“It’s interesting that you have options,” he went on after a few mouthfuls of rice and fish. “You do realize how difficult an engineering job that would be, don’t you Alice? Making a single development path is hard enough. I can only imagine how many tech-years of work would be involved in make the process adapt itself to different cosmetic options automatically.”
I shrugged. “You think that’s crazy? That’s barely scratching the surface. When I was on Felicity they weren’t giving me supplements, so a lot of my systems couldn’t grow in when they were supposed to. But somehow I ended up rescheduling everything so I’d look as normal as possible and still have the right tools to escape. Then when I got to the Square Deal and started eating right everything rescheduled again, this time with a priority on surviving spacer life. I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“Nor have I, and I take an interest in such things. There are a number of places in the Kerak sector where one can find remarkably capable people, but even the largest government projects don’t have the funds to produce the sheer depth of capability that you so casually display. I think your mother must have been from the Inner Sphere. There have been rumors circulating about a breakthrough in manipulator technology there.”
“That would make sense,” I agreed. “They’re supposed to be a few decades ahead of the Outer Sphere, and those huge empires must have plenty of money to spend on secret projects. I don’t think Mom was an agent, though. Maybe a deposed aristocrat? I’ll have to keep researching, and see what I can figure out.”
“Perhaps I could help you with that,” he said. “My people are quite good at ferreting out information.”
That caught me by surprise.
“Do you have some particular interest in my origins, Akio?”
“I have a considerable interest in any potential source of exceptional individuals, Alice. For both professional and personal reasons.”
“I see. You know, that’s an interesting point. I hadn’t thought about it before, but I suppose personal skills and enhancements would be a lot more of a factor in your clan’s business than they would be for most people. When you’re trying to be discreet you can’t count on being able to deploy an army of specialists, and a fleet of warships would be counterproductive.”
“Just so,” he agreed. “The Masu-kai have generally been rather restrained in our use of enhancement technology, but that has mostly been out of a need to blend in. Something you seem quite adept at.”
I tried not to blush at the compliment. “Thank you. That does seem to be a priority with my design. Once I’m fully grown I’ll have a few things that might trip security alerts, but it all looks like the kind of thing any normal bodyguard or spacer might have.”
“I see. Have you considered your future, Alice? I know you only escaped Felicity a few weeks ago, but I’m sure you’ve given some thought to your prospects.”
“I’m very grateful to Captain Sokol and the crew of the Square Deal for my rescue,” I said earnestly. “I’m planning to stay with them until I finish earning all my spacer certs, and have a chance to repay the captain for taking a chance on me. After that, I’m not sure. At first I thought I’d just want to find a safe place to live, and maybe get married and raise a family. But I’ve discovered I kind of like adventure.”
I paused, gazing down at the pond. The surface was dotted with water lilies, and bright red and orange fish swam lazily about.
“I guess that must be part of my mod package,” I mused. “Any of the girls I grew up with would have been in hysterics after the brainhacking attempt, let alone getting caught up in a space battle and boarding action. Maybe I’m just a violent maniac?”
“Or perhaps Felicitan society does not have the firmest grasp on human nature?” He suggested.
“That’s for sure. I’m still figuring out what to believe, though.”
“I recommend the study of cognitive science for that,” he said. “The mind engineers who design androids have long since reverse-engineered the entire human mind, and their theories are well tested by their work.”
“Not going to suggest some traditional philosopher?”
“I once heard philosophy defined as ‘the study of things that no one understands’, and after all my instruction in the classics I believe that to be a fair assessment. When humanity comes to understand a topic it becomes its own field of study, and no longer a matter for philosophers.”
“So I should study ethics theory and morality engineering instead? Or maybe behavioral engineering, if I want to know how people who aren’t brainwashed would act? I guess that does make sense.”
Marissa made another appearance then, to clear away the dishes and bring us fresh tea. She set out an assortment of finger foods, mostly different kinds of miniature dumplings on sticks, and retreated.
Akio leaned back from the table with a satisfied sigh.
“Ah, just the way to start the day,” he said. “Good food, beautiful surroundings and a pleasant companion. We should do this again.”
“I’d like that,” I admitted. I was a little surprised that it was the truth, but he was interesting to talk to. Very sure of himself, but he was smart and he knew a lot.
Wait, was he getting ready to leave? That sounded like we were almost done. Had Azalea been wrong about this whole situation?
“I imagine it could become a common event, once your obligations to Captain Sokol have been dealt with,” he went on. “Tell me, Alice, what do you think of the Masu-kai?”
I closed my mouth, and just stared at him for a moment.
“I suppose that was a bit unfair of me, wasn’t it? Let me start on a different tack, then. I assume you’re aware of my father’s plans regarding the headship?”
Was he just trying to shock me? Shake me up, and see if I cracked under pressure? Well, I could play that game.
“Of course,” I replied. “I expect things will get pretty exciting around here when you turn eighteen.”
“My father is convinced that the transition will go smoothly,” Akio told me, in a tone that made it clear he thought his old man was nuts.
“Well, I’m sure Lord Himura knows far more about it than I do,” I said piously. “But a wise man prepares for every contingency, right? Even the unlikely ones?”
“Yes. Especially when there are certain parties that will clearly require careful handling, and unpleasant options that must be foreclosed. The situation has rather put a crimp in my social life, though.”
“Oh?” I wasn’t sure whether to be pleased that he was talking to me about stuff like this, or terrified. Maybe both?
“Yes. I’m of age to begin assembling my own household, and I’m certain you can imagine the security concerns involved. A clan head needs trustworthy retainers who can be relied on to put his orders above all others, but finding such individuals can be quite difficult. The current Himura retainers are all my father’s, which is less than ideal. But anyone from another clan or our training academies is all too likely to have compromised loyalties.”
“Wouldn’t the same be true of a supposed outsider?” I asked carefully. “After all, how could you ever be sure that their background wasn’t a fake? Or that they really are who they say they are?”