Algar had pretty much said that the person who’d given Jamie the list of people to bring along wasn’t evil. And there were only a few beings out there who both Algar and ACE would feel had a right to interfere with us, at least more than Algar and ACE were interfering. Plus, ACE was emotionally attached to Naomi and had been since she’d been born.
He was more emotionally attached to her since she’d saved him from the Superconsciousness Society and allowed him to return to Earth, which was why he was residing in Jamie these days instead of Naomi’s eldest brother. Naomi’s sentence, though, had been that she couldn’t interfere with us in any way.
I was certain that Naomi had helped me get to and from Bizarro World, though it was likely that Algar had assisted, as well, since Poofs had been, if not overtly involved, at least present and very much accounted for. The Jamie in Bizarro World had told me that every Jamie in the multiverse—at least the ones who were aware of each other, which had appeared to be most or all—knew that the person to ask for help was Auntie Mimi. And Naomi was good at sneaking the help in without being caught.
Realized that I hadn’t looked in the three-way mirror much recently. That meant I was letting Jamie in Bizarro World down. Resolved that I’d get to that the moment we were back. Sooner, if Mother could create a three-way mirror for me that I could adjust to the correct angles needed. But that was for later. Right now, we were sailing off somewhere with no idea of where we were heading or why.
Which was very overt, and therefore going directly against Naomi’s terms of parole with the Superconsciousness Society. Suggesting the DreamScape to Ixtha and leading her to me—probably covert. Suggesting the passenger list to Jamie—again, probably covert. But this was not. This was done literally under our particular Superconsciousness Police’s noses. Because that’s what Sandy and his confederates were, at least for the part of the galaxy all of us on this ship called home.
Pondered why she felt emboldened enough to take the risk. Didn’t have to ponder too long. Sandy had pulled us out of warp to solve their little problem. That was definitely not in the Superconsciousness Society Rulebook. Meaning that he’d broken said rules. And that meant that maybe Naomi could break them, too. Or else, at the least, Naomi felt that the risks of being this overt were well worth whatever reward she expected from all of us on the ship. And that she expected us to do something was quite clear.
Okay, fine. So, why weren’t we hurtling toward Ixtha again? Mother seemed certain that we were not, and I had to trust her on that. Why send us elsewhere, if the entire goal was to get us to Ixtha to solve her situation?
The only answer I could come up with was that something else was going on wherever we were headed. If so, the situation couldn’t be that old, because if we’d been needed at this other place, then why not set Mother’s original coordinates for what I was now going to consider Stop Two on the Galaxy Cruise?
Decided to table why Naomi had suggested the passenger list she had for a later time when we might be flying under our own control. But a Space Family Reunion did seem possible. Of course, if so, then she’d left her parents, Stanley and Erika Gower, on Earth, along with Alfred and Lucinda.
Of course, that would likely be so that we’d have two out of the three guys who forged the first relationship with the U.S. government still on Earth, supporting Mom and ensuring that A-C Bases weren’t taken over by our enemies. And, as a superconsciousness, she could see them any time. All the time, really. And I didn’t expect her to show up visually to anyone, other than possibly me or Jamie, aka the only two on this Earth who knew she was still alive.
So, I had it figured out. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully.
But even if I was right, this information did me no good, because I couldn’t tell anyone else. Meaning I was going to have to lead them around to the idea that “someone” wanted us helping out again, without mentioning Naomi. Or Algar. Piece of cake. Wished I had some cake.
“I wish I had some cake.”
The guys all stared at me. “I’d rather not try to eat right now,” Tim said. “The pressure and all. Besides, it’s not good to eat at your workspace. At least so I’m told.”
“Oh, I know. I mean later.”
“If we get a later,” Walker muttered.
“Oh, we will. I really hope there’s cake wherever we’re going.”
“Kitty,” Jeff said carefully, “baby, are you feeling okay?”
“Sure. Why?”
“Because you were uncharacteristically silent for longer than any of us are used to,” Tito replied, clearly speaking for everyone. “And the first thing you said when you stopped being silent was that you wanted cake. As your physician, I’m a little concerned.”
“Everyone’s a critic. I’m just hungry. But I think we’re heading to help someone somewhere.”
“What brought you to that conclusion?” Hughes asked.
“I think that’s what this trip is about.”
“So far, yes, it seems that way,” Jeff said. “However, unless you know for sure, I think we need to be prepared to enter hostile territory.”
“Do you think it’s ACE?” Tim asked.
“No, I don’t. ACE would tell us, not just fling us.”
“I agree,” Jeff said. “But are we sure this wasn’t internal sabotage of some kind?”
“Positive.” Well, if we defined “internal” to mean someone physically on board. And, I was absolutely doing so for this example. “Sandy pulled us out of warp. Who’s to say that another one of his brethren from another nebula didn’t see this and go, ‘Wow, what a great idea, I’m gonna do that!’ and then, you know, immediately do it.”
“Kitty has a point,” Hughes said. “And she’s usually right, so I say we roll with it.”
“Though I also agree with Jeff,” Walker added. “We should still be ready to shoot first and ask questions later, just in case.”
“The pressure should be reducing,” Mother shared.
“I’m sure I could have taken an hour more of it, easy,” Tim said.
“Careful what you say.” Hughes chuckled. “Whoever’s really driving might take you up on it.”
Sure enough, breathing was easy again. “What do you need us to do, Mother?” I still had no idea what my role really was, other than to talk. I was good with talking, so we were okay there.
“Nothing. At the moment. However, I recommend you stay at stations, just in case.”
Realized something. Mother—who was supposedly linked to all of us mentally and certainly had been before—didn’t seem to have heard a single thought I’d had. Interesting. Meaning it was likely that Algar was shielding my thoughts. Presumably to protect Naomi.
In some ways that made sense—I doubted that he wanted Gower, Abigail, or Chuckie losing it should Mother casually mention that I knew Naomi was alive. But that probably wasn’t all of it. But whatever the rest was, I’d find out later, because I didn’t have enough intel to determine it at this precise time.
Chuckie and Reader came onto the command deck. “We figured we could unstrap,” Reader said by way of explanation. “Drax and the hackers are going to see if they can figure out what’s going on.”