Chapter 368: Human Continuance Matrix

Aurelian spent the next half hour explaining the Human Continuance Matrix to Cassian, although he left out most of the old experimental records until he could send them through a secure channel.

His father listened without interrupting, which was usually worse than being questioned.

By the time Aurelian finished explaining the treatment system, the sealed commander research, and the first successful test on Elya Sorn, Cassian had gone from mildly curious to completely serious.

"And this machine believes it can treat the strain caused by command advancement?" he asked.

"That is what the records say, but we have not tested that part."

"And it recommends treatment for you."

"Within thirty days."

Cassian looked toward someone outside the channel before returning his attention to Aurelian. "I assume Astra knows."

"She was standing beside me when the recommendation was made."

"Then I do not need to order you to do it."

Aurelian glanced toward Astra.

"No."

Rhoswen looked pleased with herself.

Cassian noticed.

"And Rhoswen?"

"She also knows."

"Then I definitely do not need to order you."

Rhoswen smiled.

Aurelian decided the conversation had gone far enough in that direction.

"The Alliance survey vessel is the more immediate problem."

"It is," Cassian agreed. "I’ll have our legal office prepare everything we have on emergency stewardship, recovered Human settlements, and occupation claims. Do not refuse the officer entry without a reason, because that will only make her more suspicious."

"I wasn’t planning to."

"Good. Let her see the occupation records, the damage, the survivors, and the parts of the sanctuary that are safe to inspect. There is nothing wrong with showing her the truth."

"And the vault?"

"Security-sensitive recovery material."

"The matrix?"

"Active medical facility containing private patient records."

Aurelian nodded.

That was almost exactly how he intended to handle it.

Cassian continued, "The temporary civil council is important. Get it formed before she arrives, even if it only has five or six people at first. The sanctuary needs someone besides you who can legally say what its population wants."

"I’ll speak with Vaela and Astercourt."

"Do that. I’ll send the legal files within the hour."

The channel ended shortly afterward, leaving Aurelian with one problem solved and several more waiting behind it.

The first of those problems was already being handled.

Sanctuary Ardent had changed noticeably since the Arcturus convoy arrived. Repair crews had restored several internal lifts, reopened two cargo routes, and brought enough temporary power equipment online that the damaged western halls no longer depended entirely on the sanctuary’s old grid.

The lower medical levels were also operating properly for the first time since the Compact occupation.

Elya remained inside the matrix treatment room, where Doctor Tal continued monitoring the repair of her legs.

Her condition was stable, and the first repaired nerves in her left arm were responding normally.

That news spread through the awakened survivors faster than Vaela wanted.

By the time Aurelian reached the temporary residential halls, people were already talking about the ancient medical system that had repaired Elya’s arm.

Some stories were mostly accurate.

Others had become ridiculous in less than an hour.

One man apparently believed the sanctuary had a machine capable of rebuilding a person from almost nothing.

Vaela dealt with that rumor personally.

"It repaired damaged nerves," she told a group gathered near one of the food stations. "It did not bring anyone back from the dead, regrow half a body, or make Elya twenty years younger, no matter what someone told you."

Aurelian arrived in time to hear the last part.

Rhoswen looked disappointed.

"I was hoping for the twenty years younger part."

Vaela gave her a tired look. "You don’t need it."

"That was kind."

"It wasn’t meant to be."

Aurelian continued toward the room Astercourt had been given for administrative work.

The temporary civil leader had already gathered several people from among the awakened population.

None of them had been elected yet, and Aurelian had no intention of pretending otherwise, but they represented enough different parts of the sanctuary to begin making decisions.

There was a former logistics officer, a teacher, a maintenance supervisor, two medical workers, and an elderly woman who had served on one of Sanctuary Ardent’s local councils before preservation.

Astercourt stood when Aurelian entered.

"I heard about the Alliance ship."

"That is why I’m here."

The others became quiet.

Aurelian explained the situation without trying to make it sound worse than it was. An Alliance historical claims officer was coming to inspect Sanctuary Ardent, and under normal circumstances that would not be a problem.

The danger came from the sanctuary having no recognized civil government and no clear modern legal status.

The Compact had occupied it.

Aurelian had liberated it.

Neither fact automatically decided who owned everything inside.

"We need a temporary council before the survey vessel arrives," Aurelian said. "Not something permanent and not something I choose. I need the awakened population to select people they trust to speak for them until enough survivors are awake to hold a proper vote."

The elderly woman looked toward Astercourt.

"And your emergency authority?"

"Remains in place for military security, prisoner control, and the defense of the sanctuary. Civil matters should move back to you as quickly as possible."

That answer seemed to satisfy her.

The maintenance supervisor was less certain.

"What happens if the Alliance says the sanctuary belongs to them?"

"Then they will need to explain why."

A few people smiled.

Aurelian continued before the conversation became too comfortable.

"The recovered records show Sanctuary Ardent was established by Human authorities that no longer exist. Its population survived as an independent community before the Compact occupation. We also have proof that the Compact took the sanctuary by force and later attempted to destroy parts of it. That gives us a strong position, but the people living here still need to state what they want."

Astercourt understood immediately.

"If we say we want to remain under your protection?"

"Then that becomes part of the legal record."

"And if people eventually decide otherwise?"

"Then we deal with that when they are awake and capable of making the decision."

The elderly woman studied him for a few seconds before nodding.