Part 23 (1/2)

”Naysay. More than one Mantis, I think.”

”The Mantis is a whole cla.s.s of mechs?”

”It's like dividing up water. Can't keep the lines drawn.”

Toby felt a sense of comfort in the simple way his father talked, at the ,sound of his voice. ”Dad, I--”

I ”Son, I need you.” Killeen said it exactly as he had said it before, same posture and tone. ”I don't know how much more I can tell you. Just ...

let's try.”

”Yeasay.” Toby felt an immense relief. ”Yeasay.”

”I know how hard it's been. Look, you can have s.h.i.+bo. I was--”

”Dad, I...” Toby stood mute. It was strange, speaking to a recording and wanting to force more out of it. But he had to tell the truth. ”I had to pull s.h.i.+bo.”

The Killeen was startled. It s.h.i.+mmied in the air for a moment, as if this news shook the entire representation. ”You... don't have the tools.”

”I know. Did the best I could.”

”She... was too much?”

”I couldn't manage her.”

The Killeen nodded somberly. ”She wasn't easy in the flesh, either”

”I think I got--”

Beside Killeen, condensing out of the air, was s.h.i.+bo. She was translu- 287.