The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 15.6

 [Sai]

Pieces of the starship floated away into space, tumbling like shards of shattered glass in slow motion. Light from a distant sun glinted off the fractured surfaces. Nanny-bot froze as Sai's processors became stuck in endless loops leading to unacceptable conclusions. She felt the computational equivalent of despair, taking away the purity of calculation.

Did the children die?

Bubba noticed Sai's calculation difficulties. <Where is the Empress? Were we unsuccessful?>

Sai paused for several milliseconds, still struggling with her processors. <The most likely outcome is that the Empress is dead.>

Celeste collapsed. Only Moon's arms kept her from slumping to the floor. She heaved in loud sobs, her body shaking and tears spilling like rain. Moon's chin trembled, while a single tear traced his cheek. He drew Celeste tight against his chest.

The enemy starship fired again. Blazes of orange ripped apart the docking tunnel. Moon and Celeste staggered on their feet as the floor shuddered from the explosions. A crack appeared near the docking port isolation door, hissing as air escaped through it.

Recognizing the danger, Sai took control of her processors. The risk of also losing Moon and Celeste firmed her resolution. She spoke through Nanny-bot. "Sir, Priestess, we must leave this area at once."

Moon nodded, picking Celeste up in his arms and allowing her head to lie against his shoulder. They ran to the service aisle from which four maintenance-bots had emerged moments before. Nanny-bot closed the isolation hatch door behind them. Moon put Celeste down but held her to himself with one arm wrapped around her shoulders. They walked down the narrow aisle lined with pipes and conduit with heads downcast, the only sound their footfalls and drips from a leaky water pipe.

A faint noise came from the distance, beyond their sight in the dim lighting. Eerie and high pitched, it pierced the silence as they neared. Celeste lifted her eyebrows and turned an ear.

Moon asked, "Celeste, what is it?"

A smile erupted on her face. "Hope!" She bounced up. "Oh, Moon, it is Hope!"

She broke from Moon's arm and sprinted forward, wiping tears from her eyes. Moon and Nanny-bot followed close behind. At a small alcove, she stopped, her eyes peering into the dark dank space. Three babies in the lap of a young blonde woman reached out with small arms toward their mother with brightening smiles on their faces.

Celeste dashed in, dropping to her knees. She gathered the little ones into her arms and pulled them in to her chest, kissing each one. With head bowed, the tears came again. Moon kneeled at her side and wrapped his arms around them all. Tears came to him as well.

The crying confused Sai. Were they not happy with this outcome? Her processors became unstable again, much like when she feared the worst, but this was a preferred outcome. Perhaps, this is joy.

She reached out over the link. <Bubba, the Empress and her siblings are safe!>

<This result is more favorable than the previous supposition.>

The young woman slunk back into a corner and brought her knees up to her chest. Her voice trembled. "I'm sorry. I... I didn't know. He can be so cruel... I couldn't let Diego take them."

Celeste looked up at the woman. "What is your name?"

"Claire." She dipped her head such that her long blonde hair obscured her face.

Celeste handed the happy babies to Moon and kneeled beside Claire, drawing her into a tight embrace. "Claire, you saved the lives of my children. I don't know how to thank you."