{"id":48,"date":"2020-02-26T20:59:11","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T20:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/?p=48"},"modified":"2020-02-26T21:05:03","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T21:05:03","slug":"chapter-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/chapter-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter Four"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kaur returned a few minutes later, still wearing the scowl. Kaau li knew better than to pry, but having him angry did not bode well for the conversation she was about to begin. The stolen handset was a last resort only. She would rather exit the Wraith<\/em> with Kaur\u2019s permission, and of her own free will. And then she would never return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrouble, my love?\u201d she asked quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA cyborg has malfunctioned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMalfunctioned?\u201d she asked with curiosity. Cyborgs were mostly humans, with free will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe tried to leave,\u201d he said. \u201cSomeone caught him stealing a long-range shuttle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaau li shuddered slightly and gripped her cloak more tightly. \u201cWhy would he do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaur looked up at her. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter why. The fact that he tried to leave and turn traitor is enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cold in the room seeped into Kaau li\u2019s bones. \u201cWhat will happen to him?\u201d She heard herself ask the question even though she didn\u2019t really want the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe will be dealt with. Have you seen my arena?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What did the cyborg have to do with an arena? Kaau li almost asked, but then decided she didn\u2019t want to know. \u201cNo, I haven\u2019t,\u201d she asked with feigned curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen today will be an experience you will not forget.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had never spoken a truer word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But maybe \u201cdealing with\u201d the cyborg was an answer to Kaau li\u2019s problems. If Kaur was caught up in doling out punishment, she could take advantage of the distraction. Her mouth went dry as she imagined being on the receiving end of whatever punishment happened in the \u201carena,\u201d and her stomach churned with pity for the cyborg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do have a request,\u201d she finally said with a boldness she did not feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh?\u201d He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She almost didn\u2019t say it. If she didn\u2019t, if she stayed, Kaur would give her a position of power on his ship. He\u2019d made that clear in the past. But Kaau li didn\u2019t want to be a pirate, and she shuddered at raising a child inside the bloodthirsty ranks of Kaur\u2019s men. Or bringing up a son or daughter to be like Kaur. No, Kaau li wanted to remain a smuggler, in charge of her own life. And to keep her baby far away from this ruthless killer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are keeping me in suspense, Kali,\u201d he said quietly, a hint of annoyance in his voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI apologize,\u201d she said, pulling herself away from her terrible thoughts. \u201cBut I have had an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t bat an eye, but steadily gazed at her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is small compared to your great empire, Kaur, but I believe it is a means to keeping my ship and crew busy for many years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More silence. Kaur loved his silences. They made lesser humans squirm in their seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite her fear, Kaau li was not a lesser human, so the silence didn\u2019t bother her. She took a deep breath and plunged on. \u201cMy only regret is that it will take me so far from you\u2014the other side of the empire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do not recognize the Emperor Arthos,\u201d he said dismissively, \u201cnor his semblance of a government. He is an imbecile.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, I only use it as a frame of reference. Nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd what is this job?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNear the planet Ares. I have found a previously overlooked trade there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat trade?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaau li smiled. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I should tell you, my love. What if you swoop in and grab my corner of the market?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaur scoffed. \u201cI would grab more than a corner. What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaau li knew better than to make him ask a third time. \u201cArthenium.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArthenium,\u201d he said skeptically. He knew as well as she that the arthenium market had long ago been controlled by mega-corporations. Discovered in the Nilurian Belt shortly after humans built the first hyperdrive, the strong, flexible metal was used in everything from weapons to ship-building to farm equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpecifically arthenium dust,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHumans have been using arthenium for centuries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot for sophisticated computer drives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s too heavy. Everyone knows this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaau li gave herself a moment to look smug. Then she said, \u201cNevertheless, someone has found a way around that. And the results will be the most sophisticated artificial intelligence in the galaxy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have enough AIs,\u201d Kaur said, frowning. \u201cI do not like them, never have. For once, this is something I agree with Arthos about. AI should be kept in check, as it has for centuries. What is your part in all this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaau li shrugged. \u201cTransporting the dust to the people who want it. They are willing to pay. Especially because they don\u2019t want to attract the notice of the empire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That got Kaur\u2019s attention. He leaned forward again, his interest piqued. Anything that subverted the empire automatically became a cause he could rally around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If pirates ever rallied around anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best part was that it was all true. Although Kaau li was using the job as an excuse to get as far away from Kaur as possible, she wanted this opportunity. It would make her enough money to retire within five years. A perfect situation, especially with a child on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do they want with artificial intelligence, I wonder?\u201d Kaur murmured, lost in thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. And a good smuggler doesn\u2019t ask.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaur frowned. \u201cYou would help supply manufacturers with the means to creating the most powerful AI in the galaxy, and not question why? They could be creating an army of intelligent androids.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He really is paranoid, she thought. \u201cI doubt it. Next to you, they are a small operation. It will be years before they reach any kind of mass production.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaur reached out and grabbed her hand. His grip was surprisingly fierce, but Kaau li resisted the urge to wince.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI must show you something,\u201d he said suddenly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curious, but wary of the look in Kaur\u2019s eye, Kaau li allowed him to pull her to her feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaur smiled. \u201cYou will see.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Her mouth went dry as she imagined being on the receiving end of whatever punishment happened in the \u201carena”…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51,"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48\/revisions\/51"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/machinations.wilhelminakirk.com\/machinations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}