Divergence Read Online Free PDF Page B

accepting FE software on board seems to be that the self-replication no longer happens when you want it to.”
    “I know that,” said Edward.
    “Of course you do,” said Saskia. “Well, somehow the Stranger managed to make our ship replicate. There are now two Eva Rye s. We are on one: you, me, Maurice and”—her smile froze a little—“Miss Rose. And it would appear that Joanne, Craig, Donny, Armstrong, and Michel are on the other one.”
    “Oh,” said Edward. “And Donny’s kids?”
    “Yes.”
    Edward inhaled a deep shuddering breath. “So why can’t we go and dock with the other ship?”
    Saskia gave him a very odd look. “Because, Edward, I didn’t realize that anyone on board this Eva Rye knew how to fly the ship until a few moments ago.” She glared across at Maurice, who ignored her and continued to tap away at his console.
    “Oh,” said Edward again. “So what do we do now?”
    “I don’t know,” said Saskia. “That’s why I want to ask you to do something important for me. Do you think you can do that?”
    Edward nodded.
    “Good,” beamed Saskia. “Good! Now, Maurice and I have to do a lot of talking. I want you to stay over here and not disturb us while we try to figure out what to do next. Do you think you can do that?”
    “Saskia,” Edward replied in his deep voice, “I’m not a kid. I’m just not very clever.”
    Saskia’s eyes widened slightly, as people’s eyes often did when Edward said this.
    “I know that, Edward,” she said, regaining her poise. “I’ll tell you what, why don’t you make us all some tea? You’re good at that, aren’t you? You make nice tea.”
    Edward thought about it for a moment and nodded. “Okay,” he said, “I’ll make the tea.”
    “Good!” said Saskia. “That will help us think.”
    At that the smile drained from her face and she rose from her chair to rejoin Maurice, who was sitting on one of the newly grown white leather sofas, his console on his lap.
    “Well?” she snapped.
    Maurice didn’t bother to look up from his console.
    “No luck,” he said. “They’re already in Warp. I think they’re taking the Stranger on his way.”
    In the kitchen, Edward slowly, carefully took down the teapot from the shelf. Ever so gently, so he could hear what Maurice and Saskia were saying. He didn’t need to keep that quiet. Saskia was shouting.
    “Damn! Well, what about us?” She gave a hollow laugh. “I suppose we’ve just been discarded now the Stranger has got what he wants.”
    “Mmm,” said Maurice. “It’s odd, that. I don’t think we’ve just been discarded. Don’t you even wonder how I know that the other ship is in Warp? The long-range senses are back online.”
    “What?” said Saskia. “You’re telling me that they were fixed during the separation?”
    Maurice bit his lip. “No. Not exactly fixed. More like improved. They are better now than they ever could have been before. It’s like that with the rest of the ship. Have you taken a look around? Haven’t you noticed? Everything is nicer than before. Feel this sofa, feel the carpets. Everything is softer, better quality; it’s not just like we’ve separated. I’ll tell you what it’s like. It’s like we’re playing a video game and our ship has just had an upgrade.”
    Saskia sat down on the sofa opposite to Maurice’s. She tilted her head forward so that her hair covered her eyes.
    “I never play video games,” she said.
    “Oh, I do,” said Maurice.
    “Good practice for combat, are they?”
    Edward slowly spooned tea into the beautiful white teapot. He noticed Maurice was blushing as he explained. “Look, don’t you wonder what is going on here? Why did the Stranger have to separate the ships? Surely one Eva Rye would be enough to take him to wherever he was going?”
    Saskia leaned back and sighed. “You’re right. Maybe there was more to the deal after all. Maybe we should have a little more faith in the FE software.”
    She closed her eyes