EXTINCTION WARRIOR

Chapter 18

I finished feeding everyone. Staring at the turquoise blue water from the galley window, munching the last of my cricket breakfast bar, Tuk appears in the hall.

"Let us contact Big Bear." He grins, super excited and heads to the cockpit.

My heart skips a beat, and take a deep breath. Tuk doesn't wait for me before making the call,and still hasn't told me his plan. Does he even have one? Listening from the galley, it sounds like he's talking to a little kid. Weird.I've got to see who he's talking to, and head to the cockpit.

Tuk's in the pilot seat. I stay in the hall behind him. The freak-a-droid's face fills the lightscreen.

"What is your organization?" The freak-a-droid asks. His vocal circuitry must've been damaged in an accident...or a fight? He may look like a Sumo wrestler, but he sounds like a five year old! His ridiculous high pitched voice doesn't match his size. At all!

"We are the Green Dragons," Tuk says, and turns his tattooed arm toward the droid.

"Never heard of you."Big Bear doesn't sound interested.

"We are new to the business and have a collection of very healthy samples I am certain your chief executive will find of interest." Tuk says.

Big Bear spots my legs,and lurches. "Who is that?" He asks, pointing.

Tuk shifts in the chair to pull my arm. I lean over, my face next to his, "this is my assistant."

"Very unusual...most attractive," he nods.

I don't like the way the freak-a-droid looks, sounds, or looks at me.

Tuk gets right to the point. "Is it possible to show our samples in a virtual meeting,and then perhaps meet live, in person?"

I like his confidence.

"We do nothing virtual. Everything live. All business is on the Yanbu," the freak-a-droid squeaks.

"In that case, we can bring our samples with us," Tuk says too eagerly, turns to me,and winks.

My heart sinks. That's a terrible idea!

"We can definitely do that," Tuk nods.

Big Bear holds up his index finger, fat as a sausage, "I must request this meeting first. Wait."

He exits the Yanbu bridge.His giant feet flap across the shiny, white floor. Why is he barefoot? Then it hits me. My dream! He was in my dream! Are Mom and Dad alive? Prisoners on that ship somewhere? My heart pounds in my ears.

Tuk leans toward the screen, "Mute," he says, and turns to me, "This is going extremely well."

His confidence is turning into cockiness. "You still haven't told me your plan!"I whisper, anxiously.

"You must trust me on this."

"I trust your mindfile, and your database. That's it.Landing Anniqsuqti on the Yanbu puts us on really thin ice," I whisper, my eyes bugging out.

"How very contrary,"he scowls, and turns back to the lightscreen. Big Bear approaches."Un-mute," Tuk says.

"Chief says okay.With one condition." He holds up the same finger, "No quantum computers allowed."

No miniQ's?! My heartbeats faster. I can't breathe. That means no access...to WEAPP...to Interpol...to Aana, Taata...to Woka. If something terrible happens,we're doomed.

Tuk answers, "Fine,"without protesting, or even negotiating. He could've at least made something up!

"What is your transport?" Big Bear squeaks.

"A Falcon AEV, called Anniqsuqti."

"I will supply the Yanbu's landing coordinates. How soon?"

"Thirty minutes?"

"I will expect you."He nods, and the lightscreen goes black.

"Excellent!" Tuk says with glee, rubbing his palms together.

"You're not supposed to be happy! You're supposed to be serious, and levelheaded. We are on high alert!" I exclaim, "and not allowed even one miniQ is crazy...not to mention dangerous!You realize that, don't you?!"

Suddenly he's serious,almost expressionless. His pupils turn to pinheads. His eyes narrow."Luki...I am merely thrilled that we will soon apprehend the largest animal trafficker in the world, although...according to my database, there is nothing White Wolf does not traffic in." His eyes crinkle, and his lips bloom with a sly smile. "Try not to be apprehensive, will you?"

My heart's pounding in my ears and I squeak, "But what if something horrible happens?"

He crawls out of the seat and into the hall, places his cool hands on my shoulders, and raises his eyebrows. His smartskin has a metallic sheen I've never seen before.

He takes a deep breath. "I am hardwired for calm," he says softly, his eyebrows crinkle,and he looks really sweet.

I don't look away, and my cheeks flush.

"Our chance for success is based on the principle of improbability and its five laws."

Here goes the professor.

He holds up fingers to list them. "There is the Law of Inevitability, the Law of Truly Large Numbers, the Law of Selection, the Law of the Probability Lever and the Law of Near Enough."

I blurt, "I've never heard of that!" And wonder if he's making all this up. "Principle of what? Law of Near Enough?" If he weren't a droid I'd say he was full of blubber.

"That law proves anyone is psychic." He says, completely serious.

Of any law, it's the one I should know. "Never heard of it!" I exclaim, frustrated.

"My point is," he says, "we are powerful together." He points—first at me,then himself, "You have me...I have you..." With his index finger still in a point, "...and we have them." He says referring to the animals downstairs, "and they....have us. Collectively we can only triumph!"

That's how the most sophisticated android in the world describes our bond? The one that unites humans, animals and artificial intelligence—like a three-year-old?! I smirk, and give him a sideways glance.

His affective computing interprets my glance as skepticism. He adds, "As a group we cannot fail. We will accomplish this!" His eyes widen, twinkle, and a smile creeps over his face.

My frustration's growing,and exclaim annoyed, "You still haven't told me your plan!"

He ignores me, and heads down the hall to the stairs. Pausing with a glassy stare, he turns and says, "Perhaps it is better you do not know."

I feel like I'm about to explode. There's one thing I do know. I'm going to find the smallest miniQ, and wrap it around Marilyn's neck. It'll be hidden under her scute, the one above her head that flares, and I'm not telling him!