The Afternoon Latte

Rising Sun

By: Wolfgang Ausserbauer

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

As Fabienne and DocWolf walk onto the veranda of Fabienne’s new house, she asks, “What’s on the agenda for this morning? Coffee, me, or an iced tea?
“Since we are up already, I’ll start the day with a coffee and save the dessert for later.” The sea breeze coming from the ocean is pleasant on a summer’s day. The veranda stretched wide, its polished teak planks warm underfoot. Beyond the railing, the cliff dropped cleanly to the surf below, where whitecaps stitched the bay like errant embroidery. A gull wheeled past, its cry brief and unimpressed.
Fabienne leaned against the balustrade, her linen shirt catching the breeze. “I had the crew stock the cellar yesterday. There’s a case of that Chilean Carménère you like, and the hydroponics team sent up fresh basil and tomatoes. If you’re feeling industrious, we could test the kitchen’s fire suppression system.”
DocWolf took the offered mug, steam curling upward. “Let’s not tempt fate before breakfast. I’d rather chart the reef than explain charred countertops to the logistics team.”
She smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “Then it’s settled. Coffee now, reef later. And if we survive both, I’ll let you pick the wine.”
After the second cup, the android steward emerged silently from the interior—sleek, matte white, with a tray of chilled fruit and a folded reef schematic. It placed both on the teak table without comment, then retreated to its charging alcove beneath the stairwell.
Fabienne glanced at the schematic. “They mapped the southern shelf last night. No anomalies, but the sediment layer is thinner than expected. Might be worth a dive.”
DocWolf nodded, eyes on the crescent alcove below. The castle’s foundations clung to the cliff like a barnacle—white stone, solar-veined, its towers angled to catch the wind. “We’ll take the submersible. I want a closer look at the fault line near the inlet.”
A distant hum signaled another android—this one airborne, descending with a slow spiral to the landing pad. It carried a sealed case marked Survey: Biotics. Fabienne raised an eyebrow. “Looks like the kelp beds are waking up.”