Rosie had heard every word.
She had pretended to be asleep when Marcus had checked on her a little while earlier, thinking it best to sleep in a little. If she were up too early, it might raise suspicion. Humans liked to sleep in, after all.
The Governor and the small contingent of military personnel had just left not two minutes previously, and Marcus had exited the house and was now somewhere on the first floor deck below.
As per what she had learned about Marcus during his conversation with the Governor, not even an approaching Fog ship could make Marcus leave his home. He had even promised that Rosie would be quite safe at the house and had refused to let the military personnel take her with them. Even now, he was defending her; keeping her safe. For whatever reason, he wanted to make sure that Rosie had nothing to do with the human military on the island. Why was he so adamant about this? Why was he still looking out for her and refusing to let anyone take her despite the fact that he seemed to want her gone so much?
Throughout much of the night, Rosie had accessed and consumed as much information about the recent history of Hawaii and about Marcus as she could find. Much of it was stored on Marcus's computer itself, but Hawaii had a rudimentary network where a bunch of other information was accessible. She had learned about everything Marcus had accomplished that was declassified by the military (she was unable to hack into any government databases from here; the computer hadn't provided the correct avenues to them) and was fascinated by the amount of combat he had seen and the prowess he had demonstrated.
She was also completely heartbroken for him. This was something she had given much thought to recently, her propensity for empathy for humans. She could detect and understand emotional pain and she seemed to be rapidly becoming more susceptible to it herself. Her lengthy crying spell just last night because of all this was proof of it.
Of course, she had felt empathy and even a level of attachment for and to certain individual humans before, but for Marcus it was different. It was far more pronounced and she had absolutely no idea why. She had just met him and by all measures of her time among humans, she had absolutely no reason to be so drawn to him and so personally affected by his history after such a short time.
But yet she was.
This concerned her the most. Was she becoming too emotionally compromised to continue her mission? Had her mission and experiences proved so successful that she herself was becoming too human to be objectively effective anymore? She had dealt with a decade of human interaction as well as she thought she could have, but, given these new revelations and her increasing nervousness over them, perhaps it was time to get a second opinion.
Rosie knew she had to voice her concerns and she knew just whom to voice them to.
It had been nearly ten years since Rosie had spoken to Supreme Flagship Yamato. The Supreme Flagship had instructed Rosie to upload her observational data, findings and personal analysis and conclusions regarding her mission directly to Yamato at yearly intervals, but Rosie was only supposed to contact her directly when in some sort of extenuating circumstance.
It was the first time in nearly a decade that Rosie decided such circumstances were present.
Rosie curled up into as tight a ball as she could under the covers and accessed and connected to the private channel that she and Yamato had created at the outset of her mission; the channel had laid dormant ever since, not being necessary for Rosie to directly send the observational data pertaining to her mission.
Suddenly, she was in an enormous, old ballroom, sitting at a large wood table, wearing a red dress covered in lace and ribbons that was far fancier and more elegant than anything she had ever worn during her time among humans.
It seemed that Yamato had made improvements to the channel at some point over the years.
And there, sitting across from Rosie, was the Supreme Flagship herself who was wearing her own elegant dress (that she had always wore, each of the few times Rosie had seen her). Her chestnut brown hair framed her face perfectly and her expression was just as warm and welcoming as Rosie had remembered. Yamato was, with no exception, the single most regal individual, human or Fog, that Rosie had ever seen.
Yamato smiled warmly. "It's been a long time, Rosie. I've missed you."
"Supreme Flagship," Rosie said quietly. "I'm sorry to bother you. I hope I'm not distracting you at an inopportune time..."
"Of course you're not," Yamato seemed stunned at the thought. "I always have time for you, Rosie. Though, I do have to ask, why have you made contact with me? You haven't in such a long, long time."
"It seemed necessary..." Rosie said, trailing off.
"Now, now, don't be embarrassed! I'm actually amazed you haven't in so long. I thoroughly expected you to contact me more than a few times. I've been getting all of your yearly updates just fine, by the way."
"I had thought so, Supreme Flagship," Rosie nodded. "I supposed you would have notified me had the observational data not made it to you."
"I certainly would have, but you've done your job exceptionally, so I never needed to worry about you." Yamato smiled even wider, if that were possible. "I knew that I had chosen wisely when I had picked you for this assignment."
It must have been the fact that Rosie was, for better or worse, becoming more like humans, but the question was out of her mouth before she could even think better of asking it.
"Why did you choose me, Supreme Flagship?"
Immediately regretting the question, Rosie felt her face flush, a sensation that the communication channel replicated flawlessly, to her horror.
"I was always wondering when you would ask that," Yamato replied, obviously noticing that Rosie was blushing. "How is anyone chosen for anything, really? What creates one chance for someone and another for someone else? How does it all work?"
Rosie had no idea where Yamato was going with this, so she listened patiently, hoping to learn.
"It's not just that you haven't ever asked why you were chosen, you've also never asked me why I created your mission in the first place. You have wondered why, haven't you?"
"I have," Rosie confirmed, the warmth in her face thankfully beginning to subside. "Many times. But I thought better than to question you. You did mention once that it was to become better weapons, so that was all I really had to go on."
Yamato nodded understandingly. "Yes, I thought as much... Becoming better weapons is sort of the excuse I give the other ships for it. But Rosie, I assigned you to learn about the humans those ten years ago because I had just formed my mental model. It was... the most wonderful feeling. And I wanted dearly to pass this gift to the rest of the Fog. But, I needed more information to do so effectively. You see, I don't think anyone will ever know just how it was I was able to form my mental model. Nothing like it had ever happened before in the history of the Fog and therefor none of us had any frame of reference on how to accomplish it in the first place, let alone replicate the process."
"But somehow you formed one," Rosie murmured.
"Yes. Somehow... I may never even know exactly how myself, but once I did, I was able to understand non-linear concepts. I was able to understand my own existence. I was able to think and feel."
Yamato grasped her hands together excitedly. "And then, almost the very moment that I formed my mental model and began understanding concepts that I couldn't have even conceived before, your core reactivated. Imagine that! Five years after our naval victory over the humans, where your core hadn't reactivated yet and none of us even knew you existed, suddenly, nearly the very moment I achieved sentience, there you were."
"I didn't know that, Supreme Flagship," Rosie said, the gravity of what Yamato was telling her beginning to register.
"Of course not. I didn't tell you, silly!" Yamato winked. "So, moments after your reactivation was made evident to me, I decided that I wanted to pass this new gift to the rest of the Fog. I calculated that the best way to do so was to gather information on the very creatures we're replicating. I chose you, because not only had you never engaged in combat with the humans and would have no preconceived experience that they were your enemy, but that you also would have no conflicting thoughts or guilt about any past events. You understand the Admiralty Code, yes, but you've never implemented its orders."
"I've never fought humans?" Rosie blinked. "I..."
"Of course you didn't know. I didn't tell you!" Yamato sang.
"But... Supreme Flagship... I still don't entirely understand..."
"I'm hoping you will, just let me finish explaining!" Yamato exclaimed joyously. "It also quickly became apparent to me that your core was quite advanced. In fact, had you reactivated when the rest of us did I think there would have been a good chance that you could have been a Yamato class battleship, like myself or my sister. Though, I suppose given the ship that your core ultimately replicated, you ended up with quite the impressive ship body."
She paused, taking a breath. "And, in addition to everything I've already said, the most important factor in choosing you was a simple decision based on a concept that had just occurred to me at the very moment I realized you existed."
Yamato paused again, seemingly for dramatic effect this time. "Fate... One of the most human concepts we've ever documented. The moment I understood it, the very moment, there you were. I chose you because fate was telling me to."
Rosie thought about this for longer than she meant to before saying something. She became slightly embarrassed about how long it took her to reply. She didn't even begin to know how to comment on Yamato's choosing of her for her mission, so she opted instead for a safer route.
"So... Supreme Flagship..." Rosie said, irritated at how frazzled she sounded. "Has my performance been satisfactory...?"
"Satisfactory? Nonsense!" Yamato waved. "It's been exemplary! Just in the last year, with all of the data you've acquired during your mission, I have begun the widespread implementation of mental models throughout the entirety of the Fog. Soon, hopefully, every single ship that can support a mental model will have one."
"That's amazing, Supreme Flagship," Rosie breathed. "We all owe so much to you for that. Sentience is... a most wonderful thing. Most of the time."
"That's the most human thing I've heard you say," Yamato beamed. "But it wasn't exactly just me. You were absolutely instrumental, crucial, in helping me to make it happen. Give yourself the credit you deserve."
Rosie didn't even know what to say to that. For whatever reason, all of the processing power she had wasn't helping her in the slightest during this conversation.
Yamato solved that immediate problem for her, and continued speaking. "So, I can only ascertain that you're here because you're experiencing doubts about your work? I did wonder when that was going to finally happen."
"You knew...?" Rosie asked, blinking.
"But of course! I've documented your ongoing emotional evolution and journey in earnest via your yearly updates. Didn't you ever wonder why I asked you to give your own thoughts on each entry?"
"I did..." Rosie said.
"But you didn't think to ask," Yamato finished for her, smiling.
"Yes... I didn't want to question you..."
"Ever the formal one," Yamato waved her hand again. "But you couldn't have known why it was I asked for your own interpretations."
"Because you never told me." It was Rosie's turn to finish Yamato's sentence.
Yamato laughed melodiously. "Exactly. You weren't just doing observational research for me. You were also the subject."
Rosie wondered momentarily if this should be taken as a compliment. Thankfully Yamato continued speaking, so Rosie didn't have to say anything.
"What I've discovered, even if the mental model concept is proving to be a wonderful success, is a lot of our ships are, shall we say, a little emotionally... young... I mean, one can't blame them, really. Suddenly, there you are! A whole sentient being with infinite possibility and infinite emotions with absolutely no instruction on how to be. All the computational power in existence can't help you with that; it comes from experience. You, Rosie, have more experience interacting with the very subjects that we're replicating than any other Fog vessel, and you have almost as much experience being as I do. Even giving myself some credit, I think you might just be the most evolved out of all of us, in terms of being, well, human."
"That's very kind of you, Supreme Flagship, but I don't know if I agree..."
"And that's exactly why I'm right," Yamato laughed. "You have doubts. I mean, of course you do. That's why we're having this conversation in the first place. To doubt is to be human, so I've learned. And so have you, I would gamble."
Yamato smiled and tucked an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. "I don't mean to be presumptuous; I know I can do that sometimes, I apologize. Please, tell me in your own words why you've contacted me today?"
"Because..." Rosie began. "I feel too... compromised for this mission you've honored me with. I don't know if I can effectively continue."
"I entirely disagree," Yamato replied, unperturbed. "Your doubts give me complete confidence of your ability to continue unfettered. I was actually beginning to worry because you had never expressed such doubt to me before, but now I see it was more out of your concern to not 'bother' me than anything else."
"I suppose..." Rosie said quietly.
"If you truly want, I can end your mission." Yamato said reassuringly. "You've already accomplished so much. You can rejoin your ship body on a permanent basis and I can assign you to a fleet. You can meet other Fog ships. To think! You've never met a single Fog vessel besides me."
"Would I..." Rosie trailed off for a moment. "Would I have to kill humans...?"
Yamato paused, a serious expression playing across her features. "You would have to obey and follow the Admiralty Code, just like the rest of us."
"I don't want... to kill..." Rosie went quiet before finishing her sentence.
"You can stay on your current mission or you can leave it for whatever reasons you like," Yamato said. "Whatever your justifications for either, it makes no difference to me. Tell me what you want, Rosie."
"I'll stay," Rosie finally said, firmly. "I'll continue my research for however long you'd like me to, Supreme Flagship."
Yamato's face brightened immensely. "That was exactly what I was hoping you'd choose. So, now that heavier subjects are out of the way, do you have any updates on your mission you'd like to share? I only know what you tell me, after all."
"I arrived on the American State of Hawaii last night," Rosie reported. "I thought that after ten years on the the mainland, it would be a good idea to see how the humans living in such an isolated place behaved and interacted."
"And this is exactly why you were the perfect choice!" Yamato exclaimed. "You still have another ten months before your next update and I can't even wait to delve into what you've observed."
"Thank you very much, Supreme Flagship. Your confidence means everything to me." Rosie met Yamato's gaze and managed a weak smile.
"Is there something else I can help you with, Rosie?"
Rosie thought for a moment. "Yes. A Fog vessel is approaching Hawaii. According to the humans on the island I'm on, Fog presence around the Hawaiian Islands is anomalous. I was wondering if this is because of my presence there? Perhaps I was somehow detected during my crossing of the Pacific...?"
"Oh, no," Yamato said. "That's Cora. She's been having some... disciplinary issues. As punishment, her flagship assigned her to patrol the area for the next few months."
A flash of realization crossed Yamato's features. "You see what I'm saying about fate? Cora is one of your sisters. Her core isn't as advanced as yours, but it's advanced enough that she's the same class vessel as you are. It always amazes me when something so seemingly mathematically improbable occurs."
"My... sister?" Rosie asked slowly. She had known from her research of human military history that there were three vessels in her class and she had always wondered if they too had Fog replicas.
"Yes," Yamato nodded. "Very interesting, isn't it? Though I would like to remind you to follow your mission parameters and make no contact with her."
"Of course, Supreme Flagship. There won't be any issues."
"Excellent. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"
Rosie thought for a little while, quickly thinking (as she had numerous times during the conversation) of the new human submarine mission to evacuate Hawaii. She was within a nanosecond of informing Yamato about it, but then it occurred to her that people Marcus cared about would be on the first trip out. She decided to say nothing. For now. "No, I think I've reported everything pertinent. Thank you very much for your time, Supreme Flagship. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
Rosie also neglected to mention the satellite she had heard the Governor mention, because she didn't want to add any instability to her position now that she had decided to stay. She could always inform the Supreme Flagship of these revelations later, if she deemed it necessary.
For now, though, she would play her hand very carefully.
"Well, then," Yamato said cheerily, clapping her hands together. "Thank you so much for dropping by and I can't even wait for your next report. Do take care!"
Rosie was just about to sever her connection to the channel when Yamato spoke again.
"Oh, and Rosie...? Listen to your heart."
"What...?"
"Listen to your heart. Trust that it will guide you."
Rosie blinked several times."But we're of the Fog, we don't have-"
"That's all," Yamato nonchalantly cut her off.
Rosie just stared dumbfounded as Yamato simply smiled and gave a wave of goodbye. "You'll understand, sooner or later. I promise... Just listen."
Author's Note:
The Sea Whisperer, by Lisa Gerrard