacine made these?" Azami asked, amazed.

"More or less." Michael laughed at a memory, but didn’t elaborate.

"And the computer?" Rhin thought that the commands showed a high level of independence in the program and strong A.I. interface.

"More or less." Michael again grinned. "Almost everything within the house is automated as well as manual. Jas likes to do things herself, but she can’t be bothered at other times. Plus, she likes to experiment with proto-types within her own house. That way, she can work out the system flaws before passing them out to a development company, or before giving them to her friends. The kitchen aid is a perfect example. It took nearly seven years for the servos to get all the coordinations in sync. The program itself apparently wasn’t as much of a problem, though nobody else has quite the level of sophistication that’s in Jacine’s house." Michael grinned at the kitchen, knowing his friends wouldn’t take the meaning any deeper than the surface. But Wren was sure to get a chuckle out of it.

Azami looked at Michael in surprise. That was a longer speech from him than she usually heard. And he was very relaxed... She didn’t see the tension that was normally in his body. It must be hard for him, in Island City. But here, at his sister’s home, he can be himself. She instantly resolved to pay closer attention to him while they were here. I’m getting a truer picture of who he is then I’ll ever see in the City.

Tam came out sometime after noon. She looked much better than she had the last several days, finally having gotten a decent amount of sleep. She ate her breakfast quietly, joining the others out on the patio under the trees. They all were enjoying the last of the summer sun and breeze. The birds were in full song from the bountiful harvest of the fruit, flying from tree to tree with joyful trills. Most fruit was ending the edible season and apples were beginning theirs, just getting ripe enough to eat.

Michael and Azami had started a juggling contest, and were tossing apples, plums, and tomatoes back and forth between them. Every now and then, one or the other of them -- usually Michael -- misjudged the strength needed to grab the tomato as opposed to the apple, and red juice splattered around them. Rhin would pick another and toss it into the fray. 23 sat next to her on the swing, leaning back and enjoying the day.

After a while, Tam started wondering about the makeup of the group. She went back inside the house. Then she came out again, "Michael, where's Jacine?"

Michael replied without missing a catch, "The Workshop."

"Ah." Tam nodded in understanding.

Azami caught the fruits without tossing them back. She raised an eyebrow. "I was up first and didn't see her... the Workshop?"

With a shrug, Michael held back the last apple. "She's not here. She's in the Workshop. Happens all the time. Second bet is the Computer Room, but she likely’d've heard us from there." He looked at the apple in his hand and took a bite.

"Computer Room?" 23 raised an eyebrow in interest and amusement, "Somehow, I think our tour of the house the first day left some things out."

Rhin shook her head, "I agree."

Michael blushed, "We were in a bit of a hurry to get to the show." He opened the doors. "Come on, then, and I'll show you the rest of it. The Workshop's below, but we can get to it from the Computer Room." He was betting himself that Zam and Rhin would like the firepole down. It was such a sure thing that he couldn’t think of any odds that would persuade him to take himself up on the bet.

The others followed him into the house, curious. All had noticed the closed-off section of the house the night before, but they'd been so tired, the siblings hadn't mentioned it, and the others hadn't asked. Michael opened a door in the kitchen and led them into a chilly room that hummed and purred and blinked with small lights. Michael winced slightly as he moved in, and he pulled a couple of compressible ear protectors from his pocket. He put them in and sighed in relief. Tamlynn was the only one of the group to notice, having seen Jacine's computer room before and being more interested in Michael himself, professionally and otherwise.

The rest of the group looked with open amazement at the rows of computer banks in the middle, and consoles lined against the walls. 23 and Rhin started prowling the corners, comparing models and figuring out power and memory capacity.

After a glance to Michael for permission, Zam headed straight for the things that were the most interesting to her -- closed doors. She opened one in the right corner, and blinked at the darkness within. The Black Hole (for so it was labeled on the outside) had enough room on the inside for a person, so she went in. Sitting on a black seat that was incredibly comfortable, she closed the door.

"Oops," Michael laughed, not having expected her to actually go in. Tamlynn also chuckled. "Should we let her out, do you think?"

"Maybe give her a few minutes...," Michael shook his head and glanced at Tam.

"I think she’d like it." Tam tried to be fair as she thought of her friend, but made a slight grimace as she answered the implied question. She didn’t care much for the sensory deprivation herself. It was fun for a few minutes, but longer triggered instinctive fears within her. Tamlynn liked the light, and knowing what was around her. She looked up to see Michael studying her. Tam blinked at the seriousness of it. Normally he ignored her, or saw only the doctor.

Michael looked away, embarrassed, "I don’t like it either."

"You don’t?" Tam was surprised -- he was the first person she’d met that also expressed her ideas.

"No... I usually don’t say anything -- you’re the only other human I’ve found that reacts the same way."

"Oh." Tamlynn tried a tentative smile at him, sharing a companionship she had begun to fear would never happen.

Michael smiled back, before his natural reserve seemed to reassert itself and he turned to the Black Hole. "Long enough." He entered a code on the door that overrode the automatic time-lock without activating the emergency systems, and opened it.

Zam didn’t lose any time coming out, though her voice was excited, "That was nifty! Pure, absolute blackness. I couldn’t hear anything, see anything -- I couldn’t even feel the chair I was sitting on! How’d Jacine create a sensory deprivation chamber in such a small area?"

"Who knows how Jas does half the things she makes?" Tamlynn laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm.

Rhin came over after hearing Tes’ description, and went in herself, pausing for a brief discussion with Michael on how to get out.

Azami headed for the closed door on the opposite side. Tamlynn followed her, having fun watching her friend explore.

When Rhin had left to try out the Black Hole, 23 stayed by the computer banks and stared silently into a corner. He didn’t say a word while Rhin was with him, but the situation was making him uneasy. The total power represented in the set-up of this one room was almost more than that allotted for all of the RCF’s usage. 23 knew a sinking feeling as he considered what such power could be used for -- and the criminals he’d encountered a few times that had setups just like this, only with a lot less capability. There were even similarities in the jokes posted on the machines. What do I know of Jacine, really? 23 shivered and pushed thoughts of blonde hair and laughing eyes out of his mind. That first day they’d met... She’d been frantic with concern about her brother, and had let him see her hack through RCF codes so tight he couldn’t get through them without the proper passwords and clearances. And then that program... 23 tried again, as he had several times since the first, to figure out what it might have been. It was powerful. That was all he knew. That, and also that in letting him see it, Jacine had trusted him. Trusted him perhaps more than she should have. Darn it. Just because she trusted me, does that mean that I have to trust her? He rested his head against the cool metal, feeling the throb of active systems behind it, and tried to reassure himself.

The only label that the left door had was a sign that said, "Make sure you get all the bugs out," and a small diagram of a fly. Zam opened the door and poked her head inside. Her voice came out muffled, "Hey Tam! This VR Booth is like yours!"

Tamlynn looked on in amusement, "It practically is. Jacine liked it so much, she made one for herself. It’s more adaptable, though, where mine is specifically built for analysis. Mine has more power, but hers works into the Net."

"Huh." Zam got a gleam in her eye. "Does Jacine mind other people using it?"

"I wouldn’t think so." Tam looked for Michael, but he had wandered off.

Azami also glanced around, "Maybe some other time. Let’s see what else I can find." Her eyes gleamed with the fun of being allowed free rein in exploring a new area.

Michael finished explaining the basics of the Sensory Deprivation Chamber to Rhin, and watched her shut herself in. Jacine had it set on a preprogrammed random time limit with lower and upper caps, but there was a separate voice code that, when enabled, would allow a person to end the session prematurely. Jacine typically disabled it, but Michael left it active while Rhin would be in. After Rhin had been in for a minute without any signs of problems, Michael looked around the Computer Room to see where everybody else was. Azami was investigating the VR booth, with Tamlynn looking on. He didn't see 23. Walking back between the rows of computer banks, Michael found 23 leaning against one of them, his eyes shut. His body language was that of dejection.

23 felt a presence near him and straightened up, trying to replace his mask of good cheer, though it hadn't been a mask earlier. Turning, he saw Michael regarding him with concern.

"What's wrong?" Michael thought that 23 was doing a good job of putting animation in his appearance, but Michael had seen his previous pose and knew it was false.

"Nothing." 23's eyes glanced involuntarily to the joke framed on the computer by him, 'Nice Computers Don't Go Down!'

Michael stayed with the original track, "Pardon me, but 'ha'." He grinned a sarcastic half-grin at 23, "'Nothing' doesn't exist in the real world. Even the air is full of microscopic molecules." As he'd expected, the joke drew a reluctant grin from 23, who looked at Michael steadily.

I can't keep shoving it aside. 23 turned back to the computer, and the joke that he'd last seen 30 years ago in a maximum security raid on a hacker network that had compromised the top secret codes of the obsolete weapons records of Haz Reclaim. "I worked for a time in Soft Safe."

"Ah." Michael breathed out. He'd been wondering if that would happen someday. Jacine let very few people know all her component parts, with good reason.

23 glanced around. Michael didn't look at all surprised, which only served to confirm what had been vague worries in 23's mind. Who is she? The Hydra? Sara Brown? Which of the Hackers is she? I like her, but if she’s a criminal... 23 looked unhappily to another of the printouts that was more comfortably taken straight out of an old movie, 'What's that Watermelon doing there?'"

Michael saw that 23 didn't look very happy. "You two worked for a long time on the Skeeters. Did you look up her files then?"

"No." 23 turned back to Michael, "I haven't looked them up at all."

Michael's eyes widened in surprise, and he glanced involuntarily to the nearest vidscreen/speaker in the room before he forced his gaze back to 23. Wren would be monitoring, but with the guests, she wouldn't confirm the accuracy of 23's statement. Not that Michael doubted 23, he was just used to checking things like that with Jacine or Wren. But the records..., "Why didn’t you?"

23 grimaced and his hand circled in an uncertain, throw-away gesture. "Criminal files..." 23 tried to sort out his reasons in his own mind, "They only show a part of a person's life, the bad parts. That's not how you judge somebody." He thought about what he'd said and added, "Or shouldn't be. I didn't want to see them in case I did." Or in case I had to do something about it.

Nodding with comprehension, Michael reflected that 23 was more aware of nuances than most people. And more honorable. The awareness probably came out of the age factor to a certain degree. The honor could be a problem when dealing with Jacine. But it might be a plus. Michael responded to match 23's candidness as much as he could. "It was probably a good thing you didn't access the records. Jacine would have known, and our family has a hard enough time trusting people."

He was prepared to say more, but a tall head poked around the corner, saw them in conversation, and was discreetly backing away again. "No, Zam, it's okay." Michael beckoned her forward, after a quick look to 23. Their talk should really be done in a more private area anyway.

Zam glanced between the two of them. They'd obviously been discussing serious matters. She didn't pry, and asked her question with only a little less of the exuberance she'd been showing earlier. "What's this pole in the back corner?"

Michael's mouth spread in a grin, and his eyes flicked to 23 to invite him to share in a joke. 23 made an effort and joined back into the mood. Waiting for a heartbeat to see 23's response, Michael answered Azami, "That's the main access to Jacine's Workshop."

Her eyes widened slightly, and she also started to grin, "A firepole? I’m assuming there's a switch to open the floor panels."

The three people walked together to the back area where Tamlynn waited by a pole that was sticking out of the ground. Michael indicated a switch on the wall about three feet off the floor. "That's it -- easy access for both walkers and crawlers. But let me check on something before we go down." He moved to one control panel and activated it. "Let's see... Arc Welder isn't going. Machining tools aren't hooked up. Shielding is at normal level." He turned back to them, "I think it's safe."

Tamlynn was amused by the listing of hazards, "To beard the lioness in her den?"

Michael laughed, "That's about the size of it." He turned to one side, "Should we get Rhin?"

Zam looked towards the Black Hole. "She wouldn't want to miss it -- how long is the timer on that set for?"

"Jacine keeps it on a Random setting, with a minimum of a half hour, but since it was Rhin's first time in, I set it for a straight ten minutes." He glanced at the chron, "Only a couple left." He walked a couple more feet over, looking into the kitchen, "Did I leave that door open?" His voice suddenly sounded worried.

"Yes -- dust problems?" Azami gazed at the spotless, gleaming floors and panels.

"No..." Michael walked out the door into the kitchen, then came back in and knelt down to look under a console near Tamlynn. His voice came out muffled, "Snake problems."

"Scarface isn't allowed in here?" Zam immediately started hunting also, while Tamlynn took the opportunity to admire the view Michael was giving her. When Michael straightened up, she nonchalantly studied the tops of consoles.

Michael replied to Zam’s question, "No, and he knows it, and he loves it in here." He knelt under another console. "And I forgot to shut the door! Jacine’ll kill me if Scarface gets into anything."

Azami paused in her search, "He 'knows it'? Did he skip a few steps on the evolutionary ladder?" She glanced to Tamlynn, "Or did you help Uplift him?" Tam just grinned at her.

Michael brought his head out from under the console to glare at Zam, "I was anthropomorphizing. What, don't you ever?"

Azami stuck her tongue out at him.

Grinning, Michael turned back to the search, "But he really does like it in here -- something about the vibrations of the computers. He likes it better downstairs in the Workshop when the kelm is on, but..."

23 moved to the kitchen to reconfirm Michael's check of Scarface's two normal resting places, the small tree in the dining room, and in front of the patio door. The boa wasn't in either place, and he went back to the Computer Room to help the search in there.

Tamlynn moved to look at the tops of computer banks. "When Dusty's loose, he loves to rest up high. Scarface is a Tree Boa, isn't he?"

"Yes, but usually we find him in the circuitry, and most of the access panels are under the consoles."

As Michael was speaking, the low tones of the overture to 'Sprach Zarathustra' filled the room. Michael turned to the Black Hole, "Rhin's done."

Rhin came out with Scarface in her arms, "You know, sensory deprivation doesn’t work too well when there’s a snake in there with you."

Zam couldn’t help it; she started sputtering with laughter. After a couple of surprised seconds, the others joined in.

23 managed words first, "How did he... I mean, when did you..." He shook his head and tried again with more coherency, "How did you find out he was in there?" That still didn’t work too well. Oh well, she knows what I mean.

Rhin laughed, "There I was, floating in blackness, watching my thoughts go a mile a minute to make up for no sensations; when suddenly there were cool, smooth scales slithering over my feet. I nearly jumped out of my skin, but you can’t in there. Next thing I knew, he was curled on my lap." She chuckled, "The rest of the time I spent composing a song, Snake in the Dark." Rhin hummed a few bars of a tune that started in a lower key, somewhat ominous, and switched to an upper register staccato beat, humorous and light. "It’ll sound better when I put it together for multiple instruments." She frowned, "But I still don’t like the rhyme in the third stanza..."

As Rhin trailed off, obviously still deep in thought, Zam sank into a nearby chair, convulsed in laughter. Michael and Tamlynn exchanged amused glances. 23 reflected on how very like 39 that speech had sounded, and smiled gently.

"We’re going down to see Jacine’s Workshop." Michael paused expectantly for a reply.

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Rhin frowned, "I think I’ll join you later. I’ve got this going good." She looked back at the Black Hole. "Actually, the sensory depravation is a mix between distracting and focusing, but I think I was doing pretty well in there. Mind if I go back in?"

Michael grinned, "Go ahead. I’ll set you on for another ten minutes. Will that be enough time?"

"Maybe yes, maybe no." The impish grin spread across her face. "Better make it longer -- if I get done sooner, I’ll get out of it manually."

"Okay -- half-hour?" Michael adjusted the time accordingly.

"Sounds good. See you later."

The remaining friends waited until Rhin and Scarface were inside the Black Hole again, then headed over to the firepole. This time, however, a small red light was blinking next to the floor switch. Michael groaned when he saw it. He activated the control panel, "Missed window of opportunity -- the arc-welder is on." 23, Tam, and Azami were torn between disappointment and amusement.

"Well, what now?" Azami wasn’t too worried about them finding something to do, but she had wanted to see the workshop.

Tamlynn suddenly mentioned, "When I come over to visit, she doesn’t disappear." Thinking suddenly about how that statement could sound critical, she added, "Just curious."

Michael cocked his head slightly to look at her. "She doesn’t? Huh. Jas does it to our family all the time. I think she caught it from Rich."

"Rich?"

Grinning with memories, Michael elaborated, "Our uncle." 23 glanced sharply at him, and Michael tried to recall briefly what was actually in their records. Well, definitely not that. What is it about this group that makes me slip up? "Pseudo-uncle. Friend of the family." That statement could be extended to anything and wouldn’t be checkable. Wait a second, wasn’t I just trying to get 23 to trust Jacine?

As Michael was wrestling with his desire to be open with his mother’s desire for secrecy, the red light blinked to amber. Oh good, a distraction. He checked the panel again. "Machining tools on, but not active. We can go in."

With Michael’s permission, Azami activated the switch, and the floor panels moved back in two rectangular sections. Zam looked below to make sure of her landing, brushed her hands to be sure they were smooth, then slid down. Tamlynn followed. 23 looked after them, and then at Michael. With regret, he asked, "Is there a more conventional access?"

Michael felt a slight twinge of embarrassment at having, again, forgotten about his friend’s coordination problems. The problem was that 23 looked so normal. Michael’s differences were all out there on the surface, 23’s were hidden and rarely noticed. But, as are mine, always there. "This way -- there’s a staircase outside the Computer Room."

Azami looked around the room. It was completely different from the spotless, organized Computer Room above. Crammed chock full of what could only be described as "stuff", the only open areas were around the multiple cutting and tooling machines, and even those had scraps of metal and wood stacked right up to painted lines around the machines, presumably to mark the clear space. Piled against one wall were burlap sacks, mostly empty, but one had undefined lumps in it. Above the sacks was a large latch door. Azami had to stare for a moment before she recognized a kelm. And that must be the clay below it. She needs a refill. Azami hadn’t moved from where she’d first come down, but suddenly she had to duck, as a small something whirred above her head. She looked up and saw miniature People Movers following tracks on the ceiling, changing at intersections, stopping at terminals, picking up cargo... Goodness.

Tamlynn was picking her way through the chaos. Azami watched as Tam had to step over something with tentacles that tried to grab her. It got hold of Tamlynn’s ankle and she had to stop lest she fall. Tam yelled in exasperation, "Herbert, NO!" The tentacle let go. Tam moved on, muttering under her breath, but loud enough for Azami to hear, "I am not a bloody chicken!"

A chuckle came from a closed booth. "Did Herbert snag you again, Tam?"

"Yes. Haven’t you gotten it fixed yet?" Tamlynn changed direction and headed towards the booth.

"Don’t come over here yet, Tam. I still have one more weld to make..." The dark booth suddenly lit with a bright glow that showed through the walls, and a sputtery sparking sound was heard. The smell of burnt metal filled the air.

{more later}

Azami threw in her hand. "That’s it. I’m out." She stood up and stretched, touching the ceiling above. Jacine laughed and Zam looked at her.

"You’re the only person besides Michael who’s ever done that," Jacine explained, still grinning.

Azami looked at the ceiling and spread her fingertips so she was touching each one. She had to stretch to do that. Michael grinned at her and stood up from the table. He reached up and touched the ceiling, laying his hands flat on the surface. They both started laughing.

Rhin chuckled as well, "Tall people unite." She laid down her next card.

"Shards!" Tamlynn threw in her hand as well. Looking at her chrono, she sighed, then darted a malicious glance around the table. "Well, some of us," she looked to Azami, "are going to enjoy ourselves -- it’s time for ‘Knights on Mars’.

"Eh, Frack." Michael looked at his hand laying face down on the table, then longingly to the living room. With a sigh, he sat down again and picked up his cards.

23 watched him with apprehension, "Oh that does it." He looked forelornly at his cards and twisted his mouth down. "I’m out too."

Azami moved around to look at his cards, "Oh. Yes. Well, it almost worked."

23 grimaced, "‘Almost’ only counts in horseshoes and hand gr--" He edited out the rest of the saying, with a guilty look at Michael. Michael laughed with genuine amusement, "Not even then, 23," and rubbed the side of his chest.

With a shrug, 23 tossed his cards in the pile that was starting to gather. Holding his hands out to Azami and Tamlynn, they linked up and moved together into the living room.

"Heh, well more left for us." Jacine put her next card down.

Michael studied it intently, "Jas, you’re devious." He put down his own.

"Not as devious as you," Rhin growled as she hovered her other hand over the rest of her cards, deciding on a next strategy.

At the commercial half, Tamlynn got up to get some more cider. She walked through the dining room and paused. Michael and Rhin were still intent on the game and didn’t even look up. Tam looked around, "Where’s Jacine?"

Michael started to pull one card from his hand, then put it back. He tapped his fingers on the table.

"Play it, ye lubbard," Rhin growled out of the corner of her mouth.

Michael gave her a glare, then tossed a different card down.

"Shards." Rhin pulled in her reserves and studied them.

"Computer room, I think."

"What?" Tam had gotten involved in the game. Michael repeated his answer.

Shaking her head, Tam made another detour before getting the cider. "You’re not a terribly social person, are you, Jacine?"

Jacine grinned, but didn’t stop typing. "Am too," she protested, the grin also showing in her voice, "Right now I’m replying to 45 messages on my mail that piled up when we were at the Water Festival."

Tamlynn laughed, then headed in the kitchen to get the cider and then on to the living room. The show was back on. "Oops. What did I miss?" She settled in the lounge chair.

"Numair tracked the thieves to an underground storeroom. Tess and Miguel are still at the station. What took you so long?"

"Tracking Jacine down, again."

Azami started to ask a question, but Tess discovered a new angle in the motive and they concentrated on the show.

23 moved into the dining room and watched the two players. "I’m glad I threw out my hand. I don’t think I’d’ve stood a chance."

"Eaten alive," Rhin agreed, absently chewing on a fingernail.

Michael put his cards down and stretched, the joints in his shoulders popping. Rhin looked up, "Yikes, Michael. Do they do that all the time?"

"Every time I play a two hour game of Rastisk with a fiend for an opponent." He turned to 23, "I guess the show’s over?"

"Yep. They found--"

"Don’t tell me!" Michael held his hand up. "I recorded it at home, I’ll watch it later."

23 grinned -- he’d done the same thing, and he’d be willing to be everybody else in the house had as well. "Tam and Zam are watching the special ‘Indoor Gardening’."

Rhin looked quickly up, "Ooo! I wanted to see that." She looked back at her cards and sighed. She pulled out one, looked at it rather longingly, then tossed it down.

"Ha!" Michael immediately tossed his down, "That was a bluff."

Rhin shrugged, and put down a different one. "But this isn’t."

"Damn!" Michael looked at it, then folded his hand, moving his reserve to the front and dealing himself a new reserve.

Rhin hummed softly, a triumphal march, "Points for me!" she sang in a contralto voice.

23 laughed and turned away. There weren’t all that many places to go in the small house. He moved into the computer room and, remembering the afternoon’s search for Scarface, carefully shut the door behind him. "Hi Jacine."

A grinning face surrounded by blonde hair poked around one of the computer banks, "23!" She walked out, holding a data board. She made a notation on it, then looked down the next aisle, "I’ll be with you in just a sec. Gotta finish these computations." She disappeared again.

23 looked after her, his own grin fading away as his earlier speculations came back to haunt him.

Jacine walked to the appropriate bank and noted the finished results. She recorded them and then reset the controls so they would start the next group. Looking at her data board, she wondered if she should put it away, I don’t think 23 could figure anything out just from these numbers. I shouldn’t have been working on this now with people over, but that call had just come in... Oh well. I’ll finished this up and wait for the rest. With that decided, her thoughts turned back to 23. Ever since her dream the night before, she’d been uneasy around him. For some reason, she’d never before noticed how cute he was -- now she couldn’t stop thinking it. He has most adorable smile, and the way his hair falls in front of his face. Oh God, I hate hormones. Why can’t he just be a good friend? Why do I have to have these feelings now? She came back around to the front. 23 was sitting with his back to her, facing the monitor. Just seeing him her heart beat faster, and she forced the feeling down.

23 heard the steps behind him and turned. Jacine was smiling at him, but to his eyes she looked apprehensive and nervous. Which fit so well with his thoughts that he gained the courage to speak to her. He stood up to face her, "Jacine..." Oh come on. Just ask her. He tried again. "‘Nice computers don’t go down’?" Oh that was a wonderful opening! Great, 23.

Jacine laughed, and her eyes darted to one side before meeting his again. "It’s an old joke. I heard it from some friends, but it was so appropriate..." She trailed off, eyes flashing with amusement. She shook her head, apparently to derail a thought.

Her eyes rested on him again, but without the apprehension from before. They were open and guileless. 23 did not want to destroy that light, but her answer hadn’t reassured him in the least. He tried again. "I thought Spector came up with the joke."

"Oh, well, he ‘claimed’ it, but it was around before, and..." Jacine trailed off and her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "If you have a question, just ask it, 23."

23 wished he didn’t have to. "Who are you?"

Jacine’s eyes were glinting, but there was a hint of softness about them, "I think I could pretend I didn’t know what you were talking about, and you’d accept it and drop the subject." She smiled with what seemed to be wistful sadness. "But I won’t do that. I’m the Cracker Jak."

"Oh." 23’s mouth twitched, then he started laughing.

"I’m not sure whether to be insulted or complimented by that reaction." And Jacine’s face matched her comment, perfectly torn between indignation and amusement.

23 still laughed, but managed to gasp out, "You were the most precocious little scamp...! Do you know what we used to do? All somebody had to do was mention your name, and the invariable response was, ‘Good God, what has the Cracker Jak done now?’ And that incident with the minnows..." 23’s chuckles died down.

Jacine regarded him with a raised eyebrow, expression that of patience. At the mention of the minnows, one side of her mouth twitched up for a partial grin, then she let it fade.

23’s smile faded slowly as well, "No one’s heard from the Cracker Jak for a long time." He thought about that a second, "Not that I’m on the inside anymore, but word still gets around."

Jacine’s mouth quirked up again, but the grin didn’t reach her eyes. "Yes, it does, doesn’t it." She turned slightly to one side, not meeting his gaze. "Jak’s still around, she’s just gotten a lot better at evading security."

"Yes, I saw that." 23 thought of the skillful way she’d maneuvered the codes in RCF. Then he thought of what he’d said and immediately wished he’d kept his mouth shut. Oh, real tactful, 23. Jacine was still facing away from him, and he couldn’t see her expression, but her body stiffened at the comment.

Jacine was surprised at the statement, but it didn’t seem so much accusatory as just a statement. He doesn’t trust me. She thought back to that horrible day and for the first time tried to look at it from 23’s view rather than her own. Well, why the hell should he? Geez, Jas, that was real smart. Turning back to him, she put on a smile to hide the fear rising up, but with some true sympathy as well. "I put you in a nasty situation, didn’t I? I’m sorry. I never meant to." Check your assumptions. In fact, check them in at the door. Another sign on the wall in her Computer Room: ‘Time flies. You can’t. They fly too fast.’ An impossible sentence anyhow, it at least made sense with a simple switch of verb/noun associations, but first one had to look beyond the ingrained habits. Stop streaming. "Our family has such a hard time finding someone to trust..." Jacine was unable to continue, dreams turning to dust in the silence. She repeated, "I’m sorry."

"Oh I don’t know -- I think you were right all along. Just needs a bit of explanation to go with it." A voice issued from speakers in the room. It was a female’s voice, rich with amusement, full of good cheer, with a ‘buck up and we’ll get through it’ attitude.

23 had been watching Jacine, his heart and conscience both troubling him. At the sound of the voice, he looked quickly around but didn’t see anybody. His gaze returned to Jacine and stayed there. She had turned a palsy white, all blood drained from her face, fear evident in her eyes.

"Wren! No!!" Jacine cried, terror in her voice. She was trembling so bad, she had to grab a nearby shelf to keep upright. She stared at 23, eyes wide.

My god, it’s me she’s scared of. 23 had never, in his whole life, ever, had anyone scared of him. Not just scared, terrified. What the hell? His first instinct was to comfort her, but the situation had him riveted in complete shock. Then something else penetrated, Wait a second, wasn’t that the name...? He tried it, experimentally, "Wren?"

"Hi. Sorry to burst in on you like this, but Jas’d never tell you, and then you’d be thinking all sorts of things about her..." The voice trailed off, but with the impression of a grin. Then it sharpened slightly, "Jacine, it’s okay. Calm down."

Jacine lowered herself down until she was sitting on the floor. To 23’s eyes, she didn’t look any less terrified than before. "Wren. You can’t... What if--" breaking off abruptly, Jacine buried her face in her hands for a brief moment before uncovering to stare at 23 again.

"Eh, my fault." Wren’s voice was regretful. "Just because I didn’t want to argue half the night..." She hummed for a moment, 23 thought he recognized the tune, but didn’t even try to place it. "23, could you please keep quiet for a moment, I’m turning off the soundproofing to open the door." It was somewhere between a request and an order, but definitely not a question. 23 had no problem keeping his mouth shut. His mind was going way too fast for a coherent thought.

The kitchen door slid open, and a small autobot whirred in, a mug of cider in its versatile hands. The door shut behind it. It trottled right up to Jacine and hovered there, waiting for her to take it. Jacine made no move, but her eyes flicked back and forth between it and 23. The terror was starting to recede just a bit.

"Back on. Now then, as you’ve hopefully figured out by now, I’m a computer."

23 had kindof guessed it, but hearing it stated so matter-of-factly... He reached out to a near-by swivel chair and sat down, hard. "Then it was you... When Michael was hurt?" In Island City, the diagnostic program Jacine had called in had been way beyond anything he’d seen before, and... He shook his head, not in denial, but to clear his thoughts. A computer... A sentient computer?

"Well, no. That was Oracle."

"Oracle?"

"Yes, he’s my..." There was a barely perceivable pause, less then a heartbeat, before Wren changed direction, "He’s another Sentient like me."

Jacine’s head had come up at the pause, and a different gleam entered her eyes briefly. 23 was glad of the distraction, whatever it had been. He really didn’t like Jacine’s color but didn’t think it was a good time to call Tamlynn in. And he was still trying to get over the unnerving feel of having someone afraid of him. 23 struggled to juggle all these thoughts and still think. "There’re more of you?" He waved a hand, "Never mind. Forget I asked that." The implications had suddenly come to his mind, with all the reasons that had Jacine frightened. He looked at her with sudden new respect. Every time I turn around, she surprises me. His next words were addressed to her, "You’ve kept their secret for many years, haven’t you? You and Michael." 23 tried to make his voice gentle without being patronizing. He tried to let his real care and admiration show. He didn’t know if he succeeded in either.

Jacine breathed in deeply, then let the air out slowly. Her body was tense still, but relaxing. "Wren, if you ever do anything like that again..." She closed her eyes, trying to settle her heartbeat. She didn’t like the feeling of being frightened. Her ears flushed with shame that 23 had been there to witness her fear. Trying to put her mind back on an analytical track, she recalled the first time she’d evaluated 23. The young-seeming, yet old in years, Lieutenant-Colonel of her brother’s unit. She’d seen care in his eyes. She’d heard her brother speak of him with respect and friendship. She’d trusted him. But perhaps didn’t realize what it all meant. Wren, as was typical, was ahead of her in that. Opening her eyes, she reached out and took the mug Wren had prepared. Sipping the hot liquid with a care for her tongue, she studied anew the man called Craig-23, determined not to let her emotions loose again, and still trying to suppress an undercurrent of fear.

"Ha. My points back again." Michael laid down his card.

"Damn, that was quick!" Rhin sighed and drew a new reserve. She looked at the layout, then back at her cards. "Humn, de humn, du la humn..." Pulling out one card, she resettled it in a different position in her hand.

Michael watched her with amusement. With three decks in use, card counting at the beginning was not advantageous, but in later stages of the game, it helped to know what was still out there. Good players usually didn’t advertise their hands by sorting. That Rhin was doing so now, was not an indication of her hand, but an attempt to throw the opponent off the track. Little things. One raised eyebrow in the right place could change the course of a game. But both he and Rhin had each other’s measure now. The game was mostly down to skill alone. But it never hurt to practice the other techniques. He stretched again. Thank goodness, this time his shoulders didn’t pop. It was a bit embarrassing when Rhin turned motherly on him. Just the same, she looked up from her cards and grinned at him as if she knew his thoughts. Michael took his mug and hers and made a dignified retreat to the kitchen for a refill. When he got back, Rhin put her cards down and reached out for her mug.

"This is good. I’ll have to get the recipe from Jacine."

Michael shrugged, "It won’t do you much good. The difference is all in the fresh apples," he gestured outside, "and you won’t get those in Island City."

"Yeah," Rhin sounded wistful, "but I can deliver the recipe to my clan in Oregon." Her eyes turned inward and Michael watched as memories rose up. After a few moments, Rhin shook her head and smiled at Michael.

"Miss them?"

"Always." Rhin sipped her cider. "But it was my choice to leave."

Michael turned his head abruptly to look at the Computer Room. The electronic sound-proofing had just been turned on. "Strange..." he murmured.

Rhin studied him over her mug. "You would have been great in espionage."

Michael’s eyes snapped back to her and he suppressed a sharp retort. They weren’t in Island City -- they were in his sister’s house, with friends. He drank from his own mug. "Wasn’t what I wanted to do."

There was a regretful, musical chuckle. "Sorry, Michael -- didn’t mean to offend. I still remember the first time I tried to take your pulse. I have to learn new habits around you." Her smile was sincere. "Still in all, I presume it’s awkward hearing all these conversations that people think are private."

"Sometimes," Michael admitted, "but mostly it’s background noise. I tune it out unless something catches my attention."

Rhin murmured understanding, her eyes flicking briefly to the Computer Room with suppressed curiosity before returning to Michael. "So, what did you want to do?"

"Huh?"

"You said you didn’t want espionage... That means you wanted something in particular."

Michael grinned, but it seemed sad. "This." His gaze wandered to the ficus tree. "I wanted to be in the RCF. I wanted to rescue people. I wanted to learn what to do..." He sighed.

"It’s not all what you expected," Rhin spoke discerningly.

"Perhaps... not all I dreamed," Michael’s gaze moved to Rhin, "but a lot of it."

Rhin picked up her mug and held her hands around it, staring into the depth of the golden-brown liquid. She didn’t know Michael well, and wasn’t sure how far she could probe. He seemed more relaxed here at his sister’s home -- back in IC, Rhin was positive he wouldn’t even have said this much. Or maybe he’s finally learning trust. We are his friends, maybe he will be ours too. She hadn’t decided which way to proceed, when Michael spoke again.

"When we were young, an RCF officer, uh, stumbled, across Jacine and I while we were out playing. Recessives attacked. In order to save Jacine, the officer ran out to distract them. They killed him. But it was nearly enough to let Jacine escape. Not quite, but he tried." Michael shook his head, eyes filled with sorrow and also respect. "Half-mad from sunstroke, thirst, probably Wasteland plagues, and his main thought is to protect a little girl he didn’t know. That’s the sort of person I’d like to be."

"Michael, that’s the sort of person you are." Rhin had only known him for eight months, but she knew that much. His selfless devotion, his caring... Rhin could easily see why Tamlynn was in love with him.

Michael grinned feebly, his expression registering self-doubt. Then his eyes widened at something behind her. Rhin turned in her seat to see a small autobot coming out of the connecting door to Jacine’s room. It trundled towards her and Michael, but bypassed them and on to the kitchen, where the kitchen aides with mechanical arms were pouring some cider into a fresh mug. The kitchen aide handed the mug off to the autobot which then whirred into the Computer Room, the door sliding silently open for it and closing after. Rhin stared after, her mouth slightly open. After a moment, she recovered and shook her head. "Goodness. One doesn’t have to do anything in Jacine’s house if they don’t want to, do they? Cooking, fetching..."

Michael was silent, watching the door with a frown. Jas doesn’t use the autobots -- Wren does. What is going on in there? But nobody had asked for his help. With an effort, he turned his attention away and back to Rhin.