The Alchemy of The Aurora Chateau Deo Belle Etoile

"I'm afraid you'll need to expostulate your theory." deFol moved his arms to his sides before continuing. "Whose else would it be? A machine's?"

"Humans have neither discovered intelligent life of other origins, nor have they disallowed that such life may exist. I only offer this: Argo does exist. It may exist as paradise. If, by chance, it doesn't exist as human paradise, with what means would you assume to investigate the supposed civilization?" The machine fell silent though its lips remained pursed.

Send you? deFol thought to himself. The robot wanted him to send it to the surface as the chief investigator, that much was for certain. Throughout the voyage, he had discovered as many mysteries in Argentice as he had about Argo. But, again, to his dismay, it made the most sense. Argentice's dermis and skeleton were polymorphic. It could assume almost any conceivable form of equal mass. It was superior to humans in every way, except for the key . . .

deFol pushed the thought from his mind and adopted an expression of musing. The Lady Candida either was wise to send her best robot on this mission, or had her own agenda that the robot was supposed to keep. But he couldn't dwell on such thoughts for long. Argentice had a peculiar way of knowing and he had little mind for entertaining silicon-based prattle.

"Argentice has posed a very realistic scenario," deFol admitted to the first officers. With little else said and in turn, they each nodded their approval. "Your suggestion has both merit and approval, Argentice."

"What do you propose we should do?" Doughty looked with earnest to the humanoid. "Send a machine of war or love, or send humans to conceivably die?"

"Or send me," Argentice simply replied. "My model was originally of diplomatic import and my analytical skills would best an entire envoy of the Mars or Venus series."

deFol could see that his first officers had expected Argentice's suggestion to a similar degree as his own projection. His eyes hunted over the officer's for any sign of disagreement before voicing his command. "Then Argentice will infiltrate Argo's principle civilization and build a field study of their nature, civilization, if any, linguistics, history, science and current events." When no objection or questions arose, the general motioned Argentice to begin his mission.

The machine nodded and left the bridge.

deFol dismissed the first officers though signaled Victual to his side. "Is the Venus series polymorphic?"

Victual's mouth turned into something between a sneer and a coy smile before settling on pure contemplation. "No. The Mars series is, though their brain housing groups can be swapped out with a Venus series." A faint smile was perched on his mouth. "Sir, a Mars series robot equipped with a Venus brain housing group would be less than attractive considering the additional physical mass it would have to work around."

"Stripped of weapons, armor and all combat orientated devices?" deFol asked.

The corpulent Sergeant Major at Arms set his chin upon a pedestal of hands. "Possibly."

"Is it practical?" deFol belatedly asked.

Victual turned and started to leave, but stopped. "Sir, the Mars series," he paused and turned his head as one of the bridge crew walked by. "The Mars series are machines of conquest. A lot of their programs are hard coded and can't be changed, only disabled. The brain housing group contains all of its higher brain functions. Some of the instinctive combat code is hardwired into the neumorphic strands of its polymorphic skeleton."

deFol's lips twitched and he clasped his hands together at his stomach. "Try, Victual. Try. I think Argentice may find need in a partner, but his overdeveloped arrogance won't let him admit it."