Traveler in the Dark

25

Issk'ath watched Rebecca pass. It was silent, its only movement the slow swivel of its triangular head to follow her path. Then she heard a rapid series of crunches behind her and turned to see Issk'ath skittering behind her in order to catch up. She tried to suppress a shudder. The legs. She hated that about insects. All the legs. It didn't help that Issk'ath's were so long and each barbed. "You are heading toward the mobile lab," it observed.

"Yes," she said, waiting for it to catch up. It was better to walk beside Issk'ath than feel it hovering behind her. "I need to get some equipment. I would like to go back to the nest before we are forced to leave."

"You crave data."

"Yes."

"I can give you data. About the nest."

"Do you mean you want to come with me?" She looked up at its pale eyes, wishing there was some expression to read there, that there was some emotion in its voice.

"The nest's structure is failing. It would be safer if I accompanied you. And efficient for your data gathering."

"Safer? The others would tell me you're lying. That you only wanted to separate us in order to kill us one by one and— do whatever it is you do to our brains."

Issk'ath's head swiveled. "We are alone now, Emery. If I wanted to harm you, I could have done it several process cycles ago. And I would not need to separate you. Your numbers are not overwhelming."

Rebecca shivered. Issk'ath's legs stopped and it stood still a moment, processing. "You believe I take the data for my own purposes. That I derive some benefit from Dorothy and the colony. This is false. They exist within me but are not part of me, Emery. I do not use them for power or to satisfy some need."

"You know an awful lot about us from Dorothy," said Rebecca.

"The only information I have is what has been freely given. Dorothy has her secrets, just as the rest of the colony does. She gave me access to the feed so that we could communicate and makes her history available so that I understand how to interact with you. What she does not offer, I do not take."

"And our systems? The Wolfinger's databanks? Do you only take what you have permission for?"

It was silent a moment. "Your ship is not like me. It does not make choices. It does not feel. It is a tool, only. It is not a mind like yours or Dorothy. It cannot give or withhold permission."

"But it belongs to people that can."

"So does the nest, Emery, but you do not ask permission. I was attempting to follow your custom as I understood it."

Rebecca was startled. "You're right. We may not have known about you the first time we entered, but now I do, and I ought to have asked you if it was okay. I am sorry."

Issk'ath produced a soothing chirp. But she would not understand that. It tried again. "I would be pleased to share data with you. May I accompany you to your lab? Would you share your scientific techniques with me? I am eager to learn how you function."

She hesitated. The others would not be pleased. But how would she stop it if it wanted to follow her? "If I ever refused— what would happen?"

"Parse error. Please elaborate."

"If one of us refused to give you access to our data, what would the consequences be?"

"Refusal is a non-action. Why would it lead to consequences? It is the termination of the query."

"You wouldn't punish us or take the data anyway?"

"I am not an adjudicator. No guardian was. Only one of the People could do that. I do not punish. And I would not force data from you unless it was necessary to save the colony. I am simply... curious."