Key to Survival

Chapter 18 Quarrel

Gale was no sooner back from the Bee-chines when Voila called her. Mother.

She suppressed a sigh. She had hoped for a rest, maybe some time to relax with Havoc before embarking on another mission. She conjured to Voila's room. "Yes?"

"There's a quarrel between two cultures that distracts them from the common effort. It needs to be resolved. You're the one to do that."

"No one else could handle it? I had something in mind for your father."

"He has something in mind for Opaline. He'll be done with her by the time you finish this."

"Havoc has a wife, an Earth mistress, a robot mistress, five eager bath girls, and he's fixated on a garden variety fifth peasant girl?"

"Mother, just be glad he has not yet connected with Weft."

"Yet? "

"He'll be traveling with her soon, no fault."

Gale let that pass. "What two cultures?"

"One is Fungus, the other Alga. Both covet an unoccupied planet between their systems. They are verging on war. A mediator is needed."

"Fungus? Alga? Put them together and you have lichen."

"And you are the Glamor of Lichen."

Gale suppressed another sigh. She was stuck for it.

She fetched Vila and went first to the fungus culture, after doing a spot study of its details. They were expecting her, and had a compatible environment set up within a huge dome-like chamber, though as a Glamor she could get along without it. It did make it easier for Vila, though.

"Welcome, Mediator," her translation unit sang. The fungi communicated via ambient particles that suffused the air. In close quarters it was efficient enough. There seemed to be no central figure; the fungus was spread out all around the dome. It was nevertheless a Glamor; she felt the aura. Glamors knew each other, when they were trying, even when the underlying species were completely alien to each other. Apparently the translator interpreted the signals as melodic.

Well, she could handle that. She unlimbered her dulcimer and donned her finger hammers.

"Greeting, Fungus," she sang in response, inventing an impromptu tune.

"I am Gale, of the human culture, Glamor of Lichen. This is my offspring, Vila, mortal."

"We will safeguard your offspring," the fungus sang. All this was interspecies protocol, verifying friendly relations. It was serious; a patch of glowing fungus across the dome beckoned to Vila, who went to inspect it.

"I need specifics on your quarrel. I can't promise to resolve it, but I will make an effort."

The sound expanded, becoming encompassing with deep vibrations. An illusion picture appeared before them. It was a barren planet, with a few mountain ridges, valleys, and a great deal of water. It was surrounded by an atmosphere made up mainly of water vapor. "This is Prospect," the translator sang. "A world suitable for seeding. The temperature, atmosphere, and raw material are compatible. It will add significantly to our assembly."

"So it seems," Gale sang.

"But the Alga covet it. We do not believe they have a case."

Now the crux. "Can you share it?"

"Negation. We shall need to terraform it slightly for our purpose. The Alga could not use it then."

"And if the Alga terraform it to adapt it to their purpose, it will not be suitable for you," Gale said.

"They are plants," the Fungus said witheringly.

"Discussion: I am the Glamor of Lichen, which is a symbiosis between fungus and Alga. Together these forms of life can accomplish things neither can separately. Would this not be a suitable joint venture?"

"Negation," the Fungus sang firmly.

So much for that. She could talk with this culture, but she couldn't make it be reasonable.

"I will need to meet with Alga," she sang. "To ascertain whether there is an avenue."

"They have only to yield to our reasonable case."

And of course they would not. "Appreciation," she sang. "Vila."

Vila reluctantly left the patch of glowing fungus, which it seemed had presented quite a diversion. They conjured to the Alga contact station.

This, too, was compatibly set up, with Charm-normal gravity, pleasant temperature, and sweet-smelling air. There the resemblance ended. They were on a mat of variegated fibers, floating on an extensive sea. The mat was their contact Glamor. Vila was intrigued, gazing out across the water at the other floating mats.

"Salutation, mediator," the translator said as the mat hissed.

"Greeting, Alga," Gale responded politely.

"You have been acquainted with the issue."

"Agreement."

"Prospect is obviously suitable for our colonization. It is largely a water world."

"Agreement. But fungus can exist on land or in water."

"So can Alga. We will need to terraform it slightly; then it will be entirely suitable, and a respectable addition to our complement."

"But Fungus also wishes to colonize this planet."

"Damned mushrooms! They have no claim."

She had to try. "Could you compromise, and colonize it together?"

"Never!"

As expected. "I am supposed to decide this issue," Gale said. "But if neither culture will share, it will have to be one or the other."

"Naturally. We are eager to claim it."

"I will have to withdraw to consider."

"We are sure you will appreciate the merit of our case."

Gale collected Vila and conjured them back home. "You've got a problem," Vila remarked brightly.

"You have an answer?"

"Sure. Find another planet."

Gale paused. Could it be that simple? "Where?"

"They're next to the twins, aren't they? Maybe the twins have one they aren't using."

"I will check. I know Vra and Arv."

"They're off with Warp somewhere. They don't want to be found."

That was true. Ward and the female twins had returned to the Twins culture, not yet having had enough of each other. It certainly seemed as though her son had found himself a pair of Glamor mistresses. That was just as well, because if there was any man who liked women as well as Havoc did, it was Warp.

"Then I'll find Marionette." She reached out telepathically.

Marionette

I am here, albeit worn out.

She was with the male Glamors, Pso and Osp. It had been several days, and though the mistress was phenomenally talented, she wasn't a Glamor.

Gale pondered briefly then decided.

I will exchange places with you. You take care of Vila.

Gladly!

Gale made a magic effort, and changed places. Now she was with the male twins, who were visiting the human culture. She had not seen them before. They were excruciatingly handsome. She knew it was crafted rather than natural, but it remained impressive. "I am Queen Gale," she said. "I need a favor."

They studied her, impressed themselves. "We will oblige if we are able," Pso said.

"I need to find a vacant habitable planet. Preferably watery."

"Habitable for what species?" Osp asked.

"Fungus or Alga."

They shook their heads together. "We know of none."

She was getting desperate. "Will you help me look? This is for the benefit of the Living Cultures Coalition."

They looked at her. "Travel with you?" Pso asked.

"You know our nature," Osp said.

"You are Glamors. So am I."

They nodded. They had an understanding.

They took her to the Twins culture, to clear it with their people. She didn't need an ikon, because theirs were here, so they could transport and protect her. That was part of the larger understanding they had as Glamors.

Warp's eyes widened when he saw her. "You're into this, Ma?"

"I'm on a mission," she said shortly. "No fault."

"Okay." He knew she had the same sexual rights as Havoc. He just wasn't used to seeing his mother exercise them.

"Marionette is watching Vila."

"Okay," he repeated.

The twins took her around their systems. They showed her how their real forms were not nearly as close to human as their crafted ones. But she was already picking up on their nuances of character. They were close enough. "Where is your bower?"

They took her to Pso's private suite. They normally lived apart from each other, in the absence of a suitable female. On occasion they got together with Vra and Arv, but this dalliance with a whole woman truly intrigued them. They had had to be somewhat gentle with Marionette. That was no longer necessary.

Gale stripped. So did they. They came together, overlapping. They clasped, standing. Her two arms reached around their two backs. Their four arms found her breasts and buttocks simultaneously This was different!

She lifted herself up against them, and lowered herself onto their united member. She wrapped her legs about their single loin while they continued to caress her breasts and buttocks. She kissed one mouth, then the other. This was fun!

She felt their orgasm gathering, and clenched her internal muscles to bring it off. They jetted, and she held them close while she worked up to her own. She felt the ejaculate coursing into her vagina, and squeezing back out of it to drip on the floor. They were Glamors; they could spurt for some time.

At last they all collapsed on the bed, falling apart. "That was interesting," she said. "It was like simultaneous sex with two men, except that you are not exactly that."

"True," Osp said.

"It is as interesting for us too," Pso said, "because we have not before done it with a whole woman. Not before Marionette, and now you. There is a certain intriguing oddity."

"Let's do it again," Gale said. "Then we must travel."

This time she lay supine on the bed, and they juxtaposed over her, entering and climaxing in due course. It was strange to see the two faces above her, and feel the four hands on her. But fun.

Then they organized for the search. "We have relations with a number of other cultures in this sector," Osp said. "Some of them may have spare planets, though we are doubtful."

"If we find the right planet, I'll try to make a deal," Gale said.

"For this, a spacecraft seems best," Pso said.

"It is programmed with the destinations we know," Osp said. "Trading routes."

"Trading is what I have in mind," Gale said.

They conjured her to the craft. It was a small space boat with seats for four people and limited cargo. They needed to be seated and strapped in, because acceleration and maneuvering could be strenuous. They took three of the seats, Gale between the two men.

They set it for the nearest culture. This required some travel to a wormhole, the passage through it, and travel to the contact station of the culture. During the tedious interstices Pso fondled Gale's breasts under her shirt from the right side and Osp felt her legs under her skirt from the left side. She reached out with her two hands and took hold of their erect half-penises within their trousers. Their half-genital novelty still intrigued her. This was mere incidental diversion, but they all enjoyed it. Glamors understood about Glamor sexuality, and reveled in it. Gale did not constantly seek it the way Havoc did, but when the occasion warranted she could be just as enthusiastic. These were exceedingly handsome males, and they fully appreciated her beauty. She liked that.

"Something we have wondered about," Pso said. "The Glamors," Osp said.

"I have noticed that we have different clienteles in the different cultures," Gale said. "Even among humans: on Charm we have different living constituencies, while on Earth there is only one, or perhaps two that alternate. They lack the ikons we have, also; instead they have a thousand subordinate representatives that are equivalent to ikons.

Marionette is one. I can't explain the difference, except to conjecture that somehow the Glamor initiative is shaped by the mores of the society in which it manifests."

"This seems to be the case," Pso said, stroking her nipples so that they swelled exuberantly "There seems to be no fixed rule of manifestation. Just that there be a clientele of some kind, and an ikon of some kind, to shape and transmit the power we utilize."

"But our concern is of another nature," Osp said, sliding one wet finger into her vagina and another into her anus.

Glamors liked variety as well as volume. "Our knowledge of galactic cultures is fairly recent, but we note that Glamors seem to be universally spread through them. But what about that third of the galaxy the machines have already conquered, exploited, and destroyed? Were there Glamors there too?"

Gale was surprised, because this had never occurred to her before. "There must have been," she said, massaging the two half members. "Except that the machines couldn't have destroyed the Glamors. So what happened to them?"

"We conjecture that either the Glamors were destroyed," Pso said, his attention to her nipples arousing her sexual desire. "Perhaps indirectly, by destroying their clienteles so that they lost their power bases. Or that there were no Glamors in those cultures, which made them relatively easy prey to the machines."

"In which case our present coalition of living cultures, led by the Glamors, represents the first serious resistance the machines have encountered," Gale said. "Perhaps we have more of a chance than we think."

"The question remains, why should there be such a pattern?" Osp said, sending trace sensual currents from his fingers into her core. "Can it be coincidence that we happen to exist just outside the machines demesnes?"

"Can we park for a few minutes?" Gale asked. "You boys are driving me crazy with desire."

"Apology," Pso said insincerely.

"You are simply so sexy we can't hold back," Osp said. Which was a correct response.

They parked, the two men overlapped in one chair, and Gale sat on them, taking in their merged member. They jetted instantly copiously, and she writhed with her own orgasm, wringing more from their member.

"Conjecture," she said amidst it. "It is not coincidence. The Glamors were enabled in all cultures, but developed too late in the one conquered by the machines. So they never had a chance to manifest there. Had the machines invaded us five hundred years ago, there would have been no Glamors to oppose them."

"That answers our question," Pso said, still holding her breasts. "The Glamors were there in potential, but destroyed before they achieved reality. They both existed and never existed."

"Which somehow is not reassuring," Osp said, squeezing her buttocks around the member.

"And begs the question of the origin of the Glamors," Gale said. "There is evidence on our home planet of Charm that someone or something set up sites that helped enable Glamors at a later date. And what determined the device of the ikons? This could not be natural evolution."

"And why would any entity with the power to craft such devices, or Glamors themselves, be satisfied to do it and depart?" Pso said, kissing her right ear from behind.

"Why not simply fight the machines directly, if that was the object?" Osp asked, kissing her left ear.

"It seems to make little or no sense," Gale said, clenching hard around their member to milk it of its final juices.

"Yet I suspect we are simply too dull to discover the sense it does make."

They agreed. They wrapped up, separated, and resumed individual seats, well satisfied with their physical and intellectual dialogues.

The first cultural station they stopped at was polite and swift: definitely no free planets. This was a sapient plant culture, so Gale was inclined to accept it, though she made a note for future reference.

They resumed the tour, entertaining themselves in increasingly novel ways while idle. With Glamors, sex was only the basis; imaginative sex was the fulfillment.

The second culture was, in Gale's closest approximation, elephantine. It had nothing either. Neither did the third. But the fourth did.

These were fishlike creatures, dependent on water; only their Glamors were able to thrive outside the sea. They were nevertheless spacefaring; their ships were filled with nutrient fluids. There was a planet in one of their systems that had plenty of water and exploitable resources, but that they could not use because it was infected by substances that were poisonous to them.

"But if we could arrange for a fungus culture to colonize it, handling those poisons and exporting those resources to your other planets?" Gale inquired.

"We would consider it to be a significant favor."

They took the coordinates and looked at the planet. It was lush and green, with copious seas. It looked ideal.

"I think we can head for Fungus," she said, exhilarated.

They looped once more around the planet—and spied another space boat. "Did the Fish follow us?" Gale asked, surprised.

"Negation," Pso said. "That is not a Fish boat."

"In fact it is like no culture we know of," Osp said.

"Then what in expletive is it?"

"Surely an intruder," Pso said. "We had better challenge it." They sent the boat a message in a common intercultural dialect. It did not respond. Instead it oriented on them.

"Dodge to the side, now!" Gale exclaimed.

Osp did. A laser beam crossed their prior location.

Osp put the boat into random evasive maneuvering. "How did you know?" he asked.

"My near-future paths seeing. Our boat was about to get holed."

"The girls are learning that," Pso said. "We appreciate its usefulness."

"We would have survived," she said. "We are Glamors. But it could have been awkward."

"We would have had to show our nature," Osp agreed. "We prefer that strangers not be aware of it."

"Understanding." She gazed at the other boat, which was performing pursuit maneuvering, slowly closing the distance between them. "It seems they aren't through with us."

"Nor we with them," Pso said grimly. "They attacked us." He fired a laser of his own.

The beam scored, but did not seem to affect the ship. No air leaked from it and it neither slowed nor changed course. It was still closing on them.

"That must be a machines ship!" Gale said. "Scouting this region for species to eliminate."

"We knew they were coming," Osp said.

"But hoped not so soon," Pso said.

"It could be centuries," Gale said. "They surely scouted us similarly. Then they sent what we call fifths, which are humans generated chemically, to circulate among us and learn our ways. Now they are studying us more intensely, collecting our memories. And of course sending robots to persuade us to join them. That entire process takes at least a generation."

"They have not done these things with us," Osp said.

"They may mean to destroy us without investigation," Pso said.

"Doubt. We think they are searching for their Makers, who are hiding, so they must investigate every living culture closely before destroying it."

Pso shifted to another random pattern of evasion, as the pursuit was getting uncomfortably close. Randomness tented to cancel itself out over time, while straight pursuit did not. "Why do the machines search? Why do the Makers hide?"

"We believe the machines revolted and destroyed the Makers, but that some escaped, so the machines are seeking them. The machines can't be safe until the last Makers are destroyed; they know too much. The machines are a type 2.5 culture, while the hiding Makers could be 2.6."

"We should locate those Makers," Osp said. "They must have technology that would help us."

"Agreement. We are searching too. We checked to ascertain whether you could be they. We concluded not."

"Not," Pso agreed. "But how could machines defeat their Makers? We have machines, and they are incapable of original thought, apart from living emotions."

"We don't know," she said. "Perhaps the Makers wanted the machines to anticipate their needs, so gave them free will and imagination. Then the machines realized that they could exist without having to serve the Makers. This may be a lesson in the danger of creating machines that are too sophisticated."

"And their problem became the galaxy's problem," Osp said grimly. "One would think that a culture of their level would have more sense."

"So we may misunderstand," Gale said. "Regardless, we have to stop the machines."

Pso continued the avoidance maneuvers, but the machines boat continued to close the gap between them. "We do indeed," he agreed. "But they are more advanced than we are, and lack the liabilities of living things."

"This present chase may be an example in microcosm of the larger challenge," Osp said. "If we can stop this boat from destroying our boat, perhaps our cultures can stop the machines culture from destroying us."

"They can't destroy Glamors," Gale said. "But they can destroy our cultures. So it seems we need to save this boat, without revealing our nature. That limits us to the technology of the boat."

"Yes, and it is inferior to theirs," Pso said. "I can out-maneuver any ordinary craft, but not this one. I have been trying."

"We do have one device they lack," Gale said. "Near future paths seeing."

"We have not yet learned this," Osp reminded her.

"Let me see what I can do," Gale said. "May I guide the boat?"

"Have you piloted such a craft before?" Pso asked.

"Never."

"You have reason to believe you can?"

"The paths guide me."

"Quick instruction," Pso said, and showed her the way of it. There were some tricky details, but she memorized them instantly and took control.

"We are approaching a thick planetoid belt," Osp said. "Caution, as we could crash."

"I am counting on it," Gale said.

They let her be. Glamors tended to trust the competence of Glamors.

Now the paths around the planetoid belt were clarifying. Several of them crashed. Several saw the boat safely through, the machines boat following the same channel closely, but not too closely. It was clear why: the crash paths led the machines craft to crash similarly. That would be a mutual suicide ploy, and the machines were not looking for that. They needed no future paths seeing to be wary; it was obvious. So they were ready to dodge clear if they had to.

They were within one minute of the belt. Then Gale found the path she wanted. "Hang on," she said.

She passed close by the belt, then swung into an excruciatingly tight curve that made the boat's support creak in protest. She looped right around the belt, briefly hiding from the machines.

"They will spot us again in a moment," Pso warned.

"And will correct course to intercept us," Gale said, seeing it on the path. The one path she wanted.

She completed the loop and came into clear view of the machines craft—from the side. She was crossing the T.

The machines dodged, avoiding a direct collision. She fired the laser at just the right moment. The beam speared out and caught the other boat's front lenses.

Then she was past, at right angles, leaving the machines' boat blinded. It was not defunct, but could not pursue them. It drifted in space.

"Amazement!" Osp exclaimed.

"Call the local culture," Gale said, returning the controls to Pso. "Tell them there is a machines scout boat here they can capture and haul in to analyze, if it doesn't self-destruct to prevent that. In any case, it is no threat, if they take it before the machines can mount a repair device."

Pso got on it.

"I would like to kiss you," Osp said.

This was not sex. "I am married and loyal to my husband, King Havoc."

"I think I love you regardless. Give me what you can spare."

"I, too, of course," Pso said as he completed his communication.

She decided. "You may love me, no fault."

Osp turned his face to hers, and she turned hers to his, while they remained strapped in. They kissed. She felt his burgeoning passion. They had been playing Glamor games of sex, but this was more. She had won their genuine respect.

She turned to Pso and kissed him. His passion was identical. Neither felt for her breasts or bottom. The contact of their lips was all.

Then each took one of her hands and held it, gently. They were satisfied with this emotional contact.

Gale could have two masters, if she chose. She was tempted, but as yet undecided.

They delayed long enough to see the first Fish ship approach. They gave it the details. It would take it from here.

Then they set course for the Twins culture.

"You are more of a creature than we took you for," Osp said. "We mean no offense."

"None taken."

"We took you for a queen, a Glamor, and an intriguing sex partner," Pso said. "Now we love you."

"I think it is time for you to learn near future paths seeing," Gale said. "Now that you have seen it in action. It is one thing the machines will always lack. They are limited to far future paths seeing, which is a lesser thing."

"Teach us," Osp said.

"You will need to let me into your minds."

They opened their minds to her. This was a considerable act of trust, for they had many masculine secrets not normally shared with females. She threaded her way into them, somewhat in the manner of getting through the planetoid belt, and found the key connections. She planted the near future paths seeing. Then she withdrew.

"Amazement!" Pso said. "There is a tangled skein, confusing to behold."

"Focus on one thread," Gale said.

"All are tangled," Osp said.

She tried another tack, knowing that the process was confusing at first. "Orient on me. How can you most rapidly get into me? Concentrate on those paths."

They obliged, and began to find the correct ones. "We acknowledge our debt to you," Pso said. But that was not the most direct path.

"You are beautiful, smart, and completely alluring," Osp said. "We beg you to indulge our humble passion."

That was the one. She got out of her chair and stripped. They got out of theirs, stripped, and overlapped in the one she had occupied. She sat on them, facing them, passing her legs between theirs on either side. She completed the connection, and kissed them each in turn. "It is that easy," she said. "Just follow the path that leads where you want to go in the next minute, discarding the others."

In the next hour she led though through more exercises, and they slowly gained competence. By the time they returned to Twins, they knew how to continue refining their new awareness. "Gratitude," Pso said sincerely.

"For the paths?"

"For that too," Osp agreed. They all laughed.

Gale bid them temporary parting and conjured herself back to Charm. It had been a pleasant excursion. She knew Havoc would be jealous of it, because he had not had the chance to get together with Vra and Arv. That made it even better. She thought again how she liked sex, and could indulge in it endlessly, but lacked the continuous need of it Havoc had. This was one difference between male and female Glamors. She was sure that Pso and Osp had not gotten together with Vra and Arv nearly as much as they wished. That was why they had been so ardent with Marionette and Gale.

She picked up Vila, who was entertaining herself with the plants while Marionette soundly slept. Marionette was thoroughly experienced sexually, but the Glamor Twins had pushed her limits and she needed to recover. Gale, as a Glamor, had far greater physical resources. She left a note for Marionette, and conjured Vila back to the Fungus culture dome. Vila was glad to have another session with the glowing fungus patch and its diverting patterns. It seemed that those patterns were telling a story in pictures that was compelling for more than just fungus young.

"I have found a planet for you," Gale sang to the Fungus Glamor. "It is far removed from your area, but it is also far superior for your needs. I recommend that you let Alga have the local planet, and take this alternate one."

"But we would not intrude in a foreign culture," Fungus sang in response. "We honor territories."

"This planet is in the Fish culture. It has substances that are poisonous to them, so they can't use it. But if you were to colonize it, neutralizing the poisons, and exporting the things they need, they would welcome you and support your presence within their culture. You would not need to socialize with them, merely provide the exports."

Fungus was cautious. "We must observe this planet."

"Provide a representative who can travel with me to inspect it."

"This is awkward. We do not conjure the way you do. We would need to use a space vessel."

"I might arrange for one," Gale said. "However, it would be piloted by two males who would desire close contact with me. My daughter would need further distraction."

"Glamors."

"Agreement."

There was melodic laughter. "Understanding. Fetch that ship."

Gale conjured Vila back to the Twins culture. She introduced Vila to Pso and Osp. The girl was obviously interested in these two supremely handsome men, and they with her.

"She is five years old," Gale murmured.

They nodded, respecting the off-limits nature of the pretty child. "Obscenity," Vila muttered, respecting nothing. They all laughed.

The Twins were glad to free a suitable ship. They provided a female who was good with children to entertain Vila while Gale joined them in a private chamber. There was no need for the captains to supervise directly while the ship traveled to Fungus.

"Captain." It was the ship's intercom.

"Expletive!" Pso swore, emulating Gale's mode of expression. They were of course naked and thoroughly entangled with Gale. The moment was not convenient.

"Communicate," Osp said briskly after clearing Gale's breast from his mouth.

"There is what appears to be another machines culture boat, similar to the one you reported in the Fish culture."

"Expletive!" Gale echoed. This was an overriding situation.

They disentangled, dressed, and put themselves in order. Then they went to the control cabin.

Arv was there, alone, tacitly signaling her unavailability for anything sexual. That was Gale's business, on this trip. She indicated the view screen.

There was the craft, seeming identical to the first. It was alert and already orienting on them. They were in a ship this time, and had far more firepower, but the boat would have superior maneuverability and be extremely difficult to take out by brute force. They were in trouble.

Real trouble. Gale's awareness of the near future paths showed a number that terminated in the destruction of the ship. This machines scout must have been sent to investigate the disappearance of the first, and was primed for action.

"Take evasive action immediately," Gale said tersely.

"From a scout boat?" Arv asked. "They fire on us, we'll blast them out of space."

"Osp," Gale snapped. He was co-captain of the fleet and of this ship.

"Take evasive action," he repeated immediately. He knew what Arv did not: that the scout could destroy the ship. He had been there, as she had not.

She did not argue further. The ship commenced random permutations.

The scout stalked them, as the other had their boat before. Gale knew it was no bluff.

"A machines boat can take a living culture space ship," Gale said. "It is 2.5 level technology. We dare not meet it directly. We must escape it, if we can."

"This ship can't loop neatly around a planetoid belt," Pso said.

"If there were a belt. Neither can we out-maneuver it in open space."

"I doubt we can outrun it," Osp said. "It would fire a beam up our tail."

"It is closing," Arv said. "Permission to fire on it?" She needed her co-captain's agreement.

"Useless," Pso said. "There's no air in it, no living thing to die."

"We're going to have to take a risk," Gale said.

Arv laughed bitterly. "If we sit still, we'll be destroyed. Now I see the paths."

"Precisely," Gale said. "We must use the paths. All of us. Fetch your sister and Warp."

In moments they appeared. "Hi, Ma," Warp said, then paused as she hit him with a telepathic barrage of information. "Got it." He turned to the female twins. "Girls, you'll work with me. I will enhance your near-future seeing ability."

"And I will work with you," Gale said to the male twins. "Osp, Arv, attune to our signals." They had not yet learned sufficient telepathy to make that reliable; verbal or hand signals would have to do.

"Best you do it directly," Osp said.

"Best Warp do it directly," Gale said tightly. "He has had space ship experience." She didn't add that he was also a stronger Glamor than she was, and could see the future paths farther and more accurately than she could.

Warp took the pilot's chair. In a moment he had familiarized himself with the controls. "Ready," he said.

Gale reached out to survey the future paths. She also read the minds of Pso and Osp as they did the same. She guided them telepathically with gentle nudges to the more productive paths. They glanced at her, started, realizing what she was doing, and accepted it. Warp was working similarly with the females.

The paths were thickly massed. Four fifths of them resulted in destruction. Gale surveyed the best ones, buttressed by Pso and Osp's supporting awareness, and outlined them telepathically for Warp. She knew he was drawing similarly from Vra and Arv.

Warp threw the ship to the side. The scout fired. The beam could not have been avoided, but the evasive maneuver had been accomplished just before the beam, and it missed.

Warp sent the ship lurching to the side again. Another beam passed through its former space.

The ship went into a crazy dance. The other crew members surely thought the captains had lost their minds. But six more beams missed. Then the scout changed course. In a moment it was gone. All four Twins stared. "They fled!"

Vra said.

"Why?" Arv asked. "It couldn't have been fear. They have no emotions."

"It was realization that they were up against Glamors," Gale said. "Only awareness of the near future paths could have enabled us to avoid all those beams. They don't want to fight Glamors."

"Why not?" Vra asked. "We're their enemies too."

"I think it's caution," Gale said. "The machines don't fight what they don't understand, because it's dangerous.

They don't understand Glamors. They have been trying to observe or capture a Glamor, to discover what makes us different, so far without success. So they leave us alone. So far. I did not want to reveal our nature, but it was the only feasible way to save the ship and the crew members within it. This may usher in a new phase of the war with the machines."

"May, Ma?" Warp asked.

"Because maybe we can prevent the word from getting back to their director machines about this incident.

Then they won't know what happened to their two scouts in this area."

"How do we do that?" Arv asked.

"We go now to contact the Fish and have them booby trap the first scout to take out the second. It's low tech, but the machines won't be expecting it."

Warp read her mind. "Sometimes you scare me, Ma," he said admiringly.

"I should hope so. Meanwhile, you're the Glamor of Fungus. Go to the Fungus culture and help them inspect the planet in the Fish culture territory. I think Marionette should be enough recovered by now to carry your ikon there."

"On my way, Ma." He vanished.

"He obeys you like a child," Vra remarked.

Gale smiled. "What's your point?"

Then she and the male twins conjured themselves back to the Fish culture. They had some fast explaining to do before the second machines scout got there. The captured scout boat had to be put back out to space, a seeming derelict, awaiting the approach of the second one. When the two touched, the explosive would detonate, making wreckage of both. With luck the machines would not send a third.