Chapter 1
Shadow
The sleek two-seat gravcoupe returns to normal space, the Nth dimensional gateway it arrived through dims then vanishes. The driver's fingers dance over the controls. She turns the sleek gravcoupe towards the planet. She turns off power to all non-critical systems minimizing their EM signature. "Murotsu, we need to get in thermoptic suits."
"Na olub?" her passenger asks.
"Insufficient data. We need to get into thermoptic vac suits. The situation could be dangerous."
They head towards the small, blue and white ball of a planet.
Doctor Kotomi Ichinose sits in her lab at Cal Tech busily typing data into her computer. A small window pops open. Shadow Alert. Anomaly detected at 02:48:29.
"Another one!" Doctor Ichinose jumps up and begins operating some nearby equipment. Status lights come on and blink here and there as she does. She turns to look at a large vacuum chamber behind her. There is a miniscule black dot floating in the center of it.
"Holding steady. Good." She rushes back to her desk and computer.
"Err! I can't get a good fix on this one." She's typing furiously. On the screen windows with data, graphs, and other information keep opening and closing rapidly.
The gravcoupe enters the planet's atmosphere. As it approaches sea level, a poor-quality audio signal comes on the vehicle's comm system. "Moshi mo... I mean, hello? Um, where are you? Are you one of them? Where are you coming from?"
Kotomi can see a grainy picture in one of the open frames on her computer now. A beautiful platinum blonde's hands are recoiling from the vehicle's controls. She rubs her fingers in her palms. It looks as if she's inside one of those high tech super cars you see on television.
The gravcoupe comes to a halt three meters off the Pacific Ocean's surface inside a rain squall.
Kotomi can hear her talking to someone else she can't see. She can't make out what they're saying. It's a foreign language she's unfamiliar with.
The woman starts operating the controls in front of her. The visual link goes blank. Kotomi twists her lip and hits the desk with her fist.
A young female voice startles her. "We do not understand who 'they' are. Request additional data. Request navigational inputs to your location."
It sounds as if she said it using one of those translation programs Kotomi thinks.
Kotomi hesitates.
"Um, I'm Kotomi Ichinose, at Cal-Tech in Pasadena California U-S-A. I'm speaking to you through my Shadow detection unit. If you're flying, I think you should head to LAX. There's no airport here. You... you are flying, aren't you? Who are you?"
"We will arrive in thirty-eight minutes" the female voice replies. "You will remain where you are. We are not a threat so long as you are alone and tell no one."
The gravcoupe accelerates to over Mach two headed for the coordinates.
It sets down on the roof of the Cal Tech University building the signal originated from.
The driver puts her helmet visor down and opens the door on her side of the vehicle releasing two disc-like drones that shimmer into invisibility.
She and her passenger exit the vehicle. They touch controls on their suits, and shimmer into invisibility.
They head to Kotomi Ichinose's lab two floors below. The windowless doors are covered with safety warning signs. The blonde checks for security cameras and systems in the immediate area. Finding none, she turns off her thermoptic suit and removes her helmet. She puts her hand on the electronic security door lock. The display starts to rapidly jitter and blink. The door lock clicks open after a second. Entering the lab, she is followed by her still invisible partner.
"Hello?" she calls out in a pleasant voice. The lab is filled with electronics and computer equipment.
A young Asian female appears. Her eyes get wide seeing the woman. "How did you get in here? Wait." Kotomi points at her. "You're the woman on my Shadow detector! You're wearing a space suit!
"I am the one you contacted" she replies. "You are Doctor Kotomi Ichinose, correct?"
"Yes, that's me" Kotomi replies. "You speak English…"
"Yes. I obtained that data before arriving." The woman puts a hand on Kotomi's arm. "If you would, please, come with me. I will explain everything to you."
"Where're we going?" Kotomi asks, trying unsuccessfully to pull away.
"I will not harm you. You have my word. We will go to the roof, then somewhere secure. It is thirty-six minutes to local stellar rise. Time is short. Please…" Lori motions that they should go.
"Okay…" Kotomi says grabbing her jacket off a nearby chair. They head to head to the roof, the woman still holding Kotomi's arm.
"Who are you? What's your name?" Kotomi asks.
"I will explain, once we are at a secure location. This is not."
She sounds a lot like one of those talking helper programs.
They emerge onto the roof. There is a sleek, bright pink, wedge shaped vehicle that looks a lot like a large, expensive, sports car floating about a foot off the roof. The doors begin to rise as they approach it.
Kotomi stands frozen, staring. "Oh my god! That thing is right out of a sci-fi movie! You're alone? I thought there would be others."
The woman's partner uncloaks next to Kotomi holding a huge blade inches from her. "Icsinä vä daha!" she hisses teeth barred, motioning that Kotomi should get in the vehicle.
Kotomi stands frozen, her eyes big as saucers.
"If you would, please get in the vehicle Doctor Ichinose. I will explain once we are at a secure location. We have to go, now!" The blonde pulls her by the arm, helping her into the gravcoupe.
The second woman with the blade squeezes in next to her while the blonde gets in on the pilot's side. Kotomi catches her scent and a twinge of arousal wells up inside her.
The gravcoupe lifts off. It shoots straight up. They level off in a low orbit minutes later.
"My god, we're in space!" Kotomi says, pressed against window of the vehicle.
"Correct" the blonde replies, sounding computer-like again.
"Like?" The other woman says edging closer to her.
"This is incredible!" Kotomi replies.
"Yummy. Like Girl?"
The blonde looks at her sternly snarling, "Isk vä Döymäk!"
Kotomi turns to face her. "What language is that?"
"Ral Rantan."
They head back into the atmosphere. Just over an hour later they land in the Atacama Desert on a salt flat.
Kotomi looks out at the lifeless landscape. "Where are we?"
The blonde brings up a holo display of the planet turning it towards her. "Here." She points at their location. "It is remote, secure, and sterile."
Kotomi shakes her head. "I can't believe it! We're in South America?"
The blonde looks confused. "Why?"
"Um, it was rhetorical."
"Understood."
They get out. The second woman sets two folding seats out. She turns on her suit and disappears. The blonde and Kotomi sit down facing each other. Kotomi shivers in the cold, thin air.
"We are from three thousand, six hundred years in your future," she begins. "We are unsure how we arrived here. That is unimportant, tactically."
Kotomi sits mouth hanging open.
"I am Kapitan Lori Sixteen of the Ginsharian Navy in the service of Mariposa. My home world, Ginshar, is three hundred and three point one eight light years distant. That measurement is familiar to you, correct?"
Kotomi nods staring at her.
"You are aware of our presence. You have become of value in assisting us." Lori stands up and takes her thermoptic suit off. "I will not harm you, but you have to answer some questions."
With her suit off, Lori is wearing a sleek, skin tight, body suit. It is a bright shade of blue that matches her eyes. The color seems to be three dimensional, shifting and flowing over her body like water. Exotic flowers appear to bloom on the suit and their petals float down it as if drifting midair above a flowing stream. With her perfect figure, long near white hair wafting gently on the breeze, and her flawless, facial features, Kotomi is mesmerized. "Wow…!"
Lori puts her hands on Kotomi's cheeks gently stroking her face. Looking into her eyes she gives her a kiss. In a sultry voice, Lori asks, "What is Shadow? I know you want to tell me all about Shadow." Lori gives her a pouting look. "I want to hear all about you and what you do. You are so fascinating. It is such a beautiful morning. Spend it telling me everything about yourself." She kisses Kotomi on the cheek.
Lori's words are irresistible. It's as if a goddess appeared before Kotomi, for her, and her alone. The world washes away and all she can see and hear is this deity named Lori. She wants Lori more than anything in the universe and would do anything she asks to have her.
Lori spends several hours "interrogating" Kotomi. Shadow, her research, her life, personality, friends, everything. Kotomi willingly tells her anything she asks.
Lori signals her partner who gives Kotomi the smallest nick with a dagger. Kotomi collapses over unconscious.
Lori looks at her partner. "She will be of further use to us."
They head back to Kotomi's lab. Arriving after dark, they land on the roof of the building. They take the still unconscious Kotomi to her lab, putting her in a chair. Lori's partner swipes a damp pad on Kotomi's arm.
The next day, Kotomi sits in her apartment trying to piece together what she did the day before. "I've never fallen asleep at work before. And, that dream I had, it was so real..."
Several days later, Lori shows up at Kotomi's lab. It seems surreal, but here's the beautiful girl in her dream wearing a snug fitting Hello Kitty T-shirt, designer jeans, and heels.
She waves, smiling, at Kotomi. "Hi! I am Lori Sanparri your new graduate assistant!"
She's giggling like one of those vacuous liberal arts majors, Kotomi thinks. "I didn't ask the university for a…"
"The university decided to give you one. I am it" Lori says, her smile disappearing, and sounding more computer-like. She smiles again, "Oh, I am sorry! I have a class. I have to run. Could you stop by my apartment later? We can talk where no one is listening. Here is my address." She writes out Kotomi a Post-it-Note.
"Eighteen this evening!" She hurries off.
Kotomi looks at the note.
Trio Apartments 43
44 N. Molino Ave.
Pasadena CA.
It looks typed. Should I go? After all, how often do you get to talk to someone from another planet?
She takes her bicycle. Arriving at the building she feels underdressed. She rings apartment 43. The building door opens to let her in.
Lori greets her at the door with a smile. "Hello!" Moving aside she lets Kotomi in.
"How can you afford this?" Kotomi asks, looking around the apartment.
"It is best not to question things" Lori replies in her odd sounding serious, voice.
"Care for a refreshment?" Lori holds up two bottles of tea.
Now she sounds like a freshman again, Kotomi thinks.
They sit down.
"The plants will be gone tomorrow" Lori says. She points at a door. "You can have that bedroom for one hundred… Dollars. That is the correct monetary term…?"
Kotomi nods.
"One hundred dollars less than your current apartment rent, understood?"
Kotomi looks surprised. "You know where I live?"
"Yes, and what you pay for your apartment. That is a primary function for me."
"Primary function?"
"Sorry. Sometimes my… English is incorrect, being a Ginsharian. Things sometimes translate poorly. I do not mean to sound weird."
"Weird is definitely an understatement. That I'm casually talking to an Alien…"
Lori looks angry, snapping, "I am NOT an Alien! I am a Ginsharian! You are a non-Ginsharian Terran. Calling me that is… how is it put here? Calling me that is to be a racist bigot. I will not call you one either."
"Sorry, I didn't mean it as an insult." Kotomi looks at the floor.
Lori picks up her school backpack and takes out something that looks like a tablet. Kotomi notices a holstered pistol, colored pink, inside. "Um, I don't mean to be nosey but I really don't like guns and here in California you can get in serious trouble for having one, especially on campus."
Lori looks very seriously at her, switching voices. "I am a Ginsharian. It is my duty to defend myself and Ginshar. The weapon is necessary."
"But you could get in really serious trouble, arrested…"
"I am a Ginsharian. It is my duty to defend myself and Ginshar. The weapon is necessary."
"You know, I notice sometimes you sound more like a computer than…"
Lori has the pistol out and shoved into Kotomi's chin in a lightning fast blur.
"I AM NOT A COMPUTER! NEVER SAY THAT TO ME AGAIN!"
Kotomi is frozen, her eyes wide with terror.
Lori calms down, putting the pistol away. "Sorry." She looks at the floor. "I am sorry. Please forgive me. Please… I should have warned you, there are certain terms, words that are very insulting to Ginsharians. That is one. Doll and toy are two more," she says very softly. "Please do not use them."
Kotomi manages a smile. "Seems we both have issues. It makes us human."
"I am Ginsharian, not a Human" Lori replies in her serious voice, her brow furrowed. "My designation is Lori Sixteen. Use of Sanparri is to fit in."
"Can you tell me what the difference is Lori Sixteen?"
Lori looks at the floor, then at Kotomi. "The last time I dealt with non-Ginsharians on a prolonged basis I tried to conceal those differences. That caused problems. I will tell you, but you cannot repeat any of it to anyone, understood?"
"I don't have many friends or people I really hang out with. I spend most of my time in my lab."
"That is why I will tell you. That, and because you are now involved with us."
"Us?"
"Me and Kasakabe."
"Kasakabe?"
"You do not remember her. You will meet her again soon. I will warn you of two things with her. She is the most dangerous person you will ever meet. She is also aggressively… your term is lesbian."
"Ginsharians, what are we?" Lori smiles at Kotomi raising her T-top showing her stomach. "Notice anything?"
"You don't have a belly button!" Kotomi says.
"Correct. I am a synthetic human analog. I was manufactured, by your calendar, in the year fifty-five eighty-eight. I am designed to be an intelligence officer, pilot-navigator, and starship commander. I was specially modified for use with Kasakabe to be a…" her voice goes barely audible… "Sex doll."
Lori looks at Kotomi. "Never, repeat that to anyone, not even me! I am not like that!"
Kotomi sips her tea.
"Sorry." Lori looks at the floor. "It is…" She tries to sound more social. "As a Ginsharian I have a synthetic genetic code called Tri-Xeno Nucleic Acid or TXNA, not DNA like you."
"I have the equivalent of an extremely powerful computer and sensor system within me. This is completely natural. It is part of who I am. I can be programmed to perform functions like a computer. That is a crude description, and why it is upsetting to be called one. That is why I sound like I do."
"I can see, hear, feel, and smell, things you cannot. I have heightened strength and reflexes. I can interact with electronic devices by touch and reenergize myself, like eating food or rest for you, by drawing energy from them. I can also sense the electronic signals passing through this space."
"So you're…" Kotomi starts to say.
"Far more capable than any computer on this planet" Lori replies firmly. "I am not, a cyborg, or android. There is no artificial machine added to me. Those crude constructs are something I am not."
"Wow!" Kotomi says, quietly.
Lori hands the tablet she got out of her bag to Kotomi. "You are part of things. That is a perscomm. Keep it with you at all times. I will instruct you in its use at school tomorrow."
Lori reaches over and brings up a holo display. It is a mass of complex mathematics. "We need funds to function effectively. You will produce a paper… that is the correct term, is it not?"
Kotomi nods not taking her eyes off the equations.
"You will produce a paper based on these equations. I will assist you. They allow the calculation of planetary and stellar motion with respect to gravity fields, light, and several other universal forces that act on them. They will accurately predict the orbital position of a planet in a distant solar system. They are necessary for accurate navigation for Faster-Than-Light travel between stars."
"You will proof your findings using known exo-planets. I will provide additional data on those. Lori takes a small silver metal bar out and places it on the table next to Kotomi. "That is a Sliver. It is a form of money. It contains a microgram of the element Oganessium. It would be element one-twenty-six, three-twenty-one on your chart of the nuclides. It is a long lived super heavy element found near neutron stars. You will discover it."
"That should get you access to unlimited new research funding. That will allow you to fully develop the Shadow unit and assist us."
"Kasakabe and I wish to return to our home. You have the potential to make that happen. You are now part of things. You may no longer choose not to be. Understood?"
"Okay…"
"Understood?"
"Understood," Kotomi hesitantly replies. "Your friend, Kasakabe, what's her part in all this?"
"I will tell her I told you this. If you repeat a word of it to anyone, you are dead. That is an absolute. You will die. She will kill you."
"Kasakabe is a Ral Rantan assassin. She belongs to a group called the Owato Clan. In my time, she, with my assistance, was sent to kill a very powerful political figure. That is what she does."
"She can and will, if necessary or paid, kill anyone on this planet of significance. She can obtain anything we need to further our goals. She is unstoppable and she can do these things as if she was never there."
"I am specifically designed, manufactured, and programmed to facilitate and assist her in doing that. Be careful around her. She can be incredibly violent."
"For us to get home you must succeed in your research. I will assist you. We will protect you."
Lori points at the bedroom door. "That room is yours. We will fix your lease and get your things moved here. Your purpose is to produce the paper so we have sufficient funds. We need to eliminate money as a variable in the equation."
She is suddenly very sociable and smiling. "I am your graduate student Lori Sanparri and I am so happy we will be working together! Oh, you can call me Lori Sixteen when we are alone if you want."
Kotomi is surprised by the sudden switch in demeanor. "So, you can turn that on and off, being serious then friendly, like a switch?"
"Yes. A non-Ginsharian named Kai Hao calls my serious, focused mode 'Pilot Mode.' You can use that term if you like."
"Can I ask you a personal question?" Kotomi says.
Lori shakes her head 'yes.'
"What's the Sixteen for? Is that like a serial number or something?"
"No. It is the sequence of manufacture for my model. There are five Lori's in service in my own time, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Twenty, and Twenty one. My sisters and I compose Lori. Lori is immortal. That sounds weird to you does it not?"
Kotomi laughs. "Extremely weird! But, it does make sense too. What about your space ship?"
"I am impressed you remember. The gravcoupe would raise questions if we used it regularly. It has been hidden. We will use it when necessary. If we have time, I will instruct you in its operation."
"You're going to let me fly your gravcoupe?"
"Yes, once you know how to do so properly. One more question, then we are finished. Can you prepare food?"
"What? Oh… Kotomi stammers. "A little. I'm not really much of a cook."
"I am unable to perform this function. Kasakabe cannot either."
"We can always order out."
"Order out?"
"Do you have a phone?"
Lori looks confused. "Phone?"
"A communications device." Kotomi shows Lori her cell phone.
Lori pulls out her perscomm. "Yes."
"Will that even work here?"
"Yes. It can link to any communications system on this planet. The one I gave you is capable of that function. The device you have in your hand is primitive and unnecessary. It also has a tracking device within it. Dispose of it as soon as possible."
"Really?"
"Yes. Who will we be communicating with?"
"Why don't we go out and see what's nearby?"
"I do not like outdoors" Lori says in pilot voice.
"You're agoraphobic?"
"Yes, I do not like outdoors or nature."
"You can travel billions of miles through space and thousands of years through time but won't go outside to a restaurant down the street? I thought I had issues!" Kotomi says.
Lori frowns deeply. "This time."
She gets the pack, taking out a pair of what look like stylish glasses putting them on. They darken like sunglasses. "These will help with outdoors."
"Are those another of your devices like the perscomm?" Kotomi asks.
"Yes" Lori says, handing them to her.
"Oh my god, these are incredible!" There is a wealth of data and other information that Kotomi can see on the glasses once she has them on.
"You can have that pair to go with your perscomm. They work together." Lori takes out a second pair and puts them on.
"You're giving these to me?"
"Yes, you are part of things. You need to be properly equipped to function. If you touch here, you can control the tint."
Kotomi tries them out in the mirror. "They disappeared but I still have them on! This is incredible!"
"That setting will allow you to wear them without others knowing. I want mine tinted for outdoors. I do not require them for the data content as my internal systems provide that."
They walk a block from the apartment building. Finding a sushi bar, they have dinner.
Lori looks nervous. "It is programmed into every Ginsharian to be suspicious and cautious around Aliens. Sorry, I did not mean you, or that as an insult."
Kotomi pats Lori's hand. "You and I are going to have to work on our issues together. It's so cool that I finally have someone who can actually give me an intellectual challenge and is as introverted and weird as I am to talk to! You're the first person I could ever do that with."
While Lori and Kotomi were getting to know one and other, Kasakabe was off looking for contacts in the Los Angeles criminal world. She had no interest in some street level gang banger. What she wanted was professional crime bosses into big deals and serious money. Her tattoos and high tech markers that worked well in the fifty seventh century were not going to work in current day Los Angeles. She had to find other means of contact.
As night fell she got word of a rave in an old warehouse. Drug dealers would be there and she might be able to get a name to start moving up the chain to the serious leadership.
To fit in she sold a few tabs of Synphoria, a pleasure drug from her time, to patrons and drug dealers she thought were worth pursuing as contacts. One of them suggested she meet with someone called "Rascal" who was supposed to be a lieutenant in the LA Tong Asian Triad.
She decided to head back to Pasadena. It was now two a.m. She figured it was safe enough that Lori could pick her up with the gravcoupe. They decided they would meet at a shopping center next to the Harbor freeway.
As she walked there, a low rider with two men in it pulled up next to her.
"Hey bitch, what you doin' in our hood?" one of them asks.
She looks at them, her "hoodie" concealing her face, "Qayimäk sin olmäk vä ya gräbärtmäk" she hisses (You cowards better flee or you're going to die sniveling worms… or something like that… a huge insult in Ral Ranta).
The passenger pulls out an automatic pistol and starts to point it at her. He gets hit between the eyes with a dagger. He drops the gun and topples over in the vehicle.
"Oh shit!" The driver starts saying repeatedly. He tries to drive off when he too is hit with a dagger. The car crashes into a street light. Kasakabe runs to the vehicle and recovers her daggers.
The driver, barely alive, looks at her. "He knows you're here…"
Kotomi's quiet world turned upside down since meeting Lori and Kasakabe. She kept telling herself, It's all for the better. With Lori's help I'm finally getting somewhere serious with my research. Besides, it's nice having a friend I can talk to who doesn't think I'm crazy when I start talking about pocket universes and extra dimensions. Of course, the first thing Lori showed me was how to prove they exist!
Her paper on interstellar planetary motion quickly advanced to completion. In between, Kotomi improved the crude shadow detector she used to find Lori. The perscomm and glasses Lori gave her made it possible to use the device anywhere.
Kotomi is showing Lori her latest version of the detector. "You weren't the first anomalies I detected," Kotomi says. "I found my first one over two years ago, but I could never get a good fix on it." She shows the display to Lori. "It still shows up, but as you can see, it could be almost anywhere in Asia or the Far East."
"The second one I found was in Peru. I told a couple of my colleagues about it. They weren't real supportive. About a month later it disappeared and shortly afterwards I got a research grant. Then a new anomaly showed up in Colorado about a month later. That's the first one I met."
Lori tilts her head slightly. "Your colleagues, what are their names?"
Kotomi continues her story. "The guy in Boulder's insane. I've visited him twice testing the shadow detector. He's psychotic and schizophrenic. I would've gone to Peru too but the university wouldn't fund me. They think my research is mostly a waste of time." Kotomi frowns. "I don't make enough to go there on my own."
"Would going to Peru help your research?" Lori asks.
"Another confirmed anomaly would help me build a more accurate model."
"Then we will go to Peru" Lori replies.
Kotomi looks surprised. "We will? You can afford the airline tickets and a hotel?"
"We will take the gravcoupe."
Kotomi gets a huge smile, wiggling. "We're going into space too, right?"
"Yes."
That evening they arrive at the apartment to find Kasakabe home. She has "acquired" a BMW for them. Kotomi is stunned by her having a briefcase full of cash.
"I told you she would procure what we need" Lori says as she sits down to watch a "vid."
They sit at the small dining table. It is Thai from a restaurant down the street. Kasakabe starts to pour everyone more Vodka.
Kotomi pouts, "I really don't like to drink."
"Kay" Kasakabe replies, reaching over and downing Kotomi's glass.
Kotomi looks disgusted. Kasakabe sticks her tongue out in response.
"Kasakabe can control how alcohol affects her. I am immune to it" Lori says. "Kasakabe, do not force Kotomi to drink. Understood?"
"You know, when I see stories on the news about an unsolved murder I wonder if you're involved every time now…" Kotomi says.
Kasakabe holds up three fingers, hissing with a big grin. "All start, all deserve. All DIE!"
Kotomi shudders.
Lori brought the gravcoupe from its hiding place, landing it on the roof. They are getting into environmental suits.
Lori is by the dining table. She opens a small case in front of her. Streams of vapor roll out it. She removes a small vial of clear liquid. Kotomi stops struggling with the bright red suit Lori gave her, and watches what she is doing closely.
Lori takes the vial, holds it arm's length, and comes to attention. "To life and Ginshar as one!" She drinks the vial returning it to arm's length for a moment before placing it back in the case and closing it. She turns to see Kotomi watching her. She closes the case.
Kotomi waddles over. "Lori, are you sick?"
Lori looks at the floor, then at Kotomi. "What you witnessed is a ceremony I do every… Saturday. In my time, it is a drug taken by individuals to extend their life. It stops aging. It is not addicting."
"For Ginsharians, it is a necessity of life. We do it as a ceremony together to make sure everyone takes their dose properly. I am programmed to do that. My genetics require I take a dose each week. If I do not, I will die from runaway mutation of my genome."
"I have a two-year supply with me so I am not in danger of running out, yet. The chemical list I gave you are the precursors to make more. I will have to make more if I am to live past two years here."
"I priced those" Kotomi replies. "Some of them are incredibly expensive. But then, I didn't know you might die if you didn't get them."
"Money is not a variable," Lori replies. "Kasakabe can get the chemicals if necessary. Making it in a zero-gee environment is the problem. The only one I have is the gravcoupe. You need to finish getting your suit on. We need to leave."
"Lori, I want to help. I want to help you. I owe you so much now."
"You owe us nothing if you can get us home. We have to go. Stellar rise is approaching."
They make their way to the roof. The gravcoupe sits, doors open. A rush of adrenaline wipes away Kotomi's sleep deprived exhaustion. They get into the vehicle with Lori piloting.
"I feel like a real astronaut!" Kotomi exclaims as they shut the doors.
"You are" Lori says. "This will be your second trip into space."
Four hours later they hover at ten thousand meters in a cloud bank over the Andes in Peru. The gravcoupe rocks slightly buffeted by a strong wind.
"Seal suits" Lori says in pilot voice.
Kasakabe checks Kotomi's to make sure she did it right.
Lori turns the vehicle to shield her side from the wind. Opening the door on her side slightly she drops out two small disk shaped drones.
"What are those?" Kotomi asks.
"Surveillance drones," Lori replies pilot voice. "No surprises."
"Get back, go swim pool?" Murotsu says.
"Understood!" Lori says with a big smile. "I love swim, ever since Zan showed it to me!"
Kotomi looks at them like they are nuts.
The drones survey the area around a small lake and valley below them. After an hour of searching they find nothing. Lori takes the gravcoupe down.
Kotomi gathers some soil samples and Kasakabe spends an hour searching.
"There was a recent impact here" Lori says.
"My detector keeps showing this is an anomaly" Kotomi replies showing Lori the display.
Arriving back Kasakabe tells them, "One, two person last few day. Nothing here."
They head back to Pasadena.
A Boeing 767 headed inbound from Hawaii to LAX is flying through light clouds. Below and the sky is clear and bright.
"Yea, I'll be glad to have a few days off..." the pilot says.
Out of nowhere, a bright pink "flying Ferrari" loops the plane pulling up near the cockpit windows. A hot blonde and a good looking Japanese woman smile and wave at the air crew. The vehicle has a California license plate on the back of it. The air crew stares slack jawed. Seconds later the vehicle rolls upside down and shoots away so rapidly it is out of sight in seconds.
The pilot and co-pilot look at each other. "I don't know about you Ted but I am not about to admit I saw that!" the pilot says.
The co-pilot looks at him. "Me neither, but you've got to admit those were two really hot girls in that, whatever-it-was!"
"That was fantastic!" Kotomi exclaims.
That evening Kotomi checked her e-mails at the university and found that she had gotten approval and travel funding to go to Boulder Colorado in a few days to check that anomaly.
"Need protection?" Kasakabe asks.
A chill runs up Kotomi's spine.
"You will not be needed" Lori interjects. "It is university research and I can escort Kotomi."
"Kay, good!" she replies. "Have fight… MMA!"
"MMA?" Lori asks.
"It's called cage fighting or something like that" Kotomi interjects.
"Understood. It is hand to hand combat. Have fun Kasakabe."
"All DIE!"
Kotomi makes reservations for them. "Lori, you can't bring a gun with you. The airport security will arrest you in a second if you do."
"Unacceptable" Lori replies, "I am a Ginsharian…"
"You can't take a gun on an airplane!" Kotomi says, shaking her hand at her. We'll get arrested!
"Kasakabe, are you using your magic box?"
"No, need?"
"Yes" Lori replies. "The security system Kotomi has described is primitive, but it will be best if I do not take chances."
"Magic box?" Kotomi asks.
Murotsu gets up and goes to her jacket. She takes a roughly 20cm x 20cm x 2 cm thick, dull silver, metal, item out handing it to Kotomi.
"Magic box. Open."
Kotomi examines it for a moment then opens it. Inside is a variant of the perscomm Lori gave her. It is very light, far lighter than it looks. "Okay, what's the secret? It looks like one of your perscomms in a portable computer case."
Kasakabe takes it and presses two of the keys. There is a soft click and the perscomm swings up. She hands it back to Kotomi.
The surface underneath is slivery and seems to swim and shimmer.
"Put your hand in" Lori says.
Kotomi does and keeps putting it in up past her elbow. "How?" She looks at the little box surrounding her arm, moving in and out of it.
"We do not understand how it works" Lori says. "In our time, it is considered Ancient technology made by a now extinct race."
"It's a stable, portable, pocket universe! Oh… My… God! They really exist! This is incredible! If I can duplicate this in the lab!"
Kotomi jumps up and hugs them. "Thank you, thank you, for showing me this!"
She continues to examine and play with the box. Lori finally takes it from her.
"I will take it with my weapons inside. It will go through the security scans."
Kotomi and Lori leave for Boulder. At the security check point Lori shudders as she goes through the metal detector. The box goes through the x-ray machine. The operator tells one of the guards she can't see inside it so he makes Lori open it. It has Cal-Tech stickers on the outside.
"It is my laptop computer" Lori tells him as she opens it, touching him on the hand.
She shows him the perscomm, turning it on. "Nothing special."
"Yea, but you are" he replies staring at her, mouth falling open.
Lori looks very upset. "Are you implying something? I want to see a supervisor!"
He makes a lunge for her.
More security people and a supervisor rush over.
"This man made sexually suggestive statements to me." Lori says. "He tried to grab me."
"I so want to do you right here!" He starts to lunge at her again.
The other workers grab him hauling him off. The supervisor apologizes profusely sending Lori and Kotomi on their way.
As they walk up the ramp to the gate Kotomi turns to Lori. "You know, you can be really rotten sometimes."
On the plane, they are seated with a thirty-something slightly sweaty guy between them. Kotomi has the window seat, Lori the aisle. They try to exchange seats so they are together but he makes excuses. He tries to start a conversation with Lori.
"Eeewww!" she replies without looking at him. "Talk to me again or touch me and I will get you arrested."
Kotomi is no more willing. "You'll get arrested if you bother us."
He notices that both girls have computers and are working on stuff that looks really complex. "Are you two rocket scientists or something?"
"I'm a physicist at Cal Tech." Kotomi says sarcastically, "She's the rocket scientist."
"Yes, I am an astrophysics and rocketry scientist." Lori says in 'pilot voice,' wrinkling her nose in disgust. "You are eeewww. Leave us alone."
17