Between Darkness and Light Trilogy (21 page)

“Why, with four dimensions in play, do the
systems run on decimal? Aren't there sixteen permutations
available?

“Yes, there are, but since not all
dimensions are stable everywhere, programming in substitutions
makes such machines, in certain circumstances, less reliable, and
unnecessarily clutters up the operating system. It is far more
efficient to merely consider how many dimensions are active.

“That would give you five permutations.”

“All our systems run on dual processors,
which also allows them to run faster without overheating.”

“Interesting. How do you store data?”

“Ah, now that is an entirely different
discipline. She looks as though she is about to launch into the new
subject, when her expression turns suspicious, “Hey, what do you
know about computer systems?”

“I’ve studied them extensively – the
technologists of Shiral use them, although you apparently would
consider theirs archaic. The technologists also use the decimal
system for their primary mathematics, and yes, I have studied that
system.”

“You have? Then, why do you always fall back
on three and nine based measurements?”

“Decimal based measurements just don't seem
to have… soul. They are cold and uninteresting; they lack any
grounding with the land. With the people. It is as though, here as
well as with the Technologists, the math is more important than the
land, the people, even the Universe herself.”

“The universe is math, everything comes down
to mathematical equations. That's the true source of our power
here. You cannot reliably control that which you do not properly
understand.”

“The Universe also has a soul – it is
literally connected to everything within it – the land, the life
within her. There is power in interacting with her through
recognition of the cycles of life. On Shiral there are three
growing cycles in the time it takes to revolve around our sun. In
all life there are three primary stages, birth, living and death.
People have seven distinct stages in life, bringing the total to
nine. Shiral has nine moons. What more powerful symbolism could we
possibly use to interact with our surroundings?”

Alma just looks at me for a moment, then
smiles. “You're weird, Shi'ahn, have I mentioned that before?
However, given your line of logic, think on this. We each have ten
fingers, and with our hands and the devices our ancestors built
with their hands, we made this realm what it is today. In Lumina
everything is based on the decimal system, so I suggest you begin
thinking in those terms if you ever wish to become ready to ascend
the Path of Enlightenment.”

“I see, in Lumina everything revolves around
the individuals who rule instead of the land that gives you
life.”

“You still don’t get it. In your world, the
land may give you life, but here, it’s the Cailliach who created
Lumina and our half of the Universe.”

“I suppose you have a point. I must learn
how to live in this world of technology. Would you be willing to
show me one of these computers you have spoken of – one that uses
dimensions instead of electrical charges to process data? I would
love to
hear
one work, perhaps it would help me better
understand this place.”

“Small computing devices are all around us,
but I suppose a fully functional one would suit your purposes
better. I don't suppose you have accessed your personal computer
yet?”

“I have one?”

“Yes, in your rooms, of course.” She picks
up a napkin, dabs at her lips and tosses it onto her plate. “I
believe we are both done here, come along, I will acquaint you with
your own computer.” Her voice is somewhat condescending, but I'm
not about to make an issue of it, I want to learn from her.

William finally joins the discussion, “If
you don't mind, Sis, I'd like to tag along.”

Alma looks disapprovingly at him, “Don't
tell me you have also failed to find your computer.”

“Oh, I've found and used it, I'd just like
to see how you interact with one.”

I could kick him, “You found we have
computers in our rooms and didn't tell me about it?”

“Well, the timing was… inconvenient.” He
takes my arm, 'The next time I saw you, you had just discovered how
to return to Shiral. That kind of distracted me.'

'Ah, I see.'

As we enter my study Alma calls out,
“Computer.” Nothing happens. William smiles and leans against a
wall, apparently preparing for an interesting show.

I try, “Computer?” There is a burst of quite
interesting
harmonies
from the desk I had thought rather
oddly designed. I had not thought that I would already possess a
highly sophisticated computer such as Alma had described. Then
again, why not?

“Yes, Shi'ahn.”

Alma replies, “Computer, perform a sweep of
the room, so that Shi'ahn may monitor how you function.” Again,
nothing happens. “Good, apparently Lucian thought to key your
computer solely to you. You try, scan anything you like.”

Anything? “Computer, scan the Lady Alma, and
report to me what you find.”

Alma is less than pleased, “Hey – I didn't
mean me!”

“You have scanned me, have you not?”

She grimaces, but remains silent.

Meanwhile, as the computer scans her, I
listen
to both it and her. It would take a lot of study to
be able to properly decipher its strangely complicated machine
code, but I think I can learn to. A voice sounds in my ear – I'm
fairly certain I am the only one who can hear it. It reports a
plethora of protective and offensive devices both underneath and
woven into Alma's clothes. She may have been unprepared for her
abduction while sleeping the other night, but she's quite prepared
now! She also bears many devices that are for neither attack nor
defense – the computer informs me that they are used to manipulate
her surroundings.

“You use technology to mimic sorcery?”

“No, you… oh, never mind. Sorcery is a
lesser power, largely unnecessary. At least, within the realm of
order.”

“But sorcery works perfectly fine here.”

“Not for most people it doesn't, and most
certainly not for newcomers. Why is it, Shi'ahn, that yours works
so well?”

“I don't know, perhaps it is because the
land is so similar to Shiral.”

“Lumina is similar to your homeworld? In
what way?”

“Well, the citadel is completely foreign, of
course, as is the Spire, but the land – the great forest especially
reminds me a great deal of my home. And the waters beyond the
harbor are pristine and pure, much like those of Shiral. Teeming
with colorful and magnificent life. The forest lord and his
daughter Fauna are both very nice and welcoming. They make me feel
grounded, at home in a way that the citadel does not. My sorcery is
based on being in harmony with the land, and as the land appears to
accept me…”

“Why would the 'land' accept you when the
Emperor does not?”

“Perhaps the land is wise to the ways of
those who revere it.”

“Are you calling the Emperor dumber than
dirt?”

“No! I didn't mean…” Why is she smiling?

“Don't panic, my own father felt that way at
times, before he… disappeared.” Her smile is gone, for a moment she
looks very, very angry, but then it dissipates.

“Alma…”

“No, never mind, I do not wish to discuss
it.”

Time to change the subject! “So, I take it
that when you were taken from your room you did not have your
impressive array of devices with you?”

“No, of course not, I was asleep. Although,
actually, I had gone to bed with rather more on me than I awoke
with. I should not have been so defenseless.”

“That strengthens the case for it having
been an inside job, then.”

“An inside job? What are you talking about?
That Shiftling bitch kidnapped me – how could that be an inside
job?”

“During her interrogation she stated that
she had been promised a member of our royal family. She did not
know who it was going to be, which is why she spoke civilly with
you at first. She also said she had been provided with an item that
would negate your defenses.”

“She lied! No one here would have
collaborated with a Shiftling – and no one could have abducted me
from my room like that!”

“Not even if the perpetrator had a device
similar to that provided to Cas Lydia? And if no one here did it,
how could Cas Lydia have done it?”

“Why are you arguing her side?”

“I'm not, I'm just pointing out a
possibility that, if you think of it, is clearly disturbing.”

“Just how do you know all of this?”

“I was brought into the investigation.”

“Why would they bring you into the
investigation?”

“If you don't mind, I really don't want to
talk about it. I never even want to think of it again. The only
good thing was that Lucian was convinced that I had indeed gotten
the truth from her.”

“Perhaps, like my brother, he is besotted
with you and willing to believe anything you tell him. That is your
ploy, isn't it? Dazzle the men until they'd give anything for
you?”

“What are you talking about? Cas is the only
man here who is at all kind to me, and Cailli told him, rather
forcefully, that we couldn't be.”

“When did this happen – is he alright?”

“A couple of nights ago, and I don't think
she intended to hurt him. I haven't spoken with him since, but I
saw him briefly in the meeting earlier, he did not appear
harmed.”

“I have not spoken with him recently either,
which is unusual. I'll leave you now, to check up on my brother.”
At the door she turns back angrily. “If I learn that you have hurt
him, or caused him to be hurt, you will answer to me.”

~~~

After she storms out, William pulls himself
away from the wall and half smiles, “That could have gone
better.”

“No kidding. Did you learn what you came
with us for?”

“Not really. But I learned something more
important.”

We speak the words together, “Lucian set up
the security on our computers.”

I cast a shield around my room, blocking out
sight and sound, then address the problem. “Computer! Sever any and
all network connections now! Unless directed to re-establish them
by me, disable all methods of access aside from my voice.
Respond.”

“All connectivity to outside systems has
been severed and disabled.”

I glance toward William, “I wonder just how
compromised I already am?”

“Completely, I would guess. Fixing it could
be a challenge. If we were home, I'd suggest completely wiping the
system and rebuilding it, but since neither of us knows how to
program for dual four-dimensional processors; I just don't
know.”

“I have an idea.” I listen very carefully to
my computer, thinking of Lucian's harmony, looking for it or
something similar. I've got it! Several, actually, some within the
operating system, some beneath it. It's time to modify a cleaning
spell. Listening closely for disharmonies that would indicate I'm
about to make a mistake, I carefully wipe out every bit of code
that reminds me of Lucian. When they are gone I notice another –
not code, but an implanted device. What a jerk! I remove it, then
realize it will be pointless to remove such things if he has a way
of re-infecting me before I can secure the system; I create a
secondary shield that blocks out anything with an echo of his
harmony, and can be modified to add other harmonies to be blocked.
Next I search for telltale echoes of Alma. The sneaky bitch is
almost as bad as Lucian. So is Novanus. I run through the harmonies
of every family member I have met here so far, and they all have
something hidden on my computer. I wonder… I haven't met everyone
yet, but there are an amazing number of images on my crystal. I
compare the harmonies of each individual available to me, and I'm
amazed at how many people have links into my computer! I eradicate
each and every one before opening my eyes again.

William looks anxious, “Well, what did you
find?”

I scowl, “I think nearly every person in
this family has been using my computer to spy on me! Only one
person I know of hasn't, Cailli, and in all truth, she doesn't need
to compromise my computer to keep an eye on me.”

“Could you remove them?”

“Yes, all that I have detected are now gone.
However, I'm going to scan it again, just to be sure.”

This time I
listen
for all I'm worth.
I don't detect anything that directly reminds me of family members
aside from the obviously quite necessary underlying code, but that
seems too simple. Instead of listening for people, I do my final
scan searching for anything that is out of tune with my vision of a
perfectly safe, secured system. There is a very faint echo of
something wrong, like something is hiding from me. As I focus on it
it becomes louder, as if it is about to launch into action. I cast
the tiniest shield spell of my life around it, then cleanse
everything within the shield. It fights me – it is not just code,
it's a blending of AI and sorcery! It belongs to Lucian, I should
have known. It is strong, but no match for Harmony. When I am
finished with my cleansing, the resulting
harmony
now
sounds
… clean. “Computer, run a self diagnostic; are you
functioning properly?” While it scans, I listen for signs that my
work has not been complete; all sounds fine.

“All systems functioning properly.
Processing speed has been increased by 27%.”

“Good. Now tell me, can you sense anything
different between these two words?”

First I say 'computer' vocally only, then I
repeat it, accompanied by a surge of Harmony.

“Yes. The first was sound only, while the
second was accompanied by a surge of an unidentified power.”

“Good. You will only respond to and interact
with me when you hear both my voice and the unidentified power you
just sensed. You are never to connect to any outside network,
computer or individual without my express permission, you are never
to allow another device, program, or code not approved by me to be
placed within you, and you are never to divulge any information to
any source other than myself. Encrypt all data, communications and
operations with this key.” I project the harmony of Zah-Ha’Gor.
“Were you able to detect that?”