For reasons Mother never understood, the Qitani never used the wormholes that went to other galaxies, or even other solar systems. They explored their own extensively, but seemed content at that. Mother always wanted to know of Morhal why she didn't push further. Morhal always gave the standard Qitani answer they all gave when a question was simply too ridiculous to be bothered with. "It is our way and you would not understand."
The quickest way to anger Mother is to tell her she wouldn't understand.
Mother cracked the code. She integrated the fah'ti with our technology, enough to make the suits, anyway. Enough to make a fah'ti I could deploy. She did have the help of the best and brightest scientists on Laak'sa, though, which was why it was proving so difficult for the StarTech scientists to crack.
I wanted to show Dad those pics. That thought kept coming back as I lay staring at my dark ceiling. Between thoughts of Christophe's words, and regret at all I didn't say in my own defense, the urge to get those pics of the beautiful room of crystal to Dad kept coming back. I wanted my mind off things. I got up and put on my pants. Fine. If I wanted a distraction, I'd let myself have one.
I went to the terminal desk in my room and logged on. I entered the help program and asked how to access confidential assignments. I inserted my code key on command, then to my surprise a list of confidential assignments flooded the screen. I knew StarTech worked on a lot of projects, but I had no idea of the scope. The list included everything from "Hundred Year Disaster Projections" to "Financial Implications of Completed a-144 Mining" to "Federal Classification of CB Rations". I didn't understand most of it beyond the subject matter, but they have their hands in everything. Everything. It was tempting to get side tracked and peek at some of the more interesting projects, especially those concerning "Interstellar Intercourse and Potential Ramifications of Abstinence on Male/Female Psyche", but there was time for that later. I had decided to take on a mission and was suddenly very determined to see it through.
I found the fah'ti project. They didn't do anything to disguise it in the list. "Qitani Technology Adaptation", with seventeen subcategories. I selected the main category and was brought to another page with dozens of highlighted links to, most likely, dozens and dozens of other links. It was an enormous project and I thought I should probably just log out and leave it alone when I saw the listing for "Qitani Translation Team Alpha Results". There. I could at least see if they were getting the language. I clicked on it and scanned the screens full of data that went zipping by. It was code. I paused, and saw it was in English. It was of no use. I scrolled around, looked at links. I needed the raw code, the Qitani code. And I couldn't find it anywhere.
Frustration. It was an exercise in frustration. How could I possibly know if they were translating properly if I only had the aftermath of guessing? The scientist in me started to get angry. This was beyond bad science. I clicked off the terminal and stormed over to my bed. It was useless.
I sat and stewed for a few minutes. Someone had to have the pure code. It had to be available somewhere. I just didn't know what I was doing. I got back up and logged back into the terminal. This time I looked for a Utopia map. When I found it, I uploaded it to my holo and set out. There was someone who could tell me everything I wanted to know. I would just have to figure out how to sweet talk him into it.
The indentured school dorms were in a different building. I had no idea if I was even allowed to get there. Holo maps are little pieces of amazing. I had never really thought about it before. Actually, I never needed to. I can't remember if I actually ever went anywhere by myself before. You know, out of my ship. I was not allowed to travel alone on any of the explored planets, even in a TrekMan, which was preprogrammed. I had never explored. I had always been "along".
Okay, so maybe walking the well-traveled hallways of a populated base didn't really count as exploring. It's the most I'd ever done, though. To me it was exciting, made even more so when I discovered that almost every door opened under my touch. As an experiment, I even tried doors I didn't need to go through. Two wouldn't turn green. It made me wonder what was back there. They weren't even on the holo maps. Top top secret, I guess. It didn't really matter. Like I said, I didn't need them anyway. But still, it made me wonder...
I followed the map through two buildings, up three elevators, down one other, and through one very large glass walkway, wide enough to easily fit four or five people across and very low to the ground. I discovered I didn't mind that kind of walkway. I guess it was just being up so high in the other one that I didn't like. I stopped for a minute to look out into the night. The observation room we were in before was on the other side of the complex. This one looked out onto the landing area of Utopia. Ships of all sizes were docked. Some glowed, as if the were gearing up for travel, or just landed. People worked under enormous glaring lights. They looked like little blue caa flies on the enormous landing pad.
Remember this area, I told myself. I wanted to come back when I had time and just sit and watch the activity.
I turned and kept walking down the long hall. As I neared the large doors, I could see "Academy Of The Future" written above them. I put my hand to the lock and was allowed in, only to be stopped by some sort of guard.
"What are you doing out of your dorm?" he demanded.
"I...I..." ...had no idea what to say.
"Badge."
"What?"
He sighed and snatched my security key off my belt. He put it through a handheld that looked a little different than a holo, and waited. After a second it beeped, then flashed something that he quickly turned off. He clipped the key back on my belt. "I'm sorry, sir. I assumed...well, you look so young...oh, hell!"
Hm. Interesting. He seemed to be intimidated. By me. I decided to play the part of aristocrat and see if I could pull it off.
"I won't report it this time," I said, sounding very much more important than I am. "But don't let it happen again!"
"No, sir. I won't."
He was actually squirming. I was loving it. "Now. Point me to the dorms."
"Male or female?"
"Male."
"Uppers or lowers?"
I faltered. "Uh..."
"Uppers is for older denties, lowers is for new."
"Uppers. Of course."
He gave a nod and pointed to my holo map. "I'll mark it." I handed it over and he tapped in the coordinates. "There. That'll get you there. I'll let the ward head know to expect you so there won't be no more misunderstandings."
"Thank you." I gave him a regal nod.
"You have yourself a good night, Mr. Cosworth."
Mr. Cosworth. I walked down the hall and got into the elevator. It wasn't until the doors were closed and the guard couldn't see me that I let myself laugh. I'd have to tell Lynette about this one!
The door opened into a hallway that was half lit. I walked forward and was greeted by someone who wore a different kind of uniform than I'd seen before.
"I'm Al Costa, and this is highly unusual even if you are a Cosworth."
I tried the haughty look again. He was unmoved. I cleared my throat and tried to sound as important as possible. "I need to speak with a student in this dorm. It's of vital importance."
"Don't you take that tone with me, young man! I'm in charge of every youngster on this ward and unless you've got a very good reason to be up here in the middle of the night..."
"I do." I gave him my key to run. That should do it.
"And that is?" he asked without taking my key.
"I believe if you run this through, you'll find..."
"Of course you've got a high rank. You're a Cosworth, even if I haven't heard of you. I'm asking what you want with my student in the middle of the night." He crossed his arms over his chest and all my big and important attitude drained out.