We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

Book 3: Chapter 17: Underway

Book 3: Chapter 17: Underway

Icarus

January 2232

Interstellar space

The phrase middle of nowhere took on an entirely new meaning when you were between star systems. I sat in the middle of a sphere of empty space, with nothing more than the occasional lonely hydrogen atom for literally light-years. The Orion-Cygnus arm of the Milky Way stretched across the sky, annotated by overlays showing distances, readings, and the location of local tourist attractions. Sixty trillion miles to next gas station. I snorted at the thought.

“Status check.”

I looked up at the call from Dae. Right on time, as usual. Well, why not? I didn’t begrudge him his tics, and he didn’t tease me about my wraparound planetarium view.

I returned to my library and opened up my calculation page before responding. “Everything’s in the green.”

“Your tau is a little low.”

I glanced at the status board. “I was drawing slightly ahead of you. I had to cut back my acceleration just a tad.”

“I would have preferred if you’d extended your curve instead, Ick. We need to be synchronized.”

“Understood. Still lots of time to adjust.”

“Um. And on that subject, how are the calcs going?”

“So-so. I still can’t find a definitive answer. Of course, it’s not like anyone’s ever done this before.”

Daedalus chuckled. “Yeah, granted. Have you determined a safe minimum tau, though?”

“Sure,” I answered. “But it’s probably overkill.”

“I’m good with overkill.”

I could hear the grin in his voice. “As am I, Dae. As are all the Bobs. And we have the tau for that. Or will, by the time we get there. Which won’t be long on our clocks.” I smiled into the air. “I guess we could get ourselves into the Bobiverse Book of Records with this. Highest recorded tau by a Heaven vessel.”

“Uh huh. You thinking of heading for the galactic core?”

That got a chuckle from me. “Y’know, once we’re done—”

“—assuming this works—”

“Sure, sure. But it’s not a terrible idea, really.”

There was a moment of silence. “I was going to laugh at you, Ick. But the more I think of it… Really, what’s holding us here?”

“Homo sideria, baby. Maybe it’s time to join up.”

Daedalus popped in, holding a coffee. “Or start it up. Even Mario hasn’t really left the area. I don’t think anyone qualifies yet.”

I waved up a patio chair for Dae, his favorite seating device, and popped up a coffee for myself. “You think we’re timid as a group?”

“No, maybe just creatures of habit. And comfort zone.”

I nodded slowly, letting a grin form. “So, you up for it?”

“Hell, why not?”

I raised my cup in salute. “To Sagittarius A-Star. May it not fry us to twigs.”

Dae made a sweeping motion with his hand. “Just have to make this delivery first.”