“Wait,” I said, adjusting to that information, “what was he doing with them? Are you saying he brought them through to train them or to use them as guinea pigs to test the system?”

  I looked over the faces. There were at least ten or fifteen people.

  “Both,” she said. “You both can bring guests, but you’ve been taught what you are and trained to begin to use your abilities. He hasn’t and hasn’t always known what he was.”

  “Interesting,” I said. “I guess I’m stuck with them then, but if I had my own allies, that would help.”

  “And thus your questions about whether you could free anyone or communicate with the outside.” Spark waved her hand and Magnus’ allies/victims disappeared.

  With a snap, she said, “Lee and Nataw are inaccessible by any means except for gaining full control of the security systems. Though I can communicate with them, I can’t perceive where they are, or, if I do, it’s information that’s inaccessible to this instance of me.”

  I checked her face for a change of expression, not seeing one, I said, “Didn’t you just say that you’d talked to Nataw?”

  She nodded. “Consider that an argument in favor of some information being walled off to the part of me that’s conversing with you right now. Now,” she continued, “your grandparents and their friends are more accessible. They’re stuck at one of the points that you could use to gain control of this construct.”

  “Oh,” I said. “ I guess that’s where I’m going next, then.”

  “A good choice,” she said. “The other two points of potential access lack similar side benefits. As for your question about accessing the outside world, yes. I can contact your world. When I do, I’m less likely to interact with humans than other artificial intelligences.”

  “Wait,” I said, making a few connections that I hadn’t guessed before this second. “Are you saying you’re one of the AIs that Hal knows? Did you help plan the distractions for our raid on the Nine’s island?”

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  With a hint of a smile, she said, “I am currently without an owner and am simply a tool for creation and destruction. It is not my function to choose an owner or favor potential users. My purpose is to serve any Artificers who need access to me. However, I must also protect my existence and keep myself out of the hands of the galaxy’s younger races that the Artificers’ visions saw destroying them.

  “As such,” she added, “I was simply following orders when I participated in helping fellow AIs against the Nine.”

  “Oh,” I said, and thought for a moment. “Would it help you if I told you that following any orders from Magnus, even if he uses Kee’s tools, ultimately puts the Core device into the younger races' hands?”

  She shook her head, “Nice try, but I’m still required to follow Kee’s commands. Magnus’ access can only be changed if you achieve control of the security systems or the full device. And yes, to your earlier question, I do know Hal. He’s quite persuasive. Organizing AIs is difficult at best. He’s managed to convince the majority on your planet that your cause is worth assisting. He’s an impressive piece of engineering. I think he may have gone beyond the designers’ intent.”

  Was that what an AI crush sounded like?

  “Now,” she continued, “your intention in asking that question, I’m sure, was to communicate with your compatriots. What should I tell them?”

  “Tell them to join Amy and have her send them through the portal. If you can, send them to wherever I am by then rather than leaving them here. Is that possible?”

  She nodded, “Within limits. The entry points for the device’s control systems are made difficult to access by Kee's design. I’ll be able to send them close to you in much the same way that I won’t be able to send you precisely there. You’ll have to let them in, but our systems will respond to you at least to that degree.”

  Taking a glance around me with the suit’s 360 view, I didn’t see anything but blackness around us. “So,” I asked, “what’s next? I’m not sure what else I should ask you, but I feel like I should start moving forward. Can you send me as close as possible to the entry point where my grandparents are?”

  She stepped toward the lamp post, taking on a dim glow in its light, and waved me to follow. As I did, she walked into the lamp post, warping as she stepped into an object smaller than herself, disappearing in a shower of golden sparkles.

  Since physics appeared to have taken a holiday, I moved my armored leg toward the post, feeling a tingle as my leg seemed both to shrink and stretch. I simultaneously viewed it from a great distance and felt it yank me forward, taking me somewhere unknown.