40.  Parting

It proved difficult, or so Jayhawk told Caroline, to make a beacon 
that could exist in the Overnet independent of them.  After a little 
experimentation, Jayhawk wove long thin strands of silver instead, 
physical links to let them find Ares again.  Like a spider probing for a 
new anchor, the system slid down its gossamer guidelines.

After much searching, they came upon a house of cards that Caroline
recognized as Harrah's Casino in Vegas.  It was her impression that 
it and Ares were moving relative to one another, though both were never
in sight at the same time to confirm it.  *I think so,* said Jayhawk.
*I have to keep extending the strands.  Beacons would be better, if you
don't mind taking a long time at it.*

"Let's try to work with what we've got," said Caroline.  She wanted to
run the Matrix, with an itchy nervous anticipation--she wasn't entirely
sure that she could leave the system and survive, but she was sure it
had to be tried sooner or later, and she'd never liked waiting.  

The next contact they made was with a glittering form like an amoeba,
moving slowly through the greyness by thrusting an empty skin forward,
then flowing in to fill it.  Caroline, watching anxiously at the SAN,
felt the system reverse its motion, try to leave the amoeba behind.  She
approved of Jayhawk's decision, she decided at once.  

The shimmering creature came upon one of their tether lines, enfolded it
with its substance.  Its movement quickened, pouring down the line
towards them.  The line vanished suddenly--cut off from this end,
Caroline could sense--and they fled.  She watched the amoeba until it
was out of sight.  It was still groping, slowly and blindly, in their
direction.

*Lost again, blast it.  But at least we know we can find things; though
I can't say I like what we've been finding.*  Caroline had to agree.
Both Ares and Harrah's were top-security systems, not something she
wanted to run--unless Jayhawk could duplicate the tricks the Overnet
files had described, in which case *any* system was trivial.  And the
amoeba, and the cockroaches....

"Let's try to find Ares again," she suggested.  "Interesting to see if
we can."

It took a long time, quartering and requartering the emptiness, but at
last they found the ochre globe, and matched courses with one of its
attendant moons.  *Caroline.  Something funny.*

"What?"

*It's Ares, all right.  Ares' Philadelphia branch, though.  Not
Seattle.*

"Weird."  They had found it by trying to retrace their course, after
all...."Put out the probe again, see if you can see any more of them."

By the time Jayhawk reported failure, she had come to a decision.  "I 
bet the best way for us to navigate is for me to be down there, giving 
you something to home in on.  I can try for Chalker's Gate to get back.
I want to send Yoichi a message; and Martha."

*What are you going to say to her?*

"I'm not sure yet.  I'll think of something."  She scuffed a booted toe
along the glittering metal of the bridge.  "I can't do much to help you,
here."

Something seized her around the waist.  She let out a yelp, then
recognized Jayhawk.  "Don't die!" said the other fiercely in her ear.
"And don't get lost!  We need you."

"I won't," she said, not turning around--she was afraid that if she did
she'd do something stupid.  "I'll be fine.  Don't *you* get lost!  And
watch out for that amoeba!"

"Let me try to whip up a connector--you can take the other end with you,
maybe anchor it in Ares.  We need communications."  Jayhawk squeezed her
possessively.  "I need your advice, your insight."

"And I need you to play Overnet tricks for me.  What was that in the
files about being able to make any node act as the CPU?"

Jayhawk released her.  "I can't do that," she said slowly.  "You can--"

"*I* can?"  The possibility staggered her.  Inside any system in the
world, if she could only reach its SAN....

"--But you mustn't.  'In control of a CPU,' remember?  The Lefty code will
get you."

Caroline swore, at length and passionately.  "Just have to do it the
hard way, then.  If I can get communications set up, we can see what we
can manage together."

"Be careful," Jayhawk whispered.  Caroline turned at last, saw her image
standing with fists clenched at her sides, silver-blue eyes fixed on
her.  The lights of the system danced in her black hair, slicked the
silver of her clothing.  So lovely--

She turned away sharply, addressed herself to the problem of reaching
Ares.  It was simple enough; she knew how, as soon as she thought of
trying.  A single step into the emptiness.

For just an instant in the transition she could see the Net spread out
around her, systems like constellations, glittering links and patterns
that went out and out to the unseen horizon, dazzling in their
multitudes like the stars of the sky beyond Earth's sky.  *Jayhawk!
Look!*

But there was no answer.

--

Copyright 1991 Mary Kuhner