Vivi shook her head looking from Beryl to Ty. “No. Not a lot. J- Just… just I guess what everyone else knows. The ACAS and the vats protect us by patrolling the Edge. M- Most of them are… created to serve. Like Hal. But they get to have their own lives after the ACAS, right?”
Tyce nodded slowly. Vivi didn’t seem to have the negative attitude that so many others had toward vats, so he pressed on. “Hal was born in a facility on Chamn-Alpha. Vats… are grown rapidly and trained subliminally… then ‘born’ four years later at a developmental age of twelve or thirteen. After that, they’re educated until ready to start their tour of duty in the ACAS. But, it’s not like the education that we got as natural born. Everything they learn is to prepare them for their seven years of service.
“Hal has an interface,” Tyce tapped his temple, “here, implanted into his brain. From what I understand it’s more extensive than a tecker node. They used it for teaching and training purposes… as well as programming, even before he was born.”
“When I walked in his room, he was saying something over and over. ‘I… er… I am the fist of the ACAS.’ Something like that,” she murmured.
Ty nodded somberly. “The vat’s creed. He had to memorize it as part of his training. It was probably reinforced thorough his interface thousands of times while he slept.”
“He was experiencing a flashback from that… like a memory,” Beryl added, coming over with their tea. “Think of it as a nightmare that you have trouble shaking off.”
Vivi stirred sugar into the cup, a crease of worry on her brow. “How often does he have these episodes?”
Tyce shrugged. “Every month or two. Sometimes less, sometimes more. Vats typically have trouble with civilian life. Without the structures and format of the ACAS, they struggle with attention, decision-making, and dealing with things like what we saw tonight. They aren’t trained for the civilian world. Hal struggles just like the rest of them.”
“Ty, he didn’t recognize me. What would he have done if you hadn’t come in?” Vivi asked.
Ty could see her fear. “He just hasn’t had enough time to recognize you as part of his unit. Vats protect others in their unit, and that’s what he considers us,” he gestured between himself and Beryl. “He’ll come to see you that way if you give him the chance.”
There was a pause as Ty watched her digest the information.
“So… will he be OK tomorrow? What do I need to do?”
“I gave him a sedative,” Beryl replied. “So that he can sleep, that’s all. In the morning he may or may not remember anything about what happened. We don’t usually mention it. If you see he’s quiet, just give him some space.”
“Right. Sure,” Vivi said, nodding.
“Vivi, I know this was probably a bit frightening,” Ty said. “But I hope you don’t let this change your view of working with us. I think you’ve done a fine job so far and I really hope you’ll stay on.”
It was good for Hal to have connections with others. Too often, he’d seen vats who lost the camaraderie of the ACAS turn inward as loneliness ate them up inside. It made sense. Vats were raised communally – they ate together and bunked together. They were trained to depend on each other. Being alone was bad. Often lonely vats turned to drugs or alcohol to cope. Ty had kept Hal from such a fate so far, and he intended to keep doing that for however long Hal would be with them.
“I think… I think I’ll stay for now,” she said, quietly. “And, er, if there’s anything I can do to help–”
“You already have,” Ty cut in. “Get some rest. Feel free to sleep in. We always do after a night like this.”
After she had left, Ty remained staring down into his cup moodily. “He scared her pretty badly, huh?” Beryl asked.
He nodded, frowning, as he met her eyes. “She might not stay, Beryl. It was the worst I’ve seen him in a while…”
The next morning, Vivi was awake early. Finding her way down the hallway to the common area, she decided to put on coffee since she guessed she was the first one up.
Coming into the kitchen, she caught sight of Hal. His hair was ruffled, and he was still wearing the same black tee and sleep pants he’d had on the night before. She took a breath, reminding herself of what Ty and Beryl had told her, then entered the galley.
Hal was leaning back against the counter and facing her as the coffee maker burbled and hissed behind him. He was fiddling with a spoon in his hands as he lifted his head and his eyes met hers. There was a vulnerability there that she wasn’t used to seeing.
“Hi,” he said simply, testing out the waters between them.
“Hi,” she replied. Did he remember any of it? Was he embarrassed or angry over losing control? She had no idea of where to start, but she knew this was not the same man who had put a weapon to her head and threatened her last night.
“I…uh…” he said, closing his mouth and clenching his jaw before trying again. “I’m sorry if I woke you last night with… with all of that.” His voice was low and halting.
She decided she could lie and act as if she had heard nothing or be brave and choose to be honest. As a friend would. “Hal, there’s no need to be sorry.”
His blue eyes were still a little glassy from the medication, and his features held a mix of fear and anxiety. Instinctively, she wanted to take it away, despite her fear. But she didn’t know how.
Vivi turned to get two steel mugs out of the cabinet. She filled both with coffee, added a lot of sugar to Hal’s cup, and handed it to him. She turned around and rested against the counter in a similar pose beside him while sipping at her cup. “Alright,” she said lightly, “you’re making coffee from now on. This is much better than Ty’s.”
A half smile broke through the clouds that hung over him. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She elbowed him gently. “But don’t tell Ty, OK? It’s our secret.”
They stood there a few minutes longer, during which the silence became comfortable. Finally, he spoke again. “Veevs?”
“Mm? Yeah?”
“Thanks,” he said simply, daring to meet her gaze.
“Anytime, Hal.” Impulsively, her hand reached for his, and she squeezed his fingers. She was surprised to find that it felt right. He leaned into her, and they stayed that way for a long time.
EIGHT
K-245j hung in space like a green and amber jewel, as the Loshad made its approach, four days after its departure from Omicron.
“No ships in the surrounding area,” Beryl reported from her station at the sensors.
“Good. Let’s do a flyby,” Tyce said, easing the ship into an orbit. “Look for life and habitation signs. Hal – stay on weapons in case we need them.”
“Got it, Cap.”
Vivi glanced at Hal settling into the weapons station. He had stayed close to her the day after the episode, a second shadow, but seemed to be more himself now. She had begun wondering about his past again and resolved to ask Tyce some more pointed questions when they had a chance. Now, however, it was time to focus on the planet below them.