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“Good,” Amanpreet said. “By the way, are they voting on the biosphere restoration plan soon?”

“For Talis you mean?” Oni asked. “They already did a few days ago. It was approved unanimously. The scientists have already moved the eggs into a large habitation dome and the Talis computer has released a few bio-robots to tend them now they are out of stasis. The linguists are making inroads on their language as well, thanks to the computer learning to understand you.”

“Yes,” Niobe said. “I imagine that would help.” Read the rest of this entry »

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The meeting chamber for the council of planets had been very carefully designed to allow it to be shared by species with such radically different physical needs without favoring one group over the others. So the vast circular room was divided into three equal slices separated by crystal walls with the chairperson for each group at the point.

As Amanpreet, Niobe and Kayla entered the human section the chairwoman waved them to three seats just behind her. As they headed over Kayla nudged her and whispered. Read the rest of this entry »

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A/N: Hi peeps, due to a change in my personal circumstances I’m running a donation drive. Please check out this news post for details and drop a few pennies in the hat if you can. Thanks to the four wonderful peeps who’ve already helped out. 🙂

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“Family of the soul?” Amanpreet looked over at Niobe. “What does that mean?”

“Hmm…” Niobe tutted quietly as she considered the question. “It’s a concept found in several Mez cultures. We’d probably say family of the heart, but the Mez don’t consider their hearts to be the root of their emotions. It’s family you choose, rather than family you share DNA with.”

Amanpreet thought back to her best friend from primary school and the day they swore they’d be sisters forever. “So like promising to be blood brothers or sisters?” Read the rest of this entry »

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A/N: I haven’t had this installment back from my Beta reader yet and she hasn’t contacted me which is unusual, so I’m hoping she’s okay. Presuming she is I expect she’ll get it to me as soon as she’s free and in the interim I’m posting this raw, so expect typos and similar.

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A week later Promise regurgitated The Whisper just in time for them to leave hyperspace near Aletheia. The sole planet in its solar system, with not even microbes for indigenous life at all and unsuitable for bioforming by any of known species it had tolerable gravity, frozen water and methane beneath the surface and received plenty of sunlight for power. All of which had made it the perfect hub world for the Council of Planets especially since it occupied a system that was conveniently central to the 300 parsec sphere of space the four species had explored between them. Read the rest of this entry »

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“I think we should separate temporarily,” Haetara said as they ate. “I want to see at what range Amanpreet and Kyla can hear each other in hyperspace.”

Amanpreet and Kyla looked at each other for a moment then shook their heads simultaneously.

“That’s not a good idea,” Amanpreet said. “It would delay us significantly, since we’ll have to get some distance between us to do it, and I don’t think that’s wise, since the Vaians are probably after Kyla. Wait until we reach Aletheia, then, once I’ve given my evidence about Promise, I’ll take the Whisper out to some distance while Kyla and the Dreamsong stay near Aletheia.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Amanpreet settled herself into the navigator’s chair as Kyla sat herself on the floor beside it.

“So,” she said after a moment. “You have two navigators in your crew? That suggests you don’t enjoy navigating.”

Amanpreet looked up from her pre-jump checks and nodded. “Not really,” she admitted. “I mean I’m good at it, but it’s not what I want to do with my life. I guess you do?” Read the rest of this entry »

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“My sister is intrigued by the possibilities and says she can have one of the spaceborn she’s studying meet you enroute to Aletheia as she’s already on her way there,” Airini said. “I’ve met her a time or two. Her name’s Kyla and she’s an exploration navigator out of Vaia.”

“Ugh, Vaia,” Amanpreet said. “That place is like some kind of historical throwback to the worst of history. Is she a religious nut? Every Vaian I ever met was trying to convert me to their sect, and last time we went there the Whisper had to leave rapidly because they didn’t like my books.” Read the rest of this entry »

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A/N: Unfortunately my beta reader isn’t very well at the moment so this installment is un-edited. As soon as she’s better I’ll replace it with the edited version.

“What’s our status?” Amanpreet asked when she woke from her nap a couple of hours later.

“We’re making good progress,” Kane said over the intercom. “We’re clear of the Transit and should be at a good point to drop back into normal space near Talis Station within the hour.”

“We’ll need to be quick to reassure Talis base that the Fish isn’t there to attack when we leave hyperspace,” Amanpreet said. Read the rest of this entry »

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“Storm says this one will come with us,” Niobe said. “The others will watch and see what happens because they don’t entirely trust what she’s telling them.”

“Who can blame them,” Amanpreet replied blandly. “I’d be distrustful in their position too.”

Niobe grinned at her. “I know what you mean. Storm does too, so she says she’s staying aboard the Fish, at least until we reach Talis.”

“Staying aboar-” Amanpreet hesitated. “Will she be okay here? Obviously they have supplies because of the pilots but…” Read the rest of this entry »

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“Well, that’s one way to get inside,” Niobe said blandly as the bubble floated into the darkness of the Fish’s gullet. “A bit disconcerting maybe.”

“Yes,” Amanpreet agreed. “But I just wish we could see where we are going.”

“Give it a moment,” Niobe said. “It probably works at Mez typical light levels.”

It seemed that Niobe was right because Amanpreet’s eyes adapted to the gloom and she realised that a faint bioluminescent glow was coming from the walls of the Fish’s gullet. It wasn’t really enough to see by properly but things were visible as vaguely identifiable lumps. At least she wouldn’t bump into anything. Read the rest of this entry »