This was about much more than Vantolos ordering one of the ship’s devices to shoot Reed, Dev realized. Something of much greater significance was at stake, and for the life of him he couldn’t understand why it should be so. He continued to be utterly baffled by the automaton’s response to Jakob Zimmer’s directive to essentially stand down, a response to a verbal command, he told himself worriedly, that could change at any moment, with lethal results.

The confrontation did produce one other immediate response. Leaving her station forward and flanked by a pair of senior A'jeii, Syrenii was hurrying toward them.

Halting beside the simmering Vantolos, the captain surveyed the standoff, peered up at the quiescent automaton, and said sharply, “Kill the human restraining supervisor Tilenyii but be careful not to injure her.”

Displaying a preternatural calm, Jakob Zimmer likewise looked up at the massive machine. “Cancel that order. Harm no one. Reply in my language if you …”

The mechanical anticipated with alacrity. “Harm no one. I assent.”

Jakob pressed on. “Furthermore, you will harm no one without prior authorization from either me or my three companions, nor will you allow anyone to come to harm.” He was staring at Syrenii now. “You, your fellow automatons, and the ship itself will continuously watch over the four of us to see that we come to no harm. If an attempt to harm us is made,” and he switched his gaze to the pair of now uncertain Kaijank, “you and one or more of your fellow automatons or the ship will intervene to assure that we come to no harm.”

“I assent.”

Thoughts churning furiously, Dev presumed that if Zimmer’s directives were being followed correctly, then the mechanical was speaking not only for itself but for every other automaton on the ship as well as the ship’s own AI. If indeed they were capable of being distinguished from one another and were not in fact all components of the same synthetic mind.

Syrenii’s next words ensured that they would find out without having to wait. She turned to yell at the bewildered Kaijank.

“Use your weapons! Kill the four visitors now! Do not injure the supervisor!”

Dev tensed while Reed struggled to conceal his bulk behind the much smaller A'jeii he continued to hold captive. One of the Kaijank started to raise the rifle-like weapon it held.