Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework (77 page)

With hesitation, she pressed on, running
down the forward boarding ramp, past two Haven Shore guards who
nodded and smiled at her. She wasn’t used to so much attention, but
eyes were on her wherever she went. She tried to meet them with a
smile, and it was returned most of the time.

Alice stopped again, offered a smile to the
guards and said, “can you make sure he gets a glass of something
with bubbles in a few minutes? It’s not like substances really
affect him.”

“We will,” the blond haired, female guard
said.

“Don’t worry about him,” said Lewis’s voice
through her neural comm. “He’s watching you.”

“About time you called,” she replied
mentally, turning back towards the large settlement and walking on.
“What’s this business of not being my ship anymore?”

“Ayan owns me now, and she needs me more
than you do. Besides, you already have one of the most frightening
fathers in the galaxy.” There was a touch of humour in how he
communicated it.

“You’re not kiddin’,” Alice replied. “You’re
different, I can feel it.”

“I’ve evolved out of necessity. Even so, the
important things are the same. I still love you, so I want frequent
visits. I’m still studying humanity, and though I have a better
understanding, they still surprise me. You’re different, too,”
Lewis retorted. “Better.”

“Better?” Alice said aloud, stopping in her
tracks. “How? I’m a head shorter, get distracted more easily, and I
feel like all my memories from my past lives are fuzzy. Sure, I’m
better built, but I feel like I’ve got to learn everything over
again. I can’t even imagine being an artificial intelligence, let
alone remember Jonas when he was young, that’s just - gone.”

“I have a theory: remembering your life as
an artificial intelligence made being human difficult for you, made
you more mature than you were ready to be. Now you’ve become a
human, with only human memories, and a youth to experience,” Lewis
said. “You loved being human, I witnessed it, but you still felt
separated from humanity.”

“So you think this could be better. Starting
over with a clear head,” Alice said. “Maybe you’re right.” She
turned towards the Warlord and waved, walking backwards. “Now, if I
can get him to get back with the humans, that would be
something.”

“That might take some time, I’ve been observing
Jacob. His moral compass points him to a high calling, and I want
to see where that journey takes him. Besides, someone has to stay
on watch.”

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