Katherine walked slowly through the dusty streets of Savona.
She had visited very nearly every inhabited planet in Sirius and Gallia, but Malta was like no other.
She had seen the endless fields when approaching the location in her RV. Orange grasses everywhere, gently swaying in the breeze.....
It was certainly different, nothing like anything she had every dealt before.
She had no unshakable position toward the whole cardamine thing.
Of course, it was a problem in some places, but on the other hand she understood entirely why the Maltese were- no, had to do it.
A group of children had started to follow her around, excited and filled with laughter.
Red haired, freckled women were probably among the rarer guests around these parts, she mused.
A group of field laborers was taking a break under a larger, blue parasol by the side of the main road.
She had heard about how slavery was common practice among the Maltese plantations, and tried not think about it.
What an abhorrent thing it was, so contrary to everything any decent human believed in.....and she had no doubt Foster and the Tundra would disagree with it as well.
No, any K'Hara surely would. They were a species that had achieved not just peace, but universal compassion among themselves.
They surely would not approve of the treatment of others this way, those....."spirits", as the locals called them.
But this was not the time, Katherine thought. Perhaps, if things went well, she could bring it up at some point. Diplomacy was her strength, she had told Foster that, and all she needed to do now was believe in it herself.
She approached a grumpy-looking man in front of a large building complex, by far the most notable around, and asked:
"Excuse me signor, is this, er.....Vizio?"
Katherine had frowned at the doorman's statement.
Magnificent or abhorrent, depending on your moral standpoint?
What an utterly peculiar way to introduce a stranger to your workplace.
Clearly, things worked a bit differently around here.
But none of this was relevant to the matter at hand. She certainly wouldn't let petty curiosity in the way of what she came to do.
"I'm Katherine Pennybrooke." she answered his question with a slightly formal smile.
"A certain Comandante Contari should be expecting me. So it is likely that I'm the person you were waiting for.
If you could take me to him or point me in the right direction, I would be most grateful."
"Signor Contari, it is a pleasure. I have enjoyed this scenic town, but I'll be happy to get to the matter at hand."
Katherine smiled politely as she offered her hand to the sitting Comandante.
"Signora, the pleasure is mine, and I'm glad you've found Savona to your liking. But, as you say, there is something more important to discuss.
I have sought explanations from my usual spiritual sources, but it would seem even the Church knows little of the Tundra and the Vatan. You, however, seemed much more knowledgeable."
"I'm afraid that might be a bit of an exaggeration. Besides the meeting in Alpha, I have only encountered Foster and the Tundra once more.
Sadly, that time was rather more brief, but much like the initial encounter, still an inspirition. I will be happy to share the knowledge that I have."
Perhaps this would be more one sided than she had expected.
"At the very least, you know more than I. How much you know is less of an issue. Whatever you can share with me is enough. I'd like to start from the Tundra's beginnings, should you know them."
"Hm, we did not speak of the origins of the "ship" at length. What I know is that it was a Liberty Navy cruiser, Foster being the captain, on a mission in Alaska. He mentioned that they were conducting experiments with hibernation, and most of the crew was in cryogenic stasis.
While in Alaska, the ship was apparently.....engulfed by one of the large K'Hara specimens known as "Marduks". That is what I know about its origins."
"You're saying the spirit... absorbed a cruiser. What happened to the rest of the crew?"
"I don't know for sure, but he spoke of how the ship itself had become alive, a sentient entity of its own, and that everyone on board was connected. The way I interpret this is that the crew is indeed still alive, and like Foster have become connected with the ship.
So they act in a way reminiscent of a single organism.
He also mentioned that the ship had undergone....development of some sort at a place called "Altair", but did not reveal where or what this place was.
As a side note, it was strange that he seemed unconcerned with talking about the history of the Tundra as a Navy ship, but outright refused to speak of this Altair."
"By the saints! So the spirits stripped humanity from hundreds to make the Tundra?"
"Hm, I simply cannot say what the process that turned the ship into what it is entailed, exactly. I just do not know, and I daresay no humans do.
Perhaps members of the Order have more knowledge on this."
She wondered if she should have said that. Were the Order on speaking terms with the Outcasts? As far as she knew, they had very limited contact.
And aside from that, the Order were obviously not going to have an open approach to the whole thing.
"And what of the Vatan? Do you know anything of it's origins?"
"Almost nothing. From my scans it seemed to be a former Gallic Royal Police cruiser, and the Vatan confirmed this.
Essentially though, I received very few messages from it. Foster said that he was speaking for both, so there was no real need for the Vatan to add anything."
"And what goal have the saints set for the Tundra? What purpose does it serve for them?"
"This is where it gets interesting, I suppose. Although it is well known that the K'Hara, those that you call spirits, have some form of telepathic connection among each other, the goals of the Tundra seemed rather more....personal.
The way I understand it, Foster and the Tundra wish to put an end to the strife that has plagued humanity for our entire existence, and he suggests this would be possible if humans were also linked together - with a universal sense of empathy, nobody would be willing to enact any form of cruelty upon another person.
I consider myself a pacifist of sorts, and have long wondered about the nature of war and oppression, and how to combat it. So the Tundra's words on this were certainly inspiring, although I really cannot say yet for certain what conclusion I can draw from them."
"That's ridiculous, signora! The spirits wouldn't create the Tundra to work towards changing the creations of god! We are individuals because god has willed it to be so. That cannot truly be his motive, can it?"
A man of God. This might be problematic, Katherine would have to choose her next words carefully.
"Hmm. Look at it this way, signor: There really isn't any situation that does not involve change of some kind.
Even a family of Kyushu fishermen, that have lived in a very similar fashion for centuries, experience constant change.
Because every single moment of our lives changes us ever so slightly. There might be events that cause major changes in a great deal of lives, such as a war, revolution, or great natural disaster.
But on any scale, small or large, change is a constant. A bit ironic, I suppose.
And that is my interpretation of the Tundra's motive, nothing more."
"It is hopeless, then. Change like that can never be achieved. The Tundra, whatever it has become, is foolish to think it can. The spirits have not changed humanity the way they have the Tundra's inhabitants for a reason.
However, there has to be another purpose the Tundra serves. Otherwise, the spirits would not have claimed it. Perhaps it is unknown even to the Tundra."
An interesting thought, Katherine mused. Was this possible? She really did not know.
The Comandante seemed to be a fatalist of sorts, she wasn't quite sure how to respond to it.
"I won't deny it is a...utopian idea, far from anything that I see could realistically be done. The spirits, of course, have not changed humanity in this way, and probably never will.
I suppose it's rather a philosophical than a practical idea, but any idea that involves universal peace among humanity is fascinating.
As to any other purposes the Tundra might have, including some it may not be away of, I really cannot say. I suppose it's possible."
"Well, signora, have we reached the limits of what you know? I think I've learned more than enough, about the Tundra, at least.
The Vatan, it would seem, is more of a mystery to the both of us."
"Well then, perhaps I can give you a brief summary: The Tundra is an individual consciousness within a collective "mindshare".
The Tundra's goals are to seek willing individuals and....enlighten them, as it were, with the ultimate goal, to put it bluntly, of "saving humanity from itself".
And sadly yes, I know next to nothing of the Vatan, but Foster said that it too had been enlightened, and I assume they have roughly the same goals."
"Thank you, signora. I appreciate you taking the time to come here and discuss this with me. Now, I've a great deal to think about. I ask that you leave me here. Should you wish, I'll pay for anything you want from the Vizio, and I'll be sending some credits your way for your time."
"I will happily return the thanks, it has been an interesting conversation, and I will certainly need some time to think on it as well.
Regarding your offer, I must politely decline. I think it is time I got back to my ship.
And there is no need for any sort of payment. I did this out of simple curiosity, it is not business.
It has been a pleasure."
She had briefly considered having a drink, but it seemed very unlikely that anything here wasn't tainted with cardamine. The drinks cabinet on the RV was very well stocked, anyway.
A Sabre snubcraft hovered over the Lance's spaceport, identified as Santoro's ship carrying valuable cargo. Even if he had hoped to bring McCarthy to the Contari head in a more stunned mood, Marco's mind remained calm about the idea of the proud little girl succumbing to the pressure of being sold away to anybody else but the Guild sooner or later.
Leaving the spaceport and pushing the shackled Anna through the corridor leading to wherever Alessan Contari had summoned him exactly, exposing the prisoner meanwhile so the other Maltese they came across would either laugh or pity the girl.
Anna stumbles into the room still adjusting her breathing to the mechanised unit.. "Well looky here *cough deep breath* if it isn't the clown prince himself.. Hiya alessan how ya been keeping. *cough cough* Say was real nice of ya to have me over hun .. but how *cough* about we get me back home now huh.. Think i have outstayed my welcome no ?"