Chapter 19: Old Love

I have Rich show me the Silencer in the basement. It a glom of different parts and outputs, but somehow he got it to work. I am able to figure out the frequencies he is tuning out. I will have to do some fiddling when I have time to adjust my Chameleon Circuitry. After looking at his science project, I am left wondering what kind of education Rick has had. He talks noticeably better and it would take someone with some physics and electronic knowledge in order to create the jammer he has in the basement.

When we sit down for the evening meal, it is to a whole different experience. The boys are quiet and respectful. Rich is talkative and boisterous. Emma is polite, if somewhat cold to us. At least the change in climate convinces Alys to come down and eat with us. She is still too shy with the boys, but she edges in with Brin and Diana to keeps away from the boys.

"What are Scanners?" I asks Rich, at one point during the meal.

"I don't know, they may be a new generation of HK's but It is not a name I am familiar with." Rich answers honestly.

"Are HK's human?" Diana asks. Having only heard the term for the first time today.

"They are Vat grown, is the story I have heard" says Rich. He continues on. "So they are biological, but I am not sure that they are human."

"Hold it right there, mister," Diana says and points an accusing finger at him. "You just can't fling terms like that around. What the hell is Vat Grown?"

"Yeah, and if they are biological, why aren't they human?" Catherine pipes in.

I grin at the two of them as Rich sighs, they have changed so much in the last few days.

"Vat grown refers to how they were produced. They were not born, rather their biological matter was built and grown under the watchful eye of scientists. And to say they are not human is because many of the HK's have animal DNA linked with the human DNA. So they are capable of things like speech and cognitive thinking, like humans. Only they have a huge array of animal traits to choose from. The few Hunter Killers I have seen were not human looking, other than they could talk." Rich ends with a little shudder of horror at the memories. He knows an awful lot, for a war protester. I am left wondering if he has some kind of military tech background. "And these Hunter Killers do what, for the Empire?" I ask, my voice dripping with disdain.

"Well, I'm not really sure, Chronos, only they scared the crap out of me." He says so believable innocently, that I am sure he knows more. "So I ran. I didn't want to end up as their dinner."

He is cagey about the Empire itself. Not too much information. No names or state secrets from him. He must have some loyalties or ties that keep him from telling us everything. And I was there, it should have been easy.

"Catherine, if you are heading back home. Would you take Nimrod a message?" I ask her later that evening. When we have all adjourn to Bin's room for the night.

"I suppose. What is it?"

"I was going to send you a couple of kisses but then you are not really my type." I said humorously

At which Diana snorts.

Catherine shucks her teeth. "I am not kissing Saul." she says in a quiet deadly tone.

"Some history here?" I give her a wolfish grin. "Do not tell me, you were one of the hundreds to chase Saul." My eyes popping open wide with humor of it. Diana starts to quietly laugh. Catherine blushes deep red. It seems I was right. Score one for the universal guardian.

"I don't need these juvenile attempts a humor Chronos, just give me you message." She snarls at me. Still bright red and angry that she has been found out.

"My apologies, Catherine. Please remember, I do not have the same knowledge of history that you do. So I can not help it if I seem to pry." I try to pacify her. She doesn't stop shooting me daggers but at least she calms down. "I would like Nimrod to put together a least of herbal remedy and the composite for Mother Liss. And I want him to send a healer over there, to look at a head wound. Plus the whole..."