Alien vs. Alien

for.
    Adversity helps humanity to achieve?
    Yes. I knew ACE knew this. So why were we having this conversation right now? Um, ACE, are you not able to protect Jamie and the other hybrid babies?
    ACE will guard the Dome.
    The Dome. That seemed remarkably specific. ACE, are you saying you’re only willing to guard the Dome and those in it, or are you saying that you’re going to have to use a lot of power to guard the Dome and those in it?
    ACE is never unwilling to watch over.
    Watching over probably counted as guarding. I took this nonanswer to mean that either ACE was being forced to guard only the Dome or that there was a lot of bad coming and ACE felt that he could only guard the Dome effectively. Neither option was really great. I was sort of sorry I’d asked.
    ACE, are the supersoldiers going to be activated? And by that, I mean are they going to be attacking any time soon? Maybe at the International One World Festival, or somewhere else?
    No. The supersoldiers are not prepared.
    Oh. Good.
    No. That is very bad.
    It was? Why is that, ACE? They’re destruction machines of the highest order. It took an incredible amount of power, teamwork and, frankly, luck to defeat the few we destroyed at the President’s Ball. One of them could probably take out the Dome without issue, let alone more of them. Suddenly, the idea that ACE was going to focus on the Dome almost exclusively seemed wise, especially since my baby was going to be here.
    Yes, the supersoldiers are machines. But there is thought inside the supersoldiers.
    Fantastic. So, they’re sentient? And do you mean all of them or just the ones we have under our control?
    The few now under Chuckie’s control are not like the others.
    Well, Marling had told us as much right before he’d effectively killed himself. Do you mean the androids, like the one I fought yesterday? Or something else?
    Yes.
    Great, back to the one-word replies. ACE, am I okay leaving Jamie here without me?
    No. The way he said it, though, made me think I had, yet again, phrased my question wrong.
    ACE, will Jamie be safe if I leave her here with the others in the Dome?
    Yes.
    So, I was the one who wouldn’t be safe. Well, that was, pretty much, the story of my life since meeting the gang from Alpha Four. I haven’t figured out what you want me to, have I?
    Not yet, ACE said politely. But Kitty will. Kitty thinks right. Kitty should think about what Kitty and ACE have talked about.
    Fantastic. Oh, well, I needed to race off and make sure Jeff and Chuckie, not to mention everyone else, were okay, at least for the time being.
    ACE, one last question.
    Of course, Kitty. Kitty can speak to ACE whenever Kitty wishes or needs to.
    Thanks, ACE, I appreciate that. My last question is this—have I figured out what’s going on correctly?
    Kitty has determined things.
    Huh. Rephrasing time. Have I figured out what’s really going on—not just part of it, but all of it?
    No. The relief in ACE’s voice was plain. Nice to know that ACE’s issue had been that I hadn’t figured out the full Bad Guy Plan of the Moment. But Kitty will. Kitty thinks right.
    Thanks, ACE. You think right, too.
    ACE thinks that ACE will protect Jamie and the others.
    Thank you.
    Or ACE will die trying.

    Yi

CHAPTER 47

    I FELT A SURGE OF WARM FEELINGS, which was ACE’s way of hugging me in my mind, and then I felt him leave my mind. ACE certainly knew how to make an exit.
    I opened my eyes. “Christopher, you’re staying here. Prepare for something.”
    “What ‘something’ am I supposed to prepare for?”
    “I have no idea, but I think it’s going to be bad.”
    Christopher rubbed the back of his neck. “Really? That’s it?”
    “Yeah.” I looked around. “Just how many people can the Dome actually hold?”
    “Most of our people, if necessary.”
    “Really? It doesn’t seem that big.”
    I was treated to something other than a Patented Glare—I got a Derisive Look. Nice to see he was branching out. “Kitty, you’ve been with us how long?”
    “Close to two and a half years. Why?”
    Buchanan sighed. “There are lower levels.”
    I stared at them. “There are? Seriously?” Truly, no one told me anything. I couldn’t wait to discover what else I hadn’t been told. I was sure it would be at a completely inopportune time, whenever the next surprising bit of information appeared.
    Christopher shook his head. “Why am I surprised? At all? You were given briefing materials on every single A-C