《The Dreamside Road》 Prologue The race to win the Dreamside Road began with seven murders. The League of Earth¡¯s Nations¡¯ IHSA operatives had long hunted for that stolen trove of paranormal artifacts and top-secret knowledge. They¡¯d searched from the moment the ¡®treasure¡¯ was liberated from governmental control, decades before the race began. Knowledgeable fortune-seekers and adventurers sought the relics too. Supernatural forces, the world over, left their cloisters to find the trove. All those early efforts failed. It wasn¡¯t until five years after the League of Nations¡¯ governments had fallen, that the real contest began, the struggle for a power that could rebuild the world or destroy what remained. Seven deaths marked the beginning of a conflict that eventually spanned the globe. Mr. Herman J. Arden, a train conductor, knew nothing of the Dreamside Road trove, but he was one of the unfortunate seven. A widower, his children grown, Arden enjoyed working on the limited passenger lines, north of Philadelphia. It was a scenic run, quiet and mostly peaceful, despite the declining governmental influence. Mr. Arden wore a sidearm after destabilization, but he¡¯d never had to use it on the job. He wore it that last evening too and assumed he wouldn¡¯t need it. That Friday¡¯s trip ended at the annual Wintertide Festival in Nimauk, a tiny town at the westward end of his run. Even with the growing instability, the festival still attracted enough guests to keep away the kind of lawlessness that would see the train as a target. Until the old man appeared, Arden thought he was working the usual Wintertide Festival trip. Every year the train¡¯s arrival marked the beginning of the festival. The train carried the traditional ceremonial party, re-enacting the town¡¯s founding, as well as any last-minute guests, visiting from the outlying communities. Arden didn¡¯t expect any changes to the tradition. But then he saw the white-haired and bearded old man sprinting across the lot outside the half-abandoned Coalway Township Station. Coalway was the last station before the festival, but the train no longer stopped there, unless passengers scheduled in advance. It had been months since anyone got on at that station, and no stop there was scheduled for the festival run. If Arden weren¡¯t standing at the railed gangway, between train cars, staring out at the snow, he might not have seen the old man against the darkened hills. Half of the depot¡¯s motion-sensitive, security lights lit when they detected the old man¡¯s race around the train station. He ran toward the curving train tracks, far ahead of Mr. Arden, who watched the old man, with astonishment. The old man moved in great steps that would shame most sprinters. He bounded, now parallel with the front cars of the train, like gravity had less hold over him. The old man seemed to look right at Mr. Arden. He shook his head and wildly waved his arms. What was he doing? He couldn¡¯t be trying to catch the train. Why would he run like that through the snow? This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Mr. Arden saw why. Before he could call in to the engineer, he noticed a strange shadow moving at the edges of the station¡¯s lights. The old man was being chased. Mr. Arden caught a glimpse of a figure, faceless and solid gray. Its skin seemed to ripple, a form made of liquid instead of flesh. Something struck the station lights, all of them at once. They shattered in unison. Everything went dark, leaving Mr. Arden with only the lights between train cars. He lost his view of the creature. Mr. Arden drew his walkie-talkie and, for the first time on the job, his pistol. ¡°I think we have an attempted Code Five.¡± Mr. Arden spoke into the walkie-talkie. ¡°Do not halt.¡± ¡°Everything alright, Herman?¡± The engineer asked. ¡°Code Five? Here? That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t halt, Steve,¡± Mr. Arden said. ¡°Sure?¡± the engineer answered. ¡°Whatever you say.¡± Mr. Arden wanted to say more. He wanted to try to explain what he¡¯d seen, but he didn¡¯t get the chance. A shape hurtled out of the darkness, yelling as it flew toward him. Mr. Arden ducked away. The old man landed on the thin strip of metal between train cars. He wobbled on his feet, but regained his precarious, impossible balance. He had somehow jumped aboard the train, still traveling over thirty miles per hour. In his left hand, he grasped a round shield. The shield was bronze in color and the size of his torso. Mr. Arden was certain the old man had been empty-handed when he¡¯d waved to him. The old man climbed over the railing and stood beside Mr. Arden. This man was much older than he appeared from a distance, his face extremely pale, heavily wrinkled, and dotted with the spots of great age. He was certainly old enough to be Arden¡¯s father. The old man huffed, short of breath, his right hand clutching at his side. Mr. Arden saw the trickle of blood, weeping from beneath the man¡¯s hand and dripping onto the deck of the gangway. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡± Mr. Arden said. ¡°Let me get you inside.¡± He reached toward the man. ¡°Wait.¡± The old man held up his shield, so Arden couldn¡¯t come closer. Mr. Arden watched the man draw his right hand away from the wound, pulling a sliver of shining metal out of his clothing and his body. The metal sliver rippled, just like the figure that had pursued the old man. The sliver moved on its own. It squirmed in the man¡¯s hand, as he pressed it to the inside of his shield. The bronzed metal appeared to melt around the dagger. The shield reshaped itself into an orb the size of a volleyball. It was an inescapable fact that, before the fall, the League of Nations¡¯ governments and their IHSA had meddled in the occult, the knowledge of the hidden. They¡¯d tried to wield extrasensory powers, unexplained phenomena, and devices from other worlds. Mr. Arden had never seen such things, not in person, but he could not deny his senses. He heard the metal sliver bouncing around inside the floating bronze orb. It was trying to escape. The old man heaved the bronze orb. It flew off the train and burst in a ball of light. The light was bright enough to illuminate the forested hill beside the train tracks. Mr. Arden caught sight of the rippling, metal figure, racing up the hill between the trees, at an impossible speed. The figure crested the high hill and vanished from sight. Then the light disappeared in a burst of smoke. The bronze orb and living metal sliver were entirely gone. The old man sagged against the wall of the train car. ¡°What was that?¡± Mr. Arden approached the man. ¡°We need to get you inside, sir.¡± ¡°Not what. Who.¡± The old man waved him away. ¡°Under that Cobalt Nine is an old Shaper, like me, I have no doubt.¡± Mr. Arden didn¡¯t know those terms, but the stranger gave him no time to wonder at their meaning. ¡°I haven¡¯t gone to Nimauk in years.¡± The old man pushed himself from the wall. ¡°Are there stops after Coalway? Are we going to the festival next?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Arden said. ¡°The festival is our next stop.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the old man said. ¡°I¡¯m needed in Nimauk. There¡¯s a young lady living there who is in grave danger.¡± 1 - A Message from the Dying Enoa Cloud was doing pretty well for the end of the world. She hadn¡¯t been attacked by starving raiders, invading militias, or monsters from folklore. She didn¡¯t think such things were as common as travelers¡¯ stories once led her to believe. Enoa never went hungry. She¡¯d never gone to sleep with that dull, desperate ache in her belly. She slept in her warm bed, the one she¡¯d had for almost her entire life. She lived in the home she¡¯d grown up in. She was never trapped out in the elements, in fearful desperation. Enoa¡¯s life really hadn¡¯t changed much since the end of the world, though now she lived alone. She worked alone too, managed the shop alone, her shop ¨C Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. It had been given that name exactly sixty years earlier. Now it was hers, and hers alone. Enoa didn¡¯t want to think about that, but the crowds outside wouldn¡¯t let her forget. People, hundreds at least, gathered and walked down the High Street beside the shop. She couldn¡¯t ignore the march of their feet or their restless talking. They were headed, one and all, to the Wintertide Festival. The midwinter celebration used to draw people from all around the globe. Tens of thousands attended, spread across the ten-day celebration. Statewide vendors sold crafts and candy and whatever preserves remained from their autumn harvest. Merchants from six continents visited, offering jewelry, clothing, gifts, and toys. Artists and musicians of all kinds told the tales that inspired the festival. As watered down tourist attractions go, the festival wasn¡¯t bad, if only because Enoa and the few true Nimauk locals held a place of rare honor. Because yes, tourists the world over arrived too, or at least they used to. They once filled all the hotels and inns and any free space the locals chose to rent. For 355 days a year, Nimauk was a sleepy village, a quiet, wholesome way station. But for those ten days, the town genuinely bustled. Even now, five and a half years since the Federal Government had shut down, never to reopen, many hundreds poured into town. They braved the chaos out in the wide world, braved the cold and the snow, coming in carpools and caravans and packs. The Wintertide Festival had been held almost every year for three centuries. It hadn¡¯t missed a year since the 1940s. Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea had opened specifically to sell rare goods to travelers, arriving for the festival, and only later became a permanent business. Enoa was expected to commemorate the sixty-year anniversary. She really didn¡¯t want to commemorate anything. She wanted to climb into bed and sleep until some weird hour in the middle of the night, 2:00 or 3:00 A.M. Then she¡¯d eat junk food until she passed out, before waking again and preparing for the festival to begin in earnest, the next morning. She had no idea that this was the last Wintertide Fest she would attend. She had no idea that this was the last that would be held, ever. Enoa lived pretty well after the end of the world. That¡¯s because her own personal world still lived on, in part. Enoa¡¯s world would also end that night, very, very soon. Mercifully, she didn¡¯t know it. But she knew that she would regret skipping the opening, if she didn¡¯t attend. She¡¯d loved the fest as a child. Even after learning the festival had little to do with her own Nimauk culture, she continued to enjoy the annual celebrations, but not for the event¡¯s backstory or the travelers or even the food. No, the festival and its visitors hinted at the great gorgeous world outside Nimauk, the world she had yet to see. Enoa had lived in Nimauk since birth. Everyone knew her, the local families, the other shopkeepers, many vendors, and even some annual travelers. She wasn¡¯t ready to hear their condolences. She was sick of the sad words from distant acquaintances. People had been whispering at her for months. Couldn¡¯t she fall apart in peace? Her shop was open, Tuesday through Sunday. Her bills were paid. What more did they want from her? Enoa selected a mask. She didn¡¯t retrieve it from the three-dozen labeled boxes she planned to drive down to the town square the next morning. This wasn¡¯t her merchandise, definitely not. She sold colorful costume masks, perfect for the festival masquerades or for hiding identity in a chaotic world. But she didn¡¯t sell this mask. The mask she pulled from her backpack had wide eyes and was decorated in bright purple and black war patterns. This was the face of a Sight-Stealer, the festival villain. The mask had just enough casual cultural insensitivity that no one would suspect it was Enoa wearing it. She¡¯d bought it that afternoon. Be careful how you present yourself, your family, your identity. She lived by that practice, but she desperately didn¡¯t want to meet or talk to anyone. She only wanted to go out of habit, because she had always gone. Going meant normalcy. Enoa slipped the mask onto her face. She could see clearly through the mask¡¯s wide eyeholes. She saw her neat storefront, the shelves of assorted merchandise and genuine antiques, all items known by heart. The store had been divided and organized long before her birth, into three sections: books of local stories and histories; touristy trinkets, clothing, art prints, paper weights, the items that sold the most, that made the most money; actual antiques, rare items, art, pottery, some reproductions. Many of the antique items had stood on the shelves, unsold, since Enoa had been a child. She grew tired of standing in the silent shop, slowly darkening with the setting sun. She pulled on her gloves and her warmest coat. Then she closed and locked the store. Enoa joined the crowds meandering down the gently sloping hill toward town square. She was almost caught up in the party atmosphere. She almost forgot everything that had happened in the last year, in the last years. It was like any other festival, at any other time in her life. Almost. The tourists did not walk with the carefree naivet¨¦ they once did. Most did their best to keep their distance from their fellows. They held their children close and walked shoulder to shoulder with their friends and family members. Costumes had always been encouraged at the Wintertide Festival. The few true locals frequently dressed traditionally, and most of the tourists were polite enough not to do so. The travelers clothed themselves wildly. Clowns and wizards, princesses and superheroes walked the streets. They treated the whole festival like a weeklong, snowy Halloween. Now, almost everyone dressed up, somehow. Over half of the attendees had masks. Even more travelers used the frigid weather as an excuse to wear many layers, perfect for hiding money, or valuables, or weapons. Even the excited atmosphere had changed. People still smiled ¨C seen on those with uncovered faces ¨C but their expressions had shifted, subtly, year-after-year. Fewer and fewer people wore carefree, easy, amusement-park grins. Now, they looked relieved, glad to have arrived at the festival safely, glad to be free of whatever hardships they¡¯d left behind. Enoa stopped people-watching. She¡¯d reached a row of food vendors, business owners who were either opportunistic and wanted the first shot at the hungry tourists or had acted too late to get space in the festival itself. Enoa smelled the nostalgia-inducing mix of soup, funnel cake, and assorted sweets. She looked to Mr. Alberty¡¯s mobile bakery cart, waiting in its usual spot, situated just outside his storefront, two blocks from town square. She read the tall blackboard beside his cart, listing dozens of treats. He¡¯d made fruit pies, scones, tarts, and cookies. He¡¯d already sold out of oatmeal raisin. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. But no chocolate. Never chocolate anymore. There were almost no local imports from South America, not for two years, since the North Atlantic Piracy Taskforce had disbanded. Now, all the drink stalls only offered tea and various ciders, and even these often lacked cinnamon, nutmeg, and other tropical spices. Some vendors now served caramead, a rich sugary drink made in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. The thick, warm candy-shop aroma it gave off was inviting in the cold twilight, but it was also a wholly new smell. Even the smells of the festival had changed since shutdown. Enoa wondered if the lone coffee brewer would return to the festival. He¡¯d sold out within a half hour, the year earlier. He allegedly traveled all the way from Mexico and had his own hydroponic farming setup. She hoped she¡¯d manage to buy a pound or two of dark roast. She¡¯d missed her chance last time. Enoa had defeated her caffeine addiction, long ago, but she desperately missed the smell and the taste. Eventually, she reached the foot of the hill where the great open park waited for all of them. The shaded area was filled with small carts and tents. The many colorful vendors, the shouting merchants and travelers, their breath visibly following their words into the air; some things had not changed. Many businesses were already in position. There was still little room to move. Everyone was packed on top of each other. Many had masks pulled up onto their foreheads, food in hand. They were all clustered around the scattered collection of heated pavilions. Enoa wandered past more food carts and artist stalls and half a dozen ice carvings. She looked toward the largest heated pavilion, one that had been set up at the far end of the park. A raised stage stood there. A band of folk musicians, a drummer and two guitarists, were getting into position and setting up microphones and amplifiers. They were unfamiliar people, a visiting act. Beside the pavilion sat the little wooden train station, recently painted in a welcoming yellow, now almost one hundred and fifty years old. Beyond the station, a metal fence blocked a steep drop-off. The Nimauk river, water Enoa¡¯s ancestors had known for many thousands of years, ran through the bottom of the valley, far below. The crowd seemed about as large as those the opening ceremony drew in years gone by. The whole scene looked like no time had passed, except for the greater armed presence. Groups of security personnel patrolled the outer edges of the crowd. Enoa offered a wave to the County Sheriff, briefly forgetting her mask. Local police were present, as well, plus several groups of private security. One such group had turned up in huge numbers. They wore either red or blue armor with helmets of a strange and unfamiliar design. Most of these were clearly armed. Two of Nimauk¡¯s town council waited on stage, Councilwoman Amaren and Councilman Blue. Councilman Tucker, a fit, sandy-haired man, ran after them. As he hurried to catch up, Tucker adjusted a wireless microphone, clipped to his coat. All three officials were relatively young ¨C younger than the town representatives had been in living memory. All three dressed casually. They would talk briefly, saying a few cheerful words of welcome. Then the music would begin. The train would also arrive, driving down through the hills, as it had when the town, as recognized by the U.S. government, was founded. The settler¡¯s town had taken the name of Enoa¡¯s people, much earlier than that, well before the growing country forced out most of the true natives. Enoa felt no bitterness toward the modern Nimauk town. Her own family had never left. They¡¯d found ways to stay, no matter whose laws ruled the land. And now, the government that had long ago sent the Nimauk people away was five years broken and five years gone. Enoa, on the other hand, she remained. The festival officially began with the train¡¯s arrival. Rumor had it that the fundraising committee had received private donations, amounting to well over thirty thousand dollars. The annual showing of Murder at Pinnacle Peak, a locally-filmed classic movie, would return, accompanied by a live performance of the film¡¯s score and followed by a Q&A with surviving cast. Enoa heard there would be fireworks too, the kind of colorful spectacular that hadn¡¯t been seen in four years. Enoa never liked the old movie, and it was impossible to get close enough to the water for a good view of the fireworks, but she hoped both rumors were true, all the same. The festival kept the town alive and relevant and safe. Enoa arrived in the park in time. Just then, the three town officials approached the front of the stage. ¡°Welcome and Good Evening!¡± Councilwoman Amaren said. She couldn¡¯t have been past forty, dark of hair and complexion. She had some original Nimauk ancestry. ¡°It is such a pleasure to be here again. So many new faces! Our...¡± A train whistle sounded down through the valley. It echoed strangely and the noise boomed out louder and longer than it usually did, a single blast. The whole crowd went silent. The train was early. The whistle called a second desperate time, now blasting out even longer. That sound was usually friendly. Since destabilization, train whistles meant supplies and food, for many in town. For the tourists, it meant the fun was about to start. It was long tradition for the special Nimauk Festival run to kick off the celebration. Many loved it, a happy call that bounced down from the hills. The sound was different that night, shrill, and repeating in harsh echoes. Enoa had been hearing the Valley Engine 421 for nineteen years. Could this be that train? Everyone in the whole great crowd turned toward the thin mountain ledge where the train tracks wove down from high rocky places, far above them. Light appeared, up on the tracks. The great steam locomotive rounded the shoulder of the hill and careened toward them. It roared down the pass, whistle still wailing. It was the Valley Engine, but it violently wobbled back and forth. How was it staying on the tracks? It was moving fast, too fast. Everyone ran, suddenly shoving each other. People shouted. People fell. The crowd raced back out of the park, toward the hills. Enoa ran back too. She rushed across the street from the park. There she found a small bench. She stood on it. From that spot, she could see everything. She watched the mob of panicked guests, running. She saw the town council shouting to the crowd, trying to calm them, their voices drowned out by the locomotive. She could see the train flying down the hill, now only a few hundred feet distant. Then she saw the train derail. Four of the eight cars flew right off the side of the hill. She heard them crash down to the river. A terrible wave rose up, high enough to splash the train station. The other cars and the locomotive rammed into the bottom of the hill¡¯s rock wall, a hundred feet from the station. The loudest sound Enoa had ever heard ripped through the valley. She winced and briefly shut her eyes. She heard more yells, screaming, running feet. Enoa opened her eyes and witnessed the carnage. The derailed locomotive¡¯s engine burned, and towering yellow and red flame rose around one of the downed cars. The lapping fire licked at its metal skin. Smoke began to rise. The crowd cleared away from the wreck, while security forces advanced, especially the red and blue armored group. ¡°Leave or die!¡± A deep voice, impossibly loud, called out from the train. Enoa watched the wreckage. A lone, tall figure stood on top of a sideways train car, surrounded by the yellow fire. The figure wore layers of black cloth and the purple face paint of a Sight-Stealer. ¡°We have come to claim our land.¡± The figure spoke English clearly, fluently. ¡°The Nimauk stole our land, and you stole the land of the Nimauk. Two hundred and fifty years have since passed and, as promised, we have returned. You have until dawn tomorrow to leave this place. Leave or die.¡± The figure turned his back on the crowd. He began to walk along the surface of the train car, his footfalls ringing across the metal. Gunfire sounded. A shot was fired from somewhere in the crowd, surely aimed toward the strange visitor. The Sight-Stealer spun toward the noise, staring across the festival gathering. Nothing struck the figure. Enoa thought the bullet had simply missed its mark, but then she saw it. She saw the bullet, no more than a shining speck from that distance. But some force, some energy must have acted on it and slowed it down. The bullet hovered, barely moving. It crawled through the air, until the Sight-Stealer reached out and plucked it with his gloved hand. He turned around a second time, continuing his walk across the train. The figure passed through the towering flames. The fire around the car died away, extinguished, and the phantom vanished with it, into darkness. The engine continued to burn. Free from the Sight-Stealer¡¯s gaze, the crowd yelled and ran. Some charged back up the roads along the hillside. Others ran down toward the expansive parking areas, just outside town. Most looked for shelter, either their sleeping accommodations or their vehicles. Any thought of partying died. ¡°There¡¯s someone alive coming off the train!¡± Councilman Blue pointed to the wreckage, his microphone still active. ¡°It¡¯s all right, everyone!¡± Councilman Tucker jumped from the stage and ran through the trees toward a sideways passenger car. ¡°Everybody, stay calm!¡± Enoa saw the other council members run, too, along with the Sheriff¡¯s Department and some of the assorted security personnel. The Council had been correct. Someone came stumbling out of the wreckage, an old man, white haired and bearded. There was blood at his side, a huge stain, visible even through his heavy jacket, visible even in the faint light from the park. The old man shook. He could barely walk and staggered with each step. Councilman Tucker was the first to reach the passenger. The old man fell against him. He began to gasp out words, and he was close enough to the Councilman¡¯s chest that his speech was projected across the crowd by the official¡¯s microphone. ¡°I have to warn her.¡± The old man grabbed Councilman Tucker¡¯s collar with his right hand. ¡°She is the only one who can stop this now. She¡¯s the only one. I have to warn her.¡± ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Tucker supported the man with both hands. ¡°Enoa Cloud.¡± After the name had passed his lips, the old man slipped from Tucker¡¯s fingers and collapsed onto the ground. 2 - The Wayfarer Hundreds of partygoers were set to arrive in Nimauk over the next twelve hours. Even in those strange times, cars and campers constantly descended on the small town during the Wintertide Festival. It offered a rare escape and the certainty of long tradition. That certainty ended with the train derailment. Heavy barricades had been placed across all roads into town. No one was allowed in. No one was let out. Within minutes, thirty cars, trucks, and other assorted vehicles were backed up at the routes down into town. The armed gate guards refused to budge. ¡°We apologize for the wait, but there can be no one entering the festival, not right now.¡± Sheriff¡¯s Deputies stood by, offering water and tea and sandwiches, candy for children. ¡°Please be patient.¡± Almost none of the travelers felt very patient, trapped so close to journey¡¯s end. Some had chosen rude words for the guards. Others felt no anger. They were just afraid or tired, and longed for safety and relief from the road. One traveler didn¡¯t complain or ask any questions. He didn¡¯t wait, either. Instead, he decided to ignore all barricades and enter town anyway. This traveler drove an old camper, an RV. Global destabilization saw the popularity of mobile homes skyrocket. Over half of all long distance travelers, in what used to be the United States, owned a trailer or some other mobile overnight shelter. The lack of interstate maintenance and road regulations also lead to some very bizarre vehicles. Triple decker and double width contraptions could be seen, roaming the heartland, as well as heavily armed and armored packs of vehicles, modified homemade tanks. None were as strange as the camper the newcomer drove. This vehicle would have visibly stood out anywhere in the world and at almost any time in the history of motor vehicles. The RV was long and boxy, but that¡¯s all that gave it any similarity to most campers. It had a retro silver shine, like the vintage models from the post-Depression era, when most campers were custom. And it was covered in bumper stickers and graffiti. It looked like something that had sat by the side of the road for decades, like it was a piece of artwork that a whole community of troublemakers and travelers all worked on together. The stickers couldn¡¯t be read, and the drawings could not clearly be seen, in the fading twilight, but they were unmistakably there. The camper looked bizarre, even by current standards. This was not the strangest thing about the camper, not by a long shot. What made this vehicle so strange was what it did and what it could do. The RV¡¯s driver guided the massive, colorful thing through a tight gap in the guardrail at the side of the road. ¡°He¡¯s trying to cut in line!¡± One of the frustrated travelers, already hanging out of his car¡¯s window to argue with the gate guards, pointed to the RV. ¡°Jackass.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way back to the road!¡± One of the guards waved to the camper. ¡°You¡¯ll be stuck. Turn around! Come back!¡± The camper¡¯s driver either did not hear the shouts or ignored them. The RV rolled away from the road, down the ice-slick hill, toward the water¡¯s frostbitten edge. ¡°He¡¯ll slide right in,¡± another guard yelled. ¡°He¡¯s going in the water.¡± By this point, the whole procession of cars and campers, all the tired and frustrated and frightened travelers forgot their troubles and instead shouted and honked their horns at the driver of the RV, a cacophony of distinct calls and sounds. They watched, helpless, as the camper rushed down through the snow toward the river. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this moron?¡± the first guard said. ¡°I¡¯ll call it in right now. We¡¯ll have to hope water rescue can get their boat out in time.¡± The RV drove right into the water. It rolled off the bank. The camper¡¯s audience shouted. They were all sure the poor driver had lost control, and the camper was about to plunge down into the rapid, icy depths. They were all wrong. The camper didn¡¯t sink. It bobbed from side to side, twice. Then it floated. The weird vehicle drove on the river, upstream, like a boat. The audience watched, mouths agape as it floated away from them, all lit up, alone on the water. The sight distracted them from their impatience and their fear. The Sheriff¡¯s Deputies saw it too. Suddenly, the train derailment wasn¡¯t the only strange story going around that night. Something else, just as bizarre, was also out in the world. The camper passed swiftly up the river, past the summer rafting dock, the Nimauk hydroelectric plant, and under the abandoned railroad bridge. No passerby saw it for long. Everyone was stuck in traffic or occupied thinking about the horrific railroad accident. No one with a proper vantage point observed the floating RV for long enough to do anything more than stare, until it passed out of sight. The RV traveled undisturbed until it came back onshore, fifteen minutes later. It gripped the frozen soil, gained traction on the shore. The camper bit through the ice and drove into in the tiny lot at the foot of the hill, beneath the train station. Just then, a festival worker finally caught sight of the strange thing, as it arrived in the empty gravel lot. Ms. Young ¨C as her nametag announced ¨C waved her arms and stood in the way of the weird camper, before the odd vehicle could take the small road up into town square. ¡°No parking this way!¡± She waved her arms more until the camper came to a stop. She jogged to the driver¡¯s side door. The window rolled down, revealing a clean-shaven younger man with a mop of unruly hair that fell nearly to his shoulders. He wore a large coat and thin gloves. Nothing more of him could be seen. ¡°Good evening!¡± The driver met her with an easy smile. ¡°No parking this way.¡± She pointed back toward the dirt road and the hill up to town square. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got here, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you enter town. We¡¯re closed up, this way.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The man playfully slapped his right hand to his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Well, I guess I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Almost immediately, the weird camper started crawling backward toward the river, beeping loudly in warning. ¡°Wait!¡± Ms. Young raised both hands. ¡°You¡¯re about to drive into the river¡­¡± She observed the tire tracks leading from the shore. ¡°We didn¡¯t realize anyone would have...¡± She eyed the vehicle. What was this thing? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve had people come here by¡­ boat. We have no dock here and there¡¯s been a horrible accident. There will be, uh, wreckage I suppose you could call it. There¡¯s wreckage in the water.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The man leaned out of the window, far enough for his breath to visibly smoke out into their twilit surroundings and his shaggy hair to dangle beneath his chin. ¡°That¡¯s terrible. What happened, if it¡¯s not too much to ask?¡± ¡°A train derailed.¡± Ms. Young rubbed her gloved hands together. ¡°Multiple cars went in the water.¡± ¡°Awful!¡± He looked around the lot, empty save for deep gouges left from the train disaster. ¡°I don¡¯t know where I can go at this point. Could you please point me toward parking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t.¡± Ms. Young crossed her arms. Did this man really think he could drive up from the river and not be stopped? People were truly starting to act uncivilized. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to drive anywhere around here, so you¡¯ll need to wait until I can get you an answer.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The man reached out his window and patted the camper¡¯s metal side. ¡°If I change a battery or two, I can always fly outta here. Would that help?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be smart.¡± She had begun to feel like this stranger was having a laugh at her. ¡°No one comes here by boat, not these days, and I¡¯ll need to ask.¡± ¡°How about I stay right here?¡± He scanned the lot. Twenty feet to his right, a long gouge marked the place where a train car had struck the gravel. ¡°This looks like parking. I can definitely pay you too, whatever you need.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°I¡¯ll have to clear it.¡± She turned back to the hill, to the path up to the pavilion and the park. She sighed. At least the Parking Authority tent would offer her brief warmth. ¡°Wait one minute.¡± He backed the camper away from her and turned it around in a tight arc. He parked the RV at the edge of the lot, facing the river. The stranger shut down the vehicle. Its headlights went out. With a metallic groan, the camper¡¯s side door swung open. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Ms. Young drew out her small flashlight and lit it. She illuminated the stranger as he walked toward her. He was dressed oddly, even by the standards of the festival. He wore a long heavy coat that stretched down to his calves. He also wore mismatched boots. One was larger than the other, metal, and reached up all the way to his knee. He looked to be wearing a thick sweater, but it was hard to tell through the mass of baubles and cloth that hung to his chest. He wore at least two necklaces and a lump of fabric that was either a handkerchief or the sad remains of a bandana. A small pair of goggles also hung at his throat. A great tall sword was strapped across his back. Lots of fest-goers had strange weapons or weapon replicas, but this one was different, somehow. That was obvious, even in the dark. It was much larger, for one thing. The hilt alone stood above his head by half a foot. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize your costume.¡± Ms. Young gave the young man a quick once over. ¡°Who are you supposed to be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a wayfarer.¡± He smiled again and approached her. Then he began rooting through his coat. He drew out several pieces of metal, a small kazoo, and what looked like a top with metal needles coming out of it. Finally, he brought out a leather pouch that jingled. He returned the other oddments to his pockets. ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll let you park here.¡± She pointed to the RV. ¡°Especially under the circumstances. I definitely don¡¯t know what it would cost. I¡¯m going to find out for you. The more time you waste here, the longer we¡¯re both out in the cold.¡± Every year, Ms. Young told herself she was done with the Wintertide Festival. Every year, she loathed the frigid cold and the stupid tourists and many of her fellow volunteers, but somehow she was back the next year, all the same. ¡°Would you mind if I came up with you?¡± He readjusted his coat. ¡°I¡¯d love to see some of the fest, if I can. That way, I can pay whomever needs to be paid, right away.¡± She eyed the Wayfarer¡¯s camper. It sat silent and dark and showed no sign of rolling back into the river. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± She turned and began walking up the steep hill. He followed after her. ¡°Those voices don¡¯t sound too happy.¡± The Wayfarer caught up to her. They walked side by side. The higher they climbed up the hill, the more the general background rumble of voices could be heard. There was yelling, but it had no mirth, no happiness. ¡°Were people hurt in the accident?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± She pointed to the far side of the park, where four crumpled, broken metal shapes lay in a smoking heap. The Wayfarer quickly drew his small goggle eye-mask to his face. The view of the distant wreck magnified in his view, and he saw the derailed train, the scorch marks on the metal, surrounded by a crowd of town officials, investigators, and assorted onlookers. The Wayfarer knew how the machine must have rolled as it left the tracks. He nearly swore, but caught himself before he spoke. ¡°We¡¯d better go find the festival parking.¡± Ms. Young began to walk away through the crowd, toward the nearest tall pavilion, which was currently mostly empty. She rubbed her gloved hands together again, in anticipation of the warmth. ¡°Why don¡¯t I pay you now.¡± He stepped quickly to catch up to her. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much work to help me, and I know there¡¯s no way you¡¯re being paid enough for all this extra effort, out in the cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not paid at all.¡± She turned back toward him. ¡°Well.¡± He drew several coins from the pouch. ¡°Are dollars still good? I¡¯ve been abroad, and I really want some home style American cooking, you know? I¡¯m starved. I¡¯ll pay you what? Parking for the night can¡¯t be more than say, what, ten dollars?¡± ¡°I really have no idea.¡± She stared at the coins in his hand. ¡°The riverside lot is usually VIP reserved.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s twenty.¡± He handed her several coins. ¡°Keep the change. If you need more money, I¡¯ll gladly pay it, with interest, when I leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°I guess that should work.¡± He¡¯d already begun to walk away, through the trees. ¡°Wait! How will I reach you if something goes wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back this way soon.¡± He bowed his head. ¡°Thank you so much for your help.¡± Then he turned back and walked through the trees. Once he was lost in the tangle of tents and carts, pavilions and food stands, he drew his goggles up over his eyes. He marched forward, his metal boot stamping deep prints in the firm, frozen soil. Distantly, he heard fearful and desperate talk from the tourists and locals. ¡°I¡¯ve always known there¡¯s some truth in the old stories.¡± A middle-aged man spoke to a group of young people, probably in their early teens. ¡°All the wild old things are coming back into the world now, now that us normal folks are less out there.¡± That was the common sentiment. The Wayfarer listened to their talk, but he didn¡¯t stay anywhere for long. He bought a rich, warm funnel cake and a plastic cup of non-alcoholic caramead. He needed his wits sharp. His arrival coinciding with a train derailment ¨C there was some connection, though he didn¡¯t have nearly enough information to know what. He ate and drank. Then he collected a small map of the nearby area, designed to show visitors where all the local participating businesses were located throughout town. After quick words with the women in the visitor center tent, the Wayfarer tapped at the mask beside his eyes. The mask¡¯s goggles quickly magnified again and zeroed in on a worn flagstone path, just across the street from the park. He hurried forward and walked across the street without breaking stride. There was no traffic. Then he quickly ascended the steep stair of rough-hewn stones. The old path led him up beyond a small wooden church, placed above the park. He took that path all the way as it wound high over the valley and the town. Finally, he arrived at a walled overlook. A thin metal railing separated him from the great sheer rock face and a forty-foot fall. There was the usual pair of binoculars, the kind of coin-operated setup that tourist attractions have the world over. The Wayfarer didn¡¯t bother with those binoculars. He drew the spiked top from his pocket. It spun and pointed toward a location, down in the village, now far below. His mask zoomed in on a building. Then he compared what he saw to his visitor map. He¡¯d found the place. He¡¯d finally done it! After months of missed leads and misadventures, the Trove was hidden in rural America, rural Pennsylvania, all along, in some antique store called Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. The treasure was literally there. The Wayfarer smiled. He descended the hill, victorious. * * * Enoa ran. Her brain processed that the old man had said her name. She slowly wrapped her mind around that truth. The old man, the man on the train, the derailed train, he¡¯d carried a message for her. Why? She didn¡¯t wait to find out. The other council members approached the fallen man, their microphones shut off. The Sheriff and emergency crews forced their way forward, as well. Enoa wanted to watch what happened to the old man, but even more she wanted to make sure she wasn¡¯t discovered. She wasn¡¯t ready to talk about this. She wasn¡¯t ready to talk about anything. She¡¯d stepped down from the bench. She sat on it instead and waited for several minutes, trying to ignore the speculative conversation around her. Thankfully, she still wore the Sight-Stealer mask, and none of the people near her mentioned her name. ¡°That bullet didn¡¯t touch him...¡± ¡°I hope there are no other people on the train...¡± She tried to ignore their words. She failed. She¡¯d hoped other travelers would flee, on toward whatever shelter awaited them, but they hadn¡¯t, not since the first round of scared tourists fled from the Sight-Stealer. But she couldn¡¯t stand waiting any more, and she ran. She ran as she¡¯d been desperate to do since her name rang across the square. Enoa ran and no one noticed her go. No one noticed her charge back up the hill, past Mr. Alberty¡¯s baked goods stand, past all the food stands, past the candy store, and the fortune teller¡¯s house, past inns and bed-and-breakfasts, on up the several blocks to her own shop, to her own home. She was nearly there. Once she arrived, then she could piece it all together, then she could figure everything out. The shop¡¯s storefront door stood wide open. Enoa hesitated on the threshold. Someone had broken in. Someone could be inside. No matter how rowdy the crowds had become in previous years, no damage had come to her property. Never. Now she had no choice but to return to the town square and find police help. She turned away. ¡°We would like a word with you, young woman.¡± Two Sight-Stealers emerged from the store. Both their faces were painted purple and black, their mouths red as blood, their heavy-lidded eyes wide and bloodshot. They wore dark robes, many layers of thin cloth. ¡°You know the ways of the Shapers. It is true.¡± ¡°We can feel the strength from your mind.¡± The second Sight-Stealer raised his right hand. A knife appeared in the palm. One second, the hand was empty, the next, it held the blade¡¯s handle. Enoa had no time to consider herself. She had no time to consider the fact that, as far as she knew, the Sight-Stealers were just stories. They were tourist boogeymen, not even real local folklore. There was absolutely no historical precedent for their existence, whatsoever. If it weren¡¯t for the trick with the blade, she would have thought that these were just thieves, disguised in the costumes of the festival. But the blade, that had been impossible. That had been magic. She looked around and listened. There was no sign of anyone else nearby. She took a single step backward. ¡°Come inside.¡± The first Sight-Stealer also produced a blade from nothing and nowhere. ¡°Or we will take you inside.¡± Enoa took a second step back. She¡¯d had some self-defense training, kickboxing and Muay Thai, but that had been years ago. And self-defense training, what would that do against supernatural people? Well¡­ ¡°Excuse me!¡± A muffled male voice shouted from far behind Enoa. Both Sight-Stealers looked toward the noise. Even she turned her eyes, hoping to catch sight of the speaker. She saw a shape barreling right toward her. She stepped out of the way and saw a man with a face covered by goggles and a strange cloth, with a billowing coat, one metal boot, and a great sword, sheathed at his back. ¡°Hello!¡± The Wayfarer lifted his right gloved hand in a small wave. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but it looks like you¡¯re about to be attacked.¡± He pointed to the two Sight-Stealers. ¡°Would you like some help?¡± 3 - The Sight-Stealers Enoa looked between her attackers and the strange new arrival. She didn¡¯t know how capable this oddly dressed man was, but at the very least he¡¯d managed to quiet the two attackers. ¡°Yes, please!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The man nodded and began to stretch. He swung his arms in wide circles. ¡°You never know when something¡¯s a local tradition, or a festival event, and when it¡¯s a genuine attempted robbery. Plus, your mask looks a lot like their faces, so that¡¯s pretty confusing.¡± ¡°This is none of your concern.¡± One of the Sight-Stealers pointed a knife toward the Wayfarer. ¡°Leave now and you will leave with your life.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± The strange man turned toward the two assailants. ¡°I¡¯m having a conversation, right now. I¡¯d really appreciate it if you waited your turn.¡± The Sight-Stealers didn¡¯t offer a second warning. One of the two ran straight at the Wayfarer, blade forward. The attacker moved quickly, his footfalls nearly silent. His companion stepped to the side, trying to get behind Enoa¡¯s would-be rescuer. The Wayfarer caught his attacker¡¯s wrist. Enoa hadn¡¯t even seen him move. Suddenly, the Sight-Stealer had simply cried out, his charge cut short. The second assailant stopped in his tracks, as well. The Wayfarer twisted his attacker¡¯s wrist until the knife fell free. Once released, both Sight-Stealers stepped away, as the fallen blade fell into the Wayfarer¡¯s outstretched hand. The first Sight-Stealer squeezed his eyes shut and threw both arms out to his sides. He let out a small moan. ¡°Hmm.¡± The Wayfarer held the knife up to his goggles. ¡°One hundred percent iron, huh? So how¡¯d you do it? Was this a magic trick like a magician? Just fooling the eye? Just an illusion?¡± The first Sight-Stealer continued his odd stretch, now silent. The second also made no sound, so the Wayfarer kept talking. ¡°Or was it real magic? Sorcery? I¡¯m a little embarrassed I can¡¯t see the difference, but I¡¯ve only dabbled in both.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I might want to take a peek at this again later.¡± The Wayfarer looked around, Sight-Stealer knife still in hand. He eyed a nearby telephone pole and tossed the knife in a single, smooth motion. The knife flew up and buried itself into the wood. Without warning, the first Sight-Stealer groaned a second time. He sounded genuinely pained. He growled, yelled. The assailant sounded like he was trying to lift something extremely heavy up several flights of stairs. His fellow didn¡¯t seem surprised by the sound, but Enoa and her rescuer definitely were. ¡°Come on now,¡± the Wayfarer said. ¡°There¡¯s no way I did any real damage to you. How about we all call it a night.¡± The man continued to scream. He opened his eyes, wide open, as wide as the caricature face on Enoa¡¯s mask. He raised his gloved hands. All the air around him turned hot, hot enough, fast enough that there was no doubt the Sight-Stealer was the source. Enoa stepped away from him. With a cracking sound like breaking bone, another blade appeared in the Sight-Stealer¡¯s hand. It was significantly smaller than the first he¡¯d conjured, only a few inches long, but it had a wicked barbed edge. ¡°Aww.¡± The Wayfarer said. ¡°Take a look at that cute little thing. It sure sounded difficult to make. You should be proud of yourself. I bet you could find a matching shadow box down at the festival so you could show off that sweet little thing to all your friends. ¡± ¡°No games.¡± The second Sight-Stealer spoke. Both attackers crouched down, their blades outstretched. ¡°Draw your own sword, traveler. Let us see who you really are.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± The Wayfarer shook his head. ¡°My sword lights on fire when I draw it out of the sheath. Imagine the damage it¡¯d do in a residential area. I mean, I bring it everywhere, just in case, but I don¡¯t see why I¡¯d need it now.¡± They attacked him, both at once. Enoa thought of intervening, somehow, but it all happened so fast. The attackers moved with grace and precision. They lived up to the physical reputations of the Sight-Stealer stories. They showcased reality-breaking fighting prowess. But they weren¡¯t fast enough to get the best of the stranger. Enoa couldn¡¯t tell if the Wayfarer wielded any odd ability of his own. He was fast, maybe not superhuman, but he was a practiced fighter. His every movement was measured, planned. This man knew himself, his body, his capabilities. And he knew the steps to this particular dance. Two on one, blades against his wits and his fists ¨C he¡¯d done this before. He knew how to judge the speed of his enemies¡¯ movements. He knew exactly when he had to move. He knew exactly how he had to move. Both attackers failed to touch the Wayfarer. Both charged, blades ready, prepared to truly hurt the man. The knife-holder stabbed toward his side, toward his kidneys. The Wayfarer dodged that attacker, which sent him hurtling toward his fellow. Both attackers fell to the side. They stumbled in a way that made them look very, very human. The Wayfarer chuckled and met Enoa¡¯s gaze. ¡°Looks like these two were spending too much time down at the beer tent.¡± He pointed both of his index fingers at the flailing men. The Sight-Stealers regained their footing and silently attacked again. Except, this time, the barbed knife-wielding attacker rushed straight at Enoa. She had no experience fighting people with knives. She didn¡¯t have time to run, but she sank into a crouch. If she dodged the first attack from the man¡¯s knife, maybe then she had a chance to get away. The knife-wielder stopped moving when the Wayfarer grabbed his robes from the back. The attacker struggled in the Wayfarer¡¯s grip. The Sight-Stealer stumbled, his boots slipping on a slick icy patch of sidewalk. The attacker fell. His chin met the ground. He groaned again, winded and unmoving, his robes spreading out around him. But the Wayfarer had given his other attacker enough time to strike. The diversion had worked. The second Sight-Stealer stabbed his blade into the Wayfarer¡¯s coat, in the center of his back. The strike was aimed to kill, to murder, to end the life of this strange newcomer. The knife stopped when it hit metal. There was some kind of armor, woven deep into the fabric of the Wayfarer¡¯s coat. The Wayfarer lashed out with his elbow. He struck the Sight-Stealer, right in the face. The attacker stepped back, his knife still buried in the Wayfarer¡¯s coat. ¡°Ah!¡± He drew the knife from the coat. ¡°You left a hole! Do you have any idea how bad I am at sewing?! You assholes wasted at least an hour of my night.¡± Before the second Sight-Stealer could act, the Wayfarer struck him in the chest. The attacker staggered back into Enoa¡¯s storefront. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The Sight-Stealer¡¯s robes let out a crunching sound. A few small pieces of ceramic or pottery fell free of his robes and slid down to the sidewalk at his feet, before breaking into further shards. Enoa knew that pottery. She¡¯d seen it every day for years, that blue floral pattern. It had been a small work of original Nimauk creation, over a century old. It was small enough for the robed attackers to steal and hide. Now, that item was broken, shattered beyond repair. ¡°They robbed me!¡± Enoa said. Both Sight-Stealers rose to their feet. The first Sight-Stealer threw the short knife at Enoa. She¡¯d expected to be attacked that time, and she fell back to the ground. The knife flew far over her head. The Wayfarer ran to her side, allowing the Sight-Stealers to sprint away, back up the hill, their footfalls still quiet, their steps unbelievably fast. ¡°They could have more items from my shop!¡± Enoa pointed after them. ¡°I can probably catch them.¡± The Wayfarer appeared to be judging the distance between himself and the fleeing attackers. ¡°Yeah, probably. Hey, will you please stay here, at your store, while I¡¯m gone?¡± ¡°What if there are more of them?¡± Enoa looked toward her dark storefront. There could be any number of people waiting for her there. She had no idea why anyone would come after her or her antiques. Who were those men? They obviously were strictly human, but what about the magically appearing blades? How about the other Sight-Stealer at the train? The train where her name had been called, she¡¯d almost forgotten the message from the old man. What was happening? ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked. ¡°My name¡¯s Orson Gregory.¡± He extended his right, gloved hand. She shook it. He quickly pulled his hand away and began backing up the street. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for something for a long time, all over the world. I think it might be here in your store, but if you want me to catch them, I have to go now.¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Enoa Cloud. What are you looking for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± Orson rushed after the Sight-Stealers who had almost vanished from view, up the darkened hill. He didn¡¯t run as fast as they did, not even close. It wasn¡¯t clear what his plan was to catch them. He turned his head to the side and looked back at her. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more later. Stay safe!¡± Enoa watched him charge up the hill. Several feet on, it looked like he stepped into a side street, but either way, the strange man vanished. Suddenly, Enoa had nothing left to think about, but her problems. Why had the old train man been looking for her? Why was everyone after her? She remembered what the old man had said, ¡°she¡¯s the only one who can stop this.¡± She¡¯d never stopped anything. Just then, she began to hear distant talk. She heard the growing murmur of people walking up the hill. Whatever discussion had gone on down at the festival had come to an end. Everyone was headed back to shelter, headed hopefully back to safety. Their presence made Enoa feel more confident. She marched into her store and flicked on the lights. Everything lit up. Everything looked normal. It looked undisturbed, save for the gap where the stolen and broken Nimauk pottery once rested. She debated calling the Sheriff¡¯s Department, but decided to wait for Orson¡¯s return. Enoa looked at the outer door. Nothing appeared broken. Had they picked the lock? Maybe. Enoa ran to the laundry room and the false-bottomed trashcan where she hid most of her money. She opened the slot in the base of the can and drew out her safe. Not one bill was missing, every coin in its place. She checked the countertop register, as well. The petty cash she kept inside, as change and a decoy for burglars, that was there too. The Sight-Stealers hadn¡¯t broken in looking for money. Enoa walked to her small office, set a few feet behind the checkout counter. She scanned the room with her eyes, seeing nothing amiss, finding her desk, papers, and the other oddments how she remembered them. There, in the corner, waited the stash of her aunt¡¯s personal effects, items that had sat there undisturbed for months and months. The old walking stick and assorted journals and books, it was all still there. Enoa took a quick look at the walking stick. It wasn¡¯t a stick at all, actually, despite what Sucora Cloud had called it. It was a long piece of dull-colored metal and looked almost like a vintage TV antenna, only much thicker. Aunt Su had kept it hanging from her office¡¯s wall for Enoa¡¯s entire life. It clearly had some significance to her, but she¡¯d never shared what that was. It wasn¡¯t an heirloom to Enoa, her family, or her culture. Enoa had never requested an explanation. Now she¡¯d never get one. Enoa lifted the walking stick for the first time in years. She twirled it idly between the fingers of her left hand and did not return it to its hooks on the wall. No, she needed a weapon. Whatever this odd keepsake had been, now it would be a useful cudgel. Enoa put away her Sight-Stealer mask in a drawer. Then she searched the rest of her office and found nothing disturbed. Evidently, the burglars, whatever they were, didn¡¯t care to steal her bills or business financial records. Enoa quickly swept up the remains of the fallen pottery, outside. She placed the remains in an empty box. Then she closed the door behind her. She considered locking it, but didn¡¯t. Hopefully, Orson would soon return. She placed the box of broken pieces in her office. Systematically, room-by-room, she searched her home, her doors, her windows. She found no sign of any other living thing and no signs of forced entry. Satisfied, she returned to her office and printed a copy of her official inventory spreadsheet and began to check her store. She would need to search shelf-by-shelf and item-by-item. Enoa had searched only a single shelf of stoneware when the cars began crowding around her shop. First, she saw a large van with tinted windows. She tried not to stare and wished she¡¯d drawn her storefront blinds, but more vehicles arrived, some parked in the street, their flashers lit. Then a truck stopped right outside, a large gun mounted on the back. Could someone have called the authorities about the break-in, or was this about her connection to the train man? Enoa ducked behind the shelves. She should¡¯ve locked the door, despite her fears. Now the next problem could stare right into her store. A whole crowd of the red and blue armored personnel had begun to congregate at the entrance. A few held rifles. The rest had long spears, swords, and other blades. Scarce ammunition saw these modern mercenaries armed like knights. Someone else shoved through the armed crowd. This woman was tall, her graying hair tied back. She was lean, muscled, strong. There was a small badge on her chest. The Sheriff eyed the private security, her expression calm, but unyielding. ¡°Do nothing. Say nothing. Do not act unless I tell you to do so.¡± The Sheriff¡¯s muffled voice barely reached Enoa¡¯s ears. The older woman eyed the closed sign in the window and knocked on the shop¡¯s door. ¡°Enoa, are you in there? It¡¯s Sheriff Webster. Could I please speak with you?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± Enoa quickly walked to her door and opened it. She tried to avoid looking at the red and blue armored lines behind her. All security forces had turned. All helmeted faces stared at her. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Enoa.¡± Webster sighed. ¡°Thank God you¡¯re alright.¡± She looked in the younger woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Can we talk in private? Something happened at the opening ceremony.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that old man, the man from the train.¡± Enoa stepped back and allowed the Sheriff to enter the shop. She closed the door behind them. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him before in my life, but something is happening with me. Men broke in here. They were armed, but I was helped by a traveler. One of the tourists, I guess. The men who broke in, they robbed me and the strange guy who helped me, he¡¯s gone to chase them down. I was checking my...¡± She held up the inventory list. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Webster looked back toward the storefront window, where the assembled security force, gathered outside, waited for them. She eyed the men warily. ¡°I know this wasn¡¯t you, but right now¡­¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°These men, private security hired by order from the town council. They want to question you privately, so we need to make sure everything is in order before they do anything.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Enoa whispered the words. Question? Did they believe she was connected to the train crash? How? ¡°I¡¯ve known you a long time.¡± Sheriff Webster laid her hand on Enoa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But right now, something is happening that threatens this town and every single person in it. And I¡¯m so sorry, but whatever¡¯s going on seems to involve you.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± Enoa had not left Nimauk since the shutdown, not once for five years. But in that moment, she could only think about running away. There were other safe, happy places scattered across the country and the world. She could find one. She would escape. ¡°People died on that train.¡± Webster shook her head. ¡°Seven that we know of. And with your help, maybe we can see to it that no one joins them.¡± 4 - A Glimpse of Fire Orson Gregory knew two things about his current situation. First, he was chasing men. They weren¡¯t monsters, spirits, specters, demons, or any other colloquial name for such creatures. They moved and fought like humans. They acted predictably. They brawled with flash and emotion. Few of the nonhumans, part humans, or other beings Orson had met ever acted like that. Orson¡¯s suspicions were also confirmed when he saw one of the two thieves draw a small device, likely a radio, from beneath his robes. The men were too far ahead for Orson¡¯s audio magnification to eavesdrop, but he saw both speak into the radio. The men¡¯s humanity made these people no less dangerous. These men wielded magic. That was the second truth Orson knew. These men had made iron appear from nowhere. They either formed it in the air, in their hands, arranged it into weapons, molecule-by-molecule, or they transported it from somewhere else. Orson had heard of both and both concerned him. If he were right, and these men were relatively new to their odd abilities, they could still become very dangerous when desperate. Orson knew his best chance of learning whether these men had stolen further items from Enoa Cloud was catching them by surprise and intimidating them mentally, well before they thought about using their iron conjuring. He needed a fast confrontation, quick and done. So Orson dropped from a rooftop right in front of the two men. They hadn¡¯t heard his running. They hadn¡¯t seen him. They¡¯d clearly assumed they¡¯d gotten away, to the point where they¡¯d stripped out of their heavy robes and used small wet wipes to clean some of the war paint from their faces. Both tripped backward when the masked, billowing shape fell from the sky and landed on one metal boot in front of them. The Wayfarer¡¯s masked eyes glowed a cold blue. His hand was on the hilt of the sword at his back. ¡°You have something that doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡± Orson was proud of his cool entrance. Hopefully, it would be enough to intimidate the men. He¡¯d wasted time and energy executing it. To accomplish his striking arrival, Orson had scaled a broken fire escape, tailed the men with his mask¡¯s zoom feature, and run across the rooftops of at least two-dozen buildings. He¡¯d lost count. Twice he¡¯d had to jump over narrow alleys to stay ahead of them. Not for the first time, he thanked his lucky stars he¡¯d managed to assemble his weird arsenal of souvenirs. Without the mask and bandana ¨C a handy little thing fitted with a small air filtration system ¨C he surely would not have been nearly so ominous. One of the two attackers drew a pistol, previously hidden at his belt. Orson let his mask¡¯s Heads-Up-Display predict where the assailant would hit him, if he chose to shoot. The bullet would likely take Orson right in the left breast, right above his heart, right in the coat. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Orson said. ¡°See what good it does you.¡± The man obliged. He fired once. The bullet tore toward Orson, hit his coat, hit the metal inside his coat, and ricocheted down harmlessly onto the ground. ¡°See?¡± Orson stalked forward, letting his metal boot¡¯s full weight fall onto the darkened sidewalk, as he approached the men. The great steps echoed out far in the oncoming night. ¡°You¡¯ve left me a good deal of sewing to do with this nice old coat, but I won¡¯t hold a grudge if you return what you stole.¡± Neither man spoke, but one of them placed his hands a foot apart. The air around them all got suddenly hot. Before he could manage a summoning, Orson acted. Orson grabbed his sword¡¯s hilt in his right hand. The sheath extended well over his head, far enough from his shoulders and hair to protect him from the blade¡¯s heat. He raised the sword from the sheath, just an inch, a half of an inch, just enough for the barest bit of the blade to peek out into the night air. For that instant, blue flickering light illuminated the faces of the men. They¡¯d done a poor job wiping away the war paint. The Sight-Stealer who had fallen still had blood smeared on his chin. They were both still painted purple. The conjuring man gave up on his magic and the air around him cooled, just as fast. Then Orson sheathed the blade. The flashing sapphire light went out. ¡°Fine.¡± The second man drew a small bundle from his belt. It was no more than six inches across. ¡°Good.¡± Orson kept his right hand on the sword¡¯s hilt. With his free hand, he reached out and took the parcel from the man. ¡°Now...¡± A siren sounded, far down the street. It wailed on for a second, then two, then three. As if they¡¯d been waiting for the noise, the two men jumped into motion. The two thieves darted aside, racing down a small alley, across the street, before fading into darkness. ¡°If you took more than this little thing.¡± Orson shouted after them. ¡°You¡¯d better believe I¡¯ll find you again.¡± But they were already gone, and Orson had more pressing business at hand than scaling buildings just to deliver his warning. Orson quickly let his mask scan the parcel for potassium or sulfur or any of the things that often go ¡®boom¡¯. Satisfied, he stowed the package in a great deep pocket in his coat. The siren wailed on, all the while. Orson next let his mask¡¯s view magnify down the street. He had a nasty feeling and looked back the way he came, down the hill, down the street to the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. Multiple vehicles, ten or so, were situated around the little shop. Now the calling vehicle, the source of the siren, a huge Humvee, had arrived. It was outfitted with police lights, blinking blue and red. The Humvee parked directly outside Enoa¡¯s shop. Orson adjusted his coat and his sword. He ran again. * * * Enoa and Sheriff Webster had only just entered the shop¡¯s office when a siren went off. Enoa had made herself relax. Sheriff Kelly Webster had grown up locally and still lived four houses down the street from Enoa¡¯s shop. She¡¯d been a family friend for decades. Enoa was no fan of causing conflicts of interest in law enforcement, but she had also genuinely done nothing wrong and would take any help she could get. ¡°The knife wasn¡¯t up his sleeve.¡± Enoa retrieved a wooden rocking chair from her larger storage room, so Webster could sit on the opposite side of her desk. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it appeared out of nowhere, like thin air nowhere. One second it wasn¡¯t there, the next second it was.¡± The siren had then sounded, before either woman could say more. Enoa jumped to her feet. What now? Since the old man had called her name through town square, she hadn¡¯t had more than a few minutes of calm. ¡°This has to be the Liberty Corps Captain.¡± Sheriff Webster stood, as well. ¡°I knew we weren¡¯t lucky enough to get through today without running into him.¡± ¡°Liberty Corps?¡± ¡°The private security.¡± Webster pointed back toward the shop¡¯s front door. ¡°The blue and red folks. They¡¯re one of those militias that have been roaming around lately. They¡¯ve been pushing security work. They¡¯re probably trying to come across as legitimate.¡± The siren went quiet. Then there came a knock on Enoa¡¯s front door. It was a loud knock, louder than it needed to be, since the men outside knew that Webster had already met with Enoa. The knock was delivered with enough force to rattle the glass in the door¡¯s window. ¡°Stay here.¡± Webster walked out of the office and around the checkout desk. Enoa heard her shop door open. ¡°I told your people I¡¯m handling it.¡± ¡°My command has been deputized by the Nimauk Council.¡± A male voice spoke. Footsteps. The man, the Liberty Corps Captain, forced his way right past the Sheriff, and he soon stood on the customer side of the checkout desk, facing Enoa. ¡°Hello, Miss Cloud. I am Captain Maros, of the Liberty Corps.¡± Maros was a tall man and very young. He couldn¡¯t have been much older than Enoa, early twenties, probably ¨C extremely young for his command, even after the destabilization. He had an intensity in his eyes, fierce, something Enoa had never seen before, not in a person of any age. His dark hair was tied back in a tight knot. Maros wore armor of the same design as the other Liberty Corps members, but white. One of his hands was a prosthetic, an extremely high quality prosthetic, partially translucent with some visible wiring. This hand gripped his uniform¡¯s wide belt buckle. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°You have no authority to come in here.¡± Sheriff Webster reappeared behind the Captain. ¡°None. Private security cannot enter a person¡¯s property without permission, and the County Sheriff can refuse access to private security at any time. I appreciate your enthusiasm, Captain, but I will send for you if, and only if, I find some real way for you to help.¡± ¡°Normally.¡± Maros turned back to the Sheriff. ¡°You¡¯d be correct.¡± He drew a small paper from his pocket. ¡°A message from Town Council. I am acting as their representative. I expect Councilman Tucker will arrive here as soon as he is able.¡± Webster took the paper, and Maros looked back toward Enoa. ¡°My apologies for entering without warning.¡± He inclined his head. ¡°But the sooner we have a few answers the better it will be for everyone.¡± ¡°Are you accusing me of something?¡± Enoa walked out into the store proper. She had no intention of being cornered in her office. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to see that message too.¡± ¡°A man we so far can¡¯t identify used his last breath to say your name.¡± Maros did not move, but his eyes never strayed from her. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth talking to us? You might know more than you realize.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± There came a shout from outside, and Enoa didn¡¯t get a chance to respond. She turned in time to see Orson walking through the middle of the Liberty Corps lineup. The security forces were all facing toward the antique store and started as he passed them. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this big a response for a robbery case.¡± Orson found the entryway into the antique shop barred by four men, tall, red-armored, holding spears. ¡°State your identity and your purpose,¡± one of the Liberty Corps spearmen commanded. ¡°My name is Orson Gregory.¡± He pulled the mask from his eyes and slid the bandana down onto his chest. Other than his hair and clothes, he looked truly average. With a different haircut and without his odd garments, Enoa could have passed him on the street and never recognized him. ¡°I am here to provide my eye witness testimony to the robbery and attempted assault that happened here.¡± Orson stood on tiptoe to look between the heads of two of the guards. ¡°I¡¯m also gonna browse this interesting shop, assuming Ms. Cloud¡¯s open for business.¡± Before the guard could say anything, Orson found her with his eyes and offered a small wave. ¡°Are you intending to stay open once these dedicated gentlemen ¨C and ladies ¨C are on their way?¡± He directed the short aside to Sheriff Webster. She¡¯d glanced up from the Council¡¯s note, looking just as bewildered as the Liberty Corps. ¡°Uh.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know what to say. She wanted nothing more than to send all of them on their way, Orson included, so she could steal a few hours to calm down and figure things out. ¡°I guess?¡± ¡°Let him enter.¡± Captain Maros addresed his guardsmen. They looked to him, but made no opening for Orson to pass. ¡°Yes, let him through. We¡¯ll hear what he has to say.¡± The red spearmen had parted for less than a second before Orson squeezed his way between them and into the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. ¡°At ease soldier.¡± Orson clapped one of the red armored guards on the shoulder as he passed. ¡°Thanks for your help.¡± He looked at Enoa. ¡°Nice to finally meet you, face to face.¡± Then he offered his hand to Captain Maros and Sheriff Webster. ¡°Orson Gregory.¡± Both shook his gloved hand. ¡°I had the unfortunate honor of helping out our host, earlier this evening.¡± ¡°She told me about you.¡± Webster nodded. ¡°She said you defended her against her strange assailants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Orson tapped at his coat. ¡°I also recovered a small package stolen from this place.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°It can¡¯t be anything too¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take a look at that.¡± Captain Maros extended his hand, his left one, flesh and blood. He interrupted, before anyone else had a chance to speak. ¡°It may explain Miss Cloud¡¯s connections to the derailment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not confiscating my inventory.¡± Enoa stepped between Orson and the Captain. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing wrong, nothing other than being a lifelong resident of this town, unlike you. I don¡¯t know who that old man was, and I have no idea why he said my name.¡± ¡°That¡¯s immaterial.¡± The Captain looked at Orson. ¡°Whatever you recovered is necessary for the ongoing investigation.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Man Bun over there?¡± Orson leaned to Enoa and spoke in an affected whisper, loud enough for Maros to hear him. ¡°Mr. Gregory.¡± Maros drew his hand back. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you plan to accomplish with your childish antics, but it will not deter me from taking the evidence you have in your possession.¡± ¡°Captain Gregory, actually.¡± Orson straightened his shoulders and looked around the room. He didn¡¯t look at Maros. ¡°And seeing as we¡¯re both Captains, I think I¡¯ll just return the stolen goods back to Enoa.¡± ¡°Captain?¡± Maros laughed. ¡°Captain of what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a ship¡¯s captain.¡± Orson smiled. ¡°I might not get a color-coded workforce, but that doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± ¡°Councilman Tucker¡¯s here.¡± Webster nodded toward the doorway. The Liberty Corps door guards cleared the entryway. They marched aside with little formation, a gesture that appeared more haphazard than formal. The guards made an opening for Councilman Tucker, now wearing an unzipped winter coat, with a buttoned shirt and snowflake patterned tie, to enter the shop. ¡°Good evening. Hello.¡± Councilman Tucker gave them all a small smile. The bizarre gathering greeted him, in turn. ¡°Are we all ready for the trip to my office?¡± ¡°If we need to talk,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk things out here. I don¡¯t know anything useful so let¡¯s be done with this. I have a lot of work to do for the rest of the festival.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t figure out what happened to that train...¡± Tucker shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re our best lead, Enoa. If you want there to be a festival, you need to help us, and we can¡¯t be sure of your safety here. But all of us will be entirely safe with Captain Maros and his men, back at the town offices.¡± Tucker faced the Captain. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°More Sight-Stealers were here, sir,¡± Maros said. ¡°They robbed Miss Cloud and showed further nefarious intent. There is an undeniable connection between her and the developing situation in town.¡± ¡°Councilman, sir.¡± Sheriff Webster edged her way between Enoa and the town official. ¡°We have no reason to believe Enoa is being anything less than truthful. This is¡­¡± ¡°Kelly.¡± Tucker held up his hand. ¡°Let me be very clear. I am not asking. I have the full support of the rest of the council.¡± ¡°This makes no sense,¡± Webster said. ¡°There has never been a festival problem that the Sheriff¡¯s Department didn¡¯t solve. I don¡¯t know how Captain Maros convinced you to hire this militia, but I don¡¯t understand it. They are already overstepping. This is just like I warned you. We don¡¯t know these people, and the things you hear about some of the mercenaries operating now¡­¡± ¡°We rightly predicted that greater security was needed,¡± Tucker said. ¡°Enoa, you aren¡¯t under arrest, but we are recruiting your help and your answers. You will be safer with us. Imagine the danger you would be in with these Sight-Stealers after you. Imagine what would happen if a firefight broke out in the middle of High Street.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going with you. I can¡¯t.¡± Enoa placed her hand on a pile of boxes, already packed for their journey to the festival. They¡¯d been waiting beside the counter all day. ¡°I need to work the festival. Without Aunt Su¡¯s Nimauk Culture Talks, I¡¯ll need Festival money. The holiday season used to be a big help, but after the New Year¡¯s snowstorm...¡± She shook her head. ¡°You know how tricky it¡¯s been.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t solve this by tomorrow, there won¡¯t be a festival!¡± Tucker furrowed his brow. ¡°Listen to yourself. Do you think sales matter if the Sight-Stealers kill all of us?¡± ¡°If I may,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think I have a solution that will make everybody happy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to speak until you hand over the evidence you recovered.¡± Maros stared at Orson, unblinking. ¡°If you aren¡¯t here to help this investigation, why are you in this room?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to help Enoa.¡± Orson smiled at the Captain. ¡°Mr. Councilman and Captain Man Bun want to talk to Enoa, perfectly reasonable given everything going on.¡± ¡°Reasonable?¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°No. There is absolutely nothing reasonable¡­¡± ¡°Enoa!¡± Orson made an expression she couldn¡¯t read. ¡°You want to sell your antiques. I want to buy a souvenir from this weird night I¡¯ve had. Give me fifteen minutes to browse, and I¡¯ll buy something at a major markup. Consider that a little goodwill donation from a friendly traveler. Some of these items look pretty pricey.¡± He waved his arms toward the far wall, covered in hanging artwork, paintings by local artists. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Maros spoke the instant Orson closed his mouth. ¡°Sir, there is something very unusual about this man. Who is he to delay our investigation, even by fifteen minutes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help and support your local economy.¡± Orson raised both hands, palms outward. Everyone looked at Councilman Tucker. The official was slow to speak, and Sheriff Webster got there first. The Sheriff eyed Orson. He met her gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and make sure he behaves himself. I don¡¯t mind the idea, if he¡¯s really willing to pay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not willing to be detained.¡± Enoa hadn¡¯t looked away from Tucker since his arrival. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be taken like a criminal, just because some weird stranger said my name.¡± Orson stared at her. He made the unusual expression again, with a clenched jaw and wide eyes. He wanted her attention, but she didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you any markup you want, even 200%,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s three times asking price, right? I¡¯ve never worked retail. I meant three times the price.¡± Enoa turned. He smiled at her. What did he want? He didn¡¯t know what he wanted to buy, that¡¯s what he¡¯d said. Was there any item he could buy where three times the price would make up for losing the entire festival? What in the world could he want to buy this badly? ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Maros said again. He pointed at Orson. ¡°Trust my advice, sir. This is why you hired us.¡± ¡°Enough, Captain.¡± Tucker sighed again. ¡°This looks like the best solution we¡¯ve got, so long as Enoa agrees.¡± ¡°We should be taking Captain Gregory into custody.¡± Maros wouldn¡¯t let anyone speak. ¡°He¡¯s been fighting. He¡¯s clearly armed. He¡¯s refusing to provide evidence. What more...¡± ¡°I think Captain Gregory could be of help to us.¡± Tucker interrupted Maros, for the second time. ¡°It¡¯s very convenient he arrived here tonight, oddly convenient.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d say convenient.¡± Orson shrugged, a gesture that made his sword¡¯s hilt rise even higher above his head. ¡°I was hoping for a night at the festival, take in a little music, enjoy some of that local caramead you make.¡± ¡°Well then.¡± Tucker smiled at Orson. ¡°If you want a nice festival experience, I¡¯ll expect to see you in my office later, as well, to help us.¡± He pointed to Orson¡¯s chest. ¡°With the evidence you gathered. For your troubles, I can certainly supply the caramead.¡± ¡°Sounds good. Yeah, I¡¯m involved in this now.¡± Orson returned the smile. ¡°Whatever this all is. You¡¯ll definitely be seeing me after I¡¯ve gotten my souvenir, assuming Ms. Cloud agrees.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Enoa hoped Maros was right. She liked to think that Orson had something else planned, but either way, she also knew she couldn¡¯t resist the Liberty Corps if they would choose to drag her away. Such stories were never in short supply, especially now. She also couldn¡¯t resist the law of Nimauk, the only home she¡¯d ever known. If the best deal she could get was a big antique sale, so be it. ¡°If that¡¯s what it has to be, we¡¯ll talk down at your office. Then you¡¯ll see how little I know.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tucker relaxed his shoulders, clearly relieved. ¡°I promise we¡¯ll make it as painless as possible. All of our council appreciate your help and I thank you again, personally.¡± He offered Enoa and Chief Webster another smile. ¡°Kelly, I appreciate your support, as well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Webster nodded. ¡°Happy shopping.¡± Tucker laughed, as he passed Orson. Then he walked back to the shop¡¯s door. ¡°Captain, I trust you¡¯ll be pleasant with Ms. Cloud when you personally escort her to her meeting.¡± ¡°Certainly, sir.¡± Maros followed his employer. He shot Orson a quick glance, but then he and the Councilman both exited through the doorway and into darkness, the front door closing behind them. Orson looked through the storefront window until the two men had walked several feet down the street. Both women watched him. ¡°Alright, we haven¡¯t got much time.¡± Orson turned back to Enoa. ¡°I¡¯m gonna assume the Sheriff is trustworthy.¡± ¡°Trustworthy with your shopping?¡± Webster raised an eyebrow. ¡°With the truth.¡± Orson walked closer. He lowered his voice. ¡°Trustworthy with the fact that those ¡®Sight-Stealer¡¯ people are members of the Liberty Corps. I¡¯d bet they¡¯re partially behind the train derailment too.¡± 5 - The Liberty Corps ¡°Do you have any evidence to back up that bold claim?¡± Sheriff Webster crossed her arms. ¡°So far, I only have my own eye-witness testimony and over a decade of personal experience working in high strangeness situations,¡± Orson said. ¡°When I tailed the two Sight-Stealers, one spoke into a radio. Then when I cornered them, they were both wiping the war paint from their faces. One of those men tried to shoot me with a handgun. I don¡¯t know your local lore, but I¡¯m thinking these guys aren¡¯t actually paranormal entities.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying the magic is fake?¡± Webster¡¯s face softened in relief. ¡°But the weapons they made¡­¡± Enoa began. ¡°The iron phenomenon isn¡¯t fake,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but ¨C and I get that you have no reason to believe the word of some random traveler ¨C but there are people in this world, seemingly normal people, who can wield strange abilities. It¡¯s not all ancient traditions and government experimentation. People can learn these powers, and since the world went to hell, I¡¯ve seen that these types of phenomenon are becoming more and more common.¡± ¡°Even if they aren¡¯t really the Sight-Stealers from the stories,¡± Webster said. ¡°Using a radio doesn¡¯t necessarily connect them to the Liberty Corps. What would the Liberty Corps gain from attacking Enoa or attacking the train?¡± ¡°Another Sight-Stealer was walking on the derailed train,¡± Enoa told Orson. ¡°He stopped a bullet in midair.¡± ¡°More iron, probably.¡± Orson walked toward one of the display shelves, containing pottery. He picked up a thin green vase and examined it in clear view of the storefront window and the Liberty Corps watching outside. ¡°Fourteen Liberty Corps vehicles showed up here within minutes of that fake Sight-Stealer talking on the radio? It¡¯s like he told them it was time to show up. Notice that their captain didn¡¯t ask me, a witness, for any information about the robbery.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t ask me for details either,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Everything was about getting me to go with them.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Orson said. ¡°He didn¡¯t ask because he already knew all those details, and this was just a show the Liberty Corps put on to accomplish something else.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps came here because a dying man on the derailed train tried to give a warning to Enoa,¡± Webster said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, but they had reason to be here, at least in their minds.¡± ¡°No.¡± Orson shook his head, still pretending to examine more vases on the shelf. ¡°I don¡¯t buy it. Forty guys had to turn up, just to talk to Enoa?¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Enoa really needed the conversation to move away from the train man. ¡°Their plan went wrong tonight.¡± Orson set down the vase and retreated further in the aisle, now out of sight of the Liberty Corps. Enoa and Sheriff Webster followed him. ¡°I didn¡¯t detect any outgoing signals, so I don¡¯t think the store is bugged, but they still need to think I¡¯m shopping.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t shopping?¡± Webster asked. ¡°Please tell me more about this guy at the train,¡± Orson continued. ¡°What happened there?¡± ¡°After the train crashed and the Sight-Stealer made his appearance,¡± Enoa said. ¡°This injured man staggered off the train and he said¡­ He said that¡­¡± ¡°He said Enoa can stop what¡¯s happening in town, and then he died,¡± Sheriff Webster finished. ¡°We don¡¯t know who he was. All other train passengers are deceased, but the others were separate, train crew and ceremonial party. This man was alone and judging by his injuries, he was involved in a struggle.¡± ¡°This all makes more sense.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°The Liberty Corps want something from Enoa. I¡¯d bet they knew that well in advance. But they didn¡¯t expect her to be sought out by a survivor of their train attack. Before the man on the train arrived, I¡¯d bet they were going to use their Sight-Stealer to derail the train, make a big show to scare everyone. Then, they¡¯d have their same fake folk monsters attack Enoa. Except I imagine the Liberty Corps would have arrived to ¡®rescue¡¯ her, at which point they¡¯d have easy access to her and her property. I¡¯m not sure of the details, but I think they adapted their plan to the increased scrutiny Enoa is under, but I ruined whatever else they decided to do.¡± ¡°But what did that old man expect me to stop?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°What did he mean when he said that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to guess.¡± Orson drew the package he¡¯d recovered from the Sight-Stealers and placed it down on the nearest shelf, between sets of small pottery. ¡°That¡¯s one of my protective antique book covers.¡± Enoa leaned closer. ¡°Which book did they take?¡± Orson undid and opened the covering, revealing a brittle, dry leather-bound book. ¡°¡¯Mysteries throughout History in the Nimauk Valley and Surrounding Communities¡¯?¡± Sheriff Webster squinted at the faded gold print on the book¡¯s cover. ¡°It¡¯s all old superstitions,¡± Enoa explained. ¡°It talks about the urban legends like they¡¯re all real, even the parts that we know were written in the last two centuries. I¡¯ve been trying to market it as a book of ghost stories, but nobody wants it.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps must be looking for something pertaining to the local culture.¡± Orson tapped the book. ¡°Why would a real member of these evil fairy tale people need a historical guide book?¡± ¡°If the Sight-Stealers are fake, that¡¯s a direct insult to every native Nimauk person.¡± Enoa exhaled and leaned against the shelf beside the book. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Orson carefully slid the old book aside to reveal a folded square of paper. ¡°Also, this. Our friends the magic burglars added something of their own.¡± ¡°This is a map of the valley.¡± Webster unfolded the paper and held it up to the light. She traced something on the map¡¯s surface with her right index finger. ¡°They have maps just like these down at the visitor center.¡± She began to fold the paper again. ¡°It definitely makes these individuals seem less... Is supernatural the word? But this still isn¡¯t evidence the Liberty Corps is involved.¡± ¡°But you agree it¡¯s all worth looking into?¡± Orson watched the Sheriff place the folded map on top of the antique text. ¡°I agree it¡¯s strange.¡± Webster shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything in the short term. We¡¯re all expected down at Mr. Tucker¡¯s office. You¡¯d better get shopping for real.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think it would be better to do my shopping later. I have a feeling I¡¯m here looking for something that¡¯s not for sale, the same something the Liberty Corps wants.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just some treasure hunter, aren¡¯t you?¡± Webster asked. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re behind this? There¡¯s just as much proof. Who¡¯s to say those men who robbed Enoa weren¡¯t friends of yours?¡° ¡°Wow.¡± Orson scratched his head, messing his already unruly hair. ¡°Seriously, I don¡¯t think I can prove it. Hmmm. You might have me stumped.¡± He let out two nervous laughs, heh-heh. ¡°One of the Sight-Stealers stabbed you.¡± Enoa was totally onboard with Orson¡¯s anti-Liberty Corps idea. She really didn¡¯t want him to turn out to be another problem. ¡°That¡¯s no proof.¡± Orson squeezed his eyes shut. ¡°If they were friends they¡¯d know about the armor woven in this coat. Thanks for the help, but just hold on, okay? I¡¯ll come up with it.¡± ¡°But,¡± Enoa said. ¡°None of this would explain why Maros didn¡¯t ask a single question about the robbery attempt.¡± ¡°That is very strange.¡± Webster agreed. ¡°If he were interested in solving the situation here, any attack on your person¡­ Wait a minute, we never said your attackers were Sight-Stealers.¡± ¡°What?¡± Enoa said. ¡°We talked about the Sight-Stealers.¡± ¡°I said your assailants were strange.¡± Webster scowled so deeply her eyebrows almost pressed together. ¡°We did not say you were attacked by Sight-Stealers. You only told me, alone. We did not discuss the identity of the perpetrators once Captain Maros arrived.¡± The Sheriff pressed her right hand to her forehead. ¡°My God, I¡¯m slipping. Why didn¡¯t I see it right away?¡± ¡°Man Bun actually slipped up and incriminated himself.¡± Orson grinned. ¡°Well, now we can actually start planning, for real.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Enoa had believed Orson from the start, but knowing the truth, knowing the size of the conspiracy arrayed against her was overwhelming. She took fast, shallow breaths. Her hands erupted in cold sweat. ¡°I need to get in touch with the rest of my Department.¡± Webster reached to her belt and unclipped a small box pinned there. She raised the pager. ¡°One second, I¡¯ve missed about forty messages while I¡¯ve been here.¡± She perused those messages, the news she¡¯d missed during her visit to the antique shop. The news she received didn¡¯t register on her face, but she fell utterly, completely silent. ¡°Alright.¡± Sheriff Webster returned the box to her belt. ¡°You have me convinced. Even if you¡¯re bad news, Captain Gregory, you¡¯ve broken no laws here, none that I¡¯m aware of. The Liberty Corps is worse. What¡¯s your play?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Orson asked. ¡°The Liberty Corps is rounding up everybody down at town square.¡± Webster laid her hand on a nearby shelf. ¡°They even took the performing acts into custody. I don¡¯t know if I believe you, but I believe we need to put a stop to whatever they¡¯re doing. They are plainly connected to the Sight-Stealers. What¡¯s your plan, treasure hunter? I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve got one.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to find whatever the Liberty Corps wants here, not with their boys crowded outside. So I¡¯ll make a big diversion, enough for Enoa to sneak out of here through a back door or a fire escape, whatever she¡¯s got. She¡¯ll race down the hill, and we¡¯ll escape in my RV until the wee hours of the morning. Then we¡¯ll sneak back and find what those guys are after. In the meantime, Sheriff, I happily turn the stolen goods over to you, to help with your own investigation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a horrendous plan,¡± Webster said. ¡°You¡¯re definitely no criminal mastermind.¡± ¡°I never come up with a better plan than I need to win.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°Are we all onboard?¡± ¡°You want me to trust you and run away?¡± Enoa was just about convinced, but she had to ask. Just hours before, her biggest concern was concealing her grief long enough to sell trinkets to tourists. Now, she was about to become a fugitive, along with a sword-wielding treasure hunter. ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Orson asked this of both women. ¡°I sure don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It seems like it¡¯s either this or you go with Captain Maros to the town offices.¡± Webster showed no emotion, her face blank. Her frustration could only be seen in her tense shoulders and fidgeting fingers. ¡°I will do my best to keep you safe, whatever you choose.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with Orson.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t really need time to consider. This way, she had some power, some ability to make choices. If Orson was a problem, he still needed her help to find what he was looking for. With the Liberty Corps, they would take what they wanted, without question or hesitation. ¡°Cool.¡± Orson waved his arms at the room around him, a big expansive gesture. ¡°I¡¯d grab any particular, uh, valuables or tchotchkes the Liberty Corps might steal, anything you can take with you. I have some emergency supplies, but pack anything you¡¯d need to go away for a couple days too, just in case. We have to be prepared for things to go wrong, but also don¡¯t take more than you can carry. My RV is parked in the riverside lot on the shore where the train derailed, so it¡¯s a hike.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to cross through the square to get there.¡± Enoa thought back to safer days, when exploring the small paths and hills around Nimauk offered none of the paranoid danger that came with societal destabilization. It would not be easy to reach Orson¡¯s camper without being caught. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°I had no idea how difficult this would be when I got here.¡± ¡°There are tons of campers at the festival, how will I know which one is yours?¡± Enoa imagined her pitch dark journey through the hills. She imagined the Liberty Corps looking for her, with their Sight-Stealers, with their dozens of armed troops. ¡°It suits me,¡± he said. ¡°It has the nineteen fifties Route Sixty-six dream machine look, but with a custom paint job and about seventy bumper stickers. You¡¯ll know it when you see it. Plus I don¡¯t think anybody else is parked down there. Take five minutes, get your stuff, and I¡¯ll get this plan moving once you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be ready in three.¡± Enoa played through the items in her mind, the few things she thought the Liberty Corps might steal. What would she need to take to be away? She hadn¡¯t gone away in so long. ¡°Oh yeah, one more thing, before you go.¡± Orson held up his gloved right pointer finger. ¡°The whole train derailment isn¡¯t sitting well with me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Webster winced at Orson¡¯s constant stream of bad news. ¡°Well,¡± Orson said. ¡°The two guys I fought earlier had a really hard time manipulating their iron, so I figure there has to be somebody way more powerful behind it all. I mean, people who can hardly make knives definitely couldn¡¯t throw a train.¡± * * * Captain Maros walked Councilman Tucker to his car. Then he retrieved his sheathed sword and gun belt from his troops outside the antique shop. He looked over his shoulder and was satisfied to find Orson Gregory examining vases inside the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. Good, he had time. Maros walked down the mostly-empty street. He moved as quickly as he could without looking harried or worried. Orson Gregory. He¡¯d heard that name before, definitely. It had been five long years, five trips around the sun since the world went mad. Maros had been a boy then, in reality just a child. He¡¯d been whole too, in every way. So much had happened to him. But through it all, Orson Gregory. Yes, he remembered that name. Captain Maros found the person he was looking for. Duncan was dressed like a movie cowboy, in a small hat and threadbare patterned poncho, a scarf wrapped about his head to shield his face from the winter wind. He sat on a wooden public bench, beside a streetlight. Duncan looked around, watching the milling traffic, mostly people on foot, those who had wisely agreed to vacate town square, as instructed. Duncan was there, watching, because Maros had sent him there. The Liberty Corps needed people who blended in with the crowd ¨C spies, in layman¡¯s terms. Duncan gave Maros a slight nod when he approached. It was a casual gesture, as if acknowledging a stranger. ¡°Orson Gregory.¡± Maros broke cover. He had to ask. He had to know. If losing a spy was the price he needed to pay, then so be it. ¡°Where have I heard the name Orson Gregory?¡± ¡°I thought we agreed we weren¡¯t going to talk until we recovered the Trove?¡± Duncan didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°Things got complicated.¡± Maros fought the urge to shout. ¡°Who is Orson Gregory? Why is that name familiar?¡± ¡°Orson Gregory is supposed to be the real name of Wayfarer One.¡± Duncan still didn¡¯t face Maros. ¡°Wayfarer One from the Battle of Norlenheim?¡± Maros tried his best not to fidget. No, this wasn¡¯t possible. They were so close. Did Gregory know? ¡°Who else?¡± Duncan chuckled. ¡°Why does that matter now?¡± ¡°Because I just met a man who called himself Orson Gregory. He fought the Sight-Stealers and won. He won easily too, by the look of him. He¡¯s the reason everything¡¯s gone wrong tonight.¡± Maros talked quickly, before Duncan could interrupt or question him. ¡°So this guy¡¯s good in a fight.¡± Duncan shifted his poncho so he could face Maros. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s the Orson Gregory who fought the Thunderworks at Norlenheim, even if that is his real name and he¡¯s not just some copycat.¡± ¡°Duncan.¡± Maros bit his lower lip. No, now was not the time for fury. ¡°You have not seen this man. There is something about him. He¡¯s calm.¡± ¡°And?¡± Duncan rolled his eyes. There was just enough light from the streetlamp for Maros to see the motion. ¡°Okay, he¡¯s calm? He obviously doesn¡¯t know to stay out of our way, but we¡¯ll teach him.¡± A large group of festival-goers, a dozen of them, all dressed as pirates, walked by up the street. ¡°But we also need to take him very seriously.¡± Maros spoke as soon as the group was out of earshot. ¡°I¡¯d rather stay out of his way. We need good public opinion for this to work. There is something strange, I¡¯m telling you. This Gregory, I could believe he was involved in the battles that broke the world.¡± ¡°You need to breathe, Kol. This is your big night, remember? Everything will be different when you find the Trove. Don¡¯t throw it away over some dumb story. Orson Gregory probably was never real. If he was real, this guy probably isn¡¯t him. If it¡¯s him, he¡¯s probably not as good as the stories say.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Maros massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯m probably just looking for something to go wrong.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Duncan laid his hand on Maros¡¯s arm. ¡°How is everything else going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going very well.¡± Maros took a deep breath. ¡°Really well. The girl, Cloud, she¡¯ll be joining us soon. Then it should be¡­¡± Gunfire rang out up the street. Shouting. Yelling. More gunfire. Maros and Duncan both stood. Duncan drew his small revolver from beneath his poncho. ¡°Hold your fire.¡± Maros waved an arm in front of Duncan. Why had any of his men opened fire? He grabbed his radio and thumbed it on. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it was some of you who decided to start shooting?¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The voice gasped. Maros couldn¡¯t recognize it. ¡°Every bullet you fire damages our reputation here.¡± The Captain didn¡¯t give the man time to speak. ¡°Whatever it is, unless your life is in danger, deal with it some other way.¡± Maros heard approaching feet and a loud great booming footfall that he did not recognize. Orson Gregory rushed down the street toward him, metal boot stamping against the road. ¡°You¡¯ll never get it from me!¡± He shouted. ¡°It¡¯s mine now. Do you hear me? MINE!¡± He cackled at the top of his lungs. ¡°Eat my dust, Copper!¡± Two squads of Liberty Corps troops, some with guns, some with spears, came into view behind him. The few mingling tourists, still on the road, got out of their way. ¡°Hi again, Captain Man Bun.¡± Orson waved to him when he got closer. ¡°It¡¯s a great night, isn¡¯t it? Not too cold.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Maros drew his sword. Maros had forged the blade, himself. That was step one on his way toward mastering the power of iron, but could any iron blade withstand the sword Wayfarer One supposedly carried, a sword made of fire? ¡°Stop where you are.¡± Orson barreled straight at him, but didn¡¯t draw his own sword. Instead, Orson shoved his metal boot against the ground. The strange footwear must have greatly increased his strength. Orson flew straight up into the air, over Maros and his sword. Orson landed behind him with a thud that reverberated through the ground at Maros¡¯s feet. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to play with sharp objects!¡± Orson shouted over his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯d better be careful with that.¡± Duncan raised his revolver and took aim. Maros laid his hand across his friend¡¯s arm. ¡°Hold your fire.¡± ¡°But,¡± Duncan didn¡¯t look at him. He watched the billowing shape of the Wayfarer¡¯s coat, as the stranger rushed further and further down the street. Just then, the Liberty Corps troops reached them. Maros held up his hand for them to stop. ¡°We¡¯re in pursuit, sir,¡± one of the riflemen said. ¡°I know.¡± Maros nodded. ¡°Good stamina, but there¡¯s a better way. I want all of you working together. We need to get our teams prepared in town square. Get our war force on the road, ready to trap him.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Duncan holstered his revolver and readjusted his poncho. ¡°Find another disguise.¡± Maros looked down the street, where Orson Gregory had vanished into the night. ¡°Miss Cloud is still in hand. Once I¡¯ve dealt with Captain Gregory, everything will happen like we planned.¡± 6 - The Riot and the Run ¡°Are you ready to get started?¡± Kelly Webster found Enoa in a small room behind the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea¡¯s storefront. She was safely out of sight of the Liberty Corps. The stockroom also offered access to the building¡¯s enclosed staircase, leading down to the basement and up to the Cloud family living quarters. Enoa was not ready. She¡¯d assembled her clothing, supplies for days, and her Aunt¡¯s heirlooms, but only half of these items were in her backpack. The others she¡¯d stuffed into two of her store¡¯s plastic shopping bags, logo emblazoned on each side. She¡¯d carried the bags along, cramming them with clothes and toiletries and assorted oddments. Her skin had broken out into a sweat. A cold clamminess overtook her. Orson¡¯s fifteen minutes had passed sometime ago, but she was still unfinished, unprepared for whatever surreal adventure waited for her. ¡°There¡¯s no way this will all fit out the window without being noisy.¡± Enoa shook her head, breathless. ¡°Once I chase Gregory, there will be much noisier things than you,¡± Webster said. ¡°Either way, you need to go. He¡¯s picked a painting to use as part of his diversion.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Enoa clipped the two shopping bags to her hiking pack and slid her arms through the straps. She lifted the whole conglomeration of bags onto her back. ¡°That tiny sketch of the river. He says he needs something that he can fit into his pocket once they start to chase him.¡± Webster motioned to the pack. ¡°Are you sure you can lift all that?¡± ¡°I have to.¡± Enoa shouldered the pack and tightened the straps so the weight fell evenly. The straps themselves would still bite into her shoulders, but that couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°I just have to hope Captain Gregory starts a loud enough commotion for me to get out without being noticed.¡± ¡°You also have to hope that he¡¯s legitimate,¡± Webster said. ¡°And he¡¯s not just some art thief.¡± Enoa nodded, but she didn¡¯t let her mind dwell on that possibility. What would she do if she reached the river and there was no RV? She looked around and made certain she¡¯d packed all the items she¡¯d assembled, clothes and books and overnight supplies and small trinkets. Everything was packed but her Aunt¡¯s walking stick. Enoa had seldom held the walking stick. It had been an unspoken rule that this object did not belong to her and was not hers to touch. Now, she didn¡¯t want to touch it. She didn¡¯t want to take it with her. Taking it felt like leaving, felt like abandoning her home. Maybe it was the adrenaline flooding her body or the general fatigue of her recent stress, but the walking stick now felt odd to her touch. The metal felt warm, like it had sat outside on a summer morning. That warmth raced from the metal and along her fingertips, a sensation both shocking and comforting. ¡°Gregory is going to walk out of here, with the painting in a shopping bag, so it looks like he bought it. He¡¯ll be casual until he gets past their armed line.¡± Sheriff Webster interrupted the instant of strange reverie the walking stick had awoken in her. ¡°When you hear me chase Gregory, you get out of here.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Enoa wanted to say more. She felt like she had to come up with something memorable and storybook inspiring, but nothing came to her. ¡°Thanks, so much.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Webster approached and helped Enoa slip the walking stick through a loop in the backpack, tightening the velcro. ¡°We¡¯ll get this sorted out. Now go.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t have to be told twice. ¡°Please lock the door on your way out.¡± She didn¡¯t return to her storefront, which was still watched by the Liberty Corps. She left the room. Enoa again tightened her backpack¡¯s straps and took the stairs down to the basement storeroom. She didn¡¯t want to use her flashlight, but she couldn¡¯t risk leaving a building light on, in her absence. She dialed the flashlight down to its lowest illumination and wove her way through the neatly stacked boxes, ignoring the stairs that led to the outside cellar door. These stairs led directly to the center of the Liberty Corps line and was the exact opposite of where she hoped to go. She reached the far side of the room. A small window was set into the top of the wall. It looked out on the shop¡¯s small backyard and the thin unpaved pathway that skirted the hillside and wound all the way behind the business district. It had been over five years since Enoa had left the house through the basement window. What would she do if she couldn¡¯t climb the metal shelving at the wall, beneath the window? What if she didn¡¯t fit through the window? ¡°He stole a painting!¡± Sheriff Webster yelled, her voice muffled, shouting down from the storefront, ten feet above Enoa¡¯s basement escape route. ¡°Someone catch him. Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± Enoa climbed. She had to save herself, her home, the home of her ancestors. Enoa was the last of the Cloud family, and she would represent them well. She promised that to herself. She made that promise to the quiet part of her mind where she sometimes spoke to her family, so many people who she had lost, so many who were gone. Enoa climbed the metal shelving. She unlocked the small window with a twist, lightly pushed it open, before finally crawling atop the shelf. Slowly, she edged forward and squirmed out the opening, inch-by-inch, on her belly. Her head was clear. She looked out into the darkened yard. ¡°You stay here!¡± A man yelled. ¡°Keep squads two and three. We will give pursuit.¡± Engines roared and revved. Many feet stamped across the pavement, through the snow, across the icy ground. The noise grew almost to deafening levels, even forty feet away, half underground. None of the Liberty Corps could be seen, other than the distant flashing of the lightbars on some of the security vehicles. Nothing else could be seen. All else was in darkness. Enoa crawled forward until she couldn¡¯t. Her backpack stuck. She reached out her hands, pressed her bare palms to the small strip of snow that hugged the side of her home. Why hadn¡¯t she packed gloves? She got a firm grip on the ground and pulled herself forward, trying to slip the backpack and connected bags free of the window. Her backpack let go. It unzipped, spilling out two pair of socks, rolled into balls. More items threatened to slide free. Enoa fought silent panic. Meanwhile, the world around her had gone utterly quiet. Whatever Liberty Corps response was headed after Orson, it had gone. The diversion was finished and she was still stuck. When she¡¯d last used this window to sneak out of the house, she¡¯d been fifteen and the world was a good deal less crazy. Whose party had she broken curfew to attend? Now, it didn¡¯t matter, and she couldn¡¯t remember. Five years was a lifetime ago. Hell, yesterday was a lifetime ago. Enoa eased her arms free of the backpack. She forced herself to keep her breathing level and quiet. She winced at the rustling sound her body made as she slid free of the backpack and the window. Enoa stopped, once she was free. She waited, lying pressed into the crunchy layer of refrozen snow. She listened. The Liberty Corps members, those still present, spoke words she couldn¡¯t hear. They hadn¡¯t heard her. Enoa strained to pick out Kelly Webster¡¯s voice, but she could not. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Quickly, Enoa turned around, retrieved her pack, bags, and fallen sock rolls. After another several heartbeats of silent struggle, she re-zipped her backpack and closed the window. Enoa walked on tiptoe, trying not to loudly puncture the top layer of snow, until she left the shop behind her, until she reached the tree-lined hillside. Then she ran, skirting the edge of the thin alley that curved up above the line of shops on High Street. She knew the way well, but the path was entirely dark. Even after spending her whole life in the neighborhood, she still couldn¡¯t move nearly as fast as she¡¯d hoped or expected. She still wouldn¡¯t risk the flashlight and twice slipped on unseen ice patches. Distantly, more gunfire sounded. She heard sirens, yelling. Enoa didn¡¯t dare stop, but she thought she could hear or imagined she heard the echoing thunderous sounds of Orson¡¯s strange metal boot. Enoa reached the westernmost flagstone path. There were several such stairs, built into the hills throughout town. If her reckoning was correct, this path would lead her right down the hill, well out of sight, all the way to the edge of the park. Orson said his RV was parked in the riverside lot. This was probably the worst place he could have chosen. Orson would need to cross town square to get to his camper. That was entirely unavoidable. Also, Orson would need to drive them up through town square to escape. She had no idea how he intended to manage that, but he¡¯d so far given her no reason to doubt him. Enoa focused on reaching the RV. When she got there, then she¡¯d think about the rest. She arrived at the foot of the flagstone path, still in almost total darkness. A half-dozen dimly lit streetlights stood along the edge of the park. Ahead of her, between the trees and still quite a distance away, Enoa heard shouting, many voices. These weren¡¯t the uniform voices of Liberty Corps soldiers. This was random, a group of people still in the park. After the evening she¡¯d just had, Enoa didn¡¯t even try determining why they were shouting, what had happened. Anything was possible. Enoa used the commotion. The road between the flagstone path and the furthest edge of the park remained empty. Enoa crossed to the park and walked under the first line of trees. She was still in total darkness and walked on the balls of her feet, searching the ground ahead of her for roots, ice, or uneven pavement. Somewhere, away to her left, the shattered remains of the destroyed train still lay, unseen. Enoa was now only dozens of feet from the other end of the park, from the small dirt road that ran down to the river, to Orson¡¯s RV. What would she do if the Liberty Corps or the town council or someone had taken the strange man¡¯s camper? No, she wouldn¡¯t think about that. ¡°We are not going with you!¡± A man¡¯s voice screamed. The air had gone totally still. Enoa heard the shout clearly, even over the hundred-foot distance. The trouble was happening over toward the festival stage. Other distant voices responded, saying words she could not hear. Enoa reached the far end of the park and saw no one. She reached the hillside dirt road and saw no one. She descended the hill and saw no one. There, down by the water, Enoa saw what could only be Orson¡¯s camper. The light was faint, only stars. The moon could not be seen. But even by starlight, Enoa knew she was seeing something strange, something special, something just as bizarre as the man who drove it. Enoa approached the camper. She couldn¡¯t read the strange writing covering its sides, but the outlandish vehicle tickled at something in the back of her memory. What could this surreal situation possibly remind her of? Suddenly, the whole side of the RV lit up. Someone was shining a light on the camper. Someone was shining a light on her. Involuntarily, Enoa turned around to face the light. Someone stood there, shining a flashlight in her face. She couldn¡¯t see them, but they could see her. ¡°Enoa?¡± Ms. Young, the volunteer, said. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± * * * ¡°Power to the people!¡± Orson shouted as he ran through the crowds in the park. ¡°Vive la Fest!¡± The Liberty Corps squads had stopped chasing him, somewhere back up the hill. He didn¡¯t know why, and he didn¡¯t like it. He also couldn¡¯t stop and think or plan or reconsider. This actually scared him. Orson was seldom afraid. He¡¯d been attacked so often over the last decade that it didn¡¯t bother him. Orson lived a troublemaker¡¯s life. Consequently, people often wanted to do him harm, to kill him, sometimes. Orson did his absolute best to make sure they didn¡¯t succeed. So far, he had an excellent track record of not dying, 100%. However, he did fear what he couldn¡¯t control. What if the Liberty Corps had captured Enoa mid-escape? What if she got lost and never met him down by the river? What if the Liberty Corps got around him and cut both of them off from the river, before he could manage their watery escape? Put simply, Orson had no control over these things. He had created the absolute best plan he could think of, the very best one. There hadn¡¯t exactly been many choices available to him that didn¡¯t involve dismembering at least some of the Liberty Corps attack squad. Now, Orson had no choice but to follow through with his plan, commit to it as best he could, and work his hardest to see that he didn¡¯t die and that Enoa didn¡¯t die or get captured. Orson also hoped that none of the Liberty Corps would be getting dismembered, that night. He didn¡¯t care for the paramilitary troops, and he wasn¡¯t totally committed to their safety. The Corps troops had shot at him, and Orson enjoyed some fights, but he liked the art to them, his practiced skills, his ingenuity, not the violence or the moments of brief, mundane cruelty. But morality aside, dismemberment usually caused situations to become more complicated, not less so. Orson had already stayed up all night, the previous night. He¡¯d wanted to arrive in Nimauk in time for the festival. He¡¯d managed that, but now he faced a second sleepless night. He didn¡¯t need complicated situations. So, wanting a new diversion, Orson charged right through the ranks of the crowds in the park. Some of the travelers cheered. They had gathered a group of people, almost sixty-strong. They faced a Liberty Corps squad, only six men, but more would follow. Orson didn¡¯t doubt that. He didn¡¯t want to endanger these people. He really did not, but he had an odd feeling, a tingle between his shoulder blades, a hunch. Orson¡¯s hunch told him that Enoa was somehow tied to everything happening in Nimauk. His hunch told him that she was necessary to setting things right. Orson lived by his hunches. He gambled his own life for his hunches. He hoped he hadn¡¯t just gambled other lives for this hunch, as well. Regardless, Orson doubted the Liberty Corps would be so brazen as to fire on the crowd of travelers. Even in those suspicious times, a full mob of the festival-goers and townspeople could easily drive the militia from the town. They were scary in their bright armor, but they were vastly outnumbered if everyone else allied against them. Orson was right, the Liberty Corps didn¡¯t shoot at the crowd. They gassed them. Orson had pulled his mask down over his eyes and his air-filtering bandana over his mouth. He¡¯d done this as soon as he¡¯d passed Captain Maros, back up the hill. As always, his preparedness saved him. His mask¡¯s motion sensor caught sight of the gas cloud, moving in. It was almost too dark to see it. Without his mask, Orson would have heard the screams before he saw the gas, whatever it was. The crowd of festival guests and angry locals scattered in all directions, yelling, their line broken, their anger turned to fear. Orson followed the mass of bodies, until their numbers dwindled to the point where he was visible among them. Then he pressed himself against a tree and crouched down. He let his mask scan the outer edge of the park. He wasn¡¯t far from the road down to the river. He wasn¡¯t far from escape. But the Liberty Corps war force had arrived in full, a hundred strong, spread out to surround the park. A line of men and trucks and raised barricades barred all passage away from town square. They wore their helmets, their faces covered, their faces totally protected from the gas attack. Even the little path down to the river was guarded by ten men and a jeep with a 50 caliber machine gun mounted on the back. Orson knew things were about to get complicated and memorable. They were probably about to get violent. He rooted through his pockets, searching. He drew his spare keys from an inside pocket and pressed the little ring to the ground without burying it in snow. He ran his fingers along the keys to the camper¡¯s outer door and its ignition. Then, he watched as a handful of small, metal legs sprouted from the small fob at the base of the key ring. The keys ran off, toward the river and the camper and hopefully Enoa. Orson wasted another heartbeat hoping Enoa had arrived safely. What would he do if she weren¡¯t waiting for him? How could he ever hope to find her? When Orson stood again, his Heads-Up-Display did a quick headcount on the men standing at the top of the dirt road. Twenty now. Another armed jeep had arrived. They had a full barricade. There was absolutely no way Orson could sneak or bargain his way through them. He had a second hunch, one he didn¡¯t doubt. He was sure the militia¡¯s overzealous response was aimed at catching him, personally. Screams echoed out again, elsewhere in the park. The Liberty Corps were closing in. He had to move. Orson adjusted the strap on his sword¡¯s hilt. Then he adjusted the great metal boot on his right foot. He found the hidden control pad, built into the armor. He pressed three buttons. Orson reassured himself that no matter what was about to happen, it would likely be over sometime in the next ten minutes. And no matter what, it wouldn¡¯t be boring. He stepped free of the forest, stepped free of the park, and walked slowly but firmly toward the line of Liberty Corps shock forces. The militia troops heard him first, heard his footfall. Then they saw him, walking through the gas, the eyes of his mask glowing, his sword ready. Either some of these men were about to face dismemberment, or Orson was about to fly. 7 - Welcome Aboard ¡°I heard you were taken into protective custody.¡± Mary Young had been a staple at local events since Enoa¡¯s early childhood. She didn¡¯t know the older woman well, but almost everyone in Nimauk recognized each other on sight. Enoa had no hope of escape without detection. She had no hope of vanishing. She didn¡¯t know how Young felt about the Liberty Corps. She didn¡¯t know Young well enough to predict her thoughts on any subject, but there was no way the volunteer would keep this encounter a secret. The screams from the hilltop spared Enoa from speaking. Young wheeled back toward the dirt road, taking her flashlight beam with her. Even by that light, the gas cloud could be seen, slowly spreading across the hill. ¡°Won¡¯t this night ever end?¡± Young asked. More screams came and the Liberty Corps members shouted. Engines revved. There were vehicles moving up on the hilltop. At least one jeep had parked at the top of the dirt road. Orson was cut off. He could never reach her now. Enoa fumbled in the darkness, searching for the RV¡¯s door handle. What were the chances the strange man had left his vehicle unlocked? She found the door¡¯s frigid metal handle. She pulled on it, but it didn¡¯t budge. Of course not. What had she been thinking? She didn¡¯t know how safe she would be in Liberty Corps custody, but she would undoubtedly be safer than she was now, having evaded and resisted their attempt to apprehend her. Now, she was stranded, by the river, with no hope of escape. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Enoa?¡± Young turned the flashlight back toward her. ¡°I¡¯m sure I heard you were brought in for protection. But now you¡¯re here with this weird camper boat. I met the man who drove this. Do you know him? I¡¯m here to give him his change. I was afraid he¡¯d be gone. He paid double for parking! All weird types are here tonight, but now this riot, this violence, these angry security men. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be like this for us. Even after these last few years, I thought we were different.¡± She stared at Enoa, clearly expecting answers or insight. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Enoa spoke only slowly. Screams still called down from the hill. ¡°I actually have protection.¡± Enoa was once again spared from delivering a proper answer. Something, some shape, as big as the palm of her hand, came scuttling into the circle of flashlight illumination. Both women jumped away from the creature. The bug, if bug it was, had a shiny carapace and several quick legs. The creature leapt onto the side of the RV. At face level, Enoa saw the creature¡¯s body shine in the light, shine like metal, moving like something mechanical. The strange thing raced up onto the camper¡¯s roof. Young screamed. ¡°Dear God! Horrible! What in heavens is that?¡± Enoa had her own hunch, now. The RV, Orson¡¯s RV, was a boat, Young had said. It could drive on the water. Before Enoa could follow her thoughts to their logical conclusion, the RV came alight with a warm, cozy, yellow illumination. Then the RV roared to life with a great, thunderous revving sound. Young jumped away from the light and noise, clutching both arms to her chest. Enoa also stepped back, just in time for the camper¡¯s door to swing out toward her. Inside, she could see a plush couch, several chairs, a whole row of computer screens, and a wobbling chrome thing that looked like a modern-art sculpture of a pine tree. Enoa stepped toward the RV. Should she wait for Orson to get aboard? She still didn¡¯t see how he¡¯d get past the Liberty Corps, but he¡¯d been full of surprises all night. She didn¡¯t know what she should do. ¡°I¡¯d stay away from that.¡± Young said. ¡°This thing is weird, and it looks familiar to me, like it¡¯s something I saw in the news. The traveler who drove it, did you say you know him?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for a reply. ¡°He seemed nice enough, but he could be some fugitive, some murderer for all I know.¡± Gunfire sounded on the hill, sustained gunfire. More shouts too, yells, and screams. But one sound, a repeated yell, briefly rose above the noise. ¡°Get in! Get in! Get in! Get in!¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know Orson¡¯s voice well enough to recognize it under duress, through gunfire, through fear. But just then, the RV began to edge forward, crawling toward the river on its own. Enoa didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She ran to catch up with the camper and its open, welcoming door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Young called after her. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Be safe!¡± Enoa shouted over her shoulder to the frightened volunteer. ¡°Have a good night! You¡¯ll be safer without me around.¡± Enoa dove into the camper, only feet from the water¡¯s edge, her backpack and other bags landing across her back. She slid a foot across the vinyl floor. Inside, Enoa forced herself onto her elbows and looked around. She saw the whole front of the camper was loaded with blinking green lights, monitors and screens, as well as more controls than any camper, even an amphibious one, rightly needed. She saw the chrome pine tree, which spun in slow circles. She saw the neatly furnished living area, filled with several chairs, presumably bolted to the floor. Beyond that was a small kitchenette and walled off compartments, storage or living quarters, probably. Enoa wriggled free of her packs. She stood and looked back toward the hill, toward Ms. Young, and the fights in the park. She expected to see Orson charge free of the Liberty Corps ranks, running and shouting, legions of men chasing him, before heroically jumping aboard at the last second. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. That didn¡¯t happen. The RV rolled into the water with no sign of the traveler. Enoa considered jumping out again. Her water craft experience extended no farther than the rafting trips she¡¯d taken, while camping, the better part of a decade earlier. She couldn¡¯t drive some amphibious RV down a river with the Liberty Corps after her. Without Orson she didn¡¯t stand a chance. The RV shut off, went totally quiet. Enoa looked at the camper¡¯s dashboard again. The many lights had gone out, although she noticed for the first time that there was a key in the RV¡¯s ignition. The key was on a ring with a thick shiny fob, the same color as the creature that had startled her and Ms. Young. Orson had sent the keys. He clearly had a plan. Could some autopilot drive her down the river? She just wanted some explanation, anything. Enoa jumped when the RV came to life again. Everything wobbled around her. Enoa grabbed her bags before they could slide toward the open door. She backed away and fell into the camper¡¯s sofa, set against the opposite wall. The dashboard lights lit up, blue this time. Then the camper pushed away from shore and started off onto the river. The door automatically swung closed before any water sloshed aboard. Enoa had lost her chance. Whether Orson arrived or not, she was stuck. ¡°Light ¡®em up. Light ¡®em up!¡± A command called out from the hilltop. Gunfire sounded again, but this time it was many guns, dozens, blasting. This was not a warning. They were shooting to kill. Enoa didn¡¯t get to worry or formulate any kind of conjecture. She looked through the round window in the top of the door. Something, someone, rocketed off the ground and flew high above the hilltop. The gunfire got even louder. The Liberty Corps forces on the hill were trying to aim at the flying thing, trying to shoot it. They were failing. Enoa saw the flying shape launch itself closer. The shape resolved in her vision, illuminated by the light of its propulsion, until she understood that the flying shape was a flying man. Orson flew free of the Liberty Corps ranks, light and fire blasting from the bottom of his mechanical boot. He¡¯d pulled his other armor-less leg up inside his billowing coat. He didn¡¯t fly gracefully. He didn¡¯t fly with power or majesty, some pulp character, invincible or heroic. But he did fly. He flew out of reach of the Liberty Corps. Dozens of armed troops, surprised and then furious, tried and tried and failed to shoot him from the sky. Enoa heard their shouting, their rage, their frothing anger at their ongoing failure. Orson crested his high arc, up above the river. Then he passed out of sight. A small round hatch opened in the RV¡¯s ceiling. Enoa didn¡¯t even bother feeling shocked about this. She was still too numb. Orson dropped through the ceiling with a metallic clunk. The hatch cycled closed above him. He charged forward to the camper¡¯s dashboard. He pulled his sword belt over his head and slid the sheathed weapon into a trio of hooks along the wall. Then he slipped his mask down onto his chest and settled into the driver¡¯s seat, before belting himself in place. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come on up here?¡± He waved at the front passenger seat. ¡°Sorry for running late. Things got a little hairy back in the park. I think Man Bun pulled this whole crackdown just to catch little old me.¡± Enoa edged forward. She expected the floor to wobble under her feet. It did bob up and down, ever so slightly, but everything moved far smoother than Enoa had imagined. She took the passenger seat, her backpack, shopping bags, and her aunt¡¯s walking stick situated between her knees. ¡°You scared me half to death.¡± She buckled her own seatbelt. ¡°What would I have done if you didn¡¯t have a camper boat and a jet boot?¡± ¡°That depends.¡± Orson spun the steering wheel and turned them properly down the river. ¡°Do you have any boating experience?¡± Then he leaned back toward her and extended his hand. ¡°I almost forgot.¡± ¡°Forgot what?¡± She tentatively shook his gloved hand. ¡°To welcome you aboard the Aesir. It¡¯s been just me aboard for a long while.¡± ¡°The Aesir?¡± Enoa had heard that weird word before. She definitely had. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a pretentious name for a ship. I forget that, seeing as I¡¯ve been roaming around in this thing on and off for over a decade. It¡¯s named after some Norse story, the guys the Vikings prayed to or something like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t get to explain what she meant. Bullets struck the water, just beside the Aesir. The Liberty Corps, firing from the shore, had missed, but not by far. ¡°Damn!¡± Orson turned a dial beside his steering wheel. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to waste a little energy to power up the shields. Then I guess you¡¯d better hang on.¡± ¡°Hang on?¡± Enoa tightened her seatbelt as far as it would go. ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson reached for a lever on the wall beside him. ¡°Water takeoffs are a real bitch.¡± ¡°Takeoffs?¡± ¡°Takeoffs.¡± He grinned and pulled the lever. Enoa felt like something slammed into the floor beneath her feet. With an audible splash, the Aesir left the river and glided above the rushing water. Orson began to laugh. But then the RV let out a strange descending whine. His laughter turned into a groan, and the Aesir flopped into the water, hard. Enoa briefly saw beneath the water¡¯s current. ¡°Shit!¡± Orson pressed his hand to his face. ¡°I never switched the solar cells.¡± He unbuckled his seatbelt and stood, leaving the wheel untended. ¡°Where are you going?¡± She shoved against her own seatbelt, pushed as far as it would move. She watched him run toward the back of the camper. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to, I don¡¯t know, drive?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± He looked back at her. ¡°I need to get a new battery, but if you do have boating experience, feel free to slide on over. It¡¯s a pretty easy setup, really.¡± Orson left her alone in the front of the cabin. * * * Every one of the stories was true. ¡°I want our boats in the water.¡± Liberty Corps Captain Maros had learned of Enoa¡¯s escape from the frantic Sheriff. He¡¯d arrived in town square to see the standoff with the wayfarer and the RV on the water. He could assume the rest. So, this was Orson Gregory, after all. Maros knew he had only minutes to marshal his forces before Gregory slipped away. He struggled to remember the odd urban legends he¡¯d heard about Orson Gregory and the allegedly magical wayfarers who wandered the back roads of America, before everything had gone wrong in the world. ¡°I want the entire war force tracking him from the shore, and I need both our long range guns online.¡± Maros didn¡¯t know all the names of the men he was leading. Many had been summoned from outside divisions, cycled into Nimauk specifically to help his command with the current operation. Maros worked to keep his voice steady, certain. They all had every reason to be worried, but he couldn¡¯t let that enter his voice. ¡°Both, sir?¡± Lieutenant Goes usually served in a separate company, based well to the north, in New England. Maros knew his name, but little else about him. Goes, like most Liberty Corps officers, was at least a few years older than Maros. It was not unusual for the young captain to be forced into explaining his commands twice. ¡°This is Orson Gregory we¡¯re dealing with, AKA Wayfarer One.¡± Maros would not make the mistake of underestimating a living folktale. ¡°Have you ever heard of the Aesir?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Goes went stiff, visible even through his white helmet and armor. ¡°We need to be ready for anything.¡± Maros faced the river, where the strange vehicle floated, out of sight. ¡°In the stories I¡¯ve heard, the Aesir can fly.¡± 8 - Wayfarer One Enoa did not ¡®slide on over¡¯ to the driver¡¯s seat. She stayed where she was, gripping the sides of her passenger seat. She tried to ignore the world, ignore Orson¡¯s muttering and cursing, the crashing noises from somewhere behind her. She tried to ignore the distant sound of the rushing water and the gurgling around them. ¡°I know I just saw them.¡± Orson said more, but his next words were drowned out by whatever banging noise he caused. ¡°There are only so many places they can be. How do things disappear on this boat?¡± She managed to ignore just about everything until she saw the two lights, headed upstream, coming directly at them. ¡°Orson!¡± Enoa twisted around in her seatbelt. ¡°Someone else is out on the water, and I think they¡¯re here for us.¡± ¡°Boat or submarine?¡± Orson stopped rummaging through whatever he was digging at. Enoa looked back at the lights on the water. ¡°Submarine?¡± The Cloud family had stayed locally in part due to their skill on the waterways. Enoa knew without question that no submarine could traverse a river as shallow and wild as the Nimauk, but still, after the nonstop surrealism of her night, she looked back at the lights on the water. She could see no shape of the approaching craft, only illumination. ¡°Submarines can¡¯t travel up rivers.¡± Orson chuckled, a knowing sound. Enoa tried unsuccessfully to keep the laugh from irritating her. ¡°That¡¯s probably just the Liberty Corps, then.¡± He returned to his rummaging. ¡°Hey, I think they¡¯re in this box. They should be right there.¡± After one last immense crash, during which Orson groaned and strained against something unseen, she heard his footsteps begin to return. He was too late. The boats arrived, right on top of them. Their lights resolved into the shapes of small, sleek watercraft, big enough for several people. Enoa saw shapes aboard, Liberty Corps men, probably. Orson settled back into his seat, just as the two boats passed them and disappeared from sight. ¡°They¡¯re gonna try and board us.¡± Orson held out his hand toward her. ¡°Hey, could you please hold these for a second?¡± ¡°Sure?¡± She reached out her open palms, hands together. ¡°Thanks.¡± Orson dropped two fist-sized metal pyramids into her hands. ¡°Solar cells. They do most of the heavy lifting with powering this baby. I need to switch in some fully charged ones if I¡¯m going to fly and operate the shields at the same time.¡± With a hollow thud, something or several somethings slapped up against the Aesir¡¯s hull. Next came a slight clicking noise, metal on metal, coming along the ship¡¯s side, toward them. ¡°They¡¯re not total morons.¡± Orson scratched his chin. ¡°The shield is only triggered by fast moving stuff, projectiles. They¡¯re trying to board us right away.¡± He reached beneath the dashboard and pulled on a long lever. ¡°Listen to this. I¡¯m going to do a little trick I learned when I was traveling with my old buddy, Wayne. I just have to re-configure the shield a little bit to mess with their magnet clamps.¡± He pulled the lever farther. The men who had been crawling across their hull yelled. Several splashes sounded, as they fell into the water. But as soon as they fell, a new unnervingly strange sound started, like someone was repeatedly striking a huge hollow drum. The sound grew in intensity, beating out again and again, behind them. ¡°They¡¯re shooting the shield with a Gatling gun.¡± Orson turned his head toward the new noise. ¡°Now, I really have to hurry. I figured we were mostly safe. They want to take you alive, so I assumed they wouldn¡¯t use any major firepower against us.¡± Orson left the controls a second time. He slid down in the seat until he was crouched beneath the dashboard. With effort, he pushed aside part of the dash, revealing a small compartment. Meanwhile, the sound of the Gatling gun had continued, beating the Aesir¡¯s shields, pounding out the threatening hollow drum pulse again and again and again. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for those batteries in one second.¡± Orson removed two pyramids, the ones already plugged into the ship¡¯s flight control. Then he held his right arm backwards toward her. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take them now, thanks.¡± She deposited the charged cells in his hand. ¡°Alright, now watch this.¡± Orson plugged the new pyramids into the Aesir, closed the panel, and slid back up into his seat. ¡°Time to punch it.¡± Orson pulled the lever on the wall beside him. That time, the ship didn¡¯t even leave the water. It immediately let out the descending whine. Then a small error appeared on the windshield, like a popup across a computer monitor. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Orson stretched forward to read it. Enoa couldn¡¯t make out the words, but she assumed it was bad news. Orson groaned again. Then he took the steering wheel and directed the Aesir through a series of wild turns. The Gatling barrage pummeled the river in their wake. ¡°Things just got more interesting,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡¯m going to let you state your opinion, seeing as you¡¯re the one they want to capture.¡± ¡°I¡¯d really rather you just fixed this mess!¡± Enoa shouted over the thrumming percussive beat from the gun, still crashing into the water. She appreciated what Orson had done to protect her, but her gratitude would last only so long. She gripped the arms of her seat, her fingers digging into the fabric. She¡¯d never been seasick, but the twisting maneuvers on the river gave her a nasty lightheaded sensation. Behind them, some of the items Orson had dislodged from the closet slid into the main cabin with a great crash. ¡°Honestly, Captain, this current chase wouldn¡¯t be an issue if your ship could do what you say it can. I¡¯m a little worried the problem is worse than you¡¯re letting on, and I¡¯m starting to rethink my decisions. Again.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Fair, fair.¡± He nodded. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ve got two choices. Fight the men in the boat. Stop them. Hurt them, probably. Or I pull back on the road. The Aesir needs to reconfigure, and it can only do that from solid ground. That seems like the better choice, but look at this.¡± Orson pressed a button built into the steering wheel. The ship¡¯s headlights got brighter, much brighter, bright enough to illuminate the shoreline, some passing buildings, the railroad tracks, and the road out of town. The road was filled with cars. A whole procession of vehicles, actually, jeeps and trucks and hummers, all following them, tracking them from the shore. Some fired upon them as they passed. ¡°Our friend, Man Bun, got his whole posse together.¡± Orson stretched his hands. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a bigger crew than I expected. Even if we take out the boats, those guys can still shoot us.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to participate in a big car chase.¡± He stretched his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯m usually way better at rescues.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± She didn¡¯t know what else she could say. It wasn¡¯t okay, really. None of it was okay. Nothing had been okay all night, but at least Orson apologized for it. ¡°It¡¯s been a little while since I¡¯ve been in a chase.¡± Orson got ahold of the steering wheel. ¡°You¡¯re local. Do you know anywhere convenient to slip out of the water?¡± Enoa looked out at the darkened landscape. She hadn¡¯t gone on the river at night since¡­ She couldn¡¯t remember when. ¡°There¡¯s an old boat launch that the scouts had,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s still coming up. You should be able to slip out there.¡± Orson nodded and sidled the Aesir closer to the shore. Enoa saw a boat launch and a low riverbank, close to the water, but she didn¡¯t have time to see if it was the scouting camp. Orson drove them out of the water at full speed. The Aesir whined when its pilot forced the poor boat to switch immediately back into camper mode. But then the dashboard lights blinked green, and the massive RV trundled away from the water, much slower than it had gone as a boat. Enoa watched the headlights of the Liberty Corps draw closer and closer, up on the main road, within a hundred feet. Orson drove through the break in the railing beside the edge of the road, skidding through mud and ice and rocks. He pulled the Aesir onto the road itself and gunned the craft up to some obscene velocity, fast enough that Enoa felt herself press back into her seat. Orson slapped the solar cell dashboard compartment. Almost immediately, a giant message displayed across the windshield. It read, ¡°Reconfiguration - 12%¡±. The headlights showed nothing ahead in the road. The various fest-going travelers had either fled or found shelter for the night. Nothing barred their path. Orson had maneuvered the Aesir onto the road ahead of the Liberty Corps caravan. But the massive procession of vehicles drove only a few car lengths behind them. The Liberty Corps guns blared out. The barrage on the shields was so much that another popup appeared in front of Orson, begging him to allocate more power to the defenses. Thankfully for Enoa, she could not read this. Orson simply ignored it. 34% A horrible wailing siren sounded inside the cabin. Enoa covered her ears. She sat down further in her seat. What had she gotten herself into? Orson looked at his sensors, saw the threat, and twisted the steering wheel to the left. One of the Corps vehicles had launched out some kind of harpoon. A hook carrying a long steel chain passed them on their right and buried itself in the road, a frightening, but harmless, near miss. 76% ¡°Shields almost depleted.¡± A cool female voice spoke calmly down from speakers built into the Aesir¡¯s ceiling. ¡°It is inadvisable to leave the ship¡¯s shields at such low power. Risks of low power include...¡± The drumming of the gunfire only continued. ¡°Ugh.¡± Orson pointed toward Enoa¡¯s side of the dashboard. ¡°Hey, do you see the blinking yellow button. I¡¯m sorry about the sirens and noises. I thought I turned off the warning lady voice. If you hit that button she¡¯ll stop talking.¡± ¡°Shields almost depleted.¡± The warning lady voice continued to speak. ¡°It¡¯s not the sirens or the lady I¡¯m worried about.¡± Enoa searched for the button anyway. She found the little yellow light, blinking in the sea of green. ¡°I¡¯m a lot more concerned about what¡¯s causing them.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he agreed. ¡°I can see that.¡± He laughed. She pressed the yellow button. The warning lady voice stopped talking. Once the sound stopped, Enoa couldn¡¯t help but laugh with him. 91% The Liberty Corps pushed their vehicles to the limit. The sound of their many weapons was deafening. The roar of the collective engines was even louder. Orson swerved the Aesir this way and that, avoiding most of the gunfire. Somehow he managed to do this and still keep the massive vehicle barreling ahead at what felt like somewhere north of one hundred kilometers an hours, absurd speed, dangerous, ridiculous speed. Time slowed and the screen showed the percentage climbing at a crawl. It halted at ninety-nine percent for almost three-dozen heartbeats. Enoa¡¯s own pulse beat so fiercely in her chest she couldn¡¯t help but count it. At least counting let her almost forget the death machines that bore down on them, firing enough lead to destroy a small city. 100% Orson pulled the lever, and Enoa felt the slamming sensation at her feet. The Aesir rocketed away from the road, through the trees and hills, away from the Liberty Corps, leaving their jeeps and trucks and hummers and boats impotently behind. Orson laughed again, an unreasonably boisterous sound, given how close their escape had been. ¡°Should I do a little fly by so we can pop ¡®em the bird?¡± Orson relaxed his hands. ¡°Just a quick one. I think I might. I¡¯m partial to...¡± The proximity alarm wailed again, followed by a gradually intensifying beeping. Orson wrenched the steering wheel to the side. Something soared past them, flying even higher into the night sky before exploding in a brilliant green lightshow. ¡°These guys are major players to have arms like that.¡± He spun two dials at the wall. Every light in the Aesir shut off. They were left in total and complete darkness. Down below them, Enoa could see the huge mass of the gathered Liberty Corps procession. Their illumination practically rivaled the greater glow from the town beside it. Before the militia had a chance to fire off their long-range guns a second time, Orson pulled his mask up onto his eyes. It must have allowed him to see because he flew the Aesir forward, still in darkness. ¡°Start thinking of places we might be able to land and hide.¡± Orson didn¡¯t look away from the darkened landscape. ¡°Land?¡± Enoa had stopped thinking about anything after escape. Escape became her whole world, the ultimate release from all her fears. If they escaped, there would be no problems left. Except that wasn¡¯t true. All of her problems remained. For the second time, Enoa imagined the road outside Nimauk, other places, different places, safe places. ¡°Yeah. Those guys are worse than I thought, way worse. There¡¯s something major going on in your town. I¡¯m talking world scale level bad. This might break into the top twenty-five most dangerous situations I¡¯ve been in, if I¡¯m being totally honest.¡± ¡°What are we going to do?¡± No, she wouldn¡¯t run away, not yet. These men, the Liberty Corps or the Sight-Stealers or whoever they were, they¡¯d come to her town. They were endangering her people and her home. She would see to it they were stopped, somehow, once she¡¯d halted the shaking in her hands. Orson turned to look at her. She suspected he was smiling, but she couldn¡¯t see the movement in the dark. ¡°First I need to pay you for that little painting I grabbed. Hopefully it didn¡¯t get too messed up riding around in my pocket. Then I guess we¡¯ve got a mystery or a few to solve.¡± 9 - The Legend of the Aesir The Wintertide Festival had long been known as the biggest costume party in the world. For decades, that had been enough to draw travelers from across the globe. The half-forgotten Nimauk culture and the towering, fairy-tale-esque hills also called to the wanderlust yearning of the American story. Now, most of the visitors roamed no more than two hundred miles. But some others were drawn from farther afield; vendors with nowhere to sell their wares. Many annual farmers markets, fairs, and expos had faded into the past. Others visited too, called to one of the few great, notable events, a relic of the old world, a lone beautiful stop on the nearly empty highway. Iosefa Afu made his living flying a puddle jumper plane between the Micronesian Islands where he¡¯d been bred, where he¡¯d grown up, where he still lived. Fifteen years ago, he¡¯d met a local Nimauk woman, his future wife, Lise, while she toured his native islands. Once married, they¡¯d annually attended the Wintertide Fest, until the skies became too dangerous. Iosefa knew his wife desperately missed her childhood home and after years of apprehension, they¡¯d once again completed the journey. Once, it had taken them only days, much of that time spent sightseeing. This year, the journey lasted two weeks, with multiple stops in backwater airfields, untended and abandoned, with fuel very hard to find. Iosefa was relieved at their safe arrival and glad he¡¯d managed the journey, but he feared his time away from work and feared to travel home. He was immensely comforted to see the Aesir, beyond any logical emotion he could put into words. Iosefa knew men and women who¡¯d been forcibly and wrongfully incarcerated by the IHSA on the Isla de Manos, the secret Isle of Hands, where so many unspeakable, bizarre war machines had been constructed. All of those tales spoke of the prison break, the great revolt. All of those tales mentioned the Aesir, the strange flying machine that aided the revolution and flew for days, ferrying prisoners away from the scarred island. The Isle of Hands now lay deserted, a burned, empty shell, forgotten by the world, but the stories lived on. Iosefa recognized the Aesir when he saw it, and he was proud to share the sky with Wayfarer One. Gary Parrish and his husband had adopted a young girl, orphaned after the Thunderworks attack on New York City. She¡¯d read about the Wintertide Festival in school, before the funding dried up and her home education began. It had been difficult for Mr. Parrish to escape work long enough for this vacation, south to Pennsylvania. Lawyers are necessary, even after the end of the world, especially after the end of the world. Disturbed by the intense noise of gunfire and explosions, Mr. Parrish saw the Aesir¡¯s flight from his family¡¯s hotel suite balcony. He watched the odd craft blast into the sky and disappear. Instantly, he remembered seeing that shape, that same ship, on the blurry, shaky international newscast sent from Norlenheim, in Scandinavia. There, the Aesir had helped defeat the organization that killed his daughter¡¯s birth parents. Mr. Parrish lived the law, the law of the pre-shutdown world. He abhorred violence. Even so, he couldn¡¯t help feeling rare and untempered excitement, when he saw the Aesir go dark and escape. Brigid O¡¯Malley was born in Massacheusetts, but lived in Maine for almost ten years. She¡¯d worked imports at New Galway Harbor, within thirty miles of the Canadian border. Her career died slowly, like the shipping business, like her town. Jobless, and with few surviving local family members, she¡¯d packed her truck with as many provisions as she could afford, as well as her handful of notable keepsakes. Then she¡¯d taken the long road south, aiming for Florida, in search of work, before passing through Nimauk¡¯s festival, almost by accident. She¡¯d discovered a festival sign, after leaving the broken interstate by the wrong exit. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Brigid wouldn¡¯t know the name Orson Gregory, not if someone asked her. But somewhere, back in the unconscious hidden depths of her mind, she remembered the national manhunt for the boy, just eighteen years old, who had disappeared from his New England home. She couldn¡¯t remember whether he¡¯d been kidnapped or accused of a crime, but she¡¯d heard rumors about the boy¡¯s triumphant return and how he¡¯d been instrumental in the defeat of the Blitzkrieg domestic terrorist ring, the organization that many believed began the world¡¯s slide into chaos. When Brigid saw Orson¡¯s face, as he rushed past her in the Nimauk town square, she didn¡¯t consciously recognize him, but he reminded her of a vague feeling of relief. The boy who had once vanished onto the highway still lived and still wandered the world. Suddenly, Brigid¡¯s own road did not seem so dangerous. Before the end of the night, all three of these travelers were detained and forcibly held in the Nimauk Visitor and Entertainment Center. Before the end of the night, all three of these travelers witnessed the next chapter in the legend of the Aesir, as well as the arrival of a new central character in the story of their time. * * * The Aesir had escaped. It had vanished. It was gone. Captain Maros should have reprimanded his men, delivered retribution and punishment. They had not relied primarily on catching the fleeing ship with their winch anchors and tow cables. He¡¯d specifically commanded them to do so. They¡¯d wasted a sixth of their year¡¯s allotment of ammunition. They¡¯d publicly embarrassed themselves. But when Liberty Corps Agent Duncan Racz found Maros, staring over the edge of an iron-railed overlook, beside the train station, the young Captain didn¡¯t look frustrated. Duncan knew his friend. Maros wasn¡¯t mad. He wasn¡¯t even annoyed. ¡°What the hell are you grinning about?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°Why are you in uniform?¡± Maros didn¡¯t quite manage to pull the smile from his face. ¡°I thought I told you to get into a second disguise.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got one or two lined up.¡± Duncan pulled at the shoulder of his white officer¡¯s armor. ¡°But I thought you might need a little backup after...¡± The Agent didn¡¯t know how to finish his sentence without insulting his Corps Family. ¡°They aren¡¯t disciplined.¡± Maros turned around and pressed his lower back against the railing. ¡°They failed, but given the odds against them, I think they did rather well. I marshaled them successfully within fifteen minutes, and they chased down a vehicle that operates on roads, water, and can fly. That¡¯s an admirable start. They¡¯ll learn.¡± ¡°Admirable doesn¡¯t matter when you¡¯re up against world class skill. Look, I didn¡¯t believe you about Gregory, but that was undeniable.¡± Duncan loosened his breastplate. Should his new disguise be an astronaut or a knight? Something with a helmet, he¡¯d decided. ¡°There¡¯s no second place in this situation.¡± ¡°But there is a first place.¡± Maros smiled openly. ¡°Look, you¡¯ve stood by me these last two years, and I¡¯ll never forget that. You¡¯ve ignored everyone¡¯s doubts. Every other Corps Captain in the world is working to master the Ferrant-side Power, and I¡¯m here looking for buried treasure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re studying iron too.¡± ¡°Not enough.¡± Maros reached for the hilt of his sword, sheathed at his belt. ¡°I¡¯ve never done any work without the forge, but now I¡¯ve done something more important. We¡¯ll be on the fast track to nationwide positions soon.¡± He balled his prosthetic hand into a fist. ¡°And it will make everything right, correct all my past failures.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been through this, Kol.¡± Duncan rested his hand on Maros¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault what happened.¡± ¡°Soon fault won¡¯t matter. Soon I will find the key to rebuilding the world. We¡¯ll be saving the world, Duncan, just like when we were kids, jumping around with those dollar store plastic swords Max gave us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy.¡± Duncan drew his hand back. ¡°I really am, but you can¡¯t discount Orson Gregory or the Cloud woman. They aren¡¯t going to just sit by and...¡± ¡°Master Nine will deal with them,¡± Maros interrupted. ¡°They¡¯re no match for Nine in the right environment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I fully trust Master Nine.¡± Duncan did not want to have this conversation again. ¡°I know I don¡¯t.¡± Maros shook his head. ¡°Not after his actions with the derailment. But if we manage the next steps properly, we won¡¯t have to trust Nine.¡± ¡°What is next?¡± ¡°Next you get into your new disguise, like we talked about.¡± Maros turned back to the railing. He scanned the rushing water, thinking of the power that had sent four train cars into the depths. ¡°Then I¡¯ll send three squads down to question everyone who witnessed the Aesir. We need to spin this back in our favor. That won¡¯t be easy, but once it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll personally contact Master Nine. It¡¯s time we finish two years of work.¡± 10 - The Thousand-Point Compass ¡°I wish I¡¯d had time to restock my pantry before we got chased out of town.¡± Orson had landed the Aesir in the ruins of a small village. Enoa used to visit it while she hiked outside town, daydreaming about the far-off places she¡¯d see, before she¡¯d realized how dearly she loved her home. Immigrants built the village, European settlers who labored in the local industries, mining and the transportation of the ore pulled from the ground. That was almost two hundred years earlier, when active mines operated throughout the Nimauk hills. The mines were gone, but the village¡¯s stone foundations remained. A few walls stood, like tombstones memorializing the long dead. Orson had driven through the village and parked behind one of the standing walls. They came to a stop only a dozen yards from the hill¡¯s edge, an overlook that would let them keep watch over the festival town until the time came for their return. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be planning?¡± Enoa sat on the Aesir¡¯s couch. She watched Orson shed his coat and both boots. Without most of his bizarre gear, he looked somehow more average than before. Now only his shoulder-length mop of hair separated him from any other random person who¡¯d wander into her shop on a festival day. ¡°We¡¯ll need a good plan for going back into town and dealing with the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°We definitely need a plan.¡± Orson retrieved his key ring from the ignition. He used the odd key to unlock the series of cabinets that ran along the top of the kitchenette section of the ship. He retrieved a box from a cabinet and shook it, making its contents rustle around. ¡°But I flew and drove twelve hours to be here today, and all I¡¯ve had since breakfast was a funnel cake at one of those food carts.¡± He grabbed a few more boxes, as well. ¡°Are you hungry? How does chicken rice soup sound?¡± ¡°Thank you for the warm welcome,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m vegan. I packed some food of my own, though, so you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± Enoa¡¯s appetite had gone when her name was spoken by the dying train man. It hadn¡¯t returned, but she knew she should likely eat anyway. She had no idea what sort of madness and danger she¡¯d face in the next several hours. ¡°Vegan, okay.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°That¡¯s probably way cheaper these days, at least when local crops are in season. All I can get ahold of half the time is grain. I have enough rice here to sink a ship. Well, not literally.¡± He walked across the room to a refrigerator, a big silver industrial model. Enoa could see from her side of the room that the big fridge was nearly empty. She saw a few containers of liquids, tightly secured in the door, but little else. Orson slid open a drawer in the bottom of the fridge. ¡°Hey, I do have tomatoes! How about I make a big pot of minestrone? I can get that all ready, and we can compare notes. That way you can save the food you packed in case something bizarre goes down, and we get separated.¡± ¡°Separated?¡± Enoa hadn¡¯t even packed her pocket knife. ¡°We have to get over there before the Liberty Corps figures out that the thing they¡¯re looking for is buried underground beneath your store.¡± Orson finished compiling ingredients. He gathered them together on a long segment of metal countertop. She smelled onion and garlic and oregano. Then Orson unlocked two steel compartments, set into the wall. From within, he brought out a long apron and removed a knife from a built-in knife block. He tied the apron ¨C emblazoned with the grinning image of a cartoon cactus ¨C behind his back. He began to chop. ¡°There¡¯s every chance you¡¯ll have to go down there alone.¡± ¡°Underground?¡± Enoa laughed. ¡°I think if there was something buried under my home and place of work, I¡¯d know about it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Orson looked over his shoulder at her. ¡°You¡¯re sure there aren¡¯t any secret passages buried under your inventory?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Enoa lied. She held his gaze until he looked away. ¡°Okay.¡± Orson returned to his chopping. He moved the knife at great, casual speed, television cooking show speed. ¡°Well, I guess the entrance to the underground trove must not be on your store premises, but I really think the Dreamside Road is hidden under your property.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the Dreamside Road?¡± ¡°Uhhhh.¡± Orson walked to the ship¡¯s stove. He turned it on and set a pot on one of the burners. ¡°The Dreamside Road was the name of this hippy new age thing where if you follow the correct mantras and thoughts in your mind you¡¯ll achieve oneness with the energy of the universe and get magic powers.¡± He measured olive oil and poured it into the pot. ¡°Or something like that.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a new age state of mind hidden under my store?¡± Enoa would¡¯ve raised her eyebrow at him if he¡¯d been looking at her. ¡°No.¡± Even with his back turned, she knew he was smiling. ¡°The IHSA, you know who they are, right? The Hierarchia Statute Association?¡± ¡°Secret world government?¡± Enoa remembered the name from the mad days before the shutdown, before the current chaotic status quo had taken hold. ¡°They studied the occult and magic, didn¡¯t they?¡± She didn¡¯t see how some old inter-governmental agency had anything to do with her or her home. ¡°Close enough.¡± Orson began to slide the chopped ingredients into the pot. ¡°For seventy years, the IHSA was the public face of an alliance devoted to combining and controlling the powers of the old world and the new. There used to be all kinds of secret cultures, all over the world, they did things I think of as magic. The Hierarchia took them over or hunted them down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m interested in this story,¡± Enoa tried to find a stopping point, somewhere she wouldn¡¯t interrupt Orson by speaking. ¡°But I¡¯m still left wondering how my shop and how I figure into this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°Most of the old Hierarchia records are gone. They went too far and enabled the creation of powerful forces like Thunderworks. Through them, they wound up basically destroying the world and so many of their old projects were just swept away.¡± Orson set a timer on the stove. Then he pulled the apron over his head and walked to the computer area of the ship, where the abstract sculpture of the pine tree stood, wobbling from side to side. Orson drew the small spiked top from his pocket. Enoa watched him fit the metal object onto the uppermost level of the metal tree. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°This is a Thousand-Point Compass.¡± He rested his hand atop the tree, stopping it from moving. ¡°It tracks energy, many kinds of energy, all over the world. The IHSA used these to look for weird stuff, magic wielders and space age science whatsits, except now I¡¯m using it to find the stuff they missed. Back in the 80s a group of International Hierarchia members defected, and they rescued a ton of powerful relics, things stolen from all over the world, Japan, Peru, Egypt, maybe here too. These folks hid the treasure trove of artifacts in a place called the Dreamside Road. They named it after the state of mind they were chasing, that¡¯s their name for the mental zone that lets people use magic ¨C even ordinary people.¡± ¡°You think this treasure is buried under my store?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t believe it. How could she? Her family had run the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea for generations. ¡°I know it¡¯s connected.¡± Orson lifted his hand from the top of the Thousand-Point Compass. Immediately, the top most point spun and turned toward town, turned toward Enoa¡¯s home. ¡°I¡¯ve been following different points of this compass for years, in my spare time. This top one never did much of anything, until three days ago, when suddenly it went all rigid and pointed straight here. Something activated it, made the energy of the treasure come alive somehow. I know it.¡± ¡°Nothing happened three days ago.¡± Enoa thought back. She¡¯d spent the entire day preparing items to travel with her down to her tent for the festival. ¡°You don¡¯t have any way of detecting this particular kind of energy. You don¡¯t even know that the treasure is down under your house.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°I bet the Liberty Corps or whoever they¡¯re working with did something to make it come alive so they could track it.¡± ¡°What type of energy is it? What¡¯s it called, if you know so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no idea.¡± Orson reached down his shirt, grabbing at one of his necklaces. ¡°But I can show you how I know for sure.¡± She walked over to him. He slipped the necklace, chain and all, over his head. ¡°This is a key to the hidden treasure. It¡¯s what started my search for it, almost a year ago. It has the same energy signature, only weaker.¡± He handed it to her. The chain held a small pendant, in the shape of a tower, inside a crescent moon. Its metal felt oddly warm in her hand, warmer than it should get, even pressed against Orson¡¯s skin. ¡°Now hold it next to the top point of the compass.¡± Orson held his hand above the metal tree and pointed down. Enoa followed his instructions. The closer the pendant got to the compass, the more the top segment wobbled. Finally, when she¡¯d nearly pressed the metal of the necklace to the tree, the whole top row swiveled and pointed directly at the pendant. ¡°That¡¯s neat, but I¡¯m not sure it proves anything.¡± Enoa handed the necklace back to Orson. He placed it back around his neck. His stove timer went off, and he returned to the pot, where he added more ingredients, garlic, oregano, and squash. ¡°Who¡¯s to say that whatever the little charm is made of isn¡¯t also found in the soil under my house?¡± She asked. ¡°That charm is in the shape of the symbol worn by a man who learned to wield magic by following the Dreamside Road. He¡¯s one of the people who liberated the Dreamside treasure from the IHSA.¡± ¡°Wait a second!¡± Enoa said. ¡°You were just going to find this treasure and take it, weren¡¯t you? This ¡®buried treasure¡¯ could be local heirlooms, but you were here to play grave robber. Lots of the European settlers had similar ideas in their heads. Just because I¡¯m in the tourist business, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got me all wrong.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°First off, my database says the original Nimauk are dead. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d find you here. I thought this was just some greasy festival exploiting the fact that your people lived here hundreds of years ago. I don¡¯t mean to offend you, but there are a lot more shady tourist traps than there are authentic cultural events.¡± ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°Only about two percent of the town is still of Nimauk descent, even marginally, but most of the planning committee is run by pretty knowledgeable people, and indigenous run businesses like mine make a real killing. I give the festival a pass because, for the most part, we can choose how we¡¯re presented.¡± She frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. Do you really think it¡¯s okay just to dig up dead people¡¯s things and take them?¡± ¡°The stuff I¡¯m after was hidden in like ¡®83.¡± Orson held up both hands. ¡°This is no ancient find. Most of the people involved are still alive. Also, I¡¯m not intending to make a financial score on this. I¡¯m mostly trying to satisfy personal pettiness. I know of people who¡¯d love to have mystical power so I¡¯m gonna get it first, just so they can¡¯t have it. But now, once we find it, it¡¯s all yours, except for the portion that belonged to my mentor, a man called Ophion.¡± ¡°Ophion?¡± She said. ¡°That¡¯s a unique name. Is that the guy with the pendant? ¡°Yes, Ophion was the hippy wizard man who taught me.¡± He closed his hand around the pendant. ¡°I¡¯ve always been a pretty lousy student, but he saved my life a bunch of times.¡± He sighed, letting all the air out of his lungs. Then he inhaled, took a great deep breath. ¡°If you want to know more about me, that¡¯ll take a while. The short version is I like fortune and glory as much as the next post-apocalyptic adventurer, but I¡¯m on this treasure hunt out of pure pettiness.¡± ¡°You think that the treasure is under my shop because your compass spun around in there.¡± Enoa spoke at a slow deliberate pace, her eyes suddenly distant. She did not return Orson¡¯s humor. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it, mostly.¡± ¡°Do you think the Liberty Corps has one of those Thousand-Point Compasses?¡± She still looked beyond him, unfocused. ¡°They might.¡± Orson took a step toward her. What was on her mind? ¡°They¡¯ve never been common. I think only a few dozen were ever made. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t say anything. She walked forward, stepping around Orson and the other chairs, headed toward the Aesir¡¯s side door. She hadn¡¯t been looking at nothing. She¡¯d been looking out the window. A siren called, far away, a wail. It wasn¡¯t a police siren. It wasn¡¯t some Liberty Corps demonstration. No, this was a fire siren. Orson wheeled toward Enoa and toward the round window in the Aesir¡¯s door. Even in darkness, hidden at the top of the hill. Orson saw the thick smoke rising from somewhere in the Nimauk village. ¡°They figured it out.¡± Enoa tore the ship¡¯s door open. She raced out into the darkness. ¡°Enoa, wait!¡± Orson ran after her without even bothering to put his boots on. He did grab his mask, though, before charging out the door. Out on the top of the hill, Orson smelled the smoke, burning wood and plastic and machinery. The fire could be some out of control bonfire, accidentally set by festival drunks. But a building burned, the smell told that truth. More sirens called out, down in the village. They were answered by other calls from far away. Even the surrounding settlements, Nimauk¡¯s neighbors, were offering help to fight some great blaze. Orson arrived at the edge of the hill and the sharp fall into the valley. Enoa crouched there, down on her hands and knees. She¡¯d gone silent, but her fists were clenched in the dirt. A few tears fell from her cheeks, only a few, before her sorrow was consumed by fury. Orson pressed the mask to his eyes. He didn¡¯t know how Enoa could be so certain of the fire¡¯s location, but he believed her. He hoped she was wrong, but he¡¯d been in the adventuring business long enough to cautiously believe the sort of fierce intuition Enoa had just displayed. Orson saw the truth. The Liberty Corps had made their next move. The fire he saw, the flames he could see, leaping up, noticeable even with hardly any magnification ¨C that blaze came from Enoa¡¯s shop, the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. ¡°We¡¯ll get there first.¡± Orson knelt down next to her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I promise they won¡¯t get what they want.¡± To Enoa, it was already too late. Her business, her family, her future, her past, her home; it burned. The smoke rose high over the valley, thick, acrid, reeking, visible even in the depths of night, silhouetted against the lights from town. 11 - Treasures from the Clouds Orson stayed quiet and out of Enoa¡¯s way. He led her back to the Aesir, ushering her away from the sight and smell of smoke as fast as he could manage. She still didn¡¯t speak, when they arrived back aboard, so Orson had gone into his bunk in the rear of the ship, after he¡¯d gotten the soup ingredients all ready and cooking. Enoa needed space to experience the full spectrum of her horror. She needed to feel sorrow, despair, and fury. If she didn¡¯t, if she couldn¡¯t come to terms with her anguish, she¡¯d be no good to anyone, not that night. So Orson made himself scarce, as scarce as was possible on the RV. Enoa, for her part, didn¡¯t notice Orson¡¯s courtesy. She had too many memories to relive. She saw the few scattered moments her toddler brain had saved, memories of her birth parents. She relived the fifteen years she and Aunt Su, Sucorra Cloud, had spent together, all the ways Su had tried to teach her about Nimauk culture. She¡¯d been so bored. She¡¯d ignored so much of it. What was wrong with her? Why did it take the end of her world, losing everything, to become the person she always should have been? Then ordinary, mundane memories began to overwhelm her mind¡¯s capacity for pain. Her bedroom was gone, taking with it all her clothing, the last bottle of her impossible-to-find perfume, her books, her vintage Playstation, and her attempts at watercolor. The living room chair where she¡¯d learned to read, where she¡¯d slogged through homework; it was gone. The gorgeous third-story tower, with the windows that looked out on the Nimauk river valley, that looked out on the same hills her family had observed for millennia ¨C the river and hills and trees remained, but the longtime physical home of the Clouds was gone. The first twenty years of her life had ended with it. That book was closed now, its ink dry. All those memories now ended in fire. She¡¯d hoped her hunch would be proved wrong, so she¡¯d forced Orson to show her the view through his mask. She¡¯d argued away his protestations and forced herself to view the blaze through his magnified goggles. The truth was undeniable. Fire was how that story concluded, the story of her family, burning. All of their heirlooms, all those living memories, other than the scattered items she¡¯d taken before her flight from the Liberty Corps, it was all destroyed, gone forever. The Liberty Corps ¨C they had done this. Enoa clenched her hands into fists so tightly her knuckles ached. She tensed her entire body, her shoulders and knees, even the muscles in her neck and face. They had taken everything from her, everything. An hour passed for Enoa, as she sat there in brooding, violent thought, until she was overcome with exhaustion. She sagged against the couch, surprised to find her back sweaty and all her body¡¯s muscles sore. She was rubbing at her shoulders when Orson returned. ¡°I¡¯m headed to do some recon, in a minute.¡± He scooped himself a bowl of soup with an oversized ladle. He tasted it and nodded. Then he ladled out a second bowl and retrieved a loaf of bread. ¡°You can eat where you are or I can set a place for you at the table.¡± ¡°Table, I guess.¡± She stood. Damn, even her legs hurt. She guessed the day¡¯s madness had finally caught up with her. ¡°Okay.¡± Orson placed the food down at the kitchenette table. Enoa sat in one of the adjacent chairs. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯d like to drink. I have water, obviously, and some generic sodas. It turns out looters don¡¯t favor off-brand stuff, so that¡¯s all I could find.¡± ¡°Water¡¯s fine.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know if she could eat. Underneath her stress and fear and sadness, her body surely needed nourishment. Orson poured her a glass of water and set it on the table beside her food. ¡°I also need some coffee to stay awake for another night.¡± He retrieved a small tin from the cupboard. ¡°Do you want some? I can have it ready for you for when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°You have coffee?¡± She immediately looked up from her food, before tasting it. ¡°I haven¡¯t had coffee in almost two years.¡± ¡°I have a ton, now. I just ran off some bandits for a family-owned coffee farm down in the Bahamas.¡± He poured himself a glass of water. ¡°Be aware though I don¡¯t have sugar. I just have a box of Happia packets.¡± ¡°Happia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a generic sweetener. No good, in my opinion. It doesn¡¯t always melt in the coffee, and it coats my teeth.¡± ¡°Honestly, after two years, if it¡¯s coffee, I don¡¯t care what sweetener you have.¡± Enoa began to eat. The soup tasted good, better than she¡¯d expected, but the flavors of onion and tomato and of the noodles, cooked in the seasoned vegetable broth, were not enough to pull her away from her grief. ¡°Thank you,¡± she managed. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Orson walked to one of the computer terminals in the wall. With the press of a small button, music played, projecting softly down from the speakers in the ceiling, light piano music. Enoa knew the tune, from a song as melancholy and nostalgic as the turning of seasons, but without the lyrics she couldn¡¯t place it. ¡°Okay.¡± Orson had already finished eating. His bowl was already empty. He¡¯d eaten his piece of bread and downed his glass of water. He¡¯d begun to brew the coffee. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of time. I need to do some recon, like I said, down into town, see if I can figure out how we can get to the treasure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± Enoa considered standing, but her sore legs argued against it. ¡°We need to take the fight down to the Liberty Corps if they have a problem with me seeing my home. There¡¯s no way this ship of yours isn¡¯t armed.¡± ¡°No.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°We could lead them right to what they want, and we still don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind this, the real power that destroyed that train.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve faced worse than the people who did this,¡± she said. ¡°Probably,¡± he said. ¡°But I managed things like that because I make sure I¡¯m prepared. I make sure I know who and what I¡¯m dealing with, and right now, I don¡¯t know nearly enough.¡± ¡°We have to go now, if there¡¯s anything that can be saved¡­ If you won¡¯t take me, I¡¯m going myself.¡± ¡°Terrible idea. It¡¯s your choice, but do you want to throw your life away or wind up helping them, or do you want to actually stick it to these pricks?¡± She did not reply. ¡°I¡¯m no fan of sneaking around, but I¡¯m pretty good at it. It¡¯ll be faster and safer if I go alone, unless you know of anywhere I might find underground hatches or passageways, any nearby sewers, sub-basements or other subterranean stuff. I can follow the compass, but anything that¡¯ll get me started is a big help.¡± ¡°Not off the top of my head. I know every item in the building, even all my back inventory, and there¡¯s just nothing like that.¡± ¡°Think about it, if you¡¯re up to it.¡± Orson donned his boots. ¡°If I find something, I¡¯ll come back and get you.¡± He adjusted something on the big metal boot. Then he threw his great coat over his shoulders, fitting his arms through the sleeves carefully, like he was afraid the garment might tear. He buckled his sheathed sword at his back. ¡°If you can¡¯t think of where it might be, and I can¡¯t find it, I¡¯m gonna wind up breaking into the town¡¯s records annex.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be counterproductive?¡± She set her spoon aside. ¡°Then you¡¯d have the Sheriff¡¯s Department after you too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hoping I won¡¯t have to.¡± Orson lifted his walking key ring and slipped it into a coat pocket. ¡°But if I do, I¡¯ll either be dead or out of town before that becomes an issue.¡± He grinned. ¡°If you stay here, you should be safe. The Aesir knows to open fire rather than get boarded.¡± ¡°It shoots at people, automatically?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± He walked to the coffee pot, but then veered away. He headed toward the back of the Aesir, to his cabin. Orson returned almost immediately, holding a device that looked like a TV remote with a clothes hanger sticking out the front end. ¡°This is a little stunning doodad.¡± He flipped the device around in his hand and held it, handle first, toward Enoa. ¡°In the wild unlikelihood that somebody gets in here, zap them with this.¡± She took it. ¡°Just hit the little ¡®on¡¯ switch, give it three seconds, and stick the metal end against them somewhere unpleasant.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She set it down on the table beside her bowl. ¡°It¡¯s only got enough charge for one big zap.¡± He poured himself coffee into a tall thermos and clipped this thermos to his belt. ¡°I charge it from the ship¡¯s main battery, so don¡¯t waste it.¡± He pointed to the coffeemaker. ¡°The rest here is all yours. The box of Happia is up in the cupboard.¡± ¡°Orson.¡± She did stand then, forced her legs to hold her weight. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°If you see anything, if any of my things...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring them with me, don¡¯t worry.¡± Orson gave her a mock two-finger salute. Then he opened the ship¡¯s door, revealing a light but steady rainfall striking the hillside, freezing on contact. Orson pulled a hood up from the neck of his coat and clipped it to the sides of his mask. He placed the bandana over his mouth. Covered and armed, he stepped out into the storm. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Orson looked prepared to say something. He wavered in the doorway, but all he said was, ¡°See you real soon.¡± Then he shut the door behind him, leaving Enoa alone with her thoughts and memories. * * * Sheriff Kelly Webster met her backup, Deputy Zachary Nesta, at the top of the Nimauk observatory path. She wore a plastic poncho, navy blue with her office logo emblazoned across the back. Rain pelted down from the sky, fat droplets that splashed and froze everywhere, a heavy, loud rainfall. The rain had intensified and now blasted the land beneath them with a nearly torrential downpour. If the temperature dropped, as it likely would, the whole valley would be buried in snow. ¡°Sorry I had to wake you. I really appreciate you being here.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nesta stepped close enough for Webster to see his face beneath his own windswept Sheriff¡¯s Department poncho. ¡°Although, I wish you would¡¯ve picked somewhere less, uh, exposed.¡± Nesta was a lifelong Nimauk resident. He¡¯d married a local woman. Together, they were raising a local child. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to force you up here.¡± Webster frowned at the sky. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure who I can trust. I chose you because of your community roots. I have to trust that you want what¡¯s best for this community, what with your daughter growing up here.¡± ¡°You can count on that, Sheriff.¡± Nesta smiled. ¡°Wendy and I have a little boy on the way, too. I¡¯ll need ole Nimauk to stay standing for at least another nineteen years.¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Webster smiled with him. ¡°That¡¯s the first good news I¡¯ve heard all day. And I hope not to keep you from your family too long, but we need to look into the fire at the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. It can¡¯t be a coincidence. Enoa¡¯s shop burns down the same night she flees from the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°I thought the Liberty Corps was assisting with the investigation into the fire.¡± Nesta had been off all night. He hadn¡¯t seen the Liberty Corps¡¯ display of force toward the festival guests who¡¯d refused to leave the park. But he must have heard their pursuit of Orson and Enoa. Even people in the far rural outskirts of town heard the chase and the immense gunfire. ¡°Officially, they are. But they¡¯ve established a complicated relationship with our town officials. Do you remember Detective Keel, or was he before your time?¡± ¡°I remember his removal.¡± Nesta shrugged. ¡°I never knew the details.¡± ¡°Misconduct conviction.¡± Webster shook her head. ¡°Tricky situation, but the Liberty Corps found him a position. He¡¯s serving with them as a Lieutenant. They¡¯ve recruited all three of the officers who¡¯ve been removed from service in Nimauk, in recent years. And that¡¯s just the start of the trouble with these people.¡± ¡°You said we¡¯re looking into the antique shop fire.¡± Nesta said. ¡°Am I correct in believing we¡¯re really looking into the Liberty Corps?¡± ¡°We¡¯re headed to High Street.¡± Webster gestured down the hill, toward one of the flagstone paths, a route that would lead them right to the remains of Enoa¡¯s shop. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the rest on the way.¡± * * * Orson found the antique shop empty. Burned and destroyed, yes, that too. But mostly, the building was empty. There were no piles of ash where papers had been, no charred furniture, no liquefied mounds of plastic from a television or computer. Nothing like that to be found. The walls were burned, other than the original brick ¨C as well as the exterior of the adjacent buildings ¨C but there were no slagged antiques or melted pottery lying around in the store inventory. Part of the roof was gone, the upper stories seemingly empty. The storefront shelving was also empty. The building didn¡¯t look like a store with an attached residence. The building looked long vacant, its mostly brick exterior still strong. Someone had emptied everything, stolen everything. Whatever their motives for burning the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea, the Liberty Corps clearly wanted to cover their bases. Enoa¡¯s belongings, or at least many of them, had not been destroyed. Orson had hesitated stepping inside. Even covered head to toe, his coat was drenched, sopping with water. There was no avoiding tracking water through the destroyed building, but he quickly saw the holes, burned open, blazed clear to the roof, rain water dripping down multiple stories and falling in showers scattered around the storefront, before freezing. Soon, the leaking water would transform the floor into a skating rink. Orson checked the compass. It still spun in continuous, lazy circles. The real prize had not been taken. He wandered through the broken store, shelves reduced to tinder. He found the stairwell still intact, one flight leading down to the basement, the next up to Enoa¡¯s living area. He¡¯d been able to look through holes in the first floor ceiling, but he decided to check out the second story further, best to be certain. There could be an entrance to the treasure down in the basement, and once he found that, he knew he wouldn¡¯t return to investigate the disappearance of Enoa¡¯s personal belongings. Besides, Enoa had described her escape through the basement. Orson knew he had a potential exit waiting for him there. Orson started up the stairs toward the second floor and Enoa¡¯s living space. Bad choice. He¡¯d only gone five steps before he heard voices, hushed speaking, coming from the burned open entryway into the storefront. He crept onto the next landing and tapped at the side of his mask¡¯s eyes, extinguishing the blue glow the lenses gave off. Thankfully, the stairwell was an interior structure and had no windows. He would not be seen, could not be seen, so he listened. ¡°Do you have experience with investigating fires?¡± A man¡¯s voice spoke, not a voice Orson knew. He sounded concerned, not afraid, just troubled. ¡°No.¡± Sheriff Webster said. ¡°We always had experts from the state come in to take a look. We only had two suspected potential arson incidents in all my years serving. And before you ask, I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m looking for. I¡¯ll know it when I see it. All I know is the Liberty Corps caravan that¡¯s been planted out here since they followed the fire department has finally cleared out. Either now¡¯s our chance or they¡¯re up to something new.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the man said. Orson listened to them walk. They said no more. All the further sounds they did produce vanished into the din of the still escalating rainfall. ¡°This sign says books,¡± the unknown man said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be more ash if a whole shelf of books got burned up?¡± Orson heard footsteps, hurried footsteps, louder than the rain. ¡°Yes, there...¡± ¡°Why is it still beeping?¡± Liberty Corps Captain Maros spoke loudly, as he entered the shop. He walked and talked openly. Either he didn¡¯t expect to be overheard or the rain¡¯s deafening volume was forcing him to raise his voice. Orson also heard the Sheriff and her associate¡¯s quick, soft steps. They were headed toward shelter, toward the stairwell, the same stairwell where Orson was hidden. Orson wasn¡¯t sure how the Sheriff would feel about his sudden, suspicious appearance. He didn¡¯t know if he could trust her associate. He turned toward the stairs, the flight of steps that lead further up to Enoa¡¯s living quarters. Orson knew his right footfall was too loud. It would be heard, even if he tried to stay quiet, even with the sound of the rain. The Strateri booster that enabled his flight was just too loud for that kind of close quarters stealth. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be beeping.¡± Another Liberty Corps man entered the store with Maros. Orson didn¡¯t know the voice. ¡°The treasure should be hidden in all the goods we cleared out of here. It must be broken.¡± Orson got a grip on the stair¡¯s railing. He placed his weight on the bannister, pleading with it to stay upright. Then he stepped forward, headed up the stairs. He placed as little weight on his right boot as possible. ¡°Master Nine invented this detector.¡± As Maros walked into the store, Orson could indeed hear a slight metallic beeping, a constant, insistent sound. ¡°The items we¡¯re looking for are still here. They must be hidden somewhere close.¡± The beeping only got louder. Orson reached the top of the steps, just in time for the Sheriff to arrive on the lower stair, only feet away from where Orson had just been standing. Orson finished creeping to the top of the steps and came to a stop, crouched down beneath a tall window, its glass shattered. Driven by the wind, rain began to pelt him in the back of the hood. He ignored it. ¡°We¡¯ll have to fine tune our readings from the detector,¡± the other Liberty Corps man said. ¡°Most of the superstructure of this house is still strong, strong enough to hide the treasure. We can make incisions...¡± The Liberty Corps men walked closer. The cops edged further up the stairs. Orson pressed himself against the wall beneath the broken window. ¡°We have no time for that,¡± Maros said. ¡°Even with us sequestering the locals and the festival guests in the visitor center, we won¡¯t keep scrutiny away for more than a few hours. We can¡¯t do a thorough search. We¡¯ll have to excavate the grounds of the property, and if we still didn¡¯t find the Trove, we¡¯ll need to disassemble this building brick-by-brick.¡± ¡°Should I issue the order to our demolitions team?¡± ¡°No,¡± Maros had reached the edge of the store room. In only a few feet, he would be capable of seeing the Sheriff. She and her associate had nearly reached the lower landing. Soon, both of the hidden parties might be exposed. ¡°I want to make a quick sweep of the property,¡± Maros continued. ¡°It should take no more than a few minutes. Then we can send out the order.¡± He reached the bottom of the stairs. A crash sounded below him. Orson didn¡¯t know whether the cops had been discovered, or if the Liberty Corps had accidentally caused some damage to the house, but he knew his one chance had come. Orson jumped to his feet. He activated the lens lights in his mask, sending blue illumination out into the rainstorm. Then he reached down and powered on the booster in his right boot. He pressed his left foot to the windowsill. Orson ignited the repulsor in his boot and let the full force of the rocket carry him out the window, across the small alley, and down through the trees at the top of the hill. The downpour blasted down at such a fever pitch, Orson could hardly hear the sounds of his own flight. The entire journey lasted less than ten seconds. He felt satisfied that no one else had heard or noticed his escape. Orson landed at the top of the hill. Flying with one rocket offered poor balance. He¡¯d never practiced enough to gain proper mastery. The metal boot, repulsor deactivated, slipped on the thin ice that had formed at the top of the hill, between the trees. Orson fell onto his back, coat slamming down into the wet earth as he slid down the hill, away from High Street and the line of shops, blind from the rain. He didn¡¯t shout or cry out. This wasn¡¯t the first time Orson had tumbled, disoriented, down a muddy ravine. The weather was worse, this time, but at least no one was shooting at him. He didn¡¯t make any sound until he came to a sudden hard stop against something metal, a fence by the feel of it. Orson groaned then and got to his feet, shaking his head. He wiped at his mask with the back of his gloved hands. Even with the waterproof coating of the mask¡¯s lenses, the rain was almost too intense to see. Once his vision cleared, Orson saw that tombstones and grave markers of all kinds covered that entire expanse of land. Orson had slid into Nimauk¡¯s main cemetery. Not wanting to risk going back the way he came, Orson walked along the fence, until he found a break in the metal barricade, only a few feet away. Orson entered the graveyard, the fencing on his right, a huge stone structure on his left. The stone looked wide and flat from the other side of the fence, but as he got closer, Orson saw that it was a mausoleum. He wondered what someone had to do to get such prime burial real estate, overlooking the entire graveyard. He noticed a handful of other mausoleums scattered about, but this one was set right against the sloping hill, a deep structure, built partially under the ground. Orson shined his mask lights at the tomb. Cloud ¨C the name was written over the mausoleum¡¯s sealed doorway. Beneath it there was writing in a language Orson didn¡¯t recognize. Beside that, there was what he assumed to be a translation. ¡°In recognition of all they have done for us and all that they still do. May this honored ground offer an eternal home to the Cloud Family.¡± Orson judged the distance between the mausoleum and the line of shops. He realized that this tomb was likely level with ground beneath the antique store. With any luck, his many months of searching had come to an end. 12 - Power Out and Power On Liberty Corps Captain Maros didn¡¯t hear anyone else in the antique shop¡¯s wreckage. He¡¯d been too occupied by the bookshelf that collapsed when Lieutenant Goes had slid into it. By the time he heard the presence behind him, it was too late. Maros wheeled around and came face to face with the barrel of a gun. Two guns. The Sheriff and her deputy had been waiting for them. ¡°Captain Maros and associate, you are under arrest.¡± Sheriff Webster approached him. How had he missed the police? Their drenched ponchos dripped water with every step. ¡°Raise your hands and step forward, slowly.¡± ¡°Hello, Sheriff.¡± Maros had failed. He¡¯d worked two years since he¡¯d learned that the Liberty Corps upper brass had begun searching for the Dreamside Road. Now, all of that work was for nothing. He was caught, all because he¡¯d spoken too freely. Who would think a county sheriff would lurk in a burned building, in total darkened silence, in the middle of the night? He¡¯d underestimated local law enforcement. If it were the deputy alone, well, deputies could vanish in times of chaos. Sheriff Webster could not disappear without full and proper answers. Even if Maros could bring his own weapons to bear, could outfight her¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°May I ask what we are being charged with?¡± Maros did not let rage enter his voice, the pure blistering rage, so angry he felt physically warmer. No, that wasn¡¯t his anger. Out of the corner of his eye, Maros saw Goes advancing, hands about a foot apart, palms upward. The room got hotter still. Sweat beaded on Maros¡¯s body, beneath his heavy breastplate and uniform. The room felt ready to burst afire, once again. ¡°Arson, robbery, conspiracy to commit further robbery.¡± Webster didn¡¯t waver, didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Hands up, Captain. Hands up, Liberty Corps member.¡± Her deputy gestured to Lieutenant Goes. The closer Goes approached, the hotter the air became. Goes¡¯s eyes were distant, his mind focused on belief and will. He was about to summon iron. ¡°That¡¯s a strong accusation.¡± Maros raised both hands, flesh and prosthetic. He waved them up in a wide arc, so his right robotic digits passed in front of Goes¡¯s face. They had options. Carnage wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡°And a clear misunderstanding, but we will accept arrest until such time that we can challenge your actions legally.¡± Goes did not speak, but his concentration broke. He spun and met Maros¡¯s gaze. The young captain did not know how to communicate his inner thoughts with this man he¡¯d met only days before. Did Goes trust him? Maros had no time to worry. He unbuckled his gun belt and let his pistol and sheathed sword slide down to the floor. After brief hesitation, Goes did the same. The deputy advanced and retrieved their fallen weaponry. ¡°Turn around and place your hands on your head.¡± Webster¡¯s gun was still aimed at Maros, aimed at his unarmored face. ¡°Of course.¡± Maros did as she asked, as did Goes. The deputy cuffed Goes, then re-drew his own pistol, covering the Sheriff until she¡¯d cuffed Maros. Webster got a grip on his upper arm. ¡°You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say...¡± Maros tested his bound hands. He felt the pressure, the strength his prosthetic could force against the cuffs. He could break free, would break free, but not yet. * * * Enoa sat on the Aesir¡¯s couch, half-asleep. The soreness in her body had only intensified. Mental weariness had joined it, the kind of fatigue that only happens after immense physical labor or days without sleep. She couldn¡¯t remember ever feeling this tired. It spared her from grief, her mind too addled to form full thoughts. ¡°I found the way under the shop but we have to hurry.¡± Orson ran into the Aesir, still dripping wet. During his tumble down the hill, water had crept through even under his coat and armor, and he shook himself like a soaked dog. ¡°What?¡± Enoa jumped, adrenaline immediately spreading through her body. ¡°I think I found the entrance to the passageway. I think it¡¯s hidden in your family mausoleum.¡± Orson stuck a thumb over his shoulder. ¡°But the Liberty Corps plans to excavate and find it. They figured it out, Maros did. Man Bun. I actually heard him sneaking around. We¡¯ve gotta go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Enoa shook her head, hoping the dizziness would subside. ¡°It¡¯s solid rock. Can the trove be in the mausoleum?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be solid, and it can¡¯t be there.¡± Orson opened an empty metal locker built beside the door, a small compartment Enoa hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°At the mausoleum, the compass pointed back to your shop. In your shop, the compass spun around ¨C the energy was everywhere.¡± He removed his soaked coat and hung it inside. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Exhausted.¡± She stood, with effort. ¡°Do you have the key to the mausoleum or know where we can get it?¡± Orson stared at her. She couldn¡¯t figure out his expression. ¡°If you¡¯re not well enough, you can wait in here, but I need to get moving.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡± She walked to her backpack and rummaged through the pockets, looking for her key ring. ¡°My keys don¡¯t walk around on their own, but there are a lot of them. I¡¯ve never opened the mausoleum on my own. The cemetery caretaker has his own keys, but if I have them too, they¡¯re here.¡± Enoa¡¯s keys jingled. The ring was loaded with many keys, at least a dozen. ¡°I don¡¯t know half of them. I use color-coded tape for the ones I have to use.¡± Orson saw the keys and sagged. ¡°Alright.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯ll figure this thing out. You rest up. I need to clean and pack all the dishes. I already lost one set of china having to fly away without locking up.¡± He walked to the sink and found both of the soup bowls cleaned. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I already washed up a little.¡± Enoa took her seat again. ¡°It was a good distraction.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Orson quickly set about storing the remaining soup in the fridge, finishing the cleaning, and putting his belongings away. He relocked the cabinets. He¡¯d done this many times before, that was clear, but he also moved at a desperate pace. Was he that concerned about the Liberty Corps or was he that excited to get to the treasure? ¡°I don¡¯t want to get your hopes up,¡± he said. ¡°But I might have some really good news. I think a large portion of your things survived.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Adrenaline and unexpected hope brought her back to full wakefulness. ¡°Was the fire put out in time? What did you see there?¡± ¡°Nothing. The place was emptied out. I think the Liberty Corps took it all, stole everything before it could burn. The building was an empty shell, what I saw of it, anyway. They have no idea what they¡¯re looking for, but that means there might be a chance to get it back.¡± * * * The rain slowed to a drizzle and transitioned into a soft snowfall that muffled the empty town. Nimauk lay in still darkness. The power cut out as Sheriff Webster was unlocking the town offices. The emergency lights, lit overnight in the building¡¯s foyer, went dark. She saw the reflections of streetlights and the other sparse illumination from nearby buildings wink out, as well. Even with the festival in full swing, most of the guests and locals had quieted down by then, almost three in the morning. The festival was set to begin again in only six hours. It was becoming clearer and clearer that the festival would likely not resume. Webster locked the office building¡¯s door in its open position and returned to her truck. ¡°Can we process them properly with just emergency power?¡± Deputy Nesta stood, waiting for her. He looked back into the office¡¯s dark foyer. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Webster rubbed her hands together. They were sticky. She thought some of the paint on the antique shop¡¯s stair railing had bubbled and melted, liquefied. Her hands had been annoyingly sticky ever since she¡¯d touched it, through the arrest and the return to the offices. But that had to wait. Webster wanted answers. She wanted to know the truth of what was happening in her town. She wanted to discover the mystery of the train derailment and the Liberty Corps. She needed to learn how it was all connected. But first, she needed Maros and his man locked up. Everything else had to wait until after that happened. Maros and his associate did not speak as Webster and Nesta guided the two militiamen from the truck and into the town offices. They also hadn¡¯t spoken on the journey down the hill from the burned out antique shop. All the better. If they wanted to go the legal route, after everything that had gone on, Webster was more than happy to wait for questioning until she had the home field advantage. They still photographed the arrested men, got their fingerprints, formally charged them, placed them in the Sheriff¡¯s Department holding cells. They followed tradition, followed the law, even in the half light, the emergency light. ¡°I wonder what knocked out the power.¡± Nesta sat in the AV room, the place that connected to the camera feeds of the holding cells and other town offices. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any thunder.¡± ¡°There was no thunder.¡± Webster rubbed her hands together, still unconsciously annoyed by her sticky fingers. ¡°We¡¯ll need to wake some town officials, the council definitely. The Liberty Corps is doing something now. I don¡¯t think we can trust them. We can¡¯t wait until the morning.¡± Nesta nodded. ¡°Are you alright holding down the fort? I need to wash my hands.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nesta looked back to the many monitors. Webster thanked him and walked to the ladies¡¯ room. The bathroom had only one working light, a small emergency wall unit, casting an odd green glow through the room. Webster turned on the hot water. She couldn¡¯t wait to get her hands clean of the paint. Nothing left the faucet but air, a sharp, ominous whistle. The water was off too. * * * Orson landed the Aesir on the cemetery side of the farthest gate from town. He¡¯d flown dark, seeing only through his mask. He drove along the one lane path. It was paved, but poorly. The Aesir bounced as it progressed deeper into the graveyard. Orson parked right beside the Cloud mausoleum. ¡°Now let¡¯s hope no one saw us.¡± Orson stood. He retrieved his jacket and sword. Enoa fiddled with her keys. Which one was it? She knew it had to be an older key, one of the long keys from the turn of the 20th century, the big cylindrical pipes. Her adrenaline was finally strong enough to overcome her exhaustion. She drew her flashlight from her backpack. Orson handed her a tiny green umbrella, but she didn¡¯t need it. The snow that danced from the sky fell in gentle silence. Orson didn¡¯t light his mask¡¯s lights. Enoa kept her flashlight dark. They advanced on the mausoleum in darkness. They listened, searching for the sounds of Liberty Corps men, on the other side of the hill, further destroying Enoa¡¯s home. They heard nothing and soon arrived at the mausoleum¡¯s door, sealed and locked shut. Enoa tried one of the oldest keys, made of tarnished brass. She poked blindly in the dark, until Orson lit his mask lights. She tried the key properly. It didn¡¯t fit. Then she tried the next one and the next and the next. None of the antique keys fit. She looked through her other keys, her front door, her truck, her office. There were only two modern keys she didn¡¯t know by heart. What would they do if neither of these worked? But one did. A modern key fit. It turned. The door opened onto darkness, more darkness, a shadow somehow deeper than the nighttime of the outer world. Enoa lit her flashlight, and they stepped into her ancestors¡¯ resting place. The stone interior appeared empty, a spare room. The remains of the dead were enclosed in the walls, permanently, leaving the traditional place of meditation and rest open, available for mourners and for family. Orson ignored all of this. He advanced to the far side of the room, where a carved slab stood against the wall. It had deep etchings on it, folk images, arcane stories about the family, local legends. Orson seemed to know what he was looking for. He slid his hand along the slab, scanning it for cracks or alcoves or openings. ¡°Oh yeah, here it is.¡± He slipped his hand into a space behind the stone. ¡°I found it. Do you want to do the honors or should I?¡± ¡°What honors?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a little button back here. It¡¯ll release a mechanism, move this stone picture thing, and reveal the tunnel back to your shop.¡± He pulled his hand free. ¡°Do you want to open it?¡± Enoa advanced until she stood level with Orson. She raised her hand. He guided her wrist to the stone, until she felt the small opening, until she put her fingertips inside, until she felt the small round metal bulge on the stone. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡± She imagined the opening slamming shut, crushing her fingers. ¡°I recognize the design.¡± Orson nodded, making the mask¡¯s light bounce around the room. ¡°But if you¡¯re uncomfortable, I¡¯ll gladly do it.¡± Enoa pressed the button. A grinding sound boomed out of the floor beneath their feet. Enoa pulled her hand back. She stepped away from the stone. The entire wall slid back. A long gap appeared in the sides. Then the wall slid away, disappearing out of sight on the left. The whole stone wall slide sideways like it was an automatic door at a supermarket. In its place, a tunnel waited for them. This tunnel was nothing like the mausoleum. It had tile walls and floor and was lit by fluorescent lights, set into the ceiling. These lights switched on, just as the slab moved out of the way, winking on in the darkness. Enoa wondered if it had its own energy source or if the secret tunnel was powered by her own home¡¯s electricity. ¡°Cool, right?¡± Orson didn¡¯t hesitate. He walked forward into the tunnel. Enoa followed him. 13 - The Cloudside Key Orson held up the top level of his compass. It pointed straight ahead. He fought the urge to run, to charge forward. The answers were his to find, mysteries he¡¯d chased since he was a teenager. He¡¯d been formally hunting this particular prize for a year, but his search was much older than that. The search was a part of his life, part of his truth, part of him. How would he feel when that journey came to an end? ¡°Is there a reason we¡¯re walking this slowly?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I thought we were in a hurry.¡± ¡°We are.¡± They couldn¡¯t rush ahead. He knew better. He¡¯d learned that lesson, faced that danger. ¡°But I need to be sure the tunnel isn¡¯t booby-trapped. I doubt it. I think you¡¯re supposed to find this place, but who knows?¡± ¡°Booby-trapped?¡± She sounded incredulous, but she stopped walking and let him take a larger lead. ¡°What, is a boulder going to come down and chase us?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± He said again and laughed. ¡°We¡¯re about to find out.¡± Orson scanned the walls, floor, and ceiling with his HUD and with his own senses. There was no sound but their own footsteps and the whine of the overhead fluorescent lights. He felt nothing, smelled nothing, and saw nothing but the long tunnel. Then they reached the door. Orson waited for Enoa to catch up. He tried the knob ¨C locked. Before Orson could say anything, she selected a key from the key ring and fit it into the lock. The doorknob turned. ¡°There¡¯s a second extra key like the one for the mausoleum door.¡± Enoa pushed the door open. The room before them didn¡¯t hold relics from a dozen far-flung cultures, none of the artifacts Orson hoped to see. It didn¡¯t hold treasures of the old Nimauk, items stolen from the local people. The room was a library, brick-walled, also lit by the same fluorescent lighting. Orson waited before entering. He held out his left arm so Enoa didn¡¯t pass him. He let his senses and his gadgetry look at the room, as well. Nothing. He nodded. They entered and viewed the half-dozen shelves, spread through the small square space. These shelves didn¡¯t hold books. None of them did. They each held several round metallic disks, each about a foot in diameter. Orson looked at his compass. It pointed away from the shelves. It swung in a lazy circle, aiming him toward a desk, set against the wall opposite the disk library. ¡°Could this really be the place?¡± Enoa stood on her tiptoes, likely hoping to see something more interesting hiding behind one of the shelves. ¡°I expected it to be shinier with all the times you¡¯ve mentioned treasure.¡± ¡°I use the word treasure really loosely. Not everything worth finding is gold and jewels.¡± Orson walked over to the desk, a small wooden model. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand this either.¡± Just to be sure, he walked to the opposite side of the room to see where the compass would point. The needle spun in his hand and pointed right back at the desk. ¡°Either that desk isn¡¯t made of wood or there¡¯s something in one of the drawers.¡± The desk had three drawers, each sporting a worn metal handle. ¡°I expected the treasure to be...¡± Enoa walked toward the desk. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would fit in a drawer.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Orson walked ahead of her and stuck out his arm again. ¡°Let me check it out first, okay? I think you were supposed to find this place, but I¡¯d rather be safe. None of this is what I expected.¡± She nodded and took a step back. Orson reached out and slid open the top drawer. It was empty. Orson reached inside. He slid his fingers along the grainy wooden surface, nothing hidden. He traced the edges of the drawer, seeking any sign of a false bottom, anything out of the ordinary. Nothing. He closed the first drawer and opened the second. Also empty. Orson traced his fingers through this second drawer, as well, with the same results. He opened the third. Two things were inside, a small unmarked envelope and one of the round metal containers, this one about half the size. Orson drew both from the drawer, before closing it again. He gave both items a quick once over, before handing the envelope to Enoa. Once he did, Orson noticed a little sticky note affixed to the metal container. The note said: Watch this one first. It will confirm Archie¡¯s identity. ¡°Do you know anyone named Archie?¡± Orson angled the metal case toward Enoa. She was busy fumbling with the envelope. ¡°There¡¯s something solid inside here.¡± Enoa almost dropped the envelope when she saw the writing on the container. ¡°That¡¯s my Aunt Su¡¯s handwriting! I figured this place was hers. I didn¡¯t know why anyone else would build a secret room under my house, but no, I don¡¯t know any Archie.¡± Orson nodded. He found a lip on the metal disk and pried it open, revealing a reel of film. ¡°Watch this one first.¡± Orson shut the case again. ¡°These are all films. Why would my compass point to films?¡± He lifted the small spiked top. It spun around the room but eventually settled towards the envelope in Enoa¡¯s hands. ¡°May I?¡± She nodded. He searched his pockets, removing a few oddments, before bringing out a pocketknife. Enoa handed him the envelope, and he cut through the top in one quick slice. Orson held the envelope open with his fingers and peered inside. He frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t want any more bad surprises. Why would her Aunt Su leave her a room full of old-fashioned film and some little envelope? Who the hell was Archie? ¡°Take a look.¡± Orson handed the open envelope back to her. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± Enoa took the envelope and reached inside. There was no note, no message at all, just a small metal something. She drew it out. It was a medallion, just like the necklace Orson wore, except the pendant was different. It still had a crescent moon design, but this one held a small cloud symbol, as well, instead of the medieval tower Orson¡¯s depicted. ¡°Another key.¡± Orson lifted his own necklace, drew it out from under his clothing. She held out the new key by its chain. As if magnetic, the two circles of metal lifted from their owners¡¯ hands and stretched toward each other. Some power or energy drew them together. ¡°I wonder.¡± Orson pulled the necklace back. Then he walked to the nearest wall. He held out the pendant. First, it did nothing, but finally, when the metal of the necklace hung only inches from the wall, the metal floated and stretched out. The pendant reached to the wall with the same power that bound the medallions together. ¡°The wall¡¯s made of the same stuff as the necklace. Or at least it has trace amounts. That must be why my compass spun around upstairs.¡± ¡°What does it all mean?¡± Enoa had hoped for something personal. No, not hoped. She¡¯d expected something personal, some last message from her aunt, some proper explanation for everything that had happened to her in the last several hours. ¡°We need to watch that movie.¡± ¡°We do.¡± Orson began walking through the shelves. He didn¡¯t touch any of the films, but he looked at them. He bent down and examined some individually. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t have any way to look at them on the Aesir?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Orson said. ¡°I have lots of video players, even laser disc, but no old-school theater setup. Wait.¡± He walked past the far end of the shelving. ¡°Your aunt was prepared for you.¡± Enoa walked through the line of films, marveling at this odd room. It was a good bit larger than it looked. She saw several dozen movies there. What were they? There must be hundreds of hours recorded, minimum. She reached the end of the line of shelving. On the other side of the room, she found a film projector. It was perched on top of a wheeled cart. A black bar hung from the top of the opposite wall. It looked like the housing for a screen, the kind that her grade school classrooms used to have. Enoa examined the projector. She had no idea how to use something like that. She ran her hands over the mechanism. ¡°Do you mind if I watch with you?¡± Orson had approached the far wall. He¡¯d begun to lower the screen. ¡°I have a feeling we both need to be informed about all this to solve the mystery in town.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I don¡¯t think I mind.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know enough about what was happening to be certain. She¡¯d been totally lost, totally confused, all night. Before she said anything more, the silence was broken by a rumble, the thrum of an engine. The rumbling noise then moved closer to them, getting louder and louder, approaching the shop from the street outside. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I think so,¡± Orson said. ¡°The Liberty Corps is about to start digging.¡± * * * Sheriff Webster planned to call the power company and water authority. Both had struggled these last few years, fighting to keep their infrastructure current, efficient, and operational, with almost no help from the outside world. She couldn¡¯t get a dial tone. Phones were out, as well. She and Deputy Nesta were entirely alone. Everything was up to them. As if in response, a door slammed shut, somewhere in the distance. The local offices hadn¡¯t been properly refurbished in decades, and most of the hallway doors closed in great echoing booms. Someone else was in the building. Maybe it was only the lateness of the hour that kept her from getting help. Maybe everything was fine. ¡°Sheriff?¡± Deputy Nesta spoke through the radio at Webster¡¯s hip. ¡°Can I have your attention?¡± She removed the radio from her belt and lifted it to her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± She could hear from the tone of his voice that something wasn¡¯t right, yet another strange happening, another problem on this awful, endless night. ¡°Councilman Tucker just arrived on this floor and it looks like he¡¯s about to enter the holding area. Should I page him?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going.¡± Webster didn¡¯t draw her sidearm, but she unclipped it in its holster. Then she rushed through her office door and down the hallway. When she arrived in the holding area entrance, she found that Councilman Tucker really had been the new arrival. Webster had never before seen the young councilman in her area of the building. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. How did he know to go right to the cells she¡¯d just filled with Liberty Corps men? Tucker approached the cell where Captain Maros was waiting. The Liberty Corps Captain sat, back straight against the wall. His eyes were closed, but he was alert and focused. ¡°I sent the excavation team as soon as I saw that you were detained.¡± Tucker tapped at the cell¡¯s bars until Maros met his gaze. ¡°We should have the trove soon.¡± Maros did not respond. He looked to Tucker and then past him to the Sheriff. He made eye contact with Webster as she entered the room, hand hovering at her waist. ¡°Councilman Tucker,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re...¡± ¡°Hello, Kelly.¡± Tucker drew a metal cube from his suit jacket¡¯s inner breast pocket. ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d run into you here.¡± He pressed the cube to the holding cell¡¯s key lock. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Webster drew her pistol. She aimed it at Tucker, a man she¡¯d worked with for eight years, someone she¡¯d known for most of her professional life. ¡°Put your gun away.¡± Tucker still didn¡¯t face her. ¡°It won¡¯t do you any good.¡± He twisted the cube. With a click from the antique lock, Maros¡¯s cell door opened. * * * Orson and Enoa loaded up the tech cart with films. They managed to fit six of them on the lower level, beneath the projector. Orson had also dislodged the screen from the wall and held it, with effort, under his right arm. The full cart weighed over one hundred pounds. The projector weighed an additional ten. They each took one end of the cart. Orson faced the hidden library. She faced the mausoleum. They wheeled it into the long passageway. Enoa saw Orson struggle to grip his end with the screen under his arm. She tried to guide the cart, to do more than her share of the steering, but she could hardly turn it without his help. Then they hit the rough patch, a section of the floor that wasn¡¯t quite smooth. The cart came to a sharp stop. Orson slipped and dropped the screen, sending a nasty sound echoing out through the tunnel. ¡°We¡¯ll need to lift it.¡± He whispered and got a new grip on the screen. ¡°On three.¡± He counted. Even after pushing the cart halfway back to the mausoleum, Enoa was astounded by the weight of it, but she thought of the Liberty Corps destroying her home. She thought of the remaining tapes, dozens, at least three more trips. They had to get them all. The Liberty Corps, they¡¯d done all of this to get these films. Her home could still be irreparably destroyed by their efforts. Well, she promised herself she¡¯d see to it that they left empty handed. Enoa lifted her end. Orson lifted his, essentially one handed. They advanced again in short, awkward, jolting steps. Orson looked at the floor. ¡°It looks better here,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s set it down really, really gently.¡± Enoa¡¯s arms were begging for relief, but they guided the cart back to the floor. It didn¡¯t make a sound. Compared to the effort of carrying the cart, pushing it was nothing at all. They cleared the rest of the tunnel. The mausoleum floor was also mercifully smooth. The snow outside fell harder, burying everything in a heavy, slick whiteness. She couldn¡¯t see the ground and they didn¡¯t dare roll the cart off the step, for fear of alerting the Liberty Corps. They lifted the cart a second time. Enoa slipped as she stepped down from that ledge. The cart slammed down onto the path, but its sound was muffled by the snow, letting out only a dull crack. She fell against the cart, and slipped no farther. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Orson asked. She nodded. ¡°Good. We¡¯re almost there.¡± The rest of the journey to the Aesir worked well. The wet snow was surprisingly easy to maneuver with the heavy cart¡¯s wheels. When they reached the camper, Orson opened the door, slid the screen inside and did more than his share of the lifting as they brought the films aboard. They placed the canisters and the projector on the RV¡¯s floor. ¡°Should we take the cart back to carry the rest of the films?¡± Orson asked her. ¡°Do they look stackable to you?¡± He set three of the film canisters in a pile and lifted. He shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go with the cart.¡± They took the cart, wildly lighter while empty, and hurried back into the mausoleum, down the passage, and into the library, moving as fast as they dared. By the time they returned to the secret room, they heard more thrumming engines had joined the first. Enoa barely restrained herself from screaming. They loaded the cart in silence. Orson again took the front of the cart. Enoa took the back. It was easier this time, even with films precariously perched on the open top of the cart. Luckily, the bottom section had enclosed sides. They knew the location of the rough spot and avoided it, but it still wasted valuable time, minutes, maybe. Enoa couldn¡¯t help but think of the dozens of films still in the library. They needed five trips, until all of the films were spread out on the Aesir¡¯s floor. It left a great mess, a mess that would need to be dealt with before Orson flew them away again. They¡¯d gotten lucky that the Liberty Corps hadn¡¯t discovered them, but it was only a matter of time before the militia burst into the hidden room. ¡°I¡¯ll make a final sweep.¡± Orson readjusted his coat. ¡°See if I can break into Liberty Corps radio chatter. I think it¡¯s weird they haven¡¯t gotten started yet.¡± Orson retrieved a black box from the underside of one of the Aesir¡¯s green-lit panels. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Enoa eyed the box. ¡°Modified radio transceiver.¡± Orson turned a dial on the box¡¯s surface. ¡°Helps you find transmissions and listen in. It¡¯s old spy tech.¡± He looked up toward her. ¡°Do you see the closet to the left of the couch there? It¡¯s empty so it should be unlocked. Would you please get some of the films packed in there? I want to get back up to that hilltop before you start watching them.¡± She nodded, and he headed back to the tunnel. Orson was lousy at using the transceiver. The device was supposed to let out little beeping noises when it was tuned to a frequency close to one experiencing a significant broadcast. It was like the box would say, ¡°warmer, warmer, warmer¡± until its user could find occupied radio channels. Orson fiddled with this box as he advanced down the tunnel, pulling the cart with his free hand. No beeps and no boops. As per usual, all Orson managed to find was a lot of static. He muttered and cursed at the transceiver under his breath. Beep. Beep. Beep. The box came alive with sound. Its buttons suddenly glowed yellow. Orson spun the dial, just as he reached the door into the now empty library. ¡°I hate waiting here,¡± a voice spoke through the box. ¡°When can we expect to proceed? Over.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say, for sure,¡± another voice answered. ¡°Master Nine told us to hold until Maros gave the order. They¡¯re trying to coordinate with the team at the Visitor Center. Half the town is over there, and they¡¯re giving the local division a hard time. Over.¡± Orson entered the library, the thrum of engines still intense above him. He assumed that the first speaker was situated somewhere in Enoa¡¯s basement, waiting to begin the dig. Orson didn¡¯t know why the sound of the engines wasn¡¯t also bleeding into the radio recording. He had to press the transceiver to his ear. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve missed half of the conversation. Orson threaded through the bookshelves, looking below each shelf, sweeping the room to make sure nothing had been left behind. He progressed around the library, tapping on the walls, searching for some hollow or secret area. It wouldn¡¯t do for him to miss the real treasure, if there were more to find. ¡°I wish they¡¯d get a move on.¡± The first voice spoke again. ¡°This trove is the only reason we¡¯re here. I don¡¯t see why we¡¯re wasting so much time worried about the town and its festival. Over.¡± Orson wished he¡¯d had some kind of recording device. If he did, he¡¯d likely have more than enough proof to enable a proper investigation into the Liberty Corps. The sooner he dealt with the militia, the sooner Orson could start worrying about why his compass had pointed him three thousand miles just to find a necklace and some old movies. He could start wondering why the walls all gave off the same energy field and where the actual treasure was. Orson hadn¡¯t had time to feel disappointed. He knew he would, eventually, assuming he lived long enough. ¡°Just get started,¡± the second voice said. ¡°Is Maros going to say no at this point? It¡¯s a little late for that, now that he¡¯s got the Sheriff on him. Over.¡± Orson walked through the room, made sure there was nothing lying around. He was about to run back through the tunnel. He had no way to hide the passage. They could easily find the Aesir, once they¡¯d found the hidden library. And he definitely didn¡¯t need... Wait ¨C Orson saw a shape under the desk. He crouched down, leaned forward. He got down on his knees and stretched his arm toward the object. Orson drew out what looked like a thick metal bracelet. It was black and blue and bore the same crescent moon and cloud symbol that was on the necklace Enoa had received. Orson didn¡¯t know what it was, but he knew he didn¡¯t want the Liberty Corps to get it. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the first man agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll give Master Nine a minute or two to bust Maros out of jail. Then I¡¯m moving in. Over and out.¡± Orson made sure there was nothing else under the desk. Then he sprinted from the room. He sealed the library door behind him and closed the mausoleum¡¯s slab door when he reached it. Orson locked the mausoleum and ran to the Aesir. Before he could get aboard, Orson heard speaking. He couldn¡¯t make out the words, but someone was talking, someone on the Aesir. He ran inside and found that Enoa had mounted the screen at the top of one of his rows of cabinets. The screen was fully extended. The film projector was playing. Enoa had successfully fitted the small film into place. ¡°If you¡¯re seeing this, I¡¯m so, so sorry, kiddo.¡± The woman on the screen had to be Enoa¡¯s aunt. Sucora Cloud had the same nose and chin as her niece and a similar build. The elder Cloud stood in the secret room beneath her shop, the same film library they¡¯d just emptied. Su Cloud sighed. ¡°If you¡¯re seeing this, that means I was a coward. It means that I failed you.¡± She ran her hands over the top of her head, her hair buzzed very short. ¡°I left you before I could explain myself and before I let you know how important you are and how much danger you¡¯re in.¡± 14 - Project Dreamthought ¡°Do you remember the stories I told you, the stories about the old days?¡± Sucora Cloud sat against the edge of her desk. ¡°For a hundred lifetimes, the Nimauk lived in harmony with the world. We knew the power of water and stone. The power of the world is real, more real than we ever knew.¡± Enoa sat on the Aesir¡¯s couch. Her attention didn¡¯t wander from the screen, hanging against the cabinet. Orson heard another, slight noise at his side. He found it coming from his transceiver, still tuned into the Liberty Corps chatter. He knew he should insist Enoa shut off the video and fly back to the hilltop, but he hesitated. Enoa needed answers. She needed something after the day and night she¡¯d had. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but they¡¯re going to start any second now.¡± Orson walked to the projector. ¡°We have to move. We can¡¯t be here when they find the tunnel to the mausoleum.¡± Orson hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to shut off the video, that Enoa would make that choice for him, but she just nodded. He found the off switch and flipped it. The image disappeared and the light went out. Orson was relieved when Enoa stood to help him secure the film screen and projector. He didn¡¯t need the help, but he likely would need her cooperation to resolve the situation in town. He didn¡¯t know how she was coping with the loss of her home. He hadn¡¯t responded well when his own life had forever lost its normalcy, all those years ago. But she helped him secure everything and quietly joined him in the front of the cabin while Orson flew them back up to the hilltop. Even after they¡¯d landed, Enoa did not move from the passenger seat. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this right now,¡± she said. ¡°Tonight just¡­¡± She took in a harsh, long breath. ¡°It¡¯s just been way too much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you.¡± Orson looked out the Aesir¡¯s windshield toward the valley. Unlike when they¡¯d spotted the fire, the town was entirely dark, except a slight glow from High Street ¨C probably the Liberty Corps vehicle lights surrounding the remains of Enoa¡¯s shop. Even streetlights could not be seen. Orson wondered if the town¡¯s lights were shut off after a certain time, to save power for the isolated local grid, or if something else strange was afoot. ¡°I think there¡¯s every chance that there is something in the films that explains all this, but you¡¯ve been through more than you deserve, and I can watch alone.¡± ¡°No.¡± She unbuckled her seatbelt and stood. ¡°I might as well face it all now. It will be good to get it over with.¡± ¡°Rip off the band-aid.¡± He stood as well. Together they retrieved and reset the projector and screen. They started the film, once again, and took seats facing it. ¡°The old days ended a little over seventy years ago,¡± Sucora said, speaking from the past, recorded months ago. ¡°In nineteen forty-six, an organization called the International Hierarchia Statute Association catalogued every verifiable occurrence of unexplained phenomenon or power on this Earth. They believed there was a unifying truth behind the world¡¯s theologies and traditions. They believed if they learned the unifying explanation of magic, they could wield that power too. The Nimauk have no tradition of sorcery, you know that, but the IHSA insisted on studying our stories and our secrets. The International Hierarchia wanted to combine the old world and the new, but instead every world was broken. I have no doubt they were the cause of the Thunderworks attacks and everything else that went so wrong, so awfully wrong, these last few years.¡± Sucora rubbed at her temples with her fingers, her eyes closed, her forehead creased with lines of worry. ¡°I joined them, Enoa. I joined those people, the Hierarchia, as part of a program called the Project Dreamthought. They wanted to discover if our people could learn to wield the power the Hierarchia sought, and we can¡¯t. There is no correlation between ethnicity and aptitude for the concepts they studied, but I did find that power. I stayed until I did. I used to tell myself I could help our people. This was not a power from Nimauk. This was no forbidden knowledge, so there was nothing wrong with me learning it, so long as I still respected the world I studied. I worked hard for those abilities, but through me the IHSA learned too much. I broke so many natural laws, of all kinds.¡± She took a deep breath and bit her lip. She took another deep breath and another and another, obviously struggling to breathe. ¡°But I learned to wield the power of the world. I can speak to wind and water. I¡¯m a Shaper, and I want you to learn this power too.¡± ¡°No.¡± Enoa shook her head. She stood up and shut off the projector. The image momentarily froze on Sucora¡¯s troubled face, before going dark. ¡°The Hierarchia, they... They were the ones who destroyed the world.¡± She rounded on Orson. ¡°They were the ones you were talking about. You fought them! Why would she be one of them?¡± Orson didn¡¯t answer her. He didn¡¯t speak. He didn¡¯t know this young woman well enough to know what she needed to hear. She was not in a place where she wanted facts or truth. She wanted comfort. ¡°Why?¡± She said this more to herself than to him. Then she began to pace, back and forth, walking between the couch and the chairs. ¡°I didn¡¯t know her. She raised me, and I didn¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t always what they became at the end.¡± Orson didn¡¯t look at her. He knew he might regret speaking at all, but he had to get her through this film. ¡°What does that mean?¡± She stopped pacing. ¡°You don¡¯t just go from a decent organization to one that would cause global chaos. And what right did they have to study my people or anyone¡¯s people? This isn¡¯t a comic book novelty. This is religion.¡± ¡°They started genuinely trying to learn,¡± Orson answered. ¡°After World War Two, they needed to figure out what was out in the world. Imagine being a world leader, after the atom bomb, knowing that there could be global powers who are wielding both nuclear power and magic? Freaking magic! Seriously,¡± he sighed. ¡°The Hierarchia destroyed my life. They made my world go nuts before everything else went to shit, but I don¡¯t blame them for starting the program.¡± ¡°But they were totally secret.¡± Enoa shook her head. ¡°They were classified, right, doing ESP experiments and dealing with UFOs and stuff, back in the 80s and 90s? Who would join that?¡± ¡°Yeah, the secrecy is bullshit,¡± Orson said. ¡°Although, I think it was actually surprisingly decent of them to recruit your aunt. The International Hierarchia I knew never would have given her a choice. And the closer it got to these dark times, they would have kidnapped her or tried to kill her. She was a member, was, just like some other folks I know. She¡¯ll explain herself, I think, if we keep watching. I think she¡¯s going to explain where the treasure is and why it isn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine an explanation to justify what she did,¡± Enoa said. ¡°These are like the people that sent the Nimauk away, that destroyed the culture of so many of us. I¡¯m sorry about your troubles, Orson, but you can never understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I can¡¯t.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°But if we want to help this town and the community you have right here, I think we have to watch...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can face the rest of it now.¡± Enoa sat back down. ¡°It¡¯s too recent. It¡¯s barely over six months she¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°I understand if you can¡¯t look at this, but it has to be pushing five in the morning. We only have, uh, I only have hours to figure this thing out.¡± ¡°We.¡± Enoa shook her head. She pursed her lips and moved her shoulders using the same mannerisms her aunt showed on the film. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to face it.¡± She said no more, stood, and restarted the projector. ¡°I hope I was brave enough to tell you in person, Enoa.¡± Sucora Cloud reappeared on the screen. ¡°I hope I did. I hope you found this tape after I left you, years later, after you know yourself fully, as a real adult. I hope you see this when you own your truth, and it can¡¯t hurt you. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have the strength to tell you. I don¡¯t think I can face alienating you now. I might never have a chance to make things right, not with the cancer¡­¡± The screen went bright white. The projector let out a harsh crack. Orson and Enoa both jumped in surprise. The screen resolved back on the face of Sucora Cloud. She looked thinner, both tired and frightened. There were heavy purple bags under her wide eyes. She adjusted the camera view before walking back toward her desk. ¡°This is now August ninth. I¡¯m sorry if the edit was rough. There¡¯s not much time. As you read in the letter, I knew there would be people hunting for my knowledge, but I learned today their forces might already be in Nimauk. I have done my best to hide these records. My best won¡¯t be good enough forever.¡± ¡°What letter?¡± Enoa yelled at the screen. Sucora coughed, only twice, but her breathing was ragged. Orson heard the change in her voice. She sounded different enough from the previous segment, hoarse and scratchy. She wheezed, laboring for every breath. She looked like she didn¡¯t have much time. ¡°With your will, I¡¯m sure you can learn the same power that I found, if you want it¡­¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d know if I could have superpowers,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You should have been brave enough to tell me.¡± Orson couldn¡¯t hear what Sucora said. He missed a few words, maybe a sentence. ¡°¡­friends in the program, we realized the IHSA was trying to use our research to experiment on people, including children.¡± Even in her harried state, she still stopped speaking. She pressed her hand to her forehead, searching for words, fighting with guilt? ¡°The Hierarchia wanted the ability to teach anyone. They wanted the greatest warriors in the world. Our results weren¡¯t good enough, so they started manipulating a manmade metal isotope, Cobalt Nine. They tried to force test subjects to learn to wield this metal. They injected them with concentrated doses of the isotope. I have reason to believe that one of these test subjects, now a fully trained Shaper, is operating in Nimauk. It could be almost any older adult in the community.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she know if some government man rolled into town?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think this operative cares about me at all,¡± Sucora said. ¡°They¡¯re likely after what my friends and I stole from the Hierarchia before we fled ¨C a trove of artifacts we called the Dreamside Road.¡± Sucora coughed again, several times, horrible hacking coughs that almost shook her off her feet. ¡°Just like you thought.¡± Enoa glanced at Orson. He nodded. ¡°We didn¡¯t know that the Hierarchia ever managed to teach anyone to wield their Cobalt Nine,¡± Sucora said. ¡°We rescued all of the children we could. Almost all of the adults perished in the experiments. We thought the program ended, but today I sensed a power.¡± She waved to the walls of the hidden library. ¡°Cobalt Nine is useful. It¡¯s hard to track and was made to interfere with sonar and radar. I laced the bricks with it.¡± Then she reached to her collar and drew out the necklace Enoa had recovered in that very room. ¡°The keys to the trove were partly made out of it. But the Dreamside Road was never here. I never knew where it was hidden. I wanted to go home. I wanted out.¡± ¡°Today I sensed a mind trying to activate the Cobalt Nine, like they had those poor people do in their experiments,¡± Sucora said. ¡°The person was trying to find this place. They must believe the hidden trove is here. By this point, you should be all packed and ready to go, and you must not delay any longer. I¡¯m so sorry, but you won¡¯t need to abandon the shop forever.¡± ¡°Abandon my¡­¡± Enoa stood. ¡°Wait.¡± Orson ran to the projector and shut off the film. ¡°She wanted you to leave?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything about this,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Maybe she planned to say something, but she¡­ She started hemorrhaging that night. The cancer had moved to her liver, and she could barely speak. She only¡­¡± Enoa fought with the lump in her throat. ¡°She only lived another six days.¡± Orson had further questions, but he started the film again. The elder Cloud reached into her pocket and drew out a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and revealed a map of the Americas and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ¡°There is an island, hidden at the International Dateline.¡± She tapped a small point on the map. ¡°I want you to go there. You¡¯ll need the encrypted directions and the welcome code on the last page of my letter to find the island and get past its defenses. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t explain their meaning before now. You must have been so confused, but I had to be covert. All of the people we rescued from the IHSA, those poor kids¡­ We sent the refugees there to hide. They¡¯re under the protection of my friend, Merritt Lucas. He is a great Shaper and a trained knight.¡± Sucora stood from the desk. She walked toward the camera until the screen went dark from her closeness. When she stepped away again, the camera was aimed at the rows of shelves and stored film canisters. ¡°Enoa, I want you to continue to learn the power I had. Not all of the films I left behind are training movies. The rest are logs from my time with the IHSA.¡± She pointed to one of the shelves. ¡°I¡¯ve tried, all your life, to teach you what wisdom I¡¯ve learned and give you the mental strength and spiritual foundation for this path, if you choose it. I hope you learn from my films. With your incredible heart, you can be what I never was, and that will be my penance.¡± She smiled into the camera. ¡°Then, when you find your way to the Hidden Island, Merritt can complete your training.¡± ¡°Continue to learn?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I never started, and why would I want to make knives or stupid metal things?¡± ¡°I doubt all they studied was iron,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this stuff before. I think iron is just one discipline among many.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to continue learning, be safe,¡± Sucora¡¯s recording continued. ¡°Please wait on the Hidden Island until things blow over, and do me one last favor. Deliver the IHSA logs there, as well. Don¡¯t worry, since everything¡¯s gotten more difficult, I¡¯m sending my friend, Archie, to take you there. Archie Grant lives three hours from here, in the Poconos. He was a member of our project, as well. If you haven¡¯t followed my instructions and gotten in touch with him, please do so.¡± Sucora drew another item from her pocket. She held it, a picture, up to the camera. It showed an old smiling man, white haired and bearded. ¡°That¡¯s the man from the train!¡± Enoa jumped to her feet. ¡°Her whole plan failed. The Liberty Corps got him.¡± ¡°Archie will see you safely to the island.¡± Sucora¡¯s image kept right on talking. ¡°Make sure he goes straight there. Don¡¯t let him dawdle.¡± She coughed. ¡°Archie¡¯s trying to secure passage to the island. He¡¯ll be in touch when he¡¯s ready to leave or if he hears of anyone searching for the trove. I want you to contact him the moment my will is complete and my property is yours. Do not wait for any reason. You can reach Archie using the method from the third page of my letter. Maybe he¡¯s already with you when you watch this.¡± Sucora waved at the screen. ¡°Hi, old friend. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°They killed him because of me.¡± Enoa pressed her hand to her face. ¡°All because of me.¡± ¡°If the worst should happen, and you can¡¯t go with Archie, the key to my map cipher is our department system that you hate so much. That¡¯s why I made sure you know it. I designed it, specifically. Use our system to decipher the back page of my letter. That will give you the coordinates and my security welcome code.¡± Orson stood and stopped the film again. ¡°You understand this department system, right?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Enoa nodded. ¡°It¡¯s so dumb and so confusing. I always just thought she was bad at making systems.¡± ¡°But you know this system? You could use this system, like she¡¯s asking?¡± ¡°Uh, I guess.¡± Before Orson could ask more, Enoa leaned forward and started the film. ¡°Whatever you choose.¡± Sucora smiled again. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be right. I love you so much, Enoa. No daughter could be loved more than I love you. You have a great beautiful life ahead of you, I know it. I didn¡¯t believe in fate or destiny. I ignored those parts of our cultural story, but I can see your legend. I can feel it. Unless it¡¯s just the meds.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry everything happened like this. I¡¯m so sorry I had to give the whole bad, complicated truth to you, at once. It¡¯s so wrong. You deserve so much better, but I know you are strong enough to be safe and to be well and to thrive in this new strange world.¡± Sucora offered another wave. ¡°Lapich Knewel. Until we meet again, kiddo. When you speak to the Earth, remember I¡¯m still part of the world, and I¡¯ll be waiting to answer your call.¡± The screen went immediately dark. The film ended. The light projected a blank whiteness onto the screen until Enoa stood and shut it off. She sat back down and said nothing. She went very still. She meditated on something, some brooding thought. Orson knew he couldn¡¯t leave her in the dark silence. They had too much to do. ¡°I bet the magic guy, the one with the Cobalt, activated the metal.¡± Orson ran to his Thousand-Point Compass. ¡°The top point must detect that Cobalt Nine. If the Shaper did something to find it, he might have made it come alive. That¡¯s what brought me here and probably Archie too.¡± Orson fit the top level back onto the Compass. ¡°Did your aunt leave you a letter? She mentioned it multiple times and it sounds really important, but you seemed pretty confused about it.¡± ¡°I got a letter.¡± She didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°It was with her will, but¡­ The cancer moved so quickly, and I just couldn¡¯t face it. I didn¡¯t read it. I left it there, in the office, in the envelope with her will. I was hoping she meant a different letter, not that one, because now I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever read it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Orson said. ¡°So those papers were still in the office, when...¡± He did not finish the sentence. Enoa did not respond. * * * ¡°Stay where you are, Captain Maros.¡± Webster kept her pistol aimed at Tucker. ¡°Councilman, I¡¯m going to need you to step away from the holding cell and put your hands on your head.¡± Councilman Tucker did not do as she instructed. Instead, he turned to face her. Normally, in this situation, Webster would have delivered a second warning. Then, if Tucker proceeded with his eerie unlawful behavior, she would be forced to escalate. Sheriff Webster did not do what she normally would. She was distracted by the sudden bizarre flashing light, blue and then red and then blue, glowing out through the buttoned sleeves of the Councilman¡¯s shirt. Then Tucker moved. Webster didn¡¯t see Tucker throw the piece of metal. She didn¡¯t see the projectile at all. She wasn¡¯t aware of it from sight or sound until it struck her, hit her hand at over sixty kilometers an hour, breaking at least three bones. The sickening snap ¨C she heard that sound. All she¡¯d seen was that flashing light, blue then red, from Tucker¡¯s sleeve. He moved so quickly she only processed it the same instant she heard the brief whistling sound, the noise the flying projectile had caused. Then the metal struck her. Then her bones broke. The sudden pain made her fingers lose their grip. Her sidearm fell from her broken hand and clattered uselessly to the floor. Webster cried out. It happened too fast for her to stay silent. She shouted and stumbled away, blinded by the agony in her hand. She fell back against the doorframe, so stunned she couldn¡¯t even question it. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Kelly.¡± Tucker spoke in his normal cheerful boyish tone. He didn¡¯t sound angry. He didn¡¯t sound sinister. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the current situation in town is rather complicated. You¡¯re out of your depth, but don¡¯t worry. Once I¡¯ve taken care of my business here, I¡¯ll see to it that your hand is treated and you sit out the rest of tonight¡¯s festivities in comfort. How does that sound?¡± Webster clutched at her right hand, so agonizing she winced from her own touch. But even through the pain, she saw Tucker raise his hands. She saw the blue and red light a second time. Then she saw the blur of metal fly past her. She didn¡¯t know how it happened. She didn¡¯t know why, but the thick projectile he¡¯d sent at her, rose from the floor, as if held by an invisible hand. Tucker called the metal back. The metal did as it was told. It returned to him, to his hand. He tucked it away in his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry it had to happen this way.¡± Tucker walked toward her, both hands outstretched. The Sheriff backed away. She took three seconds to consider her options. She didn¡¯t know enough to apprehend Tucker. She could not allow herself to be captured. Escape. Yes, that was the only way, her only chance. She needed information before she could unravel this mystery. Escape was her only hope for that. Webster had never been an actor. Her business was the truth, always, but it didn¡¯t take much effort to look afraid. She was. She let her fearful eyes wander the room. She saw Captain Maros had stayed in his cell. She saw that the other man, Lieutenant Goes, wasn¡¯t looking at her. He was staring at nothing, apparently bored. Tucker took another step toward her. Webster didn¡¯t know what had struck her, how Tucker had attacked her, but she did know that the Councilman was still flesh and blood. He was human, no more than human, no matter what he could do. When he got close enough, the Sheriff fought through her pain. She lifted her foot and slammed the heavy heel of her right work boot into the instep of Tucker¡¯s foot. It was Tucker¡¯s turn to wince and yell. Webster saw the flash of red and blue, but before he showcased any more of his odd skills, she staggered back into the hallway and pelted along the corridor, toward the AV room, toward Deputy Nesta and toward escape. What would happen next, she couldn¡¯t imagine. Tucker had changed everything. Who was he? How could he do what he did? He was something beyond her ability to fight and out of her control. Tucker was magic. He had a power out of the old folk tales she¡¯d done her best to ignore. She¡¯d never believed in such things. But believe it or not, that power was real. And from the sound of the well-polished loafers on the tile floor, Webster knew Tucker and his real power had exited the holding block. He was walking down the hallway toward her. She ran. 15 - Master Nine Sheriff Webster couldn¡¯t remember the last time she¡¯d run away from something. She rarely ran at all, these days. Most of her work was mediation, keeping tempers calm as the wild world closed in around old Nimauk. But occasionally, when the rare traveler or desperate local, driven to crime, led her on a chase ¨C she rose to the occasion, always. But running from someone¡­ That¡¯s a different business. She knew Tucker¡¯s metal could strike her long range. He could attack quickly. He could attack without warning, except for the blue and red lights. She¡¯d only gone a couple dozen steps when she saw those flashing lights reflecting on the well-waxed floor at her feet. She threw herself to the side, stopping her fall with her uninjured hand. Nothing hit her. No metal soared over her head. Why could she see the strange lights, if Tucker wasn¡¯t attacking? ¡°Stay down, boss!¡± Nesta shouted. Webster looked up and saw the Deputy crouched in the entrance to the AV room, both hands on his pistol. He fired twice. She wheeled around and looked toward Tucker for the first time since she¡¯d fled the holding area. Tucker was totally blocked from view by a wall of that same metal. She didn¡¯t know where it came from, but she could see, even from several feet away, the two bullets embedded in the shield. If the shells had done anything to harm the magic metal, the wall didn¡¯t show it. So the lights began whenever Tucker used his odd ability, not just to attack. Tucker¡¯s defensive wall began to shimmer and ripple, began to change, but before it did, Webster rose back to her feet and rushed down the hall toward Nesta. His eyes were wide, staring openmouthed. He didn¡¯t offer any comments to Tucker. He said nothing to the man they¡¯d both thought they knew. Webster reached her deputy, and they charged into the AV room. Nesta slammed the door behind them, allowing the magnetic lock to activate. Then he ran to the series of computer terminals. He looked at the holding area. The Liberty Corps men were still in their cells. But Tucker was right outside the door, their door, and from the odd distortion on the video, the lights had started flashing and blinking from his arms. Nesta reached behind the wall of terminals. He groaned and with one great pull, he unplugged them all. Their screens went dark. No one would be following their movements from the feeds. No one had the restart access code, no one but them. Then again, no one was supposed to have magic metal-kinetic powers, either. Nesta ran to the far side of the room, where a narrow door was blocked by a chair and three boxes of old unsorted notes, clerical filings that had never been properly stored. ¡°Can the old stairwell hold us both?¡± Webster pointed to the second door, the door that led to the rickety wooden emergency staircase, an artifact from the building¡¯s construction, well over a century earlier. ¡°Nobody¡¯s been on that thing in years.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll have to.¡± Nesta pulled the boxes and the chair aside. He opened the door and held it open. He motioned for her to go ahead of him. Something struck the hallway door. It rattled with such force that the tables and chairs shook, sending pens and papers scattering in all directions. Even the filing cabinet drawers danced in place. Tucker was about to come through. Webster didn¡¯t hesitate. She ran onto the stair landing and lit the miniature flashlight she always kept, standard issue equipment in their department. The light revealed a maze of webs and gargantuan shadows from creatures desperate to avoid the light. Nesta shut off the AV room lights and pulled a desk chair with him as he closed the door. He lit his own flashlight and propped the chair against the closed door, one more brief obstacle for Tucker, another handful of seconds for their escape. In almost total darkness, they were surrounded by macabre wriggling shadows. Even with Tucker¡¯s imminent arrival, they both recoiled from the unavoidable tangle of sticky threads. Another crash sounded, and Webster led the charge down the revolting passage. Even the way the ancient wooden steps swayed from their footfalls offered no more than a moment¡¯s alarm. Webster held her flashlight between the thumb and forefinger of her wounded hand, just so her free hand could keep hold of the smooth wooden railing. Crash! Even as they reached the foot of the stairs, they heard Tucker burst into the AV room. They rushed through the bottom door into a remodeled side hallway off the building¡¯s main foyer. A wall of glass looked out on the festival grounds, train station, and the railed drop-off. None of these things could be seen in the blackout. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Together, they blocked the bottom door of the old stairwell with a desk and two chairs. It would certainly not be enough. ¡°I¡¯ll stall him while you leave the building.¡± Nesta pointed toward the far end of the side-hallway, where an emergency door exited onto the building¡¯s grounds. ¡°I think the Liberty Corps have been taking everyone to the Visitor Center. I was perusing video while you were trying to call out. I would have told you sooner if Tucker hadn¡¯t turned up.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t leave you here.¡± Webster looked to the lousy barricade they¡¯d left at the small out-of-service stairwell door. ¡°You need to come with me.¡± As if on cue, a crash blasted down from somewhere above them. Tucker must have forced his way onto the emergency stair. It would not be long now. He would be on them. ¡°Boss, ma¡¯am.¡± Nesta pulled a web from the side of his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think the two of us are arresting Tucker without backup. He has this whole town, but I think he still wants to be a little covert. He didn¡¯t kill you, and he won¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t leave people behind.¡± She wavered. She thought she could hear footsteps on the stairs. Her mind, unbidden, created an image of Tucker advancing down the dark steps, watching his footing by the light of his own arms. ¡°You aren¡¯t leaving me behind.¡± Nesta nodded. ¡°I¡¯m choosing to stay. Everyone needs their Sheriff. I¡¯m just a deputy.¡± A crash sounded against the bottom stair door. One of the two chairs fell away. ¡°Please go! I¡¯ll be alright.¡± Nesta raised his gun toward the door. He fired through the wood. Ding! The bullet struck metal. Webster ran through the emergency exit. She charged across the snow, her feet slipping through the slushy accumulation. She would leave footprints. She knew she would, so she ran faster and harder and kept her footing, until she arrived back on the darkened street. She was headed nowhere in particular, no idea what her next move could be. She heard gunshots sounding well behind her, in the municipal offices. She didn¡¯t dare look back. If she did, she knew she would see the blue and red lights glowing out from the windows. * * * Orson gave Enoa privacy once again. He sat in his driver¡¯s seat fiddling with the transceiver box. He wore vintage fuzzy red headphones, the other end plugged into his device. Enoa fretted and paced around the cabin. She walked in a wide arc from the small bathroom in the back of the Aesir, then passed through the kitchenette and finally the living area. She wove between chairs and equipment, all bolted to the floor. She walked back and forth, through those thirty feet of ship. Emotionally, she¡¯d gone numb. The last revelations about herself, about her family and her future were too much for her to process. She needed time she didn¡¯t have. She needed knowledge she couldn¡¯t learn. ¡®Continue¡¯ training? Aunt Sucora thought she¡¯d started training in that Shaping magic. Enoa needed that letter; the letter Aunt Su had left for her. But it had almost certainly burned in the fire. Her answers were lost, except for the contents of the films. ¡°I think the IHSA videos are proof.¡± Enoa walked up to Orson, where he sat fiddling with the transceiver. Enoa didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d walked in silent consideration, but Orson responded right away. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He pulled the headphones from his ears. ¡°I think the videos probably have enough proof to show there¡¯s a conspiracy going on in town,¡± she said. ¡°I think if we¡¯re tricky, we can use it to find the government Shaper and force out the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± He set the transceiver aside. ¡°Oh hey, I almost forgot.¡± He reached into the ship¡¯s glove compartment and removed a small blue and black bracelet. ¡°I found this back in your aunt¡¯s library. I forgot all about it, but it¡¯s yours, now, obviously.¡± He handed it to her. The bracelet¡¯s metal was cool, but its touch offered her the same rush of warmth her aunt¡¯s metal walking stick had caused. How much else didn¡¯t she know? She turned the bracelet around in her hands. ¡°I guess we need to get started on the videos,¡± she said. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up to digging through it now?¡± Orson furrowed his eyebrows in a way that made it really clear he didn¡¯t think she was up to much at that moment. ¡°You¡¯ve had a rough night.¡± ¡°I have to be up to it.¡± She nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your choice.¡± He stood and led her back to the closet where she¡¯d stowed the film equipment. He carefully opened the door. The whole storage area was packed tightly, full to the ceiling. It wasn¡¯t fun packing it away, and it wouldn¡¯t be fun unpacking it. ¡°We have a lot to watch.¡± * * * ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Maros led Lieutenant Goes from the Nimauk Municipal Building. They walked down the main stairs and took the route through the offices, out the primary doors of the foyer. They¡¯d waited in the cells for fifteen minutes and after no word had come from Tucker, they left. They had work to do. ¡°Should we have waited for Master Nine?¡± Goes looked around the foyer. There was no sign of Tucker. ¡°I need you to check on the Visitor Center.¡± Maros pointed up toward the outskirts of town, where a wide modern road led to a scenic overlook, usually offering many of the town¡¯s recreational attractions. ¡°We need to be sure everything is secure.¡± He nodded toward the floor, several feet away. The tile there was stained dark. It was stained with blood. ¡°I don¡¯t think the local law enforcement will be an issue, but we need to be sure.¡± ¡°What about you? You should be there. You¡¯re the one who made this deal with Master Nine. You¡¯re the only one of us he¡¯ll listen to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust Nine any more than you do, but I have the excavation to lead.¡± Maros shrugged. ¡°Go to the Visitor Center. That¡¯s an order. I need someone there, just in case. If the worst happens, I need both you and Master Nine present with the locals while I lead the dig.¡± ¡°Why do we need Tucker now? The town is already under our control.¡± ¡°When Orson Gregory interferes again...¡± ¡°When?¡± Goes shook his head. ¡°We ran him off. What can he do against all of us?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll try something. I¡¯ve no doubt, but when he does, Master Nine will kill him.¡± Maros did not wait for a response. He ran from the building, aiming back up the street, toward the excavation site. 16 - Home Movie It took over an hour for Sheriff Webster to execute her rescue plan. She had spent a half hour fleeing to her home, using only back alleys and paths. She¡¯d cleaned the wound on her hand. Then she got that hand in a splint and bandages Webster prepared her own personal sidearm. Along with it, she packed extra ammunition, a Taser, two pairs of handcuffs, two pepper spray bottles, and her bolt cutters. The items that didn¡¯t fit on her belt she threw in her backpack. Next she drove her personal jeep through the single lane snow-covered dirt roads in the hills around town. She drove far out of her way, through the forested pitch-black darkness, until she arrived in the overgrown derelict butterfly garden that sat beside the Visitor Center. Webster struggled through the piling snow and tall dead foliage. She wanted to blend in and had managed to find white gloves and white sweatpants, but owned no white tops that suited the cold and settled for a pale pink sweater. All of this she wore over her regular Sheriff uniform. The snow was too deep for sneakers so her green boots had to do. She donned her late father¡¯s light gray ski mask and threw an old white terry-cloth robe over everything. Up close, she looked ridiculous, slogging through the dead plant life and knee-high snow, her right hand held tight to her chest. But she was warm. The journey through the butterfly garden took an additional half-hour, a half-hour of adrenaline. Every falling clump of snow or bounding animal sent her into a frenzy of nervous energy. Webster arrived at the tree line, looking down on the recently built Visitor Center, a plain brick building with dozens of windows. The focus had been on offering views of Nimauk¡¯s natural beauty, not on architectural features. Many of these windows were blocked by tarps or sheets, blacked out. A handful of windows emitted pale light, the first light that she¡¯d seen in hours. She heard the distant rumble of motion and talking. She heard people. Many people had been hidden away inside the center, just like Deputy Nesta had warned her. Before she could find cover at the hilltop, a company of Liberty Corps forces emerged from the Visitor Center, a dozen strong, armed, and noisy. They walked less than fifty feet from her. At that distance, she didn¡¯t know how much cover her camouflage would offer. She had nowhere to hide and didn¡¯t dare move. Webster was not a great shot with her left hand. With her right she¡¯d been a decorated markswoman, ready to fire to incapacitate. With her left, her aim was not so precise. ¡°Can you believe they¡¯re only starting now?¡± One of the Liberty Corps members yelled. ¡°We¡¯ll be babysitting here all day. All this is wasting time. Maros had no right making this dumbass deal. If we came in here some other time, we¡¯d just take what we¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Put down a couple locals if we gotta,¡± said another. ¡°Right, good target practice,¡± the first said. ¡°When I got the transfer slip on Monday, I hoped this whole thing was just another drill.¡± ¡°Or a shit joke,¡± a third said. They laughed in response, but their voices faded away as they piled into trucks and Humvees and drove from the parking lot. They never saw Webster. The Sheriff found a large rock to obscure her. She also took advantage of the snow and iced her broken hand as she waited. Webster observed the Visitor Center until the sky began to lighten, from black to a dark purple. Within an hour, the light would grow, the sun would rise, and she would have lost her chance to sneak into the Visitor Center. But she¡¯d learned. She now knew where the town council had been taken for ¡°shelter¡±. She overheard two Liberty Corps men escorting Councilman Blue, his wife, and their three children from the parking lot. The town council was in the conference room, a venue businesses rented for events. That room offered a well-lit location with a view of the rolling hillside and the town, far below. Webster hesitated, alone. This was her only chance. There was no telling what the Liberty Corps would do if allowed an entire day¡¯s control over the town. Webster found a side door unlocked. This entrance led onto an enclosed stairwell, with glass walls and heavy concrete steps. Her boots were snow-covered and made loud clanging noises on the metal plate in front of the door, but once she¡¯d brushed them off and reached the stairs, her steps made almost no sound. She ascended the stairs, up one flights, until she reached the carpeted hallway that led to the conference room. The stairwell was dimly lit, like most of the building, due to the limitations of generator power. One Liberty Corps guard watched the hall, situated in an alcove halfway between her and the door to the conference room. The guard wore armor but no helmet. ¡°I don¡¯t see why in hell I need to be here,¡± a man spoke, not a voice Webster recognized. ¡°I haven¡¯t been on the council since two thousand and seven.¡± ¡°You were on the safety list,¡± the Liberty Corps guard replied. ¡°We were told to protect you. You¡¯re safe now from the Sight-Stealers.¡± ¡°There are no Sight-Stealers,¡± the man said. ¡°The town made them up back in the fifties to help sell the festival. If you¡¯re gonna lie at least do your homework, son.¡± ¡°You need to go back in the conference room and wait with the others.¡± The Liberty Corps guard stepped from his alcove, one hand raised. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will,¡± the man said. Webster edged to the doorway and recognized a face she saw almost every day in the framed portrait-style photo that hung on the interior of the town offices ¨C honorary Emeritus Councilmember George ¡°Georgie¡± Lawson. He¡¯d been retired for most of Webster¡¯s time as Sheriff. Since destabilization, the widower spent the better part of the year with family somewhere out of state, she couldn¡¯t remember where. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to put you back in that room.¡± The Liberty Corps man shoved Lawson, pushing him back a step. The guard turned his back fully to the hallway door and to Webster. She rushed the guard and fired her taser at him. Operating the taser with her left hand, only one of the prongs took the guard in the gap between his breastplate and right shoulder pauldron. He fell to the floor before he could call for help. Lawson gasped and backed away. Webster couldn¡¯t imagine how insane she must appear, all in white, masked, bathrobe trailing behind her as she attacked. She¡¯d hoped to speak words of encouragement to Lawson. He obviously still had connections if Tucker thought to detain him, but the Liberty Corps guard began to struggle and roll and moan. She fell on top of him, placing her left hand over his mouth to keep him from crying out. The guard rolled onto her broken hand. Her eyes watered. She fought her own urge to yell. All thought of speech left her mind. Webster tore the ski mask from her head and tried to force the cloth into the guard¡¯s mouth. He kept turning his head away from her one useful hand. She needed to keep him from screaming, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to force the mask between his teeth. ¡°Sheriff?¡± Lawson whispered from the opposite wall. ¡°Is that you, Webster?¡± The guard thrashed and rolled onto her right hand a second time. Her grip slackened. ¡°Hah!¡± The guard let out a yell, half a cry for help. The guard fell quiet when Lawson sent his booted foot into the man¡¯s side. Webster ripped the tape from the roll she¡¯d clipped to her belt and slapped the adhesive over the guard¡¯s mouth. The man struggled even more, letting out moans and slurping sounds. He rolled onto her broken hand a third time. Webster winced, but did not lose her grip again. Pain raced from the hand and up her arm. Her vision was swimming from the pain, by the time she and Lawson got the Liberty Corps man¡¯s hands in one of her two pair of handcuffs. The guard never stopped thrashing, not even when she got her wrists under his armpits and began to drag him back toward the alcove where he¡¯d been standing guard. Lawson had apparently figured out the plan and took hold of the guard¡¯s flailing ankles. If she remembered correctly, there was a closet where they could stick him, a place where he could be kept until she and the town council were long gone. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Even with Lawson¡¯s help, Webster wasted vital time and priceless strength hauling the man, dragging him inch-by-inch back through the alcove, her right hand searing the entire way. They taped the guard¡¯s ankles together and locked the door, forced it shut against the struggling form of the Liberty Corps guard. Sheriff Webster sagged against the wall. She had no idea how she could fight any more. ¡°Nice work,¡± Lawson said. ¡°I like your bathrobe. Did they get you out of bed, too?¡± He laughed. ¡°I¡¯m thinking there¡¯s something strange going on. I didn¡¯t expect to see you here tonight. They said you¡¯d been dragged off by spooks.¡± ¡°Spooks? No, it¡¯s complicated.¡± Webster had rehearsed what she planned to say, no talk of magic or folktales, just the facts. The Liberty Corps wanted something hidden in town. Tucker wanted¡­ That¡¯s where it all fell apart. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure what Tucker wanted. ¡°I¡¯m here to get the town council. The threat to town was manufactured by the Liberty Corps. Officially, Tucker brought them in. They¡¯re looking for something, but I don¡¯t know what they¡¯ve offered Tucker.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t plan on staying here anyway,¡± Lawson whispered. ¡°But after that fella gave me such a hard time, I¡¯m ready to believe you. I never cared for Daniel Tucker. Listening to that phony voice of his is half the reason I stopped going to meetings. I can¡¯t speak for the rest of ¡®em. Tucker¡¯s got them scared half to death of fake spooks, but unlike them I haven¡¯t spent every waking minute of these last five years in Nimauk. I¡¯ve heard the horror stories about militias and glorified bandits taking over towns.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Webster retrieved her mask from the floor. ¡°I appreciate your support, but I need to try to get their help. I wanted to call in the rest of the county¡¯s law enforcement, but the phone lines are dead. Talking to them in person is my best shot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more than welcome to use my satellite phone,¡± he replied. ¡°Trudy makes me keep it on me when I¡¯m home alone. Hate the damn thing. I never got the hang of touch screens, but it¡¯s on the Northeast Alliance Satellite Network, not the Nimauk lines. I doubt Tucker interfered with the rest of the county¡¯s phones, too much attention from that. If I get the other police departments involved would that help?¡± ¡°It would.¡± Webster was more and more aware of the time that was passing. The sun would soon rise, at which point any hope she had of rescuing the council would likely be gone. ¡°But I can¡¯t take you. I need to talk to the council and my only vehicle is miles away through over a foot of snow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just have to take my chances,¡± Lawson said. ¡°I planned to go out the back lot when the Liberty Corps fella stopped me, and I¡¯ll go out the back lot now. I drove here. They were just a, erm, an escort.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Webster didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°I saw a large group of Liberty Corps forces leave here, but don¡¯t put yourself in any danger.¡± ¡°What are they gonna do to me?¡± He chortled. ¡°I¡¯m already up half the night. Can¡¯t catch a wink these days. Maybe this will give me something to be tired about. Are the extensions for local police the same or¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re the same.¡± Webster thought her way through Nimauk County¡¯s four boroughs and three townships. ¡°You should be¡­¡± ¡°You better get a move on.¡± Lawson started down the hall. ¡°Sun¡¯s coming up. Good luck.¡± He walked to the end of the hallway, toward the stairs. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said again. ¡°Good luck yourself.¡± Sheriff Webster stepped into the conference room. The town council and their families stood clustered together. Their children slept, most of them, curled up on small cots and bedrolls set on the far side of the room. The adults whispered and spoke among themselves. Webster was noticed before she could speak. ¡°Kelly?¡± Councilwoman Amaren looked at Webster, confused, like the Sheriff had returned from the dead. Her absurd camoflage and the way she obviously favored her hurt hand did nothing to make her appearance less startling. ¡°What are you doing here? Dan Tucker told us that you¡¯d been taken away. He said you¡¯d been taken by the Sight-Stealers.¡± Webster held a finger to her lips to quiet the crowd. ¡°There are no Sight-Stealers,¡± she whispered. ¡°Listen, things are awful in town but it¡¯s all a plan to steal from us and the festival. I have proof, but I need all of you to come with me now. Quickly, before they find us.¡± Webster had feared this moment. What would she do if they refused? She¡¯d had no way to bring evidence with her. They might not trust her. They might be unwilling to leave their families. She had no way to transport them all. Between the council members, their spouses, their children, and a few elderly relatives, they were pushing forty people. How would she get them all out? ¡°They¡¯ve already burned down Enoa Cloud¡¯s shop, but I¡¯m not sure what exactly they¡¯re looking for.¡± Webster saw the town council step away from her. The officials huddled together toward the far wall and edged closer to their sleeping children. ¡°No, you need to listen. We need to go.¡± Webster realized then they weren¡¯t moving away from her, they were moving away from the door. The Sheriff turned and found Councilman Daniel Tucker walking down the hallway toward the conference room. His arms didn¡¯t glow. He wasn¡¯t disheveled from pursuing her or Deputy Nesta. He looked good. He was properly groomed, in a full suit. Five armed and helmeted Liberty Corps troops followed him. ¡°Kelly.¡± Tucker shook his head. ¡°Why did you come back?¡± * * * Orson and Enoa dug into the old IHSA film logs. They watched films of adults sitting in circles, meditating with suction cups and wires trailing from their heads. Only twice did the films they watch show anything paranormal, anything magical. A young clean-shaven man held a glowing light in his hand, freestanding energy, uncontained by glass or metal. And they saw a young Sucora Cloud, her signature metal walking stick held in both hands. Around her, a handful of other people stood, also holding similar implements, made of metal or wood. Sucora struck a green crash test dummy with the metal rod. An explosion issued from the device with a roar that, even through the film, made Enoa jump. The dummy flew several feet backward, skidding along the floor of the low-ceilinged room where the young people trained. The walking stick was no walking stick at all. It was a staff, like a wizard¡¯s from some fantasy movie. Enoa found the display oddly fulfilling, but all of it was useless for pursuing justice in town. Then they found the film of the children, a short clip, sandwiched between more films of meditation circles, made up entirely of pajama-clad adults. Small children stood in a line. All wore their hair in the same bowl cut. They ranged in age from their late teens, barely younger than Enoa, all the way down to grade-school-aged kids. They were dressed in white, wearing short-sleeved shirts and shorts. For the most part, they looked nothing alike. Many races were represented, many ethnicities, but all of the children had weary, hopeless eyes. That was not all they shared. Their bare arms and legs were covered in round markings. The footage wasn¡¯t clear enough to show whether these markings were tattoos or welts, but they glowed. The marks gave off light. Some blinked blue. Some blinked red. But they all gave off illumination again and again in a nauseating lightshow. Each child in turn approached a small cubic piece of metal, set onto the floor. The child would raise their hands. They would yell and clearly strain, veins bulging in their limbs and face. But they all failed to do anything to the cube, except one small boy, younger than the rest. When the boy approached the metal, he didn¡¯t strain or yell or struggle. He lifted his hand. He called to the metal. The metal answered him and reshaped itself. First the cube shimmered and transformed into a sphere. Then the metal twisted and transformed into the rough likeness of what Enoa thought was an airplane. ¡°Do you think they really rescued all of the kids?¡± Enoa stood and stopped the projector. ¡°If they did, we should skip ahead to something with adults.¡± Orson didn¡¯t get a chance to answer her. ¡°We¡¯ve got her!¡± A voice shouted from the front of the Aesir. ¡°It¡¯s finally done. We¡¯ve got her.¡± Orson ran from the couch. He rushed to the front of the ship and retrieved his transceiver box. Even with the volume turned down, the device still issued shouting from the Liberty Corps channel. ¡°Now it doesn¡¯t matter what anyone wants,¡± another voice answered. ¡°We can take as long as we need with the excavation. There¡¯s no one to cause trouble with all town officials detained. Webster was the last one.¡± ¡°Orson, do you have some way to record what they¡¯re saying?¡± Enoa shut off the projector. Its image of the children vanished. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to want this recorded.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the law like around here?¡± Orson stood and walked to one of the green-lit control panels. ¡°I can get a recording, but it might not be enough to send them away from town.¡± ¡°They have Kelly now,¡± Enoa said. ¡°She¡¯s the head of our county law enforcement and there¡¯s nothing state-level above her, not anymore. They have the town government. I don¡¯t think the law is going to stop them. We haven¡¯t dealt with much crime here in Nimauk, even with the world so messed up, but I think our good record just ended.¡± ¡°If we go that way...¡± He looked to the front of the ship again. He glanced toward his sheathed sword, the sword that allegedly was made of fire. ¡°I can almost guarantee you it¡¯ll be a fight.¡± ¡°All we need to do is turn the town and the festival crowd against this militia,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Even with the Shaper person they¡¯re outnumbered. They won¡¯t stand a chance against everyone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Orson returned, holding something in his hands. ¡°This little microphone dumps right to a file on the Aesir¡¯s main computer.¡± Orson set the mic down next to the transceiver box and switched it on. ¡°Maros is still upset about the dig. He says the signal got fainter.¡± A new voice commented from the transceiver. ¡°He¡¯s not available right now, but I can get him.¡± ¡°No,¡± the first Liberty Corps man answered. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. We have everything we need up here. Tucker can take care of things with the Sheriff. Even if she tries to warn these people. They won¡¯t believe her once Master Nine is through with them.¡± ¡°Master Nine?¡± Enoa said. ¡°Are they still talking about Tucker?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Orson held up his hand. ¡°We¡¯re being recorded too.¡± She nodded and stopped talking. She walked further back into the ship. He could tell she wanted him to follow her. He was careful to step quietly enough to leave little or no disturbance on the microphone. He joined her over in the kitchenette. ¡°Aunt Sucora said the Shaper would be older,¡± Enoa whispered. ¡°Maybe there were other kids she didn¡¯t know about. How old is Tucker? Maybe they kept taking kids after the Dreamthought Project left.¡± ¡°If Tucker is the one who can control that Cobalt, can we fight him? Are we ready?¡± ¡°Tucker might just be corrupt.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°But if he¡¯s magic, I¡¯ve got a few ideas. Are you ready? You¡¯ll be in some danger if you come along.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Enoa remembered the film of Sucora Cloud and the explosion she conjured from her staff, the same weapon Enoa had carried from her home before it burned. The staff also sat in the front of the ship, propped beside Orson¡¯s sword. ¡°This is my home. I need to defend it, if I can. I just don¡¯t want to put you in danger. This isn¡¯t your fight.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Orson said. ¡°I was thinking about kicking back and ordering room service, have a nice breakfast before hitting up that festival, but I guess I can go to the death battle instead. Are you sure this is what you want?¡± ¡°I am.¡± She was sure. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go be heroes.¡± 17 - The Nimauk Visitor and Recreation Center The Liberty Corps had bound Kelly Webster¡¯s wrists. They had forced a black hood down over her head. A strong hand gripped her upper arm and led her somewhere, somewhere loud, somewhere with lots of voices. ¡°Did you think you could come here without me knowing?¡± Tucker spoke in her left ear, close enough that she felt his hot breath through the fabric of the hood. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed that I have a certain affinity with metal. I knew someone entered this building as soon as you stepped inside.¡± Webster did not answer him. She saw nothing to be gained from words or speaking. She didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d have a second chance to resist, to productively fight against Tucker and the Liberty Corps. But she knew that potential chance wasn¡¯t now. That moment hadn¡¯t come. She needed to wait and pay attention to learn where they were taking her. Putting a hood over her head was a really bad sign. She was directed forward, pulled by her upper arm. Webster heard the rumble of a crowd. She heard the noise of all the townspeople and guests, forced away from the festivities and some even forced away from their homes. They had been brought here, to the Visitor and Recreation Center¡¯s gymnasium. The noise of the crowd grew quickly, until she could hear individual voices, even though she couldn¡¯t yet make out specific words. Something squeaked ahead of her, a door opening. A bright light shone out, noticeable even with the material over her eyes. The sounds of the crowd grew and became deafening. Shouts, anger, fear, the crowd sounded ready to explode. Their noise grew even further when she entered the gym. Just the sheer force of the six hundred plus voices was enough to drown out everything. ¡°Look!¡± Someone yelled. ¡°They dragged that woman out of bed.¡± Webster was directed forward. She was still blind, of course, but the hand on her arm led her somewhere specific. She allowed herself to be led. ¡°Here she is.¡± A man spoke, just beside her. Then all hands left her. Webster came to a stop. She had no perception of the room around her, nothing but the roaring crowd and the vague sense of light. The room was hot too. The temperature outside had plummeted overnight but the mass of all those bodies warmed the room beyond belief. From warmth and fear and the layers of makeshift camoflage, Webster felt sticky. She was soon drenched to the skin, rivulets of water running down her spine, like she¡¯d gone for a run in the beginning of August. The hood was pulled from her head. She blinked her eyes shut. She winced. The sound of the crowd erupted around her even greater. She heard her own name. Some gasps. ¡°They took the Sheriff!¡± A woman screamed. ¡°Look at her hand. What did they do to her?¡± ¡°Bastards!¡± A man yelled. ¡°They¡¯ve taken everyone, these¡­¡± He made a gagging noise when a Liberty Corps spearman struck him. Other voices called. The hostages surged forward, until new sounds were heard, blades from sheaths and guns from holsters, as Liberty Corps personnel drew weapons on the crowd. The assembly¡¯s roar fell away to a murmur. This was a chance to speak, her chance to say something about what was really going on. If she could convince these people, there was still a possibility they might overwhelm the Liberty Corps. What could she say? It was unlikely this could be resolved peacefully. Unfortunately, Councilman Tucker already had his words planned. ¡°Our own sheriff betrayed us.¡± Tucker spoke through his wireless microphone, likely the same one he¡¯d worn at the festival¡¯s opening ceremony, just under twelve hours earlier. ¡°Proof!¡± A man shouted this. ¡°Who the hell are you to keep us here at gunpoint!¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± One of the helmeted Liberty Corps troops approached the shouter. ¡°No noise now.¡± ¡°Proof!¡± The shouter called again. The Liberty Corps member advanced toward the shouter, but his way was blocked by a costumed group of six men. Webster wasn¡¯t sure from forty feet away, but she thought they were supposed to be Robin Hood and his Merry Men. It was hard to tell with their costumes disheveled. Robin himself wore his green tunic over worn black jeans. These were well-muscled young travelers, twentysomethings who¡¯d been hoping to cross paths with the militia for the past few hours. ¡°Proof!¡± The original shouter yelled. ¡°Proof. Proof. Proof. Proof.¡± The people answered. They chanted. ¡°He has no proof!¡± Sheriff Webster yelled the instant the chant began to fade. ¡°It¡¯s all a lie. Tucker¡¯s behind everything. The Sight-Stealers are fakes. They caused the train derailment. It¡¯s all Tucker¡¯s plan with the Liberty Corps. They¡¯re after something here in town. He¡¯s taken my whole department. I think he murdered my deputy, Zachary Nesta.¡± ¡°What a horrible thing to say. I...¡± Tucker tried to speak again. Even his microphone, likely linked to the room¡¯s sound system, couldn¡¯t compete with the crowd. ¡°Proof. Proof. Proof. Proof.¡± Webster took her bathrobe¡¯s tie in her bound hands and spun it over her head, catching the crowd¡¯s attention. ¡°Please, help me save this place.¡± She turned in a wide arc. The crowd quieted for her. They listened to her, but she had no proper proof either. Her few belongings had been taken from her when she¡¯d been captured. Webster didn¡¯t look at Tucker or the Liberty Corps. She looked at the people, adults and children. Some had cots set up, but no one could sleep in that gathering. She saw people still dressed in costume, caped movie heroes and space aliens and knights. Webster saw many of the performers hired for the festival, who were caught up in the Liberty Corps¡¯ sweep of the festival grounds. The musicians and their gear were clustered together, along the wall closest to her, by the rear loading door, the folk musicians and other assorted acts, even the small classical orchestra that had been hired to accompany the opening night showing of the locally-filmed cult classic film, Murder at Pinnacle Peak. Beyond those doors was a small road, a few scattered parking spaces, ten feet of snowfield, and then trees. The forest waited there, the full thick primordial forest that had always waited outside Nimauk. If Webster could escape that way, she would be gone. No one would find her. And then she could contact the local police departments and her remaining deputies around the county. Had Lawson escaped to rally them? Would the other departments really offer any help with Tucker on the loose? You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Tucker and the Liberty Corps have been lying to you.¡± She raised up her bound wrists, raised her wounded hand. ¡°The legends are true. I¡¯m sorry to tell you that. Some of the Liberty Corps know parlor tricks, enough to pretend to be Sight-Stealers, but it¡¯s Tucker who really wields this strange power. I don¡¯t know how, but it¡¯s him. They didn¡¯t round you up for safety. They rounded you up so they could dig up the ground that used to belong to Sucora Cloud. There¡¯s something buried there that they¡¯re after.¡± A high-pitched whine came down from the ceiling. Both Webster and the crowd cringed from the noise and covered their ears. The room was totally silent by the time the audio distortion sound ceased. ¡°There¡¯s no truth to any of this,¡± Tucker said. ¡°You are here so we can protect you. The world was stranger than we realized. So many of the things we casually talked about for this festival turned out to be true. You¡¯re all here to be safe and to...¡± The lights went out. People jostled each other, some ready to fight, some ready to run away. There was more yelling, more noise, too chaotic to hear. ¡°We¡¯re too late.¡± Tucker gave a believable performance. Webster genuinely marveled at him, although he had to be very good at lying. He¡¯d been living a lie for a long time. How many years had it been since he arrived in town, twenty? Flickering red flame burned suddenly into life in the center of the room. The burning came from a torch in the hand of a cloaked man. His face was painted in purple and black, the war paint of the Sight-Stealers. ¡°You came here to resist us.¡± The man¡¯s voice boomed through the room. ¡°You plan to keep us from reclaiming this land.¡± He raised his left hand. Webster stood close enough to him that she felt a new wave of heat reach her, beyond even the warmth from the flame. A long spear burst into life in the man¡¯s left hand. ¡°You did not leave,¡± he said. ¡°Now, you will die.¡± * * * The Basebreaker Drill cracked through the concrete and stone of the shop¡¯s foundation. The drill made a terrible racket, but it moved at a deliberate pace. The Liberty Corps could not afford to damage the trove hidden under the antique shop. Captain Maros held up his Cobalt Isodar, the same small detection device Tucker had given him when they¡¯d started their partnership, months ago. The radar let out only a faint, slight beeping. This was nothing like the overwhelming sound he¡¯d heard just hours earlier. What had changed? How could anything have changed? Maros waited an hour and a half to complete the drilling. They¡¯d needed to burn the building, to hide the confiscation of the interior items without interference, but now they risked collapsing the whole building on top of them, if they weren¡¯t extremely cautious. Once the hole had been made in the basement floor, it had to be widened, tripled in size until a grown human could fit through it. The hole completed, Maros watched the drone pilot guide his hovering probe down into the hole in the foundation. Maros had filed twenty pages of request forms to have the drone pilot temporarily reassigned from the Liberty Corps operation in Montauk, New York. The Dreamthought Project had stolen so many priceless relics from the old IHSA. Who knew what they would do to protect them? Maros wanted to immediately climb into the hole, but instead he stood at the drone pilot¡¯s shoulder, waiting for a solid feed from the floating device. The drone lit its primary lamp. It illuminated a small wooden desk. Maros clenched his fists until his prosthetic hand actually whined, but the drone pilot didn¡¯t move the little probe until he was satisfied no booby-traps would strike. The pilot nudged his controls. The probe moved. The view turned with it, at a pace so slow it took Maros¡¯s full willpower not to scream. At last, the probe turned and illuminated an entire row of shelves, like a library had been there. Once. The shelves were empty. ¡°Shut off the drone¡¯s camera and lower me down.¡± Maros left the drone pilot. He walked between the shop¡¯s empty inventory shelves and the Corps digging machines until he looked into the hole in the earth. Usually, his forces argued with him, but not then. A cable and winch was set in place. Maros attached the cable to his belt. He nodded to his men. They lowered him down through the foundation until he touched down in the empty library. He unhooked the winch. Alone under the ground, Maros showed no caution. He rushed from one shelf to another to another. He searched them all. There was nothing there. He tore the desk drawers open, as well, searched them for hidden compartments. The entire room was empty. Then Maros spotted the door, built into the side of the room. Of course, this was only an antechamber of some kind. Who knew how long that library had sat deserted? But there, that door was the way to the real treasure. His destiny was waiting. Maros did not sprint through this door. No, the probe hadn¡¯t flown through there. It could be loaded with traps. He would not be overbold or caught in a moment of weakness. Maros walked to the door and opened it. He lit his flashlight before examining the passageway around him. He bent down and examined the floor too. There was no trip wire, no pit trap, no collapsing walls or swinging axes. But there was something else, there on the floor. Maros stuck his fingers into the fresh muddy footprint. It was still wet. He was no tracker or woodsman. He¡¯d had only minimal training in either discipline, but he distinguished multiple pairs of footprints. It looked like two or maybe three people had been through here. But the closer Maros looked, the more he knew it was likely two people. One of the two was a lot smaller. The other person wore mismatching boots, the right much larger than the left. Then Maros did run. He sprinted the length of the tunnel. He was careful not to step in the prints, but he followed them with his eyes, all the long way back to the closed slab door, sealed shut ahead of him. When Maros reached the sealed slab, he knew enough of the old IHSA systems to look for the button. He found it, smacked his left hand into the small disk, and watched the stone door slide aside, before stepping into the chamber beyond. Maros turned through the room. It was a tomb. Then, he found words, an inscription in the stone. He read the words written in the rock. ¡°May this honored ground offer an eternal home to the Cloud family.¡± * * * ¡°This is a trap!¡± Sheriff Webster yelled. ¡°This is a... AHHHH!¡± Three fingers dug into her broken hand. The fingers found their way under her bandages and the splint, digging into her skin. She collapsed to her knees from the pain, at around the same time the Liberty Corps troops stepped forward. ¡°The Sheriff said this was fake.¡± A woman shouted down from the gym¡¯s bleachers. More voices in the stands booed. The fake Sight-Stealer had prepared some pyrotechnics. He clashed his spear into his torch. A tower of flame rose almost to the ceiling, lighting up the entire room. Ten more Liberty Corps troops ran toward the Sight-Stealer. Their guns were drawn. ¡°We¡¯ll only ask this once,¡± one militia member said. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to leave.¡± Sheriff Webster knew this was her last best chance to intervene. Even if some of the festival-goers and suspicious locals were ready for a brawl, they weren¡¯t organized enough to act against the Liberty Corps. How many of them were angry drunks? What could such people do against soldiers, especially if the rest of the crowd believed the Liberty Corps story? If any sizable percentage believed the militia¡¯s story, everything could dissolve into chaos. Beep. Beep. Beeeeep. A car horn called outside the building. The last blast was loud enough that everyone, magic or not, local or traveler, shut up. With everyone quiet, it was clear where the sound was actually coming from. The horn was blaring down from the sky. Everyone looked up, to the skylights set into the ceiling. They saw a shape, flying above the building. A square of lights hurtled down out of the sky, making a slight roaring sound like a rocket ship in a vintage sci-fi movie. The sound grew louder as the shape passed over the windows and died away, as the craft descended out of sight. When that noise quieted, another took its place, knocking. Someone was knocking on the loading door. ¡°Can somebody let us in?¡± A voice shouted, a distant sound. ¡°I¡¯d rather not cut us in. I didn¡¯t expect actual chains on the door.¡± No one would have heard his words if the crowd hadn¡¯t gone quiet from the sight of the approaching ship. ¡°Never mind, I got it.¡± The loading door slid open, unleashing intense headlights. Even in the brief darkness, those nearest the entrance were dazed and blind from the light. But through squinted eyes, they saw the two long shadows, cast into the room by the headlights. Enoa and Orson had arrived to save the town. 18 - The Sword of Fire All locals in sight of the loading door recognized Enoa Cloud when they saw her illuminated by the headlights. Many of the travelers knew her too. Some had known her since she was a small girl. Many of the townspeople also recognized the man who had arrived with her. He wore a long coat and a metal right boot. A great tall sword hung from his back. His hair was wild. They¡¯d seen or heard of his escape from the Liberty Corps. He was a traveler, a wayfarer, the product of the new world. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s already dark enough for movie time,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s convenient.¡± ¡°You all know me. I¡¯m Enoa Cloud of Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know how far her voice would carry into the room. She yelled as loudly as she could. ¡°We¡¯re here to set matters right. The Liberty Corps have attacked members of the public. They stole almost everything I own, burned my home, and are currently digging up my property. They forced me to run away, tonight, the night before our most important celebration. This conspiracy is behind everything that¡¯s gone wrong here, even the train wreck.¡± ¡°This poor girl has been fooled by terrible lies.¡± Even with the power out, Tucker¡¯s microphone was still working. ¡°The Sight-Stealers have corrupted our once noble Sheriff. They have lured a dangerous vagrant into our midst, and they are warping¡­¡± ¡°Vagrant,¡± Orson shouted. ¡°That¡¯s a new one. I need to get the exact definition for that one, see if I¡¯m offended or not.¡± ¡°We have a recording of Liberty Corps members discussing Daniel Tucker¡¯s role in this conspiracy,¡± Enoa continued speaking, undeterred. ¡°They say he will deal with our Sheriff.¡± ¡°I have dealt with the Sheriff,¡± Tucker said. ¡°I dealt with her plan to abduct the town council away from their safe room here at the visitor center, all part of the Sight-Stealer plan.¡± ¡°The recording,¡± Enoa yelled, ¡°also talks about someone they answer to called Master Nine. Who¡¯s Master Nine? Mister Tucker, are you Master Nine?¡± Tucker did not immediately reply and gave the audience time to process the new information. ¡°We want to hear the recording!¡± Someone yelled from the stands. ¡°Hear the tape.¡± The crowd chanted. ¡°Hear the tape. Proof. Proof.¡± ¡°We have fifteen minutes of evidence to share with you.¡± Enoa had been working on what she¡¯d say. She decided on her words during the flight over to the visitor center. ¡°More baseless lies,¡± Tucker said. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her! The horrible accident at Enoa¡¯s business was a tremendous tragedy, but she resisted detainment and joined with this man who lead our official Liberty Corps security on an extremely dangerous chase. Captain Gregory very conveniently arrived just in time to save this young girl from the Sight-Stealers. It seems to me that the plan was hatched between this violent transient and our longtime enemies, all a plan to dupe this poor girl.¡± ¡°Make peace with your death,¡± the Sight-Stealer raised his torch yet again. ¡°Your time of judgment has come. I am an emissary of the wild, the high priest of the life that you have scorned, soon...¡± ¡°This man and his imitation of the Sight-Stealers is not only a threat to this town.¡± Enoa strained her voice, barely holding her words level. If she had to speak at that volume for long, she would have no voice left. ¡°It is also a deep insult to my people and a betrayal of this festival that we all value.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give that guy a round of applause.¡± Orson pointed to the Sight-Stealer once Enoa had finished speaking. He began to clap. ¡°Bravo! He¡¯s still trying to stick to his scripted plan, even after all this. We see you, buddy. It¡¯s not gonna work.¡± The massive roomful of faces looked at Orson. ¡°Just in case you weren¡¯t paying attention, I¡¯ll make it plain so even the folks who are still a little tipsy can understand. That guy is no evil wizard native dude, he¡¯s just a stooge for the Liberty Corps. Check out his Halloween store cloak with the crappy face paint. I bet he has some white bread name like Tanner or something too. No offense meant to any actual Tanners out there, but this is all pretty slimy.¡± Enoa wasn¡¯t prepared enough to break from her script. The constant interruptions made her very aware of the Liberty Corps troops and their dozens of guns. ¡°We¡¯re here to free everyone and prove Liberty Corps¡¯ involvement in all of the death and damage that¡¯s happened in the last day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± A familiar voice rose from foot of the stands, to their right. Someone was twirling something, like a long rope, in the air. ¡°Everything they¡¯re saying. I saw Tucker free Liberty Corps members I arrested ¨C men I arrested after I heard them admit to the arson at Enoa¡¯s business. And Tucker broke my hand when I tried to stop him.¡± ¡°Sherriff Webster!¡± Enoa called. ¡°Enoa, you need to be careful,¡± Webster yelled. ¡°Tucker is incredibly dangerous. I¡¯ve seen him use this metal. I¡­¡± ¡°Illegally spying on the conversations of an officially-hired security force,¡± Tucker¡¯s amplified voice interrupted everything. ¡°More law-breaking. More corruption. More lies.¡± ¡°Take her away!¡± Someone yelled from the far side of the room. ¡°Traitor Webster! Traitor Webster!¡± More voices joined them. ¡°Hear the tape. Hear the tape.¡± Others called. People shouted over each other. There were yells. Someone was struck in the stands. ¡°Orson, what¡¯s happening?¡± Enoa saw that he had drawn his mask up to his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t see. What do we do now?¡± ¡°It looks like Robin Hood and his Merry Men are beating up on some cowboys.¡± He turned in the direction of the violence. ¡°The Liberty Corps are trying to get to them, but a whole bunch of monks linked arms and are standing in their way.¡± ¡°Traitor Webster!¡± ¡°Hear the tape!¡± ¡°Oh, I guess they aren¡¯t monks,¡± Orson said. ¡°One guy¡¯s smacking a Liberty Corps trooper with one of those light-up plastic laser swords.¡± Enoa tried to look in the direction of the new violence but saw nothing but a blur of bodies, flailing in the dark. She saw new light, flashlights and a few colored LED bars. Orson continued to scan the crowd. ¡°Looks like Robin Hood and his buddies are headed to the gym floor. They¡¯re going to¡­ Oh hey, the Sheriff is wearing a costume too. I don¡¯t know who she¡¯s supposed to be. She¡¯s in a bathrobe, looks like they really roughed her up. They have her handcuffed.¡± ¡°Let me see, please.¡± Enoa reached for Orson¡¯s goggles. He handed her the mask. Enoa held the mask in front of her face. She saw Robin Hood and his gang reach the gym floor and surround a woman dressed in white. Kelly Webster had a mangled bandage on her right hand and two cuts on her face. Her hair was sweat-plastered to the sides of her head. She was wearing a bathrobe and it was torn in three places. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Look at her hand!¡± Enoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t think the bathrobe is a costume. I don¡¯t know what that¡¯s about.¡± ¡°She had as weird a night as we did,¡± Orson said. Liberty Corps troops and a small contingent of Tucker-supporting zombie costumed guests approached Webster, but the LED-wielding monks had joined Robin by the Sheriff¡¯s side. ¡°Sheriff Webster has protected us for years.¡± One of the Merry Men yelled. ¡°We¡¯ll protect her now!¡± The crowd erupted in shouts. About a third of the crowd had restarted their ¡°proof, proof, proof¡± chant, but most of the room descended into pure chaos. Even Tucker and the Liberty Corps seemed taken off guard. The Sight-Stealer stopped issuing pronouncements. His torch had gone out, and his spear hung limply at his side. ¡°Nobody¡¯s plan is going right.¡± Orson stepped close beside Enoa and spoke in her ear. Then he raised his hand in front of her face. He held the top level of his compass. The little metal spike had gone haywire. It wobbled from side to side. Then it spun rapidly in several circles. ¡°Why¡¯s it doing that?¡± Enoa looked at the room all around them. The place looked no different than it had before. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s not good. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say the building has Cobalt Nine hidden all through it. The Hierarchia magic man, whether it¡¯s Tucker or whoever, they¡¯re going to be way more powerful than I thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hidden in the building?¡± Enoa watched Orson pocket the compass again. ¡°This building?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± he said. ¡°Do you know these people? Do you still think they¡¯ll be on our side if they see the film clips?¡± ¡°If?¡± She asked. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can follow through with our plan if they stay like this.¡± He nodded toward the center of the room, which had dissolved entirely into a mass of shouting. ¡°This could be a bloodbath in a minute.¡± ¡°But we got all the video proof ready.¡± Enoa glanced back toward the Aesir, its headlights still lit. ¡°What will we do now?¡± ¡°You should head back to the ship and get the film equipment.¡± He reached over his shoulder and unclipped his sword¡¯s hilt in the sheath. Then he zipped and buttoned his long coat shut. He tightened his boots. He took his mask and bandana and hung them at his neck and pulled his hood onto his head. ¡°I¡¯ll stall them. I¡¯m good at stalling. I¡¯m very annoying.¡± ¡°What are you doing, specifically?¡± Enoa got a better grip on the staff. Why couldn¡¯t Aunt Su have trained her while she was still alive? ¡°Plan B.¡± He set the Aesir¡¯s keys in her free hand. ¡°Keep everyone¡¯s attention on me.¡± He walked toward the center of the gym. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Enoa called after him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have a talk with Tuck, over there.¡± He smiled and marched right into the center of the Liberty Corps formation, directly at Tucker. The councilman pointedly did not look at him. Enoa groaned. Just when she thought she had some idea what Orson was thinking, he proved he was even more bizarre and ludicrous than she knew. She shielded her eyes with her free hand and headed back toward the Aesir. * * * ¡°You can stop right there.¡± Three blue armored Liberty Corps troops raised their rifles, aimed them directly at Orson¡¯s face. ¡°Surrender your arms and raise your hands.¡± ¡°Hey, Tuck.¡± Orson ignored the armored men. He waved to the Councilman. ¡°We both know that this is between you and me, right? Can we stop playing games?¡± ¡°Security.¡± Tucker waved to other members of the Liberty Corps detail. ¡°Under no circumstances will you open fire in this room, but you must apprehend Captain Gregory.¡± ¡°Captain Maros warned us you¡¯d do something like this.¡± A tall Liberty Corps officer, white armored, approached Orson through the crowd of the militiamen. ¡°We¡¯re more than prepared for you.¡± The man got so close Orson could smell his aftershave and the pine-scented wax he¡¯d used to shine his armor. He spoke in a low voice. ¡°If you make even a single move to oppose us in any way, I¡¯ll have my men get the crowd going. They¡¯ll get violent, and we will defend ourselves with lethal force.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really shitty at the security end of your gig, aren¡¯t you?¡± Orson walked away from Goes at an even pace, before the man could grab him. Orson approached the bleachers on the opposite side of the gym, moving away from the spot where the LED monks and the Merry Men had made their barricade around Webster. Orson briefly thought about checking on the Sheriff, but knew that might put her into more danger. ¡°I can¡¯t understand why everyone is so worried about you.¡± The Liberty Corps officer followed Orson, a small group of riflemen with him. ¡°I heard all about you, years ago. You were the kid who robbed the Blitzkrieg terrorists. It really is you, but I don¡¯t understand how you¡¯re still alive. Some of it had to be made up. No one who could go up against the Blitzkrieg would try to get away from a fight by being a clown. You¡¯re nobody. It¡¯s all bullshit.¡± ¡°Nobody, huh.¡± Orson said. ¡°Thanks for letting me know I have to introduce myself.¡± ¡°Ladies and gentleman and everybody here tonight!¡± Orson yelled toward the crowd, to the nearest line of stands. Most of the crowd likely couldn¡¯t see him in the dark, but a few flashlights had been lit, most held by members of the public, and pointed at him. Orson waved his arms over his head. ¡°My name is Orson Gregory.¡± ¡°Wayfarer One!¡± A small round of cheers rose from the back of the stands. Orson waved toward them. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help this town and this festival,¡± he said. ¡°But I need your promise that no matter what the Liberty Corps tries to do to me, you¡¯ll stay put.¡± Orson maneuvered away from Goes and his escort, skirting the edge of the stands. He didn¡¯t know how long he had before the Liberty Corps made their move. Eventually, soon, their anger or their arrogance or something else would override whatever fear they had of the angry crowd and any fear they had of him. But all he needed was enough time for Enoa to start playing the video they¡¯d prepared. It wouldn¡¯t guarantee everyone¡¯s safety, but it would bring everyone together against the militia. ¡°Hear the tape! Hear the tape!¡± ¡°Traitor Webster!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll all hear the tape. Who¡¯s hungry? I¡¯m hungry. Pancakes for everyone when this is over!¡± The crowd closest to Orson fell silent from confusion or bewilderment. ¡°What did he say?¡± Someone shouted from further back. Orson checked his HUD and took a quick scan of the blue, white, and red armored bodies he could see ¨C eighty-two. About forty had guns. All those guns were aimed at him. The rest had bladed weapons. The entire detachment was beginning to work their way toward him. But no Enoa to be seen. What was taking her so long? ¡°Hear the tape! Hear the tape!¡± ¡°Traitor Webster!¡± ¡°I want to hire your festival musicians. Do they take paid requests?¡± Orson was running out of things to shout. ¡°We have you surrounded.¡± The Liberty Corps officer drew the sword at his belt. It was a long piece of pure iron that tapered to a cruel point, a point made by the power of his will. It was sharp enough to slice through steel. ¡°Lay down your arms and put your hands up. I, First Lieutenant Henry Goes, take you into the custody of the Liberty Corps.¡± He advanced deliberately toward Orson. Orson looked back toward the loading door. Enoa still wasn¡¯t there. He hoped she was okay, but he couldn¡¯t worry about that now. If she got back to the Aesir, she was almost surely safe. ¡°Nah.¡± Orson smiled. ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to make me.¡± ¡°If you do not surrender your arms,¡± Goes said. ¡°I will consider you armed with intent to commit violence.¡± ¡°I am definitely armed,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m going back and forth on intent but if you come at me with that lump of aluminum foil you¡¯ve got there, that might persuade me to commit something.¡± Goes rushed forward and raised the sword. His men knew not to attack when he had chosen to move first. He wasn¡¯t swinging to kill Orson, just to pierce his armored coat and do some damage to one of the wayfarer¡¯s limbs. That didn¡¯t happen. As Goes swung the sword, a flash of blue and white fire sliced the shaping-forged iron in two. The entire blade of Goes¡¯s sword broke from its hilt and fell to the floor, smoking. In the half-light, it took the people in the audience a few moments to realize what had happened. It took that long to understand that Goes had attacked Orson and that this attack had failed. Only then, did they comprehend the flickering blue light glowing in Orson¡¯s right hand. Orson had drawn his own sword. This sword was made of blue and white flame. It flickered slightly at the edges in little sapphire tongues of fire, but it was mostly stable and let out only a low crackling sound. Everyone nearby was bathed in heat and blue light. The sword¡¯s handle was long enough to grip it well away from the fire, but Orson held it loosely, almost up at the shining black metal cross guard. Gasps and cheers erupted from the crowd. The anti-Liberty Corps contingent had begun their chant again, but with a different rallying cry, this time. ¡°Wayfarer One! Wayfarer One!¡± ¡°I hope you kept the receipt for that sword.¡± Orson smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯s defective. It wasn¡¯t supposed to fall apart like that, was it? Or is this another scene in your Sight-Stealer play? It¡¯s getting hard to tell.¡± ¡°I¡¯m countermanding Tucker¡¯s orders.¡± Goes backed away from Orson. ¡°Shoot him!¡± But before anyone did anything, Orson¡¯s boot repulsor activated. He flew, burning sword in hand. He blasted toward the center of the room, toward the main group of Liberty Corps troops, and toward Tucker. 19 - 12,977 Days Enoa made sure she still had the electric stun device Orson had lent her. Then she retrieved the film projector and the selection of clips she and Orson planned to show the crowd. She plugged the projector into the industrial length extension cord Orson had left for her. Then she plugged the extension cord into the portable solar generator set aside for the video rig. Enoa got a good grip on the assembled equipment. Then she rushed toward the ship¡¯s door. Before she got there, she spotted the small metal bracelet Orson had found in the hidden library. ¡°I need all the luck I can get.¡± Enoa set everything down. Then she picked up the bracelet and slid it onto her left wrist. It was a loose fit, too loose to wear. She couldn¡¯t risk losing her aunt¡¯s belongings. But before she could remove it, the bracelet changed. It slipped through her fingers as it tightened. It was now snug to her skin, but not uncomfortable. Then the bracelet lit up, shining a blue light directly into her face. Enoa blinked. Why would her aunt leave her something like this? Enoa got a grip on the bracelet and tried to pry it off her wrist. While she tried to figure out how to remove the bracelet, it beeped at her. Enoa saw that the light from the bracelet was actually a projection. The odd piece of metal was sending out a blue-flickering hologram, floating in the air in front of her. The hologram displayed words. The bracelet was trying to talk to her.
Welcome back to the GARNET System, Sucora! It has been 12,977 days since your last login. Would you like to continue?
RANK: Master
CURRENT LEVEL: 48
MODE: Training
Would you like to return to MAIN MENU?
Yes
No
The hologram device shut off. The light went out. The projection faded away. The bracelet became a lifeless piece of metal, once again. Enoa touched the bracelet with her other hand, searching for some way to reactivate it. Before she could do anything, she heard the shouting. A man screamed inside the gymnasium, though she couldn¡¯t make out the words. Enoa realized she¡¯d forgotten herself. She¡¯d forgotten the videos and the Liberty Corps and Tucker. She grabbed the film projector rig again and ran from the Aesir, letting the door lock behind her. * * * Captain Maros checked his Isodar, and his fears were confirmed. The device found no immediate signal and directed him back to the tunnel. The mausoleum was merely the entryway to the passage into the hidden room. He was too late. Maros returned to the tunnel and screamed into the empty earth. He had failed. Two years of his life were gone with nothing to show for them. He had used every favor, every inch of leeway he¡¯d earned as a young Liberty Corps officer. All of it had been thrown away, wasted. Maros slammed his prosthetic hand into the wall. The hand didn¡¯t feel pain, not fully, but its servos and pressure sensors were supposed to stimulate his nerves when he risked doing damage to the hand. He felt a slight prickle at the nape of his neck, the hand¡¯s attempt to calm him down. The hand¡¯s reminder was nothing compared to the pain in his mind, the pain of his failure. Maros pushed his hand straight through the wall, through the shell of the secret tunnel, until the robotic digits¡¯ dim sense of touch let him know he¡¯d reached dirt. Maros pulled his hand back. Soil began to siphon into the tunnel like sand into an hourglass. His efforts might be wasted. They weren¡¯t yet, not unless he spent the rest of the morning screaming like a petulant child. Maros stormed from the tunnel. He returned to the library, reattached the cable to his belt, and tugged. He was raised back up out of the hidden room and onto solid ground. ¡°Thank you for your efforts.¡± Maros unhooked the cable and walked through the crowd of his men. ¡°I appreciate your hard work and attention to detail.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± The drone pilot stepped up to him. ¡°Has everything been explored? What are we doing now?¡± ¡°Explore all you like, but it appears empty.¡± Maros brushed past the man and up the cellarway stairs, on toward the street where his Humvee had been parked for him. ¡°I need to get back to the Visitor Center.¡± The trove was gone from its hiding place, but it hadn¡¯t gone far. * * * Orson knew he had to leave the room as soon as possible, and there was no way he¡¯d be leaving the gym without the Liberty Corps shooting at him. So he thought about his options. He couldn¡¯t leave through the loading door, no way. Some of the pursuing Liberty Corps would eventually go after Enoa and the Aesir. He had to buy her enough time to get back aboard before everything went belly up. The gym¡¯s hallway doors were likewise out of the question. First, he knew there were other hostage townspeople and travelers that way. He wanted to lead the militia away from civilians, not at them. Second, the building was loaded in Cobalt Nine. Whoever the Shaper was, they¡¯d managed to stow away little deposits of the metal everywhere. There were at least seven hidden metal deposits just in the gym. His mask¡¯s HUD let him see the heat from the places where the metal was hiding. There could be more, but these were the locations currently active. The Shaper, Tucker or whoever, could attack from any of those places at any moment. At least, Orson was pretty sure that¡¯s how it worked. Orson¡¯s available choices weren¡¯t good, so he took the best one. He flew into the center of the Liberty Corps position. A few of their riflemen did open fire on him, despite the darkness and Tucker¡¯s order. Of course they did. How could they resist? But that¡¯s why he flew. Their shots went up in the air. The crowd screamed beneath him, but their cries sounded like fear, not pain. He hoped no one was hit. ¡°Cease fire!¡± Tucker yelled. ¡°You will stop now.¡± A bullet struck Orson in the shoulder. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The shell didn¡¯t puncture his armor, but it did knock him off course. His single repulsor couldn¡¯t keep him balanced. Now he was aimed right at a crowd of festival-goers. A man grabbed his two children and hauled them to the floor. All three were dressed in colorful cartoony outfits Orson didn¡¯t recognize. Orson managed to redirect his fall so he landed on his left side, right in the center of the Liberty Corps spearmen. Orson held his sword, its flame blade away from his chest. Orson jumped back to his feet. The spearmen rounded on him. They advanced in a circle, blades out. Orson saw the riflemen, trying and failing to get a clear shot at him. They¡¯d formed up behind the spearman, but they didn¡¯t risk firing on their own men. Orson looked into the Liberty Corps lineup. His mask let him pick out Tucker on the fringes of the militia position. The Sight-Stealer stood near the suited official, shoulders slumped. His demonic debut performance had been cut short. Tucker caught Orson¡¯s masked stare. That time, there was no feigned indifference in the man¡¯s expression. Orson fired his repulsor again, before the spearmen got in striking distance. The boot¡¯s energy bore him up, away from the crowd, far above the gym floor, even above the stands. Orson wrenched himself around in midair. He aimed himself directly for one of the skylights. He had no way to judge the trajectory of the shards that would fall when he cut his way out of the gym. Even his mask¡¯s HUD couldn¡¯t manage that many trajectory projections at once. But the longer he was in the gym, the more likely it was that an innocent person would be hurt. It was almost miraculous bloodshed hadn¡¯t started yet. The gunfire would begin again soon. He made a clear target with the fire sword in his hand. Orson threw the sword up through the skylight, which fractured from the heat and fell in pieces. He looked away from them, letting his armored hood keep the shards away from his face. Even so, he felt multiple pieces pummel his shoulders as they fell. Some of the pieces might have lodged themselves in his coat. If he survived, he really would have a lot of sewing to do. Orson cleared the falling shards and looked up. His sword was still ascending. He accelerated the booster and flew through the gym¡¯s ceiling, just as the next torrent of screams and gunfire started below him. He rocketed out into the open air, free of the building. He reached out and grasped his sword¡¯s hilt, before the sword of fire began to descend. Orson slowed the repulsor and allowed himself an instant¡¯s relief. He¡¯d never burned himself an opening and flew through it without slowing down. He landed on the gym¡¯s rooftop. He found a spot that wasn¡¯t visible from the ground, inaccessible to gunfire. He also scanned the surroundings, letting his HUD search for possible heat signatures from hidden Cobalt Nine. He saw none. Then Orson waited. He knew it was only a matter of time before the fight came to him. * * * ¡°Maros, we need you back here now.¡± Tucker spoke through the young Captain¡¯s radio. Maros had left it active for his entire journey from the remains of the antique shop. His forces at the Visitor Center had kept radio silence, just like he¡¯d told them to, but Maros had a bad feeling, all the same. ¡°I¡¯m already on my way.¡± Maros wasn¡¯t far now. The buildings around him were entirely dark, thanks to Tucker¡¯s efforts, but he¡¯d memorized the town¡¯s layout. He knew he had only two more blocks to drive, two blocks along the park, before he took a right and traveled up the wide hill for a mile. Then he would arrive outside the Recreation Complex. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Everything! I think your forces missed a town council member. We¡¯re getting calls from neighboring law enforcement. Most of the crowd believes Webster. They booed our Sight-Stealer like he was a bombing comedian. Gregory parked his flying machine at the loading dock and got through my chain barricade. Now your men are shooting at him in the middle of the townspeople, thanks to Goes countermanding my orders. I need you to maintain control.¡± ¡°Why would you need me, Master Nine?¡± Maros made his associate¡¯s codename sound as mocking as he could. He pulled the Humvee away from the park and onto the hillside road, only one mile to go. ¡°You chose your recreation area because you have it rigged. Isn¡¯t that where you¡¯re strongest? Get rid of him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly my plan, but I can¡¯t leave this gymnasium until I have someone else to take command. Goes doesn¡¯t have the brains of a senile rat. I almost have a riot on my hands, and if I go to kill Gregory, what then? If people learn about me because of your scheme, boy, Gregory will not be the only one to die tonight.¡± * * * Enoa was too late. She watched helplessly, as Orson rocketed through the gym¡¯s skylight. The Liberty Corps forces scattered. All semblance of order and discipline ended. Some ran for nearby doors. Others barreled up the stands. All of them searched for a way to go after the wayfarer. Only a few militia troops had the foresight to remain on the gym floor. There were little more than two dozen left, mostly spearmen. Enoa didn¡¯t know whether they genuinely remembered to watch the townspeople or if they just doubted their own ability to catch Orson. It didn¡¯t matter. With so few Liberty Corps troops left behind, the locals finally had a real fighting chance. Enoa planted the projector on the gym¡¯s floor. She¡¯d seen tables here before, the ones that usually dotted the edges of the gym at sporting events. If she grabbed one of those, she could get the projector high enough to aim the film toward the blank white wall on the opposite end of the long room. Would the projector beam be strong enough to reach there? She didn¡¯t like the idea of having to move closer, into the mass of remaining Liberty Corps and angry travelers. ¡°Enoa,¡± a soft, strained voice called her name. ¡°Thank God you¡¯re alright.¡± Webster approached from the bleachers, supported by two of the Merry Men. Robin Hood followed close behind. ¡°Kelly!¡± Enoa ran to the Sheriff. ¡°What¡¯s happened to you?¡± ¡°Tucker.¡± Webster said. ¡°He has some¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it. It sounds insane. He can make things out of metal using only his mind. He broke my hand. The rest happened when I tried to free town council.¡± The Sheriff stretched out her arms, each was still cuffed by one half of a pair of handcuffs. Lengths of broken chain dangled from her wrists. ¡°We nabbed a pair of bolt cutters from a maintenance room in the hall.¡± One of the Merry Men had spotted Enoa eyeing the broken handcuffs. ¡°Thank you for putting yourselves in danger to protect Sheriff Webster.¡± Enoa smiled at the Merry Men. ¡°Orson and I found out about Tucker.¡± She briefly eyed the film projector, still in its case. Then she looked back to the chaos in the room, the Liberty Corps troops still patrolling the stands, the prisoners shouting, everyone ignoring her. ¡°We need to get somewhere safe, and then I need to get this film playing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just it,¡± Webster said. ¡°I have an idea. I have the login to the old Wintertide Festival App. We can upload your film there. Then anyone who still has a phone will see it, and Tucker can¡¯t stop it.¡± ¡°I forgot about the app! Everyone has that. Aunt Su used to offer daily coupon codes on there.¡± Enoa thought about the mess of controls and systems at the Aesir¡¯s dashboard. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can digitize the film, but that¡¯s a great idea, and we¡¯ll be safe back on the camper.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Wayfarer One flying ship?¡± Robin Hood looked over Enoa¡¯s head toward the Aesir. ¡°It looked bigger on TV.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s pretty tough.¡± Enoa thought she recognized Robin and at least one of the Merry Men, but it was difficult to tell in the half-light and with their odd costumes. ¡°I guess we¡¯d better get to work. That app idea might be the best way to get the films to everyone.¡± ¡°Stop right there!¡± A Liberty Corps spearmen shouted. He and three others advanced, blades drawn. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest.¡± ¡°Get back to your camper,¡± Robin said. ¡°We can stall them for a while.¡± He and the Merry Men turned away from Webster and began advancing toward the Liberty Corps. ¡°You need to come with us.¡± Webster called after them, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to actually fight. Enoa hated watching largely unarmed people advance on the militia forces, but she saw few options. ¡°We¡¯ll get this all figured out back on the Aesir,¡± Enoa said. Webster didn¡¯t protest as Enoa¡¯s free hand took her under the arm and guided her back through the gym and the loading door. Enoa grabbed the projector equipment. Her hand ached, gripping both the staff and the film rig. ¡°Will you be warm enough?¡± ¡°I still have my snow camo.¡± Webster shook her torn robe. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s what that is.¡± Enoa led Webster toward the Aesir. The camper¡¯s headlights were still lit, and they were bright enough that Enoa didn¡¯t immediately notice the three shapes standing next to the ship. ¡°I thought¡­¡± By the time the three shapes could be seen, it was too late to run away. Captain Maros and two of his Liberty Corps spearmen stood beside the Aesir. ¡°Good morning, Miss Cloud.¡± The young captain reached to his hip and drew his pistol. He aimed it at Enoa¡¯s chest. ¡°Good morning, Sheriff Webster. I¡¯m not going to hurt either of you, but in return for your safety, you¡¯ll be delivering the trove to me.¡± 20 - Advanced Beginner Orson carried a lot of weapons. It was rare he ever completed an adventure or finished one of his odd jobs without claiming some ¡®useful¡¯ souvenir from the experience. He¡¯d started this practice by accident. He¡¯d added item after item to the assortment of oddments he carried. Not all of them were weapons, but many of them somehow kept him alive. Somewhere over his decade-spanning idealistic crusade turned treasure hunt, he¡¯d started collecting on purpose. He¡¯d gotten sentimental. Maybe it was all of his brushes with death, all the times someone had tried to kill him or hurt him or silence him, but he remembered each and every souvenir. He remembered each story, each destination on his journey. Orson thought about his makeshift arsenal while he waited for the Liberty Corps to reach the roof of the gym where he now hid. He wasn¡¯t totally sure how they would reach the roof. He assumed at least some of them would take the roof access stairwell, so he stood behind the stairwell opening. Any attacking troops would have to exit the stairs and turn completely around to see him. But the Liberty Corps could also choose ladders or ropes or something else he hadn¡¯t thought of. Orson had long ago learned to keep an open mind. Usually, it was better to see what his enemies could do before he made a move. Orson even feared that the Liberty Corps might destroy the whole building, blow it up, or burn it, like Enoa¡¯s shop. He listened and did not hear the sound of a large number of people on the move. He assumed the Liberty Corps would not explode the entire building and everyone in it, just to take a shot at him. So Orson took a quick catalog of his weapons. He¡¯d intentionally left his explosives behind. He was aiming for no property damage on this one. He had instead packed his full collection of non-lethal tchotchkes. Most importantly, he¡¯d packed his Colchean man traps, his mobile stink set, and his kazoo. The mini solar cell, the one he used to fly his boot, could also power a number of light and non-lethal electric attacks. Orson had been wearing his gloves on and off all night, but now he affixed the wiring from the cell into the trigger controls built into his left glove. It would¡¯ve been life threatening and professionally embarrassing if he¡¯d attempted to unleash his sunspot light blast, only to find that his controls weren¡¯t plugged in. Unfortunately, his mask HUD let him know that his power cell was already down to 62%. Normally, that would last him a month before he even had to worry about a recharge, but he wanted to save enough power to fly continuously. He didn¡¯t want to be stuck on the ground with Tucker and his metal powers in play. Boom! The rooftop stairwell opening exploded, in a shower of wood and metal and plaster. Sparks scattered in all directions. Orson fell back. He caught himself on his left side, careful to keep his burning sword¡¯s blue blade away from the building¡¯s surface. He didn¡¯t need to deal with another fire. Orson jumped back to his feet. He hadn¡¯t heard anyone on the steps. His mask hadn¡¯t shown any explosive agents on the other side of the door. The Liberty Corps must have fired an explosive device from the bottom of the stairs. The troops, a dozen or more, charged from the gaping hole in the roof. They were fully armored, helmets on, guns ready. Two of them spun, lights glowing from the ends of their rifles. ¡°We¡¯ve got you now.¡± One of the troops yelled. ¡°Oh no, you found me!¡± Orson raised his left hand, palm out, in mock surrender. He waited just long enough for all of them to turn. Then he squeezed his eyes shut and triggered the solar cell in his belt. The cell sent a blast of power through the apparatus inside his jacket and out through the hidden wiring that lined his left glove. The emitter sent out a 10,000-watt burst of light. Every Liberty Corps soldier went flash blind, their vision obscured by a powerful afterimage. Some of them opened fire. They¡¯d already aimed at him before they¡¯d lost their sight. Orson ignited his boot, just a burst, enough to jump away from the bullets. He had only a few minutes until the Liberty Corps troops would regain some vision. Then he¡¯d likely have no choice but to do them harm. It would be them or him. He had little time and no extra power to waste. Orson charged into the crowd of blinded troops, fourteen in total. He swung his sword, slicing the ends from lances, cutting guns in half, removing blades from knives and swords. Some of the blinded soldiers had enough foresight to fight him. Orson met their attacks with electric bursts from the solar cell. He was incredibly thankful their helmets didn¡¯t adjust for his light attack. He shocked some with charged bursts from his left glove. Others he struck with his elbow or his fist, anything to knock them all down onto the rooftop. Some in their blind state knocked each other down, smacking into each other like foul-mouthed bowling pins. Orson had no time to celebrate. Another squad of troops charged up the stairs, shouting. He didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d been holding back on purpose or if they were only just arriving. How many of them had decided to come after him and leave the crowd alone? The man at the front of the line was a spearmen, a full head taller than Orson and much broader in the shoulders. He saw Orson and laughed. This trooper had been waiting to go up against the sword of fire. This trooper was confident he was the man who would teach the traveling clown some respect. This trooper was wrong. Orson dodged the man¡¯s spear. Then he raised his right boot, drove his foot into the man¡¯s armored chest, and ignited his booster. The repulsor drove Orson back a step and threw the spearman down the stairs, screaming. He fell into the man behind him and into the man behind him and so on. A whole procession of troops yelled and fell backward, tumbling away. Orson laughed, but not for long. He scanned the rooftop for heat, looking for the Cobalt Nine. So far, he¡¯d seen nothing, just the flattop gravel on the roof. But then the whole surface beneath Orson¡¯s feet was lit with the blurred red and yellow and orange signature of heat. Tucker¡¯s will had awakened a circle of roof beneath him. Orson needed to rocket away. His position had been compromised. It was time to go. An error message appeared in front of Orson¡¯s eyes, sent to him by his mask¡¯s HUD. It read, ¡°You are now beneath fifty percent of your solar cell¡¯s power. This message is a courtesy. Please be careful.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Orson tried to blink away the message. Beyond the lettering, he could see a few of the Liberty Corps troops starting to get up. Hadn¡¯t he disabled the error messages? He would¡¯ve sworn he had. Damn updates had gotten to him again. The message didn¡¯t budge. Orson tapped at the side of his mask. The error vanished. His vision cleared, but it was too late. Tucker attacked, sending a metal spike up through the roof, right into the side of Orson¡¯s left boot. He triggered his right boot in response, just in time. He flew back, but the metal spike tore away a chunk of sole out of his other boot. If he¡¯d been even a heartbeat slower, the metal would have met the instep of his left foot. Orson tapped at his mask again. He needed to disable the error messages. He couldn¡¯t have them sneaking up on him in the middle of a fight. What point were they if they got him killed? But he didn¡¯t have nearly enough time to get through his mask¡¯s menu. A whole volley of blades, nine total, flew out from the roof, aimed up at him. Orson didn¡¯t know how the councilman knew where he was, once he¡¯d left the building¡¯s surface, but his aim was true. Orson dove to the side. He barely maintained control with his single booster. He almost spun down at the ground. The Cobalt Nine spikes soared away over his head, disappearing far above. But as soon as the first round of metal blades had failed, Orson saw a flash of red, as heat lit up the entire side of the recreation center, only feet to his right. Another round of metal spikes flew free of the building in all directions. Orson dodged them all again by throwing his body through another torturous corkscrew. Afterwards, Orson purposely aimed back toward solid ground. He needed to find somewhere to land. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste more solar power. Tucker had begun his attack. * * * ¡°There¡¯s no treasure here.¡± Enoa released Webster¡¯s arm. Then she stepped between the other woman and the Liberty Corps troops. She set down the film rig, got a firm grip on her aunt¡¯s staff with her left hand and used her right to grab Orson¡¯s stun box in her pocket. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they hid the Dreamside Road, but it isn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste time.¡± Maros clicked off the safety on his pistol. ¡°I saw the empty library. I saw your footprints, yours and Captain Gregory¡¯s. Now lead me to what you found.¡± ¡°Library?¡± Enoa managed a genuine laugh. ¡°That was old home movies. You came here for that? You did all of this for nothing.¡± She laughed again. She laughed because she knew, no matter what happened, Maros had failed. He had gone to all this trouble, clearly months of work, for no reason. ¡°I¡¯ll need to talk with each of them privately.¡± Maros nodded to the two troopers flanking him. ¡°Take them.¡± Both of the spearmen advanced. Enoa felt Sheriff Webster step away from her, but she didn¡¯t turn to look at the older woman. Instead, she sank into a crouch, her left side and the metal staff facing forward. Her right hand was still in her pocket, clutching at the stun box. One of the two spearmen circled around her, either headed toward Webster or trying to flank her. Enoa didn¡¯t wait to find out. She rushed at the other spearman, the staff pointed forward. The metal did nothing special when it hit the spear, and the Liberty Corps man laughed at her. He batted the staff aside and reached toward her. Enoa pulled her hand from her pocket, primed the stun box, and then stabbed the little weapon into the spearman¡¯s unarmored armpit. She pressed the activation button. The man convulsed and shook. He writhed and fell backward away from her and the borrowed stunner. The man twitched, sliding through the icy slush on the ground, even without the stunner pressed to his flesh. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer.¡± Enoa pointed the stun box back at Maros. She glanced over her other shoulder, looking for the second spearman. The other man advanced toward Webster. The Sheriff held a large rock in her unbroken hand. The spearman was too wary to immediately attack, but Enoa could see the exhaustion in Webster¡¯s motions. She didn¡¯t have much fight left. ¡°I¡¯m assuming the Nation Industries electro-pulse guard was a gift from Captain Gregory.¡± Maros motioned to the stunner Enoa still held. ¡°Did he tell you they¡¯re only good for a single burst, per charge? If he did, excellent bluff, Miss Cloud.¡± Enoa did not respond. She had nothing to say. Here she was, faced with the man who had destroyed her home, who had burned her whole life away. She had nothing approaching the quasi-military training he¡¯d likely gone through, but he didn¡¯t want to kill her. He wanted her help, but she wanted nothing from him but justice. Justice or revenge, truthfully, and she¡¯d take whichever she could get. ¡°There was no reason this had to happen this way.¡± Maros shook his head. ¡°All I want is to protect this place and rebuild. Everything I do is for the good of this nation and her people.¡± ¡°If you plan on attacking me,¡± she said. ¡°Please just do it. Don¡¯t force me to hear your lies and rationalizations.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± Maros frowned. His shoulders slumped. He no longer stood with the obsessive purpose of the militia captain. Now he revealed the lost, tired young man, only in his early twenties, still unprepared for the realities of the wide world. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°Enoa, run!¡± Kelly Webster yelled. Enoa heard the Sheriff¡¯s voice calling from far over her shoulder, but she didn¡¯t have time to do anything. The rock Webster had been brandishing at the Liberty Corps spearman flew past Enoa and struck Maros in the shoulder. Despite his armor, the strike from the rock and his distraction were enough to send the young captain stumbling back, slipping on the ice and mud in the parking lot. Enoa didn¡¯t consider running or hiding. She didn¡¯t even consider returning to the Sheriff and aiding her friend. No, she had only one thought on her mind, fighting back against the man who had destroyed her home, who had taken away the only life she¡¯d ever known. Enoa rushed at Maros, before the young captain managed to regain his footing. She didn¡¯t consider otherwise. She¡¯d already begun running as soon as she¡¯d seen the rock connect. Enoa struck Maros, beat him with the staff. She didn¡¯t know any magic or weird government ESP, but this was her only weapon. She wasn¡¯t particularly strong even with the solid metal in her hand, but she was fast enough to hit Maros again and again as he struggled to regain composure on the uneven footing. Enoa hit him eleven times, most in the chest, striking him with the sides of the staff and jabbing him with the odd forked ends at its point. She had no plan but to fight, to hit him and to keep hitting him. She didn¡¯t think about what he¡¯d do when he eventually regained his composure and his footing, driven to new purpose by anger and pain from the strikes that had landed between armor plates. Enoa¡¯s attacks fell into a rhythm, almost a trance, like the Nimauk meditations and mental exercises her aunt had taught her, all breathing and purpose, everything focused on the present, with no fears for the future. Something strange happened, something unexplained, something magical, something Enoa would never have believed before the night of surreal adventure she¡¯d just lived. A miniature explosion flowered from the edge of the metal staff, like the air around the device had combusted. Enoa didn¡¯t expect the force of the blast or its recoil. She was driven back to the snowy ground, her legs and lower back suddenly drenched in slush. But Enoa didn¡¯t feel the worst of the blast. No, the brunt of the energy had unloaded on Captain Maros. The explosion shattered the young captain¡¯s chest armor. Then the force of the blast threw him backward. The pistol fell from his hands, and he came to a skidding stop fifteen feet distant. ¡°Oh my God!¡± Sheriff Webster yelled. Enoa did not respond. Her entire body had gone numb, all at once and completely, from her head to the tips of her toes. Her vision narrowed too, and she barely noticed, her mind still meditative and entranced and distant. Enoa tried to stand and immediately fell to her knees. She¡¯d spent everything in that one burst of power, all her strength, all her will. She didn¡¯t have long before exhaustion carried her away. Before it did, the little metal bracelet she now wore projected a second hologram in her face. This one addressed her, directly.
You are not Sucora Cloud!
Welcome (new user) to the GARNET System!
Congratulations! Your focus is most impressive!
RANK: Advanced Beginner
LEVEL: 2 (estimated)
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
(Please return to MAIN MENU to input new user name.)
¡°Advanced beginner?¡± Enoa read the words. Her mind was too foggy to guess what that meant. ¡°Enoa!¡± Webster called her name. Enoa collapsed before she could speak. 21 - The Lone Survivor Orson knew Tucker was leading him somewhere, somewhere away from the rec center. Whenever Orson aimed himself back toward the recreation complex, a metal blade would launch itself out of a park bench or the walls of the gym building. He¡¯d gotten lucky so far. He¡¯d dodged everything thrown at him, but unfortunately Tucker was not his only concern. Just about every living thing outside the Nimauk Visitor and Recreation Center wanted to kill Orson. Ten Liberty Corps riflemen had charged at him, stumbling and sliding from the building the second before Orson touched back onto the ground. The riflemen opened fire on sight. Orson hadn¡¯t yet adjusted his bearings. He hadn¡¯t been able to get a look at his surroundings. He hadn¡¯t been able to properly scan for Cobalt Nine. One of the bullets took Orson in the shoulder. It tore through the fabric of his coat but bounced off of the armor hidden inside. Orson raised his left hand, closed his eyes, and let out another flash from the solar cell. The Liberty Corps troops yelled, blinded and disoriented. Orson took a brief glance at the tear in his coat. The bullet had left an actual gaping opening, one that flapped in the slight winter breeze. If Orson wasn¡¯t careful, the whole coat would tear to shreds and he¡¯d be left with nothing but the armor and framework underneath. If Orson didn¡¯t die he likely had a full day of sewing ahead of him. Orson ran forward into the assembly of Liberty Corps troops. He treated these like the forces he¡¯d encountered on the roof, using his sword to destroy their weapons. He poured a little more power into his electric shocks and used more force as he hit them. None of this group put up much of a fight blinded, and soon they were all down. But this was only a fraction of Corps forces present at the rec center. If the remaining fifty or so rushed him at once, he¡¯d never reach Tucker. Orson did not have even a full heartbeat to relax. He didn¡¯t have time to recognize the flash of red heat in his goggles before a spear of metal erupted toward him. His reflexes were quick enough that he instinctively threw himself to the side. He regained his footing and took a look around. The main rec center was still in sight, its windows lit. He quickly scanned the building for signs of oncoming attack and found none. To his left was a small sitting area, with tables, benches, and a water fountain. Tucker had hidden one of his metal traps in the fountain. Orson saw the spike sticking straight out from just beside the nozzle. Orson¡¯s mask flashed red. He turned to the side, expecting another attack of spikes, sent at him from the gym building or from beneath a tree, or somewhere equally ridiculous. One of the Liberty Corps men, trained in the iron shaping, had either recovered or was never blinded by Orson¡¯s light flash. The man had summoned a small knife in a burst of heat. He charged forward. The man nearly slammed the knife into Orson¡¯s unarmored left calf, before Orson sliced the knife in two and drove his elbow into the man¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t know who the Liberty Corps has teaching stealth.¡± Orson looked down at his latest attacker. ¡°But running like you¡¯re losing your pants ain¡¯t it, pal.¡± The man jumped to his feet, but met Orson¡¯s fist and landed back in the snow. What an absolute nightmare. Orson needed to find Tucker before the incapacitated troops recovered enough for round two. If this fight went on much longer, Orson knew he¡¯d have no choice but to actually harm the Liberty Corps forces, regardless of the negative effects it could have for the townspeople. Another round of Liberty Corps troops advanced from around the side of the gym building. Under normal circumstances, Orson would have found some decent hiding place and attack these troops one at a time. But with Tucker throwing metal spikes at him out of basketball hoops and bird feeders, he couldn¡¯t pursue his usual course of action. Orson checked his HUD status symbol and found he had forty-one percent power remaining. He hated wasting more energy, but this group was larger, almost two-dozen troops, at least five with rifles. Orson raised his hand, ready to send out another blinding light. But before he could, a new crowd rushed from the rec center. This group wore costumes, vampires and zombies and werewolves. A contingent of festival-goers had broken free of the gym and were rushing the Liberty Corps, brandishing makeshift weapons, baseball bats and hockey sticks, probably all items discovered in some back closet of the rec center. Orson charged into the ranks of the Liberty Corps before they could notice the new arrivals. Another bullet took him in the coat before Orson could drive the fire sword through the barrel of the shooter¡¯s rifle. ¡°You know what?¡± Orson charged the solar cell in his left glove, just enough to send a searing shock into the shoulder of an attacking spearman. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to start a whole thing and actually hurt people, but I really should have packed my blaster. If I zapped one or two of you assholes, maybe you¡¯d think twice before terrorizing any more small towns.¡± He seized a rifleman¡¯s weapon and slammed the stock into the unarmored space under his chin. The man gasped and fell to the side. Orson had succeeded in keeping the attention of the Liberty Corps crowd, even as the band of travelers began their haphazard attack on the outer band of spearmen. The majority of the remaining Corps force, seven spearmen and two more riflemen, surrounded Orson, all getting into position around him. What¡¯s more, the riflemen stood to his either side, making it impossible for his HUD to predict both of the ballistics trajectories, at once. ¡°Everybody without a helmet blink!¡± Orson let out another blinding light. He could do no more than hope. He heard the yells from his targets, whether intended or not. Orson struck one of the riflemen with a jet from his boot, sending the other man tumbling away from him. The other shooter opened fire before Orson could reach him. The shots were haphazard. Orson couldn¡¯t tell if the man were merely a bad shot, or if the light flash had blinded him. Orson threw himself to the ground, away from the spray of bullets. The rifleman didn¡¯t fire a second barrage. One of the travelers, a big, well-muscled visitor in a wolf man costume, charged from behind the gunman and delivered blows to the warrior¡¯s back and neck with the curved edge of his hockey stick. The wolf man had weight to his blows. He was strong, but he had no technique, no finesse, and the scattered blows from his hockey stick did nothing but keep the trooper off balance. The rifleman spun around. The wolf man had maybe five seconds before he got a stomach-full of lead. Orson ignited his boot and used it to jump the distance to the Liberty Corps gunman. Orson lashed out with the sword of fire and delivered a strike to the gunman¡¯s shoulder armor. The sword cut through the armor like butter. The Liberty Corps man felt the heat as the blade poked him. Orson had practiced this twist and did the man no major damage, but the warrior fell to the ground, howling. Orson arrived in front of the wolf man. ¡°What the hell!?¡± The wolf man rounded on Orson. ¡°We tried to help and you blinded us too.¡± ¡°Sorry for that,¡± Orson said. ¡°I appreciate the effort, but you didn¡¯t leave me a lot of options, and it should wear off soon. I figure if I permanently maimed one of their guys, I¡¯d only make things worse with these Liberty Corps people.¡± He looked around. The Liberty Corps troops were down, blinded or pummeled into submission. Mercifully, these fighters weren¡¯t professionals. ¡°Take your friends and get out of here.¡± Orson pointed his thumb away from the rec center, toward the road and the town proper. ¡°You¡¯ll do the most good just by getting away safely.¡± ¡°We have every reason to fight too.¡± The wolf man sounded only angrier. Orson considered shouting back. He had no time to deal with the local tourists, but instead of yelling, Orson took a second look around. For the first time since the Liberty Corps had found him on the roof of the rec center, the outside world had gone quiet. Tucker had stopped attacking. Orson saw little of the heat from Tucker¡¯s metal abilities. He¡¯d backed off. He didn¡¯t want to be seen or discovered. ¡°You have absolutely no right¡­¡± The wolf man was still yelling. ¡°Actually,¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°There is one way you could really help.¡± ¡°What?¡± The wolf man shouted loud enough that Orson couldn¡¯t tell whether the other man was asking him how to help or if he just planned to continue his tirade. ¡°Do any of you have cameras or devices with cameras?¡± Orson looked around at the odd tourist cosplay conglomeration that had surged from the rec center to ¡®help¡¯ him. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I do,¡± a skinny young vampire answered. ¡°I¡¯ve got a GoPro.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Orson said. ¡°I need you all to chase me.¡± * * * Captain Maros awoke when the four strong hands hauled him onto the stretcher. Maros was soaked to the skin. The warmth from his body had melted the snow around him. The chill water had then seeped between the plates of his remaining armor, soaked into his clothing, and froze his flesh. Maros shivered so hard it was almost a convulsion. His teeth chattered. A gloved hand pressed down across his mouth. ¡°Keep still, Kol.¡± Duncan removed his glove from his friend¡¯s mouth. ¡°We¡¯re getting you out of here before that Cloud girl kills you.¡± ¡°Kills?¡± Maros looked down at the mangled mass of metal that had once been his breastplate. Beneath that, the tunic of his uniform was burned clear through to his skin, where his chest was visible, his flesh red and raw and burned. Seeing the wound, his body remembered the pain. His eyes watered. He fell back to the stretcher, and he bit his lip to keep from calling out. ¡°Listen close,¡± Duncan whispered. ¡°I have a group of the boys keeping the Sheriff busy, just long enough for me to take care of you. Then we¡¯re falling back. I¡¯ve recalled everyone.¡± ¡°Falling back?¡± Maros grabbed Duncan¡¯s arm. ¡°No. No, we¡¯ve worked too hard¡­¡± Maros looked to his feet, where another white armored officer had the other end of the stretcher. ¡°Kol, either the Dreamside Road isn¡¯t here or it¡¯s on that Aesir,¡± Duncan said. ¡°We have a full scale riot on our hands and the police departments from four towns descending on this place. Either we back off or we gun down half the county.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t¡­¡± Maros let himself fall back against the fabric of the stretcher. He let the pain wash over him, the searing in his chest, and bruises to his neck and back and shoulders from the fall. ¡°We can¡¯t give in.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± Duncan said. ¡°We¡¯re just waiting until Master Nine kills Captain Gregory, just like you planned it.¡± * * * Daniel Tucker knew that Orson Gregory was headed toward him. Tucker, former agent of the IHSA¡¯s Dreamthought Project, had never gotten rusty. Even when the monthly check-ins from Montauk Command ceased and no more covert orders arrived outside his door in the dead of night, Tucker still waited, still trained. Once he¡¯d been a single spoke of a global organization. Now, he was a one-man operation, a secret from the old world, still lurking, alive and strong and well hidden in rural America. Tucker felt the metal, his metal, hidden in a hundred shadowy recesses of the recreation complex. Years ago, he decided that he liked his assigned post. He liked the scenery and the peace and even the people. Yes, he enjoyed the town of Nimauk enough to stay forever. He liked Nimauk enough to keep the town, even with the Liberty Corps breathing down his neck. He hadn¡¯t enjoyed much in his life, not to this degree, and he wasn¡¯t about to let anyone take that from him. Tucker communicated with the metal naturally and fluently. The metal spoke to him and kept him informed, the same way most people receive subconscious sensations and information from their limbs. The metal was part of his mind, a true sixth sense. Tucker knew when Orson was in the presence of Liberty Corps troops. He knew when the wayfarer was in conversation with festival tourists. He detected every motion from Captain Gregory. Tucker sensed vibrations, the energy that reverberated through the earth and through Tucker¡¯s metal. Tucker could always pinpoint Orson¡¯s location from the footfall of the traveler¡¯s strange powered boot. It was unique and made it very easy to locate the stranger, even in a large group. Tucker felt the crowd of people, Liberty Corps members, surely, rush from the rec center and chase Orson. The wayfarer fled away from them as the crowd unloaded a hail of bullets in his general direction. Tucker could tell when and where gunfire had occurred, but his awareness of aerial projectiles was severely limited. Still, he had no doubt that the Liberty Corps squad had failed to subdue the strange traveler. Orson kept running and running, away from the rec center, straight toward Tucker, himself. Tucker hadn¡¯t intended to reveal his skills, not even to most of his ostensible allies in the Liberty Corps. As of that morning, fewer than ten living people knew about his sixth sense, and he didn¡¯t care to add to that number. But Tucker had failed to kill Orson. Some gadget or ability of the wayfarer¡¯s had allowed him to dodge Tucker¡¯s barrage. He¡¯d survived traps and attacks that should have killed him. These were techniques Tucker had used to kill special forces-level warriors, trained and paid killers, but they hadn¡¯t worked on Orson Gregory. Maybe it was best if he met Orson and his Liberty Corps pursuers face-to-face. Tucker removed his jacket and tie. He set them aside on one of the pavilion¡¯s wooden picnic tables. Then he stretched. He stretched his physical body, his arms and legs and shoulders. He stretched his sixth sense, feeling the metal in the floor, supports, and roof of the pavilion. He felt the metal hidden in the path between the trees and hidden in the ground between the trees¡¯ roots. Tucker was a Journeyman Rank Shaper, the only person to ever master the IHSA manmade isotope. He was the only survivor, the only wielder. It had been many years since he¡¯d fully used his sixth sense, and he almost relished the opportunity. Tucker heard the yelling and shouting and gunfire, first in the distance. The sound grew louder and closer. Tucker felt Orson¡¯s booted footfall in the lead. He sensed the crowd behind him. It was time. Tucker had no interest conversing with Orson. He just needed to kill him. He reached to the metal, constricting its molecules in the ground beneath his feet. He¡¯d skewer the wayfarer, kill him before the obnoxious traveler spoke so much as a word. But before Tucker launched his attack, Orson and his pursuers charged into view. Tucker saw them. The crowd who chased Orson was not composed of Liberty Corps members. These people were both tourists and locals, dressed as monsters, werewolves and vampires and spooks of all kinds. They brandished guns and spears, surely lifted from beaten Liberty Corps members. And the other members of the crowd held cameras and phones and other video recording devices. All of these devices were aimed at Tucker. ¡°Tucker,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± * * * ¡°I knew you¡¯d never let me get close to you unless you had me outnumbered and on the ropes.¡± Orson hoped that the crowd listened to his instructions and stayed well away from Tucker. Orson knew that the only nonviolent answer to Tucker was the Councilman¡¯s fear of exposure. ¡°I¡¯m here to offer you an opportunity.¡± ¡°An opportunity?¡± Tucker relaxed his shoulders. He furrowed his brow. He visibly stepped back into the role of the concerned, earnest public official. ¡°I¡¯m afraid after your rabblerousing demeanor tonight, I am not interested in anything you have to say. I have every intention of calling for my Liberty Corps security to apprehend you and return these guests back to safety.¡± ¡°Are we still doing this?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re standing here in this little picnic area while this wacky fantasy battle is going on. Why are you here if not to use your metal powers to attack me from a safe distance?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re lying to these innocent people you¡¯ve lured here,¡± Tucker said. ¡°Or if you¡¯re mentally ill.¡± ¡°Not lying and not ill,¡± Orson said. ¡°Well, actually, I have this weird queasy feeling. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the danger or if it¡¯s from the lack of sleep. I just really don¡¯t feel like a whole battle right now because you¡¯re a talented guy, Tucker. That¡¯s undeniable. If you got ahold of me ten years ago, you would¡¯ve made mincemeat out of me. Hell, even five years ago I would¡¯ve had a rough time¡­ Anyway, here¡¯s my point, I know what the old Hierarchia was like. I know I can¡¯t even imagine what they put you through, and I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ve been on the receiving end of their plans once or twice, and I don¡¯t know what desperate, warped shit I might do if they had me for years.¡± ¡°Hierarchia?¡± Tucker said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Get out of here, man,¡± Orson said. ¡°Seriously. It¡¯s a shame you threw away the home you had here to help the Liberty Corps look for buried treasure, but the jig is up. I can¡¯t force the town to accept you back or forgive you, and I wouldn¡¯t if I could. But it also falls to me to beat you up if you refuse to leave, so I¡¯m giving you this last chance to walk away.¡± Tucker said nothing. He did not move. ¡°Please. I¡¯m tired. You must be tired. Let¡¯s call it a night.¡± Orson saw the red glow of heat from the metal hidden at his feet. He considered jumping back, toward the people he¡¯d recruited and toward safety. He didn¡¯t do this. Orson leapt forward, sword of fire still in hand. A wall erupted from the ground, between Orson and the costumed crowd, a wall of solid metal, opaque. The wall stood ten feet tall and fifteen feet across, blocking passage along the path to the pavilion. ¡°I guess that¡¯s a no.¡± Orson sighed and walked forward. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anything different.¡± ¡°You think their video cameras are enough to force me from my home?¡± Tucker asked. ¡°I¡¯ve lived in this town for more than ten years. I know its people. The Hierarchia trained me for twenty more. Nothing will be known that I don¡¯t want to be known.¡± Tucker spread his arms and they began to glow, winking red and blue light. Liquid metal poured from the earth at his feet, oozing up over his body. Tucker was engulfed in metal. All that could be seen of him was the glow from his arms and from his legs, as well. The metal solidified, visibly, until Tucker was coated in a suit of armor. In the place of hands, long spikes extended from his arms. Orson saw another flash of heat in his HUD, not from Tucker, but from the ground. An entire row of spikes erupted from beneath the concrete floor of the pavilion and shook the earth as they blasted out toward Orson. * * * Enoa¡¯s head swam, her thoughts muddy and disjointed. Pain, she felt sharp, immediate agony in her left shoulder. She tested the fingers of her left hand. They moved, but slowly. Someone was touching her face, a hand, warm and calloused. ¡°Enoa?¡± Sheriff Webster¡¯s voice came from above her. ¡°Enoa, are you alright? Can you hear me?¡± Enoa opened her eyes. She was still on the ground. Something lay behind her head, firm, but softer than the ground, a backpack or bag, maybe. ¡°What happened?¡± Webster brushed the hair out of Enoa¡¯s face. ¡°What did you do to Captain Maros?¡± Maros? Enoa remembered the fight, the explosion. She remembered the magic. She remembered her magic, because surely that¡¯s what it was. She¡¯d made an explosion like her aunt, even the weird bracelet had known. Enoa leaned up toward the spot in the muddy distance where Maros had fallen after the explosion. The ground there was empty, visible in the growing early morning light. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±Enoa began. ¡°Sheriff!¡± A younger man approached, dressed in a Sheriff¡¯s Department poncho. ¡°The Liberty Corps has pulled out of the rec center. We¡¯re processing the stragglers.¡± ¡°How are you, Mr. Nesta?¡± Enoa forced her eyes to focus on the man¡¯s face, beneath his hood. ¡°What about Tucker?¡± Webster asked her Deputy. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after a good night¡¯s sleep,¡± Nesta said. ¡°Sheriff, ma¡¯am, I actually came here to tell you about Tucker. He¡¯s fighting Captain Gregory. It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen before.¡± 22 - Gigadeath Orson threw himself sideways. He used the boot to launch himself rightward, blasting away from the attack. Before he reached the ground, Orson found Tucker waiting for him, already standing exactly where Orson had been headed. The man moved at an astounding speed, like all the metal in the ground was propelling him forward, in perfect, frictionless grace. Tucker extended both arms, blades pointed outward. Orson raised his sword. He sliced the points free from both metal arms. Tucker made no sound. The burning cut to the metal seemingly did not harm him, and the metal on the rest of his body rippled and reformed until new blades appeared on the ends of his arms. But Tucker did not advance a second time. ¡°I heard of you, years ago.¡± Tucker spoke, his face still obscured by the metal. ¡°After you fought Omega and Bolon and the Thunderworks, the rest of the Hierarchia acted like you were some unknowable force of nature, but you really have no special abilities at all, do you?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Orson considered this. ¡°I¡¯m a pretty clever guy, and I work out most days, so there¡¯s that.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But otherwise I¡¯m one hundred percent homegrown human being without any other bizarre stuff going on.¡± ¡°Then the stories about you are lies.¡± Tucker laughed. ¡°They say you faced the Supreme Commander of Thunderworks totally alone, blade to blade, but there¡¯s no way you managed that.¡± ¡°That one actually isn¡¯t quite true,¡± Orson conceded. ¡°When I fought the General, he had his automaton bodyguards with him too.¡± He swung the fire sword. He aimed the strike directly at Tucker¡¯s face, enough to send the metal wielder gliding away. But this reversal lasted only an instant. Tucker¡¯s metal armor thickened, a solid mass of spikes and blades. He finally had enough armor to overcome his clear wariness of the fire sword, and he rushed Orson again and at the same time formed more metal spikes from the ground. Orson hadn¡¯t expected the multidirectional onslaught. He ignited his repulsor again and blasted away. Anywhere on the ground was unsafe with Tucker¡¯s unending barrage. Orson checked his power levels and was dismayed to find a low power warning waiting for him ¨C only nineteen percent remaining. How had that happened? Now he¡¯d need to use the repulsor strictly for its intended purpose, why he¡¯d acquired the device in the first place. It let him do the kind of long distance jumping usually only found in comic books and video games. Tucker was on him as soon as he touched back down, sending blades from the earth rushing toward him, still in his spiked Cobalt-armored shell. Orson took one of the metal spines in the coat. He felt the metal actually vibrating inside the fabric, searching for some crack or crevice in his armor. The metal was seeking an opening to stab him. Orson yelled, no heroic call. He let all of his rage fill the sound. His time had been wasted too. He¡¯d come all this way and found nothing but films and some other asshole trying to become a small town dictator. Orson let loose on Tucker with his own barrage, striking the metal with the sword of fire. The metal gave way under the blade every time. He sliced through metal spikes and layers of armor, cutting deeper with every swing. Tucker¡¯s ground barrage ceased as the Councilman¡¯s focus was consumed with mending and adding layers to his personal armor. Orson yelled again, howled and then laughed. Tucker had an almost unbeatable weapon when fighting on his terms. How can you fight someone when the ground isn¡¯t safe? ¡°Do you want to know how I win fights against people who are on the sliding scale of magic skills and powers?¡± Orson advanced yet further. He batted aside spikes every time his mask¡¯s HUD flashed red, fighting his all for the first time since he¡¯d come to Nimauk. If Orson had to cut down Tucker to end the battle, well, Orson wasn¡¯t willing to let himself be skewered. Tucker did not answer his question. He sped away from Orson, trying to gain enough distance from the fire sword to once again unleash his ground spikes. Orson didn¡¯t let him. He jumped over Tucker¡¯s head with another propelled burst from the repulsor. He struck Tucker¡¯s armored side in a swing that could have cleaved the man in two. Tucker¡¯s mental instincts were instantaneous. The rest of his body¡¯s armor poured toward the cloven opening burned by the sword. Tucker had to displace so much of his armor that his left shoulder and face were visible. Orson hoped this would happen. Orson lashed out with his left fist. He had a practiced left hook, after years of using that fist to complement the sword strikes from his right hand. The fist took Tucker in the cheek, a blow that sent the Shaper staggering away, his eyes squeezed shut. For a glorious instant, the metal liquefied again and began to fall away, pooling at Tucker¡¯s feet. He fell backward in surprise from the blow, but then he regained his attention. The metal began to congeal across his body, reforming his suit of armor. ¡°Powers like yours are deadly and terrifying.¡± Orson smiled at Tucker. ¡°But most of the time they¡¯re just gimmicks. Under that metal, you¡¯re made of meat and bone just like the rest of us.¡± Orson tapped himself on the chest. ¡°And unlike me, you¡¯re not a very good fighter when you¡¯re too busy protecting yourself, are you?¡± Tucker reformed the metal across his face and attacked from a distance, firing dozens of miniscule shards of metal. Orson knew he needed to keep Tucker close. The metal wielder was much more dangerous from a distance. Orson let his HUD predict which shards posed a threat to him. Then Orson jumped into the hail of metal. * * * Daniel Tucker had not been physically hurt by another person in over eighteen years. The metal was there to protect him. It was always there, only a thought away. His reflexes were precise, honed by his decades of constant training. Once, his reflexes had literally been too good. Tucker had tripped while helping clean up the annual Nimauk Independence Day Cookout. He¡¯d been moving tables with the rest of the officials and event volunteers. While helping to carry a long table with an intern, Tucker had slipped on a discarded rag. His reflexes took over, and the deposit of Cobalt Nine that always lined the inside of his clothing poured out through his buttoned shirt and solidified into a pillar of metal that caught his fall. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. It had been difficult to convince the intern¡¯s parents and the relevant authorities that the boy had suffered a nervous breakdown. But once Tucker was done with him, the boy genuinely needed psychiatric help. That had been the closest he came to discovery, but he¡¯d evaded that, and he would evade Orson Gregory. Tucker was a high level Journeyman in the old Dreamthought Project Garnet system database, Level 41, as of the final shutdown. He¡¯d progressed since then, but had not sought out further assessments for fear of drawing unwanted attention. Level forty-one was one achievement away from mastery, one level away from the inarguable validation he¡¯d sought since his earliest memories. He was unwilling to risk his stable life in Nimauk for that validation, but he had still formally mastered dozens of individual techniques for his arsenal, unique uses of his one-of-a-kind abilities. Tucker used the Hailing Mortar, Vlad¡¯s Cavern, and the Swinging Sidewinder. These techniques were quick and brutal, designed to impale. He aimed always for the gaps in the wayfarer¡¯s coat, at his mask and between his legs. But Orson dodged these assaults with seeming ease. He jumped away or cut away from all of these moves, always angling closer and closer to Tucker. Tucker knew that the wayfarer had discerned the truth of things ¨C that Tucker¡¯s best offensive moves, the flashiest and the deadliest, were ranged attacks. He could kill up close, absolutely, but in the personal dance of blades and fists, he had nothing to counteract Orson¡¯s fire sword. And Orson never stopped advancing long enough for Tucker to really come at him with one of his more complicated combination moves. There was no way he¡¯d manage the Big Glad Wolf or the Feet Eater, not a chance, not even worth trying. Tucker needed a move with enough metal to fight Orson blade-to-blade, but also at an advanced range. But that would mean using the Gigadeath, the master move he¡¯d been practicing on and off for twenty years. Could he¡­ Orson ignited his boot again and came leaping across the pavilion space toward him. Tucker held him at bay with another volley of the Hailing Mortar, but only barely. None of his techniques could be used twice. Orson learned. This time, none of the metal shards reached his coat. Orson dodged most and batted the others out of the way. ¡°Oh yeah!¡± Orson called, after the last metal shard melted away on the sword of fire¡¯s edge. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Just like they used to do, back home, at Fenway.¡± Yes, Tucker decided, there was something perfect and poetic about killing Orson Gregory, longtime enemy of the IHSA, with his ultimate technique. Butchering Orson would be his final deed before achieving mastery. None of his old trainers or teachers still lived. Tucker was certain they¡¯d all perished in the Thunderworks purge, but he would know, and that was enough. Tucker sent a last volley of Hailing Mortar, knowing it would give the wayfarer yet more time to showboat and make self-satisfied remarks. Then he called the metal back to him, all of the Cobalt Nine in range. He ordered it from all over the pavilion, from the trees, the meditation garden. He called the metal from everywhere he could reach and maintain focus. He called all the metal he could control, and more. When Orson batted the last of the metal shards away, Tucker allowed his wall to fall, the one that he¡¯d made to obscure their battle from the view of the bystanders. Tucker didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d cover up what he was about to do. Maybe he¡¯d say Orson was actually colluding with the Liberty Corps and he, Daniel Tucker, had saved everyone. When young Captain Maros had approached him, seeking a formal partnership, Tucker had thought he¡¯d received a golden opportunity. Here was a way to maintain the fraying supply chains into Nimauk, solidify his control over town, and keep outside control to a minimum. But that plan had failed. Perhaps a new arrangement was in order, one where he would keep no more secrets, one where his powers would be in the open and cherished and celebrated. Why had he never before considered this possibility? ¡°Why are you just standing around, Tuck?¡± Orson approached him, cautious, clearly wary. ¡°Are we done yet?¡± ¡°Soon.¡± Tucker laughed. ¡°But first, I¡¯m going to show you something no one¡¯s ever seen before.¡± * * * Enoa insisted Deputy Nesta lead her forward between the trees, toward the pavilion and toward Orson¡¯s battle with Tucker. ¡°He¡¯s saved my life half a dozen times since I met him last night,¡± she¡¯d said. ¡°I won¡¯t abandon him now.¡± Nesta had relented, and they arrived, along with a full procession of spectators, travelers, locals, and even law enforcement. They all arrived at the edge of the pavilion just in time for the wall of Cobalt Nine to liquefy. The metal melted into a pool on the ground and ran away, though not downhill, but rather toward the pavilion, toward Tucker. ¡°Stay back, everybody.¡± Orson waved to the crowd. ¡°He¡¯s doing something new.¡± Enoa got a good look at the sword of fire. Suddenly, she was transported back in time. A memory rose to the forefront of her mind, an experience she¡¯d totally forgotten. She remembered watching the news coverage from Norlenheim, from the final battle with Thunderworks. Aunt Sucora had been with her, still strong, and some local friends, as well. After the Thunderworks attack on the eastern seaboard, they¡¯d broken out the old antenna and gotten some of the strongest reception in town. Enoa remembered the grainy footage from the Thunderworks battle, the towering ships raining fire, the many bizarre powers revealed to the world, the carnage. But she also remembered the sword of fire, the blue burning light. Enoa remembered seeing Orson ¨C it must have been him ¨C charging across the old television screen, locked in combat with Thunderworks automatons. Orson noticed her staring. He offered a small wave. ¡°How are you guys?¡± Orson didn¡¯t turn away from Tucker, a second time. He watched as the metal-coated man stood still, summoning his Cobalt Nine. No one could reply. Tucker had finished gathering metal. The Cobalt Nine formed in an orb around Tucker, freestanding and growing. Everyone in the crowd shut up and backed away from the scene. Orson raised his sword. ¡°I just want you all to know,¡± Orson addressed the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m likely going to need to say some really messed up stuff to this guy, and I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± ¡°Whatever you¡¯re gonna do,¡± Webster called to him. ¡°You¡¯d better get a move on.¡± Tucker¡¯s orb changed shape, growing into a great form, a fifteen-foot form, with rippling, spiked metal limbs. The shape grew until it scraped up against the roof of the pavilion, sending splintered wood in all directions. Orson jumped out of the way of falling timber. The crowd fell back even further. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come here.¡± Tucker¡¯s muffled voice came from the amorphous head of the metal monster. ¡°I will go to any lengths to protect this town.¡± ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like your Sight-Stealers.¡± Orson shouted up to him. ¡°Is this part of that play again? I guess we know who wrote the dialogue for¡­¡± Tucker surged forward, sending a five-foot mass of undulating blades, down toward Orson. The wayfarer leapt out of the way, back from Tucker¡¯s monstrous armor. The concrete shattered in a dozen pieces where the metal mass struck it. ¡°You had no idea what you were getting into, coming here.¡± Tucker shouted. ¡°You forced me to reveal the truth. I always feared I wouldn¡¯t be accepted after what happened to me, what I am. You made me show myself, but it will be worth sacrificing my privacy to protect my town.¡± ¡°Again,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened to you, but really, do you have to spout this crap for the cameras? They don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°I survived pain you can¡¯t even imagine,¡± Tucker said. ¡°And I¡¯ll survive you, some lost outlaw who lies about being a hero. You have no idea.¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson laughed. ¡°It¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t have a clue. To you, this is your master plan, ten-to-fifteen years of scheming and work. But to ME? I get into situations like this at least six times a year. There¡¯s always a folk monster invasion or some conspiracy cult after a whatsit or some bizarre sorcerer on a rampage. This situation is tiring, but it¡¯s nothing new. I show up. I figure it out. I stop it. And I¡¯ve done this every other month or so for five years, for the five years since I personally fought the leader of Thunderworks. Tucker, your blob monster move is terrifying to the tourists, but to me, you¡¯re just my January-February Bi-monthly Wacko. And I know exactly how I¡¯m about to end this fight.¡± Orson¡¯s boast elicited quite a few cheers from the crowd, yet Enoa couldn¡¯t help but notice how terribly small the wayfarer looked beside Tucker¡¯s monster form. To her, even the sword of fire looked like nothing more than a blue candle, compared to the spiked behemoth Tucker had become. Tucker howled and dove his entire metal form toward Orson. Orson jumped up to meet him. 23 - The Bi-Monthly Wacko Orson took comfort in the idea that his forty-eight hour ordeal was nearly over. Despite his boasts, he wasn¡¯t totally sure what he was about to attempt would work, but either way, he was almost done. Soon, he could rest or maybe get some pancakes. Yeah, pancakes first, then rest. Orson checked the power on his solar cell ¨C twelve percent. That was fine. If his idea worked, he would only need to use it about three more times. Tucker slammed his metal monster down toward the wayfarer. Orson used two percent of his remaining solar power to rocket up from the ground. Both arms of the metal behemoth rippled down in an attempt to simultaneously stab and crush him. Orson flew around the strike, blasting up in the air toward the roof of the pavilion. Tucker struck the pavilion¡¯s floor, sending chunks of concrete in all directions and leaving a crater in his wake. Screams issued from the crowd. Orson tried to aim himself at the face of the monster, but it was almost impossible. His HUD showed the enormous armor as one single roiling mass of constant heat. Tucker was slower in his beast armor, but Orson knew he still had only seconds before the monster took another swing at him. He angled his sword, took his best guess, and dove toward the clustered snarl of blades. With a great swing of the sword of fire, he burned a hole into the top of the Cobalt Nine beast. Orson¡¯s HUD showed him a smaller, pale heat signature in the center of the rippling waves of red. He¡¯d found Tucker. He also got a good look at the interior of the behemoth. Inside, the monster had a lattice-like skeleton of support structures. These structures, dark red in Orson¡¯s HUD, all radiated out from Tucker. This skeleton ended at the monster¡¯s metal limbs and the constantly shifting solid Cobalt Nine skin. Orson assessed this in an instant, his years of life-saving observational experience serving him, once again. But the monster¡¯s metal skin slammed shut before he could act. Orson didn¡¯t need his HUD to tell him that both of the monster¡¯s arms were swinging up toward him. Desperately low on power, he jetted straight up, away from the beast. If he lived, he¡¯d always remember to pack a second battery. Orson was yanked backwards. He¡¯d kept moving, but his coat had not. The fabric was caught in some blade on the monster¡¯s skin. He was stuck now, hovering, wasting power, level with the top of the monster¡¯s head. ¡°Power unit compromised! Reroute in process.¡± This warning appeared on Orson¡¯s HUD. His armor would hold back the spikes, but if they managed to destroy his weaponry¡¯s wiring and the emergency reroute, he¡¯d be done for. Orson saw only one choice. He swung the sword with both hands, letting it burn a solid chunk of the Cobalt Nine from the monster¡¯s face. Before Tucker could spare a thought from his efforts to tear through the coat, Orson removed his left hand from the sword¡¯s hilt and shoved it into a gap in the monster¡¯s lattice skeleton. The metal shut on the coat sleeve and it battled his armor with a horrible grinding noise. Before Tucker could alter his interior defenses, Orson let out a single flash of light from his left gauntlet, a blast of illumination so bright that Orson could see it through the closed metal around his hand. Tucker yelled. Orson let the light subside. Around him, his HUD showed him what he¡¯d hoped to see, darkness. No heat came from the metal beast. Only the faint heat from Tucker¡¯s body could be seen. The Shaper had lost his mental sixth sense hold on the Cobalt Nine, driven to distraction by his unexpected blindness. On cue, the metal began to liquefy around them, pooling and dripping. The pressure slackened at his arm and his coat. Before the mass could collapse, Orson sent a last burst of power to his repulsor. He flew through the wet gunk, straight at Tucker, driving his left shoulder toward the man. Tucker didn¡¯t have a chance to regain his mental control or his concentration. Orson slammed bodily into him. The wayfarer drove Tucker out of his own liquid mass. He blasted Tucker away from the metal, away from his sphere of control, out and down, down, down, into the early morning light and toward the ground. Orson rammed Tucker down to the concrete, just as he heard the beeping in his ears, letting him know that his solar cell was entirely spent. If he wasted the next few heartbeats, the whole fight was for nothing and his one chance was gone. Orson saw unfocused rage in the Shaper¡¯s eyes. If he weren¡¯t one mistake away from dying, Orson would laugh at Tucker¡¯s literal blind rage. He said nothing. Both of them knew the fight had reached its end. Orson did not see the small trace amounts of the liquid Cobalt Nine that still clung to his coat after the trip through the metal mess. He couldn¡¯t see this metal turn red hot. His HUD was out of power. Orson caught the brief flash of red and blue glow from Tucker¡¯s arms, but that gave him little time to act. The Cobalt Nine sharpened and stabbed through the fabric at the zipper of Orson¡¯s coat, aimed straight at the wayfarer¡¯s heart. He tried to wrench himself away, but the thin metal blade slid through his clothing and buried itself in his shoulder. Orson shouted, but he¡¯d had enough warning and had experienced enough pain in his life to make the sound ferocious, not fearful. But Orson knew he had only moments to end this. Even if the blade in his shoulder didn¡¯t kill him, Tucker would soon have enough control to bring his monster back into play. Orson let the pain fuel his adrenaline-driven strength. He took Tucker by the face with his free hand and drove the man¡¯s head straight back into the concrete floor, in one final strike. All of the Cobalt Nine went totally inert when Tucker lost consciousness. With a horrible splash, the metal mass fell in a great wet splat on the pavilion floor. The lifeless metal oozed out across the ground. The blade in Orson¡¯s shoulder similarly liquefied and trickled out, followed by a stream of blood. Orson sagged away from the Shaper, utterly tired and spent and half-broken, himself. He didn¡¯t sheath his sword, not even with his hands shaking violently. ¡°Medic!¡± Orson screamed to the crowd. He didn¡¯t look away from Tucker. If the man awoke and attacked again, Orson would have no choice but to strike with lethal intent. Without power and already wounded, he didn¡¯t have another prolonged battle in him. ¡°We need a sedative down here to keep him knocked out so he can¡¯t use his metal. Somebody help me end this.¡± Orson could hear a distant murmur from the crowd. He still didn¡¯t dare turn away. He couldn¡¯t. Once he let himself relax, there would be no rousing him. The whole world spun and swam around his head. ¡°Medic!¡± He yelled again. That time he heard footsteps, multiple pairs of footsteps, some walking, some running. He felt a hand on his uninjured shoulder. ¡°That was, uh, creative,¡± Sheriff Webster said. She introduced a medic, a volunteer who¡¯d been tending to the wounded at the rec center. Orson immediately forgot the guy¡¯s name, but he watched as the man knelt beside Tucker. The medic first checked Tucker¡¯s vitals. Then he drew a syringe from a black medical bag. Orson did not turn away from Tucker¡¯s prone form until the syringe met his shoulder and the sedative was delivered into the Shaper¡¯s system. Tucker did not visibly respond to the drug, and Orson watched the man until he felt satisfied that the battle would not continue. Then he struggled with his exhausted hands. He couldn¡¯t keep them still. If he hadn¡¯t wielded the sword of fire for over a decade, he could never sheath it in his current condition, but he did. He rose to his feet, slid the sword into the scabbard and extinguished its light. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. When the crowd saw this, they understood the fight was over. They cheered and clapped. Some called Orson¡¯s name. He considered turning to face them, but when he moved, the wound in his shoulder protested. Orson unzipped his coat and was once again aware of the chill morning breeze. He shivered, but had to see the state of his wound. Blood had run all the way down his side and onto his pants. He held open the small hole in his shirt to see the wound, a mark no larger than a paring knife. It seemed to have stopped bleeding. Orson gingerly pressed his shirt to the wound, until two more volunteers arrived with a stretcher to carry Tucker away. ¡°Could I bother you for some help too?¡± Orson looked to Medic ¡®Whatshisname¡¯. He opened his coat and displayed the wound. The medic¡¯s eyes widened, and he stepped forward with a small patch of some kind. The medic stuck this bandage directly onto the wound. ¡°We¡¯ll take proper care of you back at the rec center,¡± ¡®Whatshisname¡¯ said. He and Webster supported Orson and angled him back away from the pavilion. Orson wasn¡¯t sure how the crowd would respond to his visible exhaustion, but he guessed he¡¯d lost some imaginary hero points he¡¯d gained by besting Tucker. But they offered another round of applause for him as his escort ushered him through their ranks. Travelers and tourists, law enforcement and guests clapped for him. Orson offered them a smile and a small wave. He could do no more. He allowed himself to be led on, back through the trees, along the path to the rec center. He let his mind go distant, relax, ignore his pain and exhaustion. Back inside the rec center, he was escorted to a small conference room already filled with patients, mostly costumed travelers who¡¯d brawled with the Liberty Corps. The injuries appeared minor and these travelers cheered for Orson when he entered. All he managed was a small nod of recognition. Webster and the medic escorted Orson to a chair at the far end of the conference table, positioned two seats away from Enoa, who was leaning back in her own chair. A steaming cup sat on the table beside her. ¡°I thought about greeting you after you beat Tucker,¡± she said. ¡°But Mr. Nesta insisted I come back here. I think he was afraid Tucker was going to get up and start stabbing people.¡± ¡°He would have if I hadn¡¯t knocked him out.¡± Orson removed his gear, even his coat and his odd assortment of necklaces. He fell back in his own chair. The medic removed the bandage on his shoulder and began treating the wound with a wet cloth. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to have a fun time making it safe to hold Tucker. He has his damn cobalt shit everywhere.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps have some means of tracking Tucker¡¯s metal.¡± Sheriff Webster said. ¡°Hopefully, one of their members we apprehended will be able to point us in the right direction.¡± ¡°I can track it too,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I can stick around for a few days. After last night, I¡¯m in no hurry to rush on to any other problems.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get to be here for the whole festival then.¡± The medic smiled. ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson agreed. ¡°Convenient. Anyway, we¡¯ll track it all down.¡± Orson had almost forgotten about the Liberty Corps. ¡°What ever happened with the militia gang? I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t manage to nab Man Bun, did you?¡± ¡°Enoa blew him up.¡± Webster laughed. ¡°But no, he disappeared when the rest of the Liberty Corps pulled back.¡± She stepped away from the table and walked to the conference room¡¯s doorway. ¡°Bring me Captain Gregory¡¯s tape.¡± She spoke to someone he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°My tape?¡± Orson asked. Then he turned to Enoa. ¡°You blew him up? What the hell does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± She began to speak, but then she eyed the other people at the long table, the travelers, the medic, the law enforcement officials. She lowered her voice. ¡°I¡¯m like my aunt. I did¡­ something.¡± ¡°She has a secret skill, herself.¡± Webster took the seat between Orson and Enoa. ¡°Best surprise of the night.¡± ¡°You did a magic?¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Maybe it does run in the family.¡± Enoa was spared from speaking when Sheriff Webster set a vintage tape player on the table. ¡°We found this waiting for us when we returned from your fight with Tucker.¡± She hit the play button, and Captain Maros spoke out into the room. ¡°Bravo, Captain Gregory,¡± he said. ¡°You truly are as skilled as the stories say. I hope your new allies in the Nimauk Sheriff¡¯s Department will forward this message to you. We have three matters to settle. ¡°First, my team has completed our investigation into Miss Cloud. We have determined that she did nothing to conceal Liberty Corps property from us. As such, she will find those belongings of hers that we confiscated prior to the unfortunate fire. They have been deposited at the town offices with our full apology. My advisors hoped we would keep these items in response to the arrests of my men, but I have insisted on this good faith measure. The same cannot be said for yourself. Captain if you¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunate fire?!¡± Enoa stood and shouted over the recording. ¡°That bastard set the fire!¡± She wobbled on her feet, and Webster offered a steadying hand to guide her back to her seat. ¡°Second,¡± the Maros tape continued. ¡°I want to issue an apology. If I knew what a violent and unstable presence Tucker was, I would not have allied my command with him. I am grateful, Captain Gregory, that you managed to resolve this situation without loss of life. And that leads me directly to my third point.¡± ¡°Why are we even listening to this?!¡± Enoa pointed to the tape recorder. ¡°He¡¯s doing nothing but spouting bullshit.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Orson said. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps is the rightful heir of the IHSA and the American government,¡± Maros said. ¡°The Dreamside Road trove belongs to us. It is stolen property, and anyone who pursues these hidden materials will be treated as the criminals they are. I respect you, Captain Gregory, as well as your efforts, but if you pursue the Dreamside Road, you will meet the full force of the Liberty Corps. There are powers in the Corps far surpassing those you faced here. This is your only warning.¡± ¡°Oooh boy,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m spooked now. Man Bun¡¯s gonna go tell on me to his bosses. Management¡¯s getting involved, ooooh.¡± ¡°He certainly couldn¡¯t threaten you himself.¡± Webster laughed again. ¡°You should have seen him go flying through the air. He was hollering like crazy and his hair came down in his face. He¡¯s really lucky most of his boys didn¡¯t see it.¡± She tapped at the tape player. ¡°What¡¯s the Dreamside Road? Before we go on our search for Tucker¡¯s metal, I need a full explanation of everything that went on here. I feel like I¡¯m missing a few puzzle pieces. What exactly was the Liberty Corps after? What was Tucker¡¯s role in this? Why did they attack during the festival?¡± ¡°I desperately need some sleep and some pancakes,¡± Orson said. ¡°Not in that order, and I know we¡¯ve got a long while before I¡¯ll get some real rest, so I¡¯ll try to sum it all up. ¡°The Liberty Corps thought an old bunch of stuff stolen from a secret governmental agency in the eighties was hidden under town. They needed Tucker¡¯s help to find it. He wanted to maintain control here. I think Tucker wanted to use the Liberty Corps to help make the fake Sight-Stealer threat so he could publicly save the town and consolidate control. Burning Enoa¡¯s shop also figures into that. I guess they wanted to blame that on the Sight-Stealers too? There might be more subtleties to the situation, like what Tucker thought of the Liberty Corps, but he was too busy trying to murder me to bother explaining his evil plan. Anyway, it turns out that Enoa has some weird inheritance from that old government operation, the train man came to help her with that information and got killed. Between that and the fact I showed up, we messed up the whole conspiracy and now here we are.¡± Sheriff Webster nodded and withdrew a small notepad from her belt. She shuffled through the pages. Orson was content not to speak, and he let himself sag back in the chair, once again. He had failed to find the Dreamside Road. He¡¯d failed again and had gained only one tentative lead. But for a few minutes, he had nothing to worry about, and that felt good. ¡°Stolen government assets from thirty or forty years ago?¡± Webster asked. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing there¡¯s no state agency to examine my reports. This one won¡¯t make any sense.¡± She stood. ¡°Take a short rest. I¡¯ll gather some reliable people, and we¡¯ll find somewhere to put Tucker.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Orson said, as she left the room. He enjoyed another brief respite from his worries. ¡°So you used magic, huh?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but something¡­ Something happened.¡± ¡°Well, before I skip town, we¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re all set up with your aunt¡¯s films. That way you can learn about, uh, whatever your deal is. Even if you never use it, knowing is good.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± she said. ¡°About that. Are you really going after the Dreamside Road? Do you plan to head to that island hidden at the Date Line?¡± ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m in this thing for the long haul. Man Bun certainly isn¡¯t going to scare me off.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°I haven¡¯t left Nimauk since the shutdown, and I¡¯ve never gone west, but¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I want to go and learn to be a Shaper. I want to pursue my inheritance, like you said, so if you¡¯re alright with it, I¡¯d like to go with you.¡± 24 - A Year and a Day Enoa found the Aesir unlocked. The camper was parked in the VIP lot where it had been sitting since Orson drove it down from the rec center, the week before. Seen in full daylight, Enoa got a closer look at the bizarre vehicle. It had once been painted black, but most of the paint had been burned or chipped away, revealing a chrome finish beneath. Some of the innumerable bumper stickers were likewise unreadable. Enoa eyed a few of the magnets and stickers that could be read. ¡®My other car is a car!¡¯ said one, ¡®I survived the Blitzkrieg and all I got was this lousy sticker,¡¯ read another. Enoa was trying to make out the writing on a sticker in the shape of a snowman, when the ship¡¯s door opened ahead of her. ¡°How was your week?¡± Orson stood at the top of the camper¡¯s steps. He held a small bottle and paintbrush. His hair was swept back away from his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for an artist.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t see an easel or canvas or any sign of what Orson could be painting. ¡°I¡¯m really not,¡± he said. ¡°Come aboard, you¡¯re letting the heat out. I¡¯ll show you the new marker if you want to see it.¡± She stepped inside, and he swung the lever to close the door behind her. Then he led her to the Thousand-Point Compass. ¡°Don¡¯t go near it too quickly or it might throw off the paint.¡± He pointed to the top of the compass, the layer that detected Cobalt Nine. Enoa leaned in. She saw that Orson had painted one of the four spikes at the end of that compass layer. He¡¯d made a tiny crude rendering of the cloud in crescent moon symbol that now hung around her neck, her aunt¡¯s key to the Dreamside Road treasure. ¡°It¡¯s pretty basic, but I do them for all of the Compass points I explore.¡± He pointed to one further down on the device. Enoa saw the depiction of what looked like three crossed lightning bolts in front of a snowflake. ¡°I fought a Nuberu in the north of Spain last summer. This row of the compass points to their freaky electromagnetic effects, among other things.¡± He pointed to another one, with the image of a long, dark object, shining light down on a mountaintop. ¡°That one¡¯s rough. It was my first one, after the fight with Thunderworks. I need to redo it eventually.¡± ¡°This is how you knew I was on my way.¡± Enoa pointed back up at the one that now bore her aunt¡¯s symbol. ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°It spun around and nearly smacked me in the face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He waved his hand at her. ¡°I¡¯d much rather have it be you visiting than Tucker escaping his cell. Fighting with him is not something I want to do a second time.¡± Orson sat down in one of the Aesir¡¯s plush armchairs. ¡°How¡¯s your shoulder?¡± Enoa took the wordless invitation and sat in the camper¡¯s couch, facing her host. ¡°Not bad,¡± he said. ¡°For a knife wound. In a few months, it¡¯ll just be one more scar and another crappy story.¡± He gestured to her left side. ¡°How¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m mostly recovered from whatever weird fatigue I had after the explosion I made. Sorry I couldn¡¯t help you and Kelly find the Cobalt Nine. How did that go?¡± ¡°It was no problem,¡± he said. ¡°Webster rounded up a couple Deputies, and we drove all through the county. Every time we found a pocket of the stuff, we dug it up and removed it, unless it was in a wall or something, and then I melted it with my sword. They¡¯re still looking for a way to neutralize it and turn it back into its trace metals. Sheriff Webster confiscated one of the Liberty Corps detectors, though, so that should help.¡± He massaged his temples. ¡°But it¡¯ll be a long while until they can give Tucker a real trial here or anywhere, really. That¡¯s a whole legal nightmare. I have mixed feelings about frontier justice, but then again, you and I both know Tucker isn¡¯t innocent.¡± He sat back in the armchair. ¡°So you¡¯re really leaving?¡± Enoa looked around the camper¡¯s cabin. Other than Orson¡¯s painting supplies, most of the wayfarer¡¯s belongings had been put away in the locked cabinets. ¡°Tomorrow night,¡± he said. ¡°At closing ceremonies. Oh, make sure you go to that, by the way. There¡¯s a little surprise for you.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Enoa had always been at home in Nimauk. She¡¯d never needed to worry about getting anywhere else. ¡°I would still like to come with you, if you plan to visit the Island Hidden at the Date Line, if I¡¯m welcome.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to come along? I get grumpier and weirder the more you know me.¡± ¡°Weirder?¡± She smiled. ¡°No offense, Captain, but I doubt that very much.¡± He smiled with her. ¡°The world out there is dangerous.¡± He pointed his right thumb at the Thousand Point Compass. ¡°I¡¯ve been led some strange places chasing the Dreamside Road. I can¡¯t guarantee your safety. Tucker won¡¯t be the only paranormal showdown we have on this trip. I¡¯d bet on that.¡± ¡°Well, with Tucker and the Liberty Corps, you couldn¡¯t keep me safe here, either. Nowhere.¡± Enoa thought of her now distant ancestors, those who lived and thrived before the European invasion. Their world had been full of wonder and power, a wide-open world of enchantment and danger. She dreamed of those days, of course she did, but now confronted with the wild present, she felt a twinge of fear. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Orson said. ¡°Have you settled everything here?¡± ¡°Building insurance doesn¡¯t really exist, anymore.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But I had tarps fit over the remainder of my shop. I sold half my inventory, in bulk to other businesses. That will pay for either my rebuilding or my travel expenses. I put the rest of my inventory into storage, relatively cheaply. I leased the storage space for a year and a day. I think by then I¡¯ll either be back here or be dead.¡± ¡°A year and a day?¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Very ¡®fairy tale¡¯ of you. If you spend your savings on this trip, you¡¯re really banking on us succeeding and finding real treasure.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± she said. ¡°Lots of storytellers come through here. If I return after a year¡¯s worth of adventures, I can market that, if nothing else. But maybe I will find treasure out in the world.¡± She laughed. The logistics were mostly behind her. Now, ready to leave, on the brink of adventure, she wanted nothing else. ¡°I hope your stories wind up being more lucrative than mine,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve had nothing but bad luck with that.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been traveling for, what did you say, ten years? If nothing else, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something.¡± ¡°Well.¡± He scratched the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯ve found some valuable knick knacks, sure, but usually not the kind of treasure that pays your bills or keeps food on your table.¡± He grimaced, his voice turning serious. ¡°And it¡¯s always dangerous. It¡¯s always strange.¡± ¡°Hopefully, that won¡¯t be much of a problem, not for long.¡± Enoa thought of the staff that waited for her with the rest of her luggage. ¡°As soon as we get on the road,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to start watching the old films we found. I¡¯m going to learn the power my aunt found, before me.¡± * * * ¡°Did he accept the deal?¡± Orson arrived in the long, low hallway that sloped down into the Nimauk town office¡¯s basement level. There was a closed door at the far end of that hall, with a bench across from it. Kelly Webster sat on this bench, reading a newspaper, one-handed. Her right arm and hand were encased in a thick black cast, covered in various colored ink signatures and well-wishes. ¡°He told the council he won¡¯t finalize things without you here.¡± Sheriff Webster set her folded paper aside. ¡°He says he knows the deal was your doing.¡± ¡°I really doubt he called to say thank you.¡± Orson arrived beside the bench. ¡°What do you think, does he have some weird parting threat he wants to make?¡± ¡°He¡¯s hardly spoken to anyone all week,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s one of the few people in town who actively has an attorney on retainer, but he wouldn¡¯t even call for her. Only you.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s just fine by me. I really need to talk to him before I leave town, and I¡¯ve been putting it off. I¡¯ve been in no mood for stressful experiences since that freakazoid stabbed me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you.¡± She reached down beneath the bench and retrieved a thin manila folder. ¡°Before I forget, here¡¯s everything I could dig up about the late Archie Grant. I¡¯m not sure I would¡¯ve found anything at all if you and Enoa hadn¡¯t provided his name. I have some local newspaper records, but otherwise he¡¯s a ghost. No regional phone book listings, nothing in the remaining digital records I can still access. Either he lived under an assumed name, Archie Grant was an assumed name, or he lived completely under the radar, even before the shutdown.¡± Orson opened the manila folder and found only two papers inside, both scans of brief newspaper clippings. The first bore a picture showing a smiling clean-shaven man of around middle-age. Decades younger and beardless, he looked little like the image Sucora had provided in her film. Both articles were taken from the Nimauk Valley Gazette. The first was dated February 4, 1984: Tourist Guesses Exact Number of Fat Pawns in Jar! Archie Grant, a tourist vising our annual Wintertide Festival, has guessed the exact number of our local beloved confectionary in the annual charity guessing game. Mr. Grant guessed the exact right number ¨C 937! Fat pawns have been made locally in the Nimauk valley since 1865. Fat¡¯s Candy has supported this community for over a century and run their annual guessing game since 1926. No one has ever had the privilege to guess the exact right number of Fat Pawn candies! Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. But this strange happenstance got even stranger! Another competitor, who asked not to be named for our reporting, had guessed 935, and challenged the fairness of the competition. Fat¡¯s Candy¡¯s local reputation is beyond reproach, but Mr. Grant kindly agreed to a run-off Fat Pawn guess between himself and the challenger. In a twist no one could have imagined, Mr. Grant succeeded in exactly guessing the number of Fat Pawns a second time! He accompanied this second guess with a very generous donation¡­ Orson glanced to the second scan. It was a brief letter to the editor about authentic Nimauk cultural representation in town events, dated September 7, 1988. This one Orson did not immediately read. ¡°These were the only references to Archie Grant I could find,¡± Webster said. ¡°You said Sucora claimed Grant resided in the Poconos, but that¡¯s almost no help if his name doesn¡¯t appear in the remaining records I can access from Nimauk. I plan to get in touch with the authorities in the other two counties on the passenger train line, but that will take time.¡± ¡°I hope if he has a real next of kin, you find them.¡± Orson set the folder back on the bench. ¡°I¡¯ll pass this along to Enoa when I see her again.¡± ¡°That would be great. It was kind of her to give him a resting place in her family mausoleum.¡± ¡°Enoa thought her Aunt Su would want that,¡± Orson said. ¡°If you find his people or if anything else happens where you need us, I¡¯ll leave the satellite line of my business manager. He¡¯s able to contact me.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m certainly going to keep trying to find Mr. Grant. He gave his life, in part to help this community.¡± Webster stood up from the bench. She drew a key ring from her belt and unlocked the plain door. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Tucker wants me alone?¡± Orson asked. ¡°He hasn¡¯t said so much as two words to me all week.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He walked through the door and into a small antechamber, set between the hallway and the modified holding area, created for prisoners in solitary confinement. Tucker looked through a thick window in the door on the opposite wall of the antechamber. Orson could see nothing but the man¡¯s face. He offered a small nod and walked into the center of the room. Behind him, Webster closed the antechamber door. ¡°So,¡± Orson spoke, knowing the microphones on either side of the cell widow would let them hear each other. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I want to talk. I haven¡¯t had a real conversation about the truth of the wider world since the shutdown. I never broke cover. And today¡¯s the first day since our fight that my captors haven¡¯t had me medicated. I want to talk before you leave, as you inevitably will.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been drugged that long if you didn¡¯t put your damn metal literally everywhere. Fine, we¡¯ll talk. But for every subject you want to discuss, I get to ask you a question of my own.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Tucker returned Orson¡¯s slight nod. ¡°Do you have any knowledge of the Northeast Alliance? The supply chain into Nimauk is dying. In another year, maybe two, even my old connections wouldn¡¯t have kept us on the priority list for supply distribution.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been out of the states for the better part of a year. I don¡¯t know anything about the current political structure, other than the four alliances trying to rebuild the states, Northeast, Gulf, Great Lakes, and Pacific.¡± ¡°And the Liberty Corps,¡± Tucker said. ¡°They¡¯re filling the void for a lot of lost people. If the alliances don¡¯t act quickly, there will be a militarized IHSA growing right under their noses. There isn¡¯t a town in eastern Pennsylvania or New Jersey that they haven¡¯t visited to make friends and make alliances.¡± ¡°Is that why you joined with Man Bun?¡± Orson hadn¡¯t expected Tucker to be this forthcoming. He¡¯d already half-answered one of the things Orson had wanted to ask him. ¡°You went the way the wind blew?¡± ¡°Partly,¡± Tucker said. ¡°The reality of the current world has been creeping in, for years. Even with my Cobalt Nine traps, it¡¯s been getting harder to stay aware of individuals trying to enter town. If Mr. Grant hadn¡¯t used his own Shaping to aid his travel, I wouldn¡¯t have sensed him. He could have slipped right into town. Even then, I had to go after him in person. I never left Cobalt at the other local train stations.¡± He chuckled, genuinely mirthful. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you know that Mr. Grant got around me and boarded the train,¡± Tucker continued. ¡°I had to race it all the way back here for the opening ceremony, and then stop the train as it passed over my last-resort traps.¡± ¡°Last resort,¡± Orson said. ¡°You mean the Cobalt perimeter you kept around town?¡± ¡°You found it!¡± Tucker nodded. ¡°Good for you. That was a long-fortified precaution ¨C my Cobalt Nine perimeter.¡± ¡°So it was you who derailed the train.¡± ¡°You had any doubt?¡± Tucker asked. ¡°I used my pocket of Cobalt, beneath the last stretch of tracks down into the valley. I wanted to send the entire train into the river, but Mr. Grant fought me and kept the train on the tracks. There is no way the local Liberty Corps Shapers ¨C and I¡¯m using that term very loosely ¨C could have moved the train. It took five of them to slow a single, modified bullet they knew would be fired.¡± ¡°Stop a bullet?¡± Orson said. ¡°I heard about that. That was part of some Liberty Corps song and dance, before I got here?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Tucker said. ¡°And it all would have been for nothing if Grant had recognized me. After I derailed the train, as Mr. Grant bled to death, who did he run into, but me. He died, wanting me to help Enoa Cloud. Think of that irony. He couldn¡¯t sense me when I wasn¡¯t actually Shaping. He had no idea. He went to his grave holding onto his killer, moaning about warning Enoa. Did he think she was a master?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what he thought.¡± Orson wondered about the details of Archie¡¯s contingency plan. All of this would have been so much easier if either he or Sucora Cloud were still alive. ¡°It ultimately doesn¡¯t matter what he believed. He failed to do anything more than stall me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Then Orson laughed, and he meant it. ¡°You lied and killed your way through your little charade, but you were still caught and exposed. Or is this also part of your master plan?¡± He drummed his fingers on the window between them. ¡°You¡¯ve doomed this town, Gregory. I want you to know that. Very few people could threaten this town, with me defending it. But now that I¡¯m a prisoner, it will only be a matter of time before a desperate raiding party gets through the meager law enforcement defenses. And if that doesn¡¯t happen, it¡¯s only a matter of time before the food gets scarce. The Alliances talk about rebuilding, but everything I¡¯ve seen tells me that we have years, at most, before we go off the cliff, so to speak. Then everyone will have to face the truth that the world, as we knew it, is gone.¡± ¡°If you were honest with these people, you could¡¯ve been their greatest protector. You could¡¯ve been a real-life superhero. Imagine the good you could¡¯ve done working with them openly.¡± ¡°I was here for almost ten years before Thunderworks,¡± Tucker said. ¡°There wasn¡¯t one member of the old Dreamthought Project who didn¡¯t have an agent living near them and watching them. Sucora Cloud was my job. That doesn¡¯t lend itself toward community trust.¡± ¡°But Sucora didn¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you more active if you thought the actual Dreamside Road was here?¡± ¡°What makes you think I want the Dreamside Road to be found by anyone?¡± Tucker asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less, not until I got the potential deal with Maros. Like I said, Sucora was just my job. I visited her shop every week. I made my reports. I lived here and worked where I was sent. I didn¡¯t run for office until the world was already falling apart, and I didn¡¯t start hiding Cobalt Nine where Cloud would sense it until after Thunderworks. By then, I knew I had to act, but if she felt me, she didn¡¯t let on. Maybe the cancer had started by then. I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not like we were friends.¡± ¡°After Thunderworks, with the two of you together, you could¡¯ve protected this town ¨C two magic masters together. Now, even if you spend the rest of your life helping them, you¡¯ll be doing it from captivity.¡± ¡°When you call it magic, you sound even dumber than you are.¡± Tucker laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much longer the rest of my life will be.¡± He grinned. This was the furthest expression possible from his amiable politician persona. The smile was half-mad, the look of someone who had spent their whole life drowning in lies, finally permitted to speak the truth. ¡°There¡¯s just enough Cobalt Nine in my body to make sure I always have a choice. Even the monitors they buried in my arms and legs can¡¯t stop that.¡± He pressed at his forearms, where the lights blinked when he used his abilities. ¡°The captive Liberty Corps troops say you believed you¡¯d be put in charge when they took over the town,¡± Orson said. ¡°Did you really believe that too? How would stupid Man Bun be able to do that for you?¡± ¡°Kol Maros leads a force of yokels and morons, but he has connections all the way to the top of the Liberty Corps. If he hadn¡¯t failed so miserably, he¡¯d be in a position to fulfill his promises. As it is now, the whelp is about to fall from grace.¡± ¡°You think the Liberty Corps are real players, but I¡¯ve never heard of them. This whole situation makes me feel like I was gone much longer than a year. Who the hell are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a surviving remnant of the old Hierarchia, the bosses are, anyway. They wield the militarized government secrets that managed to survive Thunderworks, and they¡¯ve salvaged much of the armament that wasn¡¯t destroyed, as well. It¡¯s taken them five years to build up a contingent of mooks to fight for them, but it was all just a matter of time. They have millions of weapons and their patriotic name. Every desperate person who can fight, every impressionable kid without a future, and every rabid wannabe-killer with a hard-on for an American Empire will fall in line for the Liberty Corps. The alliances better rebuild fast, or the Corps will have a hundred-thousand-strong fighting force, wielding Shaping, and other powers, and weapons the world hasn¡¯t seen since Thunderworks.¡± ¡°After what the International Hierarchia did to you, why would you join the Liberty Corps? Don¡¯t you have any self-respect at all?¡± Orson had seen nothing so far that made him think the Liberty Corps was any greater than the other petty bands of armed losers he¡¯d been encountering for years. But Tucker was a real-deal operative, inarguably. He needed time to think. ¡°What other option was there?¡± Tucker laughed again. ¡°After the Dreamthought Project did their stealing, everything left was scattered between almost twenty vaults all over the country. And at that time, I didn¡¯t have all that much Cobalt Nine. I was their killer. I didn¡¯t rank high enough to be properly weaponized.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you join the Dreamthought Project? They had their truce with the IHSA and the League of Nations. Why couldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°A truce!¡± Tucker raised his voice loud enough that it echoed around his cell. ¡°If the Hierarchia was bad enough to flee and rob, why did they make a truce? If they were so powerful, why did they live for decades under a truce? Why did they abandon dozens of children to experimentation? The Dreamthought Project saved their own asses, and they succeeded because the Hierarchia had already amassed the most powerful collection of items this world has ever seen, objects that could destroy this world a hundred times over. My one joy in all of this was knowing I managed to kill just one member of their project. Captain Maros wanted me to let Grant arrive in Nimauk. He only wanted that train halted, not destroyed, the spineless boy. I knew Archie dying was the best tactical move. It was a pleasure to kill him, but Cloud¡¯s death was even better. I¡¯m sure the experiments they did got that cancer started inside her.¡± ¡°I knew members of that project,¡± Orson said. ¡°And cowardice doesn¡¯t represent those people or their actions. Sucora Cloud left a message for Enoa. She said she thought they got all the kids out. I can¡¯t speak for Archie, but they thought all of you were saved. I believe they would have worked to save you too, if you¡¯d let them. Just like I believe at least some of the people of Nimauk are decent and would have fought alongside you, if you gave them the chance.¡± Tucker turned away from the window. ¡°I have one more question before I leave you and your foaming mouth alone.¡± ¡°You can leave now.¡± Tucker kept his back to Orson. ¡°You¡¯re not what I thought you were. How does someone who was totally ostracized by his own community keep such naivet¨¦? You were cast out. You were a throwaway, collateral damage.¡± He cackled again. ¡°That¡¯s what you were supposed to be when Damien Cyprus used you. I know your story, Gregory, even if I didn¡¯t recognize your face when I first saw you a week ago. You were collateral damage who fought back, but you¡¯re still hopelessly na?ve.¡± ¡°One last question,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you decide whether you¡¯re going to take the deal and help this town you¡¯ve hurt so much in exchange for a comfortable captivity or¡­ whether you¡¯ll take the other way out.¡± Tucker did not speak. ¡°I need to know the particulars of the Dreamside Road. I¡¯ve been searching for over a year and have no real information.¡± Tucker still said nothing. ¡°If I find it, I will use it to make sure that the IHSA and the Thunderworks and the people who hurt you never return to this world. What¡¯s in the trove?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Tucker returned to the window and gave another of his mad grins. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you one last thing. You¡¯ll find much worse than me if you try to seek out the Dreamside Road.¡± 25 - Into the Sunset The music from the Wintertide Festival¡¯s Closing Ceremonies had already started before Enoa left the tarp-sealed remains of Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. She held her aunt¡¯s staff in her right hand. She wore a heavy cloak, embroidered with the symbols of old Nimauk but woven from modern techniques from layers of wool and synthetic material. She¡¯d strapped her hiking backpack across her shoulders. This was only a small fraction of the belongings she¡¯d packed for her adventure. The rest had already been stored in a series of crew lockers on the Aesir. Enoa enjoyed her last walk down High Street. She¡¯d spent little time in the remains of her home. So much was gone, removed, destroyed, but she eyed the other familiar shops; Mr. Alberty¡¯s bakery, the candy store, the ice cream parlor, the fortune teller. Enoa took last looks at the towering hills, high above her. ¡°Almost done saying good-bye?¡± Orson greeted her a block from town square. Even at that distance, the sounds of the closing ceremony could be heard, murmuring, chattering, a low buzz beneath the distant echo of the amplified music. ¡°I am.¡± She breathed in the air of her home, her only home. ¡°I don¡¯t feel as sad as I expected, but I¡¯m afraid if something happens to me and I didn¡¯t take the time to properly say good-bye to everything, then I¡¯ll have, I don¡¯t know, been dishonorable.¡± ¡°I kinda get that.¡± He adjusted his coat so it billowed softly in the wind. He was dressed in his full regalia, repulsor boot shining, fire sword over one shoulder, his coat sewn back together, the new repairs joining the multitude of scars marking the dangers of his travels. ¡°Usually I just think of people I knew, when I¡¯m in danger.¡± ¡°At this point, I think I¡¯ve talked to everyone I know.¡± She thought through a mental list of her friends, those people she would miss. ¡°I treated Megan to brunch this morning and she was the last I needed to see.¡± She nodded and began walking further down the street, toward town square, to the Aesir. ¡°Megan¡¯s the one you stayed with this week?¡± Orson walked at her side. ¡°Right.¡± She nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends since third grade. She stayed with Aunt Su and me after her folks passed away in the Thunderworks attack on Philadelphia. She¡¯s letting me store my truck and all my stuff at her house, until I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Good friend,¡± he said. ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to come with me. I¡¯d swing by after this is done and bring back everything, everything relevant to your Aunt or to you, if there¡¯s anything¡­¡± ¡°Orson,¡± she interrupted and halted their walk to the park. ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. ¡°Great! Well, I hope you worked up another appetite because I still need to get my post death-battle pancakes, and I know just the place.¡± ¡°If you two don¡¯t get a move on,¡± Sheriff Kelly Webster walked up the street toward them, appearing from somewhere in the mingling crowd at the foot of the hill. ¡°The sun will be long gone for the night, by the time you get to riding off.¡± ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡± Orson shook the Sheriff¡¯s uninjured hand. ¡°Mary Young asked me to give this to you.¡± Webster drew a small envelope from her pocket. ¡°Mary Young?¡± Orson took the envelope. ¡°I don¡¯t think I know a Mary Young.¡± ¡°She was the parking lot volunteer the night you got here,¡± Enoa reminded him. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Why would she have anything for me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your change. You overpaid for parking,¡± Webster said. There was a brief note written on the envelope. It read: change for owner of camper-boat. Enoa laughed at Mary Young¡¯s absurdity and at the natural quirkiness of so many local Nimauk townspeople, individuals she would not see for a long time, if ever again. A lump formed in her throat. Maybe Webster saw this, because the Sheriff offered her a one-arm embrace. ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Webster said. ¡°Don¡¯t let this one lead you into trouble.¡± She gave Orson an expression that was mostly friendly. ¡°Well.¡± Enoa readjusted her cloak. ¡°It is my inheritance that¡¯s letting us do this.¡± She smirked. ¡°So I think I¡¯m leading.¡± She struck a pose, pointing the staff out toward the horizon. ¡°You have too much energy,¡± Orson said. ¡°I wonder if I made my friends feel this old when I was the kid starting out.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re already feeling old,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe I should be the one leaving you behind.¡± He slowly shook his head. ¡°Safe travels.¡± Webster stepped back and regarded them both. ¡°I hope we cross paths again on the other side of whatever you¡¯re headed to do.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll be back for next year¡¯s Wintertide Festival,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Then I can share all of the ridiculous stories I¡¯ll have by then. New legends that aren¡¯t hundreds of years old!¡± ¡°I think this town already has its fill of new stories.¡± Webster said. ¡°Actually, after the Sight-Stealer business, we aren¡¯t having a Wintertide Fest next year. It¡¯s being reorganized as a new event, but we¡¯re not so sure yet what it will be.¡± ¡°I hope I¡¯m here for it.¡± Enoa turned back to look on High Street, taking a last glance at the place she¡¯d seen every day she could remember. ¡°So do I,¡± Webster said. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Someone in the assembled crowd shouted at them. And suddenly that one voice became a cacophony of voices, all yelling and cheering at them. Orson smiled and waved back. Enoa waved politely, as well. Webster rolled her eyes. ¡°What did you tell people was happening now?¡± Enoa shouted above the crowd. ¡°They know they¡¯ll get to see us fly away.¡± He led them down the hill as the sounds of all assembled fest-goers grew to a deafening roar. This roar fell away when the music started. It wasn¡¯t loud enough to silence the crowd, but the tune was one almost everyone knew. This was ¡°The Thrice-Parted Home¡±, a song of melancholy hope, repetitive, but tuneful ¨C one of the few melodies that was genuinely Nimauk in origin. There were voices and an odd, eclectic mix of instruments accompanying them, high woodwinds and guitars and bowed strings. Enoa tried to stand on tiptoe to see the festival¡¯s stage. She saw many shapes up there, like every musician hired to perform in the last ten days had joined forces to work together. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The gathering played more songs, those hundred-odd musicians. Enoa truly did not know all the words or even all the titles, but the music transported her somewhere far away, to the perfect Nimauk of her childhood, a place that only existed in song and imagined memory. Enoa fought tears. For the first time since the mad battle with Tucker and the Liberty Corps, she faced the enormity of the road ahead and her uncertain future. She couldn¡¯t dwell on that. Orson led them forward. The crowd parted for him. The music continued as they walked, processed through the crowd, through the festival, Webster just behind them. Orson shook hands and offered greetings to dozens of people as he walked. Enoa engaged with the crowd too, but mostly her friends, and her acquaintances, faces she might never see again. When they reached the foot of the stage, they shook hands with the remainder of town council, Amaren, Blue, even the newly reappointed Georgie Lawson, Tucker¡¯s replacement, as well as the battered remains of the Sheriff¡¯s Department. When the music ceased, all eyes turned to the departing heroes. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Orson told them. He ran to the front of the stage. Enoa watched him go. For the first time, she got a clear look at the assembled performers. Her earlier assumption had been right. The film orchestra was present, along with half a dozen folk bands, local musicians, fiddlers, guitarists, pipers, and at least one of the late night jazz combos, all pressed together on stage, scattered between large electric heaters. ¡°Thank everybody, for me.¡± Orson handed something to the orchestra conductor, a tall woman in a heavy black jacket. ¡°You¡¯ll make sure the recording gets to me, right?¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± A male voice came from the inside of a realistic astronaut costume. The costumed festival guest maneuvered his way through the crowd and stood beside Enoa. ¡°More adventures?¡± ¡°Eventually,¡± she said, not totally sure where they were headed next. ¡°We¡¯ve got a couple quick pit stops to make.¡± Orson rejoined them. ¡°We¡¯ve got some supplies we need to buy, some parts.¡± He shook hands with the astronaut. ¡°Hey, great costume.¡± Before the astronaut spoke again, new music started, something no one at the festival had heard before, something no one anywhere had heard before. ¡°My theme music!¡± Orson turned away from the crowd and faced the stage and watched as the motley musicians began to play the new work. There was wild percussion, blistering lines in the woodwinds and strings, and a heroic brass melody straight out of the now gone Hollywood. The folk musicians had also joined in, strumming at interludes. There was even a bald, bearded electric guitarist, rapidly fingering along with one of the violin parts. ¡°You really hired them to play your theme song?¡± Webster approached them again and raised one eyebrow. ¡°Shhhh.¡± He waved at the Sheriff. ¡°I¡¯ve been chased out of enough towns to know you only get so many opportunities to ride off into the sunset with fanfares and cheering. Plus, I¡¯ve been trying to get my theme music played for four years now.¡± ¡°Theme music?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Yeah, I had a memoir that almost became a movie and my biographer also composed some music for it¡­ Ugh, the less said about him, the better.¡± Orson surveyed the musicians, most moving furiously. ¡°But he outdid himself with this. I mean, wow. This is gonna go to my head, for sure. Now, let me listen.¡± The unfamiliar music bought Enoa time to regain composure. The new sounds had no nostalgia for her. This music sounded like adventure and heroism and all the things she hoped awaited her. When the music ended in a last victorious chord, the crowd applauded and Orson offered one of his two fingered salutes. Enoa bowed. She bowed to her town and her home. She waved good-bye to Sheriff Webster and Deputy Nesta, the town officials, and the costumed crowd. The two wayfarers turned away from the stage and rounded the side of the train station. There, by the railing and the cliff¡¯s edge, waited the Aesir. Orson led her aboard. They stowed their packs and belongings in lockers, sealed tight. Then Enoa buckled herself into the shotgun seat, looking out at the Nimauk River. Orson fit his bizarre legged key into the ignition. The Aesir came to life. He backed the camper into a tight arc that pointed them toward the festival. Then he flipped the long lever beside the steering wheel. Enoa felt the kick under her seat. The Aesir floated from the ground and flew up above the assembled crowd. Just then, Orson¡¯s theme music, ¡°The Wayfarer March¡±, began again, even louder this time, competing with the ship¡¯s machinery and the yelling crowd. The music sounded grander now, a moment of triumph usually found only in fiction, made real by the many musicians and the magic that had recently affected everyone in earshot. The whole valley echoed with the sound of new legends and adventures yet-to-be. ¡°Should we give them a show?¡± Orson set his hand on a dashboard lever. He pulled it back before she could respond. With a new roar of machinery, pale blue light emanated from the energy cores in the rear of the ship. Enoa¡¯s restraints dug into her, and the camper blasted into the distance. Orson guided the Aesir forward, and the strange flying ship rocketed over the Nimauk valley, the river, the forested snow-capped hills, and on towards the horizon. The music was still playing, the drums still echoing through the hills, when the Aesir flew off into the sunset. * * * Duncan pulled the astronaut helmet from his shoulders as soon as he got to the top of Settlers¡¯ Hill. Captain Maros waited for him there, on the same overlook hideout Orson and Enoa had used on the battle night, ten days earlier. Two dozen or so remaining Liberty Corps troops also stood nearby. All others had been arrested or run out of town during the festival confrontation. ¡°What did you learn?¡± Maros stared toward the open western expanse, the miles of snowy trees, frozen creeks, and the iced remains of American society. He was staring in the direction the Aesir had departed. He¡¯d watched its blue-glowing engines blast away, watched his quarry elude him and rocket off toward the impossibly distant horizon. No, not impossibly distant. Maybe not. ¡°They¡¯re definitely headed for supplies first, somewhere relatively local, I¡¯d guess, although it¡¯s hard to say what nearby means when you have a flying camper.¡± Duncan approached his old friend, hoping to stand close enough that he could talk to the other man without the rest of the Corps encampment hearing him. ¡°I think you should rethink your plan. This operation in town was an overreach and, Kol, I take some responsibility for that, but this didn¡¯t go well. We¡¯re losing half of our remaining budget on legal fees. We have the full Hartford Division itching to invade here, just to rescue Goes. If you lose the support of Montauk Command, they just might¡­¡± ¡°Did you learn what type of supplies they¡¯re looking for?¡± Maros interrupted. ¡°Kol, you can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°If they get away with this, we¡¯re both done.¡± Maros turned away from the frozen distance for the first time since he saw the camper fly away. He looked Duncan in the eye. ¡°You know that. We can¡¯t go back empty handed. The Barony might actually move our division into the city. Do you think we¡¯ll be in charge then?¡± ¡°There¡¯s more to consider than being in charge.¡± Duncan genuinely whispered for the first time. ¡°We could¡¯ve been totally destroyed here. As it now stands, we have some plausible deniability. Gregory won¡¯t be here to testify. We have information to share about Master Nine. Let¡¯s cut our losses and go home.¡± ¡°If we go home we¡¯ll be sweeping floors for men like Goes.¡± Maros clenched his teeth. ¡°We¡¯ve only got a year left in our current commissions. There was a time when the Corps was our best chance to make a difference but¡­¡± ¡°Duncan.¡± Maros inhaled through his nose in a long slow motion. ¡°Did you learn what supplies Captain Gregory is looking for?¡± ¡°Replacement parts.¡± Duncan shut his eyes. ¡°Also, and this is probably worthless, but Gregory¡¯s been talking about pancakes all week.¡± Maros nodded and drew his radio. ¡°PACS Teams Seven through Sixty-two, this is Captain Kolben Maros of Newtown Division. I am in pursuit of an aircraft. Assistance requested. I¡¯ll have my telegraph operator send you the details. Standby.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have enough information to pursue them.¡± Duncan pressed his face into his free hand. ¡°Even with fifty-some teams, how could you possibly hope to find them?¡± ¡°They want food,¡± Maros said. ¡°They won¡¯t go far, and there aren¡¯t many places at night anymore where you can buy food and supplies. Once we have visual confirmation, we can be on them in minutes.¡± He switched his radio to another channel. ¡°I¡¯ve sent the scouts to the supply depots within two hundred miles and put out an APB to our allied communities. I¡¯ll be meeting you in an hour. Have your fighters ready to launch, at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± 26 - On the Highway ¡°We¡¯ll have to do a proper tour of everything, once we¡¯re stocked up.¡± Orson set the Aesir on a gentle course into the west. ¡°Like the washing machine does this weird thing where if you set it on delicate it just shuts off, and I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s some kinda fire hazard, but I don¡¯t know enough to fix it.¡± ¡°What in the world is this thing?¡± Enoa glanced around the darkened cabin. Once Orson had taken them well away from the festival, he had shut down all extra lights and switched over to his mask¡¯s night vision. They flew over a pitch-black landscape, invisible from that height. The lights on the ground were truly few and far between, scattered islands of light, the clustered remnants of American civilization that had survived. Judging by the lights, not much had survived. ¡°You want to know what the Aesir is?¡± Orson tapped his hand against the dashboard. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded, though he wasn¡¯t looking at her. ¡°It started as a way way to hide weird tech. The whole anti-gravity thing works independently of aerodynamics, right? So test it on an unlikely vehicle and no one will suspect. It was a working prototype and there were supposed to be more, but when everything went to shit a few years ago, I got entrusted to keep it safe. But that¡¯s great for me. It¡¯s custom, a total ghost. This baby is on no one¡¯s registry, except by reputation.¡± ¡°Convenient,¡± she said. ¡°It used to be,¡± he agreed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter all that much now.¡± They¡¯d been flying for the better part of an hour, coasting slowly, as Orson worked his way through a diagnostic of the ship¡¯s systems. ¡°Might as well buy everything we need, at once.¡± Outside, the view of the darkened distance was obscured further by a new bout of snow, clumps pelting down heavy and fat. ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°And where are we headed?¡± He had told her the plan already, but her head had been swimming, full of distant thoughts and daydreams. She¡¯d left her home. They were out on the highway, over the highway, actually. The adventure had begun. ¡°I think I might have a way for us to find that hidden island.¡± If he¡¯d told her before, he clearly didn¡¯t mind saying it again. ¡°Even if a landmass is omitted from maps, it should still show up from that underwater sonar stuff they do to predict earthquakes. If we get the help of the right geologist, we might be able to find this island, even without your aunt¡¯s letter.¡± ¡°Do you know the right geologist?¡± Enoa had no idea where to find anyone, out in the new broken world. What did scientists do for work now? There probably wasn¡¯t much funding for non-utilitarian projects. ¡°Nope,¡± he laughed. ¡°But my friend Eloise might. She worked with the League of Nations Research Coalition. She used to know everybody in the world of zany sci-fi stuff, but now I think she¡¯s still back in her old family home in New Mexico.¡± ¡°New Mexico?¡± Enoa couldn¡¯t imagine the desert or any expanse of flat land. She¡¯d seen pictures, but the actual scope of different geography felt deeply alien to her. ¡°We¡¯re going to New Mexico tonight?¡± ¡°Not tonight.¡± Orson tapped at his mask, maybe changing the focus of the goggles¡¯ magnification. Outside, the snow had intensified and become almost a total whiteout. ¡°We have a couple stops to make first. Tonight, I need to grab some parts to redo the shower drain, so it doesn¡¯t leak around beneath the access panels. Then I have to swing by my, uh, my financial manager tomorrow ¨C he¡¯s outside Chicago ¨C and make a withdrawal of funds. I don¡¯t have a bulk supply of antiques to sell for this adventure, but thankfully I have some savings from past jobs.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be a burden,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll pay my share of all expenses.¡± She wanted to ask him what he did for money. What are the economics of being an adventurer? So far as she knew, adventurer had never been a proper career. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be a big deal under normal circumstances,¡± he said. ¡°Since I got the whole Wayfarer One notoriety, money hasn¡¯t been too big of a concern. Plus it¡¯s pretty cheap to live in this boat, but I¡¯ve lost literally months of work to missed leads on this Dreamside Road business. Still, I can handle all the bulk expenses and ship issues, and you can just worry about your share of food and toiletries and such. If worse comes to worst, I can always stop and find work, but until you¡¯re properly trained in your Shaper skills, my jobs are too dangerous for you to join in. I can¡¯t guarantee how much work there will be for an antique expert.¡± ¡°Training,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah.¡± She hadn¡¯t so much as touched her aunt¡¯s films since they¡¯d packed them aboard the ship. She could still feel the power of the explosion she¡¯d sent at Captain Maros, but she couldn¡¯t silence her doubts. How were such things even possible? What was wrong with her, going off with some wanderer, planning to study magic? The sense of unlimited, wild opportunity had vanished, and she was left feeling foolish and strange and frightened. ¡°So what¡¯s the name of this place we¡¯re headed to, right now?¡± She dearly wanted to change the subject away from the cold practicality of their situation. ¡°We¡¯re visiting the little town of Greenwell, home of the Greenwell Hauler Supply,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve gone to that place three or four other times. They used to have one of the biggest truck and RV parts shops in this region. Plus the Moonlight Most Buffet is nearby, and they make the best pancakes. Vegan pancakes are a choice there too, I believe.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t expect to find that, much of anywhere. I just assumed you forgot that pancakes aren¡¯t normally vegan.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how their vegan pancakes are,¡± he admitted. ¡°But this place made a name for itself by having the widest variety of food at any buffet in the state. They say, the widest variety in the country, but that¡¯s hard to prove. They used to have the most syrup flavors in the country, though. There was an inn, where some old friends of mine used to work, that was in contention for the title of most syrup flavors, but they ultimately lost out to the Moonlight.¡± ¡°It sounds like a genuinely cool place,¡± she said. ¡°I expected maybe a greasy truck stop, at best.¡± ¡°Uh.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Not too greasy, no. Honestly, I probably could¡¯ve worked harder to get replacement parts back in Nimauk, but one of the guys at the little Irish Pub outside the festival reminded me of this place. I got sort of adopted into the pub crowd by one of Webster¡¯s deputies.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Guy named Higgins?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± She ran through the members of the Sheriff¡¯s Department that she¡¯d met over the years. ¡°He¡¯s probably from elsewhere in the county.¡± ¡°Maybe? Anyway, he¡¯s distantly related to Gregorys from Ireland, so I wound up getting adopted into that crew and they started talking about this place.¡± ¡°Gregory is an Irish last name?¡± Enoa¡¯s knowledge of names began and ended with Nimauk, as in the actual Nimauk tribe that once lived in her little corner of the world. ¡°I guess? I was always told we¡¯re Scottish, but I¡¯m no expert.¡± Orson pointed out the windshield. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see it, but down there is the old Turnpike exit that led into town. I think we¡¯ll set down on the exit ramp and drive the rest of the way. Sometimes it¡¯s better not to land right on top of people. I¡¯m not totally sure if I want to announce our presence, especially with all the solar cells I used up in Nimauk and my shoulder still healing.¡± Orson guided the Aesir in a long circular arc toward the ground. Enoa tried to find the road beneath them with her eyes, but the snow was too heavy, and the darkness too complete. The ship landed. Orson took the exit ramp from the highway, leaving deep, heavy tracks in the pristine layer of snow on the road. ¡°Good thing it¡¯s still snowing,¡± he said. ¡°No one will notice we just suddenly touched down in the middle of the road. I almost never advertise the whole flying camper thing at random pit stops, just FYI.¡± He left the exit ramp and arrived on a thin, lonely road. ¡°Here¡¯s another reason to love the Aesir. It¡¯s light for its size, but it¡¯s phenomenally balanced and the computer systems can measure for uneven terrain and road hazards. And there are these telescoping arms with teeth, like umbrella shaped things, that pop out the sides and dig into ice and slick conditions.¡± The camper cut through the white layer with ease. Orson lit the headlights, once they were a reasonable distance from their landing place. The road they traveled was surrounded by houses, entirely dark buildings, a village or township. ¡°Oh wow,¡± he said. ¡°I had no idea we were in a residential area. I would¡¯ve turned on the lights further away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that late, is it?¡± Enoa said. ¡°Is this area so dangerous that people don¡¯t light up, after dark?¡± She had no idea what the rest of the state was like, how dangerous the world would be. ¡°It¡¯s only like eight-fifteen, so probably not.¡± Orson slowed the camper to a crawl and took a look at one of the houses. ¡°They look too good to be derelicts.¡± He accelerated the Aesir forward. ¡°The Hauler Supply was only a mile or so along this road and the buffet wasn¡¯t a lot further than that. What happened here?¡± They passed on through the abandoned town, further away from the darkened highway, until they found the one light in the whole village. The light was angled up at a sign. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. It looked like an old interstate logo sign, the sort that lists food and gas and overnight lodging, but this one appeared hand painted, or at the very least poorly printed. It read: Greenwell Township has moved to Fort Mayhill. Take the second left onto Elm Street. Food ¨C Moonlight Most Buffet Harold¡¯s Hoagies Early-Bird Drive-in Lodging ¨C Mayhill Inn ¨C RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Gas ¨C Mayhill Fill-up ¡°Fort?¡± Enoa looked around. ¡°This place gives me the creeps. Do you want to turn around?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m curious to see what happened to this town. I¡¯ve only ever had good experiences here, but I don¡¯t want you to be uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I guess we should check it out.¡± Enoa did not want to end the first day of her adventure by being too frightened to visit a highway rest stop. Orson did not immediately respond. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± He drove the two blocks forward and turned onto Elm. There, they could see a high hill in the far distance, probably the Mayhill from the name. Diffuse light illuminated the pinnacle of the hill, blurry and indistinct, obscured by the still-heavy snow. ¡°I think they used to have a Savings Spot department store up there,¡± Orson said. ¡°Why would they move the whole town there?¡± ¡°How would they move the whole town up there?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°You were telling me about the Irish pub. I think I¡¯d rather talk about that again than try to figure out what¡¯s wrong with this place, before we get there.¡± ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Well, the regulars at the pub took me in as one of their own and wanted to share traditional Irish breakfast with me and that turned into traditional Irish happy hour, and then I didn¡¯t get to pursue my post death battle pancakes. Anyway, that Higgins mentioned the Moonlight and that brought everything back.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you how freaky this place is now?¡± Enoa knew a wide variety of Nimauk locals, many of whom thought they had a complete grasp on all goings on in the state or world around them. Some she trusted with travel directions. Many she did not. "No,¡± Orson said. ¡°But he said he doesn¡¯t take the old Turnpike or any interstates. Going his way, we might not pass through this, but obviously we spent most of the journey in the sky. I usually press people for more details, because anything¡¯s possible in the world now, but I was pleasantly surprised by the whole Irish thing, and I decided not to mess with that. If I really am Irish, I should probably be more aware of the culture, and I have really no experience with that. I¡¯ve only ever been in Ireland for about a week, and that whole time I lost to this kidnapping trial involving a Fomorian Raider, and that¡¯s a long and annoying story. My only other minor Irish encounter was with this Irish reading group. For some reason, they just detested my memoir, like hated it, hated me in it too, left awful reviews. I don¡¯t even know how the hell they found it.¡± ¡°What didn¡¯t they like about it?¡± Enoa could see the memoir bothered Orson, but she decided she¡¯d rather keep discussing it than the creepy abandoned town they were passing through. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty good. I¡¯m obviously totally biased, but I think it represents my first adventure in a pretty fun way. It was just marketed to the wrong people, and my biographer wrote it so half of it was a flashback my character told to my friend and the rest¡­¡± Lights appeared on the road ahead. They fell silent. Orson dialed down the headlights, but he didn¡¯t slow the Aesir. The source of the lights, a large pickup truck, must have been parked somewhere between the darkened village buildings. The truck had pulled out of its hidden parking place, seemingly just to face them. The truck didn¡¯t move when they passed it, but the driver, who wore night vision goggles of his own, eyed them wordlessly. Orson waved at the man and kept driving them on, through town toward the tall hill. Neither Orson nor Enoa spoke for the rest of the trip. The uneasy paranoia of traveling after destabilization had eclipsed her personal worries and his literary grievances. The road up the hill was steep and icy and too narrow for other vehicles to pass in the opposite direction. Enoa leaned to the side and tried to see if the telescoping spiked devices had activated, but the heavy cloud cover deepened as they climbed and made it almost impossible for her to see anything past the windows. ¡°That truck¡¯s following us.¡± Orson tapped at a small window of light on the dashboard. ¡°He turned in behind us, once we got about halfway up.¡± Enoa leaned forward, trying to get a look at the rear camera feed, but she couldn¡¯t see it from the passenger seat. ¡°What¡¯s the plan if this guy¡­¡± Enoa began. ¡°What if he wants to hurt us?¡± ¡°We get out quick.¡± He tapped at the flight lever beside him. ¡°I¡¯m in no mood for crap, and we¡¯ve got other options for supplies and pancakes.¡± They summited the hill and arrived at a cinderblock wall. A guard booth was set into the concrete, with windows that looked out at oncoming travelers and a metal bar lowered across the roadway. A woman in a heavy parka opened one of these windows and leaned out toward them. Orson pulled his goggles down to his chest and rolled down his side window. ¡°Good evening! What¡¯s the toll?¡± Orson reached one hand into his pocket. ¡°What¡¯s your business here?¡± She pointed behind them, in the direction of the abandoned town and the interstate. ¡°Our man saw you land back thataways. We¡¯ll need a proper explanation who you are.¡± ¡°We¡¯re hungry travelers,¡± Orson said. ¡°And we¡¯re looking to resupply.¡± He drummed both hands on the steering wheel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I alarmed you. We try to land outside town and keep everything polite, but it¡¯s hard to resist flying, if you can.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± The woman stared at Orson. ¡°What supplies are you looking for?¡± ¡°I have a pipe that needs to be replaced in my shower and maybe a couple other minor things.¡± Orson pointed one thumb over his shoulder. ¡°And maybe I¡¯ll grab some other provisions. We¡¯re headed into the Heartland, and it¡¯s been a long while since I¡¯ve gone that way. I can¡¯t head west and not stop by the Moonlight Most.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been talking about it all night.¡± Enoa flashed a broad smile and leaned up toward the open window. A frigid breeze blew in, bringing a swarm of snowflakes with it. She shivered. The woman nodded. She closed her window and turned away from them, before speaking into a small handheld intercom, wired into the side of her booth. She spoke a long time, but she looked bored and unconcerned. ¡°Alright.¡± She opened the window again. ¡°We don¡¯t usually accept visitors at this time of night. Everything closes at ten, but if you¡¯re willing to buy, we¡¯ll let you in. It¡¯s three dollars an hour for a parking spot in Lot H. Go around the village, not through it. We¡¯ve got Rick following you to make sure you get there without trouble.¡± She pointed past the Aesir, probably to the truck that had been tailing them. ¡°Thank you.¡± Orson drew out several coins and passed them down to the woman. ¡°Thanks!¡± Enoa smiled again. The woman inclined her head. She closed her window and hit a switch by her seat. The metal bar swung up and away. Orson closed his window and drove through the gap in the wall and onto the top of the hill. The whole hilltop was loaded in squat prefabricated buildings. What had once been a massive parking lot, was now taken up almost entirely by the makeshift village. People mingled between the buildings, a whole community, milling about that Saturday night. Several people stopped to watch the Aesir pull into their community. Orson drove out of the way and allowed Rick and his truck to pass them. The former tail drove on and around the village. Orson followed him. No other vehicles were on the perimeter of the community, save a snowplow that was working to push snow from between the rows of prefabs and off the edge of the hill¡¯s steep sides. ¡°I thought the fort thing was just cutesy,¡± Orson said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was literal.¡± Other than at the steepest edges of the hill, most of the perimeter of the town was blocked by cinderblock walls. As they drove, they only passed one other exit, also blocked by a guard booth. Rick led them to the far side of the hill, well away from the majority of prefabs, to a patch of pothole-laden macadam that hadn¡¯t been plowed. Orson couldn¡¯t see any clear parking spaces, so he came to a stop parallel with the truck, beside one of the tall spotlights that dotted the edge of the hill. Most of the former heavy parking lot lights were no longer lit, probably in order to maintain the new village¡¯s homelike atmosphere. Rick waved and drove away, without any further acknowledgement. Orson and Enoa watched him go. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Orson unbuckled his seatbelt, grabbed his keys and stood, once the man passed from sight. ¡°I could eat.¡± Enoa stood, as well. ¡°I¡¯m thinking it might be a good idea to head by the new Moonlight Most, first.¡± Orson closed his coat. ¡°There were a couple of faces I think I¡¯d know if I saw them. Maybe if I¡¯m generous with money and we¡¯re polite, they¡¯ll let us know what the hell happened here.¡± He left his sword in the hooks on the wall. Instead he walked to one of the sealed lockers. Enoa watched him open it, and she caught a glimpse of what must be part of his arsenal. She saw a collection of odd metal instruments, tiny objects beyond count, metal spheres she assumed were explosives, and a miniscule pistol with a wire trailing from one end. Orson drew out the pistol and snuck the wire up his sleeve. ¡°No sword?¡± She asked. ¡°Not this time.¡± He tapped at his wrist and the pistol slid up his sleeve, as well. ¡°I¡¯d have to be an idiot to wander out there without some way to defend myself, but the sword is too conspicuous for these suspicious folks, so it¡¯s a blaster kinda night.¡± ¡°Blaster?¡± Enoa thought of the cheesy B-Movies the local TV relay used to marathon. ¡°Like a ray gun?¡± ¡°Uhhhhh,¡± he said. ¡°Not really. Single burst of compressed light and heat. It¡¯s another thing I can run with the solar cell. I¡¯m an awful shot, honestly, but it¡¯s pretty inconspicuous.¡± ¡°Should I bring the staff?¡± Enoa wrapped her new cloak around her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s just about the opposite of inconspicuous.¡± ¡°We know it¡¯s a dangerous weapon.¡± He chuckled. ¡°But it looks like something that¡¯d hold up a clothesline. You¡¯re probably fine to bring it.¡± ¡°I think it looks very imposing.¡± Enoa retrieved the staff from her luggage and enjoyed the reliable sense of warmth from its touch. ¡°But I¡¯ll take your joke as permission.¡± ¡°Remind me that you still need to pick a room and get set up for the night.¡± ¡°How many rooms does your camper have?¡± Enoa looked around the cabin. The space was relatively compact, with not an inch wasted, efficient systems, efficient storage. ¡°You mentioned a big water tank. You have all your flight tech. You have multiple rooms. Oooh, is this ship magically bigger on the inside?¡± ¡°I give you three weeks,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll see it¡¯s actually way smaller than it looks.¡± He pointed toward the back of the cabin. ¡°There are five rooms off from the cabin. The big bedroom where I sleep, that¡¯s the only one with real walking space, sorry. Then the bathroom and three other smaller rooms that were consolidated from the old bunk set up. They¡¯re basically just a bed and drawers. You can close your door, but some of the drawers you can¡¯t open unless you¡¯re standing outside of the room. Sorry again, I forget how non-ideal this is for most people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s honestly better than I expected.¡± She adjusted her cloak. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be just fine.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± He smiled. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± She followed him to the door and they exited the ship into the snow-filled parking lot. The door locked behind them. ¡°Is the security system set up?¡± ¡°Oh yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°No way I¡¯m leaving my baby unprotected in this freaky place.¡± He looked at her. ¡°Last chance to turn around.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go for it.¡± She felt genuinely prepared for the adventure. Now, present on the hilltop in the snow, the surreal atmosphere felt like just one more facet of the new journey. She¡¯d left mostly-safe Nimauk. She was over the edge of the wild and had to expect strange and uncanny goings on. ¡°Let¡¯s eat and see what we can find out.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They started off through the snow toward the odd village and the first stop of their new adventure. 27 - The Moonlight Most The young people of Fort Mayhill were enjoying a lively snowball fight, cheering, chasing each other, and screaming, until they caught sight of the wayfarers wandering through their midst. The kids and young adults stopped and stared wordlessly at the visitors. ¡°Hello.¡± Enoa smiled at the kids. They did not reply, although two smaller children ran back toward the maze of buildings, where presumably parents were waiting. The rest halted their game and stared until she and Orson were well past them. They encountered similar treatment for the rest of their brief trek across the former parking lot. A great mound of snow had been raised for the benefit of sledders and some disappointed-looking skiers. These townspeople also stopped at Orson and Enoa¡¯s approach. ¡°Have you been here since the shutdown?¡± Enoa¡¯s feeling of excited surrealism wavered somewhat, the further they walked from the Aesir. She didn¡¯t know what was worse, the demeanor of the Mayhill residents or the thought of what had caused them to be so wary of strangers. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not that long.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°Years, but probably only a couple? Maybe they¡¯ll be nicer when we put a little cash in their economy.¡± They drew close to what had formerly been the Savings Spot department store, a warehouse-size building with all official signage removed. The regional store chain had either gone out of business or been replaced. A new sign sat beside the still-automatic doors to the sprawling building. Here the title ¡®Mayhill Market¡¯, as well as the names of most local businesses, had been painted. ¡°This is the place?¡± Enoa looked into the former department store. Most of the interior looked empty, but she could see it was divided into multiple sections with cinderblock walls. ¡°It is.¡± Orson tapped at the Moonlight Most Buffet¡¯s name on the sign. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see how much is still the same.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Enoa followed him through the automatic doors into the mostly empty building. Once inside, she could see each of the walled sections contained a local business, all housed under one roof. ¡°There it is.¡± Orson looked toward the far back wall of the former department store. Enoa followed his gaze and saw that entire corner of the building was walled off. This area was marked with a bright green electronic sign. ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked. ¡°How can you read it from this distance?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, but it looks like the same Hauler Supply sign from the old location. They had billboards for a hundred miles around, too, and they were all that same color green. Now we just need to find the food.¡± Orson led her deeper into the building. They passed half a dozen businesses. Enoa spotted a clothing store, a home goods retailer, a barber shop, a veterinarian/pet groomer, and more, further away, that she could not identify. Most of these were dark and closed down, metal barricades blocking their entrances. Other than a cluster of bored teens lounging outside the clothing store, they saw no other shoppers. The subsidiary outlets, the outside businesses that once leased space in the old Savings Spot were occupied by local operations. They passed Judy¡¯s Beauty Hair Salon, Mayhill Eye Center, Mayhill Bank, and Harold¡¯s Hoagies. ¡°All the franchise businesses are closed,¡± Orson said. ¡°Savings Spot had what, three thousand locations in the country? I wonder if they¡¯re all like this now, just¡­ gone.¡± ¡°My family never shopped at places like this,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We always went to local stores, but it¡¯s pretty eerie. This is the first time I felt how much everything¡¯s changed.¡± They found the Moonlight Most buffet in the space once occupied by the Savings Spot¡¯s deli. The deli area¡¯s seating and display cases had been repurposed for the new owner. Orson and Enoa arrived at what was once an inventory cart, used by the Savings Spot employees to stock shelves. The cart now served as a small podium for the buffet¡¯s hostess, a short woman in a bright pink sweater. A piece of three-hole punch copy paper was taped to the cart ¨C ¡®Moonlight Most Buffet! All You Can Eat for $11.99! Please pay in advance¡¯. ¡°Two?¡± she asked them. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Orson reached into an inner coat pocket and drew out his wallet. Enoa reached for her change purse, as well, but Orson noticed her motion and wordlessly shook his head in her direction. ¡°I can¡¯t head into the Heartland and not stop by the Moonlight Most.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so nice to hear.¡± The woman beamed at him. ¡°We don¡¯t get too many returning customers, not counting our local regulars. We haven¡¯t for quite a while.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve come this way,¡± he said. ¡°Actually, if you don¡¯t mind my asking¡­¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°What happened here? Greenwell was doing really well the last time I¡¯d been through. Now, you¡¯re doing the whole fort deal.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not nearly safe enough, down in Greenwell.¡± She frowned. ¡°We need to stay up here now. High ground is safer!¡± She gave him another chipper grin, but this one didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°I used to talk to the owner here, what was her name, Susan?¡± Orson rested his hand on the hostess cart. ¡°Her husband was Jack?¡± ¡°Retired.¡± The hostess nodded. ¡°Couple years ago, now.¡± ¡°If you see them,¡± Orson said, ¡°please let them know that Orson Gregory from the Inn at the Evergreen Forest stopped by and said hello.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t see them,¡± the hostess replied. ¡°They aren¡¯t¡­ They¡¯re not local anymore. Anyway, two adults for the buffet costs twenty-three ninety-eight.¡± Orson drew the necessary coins and handed them to the hostess. ¡°Keep the change.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She made an odd motion, like she considered curtseying, but thought better of it. ¡°Feel free to seat and serve yourselves, and remember, we close at ten.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Orson pocketed his wallet and walked around the cart and into the former deli. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Enoa walked extra quickly to keep up with Orson. ¡°Seriously, this place is like an over-the-top campfire story.¡± She turned back to the hostess and found that the other woman was staring after them. Enoa tried to summon a quick, friendly smile, but was too surprised and instead looked more like she¡¯d just bit into a lemon. ¡°Yeah I hear you,¡± he whispered. ¡°The cook will walk in from the back and he¡¯ll be wearing a hockey mask and have a hook for a hand.¡± He walked to the end of one of the first display cases and took a plate. ¡°But honestly, I don¡¯t care how odd it is, as long as they¡¯ve still got those amazing pancakes.¡± They did not. No amazing buttermilk pancakes. No vegan pancakes. No pancakes. No syrup either. The nationally notable collection of fifty syrup pitchers was nowhere to be found. The entire buffet took up only two of the former deli¡¯s display cases and was mostly made up of standard truck stop fare, greasy pizza, overcooked pasta, burgers, fries, and a salad bar with greens that had seen better days. Enoa never thought of Nimauk as an oasis of peace and normalcy, but she considered the idea that she should have. This town had inarguably fallen far from Orson¡¯s earlier encounters. He looked truly miserable with his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast. One of the three pizzas was marked ¡®vegan and gluten-free¡¯. It was entirely untouched. Enoa took two slices and made a salad out of the wilted leaves, with onion. There were no tomatoes, but she did find a package of croutons. She didn¡¯t have an easy time dishing her food while still clutching the metal staff, but she figured this was just something she¡¯d need to get used to. She certainly wasn¡¯t about to leave her one and only magical weapon sitting undefended at a table in some surrealist buffet. Orson also constructed a salad, though he spent far more time picking through the old lettuce, as well as a cheeseburger and some of the less greasy french fries. Drinks offered the same limited selection. A massive soda and juice dispenser lined the far end of the former deli counter. There were dozens of soda flavors, iced teas, lemonades, even sparkling water, an unbelievable selection. All but three flavors were marked out of order. Only grape soda, peach tea, and plain water remained. The icemaker was similarly broken. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Enoa filled a glass of water for herself. She eyed the available tables and saw one that faced both the entrance to the deli area and the kitchen door. Orson was still deciding between the iced tea and soda so she walked to the table without him. Enoa was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of both the pizza and the salad¡¯s vinaigrette dressing. The substitute cheese coated her teeth in ways that challenged her patience and her table manners, but for her first meal of the adventure, she had no real complaints. Orson looked just as crestfallen when he joined her. ¡°If these folks hit hard times,¡± he whispered. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be rude about that. It¡¯s tough, right now. Most people can¡¯t fly off to greener pastures whenever trouble rolls through town.¡± ¡°I¡¯m less worried about their food than I am the weird attitude.¡± Enoa looked for the hostess and couldn¡¯t find the woman. ¡°You asked what happened here, and she didn¡¯t answer you. Something major had to convince them to relocate. You don¡¯t just do that, set up all those trailers, the cinderblock walls. And the bit with the owners, ¡®they¡¯re not local¡¯.¡± She shuddered. ¡°Just so off.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He bit into his burger. ¡°Let¡¯s just eat, grab supplies and get out of here. I thought before about just paying them for overnight parking, if they¡¯d have us.¡± ¡°No.¡± Enoa set her fork down. ¡°I¡¯ll learn to pilot the Aesir before we do that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He laughed. ¡°That¡¯s not on the table. We¡¯ll find a forested grove or some hillside outcropping. It¡¯ll be somewhere you can¡¯t reach by roads, and we¡¯ll be safe there until we plan our next move.¡± ¡°The next move is to your financial manager person?¡± Enoa knew many banks no longer existed and felt both concerned and confused by the prospects of managing her own money in the current world. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said. ¡°Pops Darlow. He¡¯s an unusual guy too, but I think you¡¯ll like him, well enough. He¡¯ll be more normal than this, anyway. He owns a huge collection of old kitschy tourist traps, all over the country, and when we first met, he was based out of this giant ice palace in central Kansas.¡± ¡°An ice palace?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it was a cold winter, that year.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t winter at all.¡± He laughed. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen a business blow through more money than they did. It was all to house the world¡¯s largest snowman, and they were trying to make it a permanent tourist attraction, even in the middle of July¡­¡± Orson launched into a long rambling explanation about the giant snowman. After how oversold Greenwell/Mayhill had been, Enoa wasn¡¯t entirely sure how much of the story she took literally, but Orson was animated enough, that the odd, prolonged narrative got them through the rest of their meal, as well as most of the supply run. There was a small health food section at the very back of the grocery store, where Enoa found ingredients for her own vegan pancakes, as well as enough other staples like tofu, potatoes, yeast, and soy milk. The soy milk and tofu were past their sell-by dates, but still usable. She felt more than prepared for the journey to New Mexico. Orson, for his part, managed to buy small bottles of some syrup flavors he¡¯d missed from the buffet, blueberry, apricot, and pomegranate, all in hand-lettered jars, plus an entire tray of the local sticky buns. The clerks at these stalls presented the same wary, paranoid demeanor as the buffet hostess, but she found them easier to ignore with their meal behind them and Orson animatedly telling his wacky adventure story. ¡°And so Doctor Lopez says to me,¡± Orson laughed. ¡°But I wanted boysenberry.¡± He readjusted the bags that he carried. Enoa tried to do the same and again struggled with carrying the staff with her hands full. ¡°You need a holster or something for that.¡± ¡°What, like you have with your¡­¡± She saw the ice cream cart worker watching them as they passed and decided against saying ¡®sword¡¯. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d probably be useful. Something else to think about. What else do we need?¡± ¡°I need to head to Hauler Supply.¡± Orson held a tiny scrap of paper, loaded in his untidy handwriting. ¡°I think then we¡¯ll be good to go.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Enoa caught the ice cream cart clerk staring at them, and she hurried after Orson. ¡°How much do you need to get?¡± ¡°Not too much that I absolutely need now.¡± He entered the Hauler Supply. ¡°So it depends how much time we want to spend here.¡± Enoa tried to resist the urge to turn back, but she couldn¡¯t ignore the truth that they were being watched. ¡°I hate how they look at us,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe they just don¡¯t have security cameras anymore.¡± Orson reached a display of various RV plumbing supplies. He leaned closer and began reading labels. ¡°Or they¡¯re super creepy and plan on abducting us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡± She grimaced. ¡°The way they¡¯re acting, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°I have my blaster,¡± he reminded her. ¡°And most of my nonlethal weapons are in this coat. We won¡¯t be here long.¡± ¡°What nonlethal weapons do you have?¡± Enoa hadn¡¯t seen him pack any sort of weapons into the coat. Did he keep it stocked all the time? ¡°I have a Colchean man trap,¡± he said. ¡°And my zapper pins, my kazoo, and my mobile stink set.¡± ¡°I have no idea what any of that is.¡± ¡°Hopefully, it stays that way.¡± Orson selected one of the lengths of pipe. ¡°Alright, got it. I¡¯ll buy the rest of the stuff from Pops and his people. This should be enough for now.¡± He led her back to the Hauler Supply checkout counter, where they were greeted by a slim man wearing a vest the same green as the signage. This vest had a name embroidered on the left breast, ¡®Chuck¡¯. ¡°Good evening,¡± Chuck said. ¡°Just this?¡± Orson set the pipe on the counter before him. Chuck pressed a few keys on the adding machine next to his cash register. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s all.¡± Orson adjusted the bags in his arms. ¡°That¡¯ll be one hundred and seven, seventy-five.¡± Chuck pressed his hands on his side of the counter palms down, three of his fingers on top of the length of pipe. ¡°One-oh-seven?¡± Orson nodded and drew out his wallet. He removed the remainder of the coins and drew out two crumpled twenty-dollar bills, as well. ¡°Uh, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Chuck pointed to one of the bills in particular. ¡°Paying you?¡± Orson counted the money before arranging it on the counter beside the pipe. ¡°Not with these.¡± Chuck slid the two bills back toward Orson. ¡°They¡¯re twenty dollar bills.¡± Orson did not pick up the bills. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to pay you in foreign currency.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t accepted old U.S. bills in three years,¡± Chuck said ¡°Do you have forty dollars in coins?¡± Orson turned to Enoa. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back when I can get some of my paper money converted.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine who would convert paper money today,¡± Chuck commented. ¡°Good luck with that.¡± ¡°Forty?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°No. Although I guess I also need to find a way to convert my own paper money.¡± She felt another wave of paranoia. Whether malicious or not, she felt eyes on her. She looked around them and, other than the increasingly annoyed Hauler clerk, there was no one to be seen. Enoa caught sight of a small vestibule, built into the old department store, where were restrooms and water fountains. She wasn¡¯t drinking nearly enough water and had only that single glass since they¡¯d flown off from Nimauk, now hours earlier. ¡°Where were you two that you still have paper money?¡± Chuck crossed his arms. ¡°I find it really hard to believe that anybody, after all these years would have most of their money in U.S. paper.¡± ¡°I live in Nimauk, a few hours east of here,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We just had our Wintertide Festival that drew people from all over the world, and we still accept U.S. paper money. I accept U.S. paper money at my shop.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t sell five dollar tourist stuff here.¡± Chucked looked her up and down. His eyes lingered on her cloak and he snickered. ¡°Why would you assume I sell cheap garbage?¡± Enoa¡¯s alarm at Mayhill¡¯s attitude turned into a quick anger. The fire in her home was too recent to accept his thoughtless judgment. ¡°I have a sixty-year-old antique shop. I¡­¡± Chuck laughed again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Chucky, here.¡± Orson curled one side of his mouth into a smirk. He kept his eyes on the man. ¡°Squatters in cinderblock forts aren¡¯t known for their expertise in historical items.¡± ¡°Squatters¡­¡± Chuck tightened his grip on the replacement pipe. His eyes widened. ¡°How do you pay for things here?¡± Orson spoke just loudly enough to cut off any comment from the clerk. ¡°Is everything done with silver and gold? Or do you have a new card system I don¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°Old metal currency is still good,¡± Chuck answered after a deep breath. ¡°We accept new paper bills from the Northeast Alliance and the Great Lakes Alliance and some localized currencies, too. We¡¯re also part of the Midland Barter Network. You don¡¯t have an account with them, do you?¡± ¡°My employer might.¡± Orson drummed his fingers on the counter. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have a working landline phone do you? I might be able to get out a call¡­¡± ¡°And how do you intend to pay for that call?¡± Chuck interrupted. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Enoa couldn¡¯t stand still for one more second. Her skin was almost crawling. A sudden claustrophobia settled over her. She felt short of breath. ¡°Does your water fountain still work?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Chuck looked at her and then back to the vestibule. ¡°It does.¡± ¡°Does it cost anything?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± Chuck said. ¡°But don¡¯t go nuts with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute,¡± she told Orson. He said something about making a call, but she¡¯d already left. She resisted the urge to look left and right as she exited the cinder blocked archway that marked the Mayhill Hauler Supply exit. She didn¡¯t want to see whether she was being watched. Her mind conjured images of whole crowds of the local fort-dwellers lurking out of sight, waiting for them to separate. She turned back and made sure Orson was still in sight. She could see him, and he would see her, if something should happen. Enoa set down her bags and propped her staff against the wall. She angled herself so her back wasn¡¯t exposed to either of the closed restroom doors. She needed the bathroom, herself, but that could wait until she was back aboard the Aesir. The fountain water was clear and cold, and for the brief seconds she drank, her worries left her. Light hit her eyes from the adjacent window. These lights moved, headlights probably. She checked her watch and found that it was now almost 10:00 PM. Didn¡¯t all of Mayhill Market close at ten? She doubted there would be many new shoppers; maybe an employee leaving? Were employees all Fort natives? Did locals bother driving to and from work? There was a figure, standing in the snow in the small lot to the rear of the department store. The figure was small and wearing a bright pink sweater. There was a vehicle approaching the figure, a Humvee. Enoa recognized the hostess from the buffet. The Humvee parked beside the woman. Two armed and armored shapes exited out onto the snowy hilltop. The two troopers wore Liberty Corps armor. 28 - Mobile Stink Fog The hostess spoke to the Liberty Corps members, one a red armored spearman, the other a blue clad rifleman. She turned and gestured back toward the Mayhill Market. Enoa had seen enough. She turned to the water fountain, collected her staff and bags, and walked as fast as she dared to the Hauler Supply. ¡°Pops and his team are on the Barter Network thing.¡± Orson¡¯s hands were now totally full. He held the length of pipe under one arm. ¡°I got ahold of the people at his Chicago location, and they set it all up, so we¡¯re totally good to go.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Enoa looked over Orson¡¯s shoulder, looking into the Hauler Supply. She saw no sign of Chuck or anyone else manning the store. She stepped close to Orson. ¡°Liberty Corps is here. We need to leave now.¡± ¡°Liberty Corps?¡± Orson looked toward the vestibule and the window. ¡°They¡¯re asshats, but I don¡¯t think we have a current issue with them, do we?¡± ¡°The hostess was talking to them,¡± Enoa hissed. ¡°The hostess from the buffet. She was out there in the snow and they drove up in one of their hummers. I¡¯ll give that surreal little asshole a kick if I see her again.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Orson stepped away from her. ¡°That was¡­ surprisingly violent. Yeah, you¡¯re right, better to be sure than run into those pricks. We¡¯ve got everything. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Enoa knew they should at least pretend to talk. They should try to look casual and not suspicious and deeply paranoid. But neither spoke. Orson managed to plaster a small, contented smile on his face, but she couldn¡¯t suppress her anxiety and glanced from side to side. She saw no one, no watching clerks. They cleared most of the interior stalls. Only the outlets and the empty area by the automatic doors separated them from the hilltop. Only the snowy expanse of the parking lot separated them from the Aesir and safety in the sky. They walked past the outlets and arrived at the automatic doors. Even from several feet away, Enoa could see the armed and armored figures standing there, waiting beside the hostess. Waiting for them. She wavered, but Orson did not. His arms still full of supplies, he marched up to the automatic doors. Enoa caught up to him, just as the doors opened. They exited out into the snowy night. ¡°Have a great night.¡± Orson waved to the hostess. ¡°Thanks again.¡± Enoa followed Orson as he trudged right past her and the Liberty Corps men. They cleared the department store¡¯s sidewalk and the thin drive between the store and the first of the line of prefab buildings. ¡°Captain Gregory?¡± A male voice called after him. ¡°Captain Orson Gregory? We need to speak with you. You are wanted in connection with goods stolen from the Newtown Liberty Corps Division.¡± Orson didn¡¯t stop. He kept right on walking. Enoa followed after him too, but she couldn¡¯t keep her heart from pounding in her ears. Footsteps, running footsteps followed them. Orson didn¡¯t turn around, not until the armored men reached them, until the blue armored hand took him roughly by the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re coming with us, Gregory.¡± The rifleman pulled him around to face them. Orson dropped his baked goods and supplies. His replacement pipe made little sound as it fell into the fresh snow cover. ¡°What did you think will happen, ignoring¡­¡± The man stopped speaking when Orson fought back. The wayfarer had drawn an object from his coat¡¯s pocket, as he dropped his recent purchases. This item was black and gray. Orson pressed his finger to the object, and it released long spindly legs. Then Orson pressed this object to the armored man¡¯s chest. The spindly legs stretched out and curled around the man¡¯s arms and legs forcing them tight to his body. Immobilized, stiff as a board, the man yelled and fell backward into the snow. His rifle tumbled away, harmless. Orson pressed a hidden trigger in his left sleeve and the tiny blaster launched down his arm and arrived in his hand. He aimed the weapon at the red armored spearman, who was also approaching. The hostess let out an incomprehensible shriek, before charging back into the department store building. Orson did not watch her go. His eyes were fixed on the spearman. ¡°I was conflicted.¡± Orson kept the blaster aimed at the Liberty Corps man. ¡°I didn¡¯t know whether I should try to convince you of the truth. I¡¯ve never stolen from the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°You did,¡± the spearman said. ¡°You have films that were stolen from the IHSA and we¡­¡± Orson fired the blaster into the snow, just feet from the spearman. It let out a short metallic slapping sound. Enoa jumped at the noise. The heat from the blast melted the snow all the way down to the parking lot¡¯s macadam. ¡°Listen up,¡± Orson pointed his free hand at the restricted rifleman. ¡°The Liberty Corps is heir to nothing. You¡¯re self-appointed thugs. Why should I let you, any of you worthless Corps shits get away with strong-arming anyone? No, you need to learn. Now take your friend and get the hell away from us.¡± Enoa heard the other approaching figures before they spoke. She wheeled and saw a contingent of about a dozen townspeople, approaching from their prefab buildings, knives and bats in hand. One old man carried a shotgun. ¡°Any enemy of our friends in the Liberty Corps,¡± one of the fort-dwellers called. ¡°Is our enemy. You¡¯re under arrest, mister.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve done nothing to harm your people.¡± Orson kept the blaster trained on the spearman, but let his right arm fall slack to his side. Enoa saw the scuttling metal shape of the Aesir¡¯s keys fall from his fingers and go scurrying through the snow toward the camper, still on the other side of the parking lot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that our pleasant evening in your town isn¡¯t ending well, but I¡¯m not accepting the authority of the Liberty Corps to apprehend me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°These same men helped us move our town up here when we were pillaged for the third time by wandering scum like yourself.¡± The old man cocked his shotgun as he spoke. ¡°They have every authority to make arrests here, like you¡¯re about to find out.¡± ¡°Even if these men are personally good people.¡± Enoa let her own groceries fall to the snow. ¡°The Liberty Corps who sent them here tormented my town. They burned down my home. They held about a thousand people hostage. We cannot trust what would be done to us if we were turned over to them. Those films you say we stole are my family heirlooms. They belong to no one but me, but the Liberty Corps is trying to steal them. We can¡¯t accept your arrest. I¡¯m very sorry.¡± ¡°You put your shiny gun down, mister.¡± The old man ignored Enoa and advanced closer, the rest of the local mob following behind. Enoa listened, wishing and praying she¡¯d hear the distant rev of the Aesir¡¯s engines, but if the keys had started the camper, the sound had not reached her. Was that even what Orson intended anyway? Was the RV going to rescue them or was it just sitting, ready for them? Did they have to fight their way over there? She didn¡¯t see how this would be resolved without someone being hurt. ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake¡­¡± Orson looked at the old man. ¡°Put. The gun. Down.¡± The old man advanced. Orson drew his goggles up to his face and his hood to his head in one fast motion. Then he stepped between himself and Enoa. ¡°If you won¡¯t listen, then shoot me.¡± The old man did not fire, but he advanced closer and now stood within ten yards of the wayfarers. Enoa wondered whether morality stayed his hand or whether he feared Orson. Enoa didn¡¯t have time to guess. She tightened her grip on the staff. She breathed deeply, trying to force her mind to reach the same meditative place she¡¯d gone when she¡¯d blasted Maros. If a fight was coming, she needed to do her part. She remembered herself reigning blows on the Liberty Corps Captain. She thought of the burned remains of her home. She tried¡­ The spearman charged at Orson, blade extended. Enoa reacted and slammed her staff into the armored man¡¯s chest. A bubble of hot air formed and popped at the end of the staff. The armor was dented like it was hit at pointblank range with a shot from a BB gun. The man stumbled and fell, but was mostly unharmed. A hologram projected out from Enoa¡¯s bracelet, shining between herself and Orson.
Nice attempt (new user)! Here are some helpful tips: Remember to find the Dreamside Road in your mind. If you don¡¯t achieve an adequate trance, your offensive capabilities will be greatly reduced.
RANK: Advanced Beginner
LEVEL: 2 (estimated)
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
¡°What the hell is that?¡± Orson turned toward the light. The old man shot him, sending a bullet into the shoulder of the coat, through the fabric, where it ricocheted off the armor. Orson drew something else from his pocket, a tiny round something. He hurled it overhand toward the mob of townsfolk. The ball exploded in a neon green smokescreen, totally obscuring the crowd from view. Even from that distance, Enoa smelled the worst odor she¡¯d ever encountered, like skunks mating in a volcano. She couldn¡¯t imagine how horrendous it would be, up close. ¡°Mobile stink fog from my set,¡± Orson explained. The Mayhill posse screamed. Their frantic footsteps were audible too. Bullets tore out of the stench cloud, flying wildly around the hilltop. At the same time, the spearman rose to his feet, now holding his fallen compatriot¡¯s rifle. ¡°Shoot him!¡± The fallen rifleman yelled, still muffled by the snow. Orson raised his blaster toward the spearman, but the newly armed warrior was too preoccupied by the wild bullets from the stink cloud to be able to focus on his own aim. And before the Liberty Corps or the Mayhill posse could gather their bearings, a great engine roar could be heard across the parking lot. The Aesir blared its horn and barreled through snow piles and would have slammed right into the spearman if he didn¡¯t get out of the way, dragging his compatriot with him. ¡°Get in!¡± Orson shouted, as the camper¡¯s door opened. Enoa didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She grabbed her groceries and stumbled up the stairs into the RV. Once she was inside, Orson tossed his own supplies after her. The length of piping let out a nasty scraping sound as it rolled across the floor. Orson leaped aboard himself and sent out two shots from the blaster, aiming mainly to frighten. He slammed his palm into the switch that shut the side door. Then he ran to the front of the Aesir and slid into the driver¡¯s seat. He took the wheel, sending the camper spinning away from their attackers. ¡°Get things secured if you can!¡± He shouted back to her. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about it, if you can¡¯t. I¡¯m launching us when we reach the wall. Make sure you¡¯re buckled in, before then.¡± ¡°Which cabinets are unlocked?¡± Enoa looked around the storage area. All of the cabinet doors were closed. She didn¡¯t have time to test them all. ¡°Just get buckled in!¡± He called again. ¡°We¡¯ll get things secured later if we have to. Get up here.¡± Enoa grabbed all but one of the bags, as well as her staff. She charged along the camper¡¯s floor. She heard two bullets bounce away from the RV. Orson must have raised the energy shield. She heard shouting, as well, but it was all indistinct and far away. She fell into the passenger seat and stretched the belt across her chest and waist, the supplies now balanced on her legs. Just in time, Enoa felt the slapping sensation at her feet. The Aesir rocketed away from Fort Mayhill, its residents still shouting and firing at them. But they were already gone. They¡¯d made it. Enoa got a new grip on the shopping bags and let the air out of her lungs, released the breath she didn¡¯t know she¡¯d been holding. ¡°Dammit!¡± She fell against her shoulder harness. ¡°You weren¡¯t joking about being chased out of towns. That was awful. I thought that you were going to have to really hurt that old guy.¡± ¡°I did too.¡± Orson spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we went there. If I¡¯d known¡­¡± A loud beeping interrupted them, an Aesir alarm Enoa hadn¡¯t heard before. The sound repeated without interruption. ¡°What is that?¡± Enoa tried to see the source of the noise on the dashboard. ¡°Unidentified flying object.¡± Orson read the message that appeared on his windshield. ¡°What¡­¡± The Aesir shook, even shielded, as something hit them. It felt like a great fist had slammed into the ship¡¯s roof. Enoa almost dropped their supplies. She heard something slide across the floor behind them. An uncomfortable groaning came down from above. Enoa looked up just in time to see something fly past them, above them, probably only a few hundred feet away, but visible against the moon. This other object, this other ship, could be seen by the light and fire it sent at them. The enemy ship wheeled around in the air and bore down on them from above. ¡°The Liberty Corps has some kind of fighter chasing us.¡± Orson dialed down the ship¡¯s lights. He grabbed a lever beside him and pulled it back, firing the Aesir¡¯s boosters, sending them rocketing away into the distance. ¡°Hang on.¡± 29 - The Dogfight Enoa could see almost nothing. But the wailing sirens, Orson¡¯s muttering, and the gut-wrenching turns from the Aesir let her know in no uncertain terms that the sky chase was not going well. The same creaking noise echoed down from the ship¡¯s roof. The sound had an uncomfortable fingernails-on-blackboard quality, and Enoa winced. ¡°What is that?¡± She looked up at the cabin¡¯s ceiling, still unable to see anything but the vague glow from the consoles and the blue light from Orson¡¯s mask. ¡°I¡¯m firing up the tri-cannon.¡± He rested his hand on a round lever, on the center dashboard, a control yoke, like a vintage arcade joystick. ¡°I¡¯m about to return fire, but I haven¡¯t needed the roof gun in over a year, so it¡¯s not cooperating.¡± The metallic creaking continued. Another noise joined the Aesir¡¯s complaints, a drumming on the shield. But this wasn¡¯t the hollow pings of deflected bullets. These repeated strikes were longer and louder, loud enough that Enoa missed something Orson tried to tell her. She didn¡¯t need the pilot¡¯s view of the dashboard to know this was something much more serious. Orson pushed the wheel and sent the ship careening toward the ground, forcing Enoa¡¯s stomach through an uncomfortable tumble, like the floor had dropped out from under her. She yelled. ¡°Sorry, had to line up the roof cannon.¡± He moved his right hand to the joystick and squeezed a button on its side. A sharp, staccato boom called down from the roof. Then another. And another. Orson sent bolt after bolt of energy back at the pursuing ship. Clearly dissatisfied, Orson turned the wheel with his left hand, sending the Aesir through a turn. He looked ridiculous, arms stretched, one on the wheel, one on the joystick. ¡°This was set up to be a pilot and copilot type deal,¡± he said. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a problem. Not many people have serious aircraft these days.¡± Another series of laser hits from the Liberty Corps slapped the Aesir¡¯s rear shield, sending out the same ominous, hollow drumming sound. Orson yelled and wrenched the wheel to the left, sending the ship slamming to the side. Creaks and bumps came from the interior of the locked cabinets. Enoa feared Orson was actually going to flip the Aesir upside-down in his awkward attempt to evade the enemy ship and also return fire. ¡°Did you used to have a copilot?¡± She asked. ¡°Could I do something to make it easier?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just been me,¡± he said. ¡°At least during these last few years when I¡¯ve been the only crewmember. Five or so years ago we had a whole crew, but I didn¡¯t do much flying then.¡± ¡°Five or so?¡± Enoa said. ¡°But your big battle with Thunderworks was just five years ago and you flew for that.¡± ¡°What?¡± Orson let the ship fly steady and fired off a stream from the roof cannon. ¡°Yes! HA! Got him! Look at them fall.¡± ¡°Did they blow up?¡± She tried to get a better look at the dash. ¡°I hit them full on with the cannon, and they fell down toward the trees there.¡± He removed his hand from the joystick. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t fly during the Norlenheim battle, only when it was over.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re Wayfarer One, right?¡± Enoa never learned all of the complicated interwoven facts of the Thunderworks situation, and she¡¯d forgotten most of what she¡¯d heard. She knew that there currently were no massive flying death machines blowing up population centers. That¡¯s all she had to know. But Orson had been hyped as Wayfarer One since she¡¯d met him, almost two weeks earlier. Now, she was confused. She didn¡¯t like being confused in her current situation. ¡°That part of the story gets really messed up,¡± he said. ¡°I got the Wayfarer One name during the Hand Island incident, a while before Thunderworks. But I actually drove to Norlenheim in my car and did most of my fighting with the sword.¡± The hollow drumming sound resumed, full force, now so loud Enoa couldn¡¯t hear herself think, much less whatever convoluted explanation Orson was trying to give her. She yelled, and he yelled. He swerved the wheel, pressed buttons, turned knobs, sent the Aesir on such a sudden swerve that she was truly afraid she¡¯d lose her couple slices of pizza. Orson yelled and took the Aesir through another desperate maneuver. Enoa felt the bags slipping from her hands, tired from the exertion of gripping them. A pop-up message appeared across the windshield. ¡°Would you like to see a scan of the attacking craft?¡± The Warning Lady Voice asked the room at large. ¡°Yeah, sure, please,¡± Orson said. ¡°Show me.¡± An image appeared along the bottom of the windshield. It showed a small craft placed next to a generic bipedal silhouette, for scale. The craft looked fit for two passengers. It had three rear jets and five wings that jutted far forward of the cockpit and rotated as the ship flew. ¡°Where did they get a Sun Talon?¡± Orson stretched out his right arm and grabbed for the roof tri-cannon joystick. ¡°That thing¡¯s shielded. No wonder my blast didn¡¯t take it out.¡± He fired more shots from the roof cannon. ¡°They have major sensors, so here¡¯s a little silver lining, we can raise the lights a little bit for you.¡± He hit a switch, and dim lights lit beside her seat and along her side of the dashboard. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Give me something to do!¡± Enoa sat forward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t manage everything, here. Are there more guns? Let me shoot something.¡± Orson was probably a better shot while multitasking than she would be even when focused, but she had to do something. She needed to take an active role. She couldn¡¯t bear sitting helpless, not while Orson struggled. ¡°I used to be a crack shot in Starfighters Ultimate Alliance.¡± ¡°All I have is the roof cannon and some close range guns hidden in the front grill and above the side doors, but you know what? Try out the big one. You better find a way to get all that stuff secured, first, though.¡± Orson glanced at her. ¡°We don¡¯t need to get beaned in the head, by your aunt¡¯s magic stick, while we¡¯re trying to fight.¡± Enoa slid the bags and her staff under her seat and tried to jam it all in place. She tested the mass of supplies. Nothing moved. She hoped none of the food packages broke open and let their contents ooze over the floor. Of course, she¡¯d rather lose the food and live long enough to miss it. ¡°Ready,¡± she said. ¡°Here it comes.¡± Orson hit a button beside the tri-cannon¡¯s control yoke, and the joystick slid aside, toward her. Then a blank space of dashboard slid aside, revealing a small radar screen. The screen lit up ¨C a retro arcade-esque monitor. It displayed a small topographical map of their surroundings, the layered circles showing hills around them. There was a bright green arrow showing the Aesir itself. ¡°You can¡¯t do worse than I¡¯m doing, one hit in about five minutes? We¡¯re both practicing if we live, okay? Knock yourself out.¡± Now properly focused, Orson sent the ship gliding low in a fast but controlled maneuver. Enoa watched the green arrow speed along the topographical background. The whole screen was very 1980s science-fiction movie. She reached out and took the joystick. ¡°Just press the trigger?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a little wheel, a knob thing, lower on the yoke,¡± he said. ¡°Spin that to rotate the cannon. There should be a little line on the display to show where you¡¯re aimed.¡± His flying remained smooth and controlled, but from their right, there came a terrible crash, like a thunderclap. The Sun Talon had made some permanent mark on the landscape in its attempt to shoot them. Enoa found the little wheel and turned it. She saw the small line. She turned the wheel until the line aimed straight back, right at the glowing, ominous, red dot that appeared on her screen behind their green arrow. Not red dot. Dots. Two of them ¨C one well behind them, another approaching from the left side of the screen. ¡°Uh, Orson.¡± She didn¡¯t divert her attention from the console. The second red dot flew quicker than the first, gaining on them, crawling closer and closer and closer to their green arrow. She turned the wheel and angled the top gun toward the new dot. ¡°Is there any benign reason I see two red dots in two totally different places?¡± ¡°Two?¡± Orson looked at his own screen. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Whatever he intended to say, reassurance or vulgarity, was interrupted by another drumming of laser on shield, except this came from their left. Then another sound came, a shrill mechanical wail, as the second Sun Talon flew over top of them. Enoa watched that second red dot briefly overlap their green arrow. She angled the joystick to follow this second ship. ¡°Can I point the cannon straight up?¡± She couldn¡¯t feel any other buttons on the weapon control. ¡°Or does it not do that?¡± ¡°Press in the wheel to point up and press again to make it sideways, uh, horizontal again.¡± He turned the Aesir down sharply. She followed the maneuver on the screen and saw that he had flown them into some kind of valley. ¡°I¡¯m bringing us down above a river, trees and tight hills. If they¡¯re standard Sun Talons, they can only shoot straight forward so we can fight them one at a time.¡± ¡°And if they aren¡¯t standard and they have bombs?¡± Enoa made the cannon horizontal as the first Sun Talon followed them into the river valley. ¡°Then I made a bad decision.¡± He laughed. ¡°I¡­¡± Another new sound emanated from above them. It sounded almost like an old fashioned ringing phone. ¡°I think those pricks are calling us!¡± Orson said. ¡°Y¡¯know what¡­ I¡¯m going to answer them. You can get acclimated with your controls that way.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why we should hear what they have to say,¡± she said. ¡°But it¡¯s your ship.¡± ¡°It can be a good way to gain more time to figure things out, but be aware, that if I unmute us to speak to these people, they will be able to hear you too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She returned to the controls and kept the roof cannon aimed back at the pursuing ship that she could see. Orson answered the hail. The ringing stopped. ¡°Good evening, Captain Gregory.¡± The voice of Liberty Corps Captain Maros spoke out of a speaker in the dashboard. ¡°Good evening, Miss Cloud. I thought I was perfectly clear that any attempt to pursue the Dreamside Road would be met with a harsh response. I was disappointed, to say the least, when I learned you kept the stolen IHSA films.¡± Orson unmuted his dashboard receiver. ¡°Don¡¯t you have better things to do than chase after us? Seriously? We¡¯re¡­ ¡°They¡¯re my films!¡± Enoa interrupted. ¡°Mine. Learn it. I thought I beat that into you last time, but maybe blowing up your ship will teach you.¡± ¡°Yeah, what she said.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°You were fine for a one-off villain, but twice in a row? Get the hell out. We¡¯re done going easy on you and your Corps freaks. Leave now or all bets are off.¡± ¡°For all your threats, your defensive efforts haven¡¯t been very effective.¡± Maros laughed too. ¡°I expected better piloting from the legendary Wayfarer One. I respected your integrity for working alongside the armed forces in the past, and I respected your noted combat prowess. Now, I¡¯m not so sure.¡± ¡°Oh, how will my pride ever recover?!¡± Orson said. ¡°Are you even flying that little gnat back there, or are you just tagging along to deliver mediocre trash talk? Let¡¯s be clear, our disagreement goes way deeper than the films. The Liberty Corps is heir to nothing. Most of what the Hierarchia had was stolen. They had no right to what they took, and you have none now. We will find the Dreamside Road, and we¡¯re not going to be scared off by anyone in the Liberty Corps, not the Grand Poobahs you threatened us with before, and certainly not you.¡± ¡°Small words from a desperate man,¡± Maros said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some options,¡± Orson said. ¡°And this is the very last time, because now you¡¯ve destroyed my friend Enoa¡¯s home, and you¡¯re trying to destroy mine. I didn¡¯t want to hurt you, Man Bun, but the next time you come after me, I will attack your people. We will shoot down your ships and whatever happens to you, happens. Aesir out.¡± He shut off the comm. ¡°How much of that was bluff?¡± Enoa kept the roof cannon aimed back at the Sun Talon that still pursued them through the valley. ¡°Because I¡¯d love to think we¡¯re actually about to shoot him down.¡± ¡°No bluff,¡± he said. ¡°I know exactly what we¡¯re about to do.¡± 30 - Sun Talons ¡°You¡¯re certain your Montauk Station wingman will not be present for this operation?¡± Captain Maros had never flown in one of the rare, secret aircraft that the Liberty Corps had inherited. Featuring advanced space-age propulsion and a kinetic-energy weapons system that recouped almost thirty percent of the power spent in its discharge, there had never been more than one hundred Sun Talon fighter craft built. Each cost over 150 million dollars to build, and that had been before the collapse of the well-oiled military industrial machine. The Corps had inherited fewer than twenty. ¡°It is against protocol to commit that number of assets to a pursuit operation unless authorized by a colonel rank or higher, but the Quiet Zone guys are good.¡± Lieutenant Melville, the Drone Minder Maros had recruited for the Nimauk operation, traveled across North America in his Sun Talon and knew all of the Corps guidelines. Melville recited them from practiced memory. Maros knew he was not the first captain to ask Melville to bend the rules. The only reason Maros himself managed to secure the one and only passenger seat ¨C actually a secondary gunnery position ¨C aboard the ship was a purely practical matter. The Drone Minder had flown the Talon from Montauk to Pennsylvania to aid Maros. He had flown alone. Consequently, there was one seat open. The second fighter, the one sent from the Quiet Zone, was entirely out of Maros¡¯ jurisdiction. He watched it with almost as much apprehension as he did the Aesir. ¡°If we shoot them down with conventional weapons,¡± Maros said. ¡°You¡¯re certain they and the films will survive the crash? I have no wish for bloodshed.¡± ¡°They are still hundreds of feet in the air, on average.¡± Melville never so much as glanced away from the controls. ¡°They are in an aircraft that does not obey conventional aerodynamics. Who can say?¡± Melville knew his own craft, intimately. He¡¯d flown it between every one of his Corps assignments, sometimes jetting from one side of the North American continent to the other, alone, in a time without much air traffic supervision. Rumor had it that this man had been an IHSA pilot, that he had been one of the pilots who fought Thunderworks above New York City. In any case, Melville knew his business. As focused as he clearly was, he flew with the polished ease of a master, a true professional. Despite the nauseating turns and twists from the Aesir, their quarry never kept away from him for long. Maros had fired many shots from his cannon, toward the other ship. But Melville only fired when he was certain his shot would connect. During the dozen-plus minutes of the chase, he had never missed. Not once. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Maros watched the second Talon fly over the Aesir and blast off into the far distance. ¡°What are they doing?¡± ¡°Standard procedure.¡± Melville kept their craft tight behind the Aesir. ¡°Captain Gregory has shown himself to be an erratic flier. He¡¯s flying low on purpose as his escape strategy, so we¡¯ll box him in close to the ground, shoot him down. It¡¯ll decrease their chances of escape and increase their chances of surviving the crash.¡± An energy blast left the Aesir¡¯s top cannon and slammed into the front of their ship. The shields absorbed most of the damage, but the light left a horrid afterimage in front of Maros¡¯s eyes and rattled the craft around them. ¡°They¡¯re improving.¡± Melville pressed a button on the ship¡¯s radio. ¡°Marked increase in both flying and marksmanship. We need to end this soon.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± the other pilot answered. Maros couldn¡¯t see the other ship, due to both the unending afterimage and from the skill of the second pilot. When the young captain¡¯s eyes cleared, he switched on his borrowed, outdated helmet¡¯s night vision. He saw that the Aesir had led them down through an even, narrow expanse of river valley, bordered on either side by snow-covered trees, their branches drooping low over the rushing water. The bizarre camper blasted right along at water level, sometimes crashing through branches, but usually skirting beneath them. The Sun Talons were a good deal smaller than the Aesir. They packed a punch, but were designed to be miniscule, to slip through enemy defenses, to be light enough to strike anywhere. Another blast from the Aesir¡¯s roof gun again temporarily blinded Maros. He knew Melville¡¯s helmet, unlike his own, was the very best that could be found in the world and likely could withstand the intense glare of the energy blasts from the Aesir, but he admired the unwavering hand on the small fighter¡¯s yoke. ¡°Cliff face in five kilometers,¡± the other Talon pilot spoke over the radio. ¡°Keep ¡®em busy, Sharpshooter. We¡¯re going in.¡± ¡°I copy, Looker,¡± Melville said. ¡°We¡¯re on them.¡± The pilot flipped a switch on his console. Suddenly the small barrier between Maros¡¯s seat and the pilot¡¯s own lit up. ¡°Use both secondary cannons. Don¡¯t worry about power usage. We just need to keep them busy.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Maros took the controls. ¡°This other pilot, Looker, you called him ¨C can they really force the Aesir to the ground?¡± ¡°You can count on it.¡± * * * Orson laughed when he saw the secondary barrage of energy come hurtling out of the Sun Talon that had followed them into their wild race along the river. ¡°Called it,¡± he said. ¡°This is gonna be tricky, but I think it¡¯s working.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Enoa couldn¡¯t manage more speech. She constantly rotated the stick, keeping it even with the ship flying just behind them. The little craft was fast and tiny, but her hands were steady, her mind focused, and she¡¯d gotten at least a couple good hits on them. ¡°Here we go.¡± The self-assured edge had reentered Orson¡¯s voice, but this did not reassure her. His confidence was often rewarded and his experienced guesses were frequently proven true, but she¡¯d seen him wrong too. Wrong now meant dying or capture. She couldn¡¯t help wondering about her aunt¡¯s secrets. If she¡¯d already studied the film library, could she have found some power, some way to save them in the event of a crash? ¡°Keep firing at the guy back there,¡± Orson said. ¡°The other one is coming in.¡± Enoa kept firing on the ship behind them, but she couldn¡¯t ignore the other red dot appear on the screen, as the second fighter came screaming down into the river valley, flying right at them. This second ship had already begun to spit energy and fire of its own. Orson started laughing and cheering, his hands still on the controls. He took hold of a small circular device, set just above the steering column. He didn¡¯t turn aside, but kept the camper barreling straight for their second attacker. The energy barrage from the second ship began to sizzle and strike against the Aesir¡¯s shields, blasting so bright that Enoa struggled to maintain her visual focus on her controls. But still, Orson did nothing to turn aside and kept them locked in the same deadly game of aerial chicken. Orson pulled back the circular controls above the steering column. This was the fire control for the hidden repeating guns in the camper¡¯s front grill and side doors. Orson activated these guns, true guns, firing physical projectiles. Orson sent a barrage of these projectiles into the ship that hurtled toward them, the ship that was only thousands of feet away. The heavy, repeated strikes from the projectiles, dozens of times in a few seconds, overwhelmed the fighter¡¯s shields, overheating them before the pilot could turn aside. The second Sun Talon exploded, sending a cascade of charred metal down into the river. The roar of the destroyed ship was deafening even inside the camper, and Enoa¡¯s ears rang. Still, she could hear Orson when he spoke. ¡°I won¡¯t clear the whole debris field,¡± he said. ¡°Hold on.¡± The windshield had darkened to save them from the dangerous brightness of the explosion, and Orson managed to pull the ship up and away from the river, but their underside shields were bombarded by micro-fragments of the destroyed enemy fighter. Enoa crashed back into her chair. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The ship rocked around them a second time, and Enoa realized she¡¯d been distracted and had stopped returning fire toward the Sun Talon that pursued them from behind. She quickly realigned the roof gun and sent a series of blasts toward their other pursuer, as Orson flew them away from the trees and higher over the darkened landscape. ¡°One down,¡± he said. ¡°One more to go.¡± He removed his hand from the fire control and jetted them away from their pursuer. ¡°Hey, Warning Lady Voice. Can you please find something for me?¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± the Warning Lady Voice replied. ¡°Feel free to call me Ruby. What do you need me to find?¡± ¡°Uh, okay, Ruby,¡± Orson said. ¡°Find me somewhere we can land in a hurry, with cover from the air. I need to do a full shutdown so I can fire out an ion field. Can you help me out?¡± ¡°Certainly!¡± Ruby said again. ¡°I¡¯ll find you a place to do a full shutdown with air cover.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Orson flew the ship lower again, just over the treetops. ¡°You didn¡¯t know the Voice¡¯s name?¡± Enoa fired back toward the Sun Talon. The enemy ship had fallen to a greater distance since its fellow¡¯s destruction, but they¡¯d begun to edge forward, once again. Enoa sent another blast toward the red dot, but with the Aesir flying so low, she feared she¡¯d accidentally ignite the tops of one or more of the trees. ¡°I haven¡¯t needed this much help.¡± Orson didn¡¯t raise the Aesir any higher. ¡°There aren¡¯t many people with air power. I do almost all of my fighting on the ground. The only time Ruby speaks to me is when she¡¯s upset the ship¡¯s taking a beating ¨C hence the Warning Lady Voice, thing.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Enoa sent one blast directly into the Sun Talon, her third direct hit. But the red dot kept coming. Were these ships better prepared to withstand an energy barrage than physical projectiles? ¡°It¡¯s not like she¡¯s a real AI or anything.¡± Orson lowered his voice. ¡°Some of those exist, but I actually knew the girl who lent her voice for this.¡± ¡°If she¡¯s not a real person, why are you whispering?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m politely rude, and I don¡¯t like when things have names and I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Be honest with me,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Have you been in sky chases before? You seem less prepared for this than you were for personal fighting.¡± ¡°One or two,¡± Orson admitted. ¡°Nine times out of ten, once I got back aboard this boat, I was safe. There weren¡¯t many who could get off the ground after me, and never did they have genuine space tech. Those things chasing us have some elements that were reverse engineered sci-fi stuff, serious tinfoil hat government conspiracy nonsense. Do you follow me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Enoa was too occupied by Orson¡¯s inexperience in aerial battles to worry much about the technical specifications of the craft that pursued them. ¡°UFOs?¡± ¡°Basically,¡± Orson said. ¡°Anyway, once this is over, we need to get you pilot ready.¡± Enoa was spared from speaking. A shot from the Sun Talon hit them hard enough that she physically bounced in her seat. The fighter hit them a second time and a third, as the explosive drumming resumed. ¡°Shields are depleting by one percent every three seconds,¡± Ruby said. ¡°At this rate¡­¡± ¡°I know!¡± Orson pulled back on the wheel, sending Enoa back into her seat. Then he slammed the wheel forward, sending them downward again, like he was trying to simulate a roller coaster¡¯s hills. When he reached the bottom of the arc, the Aesir began climbing again. ¡°Ahh, what are you doing?¡± Enoa tried to fight nausea and get a clear shot at the red dot. ¡°The leaping dolphin.¡± Orson pushed the wheel forward, sending them over another ¡®hill¡¯. ¡°If they hit us now, it¡¯s more likely they¡¯ll only get the shields on the periphery.¡± ¡°Dolphin?¡± Enoa spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°There¡¯s a squirming salmon maneuver too, but it almost burns out the inertial dampener to use it.¡± He was pushing and pulling the wheel faster now, always different heights, sometimes with a turn to the left or right, sometimes dead on. They fell into a nonsensical undulation. Not one shot hit them from the Sun Talon, though some blasts flew visibly close. ¡°How long are you planning on doing your dolphin thing? I can¡¯t shoot, and I don¡¯t want to be sick on your dashboard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! The setting¡¯s really low on the inertial dampener. I¡¯m trying not to waste power, but it won¡¯t be long now. I just gotta buy enough time to find a place to put down.¡± Enoa gave up on firing. She braced herself as Orson continued his undulating flight pattern ¡°How will you get away long enough to put down?¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°They¡¯re right on us.¡± She felt no more explosions or strikes from the Sun Talon, but the red dot maintained a steady course only a short distance behind their wobbling green arrow. ¡°I have found a place to shut down with air cover,¡± Ruby announced. ¡°Pre-Thunderworks map records show an abandoned Penna Turnpike tunnel nine-point-seven-four miles to the southeast. According to archived atlas report from The Kitschmaster¡¯s Guide to the American Road Trip, the tunnel is two lanes and roughly a mile long. Would you like to learn more details about the abandoned Penna Turnpike tunnel?¡± ¡°Sounds perfect,¡± Orson said. ¡°Plot course on my map control.¡± ¡°Right away,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°Not right now.¡± Orson turned the Aesir into a nauseating turn to the side. Enoa heard the bag she¡¯d failed to collect slide further away from them. She watched her console. Suddenly, the red enemy dot was to their left and came screaming toward them. She tried to get the roof weapon aimed at the enemy, but the camper rocketed away before she could, now headed toward the tunnel. ¡°Once we¡¯re in there,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll fire off an Electromagnetic Pulse wave, and that¡¯ll knock out every electrical device for a mile or so. It should take out that fighter.¡± He pushed the Aesir even faster now, still low over the forest. Enoa was shoved back into her seat. She watched the red dot disappear from the screen, lost behind them. ¡°This might be bumpy,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m really supposed to let the Flight Core come to a full stop for a landing, but there¡¯s an emergency computer procedure that gets the wheels turning for a quick land getaway. Hopefully it works.¡± Enoa could still see nothing out the windshield but the vague shapes of trees, the horizon obscured. But then Orson sent the camper down through a gap in the branches, shapes she couldn¡¯t see, hurtling down to a small, broken roadway. They touched down with a jolting bounce that felt like the road was trying to throw the Aesir into a forward tumble from the rear. But then they switched back to camper mode. Orson stepped on the accelerator and sent them along the heavily pocked and potholed surface. In the distance, Enoa could see a new darkness, even deeper than the darkness that had surrounded them since their hasty departure from Fort Mayhill. They¡¯d arrived at the tunnel. ¡°If I screw up the tires, I have spares, and we can get more where we¡¯re headed next.¡± Orson drove them into the tunnel, as fast as he dared go, headed deeper and deeper under the ground. Enoa¡¯s console showed her the topographical rings of the great rock mound. ¡°Alright.¡± Orson braked, put the camper in park, shut off the engine, and leaned up toward the top of the dashboard. He pressed a small glowing circular button. ¡°Let me grab my IF-Maker, and we should be done with¡­¡± ¡°Orson!¡± Enoa tried to tap his shoulder when she saw the red dot return to the screen, but she misjudged the motion and slapped his arm instead. ¡°They¡¯re here. They¡¯re back. I think they¡¯re in the tunnel too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± He looked at his own radar. ¡°What the¡­ Ruby, bring up rear infrared. What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The aircraft designated foe is in pursuit,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Some Sun Talon vessels had attached docking legs that allowed the craft to operate on land. The aircraft designated foe has just entered the abandoned Penna Turnpike tunnel. I advise reactivating defenses and raising shields.¡± Orson reached for the Aesir¡¯s dashboard before Ruby had finished speaking. The camper roared to life again, but before it did, Enoa distantly heard an odd slapping sound, like several metal feet stamping against the tunnel floor, far behind them. Orson grabbed the flight lever again and Enoa felt the slamming at the floor. She thought about arguing against flying inside the tunnel, even with the enemy ship pursuing them, but anything she would have said was drowned out by the deafening sound of laser fire under the earth. Energy from the Sun Talon rammed against their shields again, but the drumming was much louder, both from the enclosed space and from the close proximity of their attackers. Orson grabbed the controls and gunned them away from the enemy ship. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have used your electro weapon?¡± Enoa scanned her own console but didn¡¯t fire back. She didn¡¯t know how safe it was to discharge the weapon under the mountain. ¡°No time,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll do. If they take off after us, we¡¯ll be in the same damn chase again. We need to put some distance between us somehow and ¨C I know!¡± He reached out and snapped his fingers in the direction of the roof gun¡¯s joystick. ¡°When I tell you, I want you to fire up at the tunnel roof. Bring it down.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t we be crushed?¡± Enoa hit the wheel and aimed the cannon at the ceiling. ¡°Hopefully, only they will be.¡± Orson sent them toward the exit. Behind them, she could hear the metal feet running furiously. Ahead, Enoa could see a lesser darkness, a pale half-light, starlight. Far ahead of them, the tunnel ended. Out there, the sky had cleared. ¡°Do it now!¡± Orson hit the accelerator, just as Enoa fired again and again, up into the roof, as they passed, until an immense rumble began, a churning, grinding, explosive sound, louder than the Aesir and the Sun Talon and any of their weapons. The tunnel was collapsing around them. Orson accelerated further. He pressed the ship on toward the starlight. Enoa turned away from the red dot. She couldn¡¯t resist the fear of the collapse. She had to stare at the pale light as it got closer and closer. The Aesir blasted free of the tunnel. The great explosion continued behind them. Orson wheeled the ship around toward the mouth of the tunnel. Enoa could see great plumes of dirt and smoke exploding out of the abandoned passage¡¯s mouth. She saw no sign of the red dot on her console. Her ears ringing, she watched the smoking ruin until Orson was satisfied and turned them away, back westward. They flew. ¡°What now?¡± Enoa kept staring at her console, half-expecting to see that same damned red dot reappear at the bottom of the screen as the Sun Talon continued its pursuit. The dot did not return. She removed her hands from the controls, but they shook so much from adrenaline and exertion that she put them back on the control stick again. ¡°We need to regroup before we continue on,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯d hoped the Liberty Corps were an issue we¡¯d left way behind. But with ships like that, I think we have to assume they¡¯re a major threat that can follow us anywhere.¡± 31 - Wayfarers Day Job Captain Maros opened his eyes and saw nothing. For three heartbeats, he was a teenager again, in the collapsed loft apartment, entirely enclosed in impenetrable shadow, two thousand pounds of steel and wood and plaster collapsed on his right hand. But no, he was in the Sun Talon, or what remained of it. He was still strapped in. The inertial compensator, the heavy-duty gunnery restraints, and his borrowed helmet had protected him from the worst of the G-forces in their sudden breaking maneuver. He didn¡¯t know whether Melville had been as lucky. He also didn¡¯t know the condition of the ship, though he suspected they¡¯d taken a beating. Maros could feel a slight but consistent breeze of fresh, cool air. That was good news for everything, but the ship. The Talon was built to be vacuum worthy and flew pressurized. The breeze spelled disaster for the priceless fighter. Three hundred million dollars. Even without the obscene cost increase in rare metals and the top secret metamaterials that allowed the ship to function, Maros had lost the Liberty Corps three hundred million dollars. One-fifty, per ship, was gone on a failed chase. Maros tested his hands and feet, moved his fingers, wiggled his toes. Nothing broken. He hadn¡¯t been pinned or crushed, not personally. He couldn¡¯t yet speak for the ship. Maros tested his arms and legs, traced his neck and the back of his head for wounds. He might have scattered black and blue marks under his flight suit. He certainly felt like he¡¯d walked into a brick wall, but he¡¯d sustained no real injuries. ¡°Lieutenant Melville.¡± Maros unbuckled his restraints and reached forward toward the pilot. He touched the other man¡¯s shoulder with his left hand. No motion. ¡°Melville.¡± He tapped the pilot on the shoulder. No response. ¡°Melville!¡± He shook the man by his shoulders. The pilot gasped and coughed. He fell forward onto his restraints, wheezing, dragging in short, ragged breaths. Melville looked around, plainly disoriented. ¡°What happened?¡± Melville pressed some of his controls. The ship did not respond. ¡°Everything¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you the same thing,¡± Maros said. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything after the emergency stop.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected such brutality from his quarry. Even after seeing Captain Gregory demolish Tucker, and feeling the brunt of the young Cloud¡¯s power, there was a flying-by-the-seat-of-the-pants attitude about them, particularly Gregory, that made them hard to take seriously. ¡°How are you?¡± Maros tested his legs again and thought he was perfectly capable of walking. He could leave the tunnel, if it weren¡¯t blocked, and probably walk a good deal farther, if he had to. ¡°I think I¡¯m¡­¡± Melville screamed. It was a single, loud howl of pain. Then his breathing shortened even further, almost hyperventilation. Maros feared the other man would go into shock, but his breathing quickly got under control. ¡°The floor of the compartment warped and twisted my leg with it. I can¡¯t move it.¡± ¡°Are you pinned?¡± Maros asked. Even after five years, he remembered his own panic under the rubble. He could still feel himself crying for help, buried, his throat sore from dirt and from yelling. He could still hear Max calling out to him, trying to calm him. He remembered every minute of their fifteen hours under the rubble. ¡°No, thank God.¡± Melville moved again and gasped, but this was a controlled sound. He expected pain and dealt with it. Maros slid his hand to his belt and brought out his miniature flashlight. He lit it. The cockpit interior looked mostly the same, only darkened. Maros¡¯s own compartment interior looked entirely undamaged. The same could not be said for the front compartment. The front of the Talon had almost split in two. There was a horizontal gap running from beneath the windshield all the way to the pilot¡¯s feet. That entire section of the ship had snapped apart. This was probably the same blow that caused his leg injury and was likely the source of the fresh air. Maros checked himself for wounds a second time, this time with help from the flashlight. Then he helped Melville do the same. Other than the leg injury, he was mostly unhurt. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Maros leaned over the divider between their seats. He sent the flashlight beam out the windshield, out into the tunnel. The flashlight beam met an almost solid wall of rock, ten maybe twenty feet distant. The tunnel was impassable. The tunnel floor between the rock wall and the Talon was littered with dirt and boulder-sized chunks of concrete. ¡°Those freaks almost crushed us.¡± Melville leaned up to look out the windshield, but winced and sat back. ¡°I know you want the Aesir, but I¡¯d love to see that camper under those rocks.¡± ¡°It could be significantly worse.¡± Maros ignored his comment. ¡°If they didn¡¯t trigger a larger collapse that trapped us from behind, we should be able to go back the way we came.¡± He clapped the pilot on the shoulder. ¡°That hard brake and cushion maneuver you did saved us.¡± ¡°Cut my poor baby in half too.¡± Melville waved to the gap in the front of the ship. ¡°No fixing this shit.¡± ¡°Is there any way to tell whether the Talon¡¯s been buried? It feels like we¡¯re leaning to the right, but it¡¯s hard to tell.¡± Maros looked up to the ceiling of the inoperable vessel. He didn¡¯t want to talk about the damage to the ship, the damage that had occurred due to his desperate operation. ¡°We might be in some precarious position.¡± ¡°No telling.¡± Melville futilely pressed at another of the switches. ¡°Open the roof hatch and pray.¡± He touched his leg and groaned again. Maros pressed at the roof release switch. This obviously did not work. He handed the pilot the flashlight and pressed at the roof hatch with both hands. It moved, but with effort. Were they buried? Were they trapped? Maros felt his breath catch in his throat, his memories threatening to overwhelm his current focus. Maros pushed with the full force of his prosthetic hand, with enough strength that he wondered whether his hand would puncture a hole in the hatch, but it gave way and swung open. The hatch must have been warped in the crash or been struck in the cave-in. He heard only some pebbles fall away as it moved. Maros took the flashlight and climbed onto the top of the fighter. He shined the light around. Other than the collapsed wall, separating them from the western exit of the abandoned tunnel, the passage remained open behind them. There were plenty of rocks jarred loose, but few that would have destroyed the fighter or killed its occupants. So it could have gone worse. Maros aimed his flashlight back toward the eastern mouth of the tunnel. He saw it, clear and open. ¡°We¡¯ll be good to backtrack. I can get help.¡± Maros climbed back inside and retrieved the emergency pack stashed in the compartment between the seats. He drew out the thermal blanket, first aid kit, and the extra ration and water packs. He set these within Melville¡¯s reach. ¡°Is your med pack standard?¡± Maros asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to call for help, but I¡¯m not optimistic with reception. I might need to leave the ship, and I want you to get painkiller before I go.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not ready for me to use the morphine, just yet,¡± Melville said. ¡°If you don¡¯t get your radio working, you¡¯ll need me to work on the ship¡¯s long range module. I¡¯ll just grab a bite to eat.¡± Melville removed a ration pack from the stash. He pulled up his helmet and took a bite from one of the high-calorie, flavorless bars they¡¯d been given. Maros drew out his radio and clicked it on. Nothing, not even static. ¡°Okay,¡± Maros said. ¡°I have to leave the tunnel. Hopefully outside I can get a transmission back to my command and central dispatch. Do you have everything you need? Will you be warm enough?¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Melville said. ¡°You got me the thermal blanket. That should be enough, as long as we¡¯re not here for days.¡± ¡°Days?¡± Maros asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in some really remote place. We¡¯re only miles from the currently-used interstate.¡± ¡°Things are different away from the eastern seaboard. Typical. The coasts still get everything. You¡¯re a Philly brat. You don¡¯t know how it is.¡± He took another bite from the bar. ¡°Go. Get us help.¡± Maros climbed out a second time. He closed the fighter¡¯s roof hatch without letting it latch. He¡¯d brought his pistol with him in the fighter, but there¡¯d been no room for his sword. He was glad for that, having to jump from the fighter¡¯s roof. He stopped and considered his best path to the ground. He didn¡¯t want to place any undue strain on the wings, on the off chance that the ship could be fixed. Eventually, he settled for sliding down the rounded side of the cockpit, behind the wings. The jump was only six feet. He examined the ship. It was clear that the Talon¡¯s legs had snapped off. He could see one, crushed and broken, in the flashlight beam. The ship sat on the rounded bottom of the cockpit housing. Maros slid and landed easily on the balls of his feet. Maros unclipped his pistol in its holster. He held up his flashlight, lighting his path. Then he picked his way between rocks and breaks in the floor. While pursuing the Aesir, the Talon¡¯s leg sensors had been adept at navigating the pockmarked and broken tunnel floor. The same route that the ship had traveled in seconds, took him a good deal longer than he¡¯d anticipated. His radio beeped before he reached the tunnel opening. He drew it out. ¡°Maros.¡± ¡°Kol.¡± Duncan¡¯s voice sighed out through the radio. ¡°Oh thank God, you survived the crash.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Maros said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. How did you know we¡­¡± ¡°I need to talk now. Listen, you¡¯ve got trouble on the way. You have the Bedford County Division headed after you. They¡¯re planning to file charges against you for commissioning the ships, taking action in their airspace, pursuing a fugitive without alerting them. If command goes along with them, you could be dishonorably discharged, or you could be demoted, reassigned anywhere.¡± ¡°Bedford?¡± Maros said. ¡°Why would I worry about them? They¡¯re smaller than we are.¡± ¡°They¡¯re doing the filing,¡± Duncan clarified. ¡°But we stepped on major toes, Kol. There¡¯s an Operative from Western Command, stationed in the Quiet Zone. He¡¯s running things, and he¡¯s out for blood by the sound of it. Still, I think after our community work, you can push for a quiet resignation.¡± ¡°Resignation?¡± Maros spoke louder than he¡¯d intended. ¡°No. We¡¯ve come too¡­¡± ¡°This guy is ready to string you up,¡± Duncan interrupted. ¡°You do not want to go rogue. You need Corps Command on your side with this. It¡¯s the sunk cost fallacy at this point, Kol. We¡¯re done.¡± ¡°How long do I have to prepare?¡± Maros considered his mentors and allies, the superiors he¡¯d aided, his options. ¡°Do you know when the Bedford contingent can be here?¡± ¡°They left as soon as the Sun Talon¡¯s radar signature disappeared. They could be on you in minutes.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. * * * ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to waste your turn.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t look away from the small touchscreen tablet Orson had given her, showing the remote feed from the camera they¡¯d planted outside the Aesir. But she walked from the couch to the entryway of the Aesir¡¯s bathroom, where Orson was working, the shower partially disassembled, various lengths of piping littering the floor around him. ¡°You could sleep for the last hour until your watch starts.¡± ¡°I kinda did have to waste it.¡± He spoke without turning around. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d filled the drawers in all of the spare quarters, and that had to be taken care of so you could move in.¡± ¡°What did you do with all of that stuff?¡± Enoa had selected one of the enclosed bunk rooms, but couldn¡¯t fill her drawers with clothing or personal items. She¡¯d found all of the storage filled with assorted hand-written papers, maps of obscure locations, and cassette-taped recordings of late night conspiracy radio. ¡°Uhhh, it¡¯s on my bed now. I¡¯ll get it all later. I¡¯m not going to be able to really pass out until probably around noon. One of us needs to keep watching that feed.¡± ¡°What happens at noon?¡± Enoa had been staring at the camera feeds for three hours now, since she and Orson finished securing the camouflage tarps and setting the hidden camera. ¡°If they come after us, I think it¡¯ll happen before then. I¡­¡± He did something loud enough that he gave up speaking. ¡°You didn¡¯t expect the Sun Talon ships though, either.¡± The camera feeds showed the same view of the vast star scape she¡¯d watched for hours. Enoa had never experienced the full remoteness of the destabilized world. This was her first night in the dark wild, but the view of the Milky Way almost made up for the lack of sleep. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it would be wiser for you to rest or to keep flying? I still don¡¯t get why we had to park here. All of those abandoned things are freaking me out.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a chance we¡¯ll still give off some sign of life,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯d stick out like a sore thumb if somebody really got a good look at us, but when I saw this field of derelict old stuff, I had to go here. It¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°But you said you think there are people living in some of the junk. Aren¡¯t we in danger?¡± Enoa wished for a second camera, one aimed at some of the abandoned vehicles that dominated the field around them. The collage of former trains, trolleys, buses, cars, scrap, and other assorted junk could hold anything or anyone. ¡°We¡¯re right at the edges.¡± Orson set aside the length of pipe he was working on and turned to face her. ¡°And it¡¯s less likely people will be out and about with the snow. Besides, the Aesir can take care of itself and us too.¡± ¡°I still think we should¡¯ve gone farther.¡± ¡°I admit I could be wrong. I¡¯m wrong all the time, honestly, but I¡¯ve learned to stand by one thing, no matter what. As soon as possible, get safe and regroup. Learn as much as you can, as early as you can. If we kept flying, we¡¯d still be running, but now we can be productive.¡± ¡°What will we do if they find us?¡± Enoa was too exhausted to feel real fear, but after the closeness of the chase, Orson¡¯s continuous nonchalance no longer reassured her. ¡°If they can find us through the cloak, then we¡¯ll have no choice but to stand and fight, sooner or later.¡± He grabbed one of the larger lengths of pipe, Enoa couldn¡¯t tell from the corner of her eye, but she thought it might be the one he¡¯d bought at Mayhill. ¡°But I¡¯m hoping they don¡¯t, we wait a while, and then we can continue on to grab my cash. We¡¯ll be safe outside Chicago.¡± ¡°Safe with¡­ What did you call him, Gramps?¡± ¡°Gramps!¡± Orson laughed, an absurd guffaw, suddenly loud enough that Enoa jumped. ¡°He¡¯s called Pops, but I think he¡¯ll be Gramps to me from now on.¡± He fit the piece of pipe into place. ¡°I¡¯m glad it¡¯s not the valve or I¡¯d have to solder it. I hate soldering. I¡¯m always afraid I¡¯ll get burned in the face.¡± ¡°You have the sword of fire up by your head all the time.¡± She chuckled now. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to bother you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve worn the sword most days for years and years, now.¡± He began to reassemble the bottom of the shower stall. ¡°But I¡¯ve only soldered, maybe, twenty times. It¡¯s like they say, you can even get used to hanging, if you survive the first jerk.¡± ¡°Absolutely no one says that.¡± ¡°My nana used to say it.¡± Orson stood and moved to the bathroom sink. He filled a glass of water and poured it into the shower drain, a process he repeated multiple times. ¡°I¡¯m checking my work.¡± Orson walked from the bathroom and past Enoa¡¯s spot on the floor. He knelt down and rubbed his hands along the floor. Finding a small lip, he pulled up one of the panels. He looked down into a maze of machinery, pipes, blinking lights, the innards of the bizarre camper. ¡°You¡¯re sure we¡¯ll be safe with this Pops?¡± Enoa had been pleasantly surprised with her shooting. She¡¯d hit the pursuing ship a few times, but that hadn¡¯t won the battle. ¡°Pops¡¯ main business in the California desert got nailed by a Thunderworks attack, and it¡¯s still standing, so yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure.¡± Satisfied he didn¡¯t see any water under the floor, he closed the panel again and returned to the shower. ¡°It¡¯s leaving again that worries me. It¡¯s cute in cartoons when the heroes get chased by the same asshats, across the whole damn planet, but I¡¯m not onboard for that.¡± Enoa slid onto her back and held the camera tablet above her head. The view had not changed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He glanced over his shoulder. He¡¯d fit the floor back into place and had begun to seal the edges of the drain and shower stall. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be more comfortable lying down.¡± Her upper arms were already protesting, probably still sore from her failed explosion and her adrenaline death grip on the tri-cannon¡¯s controls. ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°No.¡± She rolled onto her side and attempted to prop the tablet against the wall. Every time she removed her hands, the small screen began to slide toward the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t break the datapad.¡± Orson watched her continued efforts to work with the tablet. ¡°Use the little stand on the case.¡± ¡°Y¡¯know.¡± Enoa searched with her hands along the back of the tablet until she found the thin metal legs. She stood the screen beside the wall. ¡°I really wish we hadn¡¯t given all that money to those people at that fort. They were horrible to us, and we gave them almost two hundred dollars.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± He finished with the shower stall. He stood and tested both faucets. ¡°The hot needs a new washer, but that can wait. Once I get myself some early breakfast, you should get some sleep. I¡¯ll take my turn.¡± He walked to the freezer and brought out a box of frozen waffles. He placed one in the toaster set into a compartment of one of the cabinets. Enoa stood and walked just far enough to slide into the same position on the couch, the tablet now balanced on her stomach. It still displayed the dizzying, crowded starry sky. No Liberty Corps fighters or planes in sight. The toaster popped up and Orson collected his waffle. He grabbed his new bottle of raspberry syrup from Mayhill and poured a liberal amount on the waffle. He held his syruped waffle in his bare hands and took two quick bites out of it. ¡°No plate?¡± Enoa watched him devour the waffle, turning it from side-to-side to stop the syrup from dripping onto him or the floor. ¡°You¡¯re an anarchist.¡± ¡°I have very steady hands.¡± He spoke between bites. ¡°Ugh!¡± Enoa rubbed at her eyes. ¡°I really wish we would¡¯ve gone somewhere else, last night. I can¡¯t stop thinking about how we were treated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth obsessing over. We got what we needed.¡± Orson finished the waffle and washed his hands at the kitchen sink. ¡°This is probably syrup they had sitting around since the former owners left, but I managed to get some of it.¡± ¡°But maybe the old owners were run out of town by the crazies, and now the Mayhill Market made money on their hard work.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Orson said. ¡°Or maybe at least a couple of those vendors will think well of us. But if the Liberty Corps really are their friends, we were doomed from the start.¡± ¡°I keep thinking about all the stuff I should have said, when that old guy came at us with the gun. I should have explained more to them about my house being burned and the plan with Tucker to help him take over my hometown and¡­¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered.¡± Orson took a seat in an armchair opposite her. ¡°They¡¯d made up their minds, especially that old guy. When a tiny, homogenous group like that makes up their collective mind, no one can change it.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t know that. Every community is different, especially now, with everything so weird and dangerous.¡± ¡°I guess. I¡¯m just worried that after how successful we were in Nimauk, you think that¡¯s the default for adventures, and it¡¯s really not. Sometimes you solve the urgent problem but cause like fifteen more, and then there are lawyers involved, and angry letters, and I skip town in the middle of the night and add it to the list of places I can¡¯t ever visit again.¡± ¡°People liked us in Nimauk because we talked to them. I don¡¯t think we did enough to show the truth in Mayhill. Wait, you¡¯ve got a list of places you can¡¯t visit again?¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s not that long. Ten or twelve places, total. And as far as Mayhill goes, it¡¯s good we flew off, then. Imagine if those Sun Talons had cornered us in the parking lot!¡± Enoa hadn¡¯t considered this, but she had no time to respond. The ringing phone sound began again. Someone was directly hailing the Aesir, just like Captain Maros had, during the battle. Enoa sat bolt upright. She stared into the camera feed and saw nothing had visibly changed outside. Orson ran from his chair, up to the dashboard. She followed him with her eyes and caught sight of the lone blinking light at the dash. Orson tapped at it. ¡°Long range hail,¡± he said. ¡°This is nobody close. I¡¯m not going to answer. Usually calls at this time of the morning aren¡¯t good news, but if they state their message, we should hear it.¡± ¡°Do you have an answering machine?¡± Enoa set the tablet aside. ¡°Or some way to record messages?¡± ¡°This is Wayfarer¡¯s Day Job to Wayfarer One.¡± A man¡¯s voice spoke. Enoa could hear a smile in the voice. ¡°Pick up you lazy freeloader. If I have to be awake to clean up your mess, then so do you.¡± ¡°Freeloader?¡± Orson hit the blinking switch. ¡°I¡¯ll pay your people when I get to Chicago, but right now I¡¯m busy hiding, so can we not do this now?¡± ¡°Hiding?¡± the man asked. ¡°I knew it. I had Jamie call back to that Fort you were visiting, and they said you were under arrest for receiving stolen goods from a town called Nichaulk, Ninnak, whatever. They¡¯re accusing my Barter Operators of being in cahoots with a wanted criminal. Tell me you at least ¡°received¡± something good.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t receive anything, Pops.¡± Orson settled into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s a long story, and I don¡¯t want to have transmissions bouncing all over the place. You have my permission to use my long-term funds to reimburse whatever deal you made with that Barter thing.¡± ¡°Oh I already did,¡± Pops said. ¡°Don¡¯t let that worry you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if Mayhill caused problems,¡± Orson sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s not my fault. They¡¯re working with this militia that¡¯s after me. I need to get clear of this, but I¡¯ll get you a proper explanation, in person. This time I didn¡¯t do anything even debatably shady. I¡¯m helping a young woman regain her inheritance and excluding some Sun Talon pilots who tried to shoot me down, there haven¡¯t even been any major injuries.¡± ¡°Calm down, kid,¡± Pops laughed. ¡°I¡¯m just giving you a hard time. I was one of the founders of the Midland Barter Network. I¡¯ll sit on Mayhill if they raise trouble, but truth be told I¡¯m actually glad to hear you¡¯re in a hairy situation. You¡¯re always more likely to take my jobs when you¡¯re a little desperate.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a dirty old crook,¡± Orson grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m a dirty old entrepreneur,¡± Pops corrected. ¡°And I have a fantastic job for you at twice your usual rate. You¡¯ll be making pre-shutdown lawyer money just to protect an energy convoy.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Orson said. ¡°I owe you for the Mayhill business, but I have a major lead in my investigation, like I said.¡± ¡°Inheritance, you say?¡± Pops said. ¡°That¡¯s right, the Fort people said you were with ¨C and I¡¯m quoting them ¨C a young Indian girl.¡± ¡°Yeah that sounds like how they¡¯d put it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Even I was freaked out by the level of paranoid xenophobia going on there. Pops, you should have seen how they¡¯re living, like something out of one of those sixties murder cults.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Pops said. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t have called now. I don¡¯t mind bothering you, but your guests are another story.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know whether or not to speak. Pops seemed benign enough, but she didn¡¯t trust anything after Mayhill. ¡°I have her watching the external camera,¡± Orson said. ¡°Well hello to her, mysterious young lady.¡± Pops shouted. ¡°I hope this loser hasn¡¯t dragged you into one of his dumb treasure hunts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my dumb treasure we¡¯re hunting,¡± Enoa said. She picked up the tablet again. Still no change. ¡°And traveling in the Aesir beats spending weeks stuck in the cab of my truck.¡± ¡°You say that now,¡± Pops said. ¡°But you¡¯ve never been in that gross camper with the waste system backed up. If that happens you¡¯d rather walk to your dumb treasure.¡± He laughed again, at his own humor. ¡°My name¡¯s Earl Darlow, but almost everybody calls me Pops.¡± ¡°Hi Pops,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably better to leave names out of this,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a proper introduction later.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Enoa felt her face flush. She didn¡¯t like being in a position where she didn¡¯t know what the rules were. Could the Liberty Corps really be listening? Or was Orson just rattled from the ambush, the night before? ¡°Damn!¡± Pops said. ¡°You really are taking this seriously. I haven¡¯t heard you this rattled in years. Now I¡¯m almost excited about the story, assuming it won¡¯t cost us any more money.¡± ¡°For now,¡± Orson continued. ¡°Blast me the file about the job, while we¡¯re already making so much transmission noise. I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m taking the gig! But I hate to give you extra work without reward, and I¡¯ll take a look at it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have it sent right over,¡± Pops said. ¡°You¡¯ll love it. It¡¯s got intrigue and explosions and a seedy bar. Classic Wayfarers Highway adventure! And Commodore Augustin is a class act. You¡¯ll get along. She gets it, y¡¯know? You¡¯re a harder guy to place since Josiah tried to shoot you, what is that now, eighteen months ago?¡± ¡°I think Josiah would still try to shoot me,¡± Orson said. ¡°Given the opportunity.¡± ¡°Oh, he absolutely would,¡± Pops said. ¡°That greasy little freak holds a grudge, who knew? But Anais Augustin and the Solar¡­¡± An imminent beeping sounded, both from the camper¡¯s roof speaker and the tablet in Enoa¡¯s hands. Her mind had wandered without her noticing, absorbed both in her own exhaustion and in Orson¡¯s conversation with his unusual employer. ¡°Gotta go, Pops,¡± Orson said. ¡°Talk to you soon.¡± He hit the yellow button, ending the connection. Then he slid the dial aside, shutting down all lights in the cabin. The beeping likewise ended from the tablet. Enoa scanned the image from the external feed. ¡°What do you see?¡± Orson ran back toward her. ¡°Is there something up there?¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Enoa saw the dark purple sky, faint stars, and a many-armed shape, floating in the air. It was directly above them. 32 - IF Maker Maros saw the Bedford caravan approach. Like most community-level Liberty Corps forces, it consisted of a ragtag mix of vehicles, mostly military-style or militarized trucks and jeeps. The Liberty Corps did not provide vehicles for its community-level groups, and neither did it decree which to use or not to use, but most groups sought out military-esque transport. Maros also saw a few cars and vans, though fewer of these. Many vehicles bore flags or banners, though these could not be seen in the dark. The young captain had seen legged shapes flying above the mountain, Liberty Corps scouting drones. He¡¯d known the recovery team was upon them, and he¡¯d returned to the fallen Sun Talon. Melville had gone clammy and weak, and Maros had helped him with a morphine injection. Then he¡¯d walked back to the mouth of the tunnel. He¡¯d barely returned when two of the probes rushed past him into the mouth of the tunnel. Then he¡¯d seen lights in the distance and heard the roar of the two-dozen engines, as the caravan rushed along the abandoned, potholed road. Maros adjusted his flight suit and stood straight. He tried not to contemplate his failures, past or present. He tried not to contemplate his future. The caravan drove right past him. All those trucks, jeeps, vans, and modified cars roared right past him, weaving across the broken road, past the fallen rock. They entered the tunnel and headed straight for the fallen ship and Melville. Maros almost turned to watch the procession head into the tunnel. He couldn¡¯t help the red-faced embarrassment spread over him. He was negligible. Only the hardware mattered, only the failure, his failure. But there was one vehicle headed toward him. Just one. This was a strange machine, angular, bronze chrome, with huge ridged wheels. It looked like the rovers the IHSA once used in operations outside the planet Earth. The strange vehicle turned to the side and parked directly beside him. The driver¡¯s side wing door opened. It swung out and up. One man sat inside, wearing black armor, tinged with red and purple. This was not an individual in the standard Liberty Corps chain of command. The man¡¯s armor was decorated with an exotic rank insignia, orange and purple bars, in addition to the standard gold and silver. He was silver-haired and physically unassuming. The man looked at Maros and his eyes held clear contempt. This was the Quiet Zone agent Duncan had warned him about. ¡°Operative Divenoll.¡± The man climbed out and introduced himself without offering a handshake. ¡°There is little time to waste. You were already made aware of the investigation into your conduct and the likely charges to be brought against you. Any disciplinary or corrective action taken against you can be mitigated by your assistance in our urgent pursuit of the Aesir.¡± ¡°Made aware?¡± Maros asked. ¡°I¡¯ve received no communications from Montauk Command. I¡­¡± ¡°Agent Racz was rather thorough in his assessment of your situation,¡± Divenoll interrupted. ¡°Have you suffered a head wound that¡¯s left you incapable of understanding what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°No,¡± Maros began. He¡¯d never heard of Corps Command intercepting radio chatter within a community-level division, but seemingly, Divenoll had done so. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°You will speak only to answer my questions.¡± Divenoll returned to his rover and withdrew a long datapad and tripod stand. He set the device in front of Maros and extended the tripod¡¯s legs to their full meter height. ¡°I have dispatched seventy-two probes throughout the local region, seeking some sign of the fleeing Aesir. Currently, it does not appear on advanced radar, so either it has a more complex cloaking device than we have on record, or it is hiding somewhere.¡± Maros looked at the screen. He saw a dizzying kaleidoscope, views from all seventy-two probes, looking at abandoned buildings and obscured forest roads, lakeside caves, city parking garages. It was information, too much for him to take in, at once. ¡°I have pinpointed the twelve most likely locations for a hiding place, within two hundred miles, locations with the necessary heat profile, in the general westerly direction the Aesir was heading, as well as some logical advantageous characteristics. But I cannot narrow this list further, and we cannot allocate the resources to all twelve locations. You¡¯ve been involved in this matter for weeks. If you can narrow my analysis, you will earn some leniency.¡± Maros watched most of the seventy-two results disappear, leaving only a dozen on the screen. He saw the wreckage of a lakeside town and the same dirty parking garage, full of broken cars, left derelict now for half a decade. He saw a railroad roundhouse; a graveyard of buses, trolleys, and trucks; and the remains of an interstate service plaza. He saw a whole array of abandoned and destroyed places, and empty places, all seemingly devoid of civilization. ¡°What other details do you have?¡± Maros looked up at Divenoll. ¡°Do you have air traffic reports? What kind of readings do your probes give you?¡± ¡°If I had anything else to go on,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Why would I be speaking to you? I¡¯d cuff you and deliver you to your hearing.¡± ¡°Cuff me,¡± Maros said. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°You had one genuine lead, and you blew it,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°This project is of the highest interest to Corps leadership, all the way to Corps Czar Ilias. But you kept this information to yourself, concealed leads, misused funds and assets. Your encounter with Gregory is the only reason you haven¡¯t been gagged.¡± Divenoll pressed his fingers to the screen. ¡°We have two RAAG dropships coming up from the Quiet Zone, a meager response for something so important, but this is all we could muster with no notice. If you¡¯d properly disseminated information, we would have sent a full detachment from Montauk Command, three thousand infantry and crowd control, to take Nimauk. Whatever Sucora Cloud had left behind, we would now have it. But instead, we are left playing catch-up.¡± ¡°You want me to pick two?¡± Maros spoke mostly to buy himself time. The enormity of his situation, the interwoven path of choice seemed almost inevitable and impossible. He needed time to think, time spent away from the relentless, almost freakishly unblinking stare from Divenoll. Enoa Cloud was undoubtedly clever and her newfound abilities would, given time, make her a deadly adversary, but the choice of hiding place would likely be Gregory¡¯s. What was his style? How did the odd traveler think, outside his outward displays of flash and bravado? Where would Orson Gregory hide? ¡°Two.¡± Divenoll nodded once. ¡°Then what?¡± Maros asked. ¡°Then I transport you to Newtown Division to await your hearing,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°You will return all Corps property, but you are not considered a flight risk and will not be detained. Any assistance you render for us will be a determining factor in your judgment. Now,¡± he tapped the screen. ¡°Pick two.¡± Maros did. * * * Enoa and Orson sat side-by-side on the Aesir¡¯s couch. The probe bot was no longer in the air above them and could no longer be seen with the exterior cameras, but another small device Orson held showed that the probe was still in the sky over the vehicle graveyard, where they¡¯d been parked since the dogfight. ¡°That tarp thing we put over us,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Will it keep the robot from seeing us?¡± The probe obviously could not hear them, but Enoa found herself speaking in a whisper. ¡°Yes,¡± Orson said. ¡°It looks like a standard IHSA auto-seeker, nothing more advanced or experimental, but if that thing can see through the radar blanket, we have real big problems.¡± ¡°An auto-seeker?¡± Enoa said. ¡°It looks for cars? There are lots of cars here.¡± ¡°No, uh, it means automatic. It¡¯s pretty basic AI.¡± Enoa occasionally glanced from the camera feed to look at Orson¡¯s other device, but she couldn¡¯t read it. His single-minded focus on this other gadget did not reassure her. He stared at whatever this machine told him, his eyes fixed on it, barely blinking, like a wild thing, some jungle animal eyeing a rival or a predatory creature. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The probe flew off.¡± He sighed. He held the little monitor over and showed her the blank neon green display. ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t Liberty Corps. If there are scavengers for IHSA tech around and they already have a probe, they¡¯d be drooling over those Sun Talons we fought.¡± ¡°Where would a scavenger get a probe?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t have enough facts to outright dispute what Orson knew about secret tech, but something didn¡¯t sit right. ¡°I used to hear lots of rumors about there being this big base in the Radio Quiet Zone that the government used to maintain down in the Blue Ridge Mountains area.¡± Orson pressed a button on the new sensor. ¡°But I never heard much about it. I know there were big mobs who stormed the other famous bases, maybe somebody got to¡­ Wait.¡± The green of the device¡¯s display was now broken up by yellow lines. It looked almost like a pulse rate monitor, with the small jagged arcs of light crawling across the screen, like a heartbeat. But then, the lines intensified. There were more peaks than anyone¡¯s pulse. A bright light or lights appeared outside, intense enough that they shined through the edges of the blinds that they¡¯d drawn in front of the windows and windshield. They could hear a noise now too, a rumble in the sky, a consistent thrum, like a sustained thunder. Enoa returned her attention to the camera feed. She saw no motion, no shapes, nothing in the sky, but she saw the lights. She could see the individual beams of illumination moving outside. There were shapes out there, many shapes. ¡°Would you be okay getting in the front passenger seat?¡± Orson stood. ¡°I think this is going to be another fun ride.¡± He jumped to his feet and waited for her to do the same. Her legs and shoulders still ached, but the sound of the craft in the sky was enough to propel her to the front of the cabin. She sat and buckled herself in place. She thought Orson was right behind her, but she heard a metallic sound on the other side of the ship. She leaned to the side. He¡¯d donned his jacket and metal boot and now stood at one of the lockers in the wall. He tapped in a code and the door swung open on its own. He drew out something wrapped up in a thick fabric. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She tried to get a closer look at the new, odd something he was holding. ¡°This is that weapon I was telling you about.¡± He took the driver seat, with the odd shape in his lap. He pulled the cover aside to reveal a machine, a pale gray octagon with what looked like a tap jutting out from the side. There was a ratty, dirty piece of masking tape on one side. On the tape, she saw a handwritten note in faint, red marker ¨C ¡°IF Maker.¡± ¡°If Maker?¡± She asked. ¡°Not ¡®if¡¯. I. F. Ion Field Maker.¡± He drew aside the dashboard and removed two of the solar cells from the Aesir. ¡°Keep checking those cams. I think they might just be searching the area, because it¡¯s a good hiding spot, but we need to be ready.¡± ¡°Is the IF Maker that electromagnet machine you wanted to use in our last chase?¡± Enoa looked back at the tablet and saw nothing more than those same maneuvering lights. The sound of the great ship was still sustained. ¡°Yes,¡± Orson said. ¡°If I use it, it should knock out just about anything in the sky, but it¡¯s going to take most of the power in these solar cells.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we need those to escape?¡± Enoa looked into the open dashboard and saw two of the three cell bays empty. ¡°How many do you need to drive?¡± ¡°I can drive with one.¡± He fit the two cells into the IF Maker. The tap on the side of the machine gave out a pale blue light. ¡°And the ones I swapped out a couple weeks ago should be ready to go.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t we be really vulnerable too, after you fire that thing?¡± Enoa still didn¡¯t see anything on the tablet screen, but the lights seemed to have stabilized, as the probes, or whatever they were, stayed level in the air. ¡°What if one of those robots lands on us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really risky,¡± Orson agreed. ¡°That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t done it yet, but I need to be ready. It¡¯ll be another minute or two, just to have this damn thing primed to fire, and if they actually can see past our cloak, we might not have that long.¡± He set the box aside and grabbed a lever on the dashboard. A weapon trigger slid out of the dash, near Enoa. ¡°These control the Incursion Cannons in the front and sides. If I have to us the IF, we¡¯ll have no shields for a couple minutes, and the tarp won¡¯t be retractable. This is a last resort, if they actually start shooting at us, fire back. You¡¯ll have to shoot right through the tarp.¡± ¡°Those are the ones that fire physical bullets?¡± Enoa couldn¡¯t believe how casual she¡¯d become, learning about deadly weapons, weapons they¡¯d just used to destroy a crewed aircraft. ¡°How do I control which gun fires?¡± ¡°There are four triggers.¡± He didn¡¯t look up from the IF Maker. ¡°If the front of the ship is twelve O¡¯Clock, the four operate clockwise from left to right, with the triggers corresponding to guns at nine, eleven, one, and three. Does that make sense?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± she said. ¡°I hope I have time to figure it out when we¡¯re in less danger.¡± ¡°Me too. Like I said, this is a last resort.¡± He pushed at the tap. It didn¡¯t move. He pushed again and strained against it. ¡°Just have to get this primed and we¡¯re ready. We¡¯re almost¡­¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know whether Orson stopped speaking when the bombing began or if she just couldn¡¯t hear him. The first explosion started well to their left. Enoa had never heard something so loud or something so clearly destructive. It was like the train derailment again, but worse, somehow. This sound wasn¡¯t the physical result of solid objects striking each other. This explosion was fire and energy, the sound of matter being torn apart. It sounded hungry, the explosion, as it consumed everything. Then another explosion hit, and another, and another. The ground shook. The roar from the blasts was so great that Enoa was tempted to cover her ears, even inside the ship. But she didn¡¯t. The screams began, faint sounds when compared with the blasts from the sky, but they were all Enoa could listen to. Many people were screaming, all the lost people who had chosen to take refuge in the graveyard. Enoa wondered about them, probably desperate people who had nowhere else to go, who¡¯d lost their place after the shutdown. Now obliterated by the Liberty Corps ¨C it had to be them. These people were dying because she and Orson happened to hide here. ¡°Come on you damn bastard!¡± Orson rammed the tap of the IF Maker into the dashboard. It swung up and into place. He slapped his whole palm down on the machine. A wave of blue light passed out from the device. Enoa felt it pass over her, an electric tingling sensation. Then the visible wave passed out of the ship, spreading out and out, faster and faster, a dome growing into the sky. Then came an instant of absolute quiet. The IF Maker¡¯s field had shut off the power source of the shapes in the air. Even the great rumbling ship fell silent. The screams and responses from the people on the ground went quiet too. The ship and probes fell from the sky. Every flying object crashed to Earth. These sounds were loud too, but they were metal meeting ground. They were physical sounds, horrible and deafening, but without the unearthly roar from the explosives. The screaming began again, immediately. There was no pause or period of silence after the crashes. And without the roar of the ship engines or the explosive impacts, Enoa could pick out individual voices. She heard crying children, a man weeping, a woman wailing, in a ragged, agonized cacophony. The vehicle graveyard sounded full of people, full of wounded and dying people. Orson started the Aesir¡¯s engine. ¡°I had to shut down everything, even the fridge,¡± he said. ¡°But we¡¯re totally back online. Thank you, Doctor Sun.¡± He reached up and raised the blind at the windshield. Then he hit the switch that retracted the cloaking tarp. The headlights lit and revealed burning carnage. Where the snowy field of rusting and derelict vehicles had been, there was now mostly smoldering wreckage. There¡¯d been an uncanny, almost natural beauty to nature¡¯s reclamation of the collection of vehicles, but this looked like an image out of a war zone. It was still too dark to make out the individual vehicles, but it appeared that few of them were unscathed, except those around the perimeter, like the Aesir. It appeared that the attacking aircraft had spread out in a grid to more effectively bombard the area. They¡¯d fallen in that grid, as well, pockmarking the entire area in craters, as the devices plummeted to Earth. In the far distance, a hundred yards distant, a massive machine lay on its side, embedded in the ground, surrounded by indistinguishable metal detritus, like a ruin from a bygone, dead civilization. This machine was a hundred feet across, easily, like a small office building had crashed from the sky. ¡°Bastards sent a Roger to kill us.¡± Orson pressed his hand to his forehead. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta get out of here.¡± ¡°A Roger?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t turn away from the carnage outside. ¡°RAAG drop ship,¡± Orson said. ¡°They were Hierarchia troop transports. If they ever needed to mobilize their forces in a military offensive, the kind of stuff they were saving for an attack from another planet or some other gonzo shit like that.¡± He looked across the Aesir¡¯s dashboard. ¡°I need to pop in some other cells, but I think we¡¯d be wise to get some distance between us and this. The Hierarchia only used those things like twice.¡± An unseen woman let out an agonized wail. Other cries joined in. How many people had been using that abandoned place for refuge? ¡°We need to do something for those people.¡± Enoa unbuckled herself and stood. ¡°We¡¯re the reason they¡¯re in this position. People died because of us.¡± She forced herself to take a deep breath. She retrieved her staff and cloak and made for the Aesir¡¯s right side door. ¡°I know.¡± Orson jumped to his feet, as well. ¡°But there will be more. If the Liberty Corps has drop ships, they¡¯ll have other forces, and they¡¯ll be out there. Those drop ships can carry like fifty soldiers. Not only are we in danger being here, but we¡¯re putting them in more danger. If the Liberty Corps sends an army, even if we win, there will be nothing here but a big crater. We¡­¡± ¡°Take us with you!¡± Someone struck at the Aesir¡¯s door, the left one. ¡°Take us with you.¡± The low voice said again. ¡°We have children. Please.¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± Orson said. But Enoa had already rushed to the door and threw it open, revealing a man standing alone. He was dressed in a great tattered parka, too big for him. He had a huge growth of gray-flecked beard. Little of his face could be seen. There was no sign of children, but this man didn¡¯t get the chance to explain his situation. Enoa saw the armored shape in the distance, blue armor, a Liberty Corps rifleman. The soldier raised his weapon toward the Aesir and fired. The bearded man collapsed when the Liberty Corps rifleman peppered the Aesir¡¯s side with bullets. He fell to the ground, leaving the gunman with a clear shot at Enoa. 33 - IR-17 Maros sat alone in the back of the rover. He¡¯d gotten good at waiting, without thought or worry. He¡¯d learned to empty his mind, observe nothing. He could not see Divenoll. The man had walked a distance away to electronically observe the operations against the potential Aesir hiding places. ¡°Status!¡± Divenoll yelled, the sound muffled inside the rover. ¡°Status!¡± Maros shifted to the side, hoping to keep track of the man, but couldn¡¯t see him. Divenoll¡¯s voice fell to an inaudible drone, but he spoke at a rapid pace. Maros¡¯s eyes were drawn away from Divenoll when the headlights blasted out of the old tunnel, blinding him. The sound of engines soon followed, and Maros forced his eyes open in time to see what looked like the entire Bedford division rushing from the tunnel, around the rover, and on up the pock-marked road. The rover¡¯s rear hatch rose. Maros shivered. Divenoll arrived at the opening and shoved his control pad at him. ¡°Ion field,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Your report on the Aesir¡¯s capabilities was lacking. Any loss to our assets will be considered an additional cost of your failed campaign. Now, very slowly, detail every piece of concrete intelligence you have on the subject of the independent vessel, Aesir, and her crew.¡± ¡°I have no way of predicting the armament aboard that vessel,¡± Maros said. ¡°I pursued it in the air. They used an Ion field? Were our ships airborne when this happened?¡± ¡°All airborne craft lost power,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Details. Now, boy. I need everything you know.¡± ¡°I thought all repurposed craft had emergency inertial cushions to aid in such situations.¡± Maros did not know what else he could tell the man. ¡°Many crash seats were equipped with dampeners,¡± Divenoll said, ¡°as per protocol. However, we have never encountered a device that could produce an ion field of that size without any external signs. And there were no signs of any such offensive, even during our strafing bombardment.¡± ¡°Bombardment?¡± Maros rose into a crouch. ¡°You bombarded the derelicts in that field? Why? What about Protocol Five? The heat signature you showed me was far too great¡­¡± Maros did not see Divenoll¡¯s hand lash out until it was almost touching his cheek. The Operative backhanded him across the face so hard his lip split. Maros fell back against his seat. He gasped and raised his hand to the searing welt on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t try to educate me, boy,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°I was there when the protocols were written. Aid me in locating the Aesir and recovering our assets or be silent. Had you not attempted to investigate the Dreamside Road on your own, any materials possessed by Sucora Cloud would eventually have come to us. You ruined that inevitability. Now speak, and remember that all of your reactions will be logged as evidence for your upcoming hearing.¡± Maros flexed his prosthetic hand, a grip that could bend iron. He couldn¡¯t ignore the lives likely lost in Divenoll¡¯s onslaught or the potential that he, Kol Maros, might be blamed for those deaths. But Maros didn¡¯t let himself speak before he was ready and calm. Even when threatened by a senior Liberty Corps Officer, Maros found strength in his Corps training. He¡¯d learned so much about strengthening his mind and his resolve, not just his body. He found the words. ¡°I had no way of knowing the Aesir¡¯s capabilities,¡± Maros said. ¡°Captain Orson Gregory and Enoa Cloud are extremely dangerous. Nothing I have said would lead you to think anything else. Your blind assault was foolish and will do nothing but earn our cause justified enemies.¡± ¡°If you have any interest in your career or your freedom, you will walk me through every detail of your encounters with these individuals,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°I have dispatched all local divisions to support search and recovery. This operation has become too expensive to accept any other resolution than the capture of the Aesir and the death of her crew.¡± * * * Enoa was thrown to the floor and not by a bullet. Something else hit her, struck her bodily and threw her sideways. She fell onto her stomach on the floor, just as a new volley of bullets struck the Aesir¡¯s hull. At least two entered the camper, striking places unseen with obscene noise. Enoa threw her arms over her head. She heard Orson¡¯s boot repulsor ignite and spun around in time to watch him launch from the doorway. The door cycled shut behind him. Enoa heard a crackling sound she didn¡¯t initially recognize. But she¡¯d heard it only once before, when Orson had battled Daniel Tucker. Orson had drawn his sword. The rifleman did not fire again. Enoa stood, ignoring the new sources of pain in her side, where Orson had struck her. She approached the window in the door. Only Orson was standing. She saw a total of three Liberty Corps troopers motionless in the snow around him. He was masked, his goggles lit. He turned in a slow circle, looking around them. Then he sheathed his sword and walked back to the Aesir. Orson knelt beside the fallen man who¡¯d asked for their help. He slipped his hand under the man¡¯s coat and long beard, to his throat. Enoa watched Orson¡¯s mask, looking for some sign of what had happened to the man. Orson closed the man¡¯s eyes, and positioned him on his back. He stood again and approached the door. It cycled open at his touch. Enoa stepped away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I shoved you.¡± Orson spoke from the doorway. ¡°Change of plans. We need to get everyone out of this place.¡± He looked in the direction of the crashed Liberty Corps drop ship. ¡°And I need to put a stop to them chasing us.¡± * * * ¡°School Bus Two to Western Barony.¡± A man shouted from Divenoll¡¯s control pad. ¡°Check in ¨C post crash. Ion field fried our power core. All probes are disabled.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Your remote feed is transmitting directly to me.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the man answered. ¡°We¡¯re rewiring and recharging, and will be online in under an hour.¡± ¡°What happened to School Bus One?¡± Divenoll asked. He sat in the front of the rover. Maros still sat in the back of the rover. He found his emotionless, thought-free, mental void, waiting his turn to speak. ¡°He was in the john when the field hit us,¡± the man said. ¡°Not much left. Everyone in their crashwebs survived, almost two-thirds. We sent a recon trio. They were ordered to find the Aesir without making contact, but they disobeyed that order.¡± ¡°Dead?¡± Divenoll asked. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Bus Two said. ¡°They had reason to believe that the Aesir¡¯s energy shield was lowered to let out the field and took it upon themselves to attempt to damage the vessel.¡± ¡°Did they?¡± ¡°Results so far are inconclusive. At this time, I am advising all of our efforts to focus on regaining control of our ship. Long range sensors show only six active energy sources. None look bigger than an eighteen wheeler, but we believe one is the Aesir. It¡¯s difficult getting a full understanding of our surroundings. We can view the energy signatures with the handhelds, but we have only localized thermal imaging without our main computer.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m modifying your objective,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Send a recon trio three miles north to State Route one-sixty. I have divisions from Bedford and Somerset, as well as my ground force from the Quiet Zone out to meet you. They will coordinate recovery.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Two more things,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°I want you to assemble a combat-ready team, no more than six. Can you do that?¡± ¡°We have two recon trios prepared for defensive positions,¡± Bus Two said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Divenoll interrupted. ¡°Also, assign one of your engineers to your guns. Now, I need you to listen very carefully. I have former Newtown Division Captain Kolben Maros with me. He is going to provide a series of details to you about the Aesir and her crew.¡± ¡°And what will we be doing with this information?¡± Bus Two asked. ¡°You will find the Aesir,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°And ultimately execute Captain Gregory and Enoa Cloud.¡± * * * Enoa sat in the passenger seat, her hands on the tri-cannon¡¯s control yoke. She kept the energy gun aimed on the big drop ship, in case the Liberty Corps personnel managed to bring it online. Orson had replaced the dashboard solar cells, but they hadn¡¯t yet gotten their systems reset and flight-ready. Orson had gone to gather the locals, anyone still hiding among the graveyard of vehicles, with a promise that he¡¯d teach her how to use his set of commlinks ¡®later¡¯. He¡¯d been gone only eighteen minutes, but Enoa had never felt time pass more slowly, an impossible crawl. She saw no motion anywhere and heard little. The deep winter morning offered no sounds but a soft breeze between the derelict vehicles and rare, distant birdsong. Enoa heard approaching engines and looked down at the topographical computer map. The imperfect scan of the area showed only small shapes where the derelict trolleys and buses sat. The radar signatures of the four approaching vehicles showed four yellow circles maneuvering through the maze around them. The circles came to a stop beside the Aesir. Enoa knew that this was likely Orson returning from his efforts to aid the people hiding among the derelicts, but she checked for the control triggers to the camper¡¯s door-height cannons. She also noted another yellow circle on the far side of the field ¨C maybe people who had not joined Orson¡¯s evacuation. ¡°Alright!¡± Orson spoke outside. His voice boomed from the ceiling speaker, loud enough that Enoa dialed down the volume on the external microphone. ¡°We¡¯re meeting again at the giant coffee pot place. Hopefully, we¡¯ll be safe enough there that I don¡¯t have to rush through the rest of the details. Does everyone know where that is?¡± ¡°The Lincoln Coffee Pot?¡± An unknown female voice asked. ¡°What other coffee pot is there?¡± A male voice answered. ¡°I think so?¡± Orson said. ¡°I picked it from my computer, uh, road atlas, and it doesn¡¯t give me too much information about the place, just that it¡¯s close to the Father Road west.¡± ¡°The Jenkins family uses the Coffee Pot as a lookout station,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯m not going near Jenkins territory. They¡¯re too dangerous.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps just bombed you,¡± Orson said. ¡°What could be more¡­ Okay, okay, sure, we can find somewhere else. I only picked the coffee pot because it was listed on my road atlas. Where else do you know that we can regroup? I¡¯m going to compensate you for what you went through, but please, we need to move quickly.¡± ¡°What about the Fighter¡¯s Nest?¡± A low voice asked. ¡°It¡¯s this dope little place I used to visit. Great view, made out of an old airport terminal.¡± ¡°Uh, lemme see.¡± Orson fell silent. ¡°Is this the one?¡± ¡°No,¡± the voice responded. ¡°That¡¯s the actual county airfield. The Nest was closed for like thirty years. Great place to hide.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s on any of my maps, can we¡­¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Enoa saw something, movement, out the windshield. She hit the button on the dashboard that Orson told her would view heat signatures. There, she saw a group of six people advancing through the maze of wreckage, directly toward them. Enoa slid her fingers to the controls and aimed the tri-cannon in their direction. There was no telling if these people were other innocents, hesitantly seeking escape, or if they were more crewmembers from the drop ship. Sounds erupted around Enoa. Something exploded in the distance. A huge grinding also sounded, just outside the camper, like shredding metal. Then something struck the Aesir¡¯s shields. Then something else struck the shields. Then something else. Each of these objects bounced away. Her apparent security didn¡¯t stop Enoa from jumping in her seat. Outside, voices screamed. Even Orson yelled. One of the engines started again. ¡°Ruby,¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°What was that?¡± She glanced at the map. The drop ship was still dark, but two of the yellow circles had vanished, the distant one on the opposite side of the field, and one of the evacuee transports Orson had gathered. ¡°Heavy aircraft gatling gun,¡± Ruby¡¯s eternally calm voice replied. ¡°Fired from the RAAG drop ship. The Liberty Corps drop ship targeted local energy signatures, but all fire is currently focused on this vehicle. Would you like me to recommend evasive maneuvers?¡± ¡°Please, I can take care of this,¡± Orson said to the gathering outside. ¡°Please.¡± If he said any more, his words were drowned out by the roar of engines. On the map, one of the yellow dots sped away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ruby said. ¡°I didn¡¯t quite catch that. Would you like me to suggest evasive maneuvers?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t respond. She ignored the occasional strikes from the gatling gun and looked toward the shapes of heat, waiting for them to become visible with the naked eye. They finally entered view, a contingent of Liberty Corps personnel, half with guns, the other half with long-handled blades. Enoa pulled the cannon triggers. Nothing happened. She pulled the triggers again ¨C still nothing. ¡°Ruby!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why can¡¯t I shoot?¡± ¡°Just listen to me,¡± Orson was yelling outside. ¡°If you run now I can¡¯t help you. I won¡¯t be able to do anything. It¡¯ll do more harm than good if I have to track you all over the countryside. Just¡­¡± Another yellow dot departed from the screen. ¡°Solar cells insufficiently charged to allow for shield interval firing,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Offensive countermeasures impossible.¡± Several small boxes appeared on the Aesir¡¯s dashboard. Enoa didn¡¯t bother reading them. Even if they offered her a way to override the shield precautions, she didn¡¯t have time to figure them out. Enoa unbuckled and dove from her seat, charging along the camper¡¯s cabin toward the side door. The door slid open in time to reveal Orson standing in the way of a group of the evacuees. They were climbing from a trolley with its roof torn away. The roof dangled from the back like an open tin can, likely the source of the shredding sound she¡¯d heard. The group carried at least one motionless person between them, unconscious or dead. ¡°Listen,¡± Orson was trying to keep them from climbing into an odd double-decker bus. ¡°I can help.¡± ¡°Orson!¡± She yelled. ¡°Liberty Corps!¡± Orson drew his sword. He spun toward the drop ship and tapped at his goggles. At the same time, the drumming from the gatling gun ceased. ¡°Everyone get behind me,¡± Orson said. ¡°Enoa, good eye. Stay in the Aesir.¡± Enoa did not turn away. She knew where to look for the Corps troopers and had a higher vantage point than Orson or the evacuees. She saw them, the team from the drop ship, approaching through the metal maze. What was Orson going to do to stop them? He needed to act. The crowd of people struggled toward the bus, slipping through the snow. Could she interfere, herself? Orson tried to advance around the evacuees, but the group carrying their fallen comrade sprawled onto the ground at his feet, slush spraying in all directions. At the same time, the Liberty Corps squad came into clear view. They were going to attack. Orson wasn¡¯t going to act in time. ¡°No!¡± Enoa yelled. Orson seemed most comfortable fighting alone. Could he protect everyone? Could he stop the new attackers? She had to stop them. If the Liberty Corps opened fire, they would kill more innocent people. She couldn¡¯t stand to see more people die because of them. Her mind was filled with the image of the desperate man, begging her for help. She imagined the man¡¯s body, struck by bullets, falling, lifeless. She had to stop them. Stop them. Stop them. Stop them! The three riflemen raised their weapons and took aim, but only one managed to fire. His weapon produced a burst of energy, like Orson¡¯s blaster. This projectile tore a chunk from the double-decker bus with a sound like a giant bug zapper. The other two shooters couldn¡¯t fire. They pulled their guns¡¯ triggers as ineffectively as Enoa¡¯s own attempts to fire the Aesir¡¯s weapons. Enoa¡¯s legs gave out. She fell against the camper¡¯s doorframe. She grabbed at the metal, trying to keep herself upright. She failed and slid down into a sitting position on the step. A hologram projected from her bracelet.
Wow! Great job, New User!
Combustion manipulation is a delicate and complex art! Fantastic work!
Level Increase!
LEVEL: 3 (estimated)
????SHAPE: Anemos
????MODE: Training
Enoa realized what she¡¯d done. She¡¯d stopped the physical projectiles. She¡¯d worked Shaping for the third time, but her body betrayed her again. She couldn¡¯t stand. She could hardly move. Her body was numb, and she felt her mind remain distant, dazed, like she was half-asleep. She watched, dreamlike, as Orson rocketed toward the Liberty Corps troops. The energy rifle fired toward him repeatedly, but the projectiles missed or met Orson¡¯s sword and dissipated in the heat. Then Orson was on the Corps personnel. He slammed into the last shooter, as they both disappeared from sight. The remaining Liberty Corps forces rushed to aid their comrade. This was too much for the remaining evacuees. The trolley group ¨C led by a woman dressed in a heavy parka, its down lining poking out in several places, feathers fluttering away ¨C charged aboard the double-decker bus. Then the strange vehicle wheeled around in a wide turn that nearly slammed it into the Aesir. Enoa dimly wondered what effect the huge mass of metal would have on their energy field. The bus barreled away in the opposite direction, weaving precariously and sliding on the icy path. The evacuees were gone. And Enoa still couldn¡¯t move. She sat, fighting to return from the dazed, entranced state of her mind. She heard the sounds of struggle and the crackling of the sword of fire and one furious yell from Orson. She also heard the gatling gun begin again, free to attack with the Liberty Corps personnel out of the way. Enoa recovered enough presence of mind to remember herself, still slumped in the Aesir¡¯s open doorway. She hauled herself inside, limbs numb, crawling back just far enough for the ship¡¯s door to cycle shut. Then her vision narrowed. She couldn¡¯t fight it anymore, but she jerked her eyes open when she heard the door open again. ¡°Let¡¯s get you somewhere more comfortable than the floor,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that. Can you stand?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± She tried to speak and could not, but the shock of his arrival had snapped her awake. With one arm around Orson¡¯s shoulders, he helped her to her feet and guided her back to the couch. She fell onto her side, lying down. ¡°Shields at twenty-three percent,¡± Ruby announced. ¡°I strongly recommend evasive countermeasures.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Orson walked away from her, somewhere deeper in the camper. He ignored Ruby¡¯s warning and the bursts from the gatling gun. Enoa heard crashes from his direction. He was rummaging through his supplies again, but she didn¡¯t have the energy to look at him or see what he was trying to find. When he returned, he had another belt slung over his shoulder, like a bandolier. This one had pouches built into it, compartments for supplies and weapons. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She managed. ¡°Explosives,¡± Orson said. He walked to the center of the floor, and she heard the sounds of the roof hatch and Orson¡¯s repulsor. He rocketed out and the hatch sealed again. Enoa tried to force herself to sit up, but she couldn¡¯t. All she could do was slide back, so she was propped up against the arm of the couch. She heard the sound of the gatling gun change, and a second gatling gun joined it. The RAAG had started a full offensive against Orson. The guns only stopped when the drop ship exploded. Enoa could see enough of the massive craft through the windshield that the new burst of light left an afterimage in front of her eyes, before the Aesir¡¯s windshield adjusted for the brightness. The entire building-sized flying machine was suddenly gone in a fireball that rained shrapnel and debris. Enoa fell lower on the couch, still too tired for her surprise to fully register. The world had gone totally silent, a chill winter morning with nothing to break the quiet. Enoa drifted off, asleep. She succumbed to exhaustion. She didn¡¯t know how long she was out, and barely heard Orson return. He walked through the door. She could see that the bandolier of explosives was now empty. He looked disheveled, his hair wilder than usual, his eyes downcast. ¡°The locals all ran.¡± He sighed. ¡°I left some surprises for the Liberty Corps, but we need to get out of here. We need to get far away from here.¡± He approached the couch. ¡°I have to find us somewhere safe, and you need to get training when you¡¯re up to it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She barely kept herself conscious, her mind still in the place of secret power that she reached while Shaping. ¡°If you move over just a little bit, there¡¯s a seatbelt in the couch,¡± he said. ¡°There are restraints in the bunks too, but not all of them are installed properly, so if it¡¯s okay with you, you can just rest here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She slid to the side, but not very far. Orson reached beside her and drew out a thin seatbelt and wrapped it snug around her and the side of the couch before buckling it in place, beneath one of the cushions. Then he retrieved a pillow and blanket for her. ¡°Rest up for now,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here when the Liberty Corps triggers the booby traps I set for them.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± Enoa managed the question. ¡°Like I said, we need to hide, and we need cover to get away from this part of the country. I think getting close to more people might keep the Liberty Corps away, so I¡¯m going to take that protection job from Pops. Tomorrow we¡¯ll meet up with the Solar Saver Collective.¡± He unclipped his sword belt. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you can halt combustion, without training. You won¡¯t need me around once you really get started. But now, you should rest. I¡¯ve got some driving to do.¡± Enoa fell asleep again before Orson walked away. * * * Investigating Researcher Seventeen had spent seven hours watching computer screens, daydreaming about her other life and her other name. A half-mile away from the steel observation tower where she worked, that other woman¡¯s grandchildren slept, and hopefully would still be sleeping, when IR-17 was permitted to become their grandmother, once again. Then she¡¯d take the freight elevator down to the ground floor and change clothes in one of the overnight crew¡¯s sanitation chambers. She¡¯d also switch from her black IR helmet into the gray one provided for her anonymous departure protocols. IR-17 would then exit through the tower¡¯s rear doors and walk to the small lot of identical steel gray custom Orthanc Enterprises electric cars, relatively new, the last model produced pre-shutdown. She would drive her indistinguishable car from the tower into the Research crew village, pull into her garage, and remove her helmet. Then she could live by her other name and be that other woman, make waffles and build snowmen and later enjoy movie night with her grandchildren. But not quite yet. For the next twenty-three minutes, IR-17 would watch the rows of monitors, vintage devices, built when she¡¯d been young, when secrets were easier to keep. She watched a green, plain text report, monitoring seismographic data from Oceania, a ticker feed of updates out of a construction project on the Arab Peninsula, local news from a small city in the Pacific Northwest. No disturbances. She was almost home free. But then the alarm sounded, and the course of IR-17¡¯s day changed in an instant. She determined which of the thirty monitors and readouts was beeping, the one that was wailing for her attention. She already knew which it would be. It was the only disturbance she¡¯d reported in years, but one she¡¯d hoped futilely would be a fluke. UNEXPECTED GARNET LOGIN! UNEXPECTED GARNET LOGIN! User Device: Sucora Cloud Further Data: Inaccessible ¡°Inaccessible.¡± IR-17 unplugged her keyboard from the news feed monitor and ran it over the wall of monitors until she reached the GARNET waveform detector. She plugged in the keyboard and issued three commands, four commands, five commands. Another message appeared on the monitor, but it was not the one she¡¯d hoped for or even the one she¡¯d expected. It provided further data, but not about the GARNET login. The new message gave a list, a list describing an unusual flying object without transponder, detected near the GARNET login. The object had the telltale signs of anti-gravity propulsion and was likely solar-powered. The craft was probably between thirty and fifty feet long. The records supercomputer, buried a mile under the surface, a mile and a half below IR-17, searched all air traffic records for a matching craft. It delivered a verdict in thirty seconds, unbelievably fast for the antique, one-of-a-kind device. There was only one aircraft that matched all of those criteria. The Aesir had returned. There went waffles, building the snowmen, cocoa. Movie night was likely out, as well. It had been a gorgeous daydream. Thankfully, the kids were old enough, now, that they would understand her absence. They would not be afraid or unsafe, waking alone and spending their day unsupervised while she worked. IR-17 had hours of research ahead, but she referenced recent reports and drafted a brief memo to her employer, her benefactor, her protector. Notice had to be given. Attention: V, I am writing to provide proof of the pattern I reported previously. A new user visited the GARNET, using the login and transmitter of former IHSA Operative Eta, aka Sucora Cloud. Collected newspaper records show Ms. Cloud died on August 8, last year. The new user has logged into GARNET on four occasions, showing a clear trajectory from Nimauk, Pennsylvania, headed west. The new user appears to have been involved in a conflict with the Liberty Corps. Multiple Sun Talon transponder codes were detected, and an RAAG drop ship, as well as a unique energy signature, an anti-gravity drive, solar probably, but with some kind of emission. After extensive research, I believe that the Aesir has returned to local airspace. While this will also need to be verified, I believe that the new user is traveling with Captain Orson Gregory or that Gregory, himself, is the new user. I believe he, like you, is pursuing the Dreamside Road. I will continue to monitor these energy signatures and await your further instructions. IR-17 34 - Solar Saver Divenoll watched Orson¡¯s attack on the drop ship nine times. The recording had been streamed to Divenoll¡¯s datapad before the ship¡¯s destruction, and he had so far watched it nine times. Maros sat in the passenger seat, beside the operative. Nine times they saw Orson fight the recon trios, striking all of them with his sword. Nine times they watched him return to the Aesir and depart again, flying toward the drop ship. Nine times they watched the drop ship¡¯s bombardment, its gatling guns blasting, until Orson rocketed out of view. They heard gunfire and indistinct shouts, knowing each time how the video would end. ¡°Magnocharges in the dorsal and starboard hatches! Abandon ship!¡± School Bus Two yelled. ¡°Abandon¡­¡± A flash of light obscured the screen. The feed cut to static. Divenoll did not speak. He did not look away from the screen. He hit the replay button. The tenth playback began. Maros tried to return to his place of composure and distant focus. He tried not to contemplate Divenoll¡¯s motives for the repeated rewatch. What could he possibly notice that he hadn¡¯t seen the other nine times? Maros couldn¡¯t quite shake the idea that this entire video stunt was motivated by his presence, that this was a message for him, personally. Maros also tried to ignore Orson¡¯s fighting. The wayfarer displayed a brutality he hadn¡¯t shown in Nimauk. Even his fight with Tucker ¨C what Maros had seen of it from video recordings taken by his forces and by assorted tourists ¨C seemed like a polite skirmish compared with the swift, lethal swordsmanship Orson displayed here. What was different now? Was Orson in more danger from the likes of the drop ship than he¡¯d been from Tucker? Was he sending his own message, trying to dissuade further pursuit? Or was he angry that they¡¯d bombarded civilians? Orson had gathered almost thirty people from the derelict shantytown. He¡¯d tried to help them¡­ And Enoa. She¡¯d done something too. He¡¯d heard her shout just before the Corps rifle force had experienced a double misfire. That could be a coincidence, but Maros didn¡¯t think so. He thought of his own sword, stashed with Duncan, his first foray into Shaping. He needed to get back to work. ¡°Operative Divenoll,¡± a female voice spoke through the radio at the dashboard. ¡°We are in position. Bedford team is approaching from the west, Somerset from the south. I have my team cutting through the trees. We¡¯ll have a perimeter momentarily.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± Divenoll shut off the video playback, which was currently displaying the moment Orson went back inside the Aesir. ¡°Let me know¡­¡± ¡°There are no large energy signatures, no signs of life, but somehow a message is being broadcast through the remains of the field,¡± the woman said. ¡°I believe it is a looped message from Captain Gregory.¡± ¡°Patch it through,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Let¡¯s hear what he has to say.¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯d better stay away if you don¡¯t want to get hurt. If you are the Liberty Corps, this is your last warning. Never cross my path again. And if you kill innocent people, that counts as crossing my path.¡± Orson¡¯s voice had an odd reverberation, like a distant echo. The message paused before it began to play again. ¡°Warning! This area is booby-trapped. It¡¯s lethal for just about anyone to be in this vehicle graveyard. These traps are only meant for the Liberty Corps, so if you¡¯re not them, you¡¯d better stay away if you don¡¯t want to get hurt.¡± The loop continued. ¡°What shall we do, sir?¡± the woman asked. ¡°After what you said happened to the drop ship, I¡¯m hesitant.¡± ¡°Scan the area,¡± Divenoll commanded. ¡°See if you can¡­¡± A loud pop sounded through the other end of the radio. ¡°Lieutenant, can you hear me?¡± He waited for a reply. ¡°Lieutenant.¡± Silence. ¡°Let it be known that I am waiting for your next transmission.¡± He set the radio aside and turned to Maros for the first time since Orson demolished the drop ship. ¡°Let¡¯s do some math,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°You cost the Liberty Corps thirty thousand dollars in ammunition and equipment replacement during your escapade in Nimauk. Sixty-thousand dollars in legal fees, so far. Three hundred million dollars for the Sun Talons ¨C you filled out the forms for their use, I know you know their pre-shutdown value. The drop ship alone cost four hundred million dollars, with an additional eighteen million dollars for each of the thirty-six probes that were destroyed. Your total price tag is currently hovering near one-point-four billion dollars in old States currency. That doesn¡¯t account for the computers and other equipment on the drop ship, additional repair expenses to Nimauk, depending on whether or not Corps Command decides to launch an incursion on the town. And pray now that nothing else was destroyed.¡± Divenoll fell silent and stared into Maros¡¯ face. For his part, Maros did not immediately respond. He struggled for words. ¡°How many¡­¡± Maros finally began. ¡°How many lives were lost in the engagement, ours and locals?¡± Divenoll turned back to his console and continued the tenth playback of the broadcast feed from the drop ship. ¡°We will wait to create a casualty report until we make contact with the advance team. As for the derelicts¡­¡± He shrugged. * * * Enoa woke up disoriented and still tired, already furious with herself. She¡¯d slept a long time. The light through the camper¡¯s windshield and windows looked like late afternoon. The sun was already setting, the sky an orange hue. She was still on the Aesir¡¯s couch. She reached to her side, trying to find the button for the seatbelt. Failing to do so, she noticed the faint sound, like a whisper. She leaned up and saw Orson slouched forward at the steering wheel. He was muttering to himself. ¡°Orson! Are you still awake and driving?¡± she asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt us move.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have been awake long,¡± he replied. ¡°Every few minutes the honking starts from the front of the line and goes for miles, like a noisy version of the wave.¡± ¡°The wave?¡± ¡°You know, like at football games or concerts,¡± ¡°Uh, sure?¡± She still couldn¡¯t locate the button for the seatbelt, so she slid up on the couch and slowly pulled her legs free. She sat up. Her body felt rested except for a stiffness in her shoulders and upper arms. Her mouth was dry and there was a sour taste in the back of her throat. She¡¯d never gone to sleep without brushing her teeth. Traffic still hadn¡¯t moved, so she decided to stand. ¡°Did anything happen while I was asleep?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°You must be exhausted.¡± On cue, the honking started, far in the distance, but the sound rippled back, car by car, along the full length of traffic, four lanes wide, and stretching much farther ahead than Enoa could see. ¡°If we¡¯re not moving,¡± she said. ¡°Am I good to brush my teeth and get a drink of water?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re moving in just a second,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah! Thank God! Yes, they¡¯re moving ahead. Sit back down a second, will you?¡± Enoa sat back down on the couch, but she didn¡¯t do anything with the seatbelt. She turned and got a better look out the windshield. The sun was falling at such an angle that it reflected off of the bumper-to-bumper line. Enoa could see the interstate around them, and the flat expanse of fields beyond that. The Aesir finally edged forward. Orson sighed, a sound of pure bliss. She could hear his smile, a smile that lasted about three seconds, until the compact car in the adjacent lane pulled partially in front of the Aesir. Orson slammed on the brakes. Enoa fell against the arm of the couch. ¡°Look at him.¡± Orson laid on the horn. ¡°He¡¯s literally in two lanes. Why is he even changing lanes? There¡¯s no exit near here. Absolute¡­¡± The driver of the compact car honked its horn. ¡°No. NO! You little prick. I could blast that shitting thing halfway to the moon. Who drives this way, without a government to protect you? One glance at my periscope and BANG!¡± Several vehicles behind the Aesir added their horns to the din, as did affected vehicles in the next lane. Several unaffected drivers in distant lanes also added their own noises. Orson groaned, a truly pitiful sound. Enoa took advantage of the traffic jam to visit the bathroom and brush her teeth. She hurried, but by the time she returned to the cabin, the compact car had only just straightened into the lane ahead. Before traffic began to move, Enoa retrieved a water bottle from the fridge, removing it from one of the small velcro loops that held all their goods in place. Then she joined Orson in the front of the Aesir. ¡°How long have you been at it?¡± Enoa asked. Orson did not reply, apparently lost in thought. She shielded her eyes from the setting sun and looked at their surroundings. She¡¯d never seen a stranger conglomeration of vehicles. She saw a procession of modified construction vehicles, diggers and dump trucks and a bulldozer, all of them altered, their cabins reinforced or expanded. This caravan had metal sheeting on typically exposed machinery, armor, or shielding from the cold. The construction crew got a wide berth from fellow travelers. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. There was another vehicle, a semi-trailer pulling a large boat. This boat was filled with people, each sporting a long rifle. They wore war paint and ¡®armor¡¯ that looked like it had been scavenged from assorted athletic gear. A trolley was driving, a few cars ahead of the Aesir. This vehicle had been modified for roadways and was now painted in a strange camouflage pattern. Its windows were tinted, impossible to see inside. There were also other assorted campers and buses, although none as strange as the double-decker bus used by the denizens of the derelict field. Enoa was surprised how many cars there were. At least half of the vehicles in the absurd miles-long traffic jam were cars. She was tempted to sneak glances at the occupants, but fought the urge. What mix of bravery or desperation brought people out into the wide world without other lodging? Traffic stretched forward into the distance, as far as she could see through the flat fields around them. Nothing could be seen on either side of the traffic, save grassland and one massive building, far in the distance, maybe a half-mile or more away. The building had an odd shape, like it was an unfinished skyscraper, still under construction, with girders and metal supports sticking out at odd angles. ¡°Sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about some logistics of the new job. Did you want to know how long I¡¯ve been driving?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It had been so long since she¡¯d spoken, she¡¯d almost forgotten her own question. ¡°You haven¡¯t been going all day, have you?¡± ¡°Not quite. After you passed out, I went around and tried to make sure no one else was hiding in one of the abandoned pieces of old junk, and then I had to lay all of my booby-traps, and I had to record my warning, and then I had to go to that coffee pot and make sure no one went there, hoping for a rendezvous. Ugh.¡± ¡°I slept through all of that?¡± Enoa asked. A pounding began in her temples, and she felt like returning to her new bunk and shutting the door. She usually liked Orson¡¯s stories but there were few sounds that wouldn¡¯t annoy her at that moment. Another wave of honking began from ahead in the line. She unwillingly paid attention to the sounds. Most were standard vehicle horns, but a few had foghorn noises and assorted song jingles. Some of the tunes she thought she knew, but she couldn¡¯t pick them apart through the cacophony. ¡°You did, and I gotta say those Jenkins at the Coffee Pot were just as annoying as that lady said,¡± Orson continued, once the honking subsided. ¡°I was there for less than five minutes, when these freaks dressed up like they were in the 1700s or something, came running out shooting bolt-action rifles and trying to stab me with bayonets. I mean, I got out of there just fine, but it was more than I felt like dealing with at nine in the morning.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a group of people who are hiding in a giant coffee pot, that ran out and tried to stab you?¡± ¡°Yeah. It was a crap morning. And then, I didn¡¯t want to risk getting attacked by the Liberty Corps again, so I accepted the job from Pops right away, and he sent me here.¡± ¡°Pops sent you to this traffic jam?¡± Enoa scanned the absurd conglomeration of vehicles. ¡°Why is this happening? It looks like rush hour outside a big city, but I can¡¯t imagine all of these people are here to see these fields.¡± ¡°They¡¯re following Solar Saver Prime, like we are.¡± Orson pointed out the windshield toward the odd building she¡¯d viewed in the distance. Enoa looked at it again. It appeared to be the same distance away as it had been minutes ago. ¡°Following?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a building?¡± It wasn¡¯t. Enoa saw what was happening. The massive structure was moving, cruising through the countryside. ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s Solar Saver Prime. That¡¯s where we¡¯re going, once I get ahold of them, and they clue me in on how I can get to it through the traffic. Right now, the far left lane is supposed to be devoted to vehicles that actually need to go somewhere, but that¡¯s obviously not the case.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± She¡¯d waited through his explanation, hoping he would actually answer her most basic questions. ¡°But what is it? Where¡¯s it going? Why is it going?¡± She pointed at the gargantuan contraption. ¡°It rolls around collecting solar energy,¡± Orson said. ¡°It goes all over the place.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it get just as much solar energy staying still? It¡¯s not like it can move fast enough to go around the Earth, with the sun. And why would people want to follow after it?¡± ¡°It moves because it¡¯s the new world¡¯s most expensive mascot. It delivers high-yield batteries and solar arrays, but half the inside of that thing is like a moving amusement park. It¡¯s got restaurants, and bars, and gaming, and sports and all the jobs that go along with that. People live in there, and they¡¯ve got hotels, too, but most of the sleeping spaces are small as a coffin. People are relatively safe traveling nearby, though. It has its own security force. It¡¯s a whole big sales pitch. Oh yeah, and it allegedly has the new internet, and some people show up just to get on there.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Check out all the bad drivers. Half of them have their noses in phones or whatever. We almost got hit, an hour ago, by this old lady with a laptop on the dashboard, in front of her steering wheel.¡± ¡°How do you know so much about this thing?¡± Enoa glanced at the nearby vehicles, trying to see which of their fellow travelers were online. ¡°Pops sent me their public brochure and some behind-the-scenes info his folks gathered about them. They¡¯re in partnership with him and are stopping by his place outside Chicago, in twelve days.¡± ¡°It still seems really inefficient. Think of all the money they¡¯re wasting on that thing. And what does it run on? Solar, hopefully.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know all that.¡± Orson pressed a button on the dashboard. One of the small monitors on Enoa¡¯s side of the dash lit up. ¡°You can scroll through the message from Pops, if you want to read it. I skimmed the major details, but I needed to focus on the issue they¡¯re having, that I¡¯m supposed to fix. Some group of bandits, called the Wuyar Archers, are attacking them, non-violent so far, but they¡¯ve broken them down twice.¡± ¡°Wuyar Archers?¡± Enoa paged through the report. ¡°And you¡¯re doing, what? Running their security?¡± She saw a watered-down schematic for the Solar Saver, technical specifications, crew manifests, reports of Wuyar Archer activity. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not running security. I¡¯m just working with them to find those archers.¡± ¡°Oh! I thought for a second that you were going to be the Sheriff Webster of that thing.¡± She pointed to the Solar Saver vehicle again. ¡°No, no,¡± he said. ¡°Not my style. This is limited work. Hopefully, I can get to the bottom of this in the time it will take them to meander between here and Chicago. ¡°Get to the bottom of this?¡± Enoa laughed. ¡°I thought you were more warrior than detective. In Nimauk, you seemed to prefer the fighting.¡± ¡°I usually do. Fights tend to be once-and-done, but I¡¯m observant. Either I can be a bodyguard here or I can actually put a stop to the threat, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°Okay, Inspector Orson.¡± She offered a mock salute. ¡°Will I have to follow after you holding your pipe and magnifying glass?¡± ¡°Hilarious. I actually might have a training room, for you. I passed along that we¡¯ll be staying on the Aesir ¨C I hope that¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t know these people well enough to rely on their hospitality ¨C but I said we could use an exercise room if they have something that can function as a firing range. Give you some space to start your Shaper studies, where you can¡¯t blow up my ship. They didn¡¯t respond to that yet, so we¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The brief humor had distracted her from her headache and general post-battle malaise, but the thought of beginning her formal instruction brought back the danger of their latest adventure, the chase, the aerial attack, the man who had died in front of her¡­ ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, this will get us away from the Liberty Corps, give you time to train, make me some cash. It¡¯ll be great.¡± ¡°Where is ¡®here¡¯, exactly?¡± Enoa had never seen flatlands like this, except at the coast. The world had never looked so huge, the countryside and highway stretching out to infinity. ¡°We¡¯re outside Canton, Ohio. I flew out of Pennsylvania, pitch black, up at about twenty thousand feet, cloud-cover level. I was sure more Liberty Corps ships would be on us, but we got lucky or we lost them. I wanted to meet up with the Solar Saver by land ¨C they apparently have limited docked parking, where you drive up inside the crawler, but now we¡¯re stuck.¡± ¡°What happens if they don¡¯t have a parking space for us?¡± Enoa looked at the sprawling crowd in the traffic. She wanted somewhere reasonably quiet to rest her head, but that seemed unlikely no matter where they ended up. ¡°We have a spot reserved for us. Pops says that somewhere in the document.¡± Orson tapped at the comm box, set into the dash. ¡°I¡¯m going to give them a call, actually. Pops had a really brief conference call with us all this morning, but I didn¡¯t want to talk in Liberty Corps territory. I¡¯m definitely thinking the Corps has some old IHSA base down in West Virginia or Virginia.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Enoa perused the documents on the Solar Saver crawlers, scanning for pictures. She¡¯d do the real reading later when she was less tired, but still wanted to procrastinate. She saw incredible views from the pinnacle of the massive vehicle; sunset over the Pacific Ocean, a highway between the Rocky Mountains, many-mile views of the Plains. ¡°This is Captain Orson Gregory. Hello, Solar Saver Prime, this is Captain Gregory, hoping to come aboard soon. We¡¯re in your traffic jam now, so some advice on reaching you would be helpful.¡± ¡°Hello?¡± A low voice answered. ¡°This is Thomas of Solar Saver Prime. I¡¯m not sure who gave you our direct-link communication channel, but I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ve closed our base-tier parking and I don¡¯t see your name¡­¡± ¡°Captain Orson Gregory of the Aesir.¡± Orson emphasized the ship¡¯s name. ¡°This is Wayfarer One, chartered for a security position in the Solar Saver Collective, under Commodore Augustin.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Thomas¡¯s voice had fallen almost to a whisper. ¡°Of course! Wonderful! The Commodore doesn¡¯t want you in base-tier parking. You have a landing pad reserved for you. We assumed that was what you normally do.¡± ¡°I think as a security operation it would be better¡­¡± Orson began. ¡°Commodore Augustin was quite specific. It is the decision of our Board of Directors that you need to make a grand entrance, let everyone see you coming.¡± ¡°That should¡¯ve been in the paperwork,¡± Orson said. ¡°I might have to pull off road. I¡¯ll be more comfortable taking off without other vehicles literally inches away from me.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Thomas said. ¡°It would be better if you were seen flying in from a good distance away, maybe two miles. Could you get out of traffic and backtrack, just that far to make a heroic entrance?¡± * * * Maros slept. He¡¯d been allowed to sleep, actually commanded to rest by Divenoll. Before, they¡¯d waited together, watching the drop ship footage for three hours. No word had returned from the recon force sent to the derelict field. In time, Divenoll departed, taking the radio with him. He¡¯d ordered Maros to rest and left the vehicle. Maros resisted the urge to sleep until the utter silence of the world around him overcame his fear and racing thoughts. He awoke to the sound of an approaching engine. He opened his eyes to an orange sky, the early sunset of deep winter. He rubbed at his neck and rose into a sitting position, looking out the window of the rover¡¯s rear hatch. There, up the potholed road, an approaching shape could be seen. Maros hit the door activation and the rear hatch swung up and out. He stepped into the snow and resisted the cold. The vehicle came closer, and he could see that it was alone, a second rover of the type Divenoll drove. ¡°Operative Divenoll!¡± Maros yelled. No response. He stood beside the rover until the other vehicle arrived beside him, its driver-side window rolling down, even as it came to a stop. ¡°Where is Operative Divenoll?¡± The driver asked, a woman, the same person who had spoken over the radio. ¡°I need to report in.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Maros asked. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you report over the radio? It¡¯s been hours. Where is the rest of the recon team?¡± ¡°The field was loaded in traps,¡± she said. ¡°Everyone else is dead.¡± 35 - The Third Bombing ¡°These are the fruits of your failure.¡± Divenoll emerged from the trees barefoot. Most of his unique armor was draped over his right arm. He wore only a thin tunic and pants, despite the foot of snow on the ground and the bitter cold. Divenoll walked at an unconcerned pace, leaving steaming, melted footprints in his wake, as he returned from wherever he¡¯d been all day. ¡°Think of all the assets we lost to your idiocy.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t force those teams into Gregory¡¯s trap.¡± Maros lost whatever mental resolve he¡¯d built to insulate himself from Divenoll¡¯s ridicule. ¡°This was a terrible tragedy, but nothing after the dogfight can be blamed on me. There is nothing in the Corps procedural guidelines that suggest that a full pursuit is mandated. I could not have¡­¡± Divenoll marched through the snow. He did not speak. He did not look at his forces in the newly arrived rover. He stared at Maros and didn¡¯t break eye contact until they were only feet apart. Maros stopped speaking, but didn¡¯t look away from the other man¡¯s gaze. ¡°Bedford team advanced into the field when the second electromagnetic pulse went off.¡± The female officer spoke. ¡°I believe they would have done so no matter who was giving orders. This isn¡¯t a reflection on Mr. Maros.¡± ¡°You will refrain from providing your report in the presence of a civilian, unless you¡¯re instructed to do so.¡± Divenoll directed this to the officer and the rover team, but he didn¡¯t look away from Maros. ¡°There¡¯s no point voicing your complaints until you stand before the review panel. They will decide your fate, Mr. Maros.¡± Divenoll turned away from Maros and returned to his own rover. He set his armor in the rover¡¯s open hatchback. Then he drew his datapad and issued commands on its screen. ¡°What about Lieutenant Melville?¡± Maros asked. ¡°Did you drop him off somewhere, or was he in the caravan when it fell into Gregory¡¯s trap?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the woman said. ¡°Who¡¯s Melville?¡± ¡°Melville¡¯s fine.¡± Divenoll did not look up from his datapad. ¡°He will receive our best medical attention, once the second drop ship¡¯s crew extracts him from his fighter.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still in the fighter?¡± Maros asked. ¡°You just left him in there? I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t send him off to be killed by Gregory, but you just¡­ You left him in the crashed ship all day?¡± ¡°There was nowhere to go with him during the pursuit,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°The second drop ship crew will extract him before we leave, as I said. We¡¯re all headed for the old Navy shipyard in Philadelphia.¡± ¡°Philadelphia?¡± Maros asked. ¡°Baron Weatherhold has wrested control of the shipyard.¡± Divenoll put on his armor and slipped his feet into his boots. ¡°The Eastern Command will be based there, leaving Montauk as a research station. You¡¯ll see it soon. Baron Weatherhold will personally preside over your hearing.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Maros began. ¡°Our operation is concluded,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°The Aesir successfully evaded us, all because you committed us to a conflict we were unprepared to fight. Anything you say now will be used against you in your hearing.¡± He finished fastening his armor. ¡°I am going to receive the full report from my staff.¡± He gestured to the rover, whose crew had fallen entirely silent. ¡°In that time, you are free to send out communications without your comments being used against you.¡± Maros watched Divenoll climb into the second rover. Then the vehicle drove a short distance back up the road. Maros eyed this rover, trying to see if he were being watched. Then he turned back to Divenoll¡¯s rover and retrieved the canteen the operative left beside his driver¡¯s seat. Maros walked through the snow, into the tunnel. He lit his flashlight and maneuvered through the potholes and pits in the earth. ¡°Lieutenant, it¡¯s Captain Maros!¡± He called, when he stood beside the wrecked fighter. ¡°Lieutenant Melville, are you alright?¡± No answer. Maros forced himself back onto the lowest wing of the fighter and then onto the top of the cockpit. He found the cockpit hatch ajar and opened it. He aimed the beam of his flashlight into the opening and illuminated Melville, huddled under the blanket, his mouth open. ¡°Melville!¡± Maros called. He didn¡¯t want to wake the man if he were just sleeping, but he had to be certain of his condition. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alive.¡± Melville groaned, as he woke. ¡°One of the boys from Bedford said he¡¯d check on me in an hour. That was¡­ hours ago. Did they forget me or did the op go sideways.¡± ¡°Sideways, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Maros leaned against the cockpit opening. ¡°Wow,¡± Melville said. ¡°Those Aesir bastards really live up to the stories.¡± He groaned again. ¡°Would you mind taking the flashlight out of my face? I haven¡¯t had any light in here for hours.¡± ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Maros shut off the light. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He¡¯d been trying to get a good look at the pilot¡¯s face, his complexion, judge the look of him. He liked how verbal he still was, but Maros wanted to see him. He didn¡¯t agree with Divenoll¡¯s assessment of his responsibility, but he did hold guilt over Melville¡¯s injury. ¡°Can I get you anything? I have more water for you, but, full disclosure, I did take it from Operative Divenoll.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t need it if he¡¯d have spared the time to dig me out of here.¡± Melville winced as he reached up. Maros lowered the canteen by its strap and then dropped it into the pilot¡¯s outstretched hands. Melville unscrewed the cap and sniffed. ¡°It really is water. Damn!¡± He took a long sip. ¡°When are we getting out of here?¡± ¡°Soon, supposedly. There¡¯s a second drop ship coming.¡± ¡°A second drop ship?¡± Melville said. ¡°Why is it a second drop ship?¡± ¡°Operative Divenoll invested a large response in his efforts to capture the Aesir.¡± Maros had no intention of walking through the entire endeavor. He knew that he likely should. Melville was a potential ally, especially given the negligence he¡¯d received from Divenoll, but he didn¡¯t have it in him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they just left you here.¡± ¡°I can.¡± Melville laughed. ¡°Ultimately, we all have a price, kid. It just sounds bad to talk about that out loud.¡± ¡°I suppose.¡± Maros was in no mood to contemplate such a concept. He already had enough to think about. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± he asked again. ¡°I could go for either a tall scotch on the rocks,¡± Melville said. ¡°Or some stronger painkiller. But I¡¯m guessing you have neither.¡± ¡°No on the scotch.¡± Maros laughed. ¡°What happened to the painkillers in the med kit?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t take a second emergency kit,¡± Melville said. ¡°You were in too much of a hurry. We only had the one morphine dose. All that¡¯s left is the ibuprofen.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re relatively okay,¡± Maros said. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to check on the drop ship.¡± In truth, he wanted to reach Duncan. He wanted to speak to someone that wasn¡¯t tied to last night¡¯s debacle, but he hated to leave the wounded man. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Melville said. ¡°Thanks for checking on me. Maybe you¡¯re not as much of a brat as you seem.¡± He laughed again, a sound with as much pain as humor. Maros laughed with him, made brief good-byes, and left the tunnel. Maros waited until he caught sight of the second rover, still well up the road, away from Divenoll¡¯s rover, where he¡¯d spent most of his day. Then he drew out his radio and switched it back to his customary frequency. ¡°Duncan, it¡¯s me. Are you there?¡± ¡°Jesus!¡± Duncan yelled. ¡°I was sure they¡¯d sent you to die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, for now,¡± Maros said. ¡°They didn¡¯t send me anywhere. I wanted to check in and let you know that I¡¯m alright. If anything reached you about the second chase after Gregory and Cloud, I wasn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°I was sure I¡¯d never hear your voice again, and I¡¯d never get to say ¡®I told you so¡¯.¡± Duncan didn¡¯t sound himself. He had an odd scratchy sound to his voice. ¡°Say it now,¡± Maros laughed. ¡°They¡¯re going to eat me alive at that hearing. Weatherhold is presiding at his new base in Philly.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Well¡­ the Sun Talon thing was a bad idea. It was, but the rest didn¡¯t violate any of the guiding principles or edicts. They would have to break our own code to penalize you for what happened with the drop ship.¡± ¡°You did hear about it.¡± ¡°Everyone heard about it. Are you kidding me? But no one can blame you for it. No one. We¡¯ll get you representation. Divenoll got trounced by Gregory, but that¡¯s a good thing. I¡¯m looking into this guy, he was real IHSA. Looks like he worked for them since the mid-nineties. And Gregory and Cloud kicked his ass.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford real representation for me,¡± Maros thought through his savings. ¡°Corps Command won¡¯t let just any lawyer into our proceedings. I¡¯ll go and explain myself and face the consequences.¡± ¡°What about Brielle?¡± Duncan hadn¡¯t hesitated. He¡¯d been ready for this suggestion. ¡°I know it¡¯s been a while, but she was always pretty, er, fond of you, and her degree is in criminal justice. She¡¯s no lawyer, but she already has most of the clearances.¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Maros said. ¡°I¡¯m not dragging her into this. There¡¯s no way we can be sure who knows we were together. Given how we met, it could put her through difficult scrutiny, if our history became widely known. And I doubt she¡¯d agree to do it. She doesn¡¯t like anybody enough to risk her own career, anyway.¡± ¡°She puts on a tough face because she has to.¡± Duncan had been ready for this, too. ¡°But we can spin this for her if she refuses. This is a chance for her to make a name for herself, save your butt, and show up Divenoll.¡± Duncan raised his voice. Maros looked in the direction of the second rover. How long did Divenoll need to discuss the failed operation? ¡°And how could she leave her command in Missouri for days or weeks?¡± ¡°If not her, you¡¯ve got only one choice. He¡¯d be my first choice if he weren¡¯t your family.¡± ¡°Not him, either. You know I can¡¯t ask him.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t call him, I will.¡± Duncan shouted. ¡°We need Max. We need your brother.¡± * * * Enoa got a clear look at the Solar Saver. The machine stood on four massive treads. These supported a structure that was nearly two hundred feet tall. The bottom was a steel gray, plain and utilitarian, but above the base, the entire structure was almost blindingly bright, like all sides were covered in mirrors, except these weren¡¯t mirrors. They were solar panels, or something similar. The vertical sides also sported windmills, odd wobbling windmills that swayed up and down as the crawler moved. These were the objects she¡¯d thought were girders. Orson had grumbled during the entire half-hour effort to extricate themselves from traffic, drive off-road for a mile, and then fly back. Before takeoff, he¡¯d activated the full suite of ¡°power-guzzling¡± external cameras and sensors, to help his upcoming landing. Then he¡¯d fallen into sullen silence. That suited her headache just fine. She watched the absurd traffic, stretching as far as she could see, even from her in-flight perspective. Two small aircraft approached from the crawler. They were mottled gray, with fluttering wings and spinning rotors. Each held two occupants, a pilot, and a rear gunner, who faced some kind of large projectile weapon. The gun hung from the back of each aircraft like a protruding stinger, pointing downward. The comm controls let out the phone dial tone. Orson answered the call they knew was coming. ¡°Aesir this is Solar Saver.¡± A confident female voice spoke. ¡°Commodore Anais Augustin, speaking. It¡¯s my privilege to welcome you aboard the flagship of our land fleet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my privilege to join you.¡± Orson answered. ¡°I was told you¡¯ve got a parking place for me. Where should I set down?¡± ¡°We have platform three-two-eight waiting for you,¡± Augustin said. ¡°It¡¯s the hydraulic helipad that we sent topside. You should see guiding lights, momentarily, and I sent two of our Thopters to guide you in. Security Chief Morita is looking forward to talking shop with you.¡± The two aircraft passed the Aesir. Enoa watched her console and saw the two vehicles turn and enter into escort positions at their either side. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to getting to work.¡± Orson switched off the receiver on the comm and gripped the wheel with both hands. He had an intent look in his eyes, focused from adrenaline, not an expression Enoa liked to see. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°This thing is still moving,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve never done a landing onto a moving surface, so that¡¯ll be fun for me. Heh.¡± He let out the short laugh he made when he was genuinely concerned but wanted to sound normal. This laugh had the exact opposite effect. Enoa found herself eyeing the Solar Saver, searching for the promised lift. She saw it, a metal platform that stood out from the top of the crawler, a dull space in the reflective surface. She could not judge the size, but it hardly looked large enough to hold the Aesir. She tried not to look at Orson, but she could practically smell the nervous energy oozing off of him. She clenched her hands against her seat. Enoa looked down. She watched the massive treads rolling across the interstate. She wondered whether the thing actually could travel cross-country, or whether there were some areas, over rivers, that were simply impassible. Her mind was confounded by the absurd complications and logistics that its crew must face, every day. Why would anyone build something like that? Enoa was still staring at the ground when the lift exploded. Fire and smoke gushed from the top of the crawler. The Aesir was still a good distance from the blast, but Orson pulled back, and they flew upward away from the fire. The Thopters followed them away from the explosion. ¡°Report, Solar Saver.¡± Orson thumbed on the receiver. ¡°Looks like somebody has an issue with my reserved parking. I¡¯d love to offer you fire support, but until you can get me aboard, I¡¯m not sure what I can do.¡± ¡°Stand by, Captain,¡± Commodore Augustin spoke in a level tone, surely a practiced fa?ade in the face of the surprise disaster. ¡°I¡¯m keeping Eagle Eyes One and Two in support positions. We¡¯ll update you as we progress. I apologize for the delay.¡± ¡°Someone doesn¡¯t want you to go to work today.¡± Enoa ran her hands through her hair. She watched the smoking landing pad. ¡°On the bright side, the crawler¡¯s stopped moving. Looks like you should be fine to land if they can get you a parking spot that isn¡¯t on fire.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting the hang of this.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Hopefully, they didn¡¯t have a welcoming committee waiting for me there, to get blasted too.¡± ¡°Oh no! I never thought of that. What will we do if they can¡¯t find a way to get you on board?¡± ¡°I have no idea. This is all pretty new to me.¡± Orson pressed a key on his own dashboard display. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Enoa saw a bright flash from the screen. ¡°I¡¯m referencing the external feeds,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I can learn from the explosion playback. Might help us figure out what¡¯s up.¡± Enoa leaned over to get a look at the recorded video. ¡°Projectile target lock,¡± Ruby suddenly announced. ¡°Impossible to judge projectile type. Evasive maneuvers recommended.¡± ¡°What?¡± Enoa and Orson yelled at the same time. They looked out the windshield to see a group of figures who¡¯d emerged from the top of the Solar Saver. ¡°Magnify!¡± Orson pulled his goggles over his eyes. A section of the windshield switched to a zoomed computerized view, showing the group of people standing atop the massive vehicle. They were dressed in black body armor, mostly leather, by the look of it. They wore plain black masks and were totally obscured from view and from the great winds at the top of the huge structure. Every one of them held a bow and had a quiver of arrows at their back. A last group of these people emerged from the Solar Saver, carrying an odd metal framework, but neither of the Aesir¡¯s occupants could focus on this. The screen continued to zoom in, until it showed one of the archers holding his bow, an arrow aimed right at them. ¡°What do they think they¡¯re going to do to us with an arrow?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°If they blew up the pad,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s probably not a stone arrowhead.¡± The archer let the arrow fly. Beeping issued from the Aesir¡¯s speakers. Orson spun the wheel to the side. Thankfully, the Thopter pilots dodged, as well, breaking formation and providing enough room for the Aesir to enter evasive maneuvers. Orson blasted away from the arrow, but wheeled the ship around to track its trajectory. The arrow exploded, but not in a ballistic burst of destruction. Instead, it released a calculated haze, a smoke. This smoke spread across the sky. It changed shape and formed into the likeness of two words in the air, high above the Solar Saver, large enough even to be read on the ground. ¡°LEAVE NOW!¡± Orson sent the Aesir cruising back toward the Solar Saver, in time to see the archers climb aboard the odd metal framework they¡¯d been carrying. The framework consisted of two rows of parallel, outward-facing seats. Loose armor panels dangled in front of these seats. The ceiling of the framework structure spread out into the shape of wings. ¡°A glider!¡± Orson gunned the Aesir forward at the group, but the glider was no glider at all. Just when the last of the archers climbed aboard the thing, a burst of rocket flame erupted at the back of the strange object. It flew from the top of the crawler and jetted away at an unbelievable speed, over the traffic. Orson flew over the Solar Saver, just in time for the gout of flame to erupt out of the roof hatch that the archers had used to exit the crawler. Orson turned toward the devastation for a moment, watching as two entire twenty-foot solar panels cracked across the roof of the crawler. Enoa looked at her monitor and watched as the Thopters chased after the strange, makeshift aircraft. They were nowhere near fast enough. ¡°I¡¯m on them!¡± Orson gunned the Aesir away from the fire and toward the odd aircraft. He quickly overtook the Thopters and blasted right past them, gaining on the enemy vehicle. ¡°Stand down archers.¡± Orson pressed the receiver on his comm. He grabbed the Incursion Cannon triggers and fired a shot above the aircraft, a warning. ¡°The next one wings you.¡± The enemy vehicle let out a smokescreen. This was their only response. The smokescreen spread out and out and out, until it occupied a space hundreds of feet across. Enoa looked down and watched as the obscuring cloud grew, until it nearly touched the ground. She looked to her monitor and saw that the red enemy sensor designation had vanished. ¡°Hang on,¡± Orson said, as he sent the Aesir over the top of the cloud of smoke. He flew along the mass of haze, scanning various displays and dashboard readouts, as he went. They cleared the far side of the smokescreen and spun around to face it. ¡°We¡¯ll see them when they come out of there.¡± Orson rested his hands on the firing controls, ready for anything to emerge at them. ¡°Normally I¡¯d get in touch with the Solar Saver, but the archers knew I was coming, so I think we¡¯ll ignore all incoming calls for now. Do you wanna take the tri-cannon?¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Enoa watched her monitor, looking for the enemy sensor designation to reappear and the enemy craft to emerge from the cloud. ¡°We¡¯re ready this time.¡± They waited for the smoke to clear, ready for a fight, their exhaustion gone, entirely aware of the current battle. They watched their monitors and readouts, their hands resting beside triggers. But when the smoke cleared, there was no enemy aircraft to be seen. The archers had vanished. 36 - The Other Maros Orson had never felt so tired, at least not when he was in active danger. He hovered, suspended by his single boot repulsor, floating hundreds of feet above the ground, above another Solar Saver helipad. He looked at the pad with his HUD, seeking any sign that this one was also rigged. His sensor was picking up no signatures of explosive agents or unusual trace elements, but bombs weren¡¯t the only booby-traps, as he well knew. ¡°Do you see anything?¡± Orson spoke into his comm, which provided a direct tightbeam broadcast back to the Aesir. ¡°I¡¯m all clear.¡± ¡°Uhhhhh,¡± Enoa said. ¡°One second!¡± Why had the Solar Saver crew insisted on using him as a big show ¨C let the tourists and the traffic see him do a fly-by? Scratch that, he knew why. They had investors, investors who¡¯d had their faith shaken by the multiple recent sabotage efforts by the Wuyar Archers. And who could blame them? If Orson chose to invest, he might be reluctant to put his money into a project that was frequently bombed from the inside, without any culprits brought to justice. But if the Solar Saver Collective, whether Commoder Augustin or some other decision-making party, had just let him drive aboard, he could be inside by now, aboard and asleep. He¡¯d known older adventurers than himself, much older. How did the septuagenarian contingent of wise old mentor figures he¡¯d known during his journeys manage to navigate the world without sleep? Orson also thought about the absurd lengths of time he¡¯d gone without sleep in his earliest adventures. During the last couple days of the Blitzkrieg crisis, he¡¯d had no more than a few hours of sleep. And how many at Hand Island? He must have gone literally days without sleep, or so it seemed. ¡°Orson?¡± Enoa said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°What do you...?¡± He hadn¡¯t noticed that he¡¯d drifted down and to the right, such that he was no longer level with the side of the landing pad. He¡¯d zoned out, and when he noticed his mistake, he felt his mental and physical focus on the repulsor slipping. He slid to the side and almost blasted himself away from the crawler entirely, until he positioned his leg straight under him again. He¡¯d look ridiculous from the ground, if anyone were watching him. ¡°I just really need a nap,¡± he said. ¡°Do you see anything?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Enoa spoke after a pause. ¡°What does not really mean? Either the sensors see something¡­ or they don¡¯t.¡± His tone of voice was harsher than he¡¯d intended, short and frustrated. He knew the Solar Saver crew would obviously want to also proceed with their own independent review, before they let him aboard, and then they¡¯d want pleasantries and discussion and who knows what else. How long would it be before he slept again? An hour? Two? Orson had never been more grateful for his policy of sleeping before a pre-planned takeoff. He¡¯d slept until late afternoon, the day before, though that was now over twenty-five hours earlier. The sun was just about set, and it had still been sunset when they¡¯d set off from Nimauk. ¡°I¡¯m getting this yellow light at the corner of the energy signature, uh, detection thingy,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t see what that yellow light is, in the user manual.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just showing the landing pad is currently drawing detectable power.¡± Orson could fight his way through bureaucracy, but he couldn¡¯t handle another bombing. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, only the little alerts that say we need to check the bullet impact points where the Liberty Corps rifleman shot in here, this morning.¡± ¡°If they¡¯d actually punctured the hull or hit something important,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯d know already.¡± ¡°Then,¡± she said. ¡°I think if you¡¯re good, we¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Great. Leave the readings where they are. I¡¯m coming back in.¡± Orson judged the distance between himself and the Aesir, and triggered a new burst of power from the repulsor. He arced up above his ship and eased the thrust from the boot until he landed on the Aesir¡¯s roof. He cycled open the roof hatch and dropped to the floor, inside. ¡°Please be good news.¡± He slid his visor and bandana down to his chin and settled into the driver¡¯s seat. He took a look at the readouts from the dashboard, and exhaled. ¡°Is it alright?¡± She faced him. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t look well. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being short with you. I¡¯m just tired, and I can¡¯t go without sleep like I used to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± She looked at him like she expected him to drop onto the floor at any moment. ¡°I just don¡¯t feel right that you have to go through all this and I slept all day. Although, I did tell you that you should have taken your turn sleeping, instead of fixing the shower, right away.¡± ¡°Fair point.¡± He yawned, a big, uncontrolled yawn. He covered his face in his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± He hit the receiver switch. ¡°Solar Saver, this is Aesir, we¡¯ve finished our sweep and found nothing unusual. I¡¯m not one to make assumptions, but it looks like the attack earlier was a message to me.¡± ¡°We swept the landing pad before we extended it,¡± Augustin said. ¡°If you¡¯re satisfied, so are we.¡± She sighed. ¡°I apologize for the delay, Captain Gregory, but without further ado, I gladly begin your protection charter. It cannot begin soon enough.¡± ¡°Happy to get started.¡± Orson tried to make the pleasantry sound sincere, but mostly failed. He buckled himself in place and pulled the goggles back over his eyes. He raised the Aesir¡¯s shields. Orson landed the Aesir onto the pad. He tried to ignore Enoa tense beside him. He tried to ignore a slight groan from the pad beneath them. He was immediately aware of the rumbling and machinery noises from the crawler in a way he had not been before. A new low-volume grinding sound began. Enoa jumped. Orson started too, even though he¡¯d been expecting a new sound to begin, as the crawler lowered its landing pad into itself. Orson reduced the shields yet farther. The energy field was imprecise and he didn¡¯t need to scrape the inside of the crawler as they passed within, not to mention how the field might interact with any machinery or protections inside the huge vehicle. The interior of the landing dock was Spartan, utilitarian gray with geometrically shaped lights set into the walls and ceiling. Orson leaned forward to get a look at the mechanism that retracted the landing pad, but couldn¡¯t catch sight of it before the structure locked in place. Orson heard the crawler¡¯s roof hatch slide shut, far above them. Orson waited another few heartbeats. Then he shut down the Aesir. Nothing exploded. The Aesir remained intact. Its occupants were not turned into greasy smears on the crawler¡¯s walls. Enoa let the air out of her lungs and sagged in the passenger seat. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s hope I can leverage some naptime out of these people.¡± He hit the comm. ¡°I don¡¯t want to jinx anything, but it looks like we¡¯re aboard and weren¡¯t blown to tiny bits.¡± ¡°Phenomenal!¡± Augustin answered. ¡°Welcome aboard! This is such a relief. Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re weary after your long journey, but I¡¯m considering throwing a brief welcome party for you and your crew. We can have food, drinks, dessert, and a brief tour ready in, say, an hour?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a party pooper.¡± Orson looked at Enoa. She seemed almost as tired as he felt. She hadn¡¯t moved since she¡¯d fallen low in her seat, after they¡¯d successfully landed. ¡°But would you or your crew be offended if we pushed this until brunch tomorrow? I worked another job yesterday and jumped right into this contract because of your, er, the pressing needs of the whole deal.¡± Orson switched off the receiver on the comm. ¡°If you want to do this, I can rally.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°One, I¡¯d rather make myself some of my own pancakes and pass out again,¡± she said. ¡°And two, you definitely can¡¯t rally.¡± ¡°I appreciate you promptly agreeing to your position on this voyage,¡± the commodore said through the comm. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Board of Directors would prefer you were there for my show of strength, tonight, but they¡¯ll get over it.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Orson touched the receiver. He had no idea how relieved he¡¯d feel. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic news, honestly. It¡¯s been a wild day, and I¡¯ll be really prepared to hit the ground running right away tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Are you sure we can¡¯t tempt you with the presidential suite? It¡¯s right down the hall from my residence, and I can personally attest to the view.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an incredibly kind offer, especially given the already generous terms of my contract.¡± Orson wondered how many ¡®very kind offers¡¯ he¡¯d need to dodge before this conversation came to an end. ¡°But I sleep best on my boat.¡± ¡°Can I offer you room service, to get our partnership started? We have a fantastic shrimp scampi, today¡¯s special.¡± ¡°One moment please.¡± Orson released the receiver switch. ¡°Do you want anything? They¡¯re probably doing the whole gourmet thing here, so I¡¯m sure they have something fun you could eat.¡± ¡°Pancakes and sleep is all I want,¡± she said. ¡°Cool.¡± He tapped the receiver again. ¡°Thank you so much, but I think we¡¯re all set. I¡¯m already looking forward to brunch, once we¡¯re totally rested.¡± ¡°Well, our room service information should be in the materials Mr. Darlow sent you.¡± If Augustin was offended, it didn¡¯t enter her voice. ¡°It¡¯s available twenty-four hours a day. The menu changes all the time, but is available on the Solar Saver Experience loop. You can find the loop on our localized phone line and all broadcast channels. The menu also updates on the Solar Saver Experience App. Your materials should include a localized NewNet login, usable on all compatible devices. Meals are included for you and your crew. Orders can be placed right from your device.¡± ¡°Sounds great.¡± Orson didn¡¯t manage vocal enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting you properly tomorrow, and getting started.¡± ¡°Likewise,¡± she said. ¡°Have a restful night, Captain Gregory. We¡¯ll be in touch if we need you.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Commodore.¡± Orson shut off the receiver. He slid back in his own seat and pressed his hand to his face. ¡°I¡¯m just so cooked, right now. Maybe I will sleep and then get room service. I¡¯m way too tired to make food.¡± ¡°I can leave you some pancakes,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you like vegan pancakes.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± He managed a small smile. ¡°That¡¯s up to you. Unless the consistency is totally different, most pancakes are a syrup delivery system to me, if I¡¯m being totally honest.¡± He scratched his chin. ¡°But I also have a feeling I¡¯m going to want to make my money¡¯s worth from these people. If you feel like sharing, leave some pancakes on the top shelf of the fridge, and I might grab them when I¡¯m awake enough to be a human being.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said, before immediately groaning. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move either. I can¡¯t believe how insane this last day was, and tomorrow could be just as nuts.¡± ¡°Yeah, although you can have a nice rest, if you need it.¡± ¡°I might, but I won¡¯t be able to rest too much. I know how important tomorrow is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is a more dangerous situation than I realized, but it¡¯s probably not even close to how much trouble we were in back in Nimauk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± she said. ¡°Tomorrow I begin my training.¡± * * * Duncan Racz stood in the dark and the freezing rain, on the corner of Broad and Intrepid, beside the northeastern edge of the former Navy Yard. For the first time in weeks, he¡¯d packed his travel bag without including any disguises. He wore his heaviest coat, and an extra sweater, over his pressed Oxford shirt, but he was still cold. The forecast had called for snow, but the temperature edged higher than expected. A few scattered drops of freezing rain seeped through the layers of his clothing and chilled his flesh. The meeting had been planned hours before, but he was the only one on time. Duncan knew that public transportation was spotty, at best, but he couldn¡¯t think of a benign reason for the RAAG drop ship to be late. Duncan spent copious amounts of time alone. That was part of his job, but since Kol had flown off, his mind conjured a constant stream of ominous ideas. Duncan watched the occasional boat come and go, and smaller Liberty Corps aircraft dart through the sky, but no sign of the drop ship. There were few lights to be seen, since the city¡¯s electrical grid stopped supplying most streetlights. Duncan imagined the drop ship involving itself in another futile chase against the Aesir. He imagined Kol thrown overboard for his failures, plummeting to Earth. All of this was ridiculous. He¡¯d never heard of a field execution, not in four years of Corps membership. Duncan stared at the massive new building Eastern Corps Command had constructed over part of the former Navy Yard. They were building something in there, something on the water, but whether it was, a water or air vessel, Duncan couldn¡¯t tell. And it was a brazen move to start construction with so many of the nearby communities destitute and the disputes with the Northeast Alliance still ongoing. Duncan had to admit, the Liberty Corps¡¯ claim to the property was tenuous, at best, especially after they¡¯d removed the remaining local government with threats of force. Duncan heard the drop ship before he saw it, the thrumming he could feel in his sinuses. He smiled up at the massive vehicle as it descended from the sky, much faster than a conventional aircraft could have. Duncan braced himself and the ship came to a stop, hovering over the water. A ramp descended from the ship until it touched the dock. Assorted Liberty Corps troops disembarked, most armored, a mix of local, hardscrabble divisions, survivors from the ravaged western groups, and better-equipped troopers, real warriors. Duncan felt proud of Newtown Division, despite recent events, but there was no denying the gap in skill between the crew he and Kol had assembled, and the true military divisions. They moved with confident, competent discipline. Their equipment and weaponry was newer and more advanced ¨C Duncan saw a number of blasters and other particle weapons. Even their armor looked better, better maintained, better fit. And then came Kol Maros, still in the borrowed flight suit he¡¯d been wearing for two days. He walked with a slight limp. He had a visible fat lip. Only his hair looked orderly, but that offered no surpise. A man in purple and black armor walked behind Kol ¨C Divenoll. Duncan had tried to learn what he could about the Operative, but other than his service in the old IHSA, he¡¯d found nothing. ¡°Good to see you alive, Captain.¡± Duncan saluted the new arrivals. Maros returned the gesture, but with reticence. ¡°Operative Divenoll. Good evening, sir.¡± ¡°Agent Racz.¡± Divenoll said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. You won¡¯t be forced to travel far to provide your testimony.¡± ¡°My full account can be found in the report I filed this morning.¡± Duncan tried to keep the hatred from his eyes and did not know whether he¡¯d succeeded. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can extract a more thorough accounting, if not more truthful,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Hopefully you¡¯ve learned real courtroom procedure.¡± A man in a wheelchair with attached umbrella maneuvered around the milling crowd of departing Corps personnel. His hair was buzzed short and he was clean-shaven. He moved closer to them as he spoke. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say you¡¯re lucky you weren¡¯t tried for war crimes for your Tonderak Raid, but it¡¯s been decades, you must have learned something.¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Divenoll faced the new arrival, a vein pulsing at his temple. ¡°Some gimp thinks he can roll in and insult me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± the man replied. ¡°You were still working under your birth name, then. And pre-internet, you probably hoped you¡¯d left your old life and failures behind you.¡± ¡°Max.¡± Maros sighed. ¡°Oh!¡± Divenoll laughed in Maros¡¯s face. ¡°You called your own brother to represent you?¡± ¡°Agent Racz called me,¡± the other Maros said. ¡°My brother was too worried that uneducated Corps officers would think less of him and weaken his case. I guess he knew better than I did. I reminded him about the Michaels hearing from three years ago, a father represented his children in a class six disciplinary matter. That¡¯s real precedent. But poor Kol was right, the Liberty Corps officer class really don¡¯t read, do they?¡± He shook his head. ¡°It will be very time consuming to read your regulations aloud for everyone at the hearing. It could take hours! But I¡¯m always glad to play my part in supporting literacy.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve read the regulations.¡± Divenoll said. ¡°The train ride from Richmond took forever.¡± Max nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a dark night and there wasn¡¯t much to see, so I had to find some way of occupying myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already more thorough than your brother,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Maligning the subject of the hearing, tut-tut. That¡¯s a clear violation of Article Eight, section seven, and truly unprofessional, I might add.¡± ¡°The defense ridiculing a charging officer is also a violation.¡± Divenoll actually curled his lip into a smile. ¡°It is! Article Eight, section nine, but thankfully for me, I haven¡¯t yet become the defense. My brother has yet to accept me. Until that time comes, your guidelines are clear, I¡¯m just a well-read, connected bystander, and I can ridicule you as much as I like. Besides, I¡¯m not a Liberty Corps member. After my honorable discharge from the actual United States Armed Forces, I had no interest in helping or legitimizing violent pretenders, like the Liberty Corps.¡± The two men stared at each other until Divenoll turned back without another word. The operative ascended the ramp into the drop ship. The Maros reunion fell silent as well, until the drop ship rocketed away. ¡°You¡¯re freaking amazing!¡± Duncan hugged Max and then Kol. ¡°This bozo doesn¡¯t deserve you, Max.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Maros nodded. ¡°I deserve whatever they give me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk that way,¡± Max said. ¡°Stop mupsing and give me a hug. I sat on the train for three hours, and they made me dig out my ID five times.¡± Maros leaned forward and hugged his brother. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you two again. I finally know how Mom felt, but let¡¯s get out of the rain. Is Popi¡¯s still open?¡± ¡°It was in September,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Max said. ¡°Like we aren¡¯t living after the end of the world.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I feel up to that.¡± Maros was looking nowhere in particular until his brother took him by the forearm. ¡°You need to enjoy yourself in the little things,¡± Max said. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this. Eat with your brother and your oldest friend, because then we have work to do.¡± 37 - Rock-Paper-Scissors Enoa woke for the first time in her bunk on the Aesir. She¡¯d forgotten where she was. She¡¯d slept deeply and completely, with no awareness of the passage of time, and found herself in a small dark compartment she didn¡¯t recognize. She felt motion beneath her and heard distant machine rumbling. She remembered herself and drifted in and out of sleep until she heard movement in the Aesir¡¯s cabin. She rolled onto her side, fumbling for her pack and the cell phone she still sometimes carried, though it hadn¡¯t functioned as a phone in years. She checked the time ¨C 9:13 A.M. Had they received the time of the brunch? She couldn¡¯t remember. Enoa left her bunk room, still in pajamas. She found Orson on the couch, struggling with a jacket. He looked like his hand was stuck in a pocket. ¡°Good morning.¡± She watched him struggle to withdraw his hand from the jacket. ¡°Morning.¡± He spoke without taking his eyes off the coat. ¡°Sorry if I woke you. Coffee¡¯s ready, if you like it the way I make it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t wake me.¡± She walked to the cupboard, found one unlocked and withdrew a mug. ¡°I needed to get moving anyway. I slept way too long. I haven¡¯t been asleep for longer than seven hours for months, since¡­¡± Enoa was surprised how casually she almost mentioned Aunt Su¡¯s death. Distance from Nimauk brought distance from its pains and sorrows. She fell silent and poured herself a cup of coffee. She used only a single sugar. She didn¡¯t want to drink the quantity of coffee High School Enoa had consumed. She had mixed feelings about her potential dependency on Orson¡¯s coffee stash. ¡°I needed sleep too.¡± Orson kept his attention on the suit jacket. ¡°I only woke up when the crawler started moving again, and I took that as my cue to get some food.¡± ¡°Did you order room service?¡± Enoa sat down in an armchair, opposite Orson. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± He remained focused on the jacket. She got a clearer look at what he was doing, or attempting to do. There appeared to be a massive hidden pocket that opened up the inside of the entire jacket, between the outer shell and the lining. Orson was trying to fit what appeared to be a long piece of metal into the space. The rectangle was slightly reflective, like metal, but it also moved fluidly, like fabric. ¡°I thought about it, but I didn¡¯t feel like being professional. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve ordered a meal and had it delivered by a spy of one sort or another. So I just stole two of your pancakes.¡± ¡°Were they an acceptable syrup delivery system?¡± Enoa watched him fit the long sheet of metal into the left front of the jacket. He let out a slow sigh. Then he zipped that side and started the same process on the right. ¡°They were.¡± He looked up and offered a brief smile. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m surprised, if I¡¯m being honest, but they were, and it was so good to have the Moonlight Most blueberry syrup. I need to save a little, see if I can¡¯t get more made by somebody else. My buddy Ted¡¯s a true savant at mimicking flavor so I hope he can help. I can¡¯t imagine I¡¯ll ever buy that syrup again, even if they aren¡¯t always a squatterarchy.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t imagine you will,¡± she said. ¡°Squatterarchy? I don¡¯t know when you¡¯re making up words and when you know something I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Squatterarchy is one hundred percent a real thing. It¡¯s a society of squatters.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I believe you,¡± she said. ¡°If that¡¯s a real thing then both Mayhill and that little derelict village place were squatterarchies.¡± ¡°They were.¡± He fit the other metal sheet into place. ¡°We¡¯ll probably run into lots of those on this trip. Trying times, right now.¡± ¡°What are you doing, exactly?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate to go to a brunch in my usual gear so I¡¯m armoring this jacket.¡± He held it up for her to see it. ¡°It¡¯s the same metal that lines my usual coat, and the plates were made to fit this jacket exactly, so it doesn¡¯t slip around or bunch up. Sport coats are stiffer than most garments anyway, so it¡¯s pretty easy to hide stuff. I¡¯ve had it for years, but I have to take the armor out to get the jacket cleaned.¡± ¡°You lead a strange life.¡± She didn¡¯t think she would have noticed anything odd about the garment if she hadn¡¯t watched him armor it. ¡°Do you think I should start wearing armor too?¡± ¡°That depends on how good you get at that gun jamming technique thing you did yesterday morning.¡± He stood and slipped on the dark navy jacket over his T-shirt. He stretched and waved his arms. ¡°If you get good at that, I don¡¯t see why you¡¯d have the need.¡± ¡°Whatever that was.¡± She could hardly remember her latest use of Shaping. ¡°It didn¡¯t work on the ray gun that one trooper had.¡± ¡°You also don¡¯t know how that ability works yet.¡± He opened one of the nearby lockers and got a look at himself in a mirror, inside. ¡°And nothing works against everything. It¡¯s pretty easy to block energy weapons and attacks with my fire sword, but way harder on physical projectiles. Most bullets blow up when they pass through the heat shield around the fire, but some just get sliced in two, and then you¡¯ve got two bullets in your face.¡± Satisfied, he closed the locker and removed his jacket. ¡°Everything¡¯s rock-paper-scissors.¡± ¡°Is there a lesson in that, or are you just being philosophical?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s a lesson. Always make sure you¡¯ve got rock, paper, and scissors, at all times. That¡¯s how I get by.¡± ¡°I never know how to take your advice.¡± She realized she likely had only a brief time to get ready for brunch. If even Orson was getting dressed up, she¡¯d need to dig out something reasonably nice, as well. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re an optimist or a pessimist.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°I like to think of myself as a realist, but I have a positive slant from surviving so long.¡± He folded the jacket over his arm. ¡°Can you be ready in about forty-five minutes? Brunch is at eleven, and it will take time to get there in a vehicle this big.¡± ¡°I think so? I haven¡¯t had to do everything on the Aesir before, and I¡¯ll need to dig through my luggage.¡± She mentally thought through her packed belongs. ¡°I¡¯ll aim for that.¡± ¡°Cool. Then we can get some food, and we can both get to work.¡± Enoa tried not to think about training. She showered and fell into her normal morning routines, but mindless normalcy wasn¡¯t possible on the Aesir, surrounded by constant reminders of her new situation. When she paid attention, she felt the crawler moving beneath her and hear distant sounds, noises from the Solar Saver behemoth or from the traffic that followed in its wake. Enoa found dressing in her room would require her to stand on her bed and she had not packed a mirror, so she returned to the small bathroom to get dressed. The bright purple pants and floral sweater made her look much younger than her twenty years, nothing like the elegant image she held of herself in her mind¡¯s eye. But she didn¡¯t have time to try other outfits, and she doubted her other limited clothing options would satisfy her any more. It had been years since she¡¯d worn anything beyond her day-to-day work attire. ¡°Staff or no staff?¡± Enoa returned to the main cabin as Orson slipped his blaster up his jacket¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Bring it.¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m even on the fence about the sword, here, but formally I should really wear it on my belt, like at my waist, and the sheath strap isn¡¯t ideal for that.¡± ¡°How many weapons do you have on you, right now?¡± She retrieved the staff. ¡°Do you count individual stinks in my set as different weapons?¡± He idly slid his hand to a small sealed pouch that hung from his belt. ¡°Uh, yes?¡± she said. ¡°Honestly, your ability to hide weapons impresses me more than the weapons you own.¡± ¡°Like seventy, if you count the individual stinks and smoke pellets.¡± He returned to his own room and collected his sword, struggling to connect its strap to his regular belt. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll go with the sword. Go with the knight look for today. Your staff is better. It could be cultural. Most people know absolutely nothing about the Nimauk and that could help you.¡± ¡°I guess, except the futuristic staff doesn¡¯t exactly scream Nimauk.¡± Enoa knew she had only the brunch between herself and the start of her training, and she wasn¡¯t sure she wanted that constant reminder. ¡°When I come back here to train, I¡¯ll set up the screen and projector like we had it before.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Orson finished fussing with the sword. ¡°Ugh, I like the long hilt when I¡¯m fighting but it¡¯s just in the way other times.¡± He looked at her. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± She tried to summon her initial adventuresome excitement, lost in the constant procession of battles they¡¯d survived. ¡°Let¡¯s see this place.¡± * * * Duncan heard the shouting as soon as the elevator doors opened. He¡¯d arrived at the ¡®Captain¡¯s quarters¡¯, the apartment Kol Maros had occupied for two years, and the sparsely furnished corridor outside was loud with shouts and other noises, crashes that Duncan could not immediately identify. ¡°The Liberty Corps doesn¡¯t own this building,¡± Kol Maros shouted. ¡°Mrs. Greco owns this building. The only Corps involvement was our work to rebuild this place. I only live here because of the reduced rent.¡± A low, quiet voice replied, but Duncan could not hear the other man until he rushed into the room. ¡°Ms. Greco is being relocated as we speak, as are all residents.¡± The other man wore a white uniform with the silver, red and blue rank bar configuration of a Lieutenant. There were other troops in the room, who were boxing the apartment¡¯s contents, everything from the china in the cabinets to the books on the coffee table. Sounds of motion came from Kol¡¯s bedroom, indicating yet more people. ¡°Clothing he¡¯s cleared to keep, once you search it. Put the rest on the truck.¡± ¡°Truck?¡± Duncan stepped up to the Lieutenant. ¡°What the hell is going on here? The hearing is about an alleged conduct violation. This level of examination is unheard of outside of a full criminal investigation.¡± ¡°Property seizure can be requested by S&I,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°And it has been requested.¡± ¡°As Kolben Maros¡¯s representative, I have a form R97 filed to stop this unlawful seizure.¡± Max appeared from the hallway along the back wall of the now-boxed apartment. ¡°We are reporting improper conduct from an intelligence officer.¡± Max pointed to one of the boxes on the floor. ¡°R97 forms cannot be filed during seizure,¡± the Lieutenant replied without looking at Max. ¡°But you can submit that form once we¡¯re finished with the relocation.¡± ¡°Where the hell is Kol supposed to go?¡± Duncan approached the Lieutenant, and stood between him and his team. ¡°He will go to one of the relocation dormitories we have set aside, just like everyone else.¡± The Lieutenant looked around Duncan toward the hallway and toward his people in the bedroom. Duncan turned around and looked at Kol, who again had an expression of hopeless defeat in his eyes. ¡°The books, china, and a few personal items are mine and cannot be confiscated under section 11 of seizures.¡± Max held Kol¡¯s portable terminal and was rapidly flitting through virtual pages. ¡°Those belong to me and a standard property seizure never accounts for the belongings of an appointed representative.¡± The lieutenant did not immediately speak. He sighed and exhaled from his nose. ¡°Operative Divenoll made it clear that Mr. Maros had not yet chosen a representative. Now,¡± he rounded on Max. ¡°If you interfere again, without cause, I will take you into custody for obstruction.¡± ¡°Maxwell Maros is my representative.¡± The look of defeat hadn¡¯t left Kol¡¯s eyes, but he raised them to meet the Lieutenant. ¡°When did you make this decision?¡± The Lieutenant asked. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Last night,¡± Kol said. ¡°Cease the seizure.¡± The Lieutenant yelled down the hallway. ¡°Why?¡± A woman called back. ¡°We have three more floors to relocate.¡± ¡°Check-in.¡± The Lieutenant stepped from the living room without so much as a glance at Duncan or the brothers. Duncan watched after the Lieutenant and barely noticed Max approach and take him by the arm. ¡°Duncan, get your things,¡± Max whispered. ¡°They¡¯re moving faster than I expected.¡± ¡°What?¡± Duncan turned toward him. ¡°They will find some pretense to seize your belongings too. I¡¯m surprised they haven¡¯t removed you from your position, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they do. Go gather everything you can¡¯t live without and withdraw the funds you need.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Duncan hadn¡¯t considered himself implicated. This had been Kol¡¯s problem, and he¡¯d strictly been support. ¡°You are my brother¡¯s known confidant,¡± Max said. ¡°You need to be prepared. Now, start thinking. What can¡¯t you live without? It can¡¯t be enough that they notice strange behavior from you. You¡¯re still a Corps member, and I can¡¯t protect you, especially if they assign a new Captain for the Newtown division.¡± Duncan had not considered this possibility, either. He¡¯d discovered the Liberty Corps with Kol, joined with Kol, worked and fought by his side. ¡°Other than me getting my stuff,¡± Duncan said. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Max looked back in the direction of the hallway. The Lieutenant must have gone into Kol¡¯s bedroom to make the call. He could not be heard. Max turned back to Duncan. ¡°Meet us at the old Septa Station in two hours.¡± 38 - Smoke Signals ¡±NetPass sold here!¡± A bearded man, dressed like a circus ringmaster, stood at a raised podium. He brandished a cane in one hand and a handful of thin cards with the other. ¡°NetPass sold here! Enjoy the NewNet! Feel connected for the first time since the collapse.¡± ¡°How did we sleep through this?¡± Enoa shouted over the deafening crowd. Ten stories of the crawler¡¯s interior contained a tiered marketplace with over one hundred stalls, stores, restaurants, performance spaces, and other attractions. All eager to separate passersby from their money. The hallway from the docking bay led down into the Solar Saver Mobile Market Bazaar, only one floor beneath the Aesir. ¡°This crawler has great soundproofing,¡± Orson said. They looked around their current level of marketplace. Other than the broadband salesman, there was a ramen shop, straight out of Kyoto; a stall selling handmade shoes; a glass blower in a heat-sealed compartment, dressed in a quilted suit; and a lawyer, promising legal consultations relevant in all former united territories. ¡°I wonder if all ten levels are like this.¡± Enoa approached the high-railed wall that ran along the far edge of their level of marketplace. She stood on tiptoe to look over. She saw a dizzying display of lights and motion, all extending vertically downward, a mass of compact bodies, moving like schools of fish between businesses and attractions. Someone ran into Enoa, pressed into her bodily, with their full weight. ¡°Hey!¡± She yelled and fell against the glass wall, a perfectly stable and safe structure, but no less unnerving. Enoa spun around and caught sight of the culprit, a teenage boy, eyes consumed with something he was watching on a small tablet. She stepped forward, ready to confront the unconscious teen. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re¡­¡± She stopped speaking when a second person almost slammed into her, this one a middle-aged woman. ¡°Maybe find an internet caf¨¦.¡± Orson caught the woman by one shoulder. ¡°You almost ran into my friend, here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, grabbing someone?¡± She shouted at Orson before pulling away from him. ¡°Freak.¡± She stepped back into the flow of traffic, once again consumed by her phone. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Orson stood beside Enoa at the railing. ¡°Yeah.¡± Her cheeks flushed. ¡°I was just as distracted as the guy who hit me or that lady. I¡¯m like one of the mouth-breathing tourists at Wintertide. I need to watch out before I stop and stare at things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rarely safe to stare.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°But this place is definitely an eye-opener. And in your defense, at least it¡¯s unique, unlike whatever five-year-old, buggy websites those people are looking at.¡± ¡°No bugs on the NewNet!¡± The Ringmaster called to them. ¡°And better security than the old net. Private passcodes per device, encrypting and re-encrypting every twelve hours. Only key-holders have consistent access.¡± The Ringmaster waved the cards toward the two of them. ¡°Only one fifty-nine, ninety-nine.¡± ¡°What¡¯s worth seeing, these days?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Only the latest in the worlds of sports, music, and all entertainment!¡± The man twirled his cane. ¡°The Rock-shock gaming tournament begins tonight, with a few friendly wagers, and the booked Ocean Dancer performance is streaming on the Saver Home app. What thrills are you missing in your life, traveler?¡± ¡°I get all the thrills I need, and more,¡± Orson laughed. ¡°Thanks for the sales pitch. My free business advice, for you ¨C provide seating. It¡¯s only a matter of time before a fight breaks out when one of your customers smacks into somebody meaner than us.¡± ¡°And what about you, miss?¡± The Ringmaster beamed at Enoa. ¡°You seem like someone who can enjoy the new wonders of the rebuilding world. What interests you? We¡¯ll find it on the NewNet!¡± ¡°I¡¯m interested¡­¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m not looking to make a purchase that big, right now. Maybe some other time?¡± She smiled back. Orson had already begun to walk away. ¡°Uh.¡± The Ringmaster looked both surprised and dejected. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Enoa followed after Orson. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s legitimate?¡± She lowered her voice, once she was out of earshot of the Ringmaster. ¡°I could keep up on what¡¯s going on, back home. The local cable company had a limited network so we could still send emails to each other around the county, but I never heard about a new national or even bigger network.¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± He shouldered his way through a crowd of young adults, all clustered together, talking, and staring at their assorted devices. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the logistics involved with maintaining a real internet, much less staying secure. I haven¡¯t been online in about a decade.¡± ¡°A decade?¡± Enoa worked to keep close to Orson. The crowd on the outskirts of the NetPass sales area moved at a frustrated, frenetic pace. ¡°What kept you away?¡± ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°After I was tracked from one side of the country to the other by the Blitzkrieg, I got pretty paranoid.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Enoa said. ¡°If Nimauk Valley Cable still isn¡¯t connected to anything beyond our region, this NewNet won¡¯t help me.¡± She considered asking Orson more questions, logistics mostly, but she lost her chance. The path around that side of the bazaar took them through a boisterous audience surrounding a small band of men and women, singing with a unique guttural technique Enoa had never heard before. From the sound of the intense vocals, the band¡¯s amplified accompaniment, and the crowd¡¯s cheering, Enoa heard nothing else, so did not speak. Orson stopped beside the railing, a distance from the music. He drew a map from his pocket and unfolded it, facing inward toward the massive atrium between the bazaar¡¯s tiers. ¡°Where¡¯d you get the map?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I printed it.¡± Orson traced his finger along the map¡¯s surface. ¡°It¡¯s the official security map I got in the transmission from Pops.¡± Enoa leaned over to see it. The map was disorienting. It presented small color-coded squares, one for each tier of the crawler. Tiny numbers labeled each tier, which corresponded to written descriptions of shops and attractions. All of the writing was magnifying-glass miniscule. ¡°I want to find the fastest way up to the Commodore¡¯s Lounge.¡± Enoa gave up on seeing the map and let her attention wander to the middle of the tiered marketplace, where a thick column with yellow and red light fixtures took up the center of the open area. She didn¡¯t know whether this column was an architectural support or if it housed some form of machinery necessary for the crawler. Light fixtures glowed along its length, fluctuating between more colors, yellow and blue and green. Every third level, supporting beams extended from the column and out toward the balconies. ¡°How many people are in here?¡± Enoa could not believe the sheer power of the sound, even after time to get used to it. ¡°A couple thousand people, sometimes,¡± Orson said. ¡°More when it isn¡¯t moving. It has all kinds of weight sensors.¡± He drew out a chipped number two pencil, only inches long. He circled two spots on the map and drew a line between them. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it.¡± ¡°The Commodore didn¡¯t give you directions?¡± Enoa followed after him when he started walking. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°And I didn¡¯t ask. I¡¯m working to protect this place. I need to see it, and finding my way around is good for business.¡± ¡°Are you tactical about everything?¡± Enoa balked at the idea of thinking that way, thinking constantly about everything, every moment. Was this her future, necessary to survive on the road? ¡°Not everything.¡± He grimaced. ¡°But thinking ahead is the best way to avoid crap.¡± They walked around a group of children watching a puppet show, ¡®supervised¡¯ by their phone-absorbed parents. They skirted the edge of a crowd gathered outside a tiny honky-tonk, competing for seats before the scheduled bluegrass set started. They maneuvered between two rival Manhattan-style hot dog carts. They took an elevator to a higher level, an interior lift that offered a wide view of the many tiers of teeming civilization. They arrived at an area above the bazaar, with wide, glass windows, set between the external solar panels, offering a view of the perpetual traffic jam outside, following the Solar Saver crawler, following new nomadic society. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Orson led Enoa through this wide-open, tiled space, an area that looked like the lobby of an exotic hotel or a ritzy restaurant foyer, a place for the elite and the conspicuously wealthy. This space was empty, except for an ornate fountain, with figures in the design of mythic characters from the world over, a centaur, a Valkyrie, a Loong, but nothing indigenous. Enoa was unsurprised. These mythic figures stood in the shadow of an elegantly-curved staircase. It was built to appear as if the folkloric characters were holding up the stairs. Enoa followed Orson to the foot of these steps, where two armed guards in generic black security uniforms stood. One guard appeared male, the other female, and they were of obviously different ethnic backgrounds, but they stood in the same straight-backed posture and wore the same blank expression on their faces. The guards took one look at Orson and parted for him. Enoa followed him, and they did not stop her, but she snuck a wary glance at the woman and noticed a small, stylized patch on her shoulder, in the shape of a haloed sun. ¡°I don¡¯t care how many trade ports they have.¡± A man yelled somewhere beyond the top of the stairs. ¡°If the ports don¡¯t have anything to send down the river, why should we accept the Mississippi Alliance dollar? They can take their pick, join the Gulf Alliance or the Lakes.¡± Orson and Enoa reached the top of the stairs at the same time and saw another wide, open level, this one filled with tables for seating and tables with food. The diners, mostly older and dressed far better than either traveler, were seated family style, around a large table. The shouting man stood. He wore a suit, but no tie. Both of his meaty hands were pressed onto the table. ¡°I¡¯m tired of our crawlers being trapped by the Mississippi.¡± A woman replied from the head of the table. She trailed off when she caught sight of Orson and Enoa. She smiled at them. ¡°Let¡¯s table this discussion. We finally have some good news.¡± The woman stood. She wore the same black uniform as the security at the base of the stairs, but hers had gold-colored bars on the shoulders. ¡°The Wuyar Archer situation will be resolved before we reach Chicago, right, Captain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to digging into the mystery.¡± Orson walked forward to meet her and offered a handshake. ¡°Captain Orson Gregory of the Aesir.¡± ¡°Commodore Anais Augustin.¡± The Commodore shook his hand. ¡°It¡¯s great to have you aboard, Captain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to be aboard,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I got the time wrong.¡± ¡°Actually, you¡¯re right on time.¡± Augustin nodded. ¡°We had other business to talk about first and the food was ready early. We¡¯ll make sure everything is resupplied for you and your guest.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m looking forward to observing you work. Mr. Darlow has been raving about you and your exploits for as long as I¡¯ve known him.¡± ¡°Pops is nothing if not devoted to marketing,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s been very rewarding having him promoting me to anyone who¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°Pops.¡± Augustin chuckled at the nickname. ¡°If half of what he says is true, you should be more than suited to getting to the bottom of this situation. Although.¡± She glanced at Enoa. ¡°He left us under the impression that you typically work alone.¡± ¡°I typically do,¡± he replied. ¡°This is Enoa Cloud.¡± Enoa stepped forward and also accepted a handshake from the Commodore. ¡°She¡¯s working with me on another investigation. We had an existing agreement when I heard from Pops, but Enoa was kind enough to let me, uh, detour from our business so I could help you. You don¡¯t seem to have much time to resolve your archer problem.¡± ¡°Thank you for allowing a ¡®detour¡¯.¡± The Commodore nodded to Enoa. ¡°I hope we haven¡¯t complicated your own business.¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Enoa hadn¡¯t expected to be put on the spot. She noticed that the entire length of the table was staring at her. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Captain, Mr. Darlow told us about your handiwork against the sinkhole ransom plot, in the Black Hills.¡± Another woman called from the table, on the Commodore¡¯s right-hand. She wore a jade-green dress that matched her eyes and her auburn hair was twisted into an intricate braid. ¡°I actually wrote to Pastor Mallory before Anais committed to offering you the job.¡± ¡°The pastor is very eloquent,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m sure I couldn¡¯t hope for a better job reference.¡± ¡°This is my wife, Adelyn Castillo.¡± The Commodore gestured to the woman. ¡°She¡¯s responsible for our deal with Mr. Darlow¡¯s new business outside Chicago.¡± ¡°I own a restaurant very close to the theater complex Mr. Darlow is building,¡± Castillo explained. ¡°It¡¯s pure luck, really, that I met him at all, so having you here seems very fortuitous.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Orson approached the table and shook Castillo¡¯s hand. ¡°If you can put up with Pops, I shouldn¡¯t bother you too much.¡± Enoa followed after him, unsure whether she should trail along, shaking everyone¡¯s hand, or whether she should simply wait to be seated. ¡°He said the same thing.¡± Castillo laughed. She offered Enoa a handshake, as well, much to her relief. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize Pops was building so close to other businesses,¡± Orson said. ¡°He usually likes to have breathing room around his properties.¡± He leaned toward Enoa. ¡°Pops owns drive-in movie theaters all over North America, and he¡¯s started building more.¡± ¡°Space is at a premium in our neck of the woods,¡± Castillo explained. ¡°Which is usually bad luck, but now?¡± She smiled. ¡°Can we move the introductions along faster?¡± The loud man asked. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll waste our entire bloody afternoon before anything¡¯s settled.¡± ¡°It¡¯s important we take our time to greet Captain Gregory.¡± Another man spoke from further down the table, young, fair-haired, wearing a rich navy suit. Enoa recognized his voice, Thomas, the man who had spoken over the comm, the day before. ¡°Not everything is PR, Tommy.¡± The loud man laughed. ¡°Some of us have business that doesn¡¯t involve worrying what every pleb has to say about decisions they don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Thomas,¡± he replied. ¡°Only Thomas. You know that.¡± ¡°Oh well, if you¡­¡± the loud man began. ¡°Enough,¡± Commodore Augustin interrupted. ¡°We have plenty of enemies already without getting at each others¡¯ throats.¡± She turned back to Orson. ¡°You¡¯ve already spoken to our Communications Director, Thomas Nicks. Our passionate friend is Arnold Chambers. He owns the firm that manufactures most of our equipment.¡± ¡°Glad to have you here, Gregory,¡± Chambers said. ¡°I¡¯m usually happy to have my customers coming back again and again, but I¡¯m getting sick of seeing my time and work blown to hell every other week. Although, if it keeps going on and you fail, Captain, we might finally see Yoshito scowl hard enough to make his eyebrows touch.¡± He pointed down the table. ¡°Arnold,¡± Augustin said. ¡°No amount of financial support gives you the right to treat everyone with such disrespect. Or should I provide Yoshito some revenge for your cheek by having you removed.¡± She locked gazes with the man until he shrugged and sat down. ¡°Orson Gregory meet Yoshito Morita, our head of security.¡± ¡°My experience is strictly corporate security.¡± The white-haired Chief Morita greeted Orson. ¡°And it should be a unique opportunity for my team to work with someone whose own experience is so¡­ eclectic.¡± ¡°I have been involved in some challenging situations,¡± Orson said. ¡°Would it be possible to meet with you and your team, later today? I don¡¯t want to get in the way, but the sooner I¡¯m up to speed, the more help I¡¯m likely to be to you and your people.¡± Enoa was quickly lost in names and credentials, as Orson made his rounds through the notable Solar Saver personalities. He maintained his cheerful greetings, shaking hands, and making small comments to the lawyers, land owners, technicians, scientists, and investors, that kept the Solar Saver operation in motion. Enoa was left wondering again whether this was his natural behavior. She wondered what she¡¯d have to learn to thrive, or even just to survive, away from home. Enoa, for her part, followed after Orson. Some offered her handshakes, as well. Some did not, and she was somewhat lost as to what was appropriate behavior, in her situation. She¡¯d never been exposed to this sort of social event, in her remote small town. ¡°Great!¡± Augustin said. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all acquainted, let¡¯s enjoy the rest of our meal and put business aside, for the time being. The catering should be back soon.¡± But before more food arrived, a young woman in a security uniform appeared at Chief Morita¡¯s shoulder. Enoa had no idea where the officer came from, but whatever she told the security chief prompted an urgent response. Both the officer and Morita walked to the Commodore, before whispering to her in low tones. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to recess for now,¡± Augustin said. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that food is delivered to you. Captain Gregory, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m afraid your services may be required, immediately.¡± Orson walked back along the table toward the Commodore. The rest of the guests quickly stood, gathering food and jackets and other belongings. They exited the room, headed for the stairs or hidden elevators, designed to blend into the walls. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We were about to pass through a small forest, but someone cut down almost thirty trees to block the highway,¡± Augustin said. ¡°We need to bring the whole caravan to a full stop to clear our way. I have to assume this was archer-related. I want all civilians in their vehicles or designated areas. I¡¯m not letting the archers vanish again. Lockdown until the road is cleared, or until we confirm the archers are behind this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± Adelyn Castillo spoke softly, but Enoa was close enough to hear. ¡°Be safe.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Augustin replied. They embraced. ¡°Of¡­¡± ¡°Commodore!¡± Chief Morita called from the window. ¡°We have projectiles over the caravan. I¡¯m mobilizing all ground forces.¡± Enoa turned to the window in time to see the growing cloud of smoke, expanding in the air, outside. Like the message of the day before, it reshaped into words. ORSON GREGORY. WE NEED TO TALK. ¡°Prepare the fans again.¡± Morita drew a radio from his hip. ¡°But first, get a sample of the smoke, if you can. We need to know if it¡¯s toxic.¡± ¡°They have more to say.¡± Orson joined Morita at the far window. Enoa followed after him, suddenly aware that the room had emptied, save for security personnel, Orson, Augustin, and herself. Three other projectiles flew up from the crowd outside, bursting into more clouds of smoke. MEET US AT OUTRIDER EAST. THEN WE¡¯LL FIND YOU. WE¡¯LL SHOW YOU THE TRUTH. 39 - Transmutation Enoa and Orson took an access corridor back to the Aesir. They¡¯d departed the gathering as soon as Chief Morita had marshaled his forces on the ground. The journey back had been brief and quiet. Orson had received a set of keys from Morita and a small pamphlet of information, which he read intently. The access passage ran around the perimeter of the bazaar. It was lit by overhead lighting that cast odd shadows through the girders that arced between the walls. Enoa listened. She could hear motion in the bazaar, but the soundproofed walls offered no hint toward the spirit of the guests, now certainly aware of their danger. Did every person in that market have somewhere to go, where they might be reasonably safe? What about the shop owners? Some of the more notable businesses had their own exits into the access passage, but they saw only one shopowner as they passed, a haggard-looking man in an apron. ¡°I¡¯ll find out whether you¡¯ve been approved for the private room, where you can train.¡± Orson led her back onto the Aesir and set the cooler of food they¡¯d been given onto the table. ¡°Are you headed out to look for those archers?¡± She sat down at the table and drew her fruit plate out of the cooler. She¡¯d put it together while Orson had been planning logistics. ¡°That¡¯s the gig.¡± He walked back to his bunk. Enoa ate a strawberry. For some reason, she felt more fear than she had at any earlier point of her adventure. Even the showdown at the Nimauk rec center had been such a fast-paced, desperate endeavor that she¡¯d had no time for fear. But now, she feared the constant state of danger and chaos that erupted around her. Was life dangerous everywhere? She feared learning how to maneuver her way through the weird world. Most of all, she feared the start of her training. She feared her own expectations, Aunt Su¡¯s expectations. She wanted to learn. She wanted to have learned, past tense. She wanted herself established, her uphill climb of learning and uncertainty concluded. Had Orson gone through this, once? He emerged from his room, dressed in his usual gear, with his armored coat, his repulsor boot, and his sword at his back. ¡°For now, this is your designated safe area. I¡¯m still not sure if I can raise the shields in here, but our duralumin hull is really strong.¡± He forced a small laugh. ¡°Try not to blow anything up.¡± ¡°Have a good day at work!¡± She tried to sound genuinely enthused and mostly sounded manic. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s see what these outriders are like.¡± He walked to the dashboard and pulled out one of the commlinks. Then he gathered a handful of other devices and loaded them into his pockets. ¡°Do you remember how to get ahold of me with the dashboard comm?¡± ¡°I do,¡± she said. ¡°You still need to teach me how to use the handsets.¡± ¡°The controls are mostly the same.¡± He took his own breakfast from the takeout bag and transferred it to a small, refrigerated case. ¡°Why don¡¯t you check in after a couple hours and try to use a handset, see how it goes?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She ate a piece of apple. ¡°Talk to you later. Be safe.¡± ¡°You too.¡± He walked from the ship, allowing the door to cycle shut behind him. Enoa finished her food. Then she changed. She had purchased workout clothing for her training before she¡¯d left home, an assortment of lightweight tops and shorts and leggings. She¡¯d also bought two new sweatshirts, cheesy, souvenir sweatshirts from one of the small gift shops on the outskirts of Nimauk. These had been spur-of-the-moment purchases, and she¡¯d probably wasted money, but she also had no idea what her new training would entail, and just seeing the familiar Wintertide Festival logo transported her back to comfort and safer times. Enoa retrieved the used yoga mat her friend Megan had loaned her. She spread this out across free space on the Aesir¡¯s floor. She sat her staff next to the mat. She knew she couldn¡¯t do anything that might damage the Aesir, but she wasn¡¯t sure exactly what the staff did, so she thought it was better to keep her eye on it. Then she set up the film projector and screen, before looking through her aunt¡¯s films. She and Orson had separated the films that contained evidence of IHSA activities from those that were recently recorded, those that had been left behind for her training. The Hierarchia films were noticeably older and the interior of the cases contained a small letter I. The training films, on the other hand, were all numbered. Enoa struggled to find the number one film. She knew she should take the time to put them all in order, but she wasn¡¯t sure when she¡¯d have the energy for such tedious work. When she located the correct reel, she loaded it into the projector and officially began her training. In the push to gather evidence against Tucker, she and Orson had quickly distinguished the two types of films. She hadn¡¯t watched any of the training set. Enoa expected to see her aunt toward the end of her life, already ill or soon to be. The image that appeared, projected on the screen, showed the Sucora from ten or fifteen years earlier, the way she¡¯d looked in Enoa¡¯s childhood. She stood in front of her desk, in the hidden room beneath the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. ¡°Hey, kiddo,¡± Sucora said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll ever see this. But I guess if I do show you, you¡¯ll probably already know the full truth.¡± She ran her hand through her hair, then long enough to fall to the small of her back. ¡°When I ran away from the Dreamthought Project, I knew I would spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, but I never thought I¡¯d have to fear normal people finding out what I¡¯d been a part of, or worrying how you would learn about me. I thought my secrets were mine to keep¡­ If you¡¯re watching this in thirty years, a number of old IHSA files were just leaked, several thousand files, actually. It changed every one of my plans. If anything came of these events, I obviously don¡¯t know, but this was the Tobias Nation leak, if that means anything to you. None of those files reference me or the Dreamside Road, but so many things have happened I would never have believed. I never thought¡­¡± She trailed off. Sucora Cloud reached to the desk behind her and picked up a small silver object around the size of a television remote. She held the object out in front of her and waved it through the air. The object grew, extended, in the blink of an eye. It turned into Sucora¡¯s staff, Enoa¡¯s staff. Enoa ran forward and stopped the projector. She picked up the staff, held it, ran her fingers along the metal. She could feel no obvious seams or places the object might collapse. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Eventually, Enoa gave up and set the staff aside. She resumed the film. ¡°If someone leaks what we did,¡± Sucora said. ¡°It was a different time. It was complicated. Who would ever think the IHSA would lose? But people wouldn¡¯t understand, and I want to tell my side of the story, even if you¡¯re the only one who will hear it, Enoa. And I want to show you the incredible things I¡¯ve learned.¡± Sucora propped the staff against the desk. She reached out her right hand, palm up. A circle appeared in the air above Sucora¡¯s hand. The circle moved, undulating slightly, like a bubble. Light reflected off of it. Enoa thought the film had skipped. Sucora hadn¡¯t moved. She had shown no signs of physical effort. Sucora had made something from thin air with as much strain as it would have taken her to flip a light switch. This was effortless control, magic by almost any definition. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯ll keep this power to myself,¡± Sucora said. ¡°Or if I¡¯ll try to teach you, if you¡¯re interested. I¡¯ve struggled with this your whole life. But¡­ if you want to learn ¨C let¡¯s get started.¡± Sucora extended her left hand. The bubble changed, twisted into a stream of running water. The water flowed, arced in the air between Sucora¡¯s hands. When it reached her left hand, it swirled in a circle, once again becoming a transparent bubble. ¡°First, let¡¯s look at how to transmute water from the air around you.¡± * * * Max spent the train ride verbalizing his legal strategy and writing it down. Duncan wasn¡¯t sure whether the elder Maros brother was trying to explain his argument for the hearing, whether he was practicing his wording, or if Max was simply speaking his thoughts aloud. ¡°Ultimately,¡± Max said. ¡°It comes down to whether we can convince the disciplinary board that Kol was within his rights in seeking out notable salvage from the IHSA. If we can do that, and they aren¡¯t biased against him due to the amount of money spent on those aircraft, he should be acquitted.¡± Duncan tried to pay attention, regardless of Max¡¯s purpose, but he found that attention repeatedly drawn back to Kol. The younger brother had seldom spoken since their departure from Newtown. He stared out the window at the cold rain that flirted with becoming a snowfall. He watched the empty landscape, the scattered houses, the few vehicles on nearby roads. ¡°I think they¡¯ll let me do the talking.¡± Max sat opposite them, in one of the booth spots that could be raised to accommodate a wheelchair. Every free space was loaded in his notes and paperwork. ¡°But you should start thinking about your own statement, Kol.¡± The younger brother did not respond, his eyes still fixed out the window. ¡°Kol, are you listening to me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± he replied. ¡°Of course, I am. I¡¯m thinking about what I can say¡­ say at the hearing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Max asked. ¡°You look like you snuck a third cookie. We can¡¯t have you in your guilty place. There¡¯s too much to decide.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about Enoa Cloud. We¡­¡± Kol rubbed at his eyes with his fists and took a deep sigh. ¡°She lost her home because of the Liberty Corps. Just like I did. I can¡¯t stop thinking about it. I¡¯m no different than that lieutenant, earlier, who threw me out.¡± ¡°Lost her home?¡± Max¡¯s posture went rigid. His expression lost its energy, leaving him stone-faced. He reached for one of his files. Kol fell silent again, but now his attention was focused on his brother. Duncan also did not speak. He didn¡¯t know what to say, either, and he knew better than to discuss certain Corps business with a civilian, even a veteran of the former Armed Forces. The train sounded eerily quiet without Max¡¯s voice. Few other passengers took that train, since the Liberty Corps had commandeered the rail line. The noises from the train¡¯s machinery and the distant murmur of other people¡¯s speech fell away into the background. Suddenly, Max flipping through files and pages became the only relevant sound. Duncan glanced at Kol and found his friend equally stony-faced. ¡°Your report.¡± Max drew out a page. ¡°You state that the, and I¡¯m quoting here, the ¡®Sight-Stealers¡¯ set Enoa Cloud¡¯s home and place of business on fire.¡± Max set the relevant page on his lap. ¡°Is this the truth?¡± ¡°The Sight¡­¡± Kol began. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°And you thought that it was reasonable to help this Tucker bamboozle the town of Nimauk in exchange for his help?¡± Max wouldn¡¯t take his eyes from his younger brother¡¯s face. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°Tucker was the only thing keeping them safe,¡± Kol said. ¡°He made sure they got most of the supplies they needed. That¡¯s the only reason I discovered him, because he¡¯d threatened someone to keep Nimauk in a supply loop from Philly and killed at least once to stop those supplies from being stolen. It seemed like¡­¡± ¡°And that justifies arson?¡± Max interrupted. ¡°No,¡± Kol said. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°That justifies displacing this poor young woman?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°That justifies the potentially lethal force taken by your men against anyone who opposed them, when they were operating in secret, with no mandate, no lawful rule but the law of might? Do I have a clear picture of your thinking?¡± ¡°Now come on, Max.¡± Duncan sat forward. ¡°You have your safe home, but it¡¯s a rough world out there, now. It¡¯s not like it used to be with civilized governments posturing and shooting spitballs at each other.¡± ¡°I remember you in diapers, Duncan.¡± Max did not look away from his brother. ¡°Don¡¯t try to talk down to me, like I¡¯m a child. What oath did you swear, the two of you?¡± ¡°Our oath?¡± Kol raised his head. ¡°Yes,¡± Max said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a copy of it in your paperwork, and that surprised me.¡± ¡°What about it?¡± Duncan had a crumpled copy of the oath in his carryon bag. It had been there for years, since he¡¯d forced himself to memorize it before he and Kol had taken the induction exam. Duncan had a strong suspicion he didn¡¯t want Max to read it. ¡°Does the Liberty Corps still swear by the Constitution?¡± Max asked. ¡°No,¡± Kol and Duncan answered, as one. ¡°How about the Charter for the League of Earth¡¯s Nations? That has some real wisdom in there.¡± ¡°No,¡± Kol said. ¡°The Geneva Conventions? International Law? Local Law? Basic morality?¡± They did not respond. He looked back and forth between the younger men. ¡°Let me guess, your oath is to the Liberty Corps, itself, pure and simple, and whatever they tell you, goes. Corps Command could decide literally anything, and you would justify it and do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯m staying with the organization,¡± Duncan announced. ¡°But you¡¯re not being totally fair, Max. The oath is just something that was instituted because it¡¯s like the old world. What was there to swear on, a couple years ago?¡± ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± Max asked. ¡°Any oath taken, just for the sake of having one, is no oath at all. Any oath taken without belief is no oath. Let¡¯s be very clear, the Liberty Corps is not the military of the United States or of any other real nation.¡± ¡°Not everything the Armed Forces did was peachy, either,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Same goes for all of our allies. We do what we have to do. I¡¯m sure you did too, back when you were in intelligence.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not arguing sainthood for myself or anyone I know,¡± Max said. ¡°But there¡¯s an inarguable difference between holding your morality and the innocent of your civilization in mind when you must navigate a morally challenging world and what the Liberty Corps is doing. I never burned down an innocent person¡¯s home, just to get what I wanted. I will carry my failures with me, every day. The Liberty Corps dresses like we did and talks like we did, but you¡¯re in a cult, boys.¡± ¡°Um.¡± A woman spoke from just behind Max. He started, surprised, and turned to find her there. He eyed her attendant uniform, blue, with a matching headband that was plainly designed to evoke a Liberty Corps rifleman¡¯s helmet. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry,¡± Max said. ¡°Just a heated discussion among family and friends. I apologize for the disruption.¡± She looked from Max to Duncan and then to Kol. The younger Maros met her stare. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Kol said. ¡°We¡¯ve had a long few days.¡± ¡°Very long,¡± Max agreed. ¡°Of course,¡± she said. ¡°Could I help any of you to some refreshments?¡± ¡°No, thank you,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m all set.¡± Duncan tapped at the water bottle in the mesh holder on the side of his bag. ¡°I¡¯d love a cup of tea, if you have it,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯ll check.¡± She nodded and walked away, down the aisle. ¡°If I help you.¡± Max waited until the woman was out of earshot, before speaking. ¡°If. Then you are done with the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°Come on!¡± Duncan didn¡¯t see much resistance coming from Kol. ¡°We built Newtown Division. And regardless what oath we took, we¡¯ve done good. We might leave, but we shouldn¡¯t be forced into it.¡± ¡°I love you like family, Duncan,¡± Max said. ¡°But I¡¯m representing my brother. And if my brother wants my help with his hearing, this is my price.¡± 40. The Wuyar Archers The Outrider vehicle looked like something out of retro avant garde art. It was tall, white, and mostly vertical, with three treads, and four spinning antenna towers sticking out from the top. There was also a railed maintenance deck at the rear, with a door into the vehicle and a ladder up to the sensor towers. When the Thopter arrived at the unresponsive Outrider East, Orson and his Solar Saver security escort found the vehicle smoking, its driver tied in the cab¡¯s passenger seat. ¡°This is why I don¡¯t like self-driving stuff,¡± he said to the gunner beside him. ¡°It¡¯s self-guiding.¡± The pilot spoke over her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to be self-driving. I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s doing this.¡± The Solar Saver crew had seated Orson in the glass-shielded, passenger-side rumble seat of a Thopter, between its pilot and rear gunner. Another security officer sat on the opposite side, with his back to Orson. All four occupants faced outward through the vehicle¡¯s lowered shielding, one transparent bubble over each occupant. All Solar Saver aerial defense officers wore uniforms with orange stripes down the arm, heavy helmets, and translucent orange blast shields that lowered over their eyes. ¡°How are we going to get alongside it, if it¡¯s still moving?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Standard speed for the Outriders is twenty-five kilometers per hour,¡± the pilot said. ¡°It¡¯s going only half that speed. I can maintain level course. That¡¯s no problem.¡± The pilot did as she promised and maintained a fixed pace beside the trundling machine. ¡°What happened to the defense escort, though? I don¡¯t see any sign of them on our scopes.¡± ¡°If you want to check on them.¡± Orson looked down at the Outrider and the smoke that rose in slow plumes from one of its antenna. ¡°I should be able to land on that access ledge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s against protocol,¡± the pilot said. ¡°You can¡¯t go in there alone, without Class Five Clearance.¡± ¡°Is that an Outrider thing or an everywhere thing?¡± Orson asked. ¡°My materials didn¡¯t say anything about needing a constant babysitter.¡± ¡°We¡¯re glad¡­ Captain.¡± A female voice called from the Outrider, projected out of some unseen speaker. It was a distant sound, muffled by both the roar of the Thopter¡¯s propellers and the craft¡¯s hull, designed to protect passengers from the propeller noise. ¡°But we¡¯d...¡± ¡°Do you have your own speaker that we can project my voice at them?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Of course I do,¡± the pilot said. ¡°We use these for crowd control around the crawler. Can you be sure they aren¡¯t already listening in?¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°This isn¡¯t my bird. I don¡¯t know when it¡¯s being gamed. Please hit your speaker.¡± The pilot pressed down a key on her console. ¡°Hello, archers,¡± Orson directed his comment to the microphone and the Wuyar Archer-controlled Outrider. ¡°I need you to turn up your speaker volume. I can¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°Hello, Captain. I hope this is better,¡± the voice said, now loud enough to hear inside the Thopter. ¡°We¡¯d hoped you¡¯d come alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s life, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯d hoped there would actually be a human being waiting here, but what can ya do? Let¡¯s not waste time. What do you want? To my knowledge, you¡¯ve introduced yourselves, but you haven¡¯t provided any demands to the Solar Saver crew.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been very clear,¡± the voice said. ¡°Cease operations west of the Appalachian Mountains. Stop stealing land and property and resources. Stop sacrificing lives for your new empire.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to be more specific than that.¡± Orson tapped the pilot on the shoulder, and she released the receiver button. ¡°I¡¯m going in. I¡¯d like to take your guard with me. He can get us inside through that back door, and then I won¡¯t mess with your rules.¡± ¡°I have some names for you, if you¡¯ll remember them or can write them down.¡± The female voice spoke from the Outrider. Orson tapped the pilot on the shoulder again and pointed for the receiver. ¡°I need to know what you did to the security escort before I listen to anything.¡± ¡°They¡¯re safe,¡± the voice said. ¡°Unlike your employers, we¡¯re not killers. But there isn¡¯t much time. If you want the truth, that conversation starts right now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t usually carry a notebook on me for this sort of thing,¡± Orson called. ¡°Gimme a minute, alright?¡± He tapped the pilot¡¯s shoulder and readied the small voice recorder in his coat¡¯s left, inner-breast pocket. ¡°How would you get us down there?¡± the guard asked. ¡°We could land, and I could fly us over with my repulsor,¡± Orson explained. ¡°Do you know the controls of that thing?¡± ¡°Why else would I be singled out to be here?¡± the guard said. ¡°Geez.¡± Orson readied his repulsor. ¡°No need to bite my head off.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need you here,¡± the guard said. ¡°Is now really the time for this?¡± the pilot said. ¡°Landing won¡¯t work. We don¡¯t know where the archers are, and our guns are next to useless on the ground.¡± ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll have to fly us down.¡± Orson tried to judge the distance between the Thopter and the Outrider. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t exactly hang onto me.¡± ¡°While we¡¯re still above open fields,¡± the pilot said. ¡°I can keep you just five feet above the antennas. With your repulsor, you might be able to hang onto each other and jump.¡± ¡°Are you ready, Captain?¡± the voice called from the Outrider. ¡°I¡¯m sure your bosses will be trying to get inside this vehicle, and we¡¯re not ready to lose you yet.¡± ¡°Report in, please,¡± the voice of Commodore Augustin spoke in Orson¡¯s earpiece. ¡°Do we know why they haven¡¯t checked in?¡± Orson pressed the earpiece. ¡°I¡¯m working on finding out.¡± Orson turned back to the guard. ¡°What are we doing? I can fly down myself and cut in with my sword, but that will do some damage and break the rules.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± the guard said. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. But if you drop me, there are still enough lawyers around that you¡¯ll be putting my kids through school.¡± ¡°How do I get to him?¡± Orson ignored the guard. ¡°Does the seat back slide out of the way?¡± ¡°You can lower the seat backs, so you can climb through to his side,¡± the gunner nodded. ¡°Thanks,¡± Orson said. He set his hand on the divider between the seats. ¡°How do¡­¡± The durable, uncomfortable, plastic seat backing began to slide away into the bottom of the Thopter. Orson was suddenly and keenly aware that he was sitting on an aircraft about thirty feet above the ground, unsupported by anything but a plastic seat and a foot or so of metal and wiring. ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± the guard said. ¡°Progress?¡± Augustin asked, through the earpiece. ¡°When I have something to write home about,¡± Orson replied to the Commodore. ¡°You¡¯ll be the first to know.¡± He turned to the guard. ¡°Let¡¯s get these shields out of the way. Then you can slide to the front of your seat.¡± The guard nodded. Orson and the guard pressed against their glass canopies, raising them away from the sides of the Thopter. The cold February air entered the Thopter, as well as overwhelming noise from the propellers. Orson was surprised how little sound leaked through the shielding. How loud was the Outrider¡¯s speaker? The guard slid forward. Orson turned around, now kneeling on his seat, repulsor facing outward. He pulled up his hood and visor. ¡°Nice mask,¡± the guard shouted and rolled his eyes. ¡°Do you want me to drop you? Hard to prove.¡± Orson took the guard under the arms. ¡°We ready?¡± The pilot gave a thumbs up. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Orson ignited his repulsor. He shot them both into the air. The guard yelled as they flew free of the Thopter. Orson was also surprised how fast they plummeted, as they entered the controlled fall. They wobbled from side to side, as they dropped. He was not used to supporting almost two hundred pounds of guard, and they almost fell beneath the level of the maintenance deck. Orson sent a brief burst to the repulsor, angling up for the platform. He feared he actually could drop the guard and triggered a second burst. Orson almost slammed the man into the rear ladder, but he grabbed hold of one of the rungs. Above the platform, Orson released the guard and gradually deactivated the repulsor. He dropped to the deck. ¡°Why in hell do you have only one jet?¡± The guard asked, as he climbed down the ladder, toward the rear door. ¡°Just what I¡¯m used to,¡± Orson said. ¡°I only had the full set for a few hours.¡± ¡°I thought we were talking.¡± The woman spoke from the Outrider¡¯s speaker. She spoke loudly, but not at the obscene volume she must have used to be heard inside the Thopter. Orson could think of only one explanation for the change in volume. ¡°We¡¯re really disappointed, Captain. Everyone talks about you like a hero, ¡®oh he did this, he did that¡¯. But we¡¯re just seeing a corporate stooge.¡± ¡°I want a peaceful resolution to this situation.¡± Orson pointed the guard toward the small hatch, set into the rear of the Outrider. The guard nodded and pressed at the door, but it did not move. ¡°What did the Solar Saver do to deserve being targeted for destruction?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I¡¯m ready to take down your evidence, if you¡¯re ready to give it.¡± He watched the guard pull a small, thin stylus from his utility belt and insert it into a groove between the door and the hull. ¡°We know you¡¯re breaking into the Outrider,¡± the voice said. ¡°Trying to break in before we talk doesn¡¯t make it seem like you care what we have to say.¡± ¡°You could have this thing full of dead bodies for all I know,¡± Orson said. ¡°Every violent nutcase on the planet says they¡¯ve got a good reason to do what they¡¯re doing, but not many of them do. Give me details if you want me to take this seriously.¡± ¡°Are you ready to take down names?¡± she asked. ¡°Oh,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m definitely ready to take names.¡± To his surprise, the voice laughed. Orson reached in his pocket and started recording. ¡°Go ahead.¡± He looked down to the guard and found him still fumbling with the stylus. Orson wondered if he¡¯d be forced to cut open the door, anyway, once he¡¯d gotten the information from the archers. ¡°Look at the Rojas Massacre.,¡± the voice said. ¡°Look into the New Father Road Project. Look at the current negotiations between Solar Saver and the Mississippi Alliance. And learn about Sabres Unlimited. You¡¯ll be on our side, when you learn the truth.¡± ¡°Stop your hostilities for a week,¡± Orson said. ¡°I need time to look into this and, if possible, to put together some kinda solution. Can I have that?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know you, and everyone with Solar Saver is either too dumb to help, too ambitious to trust, or downright evil. Learn what you can, but we will not stop.¡± ¡°How will I do research if I need to spend every waking minute chasing you?¡± Orson asked. ¡°One other thing, give me a way to contact you. I am getting to the bottom of this, no matter what I find, but I might need to reach you.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°The Thopter guard is almost inside the Outrider. He worked fast. This is good-bye for now, Captain Gregory. Happy hunting.¡± She was right. The guard had forced the stylus into the hatch. With a strained whine, the door opened onto the darkened interior of the Outrider. The guard drew a pistol from his hip. ¡°Nice work,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I think I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± The guard scowled under his helmet, but did not speak. Orson triggered the blaster to move from his sleeve into his hand. Then he approached the door and scanned it with his HUD. He cautiously went inside. The interior of the Outrider was empty. As he suspected, the archers were projecting from some remote location. Orson found himself in a room full of scientific equipment, sensors, monitors, and readouts. It looked retro Space Age with displays that were utilitarian and graphically primitive. Orson heard the guard stepping into the Outrider behind him. ¡°We¡¯re in, Commodore,¡± Orson triggered his earpiece. ¡°It looks like it really is going along remotely. I¡¯m not sure about the source of the smoke, not yet.¡± ¡°Keep me posted,¡± she said. ¡°One other thing, I heard you speak to that woman and the information she provided you. I have to say I¡¯m not very comforted by how quick you were to take interest in their excuses for violence.¡± ¡°Can we talk about this when I get back?¡± Orson had not kept his earpiece active and wondered whether the guard had been sent along as a microphone. ¡°I think I found something.¡± There was an odd device, looking like a cheap Halloween spider, stretching long legs and webbing across the Outrider¡¯s main controls. ¡°What is this?¡± Orson gestured to the guard and then to the ¡®spider¡¯. ¡°I have no idea.¡± The guard advanced. ¡°This is nothing I¡¯ve seen before.¡± ¡°It looks almost homemade,¡± Orson said. ¡°I know you folks want your stuff working again, but I think it¡¯s best not to touch it until we know what we¡¯re dealing with here.¡± But they didn¡¯t get to learn what they were dealing with, because the ¡®spider¡¯ burst into flame. At the same time, the Outrider began to slow, and the lighting on the scientific displays winked out. ¡°Do you have an emergency oxygen supply or air filter?¡± Orson asked the guard, as he pulled his bandana up to his face, making sure its attached filter fit across his mouth. The guard did not answer. He was already fitting a gas mask over his face. Orson drew a flame retardant pellet from his own belt, from the pouch beside his Stink Set. He tossed the pellet. It burst and filled the air with a caustic spray. Orson could see through his HUD that the flames had been extinguished. The pellet had succeeded, but not in time. Nothing remained of the archers¡¯ device but melted plastic. The Outrider came to a stop. * * * ¡°Remember what I taught you,¡± Sucora spoke from the film. ¡°Remember the place of peace and calm. Breathe. Find that place.¡± Enoa sat cross-legged on the mat, hands held out in front of her. She tried to quiet her fears. She tried to ignore the self-conscious embarrassment she felt, trying to maneuver the strange adventuring world, with Orson. She struggled to silence the fears of her violent new environment, the omnipresent dangers that she¡¯d found everywhere since she¡¯d left home. She fought to silence her misgivings, her feelings of disbelief, her doubts in learning the Shaping. ¡°Breathe,¡± Sucora said again. She¡¯d left long spaces of recorded silence on the film, times where she gave only brief, guiding instructions. Sucora Cloud had truly recorded this film with the intention of it being used while her niece began her studies. Enoa wondered if all of the training films were like this. ¡°Breathe. You will know when you find that place. There is no hurry to find it. Take your time. Go as slowly as you need. The energy you will feel existed before us, before all of us, and it will still be when we are memory.¡± Enoa followed the repetitive words. She found her mental place of meditation, the place she¡¯d made for herself as a child, when her aunt had persuaded her into bouts of these mental exercises. Enoa imagined herself in a spring glade outside Nimauk, a place that was itself half-memory, and half-imagined. She felt the grass beneath her bare feet, smelled flowers, and heard the distant song of birds and life, thriving around her. Sucora had guided Enoa through the growth of this mental place, all her life, as long as she could remember, following old Nimauk belief. Enoa found this place again. The focus and calm came easier to her as a young adult. Now, the Nimauk glade carried the nostalgia of home, like a reunited loved one¡¯s warm embrace. Enoa had also learned will and patience. This was training she could not have followed even two years earlier. Adventure had called her when she was ready to learn. That was a gift. It felt like fate, as much as she believed in fate. And then, even those self-satisfied, comforting thoughts left her. Enoa was in the imagined glade as much as she was in any real place, though she still heard the recorded Sucora¡¯s occasional guiding words. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Sucora asked. ¡°I am,¡± Enoa said, under her breath. ¡°Show me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you need to turn back and keep working on your breathing,¡± Sucora said. ¡°There is no hurry.¡± Enoa waited for the recording to move on. ¡°Good. If you¡¯re ready, close your eyes, if you have them open. Some things are easier to see with your mind than with your eyes. Sight is the most mundane sense, and it can hopelessly tie your true potential to the mundane reality you¡¯ve witnessed all your life. Don¡¯t let it.¡± Enoa kept her eyes closed. ¡°Now,¡± Sucora said. ¡°Cup your hands as you would to catch water.¡± Enoa did so. ¡°Good. Leave them like that and imagine you¡¯ve placed them in a stream or a river, a fast-moving water. It¡¯s cold and difficult to catch.¡± Enoa found the spring she always heard in her meditative place, clear water, cool. She placed her cupped hands into the water, felt its flow and motion, felt the hints of other life around her. ¡°Lift your hands from the water, slowly,¡± Sucora commanded. ¡°Concentrate. Feel the water in your hands. Be careful not to spill the water.¡± Sucora¡¯s voice was all that tethered Enoa to her physical reality, in the Aesir. She wasn¡¯t on an old yoga mat. She sat in grass, in loamy soil beside a stream. Her hands were in the stream. She pulled her hands free and held water. ¡°Now, open your eyes.¡± Enoa looked at her cupped hands. She held water, real water, though not much, just enough for her to know that this was real. This was not a mental trick, not an illusion. Enoa had pulled water from the air, and she held it in her hands. ¡°If you didn¡¯t succeed the first time,¡± Sucora said. ¡°Rewind and make sure to find that place of peace. But if you succeeded, then you¡¯ve pulled water from the air. You made condensation happen in your hands, changed matter from one state to another. Transmutation.¡± ¡°Transmutation.¡± Enoa repeated. She tried to keep her mind in the trance-like, Dreamside Road place. It was hard not to congratulate herself and lose her focus. ¡°Hold onto the water. Feel this. Remember this feeling.¡± Enoa¡¯s bracelet projected a hologram in front of her.
Wow (new user)! Transmutation already!
RANK: Advanced Beginner
LEVEL: 4
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
The bracelet¡¯s projection broke the spell. Enoa was startled by the sudden light. Her concentration evaporated. Her mind left the place of peace. Awareness of the real world slammed back into her. She heard the distant whirring of the Solar Saver, a slight beeping from somewhere in the Aesir, machinery. Even the feeling of the mat beneath her, rather than grass, came as a disorienting surprise. She felt suddenly claustrophobic, sitting in the camper. When she became aware of Sucora again, her aunt was midsentence. ¡°¡­ this isn¡¯t an easy thing to learn. This is a hard first step, but once you do this, you¡¯ve made that leap. You¡¯ve changed the world with nothing but your will, your mind, and your spirit. ¡°When you do this, you¡¯re a Shaper, kiddo.¡± 41 - Anemos ¡°If you completed the transmutation,¡± Sucora said. ¡°That¡¯s the first step. Everything builds on that. That is the fundamental foundation to everything I learned and everything I¡¯ll teach you. Take your time and only move on when you¡¯re ready.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know whether she was ready. Was the small amount of water she¡¯d manipulated enough to move on, if only just to see the steps that lay ahead? This was the shortcoming of her pre-recorded training style. Enoa, ultimately, would be the final judge of her own progress. ¡°I want to take a little time to explain what you just did,¡± Sucora said. ¡°I waited on purpose, because I¡¯m afraid if I relate the theory of how Shaping works, it might take you away from your ability to actually do it.¡± She waved to the camera, waved to Enoa across the years. From her fingertips, water appeared in the air, drops of water that danced and wove between her fingers, bobbing up and down as they went, as if marching. Then the drops of water faded away, with brief, but visible, bursts of vapor. ¡°Some people learned better once we had a theory about the Shaping, what it really was ¨C and that was the whole point, the IHSA wanted to quantify all of the anomalies they found across the world.¡± Sucora lifted her staff again and held it horizontal in front of her. With a slight whooshing sound, the staff collapsed back into a small handle. ¡°I appreciate the merits of explaining mysteries and learning, but I have the best results when I feel like I¡¯m tapping into nature, like I¡¯ve found a secret.¡± She smiled. ¡°Magic, if you like that name.¡± Enoa assumed that the practical part of her lesson was complete, at least temporarily. She dried her hands on the towel she kept in her workout bag, and she turned back toward the screen. ¡°At the end of our project,¡± Sucora said. ¡°It became the belief of the IHSA that most of what we know as magic, is actually, simply, an influence the human mind can exert on the bonds between the molecules and atoms around us, that we tap into the energy in the world, the power that exists everywhere. Of course, this doesn¡¯t explain why most of us need to specialize in an element, or rarely, a handful of elements.¡± Sucora raised her hand. The water drops coalesced again and resumed their little marching dance. ¡°When I say elements, I don¡¯t mean the classical four or the periodic table. I mean the basic types of bonds we wielded in our studies.¡± Sucora closed her hand and the drops of water let out a burst of steam. When the steam cleared, Enoa saw the water droplets had all turned to ice. The ice melted away, and in a second burst of steam, the water transformed again. The steam spun in a slow, lazy circle above Sucora¡¯s head, like a rough astronomical depiction of some distant galaxy. ¡°This is Anemos,¡± Sucora continued. ¡°Greek for wind, even though that¡¯s not really what this is. I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to tell you, that a lot of the western culture that¡¯s taken over is Greek and Latin-obsessed, even when it makes absolutely no sense.¡± She rolled her eyes, sarcastically. ¡°Here¡¯s how I reconcile it ¨C Anemos is ephemeral and elusive, wind to water to ice, the constant cycle from sky to earth and back.¡± She drew her compressed staff. ¡°Even this.¡± The staff extended. ¡°Pressurized air.¡± She spun the staff. ¡°Anemos is versatility, like us, like our people. The Nimauk¡¯s embrace of change taught me a power that, let¡¯s face it, is way more useful than the lugs I worked with who spent their days throwing rocks at each other.¡± She laughed, and Enoa laughed with her. ¡°I think it¡¯s cooler too.¡± Sucora swung the staff through the air. ¡°So, what do you think? Would you like to learn more?¡± * * * ¡°Can we talk, a minute?¡± Orson asked. He found Commodore Augustin waiting for the Thopter when it returned to the Solar Saver crawler. Unlike the interior pad where the Aesir had landed, the Thopters parked on small helipads that extended horizontally from the crawler¡¯s sides. The pads retracted back inside the crawler, once the Thopters had landed. ¡°We need to go through some more details.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She eyed him with an expression he could not read. ¡°Yes, we do.¡± The Thopter pilot handed Augustin a thin file that the Commodore did not look at. ¡°My office?¡± She didn¡¯t look at the pilot, either. ¡°Sounds great.¡± Orson forced a smile. She nodded and led him away. Orson shifted his grip on the temperature-sealed case that still held his omelet and toast, ever since he¡¯d left the Aesir. He¡¯d hoped he¡¯d finally have time for his breakfast, but he also hadn¡¯t expected an opportunity to speak with Augustin. He assumed she¡¯d be too consumed with the day¡¯s events, the damage to the Outrider, and the disappearance of the Outrider¡¯s escort. Commodore Augustin entered one of the external maintenance passageways and wound along the outside of the bazaar. Orson had, over the years, encountered individuals who claimed special skills at reading people, knowing body language, even feeling moods in others. Orson had no such skills and could only wonder what Augustin¡¯s response would be to his intention of investigating the archers¡¯ claims. Regardless, Orson wasn¡¯t one to let himself be cowed by anyone¡¯s displeasure. He¡¯d known the luxury of true independence for too long. ¡°I rejected the top-floor office,¡± Augustin said. ¡°It seemed better to me, somehow, that I would be surrounded by everyone who makes this operation possible, and by the machinery of the crawler.¡± They arrived at the end of the access hallway, and she unlocked a narrow door. Augustin¡¯s office was small, like most rooms aboard the crawler, but it maximized its space. The walls were lined with a complex filing system, with rolling carts full of individual drawers of files, like an adjustable miniature library. Her desk had a few personal touches, framed photos, and a vintage typewriter. Her window gave a modest view of the fields outside. Orson noted that it had begun to snow again, and the local grasslands were slowly being buried. Orson was normally nonplussed by weather, but this consistent snow, following him everywhere, felt stifling. The grass still peeked through the slushy accumulation, but the white skies promised more precipitation. Orson wondered what would happen to the people slogging through the traffic, outside. ¡°Please, sit down,¡± Augustin gestured to a cushioned metal chair on the opposite side of her desk. She took her own seat. ¡°I do have some good news,¡± she said. ¡°The Outrider¡¯s security detail has been found about twenty miles back along the highway. Their truck¡¯s been sabotaged, and all four officers were bound, but they¡¯re unhurt.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really good news,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s a cold day to spend tied up outside.¡± Orson removed his sword from his shoulders and sat, sheathed blade and his food case in his lap. ¡°Not too cold,¡± she said. ¡°The archers left the heat running for them.¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re consistent,¡± Orson said. ¡°They haven¡¯t hurt anyone, and that¡¯s really affected my attitude, but I¡¯m sorry if my wording sounded like I¡¯m on board with the archers. I figure there¡¯s got to be some specific motive on their part. It might seem crazy to us, but¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s serious enough for them to go to such lengths.¡± Augustin nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with you, Captain. You have no reason to be sorry. It¡¯s difficult, though, after three bombings and today¡¯s hijacking, to remember the Wuyar Archers are anything other than a problem to be solved.¡± She sighed and sat back in her chair. ¡°I¡¯ll send a page to Chief Morita, see if he¡¯s free to chat, now.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Orson considered saying more, launching right to the heart of his questions. He was still tired, emotionally drained from his ordeals in Nimauk and with the Liberty Corps pursuit. Even after a decade of adventures, those sagas had left him with a spiritual fatigue he was struggling to suppress. He¡¯d never been a political mastermind. His shrewdness was an acquired trait. He realized he didn¡¯t know enough to boldly ask questions, but he had no hope of quickly resolving the archer mystery without his questions being answered. ¡°You heard my conversation with the archer,¡± he said. ¡°I did.¡± Augustin returned his gaze, still unreadable. Orson hoped she would offer something on her own about the names given by the archers or how she¡¯d listened to the conversation, in the first place. She didn¡¯t. ¡°Those names,¡± he continued, ¡°Sabres Unlimited, Rojas Massacre, something about your deal with Mississippi? Ugh¡­ let me start over. The first step I take in my jobs is motive. If there¡¯s some antagonistic force, what do they want? Do you know what these archers want? I didn¡¯t read every word of your report to Pops. I¡¯m sorry if I missed something.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t miss anything,¡± Augustin said. ¡°Their lack of motive is why you¡¯re here. You have a history of handling really convoluted, difficult situations and untangling them, but you¡¯re also good in a fight. I expected something strange from this because¡­ Hm. I don¡¯t understand the archers. They have put themselves in so much danger. Chief Morita has a very disciplined force. They have a secure paycheck and potential to live with minimal fears in a chaotic time, but¡­¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°The archers threaten that life openly,¡± Orson added. ¡°They¡¯d probably be treated better if they were just poor, desperate people looking for a score.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Augustin nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to put our personnel in that position. They¡¯re good people. I love all our people. Well, by and large, but I know from myself, it¡¯s hard to be level-headed when you¡¯re getting hit this close to home.¡± ¡°I think everybody¡¯s like that,¡± Orson said. ¡°But, this might be more reason to take those archers seriously. They¡¯re willing to be in constant danger. Imagine what would happen if the wrong person got ahold of them. They¡¯re facing a situation where they¡¯re constantly in danger, for no money, so far as we know, but they also have hurt no one.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with your logic,¡± she said. ¡°But it¡¯s hard to follow through with that. I don¡¯t know anything about a Rojas Massacre, but I don¡¯t see how the potential roadway project ¨C something that¡¯s years away ¨C or our negotiations to cross the Mississippi could attract this attention. And Sabres Unlimited have been wonderful to us. When you agreed to investigate all of it, my gut reaction was to think, ¡®why is Gregory taking their side over ours, over what we¡¯re trying to build¡¯. I get your point, but that¡¯s way too close to home.¡± ¡°Who are they, the Sabres?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a global outreach group, or they used to be global,¡± she corrected. ¡°They started as an organization devoted to worldwide fellowship by developing security capabilities for people in outlying areas. It was a little patrician and old-world patriarchal ¨C but they approached me when I started looking into building the solar saver crawler and helped me.¡± ¡°A group about worldwide ¡®fellowship¡¯ calls themselves the Sabres?¡± Orson raised an eyebrow. ¡°They picked a name that sounds awfully like a secret society or a mercenary crew. Do these security capabilities involve the movement of lots of money and lots of armed people?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s more about education. They do just as much with what they call ¡®civilization building¡¯. They work on infrastructure, like roads. They build homes. They help establish farms.¡± ¡°I grew up near farms, and I never saw any sabres or swords of any kind, back home,¡± Orson laughed. ¡°Still a weird name.¡± ¡°Well, the name comes from their origins in helping establish community protection. There¡¯s no point having civilization, if you can¡¯t protect it. And be that as it may, they were invaluable to me in starting this venture. They played a vital role in locating and¡­ procuring the base transports for the crawlers.¡± ¡°They helped you¡­ procure them?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Would I be going too far by suggesting that their help and the procurement might have been, uh, morally ambiguous?¡± ¡°It was legal salvage,¡± she said, firmly. ¡°They found an abandoned surplus yard, saw items they needed and knew we also needed rare machinery. They had the location. We had the labor force. It was a mutually-beneficial arrangement, but they are still the reason we have all of this, and they¡¯ve asked for nothing since our initial bargain but a low rent space to do their community outreach, as we travel.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°Well, that is a tricky place to be.¡± ¡°It is, as I said, way too close to home. It¡¯s like the archers pointed a finger at a member of Adelyn¡¯s family, and you were open to that possibility. I¡¯m sorry if I was less receptive to your methods.¡± ¡°Totally understandable.¡± ¡°Do you¡­¡± she continued. ¡°Do you really believe that a formerly global organization known for aiding the poor, actually building society from nothing, would massacre people?¡± ¡°Do I think the whole organization could be like that?¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°Probably not. But do you have any idea how many hiding-in-plain-sight plots I¡¯ve run into? Literally my first adventure happened because I was framed for a crime by a greasy, but very loved local businessman. My own father believed him over me. ¡°The latest adventure I had involved a plot between a militia with old IHSA tech, conspiring with a member of a town¡¯s council. A lot of the town and their annual festival guests were held hostage, and that includes the legitimate law enforcement.¡± ¡°You and your team have given me no reason to doubt you,¡± Orson continued. ¡°But in my experience, it could go either way in terms of these Sabre people. The archers could be nuts. But there could be something to what they¡¯re saying. I don¡¯t have anywhere near enough facts to make a reasonable guess.¡± ¡°But what do you plan to do?¡± She sat forward and placed her elbows on her desk. ¡°Go talk to them,¡± Orson said. ¡°Be honest and nice and see what I can learn.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous idea.¡± Chief Morita announced himself from the doorway. ¡°Their support in the community is unimpeachable. Questioning them on the word of the archers would be difficult for your investigation and us for blessing it.¡± ¡°Bad PR,¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Beyond that,¡± Morita said. ¡°It¡¯s no secret they enabled this. Everyone with a job here and a livelihood knows about them. It¡¯s actually dangerous.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Orson said again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll combine my two investigations. I need to learn how the archers are getting in here, how they¡¯re getting at you. So I¡¯m going to interview managers or owners of every business with advanced access to maintenance passages and such. If I happen to swing by these Sabre people, then what can you do?¡± He shrugged. ¡°That won¡¯t be popular,¡± Morita said. ¡°But I have no other suggestions.¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯re settled.¡± Augustin nodded. ¡°You have our blessing, Captain. But please, be judicious. Be careful of how delicate everything is. Everything we¡¯re building hangs by a thread.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Orson adjusted his coat and collected his sword and his breakfast. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m going to eat my brunch before I get back to work.¡± She nodded. He stood. ¡°Oh, one more thing. The archers obviously caused major property damage, but what would you do if we find out we are dealing with murders, or even with a massacre?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Morita asked. ¡°What¡¯s your procedure for major criminals?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I saw your labor policy for shoplifters and petty crimes, but what do you do with someone who¡¯s committed a felony?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never had anything more than a non-lethal stabbing,¡± Morita said. ¡°My team is very proactive, and we delivered the accused in that case to the Great Lakes Alliance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great record, and I hope you maintain it, but if there¡¯s a well placed, difficult-to-try conspiracy,¡± Orson said. ¡°People with a great public persona, what would you do? What will you do? If you¡¯re at it long enough, here, it could happen.¡± ¡°I think,¡± Augustin said. ¡°That your run-in with Cyprus Corporation may have jaded you.¡± ¡°So you do know my story!¡± Orson laughed without humor. ¡°Think about it. If just suggesting that these Sabre people committed some crime is dangerous, how dangerous will justice be?¡± ¡°Hopefully, it won¡¯t come to that,¡± Augustin said. ¡°Indeed,¡± Morita agreed. ¡°I¡¯m all for the crazy archer theory, too.¡± Orson stood. ¡°But¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°Food for thought.¡± * * * ¡°Ugh!¡± Orson made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat, as he came aboard the Aesir. ¡°What¡¯s with the humidity? It¡¯s swampy in here.¡± Enoa was pulled back from the mental glade, yanked out of her focused trance. She watched the single droplet of water that hung, suspended in the air between her fingers, vanish into steam. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the amount of water yet.¡± Sucora spoke in a soothing, level voice. ¡°Just focus on maintaining it. You¡¯re making it¡­¡± ¡°Oh shit,¡± Orson said. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± He tried to sneak around her on his way back to his room, but she stood and shut off the film. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been at it since you left, anyway.¡± She felt a strange numbness, mentally and physically, like she¡¯d just woken up from a long nap. ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me how it¡¯s going, if you¡¯re not too busy.¡± Orson walked to his room and dropped off his coat and most of his other gear. He returned carrying his temperature-controlled case. She watched him pass by and sit down at the cabin table. ¡°You still didn¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Good thing I ate overnight and had some cereal this morning. It¡¯s been a pretty unfulfilling day.¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± She sat down opposite him. ¡°Bad, huh?¡± Orson brought out his omelet and the disposable plate from the brunch. He began to eat. ¡°It¡¯s weird. It¡¯s like having to mentally be in two places at once. It¡¯s like I need to be awake and asleep at the same time, but not sleeping, because I¡¯m still working. When I was eleven, my friend Megan tried to learn to sleep with her eyes open to prank her brothers, and she tried to get me to learn with her.¡± ¡°Did you learn to do it?¡± He took a bite from his toast and grimaced. ¡°Soggy.¡± ¡°No, I never learned it,¡± she said. ¡°But it feels a little like that.¡± ¡°Ew,¡± he said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like that, at all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it very much, either. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d be doing this if¡­ I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d be doing this if Aunt Sucora tried to teach me while she was still with me. But after the conspiracy in Nimauk, I feel like I have to, like it¡¯s my responsibility to learn.¡± ¡°I guess I understand.¡± He stood again. ¡°That reminds me. I gotta get a message out to Pops¡¯ folks for this whole thing with my investigation.¡± He walked to the front of the cabin and sat in the driver¡¯s seat. He hit three switches at the long-range comm. ¡°Frosty¡¯s Finest, LLC, no one is available to take your call,¡± a prerecorded voice answered. ¡°But please leave a message and we¡¯ll get back to you as soon as we can.¡± ¡°Wayfarer¡¯s Day Job, this is Wayfarer One,¡± Orson said. ¡°Tell Pops he needs a new message. Everybody knows it¡¯s him. Anyway, I hope you¡¯re all doing well. Job¡¯s alright, but I need a hand with something. Are you still compiling newspaper records? If you are, I have a few searches for you to make.¡± * * * The Safe Home for Retired Heroes was spread across more than one hundred buildings, most of them one-story, small structures. Few offered more square footage than Kol Maros¡¯ apartment had. They were homey enough, though, sturdily built miniature ranch homes, but Kol had always viewed them as somewhat patronizing. Max led them up the ramp into his unit. Kol and Duncan followed after him, clutching at most of his notes and paperwork. The overall mood had not brightened during the final leg of the train ride. Max had hardly spoken, since the discussion of their oath. But this did not bother Kol. He was too consumed, remembering and replaying the events of the last weeks. Should he have stayed leader of Newtown and never pursued the Dreamside Road? Was that where his mistakes had begun, or were there ways he could have maneuvered the Nimauk situation without failing or compromising himself? Could he have seized Enoa Cloud and her property, justly? Could his forces have secured the Dreamside Road, or whatever relics Sucora had possessed, without his faustian bargain with Tucker. Kol didn¡¯t know. Max led them inside ¨C or, he began to. He stopped when he noticed the small stack of mail that had been placed through the slot in his door. He leaned sideways and picked it up. ¡°I never get¡­¡± he said. ¡°Oh.¡± He tore open one of the envelopes. ¡°This is mostly official information from the Liberty Corps. Baron Weatherhold¡¯s office had the local division drop off forms for me, as your representative.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kol and Duncan asked, at once. ¡°They¡¯ve moved up your hearing.¡± Max slid to the side and looked at them over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s in six days.¡± 42 - Sabres Unlimited Orson interviewed almost forty shop managers, owners, and workers. He spoke to the owner of an ice cream parlor whose seventy-flavor selection sold well, despite it being February. Orson interviewed the elderly couple who operated the animal shelter, a refuge for the homeless pets encountered in the Solar Saver¡¯s meandering journey. Orson visited the outlet office for a regional law firm and discussed the complicated legal structures of the current and growing governmental alliances. He visited two breweries, a book shop, a home goods stall, a sculptor, and the woman who ran the level-by-level sound system. Unlike Orson¡¯s first trip through the Solar Saver bazaar, he now openly wore his gear, sword high on his back. His coat was loose at his shoulders, less effective as armor, but it billowed slightly behind him, caught in the breeze of fans and other ventilation. Though it was winter outside, the interior of the crawler was anything but cool. ¡°I heard you were coming ¡®round.¡± An older man waved to Orson from the opening of the Sabres Unlimited stall. He looked more like a vacation-bound retiree than someone who would have a prominent place in the crawler, the pinnacle of high-tech engineering. He wore an oversized sweatshirt with the image of a black bear in a sweater and the phrase ¡®Everybody¡¯s Daddy¡¯. He also wore sweatpants tucked into tall black sweat socks, and gray sneakers ¨C the Velcro only partially closed. ¡°Every so often we¡¯d see you weaving on through the crowd. We weren¡¯t sure when you¡¯d get to us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing my grid.¡± Orson raised his notebook, a small, black number that clasped shut with a most serious sound. Orson didn¡¯t always take notes but it gave off the appearance that he likely did. ¡°I¡¯m sure you kept everybody on their toes,¡± the man said. ¡°There was no telling when Orson Gregory might turn up to have a talking to with ya!¡± ¡°I thought about making appointments,¡± Orson said. ¡°Why?¡± the man laughed. ¡°Better to catch everybody off guard.¡± He smiled, mischievously. ¡°True.¡± Orson returned a slight smile and walked over to the stall. It was set against a bare expanse of the bazaar¡¯s blue-gray wall and featured a selection of posters, adorning the stall¡¯s front counter and standing around on four-legged, metal stands. Most posters contained an emblem, depicting five stylized swords, intersecting around a rough sketch of the planet Earth. ¡°Plus,¡± Orson added. ¡°I¡¯d need to hire on a social manager to keep track of my schedule and then people would try to reschedule ¨C total chaos.¡± ¡°I¡¯m impressed how fast you¡¯ve managed to go about it,¡± the man said. ¡°You¡¯ve really been zipping around, these last three or four days. Where are my manners?¡± He stood from the chair and offered his hand. ¡°I feel like I already know you. Been reading all about you. I¡¯m Milo Nalrik, Sabre Chairman of our Solar Saver Chapter, but please, call me Milo.¡± ¡°Orson Gregory.¡± Orson returned the handshake. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me who you are!¡± Milo said. ¡°Oh, before I forget.¡± He leaned down beside his chair and grabbed a cardboard tube. From within the tube, he brought out a poster and held it out to Orson. ¡°I¡¯d love if you signed this. Is there an autograph fee?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t really do this sort of thing.¡± Orson received the poster and unrolled it. It showed a blurry picture of the Aesir, flying over a city. It was a truly low-resolution image, but Orson knew he¡¯d seen it before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I prefer just to do my work.¡± ¡°Noble gentleman and modest. Of course!¡± Milo called past Orson. ¡°Brett, Gregory¡¯s finally here. Get back here.¡± Orson turned in the direction Milo had shouted and saw a tall young man talking to the three women working at a photography stall. This man was probably related to Milo. They had the same pale coloration and the same thick wavy hair, minus Milo¡¯s gray, but their builds were nothing alike. Brett was probably a full head taller than Orson, while Milo was a good deal shorter. Orson watched the man. He leaned against the photo stall¡¯s far support and looked like he was in the middle of some story. He spoke animatedly and offered his own mischievous smile to the women. Orson was curious what reaction Brett was receiving from his audience, but the women had their backs to Orson. Brett stopped speaking when he caught sight of Orson. He made a brief comment and then walked back toward the Sabres Unlimited stall. One of the three women turned to look after Brett, but he didn¡¯t see her. He was busy assessing Orson¡¯s armament, visibly glancing at the wayfarer¡¯s repulsor boot. ¡°Here¡¯s my nephew,¡± Milo said. ¡°Brett Nalrik.¡± ¡°Strateren armor.¡± Brett pointed to Orson¡¯s right boot, as he approached. ¡°Hierarchia rebuild. Not quite as rare as the original models from the eighties. How do you manage to keep it powered without the main core in the torso?¡± ¡°I know some smart people,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty tricky too. Not a lot of people know about the specifics of this technology.¡± ¡°Not a lot of people collect the stuff, like I do,¡± Brett said. ¡°You collect it?¡± Orson asked. ¡°How? The Hierarchia did a pretty good job of scooping it up.¡± ¡°They liked keeping samples to study.¡± Brett grinned. ¡°I have a full suit, even the full array of blasters, but the repulsors are busted. I even got my hands on one of their arm cannon builds, in the same old air base where they were hiding the crawler transport we¡¯re standing in.¡± ¡°Stop showing off.¡± Milo snapped his fingers. ¡°We¡¯re trying to be transparent and help Captain Gregory, here, with his investigation.¡± ¡°Commodore Augustin mentioned your organization helped her in starting this venture,¡± Orson said. ¡°IHSA salvage?¡± ¡°Nobody else had all the best toys in all the same places,¡± Brett laughed. ¡°Easy, easy pickings since Thunderworks.¡± He looked to his uncle. ¡°You¡¯re after the archers. I¡¯ll be interested to see what you can do against them. They¡¯re a hard crew to catch.¡± ¡°I see that,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s why I need to learn more about the lay of the land here. I¡¯m surprised to see you don¡¯t have an entrance onto the access corridors.¡± ¡°No need to have it in the bazaar,¡± Milo said. ¡°All we have here is our informational displays. Everything else we need for our work can be unloaded at the prescheduled stops.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do community outreach when you¡¯re not in a community,¡± Brett added. ¡°Right,¡± Orson said. ¡°Do you mind walking through some of the programs you take part in?¡± ¡°You can have a copy of all of our brochures,¡± Milo said. ¡°That¡¯s probably the easiest way to go through everything. We instruct communities in water management and construction projects, infrastructure. Nothing sexy, but it¡¯s what¡¯ll get everybody back on their feet.¡± He drew a stack of pamphlets from beneath the table. ¡°I think this is all of them.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Orson took the stack. His pockets were already bursting with business cards and handwritten NewNet site names and colorful sheets of coupons. He should have brought some of his evidence bags, just to collect the advertising. He wasn¡¯t sure whether he¡¯d manage to find space for this new collection of information. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°So you actually donated the technology to build this place?¡± Orson glanced over his shoulder. They were currently situated on Level Five, about halfway up the tiered bazaar. The press of people, above and below them, seemed somehow louder, sandwiched in the middle of the crawler. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Milo nodded. ¡°We got five crawler transports, three built so far.¡± ¡°Sabres International knew the Commodore from some business she had up around New Foundland,¡± Brett said. ¡°They liked her idea, and they knew I could get what she needed. I operate in those circles.¡± ¡°What circles can you operate in where you can get multiple crawlers and armor that wasn¡¯t made on this planet?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been in an IHSA vault before. There¡¯s no way they had all five crawlers in one location.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t.¡± Brett laughed. ¡°That¡¯s the fun of it, being well connected. You know how it is. You travel in the kinda circles where you can get that energy sword, your whole arsenal, and the Aesir, of course.¡± ¡°Your versatility is what you¡¯re known for,¡± Milo said. ¡°Everything¡¯s been done. They¡¯ve been saying that since I was around your age, but in your case, Captain, doing everything makes you an original.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s right,¡± Orson said. Before he spoke further, he heard the sound of footsteps. The approaching person wasn¡¯t running, but they were walking with clear, urgent purpose. He turned away from the Sabres and found one of the Solar Saver security team approaching, a tall woman, taller than Orson in her high work boots. The name ¡®Lundberg¡¯ was embroiderd over her heart. ¡°Captain Gregory,¡± Lundberg said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re going to need your attention, right away.¡± She glanced at the Sabres Unlimited stall. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter you will want to address.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Orson assumed the worst, some other security breach, something the Solar Saver command didn¡¯t want reaching their notable tenants. ¡°Nice meeting the two of you.¡± ¡°Of course. Of course! Duty calls.¡± Milo said. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to stop back some other time and sign my poster.¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m not in this for the notoriety.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you in action against the archers,¡± Brett laughed. Orson said no more and followed the security guard away from the Sabres Unlimited stall and through a crowd of children and young adults. They were watching a match in the crawler-wide Rock-shock tournament, played on a series of retro, oversized arcade-style machines. The guard led Orson through the arcade. When she reached the stall¡¯s main desk, a place for exchanging tokens and registering for events, the guard flashed her badge. The brown-haired teen behind the desk stiffened. ¡°Stay calm,¡± Lundberg said. ¡°Official business. We need use of the access door.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± He swung up a section of the counter and led them to a door set into the back of the arcade stall. He fumbled with his key ring, before allowing them into yet another of the crawler¡¯s many access corridors. ¡°What level of trouble are we about to see?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Is anyone hurt?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve received a message, we believe from the archers,¡± Lundberg said. ¡°That¡¯s all I know.¡± The guard led Orson away, to the end of that corridor and onto an access stairwell. They ascended floor after floor and turned away from the path to the Commodore¡¯s office and the other command areas. Orson realized that she was taking him toward the Aesir. He reflexively reached for the small tightbeam commlink he carried, the device that should keep him constantly connected to his boat and to Enoa, probably still aboard, training. The sound was on, dialed up. It¡¯s readout lights were lit. If she¡¯d tried to get in touch, he would have heard her. Orson considered sending her a message, but couldn¡¯t see what could be gained from it, other than potentially causing unnecessary concern in himself or Enoa. When the guard led him into the Aesir¡¯s docking chamber, she gestured to the wall beside the door. There, an envelope was stuck to the wall, held by a long piece of tape. Orson¡¯s name was on the back, in marker. ¡°I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s no security footage of this arriving here.¡± Orson tapped at his visor and let his HUD scan the envelope. He slid his gloves up onto his wrists and drew the bandana to his mouth. ¡°No,¡± Lundberg said. ¡°And that¡¯s why we¡¯re concerned. One second it wasn¡¯t there. The next, it was. We can only assume someone interfered with our security feed.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Have any of your people scanned it? I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve got someone who looks for poisons.¡± ¡°We do,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re on the way.¡± ¡°How long?¡± Orson commanded his HUD to issue another scan. ¡°Could be half of an hour.¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking a look,¡± he said. ¡°This could be urgent. They went to ridiculous lengths before to talk to me. You might want to back up.¡± He expected her to protest, but she didn¡¯t. Did she agree with his assessment or had his reputation offered him a brief moment of convenience? Lundberg stepped away. Orson pulled the envelope from the wall and opened it. Dear Captain Gregory, Thank you for trying to set matters right. While we write this, you are currently meeting with Sabres Unlimited, the root of all Solar Saver¡¯s crimes. We appreciate your integrity. But their work is progressing. Soon it will be too late for us to act. We cannot wait for you to learn the truth. The Solar Saver crawler will not reach Chicago. But we would appreciate your help in evacuating its occupants. It is impossible for them to survive what we need to do. We appreciate your help, The Wuyar Archers * * * ¡°It¡¯s not about the quantity of water,¡± Sucora said. ¡°It¡¯s about your mind. Learning what Shaping feels like, how your mind and body feel, that¡¯s what¡¯s most important. Everything comes from that.¡± Enoa had heard those words at least two dozen times as she endlessly repeated the meditations and exercises. Listening to the films, training, she worked to hone her mind, trying and trying to draw water from the ¡®stream¡¯ in her mental Dreamside place. ¡°Don¡¯t neglect your other exercises,¡± Sucora said. ¡°There¡¯s a connection between mind and body. You cannot neglect either one.¡± Enoa had taken daily laps, running through their level of bazaar before the shops properly opened for the day. The first morning, she¡¯d been hesitant, afraid she¡¯d get in trouble with someone. The normally vibrant marketplace had a surreal and disconcerting energy when empty. But that had not happened, and she settled into a regimen, training while Orson did his daily batch of interviews. Then she joined him in the bazaar, once he¡¯d finished his work. However, with him lengthening his schedule, she¡¯d been training well into the evening, even eating alone. Enoa was surprised to see him burst back into the Aesir, ranting about archers and envelopes and an arcade. Her mind was still dazed from training, still half-awake, half-entranced. She heard only snippets, even after she¡¯d shut off her aunt¡¯s film. ¡°I didn¡¯t like those Sabre people, but I can¡¯t let the Punk Rock Ren Fair crew blow the place up or something.¡± He fell into an armchair. ¡°You didn¡¯t like them.¡± Enoa sat on the couch. ¡°Did you think they were suspicious?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°No more than a lot of people, right now. The stealing of space tech is pretty weird, but¡­ I guess they just smiled too much.¡± ¡°They smiled too much?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I think you¡¯ve done enough interviews for the day. You need to take a deep breath or something.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. The head of the local chapter is too good to be true. He asked for my autograph. That¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°You have a biography!¡± She laughed. ¡°Why would someone wanting your autograph be weird?¡± ¡°I guess you had to be there,¡± he said. ¡°Oh! And his nephew, ugh. He¡¯s the one who got the bases for these crawlers. And he says he has a full suit of alien armor, like this.¡± He pointed to his repulsor boot. ¡°That¡¯s from space aliens?¡± Enoa also pointed to the boot. ¡°No, mine¡¯s an IHSA reproduction, but this nephew introduces himself by pointing that out. Like he knows what it is and claims to have a full suit of the original space model. He was just, ugh. I¡¯d say you¡¯ll see when you meet them, but I really hope you don¡¯t.¡± He groaned. ¡°How was your training?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°I managed a better transmutation today, finally, still only about a half-cup of water. Except I can¡¯t make the condensation happen at my hands. It just keeps appearing on the floor, like someone silently dumped water everywhere. I didn¡¯t even notice it, right away, and I almost wiped out walking through it.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s one of your moves, slick floor,¡± he said. ¡°Hey, actually¡­¡± He stood. ¡°It might be. We might be able to use this. Can you do the slick floor attack on command?¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to make a slippery floor. I¡¯m just not good at what I¡¯m trying to do.¡± ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea. You¡¯ll have a few days to prepare, but if you¡¯re on board, how do you feel about using your Shaping to make a little money?¡± 43. Freeway to Tomorrow ¡°Here¡¯s what we do.¡± Orson spoke to Augustin and Chief Morita in the Commodore¡¯s office. ¡°Throw a shindig to celebrate whatever, but make it exclusive, no market time, no other bars or restaurants open, only invite a few people. Think of some symbolic reason. That¡¯ll lure the archers in. It¡¯ll be too much for them to resist. But I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°No,¡± Augustin said. ¡°There are countless reasons not to do that, Captain. I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s an awful plan. You¡¯ll need to come up with something else.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to stress this,¡± Orson said. ¡°But have you two thought about the implications of how knowledgeable these archers are? Either you¡¯ve got a spy or spies working with them, or they have some kind of electronic info gathering method in your system.¡± ¡°My staff has conducted numerous interviews of our own, Captain,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°The implication that the archers have a mole has not escaped us. Our investigation into the espionage scenario began well before you were recruited.¡± ¡°And what if the spy is a member of your own security force?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Were these people members of your team before you started this solar crawler business you¡¯re running, or were some of them more recent hires?¡± ¡°Captain Gregory!¡± Morita said. ¡°My team, my close team, are people I welcome into my complete trust. We are brothers and sisters, now.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t mean to insult anybody,¡± Orson said. ¡°But none of us know what the archers want. So I see this two ways, either we take drastic action to stop them without bloodshed, even if that means messing with your business model. Or,¡± he shrugged. ¡°We get comfortable with the idea of some bloodshed happening, either toward the archers or your guests.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being paid tens of thousands of dollars to give us a simple ultimatum?¡± Morita said. ¡°I cannot¡­¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Augustin said. ¡°Let him say his piece.¡± ¡°We need to get to the bottom of this, and we¡¯re running out of time,¡± Orson said. ¡°Something is going down, soon. So we need to put out bait the archers can¡¯t resist, like I said, while also removing their potential casualties. All you need is a reasonable cause to have a big celebration and you¡¯ll be all set. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Well, we just made two deals that would help us cross the Mississippi,¡± Augustin said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on announcing it just yet, but maybe¡­¡± ¡°Think about it,¡± Orson said. ¡°That should be the hardest part. Then all you need is a carnival-like event to clear your guests out of here and a private, small celebration, inside, that will draw in the archers.¡± ¡°Let me see if I understand you,¡± Augustin said. ¡°You want to use my investors and advisors as bait to lure in our enemies.¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± Orson said. ¡°To be clear, I really doubt the archers will attack you. They¡¯ll head for one of the crawler¡¯s critical systems. They want an opening to do real damage, but they also want an audience for their attacks. We¡¯ll make them think they¡¯ve got both.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Chief Morita asked. ¡°If we can¡¯t trust anyone not to be a spy for the archers, and you already don¡¯t trust the Sabres Unlimited, we have no resources to perform an arrest. Do you plan on a full force attack against the archers? My security team is just that, security.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Orson said. ¡°We need a real explanation, so I¡¯m going to capture some archers. But I¡¯m going to need some cooperation from the two of you to make sure everyone stays safe.¡± * * * The first time Enoa managed a proper anemos air to water transmutation, she did it by accident. She tried to replicate the conditions that caused the water to appear on the floor, just like Orson asked her to. But this time, Enoa felt the sudden sensation of cool water arriving in her cupped hands. Something about her new focus, knowing she had a role to play again in her adventures, gave her the will to properly perform the summoning
Keep it up (new user)! Your control is improving.
RANK: Advanced Beginner
LEVEL: 4
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
Enoa snapped back to reality. Sometimes the bracelet¡¯s holograms gratified her, made her remember the truth of her progress, however incremental it may be, but other times it pulled her away. It woke her up. She had no control. Why had she agreed to help Orson? Could she still back out? She had to get out of this. She had to! Enoa dropped the water she held into the large measuring glass she sat beside her. She didn¡¯t bother checking the measurement on the side of the glass. This was the only sizeable amount of water she¡¯d captured, in days, and she hadn¡¯t even wanted to catch it. She yelled and tore the bracelet from her wrist at right around the same time a knock came on the Aesir¡¯s door. Enoa jumped. She knew Orson still had some security measures in place, in case of an actual breach of the ship, but she was still alarmed by the message that had been smuggled into the crawler. Someone had taped the letter to the wall, only feet from the Aesir, and she¡¯d had no idea. The front external camera had picked up video of an archer taping the letter to the wall, but it wasn¡¯t enough to give them any new information. The knock came again and Enoa rose to her feet. She walked to the dashboard and found the right external camera feed. A young woman stood outside, dressed like she¡¯d just walked in from the snow, in boots, a fluffy coat, and a knit hat. Enoa considered the possibility that this new arrival could be an associate of the archers, on some covert mission against the Aesir. She retrieved her staff, before answering the door. ¡°Hello!¡± The young woman waved a gloved hand. ¡°I¡¯m Nozomi Morita. I¡¯m Chief Morita¡¯s daughter.¡± She extended her hand. Enoa shook it. ¡°Enoa Cloud,¡± she said. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°I noticed earlier that none of the younger family ¨C or people close to the invitees ¨C were on the guest list for the Freeway to Tomorrow event, and I thought it would be fun to put something together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice idea,¡± Enoa knew she should say more, but the training left her feeling distant, groggy, like she¡¯d just woken up. Her mind was addled. Should she invite Nozomi aboard the Aesir? No, what if she wasn¡¯t who she said she was. Freeway to Tomorrow? Was that the fake event Orson was putting together to trap the archers? This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Uh,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°Maybe we can invite people from the caravan, if we can do it safely. It¡¯s so hard to be open with new people now, but there have to be so many people like us in the caravan who must want a chance to enjoy themselves and get away from how crazy everything is now. I don¡¯t know, maybe we can think about something we¡¯d like to do. The only group winter thing I can think of is snow tubing, but we obviously can¡¯t do that here.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯d have to think about it.¡± Was this her chance to get away from Orson¡¯s plan? No, that¡¯s ridiculous. Imagine saying, ¡®I can¡¯t help you stop a potentially violent crime. I have a party to go to.¡¯ What was wrong with her? She¡¯d been quiet too long again. Way too long. Why couldn¡¯t she just find something to say? She never had trouble talking to people before. Was this all from her training or had she just become awkward, after years of staying cloistered in Nimauk? She never had any trouble talking to her customers. ¡°Well,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°I¡¯m open to ideas.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Enoa said. Why did she say that? That wasn¡¯t helpful. Even if this somehow was a way for her to get out of her job helping Orson, she was messing that up. Wake up! Wake up! But she still felt the imagined grass at her feet, like the afterimage of a dream, lingering after awakening. ¡°I mean,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Thank you for the invitation. I¡¯m sorry for not being very welcoming! I¡¯m training, right now, actually. It takes a lot of meditation and leaves me pretty groggy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I stopped by at a bad time.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be more helpful. When I¡¯m able to think clearly, I¡¯ll see what I can come up with. Thank you for all your work! I¡¯m sure a lot of people will appreciate it.¡± ¡°Does that mean I have your help the night of the party?¡± Nozomi asked, hopefully. Enoa knew she could probably back out of Orson¡¯s plan. She wasn¡¯t ready to use Shaping. She could tell him she wasn¡¯t ready. He would understand. No, no, she decided. She had to try to help. She owed it to herself to take some control in this adventure, no matter what happened. ¡°I¡¯ll try to help you put this together,¡± Enoa said. ¡°And I¡¯d love to come along another time, but I¡¯m helping Captain Gregory the night of the party.¡± * * * ¡°I acted in accordance with the requisitions charter and the recruitment decree¡¯s extraordinary measures clause. While there is no doubt that the independent campaign into Nimauk was a failure, this defeat was driven largely by the instability of the expert associate, Daniel Tucker, as opposed to any direct reflection or deviation from Corps guidelines and instructions.¡± Kol Maros took a deep breath when he finished speaking. He hadn¡¯t memorized his testimony, but he had rehearsed it, saying most of the same words a hundred different ways. He said them again and again, faster sometimes, solemn other times. Duncan and Max sat on the latter¡¯s couch. They¡¯d been there for hours, coaching Kol and listening to him practice his testimony. ¡°Overly confident,¡± Max said. ¡°You need to sound certain of your innocence, but also saddened by the loss from the terrible situation.¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Kol yelled. ¡°That¡¯s too subjective. We¡¯ve done this all day, and you still hate it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting worse,¡± Duncan said. ¡°You remember what you want to say now, but you¡¯re talking like a robot.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kol yelled again. ¡°How do I sound like a robot?¡± ¡°There!¡± Max said. ¡°Your outrage. I like that. You should be professionally outraged by what Divenoll is putting you through. You need to capture your spectrum of emotions, real emotions. You¡¯re still an empathetic person, Kol, and if you can capture how you actually feel, alongside a professional demeanor, you will be more convincing. Find your integrity.¡± ¡°Even if they do lock me away,¡± Kol said. ¡°It¡¯ll be better than this¡­ this rehearsal!¡± Max gestured to the trunk-turned-coffee table in the center of the room. ¡°Have some water. Take a deep breath. It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re getting there.¡± Kol knew better than to argue with his brother. He took a sip of water, holding the glass to his lips longer than he needed to, long enough to regain composure. He set the glass back on the table. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Max asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kol said, and began again. ¡°I¡¯d encountered rumors of the Dreamside Road for years, in official communications, references I didn¡¯t fully understand.¡± ¡°And yet you pursued these rumors,¡± Max interrupted, filling the prosecutorial role. ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Only in my capacity as Newtown Division Captain,¡± Kol said. ¡°Newtown territory includes a series of warehouses that provide storage for the eastern Pennsylvania region. One of these houses an abandoned International Hierarchia Statute Association records annex. This location received a glancing blow from a Thunderworks rocket. My efforts to catalogue the remaining records are well documented.¡± ¡°But this has nothing to do with your failed pursuit of the Aesir!¡± Max yelled in a gruff voice, totally authentic in sound, but one very different from the usually buoyant quality of his voice. ¡°Get to the point.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to assume all of you are familiar with Daniel Tucker¡­¡± ¡°Please,¡± Max said. ¡°Are you going to give us new information or are you planning just to waste our time?¡± ¡°Daniel Tucker occasionally left Nimauk to make sure his remote town was still included in the coastal supply trips. Eleven months ago, a series of bribes Mr. Tucker made to cover his tracks were brought to my attention, after a parcel courier witnessed Tucker wielding his Shaping to fight off an attempted robbery. Within my duties as captain, it was my responsibility to address any anomalies the old IHSA would have monitored. At the time of my investigation, I of course didn¡¯t know Tucker¡¯s name, only his Master Nine moniker. But knowing that and the odd metal abilities he displayed, I was able to develop an educated theory.¡± ¡°At which point you contacted Tucker and¡­ what?¡± Max threw up both arms in an exasperated gesture. ¡°How did you go from investigating him to working alongside him?¡± ¡°I made contact by telegram, using the same system Tucker operated to contact PennFreight for distribution. When he attempted to intimidate me, I asked him about the Dreamside Road. After months of work, I slowly developed a reluctant correspondence. I think his supply trips were becoming difficult. He was obviously risking exposure, trying to keep his little town supplied, so eventually he became open to a partnership.¡± ¡°And was it his idea or yours to dress your forces in Halloween getups?¡± Max asked. ¡°It was mutual,¡± Kol said. ¡°Tucker wanted Nimauk¡¯s independence and to maintain his position in town, without his past and abilities being exposed. However, it was obviously my responsibility to bring Nimauk under Liberty Corps protection, especially if the Dreamside Road or other vital IHSA salvage were hidden there. We decided that the townspeople would be more open to a temporary Liberty Corps presence, if they were faced with an outside threat, rather than our usual requisitions procedure. Given Tucker¡¯s incredible capabilities, it was necessary to maintain our partnership, and I believe a permanent arrangement could have been reached if not for events outside our control.¡± ¡°And you believe that this absurd display of overreach fell within the requisitions clause?¡± Max asked. ¡°I never¡­¡± A slight beeping sound came from Max¡¯s pocket. Max withdrew what looked like a vintage, blue pager. ¡°Duncan, please do me a favor and run in the office over there. I have a fax coming in.¡± ¡°A fax?¡± Duncan said. ¡°Who¡¯s sending you a fax, someone in nineteen ninety-seven?¡± ¡°Someone who is helping us protect my brother.¡± He gestured to the small walk-in closet, a space he¡¯d converted into a compact home office. ¡°Please, Duncan. You were always the fastest of us, and you can definitely run faster now than I can roll.¡± Duncan chuckled. He stood and walked to the other room. ¡°Records report¡­ Operative Divenoll!¡± Duncan returned to the living area with a small stack of papers in his hands. ¡°You¡¯re looking through leaked IHSA files. What for?¡± ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s wise to issue requests about Divenoll?¡± Kol asked. ¡°That could bring some difficult attention on us.¡± ¡°Yes, I do think so. There¡¯s something I really need to see.¡± Max reached out for the papers. ¡°Thank you, Duncan.¡± Max flipped through the papers, clearly knowing exactly what he was looking for. When he found it, he fell totally silent. He drew a single paper from the stack and read it. ¡°What is this?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°You¡¯re scaring us, Max. Come on.¡± ¡°This is what I thought,¡± Max said. ¡°Maybe bad news. Maybe useful. As early as fifteen years ago, Divenoll was appointed by the IHSA to seek out records of the Dreamside Road. His vendetta against Kol is not some display of Liberty Corps fealty.¡± ¡°Divenoll is after me because I made myself a legitimate rival,¡± Kol said. ¡°Shit,¡± Duncan said. ¡°We¡¯re so screwed, aren¡¯t we?¡± 44 - Roadies and Road Warriors The airship drifted down toward the crawler, flanked by Thopters of the same design as those that defended the Solar Saver. All of these aircraft were black. The airship emitted a gray haze, probably some unusual cloaking technique. It would have been very effective at hiding the ship, if the night sky weren¡¯t cloudless and star strewn. Enoa felt less prepared by the minute, for the work that awaited her. When she¡¯d agreed to the plan, it sounded like a fun caper, but actually knowing she might need to attempt Shaping for the plan to work¡­ That changed everything. Actually being there, in the most-expensive restaurant on the crawler, the Domicile, made the truth of her responsibility seem suddenly real. She and Orson stood by the restaurant¡¯s long glass wall, both dressed in yellow and black Solar Saver technical crew uniforms. ¡°I still think you should have put your hair up,¡± she said. ¡°Take your turn as Captain Man Bun.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just not that committed to my role.¡± They watching as guests arrived. The restaurant was only slightly smaller than most freestanding restaurants she¡¯d visited, and even to her inexpert eye, everything looked expensive in the uncomfortable way the Solar Saver donors and leadership had before. Through the window, Enoa saw a helicopter; an odd, silent, glowing hovercraft; and the haze-enshrouded airship. The dirigible-esque vehicle appeared to be right out of the nineteen thirties. Seeing the wealth and opulence, taking in the clear power of the new arrivals made her feel very isolated. ¡°Now, see.¡± Orson pointed to the ship out the window. ¡°That¡¯s too obvious a mark. Why did no one tell me the donors fly around in target practice?¡± ¡°Our associates don¡¯t always tell us how they¡¯ll be arriving.¡± Adelyn Castillo approached them, dressed in a yellow and silver evening gown. ¡°Anais might have been in a better position to tell them what to do if you¡¯d been more open with your plan.¡± Castillo had an infectious exuberance, even during casual speech. This also served to conceal her mood, and Enoa couldn¡¯t tell whether or not Castillo approved of Orson¡¯s plan. ¡°I couldn¡¯t be more open,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to rule out suspected spies, so I was honest with you, Enoa, Commodore Augustin, and Chief Morita. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a real shame,¡± Castillo replied. ¡°I think you¡¯d enjoy yourself tonight if you weren¡¯t working. You¡¯d get a real shot at seeing what we¡¯re building here, not just the day-to-day logistics, but the society we¡¯re rebuilding. Instead, you played into the appearance of elitism in this incredible operation and sent our valuable working class guests out into the cold.¡± Orson sighed, a slow, ¡®I should really shut up now¡¯ sound. ¡°There¡¯s no way most of the people out there really represent ordinary people in the country. Either they have an assured deal that they can chase after you and wait their turn to come in and pretend the world isn¡¯t messed up, or they¡¯re desperate for safety, or they¡¯re desperate for work.¡± ¡°Many of them are desperate for work,¡± Castillo agreed. ¡°And the Solar Saver Collective gives so many people work, if only temporary work, hundreds, just since you came aboard, last week. People can travel along with more safety than they¡¯ve known in years. Are there bugs in the system? Of course. But this operation is new. It¡¯s only a year old and didn¡¯t have a major following until eight months ago. This takes time, but the regular, working people are part of this experience and they absolutely would be in here, instead of outside, running between unseasonable attractions, in the cold.¡± Enoa looked down to the gathering in the fields, beside the mostly parked traffic. Down there, a series of flatbed trucks had arrived, each carrying small structures, housing temporary restaurants, bars, impromptu shopping areas. Further on stood a last-minute gift from Chicago, a large modular screen that had been assembled. The screening of a film had begun. Multiple movies were planned, but now it was a family-oriented cartoon, something about a tall, talking bird who had just become a postal worker. Enoa tried to follow the plot with just the visuals, but she doubted she¡¯d pay attention even if she could hear it. If she¡¯d made different choices, she could be there, chasing nothing but her own short-term enjoyment, with others her own age, other young people who had finished their adolescence in the chaotic world. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to keep everybody safe,¡± Orson said. ¡°If the Archers don¡¯t show up, I¡¯ll¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll make a grand gesture so everyone sees how bad you feel?¡± Castillo smiled. ¡°Captain, I don¡¯t mean to put you on the spot, and I¡¯m sure your jaded facade helps you in your travels, but I want you to see the value here. Mr. Darlow sees the value. He knows now.¡± ¡°I see something else,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to figure something out. Pops is like a kitschy tourist-trap guy. He¡¯s been around the block a good thousand times, but I just didn¡¯t get why you cared so much about what he had to say. You want his endorsement, and you want mine too.¡± ¡°Is that so bad?¡± she laughed. ¡°Is it so terrible to have your opinion valued? You¡¯ve become a legend for fighting the people who destroyed the old world. What¡¯s the harm in lending your support to some of the people who are trying to build a new world?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°This seems like a fantasy. Can you imagine really trying to drive this way, with your giant crawler and your caravan, if cities operated like they did a few years ago, with basically one lane of traffic in use? I wish I had more time, I¡¯d explore what people do when they need to get past you going the other direction. And what do you do with highway signs? How does this thing not smack into them? And you¡¯ll never be able to drive anywhere with an overpass.¡± ¡°Highway signs?¡± Castillo said. ¡°I¡¯m fairly sure there¡¯s a team that removes them and then reinstalls them after we¡¯ve passed.¡± She sighed too. Even that sounded positive. Enoa marveled at her ability to seem peppy. ¡°This place has its problems,¡± Castillo said. ¡°It obviously isn¡¯t too good to be true. Get to the bottom of this archer situation, but please, give it a chance.¡± ¡°I value the ideals,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I guess when it comes down to it, this place just has too much potential to be a problem, and I really don¡¯t trust anybody that far.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust anybody?¡± Castillo asked. Enoa made the mistake of looking in her direction and made very awkward eye contact when the other woman glanced at her and gave her a sly smile. Enoa wondered about Orson. Was he distrustful because of what he¡¯d lived through? Or was he alive because he was distrustful? She wondered more and more about her own fate, her own future. She had no place to interrupt their conversation, but their clashing worldviews did nothing but further frazzle her. The conversation would certainly end soon, anyway. The first guests had begun to filter into the restaurant. Enoa was no high-end fashion expert, but she saw jewelry the like of which could probably buy her home and her shop¡¯s full inventory, multiple times over. ¡°I don¡¯t make a habit of giving out my endorsement,¡± Orson said. ¡°I trust people if I know them, for as long as I know them, but¡­¡± ¡°You still actively endorse the Inn at the Evergreen Forest,¡± Castillo said. ¡°And Ms. Birgham has national attention, and you surely trust her or trusted her. I¡¯m sorry for overstepping, but you can¡¯t be truly anti-corporate if you spent several years as the romantic partner to a notable businessowner.¡± Enoa caught Castillo shooting another odd glance in her direction, something too brief for her to read. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°You know,¡± Orson said. ¡°I thought you and the Commodore had some kind of opposites attract, balancing-each-other-out thing, but I think I¡¯m wrong. You both like pushing people¡¯s buttons.¡± He laughed and Castillo did too. Enoa didn¡¯t know whether Orson genuinely felt the laughter or if he could laugh authentically, on command. ¡°Sirona Birgham is the exception that proves the rule,¡± Orson said. ¡°First off, I met her when we were both wayfarers. And it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t trust anyone who owns a business. But the Inn at Evergreen had a forty-something person staff and, for the record, it was actually a partnership, last I checked. That¡¯s totally different from this. Anything that has thousands of employees and multimillionaire mega donors calling the shots from behind the scenes could become a faceless sprawl, whether a government or a corporation. There¡¯s always a chance something faceless will go corrupt and evil and get away with it, through its size.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Castillo nodded. ¡°I really hope we prove you wrong, but I like your open honesty.¡± She looked to the small crowd of guests gathering at the entryway. ¡°Good luck tonight, Captain. Whether or not you trust us, we¡¯ve put all our trust in you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Orson bowed his head and fell silent until Castillo meandered through the restaurant toward the guests. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He turned to look at Enoa. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I sounded negative. I just prefer a straight fight to this vague spy garbage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel ready,¡± she said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to this. I can barely do the Shaping, at all. And that¡¯s making me doubt everything. I¡¯m not even as together as I thought I was. And the training is making me so groggy and just out of it. And I keep thinking about how awkward I was talking to Nozomi Morita, the other day. I was never like that back home. I talked to strangers all the time, but now¡­¡± ¡°You expect too much of yourself,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯ve been through constant garbage for a long time. You¡¯re studying magic stuff. And this¡­¡± He waved to the restaurant. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. Do your best.¡± ¡°What if I fail?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°But if something goes wrong, just remember none of my plans go totally right. I usually end up making things up as I go. Just improvise.¡± ¡°But what if¡­¡± Enoa didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence. A noise came from the wall behind the bar, and they turned to find a woman in the yellow and black tech uniform leading a twenty-strong crew of musicians, most carrying instruments. ¡°I¡¯m helping the band set up,¡± Orson said. ¡°Some swing group that plays up and down the Mississippi.¡± The tech supervisor approached Enoa and Orson. ¡°I¡¯m here to show Miss Cloud to her post,¡± the supervisor said. ¡°Show me where to go.¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get to work.¡± ¡°Do you have the spare house key and your garage-door opener?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I do,¡± Enoa said. She reached in her uniform pocket to be sure. Yes, both the spare Aesir door key and the charged stun box were waiting for her. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you later,¡± Orson said. ¡°Have fun making money.¡± ¡°You too,¡± she said. She watched Orson join the band. ¡°Alright, which of you is Bassam?¡± Orson asked the band. Several voices called out. ¡°Okay¡­ well, which of you is the Bassam I¡¯m supposed to talk to?¡± ¡°Right this way.¡± The supervisor led Enoa around the bar and toward a spot of wall that slid aside, revealing a hidden freight elevator. ¡°It¡¯s dull work, but it¡¯s important.¡± They stepped aboard the elevator. ¡°It¡¯s really simple enough, though,¡± the supervisor continued. ¡°Keep watch. When someone steps up to speak at the microphone, hit the green button. When they step away, hit it again.¡± The elevator opened onto a catwalk, set above the top floor of the bazaar. ¡°I don¡¯t have much sound experience.¡± Enoa had no sound experience. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± someone said from the catwalk. ¡°The mics are actually my gig tonight. Tonight you¡¯re the audience. Low pressure.¡± Enoa followed the voice and found a masked person, dressed in black, bow and quiver of arrows over his shoulders. The supervisor gasped and slammed her index finger into two buttons on the lift¡¯s control. The elevator groaned, but nothing happened. The doors stayed open. Enoa pressed herself back against the side of the elevator. She hadn¡¯t made an explosion since she¡¯d started her transmutation training, but she didn¡¯t even have her staff. She was unarmed. The tech supervisor jammed her fingers into the buttons again. No results. ¡°Archer!¡± The supervisor yelled. ¡°Archer!¡± The archer let his bow drop to his left hand and retrieved an arrow with his right. The supervisor didn¡¯t manage a third call. She shut up when the arrow pointed at her face. ¡°Yeah,¡± the archer said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need you to not talk, now.¡± * * * Orson was still working on microphones when the Wuyar Archers stormed the Domicile Bar and Grill. ¡°Does this work?¡± Orson asked the trombonist whose microphone he was adjusting. ¡°There¡¯s not a lot of room.¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to it,¡± the musician answered. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Archer!¡± a distant voice yelled. Orson looked over his shoulder and found dark-clad shapes charging into the restaurant. The Archers had arrived, and they were brandishing their weapons, sending donors and guests huddling against walls. ¡°Don¡¯t move! Don¡¯t speak!¡± A voice shouted from the entryway, a voice Orson knew, the voice from the Outrider. People screamed. There came the sound of glass breaking and crashes he could not identify. Security began their countermeasures. Three individuals, with guns and stun batons, rushed from alcoves around the room. Orson used the cover to run. He charged from the makeshift bandstand and dove behind the bar. There, he found Adelyn Castillo crouched, out of sight, as well as three bartenders, several members of the wait staff, and the band¡¯s backup drummer, sticks in hand. All watched Orson. ¡°You said they¡¯d be after machinery,¡± Adelyn hissed. ¡°I was wrong.¡± He reached beneath the bar and slid out a case, the metal lockbox that held his gear. He retrieved his mobile key ring and fit a key into the case. Then he risked the noise and threw open its latches. He heard shouts and a single cry of pain, as he slid his arms into his coat, buckled his belt, donned his gloves, activated his armor framework, and readied his sword. He sat down and kicked off his black right shoe. He slid that leg, pantleg and all, into his repulsor boot and connected the wiring. If he hadn¡¯t worn his gear almost every day for half a decade, he couldn¡¯t have dressed that quickly. ¡°Go get the ones hiding behind the bar,¡± a male voice said. ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± replied another. Orson heard someone approach the bar from the opposite side. His gear wasn¡¯t perfect and he wasn¡¯t masked, but he¡¯d run out of time. When the archer arrived at the bar and aimed an arrow over it, Orson drew his sword and jumped to his feet. With a swing of the sword, Orson cut the arrow in half, sending the odd square arrowhead dropping to the floor. The archer gasped and jumped back, but to his credit, he reached up to grab another arrow. Orson used his repulsor to jump over the bar. When the archer aimed his second arrow him, Orson sliced the bow in half. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Open bar closed early.¡± The archer yelled and retreated back toward his fellows. Orson lifted the sword of fire and sent its sapphire glow through the room. There came a cheer from the Bassam Band and another from the crowd of donors at the entryway. Orson wasn¡¯t looking at them. He counted archers and found fourteen, total. Six pointed arrows at him. The others had their weapons aimed throughout the crowd. ¡°Captain,¡± the speaker archer called. ¡°What did you learn with your days of research?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned there are a lot of honest people trying to make a real living in this place,¡± Orson said. ¡°Do the restaurant owners or artists or musicians deserve to be terrorized?¡± ¡°Did the Rojas family and all their hands deserve to be murdered to make way for a lithium mine?¡± the speaker asked. ¡°We¡¯re not here to talk philosophy, Captain. We¡¯re here to offer a choice.¡± ¡°Lower your weapons!¡± Chief Morita ran from some back corner of the room. Orson didn¡¯t know where he¡¯d been, but he saw eight bows train on the security man. ¡°Your backup isn¡¯t coming,¡± the speaker said. ¡°We have control of all elevators and doors. Lower your gun.¡± ¡°I know you folks think your Steampunk anarchy thing is cool,¡± Orson said. ¡°But you would¡¯ve been better off letting me do more research and less planning for your next attack.¡± ¡°We ran out of time,¡± the speaker said. ¡°Just let us go!¡± a man yelled from the donor crowd. ¡°Who are you? What is this?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± An archer yelled. ¡°You stay away from him,¡± Morita replied, but his voice sounded smaller. He looked around. There were only two other security personnel in view. ¡°You¡¯ve been nabbing guards for a while, haven¡¯t you,¡± Orson said. ¡°As somebody who¡¯s done the whole infiltration, sneakery deal, I¡¯ll be impressed if no one¡¯s hurt.¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t killers,¡± the speaker said. ¡°We¡¯re here to offer a choice.¡± She pointed toward the restaurant¡¯s long window. ¡°If you look outside, you¡¯ll see the viewing of Mimi¡¯s Post has been interrupted.¡± Orson didn¡¯t look. ¡°We have control of your screen and will use it to show highlights from the Solar Saver¡¯s crimes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve done no crimes!¡± Thomas Nicks, the PR boss, yelled. ¡°Why do you hate us so much? We¡¯ve done nothing wrong!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here,¡± the speaker said, ¡°to show you the truth.¡± ¡°If you had all this proof to give out,¡± Orson said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get this to me with your warning? Why didn¡¯t you make sure I saw it? I call bullshit.¡± ¡°And let your bosses have the chance to prepare lies?¡± the speaker said. ¡°No.¡± During the conversation, the crowd noise grew to a constant murmur of fearful chatter and terrified whispers. Donors crouched together. Wait staff attempted to find one another. And the musicians worked to gather their instruments and belongings. ¡°Trickshot,¡± the speaker commanded. One of the archers switched the arrow they held and fired an object into the air, a projectile that exploded in a burst of light and noise. Everyone fell silent. ¡°Where is Commodore Augustin?¡± the speaker asked. ¡°We¡¯re here to offer her a choice. Either we reveal the truth to her followers, outside, or she can come with us and see the truth for herself.¡± 45 - Fire Extinguisher Kol Maros stared at the darkened ceiling. He¡¯d spent hours drifting between abstract, nonsensical dreams and futile, fearful wakefulness. He hadn¡¯t had a single moment of relief since his failed mission, chasing the Aesir. Max and Duncan kept him preparing, studying, reading. And if it wasn¡¯t the constant burden of endless preparation, it was the nightmares, most of which he forgot. He rolled onto his side on the air mattress. He checked his watch, still only 9:15 P.M. They needed to catch the first train the next morning at 5:00 A.M. to arrive in time for his hearing. Kol feared the next six hours would be spent desperately awake, before he could finally, reasonably get up and start getting ready. Kol tried to return his watch to the floor without making noise. Duncan had always been a light sleeper, and his friend slept on a second air mattress at the far side of Max¡¯s living room. Kol heard a sound from the hallway. Max maintained his wheelchair with the same diligent consistency he displayed in every aspect of his life, but Kol could still hear the slight sound of the wheels in the carpet. His brother had left his room. Kol couldn¡¯t stand the silence or his own thoughts, so he rolled out of bed. He listened for some sign that Duncan was now awake too, but his friend still breathed deeply. Kol found his brother in the small hall that led back to the module¡¯s bedroom. Max offered him a smile. He lifted a folder from one of the boxes of files they¡¯d left in the hallway, one that would make the journey with them back to Philadelphia. Max motioned for him to join him in the bedroom. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep either?¡± Kol asked his brother, once the door was closed. He sat on the end of Max¡¯s bed. ¡°No,¡± Max said. ¡°Not until this is over, I can¡¯t rest. I haven¡¯t felt this way since Tanarest.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t like Tanarest,¡± Kol said. ¡°How can a disciplinary hearing compare to dozens of innocent lives saved?¡± ¡°I had the opportunity to save a lot of people, when I served,¡± Max said. ¡°But now is just as important. I have the chance to save you. I couldn¡¯t save you, in the collapse, and I didn¡¯t succeed in saving you from that Liberty Corps recruiter. But now I have a chance to make it right.¡± ¡°Save me?¡± Kol said. ¡°So much of what I do and what I¡¯m trying to do is to make things right. I¡¯ve told you this before. I¡¯m ambitious because I¡¯m trying to help you and fix¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put that on me!¡± Max said, unusually loud, unusually harsh. Kol recoiled away from him and fell silent, but Max patted his brother on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s been a long week, and it¡¯s a difficult time in the world. Sleep would do us both some good, take us away from our stress, for a while.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kol said, though his own sleep had been dominated by the endless stream of forgotten, but disorienting thoughts. ¡°We don¡¯t have long to sleep.¡± ¡°No,¡± Max chuckled. ¡°We better sleep fast.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Kol said. ¡°Goodnight.¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡± Kol tried not to think about his brother¡¯s anger, about their history, about their injuries, about the Liberty Corps. There wasn¡¯t much he could safely think about. Every facet of his life brought him pain. But Kol would try to sleep. He crept back to the air mattress and stared at the ceiling, once more. * * * ¡°Alright, ladies,¡± the archer said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need you both to come out of the elevator. I¡¯m not going to hurt you, but I am going to bind your hands. If you don¡¯t fight with me, I can make the restraints pretty loose, even though my boss told me not to do that.¡± ¡°Stay away from me! Stay away from me!¡± The technical supervisor backed against the wall of the freight elevator. She¡¯d given up on the elevator¡¯s buttons and now seemed to be trying to stall and be loud enough to get attention. Enoa tried to find the Dreamside Road. She tried to find the place of magic possibility, tried to force her mind to leave her mundane, but dangerous, present. There wasn¡¯t much she¡¯d learned to do, but she had a better chance with her Shaping than she did with her bare fists. ¡°Seriously, lady,¡± the archer said. ¡°Tonight they¡¯re using like three things I invented, and I need to see how that all goes. C¡¯mon, like I said. I¡¯m not going to hurt you. Why are you so afraid? We never hurt anybody.¡± ¡°Back, back, back,¡± the supervisor shouted. The archer was hesitant to approach the elevator, but he put his bow and arrow up at his shoulder and drew two zip ties from his pocket. From below, crashes and shouts could be heard. ¡°Don¡¯t move! Don¡¯t speak!¡± Someone yelled. ¡°See,¡± the archer said. ¡°It¡¯s starting. Seriously. I¡¯ve been working on this aaaall week. I¡¯ve even got something to stop Captain Gregory¡¯s sword.¡± Enoa was snapped out of her half-trance. She was only in the elevator, only threatened by this archer, this very young-sounding man. Did she fear for Orson? She didn¡¯t know. He was so resourceful and had done so much, but he was still just one person. And if something did happen to him, what would Enoa do? She couldn¡¯t fly the Aesir. She couldn¡¯t find the Dreamside Road artifacts. She couldn¡¯t find the island. Without Orson, she would be totally lost, alone in the wild world. She had faith in Orson, but she needed to be more than a passenger. It was past time she took real command in her life, on this adventure. She and Orson had a partnership, and she needed to be an equal partner. If he faced a fight on the floor below, she would fight this archer, too. Enoa forced her mind in half. She stood in the elevator, facing the archer, but she also stood in the mental glade, the magic place, in the Nimauk of her memory. Anything was possible there. She could do anything. Enoa reached her hand into her pocket and found the stun box. She had a plan, a bad one, but a plan. She set about causing a flood. Enoa imagined herself beside the little stream, but the glade was in a great rainstorm. No. No, the glade was full of snow, a blizzard of snow, and the snow was melting. The snow was melting and the stream was flooding, turning everything to mud, as water grew and grew and grew outward. ¡°Oh damn.¡± The archer looked at Enoa and her intense expression. ¡°You¡¯re his partner, right? Well, I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t hurt Captain Gregory, unless he does something totally crazy, but I mean, that sword is a major problem. Who¡¯s ready to go toe-to-toe with Jedi Master Snark, down there?¡± He eyed Enoa. ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± He wiped at his forehead. ¡°They really have the heat up high in that elevator. Don¡¯t you two wanna come out of there?¡± The supervisor had stopped flailing and tugged at her collar. But Enoa didn¡¯t stop. In the real world, she advanced out of the elevator, toward the archer, like she was surrendering. But mentally, she stood beside the stream and felt the water, the cold, just-melted water. She felt the water overflow and wash over the land, until it was deep. She felt it rising up her calves. She slipped further and further away from the real world, feeling the water rising, feeling the flood, making the flood real. ¡°See, she¡¯s being reasonable,¡± the archer said, as Enoa approached. ¡°Why are your eyes closed? You¡¯re gonna¡­ AHH!¡± The archer yelled when the foot of water splashed down on the two of them. Enoa gasped. The water was cold, and it drenched her to the skin. The supervisor screamed too, as the water splashed out in all directions, back into the elevator, creeping down into the elevator shaft, and under the catwalk¡¯s glass railing. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°What the hell?¡± The archer looked up, like he expected to see a leak from the ceiling. He stopped looking around when he saw Enoa draw out the stun box. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He stowed the ties aside, redrew his arrow, and aimed it in her direction. ¡°If you don¡¯t want a nasty shock,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You¡¯ll let us go. I¡¯m no one¡¯s hostage.¡± ¡°You did this?¡± he said. ¡°How?¡± He slid his feet along the wet floor. ¡°This is nowhere near enough water to cause the kind of conduction you¡¯re thinking of.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be comfortable for us,¡± Enoa said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± the supervisor said. ¡°You¡¯re crazy too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But I have a lot on my mind, so I think our friend should realize he¡¯s better off letting us leave.¡± ¡°Why would you hurt yourself?¡± the archer asked. ¡°I said I¡¯m not going to hurt you, and you decide, ¡®hey, I¡¯m gonna electrocute myself so I can¡¯t leave anyway¡¯?¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Enoa asked. She pressed the activation on the stun box and held it, emitter outward. She held the box between her thumb and index finger and dangled it toward the wet floor. * * * ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time,¡± Orson said. ¡°Commodore Augustin caught a flight to Chicago this morning.¡± He tried to mentally follow all of the archers. They¡¯d prepared an odd choreography, where they could keep the assorted guests and employees in range of their bows, but also keep moving and weaving through the room. ¡°Liar,¡± one of the archers yelled. Orson took a longer look at the archers. He was surprised by the variety of people he saw. Their concealing attire didn¡¯t show much skin, but Orson noticed the diverse people present in the Archers¡¯ ranks. Many skin tones were visible above their masks, and many colors of hair, even gray, peeked out from beneath the Archers¡¯ skullcaps. ¡°She hasn¡¯t left this crawler since it went online, last year,¡± the Archers¡¯ main speaker said. ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one way,¡± Orson said. ¡°I expected you were coming.¡± ¡°This is a trap!¡± One of the archers moved their bow away from the crowd and toward Orson. ¡°Get out the fire extinguisher, Ty!¡± Orson watched as another of the archers drew out a long metal pole with cylindrical holes along its length. Arcs of electricity danced between these holes. ¡°Please,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is probably your last, best chance to be heard and solve this without bloodshed.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± One of the women in the donor crowd shouted. ¡°You¡¯re here to protect us! Why are you talking to them?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± One of the archers brandished an arrow at the woman. ¡°Just show us your evidence if you¡¯ve really got it,¡± Arnold Chambers, the equipment supplier, shouted. ¡°We can resolve all of this,¡± Orson said. ¡°But, like I said, this is our last chance. If you put your bows down, I will put my sword away. You won¡¯t need to try to jab me with that clothesline thing.¡± He looked at the archers. Some of them met his gaze. Most did not. ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°Begin broadcast!¡± the speaker yelled. ¡°Planned Pattern Zeta. Go now.¡± The archers sprang into motion. Several of them blatantly charged back out of the restaurant, but others fanned out through the crowd, aiming their arrows at the remaining security, workers, and guests. The speaker and Ty with the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ kept their eyes on Orson. ¡°I can¡¯t let you play your video,¡± Orson pulled down his visor. ¡°You could be as crazy and dangerous as everyone thinks. Last chance to shut this down.¡± He advanced toward the archers. An arrow flew at Orson, but his HUD showed him its trajectory and it met the fire sword¡¯s blade. Most of the arrow burned away, but the tail fell, smoking, to the floor. Another archer tried to come at him from the back, but even without the HUD Orson would have heard his footfall. The archer tried to bring a club into the back of Orson¡¯s unarmored leg, but he twisted out of reach. Orson drove his repulsor into this archer¡¯s chest armor and fired a burst that sent his attacker flying back onto one of the restaurant tables. ¡°So much for nonviolent. Or am I so scary you¡¯re making an exception?¡± Orson saw that more of the archers had raced back out of the Domicile so he ran too. He couldn¡¯t let them escape. This wasn¡¯t just the archer¡¯s last chance, it was his ¨C his last chance to fix this situation without the nature of his work changing. Before this night, Orson could seek information, but afterward, he¡¯d need to decide who was the real threat, the Archers or Sabres Unlimited. Maybe both. Orson saw the archer speaker talk into a radio or some other communication device, before running out of the room. Before Orson could go very far, the archer named Ty stepped in his way and brandished the makeshift electrical weapon, spinning it around in the air, in a complicated flourish. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± * * * ¡°I¡¯m just gonna back away,¡± the archer said. ¡°I¡¯m going to back away and take a look at what¡¯s going on downstairs.¡± ¡°Just let us go!¡± Some shouts were audible from the lower level, people yelling loudly enough to be heard, even without any electronic amplification. Enoa didn¡¯t know how seriously the archer took her threat, but she could see that his attention was divided. Every shout he heard from the restaurant below sent him fidgeting. He was itching to take a look over the railing, to see his work in action. ¡°If you reset the elevator,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You can watch all you want.¡± ¡°If you knock him out, he can¡¯t let us go!¡± The tech supervisor hadn¡¯t taken her eyes from Enoa¡¯s stun box. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to talk less, please.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t even spare the woman a glance. It was taking every ounce of her mental strength to maintain the water on the floor. She was nowhere near strong enough to keep the water from obeying gravity. Very soon, it would all dissipate, flow away, wasted. She struggled and fought to hold it in place, to command the molecules she¡¯d transmuted and rearranged, the way she¡¯d seen Aunt Sucora do dozens of times in the films. But she had no mental metaphor for holding the water, the way she did for most of her other basic Shaping techniques. She was sure much of the water slipped free of her control. Enoa was losing herself too, losing her sense of reality. The danger had abated somewhat with the archer. He seemed much more concerned with the success of his inventions downstairs than he did with Enoa or his job at the elevator. And without that omnipresent danger, without that constant adrenaline, Enoa was losing the biological fuel that kept her mind split in two. ¡°Both of you, just let me go!¡± the supervisor yelled. The archer did not reply. He was too consumed by the shouts from below. ¡°This is a trap!¡± a woman yelled in the restaurant. ¡°Get out the fire extinguisher, Ty!¡± The archer turned fully away from Enoa. He glanced back over the railing. Enoa ran. She ran and directed more of the water to pool at the archer¡¯s feet, to limit his mobility. Her mind released the rest of the water. She had to. She couldn¡¯t help it. It flowed freely in all directions, but she had only moments to act. The archer spun around, but she was already too close. She seized his bow and wrenched it out of the way. He loosed the arrow, an odd arrow with a glowing end, instead of a standard arrow head. The arrow flew toward the floor and sizzled in the water. Before the archer could do any more, Enoa jabbed the stun box into his side. She pressed it through his clothing, between the layers of armor he wore. The archer convulsed when she stunned him. Enoa didn¡¯t know whether the shock was worse from the water, but she released the stun box and pulled it away, much faster than she¡¯d done for the Liberty Corps trooper she¡¯d zapped. But the archer still went mostly limp. He groaned and almost slid into the water. Enoa tried to guide him back against the railing. Now that her mind had released all of the water, it fully dispersed, raining down onto the floor below. There wasn¡¯t much volume to the water anywhere, but she still didn¡¯t want to let the young man fall and injure himself. Enoa managed to soften his fall, though not by much. He outweighed her by at least fifty or sixty pounds, but once against the thick glass railing, the inert young man slid down to the wet floor. She fell against the railing too and also slid into a sitting position The elevator doors began to close. The supervisor, terrified of everything, made the final decision to step out onto the balcony. The doors halted for her, but shut immediately afterward. Enoa didn¡¯t think knocking out the archer had somehow magically made the elevator work again. She wondered what or how it had been fixed or who had fixed it. ¡°Did you make the elevator leave?¡± The supervisor had lost all sense of herself. Enoa could see the panic in the woman¡¯s wide eyes. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But I¡¯m sure it will be over soon. This archer is my prisoner, but I need some way of transporting him. Do you have anything wheeled I could sit him in?¡± ¡°What?¡± the supervisor asked. ¡°Sit him in? Where are you taking him?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t truly know. She was just support for Orson. He¡¯d been supposed to do the catching, not her. All she knew was she wanted to keep the Archers clear of those Sabre people. ¡°I was undercover, working for Captain Orson Gregory. I¡¯m taking this archer away from here,¡± she said, finally. ¡°Can you think of any way to move him?¡± ¡°I have an electronics cart that should be able to hold him,¡± the supervisor said. ¡°But I¡¯d need it back. It was very expensive. And it will need to be dry when it¡¯s returned.¡± She eyed the wet floor. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Can you please go get it?¡± But before the supervisor did anything, the elevator let out a sound. Someone was returning. The woman backed away from the elevator, until she stood against the walkway¡¯s railing too. Enoa, for her part, could not go anywhere until she could move her prisoner. The elevator opened and an armored person stepped out. The person was concealed head to toe in shining, bulky armor, their face and head covered by an oversized helmet. They held a large rifle in their hands. Enoa looked at the feet of the armor. She¡¯d seen boots like those before, or at least one of them. ¡°Did you do this?¡± The armored warrior turned his attention toward Enoa, her right hand on the archer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good job, girl. I¡¯ll be taking the prisoner from here.¡± 46 - The Prisoner ¡°Bet you never fought something that could match that sword.¡± Ty, the archer, swung the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯. It sparked as it spun around. ¡°I actually have,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s a great sword, but there are a couple things it doesn¡¯t cut, like dragon bone.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ty said. ¡°Dragons aren¡¯t real.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°Maybe not, but those bones sure came from something.¡± He pointed to the ¡®fire extinguisher. ¡°That thing looks like it¡¯s about to zap you. Why don¡¯t you put it away before you hurt yourself?¡± Orson watched the rest of the archers retreat around Ty. This last group of seven backed away, their weapons outward, Ty and his weapon facing Orson. ¡°Okay.¡± Orson looked for the remaining security. They had their guns trained on the Archers. Morita stood beside some of the party guests. ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to buy time for your friends, but this is your last chance. You¡¯ve got three seconds to¡­¡± Ty rushed Orson with the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯. He swung the odd weapon. Orson blocked it with the sword. The electricity arced out and clashed with the sword, but the weird weapon did not pass into the blade¡¯s fire. The device was not cut. Orson pulled his sword back, with effort, and swung again. He aimed the strike for the space between two of the electrified holes, but the energy burst out and caught the sword of fire anyway. The archers cheered. ¡°Aww yeah!¡± Ty said. ¡°I knew my boy wouldn¡¯t let me down. I knew it. Now, you can put the sword away.¡± Orson didn¡¯t need his HUD to analyze his current opponent. He knew well that this young man had little experience at swordplay. He flailed his weapon around like a toddler with a plastic baseball bat. Orson caught the sword of fire against the electrified weapon. The two energies clashed with a nasty buzzing sound. Then Orson twisted his sword, hooked it against the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ and used the clashing weapons to twist Ty¡¯s wrist, as well. The young man lost his grip of the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ and, unlike the business end, its hilt could not stand against the sword of fire. Orson cut the makeshift weapon¡¯s hilt in two. It fell, sparking, to the floor. The archers saw their destroyed failsafe. They backed away, keeping arrows aimed at Orson and the security. They ran when they reached the doorway. Orson spared a glance to Morita and the security, the donors, the guests, the workers. They had begun to rise from the floor. They seemed safe. The Archers were fleeing. Orson had his own work to do. Shut off the Archers¡¯ broadcast, for one thing, if it really was playing outside for everyone to see. He considered turning back and planning with Morita. But no, he had to catch the Archers. Even more important than the broadcast, only he could catch them and do it the right way, persuade them to talk, set matters right without everything devolving into chaos and violence. ¡°Orson!¡± Enoa called from the comm. ¡°Orson! One of the Sabres is trying to take our prisoner.¡± Orson looked up toward the balcony and immediately noticed the trickles of water that leaked under the railing, dripped down into the Domicile restaurant. Our prisoner? Orson wasn¡¯t sure whether Enoa had followed his ¡®slick floor¡¯ suggestion, but she¡¯d successfully worked some magic and caught an archer! Orson didn¡¯t waste more time in wondering. He used his repulsor to leap from the floor onto the tech catwalk. He found Enoa there, crouched in front of a huddled shape. An armored man stood over her, brandishing a long blaster. Orson didn¡¯t feel like having a confrontation with Brett Nalrik. He had energy for only so many showdowns in a single day. ¡°Out of the way, girl!¡± the man yelled. Even with the slight vocoder distortion, Orson could tell it was not Brett Nalrik¡¯s voice. That left one possibility ¨C Nalrik had recovered multiple suits of Strateren armor. ¡°It was a mistake calling him. We¡¯ll have you for aiding and abetting the¡­¡± Orson leaped to Enoa¡¯s side, his sword drawn. The Sabre stopped speaking, but he regained his composure and angled his weapon toward Orson. ¡°You won¡¯t have her on anything,¡± Orson said. ¡°She works with me, and I¡¯m operating in direct agreement with Commodore Augustin. Clear out of here, Sabre. Go back to your clubhouse.¡± He looked down at Enoa. ¡°Has he been bothering you?¡± ¡°He says the Sabres have a protection agreement with the Solar Saver!¡± Enoa managed to look genuinely furious, even crouched at the floor, clutching at the mostly-limp archer. ¡°We do,¡± the Sabre said. ¡°Got that deal worked out long before you flew in.¡± Before Orson could reply, he heard the sound of approaching wheels. He glanced over his shoulder, expecting more archers or space-armored Sabre members. But no, the terrified-looking tech supervisor walked toward them, pushing a tufted, wingback desk chair along the wet floor. ¡°Thanks,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I don¡¯t have time for a rest now.¡± ¡°The young lady wanted a way to move her, er, her prisoner,¡± the supervisor said. ¡°I wanted a cart, but I couldn¡¯t find it.¡± ¡°No need.¡± The Sabre reached out toward the supervisor. ¡°I¡¯ll carry him. I¡¯m the ranking security official in this instance.¡± ¡°Ignore him,¡¯ Orson told the woman. ¡°Enoa, are you well enough to transport our prisoner. I have room three marked.¡± Orson hoped she¡¯d know he meant the Aesir. He didn¡¯t want the Sabre to know where she was going. Enoa looked at him, her eyes tired, but without the limp exhaustion she¡¯d displayed in her earlier uses of Shaping. ¡°I can manage that.¡± Her glance flickered to the Sabre. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think you¡¯ll accomplish by ignoring me,¡± the Sabre said. ¡°He¡¯s coming with¡­¡± ¡°No one¡¯s interested in your opinion, Tin Man,¡± Orson said. ¡°I was impressed by your film-quality costume for about ten seconds, but that doesn¡¯t mean I care what you have to say.¡± He turned back to Enoa. ¡°Look, take a couple pair of cuffs, my Stink Set and some electro pins, in case any vigilante weirdos try to intervene. You know the fastest way there.¡± ¡°Orson?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t look at the Sabre, but he could tell her focus was on the other man. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do my job.¡± Orson slipped the cuffs to Enoa, then unclipped his stink set and magnetic charges from his belt. He handed these to her, as well. ¡°Do you need help getting him up in the chair?¡± Orson looked at the tech supervisor. The woman was looking at her feet, seemingly hoping she wouldn¡¯t be noticed if she didn¡¯t move and didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Can you help her get this guy in the chair? You¡¯ve already dealt with so much, but I¡¯d appreciate it. And you¡­¡± He turned to the Sabre. ¡°I¡¯m not asking again. Get the hell out of here.¡± The Sabre angled his helmet toward Orson. He expected a fight. Fine, as long as it started soon. He hadn¡¯t gone to all of this trouble to capture only one of the archers. For all he knew, the man on the floor was the goofy tagalong they were willing to sacrifice for their noble cause. ¡°Well¡­¡± Orson said. The Sabre ran, but not at Orson. He charged in the opposite direction, down the catwalk. When he reached the end of the deck, he jumped from the platform. Twin flames ignited from his back and scorched the catwalk, behind him. He had a jetpack! The Sabre flew out through the empty bazaar. ¡°He¡¯s not running away from me,¡± Orson said. ¡°He must¡¯ve gotten some new orders, probably was talking to his boss through his helmet.¡± He looked to Enoa. ¡°You know what, I¡¯ll get him in the chair. Push it over when I get him up.¡± He took the archer under the arms and got a quick, easy boost from his boot. He deposited the archer in the desk chair. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°Go chase.¡± ¡°Shoot me a call when you¡¯re back home,¡± Orson said. ¡°We need to talk about the new water magic thing, but I have to run now.¡± He barreled down the catwalk after the Sabre, hoping the Solar Saver conflict would still be resolved without everything devolving into bloodshed. * * * ¡°D-did it work?¡± The archer mumbled and peeked under the heavy lids of his eyes. He hadn¡¯t moved as he was loaded into the chair, but now he suddenly stirred as she started to roll him away. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°What?¡± Enoa tried to keep her voice down. The tech supervisor jumped away when the archer stirred. ¡°Did what work?¡± Enoa continued rolling the chair forward. The woman made no motion to catch up to her. ¡°Is there an access hallway that would take me back to the docking area elevator?¡± Enoa turned to the supervisor. ¡°There is, at the end of this catwalk, on the right.¡± The supervisor pointed. ¡°But you¡¯d need a keycard.¡± ¡°I have this.¡± Enoa fished in her pockets for the card Orson had lent her. She drew it out and held it up. ¡°That should work,¡± the supervisor said. ¡°Great! Thank you for all your help!¡± Enoa turned back in the other direction, the way to the access corridor. ¡°Return that chair when you¡¯re done!¡± The supervisor called after her. ¡°I will.¡± Enoa pushed the chair down the catwalk, the archer¡¯s limp heels sliding along the floor. Enoa had cuffed the archer¡¯s wrists, and she¡¯d considered using the second pair on his ankles, but she might need him to walk or lift his feet. She hoped he could walk. She hadn¡¯t felt bad shocking him, but he¡¯d been so limp since then. The young archer groaned. He had a boyish, innocent manner that reminded her of Megan¡¯s twin brothers, a year her junior. Enoa picked up the pace. Her shoes were still wet, and she feared squeaks. She feared speaking. She feared all noise, anything that could draw more of the Sabres. She understood why Orson had left her, but she wasn¡¯t sure what she could do against more of the armored attackers. That armor was another relic of the old Hierarchia¡¯s work, another of the strange phenomena that, like her Shaping, had led to the madness in the world. Enoa wheeled the chair to the other side of the catwalk, where she found the doorway into the access corridor. It had a simple swipe card slot. Enoa kept one hand on the desk chair and swept the keycard with the other. The light on the door lock stayed red. She swiped a second time. Still nothing. Enoa turned around. She didn¡¯t want to call to the tech supervisor, but better she get help than strand herself on the catwalk with the archer. Except the tech supervisor was gone. There was no one to be seen. Enoa was alone with the archer. As she watched the other side of the catwalk, Enoa saw a light appear above the elevator. Did the light mean someone was occupying the elevator? Was someone coming up to the catwalk again? Why hadn¡¯t she paid more attention to the details of the elevator when she¡¯d been closer. Enoa didn¡¯t plan on staying on the catwalk long enough for someone else to arrive. She kept her hand steady and slowly swiped the keycard a third time. The lock¡¯s light turned green. Enoa released the desk chair and caught the entryway¡¯s doorknob. It turned. She pushed the door open and then maneuvered the desk chair through the doorway. She jumped when the motion-activated corridor lights lit around her. Only part of the hallway was illuminated, about twenty feet ahead. Lights further on stayed dark. Enoa made the mistake of risking a glance back out the doorway, toward the elevator. The doors were opening. She caught a glimpse of chrome armor, two sets. An armored Sabre exited the elevator onto the catwalk. Then another one followed. Enoa pushed the archer around the door and shut it behind them, turning the knob carefully so it made hardly a sound, as it closed and locked again. She got a better grip on the desk chair and kept walking. Had they seen her? What would she do if they had? She had a horrifying mental image of the Sabres in their full-powered suits, ripping through the locked door, but they might not need to do anything so drastic. They could easily have their own keys. She sped up, almost a run. ¡°Did it work?¡± the archer said again. ¡°Did what work?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know whether or not to ignore him. He¡¯d been out of it for several minutes, but she didn¡¯t need him becoming insistent. He did not reply. She progressed down the passageway several feet further. The archer groaned. ¡°Are you still with me?¡± Enoa touched her captive on the shoulder. He¡¯d fallen silent again. He didn¡¯t answer. Enoa heard a slight ¡®pop¡¯ and spun around. Some of the lights behind her had shut down. She rushed along in a small bubble of illumination, which shifted as the corridor lights followed her on the walk along the top of the crawler. She heard no sign of anyone else, no motion, no speech. When Enoa reached the end of the corridor, she saw both the promised freight elevator and a narrow stairwell, passages that accessed all levels of the crawler, including the docking area. The more she thought about it, the less she liked the elevator. It was too blind. She had no idea who¡¯d be waiting for her when the doors opened, but with the archer on the chair, she didn¡¯t have many options. ¡°Did my ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ work?¡± the archer asked. ¡°I wanted to see it.¡± He groaned again. ¡°What did she use on me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know the answer to either of your questions.¡± Enoa summoned the elevator. She wheeled the chair into the elevator when the doors opened. ¡°Are you okay now?¡± The doors shut behind her, and she turned the chair around to stare at it, as the elevator moved. ¡°I¡¯m getting some feeling back,¡± the archer said. ¡°Hey, where are the others? Are they okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Enoa said. He again didn¡¯t respond, and she passed the rest of the elevator ride in silence. The lift door inched open. She held her breath. She didn¡¯t know which of her borrowed weapons worked on the armored men. Any of them? But no one stood outside the elevator. No attackers. No one was there, at all. Good. She could breathe again. She was almost there ¨C about one hundred feet to the Aesir. She wheeled the chair out into the corridor ¨C or she tried to. The back wheels stuck. The chair jammed. The archer was jarred in his seat. He yelled. Enoa yelped. She tried to push the chair again. It still didn¡¯t pass over the lip. The elevator sat lower than the actual floor. She probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed it without the archer in the chair. ¡°Hang on.¡± Enoa knew she couldn¡¯t lift the chair, not even for a moment. She turned around and spun the chair with her. ¡°Woah!¡± the dazed archer said. She started to back the chair out of the elevator, with both of them facing the inside of the lift. Enoa looked both ways out the elevator. She still saw no one. The elevator began to close. Was it just closing on its own? Or was someone else calling it? Enoa hit the ¡®door open¡¯ button. She hoped that would buy her enough time that it didn¡¯t matter. Going backward, she pulled the chair out of the elevator. The archer wasn¡¯t knocked loose, but he yelled again as the chair passed free into the hallway. She waited in the hall until the archer got quiet. She still heard no sounds around her. She kept going. Enoa was glad the archer had fallen silent. She didn¡¯t need him yelling or doing something to get the attention of the whole crawler, when they were only feet from the Aesir. She could see the door into the ship¡¯s docking berth. Enoa didn¡¯t remember if there were any uneven floor spaces between the passage and the docking area. It had never been an issue before. She really hoped not. She was so close. ¡°Did you say where the others were?¡± the archer asked. He leaned up and began to glance around the corridor. He looked at Enoa. ¡°Wait! You¡¯re the magic girl!¡± He wrenched away, rocking the chair. ¡°Listen to me,¡± Enoa pressed the door control to the docking berth. The door opened. ¡°We¡¯re trying to help you. Orson and me. Captain Gregory. Please be quiet. They could still be out there ¨C the Sabres. We just escaped them on the catwalk. I think they might have tried to use the elevator. We have to hurry.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take me,¡± the archer yelled and tried to push himself away from her, but found that his hands were bound. He got his feet under him and tried to stand, but fell back into the chair. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Up at the docking bay ¨C stop now!¡± A voice shouted from the stairwell. The voice echoed. She couldn¡¯t tell if it came from above or below, but it wasn¡¯t right on them. ¡°Official Security.¡± ¡°Pull up your feet!¡± Enoa ran. She didn¡¯t wait to see who had shouted. She doubted they were actual security personnel. She charged through the open docking bay doorway. The door cycled shut and hopefully locked behind her. She ran across the mercifully smooth floor, going as fast as her legs would carry them. ¡°You can¡¯t let them have me,¡± the archer fidgeted in his seat. ¡°They¡¯re killers. I¡¯m dead. I¡¯m really dead if they get me. I¡¯m dead.¡± The desk chair had made this trip possible. But running, Enoa felt the resistance of the archer¡¯s real weight, as she pushed the chair, pushed the archer. Enoa wished she could transmute fast enough to fight back. But there was no way. She ran right up to the Aesir and grabbed the key to the camper. ¡°I need you to stand.¡± Enoa opened the Aesir¡¯s side door. ¡°I can¡¯t carry you.¡± She jumped inside and knelt at the doorway. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± The archer got his legs under him, but he wobbled on his feet. He had no strength. He gripped the chair and fell back. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can get up there.¡± ¡°Just push toward me.¡± Enoa wheeled him closer, close enough to lean forward and take him under the arms. ¡°Now push!¡± Sparks blasted from the docking bay door. The ¡®security¡¯ was trying to force their way through. ¡°Ruby!¡± Enoa yelled over her shoulder. ¡°Shields now! We¡¯re under attack.¡± ¡°There is a door ajar,¡± Ruby replied. ¡°Please shut the door before shield activation.¡± ¡°Ruby, override!¡± Enoa watched the sparks slowly trace their way around the edge of the door. She tried to pull the archer from the chair. ¡°Push. Come on! Push! If I die because you wouldn¡¯t push¡­¡± He found his strength. They toppled together, back into the Aesir. ¡°Would you like the particle shield or the rad shield?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Would you like my defensive recommendations?¡± ¡°Get off of me!¡± Enoa shoved the archer away. The Aesir¡¯s door hadn¡¯t closed. Why hadn¡¯t it closed? There, she saw the chair had slid forward with the archer. It was tipped forward, partially rolled under the Aesir. ¡°Would you like the particle shield or the rad shield?¡± Ruby asked again. ¡°I recommend avoiding the particle shield. It can cause a severe¡­¡± The docking bay door fell inward with a massive thud. Two Sabres ran inside, their blasters ready, already aimed at her and the archer. ¡°Ruby, I don¡¯t know!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°Both! Just do it. Ruby, shields now!¡± One of the Sabres ran at her, bounding across the deck in armor-boosted strides. He closed half the distance from the door to the Aesir in two steps. Enoa braced herself. Her staff waited less than ten feet away. If she had that, maybe she¡¯d manage another explosion. The man slammed bodily into the Aesir¡¯s particle shield like a fly against a window. The particle shield flashed a bright red and sizzled. It flung the armored man away. He fell back to the deck, motionless. Enoa kicked the chair out of the doorway. The door slid shut and locked. She stood and looked down at the archer. He lay on the floor breathing deeply. His mask was now askew, and she saw his face. He looked even younger than she¡¯d imagined. He was almost hyperventilating. ¡°Captain Gregory and I are going to make sure things work out,¡± she said. ¡°But I need you to stay right there. If you fight me, I¡¯ll have to zap you again so we don¡¯t get killed by those Sabres.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t wait for a reply. She ran to the Aesir¡¯s dashboard, in time to find the other Sabre with his blaster aimed right at the windshield, right at her. ¡°Come out,¡± the Sabre said. ¡°Or I start firing until we overload your shield. It won¡¯t last long inside.¡± Enoa activated the dash microphone. ¡°Do anything and I¡¯ll shoot.¡± Enoa placed her hands on the firing controls for the Aesir¡¯s front Incursion Cannons. 47 - Arm Cannon Orson ran through the empty bazaar. It was always unnerving and strange, when closed, silent, dark, the stalls¡¯ entrances grated. But that night many of the shop owners and managers had left their stalls truly alone, which meant the slight background noise of the people who lived adjacent to their mobile businesses was also gone. Orson had spent days in the bazaar conducting interviews, but it seemed immense and powerful, while empty. Without the loud tourists and assorted attractions, he could fully appreciate the incredible engineering and scientific ingenuity on display. At that moment, Orson could hear only himself, his breathing, and his footfalls. He suspected that the Archers had some method of traveling through the crawler¡¯s support structures, the ventilation ducts and maintenance passageways, some barely large enough to stand upright. He also suspected they¡¯d be aiming for a quick departure, after their failure to apprehend Augustin. Orson had used precious time with the Sabre threat toward Enoa, and he hoped he still had time to catch up with the remaining archers, before they fled or before they crossed paths with the Sabres and their advanced weaponry. He had lost sight of the Sabre who¡¯d rocketed away and feared the great speed of the powered armor. Even without the authentic propulsion systems, the vintage suits were still frighteningly fast in the air. Orson ignited his own repulsor. He entered a controlled fall, down multiple levels. He tried to ignore the nauseating view of the atrium¡¯s central column, its lights still silently blinking. Orson arrived on level six, the level of the wobbling windmills and the thin gantry that allowed for their maintenance. He could think of four potential exits for the Archers: the roof, the space between the treads at the ground, the original doors on the crawler¡¯s base transport, or the windmill repair gantry. He doubted they¡¯d repeat the roof escape, after they¡¯d been seen leaving that way before, so he chose to check the gantry. Orson still had no idea how they were getting into and out of the crawler, but he chose that path. It was the closest potential exit. He ran between two empty stalls, swiped his keycard at the access passageway door, and charged into the corridor, aiming for the external hatch at the hallway¡¯s midpoint. He took a repulsor-aided leap that landed him right beside the hatch. Even through the soundproofed wall, he could hear the slight clanking of the rising and falling windmills. He saw the archers through the porthole, almost thirty, more than he¡¯d seen before, more than he knew existed. They were huddled together. His view was too limited to see what they were doing. Orson keyed open the hatch and was immediately struck with a blast of wind. He was thankful, as usual, for his heavy gear. Before he could step through the hatch, he had a dozen arrows aimed at him. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk,¡± he raised his hands, palms outward. ¡°I want your evidence. I want to fix this before people get really hurt. Let me help. If you have evidence against the Sabres, help me get to the bottom of it all.¡± ¡°You helped the Sabres take two of us,¡± the usual speaker yelled. ¡°You had your partner abduct my own flesh and blood.¡± She aimed an arrow of her own at Orson. The other archers turned away and began constructing two of their small framework aircraft. They worked with practiced speed. Orson knew he had little time. ¡°Now, you want to talk?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t help the Sabres do anything,¡± Orson said. ¡°I want proof against them, if you have it. Please, you say you have all this information, but you¡¯ve shown me none of it. I¡¯m in the best position to take them down, if they¡¯re truly a threat.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be trusted,¡± the speaker yelled, shouting over the windmills¡¯ rumbling. They had completed their build-a-rockets and began to climb aboard. ¡°You fought us, even now that you¡¯ve met the Sabres.¡± ¡°You were here to kidnap someone,¡± Orson say. ¡°So yeah, I did fight you. I fight kidnappers. I¡¯m anti-kidnapping. And I¡¯m sorry if your friends are captives now as a result of that, but I only had your relative taken to talk with him. If it weren¡¯t for us, he would be with the Sabres now too. My partner put herself at personal risk to shield him from the wannabe Starship Trooper. I will do everything in my power to keep him and all of you from the Sabres, if they are what you say they are. I have an idea.¡± Orson pointed to his coat. ¡°I¡¯d like to give you a spare commlink. It¡¯s tightbeam. We can figure this out.¡± ¡°Orson Gregory conspiring with the criminals!¡± Brett Nalrik¡¯s distorted voice boomed from the sky. The archers looked up. Orson heard a sudden sound, the roar of multiple jetpacks. Energy bolts rained down. The Archers responded with a volley of arrows. Orson didn¡¯t know what the Archer¡¯s arrows could do, but he¡¯d seen enough of their bizarre technology to be wary. He drew his sword in his right hand and triggered the blaster to fall into his left. Orson followed the sudden violence with his HUD, trying to find an opening to somehow stop the carnage. Two of the energy blasts struck archers, and they fell to the gantry, unmoving. Most of the arrows issued small concussion blasts or smokescreens as they hit the armor of the flying attackers. But one of the arrows issued an electric discharge, and it took one of the Sabres directly in the jetpack. The pack shut off. The man screamed as he fell. The other Sabres flew down after him, as he spiraled, helpless, toward the ground. This gave the Archers enough time to climb aboard their build-a-rockets, dragging their motionless comrades with them. ¡°Take the comm.¡± Orson rushed after the Archers. He retrieved his spare communicator. ¡°I¡¯ll go after the Sabres, but we need to talk.¡± He tried to run to the speaker, but she leveled another arrow at him as she jumped back onto the last seat on the aircraft. Orson dove backward through the open crawler hatch, as thrust plumes burst from the rear of the two craft. They blasted away. A long, sustained beam of neon blue energy lanced from the ground. It fired straight into the sky, like a reversed bolt of lightning. The beam arced toward the build-a-rockets. Orson launched himself over the gantry, leaping between two of the windmills. He fired his repulsor, using it to guide his descent. He fell away from the machinery sounds and finally heard the noises of the crowd. There were shouts and screams, car horns blaring. Orson heard one other sound, a sustained hum. He used his HUD to find the source of the beam, the source of the hum, somewhere on the ground. He saw four figures, alone. The crowd had parted away from them, fleeing in all directions, leaving the armored men beside two food trucks and a pre-fab wooden stall. Two of the Sabres supported a third. The fourth held his left arm outward, the barrel of a massive gun where the hand should be. Brett Nalrik hadn¡¯t been boasting. He actually had a Strateren arm cannon. Orson deactivated his repulsor. He needed to fall faster, and he couldn¡¯t risk actually propelling himself face-first at the ground. That was a trick he¡¯d seldom used. So he let himself fall. He plummeted and watched warnings tick by on his HUD. He heard his proximity alarms begin. He saw Nalrik¡¯s the beam weapon swing through one of the two build-a-rockets, as it attempted to escape. Nalrik¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t perfect, but he clipped one of the aircraft¡¯s wings. It spiraled down toward the snowy ground. Orson couldn¡¯t tell if the aircraft was angling toward the crowd, below. The Strateren beam ceased firing. Orson didn¡¯t know why. He didn¡¯t know enough about that type of weapon to guess. He reignited his repulsor at a gradually-increasing thrust, just thirty feet above the ground. The Sabres looked up toward him. Orson aimed his fall for Brett Nalrik. He needed to keep the fire away from the Archers. There was no other way he could intervene. He couldn¡¯t exactly catch the falling build-a-rocket. His flight capabilities weren¡¯t nearly that good. But he could fight the men on the ground. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. One of the Sabres supporting their fallen comrade lifted his blaster. Orson could block the standard energy bolts, with his sword guided by his HUD, but he didn¡¯t know what he could do against the arm cannon. He was about to find out. The neon blue energy blasted from the cannon. It was aimed right at Orson¡¯s face. His sword was already raised and its fire met the intense blast of power from the arm cannon. The energy from the colliding weapons exploded at the point of contact and sent a shockwave in all directions. Orson wrenched away, but he was still thrown backward, still falling toward the ground. The arm cannon¡¯s burst ceased, but other energy attacks arced at him. One of them struck him in the shoulder. It didn¡¯t puncture the armor, but it did smolder the coat. Orson struck at the mark with the back of his left hand. Orson landed on the ground, in a slushy mess. He could finally properly face the Sabres. All four men looked at him, aimed their weapons at him. Even the man who had fallen from the sky, the one who still had an arrow buried in his jetpack, even he raised a sidearm. Nalrik fired his beam again. Orson couldn¡¯t risk jumping away from the strike. He didn¡¯t know how far the beam might fly or who it might hit. Orson raised his sword. Like before, the two energies released an explosion when they met. Like before, the arm cannon shut off when its beam encountered the warring power. Orson used this. He fired his repulsor the moment it deactivated and blasted himself above the snowy ground toward the men. ¡°You¡¯re actually the assclown I thought you were,¡± Orson landed only feet from the Sabres. ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about you silencing witnesses to your crimes. That can wait. Imagine if you hit their engine and it exploded over the crowd. You could have killed dozens of people.¡± Their only reaction was to keep their weapons trained on him. ¡°Stand down. Only chance,¡± Orson said. ¡°You can surrender your weapons and come with me or I¡¯m gonna have to really hurt you. Your armor takes away most of my nonlethal options.¡± ¡°Your little matchstick won¡¯t save the Archers,¡± Brett Nalrik called. ¡°You saw it. I don¡¯t know why my Uncle¡­¡± Orson didn¡¯t wait for the man to speak. He jumped most of the distance between himself and the Sabres. Nalrik didn¡¯t fire again, not that close to the inevitable explosion that their clashing weapons would cause. But the other Sabres let out another volley of energy. Nalrik drew a small pistol with his free hand and fired, as well. Orson managed to block most of it with the fire sword, but two of the bolts grazed his coat, adding more burned streaks to the already shabby fabric. Orson felt a vibration at his thigh ¨C his commlink. Enoa was trying to reach him. Was she calling to give him a ¡®home-safe¡¯ message? Or had something happened? The Sabres ceased their attack when their great volley failed. They kept their weapons trained on him, but they did not speak. He knew they were likely talking to one another inside their helmets, external speakers off. Orson kept his eyes on them. He waited for them to make their next move. Maybe just distracting the Sabres was enough for the Archers to get away. What had become of the build-a-rocket that had crashed? He had no idea. The comm vibrated again. Orson hadn¡¯t hooked his comm to his bandana. He couldn¡¯t spare a hand to answer, not while facing down the Sabres. ¡°Are you laying down your arms or am I sending you back to Uncle Milo with some assembly required?¡± Orson changed his sword grip, middle of the hilt, slightly better reach. ¡°How do you plan to do this four to one?¡± Nalrik asked. ¡°You¡¯re good at hopping around, but you¡¯re not getting close enough to use that sword. Not getting past my arm cannon.¡± He thumped his chest plate with the cannon. ¡°And if something happens to me, my man watching your ship will burn out its shield and kill your little girlfriend.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a real moron sending your boys after my ship,¡± Orson said. Girlfriend? He could only mean Enoa. She was followed, after all. ¡°The Aesir will tear the inside of the crawler to ribbons before it lets you at my crew.¡± ¡°Did you tell her how dangerous it is to turn on high grade particle shields indoors?¡± Nalrik asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad trap for my friend Jeffrey. Poor bastard ran right into the damn thing, but who would expect she¡¯d leave it up? Even with the power of the great legendary Aesir, unless you¡¯ve got your baby fine tuned, juuuuust right, it¡¯ll burn out eventually. Could explode.¡± ¡°Have your men withdraw.¡± Orson truly didn¡¯t know exactly how the Aesir¡¯s shield would react inside. He¡¯d never tested it indoors, except very briefly, during the initial Archer bomb-scare. Now he had no choice but to aim to really harm the Sabres. Mission be damned. He got Enoa into this mess. He would get her out of it. He drew his comm and clicked it on. ¡°Enoa, have Ruby shut off the particle shield. Quick thinking, but I¡¯m taking it from here.¡± ¡°What about the Sabre outside?¡± Enoa asked. He could hear the mix of worry and exhaustion in her voice. He also heard a distant murmuring. Someone else was speaking, a voice he couldn¡¯t properly hear ¨C the archer prisoner? ¡°The rad shield will still be up, but you tell him unless he wants to lose his employer, he can lay down his arms and get away from you and my boat.¡± Orson kept his eyes on the armored Sabres. ¡°I already¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her,¡± Nalrik laughed. ¡°And Ruby? How many chicks do you have working in that gross-ass camper?¡± Orson shut off the comm¡¯s receiver. ¡°Do you have a harem? Or will only girls listen to you? I don¡¯t totally get it, Gregory. That Enoa girl managed to sneak back to your ship and knock out Jeffrey, but she doesn¡¯t know anything. Is she your ward or your pet?¡± ¡°You give her a little time.¡± Orson switched the comm receiver back on. ¡°She¡¯ll be deadlier than the two of us put together, Nalrik. Not that you add much to the total. Just tonight, she took out one of the archers hand-to-hand. Can you say the same?¡± ¡°Are you sure about the shield?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got the eleven and the one O¡¯Clocks online.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°You did a great job. Shut it down. If that guy makes a move, shoot him, and you tell me about it. What do you think of adding a suit of armor to the living room? It won¡¯t be quite as classy as something from an Earth culture. It¡¯ll look like we¡¯ve got some weird overpriced movie thing¡­¡± ¡°You fight me, Gregory,¡± Nalrik yelled. ¡°I¡¯ll add your repulsor to my extensive armor collection.¡± The other Sabres laughed. ¡°Just come a little closer, Brett,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Orson swung his sword with a flourish. Nalrik aimed his arm cannon at him. The other Sabres also aimed their weapons. Before they did anything, there came the sound of engines approaching from behind, approaching fast. Orson didn¡¯t know whether to jump aside. All he needed was a whole Sabres Unlimited Cavalry to come riding in. But he didn¡¯t risk turning away from the known threat. He prepared his boot for a quick jump and kept an eye on the proximity sensor. Several vehicles came to a stop behind Orson. He heard doors and footfalls, booted feet through snow. The Sabres lowered their weapons at right around the same time Chief Morita arrived beside Orson. ¡°Brett Nalrik,¡± Morita said. ¡°Sabres associates. You were authorized for supportive defense only, but you acted without request from Collective Security. You committed six other violations of the warranted defense code. It is the decision of the Solar Saver Collective Board of Directors that your Unlimited Defense Force stand down, immediately.¡± ¡°Are we under arrest?¡± Brett asked, his demeanor suddenly different, almost dejected. ¡°My only hope was to protect this place, after all you¡¯ve done to build it.¡± ¡°This is a decision of many,¡± Morita said. ¡°Not one. The Sabres Unlimited has no formal affiliation with the Solar Saver Collective, pending further investigation. You and your men, personally, will be confined to your quarters. Remove your armor and weapons for confiscation.¡± The Sabres stood in complete silence. Orson had no doubt that they spoke to each other in their helmets, maybe even to superiors. Orson spared a glance to the security around him. He saw at least twenty personnel, all heavily armed. ¡°Mr. Nalrik,¡± Morita said. ¡°This order takes effect immediately.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll leave instead,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°But I¡¯ve got a message for you and for everyone up there in that crawler.¡± He pointed up at the massive machine. ¡°That could be mine. I could have kept the transport. Sabres Unlimited could easily have built our own crawler, but I chose to give it to you. You would have nothing without my help.¡± All four Sabres blasted away, two physically carrying the one whose jetpack had been pierced by the arrow. Orson could actually see the arrow wobbling in a plate on the back of the machine. ¡°Hey, the guy watching the Aesir just left,¡± Enoa said through the comm. ¡°He threw his friend over his shoulder and just walked out.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°You should be able to power down. Then you can make sure the archer¡¯s secure, if you¡¯d be so kind.¡± ¡°I will,¡± she said. ¡°Sorry about the shield thing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± He pocketed the comm and turned to Morita. ¡°Thank you,¡± Orson said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how out of control they were. I would¡¯ve had the¡­¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Morita said. ¡°The Board has made a second decision. Your plan was a mistake.¡± He faced Orson, his expression blank. ¡°Those things the Archers showed our guests. Horrible things. People dragged from their homes. Buildings destroyed with people still inside them. So many corpses. We need to investigate these claims, but the Archers cannot be allowed to show these images. They cannot be allowed to have control of our facilities.¡± ¡°And if the Sabres actually did that shit in your name, isn¡¯t it better you know about it and that everyone knows about it?¡± ¡°This could have been chaos,¡± Morita said. ¡°You, the Sabres, the Archers, three unpredictable parties, with us caught in the middle.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°You have tonight to execute your plan with the archer you have. ¡°After that, if you don¡¯t have a solution, your prisoner comes with us, and you and your ship can leave.¡± 48 - Capture the Myth Enoa deactivated the Aesir. She sat in the passenger seat, exhausted, until she heard the crash behind her. She spun around, to see. The archer was crouched on the floor, his cuffed hands clutching at a square of flooring he¡¯d lifted away. He was struggling with that flooring. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I couldn¡¯t help but look around, y¡¯know. I mean, this is the Aesir, right?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She stood and retrieved her staff. ¡°I think that¡¯s all for now. If you help us fix this situation, maybe Captain Gregory will give you a tour.¡± She approached him with the staff and expected resistance, but the young man just continued to work with the floor. ¡°You have to let me look around.¡± He set the floor back down, but not quite snugly in place. ¡°He has to. You have no idea how much this can help me, just seeing this place. Captain Gregory faced down with those Sabres, and that¡¯s got me mostly convinced he¡¯s alright, so letting me see a bit of the ship might convince me to help out.¡± ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s not up to me, so for now I¡¯ll show you back to your room.¡± She took him by the upper right arm and directed him to the bunk they¡¯d prepared, a space that now locked from the outside. Enoa opened the door and gestured for him to go in. ¡°Do you need the bathroom first?¡± Enoa asked. She really hoped he said no. She hadn¡¯t planned on what her procedure would be if she had to monitor a male prisoner¡¯s bathroom use. She didn¡¯t know what damage he could do in the bathroom, but, then again, he¡¯d almost immediately found one of the removable floor panels. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Orson ran back aboard the Aesir. ¡°Are you alright? I can¡¯t believe they actually chased you back here!¡± ¡°We barely got away,¡± Enoa said. ¡°If I didn¡¯t get Ruby to power on the shields, one of those Sabres would have caught us, and the shields did this red flashing that you¡¯re going to want to look at.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Orson saw the prisoner. ¡°And I would¡¯ve had to shoot¡­¡± Enoa continued. ¡°What¡¯d he do, try to escape?¡± Orson interrupted, when he noticed the dislodged floor panel. ¡°No, Captain!¡± the archer said. ¡°I¡¯m just admiring the design. This place really is both a ship and a camper. Just the routing of the systems has to be absolutely incredible.¡± ¡°He¡¯s their inventor,¡± Enoa said. ¡°The whole way back here he was asking me if his ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ worked.¡± ¡°Did it?¡± the archer asked. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t ask now, but I spent days trying to get the electrical discharge just right to maximize its chances of reacting to the heat shield around your sword.¡± Enoa and Orson both stared at him. ¡°It wasn¡¯t personal. It¡¯s actually pretty cool to meet you, but I didn¡¯t know you, and I didn¡¯t want you to go all Ben Kenobi and lop my friends apart.¡± ¡°Ben Kenobi?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Who¡¯s that, some axe murderer?¡± ¡°Axe murderer?¡± the archer asked. ¡°He¡¯s from Star Wars. Wait, were you in a monastery or something? Did you have to isolate yourself to learn your magic?¡± ¡°What?¡± Enoa said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Orson shook his head, before turning back to the archer. ¡°I don¡¯t usually just lay into people with the sword, but your extinguisher was fine. Nice work. Now, what¡¯s really important, I need to get in touch with the other archers. I have a plan that might be able to fix everything, but the Solar Saver Board is only giving me a day to get them a workable solution, or they want to take you from us and kick me out of here.¡± ¡°Take me?¡± the archer yelled. ¡°But we saved them from the Archers,¡± Enoa said. ¡°They just need to do the right thing,¡± the archer corrected. ¡°They didn¡¯t really need to be saved.¡± ¡°Well, you stopped that Nalrik,¡± Enoa continued. ¡°And they just want to kick you out?¡± Sucora had always taught her to keep an open mind. People have layers you will never know and cannot see. Judgments cause blindness. But Enoa couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°What, will their stock price go down, or something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there is a stock market anymore,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it works now. They¡¯re just none too thrilled about the whole video showing dead people.¡± ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be thrilled,¡± the archer said. ¡°We didn¡¯t document all those horrible things to make anybody happy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details,¡± Orson said. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know any of the details. You archers didn¡¯t give me time for my people to do research, and you refused to just give me the damn proof. But I guess there was a full-tilt riot on the ground, and it was like bumper cars with people trying to drive away or get back in line. Whatever happens, I need to talk with your friends. If I can get them in touch with my people in Chicago, and actually exchange information, I think we have a chance of going after the Sabres and putting an end to this situation.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not gonna go for that,¡± the archer said. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°They essentially only have four options.¡± Orson raised a finger for each point. ¡°One, they can go with my plan and try to legally get the Sabres. Two ¨C they can refuse that and try to convince me to get you out of here when the Collective Board ends my contract. Three ¨C they can give up and just let me turn you over to the Collective. Or Four ¨C they can wait until I leave and continue to sabotage the Solar Saver Collective. Regardless, I¡¯d bet my life those Sabres aren¡¯t through with them. Do they want to fight the Sabres alone? Or do they want the regional law, the majority of the Collective, and us on their side, when the fight comes?¡± ¡°Damn,¡± the archer said. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m all for sharing the information with you. We already broadcast most of it live. What does it hurt to pass along the footnotes, right? But¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°For one thing, I should actually see the video,¡± Orson said. ¡°I can¡¯t address the whole freak-out on the ground if I have no idea what you showed them.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I need to think about what to do,¡± the archer replied. ¡°It makes sense to show you, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s best for the others.¡± ¡°Do it,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, but this is your best shot.¡± ¡°Do you know that, like, in advance?¡± the archer asked. ¡°Are you, uh, what¡¯s it called? Clairvoyant? Is that one of your powers?¡± ¡°No,¡± Enoa laughed. ¡°No fortune telling. That¡¯s not really how it works.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had my connections looking into the Sabres all week, and I¡¯ve gotten essentially nothing,¡± Orson said. ¡°The short timetable and the craziness in the world makes the necessary research almost impossible. We need the data the archers have and, in return, I¡¯ll get them a decent deal, legally.¡± ¡°And what if the Sabres just attack any court thing you try to do?¡± the archer asked. ¡°I know you¡¯re a big fighter but just think about that powered armor. It¡¯s even scarier than I imagined. Oh wait, do you have secret powers too?¡± Orson frowned at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still just a dude?¡± Orson smiled. ¡°I thought like you when I got started, but I learned to like being the underdog. You seem like the kind of guy who enjoys solving puzzles you¡¯re not supposed to solve.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± the archer said, cautiously. ¡°You want to beat the Sabres,¡± Orson said. ¡°You have proof. The Collective must have proof, whether or not they know it. The Collective wants to have smooth business. So, our puzzle is to make it clear that the Sabres are really bad for business.¡± ¡°What about doing the right thing?¡± the archer asked. ¡°And stopping brutal murderers?¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a cynic,¡± Orson said. ¡°But we can¡¯t be sure those investors are motivated by ¡®the right thing¡¯, unless they¡¯re in the crosshairs too.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the archer replied. ¡°And what do you need from me, personally.¡± ¡°Well, first,¡± Orson said. ¡°I need your name and enough about you to make you seem credible to the Collective. Why are you after the Sabres? Why, personally? Then we have to get in touch with the other Archers.¡± The archer eyed them both. He glanced between Enoa and Orson. He chewed the inside of his cheek. ¡°My name¡¯s Jaleel Yaye,¡± he introduced himself. ¡°And I already know your names. Everyone¡¯s heard of Orson Gregory, but I couldn¡¯t find much about you this week.¡± He nodded to Enoa. ¡°Do you really need to know about my personal reasons for going after the Sabres?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how else we¡¯ll do this.¡± Orson nodded. Jaleel had another moment of silent thought. Then he nodded too. ¡°If I go along with this, you better be one hundred percent sure this plan will bring them down.¡± * * * Kol Maros sat in a plastic folding chair. Max was beside him. They were situated at a standard, laminate, wood-grain folding-table. Max had a briefcase on the table, as well as two neat stacks of papers, bookmarked in several places with color-coded sticky notes. He¡¯d gone to his place of quiet determination, an intense focus he¡¯d had since childhood, a mental willpower Kol had always envied. The hearing would begin immediately, whenever Baron Weatherhold arrived. Kol tried not to think about that. He tried not to spare any attention to the small tribunal of Liberty Corps Eastern Wing officials who would serve as his prosecution. He tried not to think about the assorted witnesses in attendance ¨C Divenoll, Duncan, Lieutenant Melville. He tried not to contemplate where he was, only three blocks from the wreckage of the apartment building where his grandparents once lived, a place that was now just rubble. Instead, Kol thought about Max¡¯s focus and Max¡¯s briefcase and Max¡¯s papers. And the generic table. Kol waited and tried to forget all about what he was waiting for. One of the black and purple armored Barony officers walked from the rear doors and threaded his way through the makeshift meeting room, until he stood on the raised platform where the Baron himself was scheduled to sit. Kol could no longer ignore his situation. ¡°Baron Weatherhold will not be presiding over this hearing,¡± the officer said. ¡°In his place, we are receiving new instructions from the Lost Park Office.¡± The room fell silent. Kol saw Max look at him. The Lost Park Office was not a term Max would have seen in the official Liberty Corps informational materials. ¡°The Voice of Czar Ilias Hawthorne of the Liberty Corps will address this assembly, shortly.¡± Shortly was an understatement. Only seconds after the officer said those words, there was a great humming in the sky. An aircraft was approaching and approaching very quickly. The sound grew, until it was directly above the building. Then the humming ended. But another sound came, a soft thud, just outside. As one, the Liberty Corps officers and personnel stood, as the outer doors were thrown open. Seven people processed inside. Six guards, armored in red and clothed in purple, walked in, long bladed spears in hand. They surrounded a tall man in Liberty Corps armor of three colors: white to denote his officer¡¯s rank, red for his skill with a blade, gold for his place in the Czar¡¯s office. All seven wore identical face-concealing helmets, though the Voice¡¯s was tinged with gold The Voice of Czar Hawthorne and six members of the Liberty Corps leader¡¯s personal bodyguard walked through the assembly, between the tables set for the defense and the prosecution. They did an abrupt about face, and looked out at the room. Kol caught his brother looking up at him, one eyebrow raised, probably seeking some explanation. He could never explain without showing disrespect to the Czar¡¯s own office. He hoped his brother would catch on. The Voice of the Czar? What had happened to Mr. Hawthorne that he¡¯d taken a spokesman? Even the Czar title he¡¯d thought was more of an external affectation. Why would this Voice man¡¯s presence stop Weatherhold from presiding over the hearing? ¡°Good morning,¡± the Voice said. ¡°I am here with formal instructions from our High Commander, Czar Ilias Hawthorne of the Liberty Corps.¡± The Voice lifted a long piece of paper to his concealed face. ¡°I will now read the words of His Excellency.¡± ¡°Liberty lives!¡± The Voice read. ¡°Our Corps is honored by your great work. I wish I could be with you, but I have surrendered the freedom of my time to build liberty for everyone!¡± Some throughout the room cheered. Kol realized, belatedly, that he should do the same, but the moment passed. ¡°Three orders,¡± the Voice continued. ¡°First, I commend you on your procurement efforts. Thanks to your work, our eastern expansionary fleet will be prepared to launch by winter¡¯s end.¡± ¡°Second, let it be known that the ongoing riots and vandalism our forces face in Philadelphia will not be accepted. After the attack on our Manticore tank facility, I want it to be known that all petty vandals may be publicly flogged and all organized sabotage should be met with lethal force.¡± ¡°Third, I know that you are gathered here primarily to judge the work and failures of our loyal brother Kolben Maros. This hearing is a waste of our valuable time and resources. I have consulted with my advisors and have a final decision for this disciplinary matter.¡± Kol¡¯s head swam. His brother took him by the forearm. He was too numb to read the gesture. His judgment had arrived, with little fanfare and no discussion. ¡°Kolben Maros failed in this effort to retrieve the Dreamside Road,¡± the Voice said. ¡°Captain Maros was reckless. He wasted funds. He led his people into imprisonment. Others reacted to Maros by pursuing even more foolish courses. People died because of this plan. Captain Maros can no longer lead Newtown Division. He is no longer the captain of any geographical division of the Liberty Corps.¡± Kol tried to stop the shaking in his legs. It was over. But he had a year left in his commission. Where would they go with him? Would he suffer the indignity of demotion? Would he serve under someone he knew, or would they send him somewhere far afield, far from Max, from Duncan, from his life? Max¡¯s grip tightened on his arm. Kol looked at his brother and saw an expression he¡¯d never seen there, calm fury. Max looked ready to attack the Voice and his bodyguards. ¡°However,¡± the Voice continued. ¡°Captain Maros showed that he is far more dedicated an investigator than even our best intelligence teams. His failures came only from his blind passion for our noble cause. Young Kol even succeeded where our own Operative Chace Divenoll failed. Operative Divenoll was the leader of our efforts to find the Dreamside Road and he failed year after year. Before he failed us, he also failed the IHSA in this search. He failed us all.¡± ¡°So Kolben Maros will lead our current efforts to recover the trove. I always knew you had a bright future, young Kol, when I recruited you and gave you your captaincy. And now we¡¯ve determined how you can benefit our great Liberty Corps. Your new mission, Captain Maros, is quite simple. Find the Dreamside Road.¡± 49 - Head Shot 100% Enoa did not sleep well that night. She and Orson alternated watches. No attack came, but even when sleep found her she dreamed of armored invaders. She was groggy the next morning, even more than she usually was, since her training began. She gave up early on sleep and found Orson at watch, sitting in an armchair, flipping through tall stacks of paper and drinking coffee. He wore his repulsor boot and the remainder of his usual gear was draped across the back of the chair. ¡°Good morning,¡± he said. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be better after today,¡± she said. ¡°Hopefully.¡± She sat on the couch. ¡°Where¡¯s our prisoner?¡± ¡°Still sleeping, I think,¡± he said. ¡°You teenagers wasting the day away!¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to tell for an old man,¡± she laughed. ¡°But I¡¯m twenty.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Orson laughed too. ¡°Well, once you cross thirty, all your perceptions are skewed and you¡¯re basically dead.¡± He grabbed a piece of paper from beside him. ¡°That reminds me. Nozomi Morita was here about a half hour ago. She¡¯s planning another one of her little get-togethers.¡± He handed the paper to her. Enoa unfolded it and found a brief note. Hi Enoa, I¡¯m hoping to get a bunch of people to go to the ice sculpting show at 2, this afternoon. Meet us at the parking garage level if you want to come along.¡± Sincerely, Nozomi. ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± Enoa set the paper down. ¡°If I¡¯d known she was planning something, I could have asked if she was free when our meeting with the Saver Board is over. ¡°Actually,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think you should go and hang out. Jaleel is ready to do his part today, once I buy him something to wear other than his archer getup, and all our other loose ends should be together, by then.¡± ¡°But what if the Sabres attack?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°That¡¯s more reason to go with Nozomi,¡± Orson said. ¡°Either everything is fine and you get a deserved rest after your week of intense training.¡± He took a sip of his coffee. ¡°Or the Sabres attack, and then we¡¯re going to want someone trustworthy near Chief Morita¡¯s family.¡± * * * ¡°You can¡¯t actually be considering this?¡± Max spoke as soon as the Liberty Corps escort departed. The duo of Weatherhold¡¯s Officers had shown them to Kol Maros¡¯ new office, a small room in one of the out-buildings that surrounded the Liberty Corps complex at the old Navy Yard. ¡°How can he not?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°He was rewarded for screwing up. Kol, you work so hard you even fail upwards.¡± ¡°But why was he rewarded?¡± Max asked. ¡°Divenoll was out of line, but I don¡¯t see a logical reason for this reassignment.¡± ¡°Czar Hawthorne has always liked Kol,¡± Duncan said. ¡°He even wrote to Kol after he started spending all of his time in the Lost Park Office, you know, for his safety. They were practically pen pals.¡± ¡°Czar Hawthorne?¡± Max asked. ¡°You know this Hawthorne, personally?¡± ¡°We all met him in Liberty Basics,¡± Duncan said, before Kol could speak. The younger Maros sat behind his new desk, staring in disbelief. He¡¯d survived. His career had survived. Divenoll had been publicly shamed. He couldn¡¯t have hoped for a more favorable outcome, but it didn¡¯t feel as triumphant as it would have before Nimauk. Maybe the stress hadn¡¯t left him, too much pressure and fear, but Kol still had a sense of dread. He¡¯d been pulled away from the gallows, but a guillotine still stood. ¡°Yes, but this man remembers my brother,¡± Max said. ¡°He remembers me because I sought him out,¡± Kol said. ¡°I talked to him a few times. We corresponded regularly for my first year in the Liberty Corps, before he stopped making public appearances¡­ and occasionally afterward.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I follow,¡± Max said. ¡°Mr. Hawthorne had similar life experiences to ours, and I wanted to get a chance to talk to him about that and learn how he dealt with his own physical impairment.¡± Kol hated when his brother went into investigator mode. As much as he admired Max¡¯s capacity for research and acquiring information, having that probing mind focused on him was never an enjoyable experience. He was anything but prepared to have this conversation. ¡°You¡¯re Captain Kol Maros?¡± An officer wearing the blue uniform of a non-commissioned officer stood in the doorway. Two gray-uniformed supply crewmembers stood behind her with a treaded cart, loaded in boxes. ¡°I am,¡± Kol said. ¡°Records delivery.¡± She motioned to the supply crew. ¡°Recent information about the Aesir and all relevant files on the Dreamside Road.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to getting started.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I caught you,¡± she said. ¡°Our office just received a report about the Aesir, and it was almost forwarded to Operative Divenoll, but luckily I saw the routing change and got ahold of the team.¡± ¡°That is fortunate.¡± Kol spoke to the woman, but he watched Max maneuver out of the supply crew¡¯s way. He watched the look on his brother¡¯s face. Discomfort? Disgust? When Max had decided to go stony-faced and distant, even Kol couldn¡¯t read him beyond knowing he wasn¡¯t happy. Kol didn¡¯t wait for the supply crew to depart before digging into the files they¡¯d delivered. The top box was the most recent intelligence, records recovered from an unearthed IHSA outpost in the Yukon, some conjecture toward Project Dreamthought and their Shaping. The rest of that box was filled with reports about the Aesir and about Orson Gregory. There was even a page about Enoa Cloud. ¡°New information about the Aesir.¡± Kol paraphrased the report. ¡°I expected Gregory and Cloud would immediately proceed after the trove, but he appears to be working for a renewable energy collective, looks like he¡¯s dealing with some bandits. One of our operatives has an information source in this collective, but he¡¯s not stationed near the flagship crawler, where this is going on.¡± ¡°Why would Gregory be there?¡± Duncan said. ¡°I thought he was after the trove, too. Isn¡¯t that why he was in Nimauk?¡± ¡°I thought so too.¡± Kol kept skimming the text. ¡°Maybe he needed the money. Aren¡¯t jobs like that how he makes a living? Chasing the Dreamside Road costs a lot. We know that.¡± He looked up from the report. ¡°There is some conjecture about Enoa Cloud. Apparently, she¡¯s only rarely seen.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to look into this operative and his source,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Sounds like the kind of crap rumors we worked with before you got ahold of Tucker. But if it¡¯s true, maybe Gregory will be tied up for a while and we can get a jump on him.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Max didn¡¯t speak loudly, but he said that one word with such force and command that it drew the other mens¡¯ attention. ¡°Is this it? You¡¯re off the hook now, Kol, so you¡¯re back to business, as usual? No questioning of your actions. No concern about the people you¡¯re serving under. I have a contact, formerly FBI, who I was going to reach out to. They¡¯re with the Northeast Alliance now and¡­¡± ¡°Not this again,¡± Duncan interrupted. ¡°Come on, Max. No, things here aren¡¯t like they were when you served. The Liberty Corps isn¡¯t like the old League of Earth¡¯s Nations militaries, but that could be a good thing. Just because Divenoll went after Kol doesn¡¯t mean that¡¯s all the Liberty Corps is. Divenoll got slapped today. Did you see his face?¡± He chuckled. ¡°You serve a man who ¨C unless I¡¯m totally misreading the display we saw at the hearing ¨C no longer speaks to his forces, whatsoever,¡± Max said. ¡°This man actually uses an individual whose job title is ¡®Voice¡¯. He calls himself ¡®Czar¡¯. He has ¡®Barons¡¯ working for him. Why would a group like the Liberty Corps, with ¡®liberty¡¯ in its name, have a single ruler with a royal title? It¡¯s all insane. It¡¯s like bad satire, except it¡¯s clearly by design. What¡¯s Hawthorne hiding?¡± Max held up his hand. ¡°I see you waiting to interrupt me, Duncan, but you¡¯ll hear my piece. How do you even know it¡¯s the same man, the same individual giving orders? Maybe this Hawthorne you knew, Kol, was murdered and someone else is using this Voice character to hide that. I mentioned the cult-like behavior before, but the display at the hearing was lunacy. And the two of you are just getting back to work, like nothing happened.¡± Kol did not respond. His mind had gone blank. Max¡¯s anger transported him to a much earlier time in his life. ¡°Mister Hawthorne was almost assassinated multiple times,¡± Duncan said. ¡°He used most of his fortune to build the Liberty Corps into a real force in the lead-up to Thunderworks, and the titles are meant to scare the lawless savages who started looting after the shutdown. It might not make sense as an old world belief system, but it makes perfect sense when you look at what it¡¯s responding to. It¡¯s not perfect. It was all made up, as we needed it.¡± ¡°Of course it was,¡± Max said. ¡°Just like this Hawthorne will need to stay dictator of any territory he occupies.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you used all that time for my defense and gave so much when it wasn¡¯t needed, but the Aesir is trying to find powerful items and leave them in the hands of private parties. After Thunderworks, we know that¡¯s too dangerous. That¡¯s the bigger problem now. I can¡¯t let a new Thunderworks happen. And if stopping that helps us too, then good. I will have earned my redemption.¡± * * * ¡°I come from a little town called Alexandria, right on the Mississippi.¡± Jaleel spoke to the Solar Saver Collective¡¯s Board of Directors. He wore the suit Orson had bought for him. He held a small note card in his hands, but he wasn¡¯t reading from it. ¡°I first learned about you when my whole neighborhood was evicted through eminent domain, to help build a bridge over the river. The house my family lived in for four generations got bulldozed to make a bridge for this crawler.¡± Orson sat beside Jaleel, dressed in his full gear, sheathed sword propped against his leg. He took the opportunity to observe the Commodore¡¯s Lounge and the people gathered at the impromptu meeting. There were physically fifteen people in the room, and a further nine more present via teleconference. A series of wide monitors stood around the conference table, each with enough room that it could swivel and allow the member on the call the ability to view the meeting. Commodore Augustin appeared via a video monitor at the head of the table, opposite Orson and Jaleel. Another monitor stood to Orson¡¯s left, showing an older woman in a navy suit, Etta R. Curnow, a lawyer Pops had recommended. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The usually-present Board members were in attendance ¨C Thomas Nicks, Arnold Chambers, and Chief Morita. Each of them had at least one aide. Morita had an additional three security officers. All of the security crewmembers eyed Jaleel. Chief Legal Counsel Randal Swift and major shareholder Walter Irvin were also physically present, with two aides apiece. The other seven Board Members and key advisors occupied the remaining monitors. ¡°We only found out about the eminent domain process when they showed up with letters telling us to leave.¡± ¡°We were told everyone was excited,¡± Swift interrupted. ¡°I know for a fact payment tokens were prepared. I drafted a letter and¡­¡± ¡°Oh, they had tokens,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But they also had their armed Sabre members, not that we knew they were Sabres, not yet, not until old Mrs. Stewart refused to leave and her house burned down ¨C by total accident ¨C in the middle of the night. We knew we had no choice.¡± ¡°We thought about petitions and legal plans, but they were blackmailing the local government to go along with it.¡± Jaleel looked through papers on the conference table. ¡°They accused some local elected people of misusing official funds in the aftermath of the Thunderworks attack. We brought you evidence of that. That¡¯s on page¡­ page¡­¡± ¡°Page four,¡± Orson provided. ¡°Thanks,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°So this got us¡­¡± ¡°Before you begin again,¡± Swift raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯m still somewhat confused what you want from my clients. If you allege that members of Sabres Unlimited ¨C a group of people who have been nothing but good to the Collective, I might add ¨C have done something illegal, I don¡¯t see why you¡¯re raising this matter with us. And it certainly does not excuse your own group¡¯s illegality. I can¡¯t help but feel¡­¡± ¡°While this is unorthodox,¡± Curnow, Pops¡¯ lawyer, interrupted. ¡°After the Sabre¡¯s display last night, surely you can appreciate the dire position you¡¯re in. You are openly associated with Sabres Unlimited, and they have committed blackmail, theft, and murder, in your name. Please read the documentation, if you have doubts. We all know these are unconventional times, but the Sabres use of eminent domain was spurious at best, in any era. And I will repeat myself when I remind you this was done in your name. Plus, it isn¡¯t clear how many of you were familiar with and/or complicit with what was going on?¡± She paused. ¡°Now, the Wuyar Archers offer a compromise. They are willing to work off what they owe you for the property that was damaged, by helping you streamline your technical security. They have extensive knowledge of your systems. This work will be done in exchange for cooperation against the Sabres Unlimited. Now, may Mr. Yaye continue?¡± Swift nodded once. ¡°Mr. Yaye?¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°My sister, Jordyn, investigated this first. She was majoring in journalism before the shutdown, and when she started looking into the Sabres, she found examples of their behavior all over the country, going back many years. We¡¯ve seen how far this goes. The Sabres had chapters all over the world. They had members in many levels of government. They have this whole Illuminati operation, and we fought back the only way we could, by sending a message nobody could ignore. I¡¯m sorry that people were scared of us, but I¡¯m not sorry for trying to stop the Sabres.¡± ¡°Illuminati?¡± Chief Morita made a sound halfway between a laugh and a sigh. ¡°This is simply impossible. How could a well-known group operate this way, without anyone knowing? You can¡¯t commit murder, even today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Not in this crawler maybe, but there are lots of places where murders go unpunished. And their financial crimes led to a lot of Sabre Chapters closing down. The average lifespan of one of their chapters is only seven years, but most of their members are with them for thirty years, on average. Whenever they do something greasy and someone powerful starts looking closer, that chapter closes down and they move someplace else.¡± ¡°And when you decided you couldn¡¯t seek justice,¡± Augustin said. ¡°You took it upon yourselves to become archers using homemade technology? Why arrows?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ve been doing archery with targets since grade school. I had a production of Robin Hood, and I learned to make bows.¡± He shrugged. ¡°We got good. Really good. Seven years of practice does that. Two years for fun. Four years as a neighborhood defense after Thunderworks, keeping away the pirates who came down the river. One year fighting the Sabres. Read their manifesto. They¡¯re going after people to make your business into an empire. But they messed with the wrong people when they ran into the Wuyar Archers.¡± ¡°What does Wuyar mean?¡± Augustine asked. ¡°Wuyar,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Y.R., like initials. Yaye for my sister and me. And Robins for our friend and partner. We made that into Wuyar because it sounds cooler and because it¡¯s anime as hell.¡± He cringed. ¡°Heck! I¡¯m sorry.¡± Some sparse laughter sounded around the table. Orson laughed too, despite himself, and he took a good look at the members who had not yet spoken. He wasn¡¯t sure what was needed to persuade them. He wasn¡¯t sure whether they¡¯d agree to his final suggestion, but that could wait. ¡°We¡¯ve been called the Wuyar Archers for years,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And some of us talked about changing the name, but the Archers fighting the Sabres has a ring to it, right?¡± ¡°And you built all of those arrows?¡± Thomas Nicks asked. ¡°I build everything.¡± If Jaleel tried to hide the pride in his voice, he failed. ¡°Before we move on,¡± Irvin spoke up. ¡°I have to say something. If this is true, it¡¯s a horrifying story, and we need to do our part to address it. It¡¯s our civic responsibility and it¡¯s the only way to protect this organization, but I still need more details.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the documentation,¡± Arnold Chambers said. ¡°If you look through it, they gave us everything, in painful detail.¡± ¡°But if the Sabres are so good at covering their tracks,¡± Irvin continued. ¡°How did these, these children manage to get recent records from places all over the world? Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but I doubt the Yaye family visited the former Rojas farm in South America. Did you?¡± ¡°I got them the information about that,¡± Arnold Chambers said. ¡°The Archers approached me four months ago, after they found out about my own investigation into the Sabres.¡± ¡°You let the Wuyar Archers destroy your own firm¡¯s equipment?¡± Swift asked. ¡°Really, Arnold? All you¡¯ve talked about for months is paying off your investment. ¡®Oh, how will Chambers Electromotive recover?¡¯ But you were involved!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not letting someone die in my name,¡± Chambers said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be a pawn in someone¡¯s plan to make the world how they want it. I can¡¯t believe the rest of you weren¡¯t more suspicious. How much of this just fell into our laps. I cannot¡­¡± All of the monitors went dark. The teleconference attendees vanished. The lights stayed on, but dimmed. People fell silent. Orson immediately drew up his hood and visor. As soon as he did so, he saw the alerts across his vision.
MULTIPLE CONCEALED WEAPONS ¨C UNKNOWN DESIGN
TARGET LOCK! HEAD SHOT ¨C 100%
¡°Get down!¡± Orson grabbed his sword and fired his repulsor. He flew backward out of his seat, twisting in midair, as he spun out of the likely range of whatever might be thrown at him. He heard multiple projectiles, a weird sound he didn¡¯t know ¨C wamp! Despite his efforts, something hit him in the side of the coat. He threw himself to the floor. The projectile vibrated, the way Daniel Tucker¡¯s metal had ¨C like it was trying to burrow its way through his coat and armor, before going inert. Screams erupted. Most were fear, but one was pure agony. Someone else had been hit, and they likely hadn¡¯t been wearing high-quality body armor. ¡°No! Mr. Chambers!¡± Jaleel¡¯s voice. ¡°You bastards!¡± Regular gunfire sounded. Multiple guns. Wamp! More screams. Orson tried to regroup and turn around. He had to intervene. He was the best chance everyone had of fighting off the attack. Another of the drilling projectiles struck him in the back. Orson thought through the weapons he could bring to bear. It was hard to guess what to use. He hadn¡¯t yet seen who had launched the attack. He ignited his repulsor again. He slid across the floor and heard another wamp fly past him, as he blasted away. Orson got his leg under him and jumped to his feet. He drew his sword, just as another volley of gunfire sounded toward the table. He saw a warning arrive on his HUD.
HEAD SHOT ¨C 95%
But Orson was ready. He launched himself to the left. He watched the percentage on the shot decrease to 20%. That was enough for him to take stock of the room. He saw two attackers, armed with long, thin weapons he¡¯d never seen before, only a few centimeters in diameter. Tubes trailed from the weapons ¨C possible reloading mechanisms? Where had the shooters hidden these things? One of the attackers had attended the meeting as Irvin¡¯s aide. This man was aiming at Orson. The other shooter was a Solar Saver security guard, in uniform. He was keeping the loyal security pinned down behind the overturned conference table. There were multiple bodies on the floor. Thomas Nicks and Arnold Chambers were both down, as was one of the security officers, and two of the aides. Morita and his remaining guard had been the source of the return fire. Swift, Irvin, and a handful of aides hid behind them. Jaleel was there too, fiddling with his wristwatch. The other surviving aides had fled to the far corners of the room. Orson didn¡¯t know what effect his sword would have on the weird projectiles the attackers were using, but unlike Brett Nalrik¡¯s force, the shooters didn¡¯t wear powered armor, and their faces were bare. When the head shot percentage rose to 70%, Orson covered his face with his arm.
TARGET LOCK ¨C ARM ¨C 85%
Orson felt another strange projectile strike his armor. He blasted his way in the direction of the conference table and sent a flash of light from his left gauntlet, enough to leave the attackers blind. Then he jumped toward them. Irvin¡¯s aide had been tracking him, preparing to attack again, before the flash. He shot another projectile. Orson¡¯s HUD tried to scan it.
Physical Projectile.
Non-explosive.
Armor-piercing?
Orson dodged the projectile and rocketed at the aide. The sword of fire took the shooter in the elbow. He howled as his arm fell away, still clutching the odd weapon. The shooter collapsed, grabbing at his cauterized wound. The other shooter spun toward Orson, but he didn¡¯t manage to fire. Jaleel jumped over the table, his watch around the palm of his hand. The young man jabbed the watch into the shooter¡¯s neck. It made a sickening sizzling sound. Jaleel¡¯s watch was a weapon! The second shooter jumped and screamed. He shoved the young man away, revealing a deep, red welt where the watch had pressed into his flesh. Orson prepared to leap at the second shooter, but there was no need. A bullet took the man in the head. His body hit the floor. Morita and the surviving loyal security guard charged around the table. The room erupted into screams and panic. There was no relief after the violence ceased. All of the terror that the imminent danger had quieted could no longer be contained. The surviving aides, still crowded at the far walls began yelling in an unintelligible cacophony. ¡°They killed Mr. Nicks, and Mr. Chambers is hurt really bad.¡± Jaleel looked on the verge of tears. ¡°They killed all these people. What are those things? What were they shooting?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Orson rested his hand on Jaleel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But we¡¯re gonna get Mr. Chambers to medical attention.¡± ¡°They can get at us anywhere.¡± Morita stepped beside Orson. ¡°Not anywhere,¡± Orson said. ¡°We need to search these spies and make sure they don¡¯t have listening devices.¡± The last-standing security official nodded and began searching the fallen shooters. Orson turned to the room at large. ¡°Listen everyone, I believe we¡¯re safe, for now, but I¡¯m going to have to evacuate all of you.¡± ¡°And how do we know we¡¯ll be any safer going with you?¡± Swift asked. ¡°Who would think this could happen here. In your own force, Morita! Dear God!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to stay with Earl Darlow,¡± Orson said. ¡°And that¡¯s sure better than here.¡± ¡°Earl Darlow!¡± Irvin yelled. ¡°You¡¯re taking us to stay with an old criminal.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t too particular when you were looking for endorsements,¡± Orson said. He didn¡¯t have time for more arguments. There could easily be further attackers on the way, and he had no true guarantees that there weren¡¯t other spies among the aides or even on the Board, itself. ¡°Jaleel, please get out your Morse doodad. We need to get ahold of your sister.¡± ¡°His sister?¡± Morita asked. ¡°Why are you contacting the Archers?¡± ¡°No one knows this crawler better than they do,¡± Orson said. ¡°They agreed in case of an attack that they¡¯d be here to extract everyone. We¡¯ll need to get our evacuation plans, figure out everyone we have to extract, figure out transportation... The Aesir can hold pretty many people, but I¡¯m hoping to save a seat for a special guest.¡± ¡°We have to locate our families, too,¡± Morita said. ¡°My wife and son are home, but my daughter is out at the ice show.¡± ¡°Enoa¡¯s with her,¡± Orson said. ¡°And we¡¯ll get them an Archer escort once they¡¯re back in the crawler.¡± ¡°I can help them get to your ship.¡± Jaleel was crouched at the floor. He¡¯d picked up the traitor security officer¡¯s weapon and was snaking the tubing out of the dead man¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Actually, I need you and Chief Morita,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re going to pay a visit to Milo Nalrik. It¡¯s time to end this.¡± 50 - A Spiritual Weapon ¡°Enoa,¡± Nozomi Morita said. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you all afternoon, what is the ¨C I don¡¯t know quite how to say it ¨C the meaning of the staff you brought with you? Is it religious?¡± ¡°My staff?¡± Enoa sat in the small heated pavilion, looking on the ice sculptures outside. A woman, dressed in an unseasonably light jacket, carved another of her creations. Soon the lion she was working on would join the growing menagerie of animal-themed ice sculptures she¡¯d carved that day, an elephant, a dolphin, and a bear. ¡°My staff was a gift from my late aunt.¡± Enoa looked around the table at the small group Nozomi had managed to assemble. They were joined by Jamie Gordon, Nozomi¡¯s boyfriend, and his work friend, Camron Chavez. ¡°She used the staff as part of her meditation, so I guess you could say it¡¯s spiritual, but not religious.¡± Enoa felt bizarre carting the staff along with her as she walked through the attractions built to entertain the Solar Saver caravan. It wouldn¡¯t be nearly so bad if it were made of wood. People had walking sticks. People had religious items, but she didn¡¯t know of any religions that involved carrying around metal poles. There weren¡¯t many people out and about to notice Enoa¡¯s unusual accouterment. The size of the crowd of parked cars had noticeably thinned, such that sparse traffic now actively passed around the crawler. In the heated tent, an elderly couple napped a few tables away, and a group of apparently downtrodden travelers huddled together, speaking softly to each other, paying them no attention. Enoa couldn¡¯t help observing the crowd, such as it was, not after her close calls with the Sabres the night before. ¡°Oh wow, you¡¯re really dedicated to your family traditions,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°My obaachan tried to share her Buddhism with me and my brother, when she was still with us, and we appreciated her spending that time with us, but we don¡¯t really follow it. I wonder whether that would be different if things weren¡¯t so difficult for everyone. It¡¯s almost like we have our own culture, now, our generation. We grew up after everything went crazy.¡± ¡°I was just lucky,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Until recently, my life wasn¡¯t that different than it always was. I worked in my family¡¯s antique shop like I used to on summer breaks. I was in my hometown, and I¡¯ve had family living there forever, but since I left, I feel like I need the staff with me now.¡± ¡°Why did you leave, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± Camron said. He had a fit build and chin-length, wavy hair. He smiled at her. Enoa was suddenly aware of the fact that before the last several days, she¡¯d never met a grown man around her own age before, other than customers, potential customers, and militia forces who wanted to rob her. All the young men in her world, she¡¯d known since childhood. ¡°I have unfinished business,¡± Enoa finally answered. ¡°It was my aunt¡¯s business, but it¡¯s mine now. She passed about six months ago. Cancer. There were some things she wanted to do before she passed away, and I want to take care of them for her.¡± ¡°Is Captain Gregory helping you with that?¡± Nozomi asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m really curious about. The two of you are such a mystery. For him, I guess he¡¯s supposed to be. That¡¯s his thing, being the hero-for-hire, and I don¡¯t want to put you on the spot, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯d all love to hear that story.¡± ¡°Orson¡¯s something of a mystery to me too, but I can vouch for the hero business,¡± Enoa said. ¡°He¡¯s friends with an older man who knew my aunt. We¡¯re going to visit another friend of theirs who was keeping some things for her. She wanted to take me herself.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could get there without Orson¡¯s help, not in these dangerous times.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so lucky,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°My parents would never let me go on an exciting adventure like that.¡± ¡°Remember.¡± Jaime spoke before Enoa could. ¡°Not all of us have the protective family, not anymore.¡± ¡°Oh no,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry, Enoa. I¡¯m so sorry, everyone. I should know better¡­¡± ¡°I was lucky.¡± Enoa held up her hands. ¡°Like I said before, my life didn¡¯t change too much with the shutdown. And my adventure is nothing glamorous. The places we go are more interesting than I am. I never knew things existed like these Solar Saver machines. They¡¯re like something out of a movie.¡± ¡°I hope to get transferred into the crawler,¡± Camron said. ¡°If I play my cards right, maybe I¡¯ll get an apprenticeship, start making the good money.¡± ¡°What do you do?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°We¡¯re both in the vanguard team.¡± He gestured to Jamie. ¡°We help clear the road for the crawler. We work with the Outrider teams. It¡¯ll be a lot more fun in the summer though.¡± ¡°It definitely will not,¡± Jamie said. ¡°I overheat, brother. I¡­¡± Enoa¡¯s commlink buzzed in her pocket, sudden and insistent. She didn¡¯t hear another word spoken around her. She doubted Orson would be contacting her for an ¡®all-clear¡¯. Something had happened. His suspicions must have been correct. ¡°I need to take this.¡± Enoa grabbed the comm and answered it. She stood from the table, grabbed her staff, and walked away from the others. They watched her go. ¡°Hi,¡± she said. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She didn¡¯t want to actively whisper, but she had a feeling she didn¡¯t want anyone else to hear the news she was about to receive. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m fine and Jaleel¡¯s fine,¡± Orson said. ¡°But we got attacked at the meeting. Sabres. Chief Morita¡¯s okay too, but we have a couple casualties. Listen, I need you to go with his daughter and get the whole Morita family back to the Aesir, okay?¡± The others must have noticed something in Enoa¡¯s expression. They stared at her, wordlessly. She wasn¡¯t sure how much they could hear of the conversation. Probably not much. They didn¡¯t look nearly scared enough. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡± Enoa watched the expressions of the others change from perplexed to concerned. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± ¡°Do you trust the people you¡¯re with?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We¡¯ve got a plan, and we don¡¯t have a lot of time. Put us on speaker if you trust the audience.¡± Enoa looked around. The pavilion was still mostly empty. The snoozing old couple were still asleep, and the travelers still spoke among themselves. There was no one else. ¡°Is everything okay, Enoa?¡± Nozomi called. ¡°It¡¯ll be on speaker in one second.¡± Enoa whispered. She found the switch on the side of the round communicator and returned to the table. ¡°I heard from Captain Gregory at the meeting. Your dad¡¯s okay, but he needs to talk to you.¡± ¡°Is everything¡­¡± Nozomi began. ¡°Hi, kids.¡± Chief Morita spoke from the comm. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to listen to me very carefully.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nozomi asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡± He answered his daughter. ¡°The crawler is staying where it is for a few days, and we¡¯re taking a trip with Captain Gregory to Chicago. I have some business there with Commodore Augustin.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Nozomi asked again. ¡°Is it the Archers?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°Everything will be alright, if you follow instructions. All that matters right now is you¡¯re safe. Ms. Cloud is going to go with you back to the apartment so¡­¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Nozomi asked. She¡¯d gone still, her eyes wide. Fear had set in. ¡°Are we in danger?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°Listen, we don¡¯t have a lot of time. If your friends have living space in the crawler, they should go there and stay there. If they don¡¯t, it would still be a good idea to remain at their usual overnight shelter for a few days. You need to go with Ms. Cloud, and you must go now. Do you understand?¡± ¡°No!¡± Nozomi sounded suddenly younger, afraid in the helpless way of the very young. Jamie rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Camron just looked confused. Both young men stayed quiet. ¡°I owe you a long explanation when we¡¯re safe,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°But I need you to go with Ms. Cloud. Go with her now. Be safe.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°You have your staff?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I do,¡± Enoa said. ¡°And the kit you sent with me. Unless it¡¯s the guys we ran into last night, we¡¯ll be okay. What do I do when we¡¯re back on the ship?¡± ¡°Wait for us,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a few more guests.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be safe,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°I love you, Nozomi.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± she said. ¡°Enoa,¡± Orson said. ¡°Don¡¯t call if you get back safe. Save calling for bad news, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he said. ¡°See you soon.¡± ¡°See you,¡± she said. The line clicked off. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Nozomi asked again. ¡°Why would we have to leave our home?¡± ¡°How do you know what¡¯s happening, Enoa?¡± Jamie asked. ¡°Why did Captain Gregory ask you if you have your staff?¡± Nozomi asked. ¡°The meeting this afternoon had trouble.¡± Enoa got a better grip on her staff and felt the warm thrill spread up her arm. ¡°But I¡¯ll get you back to the Aesir, Nozomi, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Trouble?¡± Nozomi said. ¡°What kind of trouble? Do they think we¡¯re in danger? How will we be safe?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be safe.¡± Enoa spun the staff in her hand. ¡°Because my staff is spiritual, but it¡¯s also a weapon.¡± * * * The Archers met Orson, Jaleel, Morita, and the Chief¡¯s hand-picked security force on the roof. They blasted in from the far distance in their build-a-rockets, four this time. Orson could see in his HUD that most of the seats on the small craft were empty. These were meant for evacuation, not just escape. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we are going to rely on these people to save us.¡± Chief Morita stepped close to Orson, to be heard above the wind. ¡°If you told me this yesterday, I would have advised Commodore Augustin to remove you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my first pick, either,¡± Orson said. ¡°If we didn¡¯t need to wait around to grab Milo, I¡¯d smuggle everyone out on the Aesir.¡± ¡°Under other circumstances,¡± Morita said. ¡°I would never allow my family on the same vehicle with a man I plan to apprehend. You¡¯re sure your vehicle is safe from attack?¡± ¡°I am. The only thing that might pose a real threat to my boat is that cannon of Brett Nalrik¡¯s, and if he¡¯s here there¡¯s no transportation available that will keep your people safe.¡± If Morita planned to say more, he didn¡¯t get the chance. The build-a-rockets had shut off their boosters. They glided to a stop on the crawler¡¯s roof. The Archers immediately began to disembark, forming into small groups of three. Two of the Archers approached Morita. Jaleel ran from Orson¡¯s side and caught his sister in a brief hug. Orson watched the accompanying guards stiffen. ¡°Do you want to do the introduction, or should I?¡± Jaleel looked back at Orson. ¡°I think I will.¡± Orson stepped to the side to face both groups. ¡°Security Chief Yoshito Morita, meet Jordyn Yaye and John Robins of the Wuyar Archers.¡± Morita nodded to the two spokespeople and shook their hands. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve agreed to the terms Captain Gregory presented to us, this morning?¡± Chief Morita asked. ¡°We are agreed,¡± Jordyn said. ¡°Assuming you support our legal efforts against the Sabres, end all of the initiatives begun by the Sabres, and help us in recovering our friends who were captured, last night. We lost four members to the Sabre attack as we were leaving. I don¡¯t plan to lose more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry your people perished pursuing the truth,¡± Morita said. ¡°If you seek amends for the damage to property and you help evacuate the people in danger, I will recommend any help we can offer you.¡± ¡°And whether they go for it or not,¡± Orson said. ¡°You have me.¡± He looked to the rest of their odd assembly. ¡°We need to figure out where each group is going, who you¡¯re evacuating, and how they¡¯re leaving this crawler. We¡¯ve only got a vague idea who the Sabres have on their payroll, so you can¡¯t necessarily trust anyone who isn¡¯t on this roof.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have worn something else?¡± Morita asked the Archers. ¡°Everyone who sees you will be a potential problem.¡± ¡°This is our only armor,¡± Jordyn Yaye said. ¡°And you had our lead designer captive.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± John Robins added, cheerily. ¡°We move around this place without being seen at least once a week.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Morita offered a curt nod. ¡°Let¡¯s get into our teams.¡± Orson looked between the unorthodox forces he¡¯d assembled, watched the guards greet their crews of archers, everyone uncomfortable. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Morita looked at Orson. ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± * * * A long boarding ramp extended from the bottom of the crawler. It had a gentle enough incline for almost anyone to climb aboard the machine. Four men stood at the top of the ramp. They wore no insignia ¨C two wore suit-and-tie, the others wore the generic Solar Saver technical crew coveralls. The suits held small card-readers. The coverall-wearers held batons. ¡°Are they usually there?¡± Enoa pointed to the ramp. The others followed in her wake, as they wove their way through the line of mostly-empty pavilions and stalls, tromping across the dirty, crushed snow. ¡°No,¡± Jaime said. ¡°Usually, it¡¯s just one guy. Maybe they have more security, after the Archers last night?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Nozomi looked at Enoa. ¡°You know, don¡¯t you? What aren¡¯t you telling us?¡± Enoa looked between Nozomi and the two young men. All three looked at her, expectantly. She didn¡¯t know whether to tell the truth. She didn¡¯t know the young men. She had met them only hours earlier. They could be lifelong Sabres and she couldn¡¯t possibly know. ¡°A group of people is after the crawler,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re trying to destroy it, hurt people, or take it over. But I know they¡¯re not the Archers.¡± ¡°Is it the Sabres Unlimited?¡± Nozomi asked. ¡°Like the Archers said in the video they played, last night?¡± ¡°I hope not,¡± Camron said. ¡°People were already a mob after that video. I don¡¯t know how they¡¯d be if it was true. This job is my whole life, right now.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re the ones you¡¯re running from, you can¡¯t go in through the ramp,¡± Jaime said. ¡°But I know another way. There¡¯s an access hatch at the back tread, over there.¡± He pointed. ¡°If you go there, it¡¯s a steep climb, but they won¡¯t see you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°What do you mean a steep climb?¡± Nozomi asked. ¡°How do you know about that? Why does everybody have all these secrets?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Jaime nodded, before turning to his girlfriend. ¡°Do you think I check in with the gatekeeper when I visit you after the bazaar is closed?¡± He lowered his voice, ¡°when I¡¯d have to log it with one of your dad¡¯s guys?¡± He laughed. ¡°They¡¯re for emergencies. I know one of the guys who installed them. He works in the Outrider crew now, and he told me about them.¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t check in.¡± Nozomi blushed, slightly. ¡°But I thought you just, I don¡¯t know, talked your way past the gatekeepers or you knew them, maybe.¡± ¡°Is it a climb I could do one-handed?¡± Enoa looked at her staff. ¡°That depends how far you need to go,¡± he answered. ¡°I don¡¯t have any trouble getting to the apartments on the staff level, but I always have two hands for the ladder.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Enoa knew she didn¡¯t have time to consider further. Better she have a tiring climb than get caught by the Sabres. ¡°I¡¯m new here, but unless one of you has a better suggestion, I think this is our best option.¡± * * * ¡°It¡¯s a shame it had to happen this way.¡± Milo Nalrik couldn¡¯t quite remember the name of his current bodyguard, one of his nephew¡¯s friends, a ¡®recent-hire¡¯, so to speak. This man was young, with black hair buzzed very short and slightly larger than average ears. Milo knew he¡¯d seen the young man before, but he couldn¡¯t recall his name. ¡°I wish it could have been done peacefully, but the wheels of the world need to turn.¡± ¡°What do ya do?¡± The man shrugged and spared him only a glance. This is what Milo hated about his nephew¡¯s hires. Were they competent in dangerous situations? Yes, of course. But they lacked the respect, the proper respect that a true young Sabre should show him. With this man, Milo, a fourth-generation Sabre elder, was treated like a child being baby-sat. He wouldn¡¯t take it. ¡°Young man,¡± Milo said. ¡°Make yourself helpful and get me a sweet tea from the fridge.¡± The man didn¡¯t say anything, but he grunted and stood. He walked out of sight, toward the living area¡¯s tiny kitchenette. Milo smiled to himself and his small pettiness, and he looked out his window toward the snowy fields. He liked being respected, but he¡¯d settle for getting what he wanted. But his satisfaction didn¡¯t last. He heard several odd sounds, in quick succession. First there was a sliding sound, like a door in need of lubricant. He then heard a brief gasp, another grunt, and a heavy thud. What was he doing? Milo could accept some rudeness from a competent man, but this¡­ Milo heard the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps. He turned around to berate the man, but by the time he leaned sideways in his chair, that thought left his mind. Chief Yoshito Morita led the way toward him, with Orson Gregory and a young man in a suit following behind. ¡°What an unexpected surprise!¡± Milo had been cornered before, but he always managed a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you today, after that business last night.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t expect to see us alive,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°We¡¯re not dead,¡± Orson said. ¡°But you should still consider this a haunting.¡± 51 - The Collective Method After distressed good-byes between Nozomi and Jaime, he and Camron offered her and Enoa help climbing into the access ladder chute, the ladder that could take them to any level of the crawler¡¯s structure. The ladder was built into the back starboard corner of the crawler, stretching from a loose panel near the ground, all the way to the top observation level. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t need to go all the way to the top. Enoa struggled to climb with the staff in her hand. She¡¯d tucked it through one of her belt loops and that was enough to give her some use of her right hand. But the long weapon was still cumbersome and she was forced to follow Nozomi. Enoa hadn¡¯t yet trained to use the staff, and she didn¡¯t want to risk striking the other woman. After their escape, she needed to learn how to do the staff-collapsing technique she¡¯d seen her aunt perform, on the films. Nozomi climbed at a careful, deliberate pace, even with Enoa below her. The ladder rose through darkness, enclosed in an arc of metal mesh. She held in her left hand the small flashlight she¡¯d borrowed from Jaime. She still had partial use of that hand, in gripping the ladder, but this surely served to slow her, even further. Jaime had shown them the way to the loose panel. They¡¯d circled around the crawler, and he¡¯d dislodged the opening beneath the ladder, sliding it aside. It was a nearly silent climb, eerie. Even on the enclosed ladder, they could see faint lights glowing between supports in the crawler¡¯s superstructure. They saw the outlines of beams and other supports. Their footfalls and motion echoed as they rose. But then other noise began. First, there was a distant hum, a sound so faint it might have been imagined. The sound got louder, until it became unmistakable. This was the activation rumble. The crawler was about to move. * * * Jaleel lead the unlikely procession through a passage too narrow to walk normally. They could only progress sideways. Milo and Chief Morita followed him, with Orson taking up the rear. They were forced to sidle through the dark passage, lit by occasional status lights, dotting the complex array of equipment built into the walls. Jaleel held a flashlight and Orson had his visor lights lit. ¡°You¡¯re lucky my nephew agreed to leave,¡± Milo said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been able to drag me away to smear my name. But,¡± he laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll meet him soon. He won¡¯t take kindly to your false charges, and there¡¯s no where you can run from him.¡± ¡°If I had a dollar for every time somebody told me that,¡± Orson said. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe he was there with only one guard,¡± Jaleel said over his shoulder. ¡°We should¡¯ve paid him a visit before.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Milo shouted. ¡°You¡¯re the archer Orson¡¯s ward captured. I didn¡¯t expect a little boy. I thought you were Yoshito¡¯s assistant, some wunderkind who memorizes maps.¡± ¡°Keep walking,¡± Morita said. ¡°Working with terrorists, Yoshito,¡± Milo said. ¡°You might get me in the kangaroo court they have in Chicago, but I won¡¯t go quietly. All I¡¯ve ever done is to build and preserve our society. I might not live to see it, but the Collective Method will win out or we will all die. Humans need each other and this absurd every-man-for-himself business will send us all to the grave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°How does taking people¡¯s homes connect anyone? How does killing people make us united?¡± ¡°Killing?¡± Milo said. ¡°Poor boy lost himself to propaganda. All we want is to keep people together. Solar Saver can do that, if it¡¯s run properly.¡± ¡°You know,¡± Orson said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how you justify what you did. You missed your shot. Your boys didn¡¯t manage to kill us. Now everyone will know the truth about you.¡± ¡°You know,¡± Milo copied him. ¡°You¡¯re the very worst, Captain. Making people think it has no consequences to live as you do, a pirate, in all but name.¡± ¡°Keep moving,¡± Morita ordered again, with a small shove. ¡°You could do so much, Gregory,¡± Milo continued. ¡°You fought the civilization-breakers, but now you¡¯re all for independent living. Can you imagine how horrid the world would be if everyone lived like you, energy and resource independent? Everyone has a part to play and everyone must play their part and know their interconnected place. Like the great pyramids, all stones stand together to complete the mighty structure. Independence kills careers. It would kill civilization. There would only be chaos. The temporary fossil fuel industries weren¡¯t perfect, but they forced everyone to connect in an ordered society. Everyone knew their role, and no one could avoid it.¡± ¡°Shittiest TED Talk ever,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I bet he falls asleep to recordings of his own monologues.¡± Orson chuckled. ¡°Let him speak,¡± Morita said. ¡°What do you think this is, Yoshito?¡± Milo asked. ¡°My grand confession? There¡¯s still no proof to your insane charges, and every word I say is straight from the Sabres International official material.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be happy not to hear you anymore,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± A rumbling began at their feet, as the crawler powered on. Milo immediately began to laugh in earnest, a raucous belly-laugh, a cackle. ¡°Who gave the ignition order?¡± Morita halted and forced Milo against the wall. ¡°He must have some check-in system,¡± Orson said. ¡°They didn¡¯t hear from him, so now they¡¯re acting.¡± ¡°No check-in.¡± Milo laughed again. ¡°This is all part of the plan. We need to finish the trip to Chicago and personally deliver the terrible news of the tragic deaths on this crawler.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be in Chicago long before you get there,¡± Orson said. ¡°How?¡± Milo asked. ¡°How will your little camper fly away if no one operates the lift or opens the docking doors?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said, before anyone else could speak. ¡°New plan, you two get him back to my ship. I¡¯ll shut down the crawler and open the docking area.¡± * * * ¡°Maybe this ladder isn¡¯t as big a security problem as I thought.¡± Nozomi groaned. She struggled to force the wall panel aside. It was open only a crack, enough to let light filter through from the hallway. ¡°Is it enough that you could fit through?¡± Enoa leaned to the side, trying to judge the gap Nozomi had created. It was hard to tell from several feet down, but Nozomi was thin enough that she might fit. The light from the hallway was blocked. A shadow stood in the entryway. ¡°Out of there, now!¡± A man spoke. The wall panel slid fully aside. Enoa squinted in the light, but she saw the man reach into the opening and bodily haul Nozomi free of the ladder. The other woman yelled. ¡°You are going to be in so much trouble with my father,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°I found a major security breach working with him and you grab me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll sort it all out,¡± the man said. ¡°Get your I.D.¡± Enoa forced herself to ignore the exchange. She forced her mind into her Dreamside glade. It was easier now. Danger, fear, adrenaline helped her find the place where Shaping was possible. No longer was it the exhausting mental struggle to think the right thoughts, to make it possible for her to command the world. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. But this time, she didn¡¯t think her water tricks could help her. None of the recorded lessons from Aunt Sucora could help her now. She hadn¡¯t progressed far enough in the films to learn proper martial skills. Enoa needed the explosion power she¡¯d discovered. ¡°I see you too,¡± the man said. ¡°Come on up.¡± Enoa climbed, but her mind was elsewhere. Her one successful explosion had been an accident, and she struggled to reconcile that with her training. She pictured a bubble forming around the point of the staff, a bubble of hot air that would pop on contact. She wasn¡¯t sure if that would do the trick. She didn¡¯t know, but she¡¯d learned too much to find the mental reckless abandon that had let her blast Captain Maros. No, she couldn¡¯t doubt. She had to plan and stick with the plan. Hot air bubble blast was the best she could manage. ¡°Disarm yourself,¡± the man said. ¡°Give me that.¡± ¡°But this is a family heirloom.¡± Enoa made her voice small. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just give it to you. It¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± The man reached down into the shaft toward her. Enoa gave it to him. She stabbed the staff up at him. He caught it with his hand, but the hot air popped. The man yelled as his hand burned. The force of the bubble threw him up to slam his head into the top of the open panel. Enoa gripped the ladder and managed to withstand the recoil. Nozomi screamed out in the hallway. Enoa saw the man clutching at his hand. She swung the staff and delivered a blow to the side of his head. He yelled, and yelled again. Enoa wasn¡¯t sure, but she thought Nozomi must have begun pummeling him from the back. He tried to turn around. Enoa climbed again. She shoved the staff into the man¡¯s face. He raised his hands and recoiled from the attack. Nozomi jumped way. She was rubbing at her knuckles, sore from striking the man. Enoa clambered free of the open panel. She found the man reaching to a gun holstered at his hip. Enoa struck him across the face again, at the same time that his backup arrived. Two men ran down the corridor toward them, holding guns. These guns were quickly aimed at Enoa and Nozomi. ¡°Turn around!¡± One of the Sabres yelled. ¡°Hands to the wall!¡± Enoa didn¡¯t move. She looked at the guns. She was no expert, but these didn¡¯t look like blasters ¨C just standard firearms. If she destroyed their ammunition, she could give them a real fight. She watched one of the two Sabres approach their comrade, who huddled at the wall. Enoa tried to imagine a void around the guns, but that wasn¡¯t enough, was it? What had Orson told her, that she¡¯d deoxidized the ammunition of the Liberty Corps weapons? How would she picture that? How would she make that real?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Nozomi watched her. Enoa didn¡¯t return the glance. She was busy, trying to force the Shaping. ¡°Hands on the wall!¡± the Sabre said again. ¡°Hands¡­¡± But he didn¡¯t finish his command. He shut up when they heard the sounds of more tramping feet. ¡°Drop the gun!¡± A male-sounding voice yelled from behind the Sabres. ¡°We have you outnumbered,¡± a woman yelled. Enoa knew the voice, Jordyn Yaye. What was she doing back on the crawler? ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Three archers and a Solar Saver security officer ran down the hallway, weapons aimed at the Sabres. ¡°Archers!¡± Nozomi stepped behind Enoa. ¡°But, one of my father¡¯s force is with them. Enoa, what¡¯s happening? What is this?¡± ¡°Gun down.¡± The security officer said. ¡°Our agreement is null. Stand down, Sabre.¡± One of the Sabres turned, gun aimed at the security officer. An arrow exploded in his face, sending him falling flat onto his back. Another arrowhead burst in the air above him, releasing a net that pinned him to the floor. The last Sabre standing nodded. His grip on his gun loosened. He wordlessly placed his weapon on the floor and raised his hands. The Archers and the security officer advanced on the Sabres. It was only then that Enoa spotted the figure who¡¯d been hiding behind the Archers ¨C Adelyn Castillo. The restaurateur stood, wearing what looked like cold weather exercise gear, under a parka and backpack. Enoa almost didn¡¯t recognize her in such casual attire. ¡°I should have gone with Anais,¡± Castillo said, by way of hello. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re well.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Enoa said. ¡°And I¡¯m happy you¡¯re okay too.¡± She looked to Nozomi, who had a distant, somewhat shell-shocked appearance. ¡°Nozomi, do we want to go to your family apartment? Is it near here?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Nozomi said. ¡°Yes, right that way. But will there be more of those men? Are they¡­ Sabres Unlimited members?¡± ¡°They are,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Excuse me!¡± She called to the Archers. ¡°Could one of you come with us, in case we¡¯re attacked again?¡± The Archers spoke briefly among themselves, before one of them jogged up the hallway toward them. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you,¡± the archer said. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Enoa nodded to Nozomi. * * * Orson maneuvered through the maintenance ductwork, heading toward the speaker system¡¯s master control, situated on the technical level where Enoa had captured Jaleel. ¡°Alright, so you¡¯re looking for the repair space,¡± Jaleel said through Orson¡¯s comm. ¡°It¡¯s all a grid, so once you find it, you should be able to get up to the top. Well, not the top. The shafts go even higher.¡± ¡°How will I know I¡¯ve found it?¡± Orson wasn¡¯t prone to claustrophobia, and his HUD offered him enough extraneous information about his surroundings that he seldom felt isolated. But he had obviously little time, and he¡¯d passed four miniscule vertical shafts, three so small he didn¡¯t even need his repulsor to step over them. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll know,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s the one you can fit inside. How many wiring openings have you passed?¡± ¡°Three or four,¡± Orson said. ¡°There were three tiny openings and one a little bigger.¡± ¡°How much bigger? Big enough to fit inside?¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°Not even close, just big enough that if I didn¡¯t have the HUD I could¡¯ve tripped and gotten caught inside it.¡± ¡°That happened to Perry when we first started doing this. It was awful getting him¡­¡± ¡°I think I found it.¡± Orson arrived at another shaft, this one just wide enough for him to squeeze inside. ¡°Great!¡± Jaleel said. Orson stepped into the opening and fired his repulsor. He hovered in place until his HUD assured him he was angled in such a way that he could fly without grazing the tight walls. He blasted upward. ¡°Yeah, this must be it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Second to last floor, right?¡± ¡°Should be,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The top is the Commodore¡¯s Lounge and some sensors, so the next down should have the sound system.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Orson arrived on the correct floor. ¡°Give the comm to Chief Morita. I need to know what he needs to do to patch through into the sound system.¡± ¡°I can get you to the sound system,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I was supposed to take control of that when I met Enoa.¡± ¡°Yes, but we want to patch Chief Morita through so everyone can hear him, right?¡± Orson let his HUD scan the walls of the ductwork until he could find the sliding panel that would let him exit into the crawler proper. Most floors the duct and support passages exited into the access corridors, but the technical control level wasn¡¯t like this. The wall panel slid aside and Orson found himself already on one of the catwalks. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Well, here he is.¡± ¡°Fast work, Captain,¡± Morita said. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be far based on Mr. Yaye¡¯s account. If you go to the edge of the catwalk, can you see the yellow sign for the Top Shelf Delicatessen?¡± Orson looked around the catwalk. He saw no one, but the murmur of bazaar guests was alarming, knowing there were almost certainly Sabre members in their midst. He walked to the nearest catwalk railing and looked down. There, he saw Top Shelf Deli, in bright yellow neon. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°I see it. It¡¯s down and to my right. Where do I go now?¡± ¡°Excellent news!¡± Morita shouted, enough that Orson considered dialing down his comm volume. The device was clipped to his visor. ¡°If you turn right and travel to the end of the catwalk, there should be the auxiliary audio control terminal. You still have the card I gave you?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Orson walked along the catwalk. ¡°But we better hope my universal adapter can actually patch you through from the comm. I¡¯m no expert, and we don¡¯t have enough time to rework this if it doesn¡¯t connect right away.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t leave without some statement,¡± Morita insisted. ¡°Alright.¡± Orson walked to the far side of the catwalk. There, a large device was set into the wall. It looked more like a vintage ATM than any sound system he¡¯d ever seen. It had a keypad and multiple card slots. ¡°Where do I plug this in?¡± Orson removed the comm from his mask and extended its charger cord. ¡°Fit my card into the yellow slot,¡± Morita said. ¡°And plug your comm into the input at the base. I¡¯ve already told Assistant Chief Singh of his increased role. When this is finished, we¡¯re ready to depart.¡± Orson fit the comm¡¯s charger into a bulky adapter, from his belt, then plugged it in. He slid the command card into the yellow reader. ¡°There should be a green light now,¡± Morita said. ¡°If there¡¯s a green light, I can give my message.¡± ¡°Alright, I see it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let¡¯s try this thing.¡± * * * ¡°Nozomi.¡± Her eight-year-old brother Ichiro tugged at her coat. ¡°Are we actually going on the flying camper? You¡¯ve seen it, right? Is it cool?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very cool.¡± Nozomi rested her hand on her brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re entirely sure it¡¯s necessary?¡± Nozomi¡¯s mother had multiple bags packed, and she was busy running through a checklist of belongings. ¡°This isn¡¯t something they can take care of? If they made peace with the Archers, why do we have to run now?¡± She aimed a glance back out the door, where the archer who¡¯d accompanied the young women now stood guard, outside. ¡°I don¡¯t have much more information than you do,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think this is an overreaction. No, but¡­¡± ¡°Attention Solar Saver guests.¡± Chief Yoshito Morita¡¯s voice spoke from the crawler PA system. His voice sounded tinny through the residential hallway speaker. ¡°I regret to inform you that we will not be progressing toward Chicago. At this time, there has been a security breach, unrelated to the Wuyar Archer situation. For your full security, we have decided not to continue our travels until this situation is resolved. ¡°This should not impact your safe business or shopping. Please continue enjoying our comforts and amenities. Our security staff and support personnel will on duty, as usual. If you prefer to leave, we are prepared for your safe departure. Above all, I want to stress that you are in no danger, and there is no reason for concern.¡± ¡°Why would he tell people not to worry?¡± Nozomi asked the room, at large. ¡°That will make them worry more!¡± ¡°We need to move,¡± Enoa said. 52 - Solar Saver Escape For all its bulk, the gargantuan Solar Saver crawler was usually driven by only two people ¨C a pilot and a copilot. In fact, the cab only had two seats. The navigators and coordinating technicians who aided the drivers ¨C now that the former aerospace transport operated on roadways ¨C had to be positioned in the small passage outside the cab. That day, there was no copilot and half of its usual dozen support staff were nowhere to be found. Orson didn¡¯t know what excuse the Sabres had chosen for their absence, but he assumed there was one. He viewed the crawler cab with his HUD, from his perch atop the walkway that marked where the original crawler transporter met the new Collective construction. ¡°I¡¯m looking at the cab,¡± Orson said into the comm. ¡°Are we ready for me to get the show started?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost to your ship,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°You should begin. It will take you time to complete the full shutdown. You can¡¯t wait until we arrive at the Aesir.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°Here I go.¡± He rocketed from his perch, blasting through the frigid wind. Orson landed on top of the crawler¡¯s cab with a hollow thud. He knew the support and security vehicles would see him. But traffic was intense around the Solar Saver, and not in the usual sense. The cars, campers, trucks, customs, and other vehicles were fleeing. Some sped past the crawler, hurrying along toward the front of the pack. Others attempted to pass in the opposite direction. Those that could, careened off-road, plowing through the snow, arcing all the way around the village of tents that held the assorted attractions. It appeared Chief Morita¡¯s reassuring message had failed. Orson caught sight of one vehicle headed for the crawler ¨C a jeep. His HUD magnified the occupants. They wore tactical gear of some sort. They were armed ¨C probably Sabres, but they were far enough back in traffic that they weren¡¯t an imminent threat. He dropped onto the small exterior walkway, leading up to the cab. This walkway was once useful, back during the crawler¡¯s original rocket-carrying days. But with the new Solar Saver construction on top, the walkway was almost impossible to reach. Orson followed the walkway along the driver¡¯s side of the cab. ¡°Chief Morita orders this crawler shut down,¡± Orson shouted. The crew inside, all wearing headsets, did not respond. Orson hated his mobile supply kit¡¯s microphone. It distorted his voice and made him sound like a B-movie villain, but he needed to be heard over the crawler. ¡°Chief Morita orders this crawler shut down.¡± Orson spoke into the microphone. The technicians finally saw Orson. One drew a pistol and aimed it at him through the floor-to-ceiling side window. Another adjusted his headset and began speaking at a rapid pace. Orson cut a small opening in the side window of the cab. The gunman didn¡¯t fire, maybe unwilling to risk damaging the controls. This hesitation gave Orson enough time to toss multiple pellets from his stink set into the open cab. Orson saw the occupants clutching at their faces. The driver worked to secure gas masks. Orson struggled to clip his rebreather¡¯s mouthpiece to the inside of the bandana, with his microphone still connected. He checked that the apparatus was placed over his mouth. Then he cut a larger hole in the glass and jumped through it. Orson readied his left glove¡¯s electric prod. He shocked gunman. Then he hit all the Sabre techs in reach, forcing them back into the support passage. The driver stayed focused on the road. He couldn¡¯t exactly turn away from steering the enormous structure, just to futilely attack Orson. By the time Orson was finished and had sealed the crawler cab¡¯s hatch, most of the stink had dissipated through the cabin¡¯s broken window. He took a deep gulp of recycled air before he pulled his rebreather aside. ¡°I need you to shut down this crawler.¡± Orson still spoke in the microphone, so the pilot could hear him. ¡°Will you do that please? I don¡¯t think you want to fight me.¡± ¡°No.¡± The man¡¯s headset also had a microphone. ¡°I really do not.¡± He pressed down on the brake, eased it down slowly, and then he flipped two other switches on the console. Up close, Orson saw the controls. The steering wheel looked like it belonged on a child¡¯s play car. It was bright red and less that a foot in diameter. The driver could operate it one-handed. ¡°It¡¯ll shut down soon,¡± the pilot said. ¡°Then can I go? Can I leave? Please!¡± Orson saw one of the security jeeps had pulled up alongside the crawler. The vehicle was much too low to allow for boarding the crawler, and he doubted the Sabres would mount any attack that could damage the crawler¡¯s controls. How long would it be before the Sabres managed to reach him? ¡°You can leave when we¡¯re done,¡± Orson said. ¡°Can you also operate the docking berth controls from here? If you do that I¡¯ll even chase you out into the hallway there and make it look like you got away from me. They won¡¯t know you cooperated. Does that sound like a good deal?¡± * * * Enoa found the docking area already filled with people. She saw dozens of Archers and several families, but she didn¡¯t focus on faces, not right away. Her attention was occupied by the space. She was used to the Aesir sitting alone in its own berth, but the berths¡¯ dividers had accordioned back into the walls. Enoa saw the enormity of the room, stretching across five berths along the top level of the crawler. One of the four berths was empty. The little hovercraft she¡¯d seen the night before occupied the spot beside the Aesir. Small planes, outfitted with four wings and mid-section rotors, filled two other berths. The planes bore the sun emblem of the Solar Saver Collective. Other than the Aesir, all of these craft were bustling with activity. Teams of archers ushered families and supplies on board. Enoa watched a group of archers transport what she thought were body bags aboard one of the planes. When she finally found a familiar face, Arnold Chambers, he was prone on a stretcher, being carried onto the hovercraft. ¡°Are we getting aboard?¡± Adelyn asked. ¡°Or do we need to wait for Captain Gregory to get back from whatever he¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°I can let you in.¡± Enoa remembered herself and her responsibilities. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s go.¡± She led the odd procession to the camper and got her key in hand. ¡°I call shotgun!¡± Ichiro Morita said. ¡°You¡¯re sitting with me,¡± his mother replied. ¡°Don¡¯t ask for a special seat on the flying machine!¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Enoa unlocked the door and stepped inside. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are good and safe seats for everyone.¡± She actually had no idea where everyone would sit. She had never expected ¨C she did the math ¨C eight people to come with her. But they all followed her ¨C Adelyn, the three Moritas, the Archers, and the security guard whose name she still did not know. All of these people looked at her. ¡°I, uh,¡± Enoa began. ¡°Ruby, I need help.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ruby replied. ¡°I am detecting a larger than average gathering aboard. They are not moving in a manner that reflects hostile behavior, so I did not initialize defensive measures. Should I do so now?¡± ¡°No!¡± Enoa yelled loudly enough that even the Archers were startled. Enoa forced a small laugh. ¡°Ruby talks for the Aesir. She¡¯s a¡­¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know what Ruby was. ¡°She¡¯s a real jokester.¡± ¡°Would you like to hear a joke?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°I learned three jokes during installation.¡± ¡°I want to hear a joke from the computer girl!¡± Ichiro called. ¡°Your voice is not authorized for voice command,¡± Ruby said. ¡°And the number of individuals aboard exceeds emergency voice-command authorization. To enable voice commands, visit the settings menu and select¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°Ruby, I need to know where people can sit that they¡¯ll have seatbelts.¡± ¡°Was that a joke?¡± Ichiro said. ¡°Shh.¡± Nozomi set her hands on her brother¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Let Enoa help us.¡± ¡°The pilot¡¯s and copilot¡¯s seats have restraints,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Two rumble seats, with restraints, can be extended from the control area. The sofa is equipped with three seat belts: two shoulder belts and one lap belt. The two installed armchairs are fitted with seatbelts. Each bunk has two seat belts. For additional restraints, more seating can be installed through the customizations process. Would you like me to explain customizations?¡± ¡°No,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Thank you.¡± She looked through the group. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if there are specific places Captain Gregory wants you to be. I guess, unless I hear otherwise, Ms. Castillo, you can take one of the armchairs. The Archers can have the couch. The security officer, I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t know your name, you can take the other chair. And Morita, uh, family, you can have the seat belts in my bunk, if Ichiro can sit with Mom.¡± ¡°Can I please see the ship fly around?¡± Ichiro asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be flying soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Enoa guided the Moritas to her bunk and was grateful she¡¯d been keeping her new space cleaner than she had her room at home. She¡¯d made a horrible mess in the days after Aunt Sucora passed. Now, the mess was gone, burned with so much else¡­ She felt the comm vibrate in her pocket. She drew her cloak aside to reach it. ¡°I¡¯m aboard.¡± She answered the call. ¡°Just getting everyone buckled in.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we sit out there?¡± Ichiro asked again. ¡°It has to be just as safe there. You wouldn¡¯t have Auntie Adelyn be somewhere dangerous.¡± ¡°Great!¡± A voice came through the comm. Enoa didn¡¯t immediately recognize it as Orson. His voice sounded distorted, deeper, and almost robotic. ¡°I¡¯m just wrapping up here, and you should feel the crawler shutting down soon.¡± ¡°I want you all to be able to stay together,¡± Enoa said to the boy. ¡°What?¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m getting everyone in their seats,¡± she said. ¡°Oh. Well listen, Chief Morita and Jaleel are on their way with Milo Nalrik. Put him in the bunk we prepared for prisoners. I¡¯m gonna get you all raised from here, okay?¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Okay.¡± Enoa tried to suppress a giggle at Orson¡¯s ridiculous magnified voice. She made sure the Moritas were situated and found the seatbelts, hidden at the wall. Enoa stepped back into the cabin. ¡°So you¡¯re meeting us on the roof?¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna try,¡± he said. Then he said something away from the comm that she could not hear. ¡°We¡¯re still trying to get everything set up. Alright, if you¡¯re okay, I¡¯ll talk to you soon.¡± The line went dead. Enoa made sure the various passengers were secured, and she walked to the pilot¡¯s seat. No one was outside in the docking area. They must have all gotten aboard the vehicles. Everything waited on Orson and the prisoner escort. She didn¡¯t wait long. Jaleel ran through one of the docking area¡¯s doors, shoving at an older man that could only be Milo. Gunfire! Chief Morita backed into the room, shooting through the doorway. The hatch cycled shut. Then the security chief took Milo¡¯s arm. The old man was clearly unwilling to hurry, but the others practically lifted him off of his feet as they charged toward the Aesir. Enoa ran from the pilot¡¯s seat and met them at the door. Chief Morita forced Milo aboard. Then he and Jaleel came inside too, before the side door closed. ¡°Hello,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Let me know what I can do.¡± ¡°Captain Gregory says you have a bunk set aside for Mr. Nalrik.¡± Morita scanned the room. He caught the attention of his officer, already buckled into one of the armchairs. ¡°Mr. Sandoval with me.¡± The guard nodded and unbuckled himself. ¡°Dad!¡± Ichiro called from his mother¡¯s lap. ¡°They showed us through the crawl spaces.¡± ¡°Papa!¡± Nozomi also called to her father. ¡°Are we okay, Dear?¡± Mrs. Morita asked. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you.¡± Morita waited for Sandoval to get a good grip on Milo. ¡°We¡¯ll be just fine, and you¡¯ll have to tell me all about your adventure soon.¡± ¡°So,¡± Milo turned to Enoa. ¡°You¡¯re the girl traveling with Gregory. Until you escaped my nephew¡¯s men, we assumed you were just his little tootsie. Lots of traveling men prefer the exotic-looking girls.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want him to have the bunk,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Let¡¯s put him on the roof. Maybe flying fifty miles at a few thousand feet will teach him some manners.¡± ¡°Oh wow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Are you gonna do more magic, now?¡± The other archers let out small cheers. ¡°I might.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t break eye contact from Milo. ¡°I didn¡¯t get my practice in today, and I¡¯m just starting explosions.¡± ¡°This way.¡± Sandoval took Milo by both arms, before he could reply. ¡°I apologize, miss. Where is he really going? He¡¯ll be out of sight soon.¡± Enoa showed Sandoval to the bunk-turned-cell and the location of the seatbelts. Then she returned to the front of the cabin, most eyes still on her. ¡°Have you heard more from Captain Gregory?¡± Chief Morita asked. ¡°I executed an override on all of the docking doors. It will keep out the Sabres, but not forever. We need to leave. We may not win a firefight with the force they¡¯ve assembled.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re like one-third old people.¡± Jaleel stood beside his sister, still seated on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about those older people who are still super-healthy and fit. Some of them could barely walk and still they were shooting at us. There was one guy who looked like Yosemite Sam, handlebar mustache and all, but really old.¡± ¡°I just talked to Orson before you got here,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But I¡¯ll get in touch with him again.¡± What would she do if he didn¡¯t show up? She already knew the shields were unsafe inside the crawler. She led the security chief to the front of the cabin. Jaleel followed after them. ¡°When do I get my tour?¡± he said. ¡°Still not up to me.¡± She settled into the pilot¡¯s seat before retrieving the commlink. She didn¡¯t want an audience for Orson and his usual madcap plans. Before she could activate the communicator, sparks emerged from the docking bay doors. ¡°This feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡± Jaleel sat in the copilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Sabres knock down those exact doors just last night?¡± ¡°No, that is the emergency bulkhead.¡± Chief Morita stood behind them. ¡°We haven¡¯t had time to replace the standard set of doors.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa lifted the comm. ¡°What¡¯s up with us getting out of here? Evidently there are old people who are going to try to kill us.¡± ¡°Put me on speaker. Turn your volume low,¡± Orson said. ¡°Oh, and also turn up your comm¡¯s input. It¡¯s tough to hear in this cab. I have a question for Chief Morita.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Is there a reason you sound like Darth Vader?¡± ¡°I need my mic so the driver can hear me,¡± Orson said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe what I had to do with the comm so I didn¡¯t deafen you guys with this dumb mic.¡± ¡°Done.¡± Enoa finished adjusting the comm. ¡°Hi Chief,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re trying to get the docking doors open, but we can¡¯t find it on the master controls for the door locking system. It¡¯s like it¡¯s not there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it isn¡¯t there,¡± Morita said. ¡°Who is we?¡± ¡°I got the Sabre spy guy helping me out,¡± Orson said. ¡°The pilot.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Morita said. ¡°Why can¡¯t you follow the instructions I wrote for you?¡± ¡°Those¡­¡± Orson said. ¡°Those were destroyed. The stink bomb I used must¡¯ve caused the ink to run, so I recruited some help, under duress. But this spy didn¡¯t even complete the training. Can you believe that? Doesn¡¯t even know how to open the garage door.¡± He paused. ¡°Wait, what does that mean?¡± ¡°What does what mean?¡± Morita asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡± Orson said. ¡°Hold on a second! What are you doing? You already tried that.¡± The Sabre replied with something inaudible, through the comm. ¡°Yes, you did. It didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°If the old people break through the bulkhead, are we going to return fire at them?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°We aren¡¯t doing anything.¡± Enoa hit the switch that locked the tri-cannon¡¯s controls on her side of the dash. ¡°But I will be firing back if I have to, yes.¡± ¡°The pilot needs to activate the remote terminal,¡± Morita said. ¡°From there, it¡¯s a simple command. I¡­ I wrote that down for you.¡± ¡°Did you hear him?¡± Orson asked. ¡°He said go to the remote terminal. Yes, that looks like the one. Hey, I think we almost got this.¡± ¡°The terminal is labeled.¡± Morita sighed and muttered under his breath. ¡°I have a second-cousin who doesn¡¯t speak a word of English, and he could figure this out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. Enoa, you have my permission to shoot at anyone who so much as aims a slingshot at the ship.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready to shoot something too!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Yeah, you made a weapon specifically to fight me,¡± Orson said. ¡°You need to go at least a week without planning to attack me before I let you use my weaponry, sorry!¡± Enoa watched the sparks cut their way through the door. Should she concentrate on offense, attack them with the cannon? Or should she try her Shaping, stop the enemy from firing? She didn¡¯t know whether she could manage the deoxidization again. She also didn¡¯t know how well she could hit many relatively small, moving targets. ¡°Okay, we got it,¡± Orson said. ¡°You should feel¡­ Wait, I might need to keep you in there. It looks like the Sabres mobilized some Thopters.¡± ¡°We can take ¡®em!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The door¡¯s almost caved in,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯ll be pretty irrelevant soon.¡± ¡°Do the other aircraft have weaponry?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Limited,¡± Morita said. ¡°Our planes only have a set of forward guns. I can¡¯t speak for the Chambers Electromotive hovercraft. But I believe we should risk it. We¡¯re in just as much danger here.¡± ¡°What are we doing?¡± Another voice asked through the commlink ¨C the Sabre, probably. ¡°Just do it!¡± Enoa yelled. The cutting burn had almost reached the bottom of the emergency bulkhead. ¡°Get us out of here!¡± The doors burst open. But the docking pads began to rise. They moved up toward the ceiling. Several people charged through smoke at the door. Enoa aimed the cannon, and she tried to see if they truly were as old as Jaleel said. But the lift had risen too high for her to see the pursuers. ¡°We¡¯re out!¡± Enoa said. The Aesir emerged onto the roof, revealing the clear sky and snowfield. Enoa could see only a few scattered vehicles on the roads in the distance. She powered up the Aesir, not that she could do much with it. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ll be right up there, okay!¡± Orson yelled. ¡°Enoa, see if Ruby can lift you off the top of the crawler. If not, you might have to trigger the ¡®off-the-cliff¡¯ failsafe.¡± ¡°Captain, I don¡¯t want to do anything called ¡®off-the-cliff¡¯ with my family aboard,¡± Morita said. ¡°Off the cliff!¡± Adelyn yelled from her seat. ¡°What¡¯s off-the-cliff? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Jaleel, what in hell are you doing up there?¡± Jordyn Yaye yelled to her brother. ¡°I¡¯m volunteering my expertise as gunner!¡± Jaleel yelled back. ¡°Ruby!¡± Enoa said. ¡°Make us hover.¡± ¡°Right away,¡± Ruby said. With the thud at her feet, Enoa felt the Aesir leave the surface of the crawler. She dialed up the shields and got her hand on the tri-cannon¡¯s yoke. ¡°I would like to alert you that there are formerly friendly craft incoming,¡± Ruby said. ¡°But they seem to be in an attack formation.¡± Enoa saw four red dots on the radar and three yellow dots. The other escaping vehicles appeared to still be parked on the top of the crawler. Enoa aimed the tri-cannon toward the Thopters. ¡°Is there somewhere I can sit?¡± Chief Morita asked. ¡°Oh no!¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I forgot. Ruby, send out those rumble seats you mentioned!¡± She heard a grinding sound behind her. ¡°Thank you,¡± Morita said. ¡°Enoa, if you can handle the guns,¡± Orson said. ¡°Do it. If you can¡¯t, ugh, let Jaleel have the Incursions, but make sure you watch the other craft. Do not shoot down the people we spent all day rescuing.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± Jaleel yelled, laughing. ¡°If I let you help,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You can¡¯t act this way. It¡¯s freaky.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°But this is the greatest day of my life.¡± * * * ¡°You might have escaped me for now!¡± Orson shouted after the driver, voice still distorted. The man rushed away from him down the passage, back into the crawler. ¡°But I¡¯ll find you!¡± An advancing team of Sabres, consisting primarily of their rabid-retiree company, sent a volley of bullets down the passage toward him. Orson jumped back into the cockpit. Then he sealed the cab door. He took a last look at the sonar. It was a unique design. He couldn¡¯t easily decipher it, but it looked like the Thopters had started a strafing run across the top of the crawler. He ran to the hole he¡¯d opened in the cab¡¯s window, before he remembered himself. He hadn¡¯t disabled the crawler so it couldn¡¯t be started again. Orson had no time to figure out the subtle sabotage Morita had hoped to execute. He drew his sword and sliced the steering wheel clean off the dashboard, driving the sword through the support column. He stuffed the tiny wheel in his biggest coat pocket, as he jumped back through the hole in the cab window. The jeep that had previously tailed the crawler was nowhere to be seen, but now a flatbed truck had blocked the open lane of roadway. An armed and body-armored force stood on the back. Even with the other cars still attempting their escape, this crew opened fire on Orson, peppering the exterior of the crawler with bullets. He ignited his repulsor and flew far away from them, his job in the cab already complete. He pushed his repulsor as hard as he dared, harder. The sudden ascent and the shrinking view of the ground and cars and snowfield made him dizzy, especially with his HUD altimeter¡¯s constant changes. But the Aesir waited with a full load of passengers. They waited for him. Before he reached the top of the crawler, the Chambers Electromotive hovercraft blasted out away from the Solar Saver platform. It flew at a surprising speed that far outstripped the Thopter chasing it. The Thopter gave up in its pursuit and opened fire on Orson. He flew upward, angled away from the craft. The limited mobility of their guns made them ill-suited for combat with aerial opponents. Orson heard the Aesir before he saw it. Once he pulled away from the sounds of gunfire, he could hear his own ship¡¯s weapons, all firing at once. What were they doing? When he crested the top of the crawler, he saw the Aesir hovering above the Solar Saver planes. Neither of the other aircraft had taken off, and the Aesir sent out a constant stream of projectiles, keeping the other three Thopters at bay. The enemy aircraft circled out of reach, like a trio of buzzards. Orson pulled his microphone away from his mouth and activated his comm. ¡°Nice protection, but I think we¡¯re gonna have to hit at least a couple of these guys before we can leave.¡± ¡°Well, if we weren¡¯t stuck in one place,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Maybe we could accomplish something.¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. Orson watched as all three Thopters dove in at once, from above, leaving Jaleel¡¯s cannons useless. Enoa spun the Tri-cannon in circles, keeping the Thopters away, but unable to concentrate on any one target the way she had in their fight against the Liberty Corps. ¡°I¡¯ll even the odds.¡± Orson saw the fourth Thopter flash toward him from his right. The Thopter¡¯s attack was reckless and haphazard and didn¡¯t seem to have any of the bizarre stolen technology Brett Nalrik provided. Orson waited for the Thopter to arc above him, moving to bring its guns against him. He didn¡¯t let that happen. He intensified his repulsor and flew parallel with the enemy craft. Orson cut off the barrel of the Thopter¡¯s gun. The hunk of metal toppled toward the ground. That Thopter sped away before Orson could bring his sword against it again. He laughed, watching it flee. But his laughter ceased when he saw the three other Thopters ascend together, hundreds of feet above the Aesir and the crawler. ¡°Enoa,¡± Orson said. ¡°I want you to shoot at the Thopter that¡¯s at your three O¡¯clock. Follow it until you get your chance. They¡¯re ascending to attack the Collective¡¯s planes.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think they could shoot accurately from that high up,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Why haven¡¯t they tried this before?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not accurate,¡± Jaleel chimed in. ¡°Those things have crap targeting. They might as well try to shoot at someone using an Atari copy of Space Invaders. Their odds are better for hitting the crawler.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Orson said. ¡°But maybe they¡¯re not trying to kill the people on the planes, just stop them from flying away. How much damage would they need to ground them?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you just shoot them with that blaster you have?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I work the repulsor with my left hand so I really only have the sword. Just listen to me. Enoa, have Ruby follow the altitude of those Thopters. If they ascend together, go right with them. I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll do if they scatter, but hopefully we¡¯ll deal with them before that.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just have Ruby follow them?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°You¡¯ve got this AI on your ship, and you don¡¯t even ask her for help.¡± ¡°AI?¡± Orson laughed. ¡°I think she¡¯s more of a search engine voice, like the Aesir¡¯s computer can do some things and give some information and that voice talks to us.¡± ¡°Oh, I thought she was like J.A.R.V.I.S.,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But I guess she¡¯s just Siri.¡± ¡°You¡¯re losing me. I don¡¯t know those names.¡± Orson flew in low, just above the two planes. ¡°What? How do you not get those?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I guess I can see not knowing J.A.R.V.I.S., but Siri? I thought you were a pretty normal guy before you started fighting supervillains.¡± ¡°Orson hasn¡¯t gone on the internet in ten years,¡± Enoa said. ¡°No way. How did he function?¡± ¡°He had people chasing him since then,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ask him.¡± ¡°We can talk about my cultural awareness some other time,¡± Orson said. ¡°We need to deal with these people. They know if we escape that their whole world ends. Either they¡¯re zealots who are losing their perfect fantasy world or they¡¯re basically mobsters hiding evidence. Either way, there¡¯s not a lot they won¡¯t do.¡± Orson watched the Aesir rise toward the Thopters as the small craft converged above the planes. They opened fire, angling in a complicated formation, weaving back and forth. Orson waited until Enoa tapped into her Shaper focus zone or whatever the hell it was. She sent an energy blast right at a Thopter. The projectile sliced a wing in two. Supported only by guiding propellers, the craft wobbled down toward the ground. The other Thopters broke formation, looping around the Aesir. Jaleel dealt one of the Thopters a glancing blow. It gave up on the attack. The ship, still sturdy, flew off, away from the crawler, into the distance. Orson flew at the last Thopter, as it dove toward the planes. It opened fire, strafing the top of the crawler, shattering solar panels and burying metal deep in the roof of the large vehicle. Orson dropped down onto the Thopter¡¯s nose. He activated his boot¡¯s magnetic anchor. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but he¡¯d stay upright long enough to distract the gunner and disable the craft. But this Thopter held more than a pilot and a gunner. Its passenger hefted a Minigun, somehow modified to attach to the base of the craft¡¯s propellers and fire between the glass canopies. The passenger opened fire. Orson turned away. His coat was riddled with bullets and the force of the strikes threw him backward. He buried his sword in the nose of the Thopter, as he deactivated his boot¡¯s magnet and jumped away. He watched the Thopter fall, already smoking, its nose aflame. Orson fired his repulsor and took stock of himself. He felt the chill wind. It crept up under his protection. His coat was torn in ribbons of shredded fabric. Now, the sheets of his armor were exposed. ¡°I¡¯m coming back.¡± He sheathed his sword and flew toward the Aesir. He remote triggered the roof hatch and made sure no one stood beneath it. Then he dropped through the opening into the cabin. ¡°I usually don¡¯t come home to a crowd.¡± He spoke to the room at large. ¡°Sorry it took so long. I figured it made sense to stay out there since this armor is basically bullet proof.¡± ¡°You have the coolest job in the world.¡± Jaleel began to clap. The other Archers and some passengers joined in. Orson nodded, but didn¡¯t take the time to acknowledge them further. ¡°I see why people hire you.¡± Adelyn Castillo offered him a small smile. ¡°You do make quite the impressive show.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re stuck here,¡± he said. ¡°You might as well get some entertainment.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve alerted the planes to take off,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°It should only take a minute for them to be airborne, and we can be on our way.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Orson rested his hands on the backs of the pilot¡¯s and copilot¡¯s seats. ¡°Thanks, you two, for your help. It would have been miserable without you. Now, let¡¯s do a little musical chairs, so I can fly us away.¡± ¡°It was an honor.¡± Jaleel stood and offered a salute. ¡°He¡¯s going to be talking about this for the rest of his life,¡± Jordyn Yaye called from the couch. ¡°He¡¯s going to be too much to handle.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take care of the Sabres,¡± Orson said. ¡°And he can be too much for a long, long time.¡± ¡°Please let us leave.¡± Enoa stood too. ¡°We will.¡± Orson let Jaleel slip past him into the other rumble seat. Then Enoa settled in the copilot¡¯s chair. Orson removed his sword and set it in its hooks, at the wall. He tested the controls, as he sat down. He waited until the planes lifted from the roof. They angled their rotors backward, propelling them out and away from the crawler. Orson sent the Aesir following after them, leaving the massive vehicle deactivated, its passengers and followers scattering in all directions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°But I want to be anywhere but this damn crawler.¡± ¡°For once, Captain,¡± Morita said. ¡°I completely agree with you.¡± 53 - Friends and Enemies Kolben Maros, new Captain in the Liberty Corps Recovery Division, was assigned a team of ten troopers, a well-supplied but ultimately defense-focused squad for his new mission. Unlike his former command, these were soldiers, formally-trained. Most had credentials dating back to service before Thunderworks, service while Kol was still a child. He hadn¡¯t yet learned their names and had only just received their files, but the work had already begun. ¡°We won¡¯t engage with the Aesir while it¡¯s aboard the Solar Saver,¡± Kol addressed his new force ¨C ten newcomers and a formally reassigned Duncan Racz. All twelve of them were sandwiched in Kol¡¯s new office. ¡°And I hope we won¡¯t have to pursue the information they have. At this time, we¡¯ll proceed under the assumption that Captain Gregory¡¯s claim is true. The Dreamside Road was not hidden under Nimauk. If Gregory and Miss Cloud had unearthed the power stolen from the IHSA, I don¡¯t think he would immediately take some protection job.¡± Kol was used to being the youngest person in the room, but the context suddenly changed when he wasn¡¯t the person who¡¯d recruited the room¡¯s occupants. One of his researchers had to be in his forties and yet here he was, in Kol¡¯s command. ¡°I¡¯m not satisfied with the information we¡¯ve received,¡± Kol continued. ¡°I¡¯m not yet sure if everything has been transferred to my office, but we don¡¯t have reports on any efforts before the Liberty Corps began this search. If Operative Divenoll isn¡¯t able to provide us with his records from the IHSA, we¡¯ll launch a fact-finding expedition to one of the GARNET terminals.¡± ¡°I need all of you to be ready to leave with minimal notice. If Divenoll can¡¯t provide us with details and our threat assessment finds a reasonable terminal, we¡¯ll leave immediately. I am assigned to this mission until the end of my current commission. That means I have less than a year serving with you. As far as I¡¯m concerned, we have only those months to find the Dreamside Road.¡± * * * ¡°Wayfarer¡¯s Day Job.¡± Orson spoke into the dashboard receiver. ¡°This is Wayfarer One. We have three craft incoming. Is the Fly-in field open?¡± ¡°Fly-in is ready for you, Wayfarer One,¡± the controller answered. ¡°We have med teams standing by. What is your condition, Captain? We have the code scrambler waiting for you.¡± ¡°Code scrambler?¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we were followed or bugged.¡± Enoa looked up at the concerned tone in Orson¡¯s voice. She¡¯d been half-asleep for most of the flight to the Chicago suburbs. Her restless night, the danger, and her frequent Shaping had worn her down. Why did these adventures all happen at once? ¡°No, sir,¡± the controller said. ¡°You¡¯ll have a full briefing when you land.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°Have you been in touch with the Solar-wings about the air traffic and landing protocols?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all set up, Wayfarer. Thank you.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯ll be down soon.¡± He hit another button on the dash. When he spoke again, the internal microphone carried his voice without shouting. ¡°Okay, everybody, we¡¯re almost there. We¡¯ll figure out where you¡¯re all headed in a minute.¡± Orson rested his hand on the side of the copilot¡¯s seat. ¡°You awake?¡± ¡°I am now.¡± She stretched as far as she could, still buckled into the seat. ¡°Sorry I wasn¡¯t awake with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I think Chief Morita and I were the only ones awake in the main cabin. Maybe Ms. Castillo. But I think the whole younger generation passed right out. I felt like a bus driver coming back from a field trip.¡± ¡°Jordyn could only be a few years younger than you.¡± Jaleel yawned. ¡°She¡¯s the same generation you are.¡± ¡°I was already traveling in this ship when the IHSA files were leaked by the Blitzkrieg. Everyone who became an adult after that is not my generation.¡± Orson yawned too. ¡°Now you have me yawning.¡± ¡°You were already Captain Gregory during the Blitzkrieg?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°That¡¯s what, like ten or eleven years ago?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t in charge. There were six of us on that first trip, and none of us was in charge. None of us even wanted to be here. The captain thing was only since Thunderworks.¡± ¡°Wow, who else was here?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Anyone I would¡¯ve heard of?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure this drive-in business is safe?¡± Chief Morita interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure whether I should take my family to some of the local corporate housing.¡± ¡°Augustin¡¯s been here since yesterday, but I¡¯m sure Pops and his people would help you look through the security, so you can make up your mind. Remember too, the Sabres can probably access the Solar Saver corporate housing.¡± Orson pointed out the windshield. ¡°Take a look around. It¡¯s pretty impressive.¡± The Aesir approached a massive circular complex. Enoa couldn¡¯t figure out what she was seeing. It looked like a snow-covered crop circle. But as they got closer, she saw it was a series of outdoor lots, separated by hedges and walls, each facing a multi-story film screen. A cluster of buildings sat at the center of the complex. Orson brought the Aesir low over the center buildings, mostly ranch-style. He lowered the ship into a clearing behind one of the film screens. The clearing was paved and free of snow. A small marshal crew stood at intervals in the landing area, waving paddles. Orson halted the Aesir and watched as the two Solar Saver planes switched to rotors and landed. Then he guided the Aesir into an open spot. ¡°Thank you for choosing Wayfarer Air for your evacuation needs.¡± Orson stood. ¡°We hope you never have any evacuation needs, but if you do, please consider us again. Have a great rest of the day!¡± Orson then caught Chief Morita¡¯s attention. ¡°Before you go, I have a present for you.¡± He reached deep into one of his ragged coat¡¯s pockets. Morita looked on with concern. Orson withdrew a red wheel. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing this pocket didn¡¯t completely tear out.¡± ¡°Is that?¡± Morita took the wheel. ¡°Is this the crawler¡¯s steering wheel?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to lock down the crawler properly, like you wanted.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Why do they steer it with a go kart wheel?¡± ¡°I am not the person to ask,¡± Morita said. ¡°Enoa,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m going to see everybody safely out of here and escort our prisoner. Pops and his people want to scan everything, but you can get some rest, once that¡¯s done.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, Enoa said. ¡°I can wait.¡± She watched Orson open the ship¡¯s side door. Chief Morita led his family from Enoa¡¯s bunk. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon?¡± Nozomi called to her. ¡°Of course!¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to find out how I can stay in touch while we¡¯re here!¡± She watched the Moritas leave with Adelyn in their wake. Then Orson and Mr. Sandoval removed Milo, the Archers following after them. Enoa sat alone, but only briefly. A trio of jumpsuit-wearing techs came aboard with a large crate. They unloaded the crate, removing devices that looked like retro video games, something that appeared to be a Geiger counter, and another device that looked like a metal detector. The team swept these objects through the cabin. Enoa watched them before drifting off into a half-awake stupor. She didn¡¯t intend to sleep, but she snapped awake when she heard more approaching voices. ¡°¡­but if you have bad news, I¡¯d rather get it now.¡± Orson followed another man back into the Aesir. ¡°What could possibly have happened that you couldn¡¯t tell me out there?¡± ¡°I need to have a couple of scans done first, okay?¡± The man answered. She recognized this voice from the tightbeam call in the derelict graveyard ¨C Pops Darlow. ¡°Are you done in here?¡± ¡°Nearly,¡± one of the scanning techs responded. ¡°Nothing so far, so you should be fine staying aboard.¡± ¡°Glad to hear it!¡± Pops said. ¡°I don¡¯t care much for the idea of being blown up. They say it¡¯s a quick way to go, but not exactly what I¡¯ve got in mind.¡± Earl ¡°Pops¡± Darlow had white hair and a salt-and-pepper beard. He wore a slightly oversized suit and overcoat, but no tie. His shirt was a headache-inducing neon green. He looked more like a retired infomercial host, rather than the financial enabler of Orson¡¯s adventures. ¡°You must be Enoa Cloud.¡± Pops approached her, hand extended. ¡°Nice to meet you in person. I¡¯m happy to see Orson hasn¡¯t led you into too much trouble yet.¡± They shook hands. ¡°And you must be Gramps.¡± Enoa smiled as sweetly as she could. ¡°Gramps!¡± Pops turned back to Orson. ¡°I forgot that! You¡¯re teaching your prot¨¦g¨¦ to ambush me! To think, that I would be maligned here, in a venture I have supported through years and so very many dark days.¡± He shook his head theatrically. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Orson said. ¡°She¡¯s a lot more formidable than she seems. She¡¯s learning the Shaping the Hierarchia studied.¡± ¡°So she is,¡± Pops said. ¡°Hmm, then she might want to sit down with us and review my friends and enemies report. I have a lot to share before the other scan is done.¡± ¡°What other scan?¡± Orson asked. ¡°He¡¯s been talking about some other scan for about fifteen minutes without any explanation. What could you possibly be scanning?¡± ¡°I want to get through everything else first.¡± Pops called down toward the restroom, where the scanning team was waving their devices around the shower area. ¡°Is it bugged in here or can I share news?¡± ¡°You should be fine, sir,¡± one of the techs answered. ¡°Thank you! I need to share this information soon before our beloved captain is too impatient to hear me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be impatient if you quit hyping this secret thing you¡¯re scanning!¡± ¡°No hype.¡± Pops took a seat in one of the armchairs. ¡°All killer. No filler. All substance, minimal flash, minimal salesmanship.¡± Orson took the other armchair. Enoa sat on the couch. ¡°Okay, what do you want first, friends or enemies?¡± Pops looked between Orson and Enoa. ¡°Friends first, I guess?¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°Is there any enemy news I want to get out of the way?¡± ¡°Who can say?¡± Pops drew a small device from his pocket. It was larger than most phones and too new to be anything pre-shutdown, but it had a touchscreen. Then he took a pair of reading glasses from his pocket and set them on the end of his nose. ¡°First your correspondence,¡± Pops read. ¡°You got a wedding invitation last month for this coming autumn, Eloise Corwin.¡± ¡°Eloise is getting married?¡± Orson said. ¡°To whom? I don¡¯t think she was even dating anyone the last time I saw her. Is it that hybrid-farming-technique guy from Puerto Rico, that she was talking about?¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± Pops said. ¡°The invitation is in your box.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you told me,¡± Orson said. ¡°I almost called her a couple weeks ago. I need her help with some business for me and Enoa.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we run through this,¡± Pops said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time you came here, never checked your box, and missed crucial information.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome for her,¡± Orson said. ¡°You owe me an explanation about that business, I might remind you,¡± Pops said. ¡°But not now. Moving on. You also have a letter from your cousin Clark. He¡¯s back in the old farmhouse and wants you to know he¡¯s started his band again.¡± ¡°Who is going to hear his band now?¡± Orson asked. ¡°What music does he play?¡± Enoa asked. She had really no awareness of Orson¡¯s life. It was an odd thing, seeing this man every day, essentially being his roommate, but knowing virtually nothing whatsoever about his outside life. ¡°Pop-punk,¡± Orson said. ¡°I used to think they were pretty good, ten years ago.¡± ¡°I also got this job application.¡± Pops pulled a crumpled paper from his jacket pocket. ¡°A man named Chet says you saved his life in a place called Trolley Town, and that you promised to help him. He wants you to vouch for him.¡± ¡°Trolley Town?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know any Trolley Town.¡± ¡°Could he mean the derelict place where we fought the Liberty Corps?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°You promised to help those people.¡± ¡°Oh yeah! I almost forgot that. Yeah, we had a big battle with the Liberty Corps in this field filled with derelict vehicles and all of the people hiding there were displaced. It could be one of them.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Pops said. ¡°I¡¯ll conduct the usual interviews. It¡¯s harder, these days. I used to be able to find everyone¡¯s life story before I had to make a decision whether to hire them. Hell, Orson, I even found out how many years you were a Cub Scout when I was thinking of offering you our current arrangement.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still creepy,¡± Orson said. ¡°No amount of years will make that not creepy.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Pops shrugged. ¡°But that¡¯s also what makes me sure none of my people are secretly Sabres Unlimited members.¡± He picked up his datapad again. ¡°One more thing for friends,¡± he said. ¡°The Bacchanalia Brewing Company has not renewed their lease at the Inn at the Evergreen Forest. And if I remember correctly, your bonnie lass Sirona¡¯s most recent beau is Bacchanalia¡¯s general manager.¡± Pops hit Orson on the arm. ¡°Might mean trouble in paradise.¡± ¡°Who says bonnie lass?¡± Orson said. ¡°How is that news?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only news because I like making you uncomfortable. My own children are married and my grandchildren are too young to be properly upset by that kind of ribbing, so I need to wait for you to come around.¡± He glanced at Enoa. ¡°Oh no!¡± He spoke with mock-horror. ¡°You two aren¡¯t an item are you? I hope I didn¡¯t misread the room.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Enoa laughed. ¡°Please feel free to make him uncomfortable about his relationship history.¡± ¡°She is the kind of fantasy adventurer friend I can get behind for you,¡± Pops said. ¡°Enough with those mystical weirdos speaking in riddles and ninth-grade book report symbolism.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have many of those as actual friends.¡± Orson laughed too. ¡°You had Ophion,¡± Pops said. ¡°That old wizard was pretty weird. And talking about him leads me to the enemies portion of today¡¯s presentation.¡± He tapped at the datapad. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into that Liberty Corps you ran into. I¡¯ve been hearing about them for a while, and I thought they were your typical post-government militia, but I¡¯m seeing some scary stuff.¡± He turned the touchscreen around to face them. ¡°You might have to come closer to see this.¡± Enoa rose and stood beside Orson. Pops tapped at the screen. It resolved into the image of several odd aircraft flying over a field in the desert. Enoa thought she saw at least one Sun Talon. The view changed abruptly to display a legion of Liberty Corps troops standing inside a closed hangar, most clad in blue Rifle Corps armor. This force dwarfed the local crew Maros had brought to Nimauk. Maros¡¯ ragtag band, with their mismatched weapons and ill-fitting armor, seemed like trick-or-treaters compared to this true army. The view changed again to a factory assembly line. A row of people stood at a conveyor belt, altering metal pieces, before passing them down the line. The metal steamed. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± Orson asked. Pops touched the screen and the view zoomed in. The feed blurred, slightly, but it became obvious that the workers touched the items on the conveyor belt with their empty hands, bending the metal, Shaping it. ¡°Looks an awful lot like magic to me.¡± Pops looked at Enoa. ¡°Does this mean anything to you?¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps has people learning to Shape iron,¡± Enoa said. ¡°This group makes it look so easy.¡± ¡°Yeah, Man Bun¡¯s crew acted like they were trying to crap out a ham,¡± Orson commented. ¡°Who¡¯s Man Bun?¡± Pops asked. The view on the datapad changed. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Orson said. ¡°What¡­ what are we looking at now?¡± The latest clip showed moving shapes, hovering hundreds of feet in the air, over another desert landscape. Only when the view expanded did Enoa see that these were people. They hung vertically, half-naked, some wearing only underwear. They struggled, limbs flailing, like they were falling. But they remained suspended in the sky. Enoa tried to count the people, difficult with the wobbly feed. She reached eight before the people fell. They all suddenly plummeted to the Earth. ¡°What is that, some kind of tractor beam?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Beam people up and just let them drop?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no idea,¡± Pops said. ¡°Sick shit, though. Pardon the French.¡± ¡°How did you get these videos?¡± Orson asked him. ¡°The Liberty Corps salvaged some of the surviving Hierarchia transmission towers and satellites, and they¡¯re using GARNET infrastructure,¡± he replied. ¡°Seems like they think it¡¯s safe to use the old IHSA encryptions.¡± ¡°Who are you, really?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°No one told me you were some kind of spy. I thought you worked in tourism, but you can break into old government feeds?¡± ¡°I spent half my adult life in a protection agreement with the old Hierarchia,¡± Pops said. ¡°Kitsch is my passion. Information is my career, what¡¯s left of it anyway.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Just like you¡¯re a Shaper-in-training, but your real job was running your antique shop ¨C Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea.¡± ¡°How do you know about that?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°There are no electronic records of my ownership. It was only in my name three months.¡± ¡°Here we go.¡± Orson sighed. ¡°Now you¡¯ve encouraged him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m old enough to find analog news,¡± Pops said. ¡°Would you like a Nimauk update? Daniel Tucker was arraigned last Wednesday, charges of murder, kidnapping, corruption, conspiracy, more I can¡¯t remember. I have the article saved, if you want to read it.¡± He tapped at the datapad screen. ¡°It¡¯s easy to get news from Nimauk, now. Everyone¡¯s talking about the battle you and Orson had with Tucker and the Liberty Corps.¡± The image changed to a blurry repeating loop. Enoa saw a human shape, a tall white-armored man thrown through the air, flying backward, long hair streaming out in all directions. The person landed in a pile of snow. Then the recording began again. Enoa noticed the other figure in the loop ¨C herself. She appeared only for an instant, until the blast emerged from her staff, throwing the young captain. Orson began to laugh. ¡°That¡¯s Man Bun! You blasted the bun right out of his hair. I¡¯m so glad somebody got this on video. I kept hearing about it, but it¡¯s better than I expected.¡± ¡°That¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Pops asked. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Enoa knew she¡¯d done incredible things, impossible things, altered the world in ways that would alarm almost anyone. But there was a difference between knowing and seeing. ¡°We better stay on her good side,¡± Pops said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°I wonder why the Liberty Corps has this video.¡± ¡°Those last three videos were all in a file about Shaping,¡± Pops said. ¡°I know I heard the term mentioned in reference to that old hippie, Ophion, but it¡¯s pretty bizarre to watch. No offense.¡± ¡°How did anyone get video of me fighting Maros?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think there was anyone else around.¡± ¡°There must¡¯ve been,¡± Pops said. ¡°But we can come back to the Liberty Corps, if we have time. I have a couple minor updates for Orson.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Enoa sat back on the couch, uncertain. So much had changed, so quickly. How many days had it been since she¡¯d left home? She couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°Josiah Grenning has officially warned us that you are not to come near his facilities,¡± Pops continued. ¡°He wants you to know that he¡¯s bolstered his raptor force.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan to ever see him again,¡± Orson said. ¡°Didn¡¯t think so.¡± Pops set his datapad aside. ¡°And finally, before I see if the scan is done ¨C the Five-Point Palm is recruiting again.¡± ¡°How?¡± Orson asked. ¡°They¡¯re all dead!¡± ¡°Not quite, remember,¡± Pops said. ¡°Renadi escaped custody. He¡¯s still alive, and he¡¯s looking to build a new crew of anarchists.¡± ¡°I beat them once and if that third-string toady manages to put together a new team, then I¡¯ll have to do it again.¡± ¡°Your attitude is always refreshing.¡± Pops took a small earpiece from his pocket and pressed it into his right ear. ¡°Is the scan complete?¡± He sat back in the chair. ¡°The scan of the red machine. The flying red machine. Yes. Yes. It¡¯s not rigged somehow? No explosion? Then push it over.¡± He tapped at the earpiece ¡°Looks like you can see it.¡± He stood. ¡°What the hell is this, Pops?¡± Orson stood too. Enoa followed him. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I gave you the rest of the news first.¡± Pops walked back to the door. ¡°I have a feeling this is about to take up the rest of our day.¡± They followed him out of the Aesir and into the landing area. They stood between the two Solar Saver planes. Four people dressed in what looked like hazmat suits were pushing a floating, beachball-sized, red machine across the ground toward them. ¡°Isn¡¯t that an old hologram projection machine?¡± Orson pointed at it. ¡°Turn it on.¡± Pops nodded. ¡°I think that¡¯s close enough.¡± One of the hazmat-suited crew touched the side of the machine. An image projected into the air, larger than life-size. The image had a bluish tinge, but it was distinct enough even to be seen in daylight. The hologram showed a man Enoa did not recognize, but could only be Brett Nalrik. He stood in his Strateren armor with arm cannon, helmet off, four armored men around him. Two people were lying on the ground in front of them, hogtied, their heads hooded. ¡°You have my uncle, Gregory,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna make this real simple for you. You have two days to return my uncle.¡± He raised his arm cannon and aimed it at the hooded prisoners. ¡°Or I kill my archer guests.¡± He lifted two fingers. ¡°And if two days pass and I don¡¯t hear from you¡­ After I kill them, then I¡¯ll come for you.¡± 54 - Rule the Mind ¡°I own my body. I rule my mind. I command Iron.¡± Kol Maros knelt in a Liberty Corps private training chamber. As Captain, he had the right to use such spaces. The walls and floor were tiled and soundproofed. He had gone too long without working on his Shaping ¨C almost a month. He had not trained in the lead-up to his hearing. He had not practiced since before the final planning of the Nimauk operation. A block of iron, a single piece, sat in front of him on the floor. His sword, his one successful bit of iron work, lay to his right, unsheathed. He wasn¡¯t sure how much his mental exercises had helped him forge the sword, but he left it there for encouragement. Kol had memorized the Liberty Corps Shaping manual. He knew every word. Before the threat of his hearing, he¡¯d gone to sleep every night rereading the instructions, trying to internalize them, trying to believe them. Without thinking the right thoughts and ruling the mind, it wasn¡¯t possible. Kol believed in Shaping. How could he not? He¡¯d seen it done ¨C powers of iron and light and whatever Enoa Cloud had done to him. But in his quiet, honest moments, he knew he wasn¡¯t thinking the right thoughts, not often, not with belief. He would believe now. He had to. This was his second chance, and he could not afford to waste it. ¡®First, own your body. If you do not own your body, Iron will know. Only the might to wield the hammer can force the iron to bend itself.¡¯ ¡®Second, rule your mind. If you cannot rule your mind, your will cannot know Iron. Only the unyielding mind can bend the metal that built empires.¡¯ ¡®Third, command the metal before you. If you can¡¯t command a single ingot, how will you rule Iron, the element that created civilization?¡¯ ¡®Iron can rebuild the world. It can bring Liberty to everyone.¡¯ ¡®But that is impossible without commanding Iron, ruling your mind, owning your body.¡¯ Kol owned his body. His training regimen and diet had not wavered in three years, not one day. He documented his caloric and nutrient intake, every day. He estimated his body composition, every week. Kol ruled his mind. He always fought his doubts. He always fought, period, struggled and forced his will on the metal. He never yielded. Kol would command the metal. He would own it. Morons like Lieutenant Goes could Shape Iron. Why couldn¡¯t he? He would learn. He would Shape now. NO! Rule the mind. Command the metal. He breathed deeply. Own the body. Rule the mind. Command the metal. Kol closed his eyes. He imagined the iron block before him. He imagined it bending. This was not a simple image. No, he felt the hammer in his hands, heavy, but in his control. He sent a blow into the Iron with his mind and his will. Then he sent another and another and another ¨C three perfect strikes with all his body¡¯s will and mind¡¯s control. He heard the metal ring against the floor. Kol opened his eyes. The metal had not changed. But, but he¡¯d heard it move¡­ Kol ran his left hand over the metal. It was still perfectly smooth, unmarked. How had it made the ringing sound but remained the same? He¡¯d heard it. He knew he¡¯d done something. Kol had stopped too soon. He¡¯d heard the sound and stopped his efforts! He had not ruled his mind. He could not command the metal. He¡¯d failed. He¡¯d failed again. Kol fought the urge to yell. He balled his fists and slumped to the floor. So much had changed. He¡¯d learned so much from his brush with destruction, but he still was unworthy of the Iron power. Why? What was wrong with him? He had no choice but to try again. He rose into a kneeling position. He rubbed at his eyes with his flesh-and-blood hand. Then he positioned the iron so it again sat directly in front of him. ¡°I own my body. I rule my mind. I command Iron.¡± * * * ¡°Alright, here¡¯s what we do.¡± Orson stood in front of a whiteboard in the Heartland-6 presentation room, in one of the trailers of the soon-to-be-complete drive-in complex. Enoa felt out of place sitting alone, off to one side. Commodore Augustin and Chief Morita were accompanied by a small entourage of security and technical staff. Pops sat with his own employees, a varied group who wore no uniforms. Jordyn Yaye was joined by two other archers. ¡°The powered armor on those guys is tough,¡± Orson continued. ¡°And it covers more of the body than standard body armor, but there are documented weak areas, at the crotch and under the chin. The armor has only minimal heat resistance, so it shouldn¡¯t be able to fight my sword for very long. The problem is Nalrik and his arm cannon. So we need to make it less likely he¡¯ll use it.¡± Orson began to draw rough circles on the whiteboard. ¡°If I fight him where he has plenty of room, he¡¯ll use the cannon, so I need to get close.¡± He drew a big circle. ¡°What we need is for me to meet him in an indoor space, somewhere big enough that it isn¡¯t an obvious trap, but small enough and with enough obstacles to make it less likely for him to start blasting.¡± He drew small circles around the larger circle. ¡°We also need nearby locations where backup can hide. To some degree, this will depend on whether we get actual Great Lakes law enforcement or if it¡¯s strictly Chief Morita¡¯s, uh, posse.¡± ¡°I would prefer you didn¡¯t use that term.¡± Morita shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t a western.¡± ¡°The help we might recruit is still Solar Saver security,¡± Augustin said. ¡°They just won¡¯t be from the land division. The Sabres helped us create that division, and we still don¡¯t know the extent of their infiltration. But I¡¯m a Commodore for a reason. We began as a maritime operation, and I still trust those personnel.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure you can get your people down from Quebec before tomorrow night?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I think we all agree it¡¯s better if Nalrik¡¯s crew is apprehended rather than, well, y¡¯know¡­¡± ¡°They will be here,¡± Augustin said. ¡°They know how important our agreement is with the Archers. They will help us fulfill that.¡± ¡°Obviously it¡¯s better if the local alliance sends its own people,¡± Orson said. ¡°But we can¡¯t wait on them.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see the Great Lakes going for this,¡± Pops said. ¡°They don¡¯t have the military holdings that the other alliances do. Most of their power is in water-route access and working rail lines. They don¡¯t need to be embarrassed by Nalrik¡¯s crew.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°For those of you who don¡¯t know, Pops owns an attraction on old Route Sixty-six, this dinosaur times thing, and¡­¡± ¡°The Beginning of Time Tour,¡± one of Pops¡¯s team corrected, an older man with a heavy mustache and long white hair, tied back. Looking at him, Enoa could not place his ethnicity. ¡°Right,¡± Orson said. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s this huge room with animatronic dinosaurs. This is a warehouse-sized space. I¡¯ll get back to Nalrik and tell him I¡¯ll meet him there for the trade-off. We obviously can¡¯t give them Milo, so this will have to be fast. But without Nalrik using his cannon, I can get the Archers safe from their other weapons using these.¡± Orson stepped around the whiteboard and retrieved a fabric garment bag. From inside, he removed two raincoats. ¡°These are lined with the same armor I usually wear. I¡¯ll get the Archer hostages in these, and they¡¯ll be able to withstand fire from the Sabres¡¯ blasters.¡± ¡°Unless someone gets a headshot,¡± Morita said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just the aesthetic of the coats, and I¡¯m sorry if that¡¯s what it is, but I think we need a better plan for this operation than armored raincoats.¡± ¡°The raincoats have some armor in the hoods too, like my coat,¡± Orson said. ¡°And they¡¯re big enough to fit a lot of different people.¡± ¡°I have their measurements,¡± Jordyn Yaye said. ¡°If that would help.¡± ¡°My concern isn¡¯t with their measurements,¡± Morita answered. ¡°My problem is the whole coat-based plan. How can you be sure you can get at Nalrik and get the coats on the hostages, without having our own prisoner to trade?¡± ¡°We can rig up another animatronic,¡± Pops said. ¡°I want it on the record that I was heavily against using my dinosaurs for this exchange.¡± The long-haired member of Pops¡¯s group stood up. He spoke with an accent, but Enoa was not sufficiently versed to tell which one. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Kash,¡± Pops said. ¡°We haven¡¯t had that place open in years.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to argue with me again, Earl,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re agreed now. We¡¯re agreed. My point is, I am the animatronics designer in the room. We could make a simple Milo dummy. We won¡¯t have time to get the face right, so we¡¯ll blindfold it and keep it light enough for Orson to carry. My dinosaurs should hide the fake Milo¡¯s energy profile from the Sabres, if at least some of them are powered on. If we get a recording of real Milo, the fake one might even talk.¡± ¡°How will you set up the meeting place with Nalrik?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t like even one element of this plan, least of all wondering what role she¡¯d have to play. ¡°He should be able to do a scan with the holo probe Nalrik sent,¡± Pops said. ¡°Return to sender.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that as soon as we get all the details done here,¡± Orson said. ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m open to ideas. This has happened every time I made a plan working on the Solar Saver situation. I come up with a plan, everyone tells me it¡¯s a crap plan, but no one offers me anything better. Then we just go for it with my crap plan and improvise when things fall apart.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯ve got a good plan.¡± Jaleel walked into the room, wearing his archer suit, sans mask. ¡°This is that archer who flew with you?¡± Pops asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think anyone else was coming.¡± ¡°Jaleel,¡± Jordyn said. ¡°Where have you been? You¡¯re so late.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t pitch my invention if I haven¡¯t finished it,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You should¡¯ve at least told me what you were doing,¡± Jordyn said. ¡°It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t live together.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Pops said. ¡°We¡¯re not worried about this, are we, Commodore? Jaleel, you¡¯re their inventor, right?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Jaleel nodded once. ¡°What¡¯s your idea?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You¡¯re relying on how Nalrik thinks,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But that¡¯s a bad idea because the dude¡¯s a bloodthirsty nutso. I don¡¯t know if you haven¡¯t noticed, but he¡¯s excited about fighting you in a pretty sick way. What you need to do is stop his arm cannon from working. Then it won¡¯t matter what any of them try.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I plan to do,¡± Orson said. ¡°Once I get your friends out of harm¡¯s way, I¡¯ll get close and destroy his cannon with my sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too late in the plan,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You need to take out the cannon first, and I know how to do it.¡± * * * ¡°Divenoll gave us nothing.¡± Duncan walked into Kol¡¯s office. ¡°I don¡¯t think he wrote one word that wasn¡¯t ¡®no¡¯. Did you read his report yet?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Kol had a box of forms to complete to begin his new position. He had another box of requisitions paperwork to finish before his fact-finding mission could start. ¡°I needed to ask Divenoll, but I didn¡¯t really expect him to cooperate. Did you think he¡¯d help us? He¡¯s a big reason I want to do our fact-finding mission first, give any tempers a chance to settle down.¡± ¡°Listen to this.¡± Duncan lifted the paper. ¡°¡¯Do you still possess any relevant files from the International Hierarchia Statute Association? If so, please describe.¡¯ He says no. No explanation. Number two, ¡®Do you possess any eyewitness testimony that could yield answers in this search?¡¯ He says no. ¡®Do you have any knowledge that might aid this investigation?¡¯ No. He¡¯s basically telling us he¡¯s useless. He¡¯s admitted he¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°If we can get onto a working GARNET terminal, he¡¯ll be irrelevant. This is a choice we didn¡¯t have before our reassignment.¡± Kol looked past Duncan and found Max in the doorway. ¡°Captain Maros.¡± Max spoke with formality. ¡°I would not have interrupted, but your schedule has been booked since I left for dinner.¡± ¡°Max.¡± Kol stood and walked around his desk. ¡°I was afraid you left for your train without saying good-bye. I¡¯m so glad you didn¡¯t. I¡¯ll drive you there.¡± ¡°Kol, I have a request,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯ve taken on a research project for Survivor Histories. I¡¯m writing a narrative about destabilization, specifically the role High Strangeness events played in the changing world. I want to go with you and access the IHSA system, as well.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Kol said. ¡°This could be dangerous and¡­¡± Kol sighed and sat again, now on the edge of his desk. ¡°I know what this is and I know you¡¯re coming from a place of¡­ I know you¡¯re trying to help me. I do, but I can¡¯t command if I have my brother there trying to persuade me to go AWOL. I can¡¯t.¡± He watched Duncan quietly edge out of the room. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to persuade you of anything,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m doing research. I need some purpose. Who knows how long I¡¯ll be allowed to stay in my home, rent free. I am who I am now, and I need to do something with my life.¡± ¡°I know you,¡± Kol said. ¡°You hate the Liberty Corps. You wouldn¡¯t be here if you didn¡¯t have some plan to show me the ¡®error of my ways¡¯. And I¡¯m telling you this ¨C I will find the Dreamside Road, and then maybe I¡¯ll leave active service. I¡¯ll keep ultimate power out of the wrong hands and then I¡¯ll be free.¡± ¡°I read your regulations,¡± Max said. ¡°You can recruit civilian experts. If you¡¯re concerned, I will work for you, as a volunteer, as an advisor. I don¡¯t morally badger my superiors.¡± ¡°I know there¡¯s more to this.¡± Kol stared at his brother. Max stared right back. Kol didn¡¯t need this, constant judgment, constant dissection, but Max was the root of his failings. If this was what he wanted, he would not refuse him. ¡°If you want to advise my mission,¡± Kol nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to have¡­ What I¡¯m trying to say is, there¡¯s no one better to have with me than another Captain Maros. But this will also be my opportunity to show you how much good I do in my work.¡± ¡°I look forward to that.¡± Max smiled. ¡°We need to figure out what you¡¯ll need to go.¡± Kol set his hand on one of his boxes of paperwork. ¡°Because we¡¯re leaving as soon as my supply requests are approved.¡± * * * ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa sat in the passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°I still hate this plan so much.¡± They¡¯d driven from the Heartland-6 complex and taken old Route 66 south, until they reached a suburban sprawl of chain stores and industrial plants, factory towers that now stood dark. After the constant bustle of the Solar Saver crawler, the trip along the quiet highway seemed like they¡¯d traveled into a forgotten time. Many of the buildings were seemingly empty. Few were lit. Some of the lights Enoa saw flickered, fire, not electric light. She expected more civilization, this close to the city, to one of the rebuilding alliances. Enoa was reminded of Fort Mayhill and the desperate survivors who had built a new life in the old Savings Spot location. Enoa wondered how many buildings around them were truly abandoned. She wondered about the lives of those people. ¡°I know.¡± Orson had parked the Aesir at the entrance to the Beginning of Time Tour, a ride, museum, and gift shop. The camper sat at the foot of a fifteen-foot statue of a caveman, hefting a club. ¡°Did you ever hear back after you sent your own hologram to Nalrik?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t, but I didn¡¯t expect to. They¡¯ll be here, and we¡¯ll have a lot more help when they try their shit.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee Nalrik doesn¡¯t have help too,¡± Enoa said. ¡°And they might see our backup arriving.¡± ¡°The others are parking at the all-night diner that way.¡± Orson pointed with his thumb. ¡°Even if they use infrared, it could be anyone. There are hundreds of people working and even living in these businesses. This operation is easier to pull off now that things are so messed up.¡± He lifted his right pointer finger. ¡°I think I hear someone coming. That should be our people.¡± Enoa was quiet for what felt like an eternity, until a soft knocking sounded on the Aesir¡¯s side door. Orson keyed the door to open. Three people walked on board. Jaleel came first, bow and arrows over his shoulder and a large black case in his hands. Behind him came a woman dressed in a down coat with the medical entwined-snakes symbol on it. Enoa did not remember its name. Last came Kash, Pops¡¯s animatronics designer. He carried something shaped and dressed like a human being, in boots and a heavy coat. ¡°A Sabre Elder deserves more respect!¡± Milo¡¯s voice yelled from the animatronic. The bound figure kicked its feet. ¡°That thing is so gross,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It feels gross too,¡± Kash replied. He set it on its feet. ¡°Something strange always happens when Orson Gregory¡¯s in town. I¡¯m too old for this weird shit, but this drifter asks me to make an angry mannequin and the next thing you know¡­¡± He laughed. ¡°Helping me usually pays pretty well,¡± Orson said. ¡°And it¡¯s a lot more interesting than spending your whole retirement sitting around in that Jacuzzi.¡± ¡°Like hell it is,¡± Kash said. ¡°Can¡¯t argue the money, though.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should focus?¡± the medical woman asked. ¡°You need to go over there in ten minutes.¡± ¡°I try to lighten the mood,¡± Orson said. ¡°Enoa Cloud, this is Doctor Carmen Lopez and Kash Armstrong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doctor too. I have a Ph.D.,¡± Kash replied. ¡°You always forget that.¡± ¡°I never knew that. What¡¯s your doctorate in?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I thought the doctor thing was just a way to con yokels into thinking you¡¯re a medical professional.¡± ¡°I have done that,¡± he said. ¡°But I studied mechanical engineering at MIT. How else do you think I could build my dinos or whip up all the weird props you need for your schemes?¡± ¡°You can operate the animatronics too, though, right?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I designed them,¡± Kash replied. ¡°No one knows them better. I am a man of many talents.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯ll make this fast for you,¡± Lopez said. ¡°Kash was stationed with Pops during their time running a covert information post for the Hierarchia. Pops drags Kash along on his harebrained schemes and Orson¡¯s harebrained schemes, but he can handle the animatronics.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the face on mannequin Milo?¡± Orson said. ¡°Mostly covered,¡± Kash said. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it yet?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t worked with it at all.¡± ¡°I spent the day rehearsing with Jaleel,¡± Orson explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to work on this portion. You didn¡¯t stop by and see how any of the rest of us did?¡± ¡°I trained this morning,¡± she said. ¡°Then I rested so I¡¯d be ready for tonight.¡± ¡°Oh right, sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°Show me what I need to do with fake Milo here and I¡¯ll head over.¡± ¡°He moves his legs like he¡¯s walking, but you need to do all the work.¡± Kash demonstrated and showed Orson how to make the weird animatronic move. ¡°We recorded him since yesterday and we got six workable phrases, all triggered by its own button. The bottom button¡¯s a long speech about the renewable energy industry so you need to be careful with that one.¡± ¡°Did you get one where it sounds like he¡¯s talking to Brett?¡± Orson asked. ¡°No,¡± Kash said. ¡°And he ranted at me for three hours. He tried to get me to join his cult and talked about helping impoverished countries. I was raised in Portland, but that racist bastard assumed I got here last week and grew up in a cave. Who the hell would emigrate now? It¡¯s not like this land is a bastion of opportunity, but I digress. I had to listen to his manifesto a second time, editing the recordings for the animatronic.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make someone else do the heavy lifting?¡± Orson asked. ¡°And have them screw it up?¡± Kash passed the animatronic to Orson. He set the doppelganger on the floor. The animatronic¡¯s eyes were covered and it wore a heavy scarf that concealed most of the mouth. Orson worked with the Milo mannequin until he managed a decent illusion of having a prisoner. Enoa only half-watched this process. She stared out into the darkness, wishing she¡¯d progessed beyond simple transmutations and learned to fight. She would not feel truly safe again until she could hold her own without luck tipping the scales in her favor. ¡°I better get moving,¡± Orson said. ¡°Wish me luck.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want me with you?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I am,¡± he said. ¡°After Jaleel and Kash leave, you keep an eye on that big building over there. If anything goes down, stay safe. Make sure anyone injured gets to Doc Lopez. Easy. Is the support team ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s rare I get to test so many great projects for a good cause. We¡¯re going to save my friends!¡± ¡°When have I ever not been ready?¡± Kash asked. ¡°Fair.¡± Orson looked back to Enoa. ¡°If anything goes too crazy, I have my comm.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°Go save some people.¡± Orson adjusted his tattered coat so his armor was mostly concealed. Then he fit his bandana and visor, lights lit. He walked out of the Aesir, leading his ¡®hostage¡¯ away through the gloom, toward the large building, and the trade-off. Enoa watched him until he passed out of sight. ¡°I¡¯ll set us a five minute timer,¡± Kash said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll head on over.¡± ¡°Sounds good!¡± Jaleel bounced on the balls of his feet, fidgeting with his case and his bow. ¡°Can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Stop please,¡± Lopez said to the young man. ¡°You¡¯re making me nervous. It¡¯s fine. Orson¡¯s a goof, but he knows what he¡¯s doing. If he says he can help your friends. He can.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m worried about me.¡± ¡°Dr. Lopez?¡± Enoa said. ¡°May I ask how all of you came to work for Pops?¡± ¡°I worked for Pops as a kid,¡± Lopez said. ¡°He¡¯s a complicated man and I¡¯m not going to do him justice trying to explain him in a minute. He¡¯s been in the adventuring business for a long time and he went legit when his kids were born, but he still knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve worked for him all your life?¡± Enoa would do anything to avoid thinking about their current situation and how incredibly powerless she was. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°No, not even close,¡± Lopez said. ¡°There were¡­¡± ¡°Vehicle approaching!¡± Ruby announced. ¡°Repulsor-powered, speeder profile. It is silent. It will arrive in approximately twenty seconds.¡± ¡°Do we have any hovering things on our side?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t wait for an answer. She switched over to the driver¡¯s seat and powered on the Tri-cannon. ¡°Jaleel, take the Incursions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± He ran forward and jumped into the passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°This is bad, but maybe I¡¯ll be more useful in this fight.¡± ¡°You two find somewhere to strap yourselves in!¡± Enoa called back to the others. ¡°I sat down as soon as the Warning Lady Voice started talking,¡± Kash said. Lights lit ahead of them, bright enough to make the Aesir¡¯s windshield tint to avoid the worst of the glare. There was a boxy transport approaching. ¡°Ruby, how many weapons do you see?¡± Enoa counted three guns, one on the roof and one on each side, all facing them. ¡°Eight guns,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Eight!¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Where¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move, camper!¡± A loud female voice projected out of the hovercraft. A door opened in its side and several people ran out into the dark parking lot, hefting machine parts. They began assembling what appeared to be gatling guns. ¡°We¡¯re here to make sure you stay right where you¡¯re supposed to be,¡± the voice continued. ¡°No backup for Captain Gregory.¡± 55. Mannequin Milo Orson led the Milo animatronic into the Age of the Dinosaurs attraction. The interior was dark, but he didn¡¯t bother with the lights. That could wait until Kash and Jaleel arrived to support him. He kept his visor lights lit and entered a foyer, with fossil-design carpeting and chandeliers manufactured to look like they were made of dinosaur bones. He saw no sign of Brett Nalrik or his powered-armor crew. Orson struggled to fit himself and mannequin Milo around the attraction¡¯s locked turnstiles. The Age of the Dinosaurs was built to resemble a primordial forest, with towering trees designed to hide the mechanisms that maneuvered the theme park creatures. None of the animatronics were active or visible, not yet, but Orson was still careful, threading through the labyrinthine attraction. His visor lights extended only so far, and he didn¡¯t need to trigger some kitschy critter to jump out at him and ruin whatever poise he had going into his meeting with Nalrik. The path through the fake forest looked like dirt, but it was actually weathered and mottled paint, a subtle piece of work, guiding tourists through the dinosaur forest toward the food court and gift shop at the far end of the attraction. Orson could have entered at that end, but he¡¯d chosen not to. Who knew if he¡¯d need to have a feel for the attraction¡¯s interior? Better to check things out. When he arrived at the far end of the maze, he found a sign. It read, ¡®You survived!¡¯ It also featured a tall image of a caveman giving a thumbs up. Orson had taken his time in the dino maze, but still saw no sign of Nalrik¡¯s crew. No motion. No heat. He watched his surroundings, until he found a narrow balcony, up above the gift shop level, offering a bird¡¯s eye view of the fake jungle. Orson started in that direction, toward the high ground. Where was Kash? The dinosaur animatronics remained silent and unmoving. Orson didn¡¯t know for sure whether electronic interference was needed to sell the fake Milo stunt, but that had been the plan. He didn¡¯t like proceeding without it. Was Kash merely late, struggling with old machinery, sluggish after years unused? Or had the plan already somehow fallen apart? Orson considered hailing the others on his comm. But before he could, he saw a sudden flash of heat in his visor, a moment before five armored suits exploded into the room from above him. There¡¯d been no skylight, but Nalrik¡¯s crew had made one. He wasn¡¯t sure, but he thought they¡¯d blasted a hole in the ventilation system. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Brett Nalrik yelled. ¡°You actually have him.¡± He chuckled, sounding genuinely amused. ¡°Sorry for the language, Uncle. We¡¯ll have you back soon.¡± Brett aimed his arm cannon down toward Orson. The other Sabres had swapped out their holdout blasters for heavy-duty repeaters.
HEAD SHOT ¨C 100% (5x)
The message appeared on Orson¡¯s HUD. He was stuck on the floor, clutching at the fake Milo. The five armored Sabres flew, their weapons trained on him. Orson pressed one of Milo¡¯s talk buttons. ¡°The best days for Sabres Unlimited are still ahead of us!¡± The recorded Milo spoke. ¡°You can count on that.¡± ¡°You tell him.¡± Nalrik kept his cannon pointed at Orson. ¡°It''s over, Brett?¡± Orson triggered his blaster to arrive in his hand and pressed it to mannequin Milo¡¯s head. ¡°Where are your hostages?¡± ¡°Why would they be here?¡± Nalrik asked. ¡°We¡¯re not done talking with them yet. We need to find out where the Archers have been hiding. We gotta find out who in the Solar Savers was working with them. But all that will be easier when we have you too.¡± ¡°You broke our deal, Brett. Now there¡¯s no reason for me not to cook his brains out.¡± Orson wrapped his free hand¡¯s fingers around the animatronic throat. ¡°Give me a reason.¡± ¡°You do anything to him and we kill you where you stand,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°Your only chance of walking out of here is handing him over.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll walk out right now.¡± Orson took a step back in the direction of the maze. ¡°Because you won¡¯t shoot me while I¡¯ve got a squeeze on your dear old Uncle.¡± ¡°Did I say you could move?¡± Nalrik followed him with the cannon. The other Sabres did the same with their own weapons. ¡°You untie Uncle Milo. Let me see him. He¡¯s never this quiet. If he¡¯s drugged or if you hurt him, I¡¯ll use that sword of yours to roast you alive.¡± ¡°Mr. Nalrik does look a little, I dunno, a little limp,¡± one of the other Sabres said, through his suit¡¯s external speaker. Orson knew his options were dwindling so, as usual, he picked the wildest and most distracting plan he could manage. He flew, pulling mannequin Milo with him. As he arced upward, he drew his sword. He released the animatronic and decapitated it. Wiring and dislodged metal bits sprayed out of the dummy¡¯s neck like some bizarre pi?ata. The Sabres howled in horror and rage. Nalrik¡¯s high-volume external speaker picked up the private helmet communications line from the other Sabres. It produced a shrill sound like some furious, unearthly chorus. Orson didn¡¯t like throwing away Kash¡¯s work, but it was better to wreck the dummy while it was still a useful distraction, than be stuck with it once they realized it wasn¡¯t real. Orson rocketed back toward the maze. He landed on his feet and had just crossed the fake treeline when an overwhelming wave of repeating blaster fire began cutting the maze to shreds. ¡°A Sabre Elder deserves more respect!¡± Mannequin Milo¡¯s torso voice box played. ¡°A Sabre Elder deserves more respect! A Sabre Elder deserves more respect!¡± Orson ran, weaving back through the false trees, angling for the doors. He needed Jaleel¡¯s surprise. This situation could still be salvaged. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, dipshit?¡± Nalrik yelled after him. ¡°We¡¯ve got nightvision too. We can see you. You can¡¯t hide.¡± * * * ¡°Ruby, make us hover!¡± Enoa made no effort to talk to the Sabres. ¡°Right away!¡± Ruby said. Enoa felt the thud at her feet. The Aesir¡¯s other occupants yelled. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Kash said. ¡°Orson told us you¡¯re not a pilot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Enoa raised the Aesir¡¯s shields. ¡°But I am on a quest to fulfill my aunt¡¯s last wishes, and I will not be destroyed by these people. I will not.¡± ¡°Aww,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Now I can¡¯t shoot again.¡± ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯ll get a chance really soon,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Ruby! Help me fly to the dinosaur exhibit.¡± She pulled back on the wheel and ascended above the parking lot. The shield pinged as the Sabre forces began to open fire. ¡°Do you mean the Frosty¡¯s Finest presents The Age of the Dinosaurs Exploratorium and Family Dining Experience?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Should I plot a course to the Frosty¡¯s Finest presents The Age of the Dinosaurs Exploratorium and Family Dining Experience?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Enoa replied. ¡°Jaleel, get Jordyn on your communicator and let her know what¡¯s happening. We need backup if we¡¯re going to reach Orson in time for the plan.¡± She watched him retrieve his touchpad and start tapping a message on the screen. ¡°It¡¯s too late for the plan, quest girl,¡± Kash said. ¡°If they expected we¡¯d try to help Orson, they¡¯ll expect him to get tricky.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°That¡¯s more reason for us to get over there,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Ruby, come on. How do I go forward?¡± ¡°The Aesir¡¯s primary flight control can be found to the left of the steering column,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Tilt it in the direction of the desired thrust.¡± Enoa found the big building on the other side of the lot, where Orson had gone. She turned the steering wheel and aimed toward it. Then she took the flight control and pushed it forward. The Aesir flew without resistance, effortless. Enoa released the control. The ship now hovered in place above the roof of the large exhibit hall. ¡°That¡¯s too far!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Unless we want to land on the roof.¡± ¡°We do not want to land on the roof,¡± Dr. Lopez said. ¡°That Nalrik man will see us.¡± Enoa turned the wheel and spun the Aesir back toward the lot. Then she nudged the flight control. ¡°Ruby, if we land now, will we be at the front of the dinosaur building?¡± Something struck the Aesir¡¯s shield hard enough that the whole ship shook. All passengers yelled. Enoa gritted her teeth. It felt more like the energy impacts during the Sun Talon battle than any physical projectile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ruby said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Would you like to return to your previous coordinates in the parking lot?¡± ¡°No,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Ruby, please land the ship in front of the entrance to the dinosaur place.¡± ¡°You would like to navigate to the Frosty¡¯s Finest presents The Age of the Dinosaurs Exploratorium and Family Dining Experience main entrance?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Orson have a belly gun on this thing?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°The roof gun isn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°Where would a belly gun go when you¡¯re driving around?¡± Kash asked. ¡°Oh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°You would like me to take control of mobility and land the Aesir?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Enoa said. The Aesir began to lower toward the ground, just outside the Age of the Dinosaurs. Another of the energy blasts struck the Aesir¡¯s shield. ¡°Shields at eighty percent,¡± Ruby announced. ¡°Would you like me to take defensive measures?¡± ¡°Just get us landed!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ruby said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± ¡°What defensive measures can you do?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°If you want to protect the shield and the guns can¡¯t hit stuff on the ground, what¡¯s left for us to try?¡± ¡°Your voice is not recognized for voice command,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Current occupants are few enough that your voice can be added¡­¡± ¡°Tell him,¡± Enoa said. ¡°What defenses do we have?¡± ¡°The hidden front cannons can be angled toward targets while in flight,¡± Ruby explained. ¡°Would you like me to do this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Angle them, but please get us landed too. It won¡¯t matter once we¡¯re back on the ground.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve rammed their hovercraft,¡± Kash said. ¡°Knocked them down like bowling pins. We¡¯d be inside by now if you¡¯d done¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a backseat driver, Kash,¡± Lopez said. ¡°They¡¯re trying. If you had the idea at the time, you should have shared it then.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to share it then.¡± ¡°Ruby,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Why are we still hovering?¡± ¡°Can I shoot down yet?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Do you have to talk for me, Enoa?¡± ¡°Are the cannons angled?¡± Enoa asked for him. ¡°My presets dictate I monitor only one task at a time,¡± Ruby said. ¡°You may choose one or¡­¡± ¡°I need to shoot!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Fine,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Please angle the weapons.¡± ¡°I can only temporarily angle the weapons while we are airborne,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Weapon-based settings can be changed or modified with administrator password or direct command. You can speak or input the password now.¡± ¡°Angle the Incursions at that thing chasing us,¡± Enoa said. ¡°The Incursion Cannons are now aimed at the pursuing transport,¡± Ruby said. Jaleel didn¡¯t hesitate. He pulled the middle two triggers on the Incursion Cannon controls, sending return fire at their pursuers. ¡°Now land, please,¡± Enoa said. The ship began to lower again. When the Aesir touched down, the constant energy projectile attack slid the ship across the macadam. The shields absorbed the blows, but an awful whining sound came from the speaker. A drumming then began on the shields, physical strikes, bullets. Enoa saw the transport approaching in the headlights. It now fired from several places. Crews of Sabres were also advancing, bringing their assembled artillery with them. ¡°The energy weapon strike interfered with the shift to land-mode,¡± Ruby said. ¡°My apologies. Sustained fire is depleting shields ¨C fifty percent. I have realigned the Incursion Cannons to hit ground targets.¡± Jaleel opened fire from the Incursion Cannons, aimed right at the hovercraft. Enoa joined in with the roof gun, sending bursts of energy at the enemy vehicle. The transport exploded in a rain of shrapnel, in all directions. The Sabres scattered away from the blast. The Aesir¡¯s windshield darkened to protect from the light. Even inside the cabin, the noise was loud enough that the Aesir¡¯s passengers yelled again. ¡°This ship packs such a punch!¡± Jaleel had a manic edge to his voice, both fear and excitement. The noise had been so great that Enoa had missed the chime from the ship¡¯s comm, but she noticed the blinking light when her attention returned to the controls. ¡°Orson!¡± She opened the channel. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Orson, you have these kids blowing people up!¡± Kash called. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°The Sabres are attacking us,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We¡¯re trying to get to you.¡± ¡°They had a hovering tank thing, and we blew that up,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Orson whispered. ¡°I was gonna ask where you are, but I get the picture. Listen, Nalrik doesn¡¯t have the hostages. I lost mannequin Milo. The Sabres are shooting at me, and their attacks are starting this place on fire, but at least I can hide in here. I don¡¯t want to lead the arm cannon out to you.¡± ¡°Fire!¡± Kash yelled. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Reinforcements are on their way.¡± Jaleel unbuckled himself. ¡°I heard back from Jordyn. We need to try my surprise. Come on, Kash.¡± ¡°When I go in there,¡± Kash said. ¡°My first concern is going to be getting the sprinklers on. There¡¯s no more building insurance. Even if Earl doesn¡¯t have enough staff to keep this place open, I¡¯m not going to abandon my dino babies.¡± ¡°But it will take time to rework the new arrows with the place on fire! I didn¡¯t plan for that much heat.¡± Jaleel reached for his case. ¡°I¡¯ll need some cover.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with Jaleel,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Assuming the Aesir will be safe. It¡¯s only a matter of time before more of those Sabres try to get at us.¡± Enoa looked out the windshield. Since the transport¡¯s destruction, none of its support fighters had returned. ¡°I want to be safe too,¡± Dr. Lopez said. ¡°Sorry about this,¡± Orson said. ¡°Enoa, when you leave, tell Ruby to put the Aesir in home defense mode. That¡¯ll okay the computer to return fire with all the guns and rockets.¡± ¡°Rockets?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°All of you better hurry,¡± Orson said. ¡°There aren¡¯t many plans of mine that don¡¯t involve destroying the whole building.¡± ¡°Do not destroy the building!¡± Kash said. ¡°Do you want to owe me three million dollars?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t own the building,¡± Orson said. ¡°Seriously, Kash, I called to make a plan. I¡¯m sitting in a corner of the room that¡¯s on fire so I can hide from their sensors. I can¡¯t stay here forever. I might have to use my mask¡¯s targeting computer, and you know how sick that makes me. I¡¯m running low on options.¡± ¡°We¡¯re on our way, Orson.¡± Enoa stood and grabbed her staff. She readied her mobile comm. Jaleel moved to follow her. Kash also stood, but reluctantly. ¡°Ruby, when we leave, go to home defense mode.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Home defense mode will activate when you leave.¡± ¡°Jordyn says they¡¯re attacking a group of Sabres at the edge of the parking lot.¡± Jaleel looked at his Archer communicator. ¡°But Collective security is sending people over here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Enoa lit a flashlight and opened the Aesir¡¯s door. She listened and looked out into the parking lot. She heard distant gunfire, but saw nothing more than a single smoking fragment of the destroyed transport. ¡°Ruby, please open the shields so we can walk outside,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Then raise them again.¡± ¡°You want me to lower shields so you can exit the ship?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°I can do that. I will then activate home defense mode.¡± Enoa led her odd trio toward the Age of the Dinosaurs attraction. It was a tall building, a repurposed warehouse, but with easy pull door handles. The building was covered in the silhouettes of dinosaur skeletons. ¡°Hands up.¡± Two figures emerged from the shadow of the doorway. One wore black combat gear and held a rifle. The other was smaller and wore what looked like a police-style ballistic vest. He was older with a long, gray handlebar mustache, and wore a tan cowboy hat. He pointed a pistol at them. ¡°Put down your weapons,¡± the rifleman said. ¡°No.¡± Enoa pressed her staff against the ground. ¡°Get out of our way.¡± She had no idea how she would do it, but she¡¯d stopped guns before. A real journey waited for her, beyond the Sabres and their plots. She needed to stop this encounter. She needed to survive. ¡°I¡¯ll shoot you.¡± The old man aimed his gun at her chest. NO! He wouldn¡¯t shoot her. They wouldn¡¯t. Enoa saw a void around the guns, inside them, inside the ammunition, a nothingness without oxygen, without Anemos. Enoa was an Anemos Shaper. She did not need her mental glade. She had the truth. She had her truth ¨C she could do this. She was the blood of Sucora Cloud, Master Shaper. Enoa stepped forward. The old man pulled the trigger. His gun made a popping noise. No projectile. The rifleman attempted to use his own weapon. Ping. Nothing. He tried again. Still nothing. ¡°Hold, son!¡± The old man backed away from the rifleman. ¡°We¡¯ve got squib rounds. Don¡¯t you know better?¡± ¡°Both of us?¡± the rifleman said. That was all the time Jaleel needed. He loosed one of his concussion arrows. Both of the Sabres went flying. Jaleel sent two more arrows after them. They burst into nets. The Sabres were pinned. ¡°Holy crap,¡± Kash said. ¡°Where does Orson find you people?¡± ¡°Was that more magic?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°More Shaping.¡± Enoa nodded. ¡°It was. Now, let¡¯s go before more of them show up. I¡¯m early in my training and anything like that is a bit of a gamble.¡± She led them to the door of the attraction. Enoa walked inside. The smell of noxious melting plastic hadn¡¯t escaped the building but was overpowering in there. Enoa drew up her cloak so it covered her nose and mouth. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°Jaleel, let¡¯s get your surprise ready. Kash, I guess you do whatever you¡¯re gonna do.¡± She found the older man had already begun sneaking away. He¡¯d donned a large night vision helmet, his long white ponytail sticking out the back. He ran to the far side of the lobby, toward a concessions counter. With surprising agility, Kash swung his legs over the counter and hurried through a door marked ¡®Employees Only¡¯. Enoa stood beside Jaleel as he opened his case. Most of the interior was empty. Only three arrows waited inside. Jaleel picked one of the arrows and squeezed it, just beneath the head. It began to glow and give off sparks of electricity. ¡°Fire extinguisher two-point-oh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Let¡¯s take out that arm cannon!¡± 56 - Bait Orson had to act. The smoldering corner where he hid would soon burst fully aflame. He was running out of time. One-on-one, Orson could outmaneuver any of the armored Sabres, but their weaponry and numbers presented a unique problem. Just the force of the repeating blasters would keep him off of his feet, even if it didn¡¯t puncture his armor. Could he boost his repulsor enough to reach them anyway? ¡°Do you know what the damn shame is?¡± Nalrik had magnified his voice so it echoed through the fake patch of jungle. ¡°When I kill you and collect your armor, I won¡¯t even get a full set of repulsors. All this fighting for one?¡± Orson watched the armored bodies in his HUD. He heard the roar from their jetpacks. All five flew over the fake forest. None could be attacked without the others being immediately aware of it. ¡°Hi Orson,¡± Enoa spoke in his comm, at his ear. ¡°Jaleel wants to know how you feel about being bait. He says if Nalrik tries to shoot you with the arm cannon his arrow will work better.¡± ¡°And what happens if all five of them shoot at me at the same time?¡± Orson whispered into his comm. ¡°After you tried to fight us at the crawler, I was looking forward to this,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°But you¡¯re just hiding now. Really sad, Gregory.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Orson whispered. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± ¡°He says you should run toward the lobby,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Get as close as you can, and try to get Nalrik to shoot at you.¡± ¡°That part won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Orson stood. ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea that should make things easier. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve tried in other fights, but no guarantees. Play along.¡± Orson didn¡¯t wait for a response. ¡°Y¡¯know, Brett.¡± Orson activated his voice-distorting microphone. ¡°You really don¡¯t know how to use your cannon, do you?¡± He walked away from his smoldering corner and into the center of the fake forest path. The four repeating blasters opened fire on him from above. Only one of the streams of fire came near him, but he anchored himself with his boot and blocked the energy strikes with the fire sword. ¡°Gregory,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think this is, but now is when we gun you down. You¡¯re in last words territory. This dumbass voice won¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make promises you can¡¯t keep.¡± Orson ran back through the trees. The maze was designed to be a full experience, and it presented winding paths through the building. Orson retraced his steps, following the route his HUD mapped for him. ¡°But I always knew I¡¯d die in a weird tourist trap so we¡¯re on the same page there, but I feel let down that you¡¯re having your boys kill me, for you. I deserve the arm cannon and only the cannon, unless you can¡¯t control it indoors.¡± Another volley of repeating fire burned down into the forest. The paint singed and melted away, revealing the gray floor beneath. Orson raised his sword. The bursts of energy were close enough together for his HUD to predict the stream¡¯s trajectory. The bolts that reached him were absorbed into the fire sword. The sprinklers switched on. The water added surprising realism to the fake trees with their plastic leaves, like a heavy downpour in some nameless primeval jungle, long vanished. The water pinged as it struck the flying armored men. It sizzled as it hit Orson¡¯s sword. ¡°My cannon would cut you into two goddamn pieces, you stupid son of a bitch,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°If you keep playing games with me, I¡¯ll keep you alive and use you for target practice.¡± ¡°No games,¡± Orson said. ¡°Just facts. Fight me, one-on-one. Let me face the cannon. I know you¡¯re tempted. Your boys already stopped shooting at me.¡± ¡°Let me guess,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°You want me to fly down there and get close enough so you can try to cut me with your sword, right? Not gonna happen, but I will kill you with the arm cannon, if that¡¯s what you want.¡± Orson heard a lone jetpack peel away from the rest of the formation. He raised his sword, sure he was entirely visible to his attackers. ¡°Stand still,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°I need to aim this just right so your repulsor isn¡¯t damaged when I vaporize you.¡± He flew over Orson. He raised the arm cannon.
HEAD SHOT ¨C 100%
With a hollow thud, something thin and glowing slammed onto the end of Nalrik¡¯s arm. A gush of steam left the weapon. Orson blasted from the floor, angling straight for Nalrik. The other man didn¡¯t speak. He flew backward away from the fight, fleeing Orson and further attack. All four of Nalrik¡¯s followers swarmed Orson. Two streams of energy projectiles converged on him. Orson dodged one volley and blocked the other with his sword. Two of the Sabres flew right past him. They hadn¡¯t fired at him. They were headed toward the lobby and the source of the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ arrow. ¡°Two fliers headed your way!¡± Orson said into his comm. ¡°Find cover. I¡¯ll be with you as soon as I can.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. If Enoa responded, he didn¡¯t hear her. The two Sabres who still blocked his path both opened fire. Orson flew towards the ceiling, away from their attacks, but they stayed level with him, and their full jetpacks offered much greater thrust than his lone boot. Orson couldn¡¯t outrun the Sabres together or even outmaneuver them. He feinted to his right, as if he planned to pursue Nalrik. One of the Sabres blocked him with another repeating volley. Orson let himself take a blast in the shoulder armor. Finally close enough, he sliced the repeating blaster in two. The disarmed Sabre flew back toward his leader, but the last opened fire on Orson again. Orson had no time for nonviolent solutions. He flew headlong at the firing Sabre. Four energy bolts struck him as he bore down on the man, the fabric of his coat igniting around him. When Orson reached the Sabre, the sword of fire met the weak cover beneath the man¡¯s helmet. The jetpack deactivated. The Sabre¡¯s helmeted head fell away, as the armored body tumbled to the floor. Orson blasted back toward the entryway. He didn¡¯t see his friends or their attackers. He switched on his infrared view, looking for heat, for people. There, he saw three shapes ¨C probably Enoa, Jaleel, and Kash ¨C all together in the crew breakroom. He wasn¡¯t too late. But he saw no sign of the Sabres in their bulky Strateren armor. Where were they? ¡°I see you three in my HUD, but no visual on the Sabers,¡± he said. ¡°Any news? What¡­¡± When Orson passed into the lobby, an energy field went over him. His repulsor shorted out. He didn¡¯t have time to think or question, and he yelled as he fell the final few feet to the floor. Orson landed on his booted foot. His single repulsor flight-setup forced him to move at an odd angle, mostly upright. His knee held him without protest ¨C even without the repulsor, something in the boot was working. He sprinted, uncontrolled, trying to keep up with the inertia of his flight and fall. He couldn¡¯t. Orson slammed into the nearest wall, shielding his face with his left arm. He knew his armor would absorb the worst of the collision, transferring the force of the strike across its exterior. He sagged against the wall, careful to hold the sword of fire away from himself. Nalrik¡¯s men could hide from infrared! They had something that shut off other Strateren tech. He¡¯d never heard of that before¡­ The two Sabres fired on Orson before he could regain his footing. He fought against the strikes, fabric peeling away from his coat. The armor would stay around him. The metal could withstand their barrage. But he didn¡¯t know whether the force of the energy bolts could tear the metal sheets away from the connecting fibers. If it did, the barrage could kill him in instants, burn away his flesh in fist-sized pieces until nothing remained. Orson raised his sword in front of his face, letting the blade absorb the potentially lethal barrage. He saw very little other than his own flickering blue blade and the bursts of neon color the energy bolts became when they met the sword. But he could feel the force of the strikes against his armor and his sword. That was enough to go on the offensive, to find and advance toward his attackers. He heard two jetpacks ignite. Without his repulsor, they were unreachable. And if he didn¡¯t deal with the Sabres quickly, Brett Nalrik might gain access to his cannon. Wamp! Orson knew that sound. But he didn¡¯t know the sounds that followed, a straining whine and an immense crash. The barrage of energy bolts ceased. Orson looked around his sword to find one of the two Sabres lying on the floor in a contorted heap, a trail of smoke weeping from his jetpack. Jaleel stood on the opposite side of the concession stand, a long tube in his right hand. He aimed this weapon at the last Sabre. The fourth man had landed. He let his repeating blaster drop to the floor and raised his hands. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jaleel said. Enoa stood beside him. ¡°I stole the spraystick off the dead assassin on the crawler. I thought it might come in handy, and it did! The drills this thing shoots went right through that guy¡¯s jetpack.¡± ¡°And into my wall!¡± Kash emerged from the breakroom, a stun gun in his rubber-gloved hands. ¡°All of you weirdos are going to owe me so much money.¡± Orson advanced on the last Sabre, sword outward. ¡°Keep your hands up. On the ground you¡¯re no match for this sword, and in the air, my friend will get you with his new toy.¡± The Sabre¡¯s gauntlets began to glow. Orson ran at him, but before he reached the Sabre, the man brought his fists together. A wave of light emerged from the armor, right at Orson. The blast reflected off the sword and ricocheted into the fake jungle. A clap of thunder exploded out of the larger room. ¡°Take cover!¡± Orson yelled. The Sabre launched into the air and flew toward the concessions area. Orson raced after their attacker. Jaleel sent another drill at the armored form. Wamp ¨C it bounced away from the man¡¯s chestplate. The Sabre hovered ten feet from the concessions area. He raised his fists again. The gauntlets began to glow. Orson sprinted for the counter. Jaleel, Enoa, and Kash ducked down, covering their heads. Orson jumped onto the counter, just as the Sabre brought his glowing fists together. The discharge launched down toward Orson. It reflected off of the sword again, bursting in a shockwave that raced even along the sword of fire. Orson¡¯s right hand had gone partially numb. A roar boomed out of the fake jungle. One of the dinosaurs had turned on! Everyone looked toward the sound. Orson shook his right hand, his fingers still prickling. The Sabre spun back toward them, but he did not launch a third attack. The man convulsed in the air. Orson saw wires trailing from the Sabre¡¯s groin to the stun gun in Kash¡¯s hands. The man¡¯s jetpack sparked and shut off, and he fell back to the floor, still shaking. ¡°He went right for the dick shot!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°Brutal!¡± ¡°I am both financially and pridefully tied to this establishment,¡± Kash said. ¡°It¡¯s in my best interest to help you catch these bastards, so I can sue them.¡± ¡°Great idea distracting everyone with the dinosaurs, Kash,¡± Orson said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me,¡± Kash said. ¡°It must have been that prick¡¯s zap ray. They could damage themselves starting now, and Earl is going to talk my damn ear off about the energy usage.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Orson watched Enoa brush off her cloak. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s just finish this, please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with her,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Fighting with you guys is way zanier than I imagined. I didn¡¯t expect this much flailing around.¡± ¡°Yeah, I never do.¡± Orson pressed his hand to his repulsor. It had limited power, enough that it wasn¡¯t dead weight, but the stabilizing field wouldn¡¯t activate. The startup command issued a weak, dejected honk, each time Orson tried to restart. Another series of cries emerged from the forest. Enormous shapes rustled through the trees, the jungle alive with motion. Orson had seen the fake forest on fire, but the illusion was no less primal or immediate. The theme park creatures seemed real. One of the remaining Sabres apparently thought so too. Scattered blaster fire echoed out of the forest. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll be before Nalrik gets his cannon back?¡± Orson asked. ¡°If he¡¯s still even here,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Why would he stay while his men are beaten up, one after another?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still here.¡± Jaleel sounded certain. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ will work, but we better hurry. If he gets free and you can¡¯t fly anymore¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson triggered his own blaster to arrive in his left hand. ¡°Let¡¯s end this.¡± 57 - The Age of the Dinosaurs Orson gave Enoa and Jaleel the armored raincoats before they trekked into the fake forest. Enoa adjusted her coat. It didn¡¯t fell well over her cloak, which kept bunching up at her shoulders. She should¡¯ve stayed behind with Kash. She¡¯d been a spectator since they¡¯d walked in the building, and she hated it. She had no long-range fighting skills and had to watch the others battle the Sabres. She would have been a lot more useful out in the Aesir, helping the Archers and the security in their parking lot shootout. She followed Orson along the forest path. Jaleel walked after her. He held the plundered spraystick in one hand and his bow in the other. She wasn¡¯t sure if he actually intended to somehow use both, but she wasn¡¯t about to argue. She needed some sort of ranged weapon too. She heard a sudden noise, mechanical. Orson put his left arm out. She and Jaleel halted. Orson angled his sword ahead of them. A massive screaming shape, bald metal reflecting the sword¡¯s light, erupted from the trees. The head alone was almost the size of a small car. Most of its body was still obscured by the trees, also partially deformed and melted by fire. The creature let out a shrill whine from a damaged voice box. Enoa jumped away, unthinking, even though she knew the dinosaurs were fake. ¡°I knew there was no way Kash didn¡¯t hide a T-Rex in here, somewhere.¡± Orson waited for the beast to finish its cry and retreat back into the forest. Then he led them further along the path. This was their fifth encounter. Every few steps there were velociraptors charging across the path or long-necked grazing dinosaurs leaning down to mime eating the melted leaves. Thick-skulled creatures, their flesh also burned, once charged so close to Orson that he reflexively swung at the lead animatronic. The dinosaurs did their job well ¨C surprise! In that lighting, the fast-moving bare metal was indistinguishable from oncoming armored Sabres. ¡°Orson,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You couldn¡¯t see the Sabres in your HUD, could you?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he replied. ¡°They can hide their body heat, somehow. They¡¯re indistinguishable from the animatronics, as far as I can see. They have lots of tech I¡¯ve never heard of. Like that ¨C what did you call it ¨C the spraystick? For five years now, I thought my HUD had the full IHSA catalog in it, so that¡¯s troubling.¡± He came to a stop. ¡°We all need stunners, just in case.¡± He retrieved from his belt what appeared to be a long, glowing screwdriver. ¡°What is this, some kinda Doctor Who thing?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Seriously, you need to calm down with the references,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is a zap pin. It gives out nasty electric shocks. Enoa, do you still have the one I lent you?¡± A shape plunged from the ceiling, shrieking down toward them. It cast a shadow across them, a shape so large its wings almost grazed the trees on either side of the path, as it swooped. It sounded nothing like the humming of the Sabre jetpacks, but they jumped away from the dinosaur and its five-foot snapping beak. ¡°What was I saying?¡± Orson exhaled, once the Pterosaur swung back toward the ceiling. ¡°I still have the zap pin you gave me before we left the crawler.¡± Enoa found the oblong item at her own belt. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to use it. You gave it to me when I was headed out the door. Is it like the stun box? I still have that too.¡± ¡°They¡¯re similar, but the pin¡¯s less intelligent and can be used multiple times.¡± Orson handed the zap pin to Jaleel. ¡°The pins are super easy. Turn it on at the handle and stay away from the shiny part. Enoa, if you can get at someone with the box, use that instead. The box caters its electric shock to the target. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so limited.¡± ¡°What do we do if we don¡¯t find Nalrik?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be an issue,¡± he said. ¡°I think we¡¯re being watched. My sensor picked up something. It pinged some energy use, continuous, not like the animatronics. Both Sabres could be close. I think it¡¯s likely the last guard is with Nalrik. Yeah, be ready.¡± He nodded to the trees. ¡°Here comes something.¡± Orson threw himself to the side. Something tore through the trees faster than any theme park dino, something too fast for Orson to fully react. A blast of blue light struck him in the shoulder armor. Enoa could clearly see the energy disperse across the naked metal. He drew his sword and aimed his blaster between the trees. ¡°I think they¡¯re both over there,¡± Orson said. ¡°Close.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t see them?¡± Jaleel raised the spraystick. ¡°No, but¡­¡± Orson began. A man flew through the fake trees, jetpack ignited. He bore down on the three of them, his left arm glowing green, his right holding a small blaster, firing continuously, as he flew. One of the shots hit Jaleel in his armored stomach and the force of the blast sent him sprawling to the ground. Enoa made herself small. She reached into her pocket and found the stun box. She watched Orson swing his sword at the blaster, as the Sabre flew past him. But the fire blade met the glowing left arm ¨C an energy shield. The sword clashed with the field until the man drew his arm back. The Sabre came to a landing and fired again. ¡°Nalrik¡¯s close!¡± Orson yelled, using the sword to catch two of the projectiles that passed near him. ¡°Go, if you can!¡± Jaleel jumped to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He shouted and adjusted his mask, before charging toward the spot where the Sabre had burst through the trees. Enoa got a better grip on her staff and ran after him. She imagined some robot dinosaur, half-cooked, slamming into her as it followed its preprogrammed course. But she managed to maneuver through the trees. If Nalrik truly hid in that direction, he¡¯d chosen a place with a series of green emergency lights. The illumination was just enough to keep sight of Jaleel, rushing ahead in the gloom. He held an arrow and the spraystick in his right hand, apparently ready to fire either weapon. A burst of blue light flew toward them. It missed Jaleel and exploded against one of the false trees. The tree didn¡¯t fall, but Enoa gave it a wide berth as she ran through the forest. Jaleel loosed an arrow and sent a projectile from the stolen spraystick. ¡°You killed my friends, you son of a bitch!¡± Jaleel said. Enoa entered a small clearing. It was filled with a flock of what looked like feathered pigeon-lizards. They milled about, pecking at the grass. Nalrik stood in their midst, against a tree, his arm cannon extended to his side. An electrified metal clamp emerged from the ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯ arrowhead and covered the barrel of the arm cannon. The arrow shaft still stuck out from the weapon. What looked to be a robotic spider was grabbing at the arrow with its legs, trying to pry the device away. Nalrik did not speak to Jaleel. He held a blaster in his free hand and sent another two bolts at them. Jaleel had apparently expected this. He was already throwing himself at the floor before Nalrik retaliated. Enoa had expected Nalrik to fly, but maybe he was unwilling to with the spider still digging at his cannon¡¯s obstruction. Before he brought his blaster to bear again, Jaleel sent a concussion arrow into the right arm of the Strateren armor. The force of the arrow sent the blaster spinning from Nalrik¡¯s hand. Enoa watched Jaleel draw the zap pin Orson had given him. He ran at Nalrik before the man had a chance to draw another weapon. Enoa followed suit, palming her stun box. She rushed Nalrik too, running toward his left side and the arm cannon. From what she¡¯d heard, the cannon¡¯s beam was strong enough to bring down aircraft, but it also seemed to take away Nalrik¡¯s ability to use his left hand. ¡°God damn you, boy.¡± Nalrik turned to Jaleel and swung at the younger man with a swift right hook. He was fast, so fast Enoa wondered if his movements were aided by the powered armor. Jaleel dodged the strike, jabbing the zap pin into the inside of Nalrik¡¯s elbow and then again into his armpit. The big man didn¡¯t even flinch. He sent his fist into Jaleel¡¯s stomach. Even with the raincoat, the force of the blow sent Jaleel flying several feet. He splayed on the ground, his arrows spilling from his quiver. ¡°You should have known your place,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°But maybe I¡­¡± Enoa charged from Nalrik¡¯s unarmed side. She jumped around the arm cannon and the robot spider. Reaching up, she jabbed the stun box into the gap at the armor¡¯s chin. The box met hard metal. Nalrik had reinforced his armor¡¯s weak point. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The armored man swung his arm cannon, robot spider and all, like a club. He slammed the barrel into Enoa¡¯s shoulder, throwing her against the nearest tree. The stun box fell from her hand, but she kept her grip on her staff. ¡°You die next, Pocahontas,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to show your corpses to Gregory.¡± Enoa wasn¡¯t a brawler, and she wasn¡¯t used to being hit, especially not with ferocity and hatred and hundreds of pounds of muscle and robotic armor. She gasped. The world spun. The raincoat protected her when she struck the tree but her shoulder ached where Nalrik had hit her. Did Orson hurt when the armor was driven into his flesh? Wamp. Wamp! Jaleel fired the spraystick at Nalrik, sending drills futilely bouncing through the trees. The armored man stepped away from Jaleel, walking back into the foliage. He raised his left arm. The arrow fell from the arm cannon. The spider had finished its work, and it scuttled out of the way. Enoa jumped to her feet. She forgot her injury. The sudden panic gave her new clarity. Destroy the arm cannon. Destroy the arm cannon! Make the air around it explode. No balloon of air, make the molecules of oxygen combust, make Anemos come alight with power. Use the power she¡¯d earned against the weapon Nalrik had stolen. Enoa brandished her staff. Nalrik stood only feet from her, but she¡¯d been all but forgotten. ¡°You want to stay still, boy,¡± Nalrik said. ¡°You¡¯ll die faster if you¡¯re obliterated all at once.¡± Jaleel fumbled on the ground with his arrows. Was he madly seeking another ¡®fire extinguisher¡¯? Enoa ignored this. Up close, small lights were visible on the arm cannon. Was it recharging? Was it doing some diagnostic before it vaporized Jaleel? Enoa ignored this. Enoa ignored everything but turning the air at the point of her staff into a targeted explosion. She was a Shaper, a pupil of Sucora Cloud and the Dreamthought Project. She had been trained in meditation since childhood. If Nalrik killed Jaleel, he would surely turn on her next or soon. She knew she had no future, no inheritance, nothing without destroying the cannon. That was all that mattered. Enoa yelled. It was good to yell. Her voice sounded strong in her own ears. Nalrik wheeled toward the sound. He didn¡¯t aim the cannon toward her. She was too close. She was close enough to hear its hum. Nalrik swung his cannon like a club for the second time. Enoa was ready. The cannon met the end of her staff. Enoa wielded Anemos. She Shaped the air. It exploded. The explosion emerged from the staff and threw Nalrik ten feet across the clearing. He came to a stop when he crashed into an unmoving animatronic dinosaur, just beyond the tree line. This animatronic was mostly melted, all its inner workings exposed. Nalrik¡¯s armor had protected him, but his shoulder hung at an odd angle. Even the stolen armor hadn¡¯t been enough to spare him from the full force of the blast directed at his arm. Nalrik struggled to raise his cannon. Even from that distance, Enoa could see the damage she¡¯d done to the weapon. The metal had crumpled in places, like a half-crushed soda can. Bits of glowing wiring were exposed, like he was another of Kash¡¯s damaged animatronics. But he raised the cannon all the same. The robot spider ran down his shoulder and probed at the cannon. Enoa slid to her knees. No, no, she had to fight the exhaustion. She¡¯d been doing so much better. She¡¯d gotten so much stronger. She was used to the Shaping now. It shouldn¡¯t weaken her any more. ¡°Come on, Enoa.¡± Jaleel arrived at her side before she noticed him. ¡°We need to get out of here. Come on.¡± He put her free arm over his shoulder and tried to stand with her, but she was dead weight. She had no strength. Enoa watched, her mind blurred, as the robot spider danced along the arm cannon, pressing loose panels into place and smoothing out the broken metal. ¡°Come on, Enoa.¡± ¡°Wow, she did it again.¡± Orson also arrived in the clearing. ¡°Where were you?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Her explosion distracted that other Sabre long enough for me to take out his shield,¡± he replied. ¡°Guy didn¡¯t put up much of a fight after that.¡± He pressed his hand to Enoa¡¯s shoulder. She knew she should speak, but she couldn¡¯t find the words. ¡°Shit. She can¡¯t stand when she¡¯s like this.¡± ¡°But we have to go!¡± Jaleel hissed. ¡°Nalrik will fire again.¡± ¡°He¡¯s gonna try,¡± Orson whispered. ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± He lifted Enoa to her feet. There was no strength there, but his. She couldn¡¯t really walk. Everything had gone into the strike. ¡°We need to get as far away as possible before Brettsy tries to shoot us.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it if we live,¡± Orson said. ¡°My HUD¡¯s getting some crazy readings. Enoa, can Jaleel take your staff? He¡¯ll be careful, right Jaleel?¡± She couldn¡¯t fight regardless, and Orson passed the weapon to Jaleel. Then he lifted her. He tried a princess carry, but her arms fell limp at her sides when she tried to reach around his neck. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her like she was some obscenely large infant. ¡°Sorry about this, but we need the coat between us and him.¡± ¡°Running away, Gregory!¡± Nalrik yelled. ¡°Coward bitch. Come back and fight me. I¡¯ll shoot you in the back if you run. How do you want to die, Gregory? How do you and your children want to die?¡± ¡°Come on.¡± Orson ran, Jaleel beside him. They rushed through the trees. They¡¯d gone only five steps when a horrific metal-on-metal grinding began behind them. Enoa felt herself slipping, her body falling away from Orson. But then he caught her around the stomach. She saw him grab Jaleel in the same way. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°Die coward!¡± Nalrik screamed. Orson pressed his boot against the ground. Its repulsor didn¡¯t fire, but it increased his strength enough to take one great leap behind a tree. Orson forced them to the ground. He fell on top of them and sheltered their heads with his armored sleeves. An explosion tore through the fake forest, a blast so hot and bright that Enoa felt the warmth and saw the light even with her face against the turf forest floor. Enoa thought fleetingly that Nalrik¡¯s beam had consumed them. But the heat and light didn¡¯t grow, and she felt no more pains than the ones she¡¯d endured in her falls. Nalrik¡¯s weapon had not fired, but it had exploded. Knowing they were alive, all of Enoa¡¯s energy left her. Her vision faded into darkness. * * * ¡°We need to get her back to the Aesir,¡± Dr. Lopez said. ¡°Her vitals are still erratic. This wasn¡¯t just exhaustion. There¡¯s a physiological element to it.¡± Enoa heard the words, but she didn¡¯t want to speak. She didn¡¯t want to move. Her exhaustion had left her, but now she hurt. She ached. She¡¯d been placed somewhere cushioned and soft. ¡°What, did she have some kind of seizure?¡± Orson asked. ¡°She¡¯s okay though? Do you think this happens every time she has a major Shaping exertion?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really in no place to comment on that,¡± Lopez said. ¡°Even after all my years treating individuals with mutations and unusual abilities, I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡± ¡°So it is like magic,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I don¡¯t use that word,¡± Lopez said. ¡°You and Jaleel can take her back to the ship,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m staying with Brett and his men until the security crew comes to collect them.¡± ¡°Collect them?¡± Enoa opened her eyes. She was lying on the employee breakroom¡¯s couch cushions. It had the same suspicious, dark stain she¡¯d noticed while she, Jaleel, and Kash had hidden in there, during the battle with Nalrik¡¯s men. She was back on the forested path, but didn¡¯t realize it at first. The objects around her didn¡¯t look like trees. They were pencil thin and metal, like a room of TV antennas. ¡°How long¡­¡± She tried to sit up, but the room spun. Dr. Lopez attempted to force her back down, but she shook her head. ¡°No, I want to look around. I¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s not as bad as it¡¯s been before.¡± To her left, all of the fake trees and grasses and dinosaurs had been destroyed, had melted down to their metal components. Between the trees, five figures lay prone ¨C the Sabres. They weren¡¯t wearing their powered armored. They¡¯d been stripped down to black jumpsuits, their armor and weapons piled a short distance away. One of the five was covered, the one who had died. The others were bound at their wrists and ankles. All except Brett Nalrik. His left arm extended only inches from his shoulder. It was heavily bandaged, and he was unconscious, probably sedated. ¡°We did it,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You did it.¡± Jaleel leaned down at the armor pile and picked up a pair of the Sabre¡¯s boots. ¡°You made Nalrik¡¯s cannon explode! It was incredible! It was like a finisher from Mortal Kombat. You made his own armor blow up!¡± Dr. Lopez scowled at him. ¡°I mean, it was a very impressive thing, but, uhs, pretty regrettable that the murderous wacko got maimed.¡± ¡°We need to monitor your vitals.¡± Dr. Lopez turned back to Enoa. ¡°Orson told me about this Shaping that you¡¯re studying with your aunt¡¯s films. I have experience dealing with power-based anomalous health issues, and I¡¯d like to take a look at you. We might get some information that will help keep you safe.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Enoa said. ¡°There¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re moving her, you¡¯d better do it,¡± Kash called from the trail. ¡°The Quebec security people are here, flying around all important in their helicopters and airships. They¡¯ve already processed the Sabres that the local teams and the Archers rounded up outside.¡± Everyone looked in his direction. At first, Enoa wasn¡¯t sure what she was seeing. She saw Kash, but he was riding something, bobbing up and down, as he approached. At first, she thought he was perched atop an ostrich or another large bird. Kash rode one of his dinosaurs, a feather-covered creature with a long tail and nasty claws at its feet. ¡°Did you make that?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I did,¡± Kash said. ¡°But stop ogling my work and finish collecting the armor. We don¡¯t want it finding its way into a government vault or getting picked up by some loony new regime. It¡¯s much safer with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But that thing is so cool. You built a velociraptor to ride!¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s only about eight-five percent mine,¡± Kash said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get the steering right. But I like Giselle here. She¡¯s so pretty.¡± ¡°Alice¡¯s work?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°Alice?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Alice Sun. The mind behind the Aesir. Learn the name.¡± Kash inspected Jaleel¡¯s work. The younger man loaded the majority of the armor, breastplates, helmets, gauntlets, blasters, and all, into a wheeled dumpster. He began to roll the dumpster away. ¡°Best to get it out of sight before the Mounties arrive.¡± Kash eyed the fallen crew. ¡°You¡¯re going to have a hard enough time explaining how you did this to them.¡± ¡°You helped,¡± Orson reminded him. ¡°That was a good shot with the stun gun.¡± ¡°It was, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Kash pointed at Nalrik. ¡°Who did that? Orson, your new crew is scarier than the last one.¡± ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Lopez pointed with two fingers back along the path. ¡°And behave yourselves. They¡¯re nice people.¡± A team of a dozen people wearing police-style jackets moved along the path, guns drawn. They proceeded in near silence, until they came in sight of Kash on his velociraptor, Orson in his metal coat, and the line of wounded Sabres, some of them dismembered. A man stepped forward from the group of security personnel. ¡°We were told Commodore Augustin was working with a contractor pursuing the Sabres.¡± He spoke with a slight French-Canadian accent. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of your team?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just us,¡± Orson said. ¡°But how?¡± he asked. ¡°I spent all day researching the Sabres and their technology. How could¡­¡± ¡°You saw the camper outside,¡± Kash said. Maybe it was his dinosaur steed, but everyone fell silent when he spoke. ¡°Didn¡¯t that give you a clue who¡¯d come here to clean up this mess? Well, figuratively. My poor dinos¡­¡± He looked around the annihilated forest and sighed. ¡°The camper?¡± the lead man said. ¡°I saw the heavily-modified custom¡­¡± ¡°Custom!¡± Kash said. ¡°That¡¯s the Aesir! You know that name, right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the lead man answered. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jaleel returned, threading his way through the trees, the dumpster nowhere in sight. ¡°Shhh.¡± Orson waved at Jaleel. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt. He¡¯s hyping us.¡± ¡°You should realize how lucky you are,¡± Kash said. ¡°But I¡¯m always in a good mood after a caper, especially when there¡¯s a lawsuit involved, so I¡¯ll spell it out for you. Tonight is a very special occasion. For the first time in five years, the Aesir has a crew.¡± 58 - The New Aesir Crew Kol Maros arrived at the front desk of the suburban office complex-turned-shelter that the Liberty Corps used to house displaced individuals. It was a plain building that still sported the old signs from its days as an analytics firm. The Wilson Analytics headquarters showed no exterior damage, but the waiting room was strewn with mismatched chairs and stacks of loose-leaf papers. ¡°I¡¯m here to see your resident, Arlene Greco.¡± Kol approached the desk. The Liberty Corps Lieutenant who sat behind the desk wore his uniform tunic with sleeves rolled up and collar unbuttoned. He leaned back in his desk chair, boots up on the desktop, reading a rolled up magazine. ¡°Relative?¡± The Lieutenant didn¡¯t look up. ¡°We don¡¯t let people in who aren¡¯t relatives.¡± ¡°What division do you represent, Lieutenant?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Who trained you to ignore the door of the building you¡¯re defending? Or are you an idle thief who stole that uniform? You wear it like one.¡± The man looked up. His eyes scanned Kol¡¯s pristine white uniform. He jumped to his feet, almost knocking his chair over as he did so. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°No one has come by all day.¡± ¡°And if I were the head of a force of marauders,¡± Kol said. ¡°Would you have acknowledged the threat before I slit your throat?¡± The man didn¡¯t speak. ¡°You still didn¡¯t answer my question. What division do you represent?¡± ¡°Phoenixville, sir,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°I have known Mrs. Greco for years,¡± Kol said. ¡°Why is only family allowed here? This should be home to the people who were moved to support our defensive efforts. They¡¯re residents, not prisoners.¡± ¡°I know they¡¯re residents,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°I didn¡¯t make regulations, sir. We can¡¯t have too many visitors. It¡¯s not safe with the Northeast Alliance attacking our supply lines. But I can take a message for this Gecko lady.¡± ¡°Greco,¡± Kol said. ¡°Her late husband was Italian, not a lizard. I¡¯m not interested in leaving a message. Maybe if you were attentive and did your job, it would be perfectly safe for any number of guests to come here. As I said, I¡¯ve known this woman for years, and I want to speak to her and make sure she¡¯s properly treated.¡± ¡°No, sir,¡± the other man said. ¡°That¡¯s just not possible. I can¡¯t deliver on that request.¡± ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Kol said. ¡°As Captain in the Recovery Corps, I¡¯m not asking you. You will find me your resident, Arlene Greco.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. Permission to send a call to find Mrs. Greco, sir?¡± ¡°Granted.¡± Kol nodded. The Lieutenant grabbed the phone from the desk. It was probably a local hookup through the complex. He dialed a number. ¡°I¡¯ve got a Captain Kol Maros looking for Arlene Greco.¡± Kol watched the Lieutenant, as they waited. With poor information and supply chains, it was unavoidable that Liberty Corps Divisions would vary in competence. But this display transcended even Kol¡¯s wildest visions of ineptitude. ¡°Mrs. Greco left a few days ago.¡± The Lieutenant moved the phone¡¯s handset to his shoulder. ¡°She was in cubicle seventy-three, and that¡¯s a young couple now.¡± ¡°What? Where did she go? Do you have a way to contact her? Her home of thirty years is occupied by one of our advance companies. She has nowhere else to go.¡± ¡°Maybe she has family you don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name, Lieutenant?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Second Lieutenant Kyler Brooks.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who trained you, and I intend to find out,¡± Kol said. ¡°Operating this facility without any records is disorganized and negligent, but it¡¯s obvious you¡¯re incapable of anything more than the most simple tasks. So you will bring me on a tour of your facility, starting at cubicle seventy-three.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to call that in to my superiors if you wanna go that way,¡± the reception officer said. ¡°And that could take days.¡± ¡°And who is your superior?¡± Kol asked ¡°Captain Jeremy Rolf.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call him personally when my tour is complete. I almost lived here, myself. Now, show me through the place that could have been my home.¡± Lieutenant Brooks resisted him no further. He fussed with his uniform, adjusting his sleeves and collar, and issued a call to one of his fellows that another representative would be needed at the desk. Kol followed the other man through the building. The interior was bog standard office space, fluorescent lighting, carpeted floors, and padded dividers between cubicles. But the cubicles had been rearranged into small walled sections. None had their own ceiling, but the residents did have their own spaces, equipped with makeshift sliding doors. All floors shared restrooms and other facilities. Obsessed with his own hearing, Kol had learned little about the requisition and relocation programs. He didn¡¯t know the extent of the operation, the number of people or families moved. He had no numbers or statistics, but the scope of the human dispossession floored him. Each of the eight stories held twenty cubicles. Most were closed, but Kol saw scattered people in the open. A line of young families waited to enter a bathroom. Children cried. A small squabble had broken out over soap. Nearby, two old men attempted to fix a stove, an antique white model, dented in several places, looking conspicuous in a far corner of the converted room, in a spot where the carpet was ripped, exposing the linoleum floor beneath. Most of the residents averted their gaze as Kol and Lieutenant Brooks passed on their way. One tall, bald, dark-skinned man made eye contact with Kol. The man peered through an open cubicle door, one of his eyes bruised shut and purple. When they reached cubicle seventy-three on the fourth floor, a young woman worked with two children, hanging laundry on a line hung across the cubicle¡¯s open doorway. Both children were small enough that they hid behind their mother¡¯s hip when they saw the approaching officers. ¡°Hi there.¡± Kol offered the children a wave with his left hand. ¡°Hello,¡± the woman said. ¡°Are you here because of my request? I¡¯m so sorry to bother you, but the hot water isn¡¯t working in the washing machine on the third floor ladies¡¯ room. My husband would like to fix it. He¡¯s a plumber, but he was told he couldn¡¯t tamper with it and¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s policy, for now,¡± Lieutenant Brooks said. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°On the contrary, Lieutenant, this man should be commended for his initiative.¡± Kol tried to strike a delicate balance ¨C verbalize enough anger to silence the Lieutenant, but not so much to alarm the woman or her children. He looked at Brooks until he was certain he would not speak again. ¡°We appreciate his hard work. I will personally make sure he is properly compensated for his time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman spoke with hesitance. She surely noticed the tension between the men. ¡°Do you know a Mrs. Arlene Greco?¡± Kol asked. ¡°She was staying here until recently, in the space that¡¯s now yours.¡± ¡°Are you a friend of hers?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been asking around. She left a few bags behind, small things, some canned goods and cereal, but there¡¯s a little photo book mixed in, and she should really get everything back.¡± ¡°I was one of her tenants,¡± Kol said. ¡°I don¡¯t know of any surviving family, but I am trying to find her.¡± The woman disappeared from view with her children, and Kol approached the cubicle. He tried to observe the space without further violating this family¡¯s privacy. Most bathrooms were larger. Two cots stood inside. The rest of the space was packed with bags and boxes, luggage, a lifetime crammed in around them. The woman returned with a small scrapbook. Kol took it and opened it. He saw a black-and-white image of a young couple, Arlene Greco and her husband, Giorgio. They stood smiling on a beach, looking across the years from happier times, easily sixty years earlier. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°If you know her,¡± the cubicle seventy-three resident asked. ¡°Can you see this gets back to her? I have some of the canned goods too, but I¡¯m afraid my boys took the cereal. I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I can do,¡± Kol said. ¡°I deploy tomorrow morning, and I don¡¯t want to leave town with her things, but if we really can¡¯t find her, I suppose it¡¯s better for someone who knows her to have it.¡± * * * Enoa had held high hopes for the days after the battle with Nalrik¡¯s crew. Initial film screenings had begun at the Heartland-6 complex ¨C endorsed by the Great Lakes Alliance, in an effort to foster the appearance of normalcy. Nozomi Morita was planning an event for the arrival of the Solar Saver crawler in the area ¨C possible now that the steering wheel had been replaced. Enoa had also discovered one of her training films, number seven, was subtitled ¡°Shaping in combat, emergency resource¡±. Enoa pursued none of these things. She slept a lot, and she felt surly and frustrated by the time she spent sleeping. But this did not stave off her lingering fatigue. She finally agreed to schedule an appointment with Doctor Lopez. The woman¡¯s bold claims of understanding biological differences in individuals experiencing phenomenon were too potentially useful to ignore. Enoa couldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity, as nauseated as she felt at the thought of bizarre medical tests or sitting around with suction cups on her head. Enoa was half-sleeping when the final denouement of the Solar Saver adventure began. She¡¯d wanted to spend that morning watching the emergency fighting film, but instead she¡¯d dozed off. ¡°Enoa.¡± Orson spoke softly and knocked on the door to her bunk. ¡°I have good news, if you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She stretched as much as possible in the small space. ¡°Good news might wake me up.¡± ¡°The Great Lakes defense force went to the Sabres Unlimited base. They freed the Archer hostages and arrested the Sabre defenders there. It¡¯s over. Once the crawler is repaired and finishes the trip to meet us, our job is done.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re moving on?¡± Enoa sat up. Aboard the crawler, she hadn¡¯t been focusing on the journey to the hidden island and the Dreamside Road. This distraction offered her enough distance to begin her training and enough danger to focus her will. ¡°Yeah. As soon as we get our supplies together and make sure the Aesir is in tip-top shape, we¡¯ll be moving on. That¡¯s actually my second bit of good news ¨C we can collect our payment tokens. Do you want to take a walk to Augustin¡¯s field office in the little bistro Adelyn owns?¡± Enoa opened the bunk door. Orson stood outside. He wore a sweater and jeans. As always, Enoa felt taken aback, seeing him when he didn¡¯t have his sword or assorted regalia. ¡°The job really is done if you don¡¯t have your armor on.¡± She planned to say more, but she yawned, one of the all-consuming yawns that make speech impossible. ¡°The armor is being fitted into a new coat. I feel like I¡¯m running around naked.¡± He rubbed his hands to his shoulders. ¡°So what do you say ¨C should we go get our money?¡± ¡°Sure. We can do that, once I have a chance to get ready.¡± She hadn¡¯t left the Aesir in more than a day, and as much as she wanted to break free of the cycle of loafing she¡¯d entered, suddenly preparing to leave seemed daunting. ¡°That could be a while.¡± ¡°Take your time. We¡¯ll go whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± He left her doorway and walked to the camper¡¯s windows, opposite the armchairs. He opened the drapes, revealing a soft snowfall outside, tumbling from heavy, gray clouds. Orson sat and watched the weather. Enoa showered, hoping the heat would help her escape her malaise. She knew from her previous, overwhelming Shaping exertions that only time spent recuperating could return her to herself. She dressed warmer and casually, in a sweater and snow boots, but still took her staff. The staff meant more to her than weaponry or armor. ¡°Is it safe out there?¡± Enoa grabbed a coat and joined Orson at the door. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what the rules are outside Nimauk. Are there¡­ bandits?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably pretty safe, especially in the middle of the day. We¡¯re close to the city, and it¡¯s the seat of the Great Lakes government, so they¡¯ll be trying to project strength.¡± Orson tugged at his coat sleeve. ¡°I¡¯ve got my blaster and some stinks, in case I¡¯m wrong. I can get a blaster for you too, out of storage, if you want one. You¡¯re a good shot with the roof gun.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m with it enough to learn a new weapon, if I don¡¯t have to.¡± Enoa imagined herself with weaponry hanging from her belt. ¡°Maybe some other time.¡± ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Orson keyed open the hatch. The landing field was filled with fresh snow. The Solar Saver Collective planes had departed, days ago. The Aesir now sat alone. Without Pops¡¯ personnel milling around outside, the scene looked like any other camper parked in a mostly-vacant lot. Before they could step outside, a waving figure caught their attention. ¡°Hi!¡± Jaleel stood on the far side of the landing area, his coat bearing more than a few minutes of snow accumulation. The snow at the ground was crushed, stamped down from his pacing. ¡°I¡¯m glad I caught you.¡± ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re in the wrong season to be a scarecrow,¡± Orson said. ¡°Uh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m uh¡­¡± ¡°Are you looking for one of us?¡± Orson tried to help him. ¡°Or are you just eyeballing my ship?¡± ¡°A little of both,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I want to talk with both of you.¡± He began walking toward them. ¡°The security guys rescued Hayley and Raf today, and it looks like our settlement with the Collective¡¯s acceptable to everybody.¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± Orson said. ¡°We were ready to leave, but I think we can wait until you tell us what¡¯s up.¡± ¡°Fine with me.¡± Enoa stepped out of the way so Jaleel could come aboard. ¡°That¡¯s actually what I¡¯m here about.¡± Jaleel breathed deeply and frowned, like he¡¯d been sent to share terrible news. ¡°Mr. Chambers is paying most of our damages, but we¡¯re still supposed to work for the Collective as part of the settlement. We¡¯ll be paid for our work, since we¡¯ll be aboard the crawler all the time, but I don¡¯t want to do that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re really the ones to talk to about that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Is this a moral thing or¡­¡± ¡°I want to work for you, instead,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I want to go with both of you on your adventures, join your crew.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen to Kash,¡± Orson said. ¡°He seems analytical, but he¡¯s got a really romantic view of the world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°My whole life was about building and inventing, but I¡¯m seeing now, as much as I want create things, the job I really want is the one you have.¡± ¡°I¡¯m between jobs right now,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you know much about selling antiques.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me.¡± He shot her a pained expression. ¡°I want to be a captain someday, captain of a ship like this one. This world¡¯s a mess, and it¡¯s been a mess for a long time. I think that¡¯s where I can really make a difference. I¡¯m a builder, but with the Archers I got used to making things for our adventures, not designing corporate infrastructure.¡± ¡°It¡¯s safer building the infrastructure,¡± Orson said. ¡°This fight with the Sabres was the fourth major conflict I¡¯ve had this year and Enoa¡¯s third, and it¡¯s only March.¡± ¡°But I do my best work adventuring,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The world needs more wandering heroes too, ronins or Jedis or gunslingers, or whatever you want to call them. I need to spend the next while training in a crew of adventurers, so I can become a captain myself, one day.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible for you to work for me in your agreement,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve never been an employer. Plus, how old are you? Are you even a legal adult? Nobody can join the crew if I¡¯d need to ask for a signed permission slip, first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll turn twenty in a month,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Oh,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We¡¯re closer in age than I thought.¡± ¡°Do I look like a kid to you guys?¡± ¡°You look young,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing. I was your age when I started out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°He¡¯s about eighty on the inside.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no older than seventy-nine, spiritually,¡± Orson said. ¡°If this isn¡¯t too tough to put together, I¡¯ll give you a firm maybe.¡± Orson exchanged glances with Enoa. ¡°We¡¯ll have to talk about it too, obviously.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know.¡± Enoa could not resist the urge to mess with Jaleel. He was so intense. ¡°It¡¯s already pretty cramped here, and it might upset the balance we have, with two stinky men living onboard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m super tidy and do more than my share of household work,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Ask my sisters. Plus I can fix things. My only big downside is sometimes my experiments get noisy and¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m messing with you.¡± Enoa raised her hands. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to have you, as long as we¡¯re not breaking the law or anything like that. I don¡¯t really do that end of things, and it¡¯s not my decision.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t do the legal end either. AND, there¡¯s one other thing. Enoa and I are on something of a secret mission, and we¡¯ll have to figure out how much you get to know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on a secret mission?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°What have you been doing with the Solar Saver?¡± ¡°A really long detour,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Enough to get us some cover from dangerous people chasing us,¡± Orson added. ¡°And I have to assume they¡¯re still after us.¡± ¡°Woah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°After everything with the Sabres, this was you avoiding dangerous people. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t get in the middle of this. There¡¯s a lot going on here.¡± ¡°I tell you what,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll think about your offer, Jaleel, while I see if it can happen. You have time too, until you¡¯d have to make a final decision. The crawler hasn¡¯t even gotten here yet. And, besides, I¡¯m getting way too hungry to worry about the law. Y¡¯know, Enoa and I were just headed to get our payment tokens from Commodore Augustin. I¡¯ll find out if Ms. Castillo¡¯s bistro is open yet, and if it is, we¡¯ll all go get a bite to eat, my treat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But I¡¯ll have to get that suit you bought me if we¡¯re visiting anywhere fancy.¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m dressing up?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Castillo¡¯s new place is supposed to be pretty casual. Her ritzy location is actually in the city.¡± ¡°Really? I could definitely go for something. I spent my whole day waiting to hear what happened with my friends, and then I had to figure out what to say to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfect then.¡± Orson walked to one of the closed cupboards at the wall. ¡°Adelyn left me a menu for the place after we got here. Let me see if I can find it. It¡¯s a pain storing things here, I¡¯ll warn you in advance. When I first got this boat I left papers sitting around and had a nasty surprise the next time I flew anywhere. It looked like somebody blew up one of those newspaper carts.¡± ¡°Hey, Orson,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°This is a total change of the subject, but how did you get Nalrik¡¯s men to give you the location where they were keeping the hostages? I thought they were all major Sabres or mercenaries with hush money or whatnot.¡± ¡°Oh they are.¡± Orson continued to rifle through the papers in the cabinet. ¡°But I told them they had to either give me the location of the hostages or I¡¯d give them to Enoa and she¡¯d start blowing up body parts.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t!¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m going to have the law after me now. Nalrik only lost his arm because he kept trying to use the broken cannon. I can¡¯t just blow up people¡¯s arms.¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Orson said. 59 - The Lantern Kol returned to his office, Arlene Greco¡¯s photo album stowed in the glove compartment of his newly-assigned rover. He considered the old woman¡¯s life and the strong likelihood that he¡¯d never see her or hear of her again. He found the rest of his convoy parked outside, two more rovers and an armored supply truck, awaiting their departure the next morning. But none of the personnel from his company were present. They¡¯d finished their work and their packing. Kol parked his rover at the head of the line. By the time he¡¯d parked, Duncan and Max had left the small outbuilding that contained his office. They worked their way across the twilit lot toward him, weaving through Corps personnel from other divisions. They¡¯d been waiting for him. Duncan held two boxes. Max had attached small baskets to his wheelchair¡¯s arms. Both were filled with supplies. ¡°You run off all day, and I get to be your social secretary,¡± Duncan called. ¡°How is Mrs. Greco?¡± ¡°They have no idea where she is.¡± Kol exited the rover. ¡°They have no records. They have no information about anyone. She could have been pulled out of that building at knifepoint and the worthless squad defending it wouldn¡¯t even notice.¡± He looked around at the other men and women at work. Two Rifle Corps members turned at the sound of his raised voice. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more when we¡¯re packed.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have anyone handling the relocation, who you could ask?¡± Max asked. ¡°I started an inquiry about the relocation, with their Captain Rolf, but they could just as easily ignore it. I¡¯ll be at least two states away by the time anyone of real authority sees it.¡± Kol knew he had his own packing to do, and he¡¯d prevented Duncan and Max from finishing their preparations. It was a poor way to begin his new command, but he couldn¡¯t silence his misgivings. ¡°Uh, well I do have some good news,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Do you remember last year when Eastern Command had us position those pylons outside town?¡± ¡°Vaguely?¡± Kol said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They were finished last month, a whole communication line from here to the Mississippi. Now we have an active terminal and limited internet. And,¡± Duncan pointed at him. ¡°You just got a message from Brielle.¡± ¡°Brielle?¡± Kol flipped the switch that raised the rover¡¯s rear hatch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was gone and you couldn¡¯t pack.¡± He walked to the back of the rover and slid aside the two boxes of necessary paperwork they needed for the trip. ¡°How¡¯s Brielle?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Brielle?¡± Max began to remove the small supply boxes from his baskets and slid them into the rover. ¡°Gabrielle Rinlee. She worked with us during our organizational training,¡± Kol said. ¡°She taught us about recruitment and grassroots communication techniques, everything we needed to start our division.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Max nodded and moved another case into the rover. ¡°Your instructor.¡± ¡°She held the same rank as the other division captains.¡± Kol took one of the boxes from Duncan and packed it away. ¡°Her role was necessary, but informal.¡± ¡°Come on, Kol.¡± Duncan set down his other box. ¡°She was definitely your instructor. Remember all the times you had those private study¡­¡± ¡°Think about what you want to say.¡± Kol interrupted him, pointing his prosthetic index finger at Duncan. ¡°It might be a violation for me to lay a hand on you, but she¡¯d knock your lights out for disrespecting her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m teasing!¡± Duncan raised both hands. ¡°Not disrespect. I¡¯m all for the two of you uptight hard-asses getting together. Maybe you¡¯d both learn to smile more.¡± ¡°Was this a long-term relationship?¡± Max asked. ¡°You really didn¡¯t tell him about Brielle?¡± Duncan said. ¡°That¡¯s cold. What would she say if she knew about that?¡± ¡°She¡¯d have a good deal more to say if I acted like there was any commitment between us. When we met, everything was still ready to fall apart at any time. It really seemed like the end of the world. We needed¡­¡± He cleared his throat. He didn¡¯t need to have this conversation with Max present. ¡°What did she want?¡± ¡°She¡¯s got some warning about Crater Base,¡± Duncan said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to talk to her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call her once we finish packing.¡± Kol looked around the lot. There were only a few vehicles still in the area. That would make maneuvering easier for Max. ¡°I can stay here.¡± Max watched him. ¡°You can take the boxes, and I can put them inside the rover. That should save time.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Duncan started back toward the office complex. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back.¡± Kol followed him, crossing the loading area and arriving in the hallway outside his office. Dozens of boxes still waited there, almost all bearing the old IHSA shield design. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the others pack their supplies?¡± ¡°They did,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Most of the boxes are emergency overnight kits, to be stored in the truck. The water supply needs to be loaded on there first to fit in the dispenser tank, and that won¡¯t be delivered until tomorrow morning.¡± He walked to the pile of boxes and selected a small translucent bin with a green lid. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Kol reached into his pocket. He thought he still had a copy of the manifest they¡¯d prepared. ¡°This is the paperwork we kept from the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea operation,¡± Duncan said. ¡°With your hearing, we still haven¡¯t examined it.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t returned?¡± Kol said. ¡°I thought we gave back all of Enoa¡¯s things.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t Enoa¡¯s,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Relax. This is her aunt¡¯s. It¡¯s probably all business records, but we need to be sure, right? That¡¯s who¡¯s important. Gregory and Enoa can go around fighting bandits all they want, and meanwhile, we¡¯ll get to the Dreamside Road. Then we¡¯re all doing what we¡¯re good at.¡± ¡°For God¡¯s sake, Duncan. When were you going to tell me you had this, when the Aesir flew in to gun us down?¡± ¡°I did tell you, and you weren¡¯t too scared of the Aesir to chase after it in that Sun Talon. Ugh, what¡¯s gotten into you? When you were in ambitious Captain Maros mode, you moved Heaven and Earth to do what you needed to do, but since Divenoll, you¡¯re so scared. You won. You have a new position. You have a better position for what really interests you. Act like it.¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t know all the details.¡± Kol thought about Max, waiting to help them load the boxes ¨C each and every box ¨C into the rover. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll take this, but it goes last and Max cannot see it. Not ever.¡± * * * The drop of water floated in the air in front of Enoa¡¯s face. She focused on the water, on the air around it, feeling the molecules condense into the liquid and evaporate back again, over and over. She manipulated the cycle. The electrodes were cold against her forehead. Enoa tried not to think about them or anything else in Dr. Lopez¡¯s small office, inside the Heartland-6 complex. She was succeeding. It had become easy for her to focus, to keep her mind in the divided place of Shaping, thinking only about what she wanted to think about. She looked at the water with her eyes and with her mind. ¡°Alright, I should have everything I need,¡± Dr. Lopez said. Enoa released the water and it faded away, as vapor. She waited for Dr. Lopez to remove the odd wired headgear. ¡°So this is like an EEG?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°This is a modified EEG,¡± she replied. ¡°It focuses purely on what the different parts of your brain are doing. Give me one moment to generate and review your scans.¡± Enoa watched the doctor leave. She had no reason to distrust her aunt¡¯s teachings, but the test made her nervous. She imagined Lopez letting her know that her Shaping actually came from some malignant tumor or other harmful abnormality. Dr. Lopez returned quickly with Enoa¡¯s scans. The doctor grabbed a folding chair from the wall and took a seat next to her. ¡°Am I going to live?¡± Enoa asked. Lopez laughed. ¡°Nothing abnormal.¡± She lifted two scans for Enoa to see. One showed a brain ¨C her brain ¨C with some sections lit with color. The other scan consisted entirely of squiggly lines. ¡°I¡¯m actually incredibly surprised how normal everything looks. In fact, the only unusual activity I see is in the cerebrum.¡± She pointed to part of the brain scan. ¡°This is the area of your brain that control speech. Look at all of the intense activity happening here.¡± She pointed to one other place, just behind Enoa¡¯s ears. ¡°That¡¯s the Wernicke¡¯s area, in your temporal lobe. It controls processing speech and sound. It¡¯s an essential part of language and communication.¡± ¡°When you perform your Shaping, do you think of it as speech? I¡¯m trying to understand what¡¯s happening, and I have to say, most of what you would think of as mental abilities happen in the cerebellum, the motor cortex, or the amygdala. In all of my studies, all of the ¨C and I¡¯m sorry for the term, but there is a real lack of clinical terminology in this field ¨C all of the anomalous abilities I¡¯ve studied, what people call magic, is bound to memory and intense emotion.¡± ¡°But your Shaping isn¡¯t like that. What you¡¯re doing is closer in brain activity to someone giving a complicated lecture or a speech. Does that make sense?¡± ¡°It makes some sense,¡± Enoa said. ¡°My aunt, who made my training films, she said that Shaping is speaking to the Earth. I thought she was just trying to be poetic, to get me to think the right way to do it, but maybe she was right? Do you think I have anything to be worried about? It might be different for the really difficult Shaping.¡± ¡°It might be, but my first instinct is to say it¡¯s not dangerous to you.¡± Lopez pointed to the scan with the squiggles. ¡°The actual activity of your brain isn¡¯t anomalous, only intense. If you were staying here longer, I would perform more tests, including scans while you work more strenuous Shaping. But at this point, I¡¯d say cautiously, that as long as you proceed with care for your well-being, this doesn¡¯t seem to be hurting you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± Enoa thought of Tucker and his attacks on Orson or the way he¡¯d been tortured as a child. She thought of her own power. She wondered what the scan would have shown if it were taken when she¡¯d beaten Captain Maros or when she¡¯d fought Brett Nalrik. * * * ¡°There¡¯s the golden boy.¡± The small image of a woman resolved on the screen of Kol¡¯s personal terminal. The image was blurry, pixelated. The resolution was just good enough for Kol to see her vague outline, also dressed in a white Captain¡¯s uniform. He saw the distinct shade of her dark-blonde hair. ¡°He¡¯s here to grace a mere mortal with his presence.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about my reassignment, I didn¡¯t ask for it.¡± Kol defended himself only half-heartedly. He knew Brielle was the last person who would judge him poorly for his ambition. ¡°I thought you were actually dead,¡± she said. ¡°I thought they¡¯d have you cleaning latrines at Outpost Z. But I called you for a reason, and I need to get to that before I lose you.¡± ¡°Lose me? My recovery squad is leaving on a mission tomorrow morning. I don¡¯t have to go anywhere. You have me as long as you want.¡± Kol sat alone in his new quarters, now formally housed in the Philadelphia Liberty Corps Complex. He still wore his uniform, but only because he couldn¡¯t be sure who else might see his call with Brielle or who else might be observing all communications through the pylon network. ¡°You¡¯re cute,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. This call will drop. I called my parents yesterday, and my dad sounded like he was in a wind tunnel, for no reason, and then I couldn¡¯t get them again. This was still the best way to reach you. I had to let you know I¡¯m worried about your mission to Crater Base.¡± ¡°How do you know where we¡¯re going? Is there a listing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching for your name in official logs. I¡¯ve been looking for any news about you, ever since Duncan asked me to represent you at your hearing.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°He asked you?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Did you turn us down?¡± ¡°Of course not! I just can¡¯t leave here for weeks.¡± ¡°Duncan asked my brother behind my back too.¡± ¡°Stop interrupting!¡± Brielle raised her voice, still cheery, humored. ¡°Listen to me, Kol. I¡¯m not going to say anything about¡­¡± The blurry image vanished. Kol saw a dark screen and heard only static. ¡°See!¡± Brielle reappeared, now even blurrier. ¡°I¡¯m not calling to catch up, even though you owe me the story of how you got into trouble with an intelligence operative stationed two thousand miles away from you. I¡¯m calling because you need to change your travel plans. Eastern Division has been experimenting on the Thunderworks automatons that are still at Crater Base. Allegedly, some of them are active. The local garrison is no longer staying onsite. That¡¯s all off the books, but I sent a delivery team to them last month, and they came back talking about the eyes on the androids glowing.¡± ¡°I was told those machines hadn¡¯t moved in five years. We¡¯re scheduled to stay onsite with the garrison, but that¡¯s only because of the distance. We shouldn¡¯t need to be there more than a couple hours to do a search and data withdrawal from the terminal.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to step on your toes, but twelve men isn¡¯t enough to deal with a Thunderworks Strider, without major armament. You need to come to my outreach compound. We can supply you. We have disruption grenades and signal jammers that could get you past those automatons, if they are a threat.¡± ¡°How will I make a case for traveling over two hundred miles out of my way to get supplies, because of an off-the-books research project? There¡¯s no way, given our history, given¡­¡± ¡°Given the fact that you¡¯re noisy and you were repeatedly caught leaving my quarters at unseemly and suspicious hours of the night?¡± Kol couldn¡¯t see her expression, but he imagined her smile. ¡°We¡¯re not in the same company anymore,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing unprofessional about an Outreach force aiding Recovery. Please. I don¡¯t want to see you hurt by something bigger than you. I thought your career would be destroyed at your hearing. Then, I couldn¡¯t do anything to help. Now, I can.¡± ¡°If I accept your help, then we¡¯d be professionally associated again. I don¡¯t want that. I was looking forward to seeing you, as a Captain in my own right, and buying you a drink. Maybe¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s cute when you try to play coy, but you need to talk faster.¡± She laughed. ¡°Our connection will drop again! Your chivalry is still not enough to sweet-talk your way out of accepting my help. I¡¯ve seen those Thunderworks monsters. I won¡¯t let you go to them unprepared.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ve seen my share of monsters too, since we¡¯ve been together.¡± The reception cut out again, long enough for him to consider his plans. He spoke again when the grainy image returned. ¡°You could do one thing for me.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s another weak attempt to get away from my help, I¡¯ll hit you when I see you again.¡± ¡°Could you send me the specifications for the Thunderworks automatons studied at that base? I need to know what I¡¯m up against.¡± * * * ¡°Have you changed your mind, Captain Gregory?¡± Adelyn Castillo called down the long table toward Orson. The Commodore¡¯s Lounge was crowded ¨C over one hundred guests at many tables, live music, and a constantly replenished buffet. The reception extended through the majority of the crawler¡¯s ten-level bazaar. A portion of the bazaar¡¯s customers were randomly invited to the top-floor celebration, alongside Collective leadership. The crawler had arrived the day before, completing its journey only four days late. ¡°Have I changed my mind about what?¡± Orson hadn¡¯t expected to be called out. He was seated toward the middle of the long table and had to shout over a variety of conversations, to be heard. The surviving members of the Solar Saver Board of Directors were all present at the main table ¨C excluding Arnold Chambers, who was still recovering. Several Great Lakes Alliance representatives were also present. ¡°You were distrustful of the Solar Saver Collective during your investigation,¡± Adelyn said. ¡°And I¡¯m curious if that¡¯s changed. Everything came to a successful resolution, and I think it made a great case for the community that can be built here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very happy that things are resolved well,¡± he answered. ¡°And I, um, I wish everyone the very best of luck with your new business plans. I think we should all be relieved and grateful for how it all went.¡± ¡°How very noncommittal of you,¡± Commodore Augustin said. ¡°Come now, Captain, you don¡¯t work for me anymore. Do you still think an organization of this size is doomed to become a problem?¡± ¡°I think there will inevitably be problems, yeah.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°But don¡¯t ask my opinion. My job is to deal with the worst things in the world.¡± ¡°Exactly! Don¡¯t listen to him!¡± Kash yelled from the next table, where a group from the Heartland-6 had been seated. ¡°This is a man who is at his most excited when he¡¯s in danger, and he¡¯s not happy unless he has four or five people trying to shoot him. Everything here is too successful for him to know what to do with himself.¡± The engineer was seated between his two nephews, at a table filled primarily by Pops¡¯ extended family: his wife, Jen, their three children and their spouses, and most of their grandchildren. ¡°Mr. Armstrong may be on to something.¡± Chief Morita sat between his wife and his very bored-looking son. Nozomi¡¯s seat was empty. She and Enoa had left the table as soon as pre-banquet speeches and the first course of the meal had come to an end. ¡°Captain Gregory is quick with a joke when he¡¯s in trouble, but he¡¯s acted quiet and reserved all evening.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m a pretty cheerful dude, given what my job is,¡± Orson said. ¡°You all want my endorsement, fine. You can quote me ¨C the Solar Saver Collective is a great idea for our difficult time, as long as they aren¡¯t currently being infiltrated by a criminal conspiracy. Are you all happy, now?¡± The members of the board who knew him best laughed, but the rest of the table received his comments in silence. Commodore Augustin rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright, ladies and gentlemen.¡± Pops wiped his mouth and stood from his seat. ¡°I¡¯ll take Orson off your hands before he brings down the mood of the whole night. I¡¯ve wanted a tour of the bazaar for a while, but my incredible discipline and patience wasn¡¯t passed down to the grandkids. Orson can come along instead.¡± ¡°It really was a pleasure to help you fix this difficult situation.¡± Orson set his napkin beside his empty plate and stood. ¡°If I don¡¯t see you again before you head out,¡± he offered one of his two-fingers salutes. ¡°Safe travels.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get to see us make one of our deliveries,¡± Augustin said. ¡°I think you¡¯d appreciate the machinery of the delivery system.¡± ¡°Another time I guess.¡± He adjusted his suit jacket, an odd thing for him to do, without armor hidden in the fabric. Chief Morita¡¯s son, Ichiro, called down the table. ¡°Captain Gregory, may I please have another ride in the Aesir, before you leave?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s alright with your parents and one of them comes with you, then I¡¯m free all afternoon tomorrow. Come by whenever you want. The area around here looks pretty cool with all the snow.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Ichiro cheered. ¡°Thank you,¡± Chief Morita said. ¡°It¡¯s been an honor working with you, Captain.¡± ¡°The honor was mine,¡± Orson said. ¡°Good night, everyone.¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± Pops stood beside him. After a chorus of ¡®good nights¡¯ from the various Solar Saver Board members, Orson followed Pops from the lounge, taking the wide stair past security, into the bazaar. The top level of the bazaar was deafening. Food stall vendors shouted, offering noodles, hot dogs, Chicago deep-dish pizza, and assorted fried foods, creating a background cacophony to the revelry. The arts stalls and other vendors could hardly keep up with the noise of the late-dinner shouting, but there were currently more than enough customers to go around. Orson caught sight of a large gathering at an arcade. He spotted Enoa, Nozomi Morita, Jaleel and a whole collection of their contemporaries, Collective crew kids and Archers alike, most now wearing Collective badges on their shoulders. They were all involved in some kind of group dance game. Neither of Orson¡¯s young crewmates noticed him, and he followed after Pops. Pops did not walk toward any of the art stalls or attractions. He maneuvered his way through the crowd with the subtle grace of a longtime city resident. This was a skill Orson had never acquired, and he followed in Pops¡¯ wake. ¡°You¡¯re not planning to look around?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to,¡± he said. ¡°But we have business that could take a long while.¡± ¡°What business?¡± ¡°We need to figure out your equipment for your journey. You¡¯re leaving soon, correct?¡± ¡°I am. This has already taken too long.¡± Pops nodded. ¡°The Wayfarers Highway awaits.¡± Together they maneuvered their way to the stairwell, past cries for goods and foods and trinkets, past an acoustic guitar trio and a South American pan flute ensemble, past a familiar man in a circus ringmaster uniform, ¡°NetPass sold here! Explore the NewNet! Civilization has returned!¡± Pops led Orson away from the music and the noise of returning society, until the booming sounds of the huge gathering faded to a distant rumble. They exited the crawler at the ground level and trudged through the snow toward the Heartland-6 complex. ¡°The magnet boots Mr. Yaye stole from the Sabres have been resized.¡± Pops spoke only when they stepped inside the trailer that hid his workshop. The interior of the long building was dominated by a tiled hallway, decorated with classic movie posters. ¡°Mr. Yaye has been approved to spend his ten month work agreement as a crewman aboard the Aesir. Enoa¡¯s cloak has been lined with some of your extra armor. Mr. Yaye¡¯s archer suit can also be adapted, but that will use up the majority of your armor reserve. You won¡¯t have the stash you used to. The remainder probably isn¡¯t enough to line your suit jacket.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Orson followed Pops until they reached the maintenance room at the end of the hall. ¡°It¡¯s getting worse out there.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re getting older.¡± Pops chortled. ¡°Things start to seem more dangerous when you¡¯re actually in charge. You¡¯re a real captain now.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Orson followed Pops into a small closet. The room was hardly large enough for them to stand side-by-side, filled with mops and brooms, shelves of toolkits, racks of wrenches, cases of nails of all sizes. Pops slid the collection of mops aside until he could reach a dual outlet, at the wall. He removed the outlet¡¯s plating. Beneath it, waited a number pad. Pops input the passcode, then leaned forward, toward a hidden retinal scanner. One of the shelves slid aside, revealing a cramped elevator. They stepped inside. ¡°I had your guidance system updated too,¡± Pops continued. ¡°It¡¯ll take practice, but you should have an easier time wielding your blasters and operating your repulsor at the same time.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Orson said. ¡°I never used to fly the way I¡¯ve had to, lately.¡± The elevator descended to the secret sub-basement where Pops hid his workshop. ¡°Oh, and I hired Mr. Chet Hubbard, that fellow you saved in Trolley Town. Turns out he¡¯s a wiz at electrical maintenance, so that should work out for us and him.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m glad I could help that guy I still don¡¯t remember.¡± The elevator opened onto the workshop. This room didn¡¯t look like the interior of some drive-in movie theater. It was lined with transparent cases of weapons and equipment, computers, blasters, explosives, and other locked, vault-like doors. One entire suit of Strateren armor now stood inside one such case. ¡°Why did you really bring me here?¡± Orson stepped out of the elevator. ¡°You didn¡¯t walk me over here in the middle of the party just to give me routine updates. What¡¯s the big secret?¡± ¡°We need to talk while we¡¯ve got the chance.¡± Pops walked to one of the vaults and keyed a code on its lock. It swung open, and he drew out a tall block of black stone. It looked like obsidian with a gemstone embedded in each side. The gemstones glowed with an ominous red light, almost volcanic in appearance. Pops set the object on one of the workbenches in the center of the room. ¡°What are you doing with that, here?¡± Orson raised his voice, without thought. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t even have that, now. That was supposed to stay buried in California.¡± ¡°Red gave you this lantern for a reason.¡± Pops stepped away from the object. ¡°She wanted to keep you safe, then. I¡¯m sure she still does.¡± ¡°Sirona wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Orson walked away from Pops until he found the words. ¡°That¡¯s the thing with you, sometimes. You act like you know what¡¯s best for everybody. She gave me the lantern because I had Thunderworks trying to kill me, but they¡¯re gone. There¡¯s no one that dangerous in the whole world, now.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps could become that dangerous.¡± Pops kept his voice level and calm. He didn¡¯t shout. ¡°I know that tone of voice,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think that¡¯s bullshit, but fine, I¡¯ll listen to you. How on Earth would the Liberty Corps get that dangerous?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of major tech sitting around these last few years, and you¡¯ve seen what just a little bit of that can do in the hands of somebody like Nalrik. That¡¯s not even accounting for Shaping and other powers popping up everywhere. Imagine that on the scale of a whole world. And from what I¡¯m hearing, the nucleus of the Liberty Corps is made up of old IHSA. There is every chance that they will become the dominant government on this continent, and there are rumblings of similar groups forming all over the planet.¡± ¡°They still wouldn¡¯t be Thunderworks,¡± Orson said. ¡°The production lines are destroyed. Even if they¡¯ve secretly done nothing but rebuild the factories, it could take decades to get that kind of might.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more than one kind of strength. For all your issues with the old Hierarchia, you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to have the government against you, the actual, lawful government. You¡¯ve fought mostly terrorists or criminals, not the people who make all the rules. You don¡¯t know what that is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I think I got a pretty good idea of that when I first left home.¡± ¡°No. That was nothing. You¡¯ve got absolutely no goddamn idea what that can be. Look at me, Orson. I¡¯ve lived most of my life under a name the Hierarchia forced me to use.¡± His voice changed when he shouted. Pops spoke with just a tinge of an accent, just a hint of the man he once had been, long buried, long gone. Orson had never heard his benefactor drop character, and he gave up any attempt at argument. ¡°They owned me,¡± Pops said. ¡°I passed on the name they gave me to my children. No one will ever know Kieran O¡¯Fay, and none of my descendants will ever have my name. That¡¯s the kind of power that only governments have. That¡¯s the kind of power millions of scared people can give to the Liberty Corps. Compared to that kind of danger, this little lantern is nothing. Your ex-girlfriend is the least of your worries.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just feel like this is a betrayal of her trust. I¡¯ll think about it¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± Pops raised his right hand. ¡°While I¡¯m yelling at you, I might as well get all the shouting done at the same time. What the hell is the Dreamside Road? I know you¡¯re chasing after this thing because HE was after it, but that¡¯s not good enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the treasure trove that the¡­¡± Orson began. ¡°That the Dreamthought Project stole from the Hierarchia and the League of Earth¡¯s Nations.¡± Pops nodded. ¡°I know, but what is it? What will you do if it¡¯s a history museum¡¯s worth of artifacts? Hide them someplace else? Destroy them so they can¡¯t fall into the ¡®wrong hands¡¯? Will you stay with them forever to guard them? Just because the most dangerous people in the world wanted this treasure, and you helped defeat them once, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re the right person for this.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Orson threw his arms in the air. ¡°What do you want from me, Pops? Do you want me to pack it in, write a nice apology to the Liberty Corps, send them a fruit tray, and spend the rest of my days hiding somewhere?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Pops said. ¡°But there¡¯s a lot to consider, so you¡¯d better start now, and you better take any weapon, anything that could help you. This Dreamside Road is like nothing you¡¯ve ever gone after before.¡± ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± Orson walked past Pops toward the locked safe that had held the lantern. From inside he brought out a steel gray case lined with heavy foam. ¡°I think you should go into this with your eyes open. Look at what stealing the Opal did to change your life.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t compare me to the kid I was at eighteen.¡± ¡°No, because for the most part, you¡¯ve grown a lot in the last eleven or twelve years. It¡¯s my job to keep you honest. I didn¡¯t learn my lessons when I was young. I always wormed my way out of trouble, until I couldn¡¯t. If thirty-year-old me was standing in your shoes, I¡¯d jump in with both feet and find myself in a bad position, and I want better for you. Every time you go up against somebody like the Five Point Palm or that Tucker you told me about, I think, ¡®well, this is finally the time one of those super-powered freaks kills him¡¯. You¡¯re just a man, not some supernatural anomaly. You¡¯ve given up so much already, and I want to see you live long enough to retire off into the sunset.¡± ¡°I appreciate your advice, Pops, as always.¡± Orson set the case on the workbench beside the lantern. He lifted the stone by its thin handle and held it, felt the heat radiating from the glowing red stones. Then he set the lantern into the padded case. ¡°But you worry too much.¡± He sealed the case. ¡°You know what a careful guy I am.¡± 60 - Crater Base The Solar Saver Crawler left two days later, taking with it the full caravan of followers and over two hundred new Collective employees. Commodore Augustin, Adelyn Castillo, the four Moritas, and the assembled Wuyar Archers, along with Jaleel¡¯s parents and younger sisters, gathered on the crawler transport¡¯s rear walkway, bidding farewell to a son and brother, to new friends, and to a harrowing chapter in their lives. The silence settled in immediately. Pops¡¯ personnel went back to their normal work. The Aesir was left alone in its snowy landing field, waiting for only a handful of logistics before its own journey began again. ¡°Alright.¡± Orson held his datapad, now displaying his ship supply lists. He knew his new crew members were both consumed with their own interests, but this final check was mostly for his benefit. ¡°You two have your clothing, bedding, and all your various bathroom and toiletry supplies, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jaleel was in the process of fitting multiple long cases inside one of the overhead lockers. ¡°I have everything, boss. I don¡¯t think we need to go through this a fourth time.¡± Enoa did not reply. She sat on the couch, her Shaping bracelet in her lap. She¡¯d found a small panel on the inside of the device and slipped it open. She was in the process of inspecting it. ¡°You need to let me take a look at your bracelet.¡± Jaleel watched her work. ¡°Anything that small with a computer and a hologram projector is serious technology. You¡¯re gonna want a better understanding of that thing than whatever RPG-magic information it gives to you when you put it on.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Enoa set the bracelet aside. ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know. I just assumed my aunt¡¯s movies would explain what it is.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Did something happen with that bracelet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Enoa, that thing knew you did magic when you weren¡¯t wearing it, and it knew what kind of magic you did. If you¡¯re going to wander around with the magic Pokedex device on your arm ¨C a magidex ¨C you gotta at least know what it¡¯s called.¡± ¡°It knew what?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you wear that thing in a while.¡± ¡°I put it on for the first time since we left the crawler,¡± Enoa explained. ¡°It showed me a hologram and complemented my Anemos combustion ¨C I¡¯m guessing it meant the one I used on Nalrik, but I wasn¡¯t even wearing it then.¡± ¡°It knew she did magic when she wasn¡¯t wearing it,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Shaping,¡± Enoa corrected. ¡°Okay,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Shaping, sure. It detected her explosion hundreds of feet away. If her aunt isn¡¯t gonna explain that thing to her, then we need to figure it out.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s worth looking at,¡± Orson said. ¡°Can you bring up old holograms? I only briefly got a look at that, and I honestly figured it was safe because Sucora left it for you.¡± ¡°If I can bring holograms back, I don¡¯t know how.¡± Enoa fit the back on the bracelet and slipped it onto her wrist. It resized to fit her, but did nothing more. ¡°I have a picture of the hologram it showed her.¡± Jaleel fit a case inside the locker, then closed it. He pulled a smartphone from his pocket. ¡°When did you get a picture of it?¡± Enoa shot him an incredulous glance. ¡°If I see something weird or potentially dangerous, I get a picture of it. I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ve been camera-ready since I was seven, when it got leaked that the IHSA met aliens. Going forward, I¡¯ll ask permission to get pictures of your Shaping things.¡± He handed the phone to Orson.
Fantastic combustion (new user)!
That¡¯s a rare skill to master so early in your training, but be careful. It can be taxing without the proper control. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself!
RANK: Advanced Beginner
LEVEL: 5
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty weird that it could sense you that far away. How does it sense you to begin with?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I really thought the films would tell me what it was and how to use it. Maybe they still will. Some of them have subtitles in my aunt¡¯s tiny handwriting ¨C there¡¯s one about emergency combat I¡¯m going to watch next.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll need to figure it out. Now, let¡¯s finish inventory.¡± Enoa and Jaleel groaned. ¡°This is the last time we¡¯ll go through this, I promise, but Pops is the best chance we have to resupply.¡± ¡°But I thought we were flying over old Route Sixty-six,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Isn''t that the big trade route again? They have to have some good stuff.¡± ¡°We¡¯re flying over,¡± Orson said. ¡°But only for part of the trip. With all the alliances and factions operating now, I¡¯d really rather just bypass most of that. Okay, I resupplied the MedKit and added some emergency EpiPens.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have allergies,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You don¡¯t have allergies in the Midwest,¡± Orson corrected. ¡°Who knows where we¡¯ll wind up? All we need is to be in a rainforest and have some awful reaction to something hundreds of miles from the nearest drug store.¡± He tapped at the datapad. ¡°Okay, do you two have a painkiller preference? I¡¯m an ibuprofen man, myself, but we can get a second case if you respond better to acetaminophen or something else. Dr. Lopez also hooked us up with a very small supply of morphine, but it was expensive and difficult to get, and she gave me a whole page of warnings about it, so hopefully we¡¯ll never need it.¡± ¡°How injured do you think we¡¯re gonna get?¡± Jaleel asked. The incoming-message chime sounded at the dashboard. Orson set the pad aside and hurried to the front of the cabin. ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°I heard back from my friend Eloise.¡± He accepted the call. ¡°Hey, how are you? It¡¯s great¡­¡± ¡°Typical Orson Gregory!¡± A woman spoke through the comm. ¡°Only show up when you need something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve been tied up with this treasure hunt for months. You aren¡¯t gonna believe some of the people after this thing, the stories I have to tell you¡­¡± ¡°Months?¡± Eloise replied. ¡°Orson, I haven¡¯t seen you in two and a half years.¡± ¡°No!¡± Orson said. ¡°I was with you and your family on Thanksgiving, last year.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°That was three Thanksgivings ago.¡± Her feigned annoyance broke, and she laughed. ¡°My dad kept saying ¡®somebody finally got poor Orson. Somebody finally got him.¡¯ But I assumed you were just being a lousy friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Orson said. ¡°How is everyone? I didn¡¯t mean to lose touch. It¡¯s been a weird time, even for me. There¡¯s a lot we need to catch up on.¡± ¡°Well, you can tell us all about it soon. Carlos can¡¯t wait to meet you. All this time we¡¯ve dated, and he¡¯s never met anybody from our old crew. He¡¯s only heard the stories.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting him too,¡± Orson said. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard from anyone else either then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard from some of the others, but I haven¡¯t seen any of them. How¡¯s your new crew? Pops says you¡¯re recruiting a band of warrior teenagers.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one teenager here!¡± Enoa called from her seat. ¡°Gramps doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost twenty!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Gramps?¡± Eloise laughed. ¡°I bet he loves that. I didn¡¯t realize Orson had anyone else on the call. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just trying to bother my old friend.¡± ¡°We bother him too,¡± Enoa said. ¡°That¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m an excellent crewmember. Isn¡¯t that right, boss?¡± ¡°Boss?¡± Eloise laughed. ¡°Things really have changed for you, haven¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Less than I¡¯d like,¡± Orson said. ¡°Eloise, this is the new crew, Enoa Cloud and Jaleel Yaye. Enoa and Jaleel, meet Eloise Corwin.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Hi, fellow wayfarer,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Nice to meet you, warrior children,¡± Eloise replied. ¡°You still talk to Pops?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I don¡¯t hear from him too often,¡± Eloise said. ¡°He called two days ago. I think he was making sure we hadn¡¯t been murdered by wandering marauders, before you flew out here.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Orson said. ¡°Standard Pops.¡± ¡°Exactly. So you¡¯re planning on being here tomorrow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re finishing our packing today and¡­¡± ¡°We finished our packing yesterday,¡± Jaleel interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s just forced us to check it all, fifteen times.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting the new crew,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Some of the news I have to share with you isn¡¯t too great, but it¡¯ll be really good to see you again.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°It will be good to catch up. Depending on timing, we might stop by the Midway, but we should get to you sometime tomorrow afternoon.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Safe travels! I¡¯ll talk to you then.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Orson said. ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± Orson switched off the comm and turned around in the driver¡¯s seat. Jaleel had finished his packing. Enoa continued fiddling with her bracelet. ¡°Where were we?¡± Orson walked to his datapad. ¡°That¡¯s right, medical supplies.¡± Enoa and Jaleel groaned again. * * * Kol¡¯s squad had set out just after dawn, driving west and then south. The procession left the embattled northeast behind them, keeping to intact roads and routes controlled by the Liberty Corps. Kol drove, allowing both Duncan and Max to turn to their reading. That suited him just fine. He¡¯d spent enough recent time thinking, dwelling on troubling truths, dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. The immediacy of driving kept him grounded, and his new rover effortlessly maneuvered even the snowiest roadways. He¡¯d managed to dig out a working pair of headphones. He listened to his Iron mantra tape and worked on breathing. He had to shed his doubt. Rule the mind. Command Iron. Three times the procession stopped, twice at Liberty Corps outlier refueling stations, and also at a small diner and motel in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Most of Kol¡¯s rover crews switched drivers, but he kept driving. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Kol had seldom left the Philadelphia region during his time as Newtown Division Captain. When he last traveled inland, the continent was still reeling from Thunderworks. Roads were at their worst. He and Duncan had driven as part of a fifty-vehicle-strong traveling-party, working to reach the Liberty Corps training grounds. Since that time, roads had been rebuilt and cities had grown. His own native Philadelphia region¡¯s population had never been higher. Outlying regions, on the contrary, were empty. They passed town after town, deserted. Other than scattered farms and the assorted industrial plant, businesses that demanded space, nonessential settlements had evaporated. People sought safety in numbers, driving an urban influx, building metropolitan areas into city-states. Kol wondered at the logic of that choice. The outlying areas had been more dangerous in the flailing, half-lawless aftermath of Thunderworks and destabilization. But for the well-prepared, weren¡¯t such places safer? Thunderworks and their fleet of stolen IHSA warships had ignored anywhere that wasn¡¯t a major governmental center, a military target, or connected to nationwide infrastructure or energy production. The wide swaths of countryside Kol and his squad traveled were empty of both people and damage from the cataclysmic battles against Thunderworks. This was land that could be settled and lived on, land likely safer than many cities, now that the Liberty Corps worked to rebuild and maintain the highways that connected them. But it was abandoned. Nature reclaimed towns. The great forests of eastern North America had begun to grow again, for the first time in centuries. The sun had begun to set, when Kol saw the first crater, on the outskirts of the Ozark Mountains. The crater was small enough that it could have been a natural formation or the result of reckless construction ¨C at least it looked that way from a distance. The closer they drove, the stranger the ditch appeared. No grass grew there. The five foot-wide trench was overgrown, but only by weeds. Some type of tangling, thorny vines and tall seed-pod bearing stalks grew there. Under the foliage waited the remains of IHSA transports. Kol saw two tanks, a trio of cannon-mount mechs, and a rover of the same make as his own. ¡°We¡¯re getting close,¡± Kol said. ¡°This is where the Hierarchia Omega Sector tried to keep Thunderworks from reaching their storeroom. Imagine what it was like for those people, trying to fight forces using your own weapons against you.¡± ¡°Puts the Dreamside Road into perspective.¡± Duncan spoke without looking up from his papers. ¡°If the Dreamthought Project had used the artifacts they stole, we¡¯d be talking about them the same way we do Thunderworks.¡± Kol saw in the rearview mirror that Max had looked up from his research. His brother did not speak. ¡°I¡¯d start cleaning up, both of you,¡± Kol said. ¡°It won¡¯t be long now. The garrison prefab was built in a clear space in the old battlefield.¡± More craters followed the first. Some were only feet deep, shallow enough that they could be the result of some landscaping project, rather than warfare. Others were true craters, rents in the earth, practically caverns, deep enough to hide buildings. All of the holes meant death. All of the craters showed places where IHSA defenders had been struck down, blasted from the sky, annihilated with their own weaponry. A head peered out of one of the craters. The head was the size of a small car, robotic, severed at the neck by repeated projectiles. It was propped against the edge of one of the small craters, its forty-foot body lying broken in many pieces. The head had been built a blank gray, but a wide, leering grin had been painted across the metal. The artwork was crude, but oddly lifelike in the half-light. ¡°Good.¡± Kol looked at the fallen machine for only a moment. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± * * * The Aesir crew engaged in the ritual of good-byes. Once the Solar Saver crawler had gone, Enoa and Jaleel only had a handful of farewells to attend to, but the majority of the Heartland-6 crew gathered together to offer parting words to Orson. ¡°How long are your parents going to stay on the crawler?¡± Enoa finished locking away the clean plate from her breakfast. ¡°Only until Jordyn is settled in,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The crew quarters are too small for them to stay there for long, but I¡¯m glad they went first. The crawler seems so freaky it¡¯ll be a while before they realize I¡¯m in a lot more danger than she is. I¡¯m hopeful, though, that Pops and his information network will let me get messages back.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Hopefully.¡± She¡¯d had her own plans to keep up with current events in Nimauk, but she¡¯d pursued nothing of the sort. Her training and eventually her exhaustion had consumed her. She¡¯d barely spared a thought for her home, except through the gift Orson had left for her, the day before ¨C the painting he¡¯d bought at Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. Orson had set the depiction of the Nimauk Valley into a heavy black frame. Enoa, I thought you¡¯d like a little piece of home. I¡¯m sorry the Solar Saver job took a bit longer than expected. I hope I didn¡¯t waste too many days out of your year away from home. You did a lot of good. I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve managed a (mostly) peaceful solution, without you. Hopefully we¡¯ll be back on track to finding that island soon. Orson With Jaleel¡¯s help, Enoa had hung the painting beside her bed. She appreciated the gesture, but its presence gave her an odd feeling, nostalgia and fear, at once. ¡°Looks like more people are showing up to say good-bye.¡± Jaleel looked out through the windshield. ¡°How many¡­ Wait, those people have musical instruments.¡± He opened the Aesir¡¯s side door. Enoa followed him, as he walked back out into the snow. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Enoa found an entire collection of musicians gathered there. A team of the Heartland-6 crew in gray coveralls and winter coats were assembling risers, nearby. ¡°Pops organized a performance of The Wayfarer March.¡± Orson stood outside in his new armored coat. He nodded to the crowd of musicians. Pops, Kash, and Doctor Lopez stood with him. ¡°We got the audio from the end of the Wintertide Festival,¡± Pops said. ¡°And I don¡¯t like some of it, so I¡¯m staging another recording before you fly off. This way we can get some images of the musicians too, and transition from the live audio to a new studio recording. It¡¯ll be useful for the film pitch.¡± ¡°The Wayfarer March?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Film pitch? I am so lost, right now.¡± ¡°The Wayfarer March is Orson¡¯s theme song,¡± Enoa said. ¡°His theme song?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I think I¡¯m more confused. What real people get theme songs? Professional wrestlers, maybe. Is Orson, like, John Cena, or something?¡± ¡°Orson¡¯s theme is from a movie that didn¡¯t happen, and it¡¯s based on his memoir that made no money,¡± Enoa said. ¡°At least, that¡¯s as much as I know.¡± ¡°Frosty¡¯s Finest Studios wanted to make some new movies for our drive-ins,¡± Pops explained. ¡°We had a whole bunch of them planned, about Orson and his crew or Sirona Birgham with her fire sorcery. We thought we were safe starting with Orson ¨C the world¡¯s first Fantasy-Adventure Biopic. But that was not true, at least not then. Maybe we can get something off the ground, now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the Frosty¡¯s Finest name all about?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I decided on that name when I owned the World¡¯s Largest Snowman,¡± Pops said. ¡°That was yours?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I heard of that.¡± ¡°Your greatest idea, Earl,¡± Kash said. ¡°Rest in peace, you beautiful icicle.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°So everything here is named after weird or failed business ideas?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you,¡± Kash said. ¡°After Earl let you keep three pair of those magnetic boots to modify, you should be getting down on your knees, thanking him.¡± ¡°Easy, pal,¡± Pops said. ¡°I like the kid¡¯s audacity. He¡¯ll need it where he¡¯s going.¡± ¡°Can we go?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Or are you going to have us stand in a line, heroically?¡± ¡°I already have a heroic shot of the three of you from the security cameras in the Age of the Dinosaurs,¡± Pops said. ¡°I have no problem if you¡¯re ready to leave.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no privacy with you at all, is there, Gramps?¡± Enoa smiled so he knew she was joking. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright.¡± Pops smiled with her. ¡°Be safe out there, Enoa.¡± ¡°Get out, while you still can,¡± Kash said. ¡°Don¡¯t get too caught up in Orson¡¯s crazy quests.¡± ¡°This is equally my crazy quest.¡± Enoa finally felt properly recuperated, like the promise of a return to the road had relieved her of whatever fatigue remained from the battle. She felt even better than normal. Every time she weathered the Shaping exhaustion it was like some muscle in her mind grew back stronger. ¡°Jaleel¡¯s the one who¡¯s been caught up. Warn him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t,¡± Kash said. ¡°Keep in mind what we talked about,¡± Dr. Lopez said. ¡°And feel free to get in touch if anything happens where you need advice.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It was nice meeting all of you.¡± She returned to the Aesir while Orson finished his good-byes, Jaleel resolved his half-argument with Kash, and the assembled musicians started warming up. Enoa thought she spotted several of the musicians who had formerly been aboard the Solar Saver Crawler, including the flute group, an electric string ensemble, and the horn section from the Bassam Band. By the time the assembled musicians were gathered together, Jaleel had joined her in the Aesir. Two extra cushioned seats had been added to the front of the cabin. Jaleel sat in one of these, behind Enoa. ¡°After we leave here today,¡± he said. ¡°We will start competing for shotgun.¡± Enoa had no reply, and she didn¡¯t need one. The ragtag orchestra began to play, loud enough with the external microphone active that she would¡¯ve had to shout over them to be heard. Orson stayed outside for the full performance of the march. Then he boarded and took the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°There¡¯s a narcissistic side to you,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Do you know that?¡± ¡°I was gonna set you up with my theme song guy, but maybe I won¡¯t.¡± Orson stared the takeoff cycle and hit the flight control. The Aesir lifted from the ground. ¡°Aesir, you¡¯re clear for takeoff.¡± Pops spoke through the comm. ¡°Good luck, kids.¡± ¡°Take care of yourselves.¡± Orson guided the Aesir into the sky, giving them all a great view of the six film screens, the snowy fields, and Route 66 stretching into the distance. ¡°Do you think the musicians have an encore in them?¡± ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable,¡± Enoa said, laughing. ¡°Are you going to do this every time we leave somewhere?¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Don¡¯t upset him. I want a theme song too!¡± The Aesir lingered to take in the first triumphant fanfare of The Wayfarer March¡¯s encore. Then it blasted away, flying high above the road into the west. * * * Three Thunderworks Striders stood on the other side of the rebuilt wall into the enclosed compound. Their outer armor was weathered and muddy from five and a half years in the elements, but their eyes still glowed. These Striders stood over twenty feet tall, enough for their heads to be visible over the old IHSA compound¡¯s walls. Kol slept little the night before. The local garrison had given them lodging. Kol could see the wall and the Striders from his bed. He saw their glowing eyes and they reminded him of something. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on the memory, but it made him uneasy. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Liberty Corps clean up those androids?¡± Max asked, staring out the window toward the base and the Striders. ¡°Why not collect them for study or destroy them?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s a little scared of the Striders,¡± Kol said. ¡°How many cities did those machines attack? If people knew the Liberty Corps was studying them, that would be terrible for public opinion. But they¡¯re also IHSA-made, so why destroy them? I suppose Corps leadership decided it was better to study them here.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure they aren¡¯t active?¡± Max asked. ¡°They have power of some kind.¡± ¡°They do have power,¡± Kol said. ¡°But all reports mention the eyes and some slight motion. They aren¡¯t destroyed, but they¡¯re not fully active, either.¡± Even in the morning light, the eyes had a piercing quality, as the machines stared at nothing. ¡°According to my information,¡± Kol spoke to his assembled forces. ¡°The only automatons still intact were built for riot control by the IHSA¡¯s Gamma Sector. If they are active, they will attempt to detain you in a torso-capture cell, for dissidents. They¡¯re strong, but with weak spots at the joints.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll drive in close to the old outpost¡¯s terminal building and maintain armed positions while Operative Racz and Information Officer Bauer complete the data transfer. Any questions?¡± The Crater Base observation crew watched them leave the prefab lodging and gather in front of the outpost¡¯s walls. The local garrison said little and offered only general small talk. They had not mingled and had not associated with Kol¡¯s squad. Kol doubted these men and women had anything to do with the research Brielle had referenced. ¡°Those machines haven¡¯t walked on their own in half a decade,¡± Garrison Captain Schwartz had said. ¡°My mission is to watch this place. I¡¯m at no liberty to say more than that.¡± Kol couldn¡¯t ignore the sarcasm in the Captain¡¯s voice. Were these individuals placed here as punishment, forced to operate in the shadow of such an eerie and threatening sight? Could this have been Kol¡¯s fate if Czar Ilias had not intervened for him? But there was no point in speculating. Kol¡¯s squad scattered back into their rovers. All were now in their full armor. They kept their weapons ready. The truck team loaded and primed its roof gun. ¡°I think you should stay with the locals.¡± Kol found his brother preparing to enter the rover, by way of the rear modular ramp. ¡°It could be dangerous.¡± ¡°I want to access the records.¡± Max ascended the ramp. ¡°That¡¯s why I came. I made a commitment to do this research. But if you order me to stay behind, Captain, I will of course comply.¡± Kol looked at the Striders and their vacant expressions. He wasn¡¯t prepared to deal with the complexity of emotions involved with leaving Max behind. It was overwhelming and a choice that ran counter to his better professional judgment. ¡°Have you kept up with your marksmanship?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have the accuracy I used to,¡± Max said. ¡°But I¡¯m sure I could hit a target the size of a building.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Kol watched the rest of his squad prepare. He exchanged glances with Garrison Captain Schwartz. ¡°Permission to enter IHSA Outpost Nu?¡± Scwartz lifted a radio to his lips. Kol climbed into his rover. He watched the new steel door, fitted to the broken cement wall, destroyed in the siege. Duncan had a high-yield data retriever in his lap. He had his holstered pistol and another rifle, at the ready. When the door opened, Kol drove inside. He immediately saw why this facility had been renamed Crater Base. The interior of the former outpost was now pockmarked like the surface of the moon. The craters were still littered with destroyed tanks and the broken pieces of Thunderworks drones and automatons. Kol had seen the Striders¡¯ glowing eyes over the wall and knew about the machines from pictures and recordings, but it had not prepared him for seeing them in person. Kol couldn¡¯t help but notice their detainment cells. They were transparent, bulletproof glass, designed to deter further resistance, designed for potential adversaries to see the fear in the eyes of those already captured. The IHSA had built their Striders to store captives in their see-through gullets. These were weapons of terror. There were skeletons in those cells, dead captives. The prisoners wore old IHSA uniforms. They¡¯d been caught some time before the machines deactivated after the Thunderworks motherships were destroyed. The prisoners had been left inside without food, without water. ¡°God almighty,¡± Max whispered. ¡°They left them in there, all these years. Why?¡± Kol shuddered at the thought and at the horrible irony of those deaths. He lead his squad deeper into the complex. The road, at least, was intact. Had the Liberty Corps repaired it or had the Thunderworks automatons and their masters left the roadway unmarred for some unknown purpose? Kol could see the main terminal building grow in the distance, a low, squat, concrete structure with a rectangular satellite dish on the roof ¨C not far. In the rearview mirror, Kol saw one of the Striders turn its head to watch them drive away. 61 - Requisitions Day ¡°And the bathroom also has an emergency eye wash.¡± Orson flew the Aesir through the lower cloud cover, guiding their flight by the ship¡¯s scopes and his visor¡¯s HUD. They¡¯d been traveling three hours. They left the cold Great Lakes far behind them. Miles below, the terrain changed from grasslands to an arid flat expanse. ¡°But I really don¡¯t know how to use the eye washer, so don¡¯t get stuff in your eyes. We¡¯re all adults here, right? We should, hopefully, be able to avoid most eye-related incidents.¡± Orson pulled back on the wheel and sent them above the clouds. The windshield adjusted for the sudden, intense sunlight. ¡°I have some questions,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But it¡¯s a little complicated.¡± ¡°We have a while before we get to the restaurant, go ahead.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not about the ship¡¯s bathroom,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s about everything else. I don¡¯t really get what the Dreamside Road is, who the Dreamthought Project was, how they relate to Thunderworks or the IHSA, or how magic, er, Shaping works. I thought the Sabre stuff was complicated, but that boiled down to ¡®bad men have space armor¡¯. I could deal with that.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Orson continued the Aesir on its level course above the clouds. ¡°Enoa, we¡¯ve talked about the old conspiracy. Did I explain it well enough to you?¡± ¡°I think I understand it,¡± she said. ¡°The IHSA was an intergovernmental agency made up of people from all different countries. It seems like, at first, they genuinely wanted to keep people safe. I¡¯m not sure what happened, but I guess they decided that all of the powers and certain technology and things needed to be studied, away from most people. But eventually, they wanted to control what they were studying. They wanted to use the power, not just keep it away from society. There was a program to teach normal people to use what you call magic, but eventually those people defected. When they left, they took a collection of powerful artifacts the Hierarchia thought could be weaponized.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s the Dreamthought Project taking the Dreamside Road,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°So the IHSA operated kinda like the SCP Foundation?¡± ¡°When you make your references, that you know I won¡¯t possibly get,¡± Orson said. ¡°What answer do you think I¡¯ll give you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± Enoa said. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty reasonable comparison, as far as I know, except this was real. The IHSA was trying to quantify the phenomenon they studied.¡± ¡°If I can add some boring legislative crap,¡± Orson said. ¡°Some crazy shit went down during World War Two, things the governments of the world couldn¡¯t ignore. Almost all of the League of Nations countries signed the International Hierarchia Statute. It¡¯s a really boring name, but it gave the Statute¡¯s enforcement agency free rein to control anomalies, in secret. By the time I ran into them, they had militarized forces. They detained anything related to High Strangeness, human enhancement, other biological entities, technological leaps, like the Aesir¡­¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It sounds like a mess.¡± ¡°When I think about it, it makes some sense we wound up in the bad global state we did,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think I have a chart stashed away somewhere about their study topics. I¡¯m a guy with a flaming sword and a flying camper, so I operate right at the intersection of secret, but explained stuff and secret, but unexplained stuff. Would my elementary school-style word-web be helpful?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That would be extremely helpful. Am I allowed to know a little bit more about how the two of you connect to this? Like, I want the full infodump, okay?¡± ¡°We can easily give you a summary that¡¯s not, uh, infodump length,¡± Orson said. ¡°My aunt, Sucora, was a member of the Dreamthought Project,¡± Enoa said. ¡°So was Orson¡¯s mentor. I¡¯m trying to figure out what my aunt¡¯s role in all of this was. The IHSA believed certain people were more capable of learning Shaping than others, and they thought my aunt¡¯s Nimauk heritage meant she¡¯d be one of them. She said it had no tie to our culture, but she wanted me to learn Shaping, anyway. But that¡¯s just me. Orson says he¡¯s doing this out of pettiness.¡± ¡°Pettiness?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I don¡¯t follow.¡± ¡°I was being obnoxious when I said that to you, Enoa.¡± Orson lowered them back into the cloud cover. These were light-gray clouds, low precipitation, clear reception for the Aesir¡¯s scopes. ¡°But it¡¯s mostly true. I know people that I really don¡¯t want to get a treasure trove of artifacts with unexplained power. I got started in this business stealing from the Hierarchia, after they tried to destroy me. I outlived the bastards, but the job still isn¡¯t done.¡± ¡°And how do Pops and this Eloise connect to it all?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always been something of an underground adventure-industry,¡± Orson said. ¡°We all got pulled into that business by getting screwed over by the IHSA, in one way or another. We started working together officially, when the League of Nations realized how out of control the IHSA had become and still wanted an off-the-books response force. Eloise was a community advisor because this rogue IHSA operative did freaky experiments in her town, poisoned their water, bred cryptid critters, you name it.¡± ¡°So there was a whole secret underworld of Fantasy adventures that slowly got lumped together with the space technology,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You were in an adventurers¡¯ guild? This Eloise was a member of your group, and Pops was like the job-board guy?¡± ¡°Uhh, sort of,¡± Orson said. ¡°We went through all kinds of crazy adventures back when it was still mostly underground. Most of our group retired or disappeared after Thunderworks, though. It¡¯s just me now and gigs from Pops.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m getting it now,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°All of this comes from the IHSA¡¯s mission to control the high-concept shenanigans going on.¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Orson said. ¡°There are some boring minutiae with the economics and some complicated issues with the different types of anomalies, but that¡¯s mostly the size of it. It was all deniable to some degree until Thunderworks made the whole world face the music.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I bet it took you a long time to win all the crazy gear you have. Was it mostly post-battle loot or was it given to you as payment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big mix.¡± Orson sent the Aesir down below the clouds. Most of the ground beneath them was empty of settlement, but there was something in the distance, visible because of its contrast with the sparse landscape around it. ¡°I solved a riddle with my buddy Ted, to get the sword. The boot and the HUD visor are loot. A lot of my minor weapons are gifts. My Stink Set was a present from the inventor. The coat armor is¡­ complicated.¡± ¡°Thanks for lending us some armor, by the way,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how light it is! It¡¯s like indestructible fabric ¨C that¡¯s a whole other conversation I want to have. What about the Aesir? Kash mentioned a scientist, Alice?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m watching this boat for Alice Sun,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s complicated too, and that might be one of the stories that would take a really long time to tell.¡± He pointed out the windshield. ¡°We¡¯re just about there.¡± ¡°What about you, Enoa?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Are you bonded to your staff Harry Potter-style?¡± ¡°I inherited all of my equipment,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I was connected to any of this until the Liberty Corps thought that my aunt hid the Dreamside Road under our property and burned my home to get at it. I¡¯ve been studying Shaping for less than two months. Your guess, on most of this, is as good as mine.¡± ¡°I have questions about that, too,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to know that the world is full of all these concepts and another thing to be right up with it. Is it just me or is it pretty cool?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely cool,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Lately, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve really appreciated the things I¡¯ve done and learned because we¡¯ve been in so much danger. It¡¯s taking a while to become useful in situations, but it¡¯s incredible how capable I feel, and it¡¯s awesome seeing all these interesting places.¡± ¡°Watch out,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s how you find yourselves still flying around, like this, after almost twelve years.¡± ¡°Please, ¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m kinda stuck,¡± Enoa added. ¡°Aunt Sucora robbed the IHSA. Either I¡¯ll spend my life under the radar or I¡¯m probably going to be involved one way or another.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°There are ways out if you want out,¡± Orson said. ¡°I know people who have managed normal lives, but I think, in your case, you might need to openly surrender your aunt¡¯s remaining belongings for people to leave you alone.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d rather just learn to be really skilled,¡± she said. ¡°Then I can travel wherever I want, whenever I want. Traveling¡¯s the best part. I can¡¯t believe I went five years without leaving Nimauk. I hardly ever left my street.¡± ¡°Well, now you¡¯re thousands of miles from home and about to go somewhere new,¡± Orson said. ¡°Full disclosure, I¡¯m not sure how vegan-friendly this place is.¡± ¡°I had a big breakfast,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I can get a soda if there¡¯s nothing else.¡± ¡°They do have french fries.¡± Orson angled the Aesir down toward the road and the lone town on the small highway, beneath them. ¡°There¡¯s no sense setting down too far away to avoid notice. There aren¡¯t many limits to visibility out here.¡± ¡°Where are we?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Eastern New Mexico.¡± Orson landed and waited for the Aesir to transition back into camper mode. Then he drove. ¡°We¡¯re at about the halfway point of the old Mother Road highway.¡± The road was empty as they entered the small ¡°city¡± of Halfpoint ¨C population 110. Orson caught sight of at least one face stealing glances at them, as they passed. Other than that, there was no sign of another living soul, not even a car in sight. It was like a well-preserved ghost town. ¡°This reminds me of the last time we visited one of your favorite stops,¡± Enoa said. ¡°This place screams Fort Mayhill.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a reference I don¡¯t get,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Does Mayhill mean bad?¡± ¡°Potentially,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Maybe just fly us out of here?¡± But Orson had already parked in front of a small diner at the center of Halfpoint. A sign on the door read ¡®open¡¯, but there were no cars on the entire street. The Aesir sat alone. Before he shut off the engine, a white-haired woman in an apron ran from the restaurant. She waved and approached the driver¡¯s side front window. Orson rolled it down. ¡°You¡¯ll want to clear out quick,¡± she said. ¡°Today¡¯s Requisitions Day. They¡¯ll have that camper, if you¡¯re not careful. Wouldn¡¯t be the first travelers they left stranded.¡± ¡°My friends and I wanted to grab a bite to eat at your restaurant,¡± Orson said. ¡°We won¡¯t be in town long, and if there are bandits robbing you, we¡¯re more than prepared to deal with it.¡± ¡°Deal with it?¡± the woman said. ¡°Where are you coming from? You look like you¡¯re headed west, but then you must have seen Governor Sloan¡¯s men. They hold this road. ¡± ¡°This boat is stealthier than it looks,¡± Orson said. ¡°We must¡¯ve missed him. Who¡¯s Governor Sloan?¡± ¡°Regional Governor of the Liberty Corps.¡± The woman¡¯s expression changed from one fear to another. She looked at Orson and the Aesir and knew without doubt that something uncanny had rolled into her town. ¡°There¡¯s no way you missed Sloan¡¯s men, and you better get out of here before they find you came this way without paying the toll.¡± ¡°Who are they to have a toll on this road?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know Sloan, but I know the Liberty Corps, and I don¡¯t recognize their authority to rob people or leverage money from travelers.¡± ¡°With that tone they¡¯ll take more than your camper,¡± the woman said. ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Maybe we should listen to her. We don¡¯t need another Mayhill.¡± ¡°What happened at Mayhill?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°C¡¯mon, now I know how you feel with the references you don¡¯t get.¡± ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be Mayhill,¡± Orson said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is more like a reverse-Mayhill, and we¡¯ll talk about it before we do anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing Requisitions Day involves them driving around from town to town taking things that don¡¯t belong to them,¡± Orson said. ¡°They probably drive this highway, right?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be seen talking to some transient with a death wish,¡± the woman said. ¡°Jeanine¡¯s husband was beaten for taking in travelers, without registering them, but you¡¯ll get back on the road, if you know what¡¯s good for you.¡± She turned away and walked at a quick pace to her restaurant. ¡°Wait,¡± Orson said. ¡°I have one more question. Then I promise I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± The woman sighed and turned around. ¡°What?¡± ¡°There was a roadside inn way back that way.¡± Orson pointed to the east. ¡°The Halfpoint Lodge - is that still empty?¡± * * * ¡°Sir,¡± Corporal Tag spoke through Lieutenant Rydel¡¯s earpiece. ¡°We have another automobile owner begging us not to take his car. It¡¯s a nineteen eight-one. He says it¡¯s a Buick, but it looks like it¡¯s seen rough mod work.¡± ¡°Eighty-one?¡± Rydel laughed. ¡°Let him keep it. If he wants to drive a forty-year-old car through the desert, he can be my guest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s got a V8 engine,¡± Corporal Tag said. ¡°I had Saclan look at it, and he says it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Rydel said. ¡°Then you¡¯d better take it.¡± He tried to ignore the shouts coming over the radio. He got no reward for fielding the wailings and complaints of people whose property the Liberty Corps needed. ¡°He says he¡¯s using the car to get to work in Albuquerque,¡± Tag said. ¡°He says he has a job lined up, but he¡¯ll have no way to get there if we gut his car.¡± ¡°Let him know the Liberty Corps is always looking for able-bodied men. The sooner our production capabilities are in order, and we have a registry of citizens for taxation ¨C then requisitions can end. He can help us fix the problem. Rydel out.¡± Rydel waited until the entirety of his seven-truck supply force and car carrier were back on the old Mother Road. He took a head count, before leading the whole procession west to the next town, Halfpoint. He drove alone. It was better for morale. The troops could be proud of their work without him looking over their shoulders. He could have time alone to nurse his inevitable migraine. Rydel had led this operation every week for eight months. Nothing about this process concerned him, anymore, not even the occasional threats of violence. The locals, their citizens, knew better. And what transient could stand up against a thirty-troop operation? Rydel wasn¡¯t worried when the thick, black smoke rolled in from the south. That happened. So many drilling sites still burned, five years post-Thunderworks. Smoke was to be expected. He wasn¡¯t scared when his truck stalled, five miles outside Halfpoint. They were undersupplied with old vehicles and had too few mechanics or quality parts to go around. Rydel slipped on his white officer¡¯s helmet. ¡°Maintenance, my truck stalled. What¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m out too,¡± one of his drivers interrupted. ¡°What the hell?¡± said another. ¡°Nothing. Just dead. This and the smoke. We¡¯re all out. It can¡¯t be a fluke.¡± That was Corporal Tag¡¯s voice, the one who had taken the V8. ¡°Quiet!¡± Rydel shouted. ¡°Tag may be right.¡± The smoke had thickened, growing from a haze to a cloud. It condensed enough to block out the sun. ¡°We may be under attack. I want two teams¡­¡± Screams erupted before he could say any more. Discipline broke. Rydel slammed his hand on the dashboard. These troops had no control, no will. If they¡¯d been properly trained, it would be a different matter. Rydel found his long-range radio and dialed it to the Western Barony¡¯s emergency channel. But all that came from his radio was static. Rydel drew his pistol. No one would get a jump on him. Blue lights appeared, eyes, glowing through the thick smoke, approaching him. Rydel rolled down the window. He aimed his pistol at the lights. The smoke began to leak into the truck, but that was fine. His helmet would filter out the worst of it. ¡°Hands up, thief,¡± Rydel said. ¡°Come any closer and you¡¯re dead.¡± Rydel could hear a strange sound, a metallic footfall, but only every other step. The blue eyes came closer. Rydel pulled the trigger of his pistol. Ping ¨C nothing happened. A bad round? The eyes sped toward him. Their owner was running. Rydel had no time to consider what went wrong. The truck¡¯s door was thrown open. Gloved hands seized him. * * * ¡°Just five more minutes.¡± Duncan worked to reassemble the terminal¡¯s dismantled keyboard. ¡°You¡¯ve said that at least three other times.¡± Kol stood by the door to the terminal¡¯s main interface room. His squad held the control building, with trios at both primary entrances and a gunner operating the truck¡¯s roof cannon. They held the position, and they¡¯d held it for hours. ¡°This time I mean it,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Right Bauer? We¡¯re almost there. This terminal was in awful shape, way worse than the records showed.¡± Information Officer Bauer, a surly middle-aged man, said nothing. They¡¯d found the terminal interface dismantled, with all pieces lying apart from one another, including the main monitor¡¯s screen. The work had been executed with precision, with care and time. It took precision and care and time to reassemble it. Duncan and Bauer sat together at the room¡¯s control table and slowly fit the device together, with nothing but the basic specs the Liberty Corps had provided them for the data extraction. And when they made mistakes, they backtracked. Once they started almost from scratch. The hours stretched into the afternoon. Kol had allowed the rest of the squads to rotate and take meal and restroom breaks, as they waited. Luckily, the water was still connected. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here after the sun has set.¡± Kol exited the room and joined Max, in the hallway. His brother was reading a book, his wheelchair a few paces from the door, a bag of other books and papers on the floor beside him. ¡°Trust Duncan,¡± Max said. ¡°Kol, you¡¯re a soldier put to work rebuilding, but you need to get used to waiting. You¡¯ll drive yourself insane without patience.¡± ¡°You were always good at keeping yourself occupied,¡± Kol said. ¡°Not always.¡± ¡°What are you reading?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Are you doing your research?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Duncan called. ¡°I think we¡¯re ready. We¡¯ll try inputting the search now. Would you like to do the honors, Officer Bauer?¡± Kol returned to the control room. ¡°Fine.¡± Bauer typed the coded keywords that would issue a search for files related to the Dreamside Road. He issued the search. The primitive monitor was immediately filled with small file icons. Kol saw the number readout increase from 50 to 350 to 900 to 2,590 ¨C higher and higher. The number settled on 10,891. ¡°Can we take that many?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I thought you said three thousand files, at most.¡± ¡°It depends on the files,¡± Bauer said. ¡°If they¡¯re all text, it won¡¯t be difficult. If there¡¯s video¡­ that¡¯s a different story.¡± ¡°We have enough spare drives,¡± Duncan said. ¡°We have¡­¡± He was interrupted by the sound of Kol¡¯s communicator. It chimed again and again ¨C text-based messages, many of them, a dozen. Before Kol could lift the communicator from his pocket, it began to ring, a direct call. It was a transmission from Garrison Captain Schwartz. Kol accepted it. ¡°What the hell did you do?¡± Schwartz yelled. ¡°We¡¯re finally pursuing the search,¡± Kol said. ¡°We¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. Everything¡¯s come alive out here, all the Thunderworks machines. We have severed arms crawling and heads rolling around. We have something pulling its way out of the earth.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t us,¡± Kol said. ¡°We¡¯ve done nothing to¡­¡± ¡°This just started. Tell me it¡¯s a coincidence. Shut down your search and get the hell out of there¡­ Oh, wait a minute. I understand. They¡¯re after what you¡¯re after.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kol asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°The three intact Striders just left their post by the wall,¡± Schwartz said. ¡°They¡¯re at full power, and they¡¯re coming to you.¡± 62 - Striders Enoa sipped at her coffee. She and Jaleel sat outside the Aesir in folding chairs. Orson was recording a threatening message for the Liberty Corps, so they¡¯d gone outside rather than sit in silence. They waited in the overgrown parking lot to the Halfpoint Lodge. Its stucco was covered in a tracery of cracks and breaks, but otherwise looked habitable. For the first time in forty years, the Lodge had occupants ¨C thirty Liberty Corps personnel, all restrained. ¡°You won¡¯t miss your nets?¡± Enoa asked. She watched Jaleel work with his quiver. He was threading wires along his shoulder harness. He worked intently, but the silence had become disquieting. Other than the Aesir and the lodge, there was nothing to see in any direction for almost half a mile. ¡°Nope.¡± Jaleel didn¡¯t look up from his work. ¡°Before you and Orson showed up on the crawler, we genuinely thought about netting the Collective board and forcing them to see evidence, so I made a ton of nets. But then I was afraid it still wasn¡¯t enough nets, so I bought even more. I only needed twenty today. I doubled up a bunch of them.¡± ¡°Aww,¡± she said. ¡°They must be so cozy together.¡± ¡°I tried to be humane about it, right? A couple guys had BO that I smelled even with my mask on. They got to be alone.¡± ¡°None of them are alone, are they?¡± Enoa sipped more coffee. ¡°I thought you were leaving them together?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all in the banquet hall, so they¡¯re all technically together.¡± He put his quiver across his shoulder and pulled on one of the wires he¡¯d threaded through it. ¡°Could you please help me, real quick? I need to cut this so it¡¯s even with my wrist.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She set her coffee aside. ¡°You feel well enough?¡± He held the wire tight to his arm. He pressed the metal against the point where his archer suit¡¯s sleeve ended. ¡°The coffee helps.¡± She stood. ¡°It¡¯s getting easier. I¡¯m surprised how well the gun jamming thing went.¡± ¡°It looked easy. You just stood there. At first, I wouldn¡¯t have known you were doing anything, if those troopers didn¡¯t yell about their guns not working.¡± ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°Even without their guns, we couldn¡¯t have caught them all without your arrow-nets and smoke.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have caught them peacefully,¡± he corrected. ¡°Orson would¡¯ve convinced them through aggressive negotiations.¡± ¡°Is that another reference?¡± She asked. ¡°Never mind. I don¡¯t need to know. Orson actually went through the whole crisis in Nimauk, without hurting anyone too badly. I like that, and I love how funny the gun jamming thing is. They were so frustrated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good your aunt¡¯s movies taught that to you.¡± ¡°The gun jamming wasn¡¯t in the films. Not yet, anyway. I figured out the explosion attack too, without training. I wonder if my aunt will touch on my self-taught powers, or if all of her films are just water and air tricks.¡± ¡°If she knew about the gun move, she has to show you that, right?¡± Jaleel nodded to the ground beside him and an open tool kit. ¡°There are scissors on the second level.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think she would.¡± Enoa took the scissors. ¡°But who knows? I didn¡¯t know Aunt Sucora studied Shaping. I never even heard of Shaping.¡± Before she could cut the wire, the Aesir¡¯s door slid open. Orson looked out at them. ¡°How did it go?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Did you sound spooky?¡± ¡°It was fine, but we¡¯re out of time,¡± he said. ¡°We gotta get out of here. Something¡¯s coming. The sensors are picking up about sixty vehicles headed this way.¡± ¡°Sixty?¡± Enoa said. She handed the scissors back to Jaleel. ¡°How far away?¡± ¡°Around five miles, considering when I got the alert. I¡¯ll have to just transmit the message, as is.¡± He looked down to the tools and wiring around Jaleel. ¡°You clean up, I¡¯ll get us moving. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine how they¡¯re coming here.¡± ¡°Our scanning might not notice satellite phones,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°There are a lot of ways to track people, even now.¡± Orson nodded and ran from the doorway. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll finish that later.¡± Jaleel pulled his quiver from his shoulder. ¡°Thanks, though.¡± ¡°Happy to help.¡± Enoa collapsed her folding chair, collected her coffee, and returned to the Aesir. She placed the chair in its locker and clipped it into place. Then she was faced with a horrific dilemma, waste her coffee or chug what remained. She downed the rest of the mug in four gulps. She hastily washed the mug and dried it. ¡°Shotgun!¡± Jaleel entered the Aesir, his arms full. He stowed his gear in his locker and put his chair away, then raced for the front of the cabin. ¡°I won¡¯t fight you for it!¡± Enoa slipped the mug into its Velcro ring in the cupboard. ¡°Unless we actually get shot at, I might still fall asleep.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry up, we might.¡± Orson powered on the Aesir, and hit the flight control as soon as they were seated. He sent them soaring away from the parking lot. ¡°Now, how do you send them the message?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Do we get to listen to it at the same time? I want to hear you threaten them in your dark lord voice.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t hear it at the same time,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a little message pod that falls from the bottom of the ship. Then it¡¯ll land and start playing its message on a loop.¡± ¡°Does it have a cute little parachute pop out the top, as it falls?¡± ¡°No. It just falls.¡± ¡°Was this how you left a message at Trolley Town?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Yeah, we¡­¡± The proximity alarm wailed. Orson launched them into a dip to the left. A projectile flashed past them, too fast to follow with the naked eye. The alarm sounded again. Orson pulled back on the wheel and sent them higher, enough to enter the lower clouds. ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to assume the Liberty Corps figured out what we did and where we put their people,¡± Orson said. The proximity warnings didn¡¯t stop, shrieking and shrieking, no matter how high they ascended. One of the projectiles grazed their shield, producing a whine like radio interference. ¡°Ruby!¡± Orson yelled. ¡°What are they shooting at us? I don¡¯t remember ever having physical projectiles go too fast for your alarms to keep up.¡± ¡°These projectiles match the description of Larks Railgun Bolts,¡± Ruby answered. ¡°Would you like recommendations on countermeasures or...¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Holy shit! They have a railgun,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°They have a railgun!¡± ¡°What¡¯s a railgun?¡± Enoa said. ¡°A big gun that shoots with a magnet instead of any kind of combustion,¡± Orson said. ¡°From what you two said and what we saw earlier,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I thought the Liberty Corps was like Team Rocket or something, always chasing after you, but stupid, except for a couple leaders.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d hoped they were mostly dumb and useless.¡± Orson turned the Aesir around in a wide arc, still in the clouds. ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing what I planned to do all along, sending them a message. Jaleel, take the Incursions. We¡¯re coming at them with the sun at our backs. Ruby, find the railgun and make it the only thing on Jaleel¡¯s targeting computer. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I think I understand,¡± Ruby said. ¡°You want me to find the railgun and make it appear as a target on the copilot¡¯s monitor. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Orson sent the Aesir blasting down out of the clouds. Immediately, an entire force of vehicles could be seen on the road. Most of the shapes were too small to distinguish, whatever trucks or military vehicles the Liberty Corps had mustered. But there was one vehicle that was visible, even from a great height. It spanned both lanes, a wide flatbed truck with a huge shape mounted on the back ¨C the railgun. The weapon fired bolt after bolt, projectiles moving multiple times the speed of sound. Orson flew the Aesir in a steep, nauseating arc. They couldn¡¯t outfly the railgun¡¯s bolts, but they could outmaneuver the gun itself. He¡¯d routed more power to the shields than the inertial dampener. As long as the G forces weren¡¯t threatening, it was better to be protected from the electromagnet-thrown bolts. The Aesir rocketed from the clouds. The railgun continued its barrage, but other weapons joined it, too. Most were guns. Projectiles missed the Aesir or bounced off the shields as they plummeted toward the Liberty Corps and their artillery. One full-blown explosion blossomed next to the Aesir. The windshield darkened and the shields absorbed the worst of the blast. They were rocked in their seats enough that even Orson yelled. But he didn¡¯t change the power distribution. They still needed the shield more. He didn¡¯t know enough about the railgun and had no time to get new information. Orson let loose with the Tri-Cannon, firing on the vehicles below. He didn¡¯t have anywhere close to Enoa¡¯s precision, not while piloting, but he sent a volley of energy blasts into the procession of vehicles. As he flew closer, they could see armored-trucks and tanks and exoskeleton mechs, carrying rockets. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He took them out of their descent, level with the wide-load truck. Jaleel fired the Incursion Cannons. Projectiles chewed the truck to pieces, shredding metal. One last railgun bolt struck the Aesir¡¯s shields at almost point-blank range. If there were no shields, they all could have been skewered. They were thrown back in their seats. Orson reflexively pulled them up, away from their attackers. But Jaleel kept his hands on the cannons, firing into the railgun. The forward guns angled at the enormous cannon, as they passed over, reducing it to an unrecognizable hunk of metal. The Aesir pulled away from the destroyed weapon, even as more Liberty Corps forces continued firing. Orson found the dashboard switch that would launch the capsule containing his pre-recorded threat. He hit it and sent his warning. Then he flew them away. He rerouted power from the shields to the inertial compensators and to the thrust. They rocketed away so fast, Orson checked the Airspeed Indicator multiple times. After two minutes of silent, high-speed flight, he relaxed his hand on the throttle. They slowed to a comfortable speed. ¡°Critical shield depletion,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Shields down to forty percent.¡± ¡°Not now, Ruby.¡± Orson leaned over and hit the switch that silenced the voice assistant. ¡°Dammit, Orson.¡± Enoa said. ¡°I wish we would¡¯ve talked about that first. You could¡¯ve at least warned us.¡± Jaleel said nothing. He had a wide-eyed, panicked expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t forget I¡¯m not traveling alone. There are more important things than sending a message. Are you both okay?¡± ¡°I blew up a railgun in the Aesir,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I might lose my lunch, but you don¡¯t need to apologize to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I want an apology,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I just think that after the ridiculous chase we had with the Liberty Corps, last time, we need to talk about every encounter we have with them.¡± ¡°We really didn¡¯t have time to talk,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then maybe the answer wasn¡¯t attacking right away. I¡¯m not against fighting them, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling that this just put us back on the radar on a level that totally takes away any breathing room we had.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe. It looks like we won¡¯t be staying in Littlefield very long.¡± * * * Max had not been in a live-fire situation since his injury. He found a tremor in his hands, and he struggled to draw his pistol from his wheelchair-mounted holster. ¡°Team Three, provide cover fire for the truck.¡± Kol wore his helmet and issued commands through the built-in radio. ¡°Fitzsimmons, stay on the roof gun, but hold your fire until you¡¯re certain to hit a Strider at its neck joint. Team Two, you are cleared to use your dronebusters. Team Four, get inside and work on the shields. They held off these things once, and we might need them again. ¡± Kol nodded to Duncan. ¡°Stay here.¡± Then he drew his own pistol. ¡°Finish the withdrawal.¡± ¡°You need all the fighters you can get.¡± Duncan stood. ¡°Every gun.¡± ¡°Operative Racz,¡± Kol said. ¡°Do you know how many bullets it takes to down these things? Unless someone has a wild and unexpected Shaping revelation, all we¡¯re doing is supporting our cannon and rockets.¡± ¡°Go out there and pull an Enoa Cloud,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Blast their legs off.¡± ¡°Ha, you¡¯re hilarious.¡± Kol turned on his heel and ran down the hall. Max took one glance at Duncan and Officer Bauer, already back to work, copying the thousands of files into their portable drives. Then he started down the hall after his brother. He¡¯d spent the last night researching the Thunderworks Striders, and he had no other emergency role to play. Max proceeded manually down the corridor, without his wheelchair¡¯s motor. It was better to stay stealthy, silent. He might manage an unseen shot or two against the automatons if they didn¡¯t hear him. This was not his first firefight and not his first fight against a Thunderworks machine. He could be useful. Max traveled toward the double doors that led to the partially-enclosed driveway. Kol¡¯s squad had plenty of room for their defense, room where the Striders probably couldn¡¯t reach them. Max¡¯s research showed the maximum recorded length of the automatons¡¯ extending arms was just over fifteen feet. Gunfire sounded outside, a cacophony of many rounds. A deeper booming began too ¨C the roof gun. Max still couldn¡¯t see it, but he heard the thumping sound. Then screaming started, a man wailed in surprise. The screaming voice faded away. The Striders had arrived, and by the sound of it they¡¯d already taken someone. The roof gun¡¯s sound changed. It became deeper and guttural as it struck the Striders. Max reached the end of the hallway. He hit the automatic door command. It swung open, and he could see the battle. He¡¯d fought in the Equinox Ambush ¨C September 23, 2015 ¨C when Thunderworks launched their worldwide attacks. He¡¯d fought the bipedal drones that had invaded Naval Intelligence, trading bullets with mindless machines, remote-controlled from miles above the ground. It was a different thing entirely, to see the freethinking Striders in their element, twenty feet of single-minded rampage. Their leering faces swiveled back and forth above their capture jars. Max saw one of Kol¡¯s men lying dazed inside the Strider¡¯s cell, surrounded by bones. The machines fired smoke grenades from panels in their shoulders, filling the driveway with haze. Their six arms hung limp at their sides, until they found a target within reach. Kol¡¯s men on the ground fired at will, a constant barrage that accomplished seemingly nothing. Fitzsimmons, the truck¡¯s gun operator, tried to track the automatons, but the columns that supported the roof impeded its mobility. Every time one of the Corps soldiers edged forward to fire at the automatons from a better vantage point, the Striders¡¯ arms snapped at them. The Striders were smart enough to avoid the truck¡¯s cannon. They were smart enough to stay away from the one weapon they¡¯d seen that could damage them. Another of Kol¡¯s men stood with a dronebuster in his arms ¨C a modified rocket launcher. But he didn¡¯t fire. The angle of the roof made such strikes difficult. Max maneuvered his wheelchair to one of the columns, further back, away from the Striders and the Liberty Corps line of fire. He waited, preparing for an opening to strike one of the Striders at its vulnerable throat. Already the automatons had changed their tactics. They edged closer to the cannon, unfazed by the bullets from Kol¡¯s forces. In the truck¡¯s blind spots, they reached for the cannon, arms stretching well more than fifteen feet. ¡°Reverse!¡± Kol shouted. ¡°Fall back!¡± There were other shouts too, cries to the truck and its driver. But they weren¡¯t fast enough. Eight Strider arms reached around the columns and caught the truck¡¯s gun. With a horrible grinding sound, they tore the weapon from the top of the truck, pulling a chunk of the vehicle¡¯s roof with it. Immediately, one of the machines began to probe the open truck roof with two of its arms. The man inside the truck, Fitzsimmons, howled as the Strider caught him. He was pulled from the roof, but one of his arms was free. He fired at the Strider as it yanked him upward. One of his bullets connected with its clavicle. The Strider reeled, but it didn¡¯t drop Fitzsimmons. Its head swung aside, as if on a massive hinge. Then it tossed the man into itself to join the bones, to join the dead. ¡°Get me the shield!¡± Kol yelled. ¡°Their arms are longer than reported. Hold the line until we have the shield. Dronebuster, we need you!¡± One of the three Striders moved away. It walked with a gangling gait, but it was fast. Its steps carried it several meters, with each footfall. ¡°Team Two, cover the rear,¡± Kol shouted. ¡°Strider headed your way, Team Two. Dronebuster, fire!¡± The man with the rocket launcher ran forward and raised his weapon toward the neck of one of the Striders. It reached for him, but the weapon was even faster than the mechanical monster. The rocket blasted one of the Strider¡¯s arms out of the way, and it exploded against the machine¡¯s neck. The automaton¡¯s throat also hid the mechanisms that controlled the capture cell. The Strider¡¯s psychological trump card was also its greatest vulnerability. The automaton toppled backward, its neck on fire. It fell to the ground with a crash that rattled the building. The Strider writhed on the ground, waving its arms and kicking its feet. Max heard muffled yells and cries ¨C the dying Strider had a hostage! But the other Liberty Corps troopers didn¡¯t dare advance from cover to rescue their fellow. The Strider grew still and stopped moving, but the captured man continued to scream. The remaining Strider released a sound like a foghorn. It waddled toward the dronebuster wielder, reaching for the marksman. Max aimed at the side of the Strider¡¯s clavicle as it waved at the man who¡¯d downed the other automaton. His hands still shook. No, he needed to be calm. Calm, now! He needed to remember his training ¨C firm grip, sight alignment, aim, fire. He followed his procedure. Max fired. The bullet took the Strider in the side of the neck. It swiveled its head sideways. Its glowing blue eyes stared right at him. The machine waddled away. ¡°Max!¡± Kol called. ¡°What are you doing? Get back inside!¡± ¡°You needed the distraction,¡± Max said. ¡°I distracted it.¡± He waited for Kol to run to him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to step on your toes, but you want to divide your forces. This last machine is alone. Split its attention long enough for your demolitions man to destroy it.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Kol said. ¡°I appreciate that. But this machine is more dangerous than the specs we have for it. I don¡¯t know how far it can reach, and your motor isn¡¯t fast enough to get away from it.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± One of the Rifle Corps troopers yelled. ¡°Change in tactics!¡± Both Maros brothers looked back out at the pockmarked fields around the base. The Strider returned, now running, insect-like, on its belly, supporting itself with its six extending arms. Fitzsimmons, still trapped inside it, was pressed against the side of the capture cell, the remains on top of him. ¡°Dronebuster!¡± Kol yelled. ¡°Fire now!¡± But the spider-crawling Strider didn¡¯t expose its throat to its attackers. The Dronebuster trooper aimed. He took too long. The Strider was low enough now to force its shoulder under the roof overhang. It lashed out its arm and caught the demolitions officer by the ankle. The automaton fought to neutralize the threat to itself. It didn¡¯t bother reeling the man toward its capture cell. It dragged the man, yelling, across the ground. With a flick of its arm, the Strider threw the man and his dronebuster weapon, sending them flying across the field and out of sight. ¡°Shields now!¡± Kol yelled. ¡°Shields now!¡± The Strider reached out with its arm again and again and again, snapping at the Liberty Corps forces. They fired on the machine, retreating farther away. The automaton forced itself further and further under the overhang. Max retreated as well, but he didn¡¯t get far. The Strider caught his wheelchair by one of the wheels. It pulled him backward. Max started the wheelchair¡¯s motor. It interfered with the arm¡¯s pull. Instead of dragging Max into the open, the arm slammed him into one of the support pillars. The Strider released him, when Kol closed his prosthetic hand around the wrist of the arm. Kol drew his sword in his left hand. His grip was awkward, but this was not work for delicacy or finesse. ¡°Shields now!¡± Kol yelled. He brought the sword down onto the arm. The machine tried to pull its limb away, but it was weaker with the arm fully extended. The fingers of Kol¡¯s new hand were a Hierarchia build. The robotic digits did not release the automaton. ¡°Shields!¡± The energy shield activated, cutting off the automaton¡¯s right three limbs and part of that shoulder. The Strider fell to the ground, dragging itself away with its left arms. But it did not retreat. It backed away far enough to get its proper legs under it. Then it stood, peering under the roof at them, its glowing eyes distorted by the blue haze of the energy field. Kol released the severed arm. It fell to the floor and flopped there like a fish brought ashore. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Max said. ¡°Nothing in the specifications talked about them moving that way.¡± ¡°No,¡± Kol said. ¡°They didn¡¯t. I¡­¡± Kol fell to the floor. The severed arm had taken him by the ankle and reared back, like a snake. Kol caught the arm with his prosthetic, keeping it from wrenching or breaking his ankle. The arm pulled him no farther, but it refused to release him. Max aimed his pistol and fired again and again. He fired further back along the arm. His aim wasn¡¯t what it was. He needed to shoot well away from Kol. More bullets struck the arm, also aiming for the sparking wound where the limb had severed from the torso. Three of Kol¡¯s squad moved toward it, firing. The arm squirmed, but still refused to release Kol. When Max stopped to reload, his attention was briefly diverted. The remainder of the Liberty Corps force was occupied incapacitating the other two severed arms, riddling them with bullets, to little effect. Kol yelled. He pulled his arm back, using the strength in his robotic fingers to tear the hand from the limb that gripped him. Even without the hand attached, the arm squirmed. By the time Kol pried the robotic fingers from his ankle, the sustained fire from the Rifle Corps troopers had finally overwhelmed the severed arms. The appendages lay still, shot to pieces, wiring exposed, leaking neon yellow oil across the driveway. ¡°Are you okay, sir?¡± One of the Rifle Corps members approached Kol. ¡°Yes.¡± Kol winced, as he stood on his surely throbbing ankle. The armor over his lower leg was crushed and broken into three pieces. ¡°Thank you, Private. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He looked out through the shield, where the Strider stood, stooped down, regarding them. ¡°We need to get a message out. We can¡¯t weather a siege for days, the way the IHSA forces did.¡± 63 - Thunder and Iron The IHSA had built their automatons to fix themselves when compatible parts were detected. After they¡¯d been stolen by the Thunderworks terror operation, this programming remained in effect. Kol watched the two remaining Striders search the field of craters looking for replacement arms and connecting ligatures. There was a large selection. All of the automaton pieces with any means of locomotion gathered at the edges of the shield. None were whole, other than the Riot models Kol¡¯s squad had battled, but the others formed a macabre mob of half-robots and severed limbs. There was even one decapitated, yet determined, head, which had maneuvered along the road, dragging itself by a piece of attached shoulder. The two whole Striders picked their way through these pieces, searching for compatible replacement limbs, like wriggling LEGOs. Kol watched the Striders work until they¡¯d found replacements for two of the damaged Strider¡¯s missing arms. They weren¡¯t a perfect fit. One hand ended in a serrated blade, rather than fingers. The sun had long since set, and Kol was tired of straining his eyes, following the murderous machines with wary curiosity. ¡°You¡¯ll let me know if anything happens?¡± Kol stepped out of his rover, leaving Private Hollin alone. The rovers had been mercifully undamaged and offered as good a lookout post as any. ¡°Of course, sir,¡± Hollin said. Kol nodded and left him to his work. He averted his gaze from the shimmering energy field that had saved them from the machines. He was tired of looking at it. He was tired of thinking about it. Kol entered the terminal building and walked down the hall, in no particular hurry to locate the rest of his company. He was much too preoccupied feeling miserable. This was his second field mission. So far, it had failed as badly as the first. Kol was relieved to find Duncan and Max alone in the terminal room. The main monitor was now dark. Duncan stood behind it and the partially disassembled interface. He was unplugging it from the wall, one connector at a time. ¡°You¡¯re disconnecting?¡± Kol removed his helmet. ¡°What about Max?¡± ¡°I¡¯m finished.¡± Max held up a small plastic bag. Three discs were inside. ¡°I think I have what I need. Better to put things back to the way we found them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Striders are going to go on their merry way just because you take the terminal apart,¡± Kol said. ¡°Whatever in that search drew them here is keeping them around.¡± ¡°It got rid of them once.¡± Duncan continued his work. ¡°We can¡¯t be certain why they gave up last time,¡± Kol said. ¡°It could be they only wait so long before going into some kind of standby mode. It could be they were only supposed to support a force of human-sized automatons and after they captured all of the IHSA personnel, they wandered off. Someone was left inside those machines all this time.¡± ¡°The IHSA wouldn¡¯t just run away while the shield was active,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Not unless they realized no help was on its way,¡± Max said. ¡°It¡¯s entirely possible the corpses inside the Striders are the former crew and support staff of this facility.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell that to Kol.¡± Duncan finished dismantling the monitor. He inspected the collection of pieces. ¡°He¡¯ll give up on his plan to rush those things and force us to stay in here even longer.¡± ¡°I would wait for rescue until our supplies dwindled, but Team Four still hasn¡¯t determined how to find the shield power levels. Unless we get a useful update from Captain Schwartz, I¡¯d rather plan for an engagement on our terms than be caught without the shield.¡± ¡°How many plans do you have?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°There are an awful lot of ways this could go down.¡± ¡°I imagine the Striders will stay out there waiting for us until we make our move,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m still figuring out what we¡¯ll do if they leave.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Duncan stacked a few items from the monitor¡¯s controls, leaving it approximately how he¡¯d found it. ¡°Bauer went to look through the file index and make sure there was nothing we missed. I need to scan for outgoing signals, just in case. You should come along. Maybe you¡¯ll have inspiration.¡± ¡°Are you well enough for us to leave?¡± Kol watched his brother sort through his stack of notes. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Kol. Really, I am.¡± Max returned to his reading. Kol looked at his brother, but he was as unreadable as always. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Duncan picked up his backpack and walked through the terminal room. Kol followed after him, heading through the door and traveling to the end of the corridor in silence. ¡°Well, what did you need to tell me?¡± He¡¯d known Duncan long enough to be sure his old friend wanted a word in private. ¡°I have five discs all about Sucora Cloud.¡± Duncan rounded the fork in the hallway and stopped at a table. He removed his backpack and opened its front pouch. ¡°All of these are files about her, her old IHSA experiments, her educational research, Tucker¡¯s logs. She was really important, Kol. And she wasn¡¯t the only recurring name. They¡¯re not referenced as such, but I think with a little work I¡¯ll be able to figure out exactly who hid the Dreamside Road.¡± ¡°And why did you need to pull me out here to tell me that?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s been rough on your conscience, but we did what we needed to do to investigate Sucora Cloud. She was a traitor and you did what you had to do to pursue that angle.¡± Kol did not speak. He remembered the shelter in Wilson Analytics, the home of the dispossessed, the families moved for the greater good of the Liberty Corps effort. ¡°Now, maybe Enoa didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but maybe she did.¡± Duncan said. ¡°We didn¡¯t know she was a Shaper. Even when we had our Shapers after her and they thought they could feel her mental ability, we didn¡¯t believe. But there was something else going on, and you have to take that into account.¡± Kol saw the rage in Enoa¡¯s eyes as she pummeled him with her staff. ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t say this in front of Max. He wouldn¡¯t understand where you¡¯re coming from.¡± Kol clapped his friend on the shoulder and turned back down the hallway. ¡°Come on, Kol,¡± Duncan said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you. Things were terrible in Nimauk, but that was all Tucker. He was the killer. He destroyed the train and insisted on trapping everyone. You did the right thing.¡± ¡°Duncan, we committed arson. If we were pre-Thunderworks law enforcement or military officers, we would have lost our posts. We could have been prosecuted. If we have to burn our way to the Dreamside Road¡­¡± Kol¡¯s earpiece chimed. He nodded to Duncan and accepted the transmission. ¡°Sir,¡± Private Hollin said. ¡°Something is arriving outside. I think it¡¯s a hovercraft or an airship of some kind. The shield¡¯s interfering with our scanners, but it¡¯s drawing the attention of the Striders.¡± ¡°Friend or foe?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir,¡± Hollin said. ¡°Wait! They¡¯ve begun firing on the automatons. It seems¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± Kol pulled on his helmet. He spoke into the squad channel. ¡°Attention. We have new arrivals combatting the Striders. Full precautions ¨C we need everyone at their stations.¡± He ran down the hallway and heard the sound of footfalls, as Duncan followed him. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Max left the terminal room and waited in the corridor. ¡°New arrivals,¡± Kol said. ¡°Unknown so far. Stay¡­¡± Max didn¡¯t let him finish the sentence. He started his wheelchair¡¯s motor and followed after Kol, as well. Rather than wait and argue with his brother, Kol hit the automatic door activation on his way out to the driveway. Kol saw the lights from the hovercraft, spotlights illuminating the Striders and assorted writhing limbs. Heavy fire left weapon emplacements across the bottom of the hovercraft, striking the severed automaton pieces with targeted fire. The field was soon soaked in the Striders¡¯ yellow oil. The two intact Striders grabbed the hovercraft, wrapping their arms around it. The automatons strained against the vehicle. They pulled, trying to drag the ship down to the ground. All twelve of their hands were severed and fell in smoking pieces. The automatons stumbled away from the hovercraft. Kol heard shouting, several voices coming from the hovercraft. He couldn¡¯t make out the words, but he could see open doors in the side of the vehicle and figures standing there, looking down at the automatons. Metal spikes poured from the interior of the hovercraft, pummeling the armless machines. The aim from the ship was good, all targeted at the Striders¡¯ heads. Not one of the spikes strayed to the capture cells. Kol felt a slight tingle at the nape of his neck, like he was alive with static electricity, and he¡¯d shock the next thing he touched. He¡¯d felt that sensation only a few times, only fleetingly, half-imagined. But now it was stronger, undeniable. These people were Shapers. Kol was all but certain he knew at least one of them. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The Striders fell to the ground, their heads and necks reduced to pincushions of spikes ¨C iron spikes. Kol¡¯s squad cheered. They clapped and stomped their feet. ¡°That might be premature.¡± Max spoke at a normal volume, but everything was so loud, it was unlikely anyone else heard him. ¡°No,¡± Kol said. ¡°They¡¯re friends.¡± The hovercraft floated low over the grassy field. Six figures jumped from the craft and landed amid the mechanical carnage. All of them Shaped weapons. They produced swords and knives, an axe, and a double-edged javelin. They walked together in a tight formation, maneuvering toward the shield in a circle. No further automatons rose to attack them. The Shapers examined the downed Striders¡¯ capture cells. The javelin-wielder broke off from the group and walked up to the shimmering shield. She removed her helmet. Her face and voice were distorted by the energy shield, but Kol would¡¯ve known her just from the inflection of her voice. He also approached the shield and removed his helmet. ¡°Captain Maros,¡± Gabrielle Rinlee said. ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you alive. My team and I have resolved the automaton threat.¡± * * * A small road branched off from Route 66 and stretched out into the desert. It led to the unincorporated community of Littlefield. The village looked little larger than Halfpoint, but it was hard to tell. All communities in that region looked miniscule compared with the vast desert around them. Enoa wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d ever get used to the landscape. The cluster of Littlefield¡¯s lights looked impossibly small against the flatlands, in all directions. Orson guided the Aesir down and around the village in a wide arc. He landed on a dirt road on the far side of the community. He drove them into the village, trundling across the uneven surface. ¡°Littlefield has been out of the way since old Sixty-six was bypassed,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯re self-sufficient and the shutdown hasn¡¯t affected them too badly. Or at least it hadn¡¯t, as of a couple years ago.¡± ¡°I thought you said you saved this place?¡± Enoa now sat in the copilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Why are we sneaking in?¡± ¡°I never take the main road,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is an unusual place. There¡¯s always been a segment of Littlefield that wanted to stay isolated, and they¡¯ve been pretty culty in the past. It¡¯s best I keep to the people I know and who I know like me.¡± ¡°Define culty,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°They conspired with Kappa. He was a lettered, but disgraced local Hierarchia operative. This guy and his followers tried to take over the town. They planned to unleash a private zoo of cryptid creatures on the area, a lot of them bred by Kappa. He also wanted to experiment on my friend Sirona.¡± ¡°You mean your girlfriend Sirona?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°She wasn¡¯t my girlfriend yet, but Kappa was the first person we fought together.¡± Orson drove into the village, where the roads were a marked improvement. Few of the buildings were lit, where Orson maneuvered the Aesir along the edge of town. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°This sounds like some Stephen King story. Cults and experiments ¨C you¡¯re sure it¡¯s not like that anymore?¡± ¡°Most everybody who was involved in that is dead,¡± Orson said. ¡°But they say you can¡¯t kill ideas. I¡¯m thinking they¡¯d prefer to be left alone, and they¡¯d fight the Liberty Corps for trying to take over, but there¡¯s no accounting for stupid or crazy people.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t read horror books,¡± Enoa said. ¡°And the only scary movies I like are the dumb schlocky ones.¡± ¡°I like scary stories,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to live one, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s real anymore. Southwest desert, this is supposed to be chupacabra heaven.¡± ¡°Relax, okay.¡± Orson drove them onto another street, wider, a more important thoroughfare through town. Most of the buildings they passed were residential, but his street also featured a small business district, an apothecary, a grocery, a shoe-store, the usual places. ¡°After that first adventure, I¡¯ve never had anything but great times in this town. I also take the back way because I don¡¯t want to bring unnecessary attention to them, like after today.¡± Orson had a small handwritten note clutched in his right hand. He slowed the Aesir to a crawl and glanced at the paper. He looked at each street they passed. ¡°Eloise was still living with her dad when I was last here,¡± he said. ¡°I need to find the place she has with Carlos.¡± He nodded to a one-lane road. ¡°Here it is ¨C Cherry Lane.¡± He pulled the Aesir into a tight curve and turned onto the small street. Two blocks later, Orson pulled up alongside a fenced property. Almost immediately, a woman in coveralls and boots walked through a gate in the fence and up to the driver¡¯s side. She had her curly hair tied back in a style that left longer strands at either side of her face. Orson rolled down the window. ¡°Hey, Eloise! How are you? Did you get my message?¡± ¡°Orson, what did you do?¡± Eloise Corwin asked. ¡°The Liberty Corps scanner¡¯s been freaking out about you all day. You blew up their artillery.¡± ¡°Liberty Corps scanner?¡± Orson said. ¡°You know about them?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really been out of the loop, haven¡¯t you?¡± She leaned to the side. ¡°Hello, young wayfarers! You look like you¡¯re getting a hang of Orson¡¯s antics.¡± ¡°It is always a thrill ride,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I blew up a railgun,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It was awesome!¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± Eloise laughed. ¡°Why do you have a Liberty Corps scanner?¡± Orson put the Aesir in park and leaned up to the window. ¡°Pops was all worried about them too.¡± ¡°The Gulf Coast Alliance is falling apart,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Governor Sloan claimed all of the supply routes for the Liberty Corps. He sent trucks through a few days ago to welcome us to his jurisdiction.¡± ¡°Prick,¡± Orson said. ¡°Well, we destroyed some major shit of his.¡± ¡°You sure did,¡± she said. ¡°Let me open the gate, all the way. You should be able to fit into the back yard. You better park in there. Once Carlos is done calling home, he¡¯ll want to meet you guys. I have a feeling we all have some stories to tell.¡± * * * ¡°We¡¯ve recovered your men from the capture cells.¡± Brielle Rinlee escorted Kol¡¯s squad onto the hovercraft ¨C a lenticular-class carrier, the Partizan. The craft had landed, once they¡¯d closed down and cleared out of Crater Base. It was a much larger hovercraft than it had appeared during the attack on the automatons. Kol had led his squad aboard the craft. They drove their rovers inside. ¡°Your demolitions officer, Pacey, is stable, but he has at least fifteen broken bones.¡± ¡°Let me know when I can see them,¡± Kol said. Brielle sat in the front passenger¡¯s seat, until they were aboard. Then she¡¯d directed her forces in locking the rovers into place. The hovercraft had also lowered a winch and tow-cable, strong enough to pull the remains of their truck onboard. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to get squared away.¡± Brielle stepped out of the rover. The interior of the cargo hold was matte black and mostly empty. All of Kol¡¯s teams remained in their rovers. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find everyone actual seating, but first, Kol, you¡¯ll need to fill out full manifest paperwork.¡± ¡°I have an extra copy of my manifest, somewhere.¡± Kol turned to the back seat. ¡°Operative Racz, can you take a look for that?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Duncan began to search. ¡°Fantastic,¡± she said. ¡°You could technically stay back here for the whole flight, but that wouldn¡¯t be as comfortable.¡± ¡°Thank you for assisting us, Major Rinlee,¡± Max said. ¡°While my brother may speak for his full force, as a current civilian I need to express my own gratitude.¡± ¡°Major Rinlee?¡± Duncan said. ¡°When did that happen?¡± ¡°When Baron Helmont promoted me to run the Central Outreach Office.¡± She shrugged, also raising her shoulder rank insignia. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, Captain Maros. Your brother tells so many wonderful stories about your service and about you, personally. It will be confusing with two Captain Maroses, although your former Naval Captaincy is obviously a much higher rank than Kol¡¯s with the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Kol said. ¡°But I¡¯m guaranteed a promotion once we¡¯ve secured the Dreamside Road.¡± ¡°Kol speaks very highly of you, Major,¡± Max said, ¡°especially your work ethic.¡± ¡°Does he really?¡± She looked between the brothers. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether I believe you, but it¡¯s reassuring to know eloquence runs in the family.¡± She offered a nod and then turned back toward the front of the hold. ¡°Major,¡± Kol called to her. ¡°Thank you, again. Leaving Crater Base would have been an ordeal for us, maybe a deadly one, without your help.¡± ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± she said. ¡°Although, I do have to warn you. After your clash with Operative Divenoll, everyone knows about your mission to find the Dreamside Road. You might have the formal command to locate it, but the number of Corps members who want to win it for Czar Ilias just tripled.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t steal our mission,¡± Duncan said. ¡°No, but they can steal your data or interfere. I¡¯d keep a close eye on anything that you can¡¯t duplicate. Well, I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± She walked away, through the hold. * * * Investigating Researcher Nine started work six hours early. He¡¯d awakened to a yellow alert and a blaring alarm from his communicator. In his other life, IR-9 was supposed to go with his wife for her third ultrasound, in the early morning. The pregnancy was high risk. They¡¯d tried so many times. They didn¡¯t want to get their hopes up, but they were closer than they¡¯d ever been. In his other life, he would never neglect his wife. He would never leave her when she went to the OB-GYN. He could only imagine what his mother-in-law would say. That other man¡¯s mother-in-law didn¡¯t understand, but his wife did. When an alert came through and it was yellow level or higher, there was no refusing it. He would be reading reports for the rest of the night, the rest of the A.M. When he was working, he stopped being that other man. He became IR-9, and IR-9 didn¡¯t have a child on the way. IR-9 would never marry. IR-9 had loyalty only to his work. He watched sensor feeds and data reports from a room full of monitors and scientific readouts. The other man could wait to learn about the health of his child. It was only by the will of IR-9¡¯s employer and protector that they had a home or medical care. When IR-9 arrived at his station of monitors, he saw that the Strider automatons left to guard the Crater Base terminal had been destroyed. The automatons were destroyed by the Liberty Corps, and that deserved special attention. IR-9 worked in data analysis and reporting, but he had too few details about the current deal with the Liberty Corps to provide useful commentary. He said as much to his employer. Attention: V, The Gamma-model Riot Defense Striders protecting the Crater Base facility have stopped transmitting. Our Liberty Corps source claims that a team from their Outreach Division, equipped with six Shapers, destroyed the automatons. I was under the impression that the Liberty Corps already had all of the information at Crater Base. I thought Baron Helmont had your permission to study the Striders at the base. Normally, I would immediately dispatch more automatons to defend the site, but I¡¯m unsure how to proceed under the circumstances. I appreciate any guidance you can provide. IR-9 IR-9 wondered about the other man¡¯s wife. Would she decide to learn the sex of their baby? They¡¯d talked about it. She hadn¡¯t decided, but it was her choice as far as the other man was concerned. IR-9 shouldn¡¯t let himself dwell on his other life. This time did not belong to him. This time was his commitment to society, to building a new world for his family, a future for the unborn. He turned to his other sensors. They weren¡¯t yet due for readings until later that afternoon, but he decided to check them an extra time. He worked through the night, monitoring the other sites too valuable to destroy and too important to leave unguarded. He watched the automatons they¡¯d sent to a dig site in Antarctica. He followed the seeker probes scanning the Thunderworks wreckage outside the small city of Norlenheim. He monitored the updates on a manhunt in Micronesia. IR-9 tried to avoid his time readout. He tried not to think about the other man¡¯s wife. Many reports later, dozens maybe, a new message appeared on the plaintext window. The message was written by his employer and protector. Hello IR-9, Thank you for bringing the destroyed Striders to my attention. I will personally contact Czar Hawthorne about this matter. I must also commend your loyalty and commitment. If the New Order had already risen, you would not be working now. You would be Named and with your family. But this is only the beginning, and you are needed where you are. I want to honor your commitment to the future. I have good news for you, and I will refer to you by Name. Please delete this message after reading, as per protocol 5. Peyton, I will not force you to wait through your entire shift to learn the results of the ultrasound. Your wife is pregnant with a female child. Both are in perfect health. Thank you for your oath, Peyton. You are building a better world for your family and offspring. IR-9, you will await further instruction about Crater Base. V 64 - Shape or Die ¡°How is Pacey?¡± Max asked. He and Duncan sat in the small common living area to the suite of rooms Kol had been assigned for his stay at the Highland Outreach Compound. A chessboard was set up between them. ¡°He¡¯ll need significant physical therapy.¡± Kol shut the suite door and joined Duncan on the couch. He was still in his full armor and removed his helmet and sheathed sword, as he sat. ¡°It was a miracle we all survived, but Pacey, Fitzsimmons, and the others won¡¯t be joining us if we leave in the next few days.¡± He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Our squad might already be down to eight.¡± ¡°Eight and one advisor.¡± Duncan nodded to Max. ¡°Our very stereotypical advisor, who really thinks that a board game can show how smart you are.¡± ¡°Not how smart,¡± Max said. ¡°Everything we do in life happens within some parameters. Learning to wield strategy within those parameters is useful.¡± Duncan moved a knight, using it to take one of Max¡¯s bishops. ¡°Are we analyzing the information here or going back home?¡± ¡°That depends whether we¡¯ll need the records Divenoll¡¯s office sent us,¡± Kol said. ¡°Have you looked at the information you downloaded?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Duncan said. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you and¡­ No!¡± He watched as Max slid his queen across the board, taking Duncan¡¯s knight. ¡°How did I miss that?¡± ¡°You need to pay attention to the entire board.¡± Max pushed himself back from the table. ¡°Well, Kol, since you¡¯re home and we¡¯ve all survived, I think I need some sleep. It¡¯s going to be good resting without killer robots staring at us. Duncan, we¡¯ll pick up our game tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a plan for you then,¡± Duncan said. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how well I figure things out in parameters.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Max maneuvered toward his bedroom. ¡°Goodnight. You know where I am if you need me.¡± ¡°Goodnight,¡± Kol said. ¡°Did you¡­¡± For the second time, he¡¯d led Max into real danger. But Crater Base wasn¡¯t his fault, was it? Who would have thought dangerous ¨C and modified ¨C machines, like those Striders, would be left operational? ¡°Yes?¡± Max looked over his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Kol said. ¡°It can wait. Goodnight.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Kol.¡± ¡°Night!¡± Duncan watched Max leave the room. ¡°Well.¡± He spoke softly and wore a knowing smile. ¡°I hope you had a productive evening.¡± ¡°Duncan, are you getting at something?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Sure you don¡¯t.¡± Duncan rolled his eyes. ¡°Ten minutes ago there was a little noise like somebody climbed in your window, but I can¡¯t imagine who that might be. It definitely couldn¡¯t be your girlfriend who runs this base.¡± ¡°I saw Brielle five minutes ago. She¡¯s still filing reports.¡± Kol lowered his voice. ¡°You actually heard someone in my room?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Duncan jumped to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Kol, I heard someone in there.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not Brielle.¡± Kol stood too. ¡°But remember what she said about rivals trying to steal our information, or sabotage us?¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Duncan reached down to the couch and grabbed his gunbelt. ¡°But you don¡¯t have any of the information in your room.¡± ¡°Evidently they don¡¯t know that.¡± Kol drew his own pistol. ¡°We¡¯ll go to your room first and secure the files from Crater Base.¡± Duncan led the way to his room. They lit flashlights and looked around the darkened space. It was empty and barely large enough to hold both a bed and a dresser. They turned on the overhead lights and entered the room. Duncan found the discs and drives from Crater Base, still in his backpack on the bed. He zipped the pack and threw it over his shoulders. ¡°Good,¡± Kol said. ¡°I want you to check on Max. Make sure he¡¯s safe. Then keep our information secure.¡± ¡°What will I tell Max?¡± ¡°No more than he needs to know. You¡¯re our spy, Duncan, make something up. That¡¯s your job.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not actually planning on going in your room alone, with someone after us?¡± ¡°I am. Anyone pursuing the Dreamside Road is looking for standing. They¡¯re ambitious. I need to beat them publicly. Fighting them alone is the best way to keep this from happening again. Call Brielle in three minutes. If I haven¡¯t taken care of the intruder in that time, then I need help.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a freaking lunatic.¡± Duncan shook his head. ¡°Alright, kick some ass. I¡¯ll call if I don¡¯t hear.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Kol put on his helmet, returned the sword to his belt, and waited for Duncan to run to Max¡¯s room. Then he walked to his own room, on the other side of the suite, and opened the door. Kol¡¯s room was slightly larger than Duncan¡¯s, but the flashlight revealed a similarly empty space. He turned on the ceiling lights and found a strange shape framed against the lighting. It was a bipedal shape, but it didn¡¯t look quite human. The arms and legs were too long. He had no time to speak or aim his gun. Something flew down and struck the pistol in the barrel. A knife blade was buried in the weapon. Another blade flew from above, this one aimed at Kol¡¯s face, but he expected the attack. His robotic hand caught the knife by the blade. He felt a tingling at the back of his neck ¨C Shaped Iron. A man fell from Kol¡¯s ceiling. He wore all black and a goggled ski mask. Iron spikes extended from his arms and feet ¨C anchors to keep him attached to the ceiling. He landed flatfooted on the floor, five paces from Kol. The spikes had retracted. ¡°Disarm yourself and raise your hands.¡± Kol tossed the knife aside and drew his sword. ¡°In the name of¡­¡± ¡°My brother died because of you.¡± The man interrupted. He raised his right hand. With a single burst of heat, another knife appeared in his fist. ¡°Czar Ilias might not bring you to justice, but I will.¡± * * * ¡°Sorry it¡¯s so late.¡± Orson followed Eloise onto the porch of the house. The wide windows¡¯ drapes were closed, but warm light glowed at the edges. ¡°We don¡¯t want to bother you and Carlos. We¡¯re totally fine staying in the Aesir and meeting up sometime tomorrow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Carlos has a few minutes before his call moves out of range. We got a delivery of pastries from Teddy, if you¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°What?¡± Orson said. ¡°Teddy does delivery now? Can I buy some of it off of you? I don¡¯t plan on making any more local stops, and it¡¯s over a year since I¡¯ve had his baking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll share with you and the Wayfarer-Next-Generation, but it would break Carlos¡¯ heart if I sold off our delivery.¡± ¡°Who is Teddy?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I think you¡¯ve mentioned that name before.¡± She and Jaleel followed them onto the porch. ¡°I probably have,¡± Orson said. ¡°He¡¯s a very dear friend of ours. He saved my life.¡± ¡°A baker saved your life?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Every minute is a new plot twist with you.¡± ¡°It was definitely a story,¡± Orson said. ¡°How is Ted?¡± ¡°You need to go and see him,¡± Eloise said. ¡°He misses you, y¡¯know.¡± She opened the back door and was greeted with the sounds of barking and heavy running feet. What appeared to be a Great Dane charged through the hardwood-floored entryway. When the dog arrived on the threshold, a ring of membranous flesh extended from his neck, like the hood of a king cobra or the neck frills of some lizards. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Jaleel yelled and jumped away. Enoa also stepped back. The animal bounded out the door and stood on its hindlegs, forepaws on Orson¡¯s shoulders, licking at his face. ¡°Aww, Dino remembers his old pal.¡± Orson scratched the animal¡¯s head, just in front of the raised crest. ¡°Yes he does. Yes he does. Dino remembers his old buddy, Orson.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eloise looked back to Jaleel. ¡°I forget the fringe is a little startling. Dino¡¯s seven and just about everybody who visits knows about him, before they get here. He¡¯s a friendly dog.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I should¡¯ve figured. I just saw the, uh, what¡¯d you call it ¨C his neck, uh, thing. I saw that and panicked. I¡¯ve only ever seen that in Jurassic Park.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve seen him when Orson and I found him.¡± Eloise invited them inside. Dino lowered his crest and followed after them, sniffing at the travelers. ¡°He was half-starved, the poor buddy.¡± ¡°We thought he was one of Kappa¡¯s leftover monsters,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s the guy I was telling you about.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Eloise said. ¡°He is one of Kappa¡¯s, but he¡¯s a real sweetheart. We discovered a little population of these dogs, and we found homes for most of them. We think the fringe is supposed to help them hear better, like a big radar dish on their heads. But besides that, Dino¡¯s a normal pup.¡± ¡°So there are still animals that this Kappa experimented on?¡± Enoa asked. The entryway led onto a small sitting room. It had cushioned wooden armchairs and a small couch. ¡°The Hierarchia never cleaned up any of their messes or cared for their creations.¡± Orson followed Eloise to a coat rack. ¡°I¡¯m a bad influence on poor Dino.¡± Eloise scratched the dog¡¯s ears. ¡°Since the Liberty Corps business started, I¡¯ve been nervous every time someone comes to the house. I think it¡¯s rubbing off. He was never a suspicious kind of dog, even after all he¡¯s been through.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard not to be suspicious with all the freaky crap going on now.¡± Orson tugged at his right boot. He wore one that matched his left, rather than the armored repulsor. The right boot looked almost new, a perfect black. ¡°This thing still isn¡¯t broken in.¡± ¡°Orson is real!¡± A tall bearded man entered the room. He wore a heavy sweater and wire-rim glasses. ¡°You must be Carlos?¡± Orson shook his hand. ¡°I am!¡± Carlos waved to the crew. ¡°Carlos Albir.¡± ¡°Orson Gregory,¡± Orson said. ¡°As you know. This is my new crew, Enoa Cloud and Jaleel Yaye.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you all.¡± Carlos shook their hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you say Orson isn¡¯t real,¡± Eloise said. ¡°There are pictures of him and a lot of records with his name.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°It annoys her when I say you aren¡¯t real.¡± Carlos laughed, an infectious jovial laugh. ¡°I guess I have to quit it now.¡± ¡°Sometimes I still question whether anything in my life is actually real,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of strange stuff.¡± ¡°And we¡¯ve seen a lot of strange stuff, since we¡¯ve known him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m my own strangeness magnet,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I think that¡¯s actually what drew in Orson.¡± ¡°That might make you the strangest of all,¡± Carlos said. ¡°But maybe not. Orson, you sounded like you really wondered who I was, when I walked in.¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson answered. ¡°But if I¡¯m being honest, it wouldn¡¯t have surprised me too much if you were a random guy who wandered in to see if I was a real person. That probably wouldn¡¯t even crack the top ten weirdest things that have happened to me, especially after all the Thunderworks publicity.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t even be the weirdest thing today.¡± Carlos looked at the other Aesir crewmembers. ¡°Sloan¡¯s still talking about you guys. You did a lot of damage to his trucks. He said something about you losing the Liberty Corps a billion dollars, a few weeks ago. You¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°Is he sending anyone to look for them?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Carlos said. ¡°He was still ranting when I finished my call. You might want to take a listen.¡± * * * The Shaper threw a knife. Kol dodged it, dropping to his left, into a crouch. The blade was so close to his right ear that he felt a burst of air from its passing. He wanted to speak to the man. Caused his brother¡¯s death? Who was he? Another two knives flew at him, before he could speak. He didn¡¯t know where the Shaper was storing his iron supply, but he was effortlessly landing the Shaping transfers. The assailant had range and aim. Kol jumped to his feet. He kept his sword and robotic hand forward. He batted another knife aside. It clattered, harmless, to the floor. Without the Shaper recovering his fallen weapons, he would eventually run out of his source. But he could have laced all of his clothing with iron. Kol had heard of such things in the upper echelons of the Liberty Corps Kol decided his best chance was close-quarters fighting. He kept his right arm ahead to shield his neck and swung the sword at the Shaper when he was close enough. The man put his hands together and produced a long cleaver. The blades met and the cleaver was thick enough to clash with Kol¡¯s sword. The Shaper drew his left hand back and created another blade of the same size. He dropped down and stabbed at the inside of Kol¡¯s knee. Kol managed to parry the strike, but he gave ground and backed away toward the door. This man was faster than he was and with a good deal more martial-arts training. Kol had neglected his own fencing. Between planning the Nimauk operation and his hearing, he¡¯d lost his edge. No more would he be the best duelist in his class of trainees, at least not with fighters like this man in the ranks. But he had one advantage few other fighters could match. Kol ran again. The Shaper shortened one of his blades and threw it. Kol struck it aside. The Shaper enlarged his second cleaver into a proper sword. Kol struck the man¡¯s sword in a two-handed swing. He put his full prosthetic hand¡¯s strength into the strike. The Shaper had to add more iron to the blade to strengthen it, to keep it from shattering. Kol removed his right hand from the hilt of his sword and took the Shaper by the throat. The man gagged. ¡°Yield!¡± Kol shouted. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill your brother. I¡¯m no murderer. I fight only to rebuild this world. Who are you?¡± The Shaper did not speak. He raised his arms and threw iron into Kol¡¯s helmeted face. This wasn¡¯t an attack of blades or daggers or spikes. This man had weaponized his blunt iron. He sent blocks of iron from his sleeves, flying at Kol. Before Kol could act, the Iron formed a massive block around Kol¡¯s helmet. The iron tried to force its way between his helmet and his armor. He shoved his head down against his chest, denying the Iron access to his throat. The iron tightened. It didn¡¯t immediately cut off his air supply, but it was only a matter of time. Everything went dark inside the block of iron, around his head. He reeled back, but he didn¡¯t release the man. They grappled with each other, both suffocating. Kol had no choice. This man had no intention of providing answers. Kol had not killed this man¡¯s brother, but he would have to kill him. But Kol struggled to breathe. He¡¯d forced himself through four mental regimens, battling with his claustrophobia. After the accident, after losing his hand, Kol¡¯s mind had rebelled at darkness. He¡¯d slept with a nightlight until he went to Corps training. Years and multiple mentally-intensive psychological courses fell away. Kol¡¯s mind slipped into panic and disassociation. It was as if he viewed himself from the outside, his body unresponsive, hyperventilating. His grip on the Shaper¡¯s neck slackened, though only by a fraction. Iron forced its way between Kol¡¯s prosthetic and the man¡¯s neck. This man¡¯s Shaping was art, another sense. The iron, under his control, changed form and rearranged effortlessly. The iron around Kol¡¯s helmet squeezed, tight enough that he heard the polycarbonate straining against the pressure. The Shaper said something, but his words were muffled. Kol could not hear. Even sound was blocked by the mass of iron. He could die this way, crushed, crushed the way he¡¯d been after Thunderworks, crushed the way he¡¯d been when he lost his hand. Kol relived that immense weight on his hand. He relived the aftermath of the apartment collapse, when he first saw Max pulled from the wreckage, his legs misshapen. In some ways, Kol had never left that place. A part of him would always be there, in the dark, in that broken shell of an apartment, where his childhood had died, where he had lost himself, where he¡¯d failed Max. That was the moment of trajectory when his life changed. He would not let it end in such a way. Kol needed to call to the iron too. He¡¯d been trained. He¡¯d studied. He¡¯d fought with the metal, but he couldn¡¯t do it before. He¡¯d failed to rule his mind. He¡¯d failed to command iron. Now was the time. Shape or die. Rule the mind! Kol didn¡¯t have time for doubt. He didn¡¯t have mental capacity for second thoughts. He didn¡¯t have enough oxygen left to process more than one command. Already, he felt his mind growing distant and weaker as the iron block around his helmet cut off his air. If he could command the Iron, he could tear it away from his helmet. He could breath. He tried to imagine the iron belonged to him. He tried to know that the iron belonged to him. He imagined a separate wall of influence, a wall of his mind, between his will and the Shapers¡¯. He used all his effort, all his strength, to insert his will between the iron and his helmet. Shape or die. Rule the mind. Command iron. Kol felt his focus slip away. He didn¡¯t command the iron. This man did, this man who was killing him, who was crushing him. No! Rule the mind. Shape or die. Kol stopped thinking of iron. He stopped thinking about his weakening body or the armored throat under his fingers. He thought about wills. He could hear Max¡¯s voice in his mind, ¡°Everything we do in life happens within some parameters.¡± He had to fight within his parameters. These were Kol¡¯s parameters. His will had to overcome his enemy¡¯s. Mind vs. mind. He imagined his will between his helmet and his enemy¡¯s will. It was a wall between him and the suffocating iron. He thought about the strength that could have saved him and Max years ago, the strength he¡¯d wanted since he joined the Liberty Corps. Kol made the wall. He had no choice. He owned his body. He ruled his mind. Shape or die. The iron broke away from Kol¡¯s helmet. He gasped for air. He struggled to stay focused while his lungs demanded his entire attention. For a moment, Kol thought his helmet¡¯s lenses were broken. Everything around him was a blue haze of light, like a bright afterimage around his whole head. But then Kol felt an electric tingling all over his body. He knew that the light was no afterimage. This was power, his power. Kol had Shaped, but not Iron. ¡°Impossible!¡± The man yelled. ¡°I¡¯ve studied you. You have no power.¡± Kol needed to see and because he willed the light to be gone, the light wall cleared away. The Shaper summoned another knife. Kol pulled his hand from the man¡¯s throat and caught his wrist. He twisted. The Shaper¡¯s arm broke with a sickening snap. The man yelled but he also kicked, his foot aimed sideways, iron-bladed leg spike aimed at Kol¡¯s side. Kol caught the spike and snapped the iron free. He pulled on the man¡¯s leg, forcing him close enough to drive his left fist into the Shaper¡¯s face. The man fell backward. Kol caught him with his prosthetic and forced him to his knees. Kol was dimly aware of the Shaper¡¯s pained howling as he dragged him, still on his knees, into the common area. He should have considered where Duncan and Max were. This man was capable of extreme techniques. Kol didn¡¯t know for certain that the man had surrendered, but he couldn¡¯t think about that. An exhaustion suddenly spread over him, a second wave of numbness, but not from lack of oxygen. He didn¡¯t know what it was. It was like a new wall was cutting him off from the world, but it was not a wall of his making. Kol kept his grip on the squirming man, his grip actually tightening as his mind fogged. Duncan ran into the room, gun drawn. Brielle and a contingent of her forces soon burst through the suite door. They spoke, but Kol was barely aware of the words or the sentiment. He heard Brielle¡¯s voice, Duncan¡¯s, Max¡¯s. But once he saw the Shaper was removed from his grip and hauled from the room, Kol¡¯s consciousness surrendered to oblivion. * * * ¡°We will not let this go. We¡¯ll have Gregory strung up for interfering with official operations. That¡¯ll learn them all some respect.¡± Sloan sounded exactly how Enoa imagined he would. He had a braggadocios quality to his voice that made him sound like a caricatured corrupt mayor from a low budget TV drama. ¡°I¡¯ll send for the Nine-flails in the morning.¡± Eloise stood with Orson and Jaleel in the office Eloise shared with Carlos. It was a small room, but held two desks, a desktop computer with a half-dozen connected devices, and a bookcase along one wall. Their hosts stood on either side of a large black device with an antenna sticking out of the top. It issued a soft blue light as Sloan spoke. ¡°Nine-flails?¡± another voice asked. ¡°He works directly for Baron Helmont. His movements and missions are open Corps record. Everyone will know about Rydel¡¯s capture and how badly Gregory beat us.¡± ¡°You listen to this shit,¡± Sloan said. ¡°Tell me we don¡¯t want the Nine-flails.¡± There was a click. Orson¡¯s recorded voice began to speak ¨C the message he¡¯d left behind with the Requisitions Day caravan. ¡°Attention Liberty Corps forces,¡± Orson¡¯s recording said. ¡°Requisitions Day is cancelled. All official Liberty Corps operations are cancelled. You¡¯re not safe. When you rob people and terrorize them, you aren¡¯t safe. While you exploit the desperate, you aren¡¯t safe. When you kill to build your empire, you aren¡¯t safe. When I¡¯m around, you aren¡¯t safe, and you¡¯ll never know where I¡¯ll be. So while you¡¯re with the Liberty Corps, you¡¯ll never be safe. Surrender all Liberty Corps banners and colors. Lay down your armor and your arms. Walk away. Or you will never be safe again.¡± ¡°If you need to see what I do to people who prey on the defenseless,¡± Orson continued. ¡°Just ask your Captain Maros. He¡¯s in one of your northeast groups. He sent two Sun Talons and a Roger drop ship after me and bombed a community of innocent people. Now, all of that expensive tech is spare parts. The same will happen to you, to all of you, to any of you who operate as the Liberty Corps and think stolen weapons gave you the right to rule.¡± ¡°Feel free to share this around. This is the last warning I plan to give you. Gregory out.¡± Both voices fell silent when the recording ended, leaving the office quiet. ¡°How did you get a Liberty Corps scanner?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Considering what they¡¯re talking about¡­¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± Eloise waved a hand at him. ¡°Governor, when was the last hanging around here?¡± the second voice asked. ¡°I think the nineteen-twenties,¡± Sloan answered. ¡°It¡¯s been too long, and I think the locals need a reminder of what happens to outlaws, so like I said, I¡¯m sending for Nine-flails.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll let me know what happens?¡± ¡°Everybody¡¯s gonna know what happens,¡± Sloan said. ¡°But I¡¯ll keep you posted.¡± ¡°Please. Goodnight, sir.¡± The second man signed off. The Aesir crew and their hosts gave another moment of full silence, before speaking. ¡°You¡¯re actually for real.¡± Carlos grinned. ¡°Wow! I thought you were exaggerating, Ellie. You really did hang out with wild people.¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Eloise groaned. ¡°Orson, I know you meant well, but this could be bad, really bad. We¡¯re treading lightly here. I¡¯ve wanted us to join one of the Alliances for a year-and-a-half, but try getting Littlefield to realize how dangerous isolation can be. I finally got them on board with joining the Gulf Alliance and then Sloan came along. Two weeks ago, his Liberty Corps took control of almost all regional oil production, what¡¯s left of it. Towns either join the Liberty Corps or go cold. So now I¡¯m back to square one.¡± ¡°I thought you were mostly solar here,¡± Orson said. ¡°You used that funding from the Feds after we stopped Kappa¡¯s operation.¡± ¡°Ninety-percent of us are solar.¡± Eloise nodded. ¡°But that only bought us time. Only sixty percent of our vehicles are electric. And are you really telling us Sloan won¡¯t eventually notice this place? Sloan wants to control everything. If I can persuade a majority to join the Pacific Alliance, we may be protected. We have information to offer them. Every few years, we still find Hierarchia caches. And we captured the last Liberty Corps recon group that came through and gave them to the P.A. That¡¯s also how we got our scanner. We have some bargaining chips.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing problems,¡± Orson said. ¡°I saw Halfpoint getting robbed by those people and I couldn¡¯t just sit there and watch with it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Eloise said. ¡°But everything¡¯s a lot harder now. Littlefield still makes all major decisions by popular vote. Try persuading this town to join with an alliance run in California.¡± ¡°Try persuading your dad,¡± Carlos said. Eloise grimaced. ¡°How is your dad?¡± Orson asked. ¡°He¡¯s getting around,¡± Eloise said. ¡°He wants to see you and hear about your adventures, but this Liberty Corps situation is really scaring him. He¡¯s just getting too old to be in constant danger.¡± ¡°We can hide the Aesir someplace out of town,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll lay low, and we won¡¯t stay long.¡± ¡°This is just like Trolley Town,¡± Enoa sighed. ¡°They¡¯re just going to keep coming. The Liberty Corps isn¡¯t like Nalrik, where we can blow up their leader and have them go away. Seriously.¡± ¡°Blow up their leader!¡± Carlos yelled. ¡°Even the new kids are nuts.¡± ¡°She¡¯s oversimplifying.¡± Orson raised both of his hands. ¡°The explosion wasn¡¯t our fault. Enoa, we had a major company and, to some degree, the local law behind us with the Sabres. Totally different.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with you,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯s just dangerous. The Liberty Corps wants to own this area. What if they go after the people of Halfpoint?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on board with the Robin Hood stuff, boss,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Just for the record.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°I get it. The Liberty Corps wants to be the government. That¡¯s what Pops said. We¡¯ll have to be more careful fighting them.¡± ¡°We can figure this out,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Maybe this is a good opportunity to formally join the Pacific Alliance. In the meantime, I read your information about finding that island at the Dateline.¡± ¡°Do you know someone who can help us?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I have a couple ideas,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll send out messages, right away.¡± 65 - Thought Fatigue Kol woke up, all at once. He jolted awake, but he couldn¡¯t reconcile his memories with his location or with the IV trailing from his arm. He pushed himself onto his elbows. He was in an infirmary room, small and private, with only one bed and associated monitors. ¡°Look, the mighty Shaper lives!¡± Brielle sat in a chair on the other side of the room, assorted paperwork strewn across a table, in front of her. ¡°We keep a supply of Neurzodone, as a precaution, like the Hierarchia did, but we¡¯ve never actually had a case of Thought Fatigue before you. I¡¯ll send a message to Duncan and your brother and let them know you¡¯re okay. They stayed here for the first two hours, but they both needed their rest.¡± Kol remembered what he¡¯d done, the defeat of his assailant, but the memory was hazy. It was like a flying dream, something unbelievable, something impossible to replicate in real life. He tried to feel the part of his mind that had unleashed the energy that saved his life, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°What happened to me?¡± he asked. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Secure medical center.¡± She set her work aside. ¡°It took the better part of an hour to get a clear answer out of your attacker, and we didn¡¯t know if you had more people after you.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Kol¡¯s attacker hadn¡¯t explained himself. He hadn¡¯t seen the man¡¯s face. He knew nothing about him, except his fighting ability ¨C almost certainly Liberty Corps. ¡°We don¡¯t think so.¡± Brielle walked to him. She removed the IV from the port in his arm. ¡°Your attacker is a Lieutenant in the Blades Corps, Jason Gilford. He¡¯s been stationed here for over a year. We¡¯re holding him in one of the high security cells on the other side of the compound.¡± She sat sideways on his bed and rested her hand on his. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I think I am. I don¡¯t really know what happened. I tried to fight him with his own iron and then¡­ something else happened. I don¡¯t know what.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to work on that.¡± She slid her hand to his forearm. ¡°You must have done something incredible to exhaust yourself that way.¡± She squeezed his arm. ¡°I am so excited for you! You¡¯ve been working so hard and now you¡¯re going to have everything you deserve. Kol Maros ¨C master Shaper who found the Dreamside Road.¡± ¡°That man, Gilford, he told me I killed his brother, but that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not possible. Why did he believe that? What are the odds he¡¯d be here?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t kill his brother. His younger brother, Jerred, died when Operative Divenoll sent that dropship to find the vessel Aesir. It was an awful tragedy, and Gilford must have lost his mind, wanting someone to blame.¡± ¡°And he blamed me. How many other brothers or friends are waiting out there to kill me instead of Divenoll?¡± ¡°You¡¯re safe. No one will get to you with me here.¡± She slid closer to him, her back leaning against him. She moved her hand to the side of his head, fingers slowly brushing through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you were attacked in this base, but I¡¯ll make it up to you. I¡¯m going to personally watch over you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my bodyguard?¡± Kol held her hand with his prosthetic. It was a reflexive gesture, natural, even after so many years. He hoped the metal wasn¡¯t too cold. ¡°If we¡¯re alone together for long I don¡¯t think either of us will be ready to fight.¡± ¡°No? Do you think I¡¯m too modest to fight someone naked?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­¡± He planned to stop her with logic. Was Gilford a lone wolf, or had the attack against him been encouraged by someone? Was this another extension of the race for the Dreamside Road? Brielle herself had warned him about rivals. Could this be some action taken by Divenoll or another agent seeking the trove? ¡°If anyone comes after you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on this technique, where I armor myself in my iron. That¡¯s supposed to happen over my clothes, but it¡¯s easier without them.¡± She kissed him, and when their lips met, he was transported to a different time, a time of certainty. It had been a time when he¡¯d felt certain in the Liberty Corps cause, in himself, in his path in life and his mission to make amends for destroying his own brother¡¯s future. It was perfect nostalgia, free from doubt or fear or futility. ¡°I¡¯m so relieved!¡± She laid her head on his chest. ¡°You¡¯re here and you¡¯re safe and you¡¯re finally Shaping. And we¡¯re not in the same chain of command. There¡¯s nothing wrong with us being together. I cannot believe how well this is working out.¡± ¡°Finally Shaping?¡± He laid his flesh-and-blood hand on the back of her head. ¡°I¡¯m glad I never heard you that impatient with me before I¡¯d done it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be offended!¡± She looked up at him. ¡°Not everyone has to know how to Shape. None of us really knew how widespread it would be. It¡¯s weird, isn¡¯t it? The IHSA never managed to teach people Shaping the way the Liberty Corps has, even if real talent is rare. But everyone knows how hard you were trying and it just¡­¡± She groaned. ¡°Do you really want to talk about this now? Or should we get out of here?¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Kol did want to talk about it. He wanted to talk about a thousand things, his Shaping the least of those, about his brush with death, about his hearing, about his failures, about the constant mysteries that had plagued him since Nimauk. But she kissed him again, and Kol decided his disquiet could wait until the morning. * * * Orson slept poorly. He¡¯d seen too much destruction, and held too many fears for the future, to sleep for long. Only physical exhaustion offered him extended periods of rest. The aftermaths of battles were usually his best times for sleep, but not that night. The Liberty Corps complications had grown beyond the relief any single confrontation could offer him. He couldn¡¯t rely on post-adrenaline rest, not with Governors and Barons of the Liberty Corps all operating to build an empire, build a government, like Pops had warned. Orson had put his own life on hold to help stop Thunderworks, their masters, and the spread of IHSA power. Five years he¡¯d given to his crusade. Five years had passed, five years when his old crewmates had retired to safety and real lives. Five of his years gone to fighting wackos, but the kind of enemies who had forced him from his home were a greater threat to the world than they¡¯d ever been. He gave up on sleep, at least temporarily. He pulled his exercise mat from its sealed bag beneath his bed. He quietly inched open the zippered bag, withdrew the mat, and crept out of his room. Orson found Jaleel sitting at the cabin table, working by the light of a small portable lamp, an assortment of metal parts scattered around him, including his bow, arrows, and the looted spraystick. Jaleel waved to him. Orson walked to the table. ¡°Mind if I join you?¡± he whispered. ¡°Not at all.¡± Orson sat across from Jaleel and looked at the array of parts assembled for his project. He saw several pieces of wiring, three long hinges, and dozens of small pieces that looked like individual zipper teeth. Jaleel was slowly threading wire between these pieces, one at a time. ¡°I need a quick-load system,¡± Jaleel explained. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted this since I saw what you have for your blaster, but mine needs to be way more complicated with all my arrows.¡± ¡°I can only imagine.¡± Jaleel threaded the wire through another piece. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m still working on this at¡­¡± Jaleel looked at a tablet on the table. ¡°Five forty-seven in the morning. Why are you awake too?¡± ¡°I get up around now almost every day to work out, until I¡¯m tired enough to sleep again. I¡¯ve been this way for years. Enoa seems like she has a pretty normal sleep schedule so I¡¯m not used to running into anybody.¡± ¡°That sounds miserable. I¡¯m just staying up because I¡¯m afraid I might need this system soon, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be finishing it this morning.¡± ¡°Hopefully you won¡¯t need it. The Corwins have a couple big garages. We¡¯ll hide the ship in one of those or head up to the hills where Kappa kept his base. No one would find us there. Then, while we wait to hear back from Eloise¡¯s contacts, I can teach you and Enoa how to fly this bird.¡± ¡°Teach me to fly!¡± Jaleel dropped the threaded metal pieces onto the table. ¡°Keep your voice down. You¡¯re like a kid on Christmas.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°I was debating what I¡¯d do, and I thought about waiting. I drove the Aesir at your age, but I didn¡¯t fly it, not for a while. But you guys depend on this boat too and if something happened to me, God forbid, you couldn¡¯t even get away. I won¡¯t have you two be sitting ducks, so yeah, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna be a good pilot,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I modified all of the Archer aircraft, and I¡¯ve been studying aerospace propulsion since I was fourteen. I will not let you down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t,¡± Orson chuckled. ¡°But we¡¯re taking this slow. And first we need to figure out the hideout plan with Eloise and her dad. We¡¯re not going flying until tonight, so you¡¯ll have to be patient, while we meet up with him and Eloise¡¯s brothers. Rob and Alec are already gonna give me crap.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not sure if I actually hurt their feelings about this or if they¡¯re just ribbing me, but I didn¡¯t mention them at all in my memoir. They were away at college when I was first in Littlefield and it seemed weird to talk about them when they weren¡¯t even there, but they won¡¯t let me hear the end of it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯ll have forgotten about that after two years, or whatever it¡¯s been, since you¡¯ve visited here?¡± ¡°Knowing them? They¡¯ll definitely bring it up.¡± Orson heard the faint, but unmistakable sound of a bunk door sliding open. He and Jaleel fell silent. Enoa walked from her bunk, still in pajamas. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if we woke you,¡± Orson said. ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± She walked to the locker that held her aunt¡¯s films, the projector equipment, and the screen. ¡°I¡¯ve been too stressed to sleep. I heard the two of you talking so I knew I was safe making noise to watch this.¡± She slid out a film. ¡°Are you getting the emergency combat movie?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I am,¡± she said. ¡°If that Governor Sloan wants to hang us, we all have to be ready to defend ourselves.¡± * * * Duncan had received Brielle¡¯s message. Kol was okay and well enough to be discharged. He¡¯d suffered from the kind of magic-brain-fart from Shaping that she¡¯d thought he¡¯d had. But he didn¡¯t return to the suite. Either he was with Brielle ¨C and good for them, if that were the case ¨C or something new and terrible had happened. He couldn¡¯t worry about the possibilities. He needed sleep, but he¡¯d begun sorting the case of Sucora Cloud¡¯s papers while he waited for a status update about Kol¡¯s health. He had no plans of sleeping before he¡¯d finished. The case¡¯s contents seemed to match his previous assessment ¨C financial records and bills. There were envelopes and folders of statements and expenses going back over forty years. Duncan saw some company transactions dating back to the Reagan Administration, when the statements referenced several members of the Cloud family, none of them Sucora. But there was nothing about the Dreamside Road. Nothing about the IHSA or the Dreamthought Project or Shaping or other anomalies. Nothing useful. Duncan reached the bottom of the case. There was actually nothing of any worth there for them. He¡¯d carried four decades of this woman¡¯s electric bills for almost one thousand miles, for no reason. Duncan sighed and began returning the papers to the case. Well, at least he could check off this box ¨C Sucora Cloud really had nothing. As a final precaution, he decided to go through the copy of the woman¡¯s probated will, if only to be sure there was no mention of additional property, where IHSA goods might be hidden. When he opened the folder, he found a sealed envelope, face down on top of the legal documents. The envelope hadn¡¯t been mailed. It bore no address, no postage, only one marking. One word was written on it ¨C a name, the name. Enoa Duncan tore open the envelope and began to read. 66 - The Lost Letter ¡°I still have enemies, Enoa.¡± As always, Sucora stood at her desk in the hidden room beneath the shop, recorded years before her death. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve never been forced to face that.¡± Enoa sat on her bed, film projector beside her. She hadn¡¯t bothered to set up the screen. The projector could send the movie onto the wall of her bunk, not good enough for real training, but good enough to listen ahead. ¡°I hope I left all of that behind,¡± Sucora said. ¡°But if I didn¡¯t or if you are in danger for any reason, I think you¡¯re ready to learn to defend yourself.¡± She withdrew her staff and expanded it to its full size. ¡°Anemos offers the power of change. It arms us with the strength of the cyclical world. I¡¯ve learned to wield the most dangerous changes on our Earth, causing and halting explosive reactions. I¡¯ve used my studies to protect me from nuclear radiation and the high intensity weapons the IHSA developed. But you aren¡¯t ready for that study. I hope you never need to be.¡± Enoa fell back against her bed. So this wasn¡¯t going to explain the explosions she¡¯d caused. ¡°I have four techniques for you today. I believe these four early techniques would overwhelm people who know nothing of Shaping or similar disciplines and could offer some protection even against trained Shapers and other powered agents.¡± Sucora approached the camera and angled it so it revealed a round target on a stand, set between two of the shelves of films, then holding fewer canisters. She stepped between the camera and the target, standing to one side, so the bullseye was still visible. Enoa heard sounds, hollow and fast. Holes appeared at the center of the bullseye. It was suddenly riddled with the steaming holes. Sucora had done something too fast to see, something powerful enough to annihilate the target. Enoa sat up. Sucora had hardly moved her staff. What could she have created without motion that could break through a target? ¡°Technique one.¡± Sucora turned back to the camera. ¡°Bullet Rain. When it¡¯s raining, the drops are lighter than air and are much too slow to be projectiles. But with training, Anemos can make even the moisture in the air around you capable of defending you.¡± She walked to the target, tracing the new holes with her fingers. ¡°You won¡¯t be strong enough to wield Mach Two Bullet Rain. I doubt yours will be strong enough to do more than disorient, but most adversaries aren¡¯t prepared to be pelted in the face with water.¡± Enoa pulled water from the air, forming a small droplet. She held the water, floating between her hands. Could she really learn to throw a single drop of rain hard enough to break a target? ¡°Technique two,¡± Sucora said. Enoa looked back toward the film projection. It was gone. Sucora and the hidden room could not be seen. In their place was a solid mass of gray, like those frames of film had been distorted and could not be viewed. Enoa wasn¡¯t sure what she could do if the films were damaged. ¡°This is techniques two and three at once,¡± Sucora said. ¡°Midnight Sight and Flow Sense. I¡¯m sorry for the silly names. The Hierarchia was obsessed with naming everything.¡± The screen cleared enough for Sucora to be distinguishable, surrounded by a heavy cloud, like a morning in marshland. ¡°I can teach you to form a fog too deep for even you to see through it,¡± Sucora said. ¡°And I can teach you to feel motion in the air around you, sense everything nearby. You will see without sight.¡± The fog dissipated entirely. ¡°Again, these skills take consistent practice to master, but even at a basic level, most people aren¡¯t prepared to fight blind.¡± Sucora stepped away from the camera. She held her staff with both hands. She slid her feet apart and stood in what appeared to be a deliberate stance. She struck outward with the staff, sliding the weapon between her hands, jabbing into the air, dozens of strikes. She delivered a practiced flurry of motion. Enoa tried to follow all of the attacks, but she couldn¡¯t. It was like watching a dance for the first time. The moves were a targeted routine, a rehearsed pattern, but they looked too fast to replicate, inhuman speed. Sucora completed the routine and returned to her ready stance, facing the camera. ¡°This staff, in practiced hands, can resist direct attack from a mythic elemental. You can learn about them in IHSA log eight, On Genetic Anomalies. This staff can puncture the body of a tank. Someday, it will belong to you, and it might be useful to know how to use it.¡± Enoa reached for the staff. She knew what it could accomplish. It had already saved her life and likely saved Jaleel¡¯s, as well, against Nalrik. But this was different. It was a true weapon of finesse and technique, not just an implement for surprise-blasting villains. ¡°As always,¡± Sucora said. ¡°We begin with our breathing.¡± * * * Kol dreamed of the building collapse. He was buried, his arm crushed and numb. This was not the first time his mind had replayed his maiming. This was not the first time he¡¯d flashed back to the worst days of his life. But this time it was different. This time, he wasn¡¯t in the collapsed loft. Now he was somewhere else, with walls of wood and stone, instead of the modern masonry and concrete. He was somewhere hot, somewhere with living, red flame that flickered at the edges of his vision. Kol dreaded the impenetrable shadow that had turned his time buried into an unbroken night. But the glow that moved at the corners of his eyes was worse. The fire seemed to call to him. He couldn¡¯t turn himself toward the flame, but he knew it was edging closer. He could breath somehow, despite the smoke and fire, but there was no doubt the flames would soon reach him. Kol woke up before he could cry out. ¡°You¡¯re having a nightmare.¡± Brielle stood beside her bed, her hand on his cheek. She was dressed in her uniform, her command datapad in her other hand. Her room was little larger than the standard guest quarters, but more personally furnished with a desk and armchair. ¡°Aww, what happened to you out there, Kol? You were restless, all night.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­ I¡¯ve had a really trying few months. I hope I didn¡¯t keep you awake.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t. I was already awake. Until I can organize an investigation into Lieutenant Gilford, I¡¯m going to assume you¡¯re in danger. Even if you aren¡¯t, I have a lot of work to do to keep those kinds of attacks from happening on this base.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He slid his left hand from the sheets and held hers. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much to help me. I might have died twice yesterday. I can¡¯t help feeling that our relationship still isn¡¯t truly equal.¡± ¡°You worry too much.¡± She kissed his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re the man who¡¯s going to find the Dreamside Road, so I¡¯m pretty happy with my investment in you.¡± Kol kissed her hand. ¡°Investment? And I thought you liked me for my good looks and strong character.¡± ¡°Kol Maros fishing for compliments! Okay, here¡¯s one. I really wish I could stay in bed with you, but I have dozens of video messages to send. I¡¯ll be in the other room, so you can stay here as long as you want. Breakfast should still be warm. I left bacon and eggs in the pans on the stove.¡± ¡°I think I will stay.¡± Kol pushed himself into a sitting position. He hugged his face to her side, both hands at the small of her back. She ran a hand through his long hair. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone knows about Gilford. No one will expect anything of me today. I think I should stay here and take plenty of time to recuperate. What do you think?¡± ¡°Hey, I got a message from Duncan.¡± She stared at her datapad. ¡°Oh no, what now?¡± Kol pulled his hands back. He had no idea how long he¡¯d slept, but he still felt the deep fatigue from his Shaping. Brielle¡¯s company aside, he really might need time to recuperate or at least time to figure out what he¡¯d done to defeat Gilford. ¡°I¡¯ll put his message on speaker.¡± ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am.¡± Duncan¡¯s voice played from the device. ¡°I¡¯m trying to reach Captain Maros. He¡¯s not answering my messages. Is he still in the medical wing? It¡¯s important I reach him. If you see him, please let him know that I¡¯ve found a game-changer in the Cloud investigation.¡± * * * Enoa held images of the destroyed target in her mind. Bullet Rain ¨C once she managed that technique, she could travel anywhere in the world she wanted. She wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the Liberty Corps or anyone else. Then she could find her answers about Aunt Sucora and the Dreamside Road, and really enjoy her travels the way she¡¯d hoped to. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve been snuck into this house,¡± Orson said. ¡°The first time I was here, I was used as a political piece in this showdown between the Corwin faction, here in Littlefield, and the weirdos working for Kappa.¡± ¡°How many factions have you dealt with, in different places, over the years?¡± Jaleel asked. They sat in jumper seats attached to the inside of a cargo container. They were surrounded by barcoded boxes of various sizes. The container was on the back of a moving truck. It would carry them between Eloise¡¯s and Carlos¡¯s residence ¨C where the Aesir was still hidden beneath its camouflage blanket ¨C and the main Corwin residence. Enoa wasn¡¯t really paying attention to Orson¡¯s story. He and Jaleel were swapping commentary on their situation, but her mind was too occupied by the visions of Sucora¡¯s Shaper prowess to pay attention. Enoa had the opportunity to win real safety, the kind of secure living that few people ever experienced anymore. As a Master Shaper, she could return to Nimauk after her adventures, with little need to worry about anything. No Master Nine could come along and defeat a fully trained Enoa Cloud, any more than he would have beaten Aunt Sucora when she¡¯d been healthy. The truck came to a sudden stop and shut off. Orson unbuckled himself from his seatbelt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°We can¡¯t be there yet,¡± Orson stood, his weight shifted onto his repulsor boot, probably anchored in place in case of sudden movement. ¡°Something happened.¡± Enoa reached for her staff. Then she forced herself out of daydreams and into her meditation. Since they¡¯d reached the southwest, she hadn¡¯t tried any of her transmutations outside the Aesir. How would the dry air affect her? She certainly couldn¡¯t rely on the exhausting explosions. She heard the truck¡¯s rear door slide up. She unbuckled her own seatbelt and saw Orson rest his right hand on his sword¡¯s hilt. The container door opened too, but the person standing in the daylight wore blue Corwin coveralls. ¡°Hey, Pedro.¡± Orson nodded to the man. ¡°How are¡­¡± ¡°Not now, Orson. You have to stay quiet. We all need to sit here a few minutes until we get the all clear.¡± ¡°All clear?¡± Orson asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Governor Sloan sent a convoy to Mr. Corwin,¡± Pedro said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if they suspect him of anything or if they have teams visiting other places too, but we can¡¯t risk taking you there.¡± ¡°If we go there anyway,¡± Orson said. ¡°We can send their convoy gift-wrapped to the Pacific Alliance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Pedro said. ¡°My orders are clear. We¡¯ll wait until we know they aren¡¯t also moving on Miss Eloise¡¯s house. Then I¡¯ll see you safely back to the Aesir.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°We can¡¯t just hide out in a yard.¡± ¡°You have to hope the Liberty Corps clears out enough to head up to Kappa¡¯s old base. It looks like, with all this scrutiny, you¡¯ll be stuck out of town while you¡¯re here.¡± * * * Kol found Duncan waiting for him in the hallway outside the suite. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kol said. ¡°I was¡­¡± Kol wasn¡¯t sure if he was ready for Duncan¡¯s teasing about Brielle. Duncan motioned for him to be quiet. ¡°Why are you¡­?¡± Duncan vigorously shook his head. Then he held out his hand. He held a folded slip of paper. Kol took it. He read. Enoa, I have difficult news to share. This information I hoped to give only out of honesty, when I knew you were ready, but my plans have changed. I leave you this message to keep you safe. I need you to act as soon as you read these words. I should have told you this in life, but I wanted the last days with us together to be like they always were, without the burden of old secrets. You were the best part of my life. You¡¯re so good, and it has redeemed me to raise such an extraordinary person in this difficult world and dangerous time. I write this letter on July 5. I could have months left to live, but we can¡¯t count on that. It could be that we deal with this situation long before my time comes, but I am too sick now to solve this, on my own. This problem may outlive me. Something happened yesterday that forced me to act. Long ago, I was part of a group of people that hid something very, very valuable, called the Dreamside Road. It is beyond priceless, and I fear now that someone is looking for it. They believe I have it or they know I have one of the keys to unlock it. I don¡¯t believe they are in Nimauk. I think this threat is still distant. The interested parties likely do not know where we are, but I could be wrong. My perceptions are not what they were. I have feared this day for decades and now it comes so close to the end of my life, when I know this burden will not be mine, but yours. I am so sorry that I passed this on to you, but I could not let the Dreamside Road be located by the wrong people. It poses the danger of Thunderworks, many times over. It must be kept safe and hidden. I¡¯ve always wanted to find a way to free myself, to free us of this danger, but I could find no safe solution. You must be so confused. I promise everything will be explained in time. I have a plan that, if you follow it, I believe you can be safe, that you can live, and that all of this can be resolved. I want you to follow my instructions. They will seem very strange, at first, strange and terrifying, but trust me. As soon as my will is probated, you need to leave Nimauk, just for a time. I hope you can wait until the will is complete. If not, I have a plan for that too. Prepare to leave at a moment¡¯s notice. Prepare to travel long distance, like one of our drives to Long Island. Next, I need you to go to our family mausoleum. There is a hidden door inside. A room is hidden there. I work in it sometimes. It can be reached by the house too, but that is not a door you could take, not yet. That hidden room contains a secret I must share with you. Enoa, I am capable of wielding a power of the mind, called Shaping. Do you remember when all of those stories leaked to the news, about seemingly magical abilities, about the ESP studied by the League of Nations or all the strange people that fought back against Thunderworks? I wield a power like that, and as much as I hope my plan will keep you far from danger and from harm, I want you to learn this power too. It must seem so impossible to you, to even think about this, but I promise it is possible. I will be honest with you now, honest in a way I should always have been. I¡¯m sorry, but this is not the last hard truth you may face. I have been preparing you to be a Shaper since you were a very little girl. The meditation we practice is influenced by the old Nimauk, by our ancestors, but it is not Nimauk in origin. I made it. I developed it to hone the mind to perform Shaping. I believe you could progress through the training very quickly. Shaping is difficult, but your mind is strong, and strong in all the ways it must be. That is the part most people never learn, and you are already there. Think of the glade you imagine, in meditation. Think of the way your mind feels. That is where you will go to learn Shaping. I have films prepared to teach you to Shape, hidden in that room near the mausoleum. Please go there and watch at least the first seven films. I have a screen and projector. Everything you need is waiting for you. That should prepare you well enough to defend yourself in case of attack. You will think of Shaping as magical, but please try to learn it. If you believe, you can do it. If you believe, you can learn a power that will keep you safe. The detailed instructions to find your way through the mausoleum and into my secret study can be found on page 2 of this letter. I also need you to get in touch with a friend of mine, named Archie Grant. He is another old Shaper, like me, and he will see that you are safe if anyone should come looking for the Dreamside Road. You can reach him through the process detailed on page 3 of this letter. I want you to contact him when my will is complete or if there is any sign of danger. If you hear anyone speak about the Dreamside Road, for any reason, you need to contact him, immediately. He will also be looking for any message from you or any word from Nimauk. I¡¯m sorry I set such a difficult path in front of you. I hope my fears are misplaced and you can live in our home. I always wanted our life to continue for you, no matter how long we were together. I have every faith in you. I love you Enoa, and I am so dearly sorry. It was such a joy to raise you and watch the best of our family live on in you. It is such a gift to see the strong young woman you¡¯ve become. I hope you don¡¯t think less of me from these truths. I love you as my own child, and I only ever hoped to keep us safe. I hope I can continue to keep you safe, even after I leave this life. My thoughts will always be with you, Sucora Kol set the letter aside. Sucora had wanted to keep the Dreamside Road safe. She¡¯d compared it to the threat of Thunderworks, just like he had. She wrote nothing about using the trove. Duncan took the letter back. ¡°Enoa trained her entire life! Can you believe it?¡± ¡°You were right to be quiet when I got here,¡± Kol whispered and raised his hand. ¡°We do not want to discuss this with Max.¡± They both fell silent and heard nothing but the hum of the heating system through the building. ¡°Sorry,¡± Duncan said. ¡°No wonder she ragdolled your ass. You didn¡¯t stand a chance. ¡± ¡°Thanks. This letter mentioned other pages. Do you have other pages?¡± ¡°Yes, the second page is all about going through the mausoleum to reach that underground room. The third talks about sending a message through some kind of radio, hidden in a fake tree at their county line.¡± ¡°An IHSA remote depot cache,¡± Kol said. ¡°The Hierarchia had those all over the outlying territories.¡± ¡°The reverse of the last page is all numbers. It looks like a bank account number or a foreign phone number or something. I can¡¯t make heads or tails of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to take a look. Also, there are keys to unlock the Dreamside Road?¡± ¡°On the page about the hidden room, Sucora said she left her key in the desk. There¡¯s no way it was still there when we took the house, is there?¡± ¡°None. We literally dismantled that desk. There was nothing there when we left. Have we heard of keys before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Duncan said. ¡°But one way or another, it looks like we¡¯ll have to hunt down the Aesir.¡± Kol sighed. ¡°I really enjoyed the idea of never seeing them again.¡± ¡°I know, but we have a secret on our side.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Enoa might not have any of this information. The letter was still sealed when I found it.¡± 67 - The Lesser Poison ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you¡¯re okay!¡± Max had a tray across his lap. He¡¯d been eating breakfast, book in hand, but he set the book aside when Kol entered the suite. ¡°Major Rinlee called to let me know you¡¯d been discharged, but it¡¯s another thing to see you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be okay.¡± Kol tried to smile convincingly, but he watched Duncan and Sucora¡¯s letter out of the corner of his eye. Max placed his breakfast on the coffee table. Kol walked to his brother, and they embraced. He was surprised by Max¡¯s tight grip on his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s hard to realize I couldn¡¯t have protected you from that man,¡± Max said. ¡°In my mind, I still see you as the boy I took care of, not the soldier who can protect himself and wouldn¡¯t need his big brother¡¯s help even if¡­¡± He grimaced. ¡°What¡¯s new?¡± Max nodded to Duncan, who was crouched beside his pack, fitting the letter back into an envelope. Even from that distance, Kol could read the name written there ¨C Enoa. Surely Max could too. Kol tried to keep the frustration from his voice. ¡°We have some clarification for an old, dead lead. Nothing new.¡± He briefly locked gazes with Max. His brother¡¯s expression had changed, returned to his distant, intelligence-officer demeanor. Max nodded. ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°I should leave you to your work.¡± He abruptly turned back and collected his book and his breakfast. He returned to his room without speaking another word. * * * ¡°I hate hiding.¡± Orson unbuckled himself from the jumper seat, as soon as the truck came to another stop. ¡°At least this way, we might not have to get into another fight,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I prefer having a fight I can¡¯t avoid, to hiding and being on edge.¡± Orson didn¡¯t feel like waiting. When he heard Pedro climb up to the truck, he opened the container door. Something flew at him. Orson was used to things being launched or thrown at his face. It was a professional hazard. But usually, he had at least a vague idea of what was heading his way. Not this time. Blinded by sunlight, Orson got only the briefest impression of a round body with leathery wings, before he leaped aside. By then Enoa and Jaleel had noticed the thing too. Both yelled and also jumped away. ¡°What the hell?¡± Orson pressed himself back against a wall. He drew up his mask and lit the goggles. He saw it. It was an animal. It was a little over a foot in length and had small limbs with wide webbing between them, like odd bat¡¯s wings. Its back was loaded in long spines that reflected the light of Orson¡¯s goggles. The animal had flown from the doorway and landed on one of the loaded crates, in the container. It was seemingly attempting to get inside it, prying and pushing at the box, with its small limbs. ¡°Is that a flying porcupine?¡± Jaleel stepped closer to the animal. It spun toward him and issued a small squeaking sound. He jumped back. ¡°We call them aeropines.¡± Pedro stepped back into the truck. ¡°Sorry about it being in here. I usually have one of the boys put on the leather suit and clear out any stowaways.¡± ¡°Aeropine?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Is this another of those animals Kappa made?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Pedro said. ¡°I started working here after that went down. These weird animals have lived here longer than I have.¡± ¡°You never asked why there are flying porcupines?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Sorry about him.¡± Orson motioned to the doorway. ¡°Let¡¯s just get out of here before more things jump at us, okay?¡± The others followed after him, but stopped in their tracks when the aeropine flew from the crate. It glided across the space and landed between Enoa and Jaleel. Both stepped away from the animal. It looked up at Jaleel, the spines flat at its back. ¡°This guy¡¯s pretty cute,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Are they friendly?¡± ¡°I really couldn¡¯t say,¡± Pedro said. ¡°Some people say they are. He¡¯s probably looking for fruit. We don¡¯t hurt them on purpose, when we see them, and I know of one lady who keeps a couple of these, but I know more people who¡¯ve gotten some nasty quill marks from them.¡± ¡°Yeah, Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°Just step around him and let¡¯s go. Pull your mask up. He shouldn¡¯t be able to get through your armor and gear.¡± ¡°He looks like a Pokemon,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I always wanted Pokemon to be real.¡± The animal let out another small squeak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry little Pokemon, but I have to go work. We¡¯re being chased by bad men.¡± The aeropine spun to face Enoa. It made the same squeak. It walked toward her on its hind legs, rubbing its forepaws together. ¡°Aww, he¡¯s adorable,¡± Enoa said. ¡°How sharp are the quills?¡± ¡°Okay gang,¡± Orson said. ¡°I really¡­¡± The interaction with the odd animal was cut short by the sound of another approaching vehicle. Pedro jumped from the truck. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± Orson watched his crew until they maneuvered around the aeropine and followed him. They were back outside of Eloise¡¯s and Carlos¡¯s fenced yard. A jeep had parked beside the box truck that held their shipping container. The Corwin name was emblazoned across the side in bright yellow lettering. A white-haired, broad-shouldered man stepped from the jeep. He also wore the Corwin coveralls, but his had small faded patches on the shoulders. ¡°Mr. Corwin,¡± Orson jumped from the truck and offered his hand to the older man. ¡°It¡¯s really good to see you, sir. I¡¯m sorry for bringing the Liberty Corps to Littlefield.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be worried over it.¡± Corwin shook his hand. ¡°This was a long time coming. On the other hand, I must say Orson, when you stop by, you¡¯ve got a way of speeding up the inevitable.¡± ¡°I guess I do.¡± Orson looked back to Jaleel and Enoa stepping out of the truck. ¡°This is my new crew. Enoa Cloud and Jaleel Yaye, meet Mr. Robert Corwin.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, sir.¡± Enoa shook the elder Corwin¡¯s hand, as did Jaleel. ¡°Orson speaks very highly of you and this town.¡± ¡°Orson¡¯s a good guy.¡± Corwin grinned and clapped Orson on the coated shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s how he makes up for dressing up for Halloween every night of the year.¡± ¡°This stuff keeps me safe,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯ve seen some of the weird crap that¡¯s come after me.¡± ¡°I have.¡± Mr. Corwin¡¯s smile left his face, making him appear years older. ¡°We need to talk about the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Nothing I didn¡¯t expect,¡± Corwin replied. ¡°We¡¯ve finally got a direct threat from Sloan¡¯s office. I¡¯ve been dragging my feet for months, but I¡¯ve finally got to pick the lesser poison. Join the P.A. or bow to the Liberty Corps.¡± * * * Bartholomew Trivett had spent twenty years working as a bail bondsman in the state of New Mexico. He¡¯d liked that work. It flexed the inquisitive part of his brain without taxing him, without forcing him to navigate the procedural labyrinth of policing. But those days were gone, mostly because the criminal justice system died with the state government. Now, he¡¯d heard rumblings of similar work to be found in the Alliances, especially the P.A., with their thousands of miles of remote wilderness. The west had become a frontier again. Any new government needed able hands to keep the territory safe. Trivett, Bart to his friends, would have preferred the bondsman work the Alliances offered, but he owed a debt to Governor Kent Sloan. That man had hired him when there was virtually no work on the enforcement side of the law, and even fewer laws being enforced. Trivett was a loyal man, and besides, with Sloan and the Liberty Corps after them, he doubted the Alliances would be a factor for long. And with the way Sloan paid him, he was starting to prefer his new post-shutdown life. So when he got the Governor¡¯s telegram at four in the morning, Bart Trivett began the routine that had dominated his professional life. He kept extensive personal files, the one saving grace of his packrat nature. He kept newspapers from across the state, across the southwest, even national and international records. It wasn¡¯t hard to find the Aesir in his system. His business had bailed out two of the men, charged by the state, in the conspiracy orchestrated by the IHSA operative, Kappa. Trivett knew to begin his search with the Corwins of Littlefield. To do that properly, he¡¯d bundled up, chosen his favorite boots, packed his advanced gear, and driven to the Liberty Corps regional archives. They¡¯d only recently begun stockpiling old governmental records, but it didn¡¯t take Trivett long to find the old state property-tax records. Even folks in unincorporated places had to pay somebody. No one can hide from their money. That one fact was the greatest tool in Trivett¡¯s arsenal. In a matter of minutes, he had a list of twenty-five properties paid for by the Corwin Family Farms, LLC or a connected company. Easy. Next came the hard part. Trivett knew his home territory. He knew the little hundred-person villages and townships, the kind of places where everybody knew everybody, and strangers stuck out. But Trivett also knew how to stay under the radar. He knew what to wear and what to drive. He knew how to talk and how to walk. He knew how to fight, too, but it rarely came to that. Today was just for information, but he¡¯d still packed the four-arm autogun Governor Sloan had lent to him. There was no harm in being careful. The computerized weapon, inherited from some old government project, fit neatly in the rear of Trivett¡¯s truck. He¡¯d attached the roof to the back, just in case. Trivett drove two hours to arrive in Littlefield. He didn¡¯t drive in from old 66, no, sir. He drove out of his way, taking the small game roads south, approaching the suspicious little village from the north. No one noticed him. None of the handful of cars or pedestrians paid him any more than a glance, as he wound his way through the outskirts of town. Trivett liked learning. He always had, and he enjoyed testing out the new toys Governor Sloan sent his way, as he went about his work. But this was an old-fashioned job. He had a printed map of Littlefield, an aerial view, the Corwin properties highlighted. He checked them off as he went, each time he passed a warehouse or family home, that clearly showed no sign of the Aesir. But then he found a promising lead. One of the properties had a suspicious gathering outside. It was a residential home with pre-shutdown taxes paid by the primary Corwin LLC. Trivett grabbed his monocular. He saw the box truck and the Corwin jeep. He saw Mr. Corwin himself and the strange trio of young people. When the long-haired man turned, Trivett recognized Orson Gregory. All before lunchtime ¨C he smirked. It was good to be skilled at his job. Trivett reached into his pocket and drew out the homing beacon Sloan made him carry. He triggered the off switch, just once. Then he allowed it to transmit again. It was a subtle signal and one probably unnoticed by any nearby transmission-detectors. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. But Sloan¡¯s analysts would see it. They would soon know that Trivett had already found the Captain of the Aesir. * * * ¡°Most of the records we have are focused on the Dreamthought Project members who were observed in the U.S.¡± Duncan had setup his laptop, connecting it to the IHSA drive-reader. Kol sat beside him at the suite¡¯s kitchen table. Together, they¡¯d begun to peruse the records downloaded at Crater Base. ¡°I see a lot of the names we found in the warehouse index.¡± Duncan scrolled through the list. ¡°Montgomery, Grant, Perez, Buckthorn ¨C lots of the same names. No mentions of Cloud. It looks like she stayed in Nimauk after the project defected.¡± He reached down to his backpack and retrieved a folder of notes. ¡°Unless Sucora really was a lettered operative.¡± ¡°I know almost nothing about the lettering process,¡± Kol said. ¡°Some of their leadership went by letters, instead of names ¨C Greek letters, I think, in this country. But I don¡¯t know any more than that. What information do we have about their command structure?¡± He heard Max moving in his room, his brother probably working on his own project. ¡°Most of the IHSA command structure was classified then and is still classified in Corps record-keeping. We might need to put out a formal request, if we want to learn more.¡± ¡°We might have to. Understanding IHSA procedure might help us learn the depth of the Dreamthought Project¡¯s betrayal. Their defection is obviously central to the investigation, and there¡¯s so much we don¡¯t understand. Why did the IHSA just let these people rob them and walk away? A lot of them seem like they lived normal, public lives. Sucora went back to her hometown where everyone knew she came from. They sent Tucker to watch her, but nothing overt. It all sounds significantly more complicated than we know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all really weird. Do you think you could write to Lost Park about it?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m hesitant to use that connection. If Corps Command is maintaining those secrets, we might not want to dig into that issue. Besides, my connections are a card I shouldn¡¯t overplay, at least not until I deliver major results from this operation.¡± ¡°Fair.¡± Duncan scrolled further through the records, stopping on an image of a young Sucora Cloud, dressed in black, staff in hand. Even her posture was like Enoa. Kol looked at young Sucora¡¯s eyes. It brought to mind Enoa¡¯s hate-filled stare and her onslaught against him, using that same staff. ¡°So what was the big discovery?¡± Brielle entered the suite, carrying a briefcase. She set it down beside the table and sat in a chair opposite them. ¡°Or is that a mission secret?¡± ¡°For now¡­¡± Kol needed to talk to Brielle about Nimauk, but that had to happen without Duncan and without Max potentially listening in. He needed that conversation to happen when they were alone, without any professional reserve or decorum. ¡°The lead explains a situation that happened earlier in our investigation, but it hopefully won¡¯t affect our future plans to any significant degree.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± she said. ¡°I have no idea what that means.¡± ¡°Kol got blasted by this girl,¡± Duncan said. ¡°And it turns out she¡¯s a Shaper prodigy. Now we know why she¡¯s so dangerous.¡± ¡°Do you mean a girl, like a child, or a girl, as in a woman?¡± ¡°A woman,¡± Kol said. ¡°She couldn¡¯t be that much younger than me, if she is, at all.¡± ¡°And she blasted you? How?¡± Brielle spoke in a neutral tone. Kol couldn¡¯t tell whether she asked with sarcasm or from concern. Her professional fa?ade was unreadable and had, if anything, gotten stronger. His personal relationship with Brielle offered him little insight into the intentions of Major Rinlee. ¡°Is this young Shaper a problem that could be solved by me and my Shapers?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hoping she isn¡¯t a problem,¡± Kol said. ¡°Just an unfortunate situation where people who don¡¯t need to be enemies find themselves at cross-purposes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re way more optimistic about this than I am,¡± Duncan said. ¡°We¡¯re definitely enemies.¡± ¡°I still hope not to see her again.¡± ¡°What did this woman do to scare you so much?¡± Brielle asked. ¡°It¡¯s not fear,¡± Kol said. ¡°I regret how things transpired.¡± ¡°Should we let her read it?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the protocol for this.¡± Kol knew he could permit Brielle to see the letter. Since his special assignment, he had free reign to seek out whatever help he saw fit. But he didn¡¯t want Brielle to enter the Nimauk discussion this way. He wanted Brielle¡¯s opinion, but without the complications of her ambition or her command. ¡°I¡¯d really rather talk about this later.¡± Kol knew he¡¯d taken too long to respond. ¡°This is a difficult situation, morally, and I¡¯d rather discuss it in private. Maybe after your inspections tonight, we could get dinner, and I could tell you about it then.¡± ¡°Tonight¡¯s no good,¡± Brielle said. ¡°If this is a need-to-know situation, I won¡¯t be offended.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Kol nodded to Duncan. ¡°Show her.¡± Duncan retrieved the main page of the letter and handed it to Brielle. She read. Kol looked back to his work and notes, but he couldn¡¯t concentrate on anything other than Brielle¡¯s eyes scanning the page. ¡°This is the traitor whose property you burned?¡± Brielle set the letter aside. ¡°And the letter was from the information recovered at her property?¡± Kol nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing the big issue you have in this situation.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t consider the affect of my investigation on her niece,¡± Kol said. ¡°I was only concerned with the defector, but Sucora¡¯s dead. It isn¡¯t her property. It was Enoa¡¯s ¨C her home and her family business. If someone burned my home, I don¡¯t know how I would respond. I¡¯m not sure I would care what legal authority they had.¡± ¡°Cloud was a traitor and a powerful traitor.¡± Brielle said. ¡°You couldn¡¯t be sure she hadn¡¯t booby-trapped the property. You couldn¡¯t be sure how the locals would respond, and you had Master Nine breathing down your neck. I really don¡¯t see anything you could have done all that differently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling him,¡± Duncan said. ¡°He¡¯s been so upset about this, but what choice did we have?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Brielle passed the letter back to Duncan. He laid it on the table. ¡°Here¡¯s an easier issue.¡± She opened her brief case and took out a small packet of papers. ¡°I need a brief written statement from you about Gilford¡¯s attack.¡± ¡°I¡¯m assuming I¡¯ll need to be available if this goes to trial.¡± Kol took the forms and set them on the table. He turned to his own notes to search for a pen. ¡°With your testimony of the attack and our recordings of Gilford¡¯s statements,¡± Brielle said. ¡°There won¡¯t need to be a trial. His case can move directly to sentencing.¡± ¡°He pled guilty?¡± Kol asked. ¡°After all of the evidence we have against him, we don¡¯t need a plea. All we need is your eyewitness testimony of the attempt. Attempting to kill a Corps officer in the Western Barony could get him a listing on the Plummet Ledger, but regardless, he¡¯ll never go free. You¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°The Plummet Ledger?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is. I don¡¯t remember reading about that in the Disciplinary Manual.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be in the Manual until the next edition is printed,¡± Brielle explained. ¡°It¡¯s Baron Helmont¡¯s personal judgment. He adds to the ledger only in the most severe cases, but I think this will apply.¡± ¡°But Gilford doesn¡¯t get to make a case for himself?¡± Kol asked. ¡°He doesn¡¯t get to try to prove I killed his brother? It would still be vigilantism, but¡­¡± Kol stopped speaking when he heard Max¡¯s door swing open. He didn¡¯t turn toward the sound, but he heard the wheelchair against the tile floor. Max was coming closer. This was all Kol needed, a theoretical discussion of criminal justice, between Max and Brielle. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill his brother!¡± Brielle said. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you lately? Seriously, this man tried to kill you. If you hadn¡¯t had a Shaping Revelation in some weird skill I¡¯ve never even heard of, Duncan, or Captain Maros, or I would have found you dead there, suffocated.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± Kol said. He stopped and looked back at Max, who was staring at the laptop screen and Sucora Cloud¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m taking another trip to the coffee pot,¡± his brother moved on. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°If you know he tried to kill you, and he admits to trying to kill you, and you did nothing wrong,¡± Brielle said. ¡°Really, Kol, what¡¯s the issue here?¡± ¡°He should have a chance to make an argument for himself,¡± Kol said. ¡°He should have a chance at a defense. Who¡¯s to say I¡¯m not lying. Maybe I know Gilford, and we¡¯re rivals, and I want him gone. So I staged the attack. I drugged him, or used some secret ESP, that no one knows I have, to make him think I killed his brother. Or imagine the things I¡¯m sure Divenoll said about me. Imagine the accusations he would¡¯ve made up, if I had no chance to defend myself. We need the legal process more now.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not like that,¡± Brielle said. ¡°And we¡¯re not in a position to hold trials for cut-and-dried cases like this.¡± ¡°We have to be,¡± Kol said. ¡°This system can be abused, even if I¡¯m not currently abusing it. Everything comes down to the judgment of a handful of people. We all make mistakes. I¡¯ve done nothing for months but make mistakes. What if Divenoll tricked him into attacking me? What if he had a head injury during training? We don¡¯t know enough about his motives. There needs to be an investigation, and he needs a trial with representation unless he pleads guilty, without coercion.¡± ¡°If you want a trial for Gilford,¡± Brielle said. ¡°You can make that happen with your statement. If you say he attacked you, with intent to kill, further motive and further details don¡¯t matter. You¡¯d need to claim confusion of the attack and submit to a psychological evaluation. Then you won¡¯t be investigating the Dreamside Road or anything else.¡± ¡°I think you need your head looked at no matter what,¡± Duncan said. ¡°You sound like Max, acting like the world can work in the nice way it used to. Sorry, Max¡­¡± He fell silent when he looked toward the older brother. Everyone did. In the discussion, no one had noticed Max situate himself beside the table and take Sucora¡¯s letter. He was reading it. Kol felt his stomach drop away. This was everything he¡¯d hoped to avoid. He should be ready for a defense of his actions ¨C truly, what else could he have done to pursue the Dreamside Road in Nimauk? But as Max read the letter, Kol was again the little boy who¡¯d broken a window playing baseball with his friends, only to be caught by his already-teenaged brother. ¡°Sorry, Max,¡± Duncan leaned forward and grabbed the letter. Max didn¡¯t release it. ¡°Max, this is part of our investigation. It¡¯s evidence.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡± Max did not release the paper until he finished reading. Then his fingers parted and allowed Duncan to pull it away. ¡°What?¡± Duncan said. ¡°Yes it is.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t evidence. If it were evidence, you would have retrieved it as part of a legal and formal investigation. You wouldn¡¯t have stolen it in the dead of night, hiding behind arson to get away with it.¡± ¡°That was Tucker¡¯s idea,¡± Duncan said. ¡°He was the one who pushed the Sight-Stealer shit on us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re using, ¡®He made me do it¡¯?¡± Max asked. ¡°You knew better than to say such a thing, as a six-year-old. How did you plan to cover up burgling Enoa? Or would you have strong-armed the town and forced your way into this young woman¡¯s home?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t going to let the Dreamside Road stay hidden under some antique store,¡± Duncan said. ¡°It¡¯s horrible for Enoa that it wasn¡¯t there, but she shouldn¡¯t have resisted detainment. She should have helped us. Anything that happened after that point was on her.¡± ¡°So, she had no right to private property?¡± Max asked. ¡°And why should she submit? According to the records we talked about for Kol¡¯s hearing, Enoa first heard of the Liberty Corps the same night you destroyed her home. Anyone can say they have lawful authority.¡± ¡°But we did!¡± Duncan said. ¡°We worked for Tucker.¡± ¡°Tucker, the conspirator who murdered at least seven people to cover for his crimes?¡± Max asked. ¡°You were extra security, that¡¯s it. The real law enforcement arrested my brother for his connection to the arson. Your expectation for Enoa to follow your word only holds water if the Liberty Corps were actually the lawful investigating or policing authority, and you¡¯re certainly not.¡± ¡°What?¡± Brielle wasn¡¯t looking at Max. She was staring at Kol, and her expression had actually grown colder, despite the heat he could feel radiating from her. ¡°Captain, we are the only law left. We are the only civilization left. Without the Liberty Corps you would be dead at Crater Base.¡± ¡°Without the Liberty Corps,¡± Max said. ¡°I strongly doubt those automatons would have been standing guard, full of corpses, five years after Thunderworks.¡± ¡°I had hoped when you came to stay here, you¡¯d be a voice of reason,¡± Brielle said. ¡°Someone of your¡­¡± ¡°I am a voice of reason,¡± Max interrupted. ¡°I don¡¯t know your story, Major. But before the last few years, only the world¡¯s worst regimes tried to use the governmental authority to protect themselves, while at the same time wielding criminality, when convenient. And the Liberty Corps is not the only law. There are several groups attempting to restore our homeland as it once was. By all accounts, the Liberty Corps is a dangerous threat to that process.¡± ¡°A threat to that process?¡± Brielle¡¯s voice changed too. She spoke in a harsh tone, almost a growl. ¡°The old governments failed. The military you served failed to protect us! You were safe hiding away in an intelligence base, while the rest of us were butchered by Thunderworks. They took my grandparents! They were pulled from the walls of their home. We never found the bodies. Maybe they were harvested. Maybe they died another way, but they¡¯re gone. They¡¯re gone because your Navy surrendered Oak Island. The Liberty Corps would never do that.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps would have forced your grandparents into the street to repurpose their homes into defensive positions. Ask Kol about Mrs. Greco.¡± Max raised his voice so he couldn¡¯t be interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for your loss, Major. I sincerely am, but I do understand loss. When Thunderworks launched its ambush, I was a Lieutenant Commander. In the next six days, after three direct attacks on Naval Intelligence, I received two battlefield promotions. I spent only seven days as Captain Maros before losing the use of both my legs. In that time, I also lost both of my parents. I understand loss very well, Major.¡± All parties fell silent. Kol tried not to look at anyone. He was staring down a nightmare, a worst-case situation. And so soon! They hadn¡¯t even been there a full day. More mistakes. More errors. Why couldn¡¯t he pull out of free fall? He needed solid ground. The suite door opened again. An Outreach Command Lieutenant ¨C years older than Kol and likely older than Brielle ¨C stepped inside and faced them until she acknowledged him. ¡°Yes, Lieutenant?¡± Brielle¡¯s voice had returned to her standard professional cool. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Message, ma¡¯am,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve received a telegram from Regional Governor Kent Sloan of the Southwest Trade Corridor.¡± ¡°What does he need?¡± ¡°The message isn¡¯t for you, ma¡¯am,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°It¡¯s for Captain Kolben Maros.¡± * * * Trivett pulled his truck off of Cherry Lane. He found a sandy lot, situated beside an old ranch house, apparently abandoned. He parked there, still innocuous, still out of mind. But it was a spot where he would see anyone leaving the Corwin building. Trivett was good at waiting. His eyes weren¡¯t as sharp as they¡¯d been twenty years earlier, but his ears still were. He functioned well on little sleep and he¡¯d found a few dog-eared, paperback, crime novels, in an abandoned Route 66 gift shop. They¡¯d keep him company if the Corwins planned on spending their day at the house. Trivett had only been parked outside for forty minutes when his communicator chimed. That was unexpected. No one, but Sloan¡¯s people, had corresponding devices. Why would the Governor¡¯s office call him? Why would the Governor¡¯s office risk his detection? ¡°Hello,¡± Trivett said. ¡°Bart!¡± Governor Sloan called his name. ¡°Change in plans.¡± ¡°What can I do, sir?¡± ¡°Finding the Aesir isn¡¯t enough,¡± Sloan said. ¡°We can¡¯t let the Aesir leave my jurisdiction. We need to do more than bring the law down on Corwin.¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Stay on them. Watch them. We have to find some way of keeping Gregory here for the Nine-flails.¡± Trivett thought about the two young travelers who¡¯d stood on either side of Gregory, the young pups following in his wake. ¡°If I take one of his people,¡± Trivett said. ¡°How close can you be to offer me back up?¡± ¡°We can have a full platoon off State Road sixty-five.¡± ¡°Then I have something in mind,¡± Trivett said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you what you want, Governor, as always.¡± 68 - When Pigs Fly ¡°If you need the Aesir or Captain Gregory in one piece for your investigation, it¡¯d be a good idea to get here in the next couple days ¨C stop.¡± The Lieutenant read Sloan¡¯s telegram. ¡°Gregory needs to be publicly strung up. His ship needs to be destroyed. We need to make an example of him ¨C stop. After the damage he did to my supply and defense convoys, he left me no choice ¨C stop.¡± Kol and Duncan joined Brielle in her command room ¨C essentially a standard conference room with multiple walls of monitors. Brielle had hardly spoken since they left the suite. She would not meet Kol¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m writing as a courtesy to you and your official mission from Czar Hawthorne ¨C stop. In return, I want to bring you onboard as an adviser ¨C stop. This way, we both get what we want ¨C stop. I have agents moving on Gregory and his crew right now, so get back to me fast ¨C stop.¡± ¡°Governor Sloan also sent a tight-beam, encrypted listing of his resources and some intelligence about Littlefield, New Mexico, where Gregory and his crew are hiding.¡± The Lieutenant switched to another piece of paper. ¡°He¡¯s requested the help of Sir Nine-flails and his squad. He also has two other squads of outside special operatives flying in. He has three hundred of his own troops available, including two tanks, three cannon-mount mechs, and a second railgun. On the other side, it¡¯s believed Corwin has seventy potential fighters, an unknown number of armed trucks, and the Aesir. They¡¯re hoping to capture a member of Gregory¡¯s crew and use the hostage to keep him close. Then catch Littlefield in an ambush. Kill all opposition and claim the town as an outpost.¡± ¡°Kidnap one of his crew?¡± Kol said. ¡°Gregory has Miss Cloud, who else?¡± ¡°Sloan¡¯s report mentions a young Black man with him,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°He has not been identified.¡± ¡°Nine-flails isn¡¯t enough,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen video of Nine-flails. He¡¯s nothing compared to Tucker and Gregory bested him. Sloan¡¯s better move would be to report this to Baron Helmont¡¯s office for piracy, leave it to our actual infantry. This isn¡¯t a job for regional security. Once Helmont apprehends Gregory, then Sloan can try to recruit Littlefield without putting guns to their heads.¡± ¡°No way Sloan goes for that,¡± Brielle said. ¡°He¡¯s trying to establish himself as a regional leader. He can¡¯t call in the infantry for one man. Other than his weapons, Gregory is just a man.¡± ¡°A man who fought the Supreme Commander of Thunderworks and won. He lives up to his reputation. You don¡¯t need to be a Shaper or an old-world sorcerer to be dangerous.¡± ¡°Without his ship and his hardware, he¡¯d be useless,¡± Brielle said. ¡°He¡¯s a good fighter, and he¡¯s a smart fighter. I¡¯ll send Sloan the video we have of Gregory¡¯s battle with Tucker. He can see for himself how badly he needs the national Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°Why are you so scared of him?¡± Brielle¡¯s voice was still harsh from the argument with Max, and she snapped now. She spoke with real contempt. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of him. I have a healthy wariness of him. If I went on safari, I wouldn¡¯t poke a lion with a stick. That¡¯s what Sloan is doing here. He¡¯d be better off taking care of Gregory another way and incentivizing recruitment into our ranks. His style of requisitions, without any analysis of how it impacts the communities he wants to rule ¨C that will destroy lives. He¡¯ll have armed rebellion on his hands with or without Gregory.¡± ¡°You have to go there,¡± Brielle said. ¡°Giving a lecture like your brother, from hundreds of miles away, doesn¡¯t help anyone.¡± ¡°At the very least,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯ll eventually have to go after Gregory to get Cloud¡¯s key, but I¡¯m not going to put my name on another failed attempt to bring him to heel. He¡¯s international, and until we treat him as such, we¡¯ll only embarrass ourselves. I¡¯m not going to watch more good men like Gilford¡¯s brother have their lives thrown away.¡± ¡°This situation can¡¯t be compared to what Divenoll did,¡± Brielle said. ¡°This isn¡¯t Gregory being chased as a lead in an investigation. He chose to obstruct requisitions. He resisted arrest. He killed our troops. Sloan definitely needs to make an example of him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s starting a fight he can¡¯t win,¡± Kol said. ¡°So you¡¯d just call Helmont and do nothing to oppose Gregory, yourself? I never thought you¡¯d be weaker after learning Shaping. What did Gregory do to you to make you a coward? Or was it that Cloud girl? Or Divenoll?¡± Kol didn¡¯t immediately respond. Anything he said, risked making the rift with Brielle permanent. ¡°You want to know what¡¯s changed? We came to the Liberty Corps to be safe and to give safety to others, so we¡¯d never be helpless again. But we were blinded by that promise. We were made to feel invincible and that we could do no wrong, while we served the Liberty Corps. My eyes were opened since the Nimauk mission. Just joining the Liberty Corps is not a promise of safety or of anything else. Every time the Liberty Corps has fought Orson Gregory, our people are the ones who die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re surrendering the safety of Sloan¡¯s territory, because Gregory won three fights that played to his strengths?¡± she asked. ¡°We have every advantage, this time.¡± ¡°I know what we need to do.¡± Duncan spoke before Kol could say more. ¡°The Sucora letter confirms that we really have no interest in the films Enoa received. We don¡¯t need anything from them, but the key.¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I¡¯ll get to this Littlefield and steal Cloud¡¯s key, before Sloan attacks. Then we get what we need and aren¡¯t caught up in another fight with Gregory.¡± * * * ¡°And this one monitors the G-forces?¡± Jaleel pointed to a gauge on the dashboard. He sat in the Aesir¡¯s copilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ll give this a whirl. Enoa, are you sure you want to sit this one out? You could go first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Enoa sat behind them. ¡°I want to practice my aunt¡¯s defensive techniques, and I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s going to go. I¡¯ll have to do the flight training another time.¡± She stood and collected her staff. She¡¯d been waiting all day to work with the film. As enjoyable as it was to have a normal non-adventurous day with Carlos, Eloise, and her father, hiding out had gotten Enoa no closer to the level of security she wanted. ¡°You have your comm?¡± Orson stood too. He helped her take the projector, screen, and emergency water jug out onto the dusty hill where they¡¯d landed the Aesir. There once had been an entire underground warren of rogue laboratories, hidden there. It was all gone, save for a narrow chute into the earth, at the top of the hill. ¡°Have fun magicing!¡± Jaleel called and moved into the pilot¡¯s seat. Enoa worked with Orson on the jury-rigged stand for the screen, forcing its legs deep into the sandy ground. She set up the projector, the portable power supply, and the film. Orson plugged in a tall, portable lamp near her training site. ¡°Call us if you need anything.¡± He was walking back toward the Aesir, when the shape flew from the roof and landed at his feet. ¡°Not you again!¡± It was the aeropine from the truck. It waddled toward Orson, chattering. ¡°Could this be a different one?¡± Enoa looked around. ¡°Pedro mentioned there being more.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been coming here for years, and I¡¯ve never seen one of these before,¡± Orson said. ¡°It must have flown onto our roof after Pedro got it out of the truck. Now it¡¯s stowed away with us.¡± ¡°If the little guy lives in town, maybe we should take him back with us whenever we go. Can aeropines feed themselves out here in the desert?¡± ¡°The lab buried under our feet is where they came from.¡± Orson looked at the animal. ¡°There¡¯s probably more to eat out here. But to be fair, I don¡¯t know anything about them. I don¡¯t want to leave anything stranded, but in town or near the farms, these critters have to be a problem. And he¡¯s so pushy. That¡¯s asking for trouble with people.¡± The animal walked toward him, but he backed away. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be okay with this guy roaming around?¡± Orson stepped up into the Aesir. ¡°I think so.¡± Enoa could not imagine the almost cartoonish animal willfully attacking someone. ¡°I have no food, but I don¡¯t mind him. He seems really sweet, like he¡¯s already somebody¡¯s pet, and he¡¯s looking for attention.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Alright, well call us if you need us.¡± Orson shut the Aesir¡¯s side door. Enoa waited for the Aesir to fly away. It was not a smooth ascent. The whole ship rocked back and forth. She imagined Orson and Jaleel both shouting, as the latter piloted them into the distance. She checked on the aeropine, but the animal came no closer. It sniffed the ground where the ship had been. Satisfied, she started the film and began her meditation, working with the decade-old recording of Aunt Sucora. She followed along with Sucora¡¯s breathing. It was habit now, following the mental exercises she¡¯d always done into the spiritual place where Shaping was possible. ¡°The Midnight Sight is the simplest of these techniques,¡± Sucora said. ¡°We¡¯ll begin there. Eventually, you¡¯ll transmute the moisture from the air directly into fog, but I think it¡¯s best to start with your water supply.¡± Enoa reached to the side and unscrewed the top off the three-gallon water jug Orson had provided. ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot of work on transmutation, and that¡¯s all you¡¯re doing here,¡± Sucora continued. ¡°But slower. You need to slow down the process and that¡¯s where things get tricky. Just like weightlifting, moving slower is actually harder. There¡¯s no need to hurry. There¡¯s no need to strain. Just begin with water and transmute it back into the air, but don¡¯t let it dissipate. Keep the air tight together. This takes some trial and error, but¡­¡± ¡°I have a gun pointed at you.¡± A man¡¯s voice spoke from her left. ¡°You¡¯re going to drop your staff and lift your hands. I¡¯m not going to hurt you, if you don¡¯t fight.¡± Enoa jumped. She had heard no one approach. She¡¯d heard no one at all, since the Aesir left. Had she immersed herself too deeply in her meditation that she¡¯d lost sense of her surroundings? She opened her eyes. Her mind was still in the divided place, the place of mental control, where she didn¡¯t need to fear most guns. She released her staff, raised her hands, and stood. ¡°Don¡¯t worry if you can¡¯t maintain density.¡± Sucora¡¯s recording continued, unwatched. ¡°That comes with practice.¡± Enoa faced her attacker. He wore what appeared to be standard military-style gear, black vest and helmet, orange goggles. He had an oversized pack with metal appendages dangling from the back. He held a rifle in his hands, aimed at her chest. A pistol was holstered at his belt. Who was this man? What did he want? Enoa could not afford to let her mind panic or even to question her situation. She was already prepared for Shaping and, as always, wore the stun box at her belt. ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am, do you?¡± Enoa¡¯s voice came out flat and monotone. She always sounded off with her mind divided. ¡°You¡¯re one of Gregory¡¯s pups,¡± he said. ¡°Now turn away from me and put your hands on your head.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How stupid are you, girl? I have free reign from the governor of this territory. You¡¯ve thrown in with an outlaw. That means no law protects you if you end tonight full of bullets. Do you hear me?¡± ¡°You work for Sloan. He has no idea who he¡¯s dealing with. He put you in a lot of danger, but if you leave now, you won¡¯t be hurt.¡± ¡°Are you blind?¡± The man gestured with the gun. ¡°Hands on your head or I shoot you.¡± The film continued to play. ¡°Now, I want you to hold the moisture around you,¡± Sucora said. Enoa walked toward her attacker. She palmed her stun box in one hand and her comm in the other. The man didn¡¯t warn her again. He pulled the trigger. As expected, the rifle didn¡¯t fire. The man drew his pistol and ran backward. When he found his pistol likewise wouldn¡¯t fire, he sprinted, rushing down the long-sloped hill, toward a mound of rocks, in the distance. Enoa activated her comm and let the man run away. She didn¡¯t think she could¡¯ve caught him, and if he had a weapon she couldn¡¯t disable, she¡¯d need backup either way. ¡°Wayfarer Two to RV.¡± She spoke into the comm. ¡°I¡¯m under attack, someone¡­¡± Nothing came from the line but a shrill whistle. ¡°Hello, RV. RV!¡± She heard a muffled sound from the comm, more static or speech? Enoa didn¡¯t know. Now, it was her turn to run. She charged back to the film rig. She shut off the projector and the lamp, leaving everything in darkness. Was she being jammed? She didn¡¯t know anything about that. She didn¡¯t know enough to act. She collapsed the projector. She couldn¡¯t endanger her aunt¡¯s film. Spotlights lit to her left. She heard the crunch of boots through the dirt. The man was returning. Enoa threw herself to the ground. If she¡¯d had just a little time to do the emergency combat training, this guy would be no problem. She could see him, thirty feet distant. The spindly arms on his pack were standing out in all directions. Each had a lamp at the tip and round protrusions, probably gun barrels. If it was some kind of firearm, she could probably disable it, but she¡¯d never seen anything like it before. Enoa heard a chattering sound behind her. She couldn¡¯t see it, but she thought the aeropine was approaching, slowly waddling closer in the darkness. Could the animal see her? She¡¯d been under the impression that porcupines had terrible vision, but then again, other porcupines couldn¡¯t fly. Who knew what the aeropine could and could not do? ¡°If you want to walk away from this,¡± the man shouted. ¡°Show yourself. Or I¡¯ll shoot you when I see you. You won¡¯t stop my new toy, will you, witchy girl?¡± Enoa didn¡¯t move. The man would hear her. She fought to maintain her concentration, ready to stop any of the four waving, mechanical arms. She pulled her cloak around her. She¡¯d hate to see the cloak shredded like Orson¡¯s old coat had been, but, if she could get close, this man¡¯s neck was exposed for the stunner. The aeropine walked near enough to Enoa that she could hear his small footfalls, and he kept right on chattering. He was surprisingly loud. Enoa did not speak. She began to creep away from the man, leaving her film equipment behind. The aeropine did not seem to follow her. Thud. Enoa kicked the full jug of water. It didn¡¯t budge, but the noise was unmistakable. The man didn¡¯t speak, but she heard his booted steps quicken, as he approached. The waving arms began scanning the ground, near where she¡¯d been. Enoa gathered her staff and her stun box. She thought about her anger at Nalrik, what it had felt like to destroy the cannon. This man deserved the same, but she felt her mind slipping away from her place of control and strength. She could not maintain her mental discipline. The aeropine chattered. Enoa heard him walking away from her. The animal was now meandering directly at her attacker. ¡°Ugh, what the hell?¡± the man said. ¡°Move it, hog.¡± The aeropine yelled when the man kicked him. Enoa heard the man¡¯s boots as he brushed through her film equipment. She rose into a crouch. ¡°There you are.¡± All four of the arms swung toward her. Enoa lowered her head and charged, keeping her armored hood toward the man. She hadn¡¯t regained her anger or clarity or focus, but this had to be enough, pummel him with the staff or stun him. That¡¯s all she needed. He seemed to be no advanced fighter, just some man sent by Sloan. Before Enoa reached the man or he could open fire, she heard an approaching shriek, a broad, echoing sound. Enoa paused, flinching away from the shockingly loud, sudden noise. The man screamed, a cry of great pain that intensified into a wail. He sounded overwhelmed, agonized. The mechanical arms flailed, opening fire into the air. Something about his pain or his physical reaction had sent the mechanical limbs into a panic. Enoa ran, crouched low to avoid the spray of projectiles. There, in the waving lights, still saw the aeropine, rolled into a ball, quills sticking into the back of the man¡¯s knee, right through his pants. The man¡¯s leg trailed blood, everything below the knee shredded by the aeropine¡¯s attack. The animal seemed to have rolled right up the back of the man¡¯s leg. He dug at the aeropine with gloved hands, trying to pry it away. Enoa used the man¡¯s distraction and shoved the stun box into the side of his neck. She triggered it. He fell onto his side, shaking, projectiles still firing into the air or above his prone head. Enoa pulled away the stun box and jumped back from the man. She looked down and found the aeropine had released the man¡¯s leg, but was still curled up, quills out. The gunfire didn¡¯t cease. The pack sent bullets across the ground. She tried to concentrate on the combustion within the weapon pack, but she could find no sense of any reaction. Was this weapon another experiment, like the railgun, that didn¡¯t have an oxidizer? Enough ¨C Enoa drove her staff into the man¡¯s backpack. It didn¡¯t issue a full blast, but the burst of hot air broke a hole in the machine¡¯s metal casing. The arms stopped waving and firing. The man¡¯s shaking also ceased. The aeropine was still curled up. ¡°Thank you, spiky friend.¡± She lit her mini flashlight. ¡°You saved me! I would¡¯ve been in a lot of trouble, without you.¡± It was hard to tell in the partial light, but she thought she caught the animal peeking at her through his quills. She tried to remove the machine pack from the man¡¯s back, but no luck. She¡¯d need to roll him around to disentangle him from it, and he felt like he weighed twice what she did. By the time she¡¯d given up and sat down on the dusty ground, the Aesir descended from the sky, landing beside her. Orson and Jaleel ran from the ship. Blue light lit the dusty hillside from Orson¡¯s unsheathed sword and his visor. Jaleel followed him, bow ready. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jaleel aimed an arrow toward her attacker. ¡°What happened?¡± Orson turned his head in a slow circle, probably scanning for more assailants. ¡°Aesir¡¯s computer detected gunfire. Why didn¡¯t you call us?¡± ¡°That man was here kidnap me!¡± She said. ¡°I tried to call after I stopped his guns, but all I heard was a weird sound. When the man came after me again with that gun backpack, I couldn¡¯t stop it. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a weapon without combustion or if I just lost concentration, but I think he would¡¯ve taken me without the aeropine¡¯s help. He got the man¡¯s leg with his spines and gave me time to stun him.¡± ¡°The aeropine?¡± Orson asked. The odd animal knew he¡¯d been acknowledged. He uncurled and began chattering again, as if telling his side of the story. ¡°It is you again.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a sweet little guy,¡± she said. ¡°He saved me!¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Look at this dude¡¯s leg. It looks like a shark grabbed him or something. Oh, aeropines are totally Pokemon. We have to take him with us.¡± ¡°Pets on the Aesir are an awful idea. We¡¯re in constant danger.¡± Orson sheathed his sword and forced Sloan¡¯s man briefly onto his stomach. He pulled the pack off of him and then rolled him back onto his side. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever seen a weapon like that before.¡± Orson began searching the man¡¯s pockets. ¡°And the aeropine isn¡¯t in constant danger, as a wild animal?¡± Enoa said. ¡°If he can be trained, and he doesn¡¯t destroy our things or hurt the ship, then I want him.¡± ¡°Do aeropines go for walks or do they use litterboxes?¡± Jaleel pointed his index finger toward the aeropine. The animal raised a paw toward him. ¡°There probably aren¡¯t standard care methods for hybrid animals,¡± Orson said. ¡°Kappa made the aeropines, and look at what this one did to Sloan¡¯s guy! What if we scare or annoy this animal?¡± ¡°That guy kicked him! We wouldn¡¯t be mean to him. Why are Dino and the radar-dish dogs okay but an aeropine isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Because Dino is mostly a normal dog, and we don¡¯t even know what DNA is in this little thing. He seems friendly, but we¡¯d have a lot to figure out if you want a pet.¡± He pulled two items from the attacker¡¯s pockets. ¡°This is why you couldn¡¯t reach the ship ¨C code scrambler. Sloan must be well supplied, and¡­ Oh, shit!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Transponder.¡± Orson lifted a small cylinder. ¡°Sloan will know exactly where his man is and where he¡¯s been. This just got a whole hell of a lot more complicated.¡± ¡°Sloan found us after only one day?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We suck at hiding.¡± ¡°This guy must¡¯ve tracked us, somehow, yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think we brought major trouble down on Littlefield.¡± 69 - Death to Outlaws ¡°I know how to find their key.¡± Duncan slid his laptop toward Kol. ¡°From a file on the Dreamthought Project, compiled in the nineties by the IHSA Administrator Theta. She claims here that the Project members all utilized an isotope smelter to make small symbol pendants. She believed these were the keys the Project made to access the stolen trove.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand the significance.¡± Kol moved the laptop even closer. They were alone, back in the suite. Max was again in his room, silent. He¡¯d spoken to acknowledge their return, but not a word since. He hadn¡¯t left his room and had stayed inside even during mealtimes. Kol tried not to think about it. He and Duncan had enough to consider. ¡°This Theta ran the IHSA division that was tasked with finding the Dreamside Road,¡± Duncan said. ¡°When you¡¯re finished reading the Cloud personality profile, you need to check this out. It has all of this woman¡¯s theories, but the most important one is her idea that the Dreamthought Project had keys made from Cobalt Nine. You know what, read this.¡± He tapped at his laptop screen. ¡°¡¯If I am correct.¡¯¡± Kol read the words on the screen. ¡°¡¯Truce or not, we must discover the location of the trove.¡¯ What¡¯s she saying about a truce? That¡¯s something we didn¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°I have no idea. Keep reading.¡± ¡°¡¯If I am correct, Operative C-Nine will be able to detect these keys for us. I am writing now to secure the funding on a new project, an effort that will work with Nine, developing a device to detect the unique radio signature from Cobalt Nine.¡¯ Does she mean Tucker?¡± Duncan nodded. ¡°Do you still have the isodar he gave you? Please tell me you brought that thing with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in one of the supply crates I packed,¡± Kol said. ¡°But you haven¡¯t sold me on this. I¡¯m not sure we should proceed until we know what this truce is about. This could be why the IHSA let the defectors live normal lives.¡± ¡°If we delay, we could be caught up in Sloan¡¯s attack.¡± ¡°Fine, say you go ¨C how exactly do you plan on getting close enough to use the detector, even if this Theta was correct?¡± Duncan reached to his laptop and clicked to another page, a faded scan of a flier. ¡°The Corwin farm hired seasonal or temporary work for over eighty years. I¡¯ll go in there and say I¡¯m looking for a job.¡± ¡°This is pre-Thunderworks information. It¡¯s from fifteen years ago. Who¡¯s to say they still welcome workers? If they¡¯re actively fighting against us, going there alone could put you in significant danger.¡± ¡°Maybe, but it also gives me reasonable cover to go there. If I didn¡¯t have the Corps paying me, I¡¯d definitely pursue any work lead I could find, even if it¡¯s really old. What other options do a lot of people have? I¡¯ll just have to take my chances. Whether I get a job or not, this gives me a good reason to be in their town.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to like it. There¡¯s a lot to iron out, but at the end of the day, I have to go in there and secure the key. That¡¯s always going to be dangerous.¡± ¡°There has to be¡­¡± Both of their communicators chimed at once. Kol removed his from his pocket. ¡°This is a command hale, full spectrum. Brielle.¡± He answered the message. ¡°This is Major Gabrielle Rinlee. In the coming days, Defense Taskforce One will be launching a support mission to aid Governor Kent Sloan of the Southwest Trade Corridor. His vital supply route is facing constant attacks by the outlaw Captain Orson Gregory of the vessel Aesir. ¡°I have been aware of the situation in Governor Sloan¡¯s territory since early this morning. At that time, I had no intention of sending more than a token force of Shapers or an extra security detail. But matters have changed. A longtime associate of the governor, a man who was sent to apprehend a member of the outlaw crew, has gone missing. ¡°Yesterday, thirty good men and women died in the service of the Southwest Corridor in an attempt to apprehend the Aesir. I can only imagine what¡¯s happened to this latest casualty in our quest for peace, and I won¡¯t stand by and allow these crimes to continue. This is a practical threat to our supply lines and a moral threat to the Liberty Corps. Expect full assignment listings and temporary structural changes to arrive in your file by tomorrow morning. I fully intend to depart by the end of the week to aid Governor Sloan. ¡°We have a tight timeline on our hands, but I want to provide more information about the crisis along the southwest frontier. I¡¯m going to share with you the full broadcast from Governor Sloan. This information will also be shared to your electronic filing.¡± ¡°I am calling for assistance from all Corps outposts in the Western Barony defensive agreement.¡± A man now spoke, the recorded message from Sloan. ¡°We¡¯ve lost a lot of lives to these bastards, and now a good man and personal friend has gone missing. This needs a hard and fast response. I want a war force with five hundred guns, and swords, and Shapers to secure this territory. If you aren¡¯t sold yet on bringing the law to the outlaw Gregory, listen to the demands he sent me.¡± ¡°Attention Liberty Corps forces.¡± A recording of Orson Gregory began. ¡°Requisitions Day is cancelled. All official Liberty Corps operations are cancelled. You¡¯re not safe. When you rob people and terrorize them, you aren¡¯t safe. While you exploit the desperate, you aren¡¯t safe. When you kill to build your empire¡­¡± ¡°Brielle didn¡¯t tell you about any of this, did she?¡± Duncan spoke over the recording. ¡°She has to know this totally screws over what we¡¯re doing, right?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me, no,¡± Kol said. ¡°I think if we want to get you in and out before this begins, we need to leave right away.¡± ¡°We?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kol said. ¡°I might be able to delay this long enough for you to get into Littlefield.¡± Orson¡¯s recording continued. ¡°If you need to see what I do to people who prey on the defenseless, just ask your Captain Maros. He¡­¡± ¡°That son of a bitch,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Maybe we should help kill him.¡± ¡°Your plan is the best way,¡± Kol said. ¡°We¡¯ll both go. We¡¯ll drive out tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll talk to Max. None of us can stay here. We get the key. Then we go back east. We travel on our own terms. Maybe once things stabilize¡­ No, I can¡¯t think that far ahead.¡± ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Sloan yelled, when the recording of Orson ended. ¡°Did you hear that? He threatens all of us. He threatens our need for requisitions to build a new world. But this Gregory¡¯s an anarchist. He prefers the lawless hellscape. We¡¯ll show him the law. We¡¯ll teach him that we speak for this land and for everyone in it. We¡¯ll go to this Littlefield where he¡¯s hiding. Death to anarchists and terrorists and outlaws! We¡¯ll execute Gregory. We¡¯ll execute his crew. We¡¯ll execute anyone and everyone who tries to stop true law from returning to this great land.¡± ¡°You¡¯re attacking the Aesir again.¡± Max had emerged from his room. ¡°Sloan is.¡± Kol lowered the volume on his comm and slid past Duncan. ¡°There¡¯s something Gregory has that we need to find the Dreamside Road, but I have no intention of joining this fight.¡± ¡°What will your girlfriend say to that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she is my girlfriend, but even if she were, none of us should stay on this base. Duncan and I need to move on to finish this part of our mission. I¡¯ll arrange some passage for you, back to the Safe Home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back to the Safe Home,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m headed west, like you. I¡¯m going to see the Aesir too.¡± He raised the book from his lap, the one he¡¯d been carrying with him since their departure from Philadelphia. It bore the sketched image of a road surrounded by trees. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading Orson Gregory¡¯s memoir.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°What?¡± Duncan yelled from the couch. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Aesir is connected to the phenomenon that changed this world, and I want to see it. If it clashes with the Liberty Corps, doubly so.¡± ¡°We will be in extreme danger,¡± Kol said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you in danger.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to see the Liberty Corps attack Littlefield or attack innocent civilians. I have ears. I could hear Major Rinlee and this Governor Sloan. You¡¯re not going to snow me, Kol. Either I go with you, and you can genuinely look out for me, if that¡¯s what you want. Or I can find my own way there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand this,¡± Kol said. ¡°You¡¯ve seen war. Why would you want to witness a battle?¡± His brother did not answer him. He met his gaze, in silence. Kol didn¡¯t look at Duncan, but he felt his friend¡¯s eyes on him too. ¡°Fine.¡± Kol nodded. ¡°If you insist. We all leave first thing in the morning.¡± * * * It was almost sunrise by the time Orson stepped back aboard the Aesir, the morning sky a rapidly lightening indigo. ¡°There¡¯s no way to tell whether it¡¯s enough.¡± Enoa sat with Jaleel on the cabin floor, the aeropine waddling between them. ¡°But,¡± Orson continued. ¡°Mr. Corwin¡¯s guys and I got that bounty hunter¡¯s truck into Wallower¡¯s Gulch. We took all his research materials and put some of the bloody tatters of his pants in the driver¡¯s seat. The transponder¡¯s still there and the gulch is thirty miles from here, so hopefully the Liberty Corps will think scavengers got him, and they won¡¯t come here right away.¡± ¡°Hopefully.¡± Jaleel reached toward the aeropine. In response, the animal stretched out a paw. ¡°Wesley, say ¡°hi¡± to the captain. Say ¡°hi¡± to Orson.¡± ¡°Wesley?¡± Orson asked. The aeropine looked at him around Jaleel. ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea to name him. We don¡¯t know yet if he can come with us.¡± ¡°He¡¯s already so domestic.¡± Enoa held her hand toward Wesley¡¯s face. The aeropine sniffed her fingers. ¡°We only need to figure out how to keep him safe when we¡¯re traveling.¡± ¡°I have some ideas,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°How long will it take for the Pacific Alliance to get here?¡± ¡°Uh, the Corwins only just got the votes to join the P.A. yesterday. I guess Eloise¡¯s oldest brother, Rob, is flying out to the Alliance base in Twentynine Palms. He¡¯ll be dropping off Mr. Bounty Hunter and accepting the deal the town hopes to get. But it¡¯s a government. They could be ready to come here in hours, or they could drag their feet for a month. I don¡¯t know these people or how they operate.¡± ¡°Do we know that this Alliance can actually defend Littlefield from the Liberty Corps?¡± Enoa held a piece of sliced apple toward Wesley. He chirped gleefully and took it from her fingers, holding the apple between his paws. ¡°The Great Lakes Alliance didn¡¯t help us with the Sabres Unlimited until we already beat Nalrik¡¯s space-armor gang.¡± ¡°Allegedly, these folks have way more resources.¡± Orson removed his coat and sat in an armchair. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we can do if that isn¡¯t true. I think in the long term we¡¯re a real danger to this town. It¡¯s one thing to hang out here for a few days or however long, until an armed defensive presence can get here, but I think it¡¯s dangerous to everybody if we stay too long.¡± Wesley waddled toward Orson, still nibbling on his apple slice. ¡°See, he wants to stay with us.¡± Enoa said. ¡°Well, we¡¯re sure to be nicer to an aeropine than Kappa was, but that¡¯s not saying a whole lot.¡± ¡°At least he won¡¯t be left all alone to fend for himself,¡± Enoa said. ¡°With bounty hunters kicking him.¡± ¡°He came out of the fight looking a lot better than the bounty hunter.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re just gonna wait around now?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see what else we can do.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°We should still do our training, but I think we¡¯ll mainly need to keep our eyes peeled until the P.A. gets here.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll give us plenty of time to get everything ready for Wesley.¡± Enoa gave the aeropine another piece of apple. As the animal nibbled at the fruit, she inched her hand toward his exposed stomach. Wesley dropped the apple piece and fell forward onto all fours, chattering at Enoa. He backed away. ¡°Look what you did,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Now he stopped eating.¡± ¡°I went too fast,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I need to gain his trust. Then I can pet his belly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy, gang, really,¡± Orson said. ¡°But do you think you¡¯re taking the Liberty Corps threat seriously enough? That bounty hunter guy had records of all of the properties Corwin owned.¡± ¡°That man tried to shoot me in the chest, Orson. I¡¯m very serious, but he only found us because we were unlucky. If the house belonged to someone other than the family, before Eloise and Carlos bought the place ¨C that man never would have found us.¡± ¡°Yeah. Maybe it¡¯s just a really unlucky coincidence. That seems to be all we¡¯re having lately. But now Sloan might have Eloise¡¯s home address! Even apart from the Liberty Corps, there are people gunning for the old Aesir crew.¡± ¡°Ruby¡¯s been telling us when anybody comes near the house,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We got a warning about a bat flying over, just after we got back here. We¡¯re paying plenty of attention now.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Orson stopped speaking when a knock came on the door. ¡°Do I hear talking?¡± Eloise¡¯s voice was captured by the ship¡¯s external mic. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not waking anybody, but I heard from an old friend of mine. She does geographic and oceanographic imaging. She thinks she can find your island, but she¡¯ll only be in range to call us for another fifteen minutes.¡± ¡°Fifteen minutes?¡± Orson bolted for the door. He maneuvered around his crewmates and pulled on his coat. ¡°What about Wesley?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°We have nowhere to go with him yet?¡± ¡°Stay with him,¡± Enoa stood. ¡°This obviously can¡¯t take very long.¡± Orson opened the door. ¡°AH!¡± He groaned and spun around, without acknowledging Eloise, standing in the doorway. He almost collided with Enoa, as he charged back toward his room. ¡°I forgot the screenshot.¡± ¡°Screenshot?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°We have a screenshot from one of my aunt¡¯s films, where my aunt is pointing to the island¡¯s general location, and Orson thinks it¡¯s important.¡± Enoa stepped out of the Aesir. She always imagined the southwest as a warm place, but the ground was crisp and hard. Her breath steamed from her mouth. She shivered, but didn¡¯t take the time to turn back for her cloak. ¡°We¡¯ll be in the office!¡± Eloise called into the Aesir. ¡°I really don¡¯t think a photo will turn up well in the video call. The screen quality is really, really low. Over half of the Star-Bound Satellite System was destroyed or isn¡¯t working. That¡¯s why the communication windows are so brief.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡± Enoa followed Eloise into the house. They walked through the kitchen and the sitting room, where both Carlos and Dino were snoozing on a loveseat. ¡°I know less than I should.¡± Eloise lowered her voice until they were inside the office. One of the computer monitors showed the image of an older woman in a thick sweater. ¡°Orson¡¯s on his way, Dr. Stan. This is his crewmate, Enoa Cloud. Enoa Cloud, this is Doctor Sophia Stanislakova.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Thank you for offering us help.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Dr. Stanislakova spoke with a slight accent. ¡°Eloise gave me few details about the project, and I¡¯m somewhat perplexed by the possibility that an island of any real size could be consistently omitted from charts, but any friend of Eloise is a friend of mine.¡± Orson walked inside. He held a small photo printout and joined Enoa in front of the monitor. ¡°Captain Gregory, I presume?¡± Stanislakova said. ¡°This is Dr. Sophia Stanislakova,¡± Eloise said. ¡°She worked with Arthur and me on the League of Nations IHSA declassification.¡± ¡°I understand our time is very short,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°And Eloise tells me this is a very dire matter. I am happy to help find an island for you. Arthur Haydn was a great help to me, many years ago, and he had nothing but kind words to say about you.¡± ¡°Haydn¡¯s an old friend,¡± Orson said. ¡°I have nothing but good to say about him, as well. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d know how important this situation is. I hope you understand I won¡¯t be sharing too many details. That¡¯s probably the best for your safety, but it involves items taken from the old Hierarchia.¡± ¡°If Eloise and Arthur are vouching for you, then I trust you,¡± she said. ¡°Have you seen Arthur? I don¡¯t want to waste time, but I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve heard from him since the shutdown.¡± ¡°Neither have I,¡± Orson said. ¡°I hope he¡¯s well and that our paths cross again, some day.¡± ¡°Dr. Haydn was another member of our old crew,¡± Eloise whispered to Enoa. ¡°Is he a scientist too?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Or is he a medical doctor?¡± ¡°Neither,¡± Eloise said. ¡°He was a professor. He taught Literature and the Classics, mythology.¡± Before Enoa could question the presence of an academic in a crew of adventurers, Orson walked to the screen, photo raised. ¡°See, this is Enoa¡¯s late aunt,¡± Orson said. ¡°She left Enoa record of the island¡¯s location, but the information was lost, so the best we have is this image of her pointing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not much of a starting place.¡± Dr. Stan smiled. Her outward cheer didn¡¯t cushion the incredulity in her voice. ¡°But I have some ideas about how an island might be omitted and what sort of place this might be. Currently, I am working in the former National Laboratory in the Crystal Dune Ballistics Research Compound. I have enough detailed pre-shutdown satellite imaging that I can likely compile a short list of potential islands in that general location.¡± ¡°That assumes Enoa¡¯s aunt was pointing to the right spot,¡± Eloise said. ¡°This is true,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°It would be a much taller order to examine the entirety of the International Dateline. That could be years worth of work, assuming my theories are correct.¡± ¡°My crew is staying in Littlefield longer than we¡¯d initially planned,¡± Orson said. ¡°While we¡¯re here, we can look through some of the IHSA archives we have available. That might help narrow the search.¡± ¡°Anything you can give me will be a great help.¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯ve made contact with you,¡± Orson said. ¡°We can send most of our messages through tight-beam¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Corwin, Captain Gregory!¡± A woman in Corwin coveralls ran into the room. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to interrupt, but this may be an emergency.¡± She stopped between words, breathless, as if she¡¯d sprinted.¡± ¡°We¡¯re on an important call, Doris,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Just five minutes.¡± ¡°If you can tight-beam the rest to me,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Everything else can be decided later.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Doris puffed. Eloise nodded and stepped close to her. Enoa wasn¡¯t sure what to do, but the woman looked at her too, expectantly, so she also moved closer to the winded newcomer. ¡°The Liberty Corps arrived at Wallower¡¯s Gulch. They¡¯ve recovered the truck and set up a camp there. We estimate at least seventy cars and trucks, so far, two hundred armed men, most with guns. More are coming all the time. They haven¡¯t found the camera yet.¡± ¡°At least we can keep an eye on them,¡± Eloise said. ¡°But they must be planning an attack. If they come now, the P.A. won¡¯t get here in time to help.¡± 70 - Natural Mayhem ¡°Masks ready.¡± Kol saw the billowing smoke in the distance. They¡¯d driven, night and day. He and Duncan drove in shifts, hurrying across the almost thousand miles between the Outreach Base and Littlefield. The old Mother Road was broken, cratered and destroyed where it intersected with the newer interstate. When the Thunderworks fleet had flown over, five years earlier, major highways in energy country made irresistible targets. ¡°There¡¯s a space with no road and we have some underground fire,¡± he said. ¡°There were no coal fields in this area,¡± Max said. ¡°What¡¯s burning?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kol said. ¡°It could be something deeper than commercial mining detected. It could be some reaction between Thunderworks weaponry and what¡¯s under the ground. We have to mask up if we get a whiff of anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Duncan was already clothed as a civilian, other than the helmet in his lap. The next time he wore his uniform, the mission to Littlefield would be over. Kol would be free to avoid the Aesir crew forever, free to avoid Brielle until their argument passed into memory. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to take in the scope of everything that¡¯s changed in the world.¡± Max was no longer reading the Gregory memoir, Wayfarers Highway. He now held a collection of printed notes and the training helmet Kol had lent him as an emergency rebreather. ¡°Knowing and seeing are very different. You can know that most governments are gone and that society has fallen so far, but traveling from one side of the old country to the other and seeing the devastation everywhere, it strains the mind.¡± Kol eased them onto the shoulder of the road and then onto the dusty ground. The rover maintained a level course, its axle-stabilizing sensor absorbing the majority of the shock and adjusting for the uneven terrain. Kol might have imagined it, but the ground seemed to smoke more intensely at their passing, rising in wisps, all around them. The rover did not have the sensors necessary to determine the geological integrity of the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s changed that much.¡± Duncan pointed to the left. ¡°People are still trying to sell weird crap.¡± There, surrounded by the rising smoke, stood the bodies of four Thunderworks automatons. These machines were headless and their many-limbed bodies were converted to hold billboards, their solar-power cells repurposed to send wireless neon advertisements glowing out over the constantly smoky road. ¡°Do you miss the sweet taste of your favorite soft drink? Karl¡¯s Koke can replicate all of your favorite flavors. Over fifty flavors, available on demand ¨C 35 miles!¡± ¡°Real Life SUCKS! Live the life you want. Live the life you deserve. Live in FANTASY VISION ¨C 60 miles.¡± ¡°How the hell do businesses stay open out here?¡± Kol watched the road on his right, eyeing the craters. Some of them were stretched wider than the highway, burrowed into the earth by missiles and energy strikes. ¡°Who lives here?¡± ¡°People who have always lived here,¡± Max said. ¡°Would we have left Philadelphia or the capitol area? What would it take for us to leave forever?¡± ¡°I see your point.¡± Kol eyed the horizon. He thought he could see an end to the burning, the edges of the incinerated swath Thunderworks had cut across the land. ¡°I just want to get us back there in one piece. ¡°And speaking of that. Duncan, keep your eyes peeled for anywhere we might buy a used car.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Duncan turned to look at him. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to use Sloan¡¯s equipment. I want something that belongs to us, that we can use to head back east, if necessary, when the time comes.¡± ¡°We have the rover,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Why would we buy some old clunker?¡± ¡°We need something that can¡¯t be requisitioned away,¡± Kol said. ¡°I have no intention of being stuck here waiting to reach Lost Park or fighting with locals.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t happen,¡± Duncan said. ¡°They can¡¯t requisition us. We have our special mission.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps Chain of Command is fairly vague on special assignments, such as yours,¡± Max said. ¡°Especially with Adrian Ceese operating alongside this Sloan.¡± ¡°Adrian who?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°Sir Adrian Nine-flails,¡± Kol said. ¡°I assume. How did you find record of his surname? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard it before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an educated guess, based on public data,¡± Max said. ¡°But Kol, for the record, I think maintaining the independence of your own operation is reasonable prudence. The loyalty we pursued in¡­ Well, maybe I shouldn¡¯t dwell on comparisons.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t just get the equipment from Brielle?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°Or is she still pissed at you?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about Major Rinlee.¡± Kol finally saw the broken interstate veer away from Route 66. The older road was nearly whole, damaged only by wear and by time. ¡°That bad?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I interfered in your love life, Kol,¡± Max said. ¡°You didn¡¯t. Everything¡¯s complicated, and she wants... I think she¡¯ll forgive me when I find the Dreamside Road.¡± He drove the rover back onto Route 66. ¡°In any case, we need a car and a safe place to store our Dreamside Road information.¡± ¡°What happens if we blow through hundreds of bucks in our budget for a vehicle we could¡¯ve temporarily gotten from another division? Won¡¯t some bean counter have our asses for that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll use my money for the car. I saved thousands of dollars during those months I did nothing but plan for Nimauk. I already converted cash into bills from all of the local currencies, to pay for storage.¡± ¡°Do you really think we¡¯ll find somewhere safe enough to leave the Crater Base files unguarded?¡± Max asked. ¡°NO!¡± Duncan yelled. ¡°That¡¯s what you mean? I¡¯m sorry, Kol. You¡¯re usually the best with plans, but that¡¯s a shit idea. There¡¯s nowhere we could leave that stuff. We almost died to get that information.¡± ¡°We have no choice!¡± Kol raised his voice. He¡¯d weighed their options, all poor, all dangerous. ¡°This is the only way. We obviously can¡¯t risk sending those records with you to Littlefield, but I don¡¯t want any of the Dreamside Road information near Sloan, or Nine-flails, or any other potential rival.¡± * * * ¡°Can you, uh, please dial down the fog thing?¡± Orson asked. Enoa sensed him when he stepped from the Aesir. She¡¯d been training in the Midnight Sight and Flow Sense techniques. Two empty water jugs sat beside her. She could see them no easier than she could see the Aesir or Orson. She couldn¡¯t see anything, but she could feel them. She knew their contour, and she could feel all movement around her. She knew the smallest motion, even running ants, scurrying to a hill, hidden at the fence. And the edges of her awareness expanded through the thin fog that spread across the nearby blocks of town. Fog was short-lived and faint in the dry climate, but the proximity of multiple streams gave Enoa enough cover to practice without being too conspicuous. And it helped her hone her senses. Enoa knew every dog walked in the predawn hour, in that corner of Littlefield. ¡°Sorry!¡± Enoa wasn¡¯t willing to waste her water. Instead, she let it dissipate and thin out. When the coverage cleared, she saw a hologram projected from the bracelet on her wrist.
You¡¯re learning to hide, (new user)!
You¡¯re well on your way to full initiate.
RANK: Advanced Beginner
LEVEL: 7
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
Enoa dissipated the fog yet further. She tried and failed to keep her growing pride from stealing her attention. Some of the mist evaporated. She saw Orson¡¯s visor lights. He walked toward her. ¡°I can just use the infrared,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not ideal, but I can get to the house. You can keep on practicing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said again. She tried to speed up the process, but she felt more of the fog evaporate in the rapidly warming and drying air. The sun was rising. The convenient morning mist would soon be gone. Maybe then she would steal more time to sleep. ¡°Are you always up this early?¡± ¡°Eh, my sleep schedule is all over the place.¡± He walked past her but didn¡¯t enter the house. ¡°But usually not. I just heard from Eloise.¡± ¡°Bad news?¡± she asked. ¡°Maybe,¡± he said. ¡°The Liberty Corps, they might know we¡¯ve been listening in. They¡¯ve stopped using their scanner system.¡± ¡°Does she think they¡¯re really planning an attack?¡± Enoa released more of the water, her mind snapping away from that task. ¡°Yes. It doesn¡¯t look like an imminent thing, but it¡¯s worth taking a look.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Enoa let go of the moisture. It evaporated so fast she could feel the air drying. She could feel her extended Flow Sense diminishing. A wave of accompanying dizziness came over her. It was as if one of her senses had suddenly diminished and she was not prepared for it. ¡°What do you think is going to happen?¡± ¡°I have no idea. But after almost twelve years of doing this kinda thing, I feel like we¡¯re headed for another mess.¡± * * * ¡°Welcome to Old Sixty-Six Self-Storage.¡± Despite the dusty ¡®No Smoking¡¯ sign on the window, the middle-aged man behind the desk had a long pipe between his lips. A second man sat in a wooden chair, at the wall, behind the counter. He didn¡¯t look up when Kol and Duncan arrived at the front desk. His attention stayed on the paperback book he was reading, but his right hand moved to the sawed-off shotgun in his lap. ¡°All your goods secure,¡± the clerk said. ¡°Safe storage for a reasonable fee. What can I do for you?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Hello!¡± Duncan beamed at the clerk. Both he and Kol wore civilian clothing, sweatshirts and jeans and light jackets. ¡°We have some of our Aunt Arlene¡¯s things to store, mainly papers and old photos. We¡¯re looking for her. She¡¯s missing, and she lived in this area, when she was little. Our car is in a bad way, and we don¡¯t want to carry all of it with us, in case we break down. We also don¡¯t want to leave her things behind.¡± Kol aimed a gloved hand over his shoulder, toward the window, where the fifty-year-old Plymouth station wagon could be seen, parked at the curb. The clerk¡¯s attention flicked to Kol, to the window, and back again. Kol tried not to respond. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d gone somewhere out of uniform. He felt naked and exposed, especially under the clerk¡¯s appraising stare. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± the man said. ¡°Uh-huh, we can help with that. We rent month-to-month. I¡¯m afraid prices have increased quite a bit, with security costs what they are. What size unit are you looking for?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯d be fine with the smallest you have,¡± Duncan said. ¡°For a five foot by five foot unit, that¡¯ll be four hundred dollars. We¡¯re having a special right now. Each additional month is then seventy-five percent off.¡± ¡°Lots of folks passing through, I get you.¡± Duncan looked at Kol, who drew out his wallet. ¡°Is the fee in Gulf Alliance Dollar?¡± Kol lowered his voice. Despite Duncan¡¯s coaching, he couldn¡¯t alter the rhythm of his speech or make himself sound like the casual drifter he was supposed to be. ¡°It is, at least for now. We take old U.S. coin too, also Pacific Alliance Dollar, and Mississippi Alliance Dollar ¨C with an added ten percent fee. We don¡¯t take that Liberty Coin or any of the eastern moneys, but we are open to various barter and trade agreements.¡± ¡°I have the money. Here¡¯s five hundred, even.¡± Kol withdrew the amount in Gulf Dollars. He¡¯d converted some of his savings into a variety of currencies, before their departure from the Outreach Base. ¡°For two months.¡± ¡°God willing it won¡¯t take that long to find her,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Good luck in your search. Lots of people going missing now. Damn shame.¡± The clerk walked the bills away, through a small door on the opposite wall. Kol noticed there was no cash register. The clerk returned with a stack of paperwork. ¡°We¡¯ll need a contact name and a little information about the contents. We still follow the old liability procedures, never know which way the wind¡¯s gonna blow.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m Duncan Greco, but I don¡¯t have any contact right now. I¡¯m looking for a place.¡± ¡°I get that a lot. In that case, you¡¯ll need to sign the release, says I can clear out the unit and confiscate the contents, at the end of your contract, without grace period, if you don¡¯t pay to extend it.¡± Duncan stepped forward, took a pen from the desk and began completing the forms. ¡°Speaking of contacts,¡± he said. ¡°Uh, if we do end up staying in the region longer, is there anywhere with work near here? We¡¯ve heard some good stuff about Littlefield.¡± ¡°Oh yeah.¡± The clerk returned Duncan¡¯s smile. ¡°Nobody around here hires like the Corwins in Littlefield, that¡¯s for sure. I¡¯ve got a few job listings up on the bulletin board too. Most of them are in Littlefield, if you care to take a look. Great town. And there are a couple decent boarding houses there from all the workers coming in. I can give you some names. The old Hayes couple has a great big place. They had seven kids, y¡¯know, and all that space is rented out now their youngsters are grown. It¡¯s shared bath, but it¡¯s homey. And Corwins have bunk houses for their new workers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look once we get everything stored.¡± Duncan slid the forms back to the clerk. ¡°You never know.¡± ¡°What do you do?¡± The clerk gave Duncan a business card from a stack on the far end of the counter. ¡°If you find something local, we¡¯re on the telegraph lines along the old railroad, so you could send your new contact information to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Duncan smiled. ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ve had to do a little of everything these last few years, but I¡¯m hoping for mechanic work. I¡¯ve never done farming. I haven¡¯t grown so much as a houseplant in my life.¡± The clerk laughed. Even the guard with the book and the gun chuckled. ¡°You have unit thirty-nine.¡± The clerk handed an envelope of papers to Duncan. ¡°Your combination is in here.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Duncan turned toward the door. Kol nodded and followed him outside, back to the station wagon. The rover and Max waited for them, in an abandoned lot, two miles away. Kol opened the back of the old station wagon. ¡°Everything¡¯s supposedly camera monitored,¡± Duncan said. ¡°And all locks are timed for entry, so they know who¡¯s come and gone. I also need to decide which of my things to take with me and which to give to you. My laptop has backups of some of the Dreamside Road information.¡± ¡°You still think I¡¯m nuts storing things here,¡± Kol said. ¡°I do, but if you¡¯re nuts, we should both be nuts.¡± Kol lifted the case of Sucora Cloud records. The papers had been reorganized so the discs and drives recovered from Crater Base could be hidden between them. The Cloud letter was in there too, buried at the heart of the case. He carried the clear plastic bin in plain view of the clerk and his bodyguard. He hoped the transparent case of papers would assuage any curious thoughts. Duncan led them to unit thirty-nine. The 5x5 units stood close to the main building. Kol eyed the nearby security cameras. He saw three, situated at the electrical wiring running between units. ¡°Remind me to give you your TS cylinder,¡± he said. ¡°I have it in my luggage. You need the tracker if things go wrong, but we need to figure out where we can hide it.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Duncan entered the combination. The lock opened. ¡°I know our stay with Brielle didn¡¯t go the way you wanted it.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gone there.¡± Kol opened the unit door and set the case inside. ¡°Or maybe I just shouldn¡¯t have brought Max along. I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll get better in a few days. We¡¯ll be on track again after Littlefield, unless the outlaw captain cuts my head off. And if I do get lopped apart, come up with something more dignified to tell my sisters and my folks, okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk that way,¡± Kol said. ¡°By the time Gregory realizes there¡¯s anything wrong, he¡¯ll have bigger things to worry about.¡± ¡°We need to rehearse something in case either of us die. I¡¯m serious. How have we never talked about this before? I want something impressive. ¡®Duncan died in a blaze of glory saving that puppy day care from the terrorist bombers.¡¯ Something like that.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re crazy.¡± ¡°Seriously,¡± Duncan said. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Fine. Give me a second.¡± Kol considered his life and his hopes, and all his countless failures. ¡°I have it. ¡®Kolben Maros died trying to do the right thing.¡¯¡± ¡°How maudlin.¡± Duncan shook his head. ¡°God, I was only kidding.¡± ¡°Do you think I should rig this thing against forced entry?¡± ¡°Nah, it might draw attention from these people,¡± Duncan said. ¡°It¡¯s not like any of the contents could be sold. If you¡¯re sure about your dumb idea, this is the best way.¡± He touched his right hand to his wrist. ¡°Remind me to give you my watch before I drive to Littlefield.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think the watch will be safe with you?¡± Kol opened the lid on the case. He adjusted the papers, spreading the mess of financial information and decades¡¯ old receipts evenly over the priceless data hidden within. He sat Mrs. Greco¡¯s photo album squarely on top of the pile. ¡°I think most migrants probably pawn their watches, even if they inherited them. You can hold onto it. I¡¯ll give it to you when we get back on the road. It was my granddad¡¯s, so don¡¯t let anybody requisition it. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it safe, absolutely.¡± ¡°You better. If someone managed to kill you, I¡¯d have to track him down just to get my watch back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good way to make sure I¡¯m avenged.¡± Kol snapped the lid back on the case. ¡°Are we done here?¡± ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re done.¡± Kol closed the unit door and made sure it had locked. * * * ¡°I can never do any proper training when I¡¯m staying with friends.¡± Orson swung the weighted, training sword. ¡°This thing doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± He struck the wooden dummy, focusing on his sword strikes. He aimed for millimeter-thin lines he¡¯d drawn on the dummy¡¯s torso. ¡°Even with the training sword, I¡¯m so conscious of the noise.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps already knows we¡¯re here and where everybody lives.¡± Jaleel stood on the opposite side of the fenced yard. He held his modified bow. The bow now also bore the housings for three other projectile launchers, weapons Jaleel could trigger with his fingers. Orson recognized the stolen spraystick, but not the other two. Jaleel had set up a target and was proceeding to test a variety of arrows. Enoa was also ostensibly training. She had her own target set up. She sat in the grass, her eyes closed, breathing deeply, her staff untouched. Wesley sat on the ground, beside her. He didn¡¯t move, but his eyes were open, watching her. Orson was warm enough to train, but he didn¡¯t imagine he¡¯d be very comfortable sitting still, on the ground. He wasn¡¯t sure whether Enoa was still engrossed in her mental exercises or if she¡¯d fallen asleep. She¡¯d been training on and off for almost eight hours. ¡°I still feel weird having the sword out in the middle of town.¡± Orson slammed the training blade into the ¡®neck¡¯ of the dummy, sending it tumbling from its stand. ¡°See, the training blade¡¯s hard rubber is so loud, but it has to be light so it¡¯s balanced like the fire sword.¡± ¡°Should I not be doing this?¡± Jaleel sent an arrow into the target. ¡°I need to make sure the new rack doesn¡¯t get in the way, but I don¡¯t want to be too loud.¡± ¡°You¡¯re good,¡± Orson sheathed the sword and stooped down to retrieve the wooden dummy. ¡°Eloise and Carlos both say this is fine, while we¡¯re here, as long as we don¡¯t explode anything. Eloise did just as much training, with weird stuff, when she was in the crew.¡± ¡°What did she do? She talked about working with scientists and I don¡¯t remember everyone she mentioned. Was she like mission control or something?¡± ¡°She was the Aesir¡¯s main in-flight gunner for a while. She¡¯s always been a good shot. She and Arthur Haydn were both clever fighters, but they did a lot of the research and mission control type stuff. We had a couple former mercenaries, who brought the muscle and did most of the fighting. Sirona had her fire thing.¡± Orson took another swing at the dummy, this time pivoting from foot to foot. ¡°And I honestly only started getting good at any of it right before everything fell apart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Eloise walked through the house¡¯s back door. ¡°You won almost every fight you had, even if you needed to get bailed out a lot.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Enoa stood. She brushed off her pants and stretched her arms. ¡°He was always ready to get himself into trouble,¡± Eloise said. ¡°But he needed the rest of us. We all needed each other, really. I don¡¯t think any of us then could have done alone what Orson does now ¨C or what he did alone, until you kids joined him.¡± ¡°I was just an average joe who got pulled into adventure world,¡± Orson said. ¡°The sword of fire gave me a leg up, right away, but it took me a long time to weaponize my natural mayhem. As long as nobody shot me, there weren¡¯t many hand-to-hand combatants who could fight me, though. Even now I have less proper dueling practice than I¡¯d like. You can count on your fingers how many people I¡¯ve met who have weapons that can take on the sword.¡± Eloise laughed. ¡°Do you remember that South African guy who was smuggling the artwork, and he had that weird painting with the hypnotizing eyes or whatever¡­¡± ¡°Jay something Swart?¡± Orson asked. ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just thinking of those, I don¡¯t know what the martial art is called, the judo guys he had working for him. And you¡¯d had the sword for only a year or two then. They were serious martial artists, but you just kept on waving the sword around, and they couldn¡¯t get anywhere near you.¡± ¡°I forgot all about that,¡± he laughed too. ¡°Did you talk to the lady with the aeropines?¡± Enoa asked. Wesley had also stood and was waddling around her feet, chirping. ¡°Mrs. Martinez?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°Yes, she told me this long story about how an aeropine saved the family cat from a scorpion. I¡¯ve heard that a few times already, but she also has some care information for you. She¡¯s adopted three of them, so far, and she says she has a packet to send along. ¡°Oh, and that reminds me why I came out here! Finally, we have some good news. The Pacific Alliance is sending a detachment. They can be here by the weekend. We only need to hold out for another four days.¡± * * * Kol watched Duncan drive away in the old station wagon, taking Route 66 toward Littlefield. He would arrive in the small desert town before nightfall, early enough to seek lodging and work, early enough that his arrival would hopefully be less than suspicious. Max didn¡¯t say much on their trip south to Governor Sloan¡¯s camp. He didn¡¯t read. His eyes were fixed on the western horizon and the vibrant orange and purple sunset. Kol didn¡¯t let himself dwell on his brother¡¯s silence. He rehearsed in his mind, thinking about his hopes of delaying Sloan and about the unexpected complexities of his mission. They passed three small communities, scattered lights visible from far off in the desert night. Kol wondered about them and the brazen way they advertised their position to anyone on the road. Were they certain of their safety? Did Sloan protect these people? Kol saw a fourth community in the far distance, this one significantly larger and brighter, lights too numerous to count, a genuine town. He didn¡¯t remember seeing reference, to such a place, on his maps. But then he heard the noise, and he saw the light from the line of trucks approaching from behind him. They sounded their horns and cheered, the truck convoy going at easily one hundred miles per hour. There were eight trucks in total, along with two jeeps. All bore the sign of an eagle carrying a sword in one talon and a rifle in the other ¨C a Liberty Corps seal. ¡°Freedom and might! Liberty Corps forever!¡± A man screamed from one of the trucks. It slowed as it passed the rover. Kol lowered his window and raised his fist to the caravan. A roar rose up from the procession, their cries overlapping, an unintelligible cacophony. They sped away, into the distance, toward the growing mass of lights. It was not a town. This was Governor Sloan¡¯s war force. Kol sped up too, but not to the breakneck pace of the other Corps forces. A party of that size had to be almost a regiment, but not infantry trained. These people were not prepared to negotiate. They were prepared for war, and he had sent his oldest friend to the town they intended to slaughter. Max still did not speak, but Kol knew his anger. He could feel it. Kol had hoped for a loud, but controlled gathering. Even the contempt of someone like Divenoll would be preferable to this. Would Max know enough not to argue with the bloodlust-filled mob? A dirt road broke off from the route south. Whatever purpose it once had served could not be determined, but it led to Sloan¡¯s encampment. There was a prefab guard house situated at the intersection. Three armed trucks waited there, all crewed. Two squads surrounded the area. All snapped to attention at the rover¡¯s arrival. ¡°Captain Kolben Maros.¡± He lowered the window when he reached the guard house. ¡°I¡¯m here to answer Governor Sloan¡¯s call for an adviser.¡± ¡°Captain Maros.¡± A guard approached the rover. ¡°Governor Sloan¡¯s been hoping to meet you. The war force is almost assembled ¨C nine hundred fighters, so far.¡± 71 - Nine-flails ¡°What feats has Orson Gregory performed swordless?¡± The man on the screen wore a tank top, torn jeans, and sandals. His matted hair and beard were wild and long enough that both billowed in the wind. ¡°You¡¯re a man who needs his toys to be a challenge. I¡¯m tempted to give this back to you. No challenge in killing a weakling.¡± In his right hand, he held a sword of blue fire, Orson¡¯s sword. Kol Maros saw the scene play out on the flatscreen monitor, as soon as he and Max were ushered into Governor Sloan¡¯s tent. There were several other Liberty Corps officers present and a few individuals in plainclothes. It was hard to discern more; the lights were dim for the viewing. He¡¯d had difficulty deciding whether to bring Max with him. What was worse, leave Max to see the mob or risk him in conversation with Sloan? He should have left Max in the little unnamed gathering of buildings where they¡¯d found the Route 66 Self-Storage. Kol recognized Orson Gregory when he saw him on the screen. He was still dressed in his signature long-coat and repulsor boot, but he looked younger, his own hair shorter, his face rounder, almost boyish. The sheath on his back was empty. He stood on a flat expanse, not dissimilar to the desert outside, but it was not the same desert. Kol knew that. There was something different about the low, dense underbrush that gave the environment of the video an exotic appearance. Orson faced an incongruous gathering. In addition to the unkempt man, five others stood opposite the Aesir¡¯s captain. The second was entirely hairless, no eyebrows or lashes, and wore a perfectly white tunic, despite the billowing dirt. The third was dressed in what appeared to be some formal, robed, ceremonial attire, with gold inlay and carried a tall, bladed scepter. The fourth had her hair in long braids. She leaned on nothing. She stood at a sixty-degree angle toward Orson, her toes barely touching the ground, her weight either on the empty air or on something unseen. The braids fell on either side of her head, dangling toward the parched earth. The fifth looked unremarkable ¨C a man in a suit, a little rumpled, a little dirty. The sixth ¨C Kol didn¡¯t know if they were human. This individual was naked, their body gray and ivory white, covered in ripples of bone or strange calluses. Even their face was smooth and apparently eyeless. There was a crooked smiley face drawn in its place. It was uneven, and had the faded color of old marker. ¡°You must think I¡¯m as dumb as you look.¡± Orson offered one of his humorless, mocking laughs. ¡°That sword is mine.¡± ¡°All swords are mine!¡± The unkempt man said. He raised the blade high above his head. He rubbed his cheek against the hilt of the sword. ¡°Even the legendary flame blades of the Twelve House Covenant.¡± ¡°Eew! Even if you weren¡¯t a murderer, I¡¯d have to hurt you just for doing that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Seriously, Greasemo, deodorant is still a thing.¡± The smiley-faced person let out a series of whooping grunts. ¡°He says you¡¯ll die for disrespecting our liberator.¡± The suited man spoke with conviction, total authority, without fear. ¡°You have no idea who we are.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are,¡± Orson said. ¡°I was told there were five of you. I mean, that¡¯s even in the name, right? Five-Point Palm. But either you aren¡¯t them or you aren¡¯t a threat. I¡¯m not afraid of people who can¡¯t do basic math.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t a threat?¡± Suit yelled. ¡°You have no¡­¡± ¡°Do none of you see the irony in the Five-Point Palm having six members?¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s just too ridiculous for a verbally abusive guy, like me. What can I say?¡± He shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve killed good people. I¡¯d like to just attack you and be done with it, but I always give everyone the chance to surrender. I can¡¯t enjoy beating the casually murderous if I don¡¯t. So, what do you think? Will you give up?¡± Hairless and the Leaner both spoke in foreign tongues, talking over each other. The bearded man, the presumable leader, raised his free hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you with your own sword,¡± he said. The rest of the group moved. Long curved blades grew from Smiley¡¯s arms. The man in the robes released his scepter and the tall weapon left the ground, hovering beside his head. The Leaner straightened and raised her hands, palms outward. Hairless lowered to an odd crouching stance. Suit simply backed away. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut you from¡­¡± Orson raised his hand. Something flew from it and struck the sword of fire, dead on. The sword¡¯s fire billowed out, suddenly uncontained, sending blue flame bursting in all directions. Whatever usually subdued the fire and kept it in the shape of a sword, was gone. The bearded man burned, shrieking and roasting. The other five dived aside. Smiley landed on top of the suited man, shielding him from harm. Orson rocketed from the ground with his repulsor. In an instant, the fire sword was back to its usual contour and in Orson¡¯s hand. The fire had been extinguished. What remained of the bearded man was no longer moving. ¡°Damn, I was hoping that would get all six of you,¡± Orson said. ¡°I thought his grease might spread the fire.¡± The video paused on the image of Orson, visor on, sword ready, before the other members of the crew could attack him. The screen went dark. Lights came up in the tent ¨C tall portable lamps, freestanding, battery-powered. ¡°He puts on a damn good show, don¡¯t he?¡± Governor Kent Sloan wore a suit without a tie and a cavalry hat with purple and gold ribbon. ¡°Shame he¡¯s no better than those freaks he killed that day.¡± He was a thickset man, but he maneuvered his way through his assembled officers with grace. ¡°We¡¯ll start up again after I greet our new arrival.¡± Kol stood at attention. In his training, ¡®Governor¡¯ was not a title in the chain of command. Under other circumstances, he would have sought out the proper protocol. He decided being overly formal was a better mistake to make than disrespect. ¡°At ease, son,¡± Sloan said. ¡°Kol Maros?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Captain Kolben Maros, on special assignment for Czar Hawthorne.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you. I¡¯ve heard of your mission.¡± Sloan offered a salute to Max. ¡°Your brother and advisor.¡± Max stared at Sloan. He did not respond. ¡°Good. I can use your help. We both know how dangerous Gregory is, and right now he¡¯s standing in my way of keeping this territory under control.¡± ¡°He is very dangerous,¡± Kol said. ¡°And with all due respect, I think he¡¯s a lot more dangerous than any independent war force. I think anything less than Helmont¡¯s infantry and his knights will fall short of apprehending Gregory.¡± ¡°The war force is for Littlefield.¡± A man spoke from the crowd of officers. He broke free of the group. His hair was buzzed short, and he wore only a light-weight black shirt over uniform pants. He was heavily muscled, twice Kol¡¯s width, at the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m here for Gregory.¡± ¡°Gregory won his reputation fighting his own kind, killing other outlaws,¡± Sloan said. ¡°Sir Adrian is a soldier, and there¡¯s no comparing the two.¡± Sloan clapped his hand on the man¡¯s broad shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll make his death quick,¡± Nine-flails said. ¡°And everyone will know it,¡± Sloan answered. ¡°Every outlaw will know their place. They¡¯ll know that there¡¯s law here again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to offer any advice I can,¡± Kol said. ¡°But I¡¯m also here to ask you to wait to proceed, just days¡­¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Sloan interrupted. ¡°As soon as all squads arrive, we¡¯re settling matters right away.¡± ¡°I have a man in Littlefield. There¡¯s an item Gregory¡¯s crew has, something needed for my mission. And with all due respect, sir, my mission needs to be observed. I serve at the direct command of the Lost Park Office.¡± ¡°Due Respect.¡± Nine-flails laughed. ¡°Due respect, yes, due respect to his Excellency ¨C but he should have picked another man. We¡¯ve been looking into you too, Maros. We¡¯ve seen Gregory¡¯s victories, and we¡¯ve seen your failures.¡± He raised his hand. He held a small terminal. Its screen showed a brief repeating video, a loop of Kol, thrown through the air by Enoa Cloud, his hair splayed in all directions, his armor broken and smoking. ¡°Beaten by a child.¡± Nine-flails laughed again and the other officers laughed with him. ¡°We respect your mission. You will have what remains of the Aesir, when Gregory and his pups are dead. But make no mistake, that respect is given only to his Excellency, not to Gabrielle Rinlee¡¯s bed-warmer.¡± ¡°Easy, my friend, easy.¡± Sloan waved his hand at Nine-flails. ¡°He¡¯s half a pup himself. He¡¯s been embarrassed, but the Czar has his eye on him. And who can blame him for enjoying the perks of his position.¡± He leaned close beside Kol. ¡°Who¡¯d refuse a woman with a body like hers. Or did you pursue her? Then I¡¯d really respect you.¡± Sloan gave a smile that was all teeth. He slapped Kol on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re all friends here. All friends. We can destroy the outlaws and get the Czar¡¯s treasure, all at the same time.¡± ¡°How long does my agent have before you plan to move against Littlefield?¡± Kol considered offering some defense for Brielle. Nine-flails plainly aimed to goad him, for whatever reason. It galled him to stay silent and let the remarks go, without comment, but he saw nothing productive to be done. He felt Max¡¯s eyes on him, judging and expectant, as always. ¡°He¡¯s in Littlefield now. He can be finished in a few days.¡± ¡°We have tremendous powers coming,¡± Sloan said. ¡°Tremendous numbers. We have fighters and patriots from across the continent. People are driving two thousand miles to fight for me and bring the law. They have until tomorrow night to get here. I¡¯m attacking the next morning, and only the word of the Czar, himself, would stop me.¡± ¡°Attacking?¡± Kol asked. ¡°What if the town of Littlefield surrenders?¡± ¡°Then they can help us demolish the town,¡± Sloan said. ¡°I want a new base there. There¡¯s enough land to build and enough fertile land to feed a full brigade. It¡¯ll be the biggest base in the region, strong enough to hold back anyone. When the locals give up their town, I¡¯ll forgive them for harboring outlaws. Then I¡¯ll let them join the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°No one would agree to that,¡± Max said. ¡°It would drive anyone to violence.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Sloan curled one corner of his mouth into a smile. ¡°Nobody will fight me after they see what I do to Littlefield.¡± * * * ¡°We only hang out when people are trying to kill us,¡± Eloise said. Orson sat with her and Carlos in their living room. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not saying much. People try to kill me all the time.¡± ¡°You have to find a different line of work, Orson.¡± Carlos held a steaming cup of tea. ¡°That¡¯s just not healthy. Isn¡¯t adventuring supposed to be fun? I¡¯m not sure. Because you two talk like it¡¯s supposed to be fun, but these last few days have been really, really horrible. I love you, Ellie, but if I didn¡¯t, I would not stay in this town.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve gone with Rob to California!¡± She squeezed his free hand. ¡°I told you to be safe. I meant it when I promised we would be safe. You can still leave until the P.A. gets here.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± He kissed her cheek. ¡°There are so few safe places now. There is nowhere I¡¯d rather be than with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making this happen faster than it needed to.¡± Orson felt an odd heaviness, watching his friends¡¯ settled life thrown into new upheaval by the IHSA¡¯s would-be successor. He felt the weight of passing years and passing youth and a decade of adventures. ¡°It used to be fun. We were pretty reckless then, though. The first adventure we had, fighting Kappa and the Blitzkrieg and¡­ all of them, that was terrifying, but we won.¡± ¡°And it was fun, after that.¡± Eloise picked up her own tea. ¡°It was fun when we were recovering chameleon-emus and making money doing the weird jobs the Montgomerys would send us.¡± ¡°We were in danger then too,¡± Orson said. ¡°I mean, the people we fought weren¡¯t terrorists or military-trained, but they were still, like, international criminals, remorseless killers, and we treated it like a joke.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember when everything got really serious,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe we just grew up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we would¡¯ve been this scared ten years ago, even with everything that¡¯s happened. We would¡¯ve been planning to fly out to Las Vegas and see a concert or something, while we have this crazy militia trying to kill us.¡± ¡°We would¡¯ve flown over there to see Sloan,¡± she said. ¡°And with the luck we used to have, he would¡¯ve put his base somewhere easy to blow up. Then after a few hours of chaos, we would¡¯ve won and we¡¯d fly away to get ice cream.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°It was a good time.¡± ¡°It was a good time?¡± Carlos asked. ¡°Anything with that many explosions can¡¯t be a good time. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t meet you when I was a kid. You would¡¯ve scared me off.¡± Orson heard the house¡¯s back door swing open. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re normal, Carlos,¡± a voice shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you got mixed up with my crazy little sister.¡± ¡°Oh my God, Alec!¡± Eloise yelled. ¡°Are you standing outside listening? That¡¯s so creepy. Come in or leave.¡± Alec Corwin and his father walked into the house and the living room. It was like seeing the same person at different ages, decades apart, same height and build and lightly amused expression. ¡°Hello!¡± Alec approached Orson, his hand outstretched. ¡°You must be Orson Gregory. My sister has told us all so much about you. I¡¯m one of the brothers you didn¡¯t know existed.¡± ¡°When are you going to let this go?¡± Orson stood and shook his hand. ¡°Why would I mention two people who weren¡¯t around when the memoir took place? There are so many people in that story.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a memoir,¡± Alec said. ¡°It¡¯s fiction. My sister isn¡¯t an only child, Orson.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t say she is!¡± ¡°How are you, Papa?¡± Eloise asked, laughing. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Sloan sent me a telegram,¡± Mr. Corwin said. ¡°He¡¯s demanding that we surrender our town to him. He plans to demolish Littlefield and build a regional base here.¡± ¡°What if you refuse?¡± Orson asked. ¡°The usual?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Corwin said. ¡°Death.¡± * * * Enoa followed Sucora¡¯s teachings. She formed a circle of water in the air, curving it, designing it with extra to burn away. Manipulating the water into an object of defense consumed her mind. Only the task was real and all of her reality bent to the task. She hurled the drop of water with the force of her entire mind, all her will invested in the blow. The water splashed against the target, no more forceful than dew dripping from a blade of grass. Enoa groaned and fell back against the ground. She pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes. Wesley chattered and sat by her side, pawing at her elbow. ¡°You hit it this time,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool for something that doesn¡¯t make much sense, uh, scientifically.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± She sighed and sat up again, letting Wesley sniff her fingers. ¡°I want to be ready to protect myself. I¡¯m thankful for Orson¡¯s help, but I don¡¯t want to depend on his gadgets forever.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool that you can do this Shaping stuff.¡± He shouldered his bow. ¡°And you¡¯ve only been at it for a couple of months. If you were a witch, you¡¯d have to be at Hogwarts for seven whole years.¡± ¡°Except that¡¯s not real,¡± she said. ¡°Ugh, Shaping is more important than learning to do these skills and techniques. It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Her time with Shaping was very brief. She wasn¡¯t thinking about it in days or months, though it seemed that she had been away from home much longer than that. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt totally safe since the Liberty Corps destroyed my home, and this Shaping style, Anemos, my aunt based this IHSA concept in Nimauk meditation and spirituality. It¡¯s like I can learn to use my¡­ my heritage and my family history to ¨C to feel safe again. ¡°My aunt could have saved our home. She had that power. It never would¡¯ve happened if she was still alive, and now it¡¯s up to me. The heritage is mine, and I want to stop the Liberty Corps the same way she could have.¡± ¡°I lost my home too,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s not just up to you, and if I¡¯ve learned anything from nineteen years of pop culture, we can win through the power of teamwork, or whatever.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± She drew her staff across her knees. Enoa formed a circle of water in the air, curving it, designing it with extra to burn away. Only the task was real and all of her reality bent to the task. * * * ¡°I have to say, Mr. Greco.¡± Mr. Lane, the manager who met with Duncan, also wore the ubiquitous blue Corwin coveralls. ¡°This has to be the worst week you could have picked to ask for work, or at least the worst week in years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for that.¡± Duncan drank from his water bottle. The Liberty Corps had trained him to hide discomfort or the reflexive reactions that reveal deception, but he¡¯d seldom needed that discipline, in practice, and never with the high stakes that were on him now. ¡°If you have no openings, I won¡¯t take any more of your time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, not at all,¡± Lane said. ¡°There¡¯s something of a complicated local political issue happening. It¡¯s all too common in border regions, like ours. We aren¡¯t offering anyone employment now, not under the circumstances. If you¡¯re still looking in, say, a week, then it might be a different story. What I can do, is help you find a place to stay tonight, if you¡¯re looking.¡± ¡°I have a room at the Hayes Boarding House.¡± Duncan had visited there first, even before beginning his fake work search. ¡°They¡¯re fantastic! I tell you what. We¡¯ll go through a little aptitude test. If you know your stuff, and I can get you set up to start next week, I¡¯ll see if it¡¯s in the budget to foot the bill for your stay until you can get to work. Does that sound fair?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Very generous. Thank you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Lane stood from his stool. ¡°It¡¯s a rare thing for young talent to roam through, these days. Gotta nab it when you see it.¡± He leaned forward and shook Duncan¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll check what we can do for a test. You stay right here.¡± Duncan waited for Lane to walk from the room. Then he reached down to his backpack and grabbed Tucker¡¯s Cobalt Isodar. He flipped its ¡®on¡¯ switch for the first time in Corwin territory. The device beeped and a small red line ran across the display of the device. Cobalt Nine was close, within a quarter mile. A key to the Dreamside Road was within reach. 72 - Fly-on-the-Wall No one saw Duncan launch the microphone onto the roof of the Corwin-Albir residence. Despite the security presence on the street ¨C two trucks, four armed guards ¨C the mic was no larger than a beetle, and it landed on the roof with little audible sound. The microphone¡¯s receiver had to be small enough to fly without notice, fired from Duncan¡¯s car, while in motion. But it was enough to send a garbled signal back to him, sitting in the parked station wagon, three blocks from the relevant house. The mic and the small, mostly-automatic launcher were two of the handful of devices he¡¯d borrowed from the Outreach Base, before he¡¯d left with the Maros brothers. Duncan spoke into another borrowed device. ¡°You¡¯re sure they can¡¯t listen in on this transmitter?¡± ¡°We think this is how the locals talk to people far outside the telegraph network,¡± Kol said. ¡°But listen, this has to be precisely fixed on our locations so we¡¯ll only have a few minutes, and there¡¯s a lot to talk about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great to hear from you too,¡± Duncan said. ¡°You really need to hear some of the weird shit they¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m only getting every few words, unless they¡¯re outside, but it sounds like this Corwin woman blames the Hierarchia for her mother¡¯s death. She genuinely believes some IHSA operative poisoned the local water.¡± Duncan dialed up the Fly-on-the-Wall¡¯s speaker. ¡°Kappa poisoned most of the nearby watershed.¡± Eloise Corwin¡¯s muffled voice emerged into the station wagon. ¡°We¡¯re still not totally sure everything he put in the water supply, but I was sick for most of my childhood¡­¡± ¡°I can actually hear them because they¡¯re outside right now,¡± Duncan said. ¡°The house is under constant guard, and I haven¡¯t even checked the Isodar since I got here.¡± ¡°Listen to me, Duncan!¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about pulling you out of there. Sloan is unhinged, and Nine-flails¡­ This whole Western Barony seems more like Divenoll and less like the Liberty Corps we decided to join, years ago. They¡¯re looking for an excuse to butcher Littlefield. This isn¡¯t about law anymore. They¡¯re murderous, Duncan. ¡°In thirty-six hours, either Sloan destroys this town, or Orson and his crew massacre the entire war force, like they did that dropship crew Divenoll sent after them. There¡¯s no third possibility. You need to be out of town before that happens.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Duncan dialed down his bugging device¡¯s speaker volume. ¡°I only just planted the mic a few minutes ago. You can¡¯t delay him? Isn¡¯t that the whole reason you came along?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t listening to me. You have no idea what this place is like. This is the kind of mob we imagined ourselves fighting against, after shutdown. This is like something from a backwater country with gangs who style themselves as soldiers. It¡¯s that bad.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re somewhere no one can hear you.¡± Duncan held the transmitter between his cheek and his shoulder. He reached into the duffle bag in the front passenger¡¯s seat of the station wagon. He removed opaque sunshades for the windows and the windshield. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be calling otherwise. I don¡¯t have a death wish. I¡¯m serious. If you can¡¯t be ready to leave tomorrow night, you should leave town now. Get out.¡± ¡°If we leave now, we might never catch the Aesir again. This is luck that Gregory came to see an old friend. He goes to other countries on the regular. If you want the Dreamside Road before our commissions are up, this might be our one shot.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter if you stay in Littlefield and get bombed to death by Sloan.¡± Kol sounded different. He had the same agitated, fearful tone he¡¯d had after the failed pursuit of the Aesir, after Divenoll¡¯s accusations. ¡°Jesus,¡± Duncan said. ¡°You¡¯re really serious about this, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a very real chance that the rover and my expertise fall under requisitions, and I need to ask you to pick up Max and get the hell out of here.¡± Kol¡¯s voice changed again, now a whisper. ¡°I have to go. There are two more transmission windows before Sloan¡¯s attack. Do you have the times?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Duncan had stowed the paper somewhere in the duffel. ¡°Try to reach me through the comm too,¡± Kol said. ¡°Just test it, text only. Keep checking in. Good night.¡± The line went dead. Duncan was left in the abrupt silence. Sloan would destroy the entire town? Duncan tried to picture all of the houses and yards and lives around him burned away. He imagined Mr. Lane, the manager who had arranged to pay for his stay ¨C dead. He imagined the other scattered lives he¡¯d observed ¨C all gone. It was impossible. Duncan flipped on the Isodar. It began to beep in a sustained pattern. It had a signal ¨C very, very close. He could distantly see the guard outside the Corwin-Albir residence. There was nothing he could do tonight, nothing to secure the Dreamside Road key or stay Sloan¡¯s hand. All he could do was observe. Duncan slid the sunscreens across the windshield and windows. He could not be seen from the outside. He switched on his Fly-on-the-Wall¡¯s speaker and listened. * * * Kol shut off the portable transmitter and slid out of the makeshift soundproofed booth he¡¯d made for himself from the Rover¡¯s spare seat cushions. ¡°Your blanket fort is surprisingly successful.¡± Max entered their small, shared bunkroom. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you outside.¡± ¡°Damn it, Max.¡± Kol exhaled. ¡°You need to announce yourself. I didn¡¯t know who was coming in here.¡± ¡°Did you pull him out?¡± Max came to a stop beside Kol. He spoke in a soft voice. ¡°If he leaves tonight, we can all be gone by the morning.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still gathering intel,¡± Kol said. ¡°We need to determine if our mission is still viable under the circumstances. We need¡­¡± Max reached forward and gripped his arm. ¡°I may need to break my promise to you,¡± he said. ¡°I may need to speak openly about the Liberty Corps. Is there anyone to whom you can report Sloan¡¯s actions? You know this Hawthorne ¨C can you contact him? Do you truly trust this man?¡± Kol thought about his interactions with the leader of the Liberty Corps, years ago, before the Czar¡¯s isolation, when Kol¡¯s only concern was rebuilding the broken world. ¡°I don¡¯t believe he would agree to demolishing the town.¡± ¡°You have two moral choices open to you.¡± Max gripped his other arm. ¡°Only two, maybe only one. You are the best positioned person to stop the people of Littlefield from being butchered.¡± ¡°Sloan won¡¯t listen to me. He¡­¡± ¡°Even if you believe that the Liberty Corps is the true ruler of our homeland, do you believe every person in Littlefield deserves to lose their homes or die in its defense?¡± Kol remembered the fires rising from the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea. He saw, in his mind, Enoa¡¯s rage. He remembered the last, lost words of love from Sucora Cloud, words Enoa had never read. He saw the attack from Divenoll on the derelict town. He thought of Mrs. Greco homeless, of the skeletons left in the automatons, and now the prospect of an entire town wiped away. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡± ¡°And if you believe this to be wrong,¡± Max said. ¡°And you have the power to stop it¡­¡± ¡°Then I have to stop it¡­ but I don¡¯t have that power!¡± ¡°You have two choices,¡± Max said again. ¡°Either you report Sloan to a superior who would command him to stop, if there is such a person. Or you can warn Captain Gregory and Littlefield, so they can prepare for battle.¡± * * * ¡°Did you guys hear anything?¡± Orson walked out onto the back porch. He pulled on his coat. It had been a long day, on edge, and there would be three more long days until the Pacific Alliance could arrive. Eloise sat with Carlos and Alec on the porch. Enoa and Jaleel sat on the ground, Wesley between them. Jaleel was in the process of assembling what looked like a very large birdcage. ¡°I was running through some frequencies¡­¡± ¡°As every paranoid adventurer should,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Yeah, and I picked up a weird signal, just now. It¡¯s on the electromagnetic spectrum, but I don¡¯t know what it is.¡± ¡°Orson has his Halloween costume on!¡± Alec pointed at him. ¡°You look like one of those kids who can¡¯t pick a costume so they wear parts of five or six. Orson the robot-cowboy-pirate is here to save us!¡± Orson held up his hand. ¡°Hold on, okay? I still hear a really weird whining, like a tracking problem on an old tape player.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Jaleel reached into his backpack and removed a pair of headphones. He put them on. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is.¡± Orson walked along the edge of the porch and then into the yard. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to change with me moving around. Maybe somebody¡¯s sending out interference from somewhere in town. I don¡¯t know¡­ but it¡¯s weird. I¡¯ll have to stay aware of it.¡± ¡°How do you live this way, all the time, Orson?¡± Carlos asked. ¡°Always looking over your shoulder ¨C it seems awful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost never been this bad.¡± Orson still thought he heard the whine, but the sound had diminished. He might have imagined it. ¡°This Liberty Corps shit has been nonstop since Enoa and I fought them in her hometown.¡± ¡°The water¡¯s okay here now, right?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Orson, we were talking about that Kappa.¡± ¡°We run constant tests.¡± Alec sounded suddenly serious. ¡°That was my first job out of college. I always thought I¡¯d do some work in a city, before I came back here, so I got an apprenticeship in the compliance office. It seemed like a good path, after everything that happened.¡± ¡°Everything was set right after Kappa was exposed,¡± Orson said. ¡°But the Hierarchia ruined everything it touched. I don¡¯t doubt their factory, in my own hometown, hurt people too.¡± ¡°Did you ever find any proof about that factory?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°Do you go back home, ever? Do you visit your dad?¡± ¡°I go back when I can. I just¡­ For those of you who don¡¯t know, my mom died when I was a kid. She¡­ had a stroke, and she was only thirty-five, but she did bookkeeping work for that IHSA factory in our town. They purged their records, but I know they did something. I know it. They always did something. Everything wrong in the world today starts with them. I¡¯d forgotten how bad they were until the Liberty Corps started looting their corpse.¡± Orson pulled down his visor. ¡°I, uh, I know if my mom lived I would never have been thrown out¡­ My whole life would¡¯ve been different. It¡¯s almost too much to think about.¡± ¡°Without the Hierarchia, none of us would have met.¡± Eloise ran from the porch and threw her arms around Orson¡¯s neck. ¡°We had our little Aesir family! It would be awful if none of us met and you never did all you do to help people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Orson returned the hug, until she stepped back. ¡°The Liberty Corps threatening your home, like this, just brings it all back. But I appreciate your support.¡± ¡°You¡¯re family, Orson.¡± Eloise returned to the porch. ¡°You¡¯ve been the lonely drifter for too long, and you shouldn¡¯t be.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Orson adjusted the visor so the earpieces were angled up toward him. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I wonder.¡± Enoa passed a small cob of corn to Wesley who began to tear into it, in quick bites. He cooed in satisfaction. ¡°I wonder if my aunt¡¯s sickness, if her cancer was also¡­ I don¡¯t want to say caused, but if it moved faster because of her time in the Dreamthought Project.¡± ¡°There are a lot of things that cause cancer,¡± Orson said. ¡°We lived in a pretty toxic world. I bet we¡¯re actually less polluted now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t dismiss her concern,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Remember how extremely comforting I was to you, a minute ago? That¡¯s how you should be now. Your crewmate is having this difficult revelation and you¡¯re over there being geezer man.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not dismissing her. I¡¯ll live with the Hierarchia¡¯s crimes forever, and I don¡¯t want her to have that burden.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just thinking out loud,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just swayed by what the two of you were saying. That¡¯s the only¡­ death in my family from cancer. Both of my parents passed away in a car accident when I was very little, nothing Hierarchia related about that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know what happened there,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°It was a long time ago,¡± Enoa said. The whine issued from Orson¡¯s visor so loudly he could hear it with his earpiece down at his throat. He gingerly pulled the visor back over his eyes and ears. The whine had decreased, but not by much. ¡°You mainlanders.¡± Carlos shook his head. ¡°Even after Thunderworks, there¡¯s something wrong going on up here with three of the five families represented having dead parents. We¡¯re all pretty young people.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a mainlander and my parents are alive,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°My whole family is alive except my dad¡¯s dad and he¡¯d be over one hundred if he was alive. He was almost fifty when my dad was born.¡± ¡°Pff.¡± Alec made a noise with his lips. ¡°Look at this nerd, with his alive, nuclear family.¡± ¡°Hey, did you hear something else?¡± Eloise turned back to Orson. ¡°Or are you just bored and listening to music in there?¡± ¡°Same weird noise,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m going to mention it to the guards.¡± He walked through the group and around the Aesir. The moment he exited the gate, the whine stopped entirely. He stepped back onto the property, but the sound did not resume. The four guards had turned toward him. They were dressed in vintage police uniforms, with heavy vests and gloves. ¡°Everything alright?¡± One of them asked. ¡°I think so.¡± He stepped between the fence and the property, several more times. The sound did not return. He looked around the street, but there was no sign of anyone, except a vintage station wagon, which quickly drove out of sight. Then there was nothing to be seen. ¡°I heard a weird noise,¡± he said. ¡°It was like some kind of interference. Did you hear it?¡± ¡°No,¡± one of the guards said. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything,¡± said another. ¡°I don¡¯t hear it anymore either. Sorry about that.¡± Orson returned to the yard and closed the gate. * * * Kol did not sleep that night. He went for two walks through the empty camp. He hoped to practice the strange energy Shaping he¡¯d wielded to save his life, in the fight against Gilford, but he didn¡¯t know where to begin. He failed to Shape, and he failed to sleep. He heard Max¡¯s heavy breathing in the bunk beside his, but his brother had always been the ideal soldier. Plan and act and fight when needed. Rest when possible. Find peace when nothing can be done. Kol had no such gift. His mind was occupied by a thousand thoughts and hopes and impossible, conflicting loyalties. There was no way out, no perfect solve-it-all answer. This riddle had no neat solution. All he could hope to do was find the least bad option. He was no closer to an answer and no closer to any sort of resolution, when his comm chimed ¨C Brielle.
The Partizan will join the war force at 1300. I hope you¡¯re okay and I¡¯m sorry we didn¡¯t part on the best terms. I¡¯m really looking forward to seeing you. ¨CG
Kol couldn¡¯t, didn¡¯t respond. He stared at her words in silence until the sky out the window began to lighten. In twenty-four hours, Sloan would attack Littlefield. Would the town be prepared in the case of a surprise attack? Would Orson Gregory be prepared? He remembered how the Aesir¡¯s captain had responded to the deaths in the derelict field, his lethal ferocity. And Enoa Cloud, trained from childhood to be a Shaper ¨C what had she learned since Nimauk? Or would she die, die and never read the letter from the woman who raised her, never read the letter because it was stolen at the command of Kol Maros. He pictured the destruction of the dropship, its crew howling as the magnet-charge from Gregory blasted its hull apart. He pictured the same done to the Partizan, the airship exploding as Brielle and the Outreach force attempted to fire their iron barrage at the Aesir. Somewhere, scattered through Kol¡¯s assorted mess of records he kept from Newtown Division, was a series of potential contact channels to put him in touch with the Lost Park Office. There were many logistical issues involved with sending a tight-beam request to Central Command, but what would it earn him? Could he halt the attack? Could he force Sloan to accept a diplomatic solution? Would Central Command reassign Sloan somewhere he couldn¡¯t install himself as a petty dictator? Kol was still staring at his comm and portable terminal when the messages arrived from Duncan. He got fifteen in total, the first eleven of which contained nothing but a mess of nonsense letters, like Duncan had been trying to send him word search puzzles. Then, he received four more.
Did you get?
Encrypt bad.
Let me know.
Gregory can hear. Will try to call at window 1.
Kol looked at the terminal¡¯s screen and the time. He had less than two hours until the clear communication window that would allow him to coordinate with Duncan. What would he tell him? If he pulled Duncan out, it would surely mean the end of his Aesir pursuit. It would mean abandoning the Dreamside Road to the whims of Gregory and his crew, without any manner of governmental oversight. But would the oversight of a man like Sloan be a better choice? He had no words, so he crept from bed. He showered and shaved. He prepared his uniform and tied his hair in its immaculate bun. He dressed himself in his full uniform and armor, the captaincy he¡¯d earned. That much he could control ¨C how he lived his life as Captain. Kol crept from the prefab cabin which he¡¯d been assigned, walking across the muddy ground, through the haphazard cluster of prefab buildings, mobile lodging and tents, scattered throughout the lot Sloan had repurposed for his own uses. He saw a crew of gray-clad techs servicing two tall, bipedal robotic figures, similar to the Thunderworks automatons, but with clear open cockpits and space enough for a seated pilot. He saw a dozen-strong Rifle Corps team loading heavy mortar shells, of a type Kol couldn¡¯t recognize, onto the back of a truck. Two heavy guns also waited to be loaded. This group stopped when they saw Kol. They stood at attention until he spoke to them. ¡°At ease. Your captain has you working very early this morning. I hope you¡¯ve had a good breakfast.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± one of them said. ¡°We¡¯re almost halfway done, sir. We need to be ready to bring justice to the outlaws.¡± This trooper was young. Kol didn¡¯t think he could be out of his teens, and Sloan¡¯s catchphrase sounded hollow without the Governor¡¯s bravado, a frightened echo. Kol nodded and left them to their work, winding his way deeper through the war force, past many smaller encampments. He saw a squad with a bastardized version of the Wisconsin flag ¨C they had traveled thousands of miles. He came to a stop at the telegraph station. He didn¡¯t know nearly enough about how the equipment worked or how widespread the technology still was. He watched the wiring trailing from the roof of the building, angled toward a series of support posts. The supports guided the cable between the camp and the rail-side telegraph line, a half-mile away. ¡°Am I supposed to fight with my fists?¡± A man shouted. He was dressed in modified Rifle Corps armor, non-standard, unacceptable under Kol¡¯s command. He wore his armor over black clothing with silver stripes down the arm. The rifle in his hands was loaded in imagery. Kol saw multiple flags, most almost impossible to distinguish, but the man¡¯s hand partially covered a decal that appeared to bear the tilted arms of a Nazi swastika. ¡°No non-Corps insignia.¡± The Lieutenant who faced the man kept a level tone. ¡°You may remove the non-Corps insignia or you may cover it up.¡± ¡°I drove all the way from Florida to help with this¡­¡± ¡°These are the Governor¡¯s orders,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°Cover it, find another rifle, but a weapon with non-Corps insignia will not go with us to Littlefield.¡± He walked away from the man when he caught sight of Kol. ¡°Captain Maros, sir,¡± he said. ¡°I was told to retrieve you from your bunk. Governor Sloan plans to reconvene his tactical discussion. He wants you there.¡± ¡°I plan to attend,¡± Kol said. ¡°Once I¡¯ve dealt with some matters from my own mission.¡± ¡°I will tell him. He¡¯ll be very pleased. He wants your input, especially with his building plans approved.¡± ¡°Building plans?¡± ¡°The base that will be built once the Littlefield settlement is demolished,¡± the Lieutenant said. ¡°Baron Helmont¡¯s office sent word. The blueprints are approved, and the demolition can began as soon as the outlaw threat is neutralized.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lieutenant.¡± Kol said nothing more to him. He retraced his steps, back through the camp, past the ragtag legion, all arming and preparing for the destruction of Littlefield. When he arrived in the cabin, he found Max in his wheelchair, dressed. He was paging through his notes and eating an energy bar from the stores they¡¯d packed for the trip. ¡°There you are¡­¡± Max began. ¡°You can use a telegraph machine, right?¡± Kol interrupted. ¡°Yes?¡± Max said. ¡°I was trained after our satellite grid went down.¡± ¡°If I can get you into the communications station, how long would you need to send a telegram to Littlefield?¡± 73 - (stop) Orson spent the night in the Aesir¡¯s main cabin, listening to the strange interference. Jaleel hadn¡¯t completed Wesley¡¯s pen, so Orson watched the aeropine, as the animal tottered around the ship and ate apple slices. The interference whine varied, going mostly silent for hours and then suddenly intensifying. Orson had reported it to the Corwin security and technical supervisory offices. He¡¯d run his own scan from the Aesir ¨C nothing irregular. He needed sleep. He¡¯d learned his lesson in his earlier battles with the Liberty Corps and with Daniel Tucker ¨C he wasn¡¯t twenty anymore. He couldn¡¯t go without rest and stay fighting-fit. He dozed when he could. Wesley seemed happy left to his own devices. He had food and now a litter box, which Enoa had purchased from the general store, down the street. Orson dozed fitfully, his sleep little more restful than his waking hours. The interference whine intensified early in the predawn morning. Orson resisted the urge to switch to another channel. He could ignore the sound, shut down the visor so it didn¡¯t recognize all errant radio waves and assorted other activity on that part of the electromagnetic spectrum. But he wouldn¡¯t. He¡¯d been in the business of adventuring too long. He rubbed at his eyes and donned his gear, making his way for the ship¡¯s door. Wesley tried to follow him outside. He squeaked furiously, but Orson wiggled his fingers at the aeropine and slipped out the door, closing it behind him. The noise didn¡¯t intensify, but it was undeniable. Orson walked through the empty yard, again listening for any variation in the frequency. The house guard had been added after the bounty hunter attack, but they had no relevant equipment. They were essentially muscle, not intelligence operatives. Orson¡¯s visor comm beeped. He found the message in his HUD view and sent a call back. ¡°Am I keeping you awake?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Eloise said. ¡°I was still awake, and I see you wandering around out there. I think Alec is right. You have a real horror movie or Halloween vibe going on.¡± ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re awake, can I step inside for a second?¡± She must have been just inside the door. It opened almost immediately. He walked into the entryway. ¡°You hear it too, don¡¯t you?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes!¡± She was wearing her clothing from the day before. ¡°I took a listen to that surveillance kit I brought with me, after shutdown, and I found the frequency!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so weird, right? I¡¯m gonna sound totally crazy, but that noise changes volume, depending on what we¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You think it can hear us?¡± ¡°I do, at least outside the house. Hey, your dad is the one who owns the main comm station in town, right? Do you think it¡¯d cause too much of a stir if we put out our own interference, just in case?¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°If someone¡¯s trying to listen in, somebody with the Liberty Corps, I want to keep them from hearing us.¡± * * * ¡°He¡¯s late.¡± Kol recreated the makeshift soundproof box, crouching between the spare seat cushions. ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to order him out.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. Max faced him, fixing Kol with a constant stare. ¡°When do you plan to use the telegraph station?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still figuring that out,¡± Kol said. ¡°My first priority is getting Duncan out of there. Then Sloan¡¯s meeting. Then, if I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll have enough time to figure out the rest before Brielle arrives.¡± ¡°Major Rinlee,¡± Max said. ¡°What do you intend to tell her?¡± Kol did not reply. What could he tell Brielle? Not the truth ¨C she was prepared to kill for the Liberty Corps, kill for order and stability and what she called safety. He used to say the same. But he couldn¡¯t think about that. He couldn¡¯t think about her, or the battle to come, or his future. He had to think about saving lives, livelihoods, and homes in Littlefield. If saving them was the right thing to do, he would need to figure out the rest later. His comm chimed ¨C four brief messages.
Gregory and Corwin onto me.
Littlefield jamming transmissions.
Can¡¯t call.
I will find key. Leave town after.
¡°No!¡± Kol almost threw the comm. ¡°He can¡¯t reach me. He¡¯s still after the key!¡± ¡°You have to persuade him to leave.¡± Max maneuvered between beds like he was trying to line up to see the comm screen. ¡°No matter what happens, he is in terrible danger there.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Kol fired back his own messages.
Do not pursue key.
Leave Littlefield.
Drive to pickup station.
¡°I sent him his instructions,¡± Kol said. ¡°I have to make an appearance at Sloan¡¯s meeting. Then, hopefully, I can get this under control. ¡± ¡°Duncan will receive your encrypted texts?¡± Max asked. ¡°Once the telegram is sent, there will be nowhere safe for him.¡± ¡°He should get them. Make sure you¡¯re ready to leave, as soon as I reach him.¡± Kol had already packed his own things, those few items he¡¯d removed from the rover. ¡°You can¡¯t go to that battle,¡± Max said. ¡°If you have no one who can stop Sloan, then this organization is not worth dying for. You must know that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Kol swung his legs over the other side of the bed, so Max could not try to stop him, as he passed. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I have to do to help, but Duncan is strictly on assignment from me. If you can get out of here with him, that¡¯s what¡¯s important. You¡¯ll have to seek asylum in one of the Alliances, just in case. I don¡¯t think anyone will monitor communications, but you can¡¯t take that risk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hiding anywhere without you.¡± Max maneuvered between the beds and around the room while Kol fastened his armor. He situated himself in front of the door. ¡°They would kill you, without question, if they ever learn the truth.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to talk me out of this?¡± Kol held his helmet under his arm. ¡°I want you to do the right thing and survive,¡± Max said. ¡°Dying to stop the slaughter of innocents is noble, but not when that death is avoidable. When the telegram is sent, you, Duncan, and I must leave.¡± ¡°You want me to disavow everything I¡¯ve done for years!¡± Kol couldn¡¯t handle this level of interrogation, not with the tightrope he had to walk. Talk to Sloan. Face Brielle. Help Max warn Littlefield. Warn Orson Gregory. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later.¡± He forced his way around Max and out the cabin door. Kol hurried across the camp, thankful he encountered no one on his trip to the command tent. He crept inside it, parting the doorway as little as necessary. The interior was entirely dark. Another Orson Gregory video was playing for Sloan and his officers. Gregory, himself, was on the screen, but Kol only recognized him from the fire sword in his hands. He and a red-haired woman stood with their backs facing the camera that had recorded them. They were surrounded by an arc of fire, a swirling, twisting mass of red flame, like a serpentine wall. The fire was apparently being directed by the woman, who moved her hands in a motion that mirrored the fire¡¯s movements. A band of dark-clad individuals stood on the far side of the circle of flame. ¡°How many dates have we had where nobody attacked us?¡± The woman glanced at Gregory, but she continued her fire manipulation. ¡°We¡¯ve only been in fights on like eight date nights.¡± He reached to his hip and drew a revolver in his free hand. ¡°And most of those we got called away to help somebody, while we were out. People only tried to attack us, specifically, like two times, during a date. Two times in three years isn¡¯t so bad.¡± ¡°Three times. You forgot the man who tried to steal your sword for his museum.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t forget him,¡± he said. ¡°He was just sad. He stalked me all week and showed up then because that was the first time I went anywhere.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She was interrupted when two men in quilted protective gear charged through the wall of fire. Gregory and his date both yelled. The scene ended and the screen went dark. ¡°Next up,¡± Sloan called from the front of the tent. ¡°We¡¯ve got a whole mess of other footage. A lot of it is basic security feeds, not very clear, so if you just arrived and you missed the brand-new video with Gregory and the Five-Point Palm we watched yesterday, you should take a gander at that later.¡± The screen lit up again. Kol saw flashes of other episodes from Gregory¡¯s wayfaring. Most of the footage was grainy and without sound, but it charted a clear course ¨C Gregory¡¯s journey to skill. Most of the early flashes of video showed him surrounded by other people. He saw recurring faces, recurring individuals standing and fighting alongside Gregory. He saw the woman with the fire, an old hippie man with long hair and a wooden staff, like a storybook wizard, and two men with ludicrously large rifles. The video changed too rapidly to decipher more. The videos progressed, until one showed Gregory alone, locked in a sword fight with three towering shapes ¨C blue-eyed Thunderworks automatons, wielding electrified pikes. They worked in perfect tandem, circling around him, all striking, but he blasted away with his repulsor. He wobbled in the air with none of the practiced control he later earned. He flew toward the camera. Another clip showed a group of people in heavy combat gear, flak vests, helmets, tall boots, all carrying some sort of energy projectile weapon. They surrounded Gregory, firing on him. Gregory tore them apart, weaving between them, forcing them to take care in their aim or attempt to fight him with melee clubs. Kol saw at least two instances of friendly fire. The rest of the guards were quickly dispatched by the fire sword. The final video showed Orson standing beside a hulk of twisted, burning, indistinguishable metal. He was speaking, but his words could not be heard. He was younger, but had already collected most of his regalia. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He held a head from one of the automatons, its eyes still glowing. He laughed and carried the head under his arm, like a football. Sloan spoke when the screen went dark. ¡°Cocky bastard. I think that gives us a clear idea what his capabilities are. Now let¡¯s take a look at our champion. AND IN THIS CORNER!¡± Kol could not immediately decipher what he next saw on the screen. It looked like some undersea creature, a tentacled monster, some kind of man-o¡¯-war, but this was on dry land. It was striking people with its waving arms, sending men and women flying, bloodied and broken. It was Nine-flails. He was mostly obscured by the manic motion of his whirling weapons. Nine chains extended from him. The chains each ended in a spiked orb, the size of a bowling ball, with points long enough to gouge flesh. The camera footage was poor. It was filmed by someone behind Nine-flails, their focus tracking to follow the knight¡¯s weapons. Twice Kol caught sight of someone¡¯s gloved fingers slipping into view. But the footage left no doubt of Nine-flails and his martial prowess. When his attackers tried to run, the chains snaked out, crushing and skewering his foes against the walls of the steel-gray hallway that surrounded them. When a team of gunmen attempted to return fire, their first volley was unsuccessful, and they did not get a second. Sloan was laughing, guffawing to himself as the video ended. ¡°Do you want to do a live demonstration, Sir?¡± ¡°It would be my pleasure.¡± Nine-flails stood and the lights rose. Everyone cleared away from the front of the tent, taking their chairs and notes with them. Kol backed away too, happily unnoticed. He almost bumped into another late arrival, trying to walk through the tent entrance, but she stepped to his side. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I know you.¡± Brielle whispered and briefly touched her fingers to the back of his hand. ¡°Otherwise, I might think you were another of Sloan¡¯s clumsy tagalongs.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here early,¡± Kol whispered. ¡°It¡¯s barely nine in the morning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sound so excited.¡± She followed him to stand against the far side of the tent. ¡°Or what, did you find some young bimbo looking for a soldier to take care of her?¡± ¡°They¡¯re lining up for me,¡± he said. ¡°Who can resist a man who spends his days reading about a thirty-year-old theft and whose social circle includes fewer than ten people?¡± ¡°No, I know I don¡¯t need to worry about you.¡± She chuckled. ¡°If I didn¡¯t make the first move you would never have talked to me.¡± Kol felt his face flush, but he was saved from figuring out a response. Nine-flails now wore an odd, oversized breastplate, a lopsided apparatus. The heads of his flails sat snug against the surface of the armor, grouped across the breastplate, like a bunch of deformed grapes. This was the housing for his weapons. It had been all but invisible in the film. He looked entirely different and entirely more dangerous with the flails in motion. The nine spiked weapons that won him his name snaked from his armor, connected to him by thin-linked chains. It was clear why the assembly had moved away. The chains and their spiked heads spun and snapped outward, without any motion or further action from Nine-flails. They twisted and curved around him, moved by his mind alone. They sped up, moving faster and faster, until they appeared to form an orb of solid gray around him. The flails never tangled and never met, and they moved with the perfect, planned regularity of their master¡¯s mind. The metal links let out an eerie hum, like a flying saucer sound effect from a vintage pulp film. One of the flails flew free of the mass, blasting out of the orb like a shot, stretching through the tent¡¯s empty front section. Before the flail retracted to join the others, Kol could see the spikes on the weapon, long enough to spear any unarmored person. Driven by the mental power of Nine-flails, the force of the blow alone could surely kill. Kol finally understood the meaning of the moniker. Nine-flails wielded a horrific evolution of the cat-o¡¯-nine-tails whip, a device of metal and the mind that was almost impenetrable, a ranged weapon and melee weapon, at once. The knight finished his demonstration and retracted the flails back to himself. Sloan began to clap and cheer, as did many throughout the tent. Nine-flails turned in a slow arc, acknowledging the praise, acknowledging his audience. ¡°After they see that, we¡¯ll be ready to start the demolition by noon tomorrow.¡± Sloan continued to clap. ¡°I think we¡¯ve got a good taste of what¡¯s in store for Gregory. He won¡¯t even know what hit him.¡± ¡°One sword and no powers is no match for my overwhelming onslaught,¡± Nine-flails said. Kol remembered the video of Tucker¡¯s barrage, the Cobalt Nine spikes rising from the ground and falling from the sky, Gregory dodging them all, keeping Tucker on the defensive for almost their entire fight. ¡°Finish the preparations,¡± Sloan said. ¡°We¡¯ll reconvene for a final briefing at 1900 hours. Dismissed.¡± ¡°So what happened that you got here so fast?¡± Kol asked Brielle, once the noise and rush of the dispersing gathering gave them some privacy. ¡°I underestimated how ready for action my team is.¡± She nodded toward the front of the tent. ¡°Looks like Sir Adrian wants a word.¡± Nine-flails had removed his armor and worked his way through the crowd, toward them, toward Brielle. ¡°Rinlee,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you could make it. It¡¯ll be good for you to see the best Iron Shaper in the Corps.¡± ¡°If I want to see the best Iron Shaper.¡± She leaned sideways, resting her hand on Kol¡¯s shoulder. ¡°All I have to do is look in a mirror.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have one technique that can match the flails.¡± ¡°No, but it¡¯s all you can do. It¡¯s a damn good trick, but you are a one-trick pony. You always have been.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need more than one if it¡¯s a guaranteed kill.¡± ¡°A guaranteed kill.¡± She threw her head back and laughed, a real, amused, belly-laugh. ¡°Is that how you justify your time? I guess you need a pretty good excuse to sit around and play with your balls, all day.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see tomorrow.¡± Nine-flails spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°We¡¯ll see what you have to say once Gregory¡¯s road kill.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t slip up and get burned for it.¡± She slipped her arm from Kol¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Then I¡¯d have to step in and finish the job for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have your team be the first into Littlefield,¡± Nine-flails said. ¡°Once Gregory¡¯s flattened, and they¡¯re all desperate, I¡¯ll have you sent out alone to let them have revenge and get complacent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even a threat. That¡¯s all you have to say, like I couldn¡¯t take on some farmers and hermits? Please. And do I need to remind you? I don¡¯t work for you.¡± Nine-flails left without saying more. Brielle watched him go. Then she flicked her eyes back to Kol. Under normal circumstances, her fleeting, mischievous glances were a reminder of his hopes for the future. But his stomach twisted in knots. He imagined Nine-flails falling in battle, and Brielle standing against Orson Gregory, as she led the charge to demolish Littlefield. ¡°The Squid thought if he beefed up and looked scary enough for the upper brass, then the women in the training program would line up to join his personal harem.¡± She spoke so softly, he could barely distinguish the words. ¡°I know you hate Gregory, but I might root for him against Adrian.¡± She winked. ¡°Don¡¯t even say that.¡± Kol imagined Orson Gregory, warned by his telegram, slamming Nine-flails into the ground, the flails going limp like Tucker¡¯s Cobalt Nine. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She furrowed her brow. ¡°I¡¯m joking! I know it was technically a major infraction to talk that way to Adrian, but like I said, we went through training together. I remember him when he was still learning to twirl the first of those flails. Once an asshole tries to hit on you for the tenth time, you get to say what you want to him.¡± ¡°His demeanor is already against protocol.¡± Kol talked reflexively, his autopilot response. That had been enough for the strangers he¡¯d spoken to, but she knew him. ¡°Oh! Is Duncan okay? How did his mission go?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still in Littlefield.¡± Good, finally he could speak the truth. The tent had emptied, and Kol had no desire to stay alone with the Governor and his entourage, but where would he go? He couldn¡¯t take her back to his cabin, with Max. They were still preparing¡­ No, he couldn¡¯t even think about what they were planning. ¡°He¡¯s having some comm issue. He missed his contact window, and I¡¯m still trying to get ahold of him.¡± Kol nodded to the tent¡¯s entrance. ¡°Want to take a walk?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She followed him out into the morning sun. ¡°You couldn¡¯t delay the attack? I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised. You maybe should¡¯ve considered contacting Helmont¡¯s office.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. I have enough political enemies in the Western Barony, but I must intervene. I have to get him out, no matter what. I won¡¯t let Duncan be a victim of miscommunication or¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the wrong way to go about it,¡± she said. ¡°You have to try to get ahold of him, and if you can¡¯t, remember he¡¯s a spy. You both did what was right for your mission and that was always going to put him in harm¡¯s way. Keep trying, but trust him. Sloan will need a controlled demolition, so it¡¯s not like he¡¯ll just shell the town.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way, after Gregory dies, Littlefield would surrender?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I hope so. I don¡¯t think so. But, once we do what we need to do in Littlefield, nowhere else will fight us this way. There¡¯ll be peace then. And after Gregory is gone, you¡¯ll have more time to find the Dreamside Road.¡± * * * Duncan waited for Kol¡¯s reply. He didn¡¯t receive one. His comm stayed dark and silent. He¡¯d parked his station wagon a greater distance from the target house. Gregory had seen him the night before. He could not be noticed as a loiterer. He had to wait. In the distance, the Corwin-Albir residence¡¯s side gate opened. Duncan set his comm aside and slid lower in his seat. He grabbed the Isodar. Yes! The chance he¡¯d waited for all day. It was Enoa Cloud, leaving the residence with Jaleel, the newcomer. They walked down the sidewalk toward him, idly chatting. She had her staff, and Jaleel wore an odd belt that could easily contain a weapon. Duncan raised the local newspaper he¡¯d purchased that morning, perusing the weekly trivia from the little town. He absorbed none of the words. All his attention was on the two young people. He raised the Isodar. A red line stretched across the screen, ending in a persistently blinking red dot on the left. The device began to beep. Duncan had forgotten to muffle it. He curled the newspaper around the speaker, reducing the sound to a more reasonable volume, no more than a ringtone or chime. Cloud and Jaleel did not respond. They continued talking, passing the station wagon and moving out of sight. Duncan had it ¨C confirmation. Enoa Cloud carried the Dreamside Road key on her person. She had to. Why else would she give out a Cobalt Nine signature? If he could get her alone, he could retrieve the key, but how? She¡¯d demolished Kol. She¡¯d been training to Shape her entire life. But she didn¡¯t know it. She¡¯d never read her letter. Maybe that would provide an opening. Before Duncan could consider his plan further or think on the imminent attack by Governor Sloan, he noticed something strange. There was still a Cobalt Nine signature coming from the Corwin-Albir residence. Duncan could not even begin to guess what that could mean. Maybe there was no key at all and Gregory had taken some of Tucker¡¯s metal as bizarre souvenirs for his crew. Unless the other Cobalt Nine was hidden in the residence, the second signature was in the Aesir or with Gregory, himself. Duncan was not prepared to proceed on his own. He needed some input. This was nothing they¡¯d considered or planned for. He grabbed his comm, checked the auto-encryption was enabled. He typed.
Please respond.
Second Cobalt signature. Please advise.
* * * Kol received more messages from Duncan, several, brief and clearly afraid. Enoa Cloud carried Cobalt Nine. Another Cobalt signature was present, though Duncan didn¡¯t know exactly where it was coming from. Why would there be a second signature? If she and Gregory both had Cobalt Nine, was hers actually a key? ¡°Duncan.¡± Kol sat on the couch of the small prefab building the Outreach Team was occupying. Brielle sat with him. Three more of her team of Shapers argued over the television and vintage VCR, bickering about their choice of movie.
How should I proceed?
Please respond.
Please respond.
Please respond!
Duncan had not received his messages. He couldn¡¯t have. Kol¡¯s responses hadn¡¯t been delivered. Duncan was stranded, without help, still doggedly pursuing his mission, with less than a full day before the entire town would likely be destroyed. ¡°I have to go,¡± Kol said. ¡°You could use my field office.¡± Brielle placed her hand on his arm before he could stand. ¡°None of us need it. I could go with you. I have full clearance, remember.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± He stood anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. I don¡¯t know. I need to get in touch with him somehow.¡± ¡°Kol, it¡¯s okay.¡± She stood too. ¡°You need to trust him.¡± She spoke in a soft tone. ¡°He¡¯s well trained. He¡¯s a smart man. You need to trust that he will do what is right for his mission.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t stay there to be butchered! He can¡¯t die for¡­¡± He stopped speaking, before he could finish verbalizing that thought. The trio of Brielle¡¯s troops stopped their argument and looked back toward him. ¡°What happened?¡± One of them asked. ¡°Captain Maros has an operative on a classified mission,¡± she said. ¡°But he¡¯s used to leading from the front. You three haven¡¯t picked a movie in a half hour. Why don¡¯t you head to the mess and grab a round with the others? I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± The man who had spoken stared at her for a further second, before nodding. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± He and the others filed out of the room. Kol wouldn¡¯t let Duncan be butchered so Sloan could win his pissing contest with Orson Gregory! If there was no one to stay Sloan¡¯s hand, he would intervene. Duncan wouldn¡¯t be caught automatically in the event of Sloan¡¯s defeat. His cover was good. And Sloan had to lose. ¡°I¡¯m leaving too.¡± Kol briefly held the back of Brielle¡¯s hand, with his left. She pressed his flesh-and-blood fingers to her cheek. He knew she hoped the light pressure of her fingers and face would calm him when her words could not. He slipped his hand free. ¡°I¡¯ll be back later. I¡¯ll figure everything out.¡± ¡°You need to be very careful.¡± She watched him walk from the prefab building. Kol headed across the camp, back to the cabin he shared with Max. They needed to send the warning. Then he needed to focus on boosting his comm signal. He¡¯d do whatever he had to do. Liberty Corps procedure had failed him, but he would not fail Duncan. When he entered the cabin, Max was staring into space, his arms crossed. He appeared to be doing nothing, but waiting or planning or thinking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Kol did not know how long he had been with Brielle, how long he had sat by her side, consumed by fear, knowing that it might be the last time they shared company, knowing¡­ No! He wouldn¡¯t let himself think that way. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Max asked. ¡°Yes.¡± 74 - War Force Kol guided Max out of the cabin and across the camp, toward the telegraph station. Max could move at a surprising pace, even without his wheelchair¡¯s motor, but he was noticeable. They didn¡¯t hurry, just two officers going about their business. Kol watched his brother. Max was wearing his intelligence-officer persona, moving with purpose and the reserve of trained, educated command. He¡¯d always been naturally even-keeled, and his years as an officer had turned that nature into habit. The same could not be said of Kol. His emotions had always stood in his way. One bad decision had caused his maiming and Max¡¯s. Now he was going to destroy their lives again. His instincts had been wrong for what felt like his entire life, leading him from disaster to disaster. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this choice ¨C to warn Littlefield and the Corwins and the Aesir crew ¨C was just the latest catastrophe he would cause, but what else could he do? Those who saw them did not question them. Most had seen Kol before. All saw his armor and the ¡®special assignment¡¯ badge he wore on his shoulder. But Kol didn¡¯t know whether he¡¯d forced the fear from his face. Many around him were surely afraid, as well, but they hid it, and the anticipatory energy had buoyed most of the forces. The crowd felt more like a tailgate party than the prelude to a massacre, to the butchering of an entire innocent town. Hopefully, anyone who questioned Kol¡¯s abrupt demeanor would dismiss it. He was an officer and one with a vital mission ¨C such people were supposed to have a different energy to them. No one stopped them. Few greeted Kol, as they passed through the camp. He saw no sign of Brielle, Sloan, Nine-flails or any of their assembled forces who knew him. ¡°We need use of your station, Sergeant.¡± Kol entered the telegraph station, his identification ready. ¡°I have updates and communications to send in service to the Lost Park Office.¡± He showed his Captain¡¯s Seal to the young man watching the telegraph machine. The Sergeant looked at the badge and glanced at Max, who had remained, just outside. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The Sergeant nodded, stood and left his post, stepping out and around Max. Kol turned back through the door and pushed it wide open. There was a small lip, to enter the building, but it was low enough for Max to maneuver his wheelchair into the telegraph booth, without assistance. The stool was another matter, a tall metal model, waist-high on Kol. Max needed Kol¡¯s support under both arms to maneuver onto it. ¡°If the keyboard were adjustable, that wouldn¡¯t have been necessary.¡± Max sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kol eyed the Sergeant out the door before shutting it. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°This is similar to the keyboard models I worked with, before. Good. It shouldn¡¯t be long.¡± He began to look over the telegraph machine, carefully holding onto the shelf, both to get a closer look and to help keep balance. He examined the keyboard and the attached apparatus. Kol tried to watch what he was doing, but other than the modern-looking keyboard, the machine had the appearance of an antique meteorological device, and he simply couldn¡¯t follow it. ¡°What are you doing outside, Grummond?¡± A man yelled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± the Sergeant said. ¡°A Captain Maros on Special Assignment is updating the Lost Park Office.¡± ¡°Maros? Did you see his identification? Do you know this for sure?¡± ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Kol whispered in Max¡¯s ear. ¡°Nearly set up,¡± Max said. ¡°I saw it, sir,¡± the Sergeant said. ¡°He and another man are working now.¡± ¡°Another man?¡± The brief sound of footsteps was the only warning they received. The booth door was thrown wide open. A captain with a thick mustache and very little hair on his head marched inside. ¡°Who told you a civilian could be in here? What command are you? You¡¯re a northern brat ¨C tell me I¡¯m right. Well, this is my command, I serve Governor Sloan and you and your buddy¡­¡± He reached toward Max¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I am Captain Kolben Maros.¡± He gripped the man¡¯s hand with his prosthetic. His strength was irresistible. He forced the man¡¯s arm backward. ¡°I serve at the direct command of his excellency the Czar. This man is my advisor, a Naval veteran of the Downfall War. He fought on Ambush Day. I didn¡¯t realize officers on special assignment for Czar Hawthorne were expected to clear their messages or their choice of advisor with remote communications officers. I think the Lost Park Office will want to resolve this procedural confusion before the Corps goes national.¡± Kol released the man¡¯s hand. ¡°I trust this will be the only time you interrupt our work. But if you have a problem with this, you can file your complaint with the Lost Park Office.¡± The other Captain stared at Kol and Max with a deer-in-headlights expression. He swallowed. ¡°My apologies,¡± he said. ¡°Please make sure to log your communication time and recipient.¡± He closed the door behind him. Kol found Max staring at him. He did not speak and waited until the sounds of the other man¡¯s footsteps had passed out of hearing. He felt his heart in his ears, like his entire being had been reduced to the pounding of his own pulse. He realized, distantly, that he should have gotten the man¡¯s name. ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are,¡± Max said. ¡°Can we move me closer?¡± Kol was always surprised how light Max had become. In his mind, his brother was massive, the fit young sailor who could carry him under his arm. But now, Kol moved the stool forward without trouble. ¡°Do you know what you want to say to Lost Park?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kol took two deep breaths. ¡°Are you ready for me to begin? Do I need to tell you when to end phrases, erm, stop?¡± ¡°Speak slowly and I will do the rest.¡± Max rested his hands on the keyboard. ¡°Attention Czar Hawthorne. I write from Governor Sloan¡¯s camp. Despite my concerns, the attack on Littlefield will begin tomorrow. I have reason to believe that the Aesir has vital Dreamside Road information. I do understand the danger they pose. After the battle, I may need to request added help to search the remains of the Aesir and the town. I request now that a thorough search for any and all Dreamside Road-relevant items occurs before construction begins. Very respectfully, Kolben Maros.¡± Kol waited for Max to finish typing. He wasn¡¯t sure how long a telegram took to send after the typing concluded, if there was any sort of lag time. Max made a few adjustments on the indecipherable mass of machinery. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You have the written message?¡± Kol asked. ¡°It¡¯s in the small compartment beneath my wheelchair¡¯s cushion. The special one I added.¡± Kol found the hidden compartment and reached inside. There he found two things, a small notecard and a book ¨C Orson Gregory¡¯s memoir. Kol handed the card to his brother. It gave a list of all the notable armament and capabilities of Governor Sloan¡¯s War Force, or at least those that Kol was aware of. It gave the time of the attack. It gave everything that could offer Littlefield a fighting chance. Max propped up the notecard so he could read it and type. ¡°I¡¯m about to start.¡± He whispered. ¡°You¡¯re sure there are no relay stations between us and the Corwins?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Once I do this, it cannot be undone.¡± ¡°Do it.¡± * * * Orson slept through the morning, finally able to rest with the threat of a possible listening device mostly out of the way. He still heard the interference, from time to time, but the sound was faint and weak, and stayed that way. Jaleel and Enoa woke him before they left to run errands. He was back in the ship¡¯s main cabin, watching Wesley. ¡°So you¡¯re okay having a team pet?¡± Eloise asked. She and Carlos sat on the ship¡¯s couch. ¡°That¡¯s a surprise.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson watched Wesley curl up in the padded inside of his incomplete pen. The aeropine slept almost immediately. ¡°He¡¯s a pretty dangerous little guy, and I mean, it¡¯s not like Kappa made him to be cute, so he¡¯ll be safer with us than most pets would be.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Eloise shifted her weight and looked at her feet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I know that look. What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll feel about this, but Sirona¡¯s going to be one of my bridesmaids. I asked her a couple months ago, and I wanted to tell you over the holidays, but you weren¡¯t here again. The two of us used to be really close, but I think she decided you should get me after the breakup, probably because she knew you didn¡¯t have a huge support system in your life.¡± ¡°Why would that be an issue?¡± Orson hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of ever seeing Sirona again. The whole five-year-plus mess of their relationship felt more and more like a faded dream, a fiction, a lie. Only the adventuring and danger were real. Everything else in his life was a half-forgotten coping mechanism. ¡°You had a pretty rough breakup. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone drink that much without getting seriously sick.¡± ¡°Was it worse than Ernesto?¡± Carlos asked. ¡°My friend Ernesto is almost a teetotaler except when he¡¯s had a breakup.¡± ¡°Way worse,¡± Eloise said. ¡°It¡¯s like he was an alien or an elf from some place where even the water is fermented.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t that bad!¡± Orson yelled. ¡°It was¡­ I don¡¯t remember all it was, but it was over the course of days, not months. You act like I went off the deep end, long term, and it¡¯s really more complicated than that.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± she laughed. ¡°And you¡¯re sure that you won¡¯t be super upset seeing her?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± He watched Wesley stand up and shift positions before returning to his sleep. ¡°Did you warn her about me being there?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Sirona¡¯s moved on with her life. You haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Moved on? You think I¡¯m planning to chase after her for the rest of my life? We dated a long time, but we¡¯ve been broken up almost as long now.¡± ¡°Do you still have the ring for her?¡± Eloise asked. Carlos sank lower in his seat, like he hoped the couch would hide him from the difficult conversation. ¡°It¡¯s pretty hard to return something when the store¡¯s been destroyed in societal collapse.¡± Orson still had the engagement ring in his bedside storage compartment, where it had been for over half a decade. ¡°I have it somewhere, yeah.¡± ¡°Still, you haven¡¯t really dated¡­¡± ¡°I dated Elizabeth, remember?¡± He interrupted. ¡°You know her. It only lasted a few months, but not bad for someone who travels all the time.¡± ¡°First of all,¡± Eloise said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say she doesn¡¯t count!¡± Orson raised his voice more than he intended. Wesley moaned in his pen. ¡°You can decide whether his girlfriends count?¡± Carlos whispered. She squeezed his hand. ¡°It was a fling for her and a delayed rebound for you,¡± she said. ¡°It only lasted as long as it did because you¡¯re moving all the time. And you dated her more than three years ago, Orson. She¡¯s married with a baby!¡± Eloise paused, a full stop, visibly struggling with her words. ¡°Orson, that¡¯s not my point. I just want you to be happy, and I saw how much happier you were with Sirona. You¡¯re never happy now. I¡¯ve wanted to talk to you about everything, since you got here. What are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a real buttinsky when you¡¯re worried, do you know that? I¡¯m in a lousy mood, okay? I¡¯ve been in fight after fight since the New Year and, for the record, you have no idea who I¡¯ve dated. I haven¡¯t seen you in years.¡± ¡°Orson, you¡¯ve been getting weirder and weirder since you and Sirona broke up. I didn¡¯t know if it was that¡­ that tough for you or if she was just some kind of tether to stabililty for you. And this Dreamside Road thing¡­ It¡¯s like you¡¯re spiraling. You have been for a long time. Enoa and Jaleel are awesome, but they¡¯re at the adventuring age. Why are you with them?¡± ¡°Everyone in the original crew was older than us,¡± Orson said. ¡°Who taught us all this stuff? Haydn is almost twenty years older than us. Wayne and Franklin are both ten years older. What do you mean ¡®adventuring age¡¯? Enoa and Jaleel are smart kids, but they still need me, like we needed Haydn and Ophion. Think of Ophion! I don¡¯t even know how old he is. He¡¯s wizard age.¡± ¡°Unless there¡¯s something you haven¡¯t told me, we haven¡¯t seen Arthur or Wayne or Ophion in half a decade. None of us have. They¡¯re bad examples.¡± She yelled, exasperated. ¡°Why are you still doing this to yourself? That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to ask you.¡± Orson didn¡¯t say anything. How could he? He didn¡¯t want to dissect his life, the path he¡¯d taken since he was a teenager, everything he¡¯d done as an adult. He¡¯d need to tear himself apart and examine all the places he¡¯d been broken, all the places where he¡¯d sacrificed a piece of himself to the highway. The story of his life had led him to the Dreamside Road. Orson finally spoke. ¡°Jaleel is working for me as part of a legal agreement put together by Pops and his lawyer. It¡¯s a long story. Enoa needs to get to that island. Who else is going to take her there?¡± ¡°And, personally, I¡¯m in this until it¡¯s done,¡± he continued. ¡°You know who wanted the Dreamside Road. There are a lot of things that need to be fixed before the world can be whole.¡± ¡°I know what you told me.¡± Eloise¡¯s expression changed from concern for her friend to a broader worry, almost fear. ¡°You told me all of them are dead. You told me He is dead.¡± ¡°And they are,¡± Orson replied. ¡°He is, as far as I know.¡± Eloise stared into his eyes, as if she could read his mind and search for honesty. ¡°Then will you be done after you go to this island? You could help one of the alliances rebuild. Jaleel could work for you there, too, and you could make a real life for yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so simple. There¡¯s Hierarchia shit lying around everywhere, for starters. The world of relatively low-risk adventures, the crap we got into at twenty, that doesn¡¯t exist now. There are threats everywhere, rising to fill the global power vacuums. Someone has to deal with that, and the League of Nations failed the first time. They could just as easily fail the second. And what about Littlefield or Nimauk or San Tomas or any of the other places that have counted on me? Everyone else is out of adventuring or vanished or dead. Who else, in our circle, is reachable in times like these?¡± ¡°I will always be grateful for everything you do here,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m not convinced. I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Not convinced of what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re telling me everything. I think you know or suspect more than you¡¯re letting on and¡­¡± ¡°Are you in there?¡± Mr. Corwin shouted outside. All three of them jumped, at the sudden sound. ¡°Are you in there?¡± He yelled again, his voice strained. He left no time to reply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eloise ran for the door, Carlos and Orson right behind her. Her father stood outside, panting, one hand braced against the outer hull of the ship. His skin was pale. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± he said. ¡°I am.¡± But it was clear he wasn¡¯t. Something was terribly wrong. ¡°Come on in, sir,¡± Orson said. He and Carlos helped Mr. Corwin aboard. His hands shook when he didn¡¯t hold himself up against the hull. In one of them, he held a small square of paper. Mr. Corwin walked with tentative steps, like he feared his legs wouldn¡¯t carry him. Eloise guided him to Orson¡¯s vacated armchair. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dad?¡± Eloise crouched next to the chair. He seemed incapable of speech, stammering, stuttering. ¡°Did you forget your medicine?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± he said. ¡°I¡­¡± But finally, he gave up on words and handed his daughter the paper ¨C a telegram. Orson turned back to the door to close it and discovered that Wesley had slipped away. The aeropine flew, squeaking, out into the yard. Orson began to give chase, but he stopped when Eloise started to read. ¡°Warning to Littlefield and Orson Gregory,¡± she read. ¡°Liberty Corps War Force will attack at dawn ¨C stop. 30 Iron Shapers led by Sir Adrian Nine-flails ¨C stop. He plans to kill Captain Gregory first to crush resistance ¨C stop. 700 guns. 500 spears. 2 tanks. 3 cannon-mount mechs. 1 railgun. At least 3 airships. Littlefield to be demolished by Sloan. He wants to kill everyone to set example ¨C stop. Plans already approved for new base by Baron Helmont ¨C stop. Take over Corwin farms to feed forces ¨C stop. I am in great danger sharing this ¨C stop. I must protect innocent lives ¨C stop. Good luck.¡± 75 - Erased Orson felt terror in the air, a palpable, measurable presence. Eloise looked between her father and her fianc¨¦ and reflexively crumbled the paper in her fist. Carlos laid his hands on her shoulders. They were trembling. The elder Corwin rested his face in his own shaking hands. ¡°I will die before I let harm come to this town or to your homes or to you.¡± Orson broke the silence. ¡°They could send ten thousand troops, and I would burn thousands to ash like some fairy-tale dragon. That¡¯s a promise.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°We have to evacuate. We can¡¯t fight off a thousand people. How could we? They have more people coming here than live in the town!¡± ¡°Do you still have the shield emitters and artillery we fixed to hold back Thunderworks?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You powered those when you thought they would come here.¡± ¡°We could barely power those five years ago when we had it rigged to the local diesel generators. We used up half our winter surplus during the single flyby from the Thunderworks ship. I don¡¯t think the current solar grid generates quite as much, but¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me,¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few ideas. This isn¡¯t the first insane defense I¡¯ve set up. Before we get started, Carlos, help Mr. Corwin into the house and call Doctor Benville.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Mr. Corwin answered. His frustration returned the vigor and strength that fear had sapped from him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sit around and be doted on. I won¡¯t let these bastards come here, to the town my ancestors helped build and¡­¡± He tried to stand and failed. He yelled, as he fell heavily back into the armchair. ¡°Dad!¡± Eloise held her father¡¯s arm. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to yourself! You¡¯re pushing too hard. You carried this burden all alone for years and years. You deserve to let us take care of this.¡± ¡°You do,¡± Orson said. ¡°And there will also be lots of things to coordinate that won¡¯t involve getting shot at.¡± He shot a glance to Carlos and nodded back toward the house, hoping the other man would catch his hint. Mr. Corwin¡¯s complexion had not improved and the intensity in his eyes apparently did not translate to strength in his body. Carlos nodded and slipped away from the group. ¡°Orson and I have been in some tough spots together,¡± Eloise said. ¡°And he gets into fights all the time. His plans always sound foolish before he pulls them off.¡± The door lever squeaked slightly as Carlos gingerly eased it open. He stepped out of the ship, but Mr. Corwin had heard him leave. ¡°Did you send Carlos to call the doctor?¡± Mr. Corwin asked. ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t need a doctor! Even if I¡¯m suddenly too damn old to be out there fighting with you, I won¡¯t have you kids fretting over me with that militia on its way. Absolutely not.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not old!¡± Eloise said. ¡°But no one can have burdens like yours forever. I was just telling Orson the same thing. If he keeps going like he is, he¡¯ll be like somebody a hundred years old before he¡¯s fifty.¡± ¡°Enoa already tells me I¡¯m basically eighty,¡± Orson said. ¡°And she¡­¡± ¡°Orson!¡± Carlos yelled. He was still out in the yard. ¡°Your pet¡¯s on our roof! It looks like he¡¯s eating something!¡± ¡°Eating something?¡± Orson called back. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know,¡± Carlos said. ¡°His head¡¯s moving up and down.¡± Orson ran from the ship without saying more or beginning to explain his plan. There, on the roof of the house, Orson could see Wesley on all fours, pulling at something. ¡°I think he¡¯s at one of the solar panels,¡± Carlos said. ¡°I¡¯ll get him!¡± Orson went back inside the ship and put on his boot. Then he ran out and fired the repulsor. He soared above the yard, coming to a hovering stop beside the aeropine. The animal stood on the reflective, energy-absorbing shingles, his paws at his mouth, chewing on something. ¡°What do you have there, Wesley?¡± He reached toward the animal, palm up. The aeropine sniffed at his fingers, something still in his mouth. ¡°Give it to me, Wesley. You can¡¯t chew on my friends¡¯ roof. No you can¡¯t.¡± Wesley dropped a small black rectangle into Orson¡¯s hand. The aeropine immediately began chattering and sniffing the air. Orson raised the object. It wasn¡¯t organic, but it looked nothing like the reflective solar shingles. He pulled up his visor and scanned it for energy signatures. It didn¡¯t appear explosive, but he saw a small halo of light ¨C energy, glowing from the rectangle. His HUD told him two things. One, the object was battery powered. Two, it was some kind of active transmitter. Orson realized that this was the source of the strange whine he¡¯d been hearing. ¡°Did this thing call to you, buddy?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Who¡¯s a good boy? Wesley is. Wesley¡¯s a good boy!¡± Orson held up the device. ¡°Hello, Liberty Corps,¡± he said. ¡°This is Orson Gregory speaking. If you can hear me, and I¡¯m thinking you still can, let¡¯s have a talk.¡± * * * When Duncan first heard the sound of the animal chewing on his microphone, he didn¡¯t understand it. He didn¡¯t connect the overwhelming, booming noise with the tiny, flying creature he¡¯d heard all night, the previous evening. It sounded all together different, up close. Its wet mouth and clacking teeth were as loud as industrial equipment in the cramped station wagon. Duncan dialed down the speaker¡¯s volume. He didn¡¯t comprehend the danger to his listening device. He didn¡¯t understand the danger to himself, to his mission, to his life. He didn¡¯t connect the dots until he heard the distant shout of Carlos Albir, barely audible with the speaker¡¯s low volume and the slurps still drowning out nearly everything else. ¡°Orson!¡± Carlos Albir yelled. ¡°Your pet¡¯s on our roof! It looks like he¡¯s eating something!¡± The strange animal ¨C the freaky flying thing ¨C it was eating his microphone! Why would the animal bother the bugging device? What kind of stupid creature would try to eat a microphone? ¡°I¡¯ll get him!¡± Gregory yelled. Duncan considered running. The fly-on-the-wall was doomed. Either the weird animal ate it or Gregory discovered it. Either way, he didn¡¯t want to be close by. Duncan still hadn¡¯t heard back from Kol. He¡¯d hoped to follow the young Aesir crewmembers, but the mystery of the second Cobalt Nine signature had delayed him. He¡¯d lingered, but was grateful he had. Imagine if he¡¯d followed Enoa Cloud and never learned why his mic had stopped transmitting. Imagine operating in Littlefield, unaware that Orson Gregory was on to him. A new sound started, and grew, and came to rival the animal¡¯s mouth. The aeropine stopped trying to eat the mic at right around the same time that Gregory¡¯s repulsor became an audible presence. Duncan listened to Gregory praise the aeropine. He considered abandoning the mic and fleeing. ¡°Hello, Liberty Corps.¡± Gregory spoke with the same smug glee he¡¯d shown in his duel against Tucker. This man, on some level, enjoyed conflict, even if only the struggle of wits or wills. ¡°This is Orson Gregory speaking. If you can hear me, and I¡¯m thinking you still can, let¡¯s have a talk.¡± Duncan stayed to listen. Maybe he could gain some last intelligence from the fly-on-the-wall. Maybe Gregory would provide some last shred of useful information. ¡°Let me guess,¡± Gregory said. ¡°This little doodad is something else you inherited from the old IHSA? Well, I guess it¡¯s not your lucky day, is it? You didn¡¯t realize we have a guard animal bred by the Hierarchia. I wonder how he found this damn thing. Maybe that¡¯s what he was created to do ¨C debug.¡± Duncan again considered driving away. Could Gregory track where he was? Could Gregory locate his speaker from the mic? How long would it take for the repulsor to reach him, to catch him, if he attempted to flee? Duncan didn¡¯t move. He listened. ¡°Did you think I was kidding?¡± Gregory asked. ¡°Did you think I was playing around, interrupting your Requisitions Day? Since I first ran into you and saw the kind of petty dictator bullshit you¡¯re trying to build, I thought I could stop it. I wanted to hurt you just enough, so you¡¯d quit. I could go on my merry way, and you would stop trying to take what doesn¡¯t belong to you. ¡°But that¡¯s not possible, is it? The Liberty Corps just can¡¯t learn its lesson. The worst person I¡¯ve ever known once told me that the only way to beat a zealot is to kill him, and I¡¯m beginning to think that¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s not mince words,¡± Gregory continued. ¡°If you come here tomorrow, I know threats don¡¯t work. I know that. So the only answer is erasing the Liberty Corps. I¡¯ll erase your weapons and your ships and every single one of you, starting with this Sir Nine-flails.¡± ¡®Come here tomorrow¡¯? Orson Gregory knew the truth. He knew about the attack. He knew about Nine-flails. And he had the better part of a day to prepare! Duncan had to get out of town. He had to warn Kol and the rest of the War Force. But if he left, that might mean abandoning the Dreamside Road key! How could he not try to save the lives of hundreds of his fellow Liberty Corps forces? How could he measure the value of their lives against the key to some trove of who-knew-what? But didn¡¯t Littlefield deserve a fighting chance, if nothing else? He imagined again all the homes and lives he¡¯d observed being swept away, destroyed, another casualty in the ever-changing desert. ¡°I¡¯m hoping I get up early tomorrow, for no reason,¡± Gregory said. ¡°But if the Liberty Corps comes here, I¡¯m gonna be a one man welcoming committee, and you¡¯ll get to see a few things only the leadership of Thunderworks has seen, and they¡¯re not around to tell anybody.¡± ¡°If you try to destroy Littlefield and the people who live here. I¡¯ll erase you like I erased them.¡± Duncan heard a crunching sound and then static. His microphone had been destroyed. He slid his hand to the station wagon¡¯s glove compartment. He drew his pistol, little good it would likely do against Orson Gregory, in his full armor, but he needed the talisman of action. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Duncan waited, but no one came. Neither Gregory nor his ship flew out of the sky to kill him. He was left alone with his terrible choice. * * * ¡°I think the signal will be stronger.¡± Kol finished reworking his comm¡¯s settings. ¡°I¡¯ll give this another test.¡± He almost appreciated the dire nature of his attempt to reach Duncan, anything to distract his mind from what he¡¯d done. He and Max had set in motion something he could not fully appreciate, something he simply would not understand until events played out. ¡°Good.¡± Max watched him work, staying mostly quiet. When dealing with the tight-beam transmissions, the Liberty Corps comms were closer to those used by the old Hierarchia than anything the traditional armed forces ever possessed. He typed.
New Instructions: Leave Littlefield immediately.
Go to rendezvous point. I will meet you there.
¡°Sent.¡± Kol set aside the comm. ¡°I¡¯ve done all I can think of. If this doesn¡¯t work I¡¯ll have to¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go there,¡± Max said. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°It was always my plan to go.¡± Kol almost screamed. He could not be idle, not since the telegram was sent, not now that he¡¯d betrayed the Liberty Corps. There, that word, the truth ¨C his truth. He was a traitor, inarguably. He¡¯d betrayed Duncan and Brielle and Ilias Hawthorne. Though he¡¯d known the Corps Czar for only a few years, the man had gifted him with his path in life. He¡¯d made that choice ¨C to betray them. The least he could do was go to the battle, to fight with the others, to fight Orson Gregory ¨C the same man he¡¯d warned, the man who could save Littlefield. The town didn¡¯t deserve¡­ Despite painkillers, a throbbing ache spread along the side of Kol¡¯s head. He pressed his left hand to his temple. The pressure was too much. It was too much. He felt like he was going to be sick. He¡¯d done what he could to save the innocent, but he still had to save Max and Duncan and Brielle. ¡°Kol?¡± Max approached him. ¡°Listen to me. You¡¯re going to drive yourself to a mental breakdown. Your mission is to find the Dreamside Road. Your mission is not and was never to serve Sloan. Leaving is within your purview.¡± He rested his hand on Kol¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t try to persuade me using chain of command.¡± Kol flinched away. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t do this! It¡¯s¡­¡± He stopped speaking when his comm chimed. Duncan.
Gregory found mic!
He knows about attack. Spread the word.
Hope you¡¯re getting messages. Nothing from you.
Too dangerous to leave. Lockdown beginning here.
Will try to warn the War Force tomorrow. Will try for Enoa Cloud¡¯s key too.
Will wear transponder. We¡¯ll find each other at battle.
Kol put down his comm. He couldn¡¯t unravel the unlikely web of loyalty and choice that had locked him onto his current path. It was like an impossible wall had been built around him day-by-day and choice-by-choice. There was no escape. ¡°What did he say?¡± Max asked. ¡°That¡¯s Duncan, correct? What did he say?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t get out,¡± Kol said. ¡°I have to find somewhere safe for you, now, and then I¡¯ll have to rescue him, during the battle.¡± * * * Enoa and Jaleel arrived back at the house, arms full of pet supplies. They were just in time to see the line of Corwin trucks pull away from the sidewalk and drive off, toward the outskirts of town. A collection of boxes and crates sat outside of the gate. Orson and a team of blue coverall-wearing workers began moving the boxes inside. ¡°This can¡¯t be good.¡± Enoa wasn¡¯t sure how long they¡¯d been gone, but she¡¯d received no message on her comm. The new jamming didn¡¯t affect Aesir comms, did it? They walked through the gate, between loading teams, and found the yard full of containers and bustling people. A Corwin maintenance crew walked through the yard with metal detectors and small handheld scanners. On the sidewalk, a group in heavy helmets and goggles were assembling a large machine that glowed softly in a pale pink light. ¡°Good.¡± Orson broke off from the moving team when he saw them. ¡°Is that a mirage field generator?¡± Jaleel pointed to the machine. ¡°Why does Littlefield have a Hierarchia cloaking device?¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps is attacking, at dawn,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll have a van ready for the two of you to get out of here. You can take Wesley and your films and things, and go out into the desert. There¡¯s a trading post on the border with Colorado¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Jaleel set down the bags of food and toys he was carrying. ¡°What are you talking about? Why would we run away? We¡¯re the Aesir crew, with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running.¡± Enoa thought, as she always did, of her home, ablaze. If she could help prevent the same from happening to Littlefield, she would. ¡°I¡¯ve been training all week, in case this would happen. We want details, Orson.¡± ¡°Yeah, details,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m not running away in some van. I¡¯m gonna help plan this thing. Look at what we did together against the Sabres. They were trying to kill us.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Orson said. ¡°Yes, Nalrik and his guys would¡¯ve killed you, but that¡¯s different from a battle, on this scale. There¡¯s no version of this where dozens, if not hundreds, of people aren¡¯t killed.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t this worried about us when you flew at the rail gun.¡± Enoa set down her own bags and the assortment of bedding and cleaning supplies she¡¯d bought for Wesley. ¡°Because now I have time to think about it,¡± he said. ¡°You two can get out of here before shit goes belly up. I need to look out for the two of you. I would never forgive myself if either of you came to harm.¡± ¡°Aww,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He really does love us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still not getting it.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°This will be a real battle. I don¡¯t want you to see that level of bloodshed or what I might have to do to win this for Littlefield.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°This is the group of people who destroyed my home. I don¡¯t care what you have to do to defend this town.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jaleel nodded. ¡°Honestly, just tell us what to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on the ground for this one,¡± Orson said. ¡°But once Eloise makes sure her dad is okay¡­¡± ¡°What happened to her dad?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Mr. Corwin got a telegram warning about the attack, and I think he¡¯ll be fine, but his health took a hit. He¡¯s with the doctor now.¡± ¡°A telegram?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Who sent that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about everything later. Eloise is going to get some flight time in the Aesir, because she¡¯s our pilot tomorrow. She obviously hasn¡¯t flown in years, but you don¡¯t have nearly enough practice with it, Jaleel. She¡¯ll need a gunner, though. The Liberty Corps has airships of some kind.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you down! That reminds me, I have some ideas about how we could install a belly gun¡­¡± ¡°Not now,¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to take the time to do any installations. Uh, Enoa, what do you want to do? I¡¯m sure there are other things you can help with on the Aesir. Or do you have some Shaping to share with us?¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Enoa said. ¡°If Littlefield can get me enough water, I¡¯ll make sure the Liberty Corps is fighting blind.¡± * * * Kol began packing Max¡¯s bags into the rover and extended the rear loading-ramp for his brother to enter the vehicle. Before Max could drive his wheelchair inside, Kol heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Brielle hurried across the parking area, wearing full armor. ¡°Where are you going the night before the op?¡± Her voice was neutral, but her eyes were not. Kol saw flickers of the same suspicion and anger she¡¯d shown before their last parting. She stepped between Kol and the last of Max¡¯s luggage. ¡°I have to take Max to a safe place,¡± he said. ¡°This camp is clearing out tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid my battlefield days are probably behind me,¡± Max added. ¡°I¡¯m finding him overnight lodging,¡± Kol said. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long. Then I¡¯ll come straight back, with more than enough time to rest and be ready for tomorrow.¡± He was talking too fast. Kol knew he was talking too fast, but he couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°That could be dangerous.¡± Brielle still spoke in that neutral tone. ¡°It could risk the exposure of our operation. He should stay here.¡± ¡°Exposure?¡± Kol poured his fear and his pain into the words. When Brielle opened her mouth to argue, he raised his prosthetic index finger. He stepped close to her and lowered his voice. ¡°Sloan is calling every rabid maniac for two thousand miles to commit murder for him. Everyone has to know they¡¯re here, with them screaming their way down the highway. There are fewer than fifty real soldiers in this legion he¡¯s recruited. The ones Sloan leaves behind will break and leave Max stranded if the operation goes poorly. And what would happen here if Orson Gregory¡¯s recruited his most dangerous friends, and he has wizards and elementals and starchildren guarding Littlefield? His damn girlfriend was an elemental. ¡°Sloan¡¯s endangered my mission and Duncan. I will protect my research, my advisor, and my blood more than the element of surprise in the Governor¡¯s dick-measuring contest. I owe him nothing! But once I find my brother ¨C the veteran and war hero ¨C somewhere with a bathroom that actually fits his wheelchair, then I¡¯ll be back.¡± It relieved Kol that Max didn¡¯t speak, that his brother did nothing to draw Brielle¡¯s ire. Her eyes widened, and she stared at him. Kol didn¡¯t look away. Max¡¯s life could depend on her response. ¡°Find your way back, safe.¡± Brielle stepped away from Max¡¯s luggage. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± * * * ¡°Will this be enough, miss?¡± Pedro, the Corwin supply-driver, leaned one hand against the second of the two water-tanker trucks. Enoa stood with him in the desert twilight, on a shoulder of hill, looking down on old Route 66. While the others had spent their afternoons in preparation and planning, she¡¯d meditated and trained to wield Shaping on a larger scale than ever before. ¡°Let me check.¡± Enoa walked up to the tanker and pressed her hand to the cool metal. She could feel the water inside, thousands of gallons. It seemed almost infinite, compared to the miniscule supply she often generated from the air or manipulated in the Aesir. But it was less than it felt ¨C she knew that. When the desert morning began, if the battle stretched on, the sun would quickly burn away her fog, unless she had the strength to oppose it. ¡°What do you think?¡± Pedro asked. ¡°I know nothing about all this magic business, but tell me if I can help more.¡± Before she could answer him, a loud crack sounded in the sky and the Aesir suddenly appeared. It glided down, flying with only a light thrumming sound, without the aggressive noise of its boosters. The ship came to a smooth landing, beside the second truck. It was as if it had appeared from nowhere. Eloise was at the wheel. Jaleel sat shotgun. The ship¡¯s side door opened, and Orson stepped out. ¡°Did we scare you?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± Pedro said. ¡°Eloise, I never knew you could fly the Aesir.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little rusty now,¡± she called from the ship. ¡°But I learned to fly it months before Orson did.¡± ¡°And she¡¯ll never let me forget it,¡± Orson said. ¡°So,¡± Pedro said. ¡°For five years, I¡¯ve thought that mirage machine was junk, but really, it makes things invisible?¡± ¡°Not invisible.¡± Orson approached the water trucks. ¡°It projects an image of its surrounding environment, so it looks like it¡¯s not there.¡± He tapped at the tanker. ¡°Will this be enough? I¡¯m worried about the logistics of fitting a third truck up here.¡± Enoa had never manipulated anywhere near the amount of water in the trucks, but she needed enough to maintain fog across the entire road. She needed enough to keep the Liberty Corps blind. ¡°I¡¯ll make it be enough,¡± she said. * * * Kol followed Max¡¯s obsolete road atlas and a series of new, crude road signs to an inn, just off of old Route 66. Kol had never seen such bright stars before that drive. The clear, desert sky revealed the wheeling heavens. The stars seemed at once so imminent and so impossibly remote from the horrific dilemmas in his own life. He and Max arrived at the lonely adobe-walled motel, attached to a larger way station. The building bore no name, just ¡°Motel¡± and a warning that electricity was limited between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM. Only a small set of solar collectors stood outside. But it had an entry ramp, and the old woman sweeping the portico confirmed the presence of one available handicapped-accessible room. ¡°Stay at the edges of the battle.¡± Max said to him, once they¡¯d unloaded the luggage in the small ground-floor room. ¡°That will give you more flexibility. You can stay out of the fighting and have the option to leave if the chance presents itself.¡± ¡°Are you sure you have everything you need?¡± Kol asked. The room was small, but the bed, table, and nightstand were low enough to the floor for Max to occupy the space without unnecessary difficulty. It was homey, and pest-free. The room was equipped with a vintage drip coffee maker, an even older clock radio, and an unplugged rabbit-eared television. ¡°I am sure,¡± Max said. ¡°You¡¯ll be gone no more than a day to track Duncan.¡± ¡°True.¡± Kol didn¡¯t want to consider the alternative. ¡°But, just in case, you¡¯re sure you can reach your contact in San Francisco? What would you do if the telegraph network doesn¡¯t extend that far?¡± ¡°If something would happen to you in Littlefield, I would not go to San Francisco. I would go east, to visit the Governor.¡± Max had such a casual tone that Kol almost missed the implication of his words. He didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°But I will see you tomorrow.¡± Max presented a warm smile, without any trace of his previous threat. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kol took a long breath, and the pause allowed another wave of fear to wash over him. ¡°The next time I¡¯m in this room, if I ever am, it will be over.¡± ¡°Kol,¡± Max said. ¡°Don¡¯t bite off too much at once. Get back to camp. Evade suspicion. Find Duncan. Get out. Break it all up. Don¡¯t overwhelm yourself.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Kol said. Max moved closer and gripped his arm. ¡°I¡¯m very proud of you. I know I was harsh about the Liberty Corps, and I do not regret those words, but few people have the strength and integrity you have shown these last two days.¡± Kol crouched down and hugged his brother, holding onto him long enough to hide the lump in his throat. He was at a loss for words, again, but no longer from fear. He had spent so long in the quest for redemption, to win a future for himself and for Max. He¡¯d given so much to find peace from that old guilt. He¡¯d found some, small closure, but only at the expense of so much else. Kol stood. ¡°I need to go back. In less than twelve hours, Sloan¡¯s going to give the order to launch the attack.¡± 76 - Road Closed ¡°Freedom and might! Liberty Corps forever!¡± The War Force chanted. The thousand-plus fighters stood in their full armor, their vehicles and weaponry prepared, all before the sun had risen. The gear had some slight variations. Up close they weren¡¯t totally identical ¨C dozens upon dozens of factions. But from far away, the sea of screaming bodies in red or blue armor was one Liberty Corps, gathered under the mobile spotlights of Sloan¡¯s camp. Kol watched them from the walkway outside his cabin. He remembered the pride he¡¯d felt when he¡¯d guided Newtown Division through the process of starting their chapter and buying their armor from central command. How many of his troops would have fought for Sloan? How many would have wiped away Littlefield, seen its defenders as outlaws, or butchered its people? Kol thought of the chase after the Aesir, at the beginning of the disastrous festival operation, and the obscene amount of ammunition they¡¯d wasted in the pursuit. Would he make that same decision now? Would he allow Goes and the forces in the town park to use teargas on the protesting crowd? Had it really only been two months? ¡°Stand with me and end the outlaws!¡± Governor Sloan¡¯s voice projected from a bullhorn. He stood on a makeshift stage, wearing his signature cavalry hat, facing his assembled force. ¡°Stand with me and build a safe future for true patriots!¡± ¡°Freedom and might! Liberty Corps forever!¡± The War Force continued its half of the call and response. Kol observed the assembly. He did not cheer. He did not speak. He appreciated the moments of inaction, before the coming battle. He¡¯d slept well the night before. Despite all the dangers, he found rest and real peace in his last hours at Sloan¡¯s camp. His fears for the future had lessened when he¡¯d gotten Max out of harm¡¯s way. His brother¡¯s safety and his encouraging words had eased Kol¡¯s guilt. Without the weight of self-hatred, even navigating the battle ahead didn¡¯t seem impossible. Brielle walked along the walkway toward him, also dressed in her full armor, her spear sheathed at her back. She didn¡¯t speak until they stood side-by-side. The crowd¡¯s roar was too great to hear from any distance. ¡°You did come back,¡± she said. ¡°Is Max somewhere safe?¡± ¡°He is.¡± Kol had no intention of giving any specifics regarding Max¡¯s location. He feared a round of questioning, but Brielle nodded at the gathered War Force. ¡°Look at this,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a real regiment.¡± ¡°In terms of numbers,¡± he said. ¡°How are you? I missed you last night.¡± ¡°You did,¡± she smiled, but still faced Sloan. ¡°I needed sleep. It¡¯s not every day you¡¯re called to fight a legend.¡± ¡°He lives up to his reputation,¡± Kol said. ¡°Gregory. Don¡¯t underestimate him. That¡¯s a deadly mistake for anyone. This would¡¯ve been better left to the Baron¡¯s infantry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making the world you deserve!¡± Sloan bellowed. ¡°There¡¯s no place in our country for lawless border people. All of you are great heroes ¨C the greatest heroes ¨C because you¡¯re ready to give up everything to build the country we deserve! You are strong. Today, you will kill for the law. Today, some of you will die for the law. All of you will be heroes. All of you will bring triumphant, glorious war! We will know you and love your names forever.¡± ¡°Freedom and might! Liberty Corps Forever!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been independent too long.¡± Brielle stopped even pretending to look toward the Governor. ¡°Too much analysis, not enough fight. Don¡¯t you want a rematch with Orson Gregory or the Cloud girl? If you manage another energy field, you could get past any explosion she throws at you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking for renown,¡± he said. ¡°All I want is a safe world, a safer version of the same one we lost. I won¡¯t find that in Littlefield.¡± ¡°The way to the Dreamside Road is there,¡± she reminded him. Kol couldn¡¯t afford to be turned aside. He needed to find Duncan. Then they needed to leave. Brielle would do as she was told, no matter what she was told. He felt certain of that. ¡°I want to keep the Dreamside Road out of the wrong hands,¡± he finally said. ¡°After everything I¡¯ve seen, I know that safety is the goal, not glory from the Czar.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a strange man, Kol.¡± She turned back toward Sloan and his speech. ¡°Very strange. I never know what I¡¯m going to get from you. I liked that a lot, when we met, but now I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He also looked back toward the War Force, their thousand plus screaming faces, a rumbling mass of life, all of them ¨C or almost all of them ¨C prepared to destroy Littlefield. This Liberty Corps force was built from dozens of remote divisions, all working to end the free governance of one town. He couldn¡¯t appreciate the irony. No, there was nothing he could do but escape without innocent blood on his hands. ¡°I surprise myself all the time.¡± ¡°Go now!¡± Sloan commanded. ¡°Ride to Littlefield! Build the new country with me! Death to outlaws! Life to the new country! Freedom and Might! Liberty Corps forever!¡± The War Force answered him. ¡°FREEDOM AND MIGHT! LIBERTY CORPS FOREVER!¡± * * * ¡°Timing is everything,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Even with the new batteries we have, we¡¯ll only win if our timing is right, so pay attention. Pay attention to your group leaders. We have veterans and men and women with military or crowd control training leading you.¡± Enoa watched the ragtag group of defenders, gathered around Eloise. She saw many dressed in the Corwin coveralls. None of the other defenders matched. Few had any sort of body armor. Most wore nothing more protective than heavy coats. None of them spoke. They watched Eloise. Enoa saw older people than she expected, and younger. The trusted residents of Littlefield were present, whether geriatric or juvenile, quiet and scared and armed. There were just over one hundred, total. They stood clustered between the assortment of cars and trucks that dotted the slight, rocky incline beside the highway. Two cannons also waited on the hill. They looked like they belonged on the deck of a war ship. If they stood next to the road, the weapon¡¯s barrels would have extended across both lanes. An assortment of wireless machinery sat at the base of the cannons. Enoa didn¡¯t know which devices were shields and which were mirage generators, but she¡¯d seen Eloise and Orson attaching the Aesir¡¯s spare solar cells to them. ¡°A Liberty Corps bounty hunter came after me and my friends,¡± Eloise continued. ¡°They put a listening device on my house, so if you¡¯re standing here, that means I trust you. That also means we¡¯re not going to be talking about our battle plan with anyone who isn¡¯t here, okay? If you have an approved communication method, and you have anything to say to your loved ones, do it now.¡± No one moved. None of them spoke. ¡°In that case,¡± Eloise said. ¡°You know your group leaders, so let¡¯s get moving. We need to be in position early, in case they¡¯ve got recon drones or scouts.¡± The group began to disperse, breaking down into teams of no more than ten. Enoa walked away from the gathering, to the place where the water trucks were already hidden from the road, by walls of rock. ¡°I¡¯d still prefer if you were closer to the mirage.¡± Orson stood outside the Aesir, parked just behind the water tankers. He wore his usual gear, but with the visor, bandana, and hood lowered. He stood on an angle, so the fire sword¡¯s sheath was partially visible. Something else hung from the scabbard¡¯s strap, what looked like a hunk of black rock with a red gemstone set into it. The object glowed with a red light, almost volcanic. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how long the field will extend this far.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also have one of the little shields, right?¡± ¡°You will.¡± He nodded. ¡°Once Jaleel gets done putting the cell in it. But if the field fails, and they see you¡­ Maybe it¡¯s better if you move closer.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll have an easier time focusing if I¡¯m further away.¡± Enoa imagined herself standing in the midst of the defensive line, trying to Shape, with Littlefield¡¯s protectors fighting and potentially dying right beside her. ¡°You said that if this goes on long enough for the generators to run out of power, we¡¯re screwed anyway.¡± ¡°We¡¯re totally screwed if the shields go down before we take out their heavy-hitters.¡± Eloise approached them, slipping her hands into thin work-gloves. Once the gloves were on, she pointed to the glowing object at Orson¡¯s back. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± ¡°You probably have a pretty good idea,¡± he said, his expression unchanged. ¡°What is it?¡± Jaleel asked from the Aesir¡¯s doorway. ¡°I want to know what the glowy-thing is too. I asked him, and he wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡± He stepped from the ship, struggling to maneuver the boxy shield-projector. He walked with heavy footfalls, working his way toward the water tankers. Orson ran to him and took the other end of the generator. ¡°Tell me what the glowy-thing is.¡± Jaleel spoke again, after he and Orson had placed the projector. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You should hope you don¡¯t have to find out,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s something that was loaned to me a long time ago and I never gave back.¡± ¡°When was that?¡± Eloise walked around him and stood close to the glowing rock. She pointed at the object. ¡°She made this for you, didn¡¯t she? It fits on the sword¡¯s sheath.¡± ¡°I got it before the Battle in Norlenheim,¡± he said. ¡°No!¡± Eloise stepped back. ¡°She made this for you when you were breaking up? Orson, you have to call her! If we live, you have to call her.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t want me to get murdered by Thunderworks.¡± Orson groaned. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to it, than that.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Jaleel nudged Enoa. ¡°This is a fire-lady-girlfriend thing! He has a fire thing!¡± ¡°Oooh, Orson¡¯s girlfriend packed him a weapon for the battle.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t want to think about the absurd Shaping feat she was about to attempt. Teasing Orson was much easier. ¡°That¡¯s so cute. You should write her a nice note and tell her how much you love the weapon she made for you.¡± ¡°This is nothing to joke about,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s a weapon of mass destruction. I used it to destroy an entire Thunderworks capital ship, a city-killer!¡± ¡°That¡¯s so nice of her to make that,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Seriously, Sirona is a very thoughtful gift-giver,¡± Eloise said. ¡°It must¡¯ve taken her forever to make it. It¡¯s hand-made isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, it is hand-made,¡± Orson laughed too, despite himself, and despite the immense danger to come. ¡°How¡¯s Wesley doing with your dad and Carlos?¡± ¡°He¡¯s behaving himself,¡± Eloise said. ¡°He¡¯s still with the group at the shield in the middle of town. Dino¡¯s not happy to be stuck in the boring coordinator¡¯s office with Alec, but we¡¯re not sure how they¡¯d react to each other.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably not time to test that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Your dad and Carlos are working at the shield together?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°That¡¯s such a nice bonding opportunity for them.¡± ¡°Is he serious?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°I can never tell with him.¡± ¡°I am!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I think that¡¯s really nice. They¡¯ll always have that. It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Report from Halfpoint!¡± A man yelled from down the incline. ¡°Liberty Corps War Force sighted. They¡¯re coming in on the Mother Road, as expected. Their numbers and weaponry appear to match the warning. They¡¯re on their way, E.T.A. forty minutes!¡± ¡°Everyone to positions!¡± Eloise¡¯s voice changed, immediately, becoming louder and stronger. ¡°Everyone to their places!¡± The crews scattered. A large group had attached one of the cannons to the back of a truck. They drove the weapon across the street. Others had set up small barricades of wood or concrete blocks, making small firing positions. ¡°You¡¯re sure you have what you need?¡± Orson stepped close enough to Enoa for her to hear him over the din. ¡°I think so.¡± She drew her aunt¡¯s bracelet from her pocket. She didn¡¯t plan to wear it, but she liked keeping it close, despite Jaleel¡¯s and Orson¡¯s concerns about its ability to monitor her Shaping. Jaleel caught both of them in a quick hug. ¡°I don¡¯t like splitting up the team,¡± he said. ¡°You two are all alone if something happens.¡± Enoa slipped the bracelet back into her pocket. ¡°Just watch Eloise¡¯s back.¡± Orson checked that his coat was closed. He drew up his visor, bandana, and hood. ¡°The Aesir is the most exposed target for them.¡± ¡°Other than you,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Everyone will see you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡± Orson tightened his sword¡¯s sheath. ¡°But I also have two of the most dangerous weapons in the world.¡± He started down the hill, away from them, toward the road. ¡°Good luck!¡± Enoa watched Jaleel press buttons on her shield projector. Then he shot her another nervous glance, before stretching out his arms a second time. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± he said, when she hugged him again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the guy who gets the Aesir blown up. What if I get the Aesir blown up?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be awesome!¡± She could feel his hands shaking slightly, behind her back. ¡°You already destroyed that railgun. This is a lot easier than that! Anything you don¡¯t get, those big guns can take care of. You¡¯ll be great.¡± ¡°Thanks. I know you¡¯ll be amazing. I¡¯ve been on the other end of your Shaping.¡± He stepped back, took a long breath, and turned toward the Aesir. She watched him climb inside the ship and Eloise join him there. She watched all the motley forces of Littlefield find their positions. Enoa breathed deeply. She meditated, searching for momentary peace. When the Liberty Corps arrived, her mind would only be half-present in the desert morning, surrounded by battle. The other half would sit in the imaginary glade, outside Nimauk, where she could do anything, even wield the cycles of the world into a shroud to blind an army. * * * Duncan followed a group of evacuees out of town. There was no call to leave Littlefield, no evacuation order or instructions, but the lockdown ended. Many townspeople fled. Officially, there¡¯d been a nearby encounter with a ¡®hunter-class Kappa experiment¡¯, but Duncan saw the roving trucks and teams with scanners. They were looking for something electrical, not biological. The Hayes boarding-house owners asked all guests to abide by the request to stay off the road. He¡¯d been awake most of the night, lying in the old twin bed. He watched the scanner teams complete their sweeps outside, looking for Liberty Corps spies and more listening devices. He¡¯d kept an eye on the Cobalt Isodar, until both signals moved. The Aesir and Enoa Cloud departed Littlefield, but whether to run or to fight, he didn¡¯t know. So when the scanner teams finished their sweeps and the procession of cars began filing out of Littlefield, Duncan followed them. He couldn¡¯t take all of his belongings. He didn¡¯t want anyone knowing he was leaving, permanently. He couldn¡¯t afford the attention, but he crammed what clothing and belongings he could into his backpack, leaving behind only a few pair of pants and some shirts. Most of his things had never left the station wagon. He tried to ignore the locals¡¯ misery. He tried to ignore the sobbing of the tearful old man embracing his spouse and grandchildren, before they fled. He tried to ignore the young farmhand who was building a barricade in his yard, adorning his fence with makeshift spikes from pitchforks, as if such things could stop the War Force. These people¡¯s homes could be destroyed the way Enoa Cloud¡¯s home had been. Duncan couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to that. What could he do? He didn¡¯t work for Sloan. He¡¯d jumped into the old station wagon, as the last legs of the informal evacuation trailed away. Had the Corwins or some other Littlefield authority put out word that people should evacuate? What prevented any of the evacuees from tipping off the Liberty Corps that the town knew they were coming? Was anyone thinking that far, or were they just letting citizens run, ignoring all potential danger? Duncan didn¡¯t know, but he followed the procession of cars from the town. He joined them as they dispersed across dusty desert routes and dirt roads, scattering north or west. He chose the western group, traveling on an unpaved single-lane trail that rattled him in his seat, like a haywire massage chair. The trail ran parallel to the old Mother Road. The other evacuees picked a rightward path at a fork in the road, leaving Duncan totally alone. He dimmed his headlights and forced the poor station wagon off-road. The car bottomed out. He yelled and fell back in his seat. He inched the vehicle forward, still in darkness, crawling toward Route 66. If the Aesir crew and any locals were planning to meet the War Force, Duncan reasoned that¡¯s where they would be. He had no idea how long he nudged the old station wagon through the darkness, but the sky went from black to dark purple while he drove in fits and starts. Duncan had propped the Isodar in the seat next to him as he drove, but he saw and heard nothing, no ping, no beeps, no sign of the Cobalt Nine. He¡¯d begun to think they¡¯d all run away. Finally, he crossed Route 66. The Isodar beeped and showed him a small dot, far to his left. A Cobalt Nine signature, either one of them or both of them, was waiting on the south side of the old Mother Road. He reached the other side of the roadway and drove into the dirt. He shut off his headlights entirely and crawled forward again. He could see no sign of the Aesir or the town¡¯s defenders, but he would find them. While they had the Cobalt Nine, they could not hide. They were planning to fight, but they wouldn¡¯t expect Duncan. Enoa Cloud would not expect someone to pursue her aunt¡¯s key. * * * Exactly one thousand, one hundred and seventy-nine people formed Governor Sloan¡¯s War Force. Two tanks were present, driving in the front of the force, setting the speed, providing forward firepower. Governor Sloan rode in the lead tank. The cannon-mount mechs stood on trucks, directly behind the tanks. They didn¡¯t have the same long-range capability, but they were strong enough to defend anything that could take on the tanks. The railgun and its defensive vehicles took up the far rear. It had a greater reach than most of the other weaponry put together, and any attack on the main War Force would not affect their primary weapon. In between, over seven hundred odd Rifle Corps troops, just under four hundred Blades Corps troops, and an assortment of officers filled the ranks. They were packed into jeeps, Humvees, the backs of trucks, and assorted modified transports. The Shapers drove toward the front of the pack. The three hovercraft, including Sir Adrian¡¯s Shadow Strike and Major Gabrielle Rinlee¡¯s Partizan, flew above the formation, issuing scouting and route information to the War Force. They chanted as they drove. Some sang. Sloan seemed less committed to quiet than Kol had expected. Maybe he thought they were too close for the people of Littlefield to escape. They could only fight or surrender. Was that true? Kol Maros drove alone in his rover, at the far westward edge of the formation. He¡¯d waited at the camp, lingering until the majority of the War Force had departed before joining the line. He was hundreds of meters behind the front of the Force. The sun had risen by the time he drove through Halfpoint. Kol had his datapad keyed to Duncan¡¯s transponder. No signal ¨C not yet. ¡°Right turn in two miles.¡± One of the airship comm officers spoke through the command channel. ¡°This is Eye-in-the-sky Three. Fork in the road in two miles.¡± Kol glanced at his datapad. Still no signal from Duncan. If Orson Gregory and the Corwins hadn¡¯t received the warning, was Kol really going to enter Littlefield with the rest of the War Force? Duncan said the town had locked down. They had to know. They wouldn¡¯t do nothing. Either they¡¯d fled, or the people of Littlefield would soon launch their counterattack. Kol knew which one was more likely. He resisted the urge to pull off the road. Kol didn¡¯t know what to do. What could he do in an ambush? His earlier clarity was gone, leaving him with the nagging dread he¡¯d felt for months. ¡°There¡¯s a figure in the road ahead,¡± the comm officer said. ¡°He will be an obstacle.¡± ¡°He gets crushed if he¡¯s too dumb to get out of the way.¡± Another voice spoke through the channel. ¡°Possible visual match,¡± Eye-in-the-sky said. ¡°It may be Orson Gregory. This individual¡¯s gear resembles Gregory¡¯s from the research videos. He has a sword of fire.¡± ¡°We have to crush him!¡± The second voice yelled. ¡°Can you imagine his face? Outlaw road-kill!¡± Kol heard multiple cars ahead of him rev their engines. He heard the singing and yelling intensify into an unintelligible roar. ¡°You will hold your fire!¡± Sloan shouted through the comm. ¡°Anyone who makes a move at Gregory is spending the next six months in my brig. That kill belongs to Sir Adrian. No one will interfere. Alert all commands. No one can interfere!¡± Some voices offered grumbled responses. ¡°He¡¯s mine,¡± Nine-flails said. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him here, right in the road. That¡¯s the right place for him to die.¡± ¡°Halt!¡± Sloan shouted, in response. ¡°Come to a full stop. Give Gregory fifty feet. Let them all have a demonstration of our Sir Nine-flails.¡± Kol could see nothing, but he began to slow down. He pulled onto the shoulder of the road, coming to a full stop before the vehicles ahead of him did. With hundreds of cars in the road, it was impossible to see Gregory or the front of the force. He raised his datapad ¨C still no sign of Duncan. But he did see an invitation to a remote feed, aerial video from the Partizan. Kol couldn¡¯t tell whether the video was sent to the entire force, or if Brielle was having it transmitted specifically to him. Kol enlarged the feed and saw Orson Gregory. The wayfarer wore his usual costume. The eyes of his mask glowed a familiar cold blue. His sword was already drawn, casting odd, flickering shadows along the early morning roadway. Gregory spoke, his voice picked up by multiple microphones in the War Force communication network, giving his words a strange, echoing distortion. ¡°You can¡¯t go any farther,¡± he said. ¡°The road is closed.¡± 77 - The Lethal Set Orson owned a lot of weapons. But it had been years since he¡¯d taken so many with him, at once. It had been years since he¡¯d carried the entire lethal set into battle and prepared himself to unleash deadly, primeval havoc on living people. Orson was prepared. When he saw the hundreds of vehicles, heard the chanting, heard the singing ¨C the immense cacophony of it all, he was ready to do whatever he had to do to keep Littlefield safe. He drew his sword and took quick stock of the local geography. Soon, his entire focus would be on his own battle and only his own. Orson stood one hundred yards eastward of the turnoff toward Littlefield. The small town lay only miles from that turnoff, well within the absurd range of the railgun, and probably within striking distance of the smaller artillery. Orson had done his best to level the playing field, preparing his entire arsenal and exhausting his full complement of energy cores. The dozen spare solar power cells, the entire stock he¡¯d taken when his crew had set out from Pops¡¯s Heartland-6 Complex, all were committed for the battle. It still wasn¡¯t enough. The collection of defensive devices Littlefield had stockpiled, over the years, exhausted both Orson¡¯s and their own stores of energy. And all of that only offered them a slim chance. The numbers were still impossibly skewed, but Orson hadn¡¯t changed his mind. The best way, the best shot at victory was to fight Nine-flails. Win. Then unleash havoc on the rest, until the War Force artillery was destroyed, and the Liberty Corps lines were broken. His plan depended on Nine-flails, and he assumed this character was a Shaper. Logically, that meant he fought with nine flails, literal name. Orson couldn¡¯t even imagine how that would work. Orson also found no mention of a Nine-flails in his own records or the Hierarchia data the Corwins still maintained, but he¡¯d had no time for a thorough search. He¡¯d had no time to do the research and planning he attempted before almost every major fight. He had to rely on his years of battle trickery, his adaptive nature, and his HUD. Even if it made him sick, he wore a computer on his face, a device capable of complex modeling. He preferred fighting with his own strategy, winning through his own skill and cunning, but he carried a potential game-changing edge. His preferences, ego, and sportsmanship meant nothing compared with the fate of Littlefield. Orson waited to speak until the War Force came to a stop, within a hundred feet of him. He triggered the invisible, speed-sensitive energy field that stretched across the roadway. He didn¡¯t think the Liberty Corps would actually try to run him over or gun him down, but he¡¯d prepared for it and used one of his solar cells in the process. He watched three oblong flying objects float above the War Force, forming an arc in the air, forty feet above him ¨C the airships. ¡°You can¡¯t go any farther.¡± Orson turned on his microphone at the lowest input and output settings. He hoped his voice would be recognizably his. ¡°The road is closed.¡± ¡°Roadkill! Roadkill! Roadkill!¡± A chant erupted from the assembled troops, first scattered voices, at the front of the pack, and then spreading across the War Force, growing to a roar. Orson didn¡¯t react. He made no change to his posture. The chanting was no surprise. ¡°Roadkill! Roadkill!¡± The chant actually reassured Orson. This wasn¡¯t a legion of IHSA-level troops, the kind of fighting force that could conquer the world, the caliber of soldier he¡¯d surprised and bested in Trolley Town. This looked like the same poorly-trained mob he¡¯d fought in Nimauk. Their equipment was better. There was an obscene number of them, and they had no reason not to commit murder. But if the shields held, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Orson carried two weapons that could destroy anything. With the proper skill ¨C and an assortment of other tools he¡¯d packed in his coat ¨C the fire he wielded could lay waste to true armies. This wasn¡¯t a true army. One of the two front tanks raised its roof hatch. A head rose into view, followed by the neat white armor of a Liberty Corps officer, loaded in medals and colored badges. The man wore no helmet, but instead a wide-brimmed hat. This could only be Governor Sloan. ¡°Orson Gregory!¡± Sloan spoke through a bullhorn. ¡°I¡¯m the governor of this territory you¡¯ve been terrorizing. I thought we¡¯d be dragging you out of bed, this morning, but you saved us the trouble of finding you. Submit to my judgment for your crimes, and I¡¯ll let the people of Littlefield surrender to the Liberty Corps without bloodshed.¡± He spoke in a phony grandiose voice, like he¡¯d watched old movies about the Middle Ages to practice the tone of speech. Orson laughed. ¡°And while I¡¯m at it, I¡¯ll confess to all my sins as a lifelong troublemaker and bow to your greatness. All hail Lord Lardy McDespot. Oh please! Please! Spare poor Littlefield! Lord Lardy! Governor McDespot, I beg you! I beg you!¡± He laughed again, and it was a genuine laugh. Nothing humored him more than mind games with the self-serious. Shouts erupted from the crowd. Too many voices clashed to make out many individual words. The ¡®roadkill¡¯ chant began again. ¡°Nicknames again?¡± Eloise spoke in Orson¡¯s earpiece, her voice transmitted directly from the Aesir¡¯s hidden location. Through the open channel, Orson could hear Jaleel cackling. He did not respond. ¡°Be careful you don¡¯t egg him into an all out attack on you. That¡¯s not what we want.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy watching Sir Adrian kill you.¡± Sloan raised his left hand. Two of the airships broke from formation and landed on the dusty ground, on either side of the road. Exit ramps lowered from each of them, but only one person emerged. The man wore bizarre armor, covered in spiked, shining balls, like diseased berries. Each of the balls was the size of a person¡¯s head and covered in spikes of varying sizes. The Knight wore a helmet of the same shining metal, his face unseen. The helmet¡¯s slit of a visor fixed on Orson. ¡°Wow,¡± Orson said. ¡°What¡¯s your deal, buddy? Are you, like, the mascot or something? Do you sing a song before the battle? I¡¯m out of the loop here.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jaleel spoke into his ear. ¡°Get a load out of Fruit of the Loom.¡± ¡°Kneel,¡± the Knight said. ¡°And I, Sir Adrian Nine-flails, Knight of the Liberty Corps Western Barony, will grant you a quick death.¡± ¡°I heard you wanted some one-on-one fight with me,¡± Orson said. ¡°If I let you attack me, and I win, does that mean the rest of them get out of here? I¡¯m down for a duel, but not if I¡¯m just the warm-up act for a longer battle.¡± ¡°There is no deal!¡± Sloan said. ¡°You will die as an example for your fellow outlaws. Surrender and die or fight and die. That¡¯s your choice.¡± ¡°But it is one-on-one?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Or am I going to have to think about the rest of you?¡± ¡°One-on-one.¡± Nine-flails inclined his helmeted head. ¡°You¡¯re mine. You die first. Then the town is raised.¡± ¡°But when I win, though,¡± Orson said. ¡°What do I get?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t win,¡± Nine-flails laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll paint the road with your blood.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing this shit for years, but I guess I accept. If you force me to lop you to pieces, I bet that¡¯ll scare everyone else. Do we count to ten now?¡± ¡°If you fight, then Littlefield dies,¡± Sloan said. ¡°Your surrender is the only way I¡¯ll let the people of Littlefield leave here in peace. If you fight, they all get to die with you, as outlaws. Choose the law or choose death for Littlefield.¡± ¡°Roadkill! Roadkill!¡± The chant began again. ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± Orson said. In his visor, he saw a small increase in the temperature of the Knight¡¯s armor. He made sure his repulsor was ready, just in case. ¡°You¡¯re planning to kill everybody, regardless of what I do. And I tell you what, after Sir Pointy-berry is through, you will all be destroyed, if you stay here. You all¡­¡± One of the spiked balls flew from the Knight¡¯s breastplate. It blasted out like a cannonball, headed straight for Orson¡¯s face. Orson saw the sudden burst of heat in the armor, but he didn¡¯t bother moving or raising his sword. He watched the flail slam into the energy shield, letting out a sound like a hollow drum. The flail head bounced away, falling toward the ground, several of its spikes broken from contact with the shield. Before the crowd could respond to the energy wall, Orson took a step through the shield. He swung the sword at the fallen flail¡¯s chain before its master could call it back. The head fell from the flail and rolled across the roadway. ¡°Unsportsmanlike conduct!¡± Orson stepped fully through the field. ¡°That¡¯s a one flail penalty.¡± He pointed to the spiked, iron ball and to the chain that snaked back toward the Knight. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t be Nine-flails anymore, can you? You¡¯re gonna need all new business cards.¡± Orson wanted to pay attention to the crowd, to Sloan. How they responded to the destroyed flail could let him know how prepared they were for the coming ambush. He didn¡¯t get the chance. All eight flails propelled out of the Knight¡¯s armor. Nine-flails ran at Orson, weapons spinning with such speed, it looked like a solid wall had suddenly appeared in their place. Orson let the HUD reach full functionality. The targeting computer and complex intelligent analytic systems looked at the flails. A nauseating kaleidoscope of information blossomed at the corners of his vision. The photoreceptors in the goggles and sensors across the visor observed the way the flails moved before striking, observed the way the chains were segmented, allowing a range of motion. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Orson raised the sword to defend his face. Nine-flails was apparently too wary to try another direct strike. That gave the HUD more time to watch the Knight¡¯s flails move, and assess the relationship between the Shaper¡¯s mind and the unique weapons he wielded. The more data the better. Orson had little time to dance with Nine-flails, to learn his tricks, to outmaneuver him. He had to end the fight, fast. The shields and mirage fields would be powered for only so long. And he had to win before the flashing lights from the HUD birthed the inevitable migraine. Twinges began in his forehead and temples. He was already running out of time. Four of the Knight¡¯s flails spun, forming a tight wall of high-speed motion to protect the Shaper¡¯s face and torso. The other four blasted from the Knight¡¯s armor. Two flails flew wide. The Knight was trying to flank him or crush him. Orson hoped the visor¡¯s band and rear sensors were sophisticated enough to follow the flails¡¯ complex motion. Two more flails launched, two metal vipers, one low, one high. There was nowhere to run. Orson triggered his repulsor. He blasted out and above the flails, still letting his visor collect data about their motion, searching for any pattern to the strikes. The flails gave chase. Orson had waited too long. He powered the repulsor to full, but the outstretched flails reoriented immediately. The flails to his left and right missed him by inches. The heads of the weapons slammed together. He¡¯d almost been caught. The metal rang where they connected. Nine-flails ran forward, keeping Orson in range. He swung both pairs of flails, more crushing moves. The initial strike had been probing, wary from the loss of the first flail. The flails slammed together. Orson flew higher, but the flails stretched longer. His HUD tracked the length, but he couldn¡¯t spare the glance at that information, the red ticker at the bottom right corner of his vision. The further he flew, the higher the flails ascended. Nine-flails alternated the strikes, never giving Orson a moment, the next pair of flails ready to crush him as soon as the last attack had failed. Orson rocketed upward, far away from Nine-flails, far above the ground, his senses and visor still watching and studying the Shaper. He hoped his evasiveness didn¡¯t win him a direct attack from the legion of other Liberty Corps forces. It didn¡¯t, but their chant began again, alternating between ¡°Roadkill!¡± and ¡°Coward!¡± The Knight shouted at him. The chanting almost drowned out his words. ¡°I hope you enjoyed the preview of how you¡¯ll die!¡± Nine-flails called. ¡°You can¡¯t stay up there forever!¡± He retracted his weapons, slowly returning them to his breastplate. ¡°Wow, I thought I could,¡± Orson yelled back. ¡°I¡¯ll be down in a minute!¡± ¡°Keep it up, boss!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You¡¯re so good at dodging. I feel like I¡¯m playing Dark Souls.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t distract him with your references, Jaleel,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Keep it up, Orson!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be after him again in a second,¡± he said. ¡°I have almost all the data I need.¡± Orson kept his eyes on Nine-flails and retrieved a small object from his coat¡¯s pocket, like a remote control. He fit the object onto the cross-guard of his sword, only millimeters from the flame extending from the hilt. Orson hoped the action wasn¡¯t too obvious. He wanted a surprise, if he could manage it. It was time he learned what happened to the flails if they met the fire sword, while in motion. Orson flew down, at an angle he wouldn¡¯t have attempted before all of his recent flight practice. The HUD warned him the flails were about to launch. A dozen alerts appeared in his vision, analytics describing the visor¡¯s observations. Orson tried to ignore them, but the sudden lights began a true headache in his forehead. As the flails burst from the Knight¡¯s armor, Orson triggered the field-disruptor on his sword¡¯s hilt. He pressed it three times. Three should be enough. He couldn¡¯t risk more than three, if he could help it. He felt an odd thrum race up his arms from the sword. The blade¡¯s sound increased from a crackle to a roar. The sword extended, its containment field expanding. The sword¡¯s blade was almost triple its former length, possible to wield only because of the near weightlessness of the fire blade. When the flails tried to crush him, tried to squish him into meaty pulp, Orson swung the extended sword. He brought it around in a wide circle, cutting the flail heads and chains, sending dripping metal pieces flying. Orson dodged the molten iron. The other pair of flails came together. They curved wide around him, one coming up from beneath his feet, the other slamming down at his head. Orson flew to the side, trying to track the flails in his visor, trying to strike the weapons with his sword. The blue fire met one of the flails. Its severed head fell away. Orson brought the sword around. The other flail swung down at his head. The fire cut the spiked ball in two, but the other half was still attached to the chain. Orson dodged ¨C not fast enough. The half-flail took him in the side, shredding the coat fabric. The armor redirected the worst of the blow. The spikes on the flail shattered against the metal, but the force of the attack threw Orson sideways. He tumbled, struggling to get his leg and repulsor beneath him. He hit the field-disruptor¡¯s shutoff, returning the sword to its normal size. By the time he reached the ground, the War Force had erupted in cheers. Orson had no time to watch the crowd. Nine-flails sent two flails rearing up above Orson¡¯s head. They and the partial-flail bore down on him, from above. Orson blasted backward, almost brushing the road as he flew. The flails slammed into the roadway. He remembered his own energy shield, the same wall that had protected him against the first strike from Nine-flails. He got his repulsor under him and skidded to a stop. He had nowhere to run. Nine-flails charged at him. His flails reared up, blasting up above Orson¡¯s head. The Knight was trying the same maneuver a second time. Keep Orson close. Keep him from flying. But Orson had seen this before. He¡¯d seen how slow the flails were to regroup after completing a strike. This was a pattern, something he¡¯d observed, something he¡¯d already fought. ¡®Patterns are predictable. Predictability is weakness. Even the most complex patterns can be discovered and exploited.¡¯ Orson remembered those words and the day he¡¯d heard them, a decade before, in some of his earliest lessons with the sword. Master Ophion¡¯s teachings still came to him, powerful reminders and truths, even after ten years. Orson waited until the flails rose to the top of their arc, building inertia to strike and crush him. He waited until the HUD started throwing proximity warnings at the edges of his vision, intensifying his growing headache. He fired the repulsor and flew inside the flails¡¯ arc, beneath the chains. Just as the flails committed to the strike, Orson severed all three with his sword. The severed balls fell into the shield, sending three echoing drumbeats from the energy field. Orson flew toward Nine-flails, now with only two weapons left. The Knight turned and ran. Good, if Orson could destroy the man¡¯s flails and cut apart the breastplate, he wouldn¡¯t have to kill him. He¡¯d have a prisoner. He¡¯d detain the Knight right there in the road, if the man wanted to live. Orson saw a new proximity warning in his HUD. It wasn¡¯t from Nine-flails. He reflexively threw himself to the side, as three iron walls slid toward him. They scraped horribly across the road and formed a barrier between him and the Knight. A whole procession of new combatants were running from the airships. Blocks of iron followed them, loaded onto hovering platforms. The iron blocks tore apart in sheets, forming more walls, crafted by the Shapers¡¯ minds. The new segments moved to join the others. Heat rose from the walls and the Shapers. This gave Nine-flails an opening to flee. The Knight sprinted across the road, flails spinning defensively behind him. He ran back toward his airship. For an absurd moment, Orson thought Nine-flails was actually running away, but the Knight was met outside the ship. The new arrival pushed a square metal case, also on a floating platform. The other Shapers raised their hands, palms outward. The wall quickly grew too long for Orson to see Nine-flails or his pit crew. Orson ran along the wall, slicing it in two. He aimed a repulsor-aided kick at the cut metal, sending the top half of the wall falling onto the roadway, clearing his view of the airship and its crew. The group of Shapers stood in combat stances, palms still raised, legs spread. They stood in an arc around the flail-repair operation. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a duel with an intermission.¡± Orson saw the new arrival had opened his case, revealing replacement flails. He saw the heat rise in the cold morning. Nine-flails and his assistant Shaped the new flail-heads into place. ¡°Who is that guy? Is he like your golf caddy or something? This is your last warning. If you come back to fight me again, I¡¯m not giving you another chance to retreat.¡± ¡°Your coward¡¯s tricks won¡¯t have the best of our man, Sir Adrian,¡± Sloan yelled. ¡°Your outlaw ways are nothing compared to the prowess of a true warrior and the army that supports him. No match!¡± The ¡°Roadkill! Roadkill!¡± chant began again, but weaker. The crowd¡¯s rumble was still a constant presence, but it was a dull thing, like a busy city street, no organization. Orson wondered how many of the Liberty Corps troops could even see the battle. ¡°How does this work?¡± Orson called to the Shapers. ¡°Do I fight you guys now? You¡¯re not part of the duel. This is cheating. The lead had a wardrobe malfunction, so now he¡¯s got the chorus line pulling bodyguard duty. I guess you might as well take a shot at me. If you won¡¯t leave, you¡¯re going to have to fight me eventually. But let¡¯s pick up the pace. I don¡¯t have all day while Adrian over there fixes his outfit. Anyone who wants to live, just lay down your arms and run away. You don¡¯t get to take your vehicles, though. Those have to stay here. But you can leave.¡± ¡°Leave?¡± Sloan bellowed. ¡°We¡¯ll leave here when you¡¯re dead, and all the outlaws are corpses, and my new base is under construction.¡± None of the other Shapers spoke. They stayed in their formations, helmets turned toward Orson. He waited and stuck to his plan. Fight Nine-flails first. Win. Then chaos. That was the best way. ¡°What was that big sword move?¡± Jaleel asked, in his ear. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do that all the time? That is so cool.¡± Orson chuckled to himself. He paced back and forth along the sliced iron wall. ¡°You know.¡± Orson called toward Nine-flails. ¡°I always thought flails were only debatably historical, like the experts don¡¯t agree if they were used in Medieval combat. Is that true?¡± Nine-flails did not respond. ¡°The least you can do is give some information about your fighting style. In some cultures, that¡¯d be expected. Instead of having the chorus line practicing their mime routine, they could be explaining this, so I don¡¯t go to sleep. Or is that your plan? Bore me into submission.¡± The only responses were scattered shouting from the War Force. ¡°Shut up!¡± Someone yelled. Other voices joined in, screaming and howling threats and profanity that Orson couldn¡¯t possibly hear. ¡°Quiet!¡± Sloan yelled through his bullhorn. ¡°Discipline! Don¡¯t let this anarchist get in your heads. He¡¯s playing games with us. Let Sir Adrian work. The outlaw dies soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an anarchist,¡± Orson said. ¡°Who the hell told you that? I just hate conquerors and empires and despots. I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, did someone vote for you, Sloan? Or did you appoint yourself? Are you the lone moron responsible, or did a bunch of dumb-shits actually vote your ass into office?¡± The shouts erupted again, no chants, just a wall of screaming. They were loud enough that Orson feared they might bring the artillery against him. The screams trigged an arc of throbbing pain in Orson¡¯s forehead. Nine-flails raised his hand and the crowd quieted. He stepped through his helpers, his armor now restored. He moved slower. His posture was stiffer, but he began a new intricate pattern with his unique multi-weapon form, more complex than before. Orson flew away. He hovered just within the range of the flails, just close enough to tempt the Knight. He waited until a flail was sent at him, then another, then another. The movement of the flails was wilder now. Five flails shot out, each independent. One flew at Orson¡¯s unarmored leg, another at his face. A third tried to flank him. Two others spun in the air at his sides. Orson felt the heat rising from the armored man and his weapons. He couldn¡¯t imagine the sweltering conditions inside the armor. The mental strain had to be enormous. This man was splitting his mind in at least five tasks, all independent. But his pattern remained. Four flails always stayed behind to guard the Knight. The others struck outward to crush Orson. When the flails converged, Orson blasted away. All five slammed together. Two hit each other, mid-swing, tangling their chains. Orson allowed himself a small smile. This was getting to be too much for Nine-flails. He could only manage simple defense and overwhelming offense. Nine-flails fought with speed and ferocity in a strange style that had advantages of ranged and melee weaponry. He was deadly to people slower than him and almost unstoppable against people who couldn¡¯t damage the flails. Orson was neither. Patterns are predictable. Predictability is weakness. When the flails rose again, Orson flew down into the swarm of writhing weapons. 78 - Doomed Kol watched the end of the duel, the final bout between Gregory and Nine-flails. It lasted under three minutes, a flurry of blows so fast Kol could barely track the exchange. But Kol was only half-paying attention. He still saw no sign of Duncan. Had Duncan fled the area? The transponder should work over a range of miles, especially in the relatively isolated desert environment. Unless something was disrupting the transponder signature¡­ Some energy fields did that. Kol looked away from the insane struggle of flails and fire. He ignored the muttering from Brielle¡¯s crew. ¡°God damn this bastard is fast,¡± one of them was saying. ¡°You can see why Corps Command takes him so seriously. This is unreal.¡± ¡°Adrian needs to switch it up,¡± Brielle said. ¡°His first vertical strike hit Gregory. That¡¯s the only time he hit him.¡± Kol saw nothing around him but the empty landscape, the slight incline to the south, flat nothing stretching out toward Littlefield. Only the IHSA and Thunderworks had actual invisible-to-the-eye cloaking technology. Littlefield couldn¡¯t have that, could they? He¡¯d watched the initial exchanges from the Partizan camera view. The airship was now positioned on the ground. The angle showed the fighters in profile and frequently lost Gregory as he jumped and flew out of range of the flails. Kol didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do if Duncan never surfaced or if the people of Littlefield never made a move. Would he go with the War Force into the town? He¡¯d expected an attack. He¡¯d expected to see Duncan¡¯s signal. He¡¯d expected a chance to leave. ¡°Shit,¡± Brielle said. ¡°Buckets on, campers.¡± Kol quickly clicked back to the feed of the battle, leaving the page that showed the transponder readout. He didn¡¯t recognize that tone in her voice. He¡¯d never heard that kind of apprehension in her words. He saw why. One-by-one, Gregory severed the nine flails. As they flew at him, he demolished the weapons. When two slammed together to crush him, Gregory dodged the strike and severed both, at once. When three more tried to catch him in a barrier of spinning spikes, Gregory cut their chains apart. When Orson Gregory landed on the ground, Nine-flails made another repeat mistake ¨C he reared up his flails to crush Gregory. The Wayfarer flew beneath the strike and severed those weapons too. When Nine-flails was down to one flail, he ran. He charged back toward the airship. Kol wondered whether he hoped another pit stop might help him or whether he was genuinely rushing for reinforcements. Kol never found out. Orson Gregory caught Nine-flails. He landed in front of him and, with a casual flick of his sword, he sliced the last spiked-head from its chain. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Gregory¡¯s voice was still distorted by his microphone. ¡°Surrender now. This is a citizen¡¯s arrest. Yield and you will be granted safety as a prisoner of the Pacific Alliance.¡± He raised his burning blade outward. Nine-flails lowered his chains until they hung limp against the dirt. ¡°S-Teams, go now!¡± Brielle said. ¡°All teams¡­¡± ¡°And disobey Sloan?¡± Another voice spoke on the channel. ¡°Stand down, Major Rinlee. No. Sir Adrian made his bed. I¡¯m not risking the Plummet Ledger by disobeying one of the Baron¡¯s knights.¡± ¡°Sir Adrian¡¯s about to die!¡± Brielle said. Kol watched as Orson approached the Knight, sword outward. They stood only paces apart. ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± Brielle stopped speaking when the Knight¡¯s chains lashed out and wrapped around Gregory¡¯s arms and torso and neck. They squeezed, tightening around and around the fabric of the Wayfarer¡¯s armored coat. Orson Gregory did not issue another warning. He flew forward. Kol didn¡¯t know if the repulsor was stronger than the chains, if the armor resisted the squeezing metal, if Gregory was simply too fast. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. He didn¡¯t know how it happened, but Orson Gregory cut Sir Adrian Nine-flails from collar to crotch. The Knight fell to the dusty road in two, smoking pieces, chains limp and unmoving. Shouts erupted through the War Force, cries of rage and surprise and fear. Kol heard yells from the datapad and through his rover¡¯s windows, creating a bizarre, horrified echo. The cries didn¡¯t last long. Orson Gregory was true to his word. No other warning came. The War Force had no more time to prepare or counterattack. The moment Nine-Flails died, the people of Littlefield launched their ambush. Finally, something happened the way Kol had expected, but he still wasn¡¯t prepared. He wasn¡¯t prepared for the Aesir to appear from nowhere in the air above the War Force. He saw it through his windshield, up in the sky. It looked like a trick of the light, like a mirage, like something out of a bad video-editing job. It looked phony, fake, absurd. It was very real. Kol wasn¡¯t prepared for the ship to rocket down toward the road, sending fire and death from its roof cannon, blasting both tanks. He could see them both consumed by light and fire. He saw the shrapnel fly across the view from the Partizan¡¯s feed. Seconds after its appearance, the Aesir crew had killed Governor Sloan, burning the War Force¡¯s leader to atoms, without fanfare or further threat. Kol wasn¡¯t prepared for the high-energy concentrated blasts to tear from the empty desert at either side of the road. Two blasts burned from nowhere. One took the Eye-in-the-sky. The energy burrowed through the airship¡¯s shield, through its hull and machinery and crew. The airship began to list in an odd circle as its surviving pilots struggled to stay airborn. Gouts of smoke billowed from the surgical hole in its side and from its rear thrusters. The other blast flew directly over Kol¡¯s rover. Something far behind him exploded ¨C the railgun! The second artillery cornerstone was the only target behind Kol, and from the sound of it, the mighty weapon had been destroyed without firing a shot. Littlefield did not fire their energy cannons again, but Kol knew those sounds. He knew the robotic twang of an IHSA ultra-cannon, the same weapon that, in the hands of Thunderworks, had turned the world¡¯s governments and militaries and cities to ash. Littlefield had Thunderworks weapons! Kol wasn¡¯t prepared for the noise, the screams and yells, the cries of fear, the explosions, the gunfire appearing from nowhere. Eye-in-the-sky finally lost its battle to regain control. It exploded, sending flaming metal down on the road. The remainder of the twenty-meter craft plummeted down on the War Force, spreading explosions, screams, death, and a shockwave that jarred Kol in his seat, hundreds of feet away. Everything was too loud to comprehend, as the Aesir took a full sweep low over the War Force, strafing the troops on the ground with its repeating front cannons. Kol wasn¡¯t prepared for blindness. A fog descended on the Liberty Corps. It began as a thin vapor after the first round of explosions, drifting across the roadway. But the cloud cover thickened. It became like a total eclipse, a shroud that blocked out almost all light, blocked out the sun. The shroud closed in, drifted across the road and drew everything into itself, until nothing could be seen, until the view out Kol¡¯s windshield offered nothing but utter blackness, the deepest depths of starless night. Kol wasn¡¯t prepared to see Orson Gregory decimate Liberty Corps forces. He glanced at the feed from the Partizan, hoping for some sign of Brielle. Instead, he saw death. He saw Orson Gregory, Captain of the Aesir, Wayfarer One, hero of Norlenheim. He saw a man who¡¯d fought the force that killed the old world. He saw the skill, the swordsmanship that had defeated the Supreme Commander of Thunderworks. After the fog descended, the forces at the front of the line ¨C Shapers, Rifle Corps, and Blades Corps alike, had rushed out of the cloud at Gregory, sending bullets and spears and iron raining down on him. Some of the best warriors were in the front, the trained fighters, the true soldiers. They were survivors of combat, survivors of war. It didn¡¯t matter. It wasn¡¯t enough. Because, while these were the best fighters in the War Force, Orson Gregory was a legend. About that much, Kol had been entirely correct. What training could compare to a decade on the Wayfarers Highway? What battle experience could compare to single combat against the World-ender¡¯s General or against any of the many foes Gregory had faced? The rifles and spears failed to pierce his armor. The Shaper¡¯s iron burned and melted away when it met the sword of fire. When the Liberty Corps forces charged Orson Gregory, they died. He fought with inevitability. He fought with the inevitable truth that, while they were mighty, their might was only another surmounted obstacle, another achievement in his story. They were great fighters, for their time, but he was a myth of the era. Kol realized then why Orson¡¯s blue-eyed visor was so familiar, why the sight of the mask sent a wave of anxiety through him. Orson Gregory wore the head of a Thunderworks automaton, maybe the same head he¡¯d held in one of Sloan¡¯s videos. The man-sized automatons, bodyguards to the Supreme Commander, had sacked the League of Nations, in New York, and the capitals of a dozen countries. Orson Gregory wore one of their heads as a trophy, another souvenir for his arsenal. Watching the carnage reminded Kol of folktale and fantasy, the heroic storybooks Max had read to him when he was a boy. The Liberty Corps troops that rushed Orson Gregory were like the Army of Troy against the Myrmidons, like the hordes of Isengard breaking at Helm¡¯s Deep, like the dragon that heard the call of Sigurd¡¯s horn. They were doomed. 79 - A.W.O.L. Orson was still surrounded by Liberty Corps Shapers when the mirage fields failed. His HUD directed him to the flickering shadows and odd, refracted light, as the devices that hid Littlefield¡¯s protectors sputtered and ran out of power. Suddenly, the dozens of defensive emplacements were visible, the sources of the bullets and rockets and other projectiles bombarding the War Force. This offered no help to the majority of the Liberty Corps troops, still trapped under Enoa¡¯s shroud, but both airships powered on their repulsors, spraying dirt in all directions, as they prepared to launch. ¡°New priority!¡± Orson spoke into his comm. He knew the Shapers and other melee attackers would hear him, but there was nothing to be done and no sense being covert. If they still hadn¡¯t surrendered, they would never. That sealed their fate. It didn¡¯t particularly matter what they heard. ¡°On it!¡± Eloise yelled through the comm. The Aesir flew low, strafing the two airships. One raised its shields, the energy absorbing the glancing blows from the Tri-cannon. The second rocketed into the sky, the Aesir in pursuit. Orson left the others to their work. He had to count, and he was in far too much pain to multitask. The longer his HUD¡¯s full functionality overwhelmed his vision with light, the worse his forehead and temples seared with pain. The two tanks were gone, so was the railgun, so was one airship. Two of the Cannon-mount mechs lay pulverized in the road. They¡¯d stood beneath the airship when it fell. What remained was unrecognizable, smoking scrap. Nine-flails and seven of his Shapers lay in pieces. Twenty-two or twenty-three remained, if the telegram could be believed, and it had been correct about everything else. He counted only nineteen. They attacked, intermingled with the heaving mass of red and blue armor that surged from the fog. The Shapers summoned axes or swords or knives, or sent raining showers of iron down at him. Even with their white armor, it was difficult to get a precise count of the Shapers. They moved without any coherent plan, their gear and Shaping techniques almost identical. Orson stopped counting when the final Cannon-mount mech stepped from the fog. The five-meter bipedal machine spun its shoulder-mounted rocket launchers to the north, toward the visible concrete barricades where Littlefield¡¯s defenders were hiding. Orson had no more time for his headcount. When a halberd-wielding Shaper rushed him, Orson followed his HUD¡¯s analyses. He ignored the searing in his face and cut the weapon and its wielder in two. Then he started his repulsor and flew at the mech, before its pilot could fire into the crowd of Littlefield¡¯s defenders. * * * Kol lost the feed from the Partizan when the airship launched from the ground. He was left in darkness, as silhouettes flailed through the fog ¨C screaming and running and dying around his rover. Kol lay sideways on the seat, flipping through Liberty Corps command channels, hoping to catch some mention of Brielle. He heard only the sounds of chaos. Even the officer class had devolved into panic. The War Force was Sloan¡¯s, and the Governor was dead. Everything else was just the dominos falling as they would, inertia or irresistible gravity pulling events toward their conclusions. Kol had been unprepared for the onslaught from Littlefield or Orson Gregory¡¯s full ferocity, but these were not the truths that overwhelmed him. He had witnessed the chaos after the fall of the old world. He was the youngest son in a long line of warriors. He knew the real face of war, the horror without glory, bloodshed without hope of victory. But Kol could not face the truth that this was his fault. The massacre of the Liberty Corps forces was happening because of his warning. Surely this was the truth. He had enabled and helped the same kind of butchery he¡¯d hoped to avoid. He was beyond questioning the morality of the carnage around him. He could only absorb the sounds of pain and fear and death in the fog, unsure what he would do next. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. His certainty returned when he heard the soft ping from his datapad. The sound barely cut through the background noise, but it was unmistakable. The transponder. Duncan. Kol returned to the tracking window and found a small yellow dot to the south, less than a kilometer away. The dot was getting closer, the tracker slowly zooming in as his location and Duncan¡¯s drew nearer. Duncan was sneaking up on the Littlefield defenders¡¯ position. He was sneaking up on Enoa Cloud and her key. Kol remembered the force of the blast from Cloud¡¯s staff and the searing pain across his chest. She had been prepared, all her life, to learn Shaping. If she was truly studying, in earnest, what was she capable of doing now? The fog ¨C Kol realized. The impossible fog was hers, Shaping so powerful it bordered on sorcery, some incomprehensible witchcraft. Duncan was headed right for her. Kol knew his friend. He could not save Sloan¡¯s forces. He¡¯d had no power to halt the bloodshed. He could not save Brielle. She was too devoted to the Liberty Corps. He could not teach her to question her certainty in the cause. But he could stop Duncan from being killed by Enoa Cloud. He could stop Duncan from doing more harm to Enoa. She had suffered enough by their choices. They all had suffered enough for the Liberty Corps. Kol was decided. He gathered those belongings he could not abandon, his things and Duncan¡¯s and loaded them into two of the duffel bags they¡¯d packed for their journey from the outreach base. He knew he could not run across the field of battle dressed as a Liberty Corps officer. He had to survive long enough to reach Duncan. Kol assembled a costume for himself from Duncan¡¯s stash of disguises, enough to let him keep his captain¡¯s armor, but hide it. He would not abandon his sword either, little good it would do against Littlefield¡¯s forces or any Liberty Corps troops who would attempt to kill him as a deserter. Kol did not question himself. He didn¡¯t let himself feel the horror of his newest truth ¨C desertion. He was too distracted by the slaughter around him, unseen in the fog. He was too occupied by his purpose. Kol ran from the rover, wrapped in Duncan¡¯s poncho, astronaut helmet on his head, two duffel bags over his shoulders. He pressed his datapad to the side of the helmet¡¯s visor, as he ran. He was guided only by the glowing screen and the small dot that showed him Duncan¡¯s location. Kol left the rover and the War Force behind him. * * * Enoa didn¡¯t let herself feel pride in her hard work or the results of her training. She didn¡¯t savor the success of Littlefield¡¯s protectors or the defeat of the Liberty Corps. For the brief minutes of the Littlefield attack, Enoa found perfect control, control of herself and her new mental influence. She didn¡¯t doubt whether she could force the stratus clouds to engulf the Liberty Corps. She didn¡¯t enjoy her success when her Shaping tilted the conflict, when she blinded even the Liberty Corps artillery teams. While Orson and the Aesir and the defenders of Littlefield were consumed by battle, Enoa had found peace and strength, an unlooked-for culmination of her training. She felt contentment, an active calm, the warm embrace of returning home after a journey. Shaping Anemos felt like Aunt Sucora and better times. Those memories created a perfect feedback loop ¨C peace into control into strength. Her strength made the fog impenetrable. Enoa barely noticed the mirage-fields fail or her own personal shield generator issue ¡®low energy¡¯ warnings. She¡¯d stopped paying attention to the water trucks when they were three-quarters full. She missed the brief Liberty Corps regrouping, as they overwhelmed the shields with a cluster of rockets, sending explosions across the Littlefield line and protectors running for cover. Enoa missed the Aesir blast the airships from the sky and strafe the forces on the ground. She missed Orson dismantle the final Cannon-mount mech, sending the remaining iron Shapers scattering in all directions. She almost missed the crowd of Liberty Corps troops throw down their weapons and run from the back of the line and from the edge of her fog, fleeing on foot, back along the road. Enoa passed almost completely into her meditation, separate from reality. She was only pulled from her reverie when she heard a man say her name. She didn¡¯t know the voice, and she didn¡¯t like the tone of his words. Enoa gasped, as if shaken from a deep sleep, her mental control on the fog briefly lifting. She regained her concentration, but only through sudden adrenaline. She spun around and found a man standing only ten paces away, facing her and her water trucks. He was dressed as an average migrant, with worn boots and a threadbare coat. His hair was trimmed short, the rough beginnings of a beard on his chin. ¡°Enoa Cloud,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you.¡± He raised his right hand. He held something ¨C a weapon? Who was this? Enoa closed her right hand around her staff. She thought about speaking, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she could interfere with gunfire and maintain the fog, at the same time. She fought to be present for battle and to continue blinding the Liberty Corps. ¡°I¡¯m here for your aunt¡¯s key to the Dreamside Road trove,¡± the man said. ¡°If you give it to me, I¡¯ll leave, and you¡¯ll never see me again.¡± Her key? Enoa didn¡¯t have enough mental strength left to ponder this man¡¯s allegiance. It didn¡¯t matter if he were Liberty Corps or some other strange treasure hunter who¡¯d wandered out of nowhere, walking in from the empty landscape. All that mattered was whether she could fight him. ¡°If you don¡¯t,¡± the man raised his hand and the small device he held. A white light blinked on and off at its side. ¡°I will broadcast your location to every Liberty Corps Officer within twenty miles.¡± 80 - Bullet Rain ¡°Are there any?¡± Enoa sounded more articulate in her mind. Were there any Liberty Corps officers left alive after the destruction of the War Force? Were there any leaders who could reach her across the desert? She couldn¡¯t manage that many words. She wondered if the strain of maintaining the fog while confronting this man could be seen on her face. ¡°There are enough,¡± the man said. ¡°They¡¯ll find you if I show them. I¡¯m guessing if something happened to you that smoke would go away, and without it, this battle turns around. The War Force has too many guns. These hermits and farmers can¡¯t fight a regiment without your Shaper magic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Liberty Corps too.¡± He hadn¡¯t said as much, but how else would he have the necessary communications equipment to contact the troops in the road? Enoa¡¯s mental focus slipped. It was as if she held water in cupped hands and her fingers parted. She tightened her resolve and found control again, but some of the fog slipped away, evaporated into the dry air. ¡°I never worked for Sloan,¡± the man said. ¡°Hell, I really like Littlefield. There are good people living down there. I don¡¯t want the town to get demolished just so some middle manager-type can role-play as a General. But the Dreamside Road needs responsible leadership. I need your key.¡± ¡°Sloan is dead.¡± Enoa pointed her staff at the man. ¡°You will never have my key. It is my birthright. The Liberty Corps destroyed my home. It will take nothing else from me or my family. Never!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not giving me much choice.¡± The man wiggled the hand holding the device. ¡°You¡¯re not going to¡­¡± He stopped speaking, but didn¡¯t close his mouth. He stared at Enoa ¨C no, past her and her water trucks. The man was looking at something further along the incline. Enoa risked a glance over her shoulder. She didn¡¯t know what she was looking at, her mind too sluggish to handle the absurd apparition that ran toward them. The newcomer wore a long, billowing garment that flared all around him, as he moved. The person was carrying multiple bags. Heavy straps fell across the stranger¡¯s shoulders. The newcomer also wore an astronaut helmet. It was oddly familiar and the sight of it tickled at something in the back of Enoa¡¯s memory, but she couldn¡¯t understand the recollection. Her confusion doubled when the newcomer shouted. Captain Maros¡¯s muffled voice came from the astronaut helmet. ¡°Agent Racz!¡± he yelled. ¡°Stand down, Agent Racz! Stand down! We¡¯re leaving. We¡¯re leaving now!¡± ¡°YOU!¡± Enoa released the fog for the second time. She didn¡¯t think or plan. Her already divided mind shifted from one Shaping task to another. If Maros had made the mistake of following her again, she would remind him of her power. But then she remembered herself. She couldn¡¯t abandon Littlefield¡¯s defenses, not to confront her personal enemies. While her energy shield still protected her from high-speed projectiles, she could not let up with the fog. She took new control of the shroud over the road. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Maros removed the helmet. His eyes were wide, his face dirty, his hair released from its bun. ¡°Miss Cloud, I¡¯m sorry for everything¡­¡± ¡°I should have known you would be here.¡± She was surprised how loud her voice was. She was surprised by its strength and the strength of her mind, strong enough to hold onto the fog while speaking. She swung her staff to point at his face. ¡°Do you go everywhere the Liberty Corps destroys someone¡¯s home, or were you following Orson and me?¡± ¡°No!¡± Maros raised both hands. He came no closer. ¡°It was all a mistake. I need¡­¡± ¡°Captain.¡± The man who had threatened Enoa, Agent Racz, interrupted Maros. ¡°I have this¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Enoa yelled. Maros yelled the same words, only a second later. ¡°You will pay for what you did to me.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t want to hear him speak. The sound of his voice brought back the image of smoke rising above the Nimauk Valley and her own helpless desperation and impotent rage. She couldn¡¯t afford to feel that. She couldn¡¯t let herself return to that emotional place, not with Littlefield depending on her abilities. ¡°You will pay for the Liberty Corps,¡± she said. ¡°When the Pacific Alliance gets here, I¡¯ll give you to them. We¡¯re so far away from my home, but at least you¡¯ll face justice for trying to destroy Littlefield.¡± ¡°I saved Littlefield!¡± Maros screamed the words. ¡°I sent the warning. Please. Let me speak. Let me speak!¡± He began to walk. He took careful steps. He walked far around her and her trucks, like he was truly headed toward Racz. Enoa followed him with her staff. ¡°I sent the telegram that warned Captain Gregory and the town,¡± Maros said. ¡°What?¡± Racz turned fully away from Enoa and faced his Captain. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°Not now, Agent Racz!¡± Maros didn¡¯t look at the other man. He kept his eyes on Enoa. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let Sloan destroy Littlefield. I couldn¡¯t let those people die. I joined the Liberty Corps to protect people and¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Enoa couldn¡¯t contain herself anymore. Just remembering Maros existed reminded her of her rage, the same anger that had aided her first Shaping. But seeing him, hearing his voice was too much for her to bear. ¡°You were protecting me when you burned my home? Is that right? You were protecting Nimauk when you took the festival guests prisoner or when you took Sheriff Webster prisoner or when you helped Tucker or¡­¡± ¡°I was wrong!¡± Maros yelled. ¡°I was wrong. I was wrong for years. I thought the Liberty Corps was the way to fix the world, so we could all be safe again. I thought finding the Dreamside Road was stopping a second Thunderworks. I thought of your aunt as a traitor. I never thought about you, at all, but I¡¯ve seen the world since then. I¡¯ve lost my own home since then. I did everything I could do to stop Sloan today. The telegram was accurate, wasn¡¯t it? Why would I lie to you now? What could my purpose be? I gave everything to you, all the numbers, the railgun, Nine-flails. I¡¯m so sorry, and I will never repay¡­¡± Enoa missed the last words Maros spoke. The sound of his voice was drowned out by an explosion. Seventeen iron projectiles, all the size of railroad spikes, drummed against her low-power energy field, until it overloaded. An eighteenth spike took her in the cloak, in the armor Orson had lent her. The strange metal held, but the strike threw her to the ground. The staff slipped from her grip and fell. It rolled toward the water trucks. Enoa also lost her grip on the fog. This time she couldn¡¯t reclaim it. More iron spikes flew into her water trucks, puncturing the tankers, sending the water running out onto the dirt. Enoa tried to wield her focused rage. She found only panic in its place. Her staff lay out of reach, behind the trucks, in a pool of the water. Four figures in white Liberty Corps officer armor ran along the hillside. They all held weapons ¨C spears and axes. A hovering cart with a block of iron floated between them. Their armor and blades were bloody. Two of them pointed spears at her. The others faced Maros and Racz. ¡°Captain Kolben Maros.¡± One of the Liberty Corps officers, a woman, approached Maros. She held a long polearm weapon with a complicated blade on its tip. ¡°You are under arrest for treason and dereliction of duty and¡­¡± ¡°We were wrong, Brielle.¡± Maros called to the woman. ¡°We were so, so wrong. Sloan was corrupt. He was everything that caused the end of the old world. The forces he called here weren¡¯t soldiers. They were butchers and murderers.¡± ¡°You may refer to me as Major Rinlee,¡± the woman said. ¡°We need to kill him here, Rinlee,¡± one of the other officers said. He stood beside the woman. ¡°The procedure is very clear. We heard his own admission of guilt. There is no reason to take him into custody.¡± ¡°He can be an example to others,¡± the woman, Rinlee, said. ¡°We¡¯re leaving here in my transport, Major Waldyn. While that remains the case¡­¡± ¡°Without the Partizan,¡± the male officer, Waldyn, said. ¡°Any other vehicle you control is general requisitions and is not permanently under your jurisdiction.¡± Enoa snuck a glance at the other two Shapers. Both watched the argument. No one was looking at her. She crawled on her belly. She moved without raising herself from the dirt, across the ground, toward the rear of the nearest truck, where her staff waited for her. ¡°We¡¯re not discussing this,¡± Rinlee replied. ¡°We were all wrong, Brielle,¡± Maros said. ¡°Deep down, you must know it. You have to know that we are building the new world on the graves of innocent people. You must¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Waldyn said. ¡°I can perform the execution, Rinlee. Your intimate history with Mr. Maros is clouding your judgment. Given this unique circumstance, I am assuming command. He has earned his death.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Enoa reached the wet ground, where the pooling water siphoned from the truck. Her hands slipped through the mud, her fingers sliding into the slimy muck, all the way over the backs of her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± One of the officers screamed. Enoa stopped crawling. She was only an arm¡¯s length from her staff. If she¡¯d mastered the Bullet Rain, she could fight off everyone, without it. ¡°Stay where you are!¡± She heard footsteps approach. No! She needed her staff. She needed to fight them off before she could summon the fog again. Distantly, she could still hear gunfire and shouts and explosions. She could feel her fog thinning, dissipating to a morning mist. How many would die because she¡¯d been interrupted? ¡°We arrest Maros.¡± Rinlee stepped in front of Waldyn. ¡°I said we¡¯re not discussing it.¡± Enoa could not risk reaching for the staff, but if she could focus on the moisture, on the water, could she move the weapon back to her? Could she slide the weapon across the mud? She took control of the liquid that poured from the truck. She stopped it from leeching into the soil. She forced it to pool under the staff. The footsteps came closer. ¡°I won¡¯t fight you, Brielle,¡± Maros said. ¡°But you have to know there is no justice in the Liberty Corps. If no one could challenge Sloan¡¯s butchery, there is no law worth saving, not with them.¡± ¡°With them?¡± Rinlee¡¯s cool command slipped. Her voice rose. She infused those two words with a manic edge. Enoa stopped struggling with the water when Maros screamed. This was agony she heard, the instinctual reaction to sudden pain, pain enough to overwhelm the senses. Enoa turned back to the confrontation. A spear protruded from Maros¡¯s shoulder. He collapsed. She didn¡¯t know whether Waldyn had aimed to wound only, or if Maros had partially-succeeded in dodging. But Waldyn failed to dodge. Agent Racz drew a revolver and fired it, without threat or warning. He sent a bullet directly into Waldyn¡¯s unarmored throat. Then he aimed his revolver at Rinlee. Waldyn released a squelching gurgle and crumpled into the dirt. ¡°You¡¯ve signed your own death sentence.¡± Major Rinlee aimed her spear toward Racz. ¡°Choosing your friend over the Corps. Choosing conspiracy over the Corps. Killing a superior officer. Murder.¡± ¡°Kol¡¯s the best of us, Brielle,¡± Racz said. ¡°We both know it. No one is more loyal than him. If he turned his back on the Liberty Corps, I trust him. You and me, we¡¯re just survivors, but Kol¡¯s a good person. I¡¯m taking him away from here, and I will kill you too if you try to stop me. Don¡¯t make me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not quick enough to survive killing me, Mr. Racz,¡± Rinlee said. ¡°Same goes for you,¡± Racz said. ¡°You spent months on your floating nails, but a gun works just as well. And don¡¯t forget, I can easily turn my transponder into an S.O.S. that¡¯ll call Gregory. Let him know you¡¯re a threat to Cloud, and he¡¯ll have you in a dozen pieces. He killed Nine-flails. What chance have you got?¡± Maros moaned. There was something childlike about the sound, so desperate that Enoa forgot her hatred. She looked across the earth toward him, her contemporary, facing death for aiding Littlefield. But then she heard one of the Liberty Corps officers take another step toward her. If she was going to have any chance, it was now. She needed to fight now. Enoa summoned her staff. The individual molecules of water flowed toward her, bringing the staff with it. She raised her head above the pooling liquid and closed her fingers around her aunt¡¯s weapon. The warm thrill raced up her arm. The certainty of her own power returned with it. ¡°Drop the staff!¡± An officer screamed at her. Enoa pulled her cloak shut and jumped to her feet. She saw clearly the officer who approached her. He ran, the floating cart of iron beside him. A long metal spear peeled away from the block. It floated in the air, keeping pace with the officer as he charged. The blade flew at Enoa. It met her staff and the explosion that bloomed from the tip. The projectile fell to the ground, misshapen slag. ¡°That used to be so hard to do.¡± Enoa smiled, sweetly. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty good at it now.¡± ¡°Cover Racz!¡± Rinlee yelled. The second of the unnamed officers raised his hands. Small pieces of iron floated around him, all aimed toward Racz. ¡°I¡¯ve been hoping to meet you, Cloud.¡± Rinlee stepped away from Maros and Racz. She pointed her spear at Enoa. ¡°I¡¯m busy right now,¡± Enoa said. ¡°So I don¡¯t really have any time to talk. If you plan on trying to hurt me, please go for it so I can beat you and get back to work.¡± Major Rinlee threw her spear. Enoa expected it and struck it aside with another blast from the staff. The officer who¡¯d attacked Enoa before shaped himself a wall from the block of iron. He stood behind the barricade, out of sight. Enoa had no time to savor her growing strength or wonder about her enemies¡¯ maneuver. Rinlee¡¯s spear throw was only a feint. The Major ran at her. The other woman shaped blades as she charged, throwing them at Enoa, alternating hands, a continuous barrage of iron. Enoa felt a strange tingling at the nape of her neck, like she sensed a vibration outside the range of her hearing. Could she physically feel the Shaping of others? Enoa blocked the first four knives with staff blasts, aided by her calm mind and the odd sensation. She¡¯d found a rhythm to her explosions. When she¡¯d blasted Maros, it had been instinct. Now, after weeks of daily training, she understood what she was feeling. She understood the strain of rapid transmutation. She understood the intense mental energy behind the combustion. But each explosion weakened her. By the fourth blast, the knife was only redirected, rather than destroyed. When Rinlee threw a fifth blade, Enoa jumped out of the way. She fell again, to the dirt. She wished she¡¯d started the martial arts portion of her self-defense training. Rinlee stopped throwing knives. Was the mental metallurgy as tiring as Enoa¡¯s own defense? The Major kept her eyes on Enoa but didn¡¯t run toward her, instead aiming for the hovering cart. The metal unfurled itself from the block in thin strips, like a spool of unraveling thread. The metal wrapped around Rinlee¡¯s body, from her boots to her helmet, like some horror-movie mummy. But the metal solidified into a single mass of armor, like the full-body covering Daniel Tucker had performed in his battle with Orson. The officer who had conjured the wall stepped from behind the barricade. He raised his hands. The remainder of their iron supply formed more walls. They planted themselves in the ground, segment-after-segment, surrounding Enoa. Major Rinlee stepped around the hovering cart, her face concealed. How could she see in there? How could she breathe? ¡°After what you did to Mr. Maros,¡± Rinlee said. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be a challenge, but you¡¯re just a little girl.¡± Needle-sized iron pieces flew free of Rinlee¡¯s armor. A dozen of them launched out of the metal covering and sped at Enoa. The Anemos explosions ¨C at least the ones she could wield ¨C could not stop so many targets. Enoa turned away from the barrage. The metal pummeled her cloak and the armor hidden inside it. The beautiful fabric of her parting gift from Nimauk tore where the iron struck it. She could feel the slivers moving inside the fabric, searching for a way in, searching for a way to reach her flesh. Enoa backed away toward her trucks, until her shoes sloshed through the mud and pooling water. Should she run and abandon the trucks, abandon her attempt to create the fog? Rinlee¡¯s needles could likely chase her down. ¡°What do the Nimauk believe in, Enoa Cloud?¡± Major Rinlee approached her. ¡°Does your tribe believe in an afterlife? Will you see your aunt when I kill you?¡± No, she couldn¡¯t die, killed by the Liberty Corps, killed by the people who would rob her, people who would kill anyone, even their own. When the next barrage came, Enoa braced herself. She called to the falling water, the liquid pooled at her feet, the sweat that beaded on her skin, to the slight moisture in the dry air. She called to Anemos and Aunt Sucora¡¯s teachings. With her mind strong, she could wield a power to match Rinlee¡¯s needles. Enoa had learned enough to know her limits and avoid them. Now, she had no reason to fear exhaustion. She would either leave this place exhausted or dead. She lost herself in her breathing and left the fear behind her. Enoa wielded the cycles of the world against Major Rinlee. She found her belief, her own personal belief, in her aunt¡¯s teachings, in the strength that she had earned, in the ability granted to her by the universe. The water from the truck and the air and her body poured at Rinlee. The water divided into drops, all of them launched at velocities near sound. All of them transmuted into gas, bursting in explosive heat against Major Rinlee¡¯s armor. The Major tried another iron volley, but all needles were all obliterated. She tried to form a larger spear, but her entire body was overwhelmed by the blasts of water. The iron armor was torn apart, like a timelapse video of erosion. The explosive Anemos tore into the iron like locusts through a harvest or piranhas through meat. The iron was ripped to pieces. All but one of the barricades the other officer had formed collapsed inward, cannibalized in the Major¡¯s attempt to avoid the Bullet Rain. The water tore through the iron as soon as Rinlee could form it. Even when the entire spare iron supply joined together to protect the Major ¨C it still wasn¡¯t enough. Enoa turned the water into the barrage of an army, made the moisture of her own body into a weapon. The practiced, orderly Iron Shaping of the Liberty Corps had no counter for the ferocity of Sucora Cloud¡¯s great technique. Enoa felt herself fading away, an exhaustion so palpable it reached her even in her meditation, in the glade, far from harm and pain. Agent Racz bought her a moment to think. Enoa heard the gunshot and the screaming, but she couldn¡¯t place the sound. Her eyes could see the other Liberty Corps Shaper, the one who Rinlee had put on guard duty, collapse, unmoving to the ground. Her eyes saw the wall-building Shaper send two daggers flying at Racz. Enoa¡¯s eyes saw the daggers fail when they slammed into a glowing, blue wall, living energy, like her shield. But neither one of them had brought a shield device. Was it Shaping of some kind? She couldn¡¯t tell. The tingling was constant from the ongoing strain of Rinlee¡¯s technique. When the light cleared, fading from opaque to translucent, her eyes could see the silhouettes of Maros and Racz, charging up the incline together, fleeing. The light followed them as they escaped. Enoa¡¯s eyes could see all of those things, but she couldn¡¯t process the information. She couldn¡¯t comprehend anything other than the immediate truth ¨C Major Rinlee and the wall-builder had looked away from her. Their attention was gone. Enoa sent a last blast of Bullet Rain at Major Rinlee. The other woman formed iron shields from the palms of her hands, but the Anemos bored through the gathering defense, chewing at the armor until it reached the Major¡¯s flesh. Rinlee screamed and ran. She sprinted away from the barrage, her armor still chipping away under the power of the Bullet Rain torrent. The wall-builder sent his last wall, his last defense, sliding across the ground at Enoa. It was a desperate move, using his only shield as a projectile. Enoa was so tired that the wall almost pinned her against the truck. She staggered out of the way. Her Bullet Rain ceased, her mind and will totally exhausted. The projectile wall slammed into the nearest water truck. The almost empty tanker rang like a bell when the iron struck it. The whole truck wobbled and Enoa thought it was about to topple over. One of its tires popped. Enoa jumped at the noise and looked toward it, but the truck had righted itself. When Enoa turned her attention back to Major Rinlee, she and the wall-builder were both in the far distance. The builder was half-carrying the Major as they fled, on foot, away from the battle, into the desert. Maros and Racz were already out of sight. Enoa was left alone with the bodies of the two Liberty Corps Shapers. She almost collapsed. Her legs nearly gave out, as they had after her previous battles, with Maros and with Brett Nalrik. She kept her footing, but only barely. She knew exhaustion would soon take her. That was inevitable. She couldn¡¯t resist for long. Enoa had only one possible shelter with her mirage and energy shields depleted and her mind almost broken. She had just enough sense left to climb inside the cab of a water tanker. Enoa had two thoughts. Hide. Rest. Hide. Rest. She hid and used the last of her strength to close and lock the cab door behind her. She lay across the bucket seats, but before she rested, she had a third and final thought. Captain Maros had betrayed the Liberty Corps. The man who had destroyed her home had given up his entire world to save the homes and lives of Littlefield. 81 - The Astronaut Orson realized, before the Shapers did, that the fog was thinning. His HUD informed him of the change, a clinical assessment of cloud-cover density. The grams-per-cubic-meter reading began to decrease in a green numerical readout at the bottom right of his vision. For the first time since he¡¯d drawn his sword, Orson had no idea what to do or how to proceed. Enoa might be danger. Maybe the exertion of prolonged Shaping had exhausted her. That was the best possibility. He couldn¡¯t let himself think about the alternatives. The final four Shapers were still lobbing jagged iron spikes at him. Orson activated his comm. ¡°Wayfarer One to Wayfarer Two.¡± No response. ¡°Enoa, do you hear me?¡± Still nothing, but that didn¡¯t surprise him. She was often unreachable while shaping. But if the fog was dissipating, was she still shaping? He would have to reach her, in person. But if he fled with the fog clearing, he could be followed. Even his infrared sensor was limited by the density of the cool moisture. He couldn¡¯t be totally sure how many Liberty Corps fighters were still alive somewhere under the shroud. Orson changed his comm channel. ¡°We need to pull back the defenders, Aesir. I¡¯m using the lantern. We need to end this now.¡± He could barely hear himself speak. Could Eloise or Jaleel hear him? He had survived long minutes of battle without uttering a word. He had nothing more to say to the Liberty Corps. No mockery was more demoralizing than what he¡¯d already done to them. He didn¡¯t focus on the immense noise, the constant hail of bullets from the Littlefield defenders, the haphazard counterstrikes from the Liberty Corps. The Littlefield shield still cycled on and off, its overworked computer trying to repel the Corps projectiles, while allowing the defenders¡¯ barrage to pass through. The generator¡¯s electric whine was like one hundred taxed fluorescent lights. All these noises and the inevitable shouts and cries of battle had passed into the back of Orson¡¯s mind as he analyzed the Shaper attack and cut his way through their midst. Fighting that way was all that kept him on his feet. It was all that kept him from focusing on the pain in his forehead and temples and eyes. He could not let himself concentrate on the migraine, not while fighting and strategizing. ¡°Hello?¡± Eloise yelled. Her voice was loud enough to send a fresh wave of pain through him, radiating down his spine and along his limbs. ¡°Orson, what did you say?¡± But Orson could not respond. The four remaining Shapers had formed two-meter-tall walls, all barbed with spikes. They surrounded Orson and ran at him, spikes aimed to crush him. A number of Rifle Corps troops filled the air above with bullets and small rockets. Orson rerouted power into his repulsor and flew free of the walls. The Shapers realized too late and slammed their iron spikes together, in a grinding crash. The Shapers stumbled away, dazed. Orson flew at top speed, in a single arc around the iron walls. The sword of fire met all four sets of white armor. There were still three or four Shapers missing ¨C if the warning telegram were accurate ¨C but he¡¯d dispatched all the others. ¡°I said.¡± Orson fixed his comm. ¡°You need to pull back the defenders. I have to use the lantern and end this. The fog is clearing.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eloise said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Do you think someone found her?¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°Orson, do you think someone found Enoa? Did you call her?¡± ¡°You know how she is when she¡¯s shaping.¡± Orson didn¡¯t need any loud panic. He was having enough trouble thinking. ¡°It might be nothing.¡± ¡°You need to go there,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We need to go there now! Eloise! We need to go there!¡± ¡°I know!¡± Orson said. ¡°Jaleel, you need to breathe. I¡¯m working on this.¡± The fog was visibly thinner now. He could see the silhouettes of larger vehicles in the gloom. He couldn¡¯t see motion, not yet, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before the survivors were visible. ¡°That¡¯s why I need to use the lantern. There¡¯s no time to let them decide to give up. They¡¯ve all had their chance.¡± ¡°Can the Aesir¡¯s microphone get loud enough for the survivors to hear us?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°If you actually use that fire, you could hurt our people, Orson. Lemme try something else?¡± ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing¡­¡± Orson didn¡¯t get to finish the sentence. ¡°Attention Liberty Corps!¡± Eloise¡¯s voice blasted out of the Aesir, a thunderous shout borne down from the sky, like the words of some mythic goddess. Orson almost placed his hands over his ears. If she¡¯d given him a moment of warning, he would¡¯ve retrieved his kazoo¡¯s earplugs. ¡°The battle is over,¡± Eloise said. ¡°We¡¯re done fighting. You have one minute to leave the fog and throw down your arms. If you continue to fight, then you¡¯ll all be incinerated.¡± * * * Kol almost fell into thought fatigue before Duncan could guide him back to his station wagon. Only the terror kept him awake through his agony and exhaustion. He had betrayed the Liberty Corps and Brielle knew it. If Duncan hadn¡¯t intervened, he would be dead. If Enoa Cloud hadn¡¯t bested Brielle, she and Duncan would have come to violence. How long had it been since he¡¯d imagined a future with Brielle, a future after he¡¯d triumphantly found the Dreamside Road for the Liberty Corps? Now, all those thoughts were impossible dreams. Kol could no longer unravel the web of his hopes and wants. He finally gave up on the strange shield he¡¯d summoned to protect them. For the second time, he¡¯d shaped without understanding how. Even while he did it, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the muscle or place of strength that guided this ability. He couldn¡¯t tell how he was wielding the power. He feared when he let it go, he would not find it again. But he couldn¡¯t hold on. He relaxed, and he knew, without any confirmation from his phyical senses, that the energy had faded away. Kol almost collapsed. He was running on autopilot, swinging his legs purely from muscle memory, allowing Duncan to guide him wherever he would, without any thought or consideration. ¡°You hanging in there?¡± Duncan now carried the duffle bags from the rover. Kol rested his left arm over his friend¡¯s shoulder ¨C the arm without the wound. Kol looked at his right shoulder for the first time since they¡¯d fled. He saw only the torn fabric of the borrowed serape and his tunic beneath it. The spear was gone. He saw no blood. Kol hadn¡¯t noticed the spear¡¯s removal. How was it gone? Why didn¡¯t the wound bleed? Duncan couldn¡¯t have removed it, could he? Even with his mind occupied by shaping, wouldn¡¯t he still have felt the blade¡¯s removal? It had been in too deep to just fall out. He knew that. He could remember it entering his shoulder. He could still feel the depth of the wound. Why didn¡¯t it bleed? This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Spear?¡± he asked. ¡°Spear gone?¡± ¡°Yeah, Tarzan, the spear is gone,¡± Duncan said. ¡°It fell out when you saved us from getting skewered. The blade was melted by that energy you made. Are you alright, or are you in that weird Shaper hangover?¡± Thought Fatigue ¨C that¡¯s what Brielle had called it. Yes, Kol knew that was coming. Soon he would have no choice but to rest. It wasn¡¯t fair to Duncan. He had lost him so much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kol said. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve listened to you. If I just left and gave up, we¡¯d be long gone by now. But I knew if I did, we wouldn¡¯t get another shot.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t get another.¡± Kol tried to quip, but the words came out muddled. Duncan nodded at the top of the incline. ¡°You can rest soon. I¡¯m parked just over there.¡± Sure enough, when they crested the long rise of dusty ground, Kol saw the old station wagon, parked in clear view. Even with Duncan¡¯s help, Kol staggered. Duncan half-dragged him to the back of the antique vehicle. Kol leaned against the rear door. He had none of the medicine Brielle¡¯s people had given him during his last Shaping-exhaustion ¨C Neurzodone. Did he need it to recover? Even that fear was dim and distant. It lacked the adrenaline-fueled energy that drove the body¡¯s fight-or-flight instinct. Without that, it was just a vague concern, like the sensation of forgetting some small task. Duncan released him when he got a grip on the vehicle¡¯s roof rack. Without the need to run, to force his body into motion, Kol focused on the distant wails and gunfire of the still-raging battle. He heard a humming sound, something in the sky, over the road. With the airships gone, it could only be the Aesir. Kol fought the urge to look for the flying transport. Who was piloting it with Gregory on the ground? What could Kol do if the pilot saw him and decided to kill him? He had no hope of escape, and they had no idea what he¡¯d done, what he¡¯d lost to save Littlefield. If it was his fate to be killed by the very people he¡¯d given everything to save, he didn¡¯t want to know it. Duncan unlocked the station wagon and returned to guide him. Kol pressed his entire left side against the vehicle and slid toward the front passenger¡¯s seat. Duncan kept him upright and helped his limp feet find purchase on the soil. Kol struggled to get into the seat. Duncan had to crouch down, shove him inside, and lift his legs into the vehicle. Kol tried to buckle his own seatbelt, but his wound made its presence known. The sensation of the gaping opening was worse than the pain ¨C the wrongness of it. Kol shuddered. ¡°The battle is over!¡± A woman¡¯s voice boomed out of the sky, from the Aesir. ¡°We¡¯re done fighting. You have one minute to leave the fog and throw down your arms. If you continue to fight, then you¡¯ll all be incinerated.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Duncan said. ¡°That¡¯s Corwin¡¯s daughter. We need to be long gone when her minute is up.¡± ¡°Eloise Corwin?¡± Kol asked. ¡°She was in the original Aesir crew.¡± Duncan buckled him in place. Then he rounded the driver¡¯s side. Kol tried to look over his shoulder, down the incline, toward whatever remained of the War Force and the battle, toward Littlefield and the corpses of Nine-flails and Governor Sloan. Was Brielle lying dead there? Had Enoa killed her? Kol might never know. ¡°You should¡¯ve left me.¡± Kol managed the full sentence when Duncan climbed inside. ¡°Don¡¯t start with that.¡± Duncan put his key in the ignition. ¡°Don¡¯t. I meant what I said to Brielle. I was happy to save your ass, but if you whine about me leaving you behind then I really will turn you in, do you hear me?¡± Kol had nothing to say to that. With the weight of his recent decisions, with his mind on the brink of collapse, there were no words. ¡°Did you fall asleep?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep until I know where I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Get Max,¡± Kol said. ¡°And where do you have Max?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°Oh Christ, you don¡¯t have him back at Sloan¡¯s camp, do you? Please tell me you didn¡¯t commit treason and leave your brother in the camp?¡± ¡°Inn,¡± Kol said. ¡°Inn off Sixty-six. Card.¡± He tried to motion backward, toward the duffles. ¡°In bag.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Duncan started the engine. ¡°We¡¯ll go far away from here and then I¡¯ll dig it out, okay?¡± He chuckled. ¡°You know, maybe I like you not being my superior officer. I get to be mean to you again.¡± Kol couldn¡¯t joke. They were leaving. They were leaving everything behind. They¡¯d been barely eighteen when they¡¯d joined the Liberty Corps. They¡¯d spent their entire adult lives serving, and it had ended in one of the worst ways possible. His body managed a surge of adrenaline. The fear and the enormity of the road ahead was too much even for the thought fatigue. Duncan pointed the station wagon away from Littlefield and the road of corpses. ¡°Hang on. This won¡¯t be a comfortable drive.¡± * * * Dozens of Liberty Corps troops poured from the rear of the fog. Most threw down their weapons and ran back along the road, away from Littlefield and its defenders. Only a handful presented themselves for capture, willingly surrendering to the people they¡¯d come to exterminate. By then, the fog cleared enough to give Orson¡¯s HUD an infrared scan of the roadway. He saw only forty-odd heat signatures, much too few to overwhelm the Aesir or the defenders. Orson flew to Enoa. He launched himself directly over the southern line of defenders. They¡¯d ceased fire for the surrender and glanced up at him, as he passed over. He crested a high arc above the point of the incline where they¡¯d situated Enoa and the water tankers. Enoa was gone. Orson saw no one ¨C no one alive ¨C only two Shaper corpses. Two of his missing Shapers were dead ¨C still one or two missing. He found the water trucks alone and damaged, their tanks punctured full of holes. The ground around them was littered with metal shards and pieces, most melted. A Liberty Corps hover-cart, of the kind used by Nine-flails¡¯s caddy, floated only feet from one of the water trucks. A strange burn marked the ground and rose out of sight, up the incline. It was too level, too consistent for fire, and flame was unlikely to spread along bald dirt. What appeared to be an astronaut helmet lay on the ground, beside the burn. The plastic, imitation helmet looked familiar to Orson, but he couldn¡¯t place it. ¡°Is she okay?¡± Jaleel asked through the comm. ¡°Orson, what¡¯s happening?¡± Orson peered under both water tankers. He found one of them had burst a tire, but still no sign of Enoa. Even his HUD¡¯s footprint-distinguishing capabilities gave him nothing. The ground was too disturbed by footsteps and the acts of Shaping. The ground around the tankers was all mud, as if the trucks had exploded. It was Shaping too, Anemos, not one of the Liberty Corps iron techniques. Enoa Cloud, wherever she was, had displayed a new level of skill. ¡°I think she¡¯s taking her post-showdown nap.¡± Orson¡¯s HUD infrared sensor finally caught a glimpse of red, the barest hint. Even his souvenir strider-head worked only so well through truck¡¯s doors. ¡°Or she¡¯s sleeping on the job.¡± ¡°Do you mean that thing where she passes out?¡± Jaleel asked. He said something to Eloise, away from the comm. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you posted.¡± Orson nudged the cab¡¯s door handle. Locked. ¡°I don¡¯t have the key to the tanker trucks. I think she¡¯s in there. Damn, I hate picking locks. Eloise, do you remember that skeleton key Ophion lent me?¡± ¡°How long until we can go there?¡± Jaleel asked. Eloise spoke, again out of earshot. ¡°Listen, I can get it open.¡± Orson rifled through the items in his pockets. Had he brought any of his investigatory set? ¡°Well, maybe¡­¡± The infrared shape in the cab moved, rising into a sitting position. Enoa¡¯s face came into view through the window. She opened the driver¡¯s side door. Enoa slumped against the driver¡¯s seat, her cloak shredded, heavy bags under her eyes. She looked otherwise unharmed, but Orson could see the weakness in her limbs, the physical exhaustion from her spiritual exertion. ¡°Orson,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I couldn¡¯t keep the Midnight Sight and fight Maros¡¯s girlfriend at the same time. I tried.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about any of that,¡± Orson said. ¡°We won. How are you?¡± ¡°The astronaut came after me,¡± she said. ¡°The astronaut from Nimauk. I just realized who he was! Do you remember the astronaut? He works for Maros. The astronaut wanted my key to the Dreamside Road but Maros didn¡¯t want it and then Maros¡¯s girlfriend got here and she almost killed all of us.¡± ¡°Man Bun was here?¡± Orson usually had a policy of not questioning the delirious, drunk, or extremely ill, but he couldn¡¯t restrain himself. ¡°Man Bun was in the War Force?¡± Maros had hunted them across the continent? Chasing him around the east coast was one thing, but had Orson underestimated the tenacity of the young captain? ¡°Is Maros one of the people dead out here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°They were killed by the astronaut, by Racz.¡± Orson ran out of time for questioning. The Aesir had completed its work with the Liberty Corps surrender. It hurtled from the sky, landing beside the tanker. Its door swung open, and Jaleel and Eloise ran out. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jaleel squeezed around Orson and lifted Enoa from the cab. She looked smaller in his arms, like she¡¯d lost some of herself in whatever battle she¡¯d seen. He looked about to carry her back into the Aesir. ¡°Did you fight those men over there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, thanks,¡± she said. He turned sideways to carry her back into the Aesir. ¡°I, uh, I really appreciate it, Jaleel, but I think it would be easier if you help me walk.¡± Jaleel set her back on her feet. She almost toppled over, until he caught her again. He looked frightened but her expression stayed mostly dazed. ¡°What happened here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Oh, uh, right,¡± Enoa said. ¡°The astronaut, he killed those men. He shot them. But I almost forgot. None of you know yet.¡± ¡°Whatever it is,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If you¡¯re okay, it can wait.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t wait,¡± she said. ¡°Captain Maros sent the telegram. It was him. He warned Littlefield about the attack. We need to find him and the astronaut. If the Liberty Corps gets them, they¡¯ll kill them both.¡± 82 - Eight Max Maros ordered himself a cheese omelet at the Southway Inn¡¯s Courtyard Restaurant. He ate and idly paged through the same battered, paperback thriller he¡¯d carried in the bottom of his luggage for the past five years. Max had lost his taste in fiction. After all he¡¯d been forced to see, the real world was too strange to humor the make-believe. But the book and the brunch were both for show, something to get him out of his room. He¡¯d heard the voices from his room¡¯s open window, locals and travelers alike, sharing news and rumor from the battle on the Mother Road. By the time he¡¯d visited the restaurant, purchased food, and found a place within earshot of the dozens-strong gathering, the assembly had already begun to relate recent updates. ¡°I heard from my grandkids in Ranford.¡± An old man sat in the center of the courtyard, a rabbit-eared radio held between his hands. ¡°They could see the smoke and the aircraft fighting in the sky.¡± ¡°Littlefield fought back then?¡± The second speaker was dressed for colder weather, in a hooded parka, not the unseasonable warmth of that region¡¯s springtime. ¡°I¡¯ve been staying with my aunt and uncle, and they have so much to say about that place.¡± ¡°Fought back?¡± The old man adjusted something on the radio. ¡°You listen to this. Minnie, darling, can you tell the Southway crowd what you just told me?¡± ¡°Hi, Pappy!¡± A light, distorted voice came from the radio. Max strained his ears to hear. He didn¡¯t want the attention he¡¯d get if he moved closer. The wheelchair always caught someone¡¯s notice, if for no other reason than people trying to stay out of his way. ¡°I can¡¯t hear!¡± A man called from the crowd. ¡°Turn it up, Willard!¡± The first old man waved at him and dialed up the volume. ¡°I was just about to call you,¡± Minnie continued, through the radio. ¡°Something else is happening. The Liberty Corps must¡¯ve given up. There must be a hundred Liberty Corps guys running along Sixty-Six. Half of them stripped out of their armor.¡± ¡°You and your brother are safe?¡± the old man, Willard, interrupted. ¡°Yes, Pappy,¡± Minnie said. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to call you. We went inside when the shooting started. Every time any of those Liberty Corps guys try to break off from the crowd, they don¡¯t get too far.¡± ¡°Not so tough now, are they?¡± A woman yelled from across the courtyard. Max glanced away from his book for the first time, trying to glimpse the mood. What did the locals think of the Liberty Corps? He found more glad expressions than he expected, but many were unreadable. The locals seemed too nervous to share opinions fully until they saw how the situation played out. ¡°Sloan will have all of us for this,¡± someone else added. ¡°If he wanted to destroy Littlefield just for them taking in those wayfarers, what¡¯ll the Governor do to the rest of us now. He¡¯ll have us under curfew. He¡¯ll have¡­¡± ¡°Sloan is dead,¡± Minnie said. ¡°That Aesir blew him up. It flew right down and blasted him.¡± Multiple spectators cheered, without reserve, almost daring someone to question them. ¡°I hope somebody got video of that.¡± A woman laughed in the crowd. ¡°I¡¯ll watch that one on repeat.¡± ¡°You better look out saying that too loud,¡± a naysayer added. ¡°With Sloan gone, it¡¯ll only get worse here. This¡¯ll come to a bad end. We¡¯d have all been better to give them our spare shit. Now it¡¯ll be a certified occupation.¡± Before anyone could argue, a roar came from the radio, a sound too intense for the device to process. The sound came through indistinct. It could have been anything. ¡°Are you kids okay?¡± Willard spoke after the roar subsided. His words were calm, but his voice was not. He spoke hastily and with a quaver that revealed his fear and his helplessness. ¡°We¡¯re just fine,¡± Minnie said. ¡°Group of Liberty Corps tried to peel off northbound and got blasted for their trouble. Sounded like somebody out here has some kinda grenade launcher.¡± ¡°Sounded like dynamite!¡± A courtyard spectator yelled. ¡°It did!¡± Minnie said. ¡°It might be the Liberty Corps cracks down after this. That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s also true that none of the War Force is going home today.¡± When a second explosion sounded over the radio, Max decided he¡¯d heard enough news. He finished his omelet and returned to his room. * * * ¡°Dammit, Orson!¡± The blurred head and shoulders of Pops Darlow came into view on the datapad screen, but Orson wasn¡¯t looking at him. He sat on the Aesir¡¯s couch, heating pad pressed to his face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you plan your ambush with me? I could¡¯ve had reinforcements over there in a couple of hours.¡± ¡°What would you have done?¡± Orson groaned and adjusted the heating pad across his eyes. The pain had subsided somewhat when he¡¯d powered down the HUD. He¡¯d shut down his system and peeled himself out of his sweat-soaked gear as soon as he was back in the Aesir. ¡°You¡¯re already stretched too thin. How many people could you really send, like a couple dozen, maybe? What difference would that do against a thousand troops, or however many came here?¡± ¡°If nothing else, I could have sent extra solar cells,¡± Pops said. ¡°Now you¡¯re stuck there with every energy source you have almost drained. You won, but what happens if that was just the first wave?¡± ¡°Pacific Alliance will be here overnight. They sped up their timetable.¡± Orson leaned back on the couch. He didn¡¯t lie down. He¡¯d broken out the muscle relaxers, and he knew from past experience that he could fall asleep mid-conversation if he had the safety to relax. ¡°Either the PA can protect this town, or it¡¯s in real trouble. My cells will be charged in a week or so. I need that long to rest, so does Enoa.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯ve got a next generation learning the ropes,¡± Pops said. ¡°The more up-and-comers learn to deal with folks like that Nine-flails, the better we¡¯ll be. This is a really shit time to be short-staffed.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a little young for that.¡± Orson had hoped this was just a check-in, but he¡¯d had enough ¡®glad you¡¯re alive¡¯ calls with Pops to know that this was something else. This was genuine concern and a hope to dissect details. ¡°Give them time to get acclimated and let the fun wear off.¡± ¡°The Hierarchia wasn¡¯t wrong to try to keep the anomalies in check,¡± Pops said. ¡°To say nothing about the War Force or the military and political stuff, just the Shaping needs to be kept in check by something. Without the League of Nations, there¡¯s no Enigma Guard, in case of a real emergency. The Aces are as hard to reach as ever. The friendly cloisters of weirdos are mostly unreachable too, even the folks at Evergreen. All of the individual anomaly specialists ¨C for want of a better name ¨C they¡¯re out of the game too, except yours truly.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Orson said. ¡°I know. It really sucks.¡± ¡°With the world getting wilder and weirder, and knowledge of high technology and extrasensory powers in the open, we¡¯re gonna have to do something if we want any kind of normalcy in our lifetimes.¡± He gave a laugh with no warmth. ¡°Or at least in mine.¡± ¡°Pops, do you really want my take on this, now?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I feel like someone split my skull open. Until that passes, I¡¯m not going to be very reassuring to your existential dread or whatever you have going on.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get to the point, so you can have your nap time.¡± Pops laughed, now with real humor. ¡°I have it on good authority that the Pacific Alliance is sending two agents to speak to you ¨C to you, in particular ¨C and I think you should throw them a bone, if they¡¯re any good.¡± ¡°Throw them a bone?¡± Orson pulled the heating pad from his face. The pulsing throb in his face had begun again. ¡°My last official sit-down with a governmental authority didn¡¯t go very well, if you remember.¡± Orson angled the datapad back toward him and looked at Pops. He found the older man standing in his hidden armory room, but he knew this because he recognized the plain walls. Nothing of any real interest was in view, nothing that could get the attention of anyone trying to watch the transmission of their conversation. ¡°I remember,¡± Pops said. ¡°But I hoped you were getting to a pragmatic age where you¡¯d let some grudges behind you. We¡¯re rascals Orson, but we¡¯ve got to accept that there¡¯s eventually going to be a real authority in the world. We¡¯d better help make sure it¡¯s a good one.¡± ¡°What exactly do you want me to tell them? Do you want me to share my experiences with the Liberty Corps, or are you thinking of the Dreamside Road?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking you should read the room. Hear them out. Get them in writing and show that writing to me and mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hear them out.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°But I¡¯m not playing along with some intelligence suit or Hierarchia-wannabe crap. No way.¡± ¡°You really are in a mood, aren¡¯t you?¡± Pops sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really am. I should just congratulate you and let you rest. How are the Corwins? How¡¯s the rest of your crew?¡± ¡°They¡¯re okay. They¡¯re all okay. Enoa is getting some IV fluids to help her with that exhaustion she gets. Jaleel and Wesley, their little pet aeropine, are with her.¡± ¡°Aeropine?¡± Pops asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a flying porcupine, one of Kappa¡¯s creations. Now there are a couple domesticated, modified animals around in this town. That could get troubling depending on how interested in the old IHSA research the PA reps will be.¡± Orson hadn¡¯t considered this before. He hadn¡¯t considered all the ways things could go poorly once the Pacific Alliance set up shop, all the complicated nuances of keeping a civilization. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Pops said. ¡°Eloise has a strange dog, doesn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Dino, yeah.¡± ¡°I bet their spirits weren¡¯t too high after the second fight for the future of their town, in only a little more than a decade.¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine. Mr. Corwin¡¯s fine. It¡¯s going to be an interesting few weeks, until the road gets cleaned up and until things get situated with the Alliance, but it¡¯s probably the best way this could go. I just think I need to move my Dreamside Road search out of here as soon as possible. Once we rest and get in touch with our contact, I might move my base of operations to another local safe house. Maybe I¡¯ll pay Teddy a visit. I need to take advantage of this lag while the Liberty Corps is too scattered to hunt after us or the trove.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no lag.¡± Pops shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the other thing I need to tell you about, but I was really hoping to get you into a better frame of mind before I did.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Western Baron Helmont put out a message on old Cold War number stations. He didn¡¯t even try to make this covert. Helmont¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name before,¡± Orson said. ¡°It was in that telegram we got, the one that Enoa said Man Bun sent us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting to the telegram.¡± Pops nodded. ¡°Helmont put all commands on high alert. They¡¯re making some kind of move to gather the eight Dreamside Road keys ¨C keys plural, Orson, so let that sink in for you.¡± ¡°I know there are multiple keys. I have one. Enoa has one. I¡¯m not too surprised they had several people who could access the Dreamside Road.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get you a transcription of the message, but that¡¯s not it. Helmont seems to think you need all eight to unlock the trove. You and Enoa are holding on to a quarter of them. And if you¡¯re right that those detectors that Tucker made can track them¡­¡± Orson stood from the couch and walked to the other side of the cabin. He suppressed the impulse to rage. Eight keys? Eight ¨C so whatever was on the island, even if it was the Dreamside Road trove, they couldn¡¯t actually unlock it there. Instead of mopping up an old IHSA loose end, he was caught in a possibly international treasure hunt. ¡°Don¡¯t pace yet,¡± Pops said. ¡°Don¡¯t. It gets better. Helmont is a Shaper, of some kind, and he¡¯s not like these young ones. He¡¯s been at it for decades. He¡¯s old Hierarchia, with eleven other knights, like that Adrian you fought, working for him. All of them are after these keys now.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to learn a lot more about these keys.¡± Orson drew his own key and held it at the top of the Thousand-Point Compass, waiting until the uppermost needle spun toward the medallion. ¡°We¡¯ll need to hide and regroup, and be educated about where these keys are. I mean, there weren¡¯t that many Dreamthought Project members. We can find them before the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°One more thing,¡± Pops said. ¡°Before you get off to the races.¡± ¡°What else?¡± Orson returned to his seat beside the datapad. ¡°I wish now I¡¯d taken those sleeping pills Eloise offered me. I won¡¯t sleep for a week with all this shit.¡± ¡°Enoa wasn¡¯t delirious.¡± Pops spoke over him. ¡°It looks like Captain Kolben Maros really did send the telegram, or at least Helmont thinks so. He¡¯s put out a call for his arrest with a charge of treason. He¡¯s also looking for a Maxwell Maros ¨C I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s a relative ¨C and a Duncan Racz.¡± ¡°The astronaut,¡± Orson said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is all real.¡± Orson couldn¡¯t imagine what had happened to turn Maros away from the Liberty Corps. Was murder the line for him? If it was, why had he accepted Tucker¡¯s murders and attempted murders. ¡°We have to try to find those guys. If they really helped us, we have to look for them.¡± ¡°We probably don¡¯t have a lot of time. Every Liberty Corps operative working will have their picture by the end of the day, and Helmont sent half of his knights to bring them in.¡± 83 - Top Men Robert R. Corwin, Jr. had watched his marriage end in the years following destabilization. Littlefield¡¯s renewed isolation had altered his future as much as any world-devastating weaponry. Rob often flew a single-engine plane between Littlefield¡¯s makeshift airstrip and the former state capitol in Sante Fe, where his twin daughters lived with his ex-wife. Rob had earned his pilot¡¯s license just before licenses lost their relevance. He¡¯d learned on a whim. If Eloise could be a pilot, why couldn¡¯t he? It was a convenient way to travel, faster and safer than making the long trip on empty highways. He¡¯d gotten adept at flying or at least at that particular flight. Rob was used to the vast landscapes beneath him, seeing his home terrain from the unique aerial viewpoint. He¡¯d seen the post-battle devastation at one of the regional oil fields. He often saw strange ramshackle villages growing in the open desert, as nomads or fugitives ¨C now with far greater options, began building new lives. Rob saw how small Littlefield truly was. He¡¯d known that all his life, but he emotionally processed the scale of the world only when he saw it from the air. None of these sights prepared him for witnessing the devastation on old 66. Rob was situated in a crash seat aboard the Pacific Alliance Anti-Gravity Atmospheric Craft (AGAC). He sat beside two Alliance officials. One wore a military dress uniform, the other a suit. The officer, an older, graying and balding Colonel, named Musgrove, had introduced himself to Rob. The other man had not. The rear of the AGAC looked like it had been designed to resemble the interior of an office, with two desks and a few uncomfortable metal seats, all bolted to the floor. Each seat had an emergency switch that could signal the cockpit flight crew. Due to potential danger from Liberty Corps stragglers, Rob and the two Alliance officials sat in seats along one wall. Rob wasn¡¯t positioned beside a window, but he unbuckled and stood when Musgrove directed him to look out. The ship¡¯s inertial dampeners gave the view out the window an unnerving quality, as if he were watching a video of the world outside, as if he weren¡¯t really there. He felt no motion. Route 66 lay far beneath them, cast in the orange glow of early twilight. At first, Rob didn¡¯t recognize his home. He didn¡¯t notice the turnoff toward Littlefield or his hometown¡¯s lights glinting in the distance. He saw only the junkyard of smoking debris that covered what must have been a mile or miles of roadway below. The AGAC flew too high to distinguish any of the debris, but Rob could appreciate the scope of the devastation and the carnage. This was what remained of the War Force. This was what remained of the thousand-strong attack on Littlefield. ¡°Captain Gregory did this?¡± Musgrove asked. Rob didn¡¯t know the full intentions of the Pacific Alliance, and he knew just enough about Orson¡¯s trouble with the former federal government and the League of Nations that ¨C despite his gratitude to the man ¨C he would not entangle his own family with the scene below. ¡°He must have,¡± Rob said. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing he was here,¡± the unnamed official said. ¡°Mr. Corwin,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°When we land, we¡¯d like to conduct our meetings somewhere local. We think a town office would be more comfortable for everyone. Can you help us?¡± * * * Kol slept during the meandering trip back to Max¡¯s lodging. It was a deep, full sleep, impenetrable, without care or thought. He was groggy when Duncan shook him awake. He had enough presence of mind to be surprised by the setting sun ¨C he¡¯d been asleep all day ¨C and by the sight of Max¡¯s empty wheelchair beside the station wagon. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He¡¯d slept in the car all day? Kol allowed Duncan to guide him from the station wagon and into the wheelchair. His legs had strength. His muscles probably could have held him, but he was unsteady. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take the road with the evacuating forces,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Driving off-road took forever, and I circled around a few times, in case we were followed.¡± Then he closed and locked the station wagon, before wheeling Kol through the empty parking lot. ¡°How¡¯s Max?¡± Kol asked. ¡°He¡¯s just fine,¡± Duncan said. ¡°He¡¯s the happiest I¡¯ve seen him in¡­ I think he expected us to have our skulls bashed in by Nine-flails.¡± Kol fought his exhaustion. He wanted to see Max. He had survived the battle. He¡¯d survived Brielle, at least physically, and he¡¯d outlived Sloan and the War Force. Against all odds, he and Duncan had returned to Max, but the parking lot seemed impossibly long, and he dozed again. ¡°Do you remember the name of the drug Rinlee¡¯s people gave him during his last exertion?¡± Max¡¯s voice entered Kol¡¯s sleep and reminded him of his success and his survival. He¡¯d slept for some unknown duration, while Duncan returned him to Max¡¯s room. Kol knew hearing him speak would reassure his brother. ¡°Brielle called it Neuzodone.¡± When Max gripped Kol¡¯s hand, Kol knew it was him, and he knew the relief in the gesture. Max¡¯s hands had retained most of the calluses they¡¯d earned during his time in the Navy. Kol opened his eyes. He didn¡¯t know the expression on his brother¡¯s face. Max sat beside him in the room¡¯s desk chair. He had an odd look in his eyes, similar to the expression he¡¯d worn at their parents¡¯ funeral, fragile control. ¡°Well, he¡¯s alive,¡± Duncan said. ¡°What do we do now? ¡°I¡¯ve contacted an old friend of mine,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯ve known him since the Academy. I sent a coded telegram to San Francisco, where he¡¯s a Commander in the Pacific Alliance Navy. I asked him for help. With any luck, he will arrange a pickup for us, but if you agree to hide with the Alliance, your freedom will depend on whatever Liberty Corps secrets you choose to share.¡± * * * ¡°What do you think? Too formal?¡± Orson wore a sport coat he¡¯d forgotten he still owned, a pre-wayfarer garment that had never been laced with armor. He¡¯d ironed a shirt and found a tie. He carried no weapons ¨C or at least nothing that was created to be a weapon ¨C and a hand-me-down briefcase that held nothing more than a tiny audio player, with a single minute-long track in its memory. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Orson arrived in the Corwin house¡¯s infirmary and found his crew, the Corwin siblings, and Carlos. ¡°Man, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been in this room in ten years.¡± ¡°I hate this place so much,¡± Eloise said. ¡°After all the days I was here alone, I would chop this room right out of the building, if I could.¡± Carlos squeezed her hand. ¡°You were sick because of the same man who made Wesley and your Dino?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Eloise said. ¡°We were all just Kappa¡¯s playthings, me and my Dino and the aeropines. But I can take enough of the right medicine to feel normal now.¡± ¡°It must have been awful.¡± Enoa was no longer receiving IV, but she still had the port in her arm, and the assorted medical apparatus still stood around the bed. ¡°But I think this room is cozy.¡± ¡°I always thought it was nice too,¡± Carlos said. ¡°Not a lot of people can go to the hospital in their own house.¡± ¡°Orson, you look like a Rock Star who¡¯s getting sued,¡± Rob Corwin sat nearest the door. He¡¯d arrived the night before, aboard a Pacific Alliance aircraft. Orson had watched the Alliance convoy arrive under cover of darkness; a dozen hover tanks, three troop transports, five mobile all-purpose operations buildings, dozens of armored and armed military vehicles, and a motley selection of air support craft. Orson had watched the vehicles on the Aesir¡¯s sensors, arriving in town around the same time that the evacuees ¨C those who had fled prior to the battle ¨C had returned. Orson watched the Alliance with gratitude and with dread, a horrible mix of emotions. He felt high-strung and paranoid. Old frustrations, slights from dead governments and fallen civilizations came to mind, unfair thoughts, but they weighed on him, all the same. ¡°Thanks, Rob.¡± Orson nodded to the man. ¡°Always good to see you, too. How was your flight?¡± ¡°It was a smooth trip,¡± he replied. ¡°Their technology is pretty unbelievable. Sometimes I didn¡¯t even notice I was moving. They seem pretty happy with how things went here, but they¡¯re not gonna take your long-hair barbarian look as reassuring.¡± ¡°You look really stiff,¡± Carlos said. ¡°You need to relax a little bit, Orson. You helped save the town! The Alliance wouldn¡¯t have gotten here in time. Show them you¡¯re relieved. The jacket might be a little too tight in the shoulders, too.¡± ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of nice clothing, and I¡¯m not getting a haircut just to meet with a couple suits.¡± ¡°I think you look great, boss!¡± Jaleel sat beside Enoa. He was doubled over in the seat, not even looking at Orson, instead watching the spot on the floor where they¡¯d set up a bed for Wesley. Orson could hear the aeropine¡¯s chattering. The animal was apparently trying to leave his bed. ¡°We¡¯re all happy to see the Captain, but I think you should stay where you are, little man. Come on, Wesley.¡± ¡°They know who you are,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I think you would be better off in your adventure stuff, how you¡¯d be comfortable.¡± ¡°You think?¡± Orson smoothed out his jacket¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m meeting with them in the staff building, next door, so I don¡¯t think I have time to change. I¡¯ll just have to go with this. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m tired for longer, this time, but I guess that¡¯s normal.¡± ¡°I wanted to bring her films over here,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Her aunt has to say something about what happens when you work too hard with the Shaping, right? But she¡­¡± ¡°That would be a decidedly bad idea,¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°We don¡¯t want to watch any one-of-a-kind magic instruction videos where the Pacific Alliance might try to confiscate them. Enoa, if you¡¯re worried that you¡¯re not getting better fast enough, and you need to see your films, we¡¯ll need to move you back to the ship.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t trust anybody, Orson,¡± Alec Corwin said. ¡°Do you really think those agents would force their way in here and rob Enoa?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re anything like the agents I¡¯ve known, they wouldn¡¯t look at it as theft, and I¡¯d rather finish things here, in town, peacefully.¡± Orson knew he wouldn¡¯t leave with the welcoming vibes he¡¯d hoped for if he went to the meeting with his current attitude. ¡°I trust lots of people,¡± he added. ¡°I trust at least thirty or forty individual people.¡± ¡°Do you trust all of us?¡± Alec asked. ¡°I trust most of you, all the time,¡± Orson said. ¡°And all of you, most of the time. Some people, Alec, aren¡¯t as wary as I like to be.¡± ¡°Do you think there will be trouble, Orson?¡± Enoa sat up in the bed. ¡°Do we need to get ready to leave?¡± ¡°Wesley¡¯s cage is all set,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Whenever we need to go, we can go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Orson tried again to show relief he did not feel, the relief that he¡¯d lost during his call with Pops. Eight Dreamside Road keys existed out in the world. Baron Helmont, the Shaper, was after the keys with eleven knights. That didn¡¯t even touch on his unspoken fears. The Alliances would want their own Shapers to fight Helmont, wouldn¡¯t they? That¡¯s how arms races worked. He didn¡¯t want to vocalize that thought or think on it. The kind of psychic or magic arms race the old Hierarchia had feared might finally come to pass. ¡°I think everything will be fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried,¡± Eloise said. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from me, Orson. What¡¯s wrong? We won yesterday. I mean, how much better could that have gone?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Orson¡¯s wrong to keep his cards close to his chest,¡± Rob commented, before Orson could answer. ¡°There was a man on the flight over here who didn¡¯t introduce himself to me. He reminded me of the Hierarchia guys who showed up to the Kappa hearings, ten years ago. There¡¯s nothing wrong with being careful.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s more than just that,¡± Orson said. ¡°I want to pursue asylum for Man Bun and the astronaut. It¡¯s only right, but I know how this works. The Pacific Alliance will ¡®Operation Paperclip¡¯ them to safety, and they¡¯ll never see justice for what they did in Nimauk.¡± ¡°Do you really think that will happen?¡± Enoa asked. She was good at hiding her emotions, and she¡¯d gotten better since her Shaping training had commenced. Orson couldn¡¯t tell how she felt. He couldn¡¯t read her face. ¡°That¡¯s part of how the old IHSA was founded,¡± Orson said. ¡°Axis scientists ¨C Nazi scientists, were secretly hired by the U.S. and were given new lives by the Allies. They might have to live under different names or something, but if the Alliance thinks Man Bun can help in the struggle with the Liberty Corps, I have no doubt he¡¯ll get away with everything he did.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying the only choices we have are to let Maros get away with everything, or give him no help, even though the Liberty Corps has to be after him?¡± Enoa kept her unreadable expression. ¡°Basically,¡± Orson said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to mention this in front of everybody else, but I need to go now, and we need to decide what we¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°If this Maros guy burned down Enoa¡¯s house,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He can¡¯t just get away with that, even if he tried to help now.¡± ¡°I understand how you¡¯re feeling, Jaleel,¡± Carlos said. ¡°But if this Maros man sent the warning, he placed himself in incredible danger to help this town. If he has enough info to get asylum, he could have gotten that without the telegram.¡± Before the discussion could continue further, Orson set the briefcase on the side of Enoa¡¯s bed and opened it. Wesley flew up from the floor and landed beside the open briefcase. ¡°Keep an eye on him, Jaleel.¡± Orson didn¡¯t mean for his voice to sound so short or angry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ But if we aren¡¯t careful, those agents might decide they want to study Wesley or anything else they say is a danger to society, or any of the usual crap.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Rob said. ¡°I think they¡¯re most interested in you, actually, and your business.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Orson hit play and let the single stored track project out into the infirmary. ¡°This is Liberty Corps Western Baron Helmont, broadcasting across all channels.¡± A curt, professional voice, distorted and muffled like the audio had passed through a filter, spoke in the playback. ¡°All non-essential missions are currently placed on hold. All edicts and directives are halted, pending further instructions. There remain only two priorities. ¡°All operations that seek recovery of the Dreamside Road keys will continue. And any effort to locate the traitor, Kolben Maros, and his accomplices is now our primary objective. He must answer for his treason. Nothing else can continue until Maros faces the consequences of his betrayal. I have dispatched the remaining five southwestern knights to locate them. They will not escape me or my knights or their entries on my plummet ledger. When we next communicate, justice will be done.¡± The room¡¯s occupants stayed quiet after the recording ended. They had heard the voice of the man who had okayed Littlefield¡¯s destruction. ¡°You have to help them.¡± Enoa broke the silence. ¡°Save them, Orson, if you can.¡± 84 - The Rising Apprentice ¡°Max, I¡¯m already sick of this mock trial crap,¡± Duncan said. ¡°I think I¡¯d rather live in the woods.¡± ¡°Duncan, stop complaining,¡± Max said. ¡°What caused your defection, Mr. Racz?¡± Max¡¯s voice changed, slipping into his curt, professional speech-pattern. ¡°What suddenly made the Liberty Corps violence too much for you? It seems it was your concern for the wellbeing of your captain and friend that drove you away, and you were perfectly content to accept Corps rule until that moment.¡± Kol didn¡¯t know what woke him, and he faced the disorientation of total sleep. The warm glow of the afternoon sun shone through the hotel room¡¯s blinds. The events of the day before were real, the battle, his survival, his defection. ¡°Sleeping Beauty is still with us,¡± Duncan said. He and Max looked at him. They¡¯d heard him stir, or the change in his breathing. ¡°What have I missed?¡± Kol still felt the heaviness, the same weight of exhaustion he¡¯d felt before he went to sleep, but it had lessened. It was manageable. ¡°You¡¯re preparing for an interrogation?¡± ¡°How are you?¡± Max asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept that much since you were a baby.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± Kol felt better by the minute. He was waking slowly, but nothing caffeine wouldn¡¯t fix for him. But reality returned with wakefulness, the awareness of his reality. He¡¯d been too tired to absorb the truth or to feel its burden. He¡¯d betrayed the Liberty Corps. Brielle knew it. His two futures ¨C professional and personal, both were gone. ¡°I¡¯m awake now,¡± Kol said. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t need me for anything.¡± ¡°Nothing at all,¡± Max said. ¡°You boys did the hard work yesterday. Now, it¡¯s my turn to get us safe and back on track. I don¡¯t know how much you heard, but I¡¯m attempting to prepare Duncan for a potential Alliance interrogation.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s assuming that they have mind readers who will know my entire life story,¡± Duncan said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake, Kol. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d do real well seeking asylum with you comatose.¡± ¡°How long was I asleep?¡± Kol remembered nothing since their arrival, not getting in bed or the passage of time or any sound from the others. He sat up and was surprised to notice he wasn¡¯t hungry. In its place, a deep nausea was settling into the pit of his stomach. He didn¡¯t feel the churn in his belly when he stayed still. The room didn¡¯t wobble when he wasn¡¯t in motion. He didn¡¯t move. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep around twenty hours,¡± Max said. ¡°We have food you can reheat, but I think you should rehydrate first. Unfortunately, I have no information about anything called Thought Fatigue. I¡¯m afraid that the research the IHSA conducted in Shaping¡¯s physiological effects did not undergo the extensive peer-review research process that mainstream medicine follows.¡± ¡°Enoa Cloud passed out after she blasted me, didn¡¯t she?¡± Kol asked. ¡°It didn¡¯t kill her. I¡¯ll be fine in time to leave. What are our next moves with the Pacific Alliance? How long do I have to get ready?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way to know,¡± Max said. ¡°The Alliance has a huge amount of cleanup to attend to before they worry about us, but after this morning, I think there¡¯s a real sense of urgency. We don¡¯t have infinite time to send coded telegrams about what we know and what they¡¯re willing to do for us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have infinite time?¡± Kol sat up straighter and ignored the fresh wave of nausea. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Helmont sent his knights to find us,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Sorry, buddy, but the Baron knows what we did. He knows we betrayed them, and he¡¯s putting a lot of effort into tracking us down.¡± * * * ¡°Do you know how strict Orson is about power usage in here?¡± Jaleel entered the Aesir, carrying the few bags of Enoa¡¯s things that had been taken to the Corwin infirmary room. ¡°Uh,¡± Enoa followed him back into the ship. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to carry all of the bags. I¡¯m okay.¡± She wasn¡¯t. She still found her mind wandering, thinking about nothing, zoning out, even mid-sentence, unless she fought to keep herself focused. But she was better faster, days faster than she¡¯d expected. Enoa also wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about accepting constant help. Jaleel had been nothing but kind to her, but she¡¯d known him only weeks. For all she knew, he had some ¡®women are helpless¡¯ complex. But that wasn¡¯t likely with all of his sisters¡­ ¡°Okay.¡± Jaleel turned around, his hands still full. ¡°Where do you want everything?¡± Wesley flew from the cabin table and landed at Enoa¡¯s feet. He chirped and gave her an expectant look. ¡°I have to redo everything.¡± Enoa hit the door switch. After what Orson had said earlier about the scientific interest in Kappa¡¯s experiments, they definitely didn¡¯t want Wesley leaving the ship where the Alliance forces could see him. ¡°I guess, just put them all down between the bunk rooms, and I¡¯ll get them cleaned up before Orson gets back from his meeting with those Alliance guys.¡± She let Wesley sniff her fingers. ¡°How are you, sweetie? You were worried about me? Aww, well I¡¯m back. Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Hi, Wesley.¡± Jaleel walked further in the ship and dropped Enoa¡¯s bags next to her door. ¡°You¡¯re sure you feel okay?¡± He had a strange expression on his face, like he was deeply worried, almost scared. Did she seem that unwell? ¡°I always go through this when I work too hard with the Shaping.¡± She opened her bunk door and threw the lightest of the three bags onto her bed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything to worry about. I just need to keep up with the training and stop skipping ahead to do all this high-level stuff I¡¯m not ready for.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°You have to take care of yourself.¡± He leaned against the wall, beside her door. ¡°What would I do if you left me alone here? Everyone else we know on this adventure are grumpy old people.¡± ¡°Old people?¡± Enoa laughed. ¡°Look out. Orson will send you back to work on the Solar Saver if you call him an old person.¡± ¡°Orson loves me. And why would he send me back? You call him old all the time.¡± Wesley flew over to Jaleel. He sat on the floor beside the aeropine. ¡°I don¡¯t work for him, and I don¡¯t really mean it.¡± She lifted the second bag. This one took effort. She needed both hands. Why would exertion of her mind make her this physically tired? ¡°He¡¯s not old old,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But he¡¯s definitely older than us. He scares me a little bit! I have to make my twenties count if I¡¯m going to be like that in ten years, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you just get like Orson. He fought robots in an apocalypse war. Hopefully we never have anything that bad to deal with.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the years, honey.¡± Jaleel tried to talk in an affected voice, but couldn¡¯t keep a straight face. ¡°It¡¯s the mileage.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that one from?¡± Enoa opened the second bag and removed the smaller bag of yesterday¡¯s laundry. Then she slid her still-clean clothes back into drawers. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you, uh, that you don¡¯t casually call women honey.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jaleel waved both hands. ¡°My sisters would kill me. That¡¯s from Indiana Jones, you know, the movies from the eighties.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen those,¡± she said. ¡°Is that the one with the grave robber who runs into actual magic?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s an archaeologist and a professor. Well¡­ you¡¯re not totally wrong. But they¡¯re fun movies. They¡¯re kinda like hanging out with Orson, actually, without being in danger. We should watch them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I saw anything from before I was born, unless my aunt showed me, and she didn¡¯t do much fantasy stuff.¡± Enoa turned to her last bag. She tried to lift it. The bag barely budged. She groaned and slid it across the floor. ¡°Maybe because of her own life.¡± ¡°Indy does work for this shady government operation in the first one,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We should still watch those, though. That¡¯s what I was getting to when we walked in here. I thought maybe we could watch some movies while you¡¯re recuperating, but I don¡¯t know anything about the ship¡¯s power usage, and I hate taking advantage if we¡¯re tight.¡± ¡°We can watch some movies, sure,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine, but we¡¯ll check with Orson first, if you want.¡± ¡°We should totally start with Indiana Jones,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I have them on one of my hard drives. When I was little, I was one hundred percent sure it was based on a true story.¡± Enoa crouched down next to the last bag. ¡°I¡¯m sorry they¡¯re all so full. I didn¡¯t know what to take, and then Orson and I didn¡¯t want to go through your personal stuff, so we had Eloise pack some of it, and I think you got double-packed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe your Indiana Jones was real. Wasn¡¯t one of those big blockbuster superhero movies about real people? I think I remember that¡­¡± Enoa unzipped the third bag and saw a muted blue light, situated between her winter coat, boots, and a collection of books. It was the light of her bracelet. Did it activate when it was near her? Did it sense her? It couldn¡¯t have been lit the whole time she was in the Corwin house. Or could it? She didn¡¯t really know where it was receiving its power. ¡°That thing again,¡± Jaleel said. Enoa pulled it free of the bag and read its latest hologram.
Congratulations Apprentice!
(new user), you have real potential! Your focus is great. You are doing vital work, advancing the understanding of this project. You are a credit to the Dreamthought Initiative. After continued analysis, SITE protocols have determined that you have consistent skill. You are receiving +1 Rank and +5 Levels. This more accurately represents your strengths. Your elevation will be reported to IHSA command. You can expect to hear from a program master or administrator soon, who will continue your training.
RANK: Rising Apprentice
LEVEL: 12
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
¡°Report my advancement to IHSA Command!¡± Enoa found Jaleel was leaning to the side to read the hologram. She was glad he was. As if sensing permission, he entered the bunk room and sat beside her and the device. Wesley followed after him. He flew up on the bunk and chattering, he watched them. ¡°Maybe you were right about this thing.¡± ¡°The Hierarchia Command is all dead now.¡± Jaleel said. ¡°They¡¯re all dead now, right?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Enoa turned the bracelet in her hands and the hologram faded away. ¡°But I better find out if this thing is actually sending my information to someone.¡± * * * Investigating Researcher Three rarely left her office during shift hours. It was unorthodox to turn away from the feeds unless there was another pair of eyes to keep watch. The world was always in motion. Pieces were constantly moving across the board. It was imperative that all relevant data be recorded and processed. But this was a specific situation, a rare situation, one that had happened only a handful of times, in decades. It could happen only so many times. A Legacy Scenario was taking place. The heir of Sucora Cloud was studying Anemos. So IR-3 set her filing system to ¡®automatic record¡¯. She knew how many extra hours of work it would take to sift through her feeds. She was watching the Pacific Alliance response to the battle outside Littlefield, New Mexico. She was watching a manhunt in Patagonia, the search for a man who had murdered a general and three sections of his personal guard, before vanishing. She was watching a humanitarian mission in a disputed jungle in Southeast Asia, seeking a single name among thousands of refugees and aid workers and other tagalong travelers. All these things would wait, because Enoa Cloud was coming into her own. For the first time, she had fought Shaper against Shaper. She had prevailed, wielding one of her predecessor¡¯s signature techniques. Journeyer Lyrid and the Dreamside Road Mission needed this information. IR-3 printed the copy of the GARNET login in the Eta account, as well as the descriptions from the surviving Liberty Corps War Force personnel. The report would include medical records of a Major Rinlee, a profile of the Midnight Sight Fog, and eyewitness testimony of Enoa Cloud¡¯s Bullet Rain. IR-3 bound the data in a report folder and took the lift down to the ground floor, descending through thirty other levels, all occupied by researchers with new data to be processed. The Journeyers¡¯ Cloister stood only yards from the transmission tower, but IR-3 had donned her heavy overcoat for the walk. The tower was the only structure that pierced the top of the almost-perfect geodesic dome. The dome protected the town and the research holdout, but wind crept inside, twisting down and around the tower, chilling the ground below. IR-3 checked her jumpsuit clasps. She sometimes kept her regalia loosened, while at work, while spending hours alone at her station. If she wasn¡¯t careful, her breath would steam up her own mask lenses. No one was out to see IR-3, as she walked across the paved lot from the tower to the Cloister. No one would be out mid-shift, not between command structures, but that didn¡¯t mean she was unseen. The Journeyers¡¯ Cloister had been converted from a mid-twentieth-century office building. It had been the height of sleek modernity in the nineteen sixties, a perfect parallelogram with tall, narrow windows. The Cloister¡¯s foyer had wood-grained walls and vinyl seating. Even the lighting looked like a relic from over half-a-century earlier. There appeared to be no doors, other than the entrance. There was a check-in desk, tall enough that only the Coordinating Officer¡¯s masked head was visible. The crimson-masked Coordinator glanced toward IR-3, as she entered the foyer. ¡°Designation?¡± The Coordinator spoke in a masculine voice. ¡°Investigating Researcher Three,¡± she said. ¡°I have information for Journeyer Lyrid.¡± ¡°You have no appointment,¡± the Coordinator said. ¡°Journeyer Lyrid is currently studying. She will not wish to be disturbed.¡± ¡°I have new information on a Legacy Case,¡± IR-3 said. ¡°It is relevant to the Journeyer¡¯s research.¡± She could say no more. The Coordinator would surely know as much. ¡°I will call for the Journeyer,¡± the Coordinator said. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± IR-3 offered brief thanks and sat. She was mindful of her posture and her poise. She thought of her widower father, alone in the ranch house they shared, one of almost three hundred small, identical homes situated throughout the village grid. Once, before IR-3 learned to leave her civilian name behind her, she would have spent her waiting time messaging her father, checking on him. But such a thing was not tolerated. IR-3 was not that man¡¯s daughter. She served as a Foundation of the Future. Her father was safe and monitored and protected from the chaotic world that would surely have proven his doom. In return, his daughter surrendered herself and her time and her life. IR-3 fulfilled that compact, every day. A panel of the flawless wood-grain slid aside. The room on the other end could not be seen, only perfect darkness. Journeyer Lyrid entered the foyer. She walked through the dark doorway and appeared in the harshly lit foyer. Lyrid was dressed in crimson armor, head-to-toe, smooth armor that did not appear to match the contour of her body. Beneath it, she wore a strange garment, a tunic and attached cloak with some peculiar camouflaging quality. The cloth appeared black, but it blended into the wood-grain walls and the shadows cast along the floor. The fabric seemed to fade at the edges, as if Lyrid were only partly present in the room. Lyrid¡¯s mask ¨C the mask of a Journeyer ¨C had the same crimson color as the rest of her armor. It was the same design that all Contributors wore, plain metal with perfectly black lenses, in a simplified likeness of a human face. The masks ended just below the nose. ¡°What do you need, Researcher?¡± Lyrid asked. ¡°You have one minute of my time.¡± ¡°Journeyer Lyrid.¡± IR-3 inclined her head. ¡°Please accept my congratulations on your elevation. Your apprenticeship was¡­¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t exaggerating.¡± Lyrid stepped no closer. The open space behind her still gaped wide, pitch dark. ¡°You now have fifty seconds.¡± ¡°I have a new report from a Legacy Case that concerns your ongoing mission,¡± IR-3 said. ¡°I can say only so much.¡± She glanced at the Coordinator, who was looking nowhere in particular, mask facing forward, unmoving. ¡°Bring it here,¡± Lyrid commanded. IR-3 stepped forward and offered the Journeyer the printout of the Cloud file update. The Journeyer took the folder, unclasped it and read. Up close, IR-3 could see the perfect crimson armor, unmarked, undamaged, with just a hint of shine to it. Perfect black and crimson covered Lyrid, except a thin silver cord. It hung, looped, from a hook on the Journeyer¡¯s thigh armor. IR-3 caught herself before she genuinely stared at the other woman. IR-3 only rarely saw the Journeyers or their master, the Master. A civilian might find the Journeyer¡¯s armor uncanny and unnerving. An Investigating Researcher would not. ¡°Thank you for bringing this to my attention.¡± Lyrid closed the folder. ¡°I apologize for the interruption,¡± IR-3 said. ¡°No need. This may be useful. Master Ruhland might yet decide to pursue the Dreamside Road, directly. And now, if he does, collecting Cloud¡¯s key will be no challenge.¡± 85 - The Rightful Rulers ¡°Captain Gregory, we¡¯ve heard a great deal about you.¡± The man in uniform offered Orson his hand. ¡°Colonel Allen Musgrove.¡± The Pacific Alliance officials were using a former storage room for an office. It had mostly been cleared of farming equipment, but a back corner still held a stack of fertilizer bags. A collection of tables stood against one wall. The rest of the space ¨C easily as large as the Aesir¡¯s living area, was almost empty. Musgrove stood beside a table and chairs, near the room¡¯s entrance. The Colonel¡¯s unnamed compatriot sat in another seat, at the rear of the room. Orson guessed him to be in his early forties, but he couldn¡¯t say why, looking at his face. The man wore a shirt and tie, a jacket draped over the back of his seat, and he did nothing to acknowledge Orson¡¯s presence. Orson shook the Colonel¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you¡¯re here to defend Littlefield.¡± ¡°We have some big shoes to fill, Captain,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone has illusions about the real victor of yesterday¡¯s battle. You fought the Knight. Your ship destroyed the illegitimate Governor. Your defenses defeated his army. This was your victory.¡± ¡°I was happy to help Littlefield,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I¡¯m always more than happy to take on would-be conquerors.¡± ¡°Please, feel free to sit down.¡± Musgrove sat. ¡°Thank you.¡± Orson took the seat across from Musgrove. ¡°How¡¯s the cleanup? I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t offer any assistance.¡± ¡°We are hoping to have the road cleared in the next few days,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°It will be a complicated process ¨C days to clear the road and much longer for the forensics teams to do their work identifying remains. But the Liberty Corps and some good fortune made the job somewhat easier. One of their few undamaged vehicles was a freezer truck filled with body bags.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised they went to so much trouble.¡± Orson snuck another glance at No Name. The other man was leafing through papers in his lap. ¡°The War Force didn¡¯t seem like the kind to respectfully bury their enemies.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t.¡± Musgrove reached under the table to a collection of his own materials. He placed a tablet device on the table and selected an image, before pushing the device toward Orson. The screen showed a blurry view of a gray-clad man in a barred cell. ¡°That¡¯s Captain Wiggin,¡± Musgrove continued. ¡°He drove with his Liberty Corps Chapter all the way from upstate New York. His men crewed the refrigerator truck, and he made it very clear that Mr. Sloan had no intention of using these body bags for the people of Littlefield. This was for the Liberty Corps fallen. The dead of Littlefield were to be placed together in a mass grave.¡± ¡°That sounds like him. He wanted to make a public example of Littlefield.¡± Orson suppressed the urge to joke about the wannabe governor¡¯s demise, but not everyone shared his jarring sense of humor. ¡°You wasted no time.¡± Orson pointed to the tablet. ¡°Are you that nice or that scary, that you already have their men talking?¡± Musgrove smiled to his eyes, but he didn¡¯t laugh. ¡°We have far less information than we¡¯d like.¡± He slid the tablet to another image. It now displayed a symbol that Orson wore every day, his mentor¡¯s symbol ¨C the Castle at the Crescent Moon ¨C his Dreamside Road key. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯d like to talk with you. We would like to work alongside you in a formal capacity.¡± ¡°I think we definitely have some information we should share with each other.¡± Orson had expected pleasantries and talk of the battle and talk of the world. He¡¯d expected to circle the point for a lot longer than a single exchange. ¡°I have some files from the League of Nations post-Kappa reparations that I can send to you, and a few of my own records from the last few years. I traveled pretty extensively through the rebuilding EU and Mediterranean Middle East. That might help you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very generous,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°Thank you. If I¡¯m being honest, given your history, we didn¡¯t expect you to be so welcoming.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Orson placed both of his hands on the table in front of him. He¡¯d heard somewhere that this was an open gesture. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, that help is conditional. I need a couple simple assurances about your work here, in Littlefield.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Musgrove said. The other official looked up from his papers. ¡°I hope you understand that I obviously can¡¯t make any promises until I know what you¡¯re referring to.¡± ¡°I do understand,¡± Orson said. ¡°The locals here are sharing their IHSA information with you, but I need your word that you will do nothing to continue Kappa¡¯s biological experiments or conduct any exploratory testing on the domesticated animals Kappa bred locally.¡± ¡°Domesticated animals?¡± Musgrove looked perplexed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not aware of this.¡± ¡°I can assure you, Captain Gregory,¡± the unnamed official called across the room. ¡°We have no interest in troubling your friend¡¯s dog or any other pooches with radar dishes on their necks. We¡¯re not in here to be pet thieves.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear it.¡± Orson made a show of leaning around Musgrove to take a look at the other man. The Colonel, brow furrowed, also turned back toward the official. ¡°And what¡¯s your name? Are you the secretary or the stenographer or¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Agent Bacri,¡± the man said. ¡°Pacific Alliance Investigation Bureau. I can show you my badge, if necessary. I¡¯m operating here as an observer. I apologize if this troubles you, Captain.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving off a cloak-and-dagger sort of vibe, but you¡¯ll have to forgive my paranoia. It keeps me alive. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand.¡± Bacri nodded. Musgrove chuckled. ¡°Do me a favor,¡± Orson continued. ¡°If it isn¡¯t already in the written agreement with Littlefield, please add resolutions not to continue Kappa¡¯s research. Once that¡¯s done, and my second condition is figured out, I¡¯ll have the materials sent on to you. I actually think the second condition will be useful for everyone. We¡¯ll get to that in a minute, but I have something I want you to hear, first. It¡¯s a recording of the Liberty Corps Western Baron, whatever that means, talking about the men who warned us before Sloan¡¯s attack. That¡¯s the other thing¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re aware of the message,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you are, Captain. You¡¯re younger than I expected, and I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be a shortwave radio enthusiast.¡± The Colonel smiled again, and Orson hoped the moment of necessary tension had passed. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Orson admitted. ¡°But I have knowledgeable friends. Why do you think this Helmont was broadcasting openly? That¡¯s the only reason I have the recording, he kept playing it, over and over.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°We¡¯re afraid it¡¯s some kind of power move on his part. He had the ability to use the old communications networks, and he¡¯s flaunting it.¡± ¡°What about the Maros group?¡± Orson asked. ¡°That¡¯s my other condition. Anyone who sent the warning deserves asylum or any protection you can give them. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m here worrying about Maros, but I owe him one.¡± ¡°Their asylum request has been approved,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°The terms will be sent to them later today, with their pickup before the end of the week.¡± He took two boxes from beneath his chair and placed them on the table. ¡°The older Maros brother, Maxwell, was a field-promoted naval captain in the Thunderworks Campaign. He¡¯d contacted an old friend of his, who is now an officer with us. They knew each other since their Naval Academy days. We don¡¯t believe Maxwell had any connection to the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°The younger brother, uh, Kolben?¡± Orson said. Musgrove nodded. ¡°He has a lot to answer for. His Liberty Corps Chapter, or Division, or whatever the terminology is ¨C they destroyed the property of one of my crewmembers. They illegally detained hundreds of people in Nimauk, Pennsylvania. He and his men chased me and my ship and tried to shoot us down, multiple times. He needs to be held accountable for those things, but I also want to vouch for him, in this situation. If he will put himself at personal risk to save this town, he deserves safety, if nothing else. If you don¡¯t have a copy of the warning he sent here, I¡¯ll get you one.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very generous of you,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°We have a copy of the message, but we¡¯ll pass along your words of support.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only right,¡± Orson said. ¡°It would have been impossible to keep this town completely safe without advance notice.¡± ¡°I expect we would have found a very different scene,¡± Musgrove said, ¡°had that warning never come here. As for Helmont¡­¡± He opened one of his boxes and passed Orson a black and white photo of a young, thin man with a buzz cut and a transparent, wire-trailing apparatus on his head. ¡°Why he chose to publicly call for their capture, we have no idea. He has always been something of a mystery.¡± ¡°This is that Baron Helmont?¡± Orson turned the photo over in his hands. It looked like a candid Polaroid. It bore no writing, or at least no visible writing. ¡°R.K. Helmont.¡± Musgrove nodded. ¡°This was taken just after he appeared in Hierarchia records.¡± ¡°R.K.?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± Musgrove took back the photo and slid the tablet to Orson. ¡°We don¡¯t know much about him. When I said ¡®appeared¡¯, I meant it. He arrived on the scene shortly after the World Bound Warning episode, in the eighties. He was an early Neurzodone test-subject.¡± ¡°Neurzodone?¡± Orson took the tablet. It bore the image of men, stripped out of their shirts, some only in underwear, floating in the open air, hundreds of feet above a desert landscape. He¡¯d seen such a thing before. Pops had shown him. ¡°Neurzodone was a focus drug the Hierarchia made,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°It was supposed to help train the mind. Its formulations were hidden, and it had multiple names. We¡¯re not even clear on whether it was always the same formulation. You might know it as NZD.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°This Helmont was in the Delsalt trial? Yeah, I¡¯ve heard of that. I thought Delsalt was some useless thing the Hierarchia did to experiment on hippies?¡± ¡°Delsalt was never an official name.¡± Bacri called from the back. ¡°Just some nickname from a client community.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve always known it had a limited success,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°And it is also highly addicting in affected persons. Now, we¡¯ve learned that NZD was an attempt to replace the Dreamthought Project with an easier-to-quantify alternative.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Orson pointed to the picture of Helmont. ¡°The Hierarchia wanted a drug that gave people powers?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°But all it did was reveal individuals who had a natural predisposition to learning the kind of abilities the Dreamthought Project was studying.¡± ¡°Abilities like the ones the Liberty Corps Shapers have,¡± Bacri called again. ¡°Or your friend Miss Cloud.¡± Orson tried to hide any surprise that crossed his face. Word about Enoa had already spread. Had one of the local Littlefield residents provided that information? Had rumor traveled from Nimauk or the Solar Saver crawler? Musgrove pressed a finger to the tablet. The screen now displayed a video of the men in the air. The video began. Orson could hear the screams of the men. The view changed as something, a robot or a remote drone, flew between them, filming. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. A voiceover started. Baron Helmont spoke over the screams and the light hum of the machine that took the video. ¡°These men are now dead, because of your treachery. They die because you refused the rightful successor state of this continent. You encroached on the lawful heir to the IHSA, the League of Nations, and the American government. The IHSA kept the world from falling into chaos. Now, only the Liberty Corps can pull us back from the brink. And it is only my will that keeps these men from their deaths. Without me¡­¡± The men in the video fell, all of them. They plummeted to the earth. The drone angled its camera to keep them in view, all the long way down to the ground below. The worst of the gruesome image could not be seen. The distance was too great, but the end result was unmistakable. ¡°Any further incursions against Liberty Corps holdings will be considered an act of war. Any rebellion against the rightful rulers will not be tolerated. Let these men¡¯s deaths be an example for any future action you might take.¡± The video ended. The screen turned dark. ¡°Whoever this Helmont was before he joined the Neurzodone trial,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°He has learned the mental discipline the IHSA called Shaping. He has a power we do not understand. Weeks ago, we sent these men to secure an old supply depot, but they were ambushed and taken to Helmont to be executed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°This ability Helmont allegedly has, I¡¯ve seen a video of it before. Are we really supposed to believe he can throw around tons of people with his mind? What other information do you have about him?¡± ¡°Almost none,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°He has lived under this assumed name, since the early eighties. Most of that time he¡¯s been completely under the radar, working in IHSA think tanks on multiple continents. He was attached to the Recovery Department under your old acquaintance, Tobias Nation, but there was almost no record of him since then, or at least, there wasn¡¯t until he appeared running the western Liberty Corps and looking for the Dreamside Road trove.¡± ¡°I thought they had Maros looking for the Dreamside Road?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Maros was ordered to find it for the Czar of the Liberty Corps,¡± Bacri called. ¡°But we have reason to believe that as many as five other young operatives received similar orders. It seems, more and more, that all of these missions are only used as tests for the up-and-comers, and to feed information to Helmont.¡± ¡°Maros was pretty successful for someone only being tested,¡± Orson said. ¡°And he¡¯ll be very useful once we have him under our protection,¡± Bacri added. ¡°What about that deal he had with Daniel Tucker?¡± Orson asked. ¡°How does that figure into this Helmont plan? Are you aware of that situation?¡± ¡°Only vaguely,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°We¡¯ve heard of Tucker, the one individual the IHSA succeeded in bonding during their Cobalt Nine experiment.¡± ¡°I can tell you a bit about him too,¡± Orson said. ¡°Can you explain Cobalt Nine?¡± Bacri asked. ¡°You fought Tucker, correct? You must have some experience with the substance.¡± ¡°I do have some experience,¡± Orson grimaced. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know where we could find a sample, do you?¡± Bacri eagerly sat forward. ¡°We¡¯ve read about it extensively, but it doesn¡¯t seem to follow any logic. If it¡¯s a liquid at room temperature and only solidifies under pressure, how was it part of other construction? How does its radioactivity work? Is it not true cobalt, or not predominantly cobalt, and only has the name because it¡¯s the cobalt that bonds to the human body during experimentation?¡± ¡°I appreciate your excitement.¡± Orson thought of the pendant around his neck, the key, made of Cobalt Nine. ¡°Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t tell you. I¡¯m not even a scientist, much less a cutting edge researcher. I mostly stick to the observable and repeatable, uh, principle. But what about Maros and his mission?¡± ¡°Young Kolben was being prepared for some important position by Ilias Hawthorne, Czar of the Liberty Corps,¡± Bacri said. ¡°We do not know the details of that relationship, but we intend to find out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know Hawthorne,¡± Orson said. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°He is the founder and leader of the Liberty Corps, a former United States Senator from West Virginia,¡± Bacri said. ¡°He was a big IHSA supporter. He was on the Intelligence Committee, full clearance. He helped allocate funding to the IHSA operations in his state.¡± ¡°He created the Liberty Corps as his own personal defense force,¡± Musgrove added. ¡°After the Hierarchia file leak, in 2010, he created this defense force to keep himself safe. They grew over the next five years. After Thunderworks, he used the Liberty Corps, ostensibly to distribute supplies, but actually to recruit followers. They have at least five hundred chapters we know about, with membership exponentially increasing, now over one hundred thousand. We¡¯re not sure how many are combatants.¡± ¡°Last year,¡± Bacri said. ¡°Liberty Corps forces began referring to Hawthorne as Czar, instead of Senator, but he hasn¡¯t made a public appearance in two years. He completely dropped off the map. He supposedly works out of somewhere called the Lost Park Office, a location converted from an IHSA base in the former Radio Quiet Zone.¡± ¡°I know of the Quiet Zone,¡± Orson said. ¡°So this Hawthorne, he¡¯s using the Liberty Corps operation to take over. Why the interest in the Dreamside Road? The Hierarchia couldn¡¯t find it. How could he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Shaper.¡± Bacri stood. He draped his jacket over his right arm and lifted his chair. He joined them at the front table. ¡°Or so he claims. He had a work job site accident, twenty years ago, and used the proceeds of the lawsuit he filed to bankroll his first campaign. But he also claims to have learned to walk again through Shaping.¡± Bacri placed a picture on the table ¨C the image of a fit man, gray at the temples, dressed in a navy-blue suit, no tie. ¡°He started walking again eight years ago,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°He¡¯s become some kind of evangelist on the subject, trying to teach people to unlock their ¡®potential¡¯. He sounds like a preacher, but he¡¯s preaching pseudo-science and late-night-radio conspiracy theories.¡± ¡°Except this stuff is actually real,¡± Orson said. ¡°He wants the power of the Dreamside Road. He has his own following of Shapers¡­¡± ¡°The question is ¡®how has he done this?¡¯¡± Bacri asked. ¡°The IHSA tried to teach people this Shaping, and they failed ¨C except for a few outlier cases. What¡¯s different now?¡± ¡°I heard a theory,¡± Orson said. ¡°That society stands in the way of paranormal abilities. Something about the manmade world keeps people from connecting to all that mumbo jumbo. And I¡¯ve seen how people learn from example. I have no sixth sense, gentlemen ¨C nothing like that. But, I learned to defend myself by watching other people. I imagine it¡¯s easier to learn to Shape if you see someone who can already do it. You know it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°The IHSA didn¡¯t have either of those things,¡± Bacri said. ¡°They had no example after the Dreamthought Project defected. I can¡¯t speak to the belief.¡± ¡°Well, Captain,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°I¡¯m glad we came to talk with you.¡± ¡°I am too.¡± Orson meant it ¨C finally, some useful information. He¡¯d never been the loremaster of his crews, and useful intel was hard to come by. ¡°I have a couple more questions for you. How did Hawthorne get teamed up with real talent like this Baron Helmont? How did Maros meet Hawthorne? Who taught any of them Shaping, if the Hierarchia never learned how to do it?¡± ¡°We believe Hawthorne used his position on the Intelligence Committee to gain access to the IHSA and¡­¡± Musgrove began. ¡°I think we¡¯ve talked about everything we can without making this partnership official,¡± Bacri interrupted. ¡°Captain, you obviously have a vested interest in this matter. You¡¯ve advised the League of Nations. You were an Enigma Guard in the Thunderworks Campaign. We would like to hire you to secure the Dreamside Road trove.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always flattering when people read my resume to me,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I¡¯m actually finding the Dreamside Road for free. It¡¯s, uh, pro bono work, you might call it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to play coy, Captain,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°We have immense leeway in negotiating. Name your price. We would want you full-time, mind you, until the trove is recovered, but you can set a daily or hourly rate, with the capability to hire up to five team members. All team members would have access to Alliance benefits, for the duration of the project.¡± ¡°I have to stop you.¡± Orson groaned. ¡°This is incredibly generous, and I think we agree in a lot of places. We both want to keep the Dreamside Road from falling into the wrong hands.¡± ¡°We certainly do,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°We want you to help us bring the trove under Alliance ¨C and hopefully someday, Unified Federal control, for protection and research. If you were to help us, it would be a strong endorsement for you to have a long-term consultancy with the new government. We would also furnish you with our files on the subject¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been open with information.¡± Orson interrupted the Colonel before he could say more or make it harder to refuse. He regretted ending their surprisingly polite conversation, but it was unavoidable. ¡°I hope you know that I¡¯m really relieved you¡¯re here, and I respect what you¡¯re trying to do. But, I don¡¯t believe there are right hands for this trove. You clearly think my opinion is worth something, so here it is. ¡°The best thing any of us can do with this trove, is make sure it is never found. It should be in no one¡¯s hands. If there¡¯s scientific research there, it can be re-learned. But the paranormal items, the stuff they got by committing war crimes or torturing people, that needs to stay hidden. I¡¯m finding it to know why the Thunderworks leadership and their patron wanted it. Then I¡¯m making sure it¡¯s unreachable forever.¡± Both men stopped smiling. Musgrove sagged. Bacri gave Orson an odd look, confusion or fury, all expressed by his eyes. ¡°That¡­¡± Musgrove began. ¡°That is terribly disappointing. I understand your concerns, Captain. After the Thunderworks theft and everything the IHSA did, it¡¯s understandable you¡¯d feel this way. But the Pacific Alliance is not the Hierarchia.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°I know I¡¯ve got a pretty grim view of the world, and I don¡¯t mean to insult you or any genuinely sacrificing public servant, but there¡¯s no group of people I trust to have this thing in thirty years or fifty. Nothing stays corruption-free that long.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Musgrove asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He means, even if we aren¡¯t corrupt, our offices might be, someday,¡± Bacri said. ¡°This is the same shit doe-eyed activists say when they¡¯re trying to stop nuclear energy development. It¡¯s cowardice not to take every effort to help and defend ourselves, now. You¡¯re scared of a future boogieman, so your fear gets to decide for everyone. I didn¡¯t take you for a coward, Gregory.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the rot in this world,¡± Orson said. ¡°Most people I¡¯ve known are decent, but there are corruption and evil everywhere. And power, at any level, draws the corruptible. There need to be checks on every power, and whoever gets this trove ¨C if the rumors about it are true ¨C they¡¯ll be totally unchecked, unlike in your nuclear analogy. No one is trustworthy enough to be unchecked, not forever.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ll destroy government property, just like you destroyed that one-of-a-kind transference crystal, eleven years ago?¡± Bacri asked. ¡°Haven¡¯t you grown at all, since your teen years, Gregory?¡± ¡°Talk about distorting the truth,¡± Orson said. ¡°The Opal was only debatably owned by anyone, and it was being used as an energy source by the Blitzkrieg terrorists. But you already know that. Are you arguing with me or preparing some propaganda hit-piece against me? Maybe I haven¡¯t learned anything since I was a kid. The last time I had an operative try to blackmail me publicly, I responded by destroying his almighty bauble. If you want a different response, you might want to adjust your technique.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Bacri continued. ¡°So I¡¯m right. When in doubt, Gregory destroys what he¡¯s afraid of.¡± ¡°I destroy unchecked objects that are used to hurt people,¡± Orson said. ¡°If a government happens to claim one of them, that¡¯s just too bad.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Musgrove placed one hand on Bacri¡¯s shoulder and held the other out toward Orson. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this. I don¡¯t think this needs to be a geopolitical debate, but if it has to be, let¡¯s have a debate, and stop the name-calling.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just one man.¡± Bacri shoved Musgrove¡¯s arm away. ¡°How do you get to decide what happens to these items? What¡¯s the check on your power, if that idea is so important to you.¡± ¡°Like you said, I¡¯m just one man. I¡¯m a guy made out of meat like anybody else, in a whole world of powers that could squash me like a bug, if I¡¯m not on my game. I¡¯ve spent my entire adult life punching above my weight class. Obviously, there are countless checks on my ¡®power¡¯. If you want to hire me, why don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯re a man who¡¯s left a trail of destruction behind you,¡± Bacri said. ¡°Greater powers are immaterial if they¡¯re not actively competing for the trove, but if we spend enough time with your record, I¡¯m sure we can keep you out of the picture for the duration of our search. We have more than enough to detain you, just for your actions at Isla de Manos.¡± ¡°I stand by my decisions there,¡± Orson said. ¡°Any government that orders the deaths of thousands of innocents needs to be brought to justice.¡± ¡°Now Captain,¡± Musgrove said. ¡°The Hand Island episode is a long time ago. We don¡¯t need to relitigate it, but the airstrikes you disrupted were perfectly legal in international law, under those extreme circumstances.¡± ¡°Laws are only as good as the morality behind them,¡± Orson said. ¡°If all society gives you is a rulebook without scruples, then it¡¯s not worth having. But you can¡¯t and won¡¯t press charges for a dead government, and the Pacific Alliance is not the League of Nations. Do you even have an elected government?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve seen what you can do, Gregory.¡± Bacri¡¯s face flushed red. He stood. In any other setting, Orson would have expected an attack. ¡°We have hours of footage we can study. How long could one man ¨C any man ¨C survive with the world¡¯s finest operatives on their trail? How long do you think you would last?¡± ¡°Wow! I should trust my first impressions.¡± Orson also stood. He knew his best option was to leave, say something brief to defuse tensions, to end the conversation on, at least, a neutral note. But Orson was tired from months of adventures and the past week of almost sleepless fear and battle preparation. He did not take his best option. ¡°I had you pegged when I walked through the door,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re a one-man Hierarchia cover band. You want to cover all their greatest hits. Except you have almost no real power, other than some hand-me-down aircraft. So you sit in the back of a room like secret agent man, only introduce yourself when I push you, and make smug little comments. Was make-believe time fun for you today, Bacri? Was it nice to pretend you¡¯re part of the organization that destroyed the world?¡± ¡°Enough of this!¡± Musgrove said. ¡°Enough! We have the same goals. We have the same enemy. Imagine if the Liberty Corps would secure the Dreamside Road because the two of you can¡¯t act like adults. Now, we have to cooperate.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need Gregory¡¯s cooperation,¡± Bacri said. ¡°Once he¡¯s in Recon Force custody, he¡¯ll have¡­¡± ¡°This is what I hate about men like you, Bacri,¡± Orson said. ¡°You never fight your own battles. You¡¯d never come after me yourself. Instead, you hide behind the people who make up the country¡¯s sword, who mostly just want to protect their homes. Well, you should remember this, if you send the sword after me, I¡¯ll know it¡¯s you wielding it, Bacri. And I will find you.¡± He collected his briefcase, snapping its clasps shut. ¡°Happy hunting.¡± Orson left the room without another word. 86 - The Pickup Kol woke up alone, as he had every day that week, his heart beating hard enough to feel the pounding in his toes. He¡¯d betrayed the Liberty Corps. Brielle knew it. Years of work and life prospects were over, wiped away forever. Kol did everything he could to think about something else, anything else, but the thoughts overwhelmed him while he tried to sleep. Each night, his imagination slipped, unbidden, between waking nightmares, all while he couldn¡¯t move. During their stay, Max slept beside him, like they were still children on some family vacation, while Duncan slept in the room¡¯s other bed. Exhaustion claimed him only briefly. Kol almost missed Thought Fatigue. His true sleep was short. He found anxiety and terror waiting for him, the moment he awoke. Kol got up. He showered and dressed in some of the only clean civilian clothing he had left. They hoped not to risk a trip to the laundromat. The fewer places they could be seen or recognized, the better. The room¡¯s outer door opened. Kol went still. It could be Duncan and Max returning from their daily trip to the communications building. It could be a housekeeper, despite the ¡®do not disturb¡¯ sign that had been on the door since before the battle. He might be facing his first human-to-human interaction ¨C not counting his brother and best friend ¨C in four days. It could be that someone had recognized him or Duncan, that they¡¯d arrived to turn him in, or to extort money from him, or¡­ ¡°We¡¯re back,¡± Max said. ¡°Are you in here, Kol?¡± ¡°In the bathroom.¡± Kol finished collecting his hair into its usual bun. Then he joined the others. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Duncan sat on the edge of his bed. He peeled a fake costume mustache from his upper lip. ¡°You¡¯ve got a weird look in your eye, Kol. You need to stay sane long enough to get us through the asylum process, buddy.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Max asked. ¡°Duncan isn¡¯t totally wrong. If you¡¯re ill, we have fewer options until the Alliance collects us tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kol said. ¡°I really am. I¡¯m just¡­ The Alliance has a timetable for us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the good news,¡± Duncan said. ¡°We¡¯re almost done hiding out!¡± ¡°The Alliance is sending a team from Littlefield,¡± Max said. ¡°Their detachment arrived a few days ago. You may need to see the Aesir crew in the flesh, I¡¯m afraid. But, tomorrow the Pacific Alliance will take all of us into their protection.¡± * * * ¡°Are you sure Orson will be okay?¡± Enoa sat with Jaleel at a worn wooden table in the basement of the Corwin Family Farms records building. Around them were shelves labeled by decades, containing business expenses dating back to the turn of the 20th Century. Some of the shelves were intentionally mislabeled. They still held notes and years of records, but they didn¡¯t pertain to crops or irrigation or any of the factors of operating a farm. Enoa couldn¡¯t understand the covert system, but the Corwins had hidden Hierarchia records, ¡®Kappa records¡¯, between their own business¡¯s archived data, scattered amid information too innocuous or boring to peruse. ¡°Orson is¡­¡± Eloise pulled a three-ring binder from one of the shelves. She leafed through pages and sighed. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Unless things get really crazy, he¡¯ll be fine, honestly. He just never got along with the idea that the world is never going to be what he wants it to be.¡± ¡°That sounds miserable.¡± Jaleel held some small device in his hands, it¡¯s electronic innards exposed. He¡¯d removed four small lengths of yellow wire and was prying at a computer chip with a stylus. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Enoa asked. Orson had said little since he¡¯d returned from meeting the Pacific Alliance representatives. He did not raise his voice, but he exuded palpable hurt and anger, even fear. ¡°He¡¯s been less and less like the person who rescued me.¡± ¡°He has problems with any secret authority.¡± Eloise returned the binder and walked further along the 1980s shelf. ¡°It¡¯s because of what happened to him, and I understand why. Did he tell you about that? I can¡¯t imagine what it¡¯s like not to have Littlefield supporting me, but¡­ Sometimes, you have to know when someone is being dangerous because they have evil designs and when they¡¯re dangerous because they¡¯re following their, erm, their role in the world.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you mean.¡± Enoa held her bracelet against the table. She had not worn it since its hologram, since IHSA Command was set to learn of her rank promotion. The metal still radiated strange warmth, but it was otherwise lifeless. ¡°Countries exist because we all agree they do, right?¡± Eloise said. ¡°We know that out here, in Littlefield, because we¡¯re on our own. We understand the balance. It¡¯s always a little unstable, but not everybody is ready to think about that. No large government is going to be open about secret powers that could destroy the world. They¡¯ll want to control them. They have to keep everything on the level. That¡¯s their role. Keep everything calm, even if a small group of people has to suffer and be collateral damage.¡± Eloise pulled a notebook from the stack. ¡°Orson is the exact opposite. He will want to keep things fair. He¡¯d rather have millions of people learn how precarious the world is, than have two thousand be collateral damage, even if it causes more problems long-term. That¡¯s his role. If fairness would cause chaos, then that¡¯s still the only way he would want to be.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be depressed too, if I thought about that all the time.¡± Enoa remembered the destruction of the drop ship in Trolley Town, how quickly Orson changed from the quipping, grinning adventurer he¡¯d been in Nimauk to the man who¡¯d fought the civilization-killers. ¡°What made him like this?¡± ¡°I guess he wouldn¡¯t mind me telling you.¡± Eloise returned to the table with the notebook. ¡°I think this is the right one.¡± She started flipping through pages. ¡°I know it mentions the Dreamthought Project. Uh, Orson was framed for assaulting a businessman in his hometown, so the guy could pressure Orson¡¯s dad into selling him some land that held an old Hierarchia-funded factory.¡± ¡°We heard about that factory.¡± Jaleel set his project aside. ¡°He mentioned that when he was talking about his mom.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Eloise kept paging. ¡°Anyway, the businessman, a man named Cyprus, didn¡¯t press charges because he already got what he wanted. But Orson¡¯s entire little town turned on him, because this Cyprus was a local icon and employed a lot of people. Then there was this whole media circus. Orson made the regional news. He was expelled from high school, a couple weeks before he was supposed to graduate. Even his dad didn¡¯t believe him and kicked him out.¡± ¡°Oh my God!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I would¡¯ve done with my life, if I didn¡¯t have my family behind me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so sad,¡± Enoa said. ¡°No wonder he was so excited to get the big hero sendoff when we left my hometown. You should¡¯ve seen how happy he was when the Wintertide Festival Orchestra played his theme song.¡± ¡°Yeah, he definitely has a validation thing.¡± Eloise nodded. ¡°But who wouldn¡¯t, in his position. Wait¡­¡± She set down the notebook. ¡°His theme song? He has a theme song? Why? Where did it come from?¡± ¡°I guess somebody wrote it to go with that memoir of his,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I think he mentioned a movie that didn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Eloise raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is it any good? Are there words?¡± ¡°It¡¯s instrumental,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty fun. It¡¯s like an adventure movie thing.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Eloise chuckled. Her eyes had a devious gleam. She returned to her paging. ¡°I would love to follow him around singing his theme song at him. He would be so embarrassed.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin his theme song for him!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°What happened next?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°How did he go from getting kicked out to becoming an adventurer?¡± ¡°Oh right,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Eventually he found out the truth. He¡¯d been a pawn in this weird Hierarchia plan ¨C Cyprus was a low-level Hierarchia contributor. This was when the Hierarchia still operated totally top-secret. Oh, and the Blitzkrieg terrorists were involved and this lunatic, Ruhland, who¡­ Oh, let¡¯s not get into him. But they were all after this thing buried under the factory, this glowing gemstone called the Opal.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen opals,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t really an opal,¡± Eloise replied. ¡°It was some kind of power source. It was just called the Opal. Anyway, Orson was chased by the Hierarchia, until he wound up in the first Aesir crew, who started teaching him to fight. That¡¯s around the time I met him.¡± Eloise finished paging through the book. ¡°No! I knew it was in there.¡± She groaned and returned to the shelf. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about this!¡± Enoa said. ¡°It can wait.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t.¡± Eloise walked to the shelves and continued her search. ¡°We beat the Blitzkrieg ¨C our crew. Orson personally got Ruhland, but he still has this issue with anything that¡¯s too much like the Hierarchia. And I don¡¯t blame him, but it¡¯s such a shame. I¡¯m scared he¡¯s going to turn into a crazy recluse.¡± ¡°What do you think happened with Orson and those Pacific Alliance men?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°He hasn¡¯t talked to you about it?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t.¡± Eloise disappeared from sight around the far side of the shelf. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask him if you¡¯re so worried about him?¡± ¡°Um.¡± Enoa pulled the bracelet from the table and fit it into her backpack, on the floor. ¡°I saw that he was upset, and I was scared about the IHSA Command thing, but I didn¡¯t want to tell him unless I knew it was a problem. I don¡¯t want to make things worse for him unless they¡¯re definitely worse. If he knows I¡¯m upset, I¡¯ll have to tell him and¡­¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Eloise chuckled. ¡°I get it. Well, based on what that Colonel Musgrove said to my dad, I¡¯m pretty sure he wants or wanted to hire Orson. And knowing Orson, he didn¡¯t want to be hired and talks fell apart, somehow. I love Orson, but he¡¯s really difficult. He¡¯d be super, super dead if he wasn¡¯t so good at fighting. I really thought that¡­ Oh, here it is!¡± Eloise ran back to the table. ¡°I thought Shaping was with the ¡®psychic phenomena¡¯, but it¡¯s with ¡®third party projects.¡± She paged through the book. ¡°This one is great, because it has lots of illustrations. Can I see the thing again?¡± Enoa retrieved the bracelet and placed it back onto the table. ¡°Yep.¡± Eloise leaned over the bracelet, the notebook on the table, beside it. ¡°It¡¯s an S.I.T.E ¨C a Shaper Intensive-Training Electroband. Looks like this might be the third and final generation. Yeah, it has the little circles under the band.¡± ¡°Is that good or bad?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Are people watching her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Eloise turned back to the book. ¡°I don¡¯t know. All of this is pre-internet, so it¡¯s really hard to tell. All the old Hierarchia stuff is on this network called the Garnet. It was their own internal network, a pre-internet that only the IHSA used, and it was just a mess. It was not user-friendly.¡± ¡°The Hierarchia had their own secret network?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°What was that, like the Arpanet?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eloise kept paging. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s still around in some capacity, but as far as I know, even the Hierarchia had moved off of there by the turn of the millennium. Uh, the day-to-day stuff is just in the SITE device memory. It¡¯s only the promotions that will be logged with Hierarchia Command.¡± ¡°But is there a Hierarchia Command?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I figured when the hologram said it would be transmitted, it was transmitted. Is there anyone reading the transmission?¡± He raised his voice to an almost manic volume. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here! Some freak might be watching her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sweet, Jaleel.¡± Eloise smiled at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t he sweet, Enoa?¡± ¡°He¡¯s very sweet.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t know the point of the question. Was Eloise trying to deflect the bad news? ¡°And a little loud.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re upset.¡± Enoa never considered the idea that the Garnet was some kind of internet or that someone might be receiving her information. How could she be so na?ve, so childish! But why had her aunt left it there for her? Had she left it there for her? She hadn¡¯t mentioned the device on the films, at least, not yet. ¡°Okay.¡± Eloise laid the book back on the table and then turned the page. ¡°We are in luck. Kappa had a transmissions log from an operative called Theta. It looks like she was around in the early nineties. We can see what information the Hierarchia received.¡± ¡°That¡¯s after the Dreamthought Project left,¡± Enoa said. ¡°When I first used the bracelet, the SITE, it said that it was the first use in twelve-thousand some days.¡± ¡°Okay, so they still used this after that,¡± Eloise said. ¡°They must have had Shapers after the Dreamthought Project, but I can see the transmissions. It looks like the SITE reconnects to the Garnet every time it gives a status update, but it doesn¡¯t share user data. It just accesses the general memory that it can¡¯t store on the device. The only data transmissions are at rank promotions, which happen at levels twelve, twenty-five, and forty-two, to the ranks of Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master.¡± ¡°What information does it give with the promotions?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Do we know how the transmissions work? Is it like an email?¡± ¡°It gives Shape data.¡± Eloise turned the book to face her. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t your Shape Anemos? It looks like this operative, Theta, was also using Anemos. She used her SITE right up to two-thousand.¡± ¡°That was my aunt¡¯s Shape!¡± Enoa said. ¡°There¡¯s another Shaper of Anemos out there?¡± ¡°Maybe not?¡± Eloise shrugged. ¡°A huge percentage of the Hierarchia operatives died in the last twenty years.¡± She slid her finger along the page. ¡°It looks like no one actually receives this information. It was part of a long-term study, that¡¯s compiled at some data site. If no one is physically there, no one is getting your data. If someone is there, they can see that an Anemos Shaper just became an apprentice, but nothing more. There is no location data, no specifics, no context.¡± ¡°What else does that book say about Theta?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Who are they? Or were?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Eloise said. ¡°That¡¯s just the thing, it doesn¡¯t say anything else. It¡¯s only the information I gave you now. This Theta was already an apprentice when this started being recorded, but she became a Journeyman in ninety-one and a master in ninety-four. Not much else.¡± The thick door at the top of the steps opened. Enoa jumped. All of them fell silent. ¡°Is she down there?¡± Carlos asked. ¡°Is she down there, boy?¡± Dino ran down the stairs, straight to Eloise. He stood at her side, his audio-flap extended, licking her cheek. Carlos, Mr. Corwin, and Orson followed after him. Orson wore his coat, but not his sword. ¡°Aww, he found you.¡± ¡°Yes, he did!¡± Eloise scratched behind Dino¡¯s ears. ¡°Dino¡¯s my smart boy! Yes, he is!¡± ¡°How are you, Mr. Corwin?¡± If Enoa had seen the Corwin patriarch since the battle, it had been during her Shaping exhaustion, and she could not remember. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, sir,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too,¡± Mr. Corwin replied. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better. Getting old is for the birds, kids. My blood pressure medicine needed adjusting, and I wasn¡¯t drinking enough fluids, so my electrolytes were all out of whack.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you for years that you¡¯re too hard on yourself, Papa,¡± Eloise leaned to the side to look around Dino. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll listen now that we have it in writing.¡± ¡°Dr. Benville gives me easy instructions,¡± Mr. Corwin said. ¡°He¡¯s harder to ignore. Between that and the threatening ¡®outcomes¡¯ he¡¯s always talking about, I feel like I¡¯m back in grade school. Well, you don¡¯t need to hear me go on and on, but I never got the chance to thank the two young ¨C is it wanderers?¡± ¡°Wayfarers,¡± Eloise provided. ¡°I never got the chance to thank you two young wayfarers, for all you did to help Littlefield. I forgot, if I¡¯m honest, until just today. Everyone else who helped is local or family, or as good as family.¡± Corwin rested his hand on Orson¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t just assume you¡¯d be here, Orson, even though you always have been when we needed you.¡± ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± Orson said. ¡°Truly. This is the closest place I have to home, now.¡± He smiled, but whatever new burden he¡¯d found while meeting the Pacific Alliance agents had not left him. ¡°Does Captain Gregory,¡± Mr. Corwin chuckled, ¡°have you kids doing research already? Boy, I thought I was a tough boss. You just got out of the infirmary, Enoa, and you¡¯re already back to work.¡± ¡°No, this is something we¡¯re looking into on our own,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯s about, uh, my inheritance.¡± ¡°It looks like we need to catch up,¡± Orson said. ¡°Yeah, we do,¡± Enoa agreed. ¡°But the big thing.¡± Orson walked around the table. ¡°The Pacific Alliance is picking up the Maros crew tomorrow and bringing them here.¡± ¡°I personally want to thank these Maroses,¡± Mr. Corwin said. ¡°Yeah, Orson, I don¡¯t get what the big deal is,¡± Carlos added. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys beat this Maros before?¡± Enoa pictured the smoke rising from her home, but she also saw Maros, lying on the ground, spear in his shoulder, his life threatened. ¡°Orson, if you¡¯re here to ask me about this, it¡¯s okay. The Pacific Alliance should do whatever they can to get them to safety.¡± * * * Duncan noticed the hovercraft first. He saw the dust cloud billowing in the far distance, faster than any desert storm. The plume of dirt flying out in its wake was like a tidal wave, bearing down on them. Its shadow was visible even through the room¡¯s blinds. The craft flew just above the open desert, forgoing roads and any semblance of society. ¡°Hovercraft!¡± Duncan yelled to the others, but by the time Kol and Max had left their game of chess, the vehicle was almost on them. It was close enough to hear the roar of its propulsion. It was close enough to see the insignia on the nose of the squat, square vehicle. It did not bear the five stars of the Pacific Alliance. The craft¡¯s nose had the mark of an Eagle, facing left, facing ¡®west¡¯, interposed over a red and blue star. Duncan didn¡¯t know it was the mark of the Baron R.K. Helmont, when he peered under the blinds, but he knew what it meant. Even before the hovercraft came to a stop, facing the motel, he knew the Pacific Alliance was too late. Three squads of Rifle Corps troops ran from the hovercraft. They moved in a tight formation, covering the parking lot. These were not militiamen. They worked with the precision of true soldiers. These were the manner of warriors the IHSA had once used, well trained, professional, and armed with the weapons of tomorrow. None of the room¡¯s occupants spoke, not right away. They were surrounded. They were hopelessly outgunned. The Liberty Corps had found them. 87 - The Plummet Ledger ¡°Brace the door.¡± Kol rested his flesh-and-blood hand on Duncan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Get the table against it. Block it as best you can. And stay quiet. Meet us in the bathroom when you¡¯re done.¡± Kol could hear the booted footfalls of the Baron¡¯s infantry. They were right outside, no more than seventy feet away. They could have the door down in moments. Their vehicle¡¯s guns could slag that entire wing of motel rooms, and kill them all. But they wouldn¡¯t. The Baron wanted them alive to face his judgment. Duncan nodded. The sound of the troopers¡¯ footsteps scattered, a divided effort. They were searching. They did not know their room. Duncan ran to the table and removed their belongings ¨C his backpack, a folder of Max¡¯s notes, and the small set of screwdrivers Kol carried to maintain his prosthetic. ¡°Leave it all, except our weapons, ammunition, and a few ration packs,¡± Kol said. ¡°There¡¯s no time. They already know. Brace the door. Meet us.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Duncan cleared the table and then gripped it on either side. ¡°Max, we¡¯re heading into the bathroom.¡± Kol clasped his gun and sword belt. ¡°I¡¯ll push you, if that¡¯s fine with you.¡± Max nodded. He glanced over his shoulder toward him. ¡°Let me know if I can do anything to help.¡± ¡°Save your strength.¡± Kol pushed Max into the bathroom. He turned the wheelchair so Max sat facing him and the bathroom door. ¡°I¡¯m going to lift you out the window and get you safely on the ground. Then I¡¯ll climb out after you.¡± Kol unlocked the window and slid it open. He listened. No footsteps. No speech. No sound, except a rustling from the main motel room, where Duncan was working, and a single, staccato scream in the distance. Another guest had encountered the Rifle Corps troops. ¡°Kol.¡± Max rested his hand on his arm. ¡°I will never fit. You and Duncan might not fit, but you only have a chance if you leave me. I¡¯ll be no good to you if I fall from the window and break an arm. And without my wheelchair, how can we escape? ¡°We¡¯ll all get out.¡± Kol turned to his brother. ¡°I can lift you with my prosthetic. I can lift hundreds of pounds with those fingers. I can lower you to the ground in a sitting position. You¡¯ll be there just long enough for me to join you. Then we¡¯ll force the storage-shed door. We¡¯ll find somewhere to hide in there. We only need to hold out until the Alliance arrives.¡± The window would be snug. It was less than two feet square. Either they would fit through it or Kol had led his brother and his oldest friend to death. They would die because he had found a poor hiding place at the motel, because he¡¯d been too tired to flee to the Alliance, after the battle. If they¡¯d simply picked up Max and left, if he¡¯d placed them at the mercy of Littlefield, Max would be safe. Even if no one there believed he and Duncan had opposed the Liberty Corps, Max would be safe. They could not die for his choices. ¡°I can hide the wheelchair in the shower before I leave,¡± Kol said. ¡°I can carry you as far as I need to. We can come back after¡­¡± Hissing roared into the bedroom, behind them. It sounded like a leaf blower. Kol could not hear Max¡¯s response. He could hear nothing over the machinery and the rush of air. ¡°I¡¯m going to raise you now.¡± Kol hoped Max could hear him. He gripped his brother under the arms at the same time something struck the other side of the wall. Kol turned back in time to find Duncan staggering into the bathroom. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± But Kol already suspected what was happening. The Baron¡¯s forces were gassing them. Duncan gasped, but he did not reply. He collapsed onto the floor, his teeth clacking shut when he met the tile. Kol pulled Duncan out of the way, with his prosthetic hand, and slammed the door. He was left with an impossible choice. Even if he got Max from the window, he could never pull Duncan with him, unconscious, not with the gas filtering in, not with the Baron¡¯s forces surrounding them. But if he could save Max, he had to try. Kol had lost Max the use of his legs. He would not lose his brother his life. He and Duncan had made their choices. Kol crouched to lift Max, but his choice had passed. ¡°One meter lock seal!¡± A voice yelled. A dark opening, an accordion tube, sealed over the window with a final slurp. The noise of the gas doubled. Gray vapor oozed from the tube. Kol took his last gasp of clean air. He caught only the faintest whiff of something chemical, a caustic fume. He had one option left, an option that was only his ¨C that had already saved him twice. He set Max back in his wheelchair. His brother did not speak. His mouth was clamped shut, conserving oxygen, holding his breath. Kol controlled his body. He had learned to rule his mind. He would command the power, his power. Kol repeated the mantra. Control the body. Rule the mind. He pulled Max and Duncan close, aided by his prosthetic, positioning them around himself. Control the body. Rule the mind. Save his family. Kol ignored the rush of the gas and the shouts of their assailants. He ignored his past. He released his plans for the future. Shape or die. For the third time, Shape or die! The blue energy appeared, a low dome, encircling Kol and Duncan and Max. Kol felt his brother squeeze his arm, but he could give no thought to the attention. This was not a battle with a quick solution or an active escape. Kol did not know how long he could hold his shield against the onslaught of gas, or how long the oxygen in his bubble would last. How long didn¡¯t matter. Kol turned to Max. He could barely see his brother. He could barely see Duncan. The inside of the shield was fogging, the particles of gas slipping through his energy. He did not understand enough about his own Shaping to halt the fumes. Max gasped and sucked on the toxic air, his lungs unable to fight any longer. Kol¡¯s mind was warped by the Shaping, but in some dim part of himself that still felt fear, he knew he was not far behind. Kol breathed fully and deeply of the gas, his lungs forcing him to inhale the poison, choking, surrendering to the lack of oxygen. Kol¡¯s focus, his shield, and his consciousness left him. * * * Kol¡¯s eyes and nose and throat burned. He smelled ammonia and wrenched backward. He lay on his side on the ground, the earth beneath his cheek. He reached to his face to rub his eyes and felt the familiar weight of his Captain¡¯s armor. His clothing had been changed. ¡°Disappointing, Mr. Maros.¡± A man spoke, a voice with clipped, exact diction. ¡°And to think, only weeks ago, I looked forward to our eventual meeting. What a weakness expectations are, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Hands seized Kol under the arms and moved him into a sitting position. A mist sprayed into his face, a mist that forced its way under his eyelids and between his lips. He spluttered, but he felt the burning ease. He blinked through the moisture and saw his surroundings. The man who supported Kol wore the same style of helmet that Adrian ¡®Nine-flails¡¯ had donned in battle, but with a long trunk-like tube extending from the faceplate. This person released him and stepped away, clearing Kol¡¯s view of the man who had spoken. This man was tall, gaunt, and dressed in the white armor of a Liberty Corps officer. He wore a dark cape, clasped at his shoulders by gold and purple rank insignia. Red stripes ran along the sides of his sleeves and pant legs, to the hem of his pants and the ends of his gloves. A sword with a long black hilt was sheathed at his left hip. It had gold inlay and glittered with gemstones. It looked old, not Liberty Corps design. The man did not have the build of an officer. His limbs were thin enough that his uniform tunic and pants could only be tailor-made. His cheeks were actually sunken. His hair was gray and cut very short. ¡°I am Baron R.K. Helmont. I am here to deal your judgment, and the judgments of your accomplices.¡± Beyond Helmont waited the hovercraft that had arrived at the motel, or an identical one, now standing on four landing struts. It rested beside another landed aircraft of a design Kol did not recognize. It was tall, like a giant bell, with wings extended from each side. Two armored figures stood outside this craft. They each wore red and white armor and a slit-visored helmet. The knight who¡¯d sprayed Kol walked to join them. Open desert lay in all directions, empty, no roads, no civilization, only distant snow-capped peaks to the north. ¡°I tricked the others into helping me.¡± Kol spat the liquid from his mouth. ¡°I have no accomplices. My brother believes every word I say. Agent Racz still thinks Sloan was the true turncoat. What a poor investigation you¡¯ve led, if you still don¡¯t know that.¡± Helmont smiled. He peeled the glove from his left hand, one finger at a time. Then he reached forward. Kol looked into the Baron¡¯s eyes, expecting a slap that did not come. The Baron¡¯s hand was hot when it pressed to Kol¡¯s bare cheek. Kol tried to turn away, but he couldn¡¯t. He could not move. An unseen power had taken him, gripped his arms tight to his shoulders. The Baron¡¯s hand burned against Kol¡¯s flesh, as if ready to start his face on fire. Kol remembered the power of the woman who had been Orson Gregory¡¯s partner, the elemental. Was fire the Baron¡¯s ability? No. Baron Helmont raised his hand, still pressed to Kol¡¯s cheek. Kol rose with it. The invisible grip moved him in parallel to the Baron¡¯s touch. Kol was pulled from the earth, the tips of his toes barely touched the dirt. He felt prickling at the nape of his neck, the presence of powerful Shaping, not that he needed the physical cue. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Do not mistake me,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I know everything. I know your weakness and your defection. I know your brother¡¯s corrosive influence. I know Mr. Racz¡¯s misplaced loyalty. This is not a conversation or an investigation.¡± He pulled his hand away. The grip vanished. Kol staggered, when his feet were forced to hold his weight, but he found his strength. ¡°And yet, you did nearly evade us.¡± Helmont turned his back to Kol. He looked out at the empty desert. ¡°Such an expansive territory. If the Pacific Alliance were more covert about their diplomatic movements, I might never have known they planned to recover you. But even so, it was no simple task to gas every room at fifteen establishments. It takes a great effort to find the proverbial needle in a haystack, but I am a very patient man.¡± Kol had time to think now, free air to breathe while the Baron savored his success. Helmont was a Shaper to lead his knights, that was undoubtedly true, but Kol needed only a moment to close his prosthetic fingers around the Baron¡¯s throat. He couldn¡¯t let himself think of Max or Duncan ¨C only the Baron. ¡°The Shape you¡¯ve discovered is notable.¡± Helmont still faced away from him. ¡°There are other instances of personal force-field manipulation, but not from a baseline specimen. It¡¯s a curious thing, and there lies the great pity of the Shaping Disciplines ¨C nothing to be learned from corpses.¡± Helmont motioned to the shuttle and the knights who stood outside it. ¡°Bring the condemned and my ledgerman. It is time.¡± A segmented ramp lowered from the bell aircraft. Five figures followed it to the surface, two more knights, a Liberty Corps officer with a long, black datapad, Max in his wheelchair, and Duncan. Max held himself with poise, even without hope of escape, even at the end of his life. He was straight-backed and expressionless. Duncan had also been forced into a set of officer armor. Even from that distance, Kol could see the slump of his shoulders, the droop of his head, accepted inevitability, resigned fate. This was Kol¡¯s own doing. His choices had killed them. The only victory left was to avenge his family. Kill their executioner. Max and Duncan were brought alongside Kol, forced into a line by the Knights. All three condemned now faced the Baron. The Ledgerman stood beside his master. ¡°We gather here to deliver justice to traitors and dissidents,¡± Helmont said. ¡°We gather to balance the scales and to make an example of betrayers. May the deaths and judgments dealt be an example that brings safety to the Corps. Ledgerman, recite charges and sentencing.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The Ledgerman removed a small oblong device from his belt. It sprouted twin propellers and flew above the gathering, before settling to a sustained hover in line with Kol¡¯s face. The Ledgerman raised his datapad. ¡°In the case of Kolben Maros,¡± he said. ¡°You face one count of treason, one count of conspiring with an enemy nation or organization, one count of transmitting sensitive data, one count of espionage, one count of conspiracy and two counts of resisting arrest.¡± He pressed his hand to the screen. ¡°A plummet of one hundred meters would be appropriate.¡± ¡°Your plummet will not be performed, at this time.¡± Helmont flexed his bare left hand. ¡°You serve at the pleasure of the Czar, himself, and can be punished only by his command. But the Lost Park Office is in a time of meditation, and cannot be interrupted. Until Czar Hawthorne can be consulted, you will be passed into the custody of my research corps. Perhaps we will learn the secret to the unusual Shape you¡¯ve discovered.¡± Kol saw Duncan¡¯s eyes flick to him. Max did not respond. Both of his arms hung to either side of the wheelchair, his attention fixed forward. ¡°Carry on, Ledgerman,¡± Helmont said. ¡°In the case of Duncan Racz,¡± the legerman answered. His hovering device moved in line with Duncan, likely to film or photograph him, Kol realized. ¡°You face two counts of murder, two counts of reckless discharge of a firearm, one count of treason, one count of conspiracy, one count of disrupting a field operation, and one count of resisting arrest. A plummet of one hundred meters would be appropriate.¡± Duncan stiffened. Kol could see him tense out of the corner of his eye, but he did not respond. When Helmont reached for Duncan, Kol would be ready. ¡°And Mr. Maros?¡± Helmont said. The hovering device moved to Max. ¡°Maxwell Maros faces one count of espionage,¡± the ledgerman said, ¡°one count of transmitting sensitive data, one count of conspiracy, and one count of resisting arrest. A plummet of fifty meters would be¡­¡± The ledgerman¡¯s face caved in. His datapad shattered in a shower of sparks and metal and glass. His body and the hovering drone both fell to the earth ¨C all before Kol saw the gun in Max¡¯s hands or processed what had happened. The other knights yelled and jumped away. Even Helmont flinched aside. Max had a gun? How had it not been found? Max fired a second time, to seemingly no effect. Then the gun tore itself free from Max¡¯s hand and pin-wheeled away, whipped far across the desert. ¡°Your marksmanship falls short of your reputation, Mr. Maros.¡± Helmont raised his hand. Max¡¯s wheelchair moved on its own. It rolled in a lazy, wide, circle, crawling around Helmont, his knights, the ledgerman¡¯s corpse, and the condemned. Kol clenched his prosthetic hand. Helmont was ready and watchful and too far away. He would be caught if he struck now. The wheelchair stopped. Its motor revved. Kol could see it wobbling, Max¡¯s hand tight on the controls, motor louder and louder, as it strained against the Baron¡¯s mental attack. With a pop and a puff of smoke, the motor surrendered. The wheelchair circled the gathering once. Then it sped up. Max did not speak. He made no sound, even as he was propelled without any control. The wheelchair moved faster on the second loop, then faster still. It tilted sideways, but it maintained its tight arc. It touched the ground by only its right wheels. Kol had to attack. He had to do something, even if all he managed was a distraction. The tingling at Kol¡¯s neck intensified. It was like electricity, like the static power of the moments before a lightning strike. Could Kol make a new shield to stop Max¡¯s chair? Fight Shaping with Shaping? Would that save Max? What would happen to someone if they crashed into such a barrier? Kol didn¡¯t know. He knew nothing ¨C nothing about his abilities, nothing about Helmont¡¯s power. Before Kol acted, the wheelchair touched back down onto all four wheels. It sped into the distance. Then the chair came to a sudden stop. It jerked forward. Max was thrown from the chair. He couldn¡¯t raise his arms in time to protect his face. He struck the earth, sliding on his stomach, his face in the dirt, his hands splayed to either side. He didn¡¯t cry out, but he also didn¡¯t move, once he came to a stop. ¡°The death of my ledgerman will add two hundred meters to your plummet.¡± Helmont flicked his wrist. The wheelchair reversed course, away from Max. ¡°I will throw you high enough that the chill and the thin air will kill you long before you hit the ground.¡± The Baron kept his precise manner of speaking, but Kol could feel Helmont¡¯s fury, the mental power, more electricity down Kol¡¯s spine. ¡°Wait!¡± Duncan raised both hands. ¡°Wait! We have information that would have been useful to the Pacific Alliance. That information is just as useful to you. We have information about the Aesir crew. Information no one else has.¡± ¡°I¡¯m assuming you are suggesting an agreement?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°A reduced or lenient sentence, in exchange for your assistance? Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Duncan cried. ¡°You intrigue me,¡± Helmont said. ¡°But not enough to avert your judgment.¡± ¡°Archie Grant!¡± Duncan shouted the name. ¡°Archie Grant was supposed to meet Enoa Cloud and pick her up to secure her aunt¡¯s Dreamside Road key, before Daniel Tucker murdered him. And that¡¯s just the tip of the iceberg. If we die, our Dreamside Road investigation dies with us.¡± ¡°Duncan,¡± Max screamed from the spot where Helmont had left him. ¡°No! This will help no one.¡± ¡°On the contrary,¡± Helmont said. ¡°This has helped me immensely. Thank you, Mr. Racz, but I¡¯m sure the five other Dreamside Road investigations can pick up the threads of your work. You are not indispensible, but I will perform your sentence with haste. A shame it won¡¯t be properly documented.¡± The Baron stepped toward Duncan. Kol lunged. He had only feet to travel to close his fingers around Helmont, to break the Baron. Nothing else mattered. Once Helmont was dead¡­ Something unseen gripped his prosthetic hand and held it in place. His feet slipped out from under him. He would have fallen, if the invisible hand didn¡¯t hold him steady. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t study our own prosthesis?¡± Helmont actually laughed, a bemused chortle. ¡°Did you think I would be unprepared for the hand the Corps gave you? Truly, boy, you fall short of your promise and potential.¡± The grip on the prosthetic vanished. Kol fell onto his back. Then Helmont struck out with his left hand. Duncan raised his fists to defend himself, but the Baron batted them aside and pressed his open palm to Duncan¡¯s cheek. Helmont raised his arm in one, quick swing. Duncan was thrown into the sky. It was as if gravity had reversed and the outer atmosphere pulled Duncan from the ground. He fell upward. He let out a sharp intake of breath, but he rose so fast, he didn¡¯t scream. He didn¡¯t let out any audible sound, not until he reached the top of his ascent. Gravity welcomed Duncan back under its control. He plummeted, screaming, limbs flailing, in mindless panic, death for him waiting on the ground. Kol stood. He screamed too. This would not happen. He would not let it happen. He ran toward Duncan. He couldn¡¯t hope to catch him. How could he? They would both be killed in the attempt, but it was reflex, to rush to his friend. One of the knights charged at Kol, hands outstretched, one held a blade. The knight could not reach him. The armored figure met a wall of light and was repulsed. The knight flew backward. Kol paid no attention to the attack. He barely noticed the knight had been cast aside. He watched Duncan falling, still screaming, hurtling toward death. Duncan did not strike the ground. He fell onto a thin blue barrier, almost invisible. Kol felt the weight, as if he¡¯d caught the full mass of his friend, as if Duncan had fallen across his shoulders. Duncan choked, the air forced from his lungs, even with his fall cut dramatically short. Kol ran beneath Duncan. He tried to lower the barrier he¡¯d gathered, to guide Duncan safely back to the ground. The field of energy descended. Kol tried not to think about the reality of what he was attempting. He feared that cold rationality would disrupt whatever power of emotion and focus that he¡¯d found. He ruled his mind and the field descended further still. Something slammed into Kol¡¯s shoulder. It struck him hard enough to crack his armor and throw him. Kol released the shield that held Duncan. He fell the remaining eight feet to the ground. Kol jumped to his feet. He saw the object that had hit him, a single gray rectangle, like a metal brick. He didn¡¯t know where it had come from, but he learned. Another three projectiles rose from Baron Helmont¡¯s belt and pelted toward him. Kol sprinted away from them. Two of the projectiles missed. The third met yet another wall of light and was cast away. Kol found Duncan unmoving. His armor was broken and scorched, his clothing torn. His nose and hands wept blood. Some of his scraped fingers pointed in unnatural directions. Kol knelt beside him. Kol felt for Duncan¡¯s pulse. He could not find one. Armored hands grabbed Kol from behind, forcing him away. He tried to summon another wall, anything to separate him from his attackers. The hands released him. A low voice shouted, more shocked than pained. Kol felt warmth spread through his body and saw a blue glow at the edges of his vision. Duncan opened his eyes. He reached out and gripped Kol¡¯s armored forearm. He did not speak, but he was breathing! His breaths were ragged, shallow.¡± Another of Helmont¡¯s projectiles struck Kol in the face, sending him sideways. If his shield or his untrained shaping sense gave him any warning, he didn¡¯t notice. Kol¡¯s cheek swelled where the flesh split. Pain radiated through his face, maybe a broken bone. Knights seized Kol ¨C multiple pairs of hands, dragging him backward. ¡°Bravo!¡± Baron Helmont began a slow measured clap. Some of the knights joined in. ¡°Quite the performance.¡± You will answer for your crimes here, Helmont.¡± Max yelled. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I am no match for a young, untrained traitor and his gimp brother, but perhaps I was too quick to judge. I underestimated you, young Kolben.¡± Helmont offered another chortle. ¡°Gentlemen, we¡¯re following the Delta Procedures for Mr. Racz.¡± The remaining knights pulled Duncan onto a hovering cart and bore him away, toward the bell-shaped shuttle. Duncan stared at Kol. He reached out a hand toward him. Then he fell back against the hovercart. He stopped moving. ¡°You should be proud of yourself, young man,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You¡¯ve won stays for your entire party. It is always of great use to our Czar to conduct research on paraplegics. Maxwell will be useful for that purpose. And Mr. Racz, if he survives, he had two Shapes acting upon him concurrently, such a rare occurrence. We will learn a very great deal from your bodies before you receive your final sentencing.¡± Kol watched as the knights guided the cart and the unmoving Duncan back into the ship. ¡°And when it comes time for your sentence,¡± Helmont continued. ¡°That too will be useful. Your deaths will be filmed. All will be documented. Every enemy of the Liberty Corps will see you die. They will know your death. They will know all of your deaths. Your lives and stories will be an essential Liberty Corps tool. Consequence will maintain order, Mr. Maros. Consequence and fear will build the empire you abandoned.¡± 88 - Helmont Baron Helmont closed himself inside his shuttle¡¯s communication chamber, a small ovoid room at the center of the ship, situated beside his mobile study and the passenger rooms for his knights and operatives. Once sealed, the dark walls of the chamber activated. Lined with transmission screens, they created a perfect 360-degree view of another location. Helmont now apparently stood between the Lost Park Office ¨C a columned, two-story Greek revival house ¨C and a three hundred-foot transparent biodome. The dome teemed with light and motion. Helmont saw the swaying of branches and long, trailing vines, whipped about by some unheard wind, visible against the light. The glow revealed nothing but foliage. The source of the light could not be seen. ¡°Excellency,¡± Helmont bowed his head. He knew that the corresponding device, thousands of miles away in the former Radio Quiet Zone, would project his own likeness outside the Czar¡¯s sanctuary. His message would be recorded as a full-color 3D hologram, preserved until the Czar had finished his seclusion. ¡°I have news to report,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I have recovered the traitor, Kolben Maros, and I would like your permission to perform a documented plummet. I believe an example must be set. Until then, I am en route to The Pinnacle. The Shaping Initiative will study Mr. Maros¡¯s unusual capabilities, as well as his brother, as per your ongoing mobility study. Their accomplice, Agent Racz, should he survive his current injuries, will be sent to the long-term Shaping Influence Study. Kolben Maros resisted Racz¡¯s sentencing. He stopped the plummet, and made Mr. Racz a useful test subject. If they are recognizable after the relevant studies are complete, they shall then face proper executions.¡± Helmont knew it was impossible ¨C or almost impossible ¨C for the Czar to hear him inside the dome, surrounded by his work and his exertions, but at the mention of Kolben Maros, the lights faded. The trees slowed their undulating dance. The dome looked almost as dark as it had when they had claimed it after destabilization. ¡°I have also come to believe that it is time we formally evolve your operation. Militia growth was essential and a true stroke of brilliance, but the local chapters are too disjointed to perform as a singular fighting force. Captain Orson Gregory and his crew trounced the militia War Force outside Littlefield. ¡°I have a report on that topic, but it can wait. I¡¯m letting you know that I¡¯m about to launch my own campaign to take Knightschurch Island and the Dreamside Road key hidden there. I am now certain that the heir of Sucora Cloud is attempting to reach the island. Sucora Cloud contacted Archie Grant to help young Enoa. To my knowledge he was the only former Dreamthought Project member who knew the location of Knightschurch Island. ¡°This is also the explanation for Gregory¡¯s erratic behavior. Why would he take Enoa Cloud on a journey with no clear destination? He has taken no crew since the Enigma Guard disbanded. I believe he inherited Grant¡¯s quest of delivering Cloud to Knightschurch. Gregory knew several former Dreamthought Project members. He may have known Grant, as well. Perhaps Gregory intended to deliver both Cloud and Grant to Knightschurch, but it was no coincidence that he intertwined his business with Grant¡¯s mission. ¡°And another point: why has Gregory chosen to visit an old crewmember ¨C Eloise Corwin ¨C rather than proceed immediately to the island? He would not if he had the island¡¯s location. He went to Corwin for her connections to the League of Nations Scientific Advisory. As far as we know, she is his last contact from the Advisory framework. She worked with them for six years, from Kappa¡¯s death to destabilization, and met her fianc¨¦, while both consulted with the operation. Corwin has deep connections to the Advisory. Again, she is Captain Gregory¡¯s only link to experts with the oceanographic telemetry and knowledge to locate an uncharted island. The Aesir crew knows Knightschurch Island exists, but needs assistance in locating it. ¡°I believe, due to the timing of Governor Sloan¡¯s attack, that we may have caught Gregory before he received the necessary information. I have dispatched forces to each of the remaining Advisory labs, excluding the San Francisco site, which the Pacific Alliance holds. I¡¯ll destroy any means for Gregory to find Knightschurch. If Gregory already has the island¡¯s location, and we have a true competitor, perhaps openly attacking the Advisory may draw him in. We can take advantage of Gregory¡¯s quixotic sense of honor.¡± The dome lit again, but without the forest motion, just light. Unearthly shadows moved inside the biosphere. Fuzzy shapes swung between the trees on long, feathered tentacles. Mammoth beasts walked through the forest, their heads breaking through the canopy of towering trees. The trees too were otherworldly, their trunks diverging and reconverging, like they¡¯d been coaxed into mimicking the shape of the genetic double-helix. Something flew at the top of the dome, circling, its wingspan greater that the height of the trees below. ¡°When I kill Gregory,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I will document his destruction. Then I will retrieve the heir of Sucora Cloud for our own study. Soon, Your Excellency, both of their keys will be in our hands, and it will be only a matter of time before we gather all of them.¡± * * * Orson removed his spare coats from their storage tote and laid them on his bed. He worked with quiet deliberation, as he did lately, when his insomnia and racing thoughts and old burdens forced him to be productive while the rest of the crew slept. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The new coats Pops had sent with him were made from a heavy synthetic material. They were identical, but Orson wanted to look through them again, before he selected a new home for his armor. He¡¯d cleaned and lubricated the moving parts of his wire framework, working dirt and grime from the ligatures and springs with a flexible wire brush. He¡¯d tightened the mechanisms that moved his blaster from his sleeve, and the interfaces that connected to his HUD, rebreather, and repulsor boot. The whole conglomeration of metal and wires and the solar cell was spread out in the narrow space beside Orson¡¯s bed. He picked a coat and slid the others into their tote. Orson was lifting the framework onto the bed when the knocking started. The first knock on the Aesir¡¯s door was loud enough that he thought a tree branch had fallen and struck the side of the ship. But then the second strike came and the third and then the shouting. ¡°Orson!¡± Eloise yelled. ¡°Orson! Orson! Orson! Orson!¡± She yelled his name in rhythm with her strikes against the door. Orson grabbed his sheathed sword, as a precaution, and ran to the front of the ship. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Enoa was already squinting out of her open door, hair askew. Wesley flew from the opening, chattering. He glided to the couch. ¡°I¡¯m gonna find out.¡± Orson ran to the front of the cabin and the door release. When he hit the switch, Eloise jumped inside before the door had fully opened. She wore a coat over a pair of flannel pajamas. She ran to the ship¡¯s table and pulled a laptop from a bag over her shoulder. ¡°Orson!¡± She yelled again. ¡°The Liberty Corps is looking for Doctor Stan! They know we asked a League of Nations scientist for help!¡± ¡°What?¡± Orson hit the switch to cycle the door shut. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Were you hacked? Do they know who we talked to, specifically?¡± Jaleel stumbled from his bunk, pulling on his archer gear as he ran, quiver of arrows under his arm. Enoa followed after him, still wearing pajamas. ¡°Are we under attack?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I was hacked.¡± Eloise opened her computer. ¡°Just¡­ Just listen to this, okay? After Pops gave you the last message, we¡¯ve been listening to the local number stations, too. Just listen.¡± They gathered around the table, as Eloise hit ¡®play¡¯, and Baron Helmont¡¯s voice spoke into the cabin, his voice tinny and distorted, as it had been on his other broadcast through the old network. ¡°I have received information that an IHSA traitor going by the name Archie Grant was set to take the heir of Sucora Cloud to a secret refuge where many traitors once hid and may still hide. I believe Captain Gregory and his Aesir crew now plan to take Cloud¡¯s heir to this place. Intelligence suggests that Hierarchia traitor scientists from the League of Nations Scientific Advisory are being recruited to help locate this illicit sanctuary. ¡°I am sending three squads and teams of my knights to each of the Advisory laboratories that still operate. All forces stay on high alert. If the Aesir and its crew attempt to interfere in apprehending these scientists, all traitors to the cause of the true League of Nations and the IHSA, we will take that opportunity to terminate them.¡± The recording came to a stop with a harsh crackle. ¡°This is some kind of trap,¡± Orson said. ¡°Helmont has to know we can listen to those stations.¡± ¡°So what if it¡¯s a trap?¡± Eloise was still shouting. ¡°What would a trap mean? It would lead you there, to that Crystal Dune lab. If the trap is there, Dr. Stan is still in danger because we asked her for help!¡± ¡°Not if they¡¯re just trying to lure us out of town,¡± Orson said. ¡°What¡¯s your security like?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I know a little bit about hiding communications, from all that time I spent sneaking around in the Solar Saver crawler.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that!¡± Eloise said. ¡°We need to go there and get Dr. Stan out, and all those scientists out, before they¡¯re killed. We have to assume that our regular communication methods are not spy-proof.¡± ¡°You should stay here, Eloise,¡± Orson said. ¡°This could be some ploy so the Liberty Corps can attack Littlefield again. You¡¯re needed in town, and we¡¯d have a hard enough time fitting a whole team of scientists on this boat? How many people work there, twenty?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Fine, I can stay and try to get formal protection for the lab team. If the Alliance would offer asylum to that Maros, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be willing to help members of the Advisory. And while you¡¯re gone you can stay in touch with the typewriter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where that thing is,¡± Orson groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t type, even when I can see what I¡¯m typing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a great typist,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Years ago, we made long-range communication devices out of old typewriters,¡± Orson said. ¡°Did you lose yours?¡± Eloise asked. "Orson, tell me you didn''t lose your one of a kind typewriter!" ¡°He¡¯s never mentioned a typewriter, has he?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°No,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose it!¡± Orson shouted. ¡°It¡¯s buried somewhere. I¡¯ll find it before we leave. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re ready to fly off now.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been all packed since you said the Alliance might want my Aunt¡¯s things,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I can leave really soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always ready!¡± Jaleel nodded. ¡°I¡¯d just need to get Wesley safe and belted into his cage.¡± The aeropine flew from the couch at the sound of his name. He landed between them and patted Jaleel¡¯s legs with his forepaws. ¡°That¡¯s right! We¡¯re going on a trip. Wesley¡¯s first adventure in the Aesir crew!¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯re agreed then,¡± Orson said. ¡°Eloise, please pass this recording on to Colonel Musgrove, just in case he doesn¡¯t have it yet. Maybe the P.A. can evacuate those other teams, while we head to the Crystal Dune laboratory. We¡¯ll leave as soon as we can and hopefully we¡¯ll get everybody out before the Liberty Corps arrives.¡± ¡°If it is a trap,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Do you think the Baron has ships to chase us, like the Sun Talons Maros had in Pennsylvania?¡± ¡°They might,¡± Orson said. ¡°The lab complex is only a few hundred miles away from here. We might be safer going by land. Our solar cells aren¡¯t finished recharging yet. Hey Eloise, do you still have the snake-mobile disguise sitting around? I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± 89 - The Typewriter The oversized light-up snake wobbled above its roof clamps. It was lighter than it looked, hollow, and lined only with thin wiring. The box truck that carried it blasted across the desert highway at a ludicrous speed. Both cab and trailer were done up in colors of yellow and green. Around the snake, the roof was covered in lights. They flashed, a garish, neon beacon, announcing the vehicle speeding through the empty landscape. REMOTE ANTIVENOM SERVICES Decals marked the sides and rear of the trailer. There may once have been contact information for the operation, but the trailer was weathered, its paint faded. No further information could be deciphered. Enoa had seen the outside of the disguised Aesir, before she¡¯d entered the ship through the back of the false truck-trailer. But she couldn¡¯t imagine the bizarre sight they must be to anyone who saw them, part emergency vehicle, part gaudy advertisement. Enoa sat in the passenger¡¯s seat, and she struggled to follow the kaleidoscope of camera feeds that filled the windshield. There were almost a dozen feeds displayed there, presenting views from the Aesir¡¯s modified exterior, as well as multiple points along the sides of the trailer. Two cameras were situated between the blinking lights and offered footage of the sky. ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°What¡¯s happening? I can¡¯t follow any of this.¡± ¡°Something flew over us a few minutes ago,¡± Orson answered. ¡°It was high enough that I¡¯m not thinking civilian, but who knows. If we¡¯re lucky it¡¯s Alliance responding to whatever Eloise said to them about Helmont.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure they would know if we used the sensors?¡± Jaleel sat behind Orson, a typewriter in his lap. It was an antique model, mounted on an olive-green, metal box, four inches deep. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should risk it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Okay.¡± Jaleel shifted the typewriter. Its internal workings were exposed to make room for an array of wiring that ran both inside and around the device. All external wires wove up to a translucent cube that had been attached to the back. The cube softly glowed. A thick, black cord reached from the glowing cube to a slot in the metal box. ¡°Why did I have to say I was a good typist?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°You guys are ready to fight, and I have to babysit the ¡®ye olde email machine¡¯.¡± ¡°Your job is really important,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯ll fall in love with that thing when you see it work. And you¡¯ll be able to stretch your legs in a few minutes. We¡¯re only about thirty miles from the river, and it¡¯ll take some work to get the tarp set up so we won¡¯t be seen.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we send a message back to Littlefield and let them know we¡¯re okay?¡± Enoa asked. The tri-cannon¡¯s control stick was already primed for her to use, but she¡¯d be next to useless until the sensors came online, and she got her targeting screen. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty cruel not to let Eloise know we didn¡¯t get killed?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Orson kept his eyes fixed on the windshield displays. Even in the warm climate, years without maintenance had begun to take their toll on the road. It was worn and somewhat overgrown. Low trailing grasses reached across the roadway. Orson ignored all of it and maintained the Aesir¡¯s sprint through the desert ¨C 150 kph. Enoa had only a fleeting knowledge of metric distances, but she knew they were going really, really fast. ¡°Okay, Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°The typewriter can be pretty annoying, but I¡¯ll try to walk you through sending a message. There should already be paper in there. You won¡¯t need that unless we get a response right away, but we might.¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s paper in here,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Good. You should be able to start by locking in the recipient. If you turn it, you¡¯ll see labeled switches on the bottom translation plate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the green part?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. There are numbers and initials written there. They should correspond to eight triggers. Uh, let me try to remember this. Eloise will be the one labeled E, hyphen L, hyphen six. Do you see that?¡± Enoa turned around in her seat. The back of the typewriter was more complex than she¡¯d noticed when she and Jaleel had removed it from a crate in one of the ship¡¯s storage lockers. There were several small triggers at the intersection of the typewriter and the bottom metal box. Each of these was wired with thin cords that forked many times, all weaving in clusters back along the typewriter. ¡°No. Wait, yes.¡± Jaleel hit one of the buttons. ¡°Orson, what the hell is this thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little marriage of a folktale relic jury-rigged to a vintage Remington typewriter. Did you hit the right switch? That¡¯s very important.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°You have no idea what this is, do you?¡± Jaleel grimaced and looked up from his work. ¡°I know exactly what it is, but I have no idea how it works, so I¡¯m sparing you the pain of your own curiosity¡­ At least until we have time to talk about it more. Did you hit the right one, or not?¡± ¡°Yeah, I hit it.¡± ¡°Cool. Tell Eloise we¡¯re alive and hopefully only a little over an hour and a half from getting to the lab.¡± ¡°So I just start typing?¡± Jaleel adjusted the typewriter in his lap. ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°But don¡¯t use caps or any punctuation other than periods after sentences. And say ¡®over¡¯ when you¡¯re done with the message, like you¡¯re talking on a radio. Eloise will probably start typing before you type ¡®over¡¯, but do it anyway.¡± Jaleel pressed a few keys. Where the hammers would typically strike a piece a ribbon against the paper, marking it with ink, this device raised its hammers only part way, striking nothing. Enoa watched some of the wiring from the back of the typewriter stretching taut as Jaleel typed out the message. ¡°Ugh, you weren¡¯t kidding!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You really can¡¯t see anything you type. What do I do when I¡¯m done?¡± ¡°Hit the carriage return lever ¨C push it to the left,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s the lever that sticks out on the top right. That will break the connection.¡± ¡°Is that the lever that does the slidy thing for normal typewriters?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Orson said. ¡°If you mean what I think you do ¨C the carriage return.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jaleel pushed the lever. ¡°AH!¡± The typewriter¡¯s keys and hammers began to move on their own. They now reached all the way to the typewriter¡¯s ribbon of ink, marking the moving paper, keys moving faster than with any human typist. ¡°Now it needs the slidy thing.¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Does it do that on its own? It¡¯s getting close to the end of the line!¡± He pulled his hands back, as the paper moved upwards. The carriage slid back into place, and the typewriter started on the next line. ¡°Why is it so fast?¡± ¡°Yeah, the carriage returns on its own,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s all part of what the translation plate does. It¡¯s moving quickly because the memory in the translator held onto Eloise¡¯s message, until you broke our outgoing connection. It¡¯s trying to catch up to her. She never waits. What is she saying? Is it actually Eloise or did you write to one of my other old acquaintances?¡± ¡°Nope, it¡¯s Eloise,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°She says she¡¯s glad we¡¯re alive, and that you were right. Some kind of fast-moving aircraft went over Littlefield. She thinks the Baron sent a scout to look for us, and it¡¯s good we left the decoy camper in her yard.¡± ¡°I thought he might,¡± Orson said. ¡°She has some bad news too,¡± Jaleel continued. ¡°She sent a message to Dr. Stan, and it came back undeliverable.¡± ¡°Is that definitely bad?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Could it just be a malfunction or something like that?¡± ¡°That would be insanely bad luck,¡± Orson said. ¡°Does Eloise seem worried?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°She¡¯s writing more. She¡¯s never seen this error before. Oh, and she saw multiple aircraft fly out away from the Alliance encampment.¡± ¡°Great. It looks like we¡¯re already headed to another throw-down.¡± Orson made a slow exhalation. ¡°Once she¡¯s done writing, you can put it back to ¡®send¡¯ and tell her we¡¯ll keep her posted. Whatever¡¯s waiting for us at that lab, we¡¯ll be there soon.¡± * * * Thirteen groups of Pterodactyl-class hunter-seeker drones flew in grids, scanning the skies in a fifty-mile radius around the Crystal Dune Laboratory Complex. Once, satellite networks would have maintained connection between the Dactyls and their remote control center, but this was no longer the case. Too many of the necessary satellites had been destroyed by the Thunderworks fleet or by attempts to stop it. Now the Dactyls were linked by high-flying control craft. These crewed aircraft coordinated with the teams that monitored the other three Scientific Advisory labs. All reported to western Liberty Corps Command at The Pinnacle. The Dactyls were equipped with double forward particle cannons, and a payload of two rockets. Crewed aircraft reinforcements could arrive in minutes. The Aesir could go nowhere without being seen. ¡°This is House Call.¡± All drone coordinators received the message from a fifth team leader. ¡°Aesir might still be in Littlefield, in the property Governor Sloan identified as belonging to Eloise Corwin. There was a covered shape signature, that matched the registered dimensions of the Aesir craft.¡± ¡°This is Pasture Watch,¡± a drone coordinator spoke, representing a remote formation that observed a laboratory in the plains region. ¡°No sign of the Aesir. Nothing to report.¡± ¡°This is Bad Neighborhood,¡± the coordinator of the San Francisco formation reported. ¡°Too many matching shape signatures to investigate, but no aircraft that match the Aesir.¡± ¡°This is Mountainview,¡± the coordinator of a Dactyl formation monitoring an outpost in the northern Rocky Mountains. ¡°We have some passerby data to analyze, but no direct matches.¡± ¡°This is Oasis,¡± the coordinator of the force monitoring the Crystal Dune Laboratory Complex reported. ¡°No aircraft of any kind. No matches. We have data for three modified ground vehicles, two pieces of farming equipment and an antivenom health industry business. Reporting only out of due diligence.¡± ¡°House Call again, Pacific Alliance forces just launched from the Littlefield encampment. Looks like twenty craft. Will send more data. Assume other assets in motion, responding to our broadcast. We advise all operations conclude before Alliance forces arrive.¡± ¡°Negative.¡± A new voice spoke over the comm, high-pitched, and with a peculiar gurgling echo, behind the words. ¡°This is Sir Rowan, on the ground at Oasis. Scientists here were working with the Aesir. They just received a warning from Littlefield civilians. We¡¯ve sent a decoy response. The Aesir isn¡¯t here yet, but it will be. Pending approval of Baron Helmont, all forces will converge on the Crystal Dune Laboratory.¡± ¡°House call here,¡± that team leader replied. ¡°We¡¯ll watch the Aesir match on the Corwin property.¡± ¡°That may not be the Aesir,¡± Rowan said. ¡°But continue updates. We need to keep the Alliance forces from aligning with the Aesir or any laboratory personnel until we kill Gregory and apprehend Cloud¡¯s heir.¡± 90 - The Antler Clan ¡°This is the uh, Rio Persistente.¡± Orson parked the Aesir in the shade. The banks around the river marked the beginning of a swath of foliage that stretched to the south and west, toward the laboratory its grounds. ¡°It should take us through the complex, if we can get set up that I can steer on the river.¡± Together, they peeled the outer coating from the Aesir, removing the paneling that gave the appearance of the box truck cab and trailer. Orson undid the magnetic clamps at the front grill and each of the wheel wells. He climbed onto the roof and did the same, separating the covering into individual sheets, which could be removed. They hid the panels, out of sight of aerial observers, no more than roadside detritus, forgotten. ¡°I hope we can come back for this stuff.¡± Orson thumped his hand against the side of the false truck cab paneling. ¡°We¡¯ve had this for almost ten years.¡± ¡°But why did you have it?¡± Jaleel sat on the ground, beside Enoa. They spread out the sensor tarp, flat across the ground. ¡°I mean, why else would you need to make the Aesir look like a snake bite truck.¡± ¡°We were going after this cult of arsonists.¡± Orson joined them with the tarp. They affixed portable cameras across the material, before moving it beside the Aesir. ¡°We were already getting a reputation because of the whole Blitzkrieg thing so we needed something tricky. Actually, you two know Dr. Lopez. She started learning medicine specializing in antivenom, and she gave us the idea.¡± Orson triggered his repulsor and leaped over the ship, spreading the tarp around it. They pinned the tarp into place, locking the metal rim of the covering to the Aesir¡¯s hull with the same clamps that had held the antivenom disguise. ¡°It looks like you were right about where these should go.¡± Enoa tugged at one of the cameras, positioned roughly in the middle of the Aesir¡¯s front grill. ¡°They seem snug.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Orson said. ¡°We don¡¯t need them to fall off in the water and leave us blind.¡± He circled the ship, tapping at the cameras, before he went back inside. He found the cabin empty. Enoa and Jaleel had gone to check on Wesley. They¡¯d locked the aeropine¡¯s cage into an apparatus Jaleel had added to his bunk¡¯s seatbelt. Orson ran through the controls until the others returned. ¡°There¡¯s supposed to be a boat dock about five miles downriver,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll stop there and walk the last quarter-mile, just in case.¡± ¡°Um.¡± Jaleel walked to Orson¡¯s side. He held a page from the typewriter. ¡°We heard back from Eloise while we were outside.¡±
Be careful.
Pacific Alliance tried to retrieve the Maros group. They are gone. Helmont got them. All of them. They gassed the entire motel where they were staying.
Liberty Corps gassed every motel in over one hundred miles to get at them. It was nonlethal gas. As far as we know only the Maroses were taken.
If Helmont did this for Maros. He will do a million times more to get at you.
Find Doctor Stan and the others. Get out. Please.
¡°We should¡¯ve gone for them together.¡± Enoa buckled herself in the passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°We easily could¡¯ve saved them. They died trying to help us.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Orson said. ¡°We could¡¯ve been late too.¡± Jaleel said nothing. He returned to his seat, holding the typewriter, staring forward, the reality of possible death in his eyes. Orson knew the look. He knew both of their expressions, the potential for horror and the burden of guilt. ¡°We¡¯ll help Dr. Stan and the others.¡± Orson powered on the Aesir. He watched the windshield change to display the current camera feeds. Then he eased the ship into the water. ¡°Then we¡¯ll worry about the Maros crew.¡± ¡°If Helmont gassed all those people,¡± Enoa said. ¡°He will hurt so many more to get at us. Eloise is right. How many people will he hurt to get at Littlefield or anyone who fought against him?¡± ¡°I see what you¡¯re getting at.¡± Orson tapped at one of his display controls. ¡°But you can¡¯t do this to yourself.¡± He hoped he could enlarge the view from the center camera and better see the waterway around them. Persistente had a slow current and was only just deep enough to be truly considered a river, but his perceptions had been reduced. He could no longer see the sky. He could no longer prepare for attack from anywhere but the main cardinal directions. ¡°Can¡¯t do what?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Can¡¯t feel responsibility for the people who die because I didn¡¯t bother helping them?¡± She shouted, as if she hoped the volume of her words could drown out her thoughts. ¡°Can¡¯t worry about who else will be hurt because they helped me, or because they knew me? Can¡¯t worry about what these people will do to get at the Dreamside Road?¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°You can¡¯t. We need to do what we can to minimize the risk to others, but we are not responsible for the actions of murderers. Maros was in deep and if I can square things with him and his family, I will. ¡°But honestly, knowing Helmont went after a ton of places makes me feel better. He¡¯s driven and he¡¯s got a lot of resources, but I¡¯ve fought that kind of person before. This was a Hail Mary move ¨C trying to catch the Maroses, and so is this. The one way we would¡¯ve been responsible for this shit would be negligent security standards. If Helmont is doing over-the-top leaps of logic, he¡¯s dangerous, but it¡¯s not our fault.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t go after Dr. Stan if we didn¡¯t reach out to her for help!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°Let me finish. Helmont isn¡¯t our fault, but he is our responsibility. Be mad. I¡¯m pissed as hell, but you need to have a clear mind for this. Helmont gave us a pretty good idea how he thinks and operates. He isn¡¯t the Sherlock Holmes he¡¯s pretending to be. He¡¯s just making educated guesses, backed up by major resources, like I said. We can counter him, but this is the big leagues now. If you two aren¡¯t comfortable with that, I understand, but I need to know now if you¡¯re going to panic or if we¡¯re going to figure this thing out.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Neither responded. They fell into a discomfited silence, as Orson guided them down the river. The trees around them got thicker. Sparse riverside foliage became an impenetrable mass. The desert flats could no longer be seen. The regional geographical distances could not be discerned, all swallowed by trees. ¡°Why do they call it Crystal Dune?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He whispered the last, as if shocked by the sound of his own words, alarmed he¡¯d broken the silence. ¡°The U.S. Air Force made this place eighty years ago.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°They added the trees to study rare flora and fauna about half that time ago. They did similar stuff at some of the other remote outposts, only this one supposedly has some really unique stuff, off the books unique.¡± ¡°Unique like our Wesley?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Something like that.¡± Orson glanced at Enoa, still silent, her eyes fixed on the windshield, attention flicking between camera feeds. ¡°I don¡¯t know a lot of details. We should¡¯ve talked about this with Eloise and Carlos, back in town. They met through this place, through Carlos¡¯s conservation work and Eloise¡¯s interest in Kappa¡¯s altered wildlife.¡± Orson toggled between screens and selected the small computer model of the river¡¯s path and the location of the approaching laboratory. He didn¡¯t mention it, but somewhere, on the other side of the trees, they¡¯d passed between the complex¡¯s fencing. The boat launch was not marked on the computer-generated map. He hadn¡¯t taken the time to pinpoint it. His hurry to leave had overwhelmed his usual caution. Minutiae could decide the fate of any operation, but that was an easy lesson to lose under duress. ¡°Orson,¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°How weird does this get?¡± He still sounded almost guilty for saying anything. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s like every time I think I¡¯ve finally really got a good grip on what¡¯s going on, it all gets stranger and more dangerous. Like, you stick your toe in and the water¡¯s fine, but that¡¯s just to trick you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re scared right now because Helmont is gunning for us.¡± Orson watched the small computer model depict them moving deeper into the forest. ETA 25 minutes ¨C not far. Soon they would face whatever had become of the scientists. ¡°Ultimately, it¡¯s the same shit we¡¯ve been dealing with for months. The Hierarchia and the powers they served left serious messes behind after they died. We¡¯re just cleaning up.¡± Orson wondered, truly, how his compatriots would respond to true carnage. If Helmont wanted to do anything to keep them from the Dreamside Road, killing the scientists wasn¡¯t some grand leap of logic. Orson wasn¡¯t sure whether he could risk his young crewmembers seeing what might be waiting for them inside the lab. Orson wasn¡¯t sure whether he wanted them to see his response, either. He¡¯d done brutal work in Littlefield, but that had been defense. If he needed to remove Helmont from the equation, that would be something he handled alone. But this was not the moment to follow that thought to its conclusion. The right-side camera picked up motion between the trees. The view enlarged and split into two windows, one displaying standard view, the other infrared. Orson saw multiple shapes, multiple heat signatures, moving together through the foliage. He saw people wearing the bright blue uniforms of the League of Nations Scientific Advisory, as well as tall infrared signatures. On the standard view, these other figures blended into their surroundings, and wore none of the obvious colors of either the Advisory or of the Liberty Corps. The tops of the figures¡¯ heads were indistinct and made strange soft blurs on the infrared scan. ¡°I¡¯m seeing some people in Advisory uniforms¡­ And I don¡¯t know what else.¡± Orson edged the Aesir closer to the shore. ¡°Do you have any issues with me parking and talking to these people?¡± ¡°If they are Advisory members, do you think they¡¯d be safe coming with us?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Does Baron Helmont have anything that could hurt us with the shields up?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°Are they looking at us?¡± Jaleel pointed at the windshield camera feeds. ¡°I thought that tarp thing was like an invisibility cloak.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think those are real. The tarp just stops us from showing up on sensors.¡± Orson brought the Aesir onto the shore, the ship¡¯s landing spikes gripping deep into the muddy earth. ¡°I¡¯m gonna step outside. If this is some trap, it¡¯s better you stay ready to go. I¡¯ll turn up the external mic so you can hear what¡¯s up.¡± Orson unbuckled himself and retrieved his sword. He ran through his usual check of his gear and weaponry. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay alone?¡± Enoa looked back at him. He was struck by how young she really was, how young she and Jaleel both were. They¡¯d been little children when Orson had started his own adventures. When he¡¯d been their age, new to the road and hopeful, he would have been just as appalled by Helmont as they were. ¡°I am,¡± Orson said. ¡°And if I get vaporized when I step out that door, Jaleel, fly out of here. Dial the velocity and the compensators to full and make a break for it, back for Littlefield. Call the Alliance. Do whatever you need to do to get to safety.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke like that!¡± Jaleel unbuckled himself and slipped up to the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Orson smiled before he pulled up his goggles and bandana. He opened the Aesir¡¯s side door, keying the hatch so it would close behind him. Then he slipped under the tarp and stepped into the open. His HUD caught sight of the motion immediately. He counted six figures in the Advisory coats and three tall shapes. The others were almost three meters tall. They had gangling limbs and moved with a careful gait. Orson approached the tree line. ¡°Hello.¡± Orson spoke in an even level tone, not too loud to startle fearful fugitives, but loud enough to be heard over the distance between them. One of the tall shapes emerged from the trees, headed straight at Orson. The entity wasn¡¯t human. It was heavily furred and walked on hind legs. Its forelimbs ended in strange appendages, neither hoof nor hand. The head was crowned with huge antlers. Its eyes appraised Orson with a wizened, amber stare. The entity advanced toward him. It had a strange way of walking, quick steps, but with a motion that reminded him of a master stilt-walker or a dancer on tiptoe. Orson raised both hands, palms out. ¡°No, Ramses!¡± One of the Advisory group ran from the trees and stood between the entity and Orson. ¡°This man is a friend. He is a friend.¡± He looked at Orson. ¡°You are Captain Orson Gregory, correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Did my unique fashion sense give me away?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the man said. ¡°But you are expected. Baron Helmont¡¯s forces are waiting for you.¡± The entity began to step around the man, eyes still fixed on Orson. The man kept himself in front of the being. ¡°Please bow your head to Ramses,¡± he said. The man offered Orson a low bow. Orson copied the motion, though for only a moment. The entity, Ramses, lowered its head, in almost a nod. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for Ramses,¡± the man said. ¡°He¡¯s very protective of all of us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. My crew and I are here to bring you to safety. The Liberty Corps¡­¡± ¡°Baron Helmont¡¯s forces have our laboratory.¡± The man walked to Orson. Ramses followed him. ¡°They¡¯re killing everyone, everyone but the team leaders they need to steal the records. The aides are dead. Helmont¡¯s knights personally executed the surviving Air Force guard who have kept the lab safe for these past five years. Only those of us who were with the Antler Clan, or could find their way to them, are still alive.¡± He gestured to Ramses. ¡°They¡¯ve been guiding us away.¡± ¡°If you tell me what you know,¡± Orson said. ¡°My crew and I can work to save any survivors.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid the others are lost.¡± The man closed his eyes. He released a slow, ragged breath from his nose. ¡°You must leave, Captain. The knights are killing us because it¡¯s expedient, but the only death they care about is yours.¡± 91 - The Crystal Dune Forest ¡°You don¡¯t think Orson will agree to leave, do you?¡± Enoa ran from her chair, before Jaleel could reply. It was their fault those scientists were in danger, and those soldiers and others had died. It was all connected to her own choices, life and death affected by her. What would they have done if she weren¡¯t exhausted from Shaping? They would have done something to draw Helmont¡¯s attention, something that wouldn¡¯t involve the deaths of innocent people. Cause and effect, triggered in part by Enoa herself, had resulted in death. Enoa knew Orson was right about her shame ¨C they were not truly responsible for this bloodshed. But this was a guilt she could face. She could not face her debt to Kol Maros. She owed the man who had thought nothing of destroying her home, no matter what regrets he claimed to have, after the fact. Gratitude and revulsion, guilt and hatred, loyalty, loathing, and fear of Helmont ¨C it all mingled in her mind. Enoa could not bring her thoughts in order, not since the last message from Eloise. Maros needed to be saved for his heroism. Maros deserved judgment of a different kind for his crimes. Her conflicting hopes and moral responsibilities warred in her and made her sick. But she knew the Crystal Dune lab had to be saved. She could think about them and their danger with a clearer mind. Enoa opened the Aesir¡¯s hatch. ¡°Orson, we can¡¯t leave.¡± Orson and the scientist looked at her, as did Ramses. The other Advisory personnel and Antler Clan beings also turned toward her. Ramses stepped around the Advisory scientist and started toward the Aesir. ¡°No, Ramses!¡± The scientist ran sideways, trying to stay in front of the towering being. Enoa bowed, still standing in the ship¡¯s entryway. Ramses came to a stop. He lowered his head, but kept his amber eyes on her. ¡°We¡¯re not leaving,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re not abandoning anybody.¡± ¡°Helmont is expecting you!¡± the Advisory spokesman yelled again. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to appreciate that danger. He sent four skimmers to our lab. I don¡¯t know how much air support he has.¡± ¡°Keep all of that in mind,¡± Orson said. ¡°Helmont expects me to come at him in an obvious way. He thinks I¡¯ll respond in force or attack directly. That¡¯s why we¡¯re on the water. I don¡¯t know this lab, but you do. So you need to help figure out a way I can come at them sideways.¡± Orson turned back toward the Aesir. ¡°If you two want to join us, this is probably a good time, assuming the Antler Clan doesn¡¯t mind.¡± The Advisory man turned to Ramses and raised both forearms. Enoa stepped from the ship. She found Jaleel right behind her. They walked to join Orson. ¡°Let me introduce my crew,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is Enoa Cloud and Jaleel Yaye.¡± Jaleel bowed. Ramses lowered his head. ¡°Doctor Kyle Schultes.¡± The Advisory spokesman introduced himself. ¡°Lead Botanist. This is Ramses of the Antler Clan¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to find any survivors still in the lab,¡± Orson continued. ¡°But I¡¯ll need to know anything you can remember about the Liberty Corps attack and the lab¡¯s layout.¡± ¡°We are not staying here,¡± Schultes said. ¡°The Antler Clan is affording us a great honor. We are being guided to their sanctuary. It¡¯s a place they built that even the Hierarchia couldn¡¯t find.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Orson said. ¡°Once I rescue any survivors, you can all go together.¡± ¡°Once we rescue other survivors,¡± Enoa corrected. Up close, she could see the fear in Schultes¡¯s bearing, fear that did not enter his speech. He fidgeted, his breathing shallow, eyes flicking from side-to-side. Up close, she could see the strange color of Ramses¡¯s fur. Its hue seemed to change with the wind or where she stood, always shifting to make him harder to track with the eyes. ¡°You and Jaleel need to keep these people safe,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty stealthy. That¡¯s not where you have a lot of your experience.¡± ¡°I snuck around the Solar Saver crawler all the time!¡± Jaleel added. ¡°I¡¯m great at not being seen.¡± ¡°You were great in one controlled, modern environment.¡± Orson slowly shook his head. ¡°I know myself well enough to navigate this and get out if I have to. I¡¯ll go alone. This way I can have you as backup, if I need it.¡± ¡°You are all playing into Helmont¡¯s hands,¡± Schultes said. ¡°Please leave here. Honor all the innocent dead by staying away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the lab,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let¡¯s just spare ourselves the big back-and-forth. Wasting time doesn¡¯t help us or any possible survivors. I¡¯m going to sneak into the place, find out if anybody¡¯s alive, hopefully free or save them, and get back here. What do you know that can help make that happen?¡± ¡°Your success depends on the precautions our Air Force colleagues succeeded in implementing before their perimeter broke,¡± Schultes said. ¡°If the camera systems are still up, coupled with the Baron¡¯s aircraft and spycraft, there is no way into that building outside excessive military force.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true.¡± Another Advisory official stepped clear of the foliage. This woman was tall, only a hair shorter than Orson. ¡°The Antler Clan knows a blind spot that has never been discovered. They can come into and leave the yard without being detected. They have never entered the lab by their own power. That you will have to figure out yourself.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t lead us to the blind spot,¡± Schultes responded. ¡°Dr. Ikaro, we are using all our good will with them to be welcomed into their sanctuary. We are endangering them by doing this. It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t just tell you where it is and then you tell me?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Then none of you¡¯d have to be directly involve. It doesn¡¯t seem to matter too much where their blind spot is if the Liberty Corps has the lab.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°They don¡¯t give directions,¡± Dr. Ikaro said. ¡°They will only teach a path. But you can follow, Captain.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°Please try to find one of the Antler Clan who will show me the way and someone who can do whatever translating we need. My crew will stay here, once we get our ship out of the way. They can keep you safe until¡­¡± ¡°Do you really plan to go there alone?¡± Enoa interrupted. She needed to go too. She needed to fight, to resolve whatever blame she had for her part in the Dreamside Road quest and endangering the lab, and to settle whatever debt she owed Kol Maros. She¡¯d proven herself. She¡¯d won the struggle with the Liberty Corps outside Littlefield, with Rinlee and the other Iron Shapers. She¡¯d fought Nalrik and Maros himself. And yet, Maros had sacrificed everything to save Littlefield. He had given her the distraction that helped her win against Rinlee and the others. Now, Maros was likely dead, while she was stuck on guard duty. ¡°I plan to stay in control of this,¡± Orson said. ¡°Right now, that means I go alone.¡± ¡°Be prepared to call for our backup.¡± Jaleel smiled. ¡°And I¡¯ll be ready to rescue you, Boss.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡± Orson walked toward Enoa and Jaleel, away from the scientists. ¡°Seriously, are you both okay? If you aren¡¯t prepared to do this, I¡¯ll stay with you and figure out something else.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But you have all your little gadgets. My aunt¡¯s films haven¡¯t taught me any lock-picking, so I guess it¡¯s better for you to go on your own.¡± She tried to find her usual humor, but she wasn¡¯t sure how well she found the right tone of voice. ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± He walked toward the Advisory gathering. ¡°If you have a way for me to get into that lab, let¡¯s do this now.¡± * * * ¡°Sir.¡± The white-uniformed tech pointed to the security camera¡¯s primary monitor. The blurred images of several figures in Scientific Advisory jackets followed what appeared to be bipedal elk, through the forest. ¡°I believe the reports of the deer were correct.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sir Rowan nodded. ¡°I can see that. Is this all of the footage we¡¯ve captured?¡± ¡°It is, Sir.¡± The tech rewound the footage, frame by frame, as the procession appeared in the view of one of the occupied laboratory¡¯s perimeter cameras and then disappeared. ¡°We¡¯re still exploring the effectiveness of the Crystal Dune Observation Network and may need to depend on our aerial surveillance. These scientists used their key cards to leave through an unguarded exit ¨C that¡¯s how we detected their departure ¨C but we so far do not know how these cryptids arrived on the laboratory grounds.¡± ¡°Thank you, Corporal.¡± In Baron Helmont¡¯s absence, Sir Rowan was the de facto Commandant of all Shaper forces and special infantry personnel. This operation had fallen to him, and all had so far gone according to plan. The Air Force defenses, both aircraft and anti-aircraft artillery, had been quickly dispatched, all with minimal Liberty Corps casualties. Most resistance had fallen into line without notable combat. Except this single loose end ¨C the escaped researchers and their strange accomplices needed to be accounted for. Rowan lifted his helmet from the observation room¡¯s console. Like each of the Western Barony¡¯s Knights, his armor and equipment was entirely unique. Rowan had designed his kit himself with help only from the Barony¡¯s synthesizing technicians. Rowan¡¯s kit was designed to fit his own unique Shaping. Thirty spheroid tanks lined the back of his armor, sending tubes up into his helmet or out through nozzles built into his gauntlets. Rowan stored hundreds of gases and experimental combinations at his lab in The Pinnacle, but this thirty and their innumerable combinations formed the backbone of his arsenal. Rowan¡¯s helmet featured a custom breather apparatus and emissions valve. Only the slit-visor and front hermetic seal matched the helmets of the other ten living Western Barony Knights. Rowan opened his helmet¡¯s communication link. When he spoke, the full detachment would hear him. ¡°Attention. The alleged antlered creatures are very real. They have guided a handful of the researchers away from here, into the forest. All teams maintain your current objectives, except Sentry Groups Seven, Eight, and Twelve. Seven and Eight, focus on securing the complex¡¯s outer perimeter. We cannot rely on this laboratory¡¯s security systems. ¡°Team Twelve, you¡¯ll be coming with me to recover the escaped researchers.¡± * * * Orson followed Dr. Ikaro and one of the Antler Clan. Nefertiti moved in perfect motion, no steps wasted, as she lead them up a long incline through the manmade forest. She bounded ahead, always landing in near silence, in a gait that was wholly unique. Even though she intended to allow Orson and Dr. Ikaro to follow her, Orson often used his infrared filter to keep up. He could see how this species had remained hidden. ¡°You don¡¯t know how the Antler Clan comes and goes at the lab?¡± Orson kept pace with Dr. Ikaro. He didn¡¯t know how she kept watch on Nefertiti without any visual aid ¨C but she did, all while hurrying through the undergrowth without proper footwear, only flat loafers. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°This is a display of great faith. I believe they know you plan to save the others.¡± Nefertiti looked over her shoulder toward them. Ikaro raised both arms in an ¡®x¡¯. Orson could not understand the sign language used between the Advisory personnel and the Antler Clan, but the simple gestures seemed to have significantly more nuance than the handful of repeating motions would imply. Orson had seen the ¡®x¡¯ motion twice while Ikaro explained her plan to the Antler clan and three times more throughout their trip in the forest. ¡°I appreciate this.¡± Orson had followed in Nefertiti¡¯s wake for miles. Once the Antler Clan had agreed to aiding his rescue mission, they had almost immediately launched into motion. Orson rushed to keep up, with time for nothing more than a wave over his shoulder to his two young crewmembers. ¡°Eloise always spoke very highly of you,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°If what she said about you is true, you¡¯re the best chance to save any survivors.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do everything I can. Were you one of the biologists Eloise met with in the Advisory?¡± ¡°Yes, I was the project lead on expanding the formal identifications of classified and engineered organisms. Eloise and Carlos were both working in the studies I organized, months after destabilization, so your role in the Thunderworks conflict was fresh on her mind.¡± Up ahead, the trees thinned. The shift was sudden and complete. The dense, growth of close willow trees, low shrubbery, and trailing vines, came to a total end. Nefertiti slowed to a stop, in a small gap near the thinning tree-cover. ¡°How much work did the IHSA need to do to get this plant life to grow out here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°The trees are a modified desert willow bred for their operations in this region,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°For the rest you¡¯d need to ask Dr. Schultes.¡± Orson and Dr. Ikaro arrived beside Nefertiti. She¡¯d led them to the very point where the laboratory could be seen, below them, beyond the hill¡¯s sharp edge. The main laboratory was not a tall building, only two stories, but it spread over at least an acre of land. Numerous outbuildings stood around it. There was a walled perimeter, but it had only two doors, each fit with a corresponding guardhouse. The lab was built to stand almost directly beside the Rio Persistente. Orson wondered if there was some energy generation purpose to this choice. The complex¡¯s electricity had to be independent generation. The nearest town was almost thirty miles away. The ground around the lab sloped down to the river, with a sharp drop-off at the edge of the tree line, maybe some method of halting the spread of the foliage. Nefertiti raised her forelimbs. She made slow circles in the air and then an abrupt downward motion. Dr. Ikaro repeated the gesture. ¡°The last leg of the journey will take you along the hill,¡± Dr. Ikaro said. ¡°It is very steep. Nefertiti asks that we stay silent from now on. Once you arrive at a gap in the wall, you will go in alone. I don¡¯t know what sort of entrance you will find there or even how useful it is for anyone to enter the building proper. Nefertiti will wait for you to remove any survivors, but she cannot wait long.¡± ¡°What does ¡®not long¡¯ mean?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Their understanding of time is different than ours,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°By my guess ¨C and bear in mind I have only known Nefertiti in safety ¨C you have no more than a half hour.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work with that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Tell her to lead the way.¡± 92 - The True Remnant Nefertiti led them along the cliff face. She doubled down onto all fours, for the first time moving like the deer that the Antler Clan resembled. But the odd camouflaging effect to her fur made her uniqueness stark. Dr. Ikaro followed Nefertiti in their single-file trek along the edge of the hill. She walked with less confidence than she had in the forest. Twice she reached out to the sparse trees for support. Orson took up the rear. He snuck glances at the lab. There were no windows that immediately faced them. He saw, as the hill began to descend toward the river, that the waterside portion of the building stretched out over the current ¨C probably something enabling the facility¡¯s energy generation. Nefertiti guided them all the way to the spot where the ragged hill¡¯s edge joined the lab¡¯s perimeter wall. She withdrew from the edge, back into the thin tree cover. She looked at the sky, eastward, away from the river. Dr. Ikaro followed suit. She also stepped out of sight. Then Orson heard it ¨C the roar of the IHSA Saw-Wing fighters. They¡¯d flown in the hundreds at Norlenheim, their thrusters shrieking as they fought for the old Hierarchia, for the old order before it fell. As Orson watched, a patrol of the boomerang-shaped fighter craft flew over the lab ¨C only three, but three was enough to confirm his fears. This was not Maros¡¯s amateur hour or Sloan¡¯s officially-endorsed mob, this was a true remnant, a resurrection of the dead IHSA¡¯s power. Orson stepped back under the trees, until the three craft passed out of sight. He didn¡¯t know how attuned the Saw-Wings¡¯ sensors were. It had been a rare thing for the old Hierarchia to use their precious, most secret toys. Orson currently carried no munitions to shoot fighters from the sky. He owned little such weaponry other than the Aesir¡¯s built-in defenses. Fighting one fighter with what he¡¯d brought with him would be difficult in the extreme. Fighting all three or more than that ¨C that would be almost impossible. He stepped beside Ikaro, so she would hear him speaking at a whisper. ¡°Tell Nefertiti I¡¯m going to ask that Ramses guide the other Advisory officials to the sanctuary. Ask her if she is willing to lead any survivors I find there alone. None of us can stay in the open with those fighters in the air.¡± The biologist nodded. She gestured to her ears and made wide expansive motions with her arms. Nefertiti returned the gesture. ¡°She agrees,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°But I¡¯m not certain she really understands what you mean. The Antler Clan almost always travels in groups. This journey is unprecedented.¡± ¡°Work on explaining this to her,¡± Orson replied. ¡°Please. If she won¡¯t understand sending the Antler Clan on without her, the two of you will need to head back before I go in the lab. I¡¯d figure out something else for any survivors I find.¡± Ikaro began further gestures to Nefertiti. Orson activated his link to the Aesir. He sent a message in a single burst that would appear as a text display on his ship¡¯s windshield monitor. He said, ¡°Liberty Corps fighters in the air. Send Antler Clan and the Advisory to the Sanctuary. Then stay out of sight. Stay in the ship.¡± Orson thought he¡¯d spoken at a whisper, but Nefertiti waved her forelimbs, making wide motions, like a speed swimmer doing the butterfly stroke. ¡°She says you are too loud.¡± Ikaro returned to Orson and whispered to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson answered. ¡°She also says she will remain here while you rescue survivors. I¡¯m still not sure if she understands your request, but we will stay here for now.¡± Ikaro pointed to the lab. ¡°The Antler Clan uses this place to pass over the security wall. There are no cameras here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Orson asked. ¡°This area floods.¡± Ikaro shrugged. ¡°I think that¡¯s why. The IHSA closed shop here in eighty-nine, and we haven¡¯t made many changes.¡± Nefertiti waved at Ikaro. The scientist returned the motion. Both gestured to Orson. ¡°She asks again for us to be quiet,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°I told her I must speak to you, or you will not know where to go. If you follow the platform to the building, she said there is an opening with light from inside. That is all she knows.¡± Orson glanced toward the river and the thin platform on the other side of the wall. It was wide enough only for one person to stand. He¡¯d walked and even fought with narrow footing, but it would be difficult for any survivors to return with him. When he turned back, he found Ikaro scribbling on a small scrap of paper. He could see a series of rough lines, not writing. ¡°A map?¡± he asked. ¡°First floor is all military.¡± She nodded. ¡°The second floor is all research. Everyone there should be an adult professional. Most with families have homes in the Crystal Dune Village.¡± Orson looked at the hand-drawn map. ¡°The terminal mainframe,¡± he said. ¡°Is all of your data stored there? I think the Liberty Corps is here for your research.¡± ¡°Most data is logged there,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°That¡¯s standard procedure. There are eight total division chiefs, five possibly alive in there now. There are a total fifteen aides. I don¡¯t have their schedules to tell you who is inside currently. The Air Force operation is much larger, one hundred and thirty total service members, since we lost central funding, but only sixty are on site at any one time. I¡¯m not sure how many were present for the attack.¡± ¡°And you were out in the yard when the attack started?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We were already working with the Antler Clan, yes,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°They began to lead us away, even before the ships arrived. I think they know the sound of the Saw-wings and the skimmers from very far away. Then Dr. Lin found us with his infrared scanner. He escaped through a window with his aide. Lin said the Liberty Corps had already executed Lt. Colonel Atkins and several airmen. Any life you save is a gift, but my aide, Lana Pennington, refused to go with the Antler Clan. She went back inside to find her husband.¡± Orson considered the possibility that he¡¯d find a building of nothing but enemies and corpses. ¡°Okay.¡± He bowed to both Nefertiti and Ikaro. They returned the gesture. ¡°Thank you. I will do my best to save anyone still alive.¡± Orson turned away from them. His HUD saw no sign of motion, no ships, no land vehicles, no one on foot. He stepped off the edge of the hill. Firing his repulsor, he glided down gently onto the platform. He let his HUD take another scan, before he started walking. Orson saw nothing. He stepped as softly as he could, but every right footfall made its distinct metal clink. It was a slight sound, but more than enough to set off a noise sensor. Even if the area flooded too often for security cameras ¨C or that was the case decades ago ¨C there were other ways to notice him. The building¡¯s hydroelectric wing extended out over the wall and the maintenance walkway and then turned in a right angle down into the river. The generator let out a low hum and sporadic grinding noises, loud enough that Orson would not be able to hear the sound of approaching feet. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Orson reached the end of the walkway ¨C the only place with a railing. There was a grate in the bottom of the horizontal extension from the lab. Through it, Orson saw the sky. Orson drew his sword. He fired his repulsor and flew up to the grate and cut it. He sliced it in a slow circle so it stayed in one piece. Then he forced the grate up and inside before it could fall. Orson entered the Crystal Dune lab. He stood in an enclosed walkway lined with circuitry and accordion cabling. Above him was a wide skylight. Two doors stood to his right, ¡®Level 1¡¯ and ¡®Maintenance¡¯. Orson found the Maintenance door unlocked. He walked inside. * * * ¡°I have good news for you, Ladies and Gentlemen. As long as you are useful to us and honest, no harm will come to you.¡± Dr. Sophia Stanislakova could not see around the metal and cloth blinders the Liberty Corps operatives had fit over her eyes, but she knew the man¡¯s voice. He was the only one who had spoken to them during the attack. His was the only Liberty Corps voice she¡¯d heard that wasn¡¯t a shouted order. She¡¯d seen him before, white armor and massive cudgel at his hip. This was not the first time she¡¯d been threatened or the first time she¡¯d seen violence. But she¡¯d lived several decades since the last bloodshed she¡¯d witnessed firsthand. ¡°You¡¯re going to be transported away from here soon,¡± the Officer said. ¡°The Liberty Corps is rebuilding this country, and I¡¯m prepared to welcome you all to the new Liberty Corps Scientific Advisory. Or¡­ I can deliver you to our interrogation teams, and we can persuade your cooperation through other means.¡± ¡°Burn in hell.¡± Dr. Joshua Pennington led the astronomical telemetry lab. He¡¯d lost his entire family in a Thunderworks attack and now faced the end of his second life. ¡°You killed my wife. Anything you do to me is just a distraction.¡± ¡°I understand that this is a difficult day for all of us,¡± the Officer said. ¡°You¡¯ve given your loyalty to the pretender remnants of the failed government. It was a horrible tragedy that they chose to be purged, but you¡¯ll have a good life with the Liberty Corps. Your future begins when you give me your credentials and passcodes. You all want your work to go along with you, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± Pennington said. ¡°I¡¯m dying here where you murdered my wife.¡± ¡°Sergeant,¡± the Officer said. ¡°Doctor ¨C now let me see here ¨C Pennington, Dr. Pennington appears to need obedience procedures. Number three should be enough, for now.¡± ¡°Let him alone!¡± Dr. Rios yelled. She ran the meteorological station. Her husband had passed away before destabilization. Her son and his family lived in Phoenix. She¡¯d lost friends in the attack, but not blood. ¡°Let him grieve.¡± ¡°This is not the start I wanted to our relationship,¡± the Officer said. ¡°You want us to have a good relationship, I promise you that. Sergeant, show Dr. Pennington¡­¡± Something crashed into the room. Sophia didn¡¯t recognize the sound, but it was loud enough that she wondered if the Liberty Corps attack had weakened the structural integrity of the building. It sounded like the walls were falling in. But then she heard the footsteps, one heavier than the other, and a new voice spoke. ¡°I think I could use some obedience too.¡± * * * Orson had found his way through the maintenance passages and spacious ventilation chambers of the Crystal Dune lab. He¡¯d followed Dr. Ikaro¡¯s map, sqeezing through gaps between walls and ventilation ducts, worming his way deeper into the complex, seeking some sign of survivors, any sign that the Liberty Corps had not massacred all lab personnel. When he¡¯d caught sight of vague heat blurs in his HUD, he fit a portable microphone to the wall of the largest briefing room. He¡¯d heard the voice of the interrogating officer, and he knew the tone of voice. Orson had waited for the best moment to strike. It was a doubtful thing that he could silence all three troops in the briefing room before the alarm was raised. There was little sense in heroics that didn¡¯t also free the researchers. But he would not tolerate watching the widower¡¯s torture. So he¡¯d sliced himself a hole in the thin, mid-20th Century, modernist wall and stepped into the briefing room. ¡°I think I could use some obedience too.¡± He confirmed the count his infrared scanning had shown through the wall, three Liberty Corps troops, plus five researchers with IHSA interrogation blinders on their heads. The Liberty Corps trio reacted. The Blades Corps Sergeant who¡¯d been approaching the researchers spun his glowing pike toward Orson. The Officer gasped and jumped away from him. The Rifle Trooper aimed at Orson, wielding a long, unfamiliar blaster with a serrated bayonet on the end. Orson fired his repulsor just as the Rifle Trooper fired. He sent two energy bolts at Orson. One struck him in the coat. The other flew wide and hit the ceiling. Orson cleaved the man and his blaster into pieces before he could fire a third time. ¡°Please, please, no!¡± Orson forced his voice into a high-pitched squeak, begging for the benefit of any listeners outside. The two surviving Liberty Corps troops stopped and stared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot us! No!¡± The Officer had drawn a gun from a holster at his hip. He was reaching for a radio with his left hand. Orson flew again, blasting across the room. The Blades Trooper tried to intercept him, but he was too slow. Orson removed the Officer¡¯s head before he could activate the radio. Orson¡¯s repulsor boot hit the tile floor with a pronounced thud. Before the sounds could register with any guards that may be outside, he reached the door, locked it, and dead-bolted it. He hoped that would buy him response time if the fighting was overheard. The Blades Trooper stepped away from him, still turning dials at the base of the pike, moving backward toward the researchers. Orson caught him with another leap. He struck the pike with his sword. The heat shield around the sword¡¯s blade and the pike¡¯s electricity competed, making a sharp sizzle. ¡°You¡¯ll never leave this building without the Baron¡¯s knights finding you,¡± the trooper said. ¡°Maybe not,¡± Orson replied. ¡°But finding me has been known shorten life expectancy.¡± Orson pulled the sword away from the pike and struck again. The electrified weapon withstood three strikes of the fire blade before its powered end was severed and fell to the floor. ¡°AH!¡± The man began to yell, his hand at his hip, a second blade half-drawn. Orson struck him down before he could complete his cry for backup. Then he sagged against the wall, his palms and back drenched. ¡°Sorry about that, everyone,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue you. We don¡¯t have a lot of time. I¡¯m not totally sure if they have listening devices around here. That¡¯s why I used my little hostage voice.¡± He slid the sword back into its sheath and began freeing the researchers. ¡°Who are you?¡± One man asked. Orson found that the blinders had two components, metal pieces that clamped to either side of each prisoner¡¯s head and a cloth piece that clasped at the nape of the neck. Orson had forgotten his all-purpose knife back on the ship and his sweating fingers fumbled with the blinder. When he freed the first of the researchers, the woman blinked through tears and gasped when she saw him, as if she knew him, but she was probably decades Orson¡¯s senior. ¡°It is you!¡± she said, as Orson moved to free the next researcher down the table. ¡°Wayfarer One, you saved my life at Isla de Manos. I was part of the Advisory mission.¡± ¡°Good to see you,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you still recognize me. I didn¡¯t have much of my usual getup back then.¡± ¡°Wayfarer One?¡± The first man asked. ¡°Orson Gregory?¡± ¡°Gregory?¡± Another woman asked. Orson thought he knew the voice ¨C Dr. Stanislakova¡¯s ¨C was it her? But the man spoke again before Orson could ask. ¡°Who sent you?¡± ¡°I sent me,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m looking for any survivors. Do you know of anyone else still alive?¡± ¡°My dog!¡± Another man answered. ¡°I can¡¯t leave Loomy here to die, even if I stay with her.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s staying behind.¡± Orson was getting better at removing the blinders. He quickly freed the dog owner. ¡°Everybody just keep your voices down and wait until I get all of you free. Then we¡¯ll figure this thing out.¡± ¡°Did the Liberty Corps call for help?¡± The second woman asked again. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he said. ¡°Is that you, Dr. Stan?¡± Orson tried not to hope. Any survivors needed to be saved, but for all his reassurances to Enoa, Orson would carry guilt for the deaths at the lab. As he¡¯d snuck glances through vents and seen bodies of airmen and aides, scattered across the floor, left where they fell ¨C he felt some of the blame. It was not his fault. It was not his doing, but if he had moved his investigation in a different direction, none of those people would have died. He would grapple with that uncomfortable truth. But to bring about the death of the very person he was seeking, that would be a cruel irony. It would be hard enough to face Eloise again. ¡°It is me,¡± Dr. Stan answered. He reached her and removed the blinders. Her graying hair was disheveled but she looked much the same as she had on the video call. Orson had to remind himself that only about a week had passed, despite the relentless chaos they¡¯d survived. He saw Dr. Stan notice the state of the room and the state of the Liberty Corps guards. Her eyes scanned the Rifle Guard¡¯s weapon in two pieces and the man lying in three. She saw the remains of the other Liberty Corps troops. ¡°Glad I had the chance to meet you in person.¡± Orson followed her gaze. ¡°Sorry about the mess. Maybe just¡­ look away.¡± He turned to the wider room. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to destroy whatever records I can on our way out. There are a few bits of information I could use against the Liberty Corps, but my priority right now is keeping information from them.¡± ¡°If you aren¡¯t here for the data,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Why did you take the risk of coming here?¡± ¡°Shit like this is my calling in life.¡± 93 - Clouds Legacy Enoa and Jaleel had maneuvered the Aesir under the trees. They were tall hybrid willows with thin trunks and intertwined plumes of foliage that formed a roof above them and hid them from view. Enoa waited, sitting with her legs dangling out of the Aesir¡¯s door, watching the researchers and the Antler Clan. Ramses and his fellow roamed the area around the ship and the gathering of researchers. They were observing the foliage, sniffing at trees, stooping down to examine plants and mosses and berries. ¡°They look like they¡¯re gardening,¡± Enoa said. Dr. Schultes turned to see what she was looking at. She needed something to take her mind off of her accidental role in the attack at the lab. Being left behind, idle, did nothing to ease her mind. ¡°They care for the health of their ecosystem.¡± Schultes stood from the moss-covered log where he and the other Advisory scientists had planted themselves when Ikaro and Nefertiti had left with Orson. ¡°They understand when plants are diseased. They know when trees are dying. And they¡¯re smart enough to ignore most of our studies to judge their intelligence.¡± He laughed. ¡°What kind of¡­ What are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re only distantly related to the deer family,¡± Schultes said. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. Both males and females grow antlers, and they keep them from their adolescence. Their forelimbs have keratinous layers like their hind feet, but its grown on flexible grasping digits. We¡¯d love to start a new classification for them, but we didn¡¯t feel prepared to make any sort of final statements until the global scientific community rebounds in some form.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have a scientific name?¡± Jaleel called from inside the ship, where he was doing his normal tinkering with his bow. His call was loud enough that both the researchers and the Antler Clan looked toward the ship. Enoa glanced over her shoulder. ¡°Uh, sorry. Didn¡¯t the Hierarchia know about them for a long time?¡± ¡°The IHSA didn¡¯t allow the proper classification of organisms that fell under their jurisdiction.¡± Dr. Schultes sighed. ¡°Once the IHSA¡¯s work passed on to the Scientific Advisory, ten years ago, it was a nightmare to get acquainted with the system, because of their code-speak. And the Antler Clan¡¯s numbers boomed in the twenty years after the IHSA departed. We¡¯re still not sure whether the Hierarchia brought more of them here from isolated pockets, elsewhere in the world, or if other members of their species found their way here in the intervening years.¡± ¡°Found their way here?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°You think they walked here through the desert?¡± ¡°We have no theory,¡± Schultes said. ¡°I will say new adults seem to appear every so often, with very little genetic connection to documented individuals. Perhaps we¡¯ll have our answer when we arrive at the Sanctuary. It would seem more logical that the IHSA transported individuals here who were not documented, but they usually kept immaculate records¡­ if you know how to see through their coded names and phrases. But spies and soldiers have a different way of doing things. Their way can be quite antithetical to learning and science.¡± He looked back to the other researchers. ¡°No offense meant to dear Atkins and the Thirty-fourth. May Captain Gregory find them in better health than I expect.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe they kept the Antler Clan a secret.¡± Enoa watched Ramses press his face to a tree, analyzing something by scent. ¡°I guess there¡¯s something more unbelievable about them even than¡­¡± ¡­than everything else she¡¯d seen, than her own abilities, than the fact that they¡¯d accidentally brought danger to this place. ¡°Aren¡¯t there like, uh, deer people in the, uh, your lore?¡± Jaleel spoke after giving her a pause to finish her thought. He left his work and leaned against the doorframe, beside her. ¡°My lore?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Uh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Native American lore?¡± ¡°Not Nimauk lore,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I won¡¯t speak for anyone else.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t intend to sound quite so harsh, but her words were very sharp in her ears. Schultes must have thought so too. He started back toward the other scientists. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jaleel stepped away. ¡°I just thought that deer people were a thing that I knew about your¡­ in your culture, and I thought talking about that might be a good thing.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Enoa knew he hadn¡¯t meant to hurt her feelings, but the oppressive feeling of responsibility had not faded. One thing that was part of Nimauk belief ¨C bring no pain to the innocent, but she had, if only by accident. ¡°You meant well. No, there are no deer people that I know anything about. I really don¡¯t talk¡­¡± The Aesir¡¯s dashboard began to chirp, but this was not a sound she knew. This wasn¡¯t any of the warnings or communication tools she recognized. Jaleel stepped to the front of the cabin, and she stood. Most of the researchers again turned and looked in their direction. ¡°Trouble!¡± Jaleel pointed to the bottom of the windshield, where small black letters had appeared. ¡®WAYFARER ONE: Liberty Corps fighters in the air. Send Antler Clan and the Advisory to the Sanctuary. Then stay out of sight. Stay in the ship.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll tell them to leave.¡± Enoa had visions of Sun Talons diving from the sky, splintering the trees, killing researchers and Antler Clan alike. ¡°I¡¯ll get them out of here.¡± She ran from the ship. All the researchers looked up as she approached. Ramses quickly moved to stand beside Schultes, like he still expected Enoa to launch a sneak attack. ¡°We heard from Captain Gregory! The Liberty Corps has ships patrolling the area. He¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll be seen. He says you need to go to the Antler Clan Sanctuary now.¡± ¡°Did he say what kind of ships?¡± One of the researchers asked. ¡°Did he say where they¡¯re headed?¡± ¡°The message was really short.¡± Enoa watched Schultes begin the Antler Clan sign language. ¡°He just said fighters. We all have to hide.¡± Ramses and his fellow grasped their forelimbs together. Enoa thought it was some kind of communication gesture, but they stayed that way, without further motion. ¡°They are refusing to leave without Nefertiti,¡± Schultes said. The other researchers had stood. All of them were gesturing at the Antler Clan, who were seemingly ignoring them. ¡°Enoa, I¡¯m gonna take a quick peek at the scan,¡± Jaleel called. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°What if they notice us?¡± Enoa ran back to the Aesir¡¯s entryway. Before she climbed inside, Jaleel had pressed his hand to the dashboard console. The console began to ping in a constant beat, its tempo increasing, imminent. Jaleel yelled. He slammed his hand back down on the dashboard, deactivating the scanner. ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m glad I looked. There¡¯s something almost here, maybe a hovercraft, something close at ground-level. I think it¡¯s coming up the river. It¡¯s less than a mile away.¡± ¡°I have to get them to leave.¡± Enoa jumped into the ship just long enough to retrieve her staff and feel the reassuring warmth race up her arm. ¡°Or hide all of us. Close everything behind me.¡± She again jumped from the ship and found the researchers how she¡¯d left them, madly gesticulating at the unmoving Antler Clan duo. ¡°Someone is coming.¡± Enoa arrived beside Schultes. ¡°You need to leave now. They¡¯re coming up the river.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best not to go,¡± he replied. ¡°I believe the Antler Clan Sanctuary is not far from the bank. Why else would they keep us so close to the river?¡± ¡°Then go deeper into the forest.¡± Enoa warmed up her mind, running simple exercises, the simplest transmutation. She shifted molecules in the air around her into condensation and back to gas. It was easy with the humid air near the river, easier than it had been even with the water trucks outside Littlefield. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to see soon. It might not be too easy to do the signing. I study Shaping, and I¡¯m going to hide us from the river.¡± Enoa forced the humidity to partially condense, turning the moisture into visible vapor. It would become the enshrouding fog that had blinded Sloan¡¯s War Force. The researchers looked around, as if confused by what they were seeing, but both Ramses and his fellow stared at Enoa. They knew she was the cause of what was happening. A mass of particles masked the river from view, spreading across the bank and the trees, until it reached her. Only a light haze spread around the Antler Clan and the researchers, enough for her to sense their motions. But they could see the deep forest. They could see to escape. Enoa closed her eyes. She sensed motion in the muggy air. She felt the scientists clustered together. She felt the Antler Clan usher them deeper into the forest, guiding them away from the river and away from Enoa. But she held the shroud. She held the Midnight Sight and watched her surroundings with her mind until she could feel the hovercraft above the water. It wasn¡¯t flying fast. She had no idea what the Liberty Corps knew of the area, what they would think of the fog, or what they could sense from her. Enoa relaxed her grip on the water in the air. She hoped that would hide her influence, but she wouldn¡¯t risk revealing the fleeing researchers. She could not intervene to save the lab. She could save those people. The hovercraft kept moving. It passed her, headed further up the river. Enoa could distantly hear it, a small sound, no greater than a car. That soon faded and was gone. Enoa turned back toward the Aesir. The plan hadn¡¯t worked the way Orson would have wanted, but she¡¯d sent the researchers away. She and Jaleel would stay in the ship. But feet from the doorway, she felt electricity at the back of her neck. Enoa stopped. She raised her staff. Someone had arrived in the midst of the blinding shroud. They¡¯d appeared. One moment, the bank was vacant. The next, a mind was there, another Shaper. She could feel them. Someone had dropped from the sky into the outer bands of riverside mist. Enoa knew the mind sensed her too. They were aware of each other on a level without any physical sense. ¡°You have a powerful mind, Enoa Cloud.¡± A strange, distorted voice called to her, like the speaker was talking around a mouth guard or something between his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to feel Anemos again. And you¡¯re so young! I can¡¯t believe my luck.¡± Enoa¡¯s shroud was thrown aside. All the vapor suddenly parted and was swept away. Enoa tried to force the air together, force it to condense. She failed. A burst of wind flew out from the man, like he¡¯d released a gale from his lungs. The blast scattered the fog, leaving only lightly moist air behind. Enoa and the Aesir were revealed. She saw the Shaper who had sensed her, who knew her, who¡¯d cast aside her shroud without effort. He wore the white armor of a Liberty Corps Knight, like Nine-Flails who¡¯d fought Orson. His helmet was different, with a long tube or trunk dangling along the front. The breastplate too was unique. Enoa could see small orbs sticking out at the Knight¡¯s shoulders and sides. The Knight walked toward her. Enoa did not answer him. She didn¡¯t know exactly what Shaping he¡¯d done, but it had not removed all moisture from the air. He¡¯d only swept the fog aside. She hoped a physical attack would be harder to counter. She hadn¡¯t practiced the Bullet Rain since she¡¯d performed the technique against Rinlee, but she remembered the focus and the movement of her thoughts. Enoa felt the moisture around her. She didn¡¯t reach to the river¡¯s supply of water. It was too far away for her to use effectively, but the humid air was enough to attack. Enoa followed the method, the mental process for forming Bullet Rain. She launched the condensation at the Knight. She formed it into droplets. She shaped them. They would explode on impact. The Knight breathed in and exhaled a wall of smoke. Her Bullet Rain entered the gas and was gone. She lost all sense of the attack. ¡°Your mind is so strong,¡± the Knight said. ¡°But you¡¯re a novice. You¡¯re strong enough to make Bullet Rain, but too untrained to hide the transmutation ¨C you are a delicious puzzle, Miss Cloud.¡± An arrow flew at the Knight. Enoa hadn¡¯t noticed the Aesir¡¯s tarp rise. She didn¡¯t hear Jaleel step from the ship or the arrow leave his bow. But she saw the arrow strike another wall of smoke. It was turned aside, redirected, and sent flying off between the trees. ¡°And who are you?¡± the Knight asked. ¡°Who knew Orson Gregory was a Peter Pan-type. How many little girls and boys does he have hiding in there? Will you attack me with spears and wooden swords?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I wanted to see what defenses you¡¯ve got, Long Snoot.¡± He fired another arrow. The Knight actually laughed, but not for long. When the arrow reached the Knight¡¯s smoke, when it was turned aside, the arrowhead exploded. The Knight fell to the ground, thrown onto his side. ¡°Ruby, start the engines!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°We gotta go!¡± Enoa did not hear Ruby¡¯s response, but she heard the Aesir come to life. She ran toward him and the open ship. Before she could reach the opening, two figures fell from the sky. They dropped to the ground, between her and the Aesir. One faced her. The other turned back at Jaleel. They wore the regular Liberty Corps Officer armor, but their helmets were modified with front tubes like the Knight¡¯s, and their shoulders were studded with small orbs. ¡°Do you have the Key of Cloud¡¯s Legacy?¡± the closest Officer asked her. ¡°Do you have it on you now?¡± Enoa always wore the key. Could they sense the Cobalt Nine, like Tucker? Enoa held out her staff and imagined an explosion blossoming from the metal, shattering this Officer¡¯s helmet. She thought of the attack on the lab. She could destroy this man. She wouldn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Run!¡± Jaleel yelled and sent an arrow at the nearest Officer, but a wall of smoke left the man¡¯s helmet. It was the technique that had protected the Knight. This blast flew outward, sending Jaleel¡¯s arrow wide. The Officer drew a handle from his hip. A blade extended from the device, a weapon that danced with electricity. Jaleel grabbed another arrow, but the Officer struck his weapon across the curve of the bow. Jaleel¡¯s bow snapped in two. He held onto one of the broken pieces, but some of the electricity of the strike bowled him back into the entryway of the ship. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± the Knight yelled. The Officer didn¡¯t advance toward Jaleel, who¡¯d risen onto his elbow and stared in horror at his destroyed weapon. ¡°We don¡¯t know what defenses Gregory has,¡± the Knight continued. ¡°I¡¯ve sent Lancea Twelve to recover the animals and the researchers, but once the scanning crew is here, then we will board Gregory¡¯s vessel. Our priority now is to retrieve Cloud¡¯s key.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Rowan.¡± The Officer kept his weapon pointed at Jaleel, but he turned and watched Enoa. The Knight began to advance toward Enoa. She was caught between all three attackers. ¡°We might have missed you if you didn¡¯t try to hide the lab team,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°My Lord Baron knew Captain Gregory couldn¡¯t resist playing hero. He gets high on reckless heroics, doesn¡¯t he? It will cost him today. I¡¯ve just informed my master¡¯s flagship that the Aesir crew has arrived at the Crystal Dune Complex. When Baron Helmont brings the Manifest Destiny to the laboratory, I think he¡¯ll find Captain Gregory already there. ¡°Today, we claim two keys to the Dreamside Road.¡± 94 - Manifest Destiny The central computer terminal sat in the middle of a low, round room. It was ringed with monitors and work-stations. Orson watched the researchers erase much of their own work. He sat between the only two non-scientific survivors they¡¯d discovered, the only heat blurs on his HUD that didn¡¯t move in formations and weren¡¯t congregated in the building¡¯s control areas. Orson had judged the vague shapes in his goggles and found just those two survivors to save. Loomy, Dr. Cornish¡¯s beagle, slept in her carrier, still fast asleep from the medicine he had given her before the attack began. On Orson¡¯s other side, Airman Hernandez was similarly dozing. They¡¯d found her in the burned remains of the chemistry lab, the lone survivor of some drastic effort to weaponize the materials stored there. Her face had only one minor cut, but her hands were both burned and now bandaged. Orson had used his full stock of mobile painkiller to ease her. The contents of the emergency syringe were quite stale. He¡¯d forgotten it sometime in the last five years, but it was likely better than nothing. Hernandez lay on a makeshift stretcher they¡¯d made from a cushioned tarp and metal supports, all cannibalized from the chemistry lab, where they¡¯d found her. Dr. Stanislakova stood from the station where she¡¯d been working. She crossed the room to Orson, rather than raising her voice to speak. ¡°I have an idea to run by you,¡± she said. ¡°I can get you the telemetry you¡¯d need to find your island and destroy it in the central terminal, at the same time. If I begin a mobile download to my hand terminal, I can feed an old IHSA failsafe worm through the system. All Advisory equipment was still created with it, right until the end. Then you¡¯ll have everything, and they¡¯ll have nothing.¡± ¡°What about timing?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I thought that was why you weren¡¯t all doing full downloads.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the only running operation, it¡¯ll be faster and harder to detect.¡± She slipped her flash drive into her coat pocket and drew a tablet device from her side bag. ¡°This is why the Liberty Corps is here, isn¡¯t it? They want what you want?¡± Orson looked at the other researchers. If they¡¯d heard her, they did nothing to show it. He didn¡¯t need the group deciding he was responsible for the attack, at least not until he¡¯d gotten them out of the building. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I think they¡¯re looking at me as a competitor.¡± ¡°I wonder why?¡± She asked ironically. ¡°I can have the download running as we leave.¡± ¡°We might not have enough time.¡± Orson thought of his half hour, before Nefertiti departed the hilltop. If she and Ikaro left the hilltop, he¡¯d need to handle escapes for all the researchers. ¡°Give it a shot and get it started. We have to go.¡± The other scientists wrapped up their download work. One-by-one they shut off their consoles, retrieved their limited memory storage, and rejoined Orson at the far wall. ¡°I¡¯m going to try the failsafe worm,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Do we all agree Captain Gregory deserves the data the Liberty Corps is seeking?¡± ¡°They want your data?¡± Dr. Cornish lifted Loomy¡¯s carrier, fitting the shoulder strap around his neck. ¡°What could this militia want with ocean telemetry?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time or place,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the whole story once we¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Dr. Pennington stepped forward. He forced his way between the others until he stood in front of Orson. ¡°I¡¯ve done my part. They won¡¯t use my work. Now, take me to the armory. Please.¡± ¡°We all need to get out of here,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll help anyone by staying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without my wife¡¯s body,¡± he said. ¡°This isn¡¯t about revenge.¡± ¡°If you stay in this building,¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ll risk exposing all of us. I don¡¯t have an extra infrared scanner. You won¡¯t avoid patrols. And infrared can¡¯t find the dead. Wandering the halls of this building will be extremely dangerous.¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t take her with me¡­ I¡¯ll die here too.¡± Pennington turned away from the group, like he was fighting the urge to charge back into the hallway. Dr. Rios pressed both hands to his shoulders. ¡°Staying isn¡¯t what Lana would want,¡± she said. ¡°If she is gone, she died trying to save you. We¡¯re looking at escape now. Please don¡¯t throw your life away.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan to die,¡± Pennington said. ¡°But¡­¡± He took a ragged breath. His shoulders sagged. Orson didn¡¯t know whether the man planned to run or was in danger of collapsing. ¡°If they¡­ If she¡¯s gone¡­ I need to know. I can¡¯t lose her and not see her. Not again.¡± The other researchers surrounded him. They did not speak, like their physical presence was enough to tie him to the rest of his life and keep him with them. ¡°I have no right to stop you,¡± Orson said. ¡°But everyone who wants to go with the Antler Clan to their sanctuary needs to go now. Messing with the camera feeds in here was hard enough. The armory has to be¡­¡± A siren broke the relative quiet. Orson flinched away from the sound, even before he had time to consider its purpose. The researchers did as well, all except Dr. Pennington. Pennington tore away from Rios and the others. ¡°I can lead them away from you,¡± he called without turning around. He sprinted through the terminal¡¯s main door and was gone, out into the hallway. The siren blared even louder when the speakers from the corridor added to the din. Dr. Rios started toward the door, but Orson caught her by the shoulder. ¡°Intruder alert.¡± Dr. Cornish was only audible because they all stood so close together. ¡°They know. They detected the failsafe worm.¡± Cornish looked at Dr. Stan. ¡°You need to stop the download.¡± ¡°No!¡± She replied. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Then Captain Gregory failed to interrupt the cameras,¡± Cornish continued. ¡°We have to shut up and leave,¡± Orson said. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m taking up the rear again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure everyone else was Liberty Corps?¡± Dr. Rios asked. ¡°You¡¯re one hundred percent sure ?¡± ¡°I¡¯m as sure as I can be,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I¡¯m totally sure there¡¯s no one we could¡¯ve reached without me fighting the whole force.¡± He turned back to the hole in the wall, but the others still didn¡¯t follow him. ¡°What?¡± He mouthed the word, rather than shout it, as he walked back to them. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°What if they know we¡¯re using the ventilation?¡± Dr. Cornish asked. ¡°Then that¡¯s more reason to move faster.¡± Orson took a scan of the sliced wall and saw no heat, no oncoming attackers. ¡°Come on.¡± * * * Operative Trace Divenoll was still exploring the lab complex¡¯s failed battlements when the intruder siren began. The perimeter cannons were physical ordinance, spaced twenty feet apart, along the perimeter wall and on the grounds of the complex. They had no energy weapons, no smart projectiles, and only rudimentary shielding. Why hadn¡¯t they taken this place years ago? Who would have stopped them? The ground was littered with bodies of the fallen defenders. Most wore armor and full combat gear, but others wore the blue Advisory jackets or civilian clothing. Bloodless dead accounted for most of the fallen, those who had been killed by blaster and plasma bolts. Some were torn apart, hacked into pieces, or were crushed and broken beyond all recognition. Liberty Corps Shapers had played their part, but not Divenoll. Divenoll had seen none of the combat. His skimmer had been the last to arrive. The bombing run had destroyed most of the opposition before the rear wave landed. And that was a shame. He¡¯d been practicing. He was hoping for living targets. He needed to test his studies before Baron Helmont saw them firsthand. The alarm meant he might get his chance. ¡°Sir Jarod to all commands.¡± The Knight was soft-spoken, but his words were precise, his diction crisp. ¡°Sir Rowan has engaged with the Aesir crew. Gregory is believed to be here, in the laboratory. The Lord Baron and the Manifest Destiny are en route. Find Gregory. He may have the key of the forbidden castle. Kill Gregory, but the key must not be harmed.¡± Gregory! Orson Gregory had ruined his reputation at the derelict graveyard. Gregory had destroyed his ambitions as completely as he had the dropship he¡¯d pulled from the sky. Ending Gregory meant promotion. Retrieving his key meant knighthood. Doing both was redemption, so perfect it felt like destiny. Divenoll drew iron-alloy ingots from his belt. A rush of warmth ran along his armor and his skin. Then he recited his mantra and no longer felt the heat, as his temperature-sensitive gauntlets protected his flesh from the searing metal he manipulated. Own the body. Rule the mind. Command Nickel and Chromium. Follow them to fire. His gauntlet igniters glowed white-hot. Small flames came to life above his raised fists. * * * Orson flew Airman Hernandez onto the hilltop. He found the shaded place where her stretcher waited, near the reuniting researchers. They¡¯d surprised Orson with their agility, safely navigating the lab and the catwalk back to the hill. He¡¯d feared leaving the generator passage, but Dr. Cornish had released a small ladder that descended from the structure and back to the catwalk below. No one had found them, and they¡¯d seen no one. The siren was now a distant fear. All of the researchers were in the forest, except Dr. Stan, who was at the very edge of the catwalk, completing the download. ¡°Everybody ready?¡± Orson asked. ¡°This is everyone?¡± Dr. Ikaro made eye contact with Orson. She had not asked him about Lana Pennington, and he was too worried about the group morale to mention her. They would have time for that conversation on the trip back through the forest. ¡°Sophia is doing a failsafe and download,¡± Dr. Rios said. ¡°Then we¡¯re ready.¡± Ikaro nodded, but she didn¡¯t reply. Nefertiti had approached them and begun to gesticulate, stabbing her forelimbs out ahead of her. ¡°It¡¯s incredible to see you alive,¡± Ikaro said. ¡°But it¡¯s time to leave.¡± ¡°Go on ahead,¡± Orson said. ¡°If Dr. Stan isn¡¯t done yet, we need to cut this short.¡± Dr. Cornish adjusted Loomy¡¯s carrier. The others divvied up their small personal items and prepared to carry Airman Hernandez. Orson walked back to the cliff¡¯s edge. ¡°Doctor Stan,¡± he called to her. ¡°It¡¯s time to wrap this up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just about done,¡± she answered. ¡°You need to be done now,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s time to¡­¡±
UNKNOWN PROJECTILE! TARGET LOCK!
HEAD SHOT ¨C 100%
Orson dived to the ground. Something small whistled by, above him. He rolled to the side in time to see another projectile soar past him, and them another. Orson drew his sword and jumped to his feet. There was a new shape on the hilltop, burning with heat in the infrared scan ¨C a Shaper. ¡°RUN!¡± Orson fired his repulsor and blasted at the Shaper. ¡°They found us.¡± The Shaper wore Liberty Corps officer armor, but the closer Orson came, the stranger it looked. The armor¡¯s gauntlets were scaled and ended in barbed iron tips. These were the projectiles that almost hit him. More pieces of iron fired free from the Shaper¡¯s fists. Orson deactivated his repulsor. He fell like a stone and dropped down below the arc of the iron projectiles. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw more infrared shapes. Liberty Corps forces ran from the lab. It wasn¡¯t an impossible horde, but too many for Orson to count, while under attack. The Shaper tried to launch more iron, but he¡¯d run out of time. The sword of fire removed both of his gauntlets. The scaled armor fell to the ground with the man¡¯s forearms. He howled, shock and agony. He fell to his knees. If the other Liberty Corps forces didn¡¯t know they¡¯d found Orson Gregory, they did now. Orson heard a second, faint yell, a fearful cry from the cliffside. Orson jumped toward the edge. A squad of Liberty Corps troops poured along the catwalk. They hadn¡¯t opened fire, but Dr. Stan was now in clear view of their pursuers. Orson flew over the edge. Dr. Stanislakova stood at the bottom of the cliff. She was clutching at a jutting rock, trying to climb one-handed as she forced her tablet back into her bag. A Liberty Corps Officer with glowing gauntlets rushed from the formation. He entered a wide stance, with both closed fists aimed forward. Fire flew from his hands, in a burst like a flamethrower ¨C straight at Dr. Stan. Orson again deactivated his repulsor. He dropped and landed just feet in front of the scientist, his sword raised. Red fire and blue collided in an explosion that bore Orson backward. He slammed into Dr. Stan, but he kept the fire sword steady and regained his footing. Dr. Stan screamed, but Orson had no time to respond to her. The officer had sent another fire blast. Orson braced himself, anchored himself with his repulsor boot. When the fires met, the sword absorbed the officer¡¯s strike. Steam issued from the sword, a gout of heat that expanded in all directions. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting a long time for this, Gregory.¡± The officer maintained his power stance. A crowd of other Liberty Corps forces aligned behind him. Orson saw two more slit-visored knights, one who bore a cleaver in each fist and another with scaled gauntlets like the scout Orson had fought on the hilltop. ¡°Yeah, I bet you have,¡± Orson said. ¡°After what I did to Nine-flails, I bet every one of you morons thinks you¡¯re the one to kill me.¡± Had the researchers on the hilltop listened to him and fled? He couldn¡¯t turn and scan for their heat. He hoped they¡¯d gone. With Nefertiti¡¯s expertise, they might still escape. Dr. Stan moaned behind him, like she was injured. But there was no way he¡¯d hit her that hard. ¡°You with me, Doc?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about these shits. I¡¯ve been fighting them all year.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± She spoke in a low voice. ¡°I dropped my datapad in the river!¡± Without turning his head or letting his glowing goggles wander from the Liberty Corps, Orson glanced at the catwalk¡¯s edge. He saw no sign of the datapad, but there was nothing to stop its fall. The dropoff beside the catwalk led straight down into the Rio Persistente¡¯s current, twenty feet down. Whether or not the worm had worked, the data to help him find the Hidden Island was lost. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest Orson Gregory.¡± The Knight with the scaled gauntlets forced his way around the officer who¡¯d sent the fire. ¡°On charges of murder, conspiracy, civil unrest, civil disobedience¡­¡± His words were drowned out by a deep, guttural horn that bellowed from the sky. It was still distant, but Orson knew the sound. He¡¯d heard the war horn chorus thundering over Norlenheim. He¡¯d fought those ships. He¡¯d believed they¡¯d all been destroyed. The Liberty Corps had a Starbird Carrier, one of the two-mile-long IHSA warships, once stolen by Thunderworks. Orson turned on his microphone. ¡°Stop your troops! Stop your ship. You¡¯re going to let your former hostages leave here, and you¡¯re going to lay down your arms until I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re expecting a rescue from your Aesir,¡± the fire-throwing officer said. ¡°They aren¡¯t coming. Sir Rowan is apprehending them as we speak.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t one of you in charge?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Take five seconds and pick a spokesman. What would your Baron say if he heard you all squawking at me?¡± With his free hand, he reached into the hood of his coat and drew out his Dreamside Road key, the medallion that bore his mentor¡¯s symbol. ¡°You¡¯ll free my crew and my ship too.¡± The Knights stepped forward. The one with the blades got into a stance like he was about to jump the ten-foot distance between them. ¡°Nobody move!¡± Orson held the Dreamside Road Key over the glowing blue of his fire sword. ¡°Nobody move, or I destroy my key, and then none of us will have the Dreamside Road.¡± 95 - A Master of the Change ¡°Put down your weapon.¡± Sir Rowan advanced toward Enoa. Wisps of haze gathered at the tips of his boots. His steps made no sound, like his feet never reached the ground, landing only in his cushions of air. ¡°We don¡¯t want you damaged, My Dear. You¡¯re the only new Anemos Shaper in so very long, but we¡¯ll learn nothing from you if I have to desiccate your lungs to win your key.¡± Enoa held her ground. Only the Knight advanced toward her. His two officers maintained their stances, but did not move. She kept her staff pointed at them. They were the nearer threat, and she could blast either of them before they laid a hand on her. ¡°You can learn a very great deal from me too,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°Old Su didn¡¯t finish your training, did she? I can do that. I learned the same rudiments she did.¡± One of the officers took a step toward her. Enoa leveled the staff at his face. He did not take another. ¡°You need a teacher,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°Who else is there? The Dreamthought Project is almost extinct. Grant, the Perez family, the Montgomerys, the Buckthorns are all dead or retired. No one knows if Sir Merritt or old Ophion still live. The others haven¡¯t set foot on this continent in decades. I¡¯m your best chance. You do want to learn? You want to be a master of the change like the woman who raised you?¡± Something slid along the forest floor, an unfamiliar slithering sound. Jaleel had begun to reel in the fallen end of his bow, using the bowstring to pull it back into the ship. Both officers turned toward him and glanced away from Enoa. She struck. Enoa slammed her staff into the back of the nearest officer¡¯s helmet. No ignition. No explosion. A burst of hot air left the staff and sent the officer stumbling away, flailing to find his footing. The other officer laughed. He stooped down and took the other half of the broken bow. He tugged on the bowstring, but Jaleel held onto his half. ¡°Excellent intention,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°You have all the pieces. You¡¯ll be a marvel with my help.¡± A shrill whistle left his helmet¡¯s trunk. The second officer turned toward Sir Rowan and his master¡¯s piercing call. ¡°We¡¯re needed at the lab. There¡¯s a situation. Show her our work and finish this.¡± The officer released the bow-half. He spun and aimed his closed fist toward Enoa. She reached out to the moisture in the air. She¡¯d botched the staff blast. She felt rage, thinking of the murders at the laboratory, but her anger was diluted by guilt and fear and confusion. With Rinlee and Nalrik she¡¯d understood what she was fighting. Now she had to fight and observe. She wasn¡¯t ready. She needed more training. She¡­ Her stomach roiled. The nausea hit her before her nose noticed the putrid smell. When the smell reached her, she almost retched. She smelled rot. The stench was like a whole battlefield of the dead, corpses uncounted. She would have vomited if her stomach weren¡¯t empty. The world spun around her. The officer stepped toward her, his fist still extended. This was Shaping. This man had made poison in the air. Enoa could almost see the intangible force reaching out from the man. Even the heavy moisture of the air felt different. The influence was spreading. The poison was expanding around her. Enoa stepped away. She reached out, trying to push back. She needed to figure out what he was doing. If she could make condensation, could she pull pure oxygen from the moisture? Could she purify her air supply? Enoa retreated. She held her breath. She had to find clean air. She had to find safety from the poison. The officer continued to advance. His compatriot walked far around her. Sir Rowan did the same. The Knight spoke again, but in her concentration she missed his words. They were surrounding her, herding her into position with the toxic gas. And if she didn¡¯t do something to surprise them, they could attack from all sides. She could not fight off three poison attacks. Wamp! The poisoning officer screamed and collapsed. A wound appeared on his left knee. It stained the trailing mosses with blood. Jaleel stood outside the Aesir. He held the bottom half of his bow and the stolen spray-stick he¡¯d attached to it. Before she could call out to him, both Sir Rowan and his officer flew at Jaleel. They actually flew, cushions of visible, translucent vapor growing beneath them, undulating and propelling them forward. ¡°Ruby!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°Fire at the three O¡¯Clock target!¡± Enoa heard Ruby answer, too far away to make out the words. The Aesir didn¡¯t open fire. The Liberty Corps Shapers descended on Jaleel. If they hurt him, it would be her fault. He would be like Archie Grant or the researchers at the lab ¨C more pain because people wanted her abilities and her birthright. Enoa seized the heavy air and forced condensation. She transmuted the moisture into projectiles, so sudden that the forest steamed. Both Shapers stopped their flight in time to face the Bullet Rain. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. This attack still wasn¡¯t the great volley that had bested Rinlee, but it was enough to send Sir Rowan flying aside. That burst of Bullet Rain missed him and soared away through the trees. Her second volley was true. The projectiles burst against the flying officer and threw him to the forest floor. Enoa ran for the Aesir. Her retreat from the Shapers had moved her further away from the ship than she¡¯d realized. Sir Rowan flew again. Now he aimed for her. Enoa called on her Bullet Rain, but she had no time to use it. The Aesir¡¯s tri-cannon came to life, spitting fire and light at Sir Rowan. The first strike missed him, but the trees beside him splintered, their boughs thundering down toward the forest floor. Sir Rowan flew away from the attack, deeper through the trees, the cannon shredding foliage, trying to land a clean hit on the fleeing knight. ¡°Ruby, stop, you¡¯ll set the forest on fire!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna get him. Only shoot at him again if he tries to come back.¡± Enoa ran to meet him, but he rushed past her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Enoa watched him kneel beside the officer he¡¯d shot, still moaning on the ground. He drew a knife from his belt. ¡°Head for the ship. I¡¯m keeping my looting game strong,¡± he said. ¡°These ball things lit up when the guy was attacking you. I need to see what they do.¡± Jaleel sliced through the officer¡¯s pack, removing the set of orbs. He cut through wire and insulation and heavy tubing. Then he pulled the orb pack away from the man. Enoa turned back to the ship and found the second Officer racing toward her, on foot. She was ready for him. She could feel the poison spreading from him. She could feel the change in the air. Enoa filled her lungs and ran. The officer drew an electrified device like the one that had destroyed Jaleel¡¯s bow. He raised the weapon, defending his face and his chest. Enoa slammed her staff into the weapon and then again into the man¡¯s stomach. Two proper explosions bloomed from her staff, breaking the Officer¡¯s weapon and his armor. He flew back onto the ground in a heap. Multiple loud pops sounded from his back. Enoa heard a sharp hissing and she backed away from the man. She could feel a new change in the air around the officer. ¡°Damn!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I wanted to collect his too. I think their Shaping lets them mix different gases from those balls.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t feel the exhaustion that used to overwhelm her senses, but her fingers tingled, like the aftermath of an electric shock. ¡°I think so too,¡± she said. ¡°I can feel it.¡± He nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m ready if¡­¡± A siren called from the Aesir, the proximity warning. They both ran for the ship. Enoa¡¯s senses were sharper since her attack on the Officer and she felt the pounding alarm in her temples. The siren stopped long enough for Ruby to speak. ¡°IHSA land-skimmer incoming. Beacon active. Would you like me to offer some evasive maneuver suggestions? ¡°No!¡± Jaleel ran for the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°I¡¯ll fly, Enoa. You can shoot at them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve flown the Aesir one time.¡± Enoa propped her staff at the wall beside the passenger¡¯s seat and sat down. ¡°I¡¯m really not sure you piloting is a good idea.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay right above the ground,¡± he said. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Would you like to hear about the onboard missiles list?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°We have one homing missile, two disruptors, and Captain Crockett¡¯s Trick and Track Special. Would you like me to tell you a little more about the missiles?¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Maybe we should get permission before using one of Orson¡¯s four missiles?¡± Enoa watched her copilot screen come to life. She saw nothing but the usual topographical local rendering and the green arrow indicating the Aesir¡¯s presence ¨C no enemies close enough to shoot manually. ¡°Another time.¡± Jaleel patted the dashboard and hit the repulsor. Enoa felt the usual strike at her feet as the ship left the ground. ¡°Where is this skimmer?¡± ¡°The likely enemy craft is accelerating down the Rio Persistente,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Would you like me to expand the view on the sensor screens or switch the windshield to sensor mode?¡± ¡°Do we want that?¡± Jaleel sent the Aesir in a slow turn toward the river. ¡°What do we do? Do we go toward the river and stop them from cornering us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Enoa watched the red enemy dot appear up the river. She took the controls and followed the enemy ship with the tri-cannon. ¡°Ruby, what weapons do they have? What can skimmers do?¡± ¡°Sensors indicate that the skimmer is preparing to launch a rocket,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Would you like me to prepare evasive maneuvers?¡± ¡°How good is this rocket?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Will it hurt with the shields on? I don¡¯t think we know enough¡­¡± ¡°Target lock!¡± Ruby yelled. Jaleel hit the throttle and sent the ship flying out of the trees. He yelled and twisted the control stick. The Aesir swerved and came to a stop over the open water ¨C facing the skimmer! The enemy ship almost on top of them! Jaleel screamed. Enoa yelled with him, but she found the red dot on her screen and opened fire. The skimmer never launched its rocket. It exploded in a shower of burning metal. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Holy shit. We flailed our way through another fight¡­ and I think we won.¡± Enoa tried to feel the presence of Sir Rowan or either officer. She felt nothing. ¡°The Aesir won,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting the cannon shooting at him on automatic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not forgetting,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m taking the credit for that. You didn¡¯t hear Ruby trying to pick a target. What¡¯s the deal with that, by the way? Like, why does the Aesir have a super basic voice assistant. There has to be some kind of story there, right?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He turned the Aesir around in a slow circle. They hovered, just above the water. He eased them downstream, moving slower than the current. ¡°If that skimmer was being tracked, the Liberty Corps will know they¡¯re gone. But if we keep going we¡¯ll get to the lab and mess up Orson¡¯s rescue mission.¡± ¡°If we stay too close,¡± she said. ¡°Sir Rowan will find us again. He¡¯ll find me again.¡± ¡°He can sense you and know where you are?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Like in Dragon Ball Z? Can you sense him too and feel if he¡¯s really dangerous?¡± ¡°No.¡± She remembered how he¡¯d swept her fog aside and how she¡¯d felt as his blast had passed over her. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stay on top of your Shaping stuff,¡± he said. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand how it works.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t either.¡± Enoa groaned. ¡°I don¡¯t know why my first explosion failed. My thinking shouldn¡¯t change that much. I should have more control, but everything has to be just right or it doesn¡¯t work. And I hate that.¡± ¡°You can hit people with a stick and make them blow up,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re having a hard time, but honestly, I¡¯m pretty okay with it being difficult.¡± He coasted the Aesir along the shore. ¡°That was a joke. Maybe we can find somewhere to hide until Orson is ready for us. Maybe¡­¡± A red dot appeared at the right of the screen, headed toward them. Distantly, Enoa could hear a metallic shriek. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I know that sound. That¡¯s a Hierarchia fighter.¡± The ship sped up, down the river. ¡°Let¡¯s get away from whatever beacon that skimmer had. Maybe they won¡¯t notice us.¡± A second dot appeared on the screen. Then a third. Then a fourth. ¡°Multiple Saw-wing fighter craft detected!¡± Ruby yelled. ¡°Full squadron detected. I strongly advise evasive maneuvers.¡± The entire western side of the screen filled with red dots. Jaleel hit the throttle and sent them hurtling down the river. ¡°We better let Orson know he¡¯s out of time.¡± 96 - 3.22 Kilometers (2 Miles) Orson swung his Dreamside Road key in a slow circle, still dangling above the sword¡¯s fire. ¡°What¡¯s your answer? You¡¯d better speak up. Imagine if I slipped?¡± He laughed and it was a real laugh. He forced himself to find humor in the leverage he held over them. The Liberty Corps Knights and Shapers and foot soldiers halted in their tracks, shocked and silent. ¡°You would never destroy your key.¡± The Knight with the cleavers finally said. ¡°We know how long you¡¯ve hunted the trove.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like to know what the Hierarchia stashed away,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I¡¯ve been thinking about destroying my key anyway, once I know. I don¡¯t plan on wasting my life guarding some treasure, so that¡¯s the next best thing.¡± He spun the key faster. ¡°What¡¯ll it be?¡± Orson heard the chime from the comm in his ear. He answered the call and flinched away from the sudden screaming. ¡°Orson!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°We¡¯re flying to you. We¡¯ll be at the lab in a minute. A Liberty Corps Knight was here¡­¡± ¡°And he was this creepy old guy who was perving after Enoa,¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°That¡¯s not an important detail!¡± Enoa said. ¡°We fought them off, but now they¡¯re chasing us.¡± ¡°They have Hierarchia fighters like the ones that battled against Thunderworks,¡± Jaleel added. ¡°Slow down.¡± Orson lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of something.¡± His crew was alive and free and so was he. That was a start. He realized he¡¯d stopped the swinging of the key. ¡°You have no options.¡± The Knight with the spiked gauntlets raised his arms at Orson. ¡°If you burn the key, we¡¯ll kill you where you stand. And we would never let you to leave with it. Once the Manifest Destiny arrives, you will be restrained and the key will be taken.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually gonna head out before it gets here,¡± Orson said. ¡°So I really wasn¡¯t asking permission. I¡¯m just wasting your time until I¡¯m all ready to go.¡± He heard the ring of footsteps on the metal behind him. Dr. Stanislakova was moving. He had no time to look at her and no chance to offer her any reassurance. He hoped she was ready to improvise. ¡°Don¡¯t tell them we¡¯re coming,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I put up the cloak like Eloise did before the sneak attack on Sloan. We¡¯ll pick you up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too close to the water, Jaleel,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You¡¯re disturbing the river. They¡¯ll still find us if you don¡¯t go higher.¡± Further behind the Knights and their escort, another squad of Liberty Corps forces had arrived, this group guiding what appeared to be a cannon that walked on flexible legs with splayed, segmented toes. They eased the gangling contraption along the catwalk toward him. ¡°They¡¯re still doing a sweep,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°They¡¯re looking for us. They¡¯re not chasing us.¡± The officer who¡¯d shot fire at Orson stepped around the Knights. ¡°Enough of this. I¡¯ll take you into my personal custody. Unlike my colleagues, I have no fear of your weapon.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t find us if you stop disturbing the water,¡± Enoa argued. ¡°If I go any higher I¡¯ll mess with the branches,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Disturbing the water is way harder to notice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not threatening you with my weapon.¡± Orson ignored his crewmates¡¯ bickering and sped up the motion of the key. ¡°I¡¯m threatening the key, duh! Were you not paying attention?¡± ¡°Back in formation, Divenoll,¡± Cleaver Knight forced his way ahead of the officer. ¡°The water already has current,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If we¡­¡± ¡°Threatening what key?!¡± Enoa said. ¡°Orson, what you¡­¡± ¡°No time for that.¡± Orson tried to speak directly into the microphone affixed to the inside of his bandana. ¡°Stay cloaked. And let me know when you¡¯re almost here. Two for pickup, against twenty with at least three Shapers.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Orson, are you outside?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°The map looks like we¡¯re coming out of the forest.¡± ¡°He¡¯s speaking with someone!¡± The Knight with spiked gauntlets yelled back to the gathered Liberty Corps troops. ¡°Where is our comms officer?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you, Gregory?¡± Divenoll asked. He raised his fists. ¡°You have no idea how the keys work? They¡¯re the easiest way to access the trove, but not the only way. Destroying your key would only delay our search.¡± Orson heard a noise, distant and growing. He knew that hum, even above the rushing water. ¡°Hey Doc, I¡¯m sorry in advance, okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± Dr. Stan sounded nothing like the confident woman he¡¯d met in the lab. Even as a Liberty Corps prisoner, she¡¯d sounded controlled and calm. Now there was a tremor in her voice, noticeable even after one word. Orson had no time to do more for her than plan their escape. He adjusted his hold on the key and used his free left thumb to dial his glove solar cell¡¯s output to full. ¡°I guess this is worthless then.¡± He let the key¡¯s chain slide closer to the sword¡¯s blade. Every Liberty Corps officer focused on Orson¡¯s hands. Then Orson swung the key¡¯s chain onto his wrist, opened his palm, and sent out a single flash of light, tens of thousands of lumens. It was nothing like its strength at night, but every Liberty Corps Knight, Shaper, officer, and warrior was left blind at the same moment Orson heard the Aesir¡¯s proximity chime. ¡°I see you!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°We¡¯ll be right there.¡± Dr. Stan moaned. Orson kept the sword outward, but he risked a glance at her. She¡¯d pressed her hands against her face, and she¡¯d made herself small, huddled behind him. Pop! Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Aesir appear, almost on top of them. The tri-cannon fired between Orson and the Liberty Corps line, wild shots. None of the Liberty Corps forces were hit, but the catwalk was also spared any damage. ¡°My ship is right here.¡± Orson took Dr. Stan by the shoulder. ¡°Can you see? How much help will you need getting aboard?¡± The Aesir arrived beside the catwalk, still offering covering fire toward the Liberty Corps force. Its door opened. Enoa stood inside. ¡°Great timing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still trying to keep my eyes open.¡± Dr. Stan blinked through tears. Orson guided her toward the door. Enoa reached out to the scientist and took her by both arms. Saw-wing fighters had arrived at the tree line ¨C Orson heard their shrieking ¨C but they didn¡¯t advance. They didn¡¯t enter the laboratory area, even with the Aesir visible. ¡°Just step toward my voice and I¡¯ll pull you in,¡± Enoa said. ¡°The gap is only a few inches.¡± She guided the scientist into the ship. ¡°Only two of you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± But Orson had no time to explain. He saw a blur leap free of the Liberty Corps line and over the Aesir¡¯s cover fire. He adjusted his stance and took a repulsor-aided leap at his attacker, keeping himself between the Shaper and the Aesir. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The attacker fell toward Orson. It was the Knight with the cleavers. He plunged down from the sky, both wide blades extended. Orson¡¯s cautious instinct saved him. He leaped backward. The Knight struck the catwalk with enough force to dent the metal. ¡°Take off!¡± Orson screamed, but the Aesir didn¡¯t move. He still stood between the ship and the Knight, but the other Liberty Corps forces had wizened to the tri-cannon¡¯s predictable aim. They were rousing themselves and had reformed a new position on the catwalk, making way for their own walking cannon. The weapon fired a sustained beam of blue light at the Aesir. The energy only sizzled against the ship¡¯s shield, but the tri-cannon¡¯s cover fire ceased. Spike Knight and Divenoll broke free of the assembly and ran toward Orson. ¡°Take off,¡± Orson yelled. ¡°Get clear and fire on their troops. I¡¯ll catch up!¡± Enoa returned to the doorway and shouted something Orson could not hear. But then the door cycled shut, and the ship wobbled away from the catwalk. Cleaver Knight had been waiting for Orson¡¯s attention to waver, and he struck at him. Orson raised his sword to block the cleaver. He took simple pleasure in feeling the sword of fire slice apart solid metal weaponry, but the blunt blade batted aside the sword with only a small indentation where it had touched the heat. The Cleaver Knight struck again. Orson expected a follow-up. He actively swung at the other blade, but it was like striking hammer against anvil and the sword of fire ricocheted away. The Knight advanced, moving both blades in tandem, and Orson gave ground. The strikes were heavy, heavier even than the weapons of the Thunderworks automatons. The robots¡¯ servos and metal ligaments delivered strength beyond almost any human, but no strength could protect solid matter from his sword¡¯s fire. The Manifest Destiny bellowed. This sound was closer that its first blast, sounding now like sustained thunder in the mountains, too loud for too long, deafening and thought breaking. Maybe shocked into action by the Supercarrier¡¯s call, the Aesir finally opened fire on the Liberty Corps line, tearing apart the legged gun and blasting a wide opening in the catwalk. The metal bent down toward the river. Three rifle troopers fell, screaming, into the water, but the walking cannon¡¯s legs still clutched the cliff face, toes digging into the rock wall. ¡°We¡¯re too close to you for your energy weapon to save you.¡± Divenoll raised his fists and stepped closer, angling for a clear shot. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to run. ¡°There is now.¡± Orson jumped at Divenoll, using his repulsor to leap over Cleaver Knight and Spike Knight. The latter opened fire from his gauntlets, but only a single volley. He stopped when Cleaver Knight leapt after Orson, mimicking the jump. Divenoll wasn¡¯t so quick. He let out a gout of flame toward Orson, except Orson wasn¡¯t there anymore. Orson had cut power to his repulsor and fallen back to the catwalk, between Spike Knight and Divenoll. Cleaver Knight had reached the top of his arc when the fire left Divenoll¡¯s fist. The blast threw Cleaver Knight. His armor and tunic smoking, he flew back the full length of the catwalk. He crashed down somewhere on the distant hilltop, where Orson had parted ways with the Advisory scientists before the standoff began. ¡°Either you¡¯re stronger than you look or something freaky¡¯s going on with that guy?¡± Orson shot a thumb toward the hill. Spike Knight ran back along the catwalk, toward the cliff face. But Divenoll didn¡¯t turn aside. He charged at Orson, fists wreathed with flame. Orson hit Divenoll with a second flash of light. When the man raised his arms, Orson buried his repulsor in the other man¡¯s chest and fired. The force of the repulsor threw Divenoll back into the lab¡¯s perimeter wall. Orson let the blast carry him out and away from the catwalk, riding the force of the energy before he launched again. He caught sight of Spike Knight raising his fists, but by the time his HUD detected the projectiles heading for him, Orson had fired his repulsor again, in an arc that took him up and above the Aesir. Orson turned on his comm. ¡°Have Ruby let me in the skylight.¡± He gave his crew a five count before he cut power to the repulsor. When he fell, he noticed again that the Saw-wings had stayed away, even then, even after the Aesir was a distance from any Liberty Corps troops. The shield and roof hatch opened for Orson and he fell back into his home. He let himself enjoy the momentary relief of hearing the Aesir¡¯s operating hums and chimes. He also heard distant chattering from Wesley, penned in Jaleel¡¯s bunk, and the muted sound of drumming against the ship¡¯s renewed shield ¨C parting gifts from Spike Knight. ¡°Good job, gang.¡± He watched the hatch close above him. Then he ran toward the front of the cabin, where Jaleel sat in the pilot¡¯s seat, Enoa beside him, and Dr. Stan in the driver¡¯s side passenger seat. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the freaks they sent after us,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You would not have believed their helmets. They had these dangling things on them...¡± ¡°You can tell me about it once we¡¯re a long way from here.¡± Orson stood between the back row of seats. ¡°Let¡¯s rotate. Enoa, slide back please and try to get us some of that midnight fog cover that you do. Jaleel, take the guns.¡± He rested his hand on Dr. Stan¡¯s seat while the others moved. ¡°How are you, Doc? Are you hanging in there?¡± She nodded, her eyes squeezed shut, but that was her only reply. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for not warning you about the light, but I couldn¡¯t risk tipping them off.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you once my rescue is over.¡± Dr. Stan wiped at her eyes again. ¡°If we stay close to the river, I can probably keep us out of sight.¡± Enoa adjusted her seatbelt. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Orson, you have your ¡®let¡¯s not freak out everyone else¡¯ voice.¡± ¡°Their Starbird carrier is coming for us.¡± Orson pointed toward the horizon. Once Jaleel had settled into the copilot¡¯s seat, Orson took the wheel. ¡°Other than that fire guy, they were just trying to delay me or catch me. At least that¡¯s what they did after I threatened my key.¡± ¡°I thought that¡¯s what I heard.¡± Enoa looked up from retrieving her staff. ¡°We need to talk about that.¡± ¡°After.¡± Orson adjusted the seat and fixed his restraints. ¡°If we live, we¡¯ll, I don¡¯t know, we¡¯ll ¡®debrief¡¯ later. Let¡¯s get away now. When their flagship comes after us, they¡¯ll try to have us in a tractor beam.¡± ¡°A tractor beam?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Like Alien Abduction tractor beam or Death Star tractor beam?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Orson sent them flying away from the lab, on the far side of the river. ¡°Both. Now we need to figure out what we¡¯re doing. That thing¡¯s got fusion reactors, so it can follow us anywhere. The best I can think of is we try to beat it back to Alliance territory, but we might not have enough power for that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡± Jaleel adjusted his monitor. ¡°I know we just heard it, but I still don¡¯t see it. I can¡¯t believe something like that could just vanish.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking on radar view,¡± Orson said. ¡°They have this reflective paneling that does the bulk of the camouflage work. Ruby, switch the copilot screen to infrared scanning. Show Jaleel what we¡¯re dealing with.¡± ¡°Switching now,¡± Ruby answered. Orson glanced at Jaleel¡¯s monitor. He saw the screen, their little green dot, only a pinpoint. The entire right side of the screen was dominated by a single mass of red. Each time the screen zoomed out, the red grew with it, covering a vast swath of the eastern forest, where it hung in the sky. ¡°How big is that thing?¡± Jaleel asked. Enoa looked over his shoulder and gasped. Ruby answered, ¡°The standard size of the International Hierarchia Statute Association Starbird-class Supercarrier is approximately three-point-two-two kilometers or two miles in length. Would you like a more detailed size analysis? ¡°No, thank you,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You get the gist.¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m going to send us away from the lab in a second and I¡¯m open to ideas. Right now, all I¡¯m looking to do is have Enoa hide us and follow this river north into Alliance territory.¡± Orson wanted to say more to Dr. Stan, to offer some reassurance. She¡¯d lost her data. She was separated from her colleagues, but what was there to say? ¡°If they chase us,¡± Orson said. ¡°There¡¯s a trick we can try, but it¡¯ll be a rough trip if they make us do it.¡± He took a last scan of their surroundings. The Saw-wings were still congregating at the far end of the clearing. There was no motion from the lab. The red mass of the Hierarchia carrier hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get us out of here. Are you ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± Enoa took a deep breath, her staff clutched between her hands. ¡°Okay.¡± Orson saw thin tendrils of mist congregating at the water¡¯s edge. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jaleel said. Orson hit the accelerator and sent them low, down over the river, through the clearing, far beyond the lab perimeter, and back into the trees. ¡°Ruby told us about the missiles you have,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I don¡¯t really remember them, but do you think one of those might be useful? Could we hit it in a weak¡­¡± The Manifest Destiny bellowed again. The wall of red moved on the screen. It looked like the monitor was glitching out, as the red grew across the display and the massive craft tore through the sky like a moving mountain. The enormous ship lowered its cloak. It was visible. The ship was shaped like a distorted seafaring vessel, somewhat rounded bottom and flat on the top. The bottom bore paneled stripes of blue and red and gunmetal gray, held together by rivets larger than cars. The ship was two miles of rail guns, two miles of high-yield plasma projectors, two miles of tractor beam generators, hangars of Dactyl drones, Saw-wing fighters and hundreds of land vehicles, space for thousands of crew. The Manifest Destiny was an uncounted sister of the ships that had led the breaking of the old world. Its siblings had been stolen by Thunderworks and used to destroy the IHSA, to erase cities, to cripple governments, to wipe nations from the map. Almost all had fallen before those ships. The Manifest Destiny bore down on the Aesir. It would soon fill the entire sky. 97 - Unstoppable Destiny Captain Christian Davard of the Manifest Destiny enjoyed the lift ride to his command bridge. Davard had been granted captaincy fifteen years ago, long before the ship¡¯s naming. He¡¯d been selected when the ship was nothing more than a 3D computer rendering. Davard had waited through requistions and the long years of construction. He had waited through the period of chaos and then construction again. But now the ship was named, and it could not be more perfect. All destinies were manifest that day. The true potential of the IHSA was finally alive, revived by the ascendant Liberty Corps. The destiny of the ship had arrived with it, a fortress flying in defense order and stability. Davard¡¯s own destiny was also real, finally true, finally manifest. For a decade and a half he¡¯d lived for the dream of captaincy. It was his now, earned by toil as well as fate. In the IHSA, this would have been one of many powerful vessels. Now, it was the Liberty Corps flagship, the template for the future Navy, a force that would need an admiral. Captain Davard found Baron Helmont already on the Destiny¡¯s command bridge. He and one of his knights stood at the center of the room¡¯s panoramic window. They looked down on the forest and the occupied Crystal Dune Laboratory. Two formations of Saw-wing fighter craft prepared to launch from the flight deck. Davard walked through his bridge, between the dozen workstations for pilots and techs. He approached the panoramic window and stood at attention, facing the man who had made so much possible for him. ¡°My Lord,¡± he said. ¡°At ease, Captain.¡± The Baron nodded. ¡°It is good fortune that we have this craft today. My circle of knights has failed to capture the Aesir.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve scrambled three of our Saw-wing squadrons and a Dactyl perimeter,¡± Davard said. ¡°If the Aesir attempts to escape, we¡¯ll have them.¡± ¡°See Rowan,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Professionalism. We do not allow our personal interests to stand in the way of our cause.¡± ¡°No, sir,¡± the knight said. ¡°Have our fighters maintain their distance,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I want to focus on capturing their vessel. There is too much of value aboard that ship to risk damaging it. Have you synchronized your forces, Captain?¡± ¡°I have sounded the klaxon three times, yes.¡± Davard watched the remaining fighter squadrons take off from the flight deck, watched the hangar doors close. The massive metal barriers were hundreds of meters long, but still so distant from the bridge and the ship¡¯s command island that the reverberation could not be felt. ¡°We have synchronized all forces.¡± ¡°It may be time to expand your crew.¡± Helmont turned back to the rest of the bridge and the crewmembers scattered across the mostly empty space. ¡°There is no need to maintain the old charades. Already, the Liberty Corps has several times the personnel of the old Hierarchia.¡± ¡°Then there would be no need for the klaxon,¡± Davard said. ¡°That may be a good thing. Thunderworks gave the sound an unpleasant connotation.¡± ¡°It certainly did.¡± Helmont reached to his belt and retrieved his tightbeam communicator. ¡°Speak.¡± A breathless voice spoke, projected out into the bridge. ¡°Gregory has boarded his ship.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Divenoll,¡± the Baron answered. ¡°Authorize the demolitions team. Once the lab is destroyed we¡¯ll be ready to recall you.¡± He returned the comm to his belt. ¡°Captain, you may deactivate all camouflage. Then have your tractor beam generators on standby.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Davard spun on his heel and walked toward the stations for the projectiles techs. ¡°One more thing,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You may prepare a boarding party with stunners. I will personally lead our forces onto the Aesir. They have proven quite slippery, but once I have them, there will be no escape.¡± * * * Repetition strengthened Enoa¡¯s control of Shaping. She found her mind stronger after each feat, after almost every exercise of her new abilities. Every time it was easier, every time less of her mental space was used by the exertion. But this left room for fear. Once she had enshrouded the river and hidden them from sight, maintaining the visual disturbance wasn¡¯t enough to stop her from dwelling on the sudden shadow cast over her fog. The darkness was even deeper as the massive ship blocked out the sun. ¡°Uh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°So I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re going to use the really difficult rough escape plan you were talking about?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson had switched the view on the windshield to an assortment of sensors. He was flying the Aesir almost even with the shore. Twice he crashed through branches, frying their leaves with the shields. ¡°I can¡¯t really think of any other way to get out of here.¡± The ship above them was mostly silent, but Enoa could feel it. She spread out her shroud, covering the bottom of the massive craft. She could feel the strange tingling in the air beneath the ship where the repulsors held it aloft. She felt its power, its weight. ¡°Alright.¡± Orson enlarged one of the feeds on the windshield. ¡°Ruby, do a scan of the Persistente and compare that to all of our maps and navigation records. I want a computer mapping that can help plot a course.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand, do you want me to scan the riverbed?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson sighed. ¡°Scan the riverbed. See if our scan matches the map records.¡± ¡°I will make a scan,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Once you have a comparison set up, keep doing that as we go and feed that information into the main computer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand,¡± Ruby said again. ¡°Can you repeat that last part?¡± Orson groaned and kept them on their course by the riverside. ¡°Maybe this was a bad idea. Ruby, just take that scan. We¡¯ll worry about the rest later.¡± ¡°Why are you scanning the riverbed?¡± Dr. Stanislakova asked. She¡¯d said little to Enoa after she brought the scientist aboard and less since they took off, but now her voice sounded steady. ¡°I might be able to help you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna do a big diversion and then fly us down under the water.¡± Orson changed the windshield¡¯s main display to a simple feed like the copilot¡¯s. The massive red shape of the Manifest Destiny looked only more ominous when positioned across the ship¡¯s windshield. ¡°My friends Franklin and Wayne did a similar move. They hid from one of those ships by going underwater, but I think they had a couple of robots and a super genius with them to manage it. I hoped maybe Ruby could figure it out. I want us to move underwater, but I can¡¯t react that fast against the current. Doing this will beat us up, but it should hide us and put some good distance between us and them.¡± ¡°We¡¯re using the emergency submarine plan?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°There¡¯s an emergency submarine plan? Nevermind. I don¡¯t want to know.¡± ¡°I did a project on river erosion in undergrad,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°It¡¯s far from my main expertise, but if you can get me to a terminal of some kind, I might be able to offer some assistance. That will depend, of course, on how unusual your interface is.¡± ¡°This boat¡¯s computer is the only one I¡¯ve really used in years, so I can¡¯t tell you how unique it is,¡± Orson said. ¡°But you¡¯d need to switch seats with Enoa and get in that terminal, but she¡¯s busy doing her Shaper thing.¡± ¡°I can switch.¡± Enoa could. She was strong enough. She could hide the ship, conceal the forest, maintain the fog around the bottom of the Manifest Destiny. Aunt Sucora¡¯s Midnight Sight technique had become as reflexive as walking and it faded into the back of her mind. ¡°Okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°If you¡¯re sure, Enoa. Let¡¯s do it. I¡¯ll dial up the inertials for a minute, but we need to make this quick. We don¡¯t want to be totally drained and stranded while we¡¯re still underwater. Jaleel, you mentioned missiles before. I¡¯m going to send you control of those. Look for the toggles by the tri-cannon¡¯s stick.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be useful against that.¡± Jaleel didn¡¯t look up from his monitor. ¡°They won¡¯t be,¡± Orson said. ¡°But we need to do something big to distract them. Did I say we need a distraction? I¡¯m really only half paying attention. I can¡¯t fly like this and talk at the same time.¡± ¡°Are you ready, young lady?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°I am.¡± Enoa said. ¡°Can we switch, Orson?¡± She felt the Manifest Destiny moving above. It kept a level space behind them, behind the wide mass of fog. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll dial up the intertials. Go now!¡± Enoa unbuckled herself and took her staff. She stepped around her seat. She¡¯d never walked with the inertial dampeners working so furiously. She felt nothing. She felt no motion, like they were standing totally still. It was steady enough for Dr. Stan to slide over into the seat that Enoa had just vacated. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Where do I need to look?¡± Enoa stepped around the side of her new seat at the moment the Manifest Destiny activated its tractor beam. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she felt a hot sensation from the underside of the carrier, like the air was cooking, her fog was evaporating. ¡°Orson!¡± Enoa threw herself into her new seat. She clutched her staff in one hand and felt for her restraints with the other. ¡°They¡¯re doing something! The Liberty Corps is doing something! I can feel it.¡± ¡°Can you keep the fog with me if I go faster?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Are you buckled?¡± She caught the restraints and pulled them across herself. ¡°Yes.¡± Orson didn¡¯t hesitate. He kept the Aesir coasting along the shore, but he sped up. Enoa could feel the forces on the ship then, more and more, like they were cresting the top of a roller coaster. Enoa tried to spread out the fog. She had room to spare. She could do more, spread the fog. Even in the mostly dry air, she could provide more coverage, hide them better. Enoa breathed and concentrated on the arid air. It wasn¡¯t cooperative, but not as bad as it had been in Littlefield, and the trees held moisture, enough for her to get to work. She stopped spreading the shroud when she felt something new. The Manifest Destiny reached from the sky and tried to catch them, seize them, to tear them up into the sky. In her mind, through the shroud, it felt like an actual hand reached from the ship. ¡°Orson!¡± She yelled. ¡°Faster!¡± She didn¡¯t know how close the ship¡¯s hand would be. She didn¡¯t know how accurate her new sense was. But Orson listened to her. He slammed the throttle and threw them into the distance. Enoa fought to keep the shroud with them and to track the hand from the sky. The hand missed. The tractor beam seized trees behind them and to their left. Enoa felt the trees¡¯ struggle through the fog. She felt their straining, felt their roots fighting to stay beneath the earth. And she felt the trees lose, felt the earth torn open, felt the trees ripped into the sky, mounds of dirt and rocks trailing from them, also falling upward. Someone in the big ship soon realized their mistake. The trees and dirt and rocks were dropped back into the river, sending a wave roiling out, washing into the forest. ¡°They were so close,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°How? Concentrated droplets like this fog should help us hide in thermal imaging.¡± ¡°Your guess is way better than mine, buddy,¡± Orson said. ¡°Where is this screen I should be looking at?¡± Dr. Stan asked. Orson didn¡¯t answer her, but Enoa heard a small electric hum to her right. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Enoa, are they still¡­¡± Orson started. ¡°Are they still on us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything, but that tractor beam happened fast.¡± Enoa had stopped fighting to spread the shroud. She refocused herself on watching the Manifest Destiny, as it followed the general shape of her disturbance. Enoa felt the Aesir slowing, just slightly, but maybe enough to make it easier for Orson to speak. ¡°Okay, Doc,¡± Orson said. ¡°Sorry about that. You¡¯re going to be looking at the radar model we take of the riverbed. Then combine that with the maps and other navigation records we already have.¡± ¡°I believe I can do that,¡± Dr. Stan began. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°Now, Jaleel, toggle through the missiles. If I¡¯m remembering right, it¡¯s pretty easy to pick one and arm it. Look for a disruptor. There are two or three. They¡¯re big and loud and bright. It¡¯ll be great.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get to use Captain Somebody¡¯s Trick and Trap or whatever?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°The Crockett missile?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Wow, I forgot all about that. Man, you would¡­¡± ¡°Orson!¡± Enoa felt the cooking feeling, the sudden evaporation, the tractor beam starting. ¡°Again! Again!¡± Orson knew what she meant and sent the ship on another dash, flying further up the river. Dr. Stan wasn¡¯t ready that time. She yelled. Enoa felt her first real exertion, keeping the shroud with them. She shifted the existing mass of water and formed new droplets as they passed, hiding them, a work of subtlety and grace. The tractor beam¡¯s invisible hand reached down from the ship and took a fistful of river, pulling the water from the flow and hauling it, fish and all, into the sky. It was released as the trees had been and splashed back down into the river and across the forest. Enoa felt a dull ache at her right temple. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many times I can keep up with that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Orson said. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of forest left. I¡¯m not thrilled about our chances once we¡¯re back in the open desert.¡± ¡°I have the disruptor picked,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°See if you can pick the Crockett¡¯s rocket too.¡± Orson eased the ship back to the far shore, again skirting against the trees. ¡°If we can get that baby set up, we can send it in a different direction.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see any way to pick a second one,¡± Jaleel said. An angry beep came from his side of the dashboard. ¡°Yeah, it doesn¡¯t want me to do that.¡± ¡°That one¡¯s different,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯ll project a sensor signature that can fool the tractor beam system. It¡¯ll need to know what we want it to mimic and you need to see if the mites are ready to go.¡± ¡°It wants to know if we¡¯re using the default Jalvien specs,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°What does any of this mean?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want that,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re gonna want to scroll until you find the one called ¡®Dusty Pawn Shop¡¯. If the tracking mites are ready, you should see, I think, a big checkmark.¡± ¡°I see both of those things. I think I have them.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± Orson said. ¡°Doc, how are we doing? Ruby hasn¡¯t said anything so I figure it¡¯s either really good or really bad.¡± ¡°I think the computer can compare the scan and the map and use that to plot a course,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Your ship works like the old IHSA Archimedes systems so I can use that.¡± Enoa¡¯s headache intensified. Her left temple joined the pain. It wasn¡¯t the exhaustion she¡¯d known before. It wasn¡¯t the mental numbness that had left her catatonic after her earlier Shaping, but it was a clear sign. Her body could not do this much longer. Her mind could not hold this burden forever. Her mind would eventually surrender the load. She was running out of time. ¡°One problem,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°We can¡¯t go underwater.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Orson yelled. ¡°How else are we going to get away from that thing?¡± ¡°The river is too rocky to navigate,¡± she said. ¡°And the scan is so different from the maps I¡¯m having a difficult time following what I¡¯m seeing.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll just stay down there,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re already pressurized, so we¡¯ll fly into the river and hide where we are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± she said. ¡°Without taking our time to examine a specific location, it¡¯s just too dangerous to throw something as large as your ship into this river. Instead, I¡¯m finding you a route into the forest.¡± ¡°The forest?¡± Orson said. ¡°I can fly us into the woods. You gotta find us something better than ¡®hide in the woods¡¯.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a useful ridge about seven hundred meters to the northwest,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I think it could conceal us. I just need to find us a way to get there.¡± The ship¡¯s shield sizzled against something, a sustained sound this time. The Aesir passed through an expanse of long-hanging vines, reaching down to drink from the river. Orson pulled the Aesir clear of the vines. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you open with that?¡± ¡°I was still looking for a way to reach it quickly,¡± she said. ¡°And I needed to determine how well your computer can navigate, whether your computer could quickly model the distance between trees relative to the dimensions of this vehicle, how well this vehicle could withstand a collision with a tree¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll trust you on the river thing. We¡¯ll go over there when you find a route, but we might have to fire more disruptors. We¡¯ll need a really big diversion if we¡¯re not going in the river. Jaleel, see if you can add a second disruptor to the launch system. And you¡¯ll need to send the Trick and Track continuing on in this direction. God dammit, this is just¡­¡± Enoa felt the cooking sensation behind them again and she was ready when she did. ¡°Orson! Again!¡± She yelled. ¡°But fly over the river. Not the shore. I want them to catch water. I¡¯ll send it back up at them. I¡¯ll shroud their ship.¡± ¡°Are you strong enough?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Won¡¯t you be too tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already tired,¡± she said. ¡°Just do it!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Orson said. ¡°Dr. Stan, how¡¯s that map coming?¡± ¡°No time!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°They¡¯re grabbing now!¡± She felt the shroud slipping away from her, her hold weakening, evaporation snapping at the straggling droplets, forcing the proper natural transmutation to begin again. The tractor beam struck at them. It caught only water. Enoa had to release some of the edges of her shroud to take control of the water held by the invisible hand. She felt a strange tingling along her spine, when she slipped her own will between the unseen power and the water, forcing her own strength inside the technological grip. When the Manifest Destiny released the water, she threw it back in its face. She sent her shroud skyward, spreading it, a mental inertia. It was like lifting heavy objects with momentum instead of strength. It could not last. Enoa was trained enough to view her weakening resolve and know it and prepare for it. ¡°I did it!¡± She yelled. ¡°Are we ready?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re mapping,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I found a route I can send to you through the computer.¡± ¡°Go.¡± Orson said. ¡°Jaleel?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Now I¡¯m ready. I had to set the Trick and Track to wait until we were out of range to¡­¡± ¡°Please hurry!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°Fire now, Jaleel.¡± Orson said. The ship made an audible whoosh when the rockets flew from their hidden emplacements in the front of the ship. Enoa had already closed her eyes to everything, but she could feel the rockets through the fog. The Trick and Track shot into the distance, just above the river, but the disruptors blasted skyward and exploded against the carrier¡¯s shield. Orson didn¡¯t hesitate. When the rockets burst, he twisted the Aesir around, but the dampeners couldn¡¯t absorb everything. G-forces reasserted themselves. Enoa lost her grip on the shroud. Suddenly, the impossible weight of what she¡¯d been doing was on her. She remembered herself and her inexperience and their danger. She could do nothing, nothing but feel them hurtle through the fading fog, weaving between trees, plunging into the forest. She kept her eyes shut, feeling herself pressed back into her seat. Dr. Stan yelled. Jaleel joined her. Wesley released a shrill cry from his pen, far behind. Alarms sounded. ¡°This might get bumpy,¡± Orson called. The Aesir dove from the sky, branches snapping around them. They came to a stop when they struck the ground. 98 - Trick and Track Missiles from the Aesir harmlessly struck the Manifest Destiny¡¯s shield, but the blasts were bright enough to send a glow through almost a mile of forest, bright enough to cast a glare like a second sun through half the Manifest Destiny¡¯s portholes. ¡°Keep track of them.¡± Captain Davard stood behind his lead sensor officer. ¡°That was a diversion. Where are they?¡± But no other notable power signatures were visible, none but their own, their fighters, and their drones. The Aesir was gone. Outside, the light began to fade and the strange fog with it, leaving only the expanse of forest, and then the flatlands beyond. ¡°Even with a cloaking device, they should still be visible to our thermal scanning.¡± Davard felt the eyes of Helmont and his knight on him, watching him, following him from station to station. ¡°They must have landed somewhere. We¡¯ll dispatch our drones and find them.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The radar lead called. ¡°They¡¯ve reappeared!¡± ¡°Get a new lock with the tractor beam!¡± Davard hurried to that station, and he found Baron Helmont had left the window and was walking to join him, fast enough to cause his cape to billow out behind him. The tech pointed to his monitor. Yes, Davard could see it too, the small shape on their radar, the Aesir¡¯s signature. It was kilometers distant and was pelting north, having left the forest far behind. ¡°All speed after the Aesir.¡± Davard called across the bridge. ¡°They cannot escape us. Redirect power to tractor beams. Bring them in range and catch them.¡± The Manifest Destiny surged forward fast enough for Davard to feel the motion, enough that he braced himself. It was a worthwhile thing, testing systems to the limit, learning all their capabilities, their strengths. What better test for the new battleship than to capture the Aesir? ¡°Did you feel how strong Cloud is becoming?¡± the knight asked, following after Baron Helmont. ¡°If we will have any hope of molding her, we will need her soon. You know that. We can¡¯t delay.¡± ¡°Molding her is unlikely.¡± Helmont raised his voice, enough to be heard through the entire bridge. ¡°I give you enough toys. When her key is secured, she can die with the rest, if she resists. You haven¡¯t learned Anemos in thirty-five years. A prodigy test subject will not make the difference. I will not tell you again.¡± The Manifest Destiny blasted away from the forest, still following the river and the sensor signature ¨C too small and far away to see clearly with the naked eye. ¡°They¡¯re high enough to establish a lock,¡± the tractor beam tech said. ¡°In the open, I can secure them.¡± ¡°I believe you are too far.¡± Baron Helmont arrived at Davard¡¯s shoulder, joining him in watching the tech. ¡°The Aesir is stronger than it looks. If you lock on here, they may yet break away.¡± ¡°Catching them now may hold them long enough for us to close the distance,¡± Davard said. ¡°Assuming our refresh rates for the beam generators are as fast as expected.¡± ¡°I will try to find that out, sirs.¡± The tractor beam tech continued to review his monitor, as did the Baron, who stepped to the side, angling himself to get a clear view. ¡°When you have a lock,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You may attempt to take them. Extensive practical tests are in order.¡± The tech seized the stick on his controls. He twisted it to the side and jammed his thumb onto the end of the stick. Green crosshairs appeared over the complex geometric modeling on the monitor. ¡°I have them, sir.¡± The tech released the stick. ¡°Excellent.¡± Davard walked next to communications. ¡°Broadcast to our force in hangar one that they should expect the Aesir¡¯s arrival.¡± Helmont joined him, as the comm tech began to speak into his headset, a transcript of his words appearing on the screen. ¡°It is irony, isn¡¯t it, Davard?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°That your first true action is to apprehend the ship and captain who did so much harm to the stolen Starbirds. There¡¯s something poetic in it.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Davard would think of such things when the Aesir waited in their hold, when the crew had been removed. When Orson Gregory himself was disarmed, stripped of his weapons and cast into the Manifest Destiny¡¯s brig, then he would feel relief and joy and accomplishment. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°I¡¯m allowing the Aesir through the shield.¡± The tech slid two sliders along his control console. ¡°Our scanning teams will be notified, as well.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Helmont raised his hand. ¡°Bring up the dorsal visual scanner. I want to see it. I want to see the Aesir before we bring it aboard.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The tech switched the view on his screen. It no longer displayed the complex geometric modeling used for the tractor beam targeting. Now it displayed an object floating in the air. But the object was not the Aesir. It was what appeared to be a small rocket with a series of blinking red lights along its length. ¡°Another missile,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Of course, that was too easy. The real Aesir should have been capable of breaking that lock. Coordinate with gunnery teams. Release and destroy.¡± ¡°I will coordinate now, sir.¡± The tech adjusted his headset. ¡°Catch and destroy protocol. On my mark. Deactivating beam now.¡± The rocket detonated as soon as the beam was lowered, sending an explosion flowering out at the ship¡¯s hull. Again, the blast was much too distant to feel inside the bridge. ¡°Damage report?¡± Davard said. ¡°I want to know exactly what hit my ship.¡± He walked to another sensors officer, specializing in hull integrity and ship-wide coordination. ¡°It looks like no notable damage, sir,¡± the officer said. ¡°Some minor shrapnel, but no real harm.¡± ¡°I want the shrapnel cleared,¡± Davard said. ¡°I want the maintenance team out there now, and I¡¯ll expect a full diagnostic waiting for me by the end of the day. Until then, we go nowhere.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± One of the radar techs called. ¡°I must interrupt. I have an update on the Pacific Alliance. It appears there are a number of aircraft en route, at least two-dozen, of a make we don¡¯t recognize, potentially B.E.X. design. They departed three Alliance outposts and will converge on our location in under an hour. Davard turned back to the Baron, but found the older man chuckling to himself. ¡°Shall I broadcast our prepared message?¡± Davard asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Politics will demand we explain ourselves to the Alliance eventually, but not immediately. Prepare to withdraw our forces. No need for open conflict with them. Not yet.¡± ¡°What of Gregory¡¯s missile?¡± Davard asked. ¡°I wanted to perform our scans immediately. We will need to update our records. That was a sophisticated device.¡± ¡°Sophisticated, but apparently another diversion,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You may return us to the Pinnacle for your analysis. We have more than enough travel time to be certain this ship has not been damaged. Withdraw all drones and fighter craft.¡± He chuckled again. ¡°So much for the great Orson Gregory, so much effort to flee. Well, Captain, it appears that your magnificent vessel will not be the only asset to receive its first proper field use.¡± ¡°What do you mean, other assets?¡± the knight, Sir Rowan, asked. ¡°Gregory and his crew will flee to the Alliance,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Let them. We have the full might of the Hierarchia to retrieve them.¡± * * * Orson and Jaleel finished adjusting the tarp and cameras outside the Aesir. ¡°You should get some of those polycarbonate walls,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You could plant those all around and we¡¯d basically be impossible to find.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t retract walls.¡± Orson leaned down and adjusted the bottom front camera. Its view would be partly obstructed by the rock overhang that shot out from the ridge. It blocked them from aerial observation but also limited their ability to see their surroundings. ¡°But you might have a point. If we had those walls we could still work on the ship. I hope the rear axle didn¡¯t get messed up in that landing. With the power we used it could be a long while before we get flying again.¡± ¡°But we can make it back to Littlefield?¡± Jaleel looked down the jagged hill at the trees below them. ¡°What will we do if the Liberty Corps just hangs out here? And what if Enoa needs a doctor?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll be fine to get out of here tomorrow,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is a contested area, so I doubt the Liberty Corps will stick around. And Enoa usually bounces back from her Shaping pretty fast, but¡­ A lot of this is going to be playing things by ear. We have thinking to do before we make our next move. Our first job is getting Dr. Stan safe. After that, I really don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get anything to find the island?¡± Jaleel had a pained expression. His shoulders slumped. ¡°Probably not.¡± Orson didn¡¯t even want to think about how Dr. Stanislakova would react when she had time to dwell on the death of her friends or the loss of her home and data. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re back to square one on that.¡± ¡°If the Liberty Corps destroys all the labs that can find the place,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Could they make it impossible for us to figure this thing out?¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°Because they have to find it too. They¡¯ll need to keep their own data about where it is. And thanks to you, we might get a chance to peek at what they know.¡± ¡°Thanks to me?¡± ¡°The Trick and Track. With any luck, the little mites that missile shot out will still have enough power to transmit their location back to us and keep going until that ship takes them home.¡± ¡°How would we¡­¡± Jaleel didn¡¯t finish his question. Distantly, Saw-wings could be heard, shrieking their way above the forest. None could be seen. ¡°Small patrols,¡± Orson said. ¡°With any luck they¡¯re moving on.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I do too.¡± Orson knew their options would be limited in another standoff. With Enoa exhausted, only one missile, limited power for flight or energy projectiles or most of the Aesir¡¯s complex systems, that didn¡¯t leave many options. He was grateful again that he¡¯d taken the lantern. He wasn¡¯t sure what Sirona would think of it, but he could owe her a thank you. What was one more unsettled debt to her? Another band of shrieking ships passed, these closer, their cries longer. Orson lifted his visor and tried to focus on the sound, to find the ships, but he saw nothing but various scans of the twilight sky. ¡°Hopefully they¡¯re all heading out.¡± Orson pulled the visor back to his chest. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside and make something to eat. If we¡¯re out too late, they might still see us, but if they¡¯re too far away, we won¡¯t see them.¡± 99 - Attention Families or Friends Operative Divenoll watched the biohazard team move the hovering carts of body-bagged corpses away from the Lab¡¯s projected blast radius. Divenoll had plotted the blast on his datapad using the demolitions teams¡¯ estimate. It would be best to leave the bodies intact. Barbarism would win them nothing. The sun had almost set. The withdrawing Liberty Corps ground forces had lit their mobile lamps to complete their operation. Troops filed back aboard their skimmers and departed down the river to a clearing where the Manifest Destiny¡¯s carrier transports would return them to the flagship. Soon, the entire facility would be swept away. In a matter of years, the forest would claim it all, as if it never existed. ¡°Is the beacon message finished?¡± Divenoll didn¡¯t look up at the communications officer or his work-in-progress. He switched to his datapad¡¯s second window, showing the approaching shapes of Pacific Alliance aerial craft, openly approaching from the north. ¡°I believe so.¡± The communications officer typed the public explanation of the battle, the message that would announce the presence of the deceased. ¡°Should I play it for you?¡± ¡°You may.¡± Divenoll saw that the carts with the bodies had officially moved beyond the maximum blast perimeter. Good, his time babysitting had almost passed. Maybe knighthood was worth less than he¡¯d imagined, if it meant his temporary managerial work would be made permanent. If Rowan, Hiram, and the rest spent their time training rather than supervising their forces, maybe they could have caught the Aesir crew. It had never been Divenoll¡¯s business to guide others by the hand. ¡°Attention families or friends of the Crystal Dune Laboratory,¡± a synthesized male voice spoke from the comm officer¡¯s forearm touchpad. ¡°This unaligned facility was conducting research with stolen IHSA materials. They were using the rightful property of the Liberty Corps. We tried to peacefully claim this property, but the illegal military force present here resisted. Unfortunately, there were casualties in the ensuing battle. While we have every right to seize stolen property, we recognize that it is not our place to dispose of the dead¡­¡± Divenoll¡¯s datapad vibrated, announcing a request from the biohazard team. He raised a hand to the communications officer and accepted the call. ¡°The scientist who opened fire on our scouts and led us away from Gregory,¡± the Biohazard Captain said, ¡°Pennington ¨C according to the personnel records we recovered. Should his body be placed with combatants or noncombatants?¡± ¡°Noncombatants,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Leave him with his dead wife. That will play better.¡± He snapped his fingers at the comm officer. ¡°Add the Penningtons to the message. Mention the innocent couple drawn into the fighting.¡± The officer nodded. ¡°And be quick about it, our skimmer is leaving in five minutes.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± The communications officer didn¡¯t return to his work. ¡°It may not be my place¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t your place,¡± Divenoll said, but the man continued. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we learn more from this laboratory? Isn¡¯t destroying it¡­¡± ¡°Nothing here is as important as the search for the Dreamside Road. This laboratory offers incremental learning. The Dreamside Road offers leaps in knowledge and power. There¡¯s nothing here worth open conflict with the Alliance. Now,¡± he snapped his fingers again. ¡°Finish your work. If you¡¯re not finished when the skimmer arrives, I¡¯ll leave you here to deliver the message in person.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. One of the demolitions crew ran from the darkened main building. He wore white officer armor, but it was thicker in the extremeties and the tunic beneath was yellow, instead of black. ¡°Sir,¡± the demolitions officer said. ¡°Charges are planted.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Once we¡¯ve reached a safe distance, you have the Baron¡¯s clearance to begin the demolition.¡± * * * Enoa felt the explosion before she heard it. She felt the fire and debris surge into the river, and it was like being pricked with a needle. She felt the warmth as clearly as if she were just downstream from the explosion. She jolted upright at the Aesir¡¯s table, but she had no chance to warn the others. The explosion rocked the ship and shook the earth beneath them. Jaleel and Dr. Stanislakova both shouted. ¡°I doubt that¡¯s meant for us.¡± Orson continued working with the spaghetti sauce he was seasoning. ¡°I don¡¯t think even they would blow up the whole forest.¡± ¡°The Lab.¡± Enoa considered keeping it to herself. Hadn¡¯t Dr. Stan been through enough? ¡°It was the Lab. They destroyed it.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps is hiding what they¡¯re up to.¡± Orson chose ingredients from the cupboard above the stove. Each of the spice containers was strapped into individual mesh compartments. ¡°They won¡¯t want the Alliance to get a clear idea what they¡¯re after.¡± He looked over his shoulder at Dr. Stan. ¡°But that¡¯s good news. That means the Alliance is probably coming here. We can get you to them before we keep going.¡± Dr. Stan only nodded. After their escape, she¡¯d returned to her silent contemplation. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Orson caught Enoa¡¯s eye. ¡°You¡¯re still awake this time.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Enoa rubbed at her forehead. She¡¯d dug into Orson¡¯s stash of ibuprofen, but that had only dulled the ache. ¡°I guess I¡¯m getting stronger.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s really good,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If we didn¡¯t bring our A-game today, Orson would¡¯ve been in big trouble.¡± He sat across the table from Enoa. ¡°If I fished for compliments like that when I joined the first Aesir crew, I would¡¯ve spent a lot of time scrubbing floors.¡± Orson smiled and returned to his cooking. ¡°Seriously,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°What would you have done if we didn¡¯t fly in to save the day? You were surrounded.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Orson said. ¡°Without Dr. Stan, I would¡¯ve just gone in the river. I think they would¡¯ve had a pretty hard time reaching me in there, and the boot works in water, so I would¡¯ve just escaped with the current.¡± ¡°But Dr. Stan was there,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And I don¡¯t think she had any scuba gear.¡± ¡°If you succeed in finding this island.¡± Dr. Stan spoke up, but she didn¡¯t look at any of them. ¡°Will that stop the Liberty Corps? This Dreamside Road they mentioned, they seem to want it very badly.¡± ¡°They do,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I have every intention of stopping them from getting it.¡± He finished the spices and placed a lid on the pot. ¡°I want to help you,¡± she answered. ¡°I want to help you stop them. If you¡¯re looking at oceanic data, you may need my help.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going back to Littlefield,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve brought way too much trouble to that place. With what we¡¯re going to do¡­¡± He exhaled. ¡°What are we doing?¡± Enoa could still feel the fire. Some of the debris in the river burned. She tried to reach out to the air, to sense if the flames had spread, if the trees burned too, but she couldn¡¯t. It was too far away or she was too drained from the day¡¯s exertions. ¡°Should we even ask what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I mean, after your submarine plan, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Once we know that supercarrier is a long way from here,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re going to get in touch with the robotic mites that hopefully are still hanging on their hull. That¡¯s where the track part of Trick and Track comes in. The tracking mites will let us follow that ship back to their base. If I know my business at all, wherever that ship parks will have serious information, like Dreamside Road data. And that¡¯ll be one place on Earth they won¡¯t destroy the data before we can get to it.¡± ¡°Get to it?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to steal from them,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°If you really intend to sort through data you probably won¡¯t understand, in an expedited manner, then you need me there with you.¡± ¡°There?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Your idea is really to go where they park their mother ship and break in or whatever?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Orson said. ¡°But first, we¡¯re going to find a place to lie low. It¡¯s gonna take a lot of planning to rob the Liberty Corps.¡± 100 - Tomorrows Ruins ¡°You were right, Enoa.¡± Orson maneuvered the Aesir down the river, only nudging the wheel, keeping the tarped ship obedient to the river¡¯s current. ¡°Nothing¡¯s on fire anymore.¡± The lab was gone. Even in the predawn blackness, Orson could see this with certainty. The limited radar and thermal imaging made it clear that no building stood beside the river. No power generation system reached down into the current. Nothing was there. He couldn¡¯t see the details of the crushed mess spread out where the complex once stood, not without risking their exposure by using the higher-grade sensors. But he recognized the uneven, alien terrain of debris and rubble. He¡¯d seen enough of it in the wake of Thunderworks and the fall of the IHSA, broken buildings, reduced to incoherent chunks of concrete and metal and wood ¨C modern architecture turned into tomorrow¡¯s ruins. Everything was destroyed. It had all fallen, wiping away the aerospace modeling lab, the astronomical telemetry lab, the biological anomalies lab, the oceanic telemetry lab, everything. The blast had also burned the trees around the complex. Thermal imagining showed the trees without leaves, smaller branches burned away. Only skeletal silhouettes remained. Dr. Stanislakova¡¯s breath caught in her throat. She sat directly behind Orson. He¡¯d hoped the limited view would keep her from observing the devastation. He had not drawn attention to their location. He¡¯d done nothing to mark their place beside the demolition site. But Dr. Stan knew. Either, she knew the river or she¡¯d spent the journey peering around Orson¡¯s own chair. He didn¡¯t know. Navigating the river at night by such limited faculties required constant focus on the wheel. ¡°Why?¡± Enoa sat in the passenger seat, her eyes closed. The tri-cannon gunnery display was currently powerless but she watched their progress all the same, through Shaping. ¡°Why would they take the time to do this? Is it another trap?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Orson had detected no sign of Liberty Corps personnel or craft in almost eight hours, but they¡¯d already gone to great lengths to capture the Aesir, so Orson didn¡¯t do anything to make a noticeable energy signature. ¡°This is revenge,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I destroyed all of our data, so they destroyed everything else.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Orson said. ¡°But that depends. Was this the Baron¡¯s handiwork or a temper tantrum from one of those knights? I still think they were mostly hiding their tracks.¡± He switched the windshield¡¯s main view to sonar. He saw no large breaks in the water, nothing to suggest sizable debris that might pose a threat to them. With any luck, the pieces had either drifted to the bottom of the river or had been carried away from them. ¡°Are we sure this was really a demolition and not a battle?¡± Jaleel sat in the back seat on the passenger¡¯s side, staring at his own terminal. ¡°Just because we only felt the big boom, there might¡¯ve been more than that.¡± ¡°If there was a battle here,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I do not believe the victor would have fled.¡± ¡°What if there are Alliance forces near here and they assume we¡¯re Liberty Corps and shoot at us?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I doubt that would happen,¡± Orson said. ¡°One, I don¡¯t think anyone can see us. Two, it¡¯d be so stupid to open fire on something that could be lab debris. I¡¯m guessing at least some of the stuff in that lab would be inclined to go bang.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not incorrect,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I am surprised how contained it all appears, as if the lab imploded. They must have understood our facilities.¡± ¡°Whatever records the IHSA had about this place,¡± Orson said. ¡°We have to assume the Liberty Corps has them now.¡± Beside them, the sonar detected an object hanging down into the river, partially submerged. It was what remained of the catwalk he¡¯d used to enter the lab, to save the scientists, and where he¡¯d battled the knights. Now it was just more debris, broken, burned, destroyed. ¡°If they know this place that well,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Could they be hiding and ready to get a shot at us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think they were just covering their tracks from the Alliance, like I said. The Liberty Corps does not want an open competition for the Dreamside Road. But¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°Honestly, there is always a chance we get shot at.¡± ¡°Wow, Orson! If you ever retire,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You could make motivational posters. ¡®There¡¯s always a chance you get shot at.¡¯ Everyone would feel so inspired.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Orson said. ¡°If I live long enough to retire, people would love my words of wisdom. Jaleel, are you seeing anything yet? Did the tracking mites respond?¡± ¡°Nothing yet,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m just looking at the blank screen. Hey, could it have gone to sleep? Would it let me know first? ¡°It won¡¯t go to sleep.¡± Orson directed the Aesir¡¯s cameras to again examine the lab¡¯s remains, looking for anything living, any energy signatures, anything. ¡°You know what, Jaleel. Trigger a restart. See if that helps. Hit the toggle under the monitor and then switch it back on.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Oh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Great. The ¡®turn it off and on again¡¯ method.¡± ¡°You kids are grouchy tonight,¡± Orson said. ¡°Once we¡¯re away from the river, I can do all the driving and you two can get some sleep.¡± He laughed, but his humor died when he saw the small flash of red amid the lab¡¯s debris. Heat. Orson expanded his view. There, on the far side of the old lab complex waited a blob, oblong, hotter in the center and along its underside. ¡°There¡¯s some kinda vehicle over there,¡± Orson said. ¡°I obviously can¡¯t tell whether it¡¯s Liberty Corps or Pacific Alliance, but I¡¯m thinking Alliance. Are you sure about coming with us, Doc? Once I get to a safe distance, I could try to get ahold of them and see what happens.¡± ¡°Keep going,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°There was a reason we held out on joining the Alliances. It will be a long time before they¡¯ll be properly stress-tested. Governments often die in their infancy.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Orson said. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± ¡°Do you think if those people you see over there,¡± Enoa began. ¡°If they¡¯re from the Alliance, would they know if Dr. Schultes and Dr. Ikaro and the others are okay?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Dr. Stan said, ¡°But that depends on whether the Antler Clan escorted them to safety and what the conditions are in their care.¡± ¡°We might be able to get some information from Eloise.¡± Orson watched the sonar. Their path down the river was clear. He let the current take them and whisk them away from the remains of the lab. ¡°Once we know what¡¯s up with the mites, we can finalize our plans. Even if we¡¯re trying for the heist, we need to get in touch with Eloise again and let her know what happened. She¡¯s gonna be so pissed I waited this long, but I had no idea what to tell her.¡± ¡°Do you think¡­¡± Jaleel stopped talking when his terminal began to beep. ¡°We have a signal!¡± A dark shape screamed and soared from the back of the ship. Dr. Stan yelled. Orson reflexively shrunk away from the shape, but then he noticed the small chattering sound and remembered his fourth passenger. Wesley came to a landing between their four seats, still vocalizing. ¡°My God!¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°It¡¯s an aeropine!¡± ¡°Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°Why did you let him out? If something happens, you¡¯ll have a hard time getting him penned again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He was so comfortable on my bed I just didn¡¯t have the heart to move him.¡± He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned toward the aeropine. Wesley flew again. He flapped out of Jaleel¡¯s reach and glided up onto Enoa¡¯s lap. She jumped, but then went very still. Wesley began his chattering again and looked up into Enoa¡¯s face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you bonded with an aeropine,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°He¡¯s never done this before,¡± Enoa whispered. ¡°We¡¯re still learning about him.¡± ¡°Just after I was brought to Crystal Dune¡­¡± Dr. Stan trailed off, her mind trapped in realization and memories of the dead, of the life that had been taken from her. ¡°There was a young intern who tried to bring in an escaped aeropine, but he never persuaded that animal. Never. He¡¯d come in every day with his hands and clothing cut.¡± ¡°Wesley and I saved each other.¡± Enoa looked down at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The aeropine released a small whine. ¡°He¡¯s filing a complaint,¡± Orson said. ¡°Jaleel, what readings do you have?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got a message from the mites,¡± he responded. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re north¡­ North, yeah. I can¡¯t read topographical maps very well, but it looks like they¡¯re in like the Idaho area, definitely in the mountains. One hundred percent.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t still moving?¡± Orson asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, if we¡¯re definitely on board to do this,¡± Orson continued. ¡°Jaleel, please grab the typewriter. You can shoot a message to my buddy Teddy. I¡¯ll walk you through it. If he¡¯s onboard with us staying, then I¡¯ll get out of the river and take some back roads north to his place. It¡¯s a long trip, and it might be a few days of night driving to get there.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t worried about the Liberty Corps finding us again on the way there?¡± Jaleel stood. He walked back to the locker where they¡¯d secured the typewriter. ¡°What would we do if they attack us while we¡¯re in low-power mode?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no different doing this than going back to Littlefield,¡± Orson said. ¡°Except I think they¡¯ll expect that. We¡¯re going way out of our way. Unless we get an Alliance escort, we¡¯re going to be low on power and not in the best shape, no matter which direction we¡¯re headed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re going somewhere secret.¡± Enoa sighed. ¡°So many people are getting hurt by our hunt for the Dreamside Road. I just don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jaleel returned and sat again, the typewriter in his arms. ¡°Do I need to press a new button to write to your other friend?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sending your friend¡­ a letter?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of a letter,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But not the slow way. I don¡¯t totally get it either, but it¡¯s like magic email.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a direct communication device?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Sure is!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°For an individual, Captain Gregory,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Your own collection rivals that of the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting there,¡± Orson said. ¡°Alright, Jaleel, you¡¯re going to start by picking a different trigger on the back. Pick ¡®T¡¯ hyphen ¡®P¡¯ hyphen eight, but before we do this, we¡¯re all one hundred percent agreed on hiding out in the middle of nowhere and planning to rob the Liberty Corps? My friend Teddy saved my life once. That¡¯s how we met. He¡¯s a unique character, but we¡¯ll be safe out at his place. He lives right on the edge of Western Shoshone land.¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°If I disagree with a course of action, I won¡¯t keep my opinion to myself.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°What about you two? I never planned on bringing you into danger. It always just happened. This is different.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m Sucora Cloud¡¯s heir. They¡¯re going to come after me no matter what I do.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t want to have to work in corporate security,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You three are among the strangest groups of people I have ever met,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Among?¡± Orson laughed. ¡°I guess we¡¯re agreed. Jaleel, here¡¯s what we say.¡± He spoke in a slow, even voice. ¡°¡®Hey, Teddy, it¡¯s Orson. How are you, buddy?¡¯¡± Jaleel began to type. ¡°¡®I¡¯m looking to crash for a couple days. I have a new crew that needs to lay low. Are you up for a group of four taste-testers for your newest recipes? We also have a flying porcupine. I have to warn you, though. We¡¯re really hot right now. Major players are after us. Have you heard of the Liberty Corps? They¡¯ve got Garchon and Thunderworks tech and some Learned Enigmas, so we need to be extra cautions and you¡¯ll need to be really careful too. If you¡¯re okay with the usual deal, I¡¯ll send you all the details. I hope you¡¯re safe and everything¡¯s good out in the cave.¡¯ Okay, Jaleel, hit the return.¡± Jaleel did. ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°Now I have to figure out what to say to Eloise.¡± ¡°How far are we going tonight?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°That depends,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll let the river carry us until just before sunrise or until my friend writes back.¡± 101 - Almost Like Standing Kol Maros felt the motion of the ship around him. The vibrations were slight, but he had nothing else to observe, nothing but his cell¡¯s steel gray walls. The Knights had taken Max away from him, like they¡¯d taken Duncan away. They¡¯d left him alone for many hours, feeding him only water and tar-thick porridge, sent through a slot in the door. No one spoke to him and he did not speak to them. He did nothing and ate only enough of the porridge to stay alive. Kol didn¡¯t have the will to starve himself. He didn¡¯t have the strength, because not eating was a decision. Any decision would make him think, would make him confront his life and face the truth behind his danger. All of it could have been avoided. He¡¯d faced thousands of choices, but only one chosen path led him here, led him and his family to pointless death. When the ship halted and the squad of security forces came for him, Kol did not resist. ¡°Up.¡± A captain with spiked gauntlets walked between the security team. Kol did not stand. ¡°Up.¡± Kol stared at the man and at the two guards who seized him by the shoulders and hauled him to his feet. Both guards were taller than him and broader. They pulled him toward the door, his feet dragging behind him. The officer raised a hand. The guards held him where he was. The captain stepped into the cell. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you a third time,¡± the captain said. ¡°Stand! Up!¡± Kol did not look at him. He did not move. The captain slammed the toothed edges of his right gauntlet into Kol¡¯s shoulder, shredding his tan prisoner jumpsuit and his skin beneath. Kol winced, but he still didn¡¯t speak. Even when the captain withdrew his gauntlet and blood began to drip free of the torn shirt, Kol still didn¡¯t stand. The captain took Kol¡¯s face between his fingers and moved his chin until their eyes met. ¡°Do you want to¡­¡± ¡°He needs a subtler approach, Captain.¡± Another man arrived at the open doorway. He wore a plain white tunic without rank. ¡°Mr. Maros is a traitor, but he¡¯s still experienced our training. He is not so easy to break, are you, Mr. Maros?¡± He waved to the guards. ¡°Drag Mr. Maros this way. We¡¯ll visit the loading dock. I¡¯ll give him reason to stand. Thank you for your efforts, Captain, but you are no longer needed here.¡± Another guard cuffed Kol¡¯s wrists in front of him. Then his escort pulled him from the room, into the larger brig corridor, lit by pale blue overheads. A small tram waited for them in the center of the hall. The guards that held Kol¡¯s arms forced him into a seat and sat on his either side. The man without rank also boarded. He spoke in hushed tones with the gray-uniformed tram driver, before the tram sped down the corridor. ¡°Mr. Maros,¡± the man without rank said. ¡°You¡¯ve only visited regional Corps bases, is that correct?¡± Kol did not answer. ¡°Well, at the very least, I¡¯m sure you will appreciate the Pinnacle. It¡¯s breathtaking.¡± The tram arrived at the end of the hall, where the man keyed them through a door. Kol felt a burst of wind whip through his hair. The tram advanced into a larger room, a loading bay of some sort, with ceilings at least ten meters high. Whole processions of Liberty Corps troops and techs loaded sleds and hovercraft. The tram maneuvered through the gathering. It turned to the right, where one wall was open to the outside, and a glorious close-up view of snowcapped mountains could be seen. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Kol was already used to the early springtime and the cold bit at his face and lungs. Below, along the spine of mountains, a flat plateau had been carved in the rock. A building stood there, one extended building. Kol had no scale for the structure other than the mountains themselves. It was massive, easily millions of square feet of metal and glass. Several rail-lines led from the base and traced the sides of the mountains. Cars rose and fell, climbing from the roots of stone up toward the enormous base. ¡°Welcome to the Pinnacle, Mr. Maros,¡± the man without rank spoke again. ¡°Welcome to your new home. Bring us forward.¡± The tram eased its way past the loading sleds and a series of green, tank-like machines that had sent what appeared to be zip lines down to the mountain, beside the base. ¡°Let¡¯s take in the view.¡± The man stood when the tram came to a stop. Kol didn¡¯t rise. ¡°You may either stand or you will soon wish you did.¡± He didn¡¯t raise his voice. His speech was polite, almost cheery. ¡°Alright. Lift him.¡± The guards did as they were told. They took Kol and pulled him from the tram. They pulled him the final few feet to the very edge of the cargo bay, until he looked straight down, stretched out over thin air. ¡°If you won¡¯t stand for me.¡± The man shouted over the wind. ¡°This is how your brother will spend his nights. When he isn¡¯t in testing or eating, we will find him somewhere to enjoy the view. We¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s perfectly secured, but upright. It will almost be like standing again, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll tire of the wind and the cold. He¡¯ll be very uncomfortable.¡± The man without rank introduced himself. ¡°My name is Sir Geber. I¡¯m head of research and prisoner compliance at the Pinnacle. We will be spending a great deal of time together. You and your brother can either be relatively comfortable, or very uncomfortable¡­ at least until the time of your plummet. That choice is yours, but if you don¡¯t stand on your own, if you don¡¯t cooperate or comply, you both will be uncomfortable. I know many, many ways to make people uncomfortable, and I will show every, single one of them to your brother. It will be all he knows until the Baron executes him, unless you do what I tell you. Now, say you understand.¡± Kol forced his feet under him. He took the right guard¡¯s hand in his prosthetic and crushed the fingers, shattering bone with one squeeze. The guard screamed and released him, clutching at his hand. The left guard reached across Kol¡¯s chest, grabbing at his other shoulder. The move forced Kol¡¯s bound arms back down to his stomach, but also placed the guard¡¯s weight between him and the edge of the bay. Kol pressed his prosthetic digits against the bottom of the man¡¯s breastplate. With the strength only in those robotic fingers, he pushed the guard from the open bay. Kol was ready to follow him into the open air, to experience a plummet of his own making, but the guard released him in surprise. The man wailed and he dropped from the ship. Kol turned back toward the knight. Sir Geber stepped from the tram and began to roll up his sleeves. Kol ran at him. He would tear this man apart. It wouldn¡¯t save Max. Nothing he could do would save Max, or Duncan, or himself. But he would not be used in their torture. They would not be used to get to him. Kol would die killing this knight, some last defiance. He¡¯d already lost everything or would soon lose everything. A quick death, fighting, was almost welcome. It was his best option. Fight. Die, and die well. He didn¡¯t lay a finger on the knight. The room spun. A buzzing sounded in his ears. His legs refused to hold him. Kol collapsed to all fours before he was even aware of the nausea or the dizziness or the numbness that spread across his body. Even in that position, he could barely stay upright, barely keep himself from sagging to the deck. He felt cold too, a deeper cold than the one from the wind, cold to the marrow. His heart pounded and the buzzing grew to a roar in his head, too much noise to think or to plan or to fight. Kol fell the rest of the way onto his side. ¡°These actions will be noted,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Your violence and this murder will be added to your Plummet Tally.¡± The knight approached him. Beyond the cold and the dizziness, the nausea and buzzing, Kol heard Geber¡¯s boots. The knight leaned down and touched his fingers to the side of Kol¡¯s face, pressing them between strands of his hair. The feelings intensified. He felt like he was going to retch, but his body didn¡¯t move, like he was too weak even to convulse. The man removed his hand. Then, all at once, the sensation passed. Kol was still too weak to move more than his head. He looked up at the knight. There, on the man¡¯s left wrist, the hand that had touched him and intensified whatever Shaping had acted on him, was a familiar old wrist watch. Sir Geber wore Duncan¡¯s family heirloom. But Kol had no strength to attack a second time. ¡°Now,¡± the knight said again. ¡°Say you understand.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± 102 - Plans and Projectiles Orson had parked before he heard from either of his friends. He¡¯d found a patch of riverbank low enough and stable enough to leave the water. He¡¯d navigated through the trees until the foliage around the Aesir hid them from both the river and the sky. ¡°Did we hear anything?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be fine where we are, but we¡¯re stuck until we know where we¡¯re going.¡± ¡°Nothing yet,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We can get back to the road from here?¡± Enoa asked. Wesley now slept on her lap, breathing deeply, his spikes lying flat across his back. ¡°Hopefully.¡± Orson switched the view on the windshield to the outdated satellite imaging the Aesir still used for its comparisons. He saw the road they should take, an access route skirting the edge of the old Crystal Dune Complex¡¯s property. Many miles distant, it joined a pre-interstate road that wound between remote desert villages in three states. But the Aesir¡¯s thermal imaging was purely localized. There was no way to plan their course in advance, no way to be certain there was any path through the trees that would take them to the access route. The forest between them and the road could be a maze without an exit. No way out. ¡°All we can do is try.¡± Orson zoomed out on his satellite imaging snapshot. He saw other places where the trees thinned between the river and the service route, but nowhere that didn¡¯t require driving along the shore or in the open, visible. And the satellite scan he used was now years old. Full trees could not grow in less than a decade, but his data was still more assumption than truth. ¡°Hey!¡± Jaleel called. ¡°We¡¯re getting something!¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± Enoa waved at Jaleel. ¡°You¡¯ll wake Dr. Stan.¡± They¡¯d situated their latest traveling companion in the last of the empty bunks. She had made no sound since closing the door. ¡°Sorry!¡± Jaleel took the page from the typewriter. ¡°This must be Eloise. She says, ¡®What are you thinking? No. No. No. No. No. No NO! ¡°¡®Orson! Rob the Liberty Corps? One second you¡¯re saying they have a Hierarchia battleship, the next you want to steal from them? How is that a good idea? ¡°¡®I know you want to find this island, but there has to be another way. There has to be. This robbery idea might be the dumbest thing you¡¯ve ever done, unless you did some really stupid shit while you were out of the country. ¡°¡®Get the anti-venom disguise for the Aesir and drive back here. We¡¯ll think of something else together. Please!¡¯¡± ¡°She took that well.¡± Orson groaned. ¡°I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be this upset. I¡¯ve been to some pretty rough places before. So has she! If the Baron didn¡¯t have that Starbird, this would probably just be another old Hierarchia base.¡± ¡°That ship is a pretty good reason not to go there,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Fair,¡± Orson said. ¡°Okay, I have no idea what to say to her. Maybe the best way to tell her is to bring up the timeframe. Is there another way? Probably, but the Liberty Corps knows we¡¯re after the Dreamside Road. We can¡¯t sit around waiting for some sign while they¡¯re busy collecting the rest of the keys.¡± ¡°That knight wanted to take my key today,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re after multiple keys?¡± ¡°Pops thought so.¡± Orson turned around in his chair and looked at them. ¡°He had some Liberty Corps intelligence that you need all eight keys held by Dreamthought Project members to get the Dreamside Road. I wanted to talk about this before we left Littlefield, but¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you threatened to destroy your key?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°And that¡¯s why your threat worked?¡± ¡°Eight keys?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°So this is a Pokemon gym badge, Voldemort Horcrux, Dragon Ball, Chaos Emerald kinda thing?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Orson said. ¡°I only know a couple of those. You two are taking this better than I did. I¡¯ve been really dreading telling you about this, Enoa. I thought ¨C all you need is more to worry about, finding all eight of these damn things. We¡¯ve only got a quarter of them.¡± ¡°Actually, I think there¡¯s less pressure on me,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Before, I was afraid they might get access to the Dreamside Road just from stealing mine, like, if I lost my key to that Rowan, it¡¯d all be over. But, now I know for sure that isn¡¯t true.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not totally sure,¡± Orson said, ¡°one of those officers today mentioned some other way of getting to the trove.¡± ¡°Sounds like a bluff,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If you have to collect all the little widgets, then there¡¯s no other way. Everybody knows that.¡± ¡°Hopefully,¡± Orson said. ¡°But maybe not. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised with anything about this. We just don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯re getting another one.¡± ¡°Eloise again?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Nope. Your other friend. It looks like he wrote us a book!¡± Jaleel read. ¡°¡®Hey Orson! How are you, man? I¡¯m so stoked for you, buddy. It feels right for ships to have crews. Feng shui! It¡¯s like a spiritual balance thing. ¡°¡®A porcupine! I love porcupines! I had a stuffed toy porcupine when I was a kid ¨C Mrs. Tig-winkle! She¡¯s not a hedgehog so no Tiggy-winkle. But I think she was alive, man. She moved around on her own, like a ghost or a mystical guardian. She was still watching over me during the Millennium Souffl¨¦ Disaster, and I was sixteen then. ¡°¡®Also, I gotta tell you, I don¡¯t think porcupines fly. Are you sure what you have is a porcupine? Could it be a bat with a freaky fungus? I¡¯ve been hearing about some bat fungus, but nothing about quills or spikes. How would that work? There was something about a white nose, though. Check out your porcupine¡¯s nose when you get the chance. Or maybe it¡¯s both, like a miracle of biology. A porcupine-bat. A porcubat. Hey, I know a conservationist from Maine who spends winters out here. Or she used to. Now that I mention her, I haven¡¯t seen her in years. I hope she¡¯s okay. But, if she¡¯s still local, she might know what kind of animal you¡¯ve got living with you. It¡¯s a good thing to know that, man.¡¯¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Jaleel removed the page from the typewriter. ¡°Millennium Souffl¨¦ Disaster? Orson, what kind of person is this? Is he¡­ okay?¡± ¡°Ted¡¯s an original,¡± Orson said. ¡°He¡¯s an artist. He went the Culinary Institutes in New York and Paris to study the Pastry Arts. We¡¯re all in for a big treat.¡± ¡°He wrote all of that and didn¡¯t answer your question,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°Teddy does his baking this early in the morning so he¡¯s probably writing in between other work. He¡¯ll get back to us.¡± The typewriter began to move again. ¡°What will the typewriter do if Eloise and Teddy try to write to you at the same time?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Will it let them do that?¡± ¡°It should put through whoever writes first and the second one will wait in the queue,¡± Orson said. ¡°But it could get confusing. Jaleel, who is it?¡± ¡°Teddy again. He says, ¡®Oh, I almost forgot the good news! April moved in with me! The distance wasn¡¯t too big a problem when all the trains were still going, but with them shutdown it was just too far. So we made the leap, man. I said to myself, hey, Orson and Sirona lived together in the Aesir, and I have way more room at my place. We¡¯ll be just fine. And safe! Can¡¯t forget safe. Lots of weird stuff going on today. You probably know that even better than I do, but nowhere is safer than here!¡± The typing ceased. The paper, half blank, shot out of the typewriter and fluttered to the floor. ¡°What the hell?¡± Jaleel yelled. Typing resumed on the next page. ¡°That¡¯s probably Eloise.¡± Orson stretched down to grab the fallen page. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t both keep writing or I¡¯m going to waste a lot of paper.¡± ¡°Your girlfriend lived here with you?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°It makes so much sense now! You two were living together. She made you weapons. I get why you¡¯re still in love with her.¡± ¡°Maybe going to see Teddy wasn¡¯t such a great idea,¡± Orson said. ¡°He has no filter. Who¡¯s writing now, Jaleel? Is it Eloise?¡± ¡°Probably?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But the message is literally all question marks, a whole line of question marks.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s Eloise,¡± Orson said. ¡°She¡¯s pissed. We¡¯d better answer her.¡± ¡°What about Teddy?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll write more?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably between baking steps,¡± Orson said. ¡°But he¡¯ll keep writing. Before we hear back, please write to Eloise. Just tell her that we still aren¡¯t one hundred percent sure what¡¯s going to happen and we¡¯re all too tired to figure it out now. That¡¯s not totally untrue, since Teddy hasn¡¯t agreed yet.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you typing to her?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be easier?¡± ¡°I was watching the scopes,¡± Orson said. ¡°Just in case someone followed us and decided to attack once they thought we were shut down and defenseless for the night.¡± ¡°Done.¡± Jaleel slid back the carriage return and sent the message. ¡°I wrote to her.¡± The typewriter began to move again, a flurry of motion to catch up to whatever message they¡¯d received while Jaleel typed. ¡°Short message,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°¡®Teddy says, ¡®oh yeah, of course you can crash here, man! Just let me know when you¡¯re getting close.¡¯¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s it then,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll call it a morning. You two go to bed. I need to figure out what to say to Eloise and I can write back to Teddy myself.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need sleep?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep when my watch is up,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll take from now until noon. You two figure out who wants to go next. I need to sleep through both of your shifts. I¡¯ll be driving the whole night. We have to cover as much ground as we can. I¡¯d rather get to Teddy¡¯s in the not too distant future.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take watch at noon.¡± Jaleel stood and stretched. Then he passed Orson the typewriter. ¡°When the Archers were going after Solar Saver, I always used to sleep three or four hours out of every twelve so I could balance out what I had to do.¡± ¡°That sounds miserable.¡± Enoa made a gagging noise in the back of her throat. ¡°I got used to it.¡± ¡°Orson, if we have to find six more keys,¡± Enoa said. ¡°This could take a really, really long time.¡± ¡°It could,¡± Orson said. ¡°But that depends on a lot of things. If we get to the island and that knight is there ¨C Lucas, he probably would have some information. Also, I¡¯ve been thinking¡­¡± He sat back down in the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Yes?¡± Enoa patted Wesley on the head. ¡°Maybe I should stay up first? I can¡¯t move him. I should take the first watch.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll move when I walk away,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He still needs his breakfast.¡± He started back toward his bunk. Wesley, it seemed, was not so soundly asleep as he¡¯d appeared. The aeropine leaped from Enoa¡¯s lap and glided off after Jaleel. ¡°There you go,¡± Orson said. ¡°Now you can get some sleep.¡± Enoa stood. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯ve been thinking and then you just stopped midsentence, like you do when you¡¯re worried about something.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Uh, I¡¯m thinking about the Liberty Corps. If we break into their base to get oceanic telemetry, why not see what other information they have that might be useful for our search. This is already going to be insanely difficult, so I think it¡¯s worth planning to steal every piece of Dreamside Road information they have. Level the playing field. Take it all.¡± * * * Kol allowed himself to be restrained. The men and women in pale gray lab coats slipped his arms and legs into fabric restraints. The lab team adjusted them, but kept the fabric loose. Kol could have freed his hands even without his prosthetic, but he made no such attempt. The laboratory was a long room, with a viewing window on the left. The overhead lighting glowed a harsh white. The lab team placed electrodes across his head and clipped small round devices to his jumpsuit. They then prepared what appeared to be a pitching machine at the far end of the room. Sir Geber stood on the other side of the viewing window, surrounded by vintage computer monitors and a full team of lab techs holding laptops and tablets and old-fashioned pen and paper. Kol occasionally saw their lips move, but couldn¡¯t hear their words. Geber now wore his knight¡¯s armor ¨C a standard officer set but with segmented antennae on the helmet. ¡°Mr. Maros.¡± Geber¡¯s voice projected down into the testing room, from a speaker hidden somewhere near the ceiling. ¡°We¡¯re going to test your newfound abilities. We will be firing projectiles at your person. Generate your energy field to repulse them. If you attempt to free your limbs to stop the projectiles, Maxwell will be punished.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t free my limbs.¡± Kol expected threats against Max, but not so soon. Geber used his best leverage right out of the gate. Would the knight wield that threat again if Kol failed, if he didn¡¯t give the results Geber wanted? ¡°Are you ready to begin, Mr. Maros?¡± Sir Geber asked. The remaining lab techs who¡¯d prepared Kol¡¯s bonds filed out of a door behind the pitching machine. Kol didn¡¯t feel the feral desperation that had created his shield before. His Shaping wasn¡¯t a gift for him to use as he pleased. It was a miracle, a miracle that had saved him. Shape or die. That was all he knew. ¡°Mr. Maros?¡± Ser Geber asked again. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kol said. ¡°I can¡¯t control it.¡± ¡°Commence recording,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°This is the Kolben Maros Shaping Trial, test one. Fire.¡± Kol tried to find the electricity, to remember the pinpricks he¡¯d felt up his spine when he¡¯d made the shield. He tried to imagine shielding Max from harm, shielding Max from whatever would be fired from their machine. Kol needed more than fear for himself. He had no such¡­ Kol saw only a blur before the projectile from the pitching machine struck him in the chest, a blunt strike. He jerked back against the wall, but he didn¡¯t cry out. It left his heart racing, but didn¡¯t wind him ¨C surprised, but not wounded. The projectile fell away, thudding against the floor. The lab team took notes. Kol couldn¡¯t hear them, but he saw their fingers or pens moving. Sir Geber did not write. His slit visor aimed at Kol, his antennae angled at him. Kol did not look away from the man¡¯s masked gaze until the writing ceased. ¡°Mr. Maros,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Did you understand the instructions? Yes or no will suffice.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kol said. ¡°Good,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Then we will increase density. That was a Mark Two. I advise you, Mr. Maros, to perform your Shaping before we reach Mark Five. Beyond that point, you will be harmed.¡± He gave Kol a chance to reply. Kol did not. ¡°Mark Three,¡± Geber said. ¡°Fire!¡± 103 - The Hiding Stars At nightfall, the Aesir crew found the forest impassable, overwhelmed and overgrown by brush and trees whose trunks were too intertwined for the ship to pass. Facing a night of work, clearing their way to the road, they instead risked the river, letting it carry them through the trees and back into the open. Enoa watched the sky through the driver¡¯s side window and worried she¡¯d see moving lights at the horizon. She imagined the Liberty Corps finding them again without their shields, without flight, without their best weapons. Enoa saw nothing but stars, wheeling colors of a universe grand almost beyond imagination. When they reached the road, Orson left the headlights off. He drove without lights of any kind. He¡¯d filled the windshield with scanner feeds and wore his visor, using both to follow the empty desert road. They headed west, then north. Enoa kept watch on the sky, but soon stopped seeking the Liberty Corps. The sky was like light reflecting in deep water, countless pebbles winking up at the surface. She saw a vastness dwarfing even the desert that stretched from horizon to horizon. The endless light reminded her of Shaping and the warmth she felt when wielding Sucora¡¯s staff ¨C a feeling stronger than nostalgia, almost d¨¦j¨¤ vu. ¡°Aunt Sucora used to take me to a spot outside Nimauk,¡± she said. ¡°My hometown,¡± she added for Dr. Stan¡¯s benefit. The scientist sat at the Aesir¡¯s side terminal and had spent her evening perusing data. ¡°There was somewhere she said didn¡¯t have any light pollution. We would see the Milky Way, but that was nothing like this. There are so many more stars out here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the humidity,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Pennsylvania is pretty rainy, right? This place has like, no rain. There were probably clouds and vapors blocking your view.¡± Jaleel was sitting almost sideways, watching Orson¡¯s screens. ¡°That¡¯s partly true,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Partly?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Humidity actually helps visibility in some circumstances,¡± Dr. Stan continued. Enoa tried to follow their talk of radiational cooling and the effects of the moving universe, but her attention was drawn back to the sky. She struggled to find even the most basic constellations she usually recognized. The points she knew were too crowded by other stars, stars that had always been there, but invisible to her. The ¡®new¡¯ stars reminded her of Shaping. Nothing in the world had changed. It was all still the same. She had changed. She could see new depths and in new ways she¡¯d never known. The sky was rich with stars. The world glittered with light. She could feel it. She could see it ¨C as if she¡¯d discovered new colors, entire spectrums of color that had filled the world, unknown to her, until now. Wesley raced along the floor, chattering and rolling a balled pair of Jaleel¡¯s socks he¡¯d stolen from the laundry. The sock ball bounced off of Enoa¡¯s foot as the aeropine chased it toward the front of the cabin. ¡°Does he still have my socks?¡± Jaleel turned around and waved at the aeropine. ¡°He better stay on the floor,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t need him flying around my head right now.¡± ¡°Come here, sweetie.¡± Enoa held out her hand. Wesley turned around, still clutching the sock ball. She let him sniff her fingers and reached for the socks with her other hand. Before she could take them, Wesley grabbed the ball in his mouth. He flew back the way he came. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not as much fun as the laundry.¡± ¡°We need to get him some real toys,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You do,¡± Orson said. ¡°Something that will keep him entertained so he doesn¡¯t fly around the driver.¡± ¡°When has he done that?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for it,¡± Orson said. ¡°He¡¯s clever, but how would he know what driving is? ¡°I imagine,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Having a flying pet is a lot trickier than caring for your standard landlocked animal companion.¡± ¡°I finally know how Aunt Sucora felt,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I was always running around everywhere on my own. After everything fell apart, she¡¯d get so scared trying to keep an eye on me.¡± ¡°Did you get in trouble a lot?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Not really,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But she wouldn¡¯t let me leave town ever, not without her around. I used to laugh at her. For years, I was taller than she was. But I really was safe with her. There was nothing out there that could threaten her.¡± ¡°If she could do what you can do, you were super safe,¡± Jaleel said. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°She was way better than me,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I wish she started teaching me before¡­ All of this would be so much easier. I haven¡¯t touched the training films since Littlefield and I have so much training I need to do.¡± The battles there and at the Crystal Dune lab had distorted time in her mind. Her thinking had been distorted by the months of adventures and danger and Shaping. Time was different because she was different. Remembering herself before her adventures was like remembering herself as a child. Enoa was not that person. She¡¯d learned to see the hiding stars. ¡°You should have plenty of time to study at Teddy¡¯s,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a few days, at least, just to figure out if the heist is possible. It might not be possible to get the right data to make this worth it. I have four or five contacts I¡¯ll have to get ahold of.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re going all this way and you¡¯re not even totally sure we¡¯re doing the heist?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°We¡¯re not going to start planning a heist with the Pacific Alliance looking over our shoulders,¡± Orson said. ¡®This is better. We need some time off the map.¡± Orson drove the rest of the night. Dr. Stan slipped away in the early morning and returned to her bunk. Jaleel fell asleep at his seat, refusing to leave and rest until he began to snore, and Orson insisted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He yawned and shuffled away to his bunk to join Wesley. Once he¡¯d gone, Enoa moved up to the front passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°How far are we going tonight?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re not far now from a good stopping place,¡± Orson said, ¡°assuming it¡¯s still there and open. It¡¯s been a long time since I had to sneak to Teddy¡¯s. But if it is still there and we get that far, we¡¯ll be at Wayfarers Rest tomorrow.¡± ¡°Wayfarers Rest?¡± Enoa doubted how much farther Orson could safely take them. The faintest stars had already faded away. The sky had changed hue from black to a deep purple. The sun would soon rise and reveal them, alone in the flatlands. ¡°Yeah, like we¡¯re Wayfarers,¡± Orson said. ¡°And it¡¯s a place for us to rest and hide. Teddy wanted a name for his house, like ones in old fairy tales, so that¡¯s what we came up with. It fits.¡± Enoa watched the rest of the stars fade as the sky changed color, shifting brighter and brighter until the first rays of sunlight rose above the horizon, almost behind them. ¡°How is the sun back there?¡± Enoa said. ¡°I thought we were still going north. How far did we go?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Orson said. ¡°The road shifted west a while ago. We¡¯re actually on old Route Sixty-Six, in one of the places it diverges from the interstate. I took us about five hundred miles tonight. I¡¯m getting quicker at lining up the back roads, not that there are lots of options way out here. When my friends and I first started traveling, it took us weeks and weeks to get around without taking any interstate highways. We¡¯d wake up on an old road in the middle of nowhere and go to sleep on an old road in the middle of nowhere. It¡¯s like we weren¡¯t even moving. I started having nightmares about getting stuck out in the ocean.¡± He pointed at the windshield. ¡°The interstate is over there. We¡¯ll cross it tomorrow before we get into Nevada. I know exactly where we are now. You stayed up with me so you can help me find our parking place.¡± ¡°I stayed up because I thought I needed to take watch,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Unless we get really unlucky, you won¡¯t have to.¡± Orson drove them another twenty minutes, until the world had brightened enough to draw Enoa¡¯s attention from the sky. Orson switched off two of his radar screens, letting those sections of windshield reveal the world outside. The small two-lane road they followed was surrounded by the flatlands. The elevation changed only in the distance, where towering mountains rose to the north. Two roads they¡¯d passed led off toward communities, but nothing stood close-by, nothing until they reached the fork in the road that would take them to meet the interstate. A row of seemingly vacant structures stood there, a warehouse, an industrial-sized garage with stucco walls, and the windowless shell of a mini-mart, missing its gas pumps. ¡°Here we are,¡± Orson said. ¡°Here?¡± ¡°The garage is the stopping point,¡± Orson said. ¡°Like Jaleel would say, we get to save the game here. Is that still a term?¡± Enoa nodded. ¡°Who owns it?¡± ¡°Oh, forgot to tell you.¡± Orson parked the camper beside the farther of the two bays. ¡°You¡¯ll like this ¨C this place is part of a Western Shoshone land expansion. They¡¯ve been buying back their ancestral lands for the cheap. Most of their neighbors didn¡¯t care for remote living after destabilization. But the Shoshone make decent money leasing some of the properties to the hermits and drifters who want to get away from somewhere, like us. This place is an Outcast Country safe house.¡± ¡°Would the Shoshone be in danger for letting us hide on their land?¡± ¡°No more than they are already.¡± Orson let the Aesir idle. He retrieved his sword and stepped from the ship. ¡°They hide castaways for money, and they¡¯ve been scavenging Hierarchia tech for years. And Helmont will see this whole area as Liberty Corps property. Something like half of the land out here was used by the Feds and a fair chunk of that was IHSA. From where we are, you could hit six or seven old Hierarchia operations in under seventy miles. I kid you not. They were everywhere. But anyway, I will pay the relevant Shoshone office for crashing in their garage.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll definitely be safe in this garage?¡± Enoa followed him from the ship. He walked around the buildings, his goggle lenses glowing. They circled the structures. ¡°If nothing changed out here since the last time I visited, we¡¯re done for the day,¡± Orson said. ¡°If nobody saw us get here, nobody we don¡¯t like will find us.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Enoa thought of Nimauk, a place where less than a percent of the residents shared any of the ancestry that gave the town its name. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about the Shoshone,¡± she said. ¡°Aunt Sucora used to take me to some Native American cultural centers in Philadelphia, when I was really, really little, but most of my life¡­ The only other Indigenous Americans I know are family friends. We¡¯re all from the east.¡± ¡°I need to hire one of their reclamation crews,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯d probably be happy to show you around a little bit¡­ if that¡¯s something you want.¡± They finished circling the garage and stopped beside the Aesir. Orson tapped at his visor. He scrutinized the area in silence, until she spoke again. ¡°I think so,¡± she said. ¡°But I want to try to learn about them first. I¡¯d feel so rude if I didn¡¯t know anything about their culture before I met them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have time for that.¡± He pulled his goggles down to his chest. ¡°Okay, well, if Teddy¡¯s code is still good, we both can get some rest.¡± Orson returned to the closed second bay¡¯s door. He fiddled with a box at its side. The garage door rose. When the sun climbed over the desert, the road was empty. 104 - A Bloodline Alternative The Mark Six projectiles formed scores of welts, the size of blueberries, across Kol¡¯s chest and extremities. He did not move, did not try to resist. And, in return, whoever aimed the testing device had the small mercy not to fire at his face, hands, or groin. Kol did not work his Shaping. He did not form his shield. He felt no electricity, no fear, no power to fight or resist or survive. He had little left to fear. The projectiles provided just enough pain to free him from guilt and sorrow. He couldn¡¯t focus on his mistakes when a searing lump sprouted from a testing wound at his shoulder. Shame couldn¡¯t drown him when the new bruise on his knee sent pain racing down to his toes. Kol endured three rounds of testing. Outside that, he had no concept of time. Testing and resting ¨C the former exhausted him enough, hurt him enough to almost enjoy the latter. He felt a contented relief during the time he didn¡¯t spend in testing. His captors interrupted this cycle only to feed him and to take his blood. The fourth cycle ended early. The testing machine ceased firing and the lab¡¯s door opened. The usual techs were waiting outside, but they were not alone. A major and two techs Kol did not recognize stood with them. The major wore armor with rank bars of many colors, blue and red, purple and gold. The techs wore the same blue-gray coats as the others but theirs also bore rank insignia in gold and purple ¨C purple for Liberty Corps executive leadership, gold for the Czar¡¯s own office. ¡°Wait!¡± One of the usual techs stepped forward before the Czar¡¯s force could enter the testing room. ¡°It is important for us to maintain consistent protocols. He can provide you with another blood sample shortly.¡± ¡°We must co-opt this sample,¡± the major said. ¡°He is an acceptable bloodline alternative. Our subject is experiencing extensive side effects and cannot offer a baseline sample, but the Czar¡¯s work cannot be delayed.¡± The major entered the room with both teams of techs behind him. The Czar¡¯s office needed Kol¡¯s blood? Our subject? He was a bloodline alternative? Fear found Kol again and woke him from his stupor. They wanted his blood for a test they were running on Max! They wanted to use him to torture his brother! Side-effects? What were they doing to him? Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Max would have stayed safely home if it weren¡¯t for Kol¡¯s mission. Now, Max would die because Kol had ignored his warnings about the Liberty Corps, because Kol couldn¡¯t get him to safety, because Kol had failed. He¡¯d failed in almost every moment that mattered. Shame and horror and fear sent feeling racing back through Kol. He could feel electricity up his arms and down his back. As the trio of the Czar¡¯s men approached him, Kol found the place of mind and spirit where miracles are possible. For the first time, Kol consciously seized that part of his spirit. His will made the impossible real. Rule the mind! The blue shield formed between Kol and the Czar¡¯s men. They almost walked into it. Even the officer stumbled away from it. The usual lab team surged into the room, two carrying long prod-like devices. A third arrived with a Geiger counter. They joined the Czar¡¯s men at the edge of the field and held their devices to the energy. Kol shrank his wall, pulled the field away from the researchers, back toward himself. The electricity he felt over his body turned hot, like he was near the warmth of a sudden fire. His shoulders and scalp beaded in sweat. His shield would not keep them away forever. He remembered the exhaustion that had overcome him after his first Shaping. This was different now, in a way he could not explain, but totally understood. Now, Shaping was a muscle he wielded, a muscle he was just starting to exercise, weak and already sore, but now under his control. ¡°I have no intention of waiting for your testing to end,¡± the officer, the Czar¡¯s man, said. ¡°Make him lower his shield.¡± ¡°He has never done this for us,¡± one of the usual techs said. ¡°He has done nothing! We¡¯ve already sent for Sir Geber, but we need readings. This is essential to understanding his Shaping.¡± Both the lab techs and Czar¡¯s men approached the shield, following it with their devices. Kol threw it at them. He sent the force-field along the floor and bowled them down. The wall threw them all from their feet. Kol wanted to push the wall further, slide them all along the floor, slam them the whole length of the room until they met the far wall. But his strength left him. The blue energy faded away. Kol could still feel the new muscle in his mind. He could feel where he¡¯d commanded the shield, but it had no strength left. It was young and new and would need exercise and focus to be as strong as Kol¡¯s physical body. Kol knew thought fatigue when it came over him. He recognized it and couldn¡¯t fight it. He knew he would sleep, still hanging from the wall. Kol was awake to see the Czar¡¯s men and the lab techs rise to their feet, bruised and still shocked. They watched him warily. All of them kept their eyes on him. None advanced. Kol knew it wouldn¡¯t last. They would conduct their experiments, but he enjoyed their groans and nervousness. And he enjoyed the new handle he had on the Shaping ¨C his Shaping. Own the body. Rule the mind. He could not command iron. He¡¯d failed. But, after years of study, he¡¯d found something else. Kol¡¯s satisfaction stayed with him until the fatigue swept him away. He was unconscious long before Sir Geber arrived and long before the Czar¡¯s men were bold enough to take his blood. 105 - Outcast Country ¡°They¡¯re almost back.¡± Orson tapped at the Aesir¡¯s dashboard. ¡°Jaleel beeped us?¡± Enoa sat cross-legged on the couch, staff across her lap, eyes closed. Wesley snoozed beside her. ¡°Yeah, and only once.¡± Orson pressed the button beside the flashing light on the dash. ¡°So they¡¯re okay.¡± Orson had sent Jaleel and Dr. Stanislakova on a supply trip into the village of Eight Spurs Crossing, an independent community just south of old Route 66. It was only a mile walk. The sun was setting again, sinking behind the mountains. It would soon be time to travel through the darkness, the last leg of their desert trek. ¡°I hope they found the cornmeal.¡± Orson stood. He exited the ship. The garage outside was almost empty, its concrete floors bare. Shelving and wall-mounts for tools waited empty too. Only a handful of boxes lined the walls, all labeled. The overhead lighting remained dark. They hadn¡¯t used it, saving money and power, avoiding notice. Orson opened the door for Jaleel and Dr. Stan when they returned. Jaleel struggled with his load, eight fabric shopping bags hooked to the straps of full his backpack. Dr. Stan had the same setup, using Enoa¡¯s borrowed backpack. She¡¯d needed all the day-to-day items she¡¯d lost in fleeing the lab. They separately carried a collection of jumbo-sized paper-product packages. Dr. Stan held paper towels and napkins. Jaleel carried three massive packs of toilet paper. They passed the paper products through the garage door first. Jaleel then had to turn sideways to fit inside. ¡°You should¡¯ve taken the cart.¡± Orson closed the door behind them. ¡°I wasn¡¯t taking a cart!¡± Jaleel set down the bags. ¡°I¡¯d look ridiculous.¡± ¡°Yeah, you looked real cool with thirty-six rolls of toilet paper in your face,¡± Orson said. ¡°Look on the bright side, Jaleel.¡± Enoa left the Aesir to help with the supplies. ¡°You¡¯re never going to see any of those people again. Not unless someone recognized you!¡± She widened her eyes in mock fear. ¡°There was almost nobody to recognize us,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Mostly the people working at the stores.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing they accepted the Pacific Alliance dollars?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That was fine.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Orson nodded to Dr. Stan. ¡°How was your walk with Mr. Universe? Did you get what you need?¡± ¡°I did.¡± She exhaled. ¡°Which is a deep relief. I¡¯d hoped that this community would be self-sufficient. Surely, there must be other women who need clothing locally, but I¡¯m not sure what I would have done if that weren¡¯t the case. I should have everything I need now. Thank you for helping me, financially, Captain. If I ever have access to my Pacific Alliance bank account, I will¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°We need your help, and you¡¯re in a bad way because of us. This is only fair.¡± ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°That is very kind of you.¡± She carried her bags onto the ship. ¡°Did you remember the cornmeal?¡± Orson asked. He and Enoa helped Jaleel gather the rest of his bags. ¡°I did!¡± Jaleel lifted one bag. ¡°You really want to spend an hour making pancakes and cleaning up before driving all night again?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Uh, of course!¡± Orson led them back inside. Wesley flew to meet them. He landed at their feet and sniffed at the bags as they walked to the kitchen area. ¡°You need to have something good to eat if you have the time. I¡¯m almost too tired to be scared so I want some syrup to get moving.¡± ¡°You are so weird with the syrup.¡± Jaleel began restocking the fridge, filling the produce trays with locally grown strawberries, grapefruits, tangerines, broccoli, and leafy greens. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m on an adventure with a really mean Buddy the Elf.¡± ¡°I actually get that one.¡± Orson joined him in securing the supplies. They fit boxes and cans and assorted other packages into the Aesir¡¯s secure Velcro straps. ¡°And you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. You¡¯ve never had the Moonlight Most¡¯s syrup.¡± ¡°You have to enjoy the syrup.¡± Enoa helped them finish with the groceries. Then she returned to her place on the couch. Wesley flew back to land beside her. He clutched a strawberry in his forepaws. ¡°We got shot at to buy that for Orson.¡± ¡°It seems so weird now that you two had a couple adventures before we met,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a real time¡­¡± Orson retrieved his skillet and began collecting ingredients, vanilla and flour and the new cornmeal. ¡°We can¡¯t finish any of the syrup bottles. I¡¯m going to try to have Teddy reverse engineer the flavors. I always wanted to ask him to do that and now I have to. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going back to Mayhill for more syrup.¡± ¡°You could storm the place!¡± Enoa said. ¡°They¡¯d get their whole angry mob and when you beat them all up, you can demand infinite syrup as their new overlord.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood today.¡± Jaleel looked back at Enoa. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Enoa grinned. She stood again and held out her staff horizontally in front of her. She tightened her grip on the metal. The staff collapsed. It telescoped inward in both directions, sinking section into section, until it was about the size of a television remote. ¡°I figured it out!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°I was tired of waiting until I had a chance to watch more of the films. It¡¯s all about manipulating the air inside the staff. I¡¯m really starting to get all of this, like I understand it for real now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s so awesome!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I know!¡± Enoa spun the staff. It extended back to its full length. ¡°Now I can take it with us on the heist.¡± ¡°I should figure out something like that for my new bow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I like that compact feature.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not just fixing the old one?¡± Orson finished gathering the ingredients. ¡°Enoa, if you want pancakes too, you¡¯ll need to dig out that vegan egg substitute and the milk stuff you use.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I think I¡¯m okay, thanks. I just had that whole Panini.¡± ¡°I want an all new bow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I want the full upgrade, just the most badass thing I can make right now.¡± ¡°Our weapons plans for the heist will depend on a lot of things,¡± Orson said. ¡°What¡¯s it like out at your buddy¡¯s place?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Enoa needs to train and watch her movies. I need to make the new bow. You and Dr. Stan have things to do.¡± ¡°He has plenty of space.¡± Orson began to mix dry ingredients. ¡°Not for anything that¡¯ll blow up, obviously, so no wild weapons testing inside. We¡¯ll have to be tricky about that. And we¡¯ll need to judge the environment before we get to any more Aesir flight training.¡± ¡°And one more thing.¡± The tone of Orson¡¯s voice changed. ¡°Don¡¯t mention this while we¡¯re there, but Ted¡¯s a member of the Ookelthorpe family. And it¡¯s a little complicated for him now, but he hasn¡¯t said too much about whatever happened there.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Hey, I think I¡¯ve heard that name before,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Who are they?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Ookelthorpe?¡± Dr. Stan returned from her bunk, her hair wet. She¡¯d showered and looked somewhat out of place without her Science Advisory coat and uniform. She wore jeans and an oversized sweatshirt bearing the crossed pistols logo for the Eight Spurs Crossing ¡®Gunfighter Saloon¡¯. ¡°Ookelthorpe as in Ookelthorpe Defense Associates? Your friend Ted is a Preston Ookelthorpe heir?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Orson said. ¡°Are we headed to a house or a compound of some sort?¡± Dr. Stan took a seat in an armchair. ¡°Enoa, I left your backpack outside your bunk.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯s a large underground house,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s one of those sustainable, ecological earthships. But the heir thing is less of a big deal than it sounds. That Preston guy had like twenty-three kids and that was a hundred years ago so the family is super huge.¡± ¡°Twenty-three?¡± Enoa said. ¡°That poor woman!¡± ¡°I think he had three wives over a long time?¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t study the family tree.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Enoa said. ¡°I remember now!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Ookelthorpe Defense wanted to buy the crawler transports before the Feds got cooked by Thunderworks! They were all pissed that Solar Saver nabbed them with the Sabers Unlimited.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± Orson said. ¡°Big money, but Teddy doesn¡¯t have a lot to do with that, and I don¡¯t know where Teddy is with his family, so we won¡¯t bring that up unless he does.¡± ¡°Why would we?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Orson continued. ¡°His girlfriend, April, she¡¯s childhood friends with my former ghost-writer. I do not want to talk about the memoir, okay? That one¡¯s for me. Let¡¯s not bring up the book.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°No one has ever mentioned your memoir but you. Never.¡± ¡°Maybe Pops and Kash, one time each,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Maybe,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But only in relation to his theme song.¡± ¡°His memoir?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°His theme song?¡± ¡°Yeah, he has a memoir that didn¡¯t sell very well,¡± Enoa said. ¡°There was supposed to be a biopic movie and there was music written, but it didn¡¯t go anywhere. Orson¡¯s very bitter about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bitter!¡± Orson said. ¡°The whole thing was Teddy¡¯s idea, and I just don¡¯t want to say no to him. He¡¯d feel really sad if he knew I wasn¡¯t happy with the book. Every so often he still mentions setting up interviews to have the other two done. It was supposed to be a trilogy, one about me getting started and the whole Blitzkrieg adventure, one for the Isla de Manos thing, and one for the fight with Thunderworks ¨C my really big adventures before I went off on my own.¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°You have a reputation for being¡­ eccentric, but when we met, I found you to be a fairly pragmatic and straightforward man. Maybe your reputation was accurate.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Orson shrugged. He finished whisking ingredients. ¡°Do you want any pancakes, Doc?¡± In under an hour, the pancakes were eaten and they¡¯d returned to the road. Orson drove them around the outskirts of Eight Spurs Crossing. They passed the town¡¯s farmlands and solar fields, both watched by tall prison-style armored guard-towers with circling spotlights. Orson steered clear of the light and followed the winding road north and then west. They crossed Route 66 without seeing another traveler. ¡°Grand Canyon¡¯s that way.¡± Orson pointed north. ¡°Too bad there¡¯s not more time. It¡¯s an amazing view to fly there.¡± ¡°Oh man,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me like that!¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re fully charged,¡± Orson said. ¡°Maybe we could all fly over in a few days.¡± No ¡®Welcome to Nevada¡¯ sign greeted them, but the roads changed. Suddenly, there were no bumps, no breaks in the pavement. Everything was as if it had been freshly surfaced, perfect. ¡°They¡¯re doing well for themselves,¡± Orson said. ¡°Who?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°The Shoshone who reclaimed this land,¡± he said. ¡°For so long they didn¡¯t have many resources. It was really hard for them to maintain roads. Now, something¡¯s different. They didn¡¯t have concentrated influence before, either. It was all little patches they¡¯d own, like they own that garage where we stayed but don¡¯t seem to have any influence in Eight Spurs.¡± ¡°How much of Nevada do they have?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask them,¡± Orson said. ¡°Well, Teddy might have some idea too. I¡¯m sure Vegas and Reno and the other existing communities have stayed independent, but I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a lot of abandoned government land and resources just sitting around.¡± ¡°This friend of yours is the heir to a big business?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°And he¡¯s living out on Shoshone land?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson nodded. ¡°He lives on the land they choose to lease to other people. Lots of hermits ¨C a few hundred live in Outcast Country ¨C past where the roads end.¡± ¡°Your friend is a pastry chef?¡± Jaleel asked again. ¡°But he lives in a place without paved roads and very few customers, on purpose?¡± ¡°He says he likes the seclusion to focus on his art,¡± Orson said. ¡°His baking. He sells his pastries pretty far afield. The transportation costs are pricy but you can charge more when you¡¯re the best. We¡¯re going to skim the southern end of the state now and curve up along the western edge, near the California border.¡± The roads remained smooth and perfect and empty as they traveled. It was then that they passed the first other vehicles they¡¯d seen since leaving the Crystal Dune Forest. A long caravan of other campers drove in the opposite direction ¨C 10 in total. They flashed their headlights at the Aesir and revealed unique modifications, windows covered with metal sheets or mesh and visible weapons emplacements mounted on their roofs or sides. Orson left the ship¡¯s headlights off, but two members of the caravan honked cheerily after them, all the same. Orson returned the greeting. ¡°Let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t get made. All we need is to be found now and lead the Liberty Corps right back to Teddy with us.¡± ¡°Should we stop?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°No.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°Better to get there and just hope nobody comes after us.¡± But only miles down the road, a great light appeared in the sky, flashing white and yellow and red. It hovered directly over the road. ¡°What is that?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°It¡¯s not moving,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Whatever it is,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll be seeing it up close real soon. What do you think? Do you folks want to go off-road?¡± They did not commit to an answer, but they tensed in near-silence. Orson followed the road until the Aesir¡¯s sensors revealed the nature of the object in the sky and of its illumination ¨C an airship projecting a holographic message. One of the readouts on the windshield displayed the words that floated in the air, glowing over the desert. ¡°Lost? Hungry? Tired? Find your way before the end of the road! Last Call Tavern ¨C Next Left!¡± The message blinked and reappeared, multiple times, cycling through languages; English, Spanish, Shoshoni¡­ ¡°Man, we¡¯re jumpy.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°All that and it¡¯s advertising.¡± ¡°I think the Pacific Alliance uses that kind of airship,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°AG something? Here, it¡¯s a billboard. Who would waste the power?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a show of strength,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯re asserting themselves. It¡¯s safe here. It¡¯s ours, and we¡¯re keeping it safe. Hell, maybe that ship is also for security. No one will suspect the flying billboard.¡± ¡°So the ship is Shoshone too?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°How would anyone know?¡± ¡°Because this is their land.¡± Orson drove them below the floating advertisement. They found the hovercraft only about twenty meters in the sky, just short of what was once a military base. The base¡¯s tall barbed-wire fence remained, but it was covered in signs for businesses. Orson read one, ¡®Outcast Country Scenic Tours.¡¯ ¡°They¡¯ve made coming out here an event,¡± Orson said. ¡°I bet they rent out some of the local properties too.¡± A line of trucks and more campers waited to enter the former base¡¯s gate. Orson finally turned on the headlights. There were enough vehicles that it was stranger that he didn¡¯t have them lit. Orson caught a view through the open gate. He saw the former barracks, repainted and redone in the symbols and art of the land¡¯s original occupants, a horse, a blue bird, and a green zigzag he did not recognize. They left the base behind them and came to a real intersection, where more roads led off toward multiple settlements in the distance, more lights than along old Route 66 or near the crossing at Eight Spurs. A few miles further, they came to the end of the road, the place where the pavement actually ended. It was marked by a sign, black writing on a yellow diamond ¨C ¡®END¡¯. It stood on the border between the pavement and the dirt. ¡°That¡¯s a little creepy,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I love it,¡± Orson said. ¡°I always get adventuring vibes when I see it.¡± Orson drove around the sign and plunged into the true desert, headed north-west, toward a low shoulder of the Rocky Mountains. ¡°It¡¯s not far now,¡± he said. It wasn¡¯t. The road had changed in his time abroad. The local communities had expanded. The businesses were new. But here, the world beyond the roads was the same. ¡°Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°Please let Teddy know we¡¯re a half-hour away.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jaleel said. Orson heard the young man¡¯s typing and the carriage return, sending the message. The keys immediately began moving again, in response. ¡°He¡¯s already writing back! He says, um, he wants to know what we did to have people after us. He says, ¡®no worries, man, you¡¯re still invited. I¡¯m just curious.¡¯¡± ¡°Just curious?¡± Orson said. ¡°Teddy¡¯s usually not just curious.¡± Orson imagined rows of Saw-wing fighters combing the desert, his friend too loyal to turn them away despite his world becoming suddenly dangerous. ¡°Tell him¡­¡± Orson said. ¡°Please tell him that the Liberty Corps, that I told him about, are after the Dreamside Road too and that we¡¯ve fought them a few times.¡± Jaleel began to type. He paused. ¡°The message doesn¡¯t have to be long,¡± Orson added. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Just write something quick and short, so we can see what he says.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Are we okay?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Orson said. Jaleel typed again, faster this time. ¡°Ah,¡± he said. ¡°I think I typed ¡®toad¡¯ instead of ¡®road¡¯. Shit!¡± ¡°What?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I typed ¡®Dreamside Toad¡¯,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think I¡¯ve mentioned it before. Just finish it.¡± Jaleel did. He sent the message. Teddy replied a single word, ¡®okay¡¯. When they arrived beside Teddy¡¯s home, Orson found the place exactly as he remembered it. There were no wheeling enemy fighters, no soldiers in blue and red, no old federal-style investigators in trench coats. What little was visible of Teddy¡¯s home peeked above the ground, alone and undisturbed. Little of the structure could be seen, only part of the entryway¡¯s roof with an attached door, an extensive solar collection array, and a large radar dish, as big as the exposed entrance. A warm, yellow light glowed beside the door into the earth. Before Orson could shut off the Aesir, Teddy ran from the house. He was a great bear of a man, much taller and thicker than Orson, with a curly mane of hair and beard around his head. He wore a flannel shirt, sleeves rolled up, and held glowing metal rods in each hand. ¡°Are those¡­¡± Jaleel began. ¡°Does he have paddles, like, paddles to show a plane where to land?¡± ¡°He does.¡± Orson stood and walked to the door. As soon as it opened, Teddy charged up the stairs and grabbed Orson in a hug that almost pulled him from his feet. It was a gesture of welcome, not fear. ¡°I expected you to fly in, man,¡± Teddy spoke, in a unique, jovial baritone, a voice that exuded both calm and contentment. ¡°I was gonna show off the new garage.¡± ¡°Then show it off. We still have to park.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°How are you? You look fit.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Teddy shrugged. ¡°April has me working out again. She wants me to be healthy, but you know how I get when I¡¯m working on a new project. Everything has to pass the taste test!¡± ¡°What are you cooking up now?¡± Orson asked. ¡°And where¡¯s your lady? I hope we¡¯re not coming by too late. I¡¯d rather get under cover, but once we¡¯ve got the ship hidden, we can stay the night in here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on my gardening,¡± Teddy said. ¡°And April¡¯s still awake. She¡¯s just collecting the, uh, bad news.¡± ¡°What bad news?¡± Orson asked. Here it was, the reason for his question. Orson realized the rest of the crew had gathered behind him, even Dr. Stan. ¡°Oh, right, I should introduce everybody. Teddy, this is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the bad news, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I know everybody already. Enoa Cloud, Jaleel ¨C and I¡¯m sorry dude if I say your name wrong ¨C Yaye, and Dr. Stanislakova, formerly of the League of Nations Science, er, thingamadoo.¡± He stepped around Orson and shook all their hands. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jaleel looked to Orson once the handshake was over. ¡°Yeah, Ted,¡± Orson said. ¡°What¡¯s up, buddy?¡± ¡°You¡¯re all wanted by the Liberty Corps.¡± A fair-haired woman spoke from the bottom of the stairs. April was almost as tall as Orson and wore a flannel shirt, matching Teddy¡¯s. She held four large, rolled-up posters. ¡°Hi April!¡± Orson said. ¡°Good to see you again.¡± ¡°Nice to see you too.¡± She offered a weak smile. ¡°You¡¯ll want to look at this.¡± She passed him one of the posters. Orson unrolled it and saw his own face, in an image taken from some security feed in the Crystal Dune Complex. He saw Dr. Stan behind him in the image, but where had it been taken? Hadn¡¯t he disabled all the cameras? There was a second picture of him, visor on, standing on the bridge, holding his sword toward the oncoming Knights. He read his own wanted poster. ''Attention Patriots! 1,000,000 Liberty Coin Reward! For information leading to the capture of terrorist Orson Gregory Aliases: Wayfarer One, Captain Gregory Age: 30 years Sex: Male Hair: medium brown Eye color: hazel Height: 6 ft. Build: medium Gregory is wanted on charges of: All information can be provided to your local Liberty Corps civic or field offices. Gregory can be expected to travel in his prototype light-transport aircraft, named ¡°Aesir¡±. He is armed and dangerous.'' ¡°Well.¡± Orson finished reading. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re not doing any sight-seeing.¡± 106 - Wayfarers Rest Teddy¡¯s subterranean garage easily fit the Aesir. Enoa also saw two cars, a van, and two dune buggies, with room left to spare. Its walls and ceiling were made of something like adobe, a creamy tan color. Teddy had run ahead of them and opened the garage door, a horizontal plate in the ground that slide aside to reveal bright lights and a ramp leading under the earth. ¡°Wow!¡± Orson had driven after Teddy, who led them forward with his two glowing paddles. He¡¯d directed them down the ramp and toward a free spot at the center of the huge underground space. Teddy waved the paddles like he was aiding returning fighters, landing on an aircraft carrier. ¡°Is this twice the size of the old garage?¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± April said. ¡°But he didn¡¯t want to leave anyone parking on the surface. There have been a few disputes over the old federal land.¡± ¡°Disputes?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I only got your wanted posters yesterday.¡± Teddy called into the Aesir¡¯s open door. ¡°There was a man handing them out when I made my delivery on the Vegas loop. I think he was following the rail line and giving out those posters at every stop.¡± ¡°Was he openly Liberty Corps?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Was he dressed in armor?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Just a nice suit. He seemed almost like one of those evangelists, the dudes who go around knocking on doors. He was a real smiley guy.¡± ¡°I know the type,¡± Orson said. ¡°So do you think this is a widespread effort or is the Liberty Corps focusing here on purpose?¡± ¡°Aww man, don¡¯t make me judge that,¡± Teddy said. Enoa followed her hosts and Orson from the Aesir. She stepped out into the soft yellow glow from the overhead lights. ¡°We¡¯ll stay out of sight until we leave here,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think we can do this with almost no communication other than the typewriter. Actually, I will need to talk to Pops, and I¡¯ll need to set up a meeting with Cathy.¡± ¡°She raised her rates, man, just so you know.¡± Teddy idly waved the paddles. ¡°It¡¯s pricier than they expected to keep things running.¡± ¡°How much pricier?¡± Orson asked. ¡°If she¡¯ll want more than ten thousand I¡¯ll have to make some kind of money transfer.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to talk to¡­¡± Teddy stopped speaking when Wesley flew at him. The aeropine launched himself out of the open Aesir door and circled the glowing paddles. Teddy tried to ward away the aeropine, but this only encouraged Wesley, who grabbed at the glowing rods with his forepaws. Teddy and April yelled. They crouched away from the aeropine. Wesley finally landed on the garage floor beside Enoa. He chattered up at her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sweetie.¡± Enoa leaned down and scratched Wesley on the cheek. ¡°They¡¯re just not used to you flying around like that.¡± ¡°Oh wow,¡± Teddy said. ¡°That must be the porcubat! He senses my welcoming and generous nature. Greetings Porcubat!¡± ¡°I think he likes the paddles,¡± Dr. Stan said. Teddy shut off the paddles¡¯ lights and walked them to a duffle bag along the wall. ¡°Maybe he was following my signals and trying to see where to land,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Porcubat?¡± April asked. ¡°He¡¯s not a bat,¡± Orson said. ¡°He¡¯s a Hierarchia creation. They call his species aeropine, uh, he¡¯s a modified porcupine. His spikes are serious weapons, but he¡¯s not aggressive. Just playful.¡± ¡°We call him Wesley,¡± Jaleel said. At the sound of his name, Wesley made an inquisitive noise and approached Jaleel on his back feet. ¡°He¡¯s really a rather gentle fellow,¡± Dr. Stan added. ¡°He must have been intrigued by the lights.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to leave Wesley back in the Aesir,¡± Orson said. ¡°They have cats so we¡¯ll keep him separate like we did with Dino.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± April said. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be mean to him.¡± She wiggled her fingers at Wesley. ¡°Our little friends are very shy and I think Wesley would scare them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason he can¡¯t be around in the garage if you need to walk him or, uh, fly him or whatever you do,¡± Teddy said. ¡°The ceilings are a lot lower in the house too. I mean, I didn¡¯t have flying spikey guys in mind when I built it. And I never had a pet bird, y¡¯know.¡± ¡°Enoa or Jaleel, do you want to hang out with him for a little bit?¡± Orson said. ¡°I can give him a sock ball to play with and get him a snack,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I think he¡¯s just excited to be somewhere new.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be with him most of the time,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll stay in our bunks while we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Are you sure, man?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°We have enough space.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s for the best,¡± Orson said. ¡°We need to speed up our schedule. I¡¯ll put out feelers for the information I need in the next couple days.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Teddy said. ¡°He really hoped you would stay a little while,¡± April said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that,¡± Teddy interrupted. ¡°Orson has a lot going on. I get it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long,¡± April continued. ¡°Plus, shouldn¡¯t you be lying low now, Orson?¡± ¡°We could all use a break,¡± Orson said. ¡°And this mission we¡¯re planning is pretty complicated, but¡­ We¡¯ll see. I¡¯ve got a feeling time isn¡¯t on our side.¡± Teddy nodded. He led the way again, now through a door along the garage¡¯s far wall. Jaleel jumped back into the Aesir. Wesley flew in after him. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°You¡¯re okay?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll tire him out and be right in.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Enoa found the hall from the garage. It was a low passage that sloped slightly upward, emerging in a hallway with the same tan walls. Most furnishings were made of a polished wood, but the doors between rooms were in a honeycomb pattern, formed from segments of multicolored glass. ¡°I thought earthships were made out of old tires and things like that,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Your home looks more like adobe.¡± She¡¯d never felt adobe. She¡¯d only seen it in images, but the walls fit her imagination. ¡°It¡¯s all recycled materials.¡± April met her at the end of the passage and showed her into the living room, all wood paneling and soft earth tones. More colored glass adorned the walls, done to imitate the desert landscape above. ¡°Those elements just aren¡¯t exposed.¡± Enoa sat in an armchair so plush it was like being swallowed in marshmallow. Dr. Stan sat in a similar chair. Orson joined April on the couch. Teddy entered carrying three clipboards with attached pens. He handed one to Dr. Stan. ¡°Can somebody give this one to Jaleel when he comes in?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°I can,¡± Enoa said. ¡°What are they?¡± Teddy passed both clipboards to her. ¡°These are menu cards,¡± he said. ¡°You can let me know what you¡¯d like to eat and if you have any dietary issues or restrictions. I already know what Orson likes, so he can just check the new seasonal list.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Enoa paged through the packet on the clipboard. She saw lists for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. There were pages of pies and tarts, pages for donuts, for croissants, for cookies. The back page, marked ¡®new¡¯ was all ice cream flavors. ¡°I¡¯m vegan and that¡¯s a lot of work so I can just eat my own food.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Teddy said. ¡°I like a challenge! This is my way of life. If you will try my vegan recipes, I will cook for you.¡± He offered a low bow. ¡°You gave him a mission now,¡± April said. ¡°Speaking of that, Ted,¡± Orson said. ¡°We bought a ton of fresh produce and ingredients in Eight Spurs. Let me know where you want all of it. Jaleel picked out strawberries and citrus and spinach, all that stuff they grow this time of the year.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take your food, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°How many times do I need to tell you this, Orson? You pay me by being my audience, not with money or ingredients.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯ll all go to waste then.¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°And that¡¯s a shame. Jaleel¡¯s face is less famous than Enoa¡¯s or mine, but he still put himself in grave danger to get all of it.¡± ¡°In his wanted poster he¡¯s wearing a mask like Zoro,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I need to read all of the posters,¡± Orson said. ¡°His mask was a little like Zoro,¡± Enoa laughed. ¡°They might have his face now,¡± Orson said. ¡°What do you say, Ted? If we don¡¯t use that produce it could be spoiled by the time we leave again.¡± ¡°Curse you and your mind games!¡± Teddy said. ¡°Was this your plan all along, Orson?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Only partly,¡± Orson said. ¡°We really did need to resupply.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Teddy ageed. ¡°I¡¯ll take the produce and know that I love you.¡± ¡°Ted,¡± Orson chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s your communication security like? I need to get in touch with Pops for information on the Liberty Corps base we¡¯re looking at. If it¡¯s too dangerous to send a message from here, I¡¯ll run over to the commercial relay in Death Valley if it¡¯s still running.¡± ¡°Everything here is encrypted,¡± Teddy said. ¡°We¡¯re on the Newe Segobia network. Privacy comes standard, but I don¡¯t know if its connected to any outside communication, uh, grids.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to bring down the Liberty Corps on Chief Hawkins or anybody here,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to send any tight-beam communications while the Aesir is at your house.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re fine, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re the only super secretive guest I get our here.¡± ¡°Yeah, but most the others are real blood relatives of yours,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°You¡¯re family too!¡± Teddy said. ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t Mr. Pops have that ultra shield wall security depot for you? I thought that shut down connections that had people peeping at you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what it¡¯s called,¡± Orson said. ¡°None of those words¡­ are the right words, but my secure cache is supposed to do that. I¡¯ve literally never tried it, though.¡± ¡°Try it!¡± Teddy briefly walked from the room and returned with a laptop. ¡°This is my old spare. We¡¯ll blow it up if your cache thing gives you the alarm.¡± He handed the device to Orson. ¡°Now I¡¯m on the spot,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve never used this. Sirona logged on once for me about seven years ago but I¡¯ve never even seen my cache. I don¡¯t even know my password.¡± ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Teddy said. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sirona used to answer your emails. I forgot all about that.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You expected your girlfriend be your secretary? Why would she put up with that?¡± Enoa heard the hallway door slide open. ¡°Where do I go now?¡± Jaleel called. ¡°Just walk straight, man,¡± Teddy replied. ¡°We¡¯re in the living room. You can¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that,¡± Orson said. ¡°She did it because I wouldn¡¯t have looked otherwise, because I don¡¯t go online. She was being nice, even if she did say mean things about it. She called me a caveman¡­ Oh wait! I might know the password!¡± He began to type. ¡°Okay.¡± Jaleel arrived into the living room. ¡°What¡¯d I miss?¡± ¡°Orson¡¯s trying to get into the super-secret online account his girlfriend made for him with Pops,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Oh wow,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Hey! This is his first time online in, like, ten years, right?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t been on the internet in a decade?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°I¡¯ve truly missed it these last several years.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Orson sat the laptop aside. ¡°Wrong password?¡± April asked. Orson shook his head. ¡°Priority message from Pops. It was waiting for me when I opened the connection. Something really must have gone wrong for him to send me something on there. He must¡¯ve tried to hail us in the Aesir and failed.¡± He raised the laptop closer to his face. ¡°Enoa, Jaleel, you¡¯ll want to see this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Enoa stood, forcing herself out of the marshmallow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± April asked. ¡°More bad news?¡± Dr. Stan stood, as well. ¡°Liberty Corps.¡± Orson turned the laptop. Everyone gathered close to see. Then Orson clicked once. A video began playing. Words filled the entire screen. Mysterious Drones Sighted Across North America Enoa saw a bizarre flying object, like the offspring of a decorative egg and a rubix cube. Red, green, and gold lights blinked up and down vertical axes along its body. It flew through the air, gliding over Pops¡¯s Heartland-6 Drive-in complex, outside Chicago. The video changed abruptly. Now she saw the same or a similar object over a Solar Saver Crawler, traveling a highway through the plains, still flanked by a crowd of followers. Enoa saw Nimauk. She saw the valley, the town, the river spread out beneath the camera¡¯s view. She tried to figure out where the camera was placed ¨C somewhere in the hills? Enoa¡¯s reckoning was skewed by the arrival of the egg-shaped object. It flew down the river valley and took a sharp turn over the town park. It was hard to tell from the hillside view, but Enoa knew the path the object would take. The drone flew over what remained of her home. Then it blasted straight up into the sky. The feed changed again, showing the object over urban centers she did not recognize, then flying over Route 66, outside Littlefield. Last, she saw the drone flying along another tree-lined river, this one running close beside farmland. ¡°Orson!¡± Pops appeared on the screen. ¡°What the hell did you do? The Liberty Corps is giving out Prostate Exams across half of North America and I have a feeling your ass is the one they¡¯re looking for. They¡¯re everywhere. Every location of mine, Heartland Six, Mojave Megaplex, World¡¯s Largest Frosty, I¡¯m talking everywhere. My own drones pinged them checking out Enoa¡¯s hometown, your dad¡¯s place in Alabaster, and the Solar Saver flagship. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡± Pops continued. ¡°I don¡¯t think the IHSA did this much to find Thunderworks. I¡¯m not hearing back from you so I¡¯m sending this message every way I know how. I¡¯m going to try to reach Eloise too. Get in touch when you get this. I figure if they¡¯re this hot for your crew, you and the kids must be alive, but¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Let me know you¡¯re okay. I¡¯ll talk to you soon.¡± The video ended. ¡°We have to send warnings to everyone,¡± Orson said. ¡°Friends, family, anywhere we¡¯d go. The Liberty Corps isn¡¯t just going to let us hide.¡± 107 - The Death Valley Transmission Relay ¡°We¡¯re not too far away now, everybody.¡± Teddy called over the wind. Enoa could just see him beneath the front of the tarp that hid the Aesir crew. Teddy usually kept the insulated cover stretched over his dune buggy¡¯s rear section. It shielded his coolers of baked goods from sun and sand. Now, the tarp hid three wanted travelers en route to the Death Valley Transmission Relay. ¡°It actually hurts to look at the sunlight.¡± Jaleel rubbed his eyes. ¡°Three hours hiding and I¡¯m already a mole man.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that,¡± Teddy said. ¡°There was a lot of human experimentation that went on around here. Might be disrespectful to the mole man community.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Hierarchia had mole men, Ted.¡± Orson sat huddled at the far side of the buggy. He worked by the light of his goggles, writing in a small notepad. The three of them sat snug in cushioned makeshift seats. Their legroom was occupied by their backpacks, Orson¡¯s assorted weaponry, and a vintage beige computer ¨C tower, keyboard, and monitor ¨C that had been bungee tied between them. ¡°You say that like it¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Teddy said. ¡°But you¡¯ve fought cyborgs and sorcerers and you live in a spaceship-camper so, uh, maybe that¡¯s a little hypocritical of you there, bud.¡± ¡°Yeah, Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Teddy lives underground. I think he¡¯d knows if there are mole men.¡± ¡°Fair.¡± Orson carefully tore a page from the notes and slid it into one of his coat¡¯s pockets, where it was draped beside him. ¡°By her logic, Ted, that probably makes you a mole man too.¡± Teddy gasped in mock horror. ¡°You¡¯ve discovered my secret!¡± ¡°Is the Aesir really a spaceship?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Or is that just, like, a colorful comment?¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Teddy yelled. ¡°You didn¡¯t give them the big backstory! You gotta give them the big backstory, man!¡± ¡°What Backstory?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Did you forget to tell us it¡¯s a spaceship?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Have I been living in a spaceship without knowing it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a spaceship,¡± Orson said. ¡°It can¡¯t escape Earth¡¯s atmosphere, but you can live in it once you get out there. It¡¯s pressurized, you know that, and it has life support and atmospheric controls and everything that keeps you from having a horrible space death.¡± ¡°I¡¯m living in a spaceship!¡± Jaleel leaned back against his seat¡¯s cushion. ¡°I have ten-year-old me¡¯s dream life. Can I tell my family I live in a spaceship? I have to tell Jordyn. She¡¯ll be so confused.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a secret anymore. Those Hierarchia files are leaked. Actually, if you want some really wild reading, check out the Xanadu Initiative Reports. The Aesir was originally part of that, and Eloise has all of those files in her basement. That¡¯ll do a better job explaining this than I will.¡± ¡°Yeah, man,¡± Teddy added. ¡°That¡¯s a long story with prophecies, doomsday preppers, the fall of civilizations and shit like that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about prophecies,¡± Orson said. ¡°But it brings us back on topic ¨C all the old IHSA files that were leaked over the last decade ¨C they¡¯re step one for the heist. We need to find the floor plan to that base in Idaho the Liberty Corps is using.¡± ¡°If the base isn¡¯t new,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The Liberty Corps seems like it¡¯s doing alright for itself. It could be new.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Orson said. ¡°They have that Starbird carrier. It took years to build those things, and I really doubt the Liberty Corps is doing better than the U.S. was. They might have completed that ship, but I bet it was lying around from the Hierarchia. That base is probably wherever it was being built. It takes a lot of real estate to park one of those. Even with the cloaking devices, something that big can¡¯t move without leaving some trail.¡± ¡°Maybe that ship is dropping people off at the Idaho place,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It could just stay in the sky there, over this other base for days. Who¡¯s going to attack it?¡± ¡°They would¡¯ve moved it by now,¡± Orson said. ¡°The mites are starting to lose power, and if that ship¡¯s still there when they shut down, I¡¯m gonna assume that thing lives there.¡± ¡°What does any of this have to do with finding the information about the island?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Because if I¡¯m right,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then the heist is possible. Pops and Eloise should be able to confirm that the place is Hierarchia and that it had an analog database or key terminal. A terminal base with a Starbird makes me think Headquarters, and an old school Hierarchia man like Helmont will want all his Dreamside Road data close to home. ¡°If all of that works out,¡± Orson went on. ¡°The Shoshone Reclamation Network can maybe get us some current information. How does this base get supplies? What interactions does this place have with the outside world? That¡¯s where we¡¯ll find our way in. If we¡¯re lucky and smart, we¡¯ll be able to sneak in and steal the information we need without anyone knowing.¡± ¡°And hopefully we can do it without hiding forever,¡± Enoa said. ¡°While the Liberty Corps keeps hunting the Dreamside Road.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Orson said. ¡°Once today¡¯s field trip is done, we¡¯ll do everything we can to get things moving with the heist.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not sure if I should send messages back home,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to scare my friends. It¡¯s not like they can do anything. And telling Sheriff Webster¡­ I don¡¯t know, what if she went after that Liberty Corps robot?¡± ¡°She might.¡± Orson leaned to the side so he could stretch out his legs along the back of the buggy. ¡°And we don¡¯t know what that model does. Do you think you could warn Webster or the town council and let them know it¡¯s connected to Tucker¡¯s mission?¡± ¡°Orson, are you really going to tell your friends to just ignore those probes flying around?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Most of Orson¡¯s friends could shoot down one of those eggs,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Only his family would be in trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling everyone the truth,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m investigating something the Hierarchia used to have, but lots of other people want it. As long as that probe doesn¡¯t see me, it shouldn¡¯t hang around very long.¡± ¡°Do you think Sirona still has Cardboard Orson?¡± Teddy called. ¡°We could use him as bait.¡± ¡°Cardboard Orson?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to mock you about that one.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°I wonder,¡± Teddy said, ¡°if that probe would notice that your cardboard likeness is a wee baby Orson, instead of your mature adventuring self.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine,¡± Orson said. ¡°Although a trap is not a bad idea. If I was anywhere but out here I might try trapping that probe. See what it¡¯s made of. But I should just send my messages. I think I have it down to six or seven messages. I need to get back to Pops and Eloise. I have to warn my cousin Clark who I lived with. And my dad, the Inn at the Evergreen Forest, and the Solar Saver Collective.¡± ¡°The Solar Saver?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Are you going to contact Commodore Augustin and Chief Morita?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Maybe I should go through Pops and his people, instead. I don¡¯t like the idea of your wanted poster winding up back there, without warning, and messing with your work agreement.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Jaleel sat up. ¡°I never thought about that. What would I do if, like, the Great Lakes Alliance accepts the Liberty Corps as a legitimate government and goes along with them and says we¡¯re all serious outlaws! It¡¯s fun being outlaws to the Liberty Corps, but I don¡¯t want my parents to think I¡¯m an outlaw¡­ Again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll happen,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let¡¯s be real, the Liberty Corps isn¡¯t going to share. They¡¯re either taking all of the old United States, if not more, or they¡¯re getting destroyed. Seriously, I don¡¯t think this is a real problem. I just¡­ I try to stay ahead of all my baseless fears.¡± ¡°Hey, figure out who you want to talk to,¡± Teddy said. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The dune buggy continued forward another brief stretch, before halting. ¡°Do you think the regular scan will lemme know if you¡¯re safe to come out?¡± ¡°Thermal scan should,¡± Orson said. ¡°Okay.¡± After a pause, there came the sound of footsteps, booted feet across gravel. ¡°Looks good.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look too.¡± Orson slipped his leg into his repulsor boot and his arms into his coat. ¡°If everything¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll get this done.¡± He left the tarp ajar as he stepped out. Enoa forced her eyes to adjust to the light. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything. We should be alright, but masks or hoods up.¡± Enoa had been comfortable enough during the ride over, unmoving in the shade of the insulated tarp. But when she stood in the open, the heat settled over her like a physical weight, a burden across her entire body. They gathered at the end of a small gravel road at the side of a long, low ravine. The dune buggy was parked only feet from a squat brick building, with a series of antennas on its roof. Some of the antennas ended in radar dishes, but most did not. Most were like the spindly legs of long-dead insects, curled up toward the sun. ¡°I thought dry heat wasn¡¯t supposed to feel as hot.¡± Jaleel pulled on his archer mask. ¡°They filmed Star Wars pretty close to here. I really wanted to check out where they did the Mos Eisley cliff scene, but I also don¡¯t want to die on Tatooine.¡± ¡°Humidity isn¡¯t the only thing that makes you feel toasty,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You might cool off when that passes over.¡± Orson pointed to the horizon, the far side of the valley, and a mass of dark gray clouds. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be out here when that hits,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You¡¯ve never been out here for a rain, have you, Orson?¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°Your search for the dreaming toad won¡¯t last long if you get washed away.¡± Teddy approached the building¡¯s lone window. He rapped on the glass with his knuckles, like he was knocking on a door. ¡°Did he just say ¡®toad¡¯?¡± Jaleel asked. Teddy waited only seconds before knocking again. ¡°C¡¯mon man, we don¡¯t have all day. There¡¯s a storm coming.¡± The window was apparently not a window at all. It was a screen that lit up and displayed the cartoony caricature of a balding man with thick eyebrows and a snow-white mustache. The animation stood in front of a simplified desert background. ¡°Hey, Roger,¡± Teddy said. ¡°How are you, man? Still in business?¡± ¡°I still need money, don¡¯t I?¡± A scratchy voice chortled. The man¡¯s animated mouth flapped up and down, not quite in sync with the voice¡¯s words. He raised his hand to his forehead, like he was shading his eyes, trying to get a good look at something through the intense sunlight. ¡°Hiding fugitives again, Ted? You don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for ¡®ya. You¡¯ve got a dangerous taste in friends.¡± ¡°If by that,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You mean that I make friends with the most dangerous people of all, then I guess you might be right.¡± ¡°No,¡± Cartoon Roger said. ¡°I mean openly traveling with three wanted persons ain¡¯t a bright thing to do and is liable to get you hurt.¡± ¡°Who is this guy?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Do we have to work with the super-sketchy cartoon man?¡± ¡°Roger runs transmission relays all over the desert,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. He¡¯s too Libertarian to want the Liberty Corps to do a big iron-fist takeover. Besides, this whole operation is contracted with the Shoshone. He¡¯d be pretty dumb to turn us in. This little building would be totally cleaned out by the time he could even get here.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t need to get anything,¡± Cartoon Roger said. ¡°I could retire on those bounties. I could¡¯ve retired twenty years ago with what they¡¯re offering. Hell, I already never go there.¡± The animated image shrugged. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to spend my golden years looking over my shoulder.¡± ¡°Yeah, Roger,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Remember the afternoon of June the twenty-eighth, twenty-seventeen. I delivered a Daffodil birthday cake, with a citrus glaze and edible pansies, to your bungalow. I know where you live.¡± ¡°See now I need to be scared,¡± Cartoon Roger said. ¡°When somebody does report you to the Baron, you¡¯ll come gunning after me.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re in luck,¡± Orson grinned. ¡°I have at least half-a-dozen messages to encrypt today. After helping us, you¡¯ll also be a criminal to the Liberty Corps, so we¡¯ll all stay friends without any temptation. Plus, with what you charge, I¡¯ll be giving you a nice payment for your retirement fund.¡± ¡°Gregory¡¯s in a grim mood too, hey?¡± The cartoon man took a step back in astonishment. ¡°Times are tough, aren¡¯t they? Well, you¡¯re not wrong. I like my money stabile and friendly. I¡¯ll unlock the booth around back. Usual deal. Nothing¡¯s changed. Make sure you collect your transmission receipts. Why do some people drive all this way to disguise their calls, in all that California white noise, just to leave their printouts behind?¡± The cartoon man waved before the screen turned dark again. ¡°Cool.¡± Teddy drove the dune buggy around the side of the building. He parked at a back door. It was set within an alcove of the wall and had no doorknob. Orson helped Teddy move the computer from beneath the tarp. They set it beside the alcove. Then Orson pressed his hand to the door. It sprang open, revealing only darkness. Steam oozed from the entryway, and Enoa felt a blast of the temperature-maintained, cold air. Orson raised his hand and stepped forward, peering into the darkened room. The overhead lights activated as he approached. Enoa saw seven black computer terminals inside. They had smooth, rounded edges and blinking red lights. These were all wired into a triple-monitor setup, the screens pressed up against the far side of a wall of bulletproof glass. Only an adjustable leather desk chair, a keyboard, and what appeared to be a vintage landline phone, were positioned on the customer¡¯s side of the glass. The glass made the space deceptive. The customer area was little larger than an average public bathroom stall. ¡°Okay.¡± Orson hauled it with him into the little booth. ¡°Hopefully I remember how to do this. Don¡¯t blow anything up while I¡¯m in there. When I need you two, I¡¯ll be back. Enoa, decide if you want to warn anyone, and I¡¯ll need a phone number or some kind of internet address.¡± ¡°The local Nimauk network isn¡¯t connected to the outside world,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But if phones work, there is still a landline in the Sheriff¡¯s office. Will they be able to pick up?¡± ¡°Does that phone have an answering machine?¡± Orson asked. ¡°That¡¯s where the message goes, burst transmission straight to voicemail. You can¡¯t pick up. This is jury-rigged IHSA stuff, combining their space age comms with standard phones.¡± He rested his hand on the doorframe. ¡°Alright, we don¡¯t have all day.¡± He pressed the door closed. Teddy got to work recording recipes and ingredient lists into an old smartphone. Enoa could occasionally make out a word or two ¨C lemons, spatula, sanding sugar¡­ Jaleel unrolled a long diagram of a new bow. He sat against the dune buggy, writing and sketching, marking the drawing with a red pencil. Enoa considered her own work, all the unwatched tapes still waiting for her in the Aesir. What training could she do here? Any explosions were out of the question, as per Orson. Water was too scarce to do any extravagant Anemos transmutation without running the risk of altering some ecological balance she didn¡¯t know about. How much effort would it take to form a single droplet from the air? There was scarce water anywhere around her, nothing substantial but the distant and growing storm. Except that wasn¡¯t true. There was water near her, in the earth. She could feel it, deep below her, below the sand ¨C down there, even the desert had water, a whole layer of saturated dirt. It teemed with life, blind and squirming, an alien world that did not feel the heat of the sun or know the trials of the surface. Enoa felt the motion in the water. She followed the life with her mind, until she found herself focusing on the motion alone, the microscopic organisms and worms and even fish, until she could almost sense them independently of any water. She stopped thinking about the water, and earth, and the life beneath her feet, when the ship tore overhead, blasting low over the valley. She and Jaleel ran into the door alcove, huddled out of sight. Teddy pulled binoculars from the dune buggy and raced past them. ¡°I don¡¯t know that one,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s like a little flying doorstop. So fast!¡± Jaleel could not resist this. He peered around the side of the building. Enoa didn¡¯t join him. She reached instead to the thin, faint moisture in the sky, the small particles that rubbed against the aircraft as it blasted overhead. Her impressions of the craft were brief, but Teddy was right. It was a perfect flying wedge, no wings or protrusions for guns or landing gear. She couldn¡¯t feel the back ¨C too hot. The booth door again sprang open. ¡°Alliance ship.¡± Orson stepped out. ¡°Probably patrolling the edges of their territory or doing something with meteorology.¡± Enoa followed him out of the alcove. She located the wedge with her eyes and watched it comb the valley. ¡°You ever see one like that before?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°If I had to guess, the Alliance is finishing some IHSA prototypes, but they¡¯ll need them with the Liberty Corps cruising around in their Starbird.¡± The ship passed over the valley again before flying directly into the forming clouds. Enoa reached to the storm, but the ship flew too quickly to give her more than a fleeting sensation of motion through the moisture. ¡°With the sky so busy,¡± Orson continued. ¡°Maybe we better all smush into the booth.¡± 108 - The Flooded Desert Orson helped Teddy spread the tarp across the entire dune buggy and locked it in place at the wheel wells. The storm had moved over the valley, carried by a wind that whipped Orson¡¯s hair and coat. Compared to the open sky around it, Orson could see the enormity of the storm system, stretching up like a hammer raised high before a strike. In the magnification from his goggles, he watched the dancing lightning, arcing between curves of cloud. ¡°Can I send a message to April before you get started?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°Just an easy local call, in case we get stuck in there. I¡¯ve only seen clouds like that here a few times. That thing is packing, man, and this valley sometimes only gets a couple inches of rain in a whole year. Last spring a big storm hit, and cars were underwater. This German tourist got stuck in the relay building. He came here on a motorcycle so he couldn¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°What was a German tourist doing out here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Was he safe in the building?¡± ¡°Well, maybe he wasn¡¯t German,¡± Teddy said. ¡°He might¡¯ve been Swiss. Or Austrian. His accent sounded German. I hope he was German ¨C I made him a German Chocolate Cake. Maybe I should¡¯ve made Zuger Kirschtorte.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Orson said. ¡°Never mind, Ted. We can try this another time. Do you want to race the storm back to your place?¡± ¡°We probably won¡¯t make it,¡± Teddy said. ¡°And we don¡¯t want to get stuck in the open desert in a big storm. Just do your thing, man.¡± He stepped between Enoa and Jaleel. Enoa was in her zoned-out Shaper mode. Jaleel held the door open and still stared at his drawn diagram. ¡°What are we doing now?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to give Teddy a little privacy to call home,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll try to get out those messages before we¡¯re washed away.¡± ¡°Are we really in danger?¡± Jaleel stepped aside and allowed the door to close. ¡°Or do you have life preservers or something hidden in your coat?¡± ¡°If nothing else,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll fly us up on the roof, but I think we¡¯ll be safe. This place has to have a lot of security. Roger¡¯s no dummy. He would¡¯ve been robbed blind years ago if this place wasn¡¯t fortified.¡± ¡°Robbed and flooded are different things,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Have you ever been in a flood? My aunt¡¯s house was destroyed three summers ago, and she lived pretty far from the Mississippi River, but it was like the water came right up out of the ground.¡± The building door opened. ¡°All done,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You could¡¯ve come inside. I don¡¯t know why he has the door close automatically. It¡¯s like something in a slasher-movie.¡± ¡°You sure about staying?¡± Orson asked. Teddy nodded. ¡°Okay. Actually, Jaleel, the Aesir got pulled into a river by flash flooding. That¡¯s how we found out about boat mode.¡± He rested his hand on Enoa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re getting started.¡± She blinked her eyes, as if she¡¯d been sleeping. ¡°The moisture in the air ¨C it feels strange,¡± she said. ¡°It feels like it¡¯s freezing, like it¡¯s going to snow.¡± ¡°See,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And we don¡¯t have the Aesir here, Orson.¡± ¡°It snows out here,¡± Teddy said. ¡°A dusting at a time, but it¡¯s been more the last couple years. Used to be only once in a decade. It¡¯s really late for snow. Some years, by this time, it¡¯s already pushing triple digits in the valley.¡± ¡°Is there any other way to move deeper into this building?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Nope,¡± Teddy answered. ¡°Most of this just houses all of Roger¡¯s equipment.¡± ¡°There is a restroom around the back,¡± Orson said. ¡°I took my bathroom break, and you should too. I already felt a couple drops of rain. Once we¡¯re inside, I think we¡¯ll be fine. I doubt Roger isn¡¯t prepared for this. Teddy, the man who was trapped here, last year. Was he okay?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Do you mean the German Swiss Austrian man? Yeah, he was fine. Roger had to rescue him though.¡± ¡°We definitely can¡¯t drive back?¡± Orson asked. ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll make it away from the storm?¡± ¡°It could hit at home too,¡± Teddy said. ¡°We usually don¡¯t get as much, but that same storm, last year, flooded my garage a little bit, before we finished it. That was the first time I had that. But this building was fine. The Shoshone are good at keeping ahead of the changing weather, and Roger has this place like Fort Knox. He has money sitting here sometimes weeks without him collecting it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°If we can¡¯t drive back, all we can do is get to work here. If it starts to flood in there, I¡¯ll fly us to the roof. If it floods up to the roof, then we¡¯re out of luck. Now, why don¡¯t you visit the bathroom, fill your water bottles, whatever you have to do, while I pay and get started calling.¡± ¡°And visit the vending machines in the bathroom.¡± Teddy pulled his wallet from his jeans. ¡°I was so worried about getting the buggy safe I forgot snacks.¡± He drew out several coins. ¡°Roger has what¡¯s supposed to be original recipe Doritos, like they had at Disneyland in the sixties, but they have nacho cheese like their mass market version. It¡¯s apocryphal to the lore, but I love them. April and I tried to reverse engineer the recipe, a few times, but even her chemistry skills and my knowledge of the culinary arts were not enough. I don¡¯t know where Roger gets them. He won¡¯t tell me!¡± The rain began for real, light, but steady enough to audibly drum on the dune buggy¡¯s tarp. ¡°Ted, maybe we talk about this inside.¡± Orson drew up his coat¡¯s hood. ¡°Sorry!¡± Teddy handed coins to both Enoa and Jaleel. ¡°They¡¯re a transcendental experience, man.¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯m happy to help with the vending machine run.¡± Enoa pulled on the hood of her cloak. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°They have the chips without cheese too!¡± Teddy interrupted. ¡°Enoa, you¡¯ll experience what my lack of willpower has kept from me ¨C the true 1960s Disneyland flavor. I envy you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you. While I¡¯m asking, how gross is this bathroom? I want to be prepared.¡± ¡°Enoa!¡± Jaleel held his arms over his head. ¡°If you¡¯re waiting, I¡¯m going first!¡± He ran around the side of the building. Enoa followed after him. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Orson called after her. ¡°It¡¯s only for customers.¡± He stepped inside and sat down at the terminal. ¡°I have another reverse engineering job for you and April, if you¡¯re game. Remind me when we get back.¡± ¡°Did you bring that syrup?¡± Teddy stood in the alcove and prevented the door from closing. ¡°You¡¯ve been talking about that for eight years.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Orson activated the terminal. ¡°Enoa and I almost got shot getting it.¡± The image of Cartoon Roger appeared on the center screen. ¡°Pick your communication type.¡± Roger spoke slower in this recording and the words aligned with his cartoon avatar¡¯s flapping lips. ¡°Then pick your payment method.¡± Orson selected ¡®single-burst: self-encrypted¡¯. Then he turned on the portable battery packs on Teddy¡¯s spare desktop computer and monitor. He pulled the interface cords toward the keyboard where ports had opened for them, but he took too long plugging in the borrowed computer ¨C too long for Roger¡¯s cartoon recording. ¡°Pick your communication type,¡± Roger said again. ¡°Then pick your payment method.¡± ¡°One time,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I came out here to call Samson, when he was reporting from this ecological situation in the South Pacific, and it got stuck on that screen. He just kept saying, ¡®pick your¡¯ over and over. Pick your. Pick your. Pick your!¡± Teddy cringed. ¡°An hour! An hour, I tried to make him stop. I tried everything, even the old turn-it-off-and-back-on-again trick. I eventually gave up but it haunts my dreams. If my sins outweigh the good I do in this life, that will be my punishment. Roger saying ¡®pick your¡¯ forever.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Samson doing?¡± Orson asked. ¡°And if we get stuck like that during a flood, I¡¯ll lose it. I¡¯ll chop this damn thing right out of the wall.¡± ¡°Samson¡¯s okay,¡± Teddy said. ¡°The GJG is still trying to recruit him, but he¡¯d never join something like that. International news is a tough gig right now, though. We talk pretty often. Us black sheep gotta stick together.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry,¡± Orson said. ¡°Samson would never put up with the way they operate. I run into them every so often.¡± Orson plugged Teddy¡¯s computer into Roger¡¯s system. All monitors now displayed the same, new screen ¨C ¡®select currency¡¯. Then Orson scrolled through dozens of payment options: dollars from several countries (though not the Pacific Alliance), as well as ¡®Credits ¨C Jalvien¡¯, ¡®Credits ¨C Starsyne¡¯, ¡®Doubloons¡¯, ¡®Gold (Other)¡¯, ¡®Euros¡¯¡­ He stopped reading when he reached ¡®Liberty Coin¡¯. ¡°What do you think of this?¡± Orson pointed to the screen. ¡°People could pay that dude in bottle caps if he could convert it back to gold.¡± Teddy shrugged. ¡°What are you looking for, Pacific Alliance?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°None of the Alliance currencies were listed with the other dollars.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll have it at the end with the unstable currencies,¡± Teddy said. ¡°That¡¯s unstable? But he has Liberty Coin here?¡± Orson continued scrolling and found Teddy was correct. The dollars for the North American Alliances were listed at the very beginning of the ¡®new/unstable currencies¡¯ section. ¡°Almost everybody here is gonna use Alliance money,¡± Teddy said. ¡°So he¡¯s gonna add a surcharge for it.¡± Orson made his selection and gathered the necessary coinage, seventy-five Pacific Dollars. He slid the coins into a slot on the wall. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Here we go.¡± Lightning flashed. Thunder sounded. A roaring downpour followed just after. Orson flinched. Teddy jumped aside, almost letting the door slip shut. He caught it, just as Enoa and Jaleel rushed inside, already drenched to the skin, holding full water bottles and bags of chips. The bags were marked ¡®Doradito¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you got rained on,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I should have gone back myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not gonna blame you, Teddy.¡± Jaleel handed bags of chips to Teddy and Orson. ¡°If Orson sent me on another food run, I¡¯d complain at him, but not you. Enoa, can you transmute the water off of us?¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Um,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d cook us if I tried. It turns to steam, so I think we¡¯ll just dry the normal way.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think to pack towels.¡± Teddy allowed the door to close. He took that spot nearest the door and leaned against it. Jaleel and Enoa stood on either side of the desk chair. They had little room to move, their clothing dripping onto the floor. But they were inside, and the door locked, leaving all sounds of the storm outside. Orson looked down at the desktop computer, pressed to the wall. ¡°Enoa, please hit the ¡®enter¡¯ key. That¡¯ll finalize the encryption to hide address locations for our, uh, recipients, just in case. It should be set up already.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She pressed it. ¡°Hmm.¡± Orson saw no change on either blank screen. ¡°It should still work.¡± ¡°How does Teddy¡¯s computer know what to do with Roger¡¯s?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Because the only thing it does is encryption,¡± Orson said. ¡°But that isn¡¯t how,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You have no idea how this works, do you?¡± ¡°I have an idea,¡± Orson said. ¡°These devices are both from that old 1980s secret Hierarchia sci-fi tech complex.¡± ¡°Is that the official name?¡± Jaleel laughed. ¡°Very funny,¡± Orson said. ¡°Anyway, they were built to respond to each other. I know that¡¯s only surface level, but this is why I¡¯m so careful. I guess I¡¯ll just start the transmission to Pops and see if it works.¡± Orson typed in the address code Pops had given him, but the message window didn¡¯t arrive. Instead, Orson saw the image of a phone. A small computer jingle filled the booth. Before Orson could question the situation, Pops appeared on the screen. He sat in a mostly-darkened, wood-paneled room, wearing an open bathrobe and an ¡®Age of the Dinosaurs¡¯ T-shirt. ¡°Oh-ho!¡± he said. ¡°You are alive! Good to see ya, kid. Eloise told me some of the details already. Did you get my message?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°We did. Actually¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is this?¡± The cartoon image of Roger ran onto the computer display, charging from out of view at the right edge of the screen. ¡°What are you doing with my transmitter, Gregory? This isn¡¯t a single-burst transmission, and you didn¡¯t pay for a call.¡± ¡°Shows what you know,¡± Pops said. ¡°Did you think you¡¯re the only one who salvaged an IHSA Iridium Ten? Orson, call me some other way. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with Elmer Fudd, but I¡¯m not talking to you with him eavesdropping.¡± ¡°Elmer Fudd?¡± Roger said. ¡°And who are you, Orson¡¯s grandpa? Run back to Granny. It¡¯s not safe for old fossils like you to play with tech that¡¯s a third your age.¡± ¡°Yeah, like I¡¯m about to get offended by a grown man who pretends to be a goddamn Looney Tune. Orson, really, call me some other way.¡± Pops stood up, as if to cut off the call. ¡°Pops,¡± Orson said. ¡°I did this to¡­¡± ¡°Listen, you stupid ox,¡± Cartoon Roger interrupted. ¡°You have no idea who you¡¯re dealing with. I make signals invisible, do you understand? There¡¯s no way safer than me. I could¡¯ve sent messages from the basement of the Pentagon before it got craterized and they wouldn¡¯t have known.¡± ¡°Orson, you don¡¯t need this dumb freak¡¯s help,¡± Pops said. ¡°I don¡¯t care how good he is.¡± ¡°He does need me,¡± Roger began. ¡°Alright, old man¡­¡± ¡°Who are you calling old?¡± Pops asked. ¡°You look older than I do, but it is hard to tell. I wasn¡¯t drawn by Hanna-Barbera.¡± ¡°Both of you stop!¡± Enoa shouted. ¡°Orson paid for this call, right Orson?¡± ¡°He did,¡± Roger said. ¡°Too much, I¡¯m sure,¡± Pops said. ¡°Roger, let us have this call,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry the two-way call scared you. I¡¯m sure most of your customers don¡¯t have anywhere near the capabilities Mr. Darlow has. If it¡¯s safe to continue, let us keep talking in private.¡± ¡°Did you say Darlow?¡± Roger asked. The cartoon man turned to the side and regarded Pops¡¯s video feed. ¡°Huh, alright. I¡¯ll let you talk. Hopefully we don¡¯t hear from each other again.¡± Roger walked out of sight at the right edge of the frame. ¡°It looks like your reputation precedes you,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Hi Pops,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Hello,¡± said Enoa. ¡°Hi, Ted.¡± Pops smiled. ¡°Hi, kids.¡± He ducked out of view. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I¡¯m calling Eloise,¡± Pops said. ¡°We agreed to call once you made contact. It was a bit of a bonding moment. We never really talked much one-to-one. She needs to know what¡¯s up and I don¡¯t want you paying more to that guy.¡± ¡°If he detects another signal,¡± Orson said. ¡°He might come running back.¡± ¡°So you did make it!¡± Eloise appeared in a new window that grew from the left of the screen. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you write again, after you got to Teddy¡¯s?¡± ¡°Hi Eloise!¡± Teddy waved. ¡°Hi Ted.¡± Eloise returned the gesture. ¡°I assumed you¡¯d figure we got there,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I was tired. And I knew we were coming out here today so I thought it would be best just to talk to you now.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Dr. Stan?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°She¡¯s still okay, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°She stayed back at Ted¡¯s,¡± Orson said. ¡°She didn¡¯t have anybody to call.¡± ¡°April is talking to her about the scientific disciplines,¡± Teddy said. ¡°She¡¯s a chemist, and she misses discussions with her own people.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°That.¡± ¡°I have messages from the other survivors,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Dr. Ikaro sent out her beacon this morning, and the Alliance brought all the Advisory survivors here.¡± ¡°How is Ikaro?¡± Orson asked. ¡°How was the stay with the Antler Clan?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Pops asked. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Orson said. ¡°No mention of the Antler Clan,¡± Eloise said. ¡°All of them were gathered on the riverbank, waiting for the Alliance. Ikaro¡¯s glad to be alive, but she¡¯s shaken. Her whole life was destroyed with that lab. And the rescue team confirmed that both Penningtons are dead. Their bodies were found together. The Liberty Corps left all of the corpses with a warning.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Orson said. ¡°No Liberty Corps pursuit?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all after you.¡± Pops stood and stepped out of frame, returning with several folders of papers. ¡°I had another set of flyovers from their probes. They¡¯ve been back in Alabaster, and in Nimauk, and over Littlefield. I tried to have their drones followed but they lost us¡­ This Liberty Corps base you¡¯re looking for,¡± Pops said. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°Idaho,¡± Orson said. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d say that.¡± Pops nodded and drew several pages from a pale blue folder. ¡°Is that important?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°Reidel Khunrath Helmont!¡± Pops said. ¡°The man who¡¯s hunting you was career Hierarchia but he wasn¡¯t in the regular chain of command. He was their backup plan and their plan for the future. In nineteen ninety-four, he was set up to safeguard against more corruption in the IHSA Research, Recovery and Development Sector. But he¡¯s been training for this his entire life, building the IHSA into a standalone power.¡± ¡°What RRD stuff was going on then?¡± Orson asked. ¡°That was way after Gamma and way before Nation.¡± ¡°Not too much,¡± Pops said. ¡°They inaugurated a new Administrator then too, used the letter Theta.¡± ¡°Did you say Theta?¡± Enoa interrupted. ¡°He did,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Who¡¯s Theta?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Not as many records about Theta,¡± Pops said. ¡°She left the office quietly about six years later, but I don¡¯t see any drama. She didn¡¯t shoot herself into space, or get murdered by their own clone, and didn¡¯t turn traitor like half the other RRD Administrators.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°Enoa, why do you know about this Theta?¡± ¡°She studied Anemos,¡± Enoa said. ¡°She studied the Shaping my aunt documented for them.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I found it for her,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Last week, before the Liberty Corps attacked the Scientific Advisory. I looked through my library for anything about Enoa¡¯s Shaping.¡± ¡°What else did you learn?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Can this wait?¡± Pops asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to interrupt your family Come-to-Jesus moment, but you need to know this. The Idaho place you¡¯re looking for was set aside for Helmont. It¡¯s called the Pinnacle Holdfast. It¡¯s the Hierarchia remnant. It¡¯s designed to rebuild the organization after any conceivable calamity. Not only can it house thirty-thousand personnel, it has the backups to most of their research and their records. It¡¯s the secret storehouse for everything.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Orson laughed. ¡°Finally, we¡¯ve got a lead. How did you find this? The Pacific Alliance guys found shit-all about Helmont.¡± ¡°Remember, I spent the first year after shutdown recovering written records,¡± Pops said. ¡°Helmont was clever. He spent the eighties setting up connections with worldwide bases, getting spies, finding people who would make copies for him. There are only a couple things I couldn¡¯t find ¨C when he actually learned to Shape and what his connection was with Nation and the Opal saga that got you in the game.¡± ¡°This is everything Pops,¡± Orson said. ¡°You gave us everything! This is it! We can really do this!¡± He looked at Enoa and Jaleel, but neither of them were smiling. ¡°You need to take this seriously.¡± Pops flipped through his folder. ¡°This is why the western Liberty Corps is so prepared. This is why they have so many Shapers. This Helmont has been in power for decades, teaching people to make their minds into weapons. That¡¯s why some of their older knights are named for Alchemists or Occultists, not letters like the main Hierarchia. The IHSA wanted powered warriors, no matter who they were. They wanted mutants and casters, anyone they could use. But Helmont¡¯s focus is different. He wants a whole order of Shapers that he trained.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t put any money on the base being new,¡± Jaleel said. Orson nodded. ¡°Kids,¡± Pops said. ¡°This isn¡¯t just some random old Hierarchia Base. It¡¯s the ultimate base. Except for Montauk and the place in the Quiet Zone, with the fallout shelter they built for the feds, there is no IHSA location more secure or powerful on this continent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also why they have a Starbird carrier there that nobody knew about,¡± Orson said. ¡°Those probes could be from there too,¡± Pops said. ¡°I never saw the design before. And I have this.¡± He pulled a picture from the folder and held it up for the camera. It displayed what looked like a flying bell, almost the size of a house, above a small town. ¡°This is Helmont¡¯s personal shuttle. He did a little flyover after he captured that Maros group. There¡¯s stuff in the Pinnacle I don¡¯t know anything about.¡± ¡°If that probe comes back,¡± Eloise said. ¡°And I shoot it down ¨C that might teach them to spy on my town and it might teach you something about that place.¡± ¡°Eloise,¡± Pops said. ¡°You don¡¯t know what this thing can do.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°But I know what I can do.¡± ¡°What are you shooting?¡± Carlos¡¯s voice came through the feed from Littlefield. He walked into view, Dino following after him. ¡°Hi everybody.¡± He waved. Everyone waved back, before Dino ran ahead and stood up with his forepaws beside Eloise. His neck flap extended, and he barked excitedly. Pops jumped back. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about him, but¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s my buddy!¡± Orson said. ¡°Does Dino know Orson¡¯s voice?¡± ¡°That is pretty startling, man,¡± Teddy added. ¡°He looks like that dude who ate Newman in Jurassic Park.¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t!¡± Carlos hugged Dino, his shoulder visible beside the dog¡¯s radar flap. ¡°He¡¯s our good boy!¡± ¡°I definitely do not think going after this probe is a great idea,¡± Orson said. ¡°What if that gets Helmont to fly over Littlefield in his battleship?¡± ¡°That would be moronic of him,¡± Eloise said. ¡°Unless he wants to start a war with the Alliance. I¡¯m the perfect person to do this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I like this either,¡± Carlos said. ¡°We just¡­ You could have died fighting Sloan. Please don¡¯t put yourself in danger again. Please tell her, Orson.¡± He stood behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Orson trailed off when the distant beeping started from his coat. He unzipped the breast pockets and drew out the Aesir¡¯s robotic keys and his kazoo, until he found what he was looking for, the ship¡¯s sensor taken from the Aesir¡¯s dashboard. ¡°What is that?¡± Jaleel stood and looked at the device. Orson set it beside the keyboard and switched off the alarm. ¡°That¡¯s a sensor,¡± Orson says. ¡°It detects approaching electromagnetic fields, and repulsors, and any potentially-dangerous things the Aesir usually warns me about. When I¡¯m away from the ship, I bring it along.¡± ¡°That alarm means something or someone is headed straight at us,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I can¡¯t say much more from this.¡± ¡°Coming here?¡± Teddy stepped away from the door. ¡°Maybe one of those probes finally found you.¡± Eloise leaned away from her fianc¨¦. ¡°How well do you know Fudd?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Easy everyone,¡± Orson said again. ¡°It¡¯s a skimmer or something like it, right over the ground.¡± The screen displayed an elevation graph, a green line stretching from side to side, barely in frame. ¡°I can see the altitude.¡± The line then stopped and held steady ¨C a single dot. Orson adjusted the screen. He saw that the dot was only a short distance from a white arrow ¨C the mark that showed the device¡¯s own location. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Orson stood. ¡°Whatever it is.¡± ¡°Should we keep the call open?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°Did we give you away?¡± ¡°If you did,¡± Orson said. ¡°Roger would know it. He¡¯d be back here. I don¡¯t know what this is.¡± ¡°I do know what¡¯s up.¡± Cartoon Roger walked from the right of the screen. ¡°My landlords are here to pick you up. The storm¡¯s getting nasty out there. Ted¡¯s lady let them know you were here.¡± ¡°Have you been listening in?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Orson, I don¡¯t care how much you paid¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t start with me again,¡± Roger said. ¡°I¡¯m here trying to fix myself some lunch and now I¡¯ve got to play errand-boy. Cathy wanted me to give you the heads up she¡¯s almost here. Otherwise she¡¯d have to barge right in. Soundproofing has its disadvantages.¡± ¡°Thanks, Roger.¡± Orson walked to the door and opened it. ¡°Let¡¯s see how bad this storm is.¡± He¡¯d been so consumed by what he¡¯d learned and what might await him that he¡¯d almost forgotten the storm. The sky was pitch black and lightning danced above them. Winds had turned the rain almost horizontal. There was sleet mingled with it, and it splashed when it struck the ground. The springs Teddy had mentioned now surged above the earth. The water was spreading. The world shimmered in the light from Orson¡¯s goggles. A military skimmer approached them, through the storm. Orson saw the deluge clearly in its headlights. The craft edged forward, until it stopped beside Teddy¡¯s dune buggy. The wind pulled at the buggy¡¯s tarp. The locks held, but the covering rippled, as the storm struggled to tear it free. The hovercraft still bore the mark of the Hierarchia¡¯s Omega sector, but the horseshoe-like Omega had been altered, repainted. Now its shape was only part of a golden sun, with a complex bird portrait inside it. A female voice boomed from the skimmer. ¡°Hello Orson! Where¡¯s Theodore? This is Cathy speaking.¡± Teddy forced his way from the door and waved to the skimmer. ¡°Ted,¡± she said. ¡°April called. It¡¯s not safe in this storm. The road¡¯s already flooding, and it could all freeze tonight. We¡¯re here to take you home.¡± 109 - Freedom and Might Enoa belted herself into a crash-seat bolted to the skimmer¡¯s wall. Jaleel and Teddy sat on her either side, while Orson helped the crew of the skimmer bring the dune buggy aboard. They eased the buggy up the vehicle¡¯s loading ramp, the one place where the craft touched the ground. Cathy Hawkins secured the buggy with magnetic clamps, built into the floor. The deluge obscured everything outside the glow from the skimmer¡¯s lights, but the craft was nearly the size of the Aesir, mostly empty, and large enough to dock a car. Cathy and her two crewmembers wore full armor, sky-blue, over yellow jumpsuits. Their helmets were similar in design to Helmont¡¯s knights¡¯, thick in the face and forehead, with a slit visor. Cathy¡¯s helmet bore the same bird-over-sun symbol as the nose of the skimmer. ¡°What were you doing calling from Roger¡¯s?¡± Cathy tested the clamps, checking their strength with her gloved hands. ¡°Theodore¡¯s a lot closer to us than to the relay.¡± She removed her helmet and returned to the front of the skimmer, where the rest of her crew was already seated. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡± ¡°Roger¡¯s main gig is encryption.¡± Orson didn¡¯t sit. His repulsor boot secured him to the deck, even in motion. ¡°And you don¡¯t need any of our trouble. There¡¯s a bounty on me and my crew.¡± ¡°We know.¡± The woman in the driver¡¯s seat called. ¡°We thought that¡¯s why you came to hide out at Teddy¡¯s.¡± ¡°Partly,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re planning an operation against the Liberty Corps, and we need to buy information. A lot of information. So we¡¯re also here to see you.¡± ¡°We had to raise our rates, just so you know.¡± Cathy ran a gloved hand through her chin-length graying hair. ¡°I already told him,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Orson.¡± Cathy¡¯s chair rotated, so she could look back at the passengers. ¡°But it¡¯s expensive to grow a nation. We only have this because of the technology the dead feds left on our land.¡± ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We saw the welcome center on the drive in. Must be pretty good.¡± ¡°It is¡­ pretty good,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Except when it sucks.¡± The pilot said. ¡°Except a lot of the time,¡± Cathy conceded. ¡°You don¡¯t want to get me started. I¡¯m just reclamations. I don¡¯t have to worry about alliances or drawing the new maps, but¡­ It was fun when we were scooping up abandoned Hierarchia tech. But that¡¯s not what we get to do anymore.¡± ¡°We do have a lot of great toys now.¡± The copilot said. He was a massive man, so broad he barely fit in his seat. When he¡¯d helped them aboard, Enoa could see the sections where armor had been added to his gear, to extend beyond his too-small breastplate. ¡°That¡¯s pretty nice.¡± ¡°I like your skimmer,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It banks better than the one the Liberty Corps used to chase us.¡± ¡°Does it?¡± the copilot asked. ¡°Did we modify the repulsor at all?¡± ¡°Not that I know of,¡± the pilot said. ¡°If Jaleel says it¡¯s better,¡± Orson said. ¡°He¡¯s probably right. Oh yeah, right, this is the new Aesir crew, Jaleel Yaye and Enoa Cloud.¡± ¡°Good to meet you,¡± Cathy said. ¡°I¡¯m Catherine Hawkins. My pilot here is Violet Munoz, and her little sidekick is David Gardner.¡± Both waved over their shoulders. Cathy stood, her own boots also gripping the deck. ¡°I read your wanted posters. You¡¯re the inventor.¡± She nodded to Jaleel. ¡°We have a list of things that need doing. If you can help us, it¡¯ll earn some credit for your crew, so Captain Orson won¡¯t be so cheap with his long-distance calls.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about cheap,¡± Orson groaned. ¡°Our current business is totally pro bono, and quests are expensive. Hopefully, we¡¯ll all still have a need to eat once this is over. That¡¯s not even getting into how tough it is to move funds, with everything fragmented. If you¡¯ll need more than ten thousand dollars in Pacific Alliance money, this could take a lot longer.¡± ¡°It all depends what help you¡¯re looking for,¡± Cathy said. ¡°But we have time to figure that out. We¡¯re not working for ourselves this week, either. Everyone¡¯s going to be helping the Council with the flooding and the damage. This shit used to be once a century.¡± Cathy pressed her hand to the wall opposite the seated Aesir crew. It lit up, showing a view from outside. They coasted above the flow of floodwater, the new river that had formed in the valley and swallowed the road. The rushing water looked deep enough and fast enough to carry cars along in its wake. ¡°Oh,¡± Teddy gasped. ¡°This is worse than last year! Why does this keep happening?¡± ¡°The changing of seasons is dangerous now,¡± Cathy said. ¡°We want to get a climate satellite running, but so many of those didn¡¯t survive the last few years. The Inyo tribe has access to a Weather Service observatory. They say this is all climate change, but it stinks like the Hierarchia to me.¡± ¡°They really loved messing with shit,¡± Orson said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°Here we go,¡± Violet called back. ¡°The two paranoid nuts on the same road trip. This¡¯ll be fun.¡± ¡°My miserable view of the world is why I¡¯m not dead yet,¡± Orson laughed. ¡°And it¡¯s why we take your jobs,¡± Cathy said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t help some random asshat against the Liberty Corps. Not yet. We¡¯re not going against them until we have an agreement with the Pacific Alliance.¡± ¡°What agreement?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Can I talk about that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no secret what we want,¡± Cathy said. ¡°What we need.¡± She looked out at the rushing flood. The skimmer coasted away from the road, toward higher ground. They flew over mud instead of water. The hills had the texture of melting ice cream, as the ground oozed toward the deep water. ¡°This was our home for thousands of years,¡± Cathy said. ¡°And it will be ours again. We might agree to a fairly-elected federal government, maybe, but we won¡¯t be swallowed by another one of their states. We¡¯ll keep the Liberty Corps out for them. We¡¯re almost strong enough. More money, more ships, more weapons ¨C soon we¡¯ll be too entrenched. We learned more about the high desert than the United States, or their Hierarchia, or their Groom Lake dogs could ever learn in their bases or their mines. And Thunderworks showed us what a small force with better technology can do. The Pacific Alliance can have Vegas and Reno and the other colonial towns. The rest is ours.¡± Violet and David cheered in the front ¨C almost on cue, like this was a pep talk they¡¯d heard before. They knew their parts, how and when to respond. But Enoa thought she heard true happiness mingled with it, and joy, even relief. How would she feel if Nimauk had been a village only of her own people? There were too few, of course, far too few cultural Nimauk to make a true town. And she could not imagine her home without her friends and everyone who cared about her, most who shared none of her ancestry or culture. But it was impossible not to wonder. She realized then that this was the most contact she¡¯d had with other indigenous people since shutdown. She¡¯d gotten used to being the only one, to standing out, to standing alone. How fast she¡¯d forgotten. Her life on the road had made it normal. As comfortable as it was with Jaleel and Orson, everything about their lives was unique. Each in their own way, they all stood alone, three travelers who fit in best on the road. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mention Thunderworks in your negotiations,¡± Orson said. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You¡¯re the same way with your ship and your sword.¡± She opened a seat at the far wall and sat down. ¡°What do you say, Enoa Cloud? If this became a home for all of us, would you come here?¡± ¡°I, uh¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t ready to answer that. ¡°I¡¯ve never really thought about going anywhere or living somewhere but the home I already have. I miss it, a little bit. I grew up around hills and forests and lots of water¡­ water, that¡¯s supposed to be there. I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Your people are¡­¡± Cathy began. ¡°The Nimauk,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t know the Nimauk.¡± Cathy turned her helmet and absently began to scrape grime from its visor. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, Enoa. You¡¯ll have to tell me about your home. I¡¯ve never left my own country. Everything I know about other places I¡¯ve learned second-hand.¡± ¡°There were never many of us,¡± Enoa said. ¡°And we were never recognized by the United States. So I¡¯m not surprised you don¡¯t know. I think most of us were absorbed into other tribes. My ancestors stayed in the east, but it¡¯s not like here¡­ It¡¯s not a big community. A lot of the people I know with Nimauk ancestry, it¡¯s like how tons of Americans say they¡¯re Irish or they¡¯re Italian or something, but they¡¯re really not, are they? They¡¯re, like, standard Americans.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I feel personally attacked,¡± Orson chuckled. ¡°I want to restart my family business after the Liberty Corps destroyed it,¡± Enoa said. ¡°That¡¯s my home. I¡¯m the last Cloud. There¡¯s no one else to rebuild.¡± ¡°My uncle says that we all have two homes,¡± Cathy continued. ¡°The land we know best and the people we love most.¡± ¡°How is Chief Hawkins?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him more than twice since I went off on my own.¡± ¡°He was on the Council,¡± Cathy said. ¡°But only briefly. It¡¯s been difficult. Until the last year or so, there so were many groups who thought they had rights to the technology we¡¯ve claimed. It put us all at risk. But it¡¯s better. We¡¯re better enough to reach out to others, other tribes. We¡¯ll be strong here together.¡± She turned back to Enoa. ¡°Next month, if the weather improves,¡± she continued. ¡°We¡¯re having a celebration to begin welcoming new citizens. We have three hundred moving here. They were all displaced by Thunderworks attacks. It¡¯s finally safe for them here. Enoa, we¡¯d love to have you. We all should¡¯ve united five hundred years ago. Now, we have a second chance.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where we¡¯ll be.¡± Enoa imagined Nimauk, both people and place, armed well enough to fight off the Liberty Corps. She imagined her home, her shop whole again, a place she could remain, without learning about Shaping and without the Dreamside Road. ¡°I¡¯d like to go to your celebration. Thanks for inviting me.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Cathy smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Then she looked up at Orson, still on his feet. ¡°Do you know where you¡¯ll be?¡± ¡°That depends on the information we can get,¡± Orson said. ¡°I want to buy day-to-day reports on every Hierarchia base the Liberty Corps is using in the Rocky Mountains. Anywhere they¡¯ve got more than a hundred guys. That way no one will know where we¡¯re really looking. If any information gets out that I¡¯m digging, I don¡¯t want to tip them off.¡± ¡°That might cost you more than ten thousand,¡± Cathy said. ¡°The Liberty Corps has at least five locations in the region. There¡¯s a group we¡¯ve worked with before who can get you what you want, but it¡¯ll be pricy. I¡¯ll set up a meeting as soon as I can. Then I¡¯ll have more specifics.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Orson said. ¡°Thanks. And hey, if we manage what we¡¯re trying to do, you¡¯ll have an easier time with the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so secretive,¡± Cathy said. ¡°What is this? Theodore, what¡¯s he up to?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Teddy sat up. He rubbed at his eyes like he¡¯d been napping. ¡°Uh, my lips are sealed. I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°If we¡¯re lucky,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯ll just be one less thing for you to worry about.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cathy nodded. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you tell us? What would you keep to yourself?¡± Before Orson could do more than smile in response, a small chirping sounded at the front of the skimmer. Cathy stood. ¡°We¡¯re getting a call from Last Bough,¡± Violet called back. ¡°They have more trapped, ten on the roof of one of those hillside bunkers the preppers make out there.¡± ¡°They¡¯re calling us?¡± Cathy walked to the front of the skimmer. ¡°On purpose?¡± She sat behind Violet. ¡°Maybe we do have some friends over there. Show me.¡± ¡°They sound pretty desperate,¡± David said. ¡°Those hill houses must be crap, like we thought. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll check on them.¡± Cathy said. ¡°We¡¯ll write to the village that we can¡¯t take anyone aboard. We have a full load of passengers we rescued already, but we can wait with them and keep them safe until our Council sends another skimmer. Is that alright?¡± She looked back at the Aesir crew. ¡°We won¡¯t risk exposing you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine with that, aren¡¯t we?¡± Orson asked. Enoa nodded. ¡°April knows where I am, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°So no hurry with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything.¡± Jaleel shrugged. ¡°What kind of hill houses do these people have? Are they trying to do the Hobbit thing or¡­?¡± ¡°Hardly,¡± David laughed. ¡°Get their coordinates.¡± Cathy nodded too. ¡°Let¡¯s be good neighbors. And Captain Orson, please sit down. I don¡¯t want to scrub you off of my nice, clean walls. And I¡¯d also prefer not to explain our reckless driving or your untimely splattering to a murderous fire woman.¡± ¡°I really doubt this thing can go fast enough to shake the boot,¡± Orson took the seat she¡¯d vacated. ¡°But I¡¯ll be safe. You wouldn¡¯t collect the bounty on me, if I went splat? I¡¯m probably worth more dead than alive. And Sirona wouldn¡¯t go into doom-fire vengeance-mode if I do something stupid. I¡¯m sure she assumes I¡¯ll die in some moronic, messed-up way.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Cathy said. ¡°But she wouldn¡¯t take kindly to any bounty on you. And besides, you say you¡¯re good at not dying. Over the course of your whole career, I¡¯ll make more than a million Liberty Coin on you. Liberty Coin is shit anyway. Alright.¡± She pointed to the dash. ¡°Let¡¯s surprise them how fast we can get there. Davey, write back to Last Bough, and then send the Council a call for backup.¡± The skimmer accelerated far beyond what its minimal inertial cushion could absorb. Enoa felt her restraints tighten. On the wall monitor, above Orson¡¯s head, she saw the rain whip past the window. So many drops fell ¨C so fast, all reflecting the skimmer¡¯s lights, that the world outside looked like unintelligible abstract art. Enoa thought again about high technology skimmers guarding the hills into Nimauk, defending them the way Daniel Tucker believed he¡¯d done. She imagined holding the valley against the Liberty Corps, forcing independence from anything. How many would it take to stand against all of those weapons? She had no idea. None of them even knew what the Liberty Corps had, waiting in reserve. More giant ships? But Enoa could not shake the fantasy, and it stayed with her until the skimmer slowed again. ¡°Okay.¡± Cathy stood. ¡°I¡¯m going to let them know what the plan is, but be ready to get out of here.¡± ¡°Always,¡± Violet said. Cathy walked to the side hatch, helmet under one arm. She opened the door and shouted out into the wind. ¡°Hello! Your village called us. We¡¯re going to¡­¡± ¡°Robber!¡± A high voice screamed. ¡°Thief! Thief from the American people!¡± ¡°Freedom and might!¡± Enoa heard several voices now, almost at once. ¡°Liberty Corps forever!¡± Violet sent them flying away. Cathy shut the door without another word or another attempt at argument. She clung to a handle at the doorframe. Before they escaped, Enoa felt the drumming of bullets or other projectiles against the other side of the hull. Some of the strikes were strong enough to make the hull reverberate. Cathy held the doorframe until they slowed again. Then she silently returned to the front of the skimmer. She sat. ¡°You expected that, didn¡¯t you?¡± Orson asked. ¡°What is this? The Liberty Corps has a presence out here? We¡¯re right against the Pacific Alliance.¡± ¡°I was afraid that might be our welcome,¡± Cathy said. ¡°The Liberty Corps turned one of the local Hierarchia number stations into an AM radio channel. It¡¯s their propaganda machine, the only news some of the locals get. They¡¯re trying to stop Nevada from joining the Alliance and trying to build chapters in remote California settlements. They say that we¡¯re forcing out every non-native person, and how racist we are, and how we¡¯ll destroy their homes and every town and city we didn¡¯t build.¡± She removed her gloves. ¡°It¡¯s made our treaty with the Alliance harder to finish. It¡¯s made it dangerous to keep contact with our friends and allies in those communities. And it¡¯s made it much tougher to get supplies that we don¡¯t make ourselves. The more powerful we are, the worse it gets, but who believes this? The Liberty Corps that¡¯s openly taking over, versus us who just took back territory the government stole from us.¡± ¡°Divide and conquer,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s good for the Liberty Corps to have those people scared of you and dependent on them. We saw it back east, a whole town turned cult.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± Cathy asked. ¡°What do you think?¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°I fight people for a living.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t hurt anyone,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We just hit them with a stink bomb and ran away.¡± Cathy laughed. ¡°We¡¯re back over our territory. We¡¯ll be at Ted¡¯s soon.¡± Enoa watched the rain, watched it slow and change and freeze. She felt it too, felt the moisture in the sky solidify, felt the downpour of droplets each and all clench into ice. Rain mixed with sleet, mixed with snow, until all the precipitation became crisp, swirling flakes. Enoa had never felt such a change, transmutation on a mass scale. The sensation occupied her whole mind. She barely noticed the gasps from Teddy and the skimmer crew. ¡°Damn!¡± David yelled. ¡°Lotta folks are gonna need us this week.¡± ¡°Have we ever had snow this late in the year?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°Once a century seems to arrive every other week, these days,¡± Cathy said. ¡°It will be a long time before we understand how our world has changed. We have some salt and snow plows from our trade with the Denver Coalition. This won¡¯t last. It¡¯ll warm up.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Teddy said. ¡°If it snows like it was raining and it doesn¡¯t heat up, I¡¯ll have to cancel all of my deliveries.¡± He stood from his seat and walked to the monitor. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, man. What¡¯s going to happen to us if we have this kinda weather all the time.¡± ¡°The Aesir¡¯s never done a stealth pie delivery,¡± Orson said. ¡°First time for everything. We¡¯ll figure it out for you. Maybe this storm is widespread enough that your customers will expect delays.¡± ¡°If there are deliveries you can¡¯t make,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I won¡¯t let anything go to waste.¡± ¡°You can call me too!¡± David said. Enoa didn¡¯t have the heart to mention the quantity of moisture she still felt in the sky. The storm moved at a lumbering pace, slowly unburdening itself onto the desert below. She could not feel the size of the mass. It was too great, but she knew the storm¡¯s strength. When they arrived at Teddy¡¯s earthship, and Enoa stepped from the skimmer, the snow already rose well above the tips of her boots. Teddy backed the dune buggy down the ramp from the skimmer. He climbed out and pulled a comm from his jeans pocket. He typed out a message. ¡°I let April know we¡¯re back. Are you folks coming in for a minute? I¡¯m sure she wants to thank you.¡± ¡°You can thank us for her and make us one of those lemon pies you do.¡± Violet stepped back into the skimmer. ¡°We need to get moving,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Our Davey will be half-asleep by the time we¡¯re back, and if the cold doesn¡¯t break we¡¯ll all be working before dawn.¡± ¡°I had my coffee!¡± David yelled. ¡°Stop telling people I fall asleep on the job!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk soon,¡± Cathy laughed. ¡°As soon as we can. Oh, I almost forgot.¡± She turned back into the skimmer and returned with a small black box. ¡°Plug this into your system, Theodore. You¡¯ll have all of our protections. If you keep the messages short, it shouldn¡¯t be much pricier to use than Roger¡¯s system, and you won¡¯t have him yelling at you.¡± ¡°Pick your!¡± Teddy shuddered. ¡°Are you still upset about that?¡± Cathy asked. ¡°You got Roger to apologize. I don¡¯t know what more you could want.¡± ¡°I want peace from that sound,¡± Teddy said. ¡°It haunts me, in my dreams and in my waking life. Just hearing Roger¡¯s voice today brought it all back.¡± ¡°There you go,¡± Orson said. ¡°You got him started. Now your ship¡¯ll get buried in the snow and you¡¯ll be stuck here with us.¡± Teddy stooped down and grabbed a lump of snow. He tossed it into the side of Orson¡¯s coat. ¡°I spin an excellent yarn,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I didn¡¯t say your stories aren¡¯t good!¡± Orson said. ¡°Thanks for saving us back there, Cathy. If we were stuck in there with Roger¡¯s cartoon man, I would¡¯ve cut his whole little building apart. ¡± ¡°Are we going, or not?¡± Violet yelled. ¡°Right now!¡± Cathy replied. ¡°Jaleel, we¡¯ll send you the information about the repairs we need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to being the breadwinner for the team.¡± Jaleel smiled at Orson. ¡°Thanks!¡± With a wave, Cathy shut the skimmer¡¯s hatch. ¡°What a weird day, man,¡± Teddy brushed the snow from the hood of his dune buggy. ¡°And it was all for basically no reason.¡± He waved to the skimmer as it flew away. ¡°Now we¡¯re gonna let a bunch of snow in my new garage!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t for no reason,¡± Orson said. ¡°We took in the lay of the land out here and set the ground work for the heist. In a few weeks, we¡¯ll earn our bounties from the Liberty Corps.¡± 110 - The Daily Lie ¡°What do you think, Mr. Maros?¡± The lead technician assembled the tripod sensors on either side of Kol. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll perform a third deflection today?¡± The sensors emitted a low hum as they came alive, their spindly probing-arms reaching over his head. Kol did not respond. He never performed a third deflection. Only two, the first strong, the second hesitant ¨C that ended his testing quickly. Two deflections each day, then blood work, then back to the cell. Kol gave them nothing new, nothing more than his newfound consistency, just enough to save Max from further torture. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± That¡¯s what Kol always said ¨C if he said anything, on those occasions when the science team addressed his Shaping. It was another part of the role he played, another routine. Like the two deflection limit, it was a lie, his daily lie. And for a week, for seven days of testing, it had satisfied the scientists. ¡°I think today we¡¯ll push for a third.¡± Sir Geber joined them that day, following the team of technicians, quietly observing, until that moment. ¡°Won¡¯t we, Mr. Maros? You¡¯ve performed greater feats for me. You¡¯ll stretch yourself for my visit. You¡¯ve learned a great deal, but you¡¯ll learn more now that I can finally attend to you myself.¡± ¡°I will do what I can.¡± Kol inclined his head. As usual, he allowed the lab team to restrain him against the wall without any sign of resistance. ¡°Deference.¡± Geber smiled. ¡°Good. I¡¯m happy you¡¯re starting to realize how much worse your captivity could be. But despite your betrayal, we are nothing but humane with you. We are just, even to traitors. You see that, don¡¯t you, Mr. Maros?¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful,¡± Kol said. ¡°With work, I will meet the expectations of this testing.¡± Geber placed his helmet on his head. Immediately, its antennas began to move, swiveling in small, independent circles. ¡°Begin,¡± Geber said. The first projectile launched, without warning from Geber or the science team. Kol¡¯s shield was ready. He¡¯d expected faster testing with the knight present. The blue wall repelled the projectile and sent it tumbling back to the floor. Kol lowered his shield. He watched the scientists raise their notepads and datapads and begin typing or writing their notes. Another projectile fired at Kol. If he hadn¡¯t learned the subtle sounds and clicks from the launcher, the metal cylinder would have taken him in the collarbone, too fast to react. But Kol reflexively raised his shield again, only a foot from his face, intercepting the projectile, just in time. Kol left the shield up without any thought for his usual performance in the testing room. Three more projectiles struck the shield at random, without rhythm. Only when Kol heard new typing and the scratching of pen on paper did he lower the shield. ¡°See,¡± Geber said. ¡°Motivation. In the same way that adrenaline draws new strength from the body¡¯s muscles, so does proper motivation draw new strength from the mind.¡± Some of the technicians nodded in response. ¡°I believe our Mr. Maros has become a good deal stronger than he knows,¡± Geber continued. ¡°Or perhaps stronger than he¡¯s showing us. Is that right, Mr. Maros? Are you hiding your true capabilities? Are you going back to your cell each night, with energy to spare, taking advantage of our hospitality?¡± ¡°You caught me by surprise,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯ll feel it tomorrow.¡± ¡°I hope not,¡± Geber said. ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll be paying a visit to the Czar¡¯s own research project. I have a hunch that seeing brother Maxwell will offer the greatest motivation of all.¡± * * * Enoa crouched in the snow. She wore her boots and her cloak, but her hands were bare, and she buried them to her wrists in the crusted remains of the snowfall. The temperature rose each day, enough to turn ice to slush ¨C slush that froze overnight. Enoa found training in nature¡¯s transmutation. She reversed the melting, resisted the heat from the sun, worked to keep a single patch of ice a solid mass. Enoa took a break to warm her hands. She fully melted an area of slush behind her, holding her hands above the steaming transformation. Then she forced the air to refreeze, made new snow to flutter back toward the ground. She molded it, melted it, broke it down and refroze it. She tried to capture the exact texture of the icy crust, expand the mass she¡¯d protected for hours, working to freeze everything around her. From air to water to ice, finding the right consistency meant using her physical sense of touch, incorporating her real, waking senses into the mental sense she¡¯d honed in her earlier Shaping training. The reformed snow fluttered back the ground. It was perfect, fresh powder, soft and fluffy, nothing like the half-ice mass. Enoa tried again to solidify it, tried to congeal it all into that single icy block. But in another plume of steam, she found herself crouching on the ground in a puddle, all solidity gone. She groaned and stood. Then she released everything, all the remaining ice and slush, returning it all to nature¡¯s control. She stretched and found Orson and Teddy watching her, halfway between her and the earthship. They saw her notice them and started toward her. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, man,¡± Teddy said, as they came within earshot. The baker was bundled in a heavy coat, open to reveal his usual flannel. ¡°This time would be different. The market wasn¡¯t right for your memoir then, but this is more, uh, flexible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have it in me to do that again, now,¡± Orson said. ¡°Sorry Ted. It¡¯s nothing against anybody, I just¡­¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Hear me out,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I have two words for you, ¡®web serial¡¯. It¡¯ll have time to gather an audience on the New Net, the exploits of a real, living adventurer and his crew! It¡¯ll be awesome, man.¡± ¡°I appreciate¡­¡± Orson said. ¡°I appreciate the pitch. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± He nodded to Enoa. ¡°How¡¯s the training going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°I guess it¡¯s harder learning to do your own moves. I¡¯ve only done my own techniques a couple times. The things I¡¯m learning from Aunt Su¡¯s films are going a lot better. Even the staff training is pretty good. I trained for three hours this morning, before my arms were too tired to hold the staff.¡± ¡°I heard you out there hitting your training stuff in the garage,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You¡¯re pretty consistent with it. You don¡¯t even take breaks! April¡¯s a night owl, so I¡¯m used to being the only one awake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I bothered anyone!¡± Enoa said. ¡°I thought the thick door into the rest of the house probably hid the sound.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I have strong ears! And you only start training after Orson¡¯s already finished his stuff.¡± ¡°After?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t I ever see you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m up usually five or six,¡± Orson said. ¡°I do enough to tire myself out, and I¡¯m done by seven, before I hear you moving around.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still awake at seven in the morning?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°I just don¡¯t sleep well anymore. Oh, we heard from Eloise. That¡¯s why I came out here. She thinks Helmont¡¯s probe will be back in Littlefield today.¡± ¡°Is she still going after it with her brothers?¡± Enoa followed them back toward the earthship. ¡°She is, from the sound of it,¡± Orson said. ¡°She said something about keeping its head and sending the rest to Pops.¡± ¡°That¡¯s freaky,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want a robot head. I¡¯d be afraid it was peeking at me, man. I don¡¯t like being watched. I don¡¯t even trust your helmet thing or your keys, after the times we had with them.¡± ¡°With what Thunderworks did,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m okay with that automaton seeing the guy who lopped it apart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s messed up, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Wait, the Aesir¡¯s keys?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Orson said. ¡°But the body is from a prosthetic eye. This guy had lots of robot eyes, and he could see out of all of them.¡± ¡°He was like the beast with a thousand eyes!¡± Teddy said. ¡°He used to spy on us,¡± Orson said. ¡°He stalked us for the better part of a year. I eventually caught and mostly destroyed that one and used its body for my key ring.¡± ¡°He got it with the shoe-hand technique,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Now it¡¯s part of his keys.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making this up.¡± Enoa slipped on the ice. Orson reached out to her, but she found her footing. ¡°Thanks. My legs are weaker than I thought. I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Orson stopped walked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Her legs wobbled like they didn¡¯t want to hold her, like they used to when she was new to Shaping and could only maintain limited exertions. But she forced herself to walk. ¡°I was out here most of the day.¡± The sun had begun to fall toward the horizon, the flat distance. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Orson waited for her to walk ahead and followed after her. ¡°The shoe-hand technique is Teddy¡¯s name for it. It¡¯s when you put a shoe on your hand to kill a dangerous bug or something. You have a wasp in your house¡­¡± ¡°Then you give it a smack with the shoe-hand technique,¡± Teddy finished. ¡°I usually just catch the wasp,¡± Enoa said. ¡°And put it outside.¡± ¡°Well, now I feel like a real jerk.¡± Teddy held the earthship door open for them. She and Orson stepped inside, drying their feet on the mat. ¡°But I have a phobia of being stabbed, and it makes me really mean.¡± Enoa let Orson and Teddy walk ahead while she stretched her legs. Then she walked from the entryway down the long passage into the earth. Jaleel, Dr. Stan, and April were already in the living room, gathered around the spare laptop, with the Shoshone transmission box connected. ¡°They¡¯re back,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Go ahead, Eloise.¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing this.¡± Eloise spoke from the laptop. ¡°The Liberty Corps probe always comes through Littlefield when they do their sweeps of Route Sixty-six. It flew over Halfpoint ten minutes ago, and it should be here some time in the next three hours.¡± ¡°If the Alliance hasn¡¯t shot at it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t the best idea to pick a fight with it.¡± Enoa stepped into view of the camera and waved. ¡°Orson, you sound like Pops.¡± Eloise waved back. ¡°You¡¯re both such hypocrites. No one takes more risks than the two of you, but when someone else does anything, then it¡¯s ¡®well, you need to be safe, this might not be a good idea¡¯.¡± ¡°Pops is like that sometimes,¡± Orson said. ¡°But this is different. I know what it¡¯s like to have the Liberty Corps gunning for you all the time. Putting a bounty on me. You don¡¯t want that. You¡¯re getting married in six or seven months.¡± ¡°And they won¡¯t be gunning for me already if they take over?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°No, I have to do this. If I¡¯m right, and that thing comes by, Alec and I will teach them a lesson.¡± * * * ¡°Won¡¯t it be good to see brother Maxwell again?¡± Sir Geber personally escorted Kol back through the testing level. They walked, giving Kol a rare look at the other experiments being performed. Kol snuck glances through testing room windows at other subjects. He saw a woman vomiting indigo liquid that burst into flame on contact with the floor. He saw two young children floating, limbs flailing as if attempting to swim through the air, their eyes wide. He saw a man, mouth agape, his wails silenced by the soundproof walls. The man clutched the top of his head, a crown of pale white growths visible between his fingers. ¡°Keep moving!¡± The sergeant who led Kol¡¯s usual quartet of guards raised his electrified lance. The other guards stood at the ready. ¡°His curiosity is useful for us.¡± Geber no longer wore his armor, only his white dress uniform ¨C no gloves. He reached for Kol¡¯s shoulder, moving enough to expose the Racz family watch on his wrist. ¡°Yes, I am looking forward to tomorrow¡¯s visit. Maxwell is such a well-spoken man.¡± His grip wasn¡¯t tight, and Kol did not resist. ¡°And it is a notable opportunity in other ways,¡± Geber continued. ¡°The Czar¡¯s team are not typically inclined to share their subjects. It is a great favor to me and to the Baron¡¯s operation that this is happening. The Lost Park team thinks it¡¯s a high-risk operation, but I know better. We will learn more from you together than apart. And you won¡¯t try anything, not with his well-being in danger, will you, Mr. Maros?¡± ¡°I will not endanger him,¡± Kol said. Geber watched him, locked gazes with him, like he could see the contents of Kol¡¯s mind written there. ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Geber tightened his grip. Kol felt numbness spread, released from the knight¡¯s touch, race from his bicep down to the tips of his fingers. ¡°Too much is at stake.¡± Geber released him and warmth spread down his arm. ¡°You can take him the rest of the way, Sergeant.¡± Geber pulled his arm back, again drawing Kol¡¯s eye to Duncan¡¯s watch. Then the knight turned and walked back down the passage. The guards were rougher with Kol, two seizing him, one with his lance at the small of Kol¡¯s back. The sergeant barked commands and stopped only to open Kol¡¯s cell door. Kol tried to hide his relief. When they finally reached his cell, it came time for the last part of his daily Shaping routine. It was his research, his training, his final secret from Geber and from Helmont. After the guards took him to his cell, but before the door closed, Kol found the door¡¯s lock in his mind. He made another energy field, but this projection was not a shield. This was not meant to protect him. He made this new field to fit against the door, to move with it, to fit between the door and its locking mechanism. When the door slid shut, Kol kept his eyes on the red light above the door lock. Kol bent the energy field with his will, moving it, altering it. One day, Kol believed, in his unfounded hope, he would find the lock¡¯s sweet spot. He would find a place where he could fit his Shaping projection between door and lock, but the door would not know. The door lock¡¯s light would show green, would think itself sealed, and it would be wrong. On that day, Kol could leave his cell. But not yet. The door lock¡¯s light glowed softly red. Kol could not risk the discovery of his mental doorjamb. He gave up on his Shaping and let the projection fade away. The door locked. Its light turned green. Kol spent the remainder of his night staring at the green light, trying not to think about his brother. 111 - Redhead Enoa watched Sucora Cloud wield the staff. She watched the way her aunt gripped the weapon, the way she shifted the metal between her fingers. She watched the way Sucora changed her grip as the staff moved, and where the staff¡¯s weight balanced in her hands. Sucora Cloud, as in all the films, stood in the hidden room beneath their home. This time she¡¯d moved the desk out of the way, giving herself the whole front of the room for practice. Similarly, Teddy had cleared a wide area beside the Aesir¡¯s garage parking spot, just for Enoa¡¯s daily staff training. Enoa imitated Sucora¡¯s motions. She focused on the complex patterns Sucora demonstrated. ¡°Eventually,¡± Sucora said. ¡°You¡¯ll feel the motion of air inside the staff, and you can use that to guide your movements. For now, let¡¯s concentrate on developing some good habits. The staff is a basic weapon, but my design will allow you to use it for advanced Shaping techniques. Once we begin studying extreme changes in temperature, you¡¯ll be grateful for your staff training.¡± Enoa had been listening to the recording all week. She¡¯d memorized some passages, but she didn¡¯t skip ahead. ¡°Once you have this foundation,¡± Sucora said. ¡°We¡¯ll move on to the genuinely dangerous techniques.¡± She brought the staff through a flourish, a one-handed spin that ended with the staff planted vertically in front of her. ¡°I want you to have this foundation before you learn anything really dangerous,¡± Enoa said, before Sucora¡¯s recording could say it. ¡°I want you to have this foundation.¡± Sucora retrieved a bucket of water from out of view. ¡°Before you learn anything really dangerous.¡± Then she brought the staff through another broad flourish. The water sprang from the bucket. In a hiss and a rush of steam, the water solidified into ice, forming a freestanding wall in the room¡¯s center, temporarily blocking Sucora from the camera¡¯s view. Sucora walked around the wall of ice. With a single strike from the staff, she shattered it. Before the broken wall could fall to the floor, Sucora struck it again. It thawed, transmutation in fast-forward. In another expansive gesture from the staff, she returned the water to the bucket. ¡°But we¡¯re not there yet,¡± Sucora said. ¡°I¡¯m going to repeat more patterns for the rest of this film. That will give you a good chance to imitate them.¡± Enoa positioned herself in her ready stance, but stopped when the Aesir¡¯s door opened. ¡°You¡¯re still waiting for that thing?¡± Orson exited the ship, apparently mid conversation. He held Teddy¡¯s laptop and the Shoshone transmission box. Jaleel followed after him. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting a whole day. Did you even sleep? Neither of you would be in any shape to fight.¡± ¡°Maybe you New Englanders need your beauty sleep!¡± Alec Corwin¡¯s voice came from the laptop. ¡°But that thing won¡¯t catch us napping. When it comes here, we¡¯ll get it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you two have work or something?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I have some time off,¡± Eloise said. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be planning the wedding. It¡¯s fine. That Liberty Corps probe will be here. I can feel it.¡± ¡°I thought we made our message loud and clear when we beat Sloan,¡± Alec said. ¡°They¡¯re only there looking for us,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯d send their probes anywhere for the Dreamside Road. I don¡¯t get why this is such a personal thing for you.¡± ¡°Because Orson,¡± Eloise said. ¡°It¡¯s been like this for my whole life. Kappa took over half our town until we got rid of him, but that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Then we had all those lunatics trying to steal Kappa¡¯s research. Or the Hierarchia trying to sue us to take it! Or the Thunderworks flyby. Or Sloan. And now this. I¡¯m done!¡± ¡°Everywhere¡¯s like that now!¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s really rough, but the probe¡¯s only there looking for the Aesir crew. Just like Sloan would have waited a while before coming after you, if I wasn¡¯t there. These are real problems, but the recent stuff, I¡¯ve caused a lot of that for you.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t the probe,¡± Eloise said. ¡°It¡¯d be something else. I¡¯ll call you when this is over. Bye, Orson. Bye, Jaleel.¡± The line went dead with a beep. Orson groaned and set the computer down on the garage floor. ¡°You¡¯re both awake early.¡± Enoa collapsed the staff. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m celebrating!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Finally! Now I don¡¯t have to listen to jokes about being the kid or being the junior member or whatever.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°No one says that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s his birthday,¡± Orson said. ¡°Oh!¡± Enoa remembered him mentioning his birthday ¨C back before they¡¯d set out as a crew, but that seemed half a year ago. ¡°Happy Birthday! I think you talked about that. Now, we¡¯re both twenty.¡± ¡°I definitely talked about it,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°This is a big deal for the whole crew. Before we had a three decade thing going on. Orson¡¯s thirty. You¡¯re twenty. I was nineteen, but now we¡¯re both in our twenties, and Orson¡¯s the old man.¡± ¡°Well, hooray for that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Anyway, Teddy¡¯s doing his family recipe birthday cake for the occasion ¨C mayonnaise chocolate.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It sounds terrible,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Just really, really gnarly, but Orson says it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I love it,¡± Orson said. ¡°There¡¯ll be more for me if you don¡¯t like it. Anyway, Jaleel is going to help Teddy decide today¡¯s menu and I¡¯m¡­ awake. So I guess we¡¯ll all go hang out with Ted while he¡¯s working. We need to figure out what we¡¯re doing with his deliveries.¡± The laptop chimed, a small cartoonish sound. ¡°Ugh, what is it now?¡± Orson leaned down to the laptop. ¡°Hey, we heard back from Cathy. Looks like a recorded message.¡± He pressed a button on the keyboard. ¡°Hi Aesir crew,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Good news, bad news. I reached out to the Tech Liberation Front. They¡¯re passing close to our territory on Friday. They¡¯re skirting around Liberty Corps occupied land, to go for their Denver run. Better, they can get you what you need. I know these guys. We¡¯ve dealt with them before. They¡¯re shady, but the right kind of shady.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the thing,¡± Cathy continued. ¡°They want eight-thousand Pacific Alliance dollars for intelligence on the five operational Hierarchia bases currently in use by the Liberty Corps. With our finder¡¯s fee, that means you¡¯ll need fourteen-thousand, total, due when we meet on Friday.¡± * * * A full squad of guards escorted Kol and Sir Geber to the Czar¡¯s research wing and to the testing site that held Max. The knight pressed his hand to Kol¡¯s forearm before they entered the room, numbing the limb from Kol¡¯s shoulder to his fingers. Electric shocks raced further, down his spine. ¡°I¡¯ve cooperated with you.¡± Kol allowed Geber to guide him into the laboratory. ¡°There is no reason to threaten me.¡± But then Kol saw the reason. Kol saw the mass of bruises on Max Maros¡¯s face. Welts the size of plums covered his hollow cheeks and peeked around the collar of his black prisoner tunic. One of his eyes was swollen shut. He looked pale, and they¡¯d shaved his head. Max sat alone, facing the research projectile launcher, facing the source of his wounds. ¡°Kol.¡± Max met Kol¡¯s gaze with his open eye. When he spoke, Kol saw that his brother had lost the end of one of his front teeth. Max was not seated in his wheelchair. Instead, he¡¯d been strapped to the top of a black, wheeled cart, bound in place, sitting upright. ¡°Give them nothing, Kol.¡± His speech was slurred, his voice weak, a hoarse whisper. ¡°Whatever they want, don¡¯t do it. I have given them nothing. Do nothing to defend me.¡± Kol tensed, but before he could speak or act, the numbness spread across his back and up his face, choking the words in his throat. ¡°Your brother is much more cooperative than you are, Maxwell.¡± Sir Geber released his arm. Warmth and feeling spread back through Kol¡¯s body. ¡°I think he is very afraid for you. He would be more afraid if he knew how you resist us.¡± ¡°If I help you,¡± Kol said. ¡°His testing stops now. While he is part of my experiments, the Czar¡¯s work ends.¡± ¡°No.¡± Geber motioned to the assembled lab techs to enter. ¡°Fire on Maxwell.¡± The projectile technician didn¡¯t hesitate. He fired. Kol formed a wall in the center of the room. The projectile bounced aside. He left the Shaping in place. Kol watched the projectile tech. The man kept his eyes straight ahead, hands on the firing controls. The rest of Kol¡¯s usual techs entered the room. They hastily began assembling their sensors. The devices¡¯ probing arms reached toward Kol¡¯s wall, even as the scientists still assembled the sensors¡¯ tripod legs. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can really do this,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Corporal, be unpredictable. Fire at will.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the projectile tech said. ¡°Kol,¡± Max said. ¡°Do not help them for me. Do not. This doesn¡¯t help me.¡± Kol didn¡¯t look at his brother. He couldn¡¯t. ¡°They will kill us, no matter what. Don¡¯t help them.¡± The muscle in his mind that could summon his shield wavered, lost its grip. The blue projection flickered, like static on an old analog television. The lab techs adjusted their sensors, the probing arms reaching almost against Kol¡¯s shield. ¡°Are you tiring or are Maxwell¡¯s words affecting you?¡± Geber waved to the projectile tech. The man fired several times. Kol¡¯s wall held against all projectiles. ¡°Enough,¡± Geber said. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now.¡± He clenched his fist. Kol¡¯s body went numb, a sensation so sudden it was like he¡¯d been winded. He couldn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He fell, limp, toppling toward the floor. Hands caught him from behind and pulled him back out of the room. ¡°See what honesty gets you?¡± Geber cycled the lab¡¯s door closed as he left the room. ¡°You will continue to see him if you continue to cooperate. It¡¯s not unreasonable.¡± He opened his fist and strength returned to Kol¡¯s body. ¡°I want to talk to him,¡± Kol said. ¡°I want to speak to him in private, without any of you or your tests.¡± ¡°No,¡± Geber said. ¡°You won¡¯t see him in private. But if you behave in tomorrow¡¯s testing, maybe I¡¯ll allow you time to catch up.¡± * * * ¡°I know we gave Orson shit.¡± Alec Corwin stood from his folding chair. ¡°But I do need to get out of here.¡± They sat in Kappa¡¯s Eye, a small garage built into hillside to the south of Route 66. From the outside, the aboveground portion of the Eye looked like a broken hovel, splintered wood and dirty, opaque windows. But inside, it had room enough for two vehicles to park, as well as electricity, running water, plumbing, and a camp stove. A monitor hung along the far wall. It displayed the view from a telescoping camera feed of the road, a quarter-mile away. This was the Eye¡¯s purpose, to watch that segment of the Mother Road and the fork into Littlefield. The road was empty that morning. The low, scrub grasses were still stunted from the unseasonable cold. ¡°Why would you leave now?¡± Eloise watched her brother roll up his sleeping bag in the back of his truck. ¡°It¡¯ll be here.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Alec shrugged. ¡°But Pedro will be here too. He¡¯s supposed to come by at noon, right? He¡¯s a good shot. I have my meeting with the ecology survey.¡± ¡°The Alliance can wait.¡± Eloise stood from her own camp chair and stepped between her brother and the truck¡¯s cab. ¡°What if you leave and you give us away.¡± ¡°They can wait,¡± Alec said. ¡°But Dad can¡¯t, or did you tell him what we¡¯re doing out here? And how would I give us away? I think you¡¯re giving this thing too much credit.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Eloise began. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Dad about this once we know what¡¯s up.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll tell him afterward so he doesn¡¯t worry,¡± Alec said. ¡°But what¡¯s he gonna think with both of us gone over twenty-four hours? What¡¯s Carlos gonna think?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t be worried, if you don¡¯t scare him!¡± Eloise said. ¡°Carlos knows we have a lot going on with the Alliance here.¡± ¡°Carlos will be worried, no matter what.¡± Alec shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re marrying a normal guy, Eloise. He¡¯s not a freak like your friends. One of us needs to go back home to keep everything calm.¡± Eloise imagined Carlos, alone and afraid ¨C her father, alone and afraid. Worse still, she imagined them together and afraid. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°But tell Pedro to come off-road.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Eloise stopped fighting him, and she watched the wide expanse of highway while he gathered the rest of his things. She downed her third cup of coffee. It had been a long night, curled up with the thermal heaters, eating only the ration packs they kept stored in the Eye. They even slept in shifts, waiting for the Liberty Corps drone. ¡°Will you be back tonight?¡± Eloise kissed him on the cheek. ¡°No,¡± Alec laughed. ¡°And you¡¯d better leave when Pedro¡¯s turn ends. If that thing isn¡¯t here by then¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± He stepped up into his truck. Eloise triggered the garage door¡¯s open switch. The back, gray wall of the hideaway slid aside, revealing a ramp out to the open hillside. She watched Alec drive into the afternoon sun. Then she shut the door again. Eloise turned back to the telescopic view. She waited for Alec¡¯s truck to reappear on the road, after he followed the game trail far away from the Eye, winding down the incline. But before Alec reappeared, the telescope zoomed in on another moving object. It was shaped like an egg, and it flew low over the desert. The probe had appeared. It flew directly at the hideaway, at the Eye, at her. Eloise didn¡¯t wait to question its intentions, how it had found them, where it came from. She triggered the door again. She collected her omnishell rifle, checked the charge of her truck¡¯s portable shield, and jumped inside. The trucks she and her brothers drove were jury-rigged, cobbled together half-a-decade earlier, with special features to help in case of a desperate struggle against the automatons of Thunderworks. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Eloise clipped her comm to her jacket collar. ¡°Alec, it¡¯s here. It¡¯s here now!¡± She started her truck on stored solar power alone. It came to life, almost silent. Then she guided it out of the Eye and into the unseasonably crisp day and into the sunlight. She kept her dashboard radar in her peripheral vision. The dash sensors saw the probe. It didn¡¯t hide from her. ¡°Get out of there!¡± Alec yelled. ¡°It had to be watching us!¡± ¡°Too late.¡± Eloise saw the probe with her naked eye, when it hovered low over the top of Kappa¡¯s Eye. ¡°It¡¯s already here.¡± The probe halted, only yards from her truck. It floated, silent in the air. Eloise removed the concussion pack from her rifle and swapped it with one of the few remaining plasma sets she¡¯d taken from the League of Nations Mojave field office before it fell. The pack clicked into place. Eloise adjusted the truck, eased it sideways, until she had a clear line of sight through the open window. Her truck shield was set. Her target was in sight. Her weapon was loaded and aimed. She fired. Two bright green bursts of light left the rifle¡¯s barrel and struck the skin of the floating egg. The light was bright enough from the collision to block the probe from sight. Eloise looked down at the dash, at her radar. The probe¡¯s red ¡®enemy signature¡¯ dot stayed right where it was. Eloise looked back at the egg. She still saw the green projectile blasts, still free-floating, bizarre lamps, a will-o¡¯-the-wisp. The glowing orbs floated around the egg, like space junk caught in a planet¡¯s orbit. The thin tip of the egg began to glow a dull red. ¡°Oh shit.¡± Eloise put the truck in reverse, but the probe acted. The green blasts circled the egg a last time. Like a boomerang, they flew straight at her, too fast for her to veer aside or dodge the rebounded attack. The truck¡¯s shields responded. They caught the strike, but the force of the blow knocked Eloise back in her seat. Then the engine died. It whined. It spluttered. It was gone ¨C gone with the shield and with the sensors. Eloise heard Alec yell something. He was close enough to see it then, but she couldn¡¯t focus on his words. The probe bore down on her. She lowered the comm volume and dove from the truck. She landed on the dirt, feet away from the nearest bush that might hide her from the machine. How had it caught the plasma fire? She¡¯d never even heard of something like that. Eloise crawled away, on her side, omnishell rifle ¨C whatever it was worth ¨C still clutched in her right hand. The probe adjusted course. It flew at her. She was close enough to see a little hatch open on the underside of the egg, see spindly mechanical arms reach out of the machine, bringing with them a small black box. ¡°This is Liberty Corps Baron R.K. Helmont,¡± the box said. ¡°I speak to you with a statement of law and of consequence. The outlaw captain, Orson Gregory, and his crew have robbed the Liberty Corps. They have killed my troops. They will forfeit their stolen goods. They will be punished. To reach them, there is no treaty that will protect them. There is no foreign sovereignty to protect them, or you, if you oppose our law and our justice. There will be no safety for you if you help the Aesir crew or oppose the Liberty Corps.¡± The probe came closer, stretching out its arms and the black recording device. Eloise crawled away, dragging her arms along the hard ground. She eyed the hole in the probe, an opening inside, maybe somewhere that the egg¡¯s unique protections couldn¡¯t save it. The probe floated toward her. Eloise knew the brush would offer her no cover from the machine, whatever it planned. She raised her rifle toward the recording device, and the arms, and the open door. A rocket struck the probe and exploded against it, sending the machine toppling down to the earth. The blast of noise and light left Eloise¡¯s ears ringing and stamped a purple afterimage across her eyes. She didn¡¯t see the probe rise, didn¡¯t see it fire its own weapon, but her ears cleared enough to hear the approaching truck, hear more rocketfire, hear a deep thrum she did not recognize. She heard an explosion from the direction of what could only be Alec¡¯s truck. Eloise fought to clear her vision too. She saw the smoking truck and the probe bearing down on it. The thing was hurt from the first rocket and it hung to the side, exposing its open belly door and its internal arms still clutching the recording device. Eloise raised her rifle and fired. She didn¡¯t hit the opening dead on, but she hit something. Whatever field it had used to protect itself from her earlier shots didn¡¯t work. Fire blossomed from the open bottom of the probe. She saw the black recording box go flying. Smoke followed it, great plumes of smoke, like the thing was a rocket fighting to take off. The probe wheeled around toward her. The tip of the egg glowed again and the dull red intensified to a burning light she couldn¡¯t look at. A beam of energy burned from the top of the probe. The low thrum came with it. Both burned at her. She threw herself aside. Its aim was poor and the beam swung past her, but she felt the heat from the energy. When the beam stopped, Eloise ran. She didn¡¯t run back to her truck or rush to what remained of her brother¡¯s. She didn¡¯t run away. Eloise sprinted at the probe. She ran close to it, to the still-smoking hole beneath its belly. She saw the reddish light again, but she was too close. She looked up through the smoke. A word was written on the probe¡¯s underside, ¡°Redhead¡±. She raised her rifle to fire again into the Redhead¡¯s opening, but it flew away. The probe flew straight up, above her. Eloise tracked it with the rifle¡¯s rangefinder. The finder told her when it stopped ascending and tracked its movements. The Redhead adjusted its position until in hovered in the sky, many feet above her. Directly above her. Eloise ran before the thing dropped. Her legs wobbled, but she dived to the dirt and rolled away before the probe fell back to the ground. The Redhead made the earth shake when it crashed, where it would have flattened her if she hadn¡¯t moved. Eloise turned toward the Redhead. It wobbled on its base, like an egg beginning to hatch. It shook as it turned back toward her. She sprinted at it again, ran too close for its energy weapon to strike her. She reached its metal skin just as the glow emanated from the top of the egg. It could have other weapons she had not seen. It could even roll at her. But she didn¡¯t stand a chance at a distance, not against its beam weapon. When the glow faded, Eloise got ready to run. But the Redhead rocketed up into the sky for the second time. Eloise felt the rush of air from whatever repulsor or force let the hunk of metal fly. The probe¡¯s vulnerable underside had been damaged by one of its falls. The doorway she¡¯d shot had tried to close, but she saw the metal panel was too misshapen to fit back into place. One of its manipulating arms, broken, fell out of the open doorway. Eloise aimed at the broken door and fired her rifle. She emptied the plasma set into the bottom of the machine before the probe reached the top of its arc. The Redhead fell a third time, flame gushing from the broken doorway. It dropped like a stone. She jumped aside and crouched down. She covered her head, gripped her hands behind her neck, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The egg exploded this time, as it struck the ground. It burst in a blast of light. The blast threw her. Eloise slammed down to earth, and the ground was harder than her bones. Her bones had never been as strong as they should have been. Even after all those years and the thousands of dollars in treatments, she¡¯d never fully recovered from Kappa¡¯s poisons. Eloise felt something break in her chest, something in her left leg, something in the right hand that still clutched her rifle. She didn¡¯t want to know where else she¡¯d broken, but she wanted to see Alec and she wanted to see that the job was done. She saw nothing from where she had landed, and her body would not move to reposition her. She heard nothing from her brother or their attacker either, nothing but the message from the recording device. The message looped, repeating itself. ¡°There will be no safety for you if you help the Aesir crew or oppose the Liberty Corps.¡± 112 - Wayfarer Gangs Old and New, Unite ¡°I can start the funds transfer right away.¡± Orson followed Teddy from the pantry into the kitchen. It was a spacious room, with warm yellow lights set between cupboards, and radiant heated tiles in the floor. ¡°Even with all the third party accounts, I should be able to set everything straight by the weekend.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain all this to me, man.¡± Teddy forced hairnets over his beard and onto the top of his head. ¡°It¡¯s been years since I aided in the never-ending struggle against tyranny! I¡¯d gladly just give you the money.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already doing way too much for us.¡± Orson watched his friend adjust temperature controls on his hotrod-red deck oven. ¡°Once we¡¯ve got the information from Cathy¡¯s contacts, we should stop dragging you into any of this.¡± ¡°Like I said¡­¡± Teddy trailed off. He stepped aside to let both of his gray tiger cats race through the kitchen. ¡°Come on Frodo! Samwise!¡± The two cats came to a stop at the foot of a series of kitchen cabinets. ¡°They¡¯re gonna hurt themselves running through here.¡± ¡°Looks like they want something.¡± Orson heard a familiar chattering sound hurtling toward his head. Wesley flew past him and glided up to the top of Teddy¡¯s cupboards, above the cats. Wesley landed between a large rack of decoratively-arranged cast-iron pans and a small transparent container of cat snacks. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s time for a treat,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Wesley?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we were letting you out of the garage.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen him do this before?¡± Teddy walked to his fridge, red to match the oven. ¡°He can work the cat treat feeder. Come on, little spikey bat. Show us your trick!¡± Wesley pressed his feet down at the plastic box and sent dark pellets falling to the floor. Both cats stood at the stream of treats and gobbled them up as they fell. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t empty the pack.¡± Teddy waved at Wesley until the aeropine released the feeder. Then Teddy pulled a grape from a tray in his fridge and tossed it up to Wesley. Satisfied, the aeropine led the cats from the room, all three crooning. ¡°I gotta remember to close the doors.¡± Teddy chortled. ¡°Wesley could drop something in my cooking, man.¡± ¡°I thought we were worried about him with your cats.¡± Orson followed after the pets and shut the door on the other side of the room. ¡°When did you start letting them together?¡± ¡°They kept sitting on either side of the garage door, like, serenading each other,¡± Teddy said. ¡°So Jaleel and I got April¡¯s permission to do a little playdate. I figured if April thought it was okay then we were probably fine. You just miss them together because Wesley flies around in the morning when you¡¯re actually asleep.¡± ¡°We have a whole animal act going.¡± Orson said. April hurried into the room through the other open door, followed by the rest of the Aesir crew. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± April said. ¡°We have to watch them all the time. I didn¡¯t realize they¡¯d run away.¡± ¡°Teddy,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m thinking the tater tot casserole. That¡¯s the one I want.¡± ¡°Excellent choice, my dude.¡± Teddy nodded. ¡°I always have fun imitating recipe¡¯s from other cooks. I accept the Mom¡¯s Cooking Challenge!¡± He fit his apron over his head and tied it behind his back. ¡°What else is new?¡± ¡°Dr. Stan¡¯s been looking at my work on the Great Salt Lake water survey,¡± April said. ¡°We have a little overlap in our research.¡± ¡°I did a condensation experiment for the city of Albuquerque,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Just after the shutdown. They didn¡¯t have the infrastructure to implement their plan, but it was very interesting.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all doing rain work,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Enoa has her Shaping. And some of that Hierarchia stuff Cathy wanted me to look at was about a machine to take water out of the air ¨C straight up Star Wars vaporator stuff.¡± ¡°Whatever that means,¡± Orson said. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Not great,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The Hierarchia stole this machine from its inventor, but they didn¡¯t want to use it to catch water for people to drink. They thought they could make it into a weapon where condensation forms on particle shields, like all over them, and the temperature changes overload them. Destroy energy shields just with water.¡± ¡°You guys can sit down if you¡¯re staying here,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need some space to move around.¡± April motioned them to the long kitchen table on the far side of the room. They pulled out chairs and sat around the table. Orson joined them. He sat between April and Enoa. ¡°The IHSA wanted to weaponize everything,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Who invented this machine you¡¯re looking at, Jaleel?¡± ¡°Still redacted,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to find out, but most of what Cathy gave me is all blacked out. I might do better if I could read everything. I¡¯m hoping she has some of this information and just didn¡¯t give it to me.¡± ¡°I can ask her at the meeting Friday,¡± Orson nodded. ¡°What do you think, Enoa? Could your Aunt Sucora destroy a shield with water?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Enoa answered. ¡°I really¡­ I just don¡¯t know what she could do. It makes me want to just binge all her films and see how far she goes, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be discouraged.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be discouraged!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Look at everything you¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she said. ¡°Jaleel,¡± Teddy interrupted. ¡°I got a recipe for your Memphis-style seasoning. I only visited Memphis the one time, so I want to talk about the recipe before I start on the ribs, okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gonna be great, Ted,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if my mom¡¯s recipe was actually, uh, Memphis-authentic. Just do something that you can do for whatever you¡¯re making for Enoa, so it¡¯s not too much work.¡± ¡°Or I can eat what I have on the Aesir,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to screw up Jaleel¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Enoa,¡± April said. ¡°I¡¯m curious. Is your veganism something common in the Nimauk community?¡± ¡°Well, Aunt Sucora wasn¡¯t vegan.¡± Enoa shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just the way that I, uh, look at our beliefs or the way I have the last few years. The Nimauk believe that we are part of the world. We don¡¯t believe we¡¯re separate from nature, I guess you could say. I feel like I should be that way, honor the world that lets me live. If I don¡¯t have relationships with the animals who provide my food, then I¡¯m not going to have that food. So, I¡¯m vegan.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Teddy said. ¡°If you put that all in a book, there are so many new age stores that would sell it. You¡¯d be a full on guru.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ Like I said before, I don¡¯t want any special work done for me. Just make the one thing for everyone else.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re an awesome opportunity for me.¡± Teddy laughed a deep ¡®heh, heh¡¯. ¡°I can make two versions of everything, see how well I can copy recipes. You might be too noble about your religion to market it, but I¡¯ll market any food you like. And vegan¡¯s a market that¡¯s hard to crack.¡± He laughed again. ¡°Speaking of imitating other food,¡± Orson said. ¡°How¡¯s the hydroponics going? You¡¯ve been at it a couple years now, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it, man.¡± Teddy shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s all wrong. Everything¡¯s limp! It¡¯s like zombie produce. Limp spinach, mushy beets, mushy strawberries. Have you ever eaten mushy fruit? I¡¯ve failed these plants.¡± ¡°They just aren¡¯t as firm as you¡¯re used to,¡± April said. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. When I¡¯m done with my work for the Salt Lake water survey, I¡¯ll help you with the farm.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Aww, Honey Bun,¡± Teddy said. ¡°But you¡¯re so busy.¡± ¡°We already agreed to look at that syrup for Orson,¡± April said. ¡°I want to work on something with you.¡± ¡°April,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°You¡¯re a cook, as well?¡± ¡°Not like Teddy,¡± April said. ¡°But we met through cooking. I was doing a talk at a food scarcity event to help food preparers work with some basic chemistry to make up for ingredients and¡­¡± A jingle started in the distance, cartoonish and peppy, but insistent. ¡°Your laptop.¡± Orson nodded to Teddy. He stood and followed the cramped hallway back into the living room, where the laptop sat on a coffee table, charging. Orson opened the device. ¡®Pops ¨C 1 Missed Call.¡¯ ¡®Pops ¨C 1 Voice Message.¡¯ Orson considered taking the message alone, but after the sound of footsteps he found that everyone else had followed him. Even Teddy was there, still covered in hairnets. ¡°Message from Pops.¡± Orson hit ¡®play¡¯. ¡°Afternoon, boys and girls,¡± Pops said. ¡°I¡¯ve got some bad news. You might want to sit down and buckle up. Those Liberty Corps probes came back with a new message. Looks like Eloise and Alec Corwin fought one. I don¡¯t have any specifics yet, but the Pacific Alliance found them in the probe¡¯s wreckage and flew them both to their mobile Intensive Care Unit.¡± * * * When the guards left Kol at his cell, he tried again to hold his door open. Kol didn¡¯t wait for the guards to leave. He needed every moment. Max was running out of time. Kol remembered the bruises across his brother¡¯s body, his shaven head, his broken tooth. Kol considered using his shield as a weapon. He could slam his quartet of guards into the opposite wall. He could pin them there. He could break them, maybe. He could escape now, find Max, flee. Max had been crippled because of Kol¡¯s own failure. Now Max was being tortured ¨C again Kol¡¯s fault. Kol knew his present chances for escape. The guards would sound the alarm before he crushed them, if he could crush them. Then more guards would be on him, and Liberty Corps troops ¨C like he had been, and Shapers, and Knights. There were too many. If it were only about him, if there were no chance of escape, it would be worth dying to free himself. As Helmont said, with Shaping, nothing can be learned from corpses. But Kol still held hope for Max, a last possible redemption. If Kol left his cell when no one expected it, then odds might be different. He didn¡¯t know how to leave the Pinnacle or where he and Max could go once they were on the outside, but he could find Max. That was a start. So Kol caught the door, like he did every time he returned to his cell. He formed a Shaping projection and fit it between the sliding cell door and its locking mechanism. This time, he focused on the projection. He made it as thin as he could. He imagined himself squishing the projection, crushing it down flat like he¡¯d crush Sir Geber, given the chance. Kol made the projection paper thin, so thin it could curl around the door as it closed. The cell door sealed. The cell door locked. The lock¡¯s light turned green. But Kol¡¯s projection remained, between door and lock. He didn¡¯t know whether he had strength enough to throw the door open. He didn¡¯t know how long he could maintain the Shaping before it faded away. But he¡¯d finished the first step. He¡¯d gotten inside. If they didn¡¯t find him and didn¡¯t sense him and didn¡¯t know ¨C then he could figure out the rest. Kol waited. It was time to see how much endurance Geber¡¯s experiments had given him. * * * ¡°Eloise and Alec are alive.¡± Pops wore a rare three-piece suit in the video call. ¡°They¡¯re stable, but they¡¯re in bad shape. Alec has thirty-odd pieces of glass in his chest and face. One of them was a hair away from puncturing a lung. If he was in a normal truck, that thing would¡¯ve killed him. Eloise is in critical condition. It looks like she blew up the thing from underneath it, but with her health the way it¡¯s always been ¨C she has eleven broken bones.¡± Enoa stood behind the couch, at the edge of the group clustered around the laptop. Again, people were hurt because of them, because of the hunt for the Dreamside Road that had started in Nimauk. Kol Maros and his group were taken by Helmont. The League of Nations labs were attacked to keep them from the island. Now the Corwins had been targeted. All of it had spun out of control, events that could shape countries and thousands of lives she¡¯d never meet, tied to her, tied to the medallion she wore around her neck. None of the others spoke. Orson sat with his hands clenched together. She recognized the look, the blank expression he wore when he fought to hold back rage. ¡°Mr. Darlow,¡± April said. ¡°When you spoke to Carlos, did he have any information about recovery estimates¡­ Anything?¡± ¡°Eloise is in surgery,¡± Pops said. ¡°We didn¡¯t talk long. Robert Sr. had a nervous episode and, with his medical history, he¡¯s been hospitalized too. All three are in the mobile ICU the Alliance set up. That¡¯s our silver lining. Without Sloan, there¡¯d be no big military medical team in the middle of the New Mexico desert.¡± ¡°We have to call everyone,¡± Orson said. ¡°Everyone else who¡¯s seeing these probes. Where are these things? Would that thing have attacked if Eloise and Alec didn¡¯t fight it?¡± ¡°This round, as far as I know, only visited my Heartland Six and Littlefield,¡± Pops said. ¡°I¡¯ve kept tabs with your cousin Clark, and he says he didn¡¯t see anything on the sensors I lent him.¡± ¡°When did Clark learn to read sensors?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I walked him through it,¡± Pops said. ¡°He said, ¡®no flying eggs here, bro. Skies are clear.¡¯ He also wants me to pass along to you, that he¡¯s dropping new vinyl this summer.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Teddy said. ¡°Orson, I don¡¯t want to seem unsympathetic to the plight of our friends, but man, why didn¡¯t you tell me Clark was recording again?¡± ¡°Honestly,¡± Orson said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it.¡± ¡°And Orson, don¡¯t get mad at me.¡± Pops leaned out of view, but the sounds of furious typing could be heard through the connection. ¡°What did you do, Pops?¡± Orson groaned. ¡°I¡¯ve been corresponding with your bonnie lass since the first flyby from the probes,¡± Pops said. ¡°And I just heard from her again. Looks like she had another encounter too. Oh ho! She also fought her visitor. I¡¯ll tell her to write to you personally.¡± He leaned away to type more. ¡°Dammit, Pops, is she okay?¡± Orson sat forward. ¡°Did that thing attack her? Shit! I can¡¯t still be putting her in danger.¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Pops said. ¡°She¡¯ll write to you.¡± ¡°Who are we talking about?¡± Dr. Stan asked. Jaleel opened his mouth, but Enoa caught his eye. She shook her head and smiled. Jaleel pressed his fist to his lips to keep from laughing.¡± ¡°These probes,¡± Pops said. ¡°They¡¯re like nothing I¡¯ve run into before. You should see the laser blast they sent at us when my people tried to chase it away. Thank God we have the new shield up and running. But!¡± He sighed, a sound of exhaustion and resignation and fear, all in equal measure. ¡°It¡¯s a safe bet that these probes are new. The Liberty Corps has new technology the Hierarchia didn¡¯t have, the Feds didn¡¯t have, the League of Nations did not have.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps has real production capability?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°We know they have some Shaper-led assembly lines,¡± Orson said. ¡°But we don¡¯t¡­¡± A new sound interrupted him, the movement of keys on the Typewriter, starting on the far side of the room. Jaleel stood, but Orson was faster. He swung around the laptop and coffee table and ran to the corner where the typewriter sat on an old copy machine. ¡°I wonder who that could be.¡± Jaleel looked over his shoulder at Enoa. She shook her head at him, but couldn¡¯t stop herself from smiling. ¡°How¡¯s Sirona?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°She¡¯s okay.¡± Orson sagged against the wall next to the copier. ¡°She says, ¡®I saw one of those robots you and Pops warned me about. Do you want what¡¯s left of it?¡¯¡± He grinned and caught the paper when it fell from the typewriter. ¡°The probe had some kind of repulsor thing,¡± Orson paraphrased. ¡°It tried to throw Sirona¡¯s fire back at her, but that didn¡¯t work, so she just kept up the heat until she cooked it.¡± ¡°I always liked that girl,¡± Pops chuckled. ¡°Redhead versus redhead. Are you sure you can¡¯t bring her back into the team, Orson? I need to find someone to watch after you once I¡¯ve left this mortal plane.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so maudlin, Mr. Darlow,¡± April said. ¡°Only to bother Orson,¡± Pops said. ¡°It usually works, but he must be too consumed reading the words of his one true love to be bothered with any gibes from me.¡± Pops laughed to himself. ¡°This woman that Orson¡¯s writing to,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I believe I remember Eloise mentioning someone named Sirona. She really fought this machine alone?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a fire elemental,¡± Teddy said. ¡°She¡¯s probably one of the best in the whole world, Doc.¡± ¡°Do we want what¡¯s left of that thing?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Of course we do!¡± Pops yelled. ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Orson flipped a switch at the back of the typewriter. Then he began typing a response. He was a careful typist, pressing each key slowly and letting it rise back into place before moving onto the next. ¡°Are fire elementals Shapers?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°How does all this work?¡± ¡°Fire elemental powers are genetic, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°They¡¯re a totally different magic system. Powers you¡¯re born with are different from powers you learn.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to keep up with the worldbuilding.¡± ¡°How are you, Orson,¡± Enoa asked. ¡°How do you feel knowing your girlfriend can one-shot the flying death machine? If you need to make a detour to see her, we won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Orson slid the carriage return and sent the message. ¡°I¡¯m just relieved. Sirona didn¡¯t want to be a part of this anymore and the last thing I wanted was to get her involved.¡± The typewriter began moving on its own. ¡°Yes!¡± Orson said. ¡°Even better ¨C Sirona is going to ask our old buddy Franklin to help us. He¡¯s doing some work for the Alliance but he can deliver what¡¯s left of that robot.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to set up a meeting with my people in northern California,¡± Pops said. ¡°Damn, I wish I was on the west coast. I haven¡¯t seen Franklin in years!¡± ¡°Who is Franklin?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Franklin West,¡± Orson said. ¡°He was part of our crew. He fought the entire Hierarchia catalog of ships and robots. If he agrees to the job, there¡¯s nobody better to help us. Teddy, April, are you two up to hosting another guest?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem,¡± April said. ¡°None of you are using the guest rooms, so we have plenty of space.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a reunion of the old Wayfarer Gang!¡± Teddy said. ¡°Wayfarer Gangs old and new, unite!¡± ¡°We have to seriously talk about what we want to tell Franklin about our plans,¡± Orson said. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone who can streamline the heist idea and make it perfect, it¡¯s him.¡± Orson stood up from the typewriter. ¡°I¡¯m having another thought, too. We need information about the Dreamside Road, but while we¡¯re taking that, we should nab anything we can get our hands on. We owe it to Eloise and all the Corwins and everyone the Liberty Corps hurt. Let¡¯s take enough information to destroy their whole operation.¡± 113 - The Tech Liberation Front The modified car carrier held ten tractors. It was a cumbersome vehicle, boasting flashing lights and a weathered ¡®wide load¡¯ sign ¨C remnants of a bygone era. The carrier¡¯s massive tires forced their way through the remaining film of icy crust as it maneuvered around the open desert. ¡°This is them?¡± Orson straightened his borrowed face mask. It was former construction gear with orange lenses over the eyes and a black mouth guard. Orson stood with Cathy Hawkins and her crew, between the reclamation skimmer and the Shoshone meeting house, a small adobe structure. ¡°Yep.¡± Cathy Hawkins nodded. ¡°They¡¯re almost here.¡± She slipped the money pouch with the Tech Liberation Front¡¯s payment into a satchel at her waist. Violet Munoz and David Gardner both donned their helmets. Cathy held hers under one arm. Together they faced the approaching carrier. ¡°Stop pulling at your mask, Orson,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You look too uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to keep this thing from digging into my head,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then you better wiggle it looser,¡± David said. ¡°Ted and your kids will blame us if that mask chokes out any of your brain cells.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t notice,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m sure I already have fewer than I like to believe.¡± Orson released the borrowed mask. He felt the absence of his usual gear. His right boot still wasn¡¯t broken in. The armor hidden in the modified leather jacket seemed to barely cover his torso. The antique Gamma-generation blaster at his hip felt like no protection, nothing like the sword or his personal arsenal, all waiting for him aboard the skimmer. ¡°Did you know I met Teddy here?¡± Orson glanced around the meeting house, toward its well, an exposed circle of stone. ¡°I know,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky we still kept a solar array here. If we¡¯d already downsized to the portable generators, Theodore would never have found you, stranded. The Blitzkrieg would have succeeded in using our desert to kill you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too lucky,¡± Orson said. ¡°If I¡¯d died, you probably wouldn¡¯t have those portables to begin with. It¡¯s not like the Hierarchia was selling the things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Cathy waved to the carrier. It had already begun to slow and soon came to a stop facing them. Five people climbed from the carrier. They mirrored Cathy¡¯s crew. Only their leader, a fit, middle-aged man, with salt-and-pepper hair, appeared unmasked. The others wore modified motorcycle helmets, done up in checkerboard patterns. All wore at least one sidearm. One of the four, his checker pattern in shades of purple, wore two guns on his hips and two more holstered on bandoliers across his chest. ¡°Cathy!¡± The lead man smiled as he jumped from the carrier. ¡°The reclamations life must be good. It¡¯s been, what, almost six months?¡± ¡°Good to see you, Klay,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve been busy.¡± They shook hands. ¡°And there¡¯s a smaller budget for toys now, but we try to send you some clients. Did you get the Delarosa job?¡± ¡°That was you? Yeah, we got them.¡± Klay motioned over his shoulder. ¡°Those kids are now the proud owners of a genuine League of Nations BEX-era drone.¡± Two of Klay¡¯s crew walked to the rear of the carrier and opened a compartment above one of the trailer¡¯s wheel wells. They removed five black storage totes. ¡°How much did they pay for a BEX?¡± Cathy asked. ¡°Only twenty K,¡± Klay said. ¡°But they weren¡¯t buying the BEX. They needed replacement parts, servos, a new stabilizing coil for the repulsor. The thing had been sitting at the bottom of a lake for the last thirty years, and they¡¯d already dredged it up before we were hired.¡± Orson watched Klay¡¯s team at work. If he¡¯d worn his usual HUD, he could enlarge the view of them, look at the carrier¡¯s hiding place, look at the totes, and at the people who carried them. He snapped back to attention when Klay pointed to him. ¡°Are you outsourcing now or just running out of armor?¡± Klay asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the Alpha kits for years, but I can keep my eyes peeled.¡± ¡°He likes his own gear,¡± Cathy said. Orson nodded along, hoping he would not be called on to speak. Klay¡¯s team gathered the black totes between the two parties, set them in a line between their leader and Cathy. ¡°It¡¯s all here,¡± Klay said. ¡°We have schematics, recent movements of Liberty Corps troops. We have details of their third party interactions, everything.¡± ¡°You always come through for us,¡± Cathy said. ¡°All that¡¯s left is your payment.¡± She didn¡¯t draw the money pouch from her satchel. Instead, she turned back to the skimmer and walked up the ramp into the still-floating craft. ¡°This Liberty Corps thing,¡± Klay said. ¡°What is this, some kind of border issue? I hope we¡¯re not starting a war here or¡­¡± ¡°I hope so too.¡± Cathy returned, her helmet on. In her arms she carried a long rifle with a four-pronged muzzle. It glowed a soft blue and released an ozone smell that even penetrated Orson¡¯s mask. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Klay had his hand on his hip before Cathy could level the rifle at him. Orson stepped back. He should¡¯ve packed his visor, found some way to hide it in his disguise. Cathy also should have signaled him, given him some chance to recover the rest of his real gear. David and Violet did not draw their own weapons. They knew. Whatever happened, she¡¯d told them, somehow, probably through helmet comm. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Shut up.¡± Cathy aimed the rifle toward the Tech Liberation Front. ¡°No one move. Everyone keep your hands visible.¡± One of Klay¡¯s crew, his checker pattern in shades of blue, slid his hand toward his belt. ¡°Hands up, Blue.¡± Cathy did not move the rifle away from Klay. ¡°You never saw a PAY gun before? Particle Atomizing Ray ¨C everyone raises their hands unless you want to be sweeping up Klay off the snow.¡± ¡°You point that damn thing away from my face, Cathy!¡± Klay yelled. ¡°No way you fight all of us without taking some damage. Even that fancy¡­¡± ¡°Your transmitter, Klay!¡± Cathy yelled over him. ¡°Where is it? What is it? Why did you break our terms?¡± ¡°Transmitter?¡± Klay said. ¡°You put that thing down, Cathy. I don¡¯t have any clue what you¡¯re talking about. Transmitter? The only transmitters are between the locks on the carrier.¡± ¡°No,¡± Cathy said. ¡°But that¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to seem. It almost fooled us, but our skimmer¡¯s signal tracking caught it. We know there¡¯s more. There¡¯s an outbound signal. You brought a beacon here, Klay, and I want to know about it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no beacon,¡± Klay said. ¡°I¡¯d know¡­¡± ¡°I hope not.¡± Cathy cocked the rifle. ¡°Now, if you really don¡¯t know what beacon you have, then you better get on that. Until we know what you brought here, this stays pointed right at you, and no one gets paid.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the boys look,¡± Klay said. ¡°Is that what you want, you damn psychotic bitch? If we got bugged and you¡¯re pointing that¡­¡± ¡°If you got bugged and brought the bug here, to this place,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You put everyone in danger. Either you brought a beacon to this meeting on purpose, or you got sloppy. There¡¯s no room for sloppiness.¡± ¡°No!¡± Klay formed a fist with his right hand. Then he raised his index and middle fingers on that hand. Orson rested his own hand on his blaster. Two of Klay¡¯s crew, Blue checker and Purple checker, turned back toward the carrier. Orson unclipped the blaster, but did not draw it. ¡°You put me in a very difficult position,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You¡¯re in a difficult position?¡± Klay said. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Because how can I trust anything you say? I won¡¯t know you¡¯re telling the truth if you say you¡¯ve been bugged. I¡¯ll never know.¡± ¡°Are you talking yourself into killing us?¡± Klay asked. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re doing?¡± But Cathy did not answer. Blue returned, leaving Purple standing beside the carrier. Blue stepped beside his boss and leaned up, as if to whisper in his ear. ¡°Whatever you have to say,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You can tell all of us.¡± Blue did nothing, instead standing stock still beside Klay. ¡°Tell them!¡± Klay yelled. ¡°Just tell them.¡± ¡°There is a transmitter,¡± Blue said. ¡°There¡¯s a transmitter inside the locking system. The beacon can¡¯t be a bug unless someone modified the carrier before we loaded the tractors.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like a bug,¡± Cathy said. ¡°What¡¯s happening here, Klay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Klay screamed. ¡°Wait!¡± He turned back to the rest of his team, Yellow and Green. ¡°What is this? You didn¡¯t see this?¡± Yellow also turned toward Green. Green drew a gun and fired. A bullet struck Cathy¡¯s helmet and spun away. She stumbled backward, but didn¡¯t fall. Had Green¡¯s shot been centimeters lower, he would have struck the helmet¡¯s visor and maybe pierced the lens. But Green didn¡¯t fire a second shot. A wave of light passed from Cathy¡¯s rifle. Energy left the PAY gun¡¯s barrel and exploded against Green, washing over him in a flash, like lightning. All of the Tech Liberation Front screamed. David and Violet screamed. Even Orson yelled with them. It was one thing to hear about a weapon, to know it existed like he knew a hundred bizarre, terrible weapons existed. But seeing was different. When the light cleared, nothing of the man remained. Some of his clothing lay on the ground, charred and dirtied, as if with soot. His gun lay there too. Behind the space where he¡¯d stood, the snow had melted. An elongated silhouette of the man could still be seen against the bald dirt, like the man¡¯s shadow had been burned onto the sand. ¡°Now.¡± Cathy did not lower the PAY gun. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that happened. You have my sadness. Was it just him or is it all of you? Was he rogue against you? Or rogue against me?¡± ¡°Do you¡­¡± Klay stammered. ¡°He was my wife¡¯s brother! How am I going to tell her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for you and your wife,¡± Cathy said. But right now, we all have work to do. I need proof. We need proof. Who was the target of this spying? Who knows what? I have a feeling, no matter who that beacon was tracking, none of us wants to stay here for very long.¡± * * * ¡°The shutdown¡¯s really what got me started trying to build things.¡± Jaleel had spread out a series of printouts across a workbench in the earth ship¡¯s garage, all generated from Cathy¡¯s projects. ¡°There was no way my parents were going to heat our drafty-ass house with heating oil at eighteen dollars a gallon.¡± ¡°Eighteen?¡± Dr. Stan lifted one of the stacks of pages. ¡°We were so fortunate the lab got the hydroelectric funding before shutdown.¡± Enoa heard their words, but she was only half paying attention. She¡¯d followed along with Sucora¡¯s staff basics video over fifteen times, just since Orson had left with Cathy¡¯s crew. She kept to the basic repetitions of motion her aunt established, moving the staff from hand to hand, transitioning to defensive postures. She ended the cycle with a two handed strike, both of her hands gripping the metal. Enoa could feel the air inside the staff. She tried not to focus on it. She tried to obey Sucora¡¯s wishes and to keep herself grounded in the tactile sense of moving the staff. ¡°Yeah, I wish we could¡¯ve afforded to switch,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But it made me figure things out. I started, y¡¯know, playing around with the hydrogen cells we used to be able to find.¡± ¡°It¡¯s wonderful you were able to do that.¡± Dr. Stan pulled a page from the stack. ¡°My father whispered for years about leaving the Soviet Union. But he only got us out of St. Petersburg when his research came under scrutiny. We do dangerous things when doing nothing is more dangerous still.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jaleel pointed to the page. ¡°Does it look like the guy ever got his machine built for real?¡± ¡°Only the single prototype,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°But the Hierarchia apparently had another. I wonder¡­¡± They all fell silent as the sound of keys started. Teddy¡¯s Typewriter began to move. Enoa ran and joined Jaleel at the chair that held the odd device. ¡°I really hope it¡¯s not bad news from Orson, and we¡¯re just creeping into Teddy¡¯s conversations with his other magic friends.¡± Jaleel leaned down toward the page. It was from Orson. The message read:
¡®Orson.
¡®We have the information. Didn¡¯t have a lot of time, but looks like everything we could want.
¡®But the Tech group had a mole. There was a fight. The mole¡¯s dead. We went through his records. He was spying for the Liberty Corps. He¡¯d been giving tracking data about clients.
¡®Bottom line ¨C we have to get out. I¡¯ll tell you more when I¡¯m back, but we¡¯re putting Teddy and April in danger. Start packing. We¡¯re leaving as soon as we know it¡¯s safe to go.¡¯
114 - The Groom Lake Neighborhood Watch Harry Kiehle, a boy of ten, turned the big pair of tourist binoculars east toward the empty government lands and their tall, gated fence. Harry knew his grandpa put his store near the government fence for all the people who used to visit it. But that was a long time ago. Harry never saw anything when he was looking that way. It had been more than half of his life since the lights in the sky stopped appearing over the government land. Now, the ¡°Rocketship Fill-up¡± was less a gas station than it was a hobby to support an old man who¡¯d already been well-retired before the world changed. Gasoline was almost impossible to come by. Their electric charging ports were slow, or so their few customers told them. There were no Hershey¡¯s bars to sell, no Little Debbie Swiss Rolls, no Cheese Curls ¨C just whatever odds and ends Grandpa Jay bought locally, for resale. ¡°Anything to see, deck officer?¡± Grandpa Jay always asked him that, every morning, when Harry scanned the far horizon with the novelty binoculars. The vintage coin-operated Tower Optical binoculars were there so tourists could peep at the government land, but Grandpa Jay long ago showed Harry how to make them work without putting in coins. There were few cars to watch through the binoculars, no planes, and never any mysterious lights in the sky. And no one wanted to pay to see a closed gate and an old fence. There was never anything for Harry to see either. Except that day there was. That day Harry looked in the vintage Tower Optical binoculars and saw the government gate stood open. He saw three figures walk outside into the road. ¡°I see two guys,¡± Harry said. ¡°They¡¯re walking¡­ just walking a dog, a weird dog with a really long nose.¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± Grandpa Jay rose from his rocking chair on the porch. He pulled his heavy coat¡¯s collar up around his ears and joined Harry in the dusty dining area. There were still scattered icy patches of snow from the week before, filthy and gray. Grandpa Jay stepped around the ice and took a look through the binoculars. He looked for what seemed like a long time before saying anything. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside now, buddy,¡± Grandpa Jay said. ¡®Buddy¡¯ meant ¡®listen to me¡¯. It meant ¡®behave¡¯. Harry didn¡¯t always listen when he was called ¡®buddy¡¯, but he did then. He didn¡¯t like the sound in his grandfather¡¯s voice. It sounded like some of Harry¡¯s earliest clear memories, like never going to school, like leaving his home, like leaving his parents behind. Fear in Grandpa Jay¡¯s voice made him feel like a child. He behaved. Harry let his grandfather walk him inside, up to the cramped apartment above the fill-up station¡¯s mini-mart. Grandpa Jay walked Harry all the way to the top of their narrow stairs. ¡°You stay up here for now,¡± Grandpa Jay said. ¡°Stay up here and don¡¯t come down until I get you. Do you understand?¡± Harry knew the way his grandpa was talking, the ¡®don¡¯t-argue¡¯ voice. He agreed. He let Grandpa Jay close and lock the door. He even waited for his grandpa to walk back down the steps before he found his extendable telescope and ran to his narrow bedroom window. He looked out toward the government fence. He got a better look then, at the two men walking on the road. They wore colorful T-shirts and light jackets, despite the cold, with blue jeans and baseball caps. They wore big backpacks, like the Rocky Mountain hikers who sometimes passed through the area. The one on the right held onto their dog by a thick black leash. But when they walked even closer, Harry saw something else. These weren¡¯t men, and it wasn¡¯t a dog. The Not-dog had no fur. Its body was a shining metallic gray, perfect and new, like this was the first time its feet met dirt. And it was headless. What had looked, through the binoculars, like a long nose, was really a telescope where a real dog¡¯s neck would be. When it walked, only its legs moved, its metal body stiff, like it was marching along beside its masters. The walkers weren¡¯t men, weren¡¯t human. Their faces were bright white, whiter than the dirty snow, and there were no ears on the sides of their heads, only small lumps. As they walked closer, Harry saw that they also had no lips and no eyebrows. These things were real Groom Lake monsters, from the old government base, like everybody talked about! He thought about White Jim. Dillon, a local boy a few years older than Harry, had told him all about White Jim, the alien robot that used to kill people for the old government. Dillon had told him that White Jim lived in the Groom Lake base and left at night to use the locals for target practice. Grandpa Jay told him that was a fib. The folks who used to work at the base lived close by too. They weren¡¯t mean to the other locals. And nothing was left at the old base. But was White Jim real, after all? And was there more than one? Grandpa Jay met the White Jims outside, and Harry saw that he wore his sidearm on his hip. Harry opened the little window, just a crack. He felt a burst of the unnaturally cold wind, but he also heard the door shut behind Grandpa Jay. And he heard the White Jims speak. ¡°Hello!¡± The White Jims spoke in unison. ¡°Some game last night! Some weather we are having! How are you, male shopkeeper?¡± The White Jims had high voices. They sounded cheerful, excited. They didn¡¯t blink. Both stared together down at Grandpa Jay. The Not-dog turned toward him too. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Grandpa Jay asked. ¡°We are searching.¡± Only one of the White Jims answered. ¡°We are searching for fugitives and accomplices who hide them. They are violent, and we are here to protect everyone from the violence.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The White Jim who did not hold the leash removed his backpack from his shoulders. He opened it and removed several large printed pictures. ¡°Tell us if you have seen these humans,¡± he said. ¡°Honesty is very important. We are the Neighborhood Watch. It is very bad to lie to us.¡± He lifted the pictures, one at a time. Harry trained his telescope on the pictures. He didn¡¯t recognize the people he saw there. He saw a man in a big coat, another in a mask, a woman in a hooded cape¡­ But when the White Jim reached the last big picture, Harry knew him. So did Grandpa Jay. It was Teddy! He sold them cupcakes and cookies and pies for the store. He always brought a little homemade fudge, just for Harry. Teddy hadn¡¯t visited for a while because of the snow, but was that really why? Was he okay? Why would the White Jims want Teddy? ¡°No.¡± Grandpa Jay looked back up the road, toward the government land. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know them.¡± ¡°Be honest,¡± the White Jims said together. But before Grandpa Jay could answer again, another pair of White Jims arrived outside the ¡°Rocketship Fill-up¡±. They did not speak to Grandpa Jay or to the White Jims who questioned him. But the questions stopped while Grandpa Jay watched the newcomers. Harry lifted his telescope again and watched the new pair of White Jims pass. They dressed just like the pair who were talking to Grandpa Jay, same dark jackets, same colorful T-shirts, same earless, hairless heads. One of this pair saw him. The White Jim looked right at Harry, turned up toward him as they passed. This White Jim was walking his Not-dog, but he lifted his open hand to wave at Harry and spread his mouth in a big grin, showing all his perfect teeth. Harry saw too that the leash was not a leash. It was a wire with one end plugged into the White Jim¡¯s skin, the other plugged into the Not-dog. The Not-dog looked up at him too and its telescope met Harry¡¯s. Then the first pair of White Jims and their Not-dog all looked up at Harry too. They looked without any word from the other group. His grandfather shot a glance over his shoulder, and Harry fell back and hid at the floor. ¡°Be honest,¡± the closest White Jims spoke again. ¡°Do you know them? We want to meet them. Don¡¯t lie to us. We can hurt people if they lie. We have permission. Help us meet these people. We are the Neighborhood Watch, and we have questions.¡± Harry tried to find a new place to look out the window, somewhere the White Jims couldn¡¯t see him. He peeked again through his telescope, back toward the old government fence. The gate was still open and a whole army of White Jims was walking through it. The Neighborhood Watch split up in pairs or other small groups. They scattered in all directions through the icy desert. * * * ¡°You have your payment,¡± Cathy said. ¡°And we¡¯ll be keeping the compromised transmitter, but the rest of your gear passed our scan.¡± While she spoke, Violet oversaw the repacking of the tractor carrier. Klay and his team placed their baggage back in the carrier¡¯s cab, as well as the series of hidden compartments in the trailer¡¯s chassis, and even inside the hollowed out tractors loaded aboard. ¡°We will see to it that all of your former clients know that they may have been tracked,¡± Cathy continued. She gave them time to speak. None did. ¡°If I believed any of you knew about this, you¡¯d be dead. I hope your mole earned enough money tipping off the Liberty Corps to make this worth your while.¡± Violet returned from the carrier and came to stand beside their skimmer. ¡°You should leave now,¡± Cathy concluded. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent David to have the transmitter looked at. If you knew about this, we¡¯ll find out and I¡¯ll find you. Otherwise, we will not cross paths again. Do you understand?¡± She watched Klay and his team until they clambered back aboard their carrier and drove it away, hurrying through the dwindling light. ¡°You really don¡¯t think they knew?¡± Orson pulled off his borrowed mask and jacket once they¡¯d gone. At a locker in the skimmer¡¯s entryway, he pulled out his coat, repulsor boot, and sword. ¡°No,¡± Cathy said. ¡°I think they had one idiot who¡¯s been making some under-the-table extra. We¡¯ve never detected that signal before. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve been tracked before, but we don¡¯t usually buy Liberty Corps information from them. We only buy machinery. I think the dead man was pinging meet-ups where they sold Liberty Corps information. And I think that¡¯s why the Liberty Corps turned a blind eye. Maybe they pursue the clients. Maybe they¡¯re just finding out where their enemies are.¡± ¡°Sneaky pricks.¡± Orson slipped on his boot. He slid his arms into his coat and began connecting the wiring from his framework to his boot. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a lot harder to pick up rare kit now,¡± Violet said. ¡°It will.¡± Cathy nodded. ¡°But it¡¯s time for us to make our own stand. The time for salvaging scraps is over.¡± She stepped up the ramp into the skimmer. ¡°Violet, go back to the Council. Make sure everyone¡¯s safe. If we¡¯ve opened ourselves to attack, this is our fault. I¡¯ll drive Orson back to his crew and stay with Theodore and April.¡± ¡°How will we know we¡¯re safe?¡± Violet asked. ¡°If the mole pinged us, it won¡¯t matter where Davey drops the transmitter, the Liberty Corps could come looking at us, anytime.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± she said. ¡°We can¡¯t know yet. Orson and I will leave as soon as we get the sidecar on my bike.¡± ¡°Side car?¡± Orson asked. ¡°¡®Fraid so,¡± she said. ¡°Are you ready to leave?¡± * * * Enoa had removed few of her belongings from the Aesir during their stay with Teddy and April, only her Shaping training films and exercise mat. By the time the proximity alarms sounded, whooping through the earth ship, she was ready to hit the road again, all films secured. ¡°Orson already?¡± Enoa fully extended her staff and pulled her cloak from the back of the couch. ¡°He would¡¯ve let us know he was back.¡± Jaleel ran to his room. ¡°Orson forgot about his friend Franklin coming here,¡± she called after him. ¡°Is he even supposed to come here now, with us leaving? Maybe it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t think that Franklin guy could¡¯ve even met up with Pops¡¯s people yet.¡± When Jaleel returned, he was holding his new bow under his left arm. It was smaller than the last one, made of a deep green carbon fiber, with places to attach his spraystick and other secondary projectiles. ¡°This is something else.¡± They ran out of the Aesir, taking the passage from the garage until they reached the living room. They found the front door was already open, and they heard an unfamiliar voice. ¡°¡­everywhere, Ted.¡± A woman was saying. Enoa and Jaleel stopped at the end of the passage, out of sight. Dr. Stan stood nearby, also listening. She raised a hand in their direction. ¡°Mr. Kiehle wrote on our chat. A hundred of these robot men left the West Gate. They say they¡¯re the Groom Lake Neighborhood watch.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just walking?¡± April asked. ¡°No vehicles, no air support?¡± ¡°Yes, walking,¡± the woman answered. ¡°But they¡¯re threatening families. Two of them planted themselves at the fill-up station, and Kiehle hasn¡¯t written since his first message. They also have some kind of radar, or something. They¡¯re finding every house, even the hidden ones. I know they¡¯ve hit the Armentas and the Dixons¡­ I left right away, so I don¡¯t have a lot of details. I¡¯m one of the last they¡¯ll hit, if they¡¯re all coming from Groom Lake.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll power down everything,¡± Teddy said. ¡°We¡¯ll just shut off. They won¡¯t detect us if there¡¯s nothing to detect, right?¡± ¡°They will find you,¡± the woman said. ¡°Too many people know where you live. You need to get out, both of you do, and any guests ¨C I don¡¯t want to know! But sooner or later, these things will pressure the right person and they will find you.¡± 115 - Terrors Student Cathy drove her Sandwheel in pitch darkness. Its treads tore through dirt and dune and sped them back north, back toward Outcast Country. The bike used no headlights, leaving Orson to see the world through the distorted greens and blues of night vision and his HUD¡¯s assorted electro-sensitive displays. Orson had room enough in the sidecar to stretch out his legs, and he¡¯d fit the sword into the sidecar¡¯s storage compartment. But that space was too narrow for the Typewriter. He held it in his lap as they traveled. ¡°If you want to tell them we¡¯re almost there,¡± Cathy called over the wind. ¡°Do it now!¡± ¡°I think dirt blew in with the paper,¡± Orson shouted back. ¡°Might just have to surprise them!¡± The remaining journey was so brief Orson wasn¡¯t sure if he would¡¯ve had time to type a message anyway. ¡°Low sensor readings.¡± Cathy shut off the bike. Orson recognized the shape of the exposed Earthship roof, but everything was in total darkness. ¡°This place always has the welcome lights.¡± She threw the PAY gun¡¯s strap over her shoulder. Then she drew other weapons in each hand, a blaster in her left and an old-fashioned revolver in her right. ¡°Well, I did warn them.¡± Orson spoke for his own benefit, and he drew his sword. If anyone watched them, the flickering blue light would leave no doubt that Orson Gregory had arrived. Cathy walked to the front door, still holding both weapons. She holstered the revolver to knock, but the door flew open before she could. Teddy stood there, wearing what appeared to be a chain mail shirt and coif. On his chest he wore a makeshift bandolier with cleavers and scalpels and a rolling pin. A small dagger in an ornate hilt hung from his belt. Around his neck, hung a necklace that emanated a warm, orange glow, illuminating him, but little of the entryway. ¡°Get in!¡± Teddy grabbed Orson by the shoulder. Orson let himself be led inside. Cathy followed behind. Then Teddy pushed the door shut. ¡°We saw you show up on the house monitoring system. Buick Jim¡¯s after us, man. The Liberty Corps sent a whole bunch of Buick Jim copies all over the place. The Groom Lake Neighborhood Watch! We¡¯re packing to get outta here. April and I are taking the cats and leaving too. We¡¯re shutting down everything. Right now we¡¯ve only got power for heat and fridges.¡± He stopped speaking, out of breath. ¡°Ted, you can¡¯t leave,¡± Orson said. ¡°What about your deliveries? They¡¯re already late with the snow and then everything with those probes¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m a settled man now, Orson,¡± Teddy interrupted. ¡°I gotta take care of me and my lady. I can rebuild the business! Cathy, please pull your bike around. I¡¯ll open the garage for you. Orson, c¡¯mon! We¡¯re doing our research!¡± Cathy hesitated, as if ready to speak, but she walked back through the door. Teddy slapped at the door lock, behind her. It let out a red light. ¡°Sirona and me,¡± Orson said. ¡°We ran into the Buick Jim copies once. We had a whole battle with eight of the things in the Savings Spot north of Alabaster¡­¡± ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Teddy interrupted again. ¡°We talked about that.¡± He and his glowing necklace led the way down the hall. ¡°And we have all of the Constellations Caf¨¦ radio show episodes about Buick Jim. We¡¯ve been listening all night, man.¡± Orson heard the growing sound of speech. They arrived in the darkened living room, where Enoa, Jaleel, Dr. Stan, and April ¨C who also wore a set of chain mail ¨C sat around a small battery-powered cassette player. Teddy hurried on toward the garage. ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± a male voice spoke from the player. ¡°This strange being was following you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± a woman answered. ¡°I was working the overnight shift at the E.R. We¡¯d admitted those kids from the wreck on the interchange outside town and this¡­ this guy kept turning up asking about them, saying he was their friend and needed to see them. To be honest with you, I never believed in any of this flying saucer stuff before, but this Jim¡­ You might not¡¯ve noticed him to see him from a distance at nighttime, but up close, he was just wrong some way. He looked kinda plastic, like a mannequin or one of those crash dummies came to life ¨C really gave me the creeps with the way he kept asking about the kids in that wreck. And his voice¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know this stuff was real,¡± Enoa whispered to Orson, as he sat next to her. ¡°I thought it was all goofy lies sold to dumb people.¡± ¡°Oh, a lot of it is,¡± Orson whispered too. ¡°Crazy people selling to crazy people and greasy people selling to dumb people. But not always. It¡¯s also how Hierarchia leaks got out to the public in the early days. You¡¯re listening to the Constellations Caf¨¦, now?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It is,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m with Enoa. I thought Buick Jim was just a creepypasta, like Slenderman or whatever.¡± ¡°This Jim.¡± The voice of the radio host bled into their whispered conversation. ¡°He was extremely active for several years and some callers claim that these Men in Black or MIBs that have been cropping up lately are actually copies or doppelgangers of the original?¡± ¡°Jaleel, Buick Jim really existed,¡± April said. ¡°He killed people in my hometown. That was thirty-some years ago, but people still talk about the Fall¡¯s Top Terror.¡± ¡°You¡¯re from Fall¡¯s Top?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Nimauk is pretty close to there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to speculate,¡± said the woman on the cassette. ¡°It¡¯s been almost ten years and I still see him watching me, not blinking¡­¡± ¡°I actually don¡¯t know where Nimauk is,¡± April said. ¡°All week, I wanted to look at my old map of P.A., but I just didn¡¯t get to it. I¡¯m sorry! But yes, I grew up hearing all about the Terror.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no expert,¡± Orson added. ¡°But Jim was a bio-android of some kind ¨C alien or a fluke science leap. He killed a lot of people back in the eighties. Supposedly, the ones around today are weaker Hierarchia imitations, like photocopies of photocopies of the original super-dangerous robot.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the research?¡± Teddy returned from the garage, Cathy behind him, still wearing her helmet. ¡°We have to be ready to take on those things, just in case. This is just like when the full Ooke Squad had to fight those interstellar headhunters hiding out as punk rockers. The alien punk headhunters were everywhere, man. It was in 2011, so you can imagine.¡± ¡°What are alien punk headhunters?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°No time to get him started,¡± Orson said. ¡°Speaking of the Ooke Squad, Ted. Are they all too far out of range for a pickup?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You know how split up we¡¯ve been since Thunderworks. It takes a long time for news to travel across space and time. It¡¯s just us on this one. So we gotta secure the stuff we can and get going.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ve got another idea,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s not safe going out there alone, Cathy and her crew have their own people to defend, and I want to do something to draw their attention. Let¡¯s get you another escort. Franklin is meeting with Pops¡¯s people, I think, somewhere on the old interstate fifty corridor. That¡¯s only six hours from here. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s still willing to come the extra distance.¡± * * * Max did not speak to Kol when they were brought together for another testing session. Max didn¡¯t look at him. He did nothing to respond to the words of Sir Geber, to the projectiles fired at him, or at Kol¡¯s Shaping. Max sat slumped to the left. His eyes were half-closed, accentuating the deep purple bags beneath them. But the visible welts were noticeably paler than the day before and some color had returned to his face. That was enough for Kol to play along, to shield Max and let him heal. Kol raised his projection without prompting. He cooperated while the projectile tech fired bolts into the shield. He cooperated while the sensor techs probed at his projection. He allowed them to take his blood. ¡°Now,¡± Kol spoke only when the projectile tech stepped back from the launcher. ¡°Our agreement. I want a word with my brother.¡± Max still said nothing. Sir Geber regarded them both. His helmet¡¯s antenna extended outward. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Then talk with him,¡± Geber said. ¡°He¡¯s right there. I won¡¯t interfere.¡± The Liberty Corps techs and guards watched Kol. Max did not. His brother still had the vacant, eyes-distant expression he¡¯d worn since the testing began. Kol walked around the techs and their devices. Max still didn¡¯t look at him, not even when Kol leaned down toward the cart where they kept his brother restrained. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Kol hugged his brother. Max gripped his arm. So much of the strength was gone from those fingers. ¡°All of this. All of this was me again, just like the loft. All those years and¡­¡± ¡°You will speak so you can be heard.¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Raise your voice and step away from him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to test them now,¡± Kol whispered again. Max released his arm. ¡°I have something I want to learn.¡± He heard booted footsteps, techs or guards advancing. ¡°I said ¡®step away¡¯.¡± Geber himself approached ¨C even better! Kol stepped away from Max. He faced the knight and his security squad. The guards activated their electrified prods. Visible electricity arced from the weapons¡¯ blunt tips. Geber walked ahead and raised his right hand to threaten him or to touch him, to use his Shaping. Kol didn¡¯t wait to find out. He formed a new projection, made a shield from wall-to-wall. The blue field appeared, turning thin air into solid energy. He swept the shield along the floor and threw Geber and the guards from their feet. Kol felt the weight of the men he pushed with the energy, felt it like it was his own physical body moving them. The shield flickered, but held. Kol pushed harder and forced the projection further. Then the techs fell too, their sensors toppling around them, probing arms twisting at odd angles, glass shattering. Kol ignored the cries and shouts from the testing crew. He kept the shield solid, even as pain like knives stabbed into his temples. He didn¡¯t stop moving the energy until it had forced the Liberty Corps against the far wall. The projectile tech had been leaving when Kol had formed the shield. It caught the tech unawares and threw him out the door, leaving him sprawled facedown in the hallway. Kol felt something, almost immediately, a tingling in the pit of his stomach, like he was falling, like someone had caught him by both arms and was pulling him to the ground. Geber was fighting him. He was trying to work his own Shaping, his iron binding. But it was only partly working. Were the knight¡¯s powers dimmed by surprise or by Kol¡¯s shield? Kol pressed the shield against Geber and the techs and the guards. The falling sensation eased, even as the pain in his temples deepened, like the agony was reaching through his skin and bone and into his brain. Kol found his moment. He ran back to Max and whispered again. ¡°I will free us,¡± he said. ¡°I have a plan.¡± ¡°None of this is your fault,¡± Max said. And maybe he would¡¯ve said more, but Kol wrenched away from him. The falling sensation intensified, and he lost grip of the shield ¨C both at once. The room spun around him. He sank back to his knees. He heard groans and more shouts from the Liberty Corps, but Sir Geber¡¯s voice rose above the others¡¯ pain and surprise. ¡°I see it now,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Terror is your real teacher.¡± The knight reinforced his Shaping. Kol felt the numbness spread, the pins-and-needles feeling of his entire body going to sleep. Kol closed his eyes. His mind was still clear. Could he ignore the rest? Could he make a new shield and throw Geber again? ¡°Every feat of Shaping you¡¯ve performed has been won through fear,¡± Geber said. ¡°You saved your own life. You saved Mr. Racz, for a time. You work to save your brother. It¡¯s impressive, but you forget that I am a knight and no mere novice could ever overwhelm me. I broke your shield like I will break you, until the Liberty Corps learns everything we can from your mind.¡± The techs came forward then. One checked Kol¡¯s pulse. The other began placing small objects along his forehead. They stuck tight to his flesh like suction cups. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Geber said. ¡°We¡¯ll be moving your work outside. It¡¯s been weeks since you¡¯ve had the chance to enjoy the view.¡± * * * ¡°I can¡¯t take all of your food,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Won¡¯t you need some of it?¡± Orson stood with her and Teddy at the entrance to his pantry, a space bigger than the living room. One wall was lined with commercial-size refrigerators, the rest with floor-to-ceiling shelving. ¡°We can¡¯t fit everything,¡± Teddy said. ¡°And the Aesir can¡¯t either. I have the eggs backed up now for the next delivery. I have some fruit salads that have maybe a couple more days before they go bad. I was going to make meatballs so I have a crazy amount of hamburger. Either you take some of the perishables or they¡¯ll spoil. Right now, I have some signal masking doodads hiding the power used by the fridges, but they have to get turned off. Somebody¡¯s gonna notice eventually.¡± ¡°I have some low-pulse motion sensors I can plant now,¡± Cathy said. ¡°And we¡¯ll keep watch over your home.¡± ¡°You can do that,¡± Teddy said. ¡°But you¡¯ll have me checking in for updates all the time. Orson!¡± Teddy looked over his shoulder. ¡°I have those hamburgers with the Colby jack cheese you like. And I have the labeled samples of the syrups from that pancake place.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Orson said. ¡°We just need to get together for you to go. I¡¯m sure Cathy can come and take anything that would spoil if you¡¯re away.¡± ¡°And watch your hydroponics,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Orson!¡± Enoa called from the hallway. ¡°You heard back from your friend.¡± Orson met her in the doorway, as she ran from the Typewriter, holding a long sheet of paper. The message read:
¡®Orson! How the hell are you, kid? It¡¯ll be great to see you. Absolutely, we¡¯ll help out. Just dropped off the cooked probe. We¡¯re heading back to Evergreen afterward, so Teddy and April and their cats can let things blow over at the Inn. Sirona says Ted¡¯s usual cooking for lodging deal is always open anyway. Orson, are sure I can¡¯t talk you into coming along? It¡¯s way past due for us to catch up. I¡¯m sure everyone would love to see you and meet the new crew, we keep hearing about. Anyway, leaving now. We¡¯ll be there in six hours or so.¡¯
* * * Klay Turner drove alone in the carrier¡¯s cab. He¡¯d sent the rest of the team back to their overnight compartments, hidden inside the modified shells of what used to be tractors. Klay liked driving. It cleared his mind. And he trusted no one else to do the driving. How could he trust anyone? His rotating teams of tech support and muscle ¨C he¡¯d met most of those men in the last ten years, some only since Thunderworks and the boom in his business. There¡¯d been a romance to the work ¨C why should any government hold back technology from the same people who¡¯d paid for it? With his help, almost anybody could own it, especially in those free-for-all days after shutdown. But those days were done. If he couldn¡¯t trust a person he¡¯d known since boyhood, trust was gone for him. He¡¯d never trust that way again, he felt sure. And his business wasn¡¯t work he could do alone. His work had died in the high Nevada desert, dead by the hand of Catherine Hawkins. So when the blinding blue light engulfed the carrier, he thought Cathy Hawkins had changed her mind. She¡¯d followed them to finish the job. Klay eased his foot onto the brake, but the engine stopped dead and went silent. The carrier was driven down the road by uncontrolled inertia. Klay¡¯s eyes watering and sightless, he twisted the steering wheel, trying to steady the carrier, trying to stay on the road. But blinded and shocked, his responses dulled, steering the carrier was like riding a cannonball midflight. He felt the carrier strike gravel and then sand as it passed over the shoulder and off the side of the road. The carrier spent the rest of its momentum there and came to a full stop. Klay again tried to blink away the tears and the harsh blue afterimage. He fumbled with the keys in the ignition. No response. He rubbed his outstretched fingers under the steering column, searching for the emergency ignition redundancy switch. No response. He felt along the dashboard for the radio control, to hail his crew and rally them. Only static emerged from the speakers. He searched the dashboard with shaking hands, hoping his fingers would close on the failsafe lever, the first half of the emergency-battery¡¯s activation. ¡°HELLO!¡± Many voices shouted in perfect unison. It was as if one voice called from many mouths. ¡°HALT! YOU ARE DETAINED! PREPARE TO RECEIVE JUSTICE! INCOMING MESSAGE FOR TRAVELING THIEVES!¡± Klay¡¯s vision finally cleared, finally focused, his eyes still filled with tears. He peered over the dashboard and saw eyes looking back at him. Figures stood in the road and in the darkened desert hills all around it. Their eyes glowed an unblinking yellow, too many to count. ¡°This is Sir Hiram, Liberty Corps Commandant at Groom Lake.¡± A new voice boomed out of the darkness, once again as if that same voice was shouted by many. ¡°I represent Lord R.K. Helmont of the Liberty Corps Western Barony. I¡¯m speaking to you now to bring judgment against you and your band of thieves.¡± Klay¡¯s fingers finally found the emergency-battery activation. He pulled it back and grabbed the secondary power control, beside the clutch. He triggered the emergency battery, a normally-inoperative unit, a secret holdout in the event of energy failure or EMP or ion attack. Klay triggered the activation, praying to hear the startup hum and his last chance at escape. The carrier spluttered and let out a low metallic whine, instead of a hum from the backup power source. Then the whine died away into silence. ¡°You have rendered a great deal of assistance to my investigators in tracking theft of Liberty Corps Property. It will be a simple matter now to locate your customers ¨C including the individuals you sold to today. I assume my informant has been discovered.¡± Klay finally unbuckled himself. He wasn¡¯t sure what the eyes could see. Would the things out in the darkness fight to keep him where he was? It didn¡¯t matter. Only two options remained ¨C flee into the darkness with the eyes or try to fit himself in the armored storage built into the rear wall of the cab. Klay reached the cab¡¯s back half and gripped its lock. His hands shook, panic and terror stealing his strength. He pulled at the lever. It budged, but only slightly. ¡°You face twenty-three counts of theft, twenty-two counts of selling stolen goods, nineteen counts of illegal use of top secret works, and fifteen count of illegally operating equipment. If you wish to face a quick execution, step from the vehicle with your hands on your head.¡± Klay wrenched the lockbox door open and threw himself up over the driver¡¯s seat, back into the metal of the cab. He landed in the haphazard mess in the cab¡¯s hidden compartment, sprawled between boxes of manifest notes and bins of spare parts. ¡°You have thirty seconds to step out with your hands behind your head.¡± Klay shoved the door behind him, the tips of his fingers sore from slamming against the metal. He considered crawling farther, rousing his crew, gathering them. Maybe together they could survive, fight the eyes in the darkness, and find some new trust in their common survival. ¡°Very well.¡± The voice spoke again. It could not have been thirty seconds. ¡°You will face immediate judgment from my watchmen.¡± Klay lay flat against the papers and bins and boxes. For the second time, the carrier was consumed in light. 116 - Observing the Rituals ¡°Our six hours are almost over.¡± Enoa stood in the Earthship¡¯s garage, cloak around her shoulders. She¡¯d attached her retracted staff and the stun box to her belt, but there¡¯d been no sound from the Earthship¡¯s alarms since Orson and Cathy returned. Jaleel was also armed, his bow at his back. Even Dr. Stan wore a borrowed blaster, the one that Orson had used in his reclamation crew disguise. ¡°Nothing on your house monitoring system, Ted?¡± Orson helped Teddy and April¡¯s packing, stacking notebooks in boxes and gathering April¡¯s chemistry glassware in padded red cases. ¡°Nope,¡± Teddy said. ¡°But that¡¯s okay! It took longer to pack than I thought. We haven¡¯t even done the gifts yet.¡± He forced a piece of tape around the last box of gathered recipe notes. ¡°Gifts?¡± Orson asked. ¡°It was just my birthday,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You need to give gifts when your guests are questing, man.¡± Teddy walked back to the door into the rest of the house. ¡°That¡¯s the tradition, and we gotta observe the rituals.¡± ¡°You wasted time on us when we¡¯re trying to get you out of here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°He¡¯s been working on this all week,¡± April said. ¡°Don¡¯t spoil this for him, Orson. He¡¯s very excited.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± Orson watched Teddy disappear down the hall. ¡°It¡¯s just not right, giving us more when we put him in danger. But that¡¯s always what he does. He saved my life and hid me from the Blitzkrieg when he didn¡¯t even know me. He won the sword with me. He went to Norlenheim with me. I don¡¯t have a blood brother, but I have him, and now he¡¯s homeless because of me. You¡¯re homeless. But he¡¯s still giving us gifts.¡± ¡°We knew what we were getting into having you here.¡± April smiled. ¡°He feels the same way about you, even with the size of his real family. But it¡¯s not like you¡¯re one of his baker friends. This is kind of a career hazard for you.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Orson said. ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be a hazard for everyone else.¡± April took a seat on the pile of luggage ¨C multiple suitcases and cases of packed food, her red research away-kit, all the boxes of Teddy¡¯s notes and recipes, and the cats¡¯ carrier. She reached through the bars at them. They began to croon sadly. Enoa heard Wesley¡¯s faint, chattering reply from his own pen inside the Aesir. ¡°Did Wesley say good-bye to his new friends?¡± Orson walked back to the ship. ¡°He did,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to come back, once this is all over, so he can see them again.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯d be better off with Teddy and April.¡± Orson spoke under his breath. ¡°We¡¯re bringing every living thing near us into danger.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re still learning about him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Only that one lady in Littlefield had the aeropines with her other pets. I¡¯m not leaving my little buddy behind!¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not.¡± Orson nodded and leaned back against the Aesir¡¯s hull. ¡°But maybe you should go with Teddy and April too.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Enoa groaned. ¡°Haven¡¯t we been through this enough times already, Orson? I¡¯m in just as much danger as you are. They¡¯ll never let Sucora Cloud¡¯s heir get away.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ve got bulls-eyes on us. But everyone else can probably get clear of this.¡± ¡°I think, Captain,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°You have a distorted vision of this situation, and you have for some time now. This Liberty Corps response was triggered by you, but it is certainly also a reaction to Cathy, her people, and any of their allies. Even if you and Enoa are significant enough to draw the Liberty Corps immediately, it¡¯s not true to say none of us would be targets. They may have attacked my laboratory and my work when you wanted my help, but they would have done so in time, regardless. If I truly blamed you for what happened, even by negligence, I would not be here. This is bigger¡­¡± ¡°The rituals begin!¡± Teddy held a stack of boxes that rose above his head. Cathy followed after him, still in full armor, pulling a sled holding a complex framework of piping. ¡°I¡¯ll secure what I can in the side car,¡± Cathy said. ¡°And I¡¯ll be back to take the rest. Once we have your spare set ready, we¡¯ll start moving plants.¡± She guided the wagon toward her bike. ¡°Thanks, Cathy.¡± Teddy set the boxes down in front of the Aesir crew. ¡°Okay, gifts for the questers.¡± He moved the smallest box and set it off to the side. Then he lifted the second, a long rectangle. ¡°This is for you, Doctor.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Dr. Stan accepted it and slid her thumb into the tab at the top of the box. She pulled it open and removed a data tablet, set inside a thick black case. ¡°It¡¯s probably not as good as your last one,¡± Teddy said. ¡°But it¡¯s waterproof, and there¡¯s another little something there in the bottom.¡± Dr. Stan probed the bottom of the box. When she pulled her hand back, she held a black bracelet. ¡°It¡¯s a re-gift, but I didn¡¯t go anywhere while you were here and you need to have that more than we do.¡± ¡°The wrist band is a direct pulse beacon,¡± April said. ¡°As long as both have power, you¡¯ll always know where the tablet is. You can start rebuilding your work.¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re really, really unlucky and you lose this one in a river,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to track this one down, no problem.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Dr. Stan smiled. ¡°You are wonderful hosts. The highlight of this ordeal has been meeting you. I will cherish it.¡± She slipped the pulse band onto her wrist. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know what happens with the Salt Lake project.¡± April walked to Dr. Stan. They clasped hands. Teddy hugged them both, and Dr. Stan patted him on the shoulder. Teddy then lifted one of the large bottom boxes. ¡°Food and recipes for the new wayfarers!¡± He handed the first to Jaleel and the other to Enoa. ¡°Thanks so much, Ted!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Thank you!¡± Enoa could barely wrap her arms around the bottom of the package. She eased it back down onto the garage floor and opened it. Enoa found a cooler inside her box. She saw the imitation ribs Teddy had made for her yesterday and the vegan sausages from the day before, but she also saw aluminum-foiled pouches and sealed plastic bowls of soup and chili. ¡°You made so much food for us!¡± Enoa hugged Teddy. He laughed and returned the gesture. He wore a heavy down jacket over his chainmail and his embrace was like being cushioned in a giant marshmallow. ¡°Did you do more cooking for these gifts?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You took the time for that?¡± ¡°Well, yeah,¡± he said. ¡°The greatest gift I can give is my culinary expertise. Enoa, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t try any Nimauk recipes. We¡¯ll have to talk about your family food next time! If you look in the bottom there, I have some lists of the other protein sources I used for your recipes. You might like that.¡± ¡°I definitely will!¡± Enoa saw Orson¡¯s expression. After all the fights, the exhaustion she¡¯d seen him endure, the times he¡¯d been genuinely wounded, she¡¯d never seen him so miserable. He looked almost deflated, with his shoulders slouched and his eyes downcast. ¡°I don¡¯t have as much extra food for you, Jaleel,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I do have the other couple casseroles you didn¡¯t choose for your birthday, the apple biscuit and the bacon mac and cheese, but I printed out my little guide to replicating tastes in your cooking. It might help you find some of the recipes you don¡¯t know.¡± He hugged Jaleel as well. ¡°And you both need to fill out your recipe surveys. I have to get my feedback. You can send it with the Typewriter.¡± Teddy turned last to the final box, the small square one. ¡°Orson,¡± he said. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do anything for me, Ted,¡± Orson answered. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that no matter what,¡± Teddy chuckled. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. This one¡¯s for the whole quest, but I¡¯m giving it to you because you¡¯re the big adventurer captain now.¡± Teddy moved to pass the box to Orson, but before he could, a voice spoke from all around them, one voice spoken everywhere, sudden and energetic. The sound blasted, even with them under the ground. ¡°HELLO! YOU ARE DETAINED! PREPARE TO RECEIVE JUSTICE! INCOMING MESSAGE FOR HIDING TRAITORS!¡± Enoa pulled her staff from her belt. There¡¯d been no sound from the house¡¯s defenses. There¡¯d been no sound at all. Someone was out there ¨C something ¨C the machines pretending to be humans, the creatures they¡¯d been talking about? ¡°Ted.¡± Orson didn¡¯t take the box. ¡°Can you check your sensors in here or only in the house?¡± ¡°I can check.¡± April raised an old cellphone. ¡°This has to be some kind of trick. How¡­ No one could be out there. We have all of the sensors working and Cathy¡¯s and¡­¡± Enoa half-ignored everyone. She forced herself to breathe, forced herself to recognize her sudden adrenaline, the fear of their last escape returning full force. She needed the focus of adrenaline, not the panic. She needed that focus to tune the one sense that only she had. She looked at the world with her Shaping, felt the world through the remaining hard crust of ice on the ground. Then she noticed them, sensed what Teddy¡¯s and Cathy¡¯s devices could not. There was weight on the snow, the weight of bipedal shapes standing outside, all around the Earthship. She felt ten, twenty, thirty, forty ¨C but then she lost count. Some of the shapes stood close to the Earthship. Distances were indistinct, when viewing the world through ice and snow. This new technique offered little clarity, but she knew the shapes were within firing distance or sprinting distance, close enough to reach them before they could flee. Enoa extended her staff. There would be no escape without a fight. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded,¡± Enoa said. ¡°They¡¯re everywhere. I don¡¯t know why the alarms didn¡¯t go off, but I know they¡¯re out there. There are so many of them, bipedal shapes, and they¡¯re not moving like humans. They¡¯re not people.¡± ¡°Are you sure this isn¡¯t some trick?¡± Cathy asked. ¡°My alarms were taken from the Mojave Tramway. There are none better than that.¡± ¡°Then none could find these things,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But I can. They¡¯re real, and they¡¯re out there.¡± Outside the shapes moved, shifted around, forming wide rings around the house, grouped in clusters of three or four. She tried again to count them, but it was still too much, trying to judge the world second-hand. ¡°They¡¯re surrounding us better, but they¡¯re not coming any closer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a whole flock of Jims, man!¡± Teddy said. ¡°Everyone on the Aesir,¡± Orson said. ¡°If nothing else, we¡¯ll blast our way out. We¡¯ll check our sensors and defenses once we¡¯re inside. Grab your boxes and your things.¡± ¡°Should I power up the guns?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Don¡¯t power on anything,¡± Orson said. ¡°Not yet. Just get secure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m needed back at the Council,¡± Cathy said. ¡°I can¡¯t run away with you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hook your bike to our hull with the clamp,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll take you anywhere, but we can¡¯t fight if we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on and only Enoa has any idea what we¡¯re dealing with here.¡± ¡°What clamp?¡± Jaleel ran April¡¯s suitcases inside while she carried the cats. Teddy joined in, gathering their food, her research, his notes, and hauling it all toward the ship. ¡°I haven¡¯t used it in awhile,¡± Orson said. ¡°How long is a while?¡± Cathy asked. ¡°Good evening.¡± The new voice that boomed from the distance didn¡¯t shout. It spoke at a controlled, easy volume, loud only because it was projected from every direction. ¡°This is R.K. Helmont, Lord of the Liberty Corps Western Barony. I know this residence is providing aid and comfort to thieves, murderers, and traitors. I come with simple terms for all of you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait for your clamp,¡± Cathy said. ¡°I have to go now.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all going.¡± Orson waved to Jaleel and Dr. Stan. They joined Teddy and April inside the ship. ¡°Get them belted in at the armchairs. Doc, take the sensor seat if you will. Jaleel, take the guns, but don¡¯t power on anything. Enoa, keep¡­ See what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°To any present members of the Ookelthorpe family,¡± Helmont continued. ¡°Leave the dwelling unarmed and with your hands raised. No harm will come to you. I value the works your entrepreneurial line gave to the old society. And I know there are traitors, even among your most illustrious family, but I will, on this one occasion only, ignore their support for the turncoat Enigma Guard during the Thunderworks Campaign. All traitors will face justice, in time. But today, anyone with Ookelthorpe blood may leave here with their life and their freedom.¡± Enoa heard Teddy bellow inside the Aesir, but not his words. She heard April respond and Dr. Stan, but only the inaudible murmur of voices. She paid it no attention. The Groom Lake Neighborhood watch ¨C if that¡¯s what they really were ¨C had finally stopped moving. She counted sixty-four automatons gathered in small groups, gathered in three circles around them. Then she counted more. At the dimmest, farthest edges of her senses, she felt a fourth circle and a fifth. And she felt machinery too, broad shapes resting on the frost-bitten ground, indistinct at the edges of her Shaping sense. ¡°To April Bean,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You are a true bystander in this situation. It would be a terrible shame to throw away six years of fine education in senseless bloodshed. I¡¯m aware of your ambition to earn a Ph.D. Wouldn¡¯t it be terrible to die as collateral damage in a struggle you don¡¯t understand and that never will affect you? Come out peacefully and you will receive the same treatment as your Theodore and his family.¡± ¡°Once you have everyone secured,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Lead the way with your ship and strafe them. Make an opening for me and I will take it.¡± She laid her gauntleted arm on Enoa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Is this possible?¡± ¡°It would be tough.¡± Enoa tried to strengthen her senses, to feel clearer, to count the last rings of automatons and what lay beyond, but she couldn¡¯t. They remained hazy shadows in her mind. ¡°The first circle of fifteen is really close, maybe¡­ maybe less than ten feet from the house. And there might be more than a hundred and they have big¡­ big things. I can¡¯t tell what they are.¡± Helmont¡¯s voice returned. ¡°To the local Shoshone people and their allies: flee this place. Your law has no authority here. Your law is no law, but the Liberty Corps will allow you to play at running your so-called nation, for now. If you do not interfere in this matter, your petty chiefdom will be allowed to stand. This land, this continent, is the destiny of the Liberty Corps, and I am poised to take it. I will decapitate your so-called nation, unless you leave this property. And to Ms. Catherine Hawkins, you may have chosen to keep your family name, but this will protect no one. Your husband and your children will be considered political targets if you resist us.¡± ¡°I need to know!¡± Cathy grabbed Enoa by both shoulders. ¡°We can¡¯t see them! You¡¯re the only one who can know what¡¯s out there!¡± But the grip from Cathy¡¯s fingers broke her concentration. It was like the other woman¡¯s fear leeched into her. Enoa lost all sense of the machinery, of the fifth row and then the fourth. Her sense receded until even the third row of thirty-two figures was vague and hazy and she could no longer be sure of her earlier count. ¡°Cathy,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let her go.¡± He laid his hand on her wrist. ¡°We¡¯ll get you out of here. I¡¯ll fly you wherever you need to go. What defenses does your council have?¡± ¡°To their guests,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Dr. Sophia Stanislakova, I once applauded your story, an immigrant fleeing from Communism. You¡¯ve led a riveting life. But perhaps your parents fled the Soviet Union for no idealogical reasons. Perhaps they were merely the proverbial rats fleeing the sinking ship, driven only by self-preservation to wherever the tides might take them. Let me be clear, the United States fell. The IHSA fell. But their heir, the Liberty Corps, is ascendant. The Liberty Corps is law, and there will be no defections from us. Surrender, and we will allow you to work in peace. Resist, and you will die a nationless rodent.¡± ¡°We have U-cannon turrets,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Two of them. And sensor traps. But if we can¡¯t detect those androids, what can we do? Are they really all cloaked? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°But we¡¯ll get you there.¡± ¡°To Jaleel Yaye, the Liberty Corps has need of industrious young boys. There is much to be done rebuilding this world. You have fallen into a lawless life, like many your age. First you were a thief, now apprenticed to a true outlaw. Accept custody, and you will have all the work you could ever dream of. Build a nation, not your playthings and crude weapons. If you resist us, think of the horror of your parents and sisters when we display your body among other outlaws.¡± ¡°Orson.¡± Jaleel stood at the Aesir¡¯s open doorway. ¡°I¡¯m going to write to your friend. If Franklin¡¯s close, we need to plan with him. Maybe he can see what¡¯s up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Yeah, write to Franklin. Please ¨C let him know we¡¯re surrounded, to be careful, and get us any information he can.¡± ¡°To Enoa Cloud,¡± Helmont continued. ¡°Your mind is now filled with knowledge rightly owned by the Liberty Corps. Sucora¡¯s work belongs to us. Her Anemos technique is ours. We will learn it in time, but we prefer a live specimen. The Neighborhood Watch has been ordered not to kill you, but to take you alive. I guarantee you would prefer to be a willing participant in our research. Surrender to us yourself and Sucora¡¯s effects, and you will be taken to a place where your talents can truly be studied.¡± Enoa¡¯s senses retracted to the first row of automatons. She could feel no farther. Her clarity of sense was dulled and numbed by a new burst of adrenaline. Then she couldn¡¯t hold back the panic. She thought of all the shapes in the darkness trying to take her, all for what she¡¯d learned. ¡°To Orson Gregory,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You will die. Your fate is written, but the manner of your death is still to be decided. You are a magpie and a crow, preying on the weak and the dying, stealing relics and inventions for your own ends. You have lived as an outlaw too long to be anything more, and so you will die an outlaw. You are a man of no nation, and the vessel Aesir, the sword Thousand Destiny, and all your innumerable trophies belong to us. If you surrender and all of your companions surrender, you will face a quick execution.¡± ¡°But resist, and we will keep you in public torment, as a sign to all others that there is no place for the lawless in the new world.¡± ¡°Are we powering on now!¡± Jaleel called. ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson walked to the ship¡¯s door. ¡°Power on. It might be time for you to get flying. I¡¯ll need my I.F. maker and the lantern, and I¡¯ll stay here. I¡¯ll keep them here. You can get everyone to the Shoshone Council. Can you do that?¡± But Helmont answered before Jaleel could speak, before the Aesir could come to life. ¡°Since we have received no response,¡± he said. ¡°Very well. Begin.¡± Enoa¡¯s foggy, diminished sense was clear enough to feel the first ring of figures race toward the house. 117 - Hello! The figures stepped onto the roof before Enoa could speak, before she could offer any warning. Only then did the Earthship¡¯s proximity alarm begin, a series of shrill chirps that sounded from speakers in the walls and floor and whatever control unit April carried inside the Aesir. ¡°They¡¯re looking for a way in!¡± Enoa felt the figures form a line at the far side of the roof ¨C fifteen of them, single file. They walked directly above them, moving together with deliberate steps, back-and-forth, back-and-forth, from one end of the roof to the other. ¡°And you¡¯re waiting to get out.¡± Orson laid his hand on Enoa¡¯s shoulder and steered her back toward the ship. Cathy also hadn¡¯t gotten aboard. She still waited outside, pistols drawn. ¡°Ted, April, can you open that door from where you are?¡± ¡°It can get stuck.¡± Teddy called from inside. ¡°It opens halfway sometimes. The space is cramped because we decided to add the second bulkhead at the last minute.¡± ¡°Will the Aesir fit if the door¡¯s stuck like that?¡± Orson stepped around Enoa and Cathy and jumped inside. They didn¡¯t follow him. Enoa heard the click of an opening storage locker. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m good enough to fly out with it that tight!¡± Jaleel yelled, none of his usual pre-flight excitement to be heard, as he sat alone at the front of the ship. ¡°Yeah I¡¯m not sure about this, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I don¡¯t have the exact measurements. I think so?¡± ¡°I think so isn¡¯t gonna cut it.¡± Orson reappeared. He held the I.F. Maker under his left arm and gripped the lantern in his right. It gave off an almost-volcanic crimson glow. ¡°If I have to blast it open, I¡¯ll pay you back. Doc, how are we doing with those sensors?¡± Dr. Stan arrived behind him, holding her new datapad and a long length of cord. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready.¡± She walked to the sensor station and plugged the datapad into the Aesir. ¡°I should have a better time now.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t try to hook onto any networks or Ruby will lock you out and be real pissed with all of us.¡± Orson clipped the lantern onto his sword sheath. ¡°Teddy, April, what¡¯s the consensus on the door? Are you opening it here? Am I opening it over there? Or are we going to need a new exit?¡± Enoa tried to extend her senses beyond the gathering on the roof, to feel further, to all the forces surrounding them, or at least far enough to know if any of their pursuers were working to find other entryways into the Earthship. She failed. Her mind and will focused only on the even footfalls across the roof. No living, human force had ever walked in such synchronized perfection as the figures above them. ¡°You¡¯ll fit,¡± April said. ¡°Half will do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not sure,¡± Jaleel yelled again. ¡°You¡¯ll be genius!¡± Dr. Stan powered on the Aesir¡¯s side monitor. The screen filled with a purely numeric display. ¡°Yeah, Jaleel.¡± Orson set the I.F. Maker on the ship¡¯s table and slid a spare solar cell inside. ¡°It¡¯ll be just like your Star Wars.¡± ¡°My Star Wars?¡± Jaleel laughed. ¡°Thanks, Grandpa.¡± ¡°We have no time for this.¡± Cathy stared up toward the ceiling. Had her own gear caught a fix on the force above them? ¡°They¡¯re about to reach the garage door.¡± All fell silent when the figures gathered on the door. They stepped together onto the metal, footfalls ringing out hollow. Then an immediate scratching sound started, a slight scraping. The motions were precise, systematic, as unseen hands probed the door, searching for purchase, for a way inside. ¡°Enoa, Cathy.¡± Orson jumped from the Aesir. ¡°Get. In. Jaleel, hover. Hover now. Get moving as soon as they¡¯re belted.¡± He sat the I.F. Maker on the floor. ¡°April, get ready to open that door as soon as everyone¡¯s set.¡± ¡°Aye aye, Captain,¡± Jaleel answered. ¡°Ready!¡± April said. But Cathy made no move to board the ship. She aimed both pistols toward the garage door. ¡°I think we¡¯ve run out of time,¡± she said. ¡°You can see them?¡± Orson asked, but she had no chance to answer. The garage door opened. It groaned, a creaking echo that rattled through the ceiling, like the entire building fought against the strength acting on the door. Cathy and Orson ran toward the opening. He¡¯d drawn his sword, adding its blue glow to the light of his goggles and the red from the lantern. Enoa saw a sliver of star-strewn, desert sky through the thin gap in the garage door, but heard no sound from the force massed above them. Cathy fell into a crouch. Her boots¡¯ armor plating shifted, slid until it touched the floor ¨C an IHSA mechanized feature to help maintain her balance or stay braced against the concrete. Cathy aimed both pistols at the opening. Orson¡¯s blaster slid into his hand. He trained it on the doorway, but stayed standing. A silhouette, head and shoulders, loomed over the opening. It was a featureless purple, mottled, made to vanish when seen in the starlight. ¡°Hello!¡± The figure spoke in a manic voice. Then the scores of other androids behind it answered. ¡°HELLO!¡± Their voices boomed. ¡°YOU ARE DETAINED! SURRENDER FOR IMPRISONMENT OR EXECUTION!¡± The figure in the doorway reached into the opening. Its arm and shoulder slid inside, stretching flat ¨C Enoa saw the limb actually flatten out and reach easily four feet down into the open air. The color of the arm changed, shifting hue to the same dull tan of the walls. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The arm was still adjusting its coloration when Cathy buried a bullet in the thing¡¯s forehead. The bullet hole sparked, and the silhouette faded to a light gray. Enoa could see clearly then that the figure had no ears, no nose, and only small indentations where its eyes should be. ¡°What are you doing, Enoa?¡± Orson yelled without turning around. ¡°Get in the ship. You¡­¡± Three bursts of light flew past the prone android body. One struck Orson in the shoulder. The fabric of his coat smoldered. He staggered backward, but he sent a blast of his own out through the opening. A second shot took Cathy in the breastplate. She stayed where she was, firing past the inert figure and out into the open air. The third flew well past them both, burning a dark streak across the garage floor, only feet from the Aesir. Enoa heard yells from inside the ship, drowned out by a deep bellow from Teddy. ¡°Enoa!¡± Jaleel hissed. ¡°Get in! Get in!¡± But she took another glance toward the opening, where more figures could be seen, a writhing mottled mass of moving starlight. The figures fired more energy into the garage, and Enoa waited no longer. She jumped up into the ship. Jaleel immediately cycled the door closed. It shut as soon as she pulled her cloak clear of the entryway. ¡°Why did you wait so long?¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°Why did you close the door?¡± Enoa yelled back. ¡°I don¡¯t care what Orson says. We¡¯re not leaving here without him. And what about Cathy?¡± ¡°They both have more armor and better weapons than we do!¡± Jaleel answered. Enoa felt the slapping sensation beneath her ¨C the Aesir had taken off. ¡°I¡¯m gonna turn us around and send a blast at whatever¡¯s back there. Let¡¯s hope they don¡¯t have any physical projectiles or we¡¯re screwed.¡± In answer, scattered bursts of energy exploded against the Aesir¡¯s rad shield. It jarred Enoa from the floor, and she rose to her feet. ¡°There¡¯s more room to get belted in on the couch, Enoa!¡± Teddy waved to the sofa. He held tight to the sheathed dagger he wore. ¡°April,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I believe it¡¯s time to open the door all the way.¡± ¡°Cathy was supposed to come with us.¡± April held a small blue remote control for the door. ¡°We need to check on her Council. They could be in danger, if the Baron¡¯s threat was the truth.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t leave without Orson!¡± Teddy clenched his right hand around the dagger¡¯s hilt. ¡°No way! We¡¯ll all fight here, or we¡¯ll all run to the Council. I built this place. I¡¯m not letting Orson defend it alone.¡± ¡°Guys!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°I can¡¯t hear Ruby! Ruby talk louder.¡± ¡°THE SHIP¡¯S MAIN COMPUTER CAN DETECT ENERGY SIGNATURES DURING ACTIVE PULSE.¡± Ruby¡¯s voice boomed down from the top speaker. ¡°Quieter, Ruby!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°The ship¡¯s main computer can detect active energy signatures,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Would you like me to display this information on the main monitor?¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Could I please see that information, as well, Ruby?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Certainly.¡± ¡°Can we bounce that to me too?¡± April asked. ¡°I would like to see if the House Monitoring System can adapt to these androids. I might get a clear look at what¡¯s happening outside.¡± ¡°I can do that if Ruby will allow a direct link,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°What does any of that mean?¡± Enoa retracted her staff and clipped it to her belt, as she ran to the front passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°Looks like we can only see these things clearly when they¡¯re moving,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Then give me the tri-cannon.¡± Enoa fit her seatbelt into place. ¡°We¡¯ll shoot the things up there, grab Orson and Cathy, and get out of here.¡± ¡°Uh, right.¡± Jaleel activated the passenger¡¯s screen. Enoa watched the normal targeting display appear, but only the Aesir¡¯s green triangle could be seen. She saw nothing to indicate either their friends or the androids surrounding them. But on the windshield she saw their attackers. They looked like pale green skeletons, the moving energy inside them dimly visible, racing along their limbs and bouncing around inside their artificial skulls. Two inert gray androids dangled from the garage opening. Three more active green skeletons used them for cover, launching fire and light from their fists, unloading energy at Orson and Cathy and the Aesir¡¯s shield. Cathy returned fire, striking one of the figures in the neck. ¡°Orson,¡± Cathy said, voice magnified by the external microphone. ¡°Two more around the front one I disabled. Cut wide at that one, and you¡¯ll cut them all.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Orson launched himself from the floor, his repulsor sending him angling up at the open doorway. The androids knew their danger. Two more energy bolts struck the coat¡¯s fabric, but with the repulsor on full, Orson was not redirected. With one swing of the sword, the three androids were cut apart across the shoulders. The green blurs of energy vanished, and the headless, pale-gray bodies tumbled toward the garage floor. But the sword¡¯s fire did not stop the flow of fluids from the machines the way it cauterized injuries in living things. Black discharge uncoiled from the things¡¯ severed necks, like spooling licorice, piling up around the androids¡¯ unmoving bodies. The doorway clear, a new volley of energy fire entered the garage. Half a dozen more green skeletons appeared above the door, stretching inside. ¡°Ted!¡± Orson¡¯s deepened, distorted voice called through his gear¡¯s microphone. ¡°April! Open the door and get out! They¡¯re coming in!¡± April answered the call, but she didn¡¯t open the door. A second set of doors, dual-plated, set lower in the garage ceiling, slammed shut in their place. Four more green skeletons were crushed or cut in two by the door. The floor was littered in severed arms and heads. All pieces oozed the black licorice discharge. The doors shut. No more movement and no more green skeletons could be seen. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Orson yelled. ¡°You need to get out. Now we¡¯re stuck again.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving without him.¡± Teddy yelled. ¡°Jaleel, float us over there and we¡¯ll get them.¡± He stood from the armchair. Jaleel nodded and guided the ship to the far side of the garage. He looked up warily at the closed blast doors. ¡°Teddy,¡± April said. ¡°Sit back down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a second.¡± Teddy cycled the door open for Orson and Cathy, still looking at the pile of wreckage and the licorice discharge. ¡°Get inside and we¡¯re outta here!¡± Teddy called. ¡°They¡¯re shooting at us too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we didn¡¯t separate.¡± Orson answered without his microphone. ¡°If you went your own¡­¡± ¡°There are too many of them to focus on you!¡± Teddy wouldn¡¯t let Orson interrupt. ¡°Use your little ion mabob first, as a big diversion. But you¡¯re just being dramatic trying to stay here because you blame yourself for us getting attacked.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s my fault,¡± Orson said. ¡°You can say it would¡¯ve happened anyway, but I made it happen now. I suggested coming here. I suggested going to Littlefield too. I make these problems happen now. And I have to deal with that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave my bike behind,¡± Cathy interrupted. ¡°But I¡¯ll be really pissed if I do leave it and still have to wait around listening to you argue. So should we change our plans?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll fire off the I.F. and use that as cover to blast out of here. How does that sound?¡± Enoa could not hear Cathy¡¯s answer over April¡¯s scream. ¡°They¡¯re in the house too!¡± April stood from her seat. ¡°They¡¯re in our living room, our bedroom, our¡­¡± Enoa didn¡¯t see the burst of energy strike Orson clear in the stomach, but she heard it, heard the electric thump when the bolt connected to the coat and the armor beneath. She heard Orson¡¯s yell and the heavy thud he made when he fell back against the concrete floor. And she heard the drumming of bolts against the exposed metal of Cathy¡¯s armor. Enoa turned toward the sounds, just as something unseen lifted Teddy into the air. He gasped and reached for his throat, but he was released, thrown backward. Teddy was still airborne when he struck the opposite wall, just above the couch. ¡°Teddy!¡± April screamed. Dr. Stan and Jaleel yelled with her. The noise was enough to disturb Wesley and the cats in Jaleel¡¯s bunk, sending all into a frenzy of cries. The Aesir was still ringing from their voices when the android stepped aboard. 118 - A Kindling Enoa was on her feet, the staff returned to its full length, by the time the android took its second step into the Aesir. She pulled her cloak shut around her and jumped through the ship¡¯s front seats. This android¡¯s chameleon ability shifted faster than those that had opened the garage. The intruder could not be seen. ¡°Enoa,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Sit back down! Can anybody see it? Enoa, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Not now.¡± Enoa stepped toward the door and toward the intruder. ¡°Jim, your master wants me. He wants me safe. Come here and get me.¡± She planted the base of the staff against the floor of the Aesir. ¡°Enoa,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Enoa closed her eyes. She heard Teddy¡¯s feet and April¡¯s, as he stood and she tried to reach him, heard the continued cries from Wesley and the cats, heard a sudden volley of energy blasts outside. Cathy¡¯s pistols sounded. Orson cried out, in rage and pain and fear. And Enoa heard the android take another step toward her. She felt it too ¨C the same way she¡¯d first sensed the Jim androids arrive, by the pressure they¡¯d placed on the snow. Her eyes couldn¡¯t see the green skeleton or the chameleon body, but she could see it through its effects on the world. She could infer it from the force of its step, as if the rippling echo of the machine¡¯s footfall sent a miniscule but measurable seismic wave through the hull of the ship. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± Jaleel said. Enoa heard his seatbelt click open. ¡°You need me and Orson¡­¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Jaleel, we need you driving. It¡¯s okay.¡± She didn¡¯t turn her head as she spoke, didn¡¯t move at all, still facing the invisible android. Jaleel¡¯s seatbelt clicked again. ¡°I¡¯m right here, Jim.¡± She felt another step against the floor, as it approached her with caution. And as it moved, her sense expanded. Suddenly, she could see it fully, feel it from its displacement of the air. She felt the atmosphere of the ship moving around the thing, the individual molecules parting for its passing. In her mind, she saw the android watching her, head quizzically tilted. It didn¡¯t know, didn¡¯t understand what she was doing. And she saw the android¡¯s arms stretching toward her, fingers stretching too. She knew their impossible strength, knew it from the way the artificial arms¡¯ tensed their artificial muscles, firm against the air. The ripples from the android¡¯s presence on the air and the floor painted a picture in her mind, truer than sight. The figure¡¯s unseen arm and hand extended further. She felt the motion, knew the arm¡¯s growth, knew the fingers as they reached for her. She ignored everything else, ignored all but the growing fingers as they inched closer and closer, the android waiting for its moment to seize her. Then Enoa lashed out with the staff. She stabbed it into the underside of the android¡¯s elbow. An explosion blossomed in the air and crumpled the strange mechanical arm like tinfoil. The android¡¯s camouflage flickered, revealing its spindly, gray form, its face turned toward Enoa. The extended arm went limp, stretched longer than its torso and legs combined. The useless appendage flopped to the floor, its fingers still twitching and grasping at the decking. ¡°Yes!¡± Teddy charged back across the Aesir¡¯s floor. He was nimble on his feet, even as his heavy steps felt like thunder to Enoa. The android¡¯s head turned all the way backward, a full one-eighty degrees, to look at Teddy. It twisted its unbroken arm around, but there was no time to fire. Teddy drove his shoulder and chain mail into the android and sent it tumbling back out of the Aesir, long arm trailing after it. Teddy jumped from the ship after it, ignoring the cries from April and Dr. Stan and Jaleel. He landed on top of the fallen android, both feet planted on its chest. Enoa jumped out too. The android stirred as Teddy stepped away, but before it could do more than lift its head, Enoa pressed the end of her staff into its forehead and jabbed it back against the concrete. A concentrated explosion bloomed from the staff and tore the head open, sending a spurt of licorice all across the floor where it began to writhe and coil. The android lay still. ¡°Orson!¡± Teddy yelled. Enoa found Orson on his knees, fighting with another unseen attacker. At least two dismembered androids lay around him, pieces leaking the black licorice. Orson¡¯s left hand was pinned against his bandana and his cheek. The other was clenched against the sword¡¯s hilt, as some invisible force pulled the flaming blade back toward Orson¡¯s own face. Cathy crouched nearby, firing at a mass of writhing shapes, severed arms ¨C propelled only by fingers, and headless bodies, all still firing at her. The discarded pieces had come alive again. Their aim was poor but the volume of fire left her pinned. Her blue armor was carbon-scored, blackened and burned, like the floor around her. ¡°Let him go!¡± Teddy rushed to Orson, and he drew the dagger from its sheath. It burned with blue fire ¨C the same as Orson¡¯s sword. Enoa saw a physical, metal blade attached to the weapon¡¯s hilt. Unlike the sword, this dagger had a solid core that glistened at the center of the identical sapphire flame. Teddy grabbed at Orson¡¯s sword hand, searched through the air until he reached the unseen figure grasping for the blade. He drove the dagger into another android¡¯s wrist. Licorice poured from the wound, onto Teddy¡¯s sleeve and Orson¡¯s coat and into the blue fire of both blades, where it burned away. The android¡¯s camouflage reverted back to neutral gray. Its now-visible fingers each almost a foot long, curled against Orson¡¯s left gauntlet. The fingers tried to worm their way between Orson¡¯s bandana and his goggles, tried to reach his face and his eyes. Orson howled, loud enough to hurt Enoa¡¯s ears. She winced away from the sound and from his fury. Orson cut the remaining arm from the android in a surgical strike to its shoulder. The hand fell away before the dismembered arm could regain its grip. He sliced the hand from that writhing arm. The pieces stopped moving. Then Orson rose back to his feet. He cleaved the android¡¯s head from its shoulders and cut its torso in half, as it fell to the floor. A small slit in his coat¡¯s left sleeve leaked smoke. Was it a mark from one of the many scattered energy bolts or had he clipped himself in dismembering his attacker? Enoa didn¡¯t know, but Orson saw it too. He switched the sword to his left hand and patted the sleeve until the smoking ceased. ¡°Thank you.¡± Orson gasped out the words. He clasped Teddy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said again. Teddy returned the gesture, also short of breath. They sagged into each other. Cathy took her moment. She rose back to her feet and returned fire toward the mass of severed Jim pieces. She kept firing until nothing moved. When silence returned, Enoa listened again, trying to feel the air for more unseen androids. She felt none ¨C no more hidden shapes, but she saw how they¡¯d come at them unseen. The door between the garage and the rest of the Earth Ship was open, only inches, but inches were enough for the androids and their bizarre physiology to squeeze through. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± April called from the ship. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all okay, Jaleel.¡± Orson said. ¡°April, your boyfriend might¡¯ve just saved my life for about the fourth time. I had an idea or two but that thing would¡¯ve at least broken my hand before I managed them.¡± He patted Teddy on the arm. ¡°There are more of them coming!¡± April yelled. ¡°More coming through the house. I see four.¡± ¡°Ruby.¡± Orson took a deep, steadying breath. ¡°My HUD needs whatever motion sensitive shit you¡¯ve got for these things. Can you help me out? I don¡¯t want to use the whole targeting system.¡± ¡°You will need a patch,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Or full targeting may be necessary for consistent use.¡± ¡°I can send you what I¡¯m seeing,¡± Dr. Stan called. ¡°Let me know when you see them.¡± ¡°I can see them now too.¡± Enoa felt them enter the open door. They passed into the garage: one, two, three. ¡°Or¡­ I can feel them if they¡¯re close. But I only feel three of them.¡± She sensed them flatten to fit through the slim opening at the door. Even their heads elongated, stretched out twice their normal size to wriggle their way into the garage. ¡°I think I got it now, Doc.¡± Orson tapped at his visor. ¡°Thanks. That¡¯s great, Enoa. You can use your new power and let me know if I get them all.¡± He fired his repulsor and leaped across the room. This time, he could see them. This time, he decimated them, reduced them to another squirming lump of parts before they could take more than a few steps into the garage. ¡°Is that all of them?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Enoa, you feel anything?¡± She did. She felt it and she saw it with her eyes. A fourth android stepped into the doorway, but this one was visible. It pushed the door wide and entered without any effort to conceal itself. Its gray head flicked between all of them, watchful and wary. ¡°Orson Gregory.¡± The voice of Baron Helmont spoke from the android. ¡°You are even less than I expected.¡± ¡°Pretty rich coming from a mannequin,¡± Orson said. ¡°So much for the legend of ole Buick Jim. If this is what the original Jim was like, I don¡¯t see why he got so famous. Without the camo gimmick, I don¡¯t see what the big deal is at all. Or are these copies just shit because the Liberty Corps is making them now?¡± ¡°Petulance I did expect,¡± Helmont continued. Enoa could see no motion from its mouth. ¡°But arming your friend with the Covenant Flame? You gave away a Kindling from Thousand Destiny as if it burns with a common hearth fire. But I should not be surprised. A magpie knows nothing of the true value of its treasures.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Listen, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°We won that sword together, the two of us. And Orson used that thing to beat Calder and Ruhland and a hundred other dudes. I don¡¯t see you Liberty Corps doing anything but hurting people just trying to live.¡± ¡°Defeat Ruhland?¡± The Baron laughed with mirth, real and truly humored. ¡°You believe that? That does surprise me.¡± ¡°What the hell do you mean?¡± Orson asked. Enoa noticed a change in his stance. He returned his free hand to the sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°For a decade our stories have moved in parallel, Orson Gregory.¡± Helmont ignored the question. ¡°I am done hearing this man¡¯s voice.¡± Cathy fired both pistols. A bolt from her blaster took the Jim in the chest. The energy refracted across the android¡¯s body like water on glass. The bullet struck the Jim¡¯s shoulder, but fell free with no visible harm to the gray form. Enoa¡¯s eyes stayed on the android, until the light of the blaster¡¯s fire faded, waiting for some sign of harm or damage. Cathy did not wait. She fired again, unloading three more energy bolts and three more bullets. All failed. Orson raised his hand. ¡°He sent his deluxe-edition, durable Jim to talk to us,¡± he said. ¡°So let¡¯s talk. What do you want, Baron? What do you need to say that your Jim Choir can¡¯t all scream from outside?¡± ¡°Orson Gregory, it is truly my pleasure to meet you at the final reckoning for your crimes,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I know them well. I witnessed them. I was among the force mustered against the Blitzkrieg. I was in Nation¡¯s tower while your compatriots ignored direct IHSA edict and engaged with terrorist leadership ¨C and they were honored for it, decorated for it. If Congress weren¡¯t so weak, if the League of Nations weren¡¯t so weak, you and all your former crew would still be behind bars.¡± ¡°I watched as you trespassed on IHSA property at Isla de Manos, as you defied the Engulfment Protocol and stopped our best hope to avert the technological theft. I was a hair¡¯s breadth from winning League of Nations support then. I was a hair¡¯s breadth from killing you, your friends, your lover, and properly destroying the island and the stolen fleet. If I had not waited for permission, you would have died that day.¡± ¡°I stood on the last IHSA frigate at Norlenheim, while you and the turncoat Enigma Guard fought both Thunderworks and us, fought as a force of anarchy. If my numbers were better you would have met your doom then.¡± ¡°If you were at all those places,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I still only heard of you a couple weeks ago, how important can you be?¡± ¡°We nearly crossed paths several times in recent months,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I considered seeking clearance to apprehend your current crew personally. I could have caught you at any time during your stop aboard the Solar Saver¡¯s stolen crawler. I could have directly intervened in Littlefield, but politics are a delicate matter in this era.¡± ¡°Politics, huh?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Talk¡¯s cheap. It sounds more like you¡¯re scared of the Pacific Alliance or your Liberty Corps Grand Poobah. What¡¯s his name ¨C Hawthorne? Or are you scared of me and my crew? Scared we¡¯d embarrass you, so you had to wait until we were out in the middle of nowhere?¡± ¡°But now.¡± Helmont continued. ¡°You can¡¯t answer me?¡± Orson asked. ¡°What, you¡¯ll forget your little speech if you don¡¯t recite it in order? How long have you been working on this? I¡¯m almost flattered.¡± ¡°Now.¡± Helmont¡¯s voice remained even and steady, but there was an edge to his words, nearly as manic as the voices of the Jims who fought for him. ¡°Now, finally, our stories intersect. And now, finally, your story ends.¡± ¡°My story ends?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You think your camo dolls are about to kill us? Enough!¡± He swung the sword through the android¡¯s neck, then bisected its body from neck to groin. The body discharged licorice, but the severed head did not. ¡°Perhaps you will not die tonight.¡± Helmont¡¯s voice continued speaking, the head looking up at Orson from the floor. ¡°But the Groom Lake Neighborhood Watch is only one asset at our disposal. The Liberty Corps holds the power of the hidden worlds on this planet and all the worlds beyond.¡± ¡°Pretty rich coming from a lopped-off head,¡± Orson said. ¡°Joke all you like,¡± Helmont answered. ¡°I think you¡¯re beginning to see the truth, Gregory. There is no safe harbor awaiting you. There is no one who can hide you without peril. How long can you survive before your friends turn you away for their own safety, before they recognize that we are law?¡± ¡°That will never happen!¡± Teddy yelled. ¡°I will never abandon Orson.¡± ¡°Perilous to speak that way when you hold a Kindling from Thousand Destiny,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Even your name offers only so much protection. And no name offers protection to those who would steal the Dreamside Road. I know you still seek it, Gregory. I know you¡¯re still searching for an abandoned IHSA terminal to gain the location of Knightschurch. Or did you think I wouldn¡¯t peruse what my informant helped deliver to you? I know. There is no way to find what you seek. Those who lived with the knowledge are all dead. I control where it is recorded. You have no chance to fight. No chance to run. Soon, your Dreamside Road keys and the priceless fire you carry will fall into my possession. But you can still die with dignity.¡± ¡°You want the sword?¡± Orson stepped above the head. ¡°Fight me in person. I¡¯ll give you a real close look at it.¡± ¡°I will have¡­¡± Helmont began. Orson seized the head by its cheeks, tossed it into the air, and sliced it in two before Helmont could say more. The pieces fell back to the floor and only then began to leak the licorice discharge. Orson watched the wreckage in silence, maybe waiting for more androids to arrive from the house or for more words from the Baron, projecting from another severed body part. Neither came. ¡°We¡¯ll open the door,¡± Orson called. ¡°Then we gun it out of here.¡± He shrugged and turned back toward the ship. But before he reached the door, something struck the bulkhead from above. An explosion burst against the metal. The ceiling shook. April and Dr. Stan yelled. Teddy jumped back into the Aesir. Enoa joined him inside. She ran to the co-pilot¡¯s seat and the tri-cannon¡¯s controls. She trained the weapon toward the still-shaking bulkhead and looked at her display. She saw nothing but the Aesir¡¯s own signature. ¡°Maybe we better fire an I.F. first,¡± Orson said. Enoa heard him jump into the ship too, Cathy right behind him. ¡°Jaleel, we¡¯ll have to set back down. We don¡¯t need to smack ourselves with our own¡­¡± Another blast rocked the bulkhead. The garage shook longer around them. A thin piece of paneling fell from the wall. Teddy returned to his armchair. Cathy ran to the couch. Orson stood where he was, rooted to the spot by his repulsor boot. ¡°How secure is this place?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Ted, what kinda attack did you expect this place to take?¡± ¡°HELLO!¡± The combined voices of the gathered androids all spoke at once, silencing all of them. ¡°YOU ARE SURROUNDED. BARON HELMONT HAS A PARTING MESSAGE. PLEASE LISTEN CAREFULLY.¡± Helmont spoke immediately, his voice again projecting from all androids and all directions. ¡°This is your final warning,¡± he said. ¡°Your hosts have lost my offer of mercy and clemency, and Miss Cloud is too small a prize to risk the rest of you escaping. Accept the law of the Liberty Corps or die now.¡± He gave no chance to respond. The third burst struck before anyone could speak, strong enough to rattle the floor as well. Enoa turned fully away from the windshield and the dizzying vision of the whole world wobbling around the floating Aesir. ¡°Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°Maybe we better switch seats.¡± Jaleel stood. Enoa saw in the corner of her eye that there was a tremor in his hands, fear or exhausted from gripping the Aesir¡¯s wheel. ¡°Are we¡­¡± Jaleel began. ¡°We¡¯re just fine,¡± Orson said. Jaleel gripped at Enoa¡¯s arm as he walked past her toward the open passenger seat. She gave his shaking hand a squeeze. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get the I.F. to shoot full blast.¡± Orson sat. ¡°Then we fly. We¡¯ll balance between shields and speed. I¡¯ll go straight ascent. I won¡¯t give much to the Inertials so make sure all your restraints are good and tight. Jaleel, are the pets all secure?¡± Jaleel could not answer. The fourth round bowed the bulkhead doors, bent them inward, warped them. A full chunk of ceiling dislodged and shattered to the floor beside the Aesir, loud from the external microphone. The ground shook again too, not just the building, but the deep earth beneath them. ¡°April, Teddy, with the look of that bulkhead, I think we¡¯ll need to blast it open,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯d like to have your permission to do that.¡± ¡°Do what you need to do, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I¡­¡± April stammered. ¡°I got the camera online from outside the house and¡­ And¡­¡± Dr. Stan gasped. ¡°Orson,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°You might need to see this. They¡¯re everywhere. We are totally surrounded. I think more have been coming here all the time. There could be hundreds of those androids.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to see it,¡± Orson said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change the plan.¡± But Enoa turned back. April saw her looking and lifted her small datapad. The view of the external Earthship camera was distorted by the distance across the cabin but all she saw was a swarm of moving green, filling the land in all directions. The breath caught in her throat. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to look at it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Jaleel, I need your answer. Wesley and the cats. Once I start this thing, there won¡¯t be time to check or help anybody.¡± ¡°They¡¯re as safe as we are,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Are we¡­¡± Helmont¡¯s voice again blasted from all directions. ¡°Death in ignominy is fitting. But I didn¡¯t expect this from all of you. Very well. You will not survive another¡­¡± But Helmont too was interrupted. There came a new sound, intense and electrical, an uninterrupted, sustained whine. There was a shrill, piercing quality to the noise, so intense Enoa could almost feel it vibrating inside her ears and brain. It sounded digital, like nothing either tactile machinery or living biology could produce. The ground didn¡¯t shake, but even the overhead lights flickered. Enoa¡¯s monitor winked out. She felt the weight let go beneath her, like falling. The Aesir drifted back to the ground. ¡°Ion Warhead detected,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Distance sufficient for countermeasures. Automatic shutdown. No burnout.¡± ¡°Warhead?¡± Jaleel asked. He was answered by the distant sound of moving keys ¨C a message through the Typewriter. ¡°Please tell me that means what I hope it does,¡± April said. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s not a new problem,¡± Orson answered. ¡°You¡¯re thinking Frank did something, man?¡± Teddy asked. The sound of the Typewriter persisted. ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡± Jaleel rose from his seat and ran back to the nearest locker where they¡¯d stored it. Before he got there, a thumping started on the bowed bulkhead. Was someone knocking at the door? ¡°Hello, down there!¡± A distant voice called. ¡°Is everyone alive? We figured if that Baron was still bombing you, there has to be someone still around to save.¡± ¡°Is that your friend Franklin?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t know that voice.¡± He moved a slider on the console. ¡°Let me see if I can still get the mic working.¡± ¡°It sounds like Royce!¡± Teddy yelled from his chair. ¡°Orson, you don¡¯t know Sebastian Royce?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Orson said. ¡°No, I never heard of him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s worked with the Evergreen crew for years.¡± Teddy cheered and stomped his feet. April yelled with him, and the two of them seemed to begin singing. Enoa could not recognize the tune or distinguish the shouted lyrics. Then a low rumbling began, growing noise that descended from the sky. Enoa wished for her usual sensor screen. She imagined something the size of the Liberty Corps Starbird outside, looming over them. She imagined it was all some elaborate fakeout, just one more plot from Helmont. ¡°It¡¯s your friend, Franklin.¡± Jaleel spoke when the rumbling stopped. He found his seat. ¡°He says he gave the Jims a blast from some kind of bomb, and all the androids outside should be cooked, at least for now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if this works,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is Wayfarer One to Wayfarer Classic. We¡¯ve got seven alive down here. We¡¯re all rattled, but we¡¯re all in one piece.¡± The microphone projected his voice. Enoa could hear it again, an echo outside the ship. ¡°Is that you, Royce?¡± Teddy yelled. ¡°How are you?¡± He cheered again, April and Jaleel with him. The man outside answered them. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Royce yelled. ¡°I¡¯m a little cold and a little hungry, but once we¡¯ve got you up in the barge and maybe break out some of your cooking, we¡¯ll all be good to go.¡± He said more, his voice softer and not directed at them. ¡°I¡¯ve found them. Repeat, I¡¯ve found them.¡± There came another thud beside the garage door and then more knocking. Another voice called down from the bulkhead. ¡°Hi everybody,¡± the newcomer said. ¡°This is Franklin West and my co-pilot Sebastian Royce. We¡¯ll be rescuing you, this morning. Let¡¯s get this door open and get outta here.¡± ¡°Nice of you guys to drop by,¡± Jaleel yelled, laughing. ¡°Franklin,¡± Orson said. ¡°You guys really saved us.¡± ¡°Orson!¡± Franklin called. ¡°How are you, Kid? I see you¡¯re still getting into trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the same as always,¡± Orson said. ¡°Relieved we got through another one, thanks to you. I¡¯d love to catch up, but we need to send Teddy and April on your ship, before the rest of us go back to the local Shoshone Council. That Baron Helmont threatened them too.¡± ¡°Cathy still with you?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cathy answered. ¡°Thank you for your help, Franklin. I¡¯ve heard nothing from my crew or the Council since the Baron¡¯s threat, but I¡¯m afraid I will provoke a response by sending them a message, even now.¡± ¡°Glad to help,¡± Franklin answered. ¡°Okay. Well, Royce and me, we don¡¯t need to be back until tomorrow, and we¡¯re having way too much fun. So why don¡¯t we get this busted door open. Then we¡¯ll all check on your Council together. Maybe we can break more of this Baron¡¯s shit. What do you say?¡± 119 - Wayfarer Classic Charges on either side of the warped bulkhead sent the twisted metal bursting outward. The Aesir drove through the smoke. The precise blast left a clear path for the regular garage doors to shut behind them. The ground was littered with limp, fallen Jim androids. The mustered Groom Lake Neighborhood Watch lay together, some gray and featureless, some with white faces and dressed like bizarre mannequins in tourist garb. They¡¯d fallen one on top of the other, on top of the other, as far as Enoa could see. It was like an eerie art piece, statues of humans imitating the aftermath of debauchery or some cultish ritual. Enoa saw too, in the distance, several long cylinders, like tanker trucks, the same gray as the chameleon Jims. They rested on the ground, some pressed together. The center of the Jim heap looked burned, where the warhead had struck. There were more severed limbs and indistinguishable bits and their oily, licorice discharge. ¡°Ugh!¡± Jaleel leaned out of his seat for a better look through the windshield. ¡°What a mess! This shit will be here forever.¡± ¡°What will?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°Oh man. Oh no! What will we do with them all?¡± ¡°Maybe we can have them reprogrammed for you.¡± Orson parked the Aesir short of the line of limp androids. ¡°Have them all be baker¡¯s assistants and delivery drivers for you.¡± ¡°Very funny,¡± Teddy said. Orson waved to Franklin West and Sebastian Royce. They waited on the ground beneath their own ship. Of the two men, the shorter was blonde and square-jawed, with cheekbones that models and actors the world over could envy. His black jacket, gun belt, and boots also had a flawless cinematic shine to them, like he was in a magazine advertisement for adventure wear. The other man stood a full head taller, with black hair and a short beard, both flecked with gray. He held himself with the relaxed alertness of seasoned professionalism. His gear looked equally high quality and well cared for, but with none of the right-off-the-shelf newness of his crewmember¡¯s. Their ship had four long, connected sections, like a flying train. It emitted a bass hum that became audible as the Aesir approached. The train was black and silver, with a ring of windows in the front car and an enormous gun that stuck out the bottom of the second. ¡°Hofvarpnir¡± was painted in a rich emerald-green along the sides of each section. Both men waved back at Orson and walked toward the Aesir. Enoa turned away from the vision of unmoving Jims and toward the reunion. Orson met them at the door, as the cabin¡¯s occupants cheered the arrival of the two men. ¡°Franklin, I thought you were out of the business.¡± Orson hugged the taller man. ¡°I was scared I dragged you back into serious trouble.¡± ¡°I like everybody to think I¡¯m retired,¡± Franklin answered. ¡°It¡¯s good for my current business, and for my real life, and for the times when my kid friends get into too much trouble.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like much of a kid anymore,¡± Orson said. ¡°Getting chased for months will do that.¡± Franklin ran a hand along the Aesir¡¯s wall. ¡°Looks like I just left the place ¨C in a good way. Glad to see the old boat¡¯s still sailing.¡± ¡°So this is the Aesir?¡± the other man said. ¡°It¡¯s all actually real. Well, I¡¯ll be damned.¡± ¡°How would we fake the Aesir?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°There were pictures taken by random people all over the world. No one¡¯s that good of a con.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Royce said. ¡°It seems like just the kind of thing you and Wayne would pull. You¡¯d invent this flying camper fiction for some job and it becomes world famous, so you just keep it up for years until you conveniently retire it.¡± ¡°Retire it?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°We sent it with Orson.¡± He aimed a thumb at his crewmate. ¡°Orson, Royce says you never met. Is that right? He used to work with Doc Haydn, during his stint being liaison for Ophion.¡± ¡°League of Nations North American Analytics Office,¡± Royce provided. ¡°Pretty sure we never met.¡± Orson shook the man¡¯s hand. ¡°Nice to meet you. Thanks for the save.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too,¡± Royce answered. Franklin waved to the room at large. ¡°For the couple of you I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m Franklin West. I was in the same traveling crew with Orson a few years ago. Well, now it¡¯s more years ago than I like to think about.¡± Teddy and April both hugged Franklin and Royce. Cathy shook hands with both men. Even Dr. Stan exchanged waves with Franklin. ¡°You may not remember me, sir,¡± she said. ¡°But I believe we both attended some of the same security briefings after the initial Thunderworks theft, summer 2015, San Francisco.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°I knew I heard your name somewhere before. Dr. Stanislakova?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°Excellent to see you again. And thank you.¡± They shook hands as well. Jaleel looked back toward Enoa. She nodded to him. They both joined the gathering at the door. Orson saw them approaching and motioned to them. ¡°This is my new crew,¡± Orson said. ¡°Jaleel Yaye and Enoa Cloud.¡± ¡°Thank you for helping us,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I like your ship!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Can I take a look around on the way? Most of the new ships I see are trying to kill us. Orson, are we flying in their ship or in the Aesir?¡± ¡°We could probably dock the Aesir,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to show you around. Cathy, what¡¯s our timetable for your council?¡± ¡°As fast as possible,¡± she said. ¡°I was about to take my bike and leave you here if your introductions lasted any longer. I could send a tightbeam message, but we know so little about the Liberty Corps¡¯ capabilities, even that may not be safe. We have defensive measures in place, and the rest of my crew is there, but I¡¯m needed.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Franklin said. ¡°We¡¯ll finish introductions and catching up once we¡¯re on the way. How far is your council? We can be moving in under ten minutes. If your bike is faster, I can send Royce with you on our modified loader. He can stay in touch with me, and the rest of will get there as soon as possible.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°My bike¡¯s a Sandwheel,¡± Cathy said. ¡°If we can really be moving in under ten minutes, that will be faster. We have almost seventy kilometers to travel.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll be quicker.¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be moving in ten, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve got a well-oiled machine. Cathy, why don¡¯t you go and grab your Sandwheel. Orson, we¡¯ll get the Aesir docked at the Hof¡¯s dorsal lock. Royce, why don¡¯t you run back inside and get us ready.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Cathy said. ¡°April, would you please open the garage door for me?¡± She leapt from the Aesir and ran back toward the Earthship. Teddy jumped out after her, in a surprising sprint to keep up. ¡°I¡¯m gonna lock up the house behind us!¡± Teddy called after him, the house¡¯s control datapad tucked under one arm. ¡°Check our cameras first!¡± April shouted. ¡°Yeah!¡± He answered. April sighed. ¡°We aren¡¯t certain how those androids got inside so we didn¡¯t take the time to lock everything.¡± She sat back in her armchair. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lift.¡± Royce also stepped out of the ship. ¡°And you can get the freight lift ready for Cathy and Teddy.¡± Franklin cycled the door closed. ¡°Orson,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Do you mind if I do the honors?¡± He nodded toward the Aesir¡¯s pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°I never got to fly again after the battle. We were too preoccupied getting you out of there.¡± ¡°Go right ahead,¡± Orson said. ¡°You were always the great flyer. Enoa, Jaleel, I don¡¯t know if I told you this, but Franklin and our other friend Wayne were actually the guys who flew the Aesir at Norlenheim.¡± ¡°Tell me everything!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°There¡¯s not too much to say, really.¡± Franklin walked back to the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Not much that Orson can¡¯t tell you, anyway. By the time we got our opening to really hit their fleet, there were so many things in the air, I can¡¯t say we did much more than anybody else.¡± ¡°Will this be bumpy?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Should everyone get belted again?¡± ¡°There¡¯s probably no need.¡± Franklin placed both hands on the flight controls. ¡°Did you miss me, old friend?¡± The Aesir eased from the ground with only a light tapping sensation at the floor. The slight motion was still enough to disturb Wesley, who began calling from Jaleel¡¯s bunk, soon joined by the two cats. ¡°Now, that¡¯s new.¡± Franklin looked over his shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s Wesley,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Our pet aeropine is back there with Teddy and April¡¯s cats. They¡¯re still freaked out from all the explosions.¡± ¡°I know as much as I did before.¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°Aeropines are Kappa animals,¡± Orson said. ¡°He¡¯s a flying porcupine with metal spikes on his back, but he¡¯s friendly and domestic.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Franklin said. ¡°You know, this is another reason I like seeing you and Sirona and everybody from the old days. It reminds me how my life¡¯s pretty normal again. The flying ship stuff isn¡¯t that out there anymore.¡± Through the windshield, Enoa saw something emerge from the bottom of Franklin¡¯s ship. It looked like a freestanding oval elevator. It fell toward the ground, where Royce waited for it. ¡°I¡¯m taking shotgun this time.¡± Jaleel squeezed past her and ran up to the copilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Franklin, your ship is Stardyne, right? That¡¯s one of those retro stealth carriers they had?¡± ¡°Good eye!¡± Franklin beamed. ¡°The main chassis is classic Hemera-Stardyne, from their under-the-table courier days. The other compartments are New World Aeronautics and the main gun is Dyalhis Arms, but the bones are Stardyne. Pretty ironic with those Mr. Jims running around.¡± ¡°Ironic?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°The same long-gone company built my ship and the first generation of those androids,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Maybe the Liberty Corps appreciates the classics the same way I do. But my classic beat theirs, and to be honest that¡¯s a nice relief. I try to keep the Hof ready for a fight, and make sure I¡¯m ready and Royce is ready, but it¡¯s been real quiet for a long time.¡± ¡°The Hof?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Hof is the nickname for the ship,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Hofvarpnir was this legendary horse that could fly to different planets and deliver information to the Gods.¡± ¡°Is that a Haydn?¡± Orson asked. ¡°No, Doc went M.I.A. before I got the Hof,¡± Franklin said. ¡°That¡¯s a Wayne name. Remember he was on that big Norse kick before he left the states. Orson, you ever run into him overseas? Last he wrote, he was somewhere in eastern Europe.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Wayne since the Empire City job,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s before we got formal clemency from the League remnant.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Franklin sent the Aesir flying away from the ground. He took it in a wide arc, until they floated directly above the Hof. ¡°We still talk a lot, maybe every couple weeks, but the last I actually saw¡­¡± ¡°Franklin?¡± April interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but there¡¯s something else we should plan for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay?¡± He said. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Baron Helmont threatened Cathy¡¯s family too. He said they¡¯re in danger if she fights him, and she did. We need to go and look after them.¡± ¡°Is Cathy¡¯s place near where their Council meets?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°Yes,¡± April said. ¡°Same community. Less than a half-mile away.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s no problem.¡± Franklin turned back toward Orson. ¡°Are both of the new kids fighters?¡± ¡°We are!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I missed those Jim androids the first time but I¡¯m ready to go now! It¡¯s my turn.¡± ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± Enoa agreed. ¡°Great,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Even if we have to split up, we¡¯ll have more than enough crazy wayfarers to check on Cathy¡¯s family and their Council at the same time.¡± * * * The air atop the Pinnacle Holdfast burned Kol¡¯s throat. Breathing hurt, both in and out. The light-purple sky remained empty ¨C no Liberty Corps air traffic before dawn. He stood between Max and Sir Geber¡¯s team of Shapers. They, and the usual collection of lab techs, gathered alone in the early light. The Pinnacle¡¯s roof was mostly flat, extending over a quarter-mile in all directions, in a gentle slope, down to the perimeter fencing. A peaked spire and two stories-tall radar dishes stood at the rooftop¡¯s center. From the way the wind struck the spire, Kol saw a faint flicker of blue, slight illumination from the tower¡¯s energy shield. Did the wind carry ice or snow? Or was the base¡¯s shielding so sensitive that even the wind could make its energy field come alive? Those who stood, exposed to the high-altitude cold on the base¡¯s roof were not so protected. The techs wore heavy coats over their lab gear. Sir Geber and his quartet of Shapers wore white cloaks over their armor. All but the Knight wore their helmets. Kol¡¯s guards had forced him into a long-sleeved jumpsuit, but he wore no coat and the jumpsuit¡¯s collar hung loose. It did nothing to shield his face or hands from the chill. Max was wrapped head-to-toe in a thermal blanket, still strapped to the top of his cart, still silent, still unresponsive to their treatment or to any part of the world around him. He stared away from the Pinnacle, toward the valley far below and the opposite mountain peak. The nearest summit looked deceptively close, so close Kol wondered if any of the Pinnacle¡¯s many cable cars might lead from the base to the snowy peak across the valley. Probably not - it was too far away, probably miles away. But it didn¡¯t stop Kol from imagining, picturing a potential exit, a potential escape. And he remembered. He remembered how he¡¯d caught Duncan with his projection, how he¡¯d interfered with the Plummet. Could he do that for Max and for himself? Could he learn to lift them across that vast distance, carry them away from captivity? But his daydream and his momentary inspiration spiraled out of his control. He remembered Duncan¡¯s final fall to the ground, Duncan bleeding, gripping his arms, being carried away. Duncan ¨C his oldest friend. Duncan could be dead and Kol might never know it, never know the proper truth of his friend¡¯s last days. Did Duncan die because of Kol, die because Kol had fought Sloan and Helmont? ¡°Do you enjoy the brisk climate, Mr. Maros?¡± Sir Geber called. But he gave no opportunity to answer him. ¡°I hope you do. This is the rest of your life. All because you couldn¡¯t behave yourself and wouldn¡¯t work with me, now we stand here.¡± ¡°Each day,¡± Geber continued. ¡°We will work until you exhaust yourself, really exhaust yourself. And you can be sure I know the difference. I know your mind well now, Mr. Maros. I can¡¯t kill you, neither of you. I can¡¯t threaten Maxwell with a fast trip to the valley floor. No, but I can leave you here, very uncomfortable, as long as it takes to exhaust you and where you have less potential for harm.¡± Kol tried to find Max¡¯s calm, to take the same blank interest in the horizon, and to show nothing to the Knight or his forces. ¡°So,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°You¡¯ll work hard to aid our research, won¡¯t you, Mr. Maros?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Kol answered. He expected Geber to force him to repeat himself, to speak louder, to agree to yet more demands. Instead, the Knight waved toward the Pinnacle¡¯s shielded spire. ¡°Bring out the Projectile Team,¡± Geber commanded. ¡°We begin.¡± 120 - The Orson Hoax For the first time, Enoa watched the high desert landscape from the sky. The terrain was flatter than around Littlefield and the Crystal Dune Forest, a great dusty plateau, unchanging until it met the foothills of the still-snowcapped mountains. Enoa sat between Orson and Jaleel in The Hof¡¯s cockpit. With Dr. Stan, they filled the four swivel seats angled behind Franklin. Teddy, April, and Cathy sat on the opposite side, behind Royce. The cockpit had a sleek new-car aesthetic, mostly black and silver, like the ship¡¯s outer hull. Each passenger seat featured adjustable comfort settings and backlit touchscreen and 3-D holographic displays, giving altitude, geographical, and other information about their current position. ¡°Okay.¡± Franklin turned his chair back to face his guests. ¡°Cathy, we should be over your place in ten minutes. If there are more of those Jims down there, we¡¯ll see them, unless they¡¯re using no power at all. Now, you¡¯re sure your people won¡¯t be taking any potshots at us?¡± ¡°By then,¡± Cathy said. ¡°I will be in hailing distance for my direct comm.¡± She still wore her helmet. ¡°They won¡¯t fire on us.¡± Enoa watched the growing mountains and their destination, a thin ravine at their roots, a natural protected space with sheer, rock walls and access to both eastern and western sides of the mountains. ¡°I want to clear the air,¡± Royce suddenly said. ¡°I¡¯m onto your little hoax, Franklin. I know you¡¯re hoaxing me with this Aesir story, this Orson helped you guys save the world story.¡± ¡°Royce, what the hell are you talking about?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°What¡¯s your issue with the Aesir? You act like it¡¯s this ridiculous idea while we sit here in our own flying ship.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Franklin,¡± Orson said. ¡°He knows. It¡¯s true, Royce. My real name is Jeff. I¡¯m an actor Franklin hired ten years ago. Please help me. They¡¯ve put me in terrible danger.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He thinks you¡¯re like Ben Kingsley in Iron Man Three.¡± ¡°No!¡± Royce said. ¡°No. It¡¯s not that I think you¡¯re not real, Orson, or I think the Aesir isn¡¯t real. But I know when something doesn¡¯t make sense. And I know you, Franklin. I know how you and Wayne enjoy your little pranks. You would hoax me. You¡¯ve hoaxed me before. You would build up your friend into this legend on some kind of lark.¡± ¡°What are you saying, man?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°I followed no more than a third of that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying,¡± Royce said. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t fit. Some part of Orson¡¯s story was embellished. I can¡¯t put my finger on where, but something doesn¡¯t sit right.¡± ¡°Royce, there are pictures of us with Orson,¡± Franklin said. ¡°We have lots of them on the main computer. You can see all our old crew at Evergreen and most of us in the Enigma Guard group shot. I don¡¯t know what you don¡¯t understand, but it¡¯s all real, and it¡¯s all right there.¡± ¡°Group shot?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Franklin, the Enigma Guard one¡¯s a really bad example,¡± Teddy said. ¡°We did edit him into that one. Orson, you flew off into the sunset before we thought to do a photo. There were fancy portraits of the other two Enigma Guard generations, man, so we had to have one of us. But a lot of us already left Norlenheim, so we edited everybody else in. But don¡¯t worry. You have your whole costume on, buddy. You look good.¡± ¡°See!¡± Royce yelled. ¡°This is what I¡¯m talking about. There are hoaxes going on everywhere. Franklin, it¡¯s just like what you and Wayne pulled with the statue at that chateau.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t start with me and that chateau shit again,¡± Franklin said. ¡°You made them doubt reality, and you¡¯re doing it to me,¡± Royce said. ¡°You¡¯re a gaslighter. You gaslight.¡± ¡°Okay, so the Enigma Guard group shot was edited,¡± Franklin said. ¡°It¡¯s still a correct, uh, representation. What don¡¯t you believe? You heard how the Liberty Corps is after Orson. Do you think he doesn¡¯t really do anything and they¡¯ve got the wrong guy, or do you think he isn¡¯t really our friend?¡± ¡°How would you edit me into the picture with all my gear?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I almost never wore this stuff until that day.¡± ¡°We got security camera footage of you flipping the bird to the Thunderworks Supreme Commander,¡± Franklin said. ¡°And we edited that into the picture. It¡¯s really great.¡± ¡°How have I never seen this?¡± Orson asked. ¡°There¡¯s gaslighting happening here,¡± Royce said. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to attack anyone, but it doesn¡¯t all fit.¡± ¡°Listen,¡± Franklin said. ¡°You don¡¯t get more Orson than flipping off the guy who caused the end of our world.¡± ¡°Classic Orson, man,¡± Teddy added. ¡°Now you¡¯re talking like I¡¯m not here,¡± Orson said. ¡°Franklin, I am not the source of this problem,¡± Royce said. ¡°You¡¯ve admitted some of this is fake, so I¡¯m just trying to find where exactly the lies start. I just don¡¯t believe someone could have robbed the IHSA, been hunted by the Blitzkrieg, went from a total novice as a teenager to someone who can take on worlds-class fighters, fought Thunderworks, and did all that before twenty-five. And he dated Sirona for five years and left her to travel in your spaceship camper, so he was conveniently out of the picture. Sounds like a hoax to me. Some of it might be true, but there¡¯s no way all of that happened to one person. Maybe there have been eight Orsons and when one got killed or retired, another one steps up. Except no, because one of them would still be back in Evergreen with Sirona.¡± ¡°I¡¯m having an eventful life,¡± Orson said. ¡°Editing a picture isn¡¯t hoaxing,¡± Franklin laughed. ¡°That¡¯s no proof of hoaxing. Your G-Man days have you paranoid, Royce.¡± ¡°Carlos Albir also thought Orson might be made-up before he met him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Oh no!¡± April groaned. ¡°Don¡¯t encourage this, Jaleel.¡± ¡°Yeah, Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°Don¡¯t add to this. It¡¯ll turn out there¡¯s all this blurry photographic evidence of me, like bigfoot.¡± ¡°Actually, Orson,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Visual evidence of uncatalogued species has increased dramatically in the last decade. I believe in a better climate for scientific investigation, without the IHSA¡¯s immense secrecy, many currently undiscovered organisms, like the Sasquatch, could very quickly be documented.¡± ¡°Woah, I hope so,¡± Teddy said. ¡°That would be rad. I have my money on them being a Neanderthal hybrid.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised,¡± Orson said. ¡°Everything else is real. Except me, apparently.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a legend, Boss,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And you like being hyped. Don¡¯t lie. And it¡¯s good for Enoa and me too if you¡¯re a legend. It helps build up our careers. Legend is contagious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really happy with the career I have,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Leave me out of this. When my year is over, I¡¯m rebuilding my store and going back to my life.¡± ¡°Orson a boss?¡± Franklin said. ¡°Now I really do feel old. I still remember when he was first learning to fight. And yes, Royce, he did get good in about half-a-decade. Anyway, Orson had this old metal sword then, before he got the sword of fire, and he¡¯d wave that thing around like a baseball bat. But good on you, Jaleel. It¡¯s never too early to think about your resume. My Aesir days are how I landed this ship and this gig.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made contact.¡± Cathy said. ¡°Our perimeter defenses destroyed a walking party of Groom Lake Neighborhood Watchmen. No other sign, so far.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Franklin took the ship toward the ravine ahead of them. He did not fly between the rock walls. He stayed above them and cut the ship¡¯s speed, drifting along the mountain shoulders, looking down. ¡°Once we get there, once we know everything¡¯s secure, we¡¯ll make sure Cathy¡¯s people can see those Jims when they move and then, if they want the help, we¡¯ll fan out and check the whole community.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Teddy yelled. ¡°Aesir crews old and new, unite! Franklin, the next generation is great! Jaleel is an actual genius, man. And you should see the kinda stuff Enoa, here, can do. She could actually feel those robots bopping around in the snow. She¡¯s gonna be one of the greats.¡± ¡°A new Aesir crew!¡± Franklin said. ¡°That boat needs more than just Orson flying in it. When did you decide to recruit a crew?¡± ¡°They found me,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve never done any recruiting.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t had any other crews, right?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°Right,¡± Orson said. ¡°There¡¯ve been a couple recurring travelers who helped me, but nothing formal. Jaleel¡¯s actually under contract.¡± ¡°Is that right?¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°He must be the most official person ever to crew that boat.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jaleel reached across Enoa and grabbed Orson by the coat sleeve. ¡°I want a nametag. ¡®Jaleel ¨C the official Aesir crewman¡¯. I¡¯ll wear it everywhere and be legendary.¡± ¡°We¡¯re coming up on it,¡± Franklin said. ¡°We¡¯re definitely good and won¡¯t be getting shot at?¡± Ahead, at a high point of the ravine, nearly one hundred buildings were clustered, mostly one story, ranch-style, all grouped around a handful of large prefabricated structures. Two of the latter were almost warehouse size. Enoa saw no sign of weaponry, no sign of any life. She saw no vehicles on the road, but it was still too distant to see people. ¡°We can approach,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Violet pinged me, so we¡¯re fine. I¡¯ll guide you to my home. Levi and our sons are safe, but I want to take them to the council chambers. Council was moved to their emergency residences once we sounded the alarm, when the Liberation Front betrayed us. We¡¯ll see if we can fit everyone into the council chambers until we know the threat is passed.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I think I have your home location on the map.¡± ¡°Should I turn on the motion-scanning?¡± Royce asked. ¡°The androids¡¯ cloaking shields might keep them invisible even in daylight.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Use the radar scrambler. Keep it random. If they¡¯re out there we don¡¯t need them getting spooked.¡± Cathy stood from her seat and walked closer to the windshield. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Enoa pulled the staff from her belt. She reached out to the motion in the air. She sensed the full scope of the Hof, a brick in the sky that had no right to fly. She sensed scattered birds and the whistle of the wind along the jagged lips of the ravine. She let the moving breeze draw a topographical map in her mind, slowly filling in the blank edges. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But her senses did not extend all the way to the ground, to the buildings, the people, or to any Groom Lake Neighborhood Watchmen who may be hiding among them. ¡°We detected a new hit,¡± Royce said. ¡°It looks like one of the Jims¡¯ carrier cylinders. It¡¯s about two kilometers east of here, repulsors on.¡± ¡°Royce, are you alright to check that out with me?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°Are you done having your breakdown?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll finish that conversation later,¡± Royce said. ¡°Whatever,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Cathy, how¡¯s your parking situation? Do you have room for the Aesir down there?¡± ¡°We do,¡± she said. ¡°Great,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Orson, can either of your crew fly the Aesir?¡± ¡°All we need is to land outside?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I can do that!¡± ¡°He can,¡± Orson said. ¡°What do you have in mind, Franklin?¡± ¡°Jaleel will fly everybody but you, me, and Royce down to the surface. They get safe and make sure there¡¯s nothing going down. We¡¯ll be checking out that cylinder.¡± ¡°I can send my skimmer crew to you once our sweep is complete,¡± Cathy said. ¡°Works for me,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯d like a chance to show I¡¯m real.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Teddy yelled. ¡°Aesir crews unite, uh¡­ Separately!¡± * * * Kol started the next day¡¯s testing already exhausted, the results of his secret practice, holding his cell door unlocked. He felt a real tightness in his temples and twinges of electricity that arced down behind his eyes. Still, he summoned a new shield projection and repulsed the volley of slugs sent at him and at Max. Kol¡¯s discomfort would become pain in time. Then Sir Geber would see the exhaustion he¡¯d hoped for. ¡°Increase to ten,¡± Sir Geber commanded. ¡°Fire at will.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The tech ceased fire and switched clips. Kol watched the helmeted man. He knew the man¡¯s speed at his business. There would be no further warning. A faster slug, smaller and denser, struck Kol¡¯s shield ¨C dead center, aimed straight at Max¡¯s face. Kol¡¯s shield deflected the slug, sent it bouncing away and rolling down the inclined roof toward the distant fence. But Kol felt the blow, felt it like it had broken his projection, struck his own face and split his skull in two. Kol had no time to rest. Another slug struck the projection. And another. But by the fourth, Kol fell to his knees. He maintained his shield, but held his left hand to his temples, the flesh-and-blood fingers ice cold from the wind. The cold roused him, a shock to his senses as the new chill sensation sent the pain and the fatigue to the back of his mind. But it was not enough when the sixth and the seventh slugs struck the shield. By then Kol forced his entire body to tense, every muscle clenching, as if physically aiding his mind in the exertion. ¡°Enough,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°We resume in ten minutes.¡± Kol squinted under his heavy eyelids, until he saw the vague shape of the projectile tech step back from his launcher. When he did, Kol released the shield, let the light fade away. He collapsed onto his side, face against the freezing metal roof. The pain subsided from his forehead, but the twinges raced all along his body, down his arms and legs and spine. ¡°Kol,¡± Max said, his voice hoarse and scratchy. He coughed. ¡°Kol, don¡¯t do this for me.¡± Kol tried to look up at him, but the twinges raced back to his face, to his eye sockets and the roots of his hair. ¡°Does the cold disagree with you, Mr. Maros?¡± Sir Geber asked, as if Max had not spoken. ¡°Are you wasting your strength protecting yourself from the wind? Or¡­ is this another act?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kol forced himself back to his elbows. He looked at the Knight, made eye contact. Geber still held his helmet under his arm. ¡°No to which question?¡± Sir Geber asked. ¡°No to both,¡± Kol said. The Knight donned his helmet. Its antennae turned toward Kol. Kol didn¡¯t look away. He didn¡¯t know what Geber could sense, what Geber hoped to sense. ¡°Pitiful,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°There¡¯s only fight in you when endangered. Is this exercise not real enough? Is the danger to your brother not enough?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t¡­¡± Kol began. ¡°I am not finished speaking,¡± Sir Geber continued. ¡°Once, before you betrayed us, you might have come here to train. You aren¡¯t the only Shaper of the Third Mystery at the Pinnacle. But they are trained to fight. They aren¡¯t traitors or test subjects. Still¡­ perhaps it is time for you to meet. Perhaps they pose enough danger to motivate you.¡± * * * Orson¡¯s HUD revealed the outline of the floating cylinder. It hovered crosswise at a narrow space along the ravine, blocking most of the road through the valley. He stood on the Hof¡¯s cargo lift, situated in the train¡¯s rear compartment. Franklin and Royce worked at the other end of the section, removing charging headsets from ports in the wall. Their headsets looked like a cross between classic night vision goggles and some eye doctor¡¯s testing apparatus, with many movable, interchangeable lenses. They also wore tactical vests with long straps dangling from all sides and carried rifles that fit and connected to the vests¡¯ straps. The rifles stood easily a meter in length, with multiple barrels. ¡°The new model thirty-three Incursion Cannons,¡± Franklin said. ¡°And coordinating Heads Up Displays. Pops had a hell of a time getting these to us. The weight distribution is better too, but I don¡¯t think the pinched nerve I got fighting those damn Striders will ever completely go away.¡± ¡°Pops still supplies you?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I thought he stayed away from people on the official payroll.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Franklin adjusted the Incursion Cannon so it hung at his side, still supported across his entire torso. ¡°For one thing, the Pacific Alliance signs the checks, but we¡¯re still really liaisons with the Truce Organization.¡± ¡°Royce you know Pops too and¡­¡± Orson began. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Royce interrupted. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know Pops or know about him?¡± Orson stepped back on the lift to make room for Royce to join them. They stood together on the center of the platform, set into the middle of the floor. ¡°Do we have everything?¡± Franklin asked. He looked at them both. ¡°Okay.¡± He tugged back his sleeve and pressed two fingers to a device on his wrist, like a watch with three backlit boxes along its band. ¡°Here we go.¡± Lights lit along a circle at the floor. Then the lift began to descend. Orson expected the feeling of falling, the brief drop that can be felt in some elevators. But the ride was smooth and the repulsor that lowered the lift was consistent with gravity. The dusty, desert wind, still mixed with isolated snow whipped them in the face. Orson adjusted his bandana and closed his hood, tight against the gust. Franklin and Royce also wore flexible masks that extended from the tops of their jackets that connected to their sets of goggles. Orson watched the floating cylinder. It had not moved since they¡¯d arrived above the lip of the ravine. The consistent green light did not change. It did nothing to indicate any reaction to their arrival. The lift touched down at a low shelf of the ravine, still a distance from the cylinder and at a higher elevation. ¡°Are we on the same comm channel?¡± Franklin asked. Orson heard him speak in his ears. ¡°I still have your channel, right, Orson?¡± ¡°You do,¡± Orson answered. ¡°Am I good?¡± ¡°Yeah, good.¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°We have about a two hundred meters distance for our direct line before it¡¯ll switch to another signal type, that our friend down there might pick up.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s your plan?¡± Royce asked. When they stepped off he lift, he pressed at the circle with his hands. It ascended back toward their still-floating ship. ¡°I want to see what it does,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Does the Liberty Corps communicate with these things? Does it know about all the other ones that we blew up? Old Hierarchia procedure would probably be to recall it.¡± ¡°Or send significantly more,¡± Royce said. ¡°The Hof will let us know if more are on their way,¡± Franklin said. ¡°So I thought we¡¯d watch this thing until we get the ¡®all clear¡¯ from Cathy or her folks, and then we give it a blast.¡± He crouched down at the edge of the rock shelf. Royce joined him there. Orson did the same. They were low enough that the rim of stone would hide them from most direct visual information the cylinder might be recoding. ¡°So it¡¯s no big deal for you guys to be seen by the Liberty Corps?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You won¡¯t be in trouble with the Alliance? I act like it¡¯s the old days. I forget that you¡¯re respectable now.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Technically¡­¡± ¡°Technically, our oversight team might not like it,¡± Royce said. ¡°But they know Franklin bends the rules, and they knew it when they hired him. Unless we make a significant mistake, we¡¯ll only face a scolding.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a good excuse,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Let me get blamed. Even the Alliance needs to market, and it¡¯s good marketing having a guy who flew the Aesir working with them.¡± He adjusted his headset. A pair of longer lenses lowered over his eyes. ¡°And that makes it even stranger that somebody could think the Aesir and all that was a hoax.¡± ¡°Not again!¡± Royce said. ¡°I never said the Aesir couldn¡¯t exist. I never said it. But I would not be surprised if you and Wayne hoaxed every person on Earth.¡± ¡°Pops never mentioned the Aesir or me?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Royce only met Pops a couple times,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Pops has his thing with G-Men, because y¡¯know¡­¡± He trailed off and switched lenses again, switching to a shorter, wider pair. Royce did the same. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not seeing any changes. Looks like real standby.¡± ¡°Pops would support your hoax,¡± Royce said. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him. That man would lie to me. I can sense it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to sense it,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Pops told you as much. Anyway, I usually visit Pops when he comes by his SoCal businesses. It''s been a long time since we did a meet-up. I like to make a day of it. Drag Henry and the kids along. It¡¯s good to visit that part of the country again, well, that part of the Alliance. I gotta start saying it right.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your family?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Is Henry still with the Foreign Service? I should¡¯ve asked an hour ago. I¡¯m sorry, but I see you again, and I¡¯m in danger so that¡¯s all I think about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Franklin said. ¡°They¡¯re really good. I got so lucky having a life with them and a good job for a troublemaker like me. Henry¡¯s actually doing work for a global aid nonprofit now. Lots of folks in a bad way. His schedule¡¯s way better, and there¡¯s no conflict of interest with me also doing Alliance work. Our schedules are both flexible enough that one of us can always be there for the kids.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Orson said. ¡°After how close everything got with Thunderworks, I¡¯m happy it¡¯s going so well for you. Tell Henry I asked about him. And I¡¯m still sorry about the hat.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Franklin chuckled. ¡°And actually, you didn¡¯t lose the hat. You left it with Sirona, and she returned it.¡± He made a third switch to his lenses. Royce repeated the change, but selected a different pair of lenses, the longest pair on the headset. ¡°You have to visit when you don¡¯t have any warlords or robots trying to kill you, if that ever happens. You haven¡¯t even really met Hazel or Calum yet.¡± ¡°Hazel just started walking the last time I saw them,¡± Orson said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Franklin said. ¡°And they¡¯re both in school now. Actually, that leads me back to something I wanted to say to you ¨C I heard about your job offer from Colonel Musgrove. And I think¡­¡± ¡°Cylinder¡¯s moving.¡± Royce raised his hand. ¡°It¡¯s rotating toward us.¡± Orson saw the motion then too, the swirls of green changing as the cylinder glided in a slow arc, rotating so its broad side faced them, instead of the middle of the ravine. ¡°Maybe we were too loud,¡± Orson said. ¡°Or they needed permission to do something,¡± Franklin said. ¡°It¡¯s not like we went all invisible, like they do. Alright, this might be it.¡± ¡°Use the Counter Blitz?¡± Orson asked. ¡°If they attack?¡± ¡°Royce doesn¡¯t know that one,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Sorry, Orson. I didn¡¯t really think to reuse the shorthand. Maybe I should¡¯ve.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t teach the old tricks to my new crew either.¡± Orson trigged his blaster to arrive in his hand. ¡°Call your play and I¡¯ll follow along. I¡¯m still a pretty quick study.¡± ¡°Ars Blastica?¡± Royce asked. He lifted his Incursion Cannon so the support grip rested beside his left arm. ¡°Yep,¡± Franklin said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Some kinda Italian euphemism?¡± ¡°Some half-Latin joke.¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°Ask the former prep kid over there.¡± He lifted his right index finger to his face. More motion appeared at the flickering green. The broad side of the cylinder opened outward. Orson saw a squished mass of wriggling white. The interior was filled with more Groom Lake Neighborhood Watchmen ¨C more Buick Jims, all stacked together like spoons in a drawer, rows upon rows of compressed android bodies. Orson tried to count them, but they began to move. He lost his count at fifteen. One of the front Jims stretched its legs and wriggled free from the stack. It looked almost flat, limbs and face elongated, but they inflated as it stood. Its formerly concave chest cavity filled out when the arms were no longer stored there. The Jim was dressed in black pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Its feet were bare. The Jim reached behind its head and, with a tug, removed a long, dripping cord from the back of its bald, earless head. Then a small bundle fell from the cylinder beside it. The Jim stooped down and unclasped the pile, revealing shoes, an ¡®I love Los Vegas¡¯ hat with false ears attached, a jean jacket, and a silver metal case. Behind the first Jim, more moved and stood and stretched. The first Jim drew a sidearm from the silver case, snub-nosed and without any corporate branding or Hierarchia sigil. Orson assumed blaster. The emitter ended in a point to narrow for most physical projectiles. ¡°Hello!¡± the Jim called. ¡°HELLO!¡± The other Jims answered, even those who had not yet moved, their voices filling the ravine with bizarre echoes. ¡°Some game last night!¡± The first continued. ¡°Some weather we are having! We are the Groom Lake Neighborhood Watch, and there are dangerous people near here.¡± ¡°Are you dangerous?¡± Another Jim collected his ¡®Las Vegas 51s¡¯ baseball cap and his own blaster pistol. ¡°Have you seen Captain Orson Gregory?¡± ¡°We are going to execute the Orson Gregory.¡± A third finished. ¡°Are we planning on letting all of those assassin robots dress themselves?¡± Royce asked. ¡°No,¡± Franklin sighed. ¡°Warm up the Hof. We¡¯ll lay into them. Then, uh, blastica away.¡± He rested his free hand on Orson¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ready, Kid?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m getting sick of these guys,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of them.¡± Franklin waited for Royce to press keys on his own wrist device. Then he raised his Incursion Cannon to the lip of rock and opened fire into the growing crowd of Jim androids. 121 - Ars Blastica Volleys from the Incursion Cannons chewed into the front line of Jim androids. The bullets tore through their tourist garb and their springy white bodies. Eight fell. None returned projectiles. Orson fired his blaster twice. One shot flew wide. It struck a snowy corner of the valley floor, turning ice to water. The second burst feet away from the cylinder and sizzled against a suddenly visible wall of green light. ¡°Rad shield raised.¡± Franklin sank lower along the rock wall. ¡°I¡¯m getting my sustained fire ready.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Royce continued his attack, his cannon still perched at the rock lip. ¡°Orson,¡± Franklin unclasped a flap at the side of his cannon¡¯s support vest. Inside was what looked like a long built-in ammo bandolier. He snaked one end into the cannon¡¯s body. ¡°You don¡¯t have any physical projectiles on you, do you?¡± ¡°I have some explosives,¡± Orson said. ¡°A few concussion grenades Pops left for me. I¡¯m guessing my stink set probably won¡¯t be very useful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking not.¡± Franklin laughed. He returned to the edge of rock. He fired again down at the Jims. When he resumed the attack, Royce sank low and began preparing his own ammunition. ¡°If your arm¡¯s good enough, hit them with what you have.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Orson moved his explosives from his belt to his coat. ¡°I actually have five total micro concussion grenades, three shock pulses, and four flash bangs. It¡¯s been a while since I needed to replenish these.¡± ¡°The shock pulses.¡± Royce finished connecting his ammunition. ¡°What manufacturer? If they¡¯re Atlas, they¡¯ll fit my launcher.¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Orson held up one of the plain metal spheres. He saw no writing, no markings, just dull metal and a series of blue switches. ¡°Dammit,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Orson, I wish you¡¯d ask Pops when you get these things.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°Well, my arms are my launchers so brand doesn¡¯t matter so much.¡± A burst of energy fire exploded the rock between Orson and Franklin, showering them with dust and shattered stone. Both reeled away from the breaking wall. Royce rose up. He began another volley, but sustained only seconds of attack. Two bursts of energy from the androids sent the rock wall bulging and breaking back at him. All three fell away from their position. The Jim attack continued. The androids pulverized their former cover. They chipped into the layer of solid rock, sending pebbles and shards scattering in all directions. ¡°I¡¯ll cross cover,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Royce, hit the sleepers. That might knock out their shield and keep them occupied until the Hof¡¯s ready.¡± He lifted his cannon and sent another blind volley down toward the Jims. ¡°Orson, you can help me keep them occupied.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Royce waved. ¡°Can I take a couple of the shocks, Orson? I have the start of a plan.¡± Orson handed Royce two of the silver orbs before the other man left for the opposite edge of the shelf. By then, Franklin had reached the far end of the ledge. There, a thin strip of land led down to the floor of the ravine. Orson followed after him. The sloped ground was still slick from the ice storms. Orson went slowly. He resisted the temptation to use his repulsor boot for balance. Behind them, their rock wall cover exploded under the sustained fire. The androids continued to attack, even after the wall vanished. They chipped away at the jut of land and the ravine wall behind. Orson saw the Jim androids again. He caught just a glimpse past the edge of the incline. At least twenty Jims crouched behind a mound of their fallen brethren. He saw their arms stretched up above the pile of the fallen. They fired their sidearm blasters toward them and the hill. Two Jims with extended necks, turned their heads back and forth, scanning the ravine and the destroyed plate. ¡°I¡¯m on the far side.¡± Royce spoke in Orson¡¯s ear. ¡°The Hof is warming the main gun. Firing in seven minutes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can bust that shield,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Orson, aim your fire or your concussions at the Periscope Jims. I¡¯ll go on to the valley floor. We¡¯ll divide them until Royce does his thing.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Orson said. ¡°Hey, do you think we can get me close?¡± Orson searched his coat pockets. He found the smooth metal of his sword¡¯s field disruptor. ¡°I can get the sword extended to about twenty feet.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°Or did you perfect it? Uh, let¡¯s just try our thing first.¡± He continued down the slope. The Jims¡¯ volley ceased. The Giraffe Jims scanned the walls, silent. Further back, two more Jims were stretching free of the cylinder. Orson saw then how so few carriers had spawned the entire Jim battalion outside Teddy¡¯s house. Dozens seemed packed inside each one. The androids were deploying more warily now. The cylinder¡¯s door was half-closed, leaving the androids to disgorge only one or two at a time. Orson¡¯s HUD detected motion above. He gave it a moment¡¯s glance, enough to see the main gun emerge from the Hof¡¯s belly. Did Franklin keep it loaded or trust it to load itself? Franklin had reached cover at a sloped wall near the ravine floor. He raised his Incursion Cannon to the lip of the wall and opened fire. One of the two Giraffe Jims was decapitated in the sweeping line of Incursion fire. The Jims reacted with one mind. The other periscope head retreated. It ducked out of sight, behind the wall of discarded androids. The remaining androids raised their arms. Orson fired his blaster before the Jims focused their renewed attack on Franklin. The energy shield absorbed his blaster shots, but not before Orson threw one of his concussion grenades. It landed feet from the pile of android pieces. The bomb exploded. Dismembered android parts flew skyward. Orson¡¯s HUD couldn¡¯t track them all. Had he busted their defensive wall? Had he reached the attacking Jims beyond? He couldn¡¯t be sure. The Jims concentrated on Orson. They began their slow disintegration of rock. Orson fell back against the ravine wall, as pebbles started shaking free on him. He crouched below the line of rock and returned up the slope. Behind him, Franklin attacked again. Then Royce fired his grenade launcher. Orson heard its thunk. His HUD followed the dull metal of the shock blast as it flew high over the Jims, straight on toward the cylinder. It burst in a ball of light, smashed useless against the energy shield. At the same time, Franklin¡¯s Incursion fire began to scatter wide. The bullets ricocheted away from the Jim heap. Some rained down to the ravine floor. Others bounced back along the cliff walls. ¡°Particle shield now?¡± Franklin said. ¡°Tell me we only took out those other ones because we surprised them.¡± Franklin moved further toward the valley, groaning and cursing in unintelligible disgust. Orson caught another glimpse of the gathered androids. He¡¯d made a gap in their defensive wall with the concussion grenade. Through it, he saw two Jims grabbing burned pieces of their brethren, grabbing arms and legs with feet still in shoes, heads, and many pieces Orson couldn¡¯t recognize. The Jims built their wall again, packed it tight, braced it firm, all made of bodies identical to their own. ¡°I¡¯ll rush them,¡± Orson said. ¡°You both cover me and I¡¯ll get in close. At least these aren¡¯t the invisible ones.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy,¡± Royce said. ¡°No.¡± Orson adjusted his sword¡¯s strap. ¡°My armor¡¯s really good.¡± He rose back to his feet. ¡°How about a sane alternative?¡± Royce said. ¡°I don¡¯t think they triangulated my position. Franklin, why don¡¯t we go for a delayed reaction? That carrier¡¯s extending its shield unusually far. Orson¡¯s other shock might disable the Jims if it detonates by surprise and doesn¡¯t trigger their shield¡¯s velocity guard.¡± ¡°Those charges don¡¯t have any kind of timed detonation,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll do the Burning Blast,¡± Royce said. ¡°But I only have enough fuel for one long distance shot on my flamethrower.¡± ¡°Burning blast?¡± Orson said. ¡°Like Sirona¡¯s Burning Blast?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Royce said. ¡°She knew that technique five years ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Orson remembered another encounter with IHSA androids, running on foot, sword in hand, red fire burning alongside the sword¡¯s blue. ¡°I named it. We were training¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m on board, Royce,¡± Franklin interrupted. ¡°You sure you¡¯ve got the reach?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Royce said. ¡°Distract them now.¡± Franklin fired in response. More bullets ricocheted from the shield. Orson added blaster strikes to the energy wall. The Jims divided their attention. Another Giraffe Jim joined the first in peering over the wreckage. Blaster fire struck at Orson and at Franklin. Both men were peppered in pebbles and dust. The second shock charge blasted from far to the left. It flew high over the Jims. Before it fell, a gout of fire struck it in midair. The explosive burst in the heat, sending arcs of visible electricity and light dancing down on the gathered Jims and their cylinder. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The energy shield faded away. The Jims¡¯ blaster fire ceased. The two Giraffe Jims shook, eyes wide, mouths lolled open. They shrank away, spastically jiggling like deflating balloons. Both fell out of sight. Franklin¡¯s attack began again unimpeded. He shredded the android wall. Nothing moved but the squirming licorice. No androids rose to rebuild their position. No more Jims emerged from the cylinder. But more unmoving, spooned bodies could be seen inside. The carrier still floated above the ravine floor, but its camouflage was gone, its gray hull visible. ¡°Alright.¡± Franklin stood from his cover. ¡°Good one, Royce. It looks like that damaged their carrier, after all. Let¡¯s keep our eyes on this thing until the Hof¡¯s ready to take it out. Maybe we can grab a couple of these Jims to take...¡± A sustained beam of red light left the cylinder, aimed right for Franklin. It took him in the shoulder. One of the Incursion Cannon¡¯s straps cut. Steam hissed from his vest. He yelled and fell back behind the rock wall. ¡°Franklin!¡± Orson and Royce yelled together, both opening fire on the cylinder. It ignored their attack and flew across the ravine floor, aimed at the wall where Franklin was hiding. Orson did not know the strength of the cylinder or the strength of the wall or how prepared Franklin was to run. So he flew. Orson activated his repulsor and blasted away from the rock wall and up above the cylinder. He fired his blaster down at the cylinder, shots wide or crackling uselessly against the cylinder¡¯s still-active rad shield. The cylinder ignored him. ¡°I killed your Jims!¡± Orson screamed. ¡°I did it. My bomb. My kill.¡± He fired more on the cylinder. Multiple blasts hit in the same place. The cylinder halted. ¡°Orson!¡± Royce yelled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Come at me,¡± Orson said. ¡°I want to fight you. I¡¯m gonna destroy all your Jims!¡± The cylinder angled up at him, pointed one of its narrow ends at him. Its own repulsor shifted and shot up at Orson. It fired its red beam as it flew. Orson¡¯s HUD came alive with warnings and data. CHEST SHOT ¨C 100% LOCATION OF WEAPONRY ON CRAFT - UNKNOWN BREASTPLATE ABSORPTION - LIKELY Orson let the armor take the strike. He ignored the coat smoldering around the concentrated beam, until the cylinder shut off its projectile, still bearing up at him. Orson drew his sword and his field disruptor and brought the two together. ¡°It¡¯ll crush you!¡± Royce yelled in his ear. ¡°Get down!¡± The sword¡¯s heat shield expanded, warped outward. The blade grew, doubled and tripled. As the cylinder rocketed straight at him, Orson fired his own repulsor to meet it head on. He angled the extended sword, fire at its full length, as his HUD lit with warnings. COLLISION IMMINENT! Orson wrenched upward, above the speeding cylinder, sword still pointing down. Blue fire met the speeding craft, slicing clean through from hull to hull. The halved cylinder fell to the ravine floor. It crashed with a blast of dirt and a shockwave that knocked more rocks loose from the cliff wall. The Jims jumped up in their ports, lifeless arms raised like cartoon skeletons on a roller coaster, and then went still. Orson landed beside the wreckage. He listened for another attack and let his HUD take its own observations. Still no movement. He removed the field disruptor from the sword. The fire returned to its normal length. ¡°Franklin!¡± Orson said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± His friend stood and stretched on the opposite side of the ravine. The left shoulder of his vest looked melted, material smeared together like candle wax. Franklin favored that side. He didn¡¯t raise the arm. He guided his cannon only with his right, but he was standing. ¡°Yep,¡± Franklin groaned. ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll feel that tomorrow, but I¡¯ve had worse.¡± He walked in slow, stiff steps to the bottom of the slope and around into the open. He winced. ¡°Thanks, Orson. That thing might¡¯ve pancaked me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see any sign of a weapon on that craft,¡± Royce said. Orson heard his approaching steps through the gravel-littered road. ¡°No warning at all.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Franklin approached the bisected cylinder and aimed a kick at the inert metal. ¡°Boy, Orson, you even cut through some of the androids on the inside. What got into you? Something put you in a mood to show off?¡± ¡°That was incredible,¡± Royce said. ¡°I thought you were dead. It was like you had a death wish, but I was really wrong. You have my apology, Orson. I know now what I didn¡¯t before. I understand.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Orson slipped the field disruptor into its pouch and sheathed the sword. ¡°I think you¡¯re certifiable,¡± Royce said. ¡°Maybe you can really do the impossible if you¡¯re insane.¡± He shook his head, but offered a weak laugh. ¡°I prefer unpredictable,¡± Orson said. ¡°If they don¡¯t know what the rules are, only you can win.¡± ¡°See, that¡¯s crazy.¡± Royce shook his head again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, Orson.¡± Franklin stooped down at the cut edge of the fallen cylinder. ¡°Either of you ever see a carrier like this before? Because I sure haven¡¯t.¡± He ran his right hand along the side of the hull. ¡°Totally smooth. I still don¡¯t know where that thing hid its laser.¡± ¡°I think this probably works like those egg probes Eloise and Sirona fought,¡± Orson said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Franklin kicked the metal again. ¡°Right. What do you say, Royce? Should we take one of these carriers back with us? We might be able to smoosh one of the halves in our main hold.¡± * * * Kol¡¯s headache continued in the warmth of the roof spire atrium. The sudden adjustment from cold to the tower¡¯s interior actually intensified the sensation, like the pain had been focused behind his eyes, but the heat allowed it to expand. The entire top of his head ached, and motion made the tingling dance all along his spine. Max watched him openly. Kol closed his eyes and stopped massaging his temples. He didn¡¯t need to burden Max with worry. He didn¡¯t need to give the lab tech team more data. Because they watched too, if only half-heartedly, while they fiddled with their datapads or spoke to Sir Geber¡¯s guards. If only they would step away, just far enough for a few scattered words with Max. But they did not, and soon Sir Geber returned with the other Shapers. The trio who followed the knight wore modified officer armor of a kind Kol had not seen before. They wore reinforced forearm guards and gauntlets that left them almost twice as wide at the wrist as at the shoulder. And small metal rods stood out along these gauntlets, their vambraces, their pauldrons, and all the way up to the backs of their helmets, like pins in an anatomy-class skeleton. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve had a chance to regain your resolve,¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Meet the men who could have been your colleagues and your brothers.¡± Kol forced his feet beneath him. He inclined his head toward the Shapers. He¡¯d planned to speak, to offer some greeting as he stood. He expected Geber to demand as much from him, but the tingling and shocks of pain followed his spine all the way to his tailbone, and he kept his mouth clamped shut. ¡°School of the Third Mystery,¡± Geber said. ¡°Here is the traitor, Kolben Maros.¡± One of the three raised his right gauntlet. A steaming orb of green light left the gauntlet and flew straight at Kol¡¯s chest. Kol reacted. As soon as he saw the gauntlet rise, he¡¯d felt another sensation, the hair-on-neck eerieness of sensing another Shaper in action. The green orb exploded where it met Kol¡¯s suddenly renewed shield, filling the air with smoke. Max and the lab techs all yelled. The explosion alone was enough to hurt Kol¡¯s ears. He staggered back against the spire¡¯s far wall, shoulders sagged against the metal. His shield faded with his vision and the pain in his face crescendoed to a numbing intensity, beyond his ability to fully process, pain of a kind he¡¯d felt only twice before. ¡°What discipline they have, Geber,¡± Max said. ¡°I am always astounded by what you teach your chimps.¡± The air filled with a smoke like burned plastic and ozone. The ceiling fire alarm began to chirp. One of the lab techs ran to a wall console, where he shut off the alarm and turned on a fan or air filtration. It started to whir, far above them. ¡°Enough,¡± Sir Geber chuckled. ¡°Enough, Zudof. Your enthusiasm is very powerful, but we don¡¯t want to trip the sprinklers. Besides, I think we¡¯ve finally found Mr. Maros¡¯s true limits. You may lower your shield, Mr. Maros.¡± Kol watched the other Shaper, Zudof. The palm of his gauntlet still glowed a pale green. When that light finally faded, Kol allowed his shield to vanish with it. Sir Geber approached him. He walked without caution or hesitation. Kol stood straight again and watched the helmeted knight. Geber came so close the antennae almost pressed to Kol¡¯s forehead. The Knight didn¡¯t touch him, only regarded him. Kol felt no sensation from Geber¡¯s iron Shaping. ¡°Good.¡± The Knight stepped away. ¡°Rest well tonight, Mr. Maros. Tomorrow, we begin.¡± * * * Orson was still rummaging through the cylinder¡¯s destroyed wreckage when his HUD caught the shapes of approaching vehicles. Cathy¡¯s skimmer raced above the road toward them, the Aesir just behind it. ¡°I hope no one fines us for dropping this into the road,¡± Royce said. ¡°It¡¯s not like that thing didn¡¯t need destroying anyway,¡± Franklin said. ¡°This feels as close to an ¡®all¡¯s well that ends well¡¯ moment as we¡¯re gonna get.¡± He pulled a bisected Jim from the scattered pieces in the roadway, dragged it free with his right hand. ¡°I do feel like I forgot something.¡± He angled the android toward Orson. ¡°What do you think, could I make this thing into a HUD like you wear?¡± ¡°Hello!¡± The Jim¡¯s bald head swiveled toward Franklin, it¡¯s eyes only half open. ¡°Could you help me find a phone booth? My brother crashed our tour bus.¡± ¡°Ew!¡± Franklin dropped the Jim back on the ground. ¡°Orson, that move of yours didn¡¯t finish the job.¡± ¡°It did some damage,¡± Royce said. ¡°I think all of the IHSA era Jim androids still included most of their corporate defaults. This Jim sounded like he was back in the mid 1980s, trying to come up with a coverup.¡± ¡°Maybe we can see what the Council votes to do with them,¡± Orson said. The skimmer and Aesir arrived then, and both crews ran out into the road. David and Violet flanked Cathy. Enoa held her full staff, Jaleel his new bow. ¡°We heard some of your battle,¡± Cathy said. ¡°I see we¡¯re too late to help. But than you.¡± She bowed her head. ¡°My pleasure,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I mostly just got shot at.¡± ¡°Boss, did you cut this whole thing in half?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t believe I missed everything again!¡± ¡°Yeah, that was me,¡± Orson said. ¡°Watch out. Those Jims are drunk but some are still alive. You might get more than you bargained for.¡± ¡°We plan to collect them.¡± Violet prodded an unmoving Jim with a long stylus. ¡°Both here and at Theodore¡¯s.¡± ¡°Franklin, do you need to bring any of them back to the Alliance?¡± Cathy asked. ¡°We probably should take half of that carrier,¡± Franklin said. ¡°We¡¯ll be in trouble if we don¡¯t. Not that I like the idea of them all plugged together in our hold. Our luck, they¡¯ll decide to start singing together halfway back. I¡¯m assuming there was nothing else lurking about in town?¡± ¡°You assume right,¡± Cathy said. She and her crew both stepped between the halved cylinder pieces. As they walked, one of the Jims raised its right hand in a wave. ¡°Well, Royce,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I guess we get our Jim carrier wrapped up. We still have our chauffer gig to do. Even if we fly, it¡¯ll be all day ¡®till we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re leaving too?¡± Enoa asked Orson. ¡°Probably,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t know where we can stay with the Baron¡¯s bullseye on us. We still have to figure out where we¡¯re hiding.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find somewhere for you to lay low,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You would be more than safe with Theodore and April if it weren¡¯t for the Tech Liberation Front¡¯s betrayal.¡± ¡°Thanks, Cathy,¡± Orson said. ¡°But we can¡¯t accept. Once we¡¯re gone, I think Helmont will leave you alone. He¡¯s after my crew and what we¡¯re searching for. He¡¯s not ready to go conquering.¡± ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve actually seen the Shoshone community.¡± Enoa sighed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to come back,¡± Cathy said. ¡°You will always be welcome, Enoa, and if the gathering we plan is successful, there will be more.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It was wonderful to meet you all.¡± ¡°But you we can¡¯t all go our separate ways now!¡± Teddy stood in the Aesir¡¯s doorway, still wearing full chainmail. ¡°If we won and you¡¯re cleaning up my place anyway, I need to cook a big farewell meal. It¡¯s not a good conclusion to this adventure otherwise. That¡¯s ritual stuff, man.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s cooking for them, we have to stay!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Teddy¡¯s right. It¡¯s like the end of a Manga or comic book story arc. We have to stay for the victory meal!¡± ¡°With Helmont after us,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure we earned a victory meal, but I¡¯m always on board for Ted¡¯s cooking. It¡¯s not up to me, though. We¡¯re operating on other crews¡¯ schedules right now. Once they¡¯re all as safe as can be, we¡¯re just back to finding someplace to hide.¡± ¡°I could use a break.¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°As long as we don¡¯t think that Helmont will turn right around and send another hundred of those damn things.¡± He pressed his right hand to the opposite shoulder. ¡°Actually¡­ I just remembered. Orson, you wanted help with that mission you¡¯ve been planning. Why don¡¯t we stick around, have Teddy¡¯s comic book feast, and we can get that figured out for you.¡± ¡°Is this about the Tech Liberation Front information?¡± Cathy asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re going to put that to good use.¡± 122 - The Floppy Disk Loophole ¡°We get in, we get out, and if we do it right, it¡¯ll be a full weekend before anyone knows we were there.¡± Orson stood at the head of the Hof¡¯s cockpit data station, a table-mounted computer console that rose out of the floor. Every inch around the monitor and mobile terminal was filled with papers, mostly files delivered by the Tech Liberation Front, intermingled with printouts and maps and gathered notes in Orson¡¯s untidy scrawl. Franklin stood at the opposite end of the table with Dr. Stan. Enoa and Jaleel sat facing them, half-awake. Pops scowled from the main terminal screen. ¡°What do you think?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I hate it!¡± Pops spoke loud enough to make Jaleel jump in his seat. ¡°Loathe it. Detest it. Orson, your plan is so bad it ruined my whole day, hell, my whole week.¡± ¡°Alright, Pops,¡± Franklin said. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. I mean, it¡¯s got to be better than most of the plans we used to make with the original crew.¡± ¡°Everything was better then,¡± Pops said. ¡°And the Liberty Corps is a different flavor of problem. This plan relies on a noncombatant and two kids barely out of their teens.¡± ¡°That¡¯s any plan we¡¯d make up, Gramps.¡± Enoa yawned. ¡°Even if you did the plan. Or do you want us to wait a few years, until we¡¯re older and Dr. Stan goes through a boot camp?¡± ¡°You never like the important plans,¡± Franklin said. ¡°At least not the one-shot-is-all-you-get type plans. You never have, not once in sixteen years.¡± ¡°Fine, fine!¡± Pops said. ¡°Orson, I didn¡¯t mean to ridicule your crazy plan, but I¡¯m worried. We have Eloise and Alec in the hospital, Alec still in a medically-induced coma, their father out of commission. We have Liberty Corps robots everywhere, attacking Sirona in Pacific Alliance territory, other robots attacking all of you, right at the Alliance border. Now you¡¯re in the middle of an evacuation. We¡¯re in a room full of powder kegs, and here¡¯s Orson dancing around with all his fire shit.¡± ¡°How is Eloise?¡± Orson asked. ¡°How are they?¡± There¡¯d been no time to call, no moment that wasn¡¯t essential for fighting, for planning, for something. But he¡¯d done nothing to help Eloise or Alec, more victims of the conflict with Helmont. He hadn¡¯t reached out to their family. He¡¯d done nothing. ¡°She¡¯s awake, but she hasn¡¯t started asking about any of this yet,¡± Pops said. ¡°And that should tell you all you need to know. Alec is a tougher situation with the shrapnel placement. They¡¯re both looking at significant physical therapy, and that¡¯s if we¡¯re optimistic. Robert Sr. needs a real rest. But we can talk about them more, later. Give me your plan one more time, Orson. More detail this round. We¡¯ll hit every step and figure out all the ways your usual bad luck might screw you over.¡± ¡°Do we really have to?¡± Orson began sorting through the paper apocalypse scattered across the table. He made stacks for maps, classic Hierarchia data, modern surveillance, flight pattern information, weather modeling, assorted spreadsheets¡­ ¡°All we need is somebody to listen in on this call. I just wanted to keep you in the loop, Pops. I didn¡¯t call to give you veto power.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get whiny with me,¡± Pops said. ¡°Either you can trust the Shoshone setup with Helmont¡¯s eye on them or you can¡¯t. Unless McDandy is done with licking spoons, and we have to wrap up the call. No need to bring him into this.¡± ¡°Stop it with the nicknames,¡± Franklin groaned. ¡°Royce is just as trustworthy as anyone else we have in the fold.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why we waited for him to go play cooking show with Ted before we started going over this?¡± Pops rolled his eyes. ¡°I trust him to keep any secret I have a mind to tell him,¡± Franklin said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I want him stressing out.¡± ¡°We have finite time.¡± Dr. Stan interrupted without raising her voice. Her words cut through the argument and silenced it. ¡°Whether or not we agree on this plan, our time to review this matter together is running out.¡± The long, curved windshield was mostly tinted to limit the view of the cockpit from outside. Out there, four Shoshone reclamation teams busied themselves tossing deactivated Jims into the backs of cargo hovercraft and skimmers, plus one modified garbage truck. The world outside was turning red and purple. A day had passed at work, in planning, and pondering puzzles with no formal answer. ¡°Thanks, Doc,¡± Orson said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take this thing from the top. Like I said before, uh, this is all based on a mix of the information we bought from the Tech Liberation Front and information we have about standard IHSA procedures from our other experience. The Liberation Front data includes their surveillance of old Hierarchia bases and how the Liberty Corps runs their operation.¡± Orson drew a long accordioned spreadsheet from the stack, one page taped to another, taped to another... ¡°Step one, we violate the Geneva Conventions.¡± ¡°Orson, don¡¯t say it like that.¡± Enoa sighed. ¡°The Liberty Corps isn¡¯t a country,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Neither are we. Stealing uniforms from what is essentially a paramilitary organization would not constitute a war crime.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°The Pinnacle Holdfast gets a pharmaceutical delivery the last Friday of the month. Derzelas Pharmaceuticals is the supplier. They¡¯re independent of the Liberty Corps, but they had some security problems of their own ¨C looks like the Tech Liberation Front helped some guy steal a pharmaceutical printer off of them. Derzelas have modified tractor trailers they drive to the mouth of the Liberty Corp¡¯s Emperor Valley. That¡¯s where they¡¯re met by a fire team with troops from the High Elevation Readiness Corps, aka Summit Scouts¡­¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Jaleel interrupted. ¡°I thought we agreed to call them ¡®Hiker Scouts¡¯. It¡¯s a way better adventurey henchmen name.¡± ¡°Is now the time for your silly references?¡± Enoa punched him on the shoulder. ¡°Sorry,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Whatever.¡± Orson sifted through the paper stack until he found his rough, hand-drawn map of the valley. ¡°They¡¯re lead by a Captain from the Inventory Corps. Once the Liberty Corps crew gets the pharmaceuticals, they take the trailers from the Derzelas trucks and drive them back through the valley, on skimmers, to the cable lifts, then up the mountain to the Pinnacle Holdfast. Now, this is where it gets fun and playful. Derzelas Pharmaceuticals isn¡¯t gonna meet any Summit Scouts. They¡¯re gonna meet us. ¡°We¡¯ll have stolen the Liberty Corps armor and ID when the team leaves the pinnacle surveillance area. We¡¯re going to be highwaymen.¡± Orson nodded to Dr. Stan and Enoa. ¡°And highwaywomen. We¡¯ll take their armor and gear AND the Inventory Captain¡¯s Card Key. No one will know for over forty-eight hours. Both the Scouts and the Captain complete their rotations with this Pharmaceutical delivery. We know this because of multiple statements made to the Pharmaceutical teams. These were in the Tech Liberation Front¡¯s records.¡± ¡°It could be lies,¡± Pops said. ¡°It could be bullshit. Just because they cycle out, that doesn¡¯t mean you can just swap in for them and not be found. What if one of these scouts is having an affair with a pharma rep, and they have some way to meet off the books? What if some of them are buddies, and the pharma people will know you aren¡¯t who you say you are? The Tech Liberation Front wouldn¡¯t know better. The Liberty Corps might not know better. But it could be enough to sound the alarm and screw over your plan and all of you.¡± ¡°The scouts cycle between multiple teams,¡± Orson said. ¡°It won¡¯t be weird to bring in new people. Only the Inventory Captain is the same, and he¡¯s the one who keeps commenting on the Liberation Front recordings, uh, about it being the end of his week. If they ask me where the regular guy is, I¡¯ll just say he finally got some leave. He doesn¡¯t have regular I.D. anyway. It¡¯s this rank badge he wears, so nobody will say, ¡®oh no, you aren¡¯t John Smith!¡¯¡± ¡°But what happens if the pharma reps know the number of rotating teams?¡± Pops said. ¡°Again, what if one of the pharma crew is the girlfriend of the regular Inventory Captain and knows for a fact that he is not on leave because she saw him the night before?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯d ever be able to figure it out to that level,¡± Orson said. ¡°Unless we spend the next year watching them and finding ways to pick up information. But we don¡¯t have that long. Helmont is making his move soon. That one officer at the Crystal Dune Lab told me they were working on a way to get to the Dreamside Road without the keys ¨C whatever that the hell that means. And Helmont knows we got information about old IHSA bases. He thinks I want to stay away from him, but he¡¯ll eventually get wise. He¡¯ll change up his security, and he¡¯ll change the way his operation¡¯s done things for decades, just to keep that information safe. Our one shot at this is during the pharma drop-off in thirteen days.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°I thought we were going the end of May!¡± Jaleel jumped to his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to learn that entire sorting-system manual in thirteen days! Do you think I¡¯m a robot too?¡± He began to pace, looping from the copilot¡¯s seat back toward the door, until Enoa grabbed him by the sleeve. ¡°You really believe Helmont can change his computer system in a month and a half?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even sound possible. When Aunt Su and I made a digital inventory it took us almost a month, and we never had more than a few hundred items for sale.¡± ¡°I do think so,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is what Helmont does. This is why he got to the Crystal Dune Lab and why he tracked us here. He goes the extra mile all the time. He has blind spots, for now, and we need to use them or we need to go back to the drawing board and think of some other way to find this island.¡± ¡°If I just had Aunt Su¡¯s letter¡­¡± Enoa rubbed her eyes with the palms of both hands. ¡°We would be there already.¡± ¡°I want to do this,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°After what he did to my colleagues and what he attempted here, this is justice. We will take more than his information about this Knightschurch. We will take every shred of information he has about the Dreamside Road, everything he holds dear. We will live in his mind for the rest of his days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kicking the hornet¡¯s nest,¡± Pops said. ¡°He will hunt you forever, when he finds out.¡± ¡°Be real, Pops,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing this for like forty years. Do you really think we get any resolution to this that doesn¡¯t involve Helmont permanently beaten or dead? Really?¡± Pops shrugged. Both Enoa and Jaleel sat back down. Franklin motioned to Orson. ¡°Next?¡± he said. ¡°Step two.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°The real countdown begins.¡± He shifted pages and arrived at a diagram of a cable car system. ¡°Next, we winch the trailers to the lifts and ride up to the Pinnacle. They use the standard automated inventory system. Once we get the trailers attached, that does most of the work. It¡¯ll separate their goods, but that¡¯ll depend on what they¡¯re getting. We don¡¯t have a full list of what they receive ¨C it could be the same every time, but we do know it includes painkillers and the Delsalt or Neurzodone or whatever they¡¯re calling it. They even get some toiletries that way. We also have an average time ¨C sixty-three minutes.¡± ¡°During that sixty-three minutes,¡± Orson continued. ¡°Enoa and Jaleel will keep the system running smoothly. Jaleel has the old Hierarchia manual. We already had it on the Aesir¡¯s computer.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t learn it in thirteen days!¡± Jaleel interrupted. ¡°They¡¯re so wordy. It¡¯s almost six hundred pages. And if something goes wrong and I can¡¯t fix it¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do what you can,¡± Orson said. ¡°When those sixty-three minutes are over, we¡¯re riding that lift back down no matter what. It¡¯s the Inventory Captain who says the delivery is done. The system doesn¡¯t know it. It only cares about where to sort which barcode.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re the captain,¡± Pops said. ¡°If you, the Inventory Captain, leave the delivery to go into the main computer and something goes wrong, you¡¯re all screwed. You don¡¯t need a perfect storm to screw this up, just one error and one nosy Liberty Corps officer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m staying with Jaleel,¡± Enoa said. ¡°If they don¡¯t send a Master Shaper to us, Jaleel and I will be just fine with one nosy officer.¡± ¡°Step three,¡± Orson continued before he could be interrupted again. ¡°The floppy disk loophole. You¡¯re right, Pops, I will be the Inventory Captain. And I¡¯ll be using his Card Key to get us to the Pinnacle¡¯s Central Computer Terminal.¡± ¡°And what happens when using that card gets you noticed?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Won¡¯t somebody wonder why the Captain running the drop-off is at the computer instead?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Orson said. ¡°But the Inventory Captain does need to confirm the drop-off was successful with the computer anyway, comparing his list to the automated list from the barcodes. And I couldn¡¯t find anything in the old Hierarchia procedures guides we have that says the captain would have to stay with the Hiker Scouts¡­¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jaleel raised his right fist. ¡°He used the name! I inceptioned his words.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Orson said. ¡°The manual for the automatic sorting even says no one needs to be there once the system begins. I don¡¯t see anything weird about the Inventory Captain wanting to get done. Then he can go to the nearest village for some brewskies or maybe he has a friend in the pharma team. It doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is, my character might not be breaking the rules at all, and if he is, he¡¯s breaking the rules to be lazy, and there¡¯s nothing suspicious about that.¡± ¡°Unless some higher-up decides to reprimand you,¡± Pops said. ¡°That¡¯s why we will be borrowing one of the inventory trolleys,¡± Dr. Stan answered. ¡°I believe Captain Gregory has quite a few devices that render their targets unconscious or¡­ otherwise disabled.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Orson said. ¡°The whole arsenal¡¯s coming with me. I¡¯ll be guarding Dr. Stan while she does the heavy lifting here. We don¡¯t know what specific language that computer uses for these files, but she knows all the big ones anyway.¡± ¡°I¡¯m familiar with FORTRAN, COBOL, LISP, and ALGOL,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°And some derivatives. Most IHSA systems remain in those languages on their original mainframes, with images stored separately. Any interface capability was equipped in the intervening decades.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Orson said. ¡°What¡¯s best, because of that, the Liberty Corps won¡¯t know we took anything. Their, uh, interfaces usually record what was taken, whether with memory disks or drives or anything, but not with ye old floppy disks. That¡¯s how we get them. We¡¯re going way back to the nineties. They can¡¯t store much, and I¡¯ll be spending my next week figuring out where we can secretly get lots of those floppies. But with those, Helmont won¡¯t know what we took. The old mainframe is totally blind to what gets downloaded onto floppies. Helmont will have no specifics about what we did, even after he learns somebody replaced his team.¡± ¡°I used to know a couple people who could get the disks in bulk,¡± Franklin said. ¡°But they¡¯re not cheap and they¡¯re not too close to here. Nearest is not far from the old border, in Tijuana. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re looking for a detour down to TJ.¡± ¡°Thanks, Franklin,¡± Orson said. ¡°I think we¡¯re all set. With any luck, I have a local contact who specializes in communications and can still hook us up.¡± ¡°Not Hanna-Barbera!¡± Pops said. ¡°You can¡¯t trust that cartoon freak.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to trust him,¡± Orson answered. ¡°Cathy would be paying a visit to the real Roger if the cartoon one sells us out. Unless the Liberty Corps can relocate him on a different planet, he¡¯s not betraying his contract.¡± ¡°Once I have access to their mainframe,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I will retrieve all data I can locate about Knightschurch Island. I¡¯ll seek their oceanographic telemetry, any reference to that name¡­¡± ¡°And that¡¯s another thing!¡± Pops interrupted. ¡°Helmont knows the name of this place! You didn¡¯t know that before, did you? Enoa¡¯s aunt didn¡¯t mention that. But Helmont knows it. Who says he hasn¡¯t already been to the place and pillaged it?¡± ¡°If he has,¡± Orson said. ¡°Why would he care if we got there? He might know about it. He might even know where it is, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s been there.¡± ¡°Once I have both the information about the Knightschurch name and the relevant telemetry,¡± Dr. Stan began again. ¡°Only then will I spread out to any other topic I can find on the Dreamside Road. From the moment the first pharmaceutical trailer connects, we will have fifty-three minutes to reach the terminal and execute the downloads. Travel should take no more than ten minutes, each way.¡± ¡°What if they closed the loophole,¡± Pops said. ¡°What if the floppies do record what¡¯s downloaded or, even more likely, you can¡¯t use floppies anymore?¡± ¡°Then we get the location to Knightschurch and move right to step four,¡± Orson said. ¡°Haul ass. We take what we can, pack the floppies and get back to the lift. Once the drop-off is done, we ride the cable car back to the bottom of the valley and drive out like nothing ever happened. If we¡¯re lucky, it won¡¯t be until Sunday night that the Liberty Corps realizes they have a missing team. By then, it¡¯s too late, and by then we¡¯re long gone.¡± ¡°If things go really wrong,¡± Orson continued. ¡°The Aesir will be powered down at the mouth of the valley, and for the first time in years, I¡¯ll have the beacon set up that we can call the ship if we have to make a getaway.¡± Franklin began to hum a slow tune, a rough version of a melody Orson also had not heard in years. ¡°Don¡¯t start,¡± Orson said. ¡°Is it still the password?¡± Franklin asked, laughing. ¡°I haven¡¯t changed it.¡± ¡°Is what still the password?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°What are we talking about?¡± ¡°I know that face,¡± Enoa said. ¡°That¡¯s the expression he makes when someone mentions Sirona and he isn¡¯t expecting it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± Orson said. ¡°But you should hope you never have to know. The Aesir will be set up with all of our information about the roof defenses, and we¡¯ll have the full map of secondary exits. There¡¯s a lot of terrain along the mountain where we can escape, and their cannons aren¡¯t designed to shoot at their own mountainside. If we can¡¯t get out, but the Aesir can get in, we can escape.¡± ¡°How would the Aesir get in with all those cannons?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Again, I¡¯m bringing my whole arsenal,¡± Orson said. ¡°Lantern included.¡± ¡°Lantern.¡± Jaleel nodded. ¡°You were right, Enoa. This is about fire girlfriend.¡± ¡°Told you,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not perfect, Pops,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I think this is as good as it gets. I think this is how we get our foot in the door. Even if we get nothing but the location of that island, we¡¯ll meet the knight Enoa¡¯s aunt wanted her to study with. Once we know one person who has a key, we¡¯ll have leads to more. But we¡¯ll never get that start if we spend forever running from the Liberty Corps. I¡¯ve never had a perfect opportunity or a perfect plan, but if I waited for something perfect, I¡¯d still be doing mediocre work on clunker, junkyard-grade cars for Clark, with almost no money and almost no skills. I know a shot when I see one. This is it.¡± Pops took a deep breath, his attention away from the video camera. He drummed his fingers against something out of the monitor¡¯s view, his teeth clenched as if fighting to remain silent. ¡°Good luck,¡± he finally said. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for my postcard.¡± * * * Kol woke up to his cell door opening, to two guards guiding a long black case into the room. They worked as if his cell were an empty closet, a storage space. They did not look at him. When they were done and gone, Kol found a helmeted officer standing in the open doorway. ¡°You¡¯re starting early today,¡± the officer said. ¡°Open the case and put it on.¡± The cell door closed. Kol didn¡¯t try to stop it. He hadn¡¯t stopped the door the night before. His exhaustion had been too complete, too numbing ¨C thought-devouring. He¡¯d slept. Even now, the shadow of that exhaustion clung to him. He felt no anger, no fear, no hope. Kol found clasps on the shining case and snapped them open. Inside, waited his own officer¡¯s armor, the white plasteel from the captaincy that he¡¯d won and he¡¯d lost. It was still wrapped in Duncan¡¯s tattered poncho that he¡¯d borrowed during his run through the desert. The armor¡¯s gauntlets were still stained with Duncan¡¯s blood. The marks had browned and faded and smeared across the white of the armor, but Kol imagined his friend¡¯s grip before they¡¯d been pulled apart. The sight of the blood awakened enough of him to fear for Duncan, for Max, fear Helmont¡¯s eventual judgment, and fear for the fight ahead. So, he really would be fighting the other Shapers. And he¡¯d be wearing his old armor, still dirty with blood and dirt and his own betrayal. Kol lifted the gauntlets and slid his thumbs along the metal. Then he put them on. 123 - Into Battle Orson worked. On the Aesir¡¯s table, his unending paper disaster had been reduced to three folders: maps, schedules, facts and names. ¡°Did you sleep at all, bud?¡± Teddy stood in the open doorway. The Aesir sat again in the packed Earthship garage. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re in the same place you were when I left to snooze, hours ago.¡± He held a box under his arm. ¡°I slept a little bit.¡± Orson closed the maps folder. ¡°I was happy you got to be here another night with the reclamation teams still working, but I wanted to keep watch too. After cooking all day and feeding everyone, you deserved the rest in your own bed.¡± Teddy jumped aboard. He placed the sealed box on the table and leaned down to wrap both arms around Orson¡¯s shoulders. Orson stood and returned the hug. ¡°This wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± Teddy said. ¡°You¡¯re like another brother. Don¡¯t forget that. You fought to keep us safe. And I think you would¡¯ve saved us even without Franklin and Royce coming here, as awesome as they are. You still fight the good fight every day, man, and when I see Sirona again I¡¯ll tell her about all of it. She¡¯d be so proud of you, if she saw you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really not¡­¡± Orson said. ¡°There¡¯s no need, Ted. She and I, we parted on great terms. I know you seem to think¡­¡± His mind was still twelve days in the future, imagining the Emperor Valley, the Pinnacle Holdfast, robbing Helmont. He didn¡¯t need his mind drawn elsewhere, caught up with other lives that he hadn¡¯t lived. ¡°I¡¯m really happy for her running the inn, building the life she wants. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll cross paths again one day, but¡­¡± Orson stopped speaking at the sound of more footsteps. Franklin entered the garage, Jaleel right behind him. ¡°Why would you only get a new last name?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make it all basically useless.¡± ¡°If somebody calls to you,¡± Franklin answered. ¡°¡®Hey, Jaleel!¡¯ You¡¯d look, right?¡± ¡°Probably?¡± ¡°You would,¡± Franklin continued. ¡°Because you learned to do that your whole life. And everyone expects other people to react the right way when they hear their own name. So it is dangerous only taking on a last name, but it¡¯s also dangerous not knowing how to respond to a different first name. Spies can do that shit and serious con men ¨C I¡¯m talking about actual career grifters, but not most people. I could be somebody other than Franklin West, but I don¡¯t think I could be somebody other than Franklin, not without slipping up.¡± ¡°So you and Pops and Kash are all¡­¡± Jaleel began. ¡°Pops got a whole new name,¡± Franklin said. ¡°His came right from the Hierarchia. His birth name¡¯s Earl as much as it¡¯s Pops. But Kash only got the Armstrong last name. Maybe it¡¯s an ethnic thing, I never asked him. But I picked West because it sounds noir, but not too cool. It¡¯s a real last name. Then my former business partner, Wayne, picked Strife for some video game character. Because he¡¯s a huge dork.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Your friend picked Strife, like Cloud Strife, like Final Fantasy?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Franklin said. ¡°He thought it was cool, that he¡¯d sound more threatening.¡± ¡°Orson!¡± Jaleel called. ¡°How did you never tell me the Aesir crew has had a Cloud and a Strife at various times. That¡¯s crazy!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know it mattered,¡± Orson said. ¡°For all I know about video games, you might as well quiz me on Laotian folktales.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s such an old game,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°How are you so culturally blind? Geez, Orson, you¡¯re not that old.¡± ¡°Final Fantasy rings a bell, I think,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He¡¯s just a dude, man,¡± Teddy said. ¡°In a different life, we wouldn¡¯t even know him. He got his hardcore drive and calling to do adventuring stuff because life was mean to him. He wants to right those wrongs in the world. He¡¯s not like us, Jaleel. We were born with the calling of our craft and our work, man! Orson chose his. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so meaningful, what he does.¡± ¡°Are you practicing what you¡¯re gonna say to Sirona about all this?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°You¡¯re gonna play wingman until this blows over.¡± ¡°Come on!¡± Orson said. ¡°Do I need to write ahead and warn her? We were together a long time, but it ran its course. Jaleel and Enoa like to do their little sibling jokes at my expense, but it¡¯s different what you plan to say. You know her!¡± ¡°It did NOT run its course!¡± Teddy yelled. ¡°You decided to choose heroism over love and your crusade over your own happiness. You spent the last years doing all kinds of swashbuckling and derring-do, but I am still rooting for Orona.¡± ¡°It is way more complicated than that,¡± Orson said. ¡°There are so many things I should¡¯ve done better. And don¡¯t give us the weird combined name.¡± ¡°Yeah, now I¡¯m getting a little freaked out too,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty weird to fandom ship real people, and I don¡¯t think going full poet is a great wingman move anymore, Teddy.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s true for kids, man,¡± Teddy replied. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. April isn¡¯t with me just for the cooking!¡± He laughed. ¡°Anyway, this is your best shot. Because Sirona¡¯s single again. And redheaded, snarky, magic women are a lot of people¡¯s type, but I still think you¡¯d do well, man. The swashbuckling thing is cool. I bet she still likes that about you, just in moderation. You went full drifter, and you never go full drifter, man.¡± ¡°Teddy¡¯s not wrong,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I¡¯d say you do pretty well by comparison. Foster, her ex, he was a good guy. He has his steady business and he¡¯s built like a lumber jack¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to know that!¡± Orson raised his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t need to know any of this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get all weird,¡± Franklin continued. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re some scrawny little guy. And if you¡¯d let me finish my sentences, I was going to say he was also really, really boring. He¡¯s like the Greek God of boring. He¡¯s Boringcles. It¡¯s like¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t need to pry into her life. I just don¡¯t want to endanger anyone.¡± ¡°You wanna know how you¡¯d be safer?¡± Franklin said. ¡°And everybody else too ¨C and I mean safe enough to actually have relationships in your life and not get targeted like this every time there¡¯s a new freakazoid on the block?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the Alliance job, they just want the Dreamside Road,¡± Orson said. ¡°And they want the Aesir on their side. They want the Hierarchia¡¯s crown jewels assembled again. But I am not finding the Dreamside Road so it can sit in some government warehouse. So some corporate¡­¡± He fell silent again when April entered the garage, holding the cats¡¯ carrier. Enoa, Cathy, Dr. Stan and Royce followed after her, all carrying last minute luggage and boxes and bags. ¡°I don¡¯t have any of the political or historical knowledge to comment,¡± Royce was saying. ¡°But isn¡¯t it a little complicated bringing in other tribes and arming them?¡± ¡°Our hope is two-fold,¡± Cathy replied. ¡°Both integrating some other peoples onto the lands we already hold and teaching others to build and rebuild where they live. But yes, there is history and politics and religion, too. It will not be easy.¡± Orson heard the flap of wings before he saw Wesley, as the aeropine flew over his head and out to the cat carrier. He landed and held his forepaws to the carrier¡¯s metal-barred door. Royce jumped back and yelled. ¡°I will never get used to that guy flying around.¡± ¡°He looks like he¡¯s planning a prison break.¡± Dr. Stan laughed. Wesley turned back to them all, chattering. He looked between Enoa and Jaleel. ¡°It¡¯s okay, little one,¡± Enoa said. ¡°No need for a rescue mission,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Sorry Mr. Spikey-bat, but Frodo and Sam are coming with us to be safe.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll all have to visit the inn soon so they can see each other,¡± April said. ¡°Orson.¡± Franklin leaned against the Aesir¡¯s hull and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I really think you¡¯d be good for that Alliance job, better than you think.¡± ¡°Franklin.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°Listen,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Just listen. Pops told me something once, you might think about.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He said things failed last time, and the Hierarchia was bad, because you couldn¡¯t get away from them. No one knew how powerful they were. And they destroyed everything when they fell, like a tree that lands on your house. But, like trees, governments grow naturally. If you grow them right, they protect you and help you breathe. If one¡¯s gonna grow anyway, you need to prune it, and take care of it. Keep it healthy, and keep it away from your roof. Or something like that.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson answered. ¡°That sounds like the kinda stuff he¡¯s said lately.¡± ¡°I used to think I¡¯d be on the road forever too,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Just¡­ Think about it.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Orson couldn¡¯t think further than the heist and couldn¡¯t imagine further than the island. But it was the right thing to say, the kind and honorable way to offer thanks and farewell. ¡°Are we ready to leave?¡± April asked. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Teddy waved. ¡°We¡¯re just giving Orson a pep talk and finishing the rituals!¡± He slid the wrapped package toward Orson. ¡°Rituals?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°The ritual gifts!¡± Teddy explained, each word louder than the last. ¡°For departing adventurers!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Franklin nodded. ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°Yeah, man.¡± Teddy returned to a normal volume. ¡°We got interrupted by the flock of Jims, but Orson still has to open his gift.¡± Everyone turned expectantly toward Orson and the small package. ¡°Sure.¡± Orson lifted the box. ¡°Thanks, Ted.¡± He slid his fingers under the tape along the top of the box. He opened it and drew out a small ceramic house, its roof in the shape of a mushroom. ¡°Is it, uh, a yard decoration?¡± Orson asked. ¡°It¡¯s a toad house, of course,¡± Teddy said. ¡°For the Dreamside Toad you¡¯ve been telling me about. As soon as you wrote to me and said, ¡®we¡¯re looking for a toad¡¯, I knew what I had to get you for this adventure.¡± ¡°Toad?¡± Royce asked. ¡°But Teddy,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But that was my typo. Has no one said Dreamside¡­¡± Enoa elbowed him once in the stomach, and he stopped talking. ¡°The Dreamside Toad will need somewhere to live once you find him,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Or her. You¡¯ll keep that magical toad nice and safe somewhere, man. I tried to get a ¡®toad abode¡¯ sign, but I ran out of time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too good to me.¡± Orson hugged Teddy again. ¡°All of you are. I lead each and every one of you into so much danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you need to start making some real bank on your stories,¡± Teddy said. ¡°There¡¯s a new notebook in the box too. Write down the details. It could earn you a little nest egg that retired-adventurer Orson might appreciate in a couple decades. Chapters from the Dreamside Toad quest would be good for some serial stuff on the New Net.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Orson searched the bottom of the box and found the notebook, leather-bound, with thick pages. ¡°While we talk about your memoirs,¡± Cathy said. ¡°My uncle wants to know if you fixed your writing about the experiments under Littlefield. He liked most of our portrayal in your book, but he has some notes about the language you used to describe the entities Kappa claimed were from native cultures.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything with the original,¡± Orson said. ¡°But if I ever have enough money for a new edition, he¡¯ll be the first person I talk to.¡± ¡°Are you having more writing done?¡± April asked. ¡°That¡¯s so exciting! I know you weren¡¯t very happy with the original book, but I still have faith in the idea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ cautiously thinking about it,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I need to survive the next few weeks before I do more than think about anything.¡± ¡°You will.¡± Teddy reached to the top of his sweater and pulled up a bandana that hung around his neck. It was a brighter red than Orson¡¯s, with no mending stitches, no threadbare patches, no tattered corners. ¡°I¡¯m glad you still keep Ooke¡¯s old one. You¡¯ll wear it into battle?¡± Orson raised his own bandana, the faded piece of cloth that still hid his rebreather. It was the same one he¡¯d carried almost every day of his travels, since it first held the desert winds at bay, when he¡¯d been pulled from sand and from certain death by an unlikely stranger, when his new life as an adventurer had begun. ¡°I always do.¡± * * * Kol had lost weight in captivity. He¡¯d lost mass and lost muscle. He noticed it in the way the plasteel hung across his torso and shoulders and thighs. He felt like a child again, playing at being a knight. Only his helmet fit. The other Shaper, Zudof, stretched. The metal spokes along his gauntlets and vambraces and breastplate began to quiver like so many compass needles. Kol faced Zudof, both standing on the inside of a wide, chalk ring, crudely drawn across the Pinnacle roof. Sir Geber watched, and Max, and the assembled lab techs, guards, and Zudof¡¯s two colleagues. ¡°This is an endurance examination.¡± Sir Geber¡¯s helmet hissed when he put it on, and it sealed to his bodysuit. ¡°It is not warfare. It is not a wrestling match. If you leave the circle for any reason, you will be penalized. Mr. Maros, in your case, Maxwell will receive the penalty for any misconduct. I intend to strictly examine the limits and capabilities of your Shaping.¡± Both of the helmet¡¯s antennae twitched. ¡°Begin.¡± Zudof raised his gauntlets, palms outward and pointed at Kol. They began to glow a harsh green. Kol raised his shield in answer. He projected it six feet ahead of himself, enough to buy him some distance. When the energy blasts struck his projection, the afterimage would be disorienting, but not blinding. Then he might keep track of his opponent. Zudof watched him, and the light at his palms intensified. Kol was grateful for his earlier tests and his private endurance work with the cell door. Waiting would not exhaust him. While he stood, his shield would protect him. But Zudof didn¡¯t fire at Kol. He spun on his heel and pointed both arms far to the right, toward Max. He fired, two bursts of light and heat. Kol made a new shield, a second one. The projection formed just ahead of Max, materializing in the air only inches from his face. The blasts of light hit the projection with such force they let out audible blasts, like cannon fire. Max fell back against the top of the cart, still strapped into place. He reeled away from the noise and the light and clung to the top of his cart with both hands. ¡°He is not part of this!¡± Kol yelled. ¡°Do not fire on him again.¡± He waited for Zudof to answer or Geber. Neither did. And Zudof ignored him. He fired twice, one hand at Kol, the other at Max. He struck the shields with another cannon blast, and Kol felt the force of it. He felt it like Zudof had slammed his fists into Kol¡¯s open palms. Zudof fired again, and Kol staggered backward from the force felt through his projections. But he couldn¡¯t abandon Max, and he couldn¡¯t run to him to combine their defenses without leaving the chalk circle. And he couldn¡¯t focus on defending only Max. He couldn¡¯t guarantee his brother¡¯s safety if one of the energy strikes hit him and ended his projections. But when the third strike hit both shields, Kol saw stars. Then his vision narrowed at the edges, darkened. If he didn¡¯t change tactics, his projections might not withstand a fourth round. So this was his last chance to change tactics. Kol abandoned his own shield, let it fade away. Zudof turned both glowing gauntlets at him. Kol felt the nape-of-the-neck prickling he did when endangered by another¡¯s Shaping. But when Zudof sent his power at Kol, a new projection appeared. A wall of blue materialized only inches from Zudof¡¯s palms. The energy blasts exploded right on top of his own hands. Zudof gasped and yelled and stumbled away. Smoke billowed from his gauntlets. Kol felt the explosion too, and his vision narrowed further. He felt his knees wobble, the first moments of Thought Fatigue. But Kol ignored the pain and weariness. He charged across the rooftop. He sprinted. By then Zudof¡¯s right gauntlet began to smolder. Tongues of flame had begun to dance along the left. Zudof fumbled with his ungainly armor, tugging at the clasps. He muttered and cursed, his breathing heavy. The other two energy Shapers turned to help him, but they were met by a new projection. Kol formed a new ring, a tight circle. Zudof¡¯s colleagues had lost their best chance to help him. And Zudof had lost all thought of Kol, busy as he was fumbling with his gauntlets. Both burned. By the time he tore them from his arms and threw them to the rooftop, Kol had crossed the roof at a sprint. The gauntlets had protected Zudof¡¯s hands. They were red and sweaty, but unburned. Then Zudof noticed Kol or his approaching steps or the new ring of energy. He raised his bare hands again, but by then, it was too late. By then, Kol was on him. Kol threw his mechanical first into Zudof¡¯s helmet. He felt it crack and shatter. His prosthetic passed through metal and wires. His hand¡¯s sensors sent tingles up his forearm, warning him. Kol ignored the warning. When Zudof fell away from the punch, Kol slammed into him bodily, drove him down onto the roof. Zudof¡¯s head snapped back against the rooftop. The world spun around Kol. He knelt on Zudof¡¯s chest and ignored everything else, his fatigue and his fading vision. He let his projection vanish, hoping he had time enough for two good punches. His prosthetic fist met the side of Zudof¡¯s head. His jaw snapped with a sickly pop. Kol¡¯s left gauntlet slammed down onto Zudof¡¯s right eye socket. The other Shaper¡¯s head slammed down onto the roof again. There was no time for a third. Arms seized him, and his vision was too narrow, his mind too clouded to process who held him, how many carried him back and away from Zudof. Then he felt something new, true numbness, a wave of unfeeling that passed from his toes to the top of his head. And he heard the voice of Sir Geber. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°This wasn¡¯t really a fight. You¡¯re resisting until you lose, every day. You are alive only because we are waiting for Czar Hawthorne¡¯s permission to kill you. But I would give anything, anything to kill you now, to bind the iron in your body. Hold you helpless. Throw you from the roof. Except I may not do that. So I¡¯m going to let the other apprentices burn you and beat you. We are going to own you for however long it takes the Czar to answer. And you¡¯re going to accept it. Because otherwise we will burn and beat your cripple brother.¡± ¡°Kill me now, Geber,¡± Max yelled. ¡°You¡¯re building a world without honor, and I would rather die than live here to be used against my brother. Grow a spine and kill¡­¡± Max¡¯s words died in his throat, a distant sound. Kol wondered if Geber used his Shaping on Max too. Kol was too numb to look at Max. He could feel only the dim shadow of rage, like anger after an unsettling dream. ¡°Do you see?¡± Sir Geber said. ¡°Do you see now what real fighting gets you, Mr. Maros? Remember what I told you when we brought you here. You can be relatively comfortable or very uncomfortable. If you had let Zudof wear you down, you¡¯d have a burn or two, maybe Max too. But now, tomorrow it will be all three of them firing on you. Maybe they¡¯ll kill you. How convenient that would be! There would be no punishment or penalty for me if you die in the course of our work. But it has to be an accident, of course. So you can rest easy. However, it won¡¯t get better here for you. It never will. But I can always make it worse. Think about that. This is the rest of your life, Mr. Maros, and your choices are limited. How do you want to spend your final days?¡± * * * Enoa watched the Hofvarpnir take off and the Shoshone reclamations teams speed away from the Earthship, in the opposite direction. She sat on the sand beside the Aesir. Twenty drops of water orbited her. They transformed, ice thawed to water, steamed into gas, condensed back into water, and froze back into ice. No two drops were at the same moment of transformation. They rotated around her at shoulder-height, like a fast-motion diagram of the water cycle. Enoa¡¯s Shaping occupied less and less of her mind. It was less dreamy, less impossible. The muscle in her mind was stronger and she found it at will. She¡¯d been strong enough to watch Cathy and her crew, Shaping only in the back of her mind. They and the other assembled requisitions teams had returned to their skimmers and cargo craft and their modified garbage truck. They hurried through the still-dark desert. Enoa let all the water evaporate and joined Orson, Jaleel, and Dr. Stan at the front of the Aesir. All waved to the Hof¡¯s rising lift where Franklin, Teddy, and April stood with the cats¡¯ carrier. Teddy and April waved back. Franklin offered a two-finger salute. Orson returned the gesture, a last farewell. When the lift rose up inside the ship, the Hof made a smooth ninety-degree turn. Royce waved from the cockpit. Then the ship flew off through the darkness, glowing only from a yellow emissions burst from the final compartment. Then both were gone. The Aesir crew was left, last and alone, outside the darkened and locked-down Earthship. Jaleel and Dr. Stan climbed back aboard the Aesir. Orson remained, watching the horizon and the Hof¡¯s dim yellow glow. Enoa saw new light, a hologram from the SITE device on her wrist. She raised it up and read it.
Congratulations (new user)!
Keep it up! You make the program proud. Your transmutation is focused and controlled. It may be time to broaden your horizons. Has your mentor introduced a Dawn Project?
Rank: Apprentice
LEVEL: 15
SHAPE: Anemos
MODE: Training
When the hologram faded, Enoa found Orson watching her. ¡°You¡¯re going to impress that knight when we meet him,¡± Orson said. ¡°If you still plan to go. This is probably your last chance to get to safety.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± she said. ¡°I have no chance. We¡¯re both totally stuck.¡± She retracted her staff and clipped it to her belt. ¡°So now what?¡± ¡°Cathy set us up with a place in Death Valley where we can hide out until the heist,¡± Orson said. ¡°Owned by another tribe, but we¡¯ll be keeping to ourselves. I¡¯ll owe her sons a flight in the Aesir next time I come this way, if I live that long.¡± He laughed. ¡°And I have the floppies lined up with Roger, and some of our transmissions plans together.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to Death Valley now?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve still got a lot of work to do.¡± 124 - The Pinnacle Holdfast Two towers stood at the mouth of the Emperor Valley¡¯s Sensor Perimeter, twenty meters tall and six across, with bones and hide of structural steel. Both were capped with guardhouses and U-cannon batteries. Another sixteen batteries stood along the shoulders of the mountains, between the valley opening and the Pinnacle Holdfast. No literal wall separated Liberty Corps territory, no gate or antique drawbridge, no stone ramparts. The Liberty Corps¡¯ wall was the spine of mountains. Their ramparts were made of firepower ¨C enough firepower to reduce those same mountains to rubble. Any attacking force faced the tectonic power to reshape continents. Inventory Captain Daine waved to the westward gatehouse before he drove his skimmer beyond the sensor perimeter. ¡°Four hours, Felth.¡± Daine guided them out of the valley, above the low grass. They followed an unmarked route that skimmers had taken for decades of development. The first generations of Earth-built skimmers were once tested on that roadless expanse of formerly-IHSA land. ¡°Four hours and we¡¯re loaded, we¡¯re back, and we¡¯re finished for three days.¡± ¡°I just hope they still let us leave the valley,¡± Corporal Felth answered. ¡°Did you get your approval yet?¡± ¡°I did not.¡± The valley walls gradually fell away, lower and lower in altitude, as they drove northwest. From genuine mountain peaks, sharp and snowcapped, sparse in vegetation, the valley was soon ringed in mounds of forested hills. As they traveled, the snow lessened above them, like they were passing between seasons. ¡°Whatever¡¯s up with the Alliances is turning into something, something real.¡± Felth pressed his gloved right fist against the side of his gray helmet. The knuckles cracked. ¡°Another month, there might be no more standard rotations.¡± ¡°No way the Alliance can hit us with Thunderworks firepower,¡± Daine said. ¡°And that¡¯s what it¡¯d need. Nope, we¡¯re gonna beat them economically. This is a cold war. We get the good Pharma. We get the good supplies. We get the good tech. And we return the favor, keep everybody safe and cozy. Then that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Felth cracked the knuckles of his left fist. ¡°Geek shit ain¡¯t doing it this time. This is different.¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s different,¡± Daine said. Around them the snow was gone, only trees. Many pines stood there, but also birch and maple and alder, some still crowned with blossoms. ¡°We¡¯re still one nation. We¡¯ll teach the Alliances that weakness is no way to survive. Then we can start worrying about the rest of the world.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Felth stretched his fingers. ¡°But we¡¯ll find¡­¡± A wave of light passed over the skimmer, bright like lightning but with no thunder to accompany it, no sound. Daine blinked, eyes watering, vision dominated by a massive purple afterimage. As his eyes cleared, the skimmer slammed down into the grass and skidded along the ground. The wheel was dead in Daine¡¯s hands. The scopes were dark. Daine heard two more crashes. The other skimmers fell and skidded behind them. ¡°I.F.!¡± Daine slammed his palm into the dash. ¡°More bandits?¡± Felth stood, his blaster drawn. Daine nodded. He checked comm and radio and heard only silence and static. ¡°No,¡± Daine corrected. ¡°Too good for bandits. They¡¯re jamming everything. We¡¯ll get all of us together in one skimmer and send out the flare burst.¡± ¡°Skimmer three has the spare cells.¡± Felth nodded. Daine led the way back to the skimmer¡¯s rear hatch. It opened. The world outside was enshrouded in a thick fog. Nothing could be seen. Even the edge of the hatch vanished into the coverage when it pressed down to the unseen ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Daine could still see the early-morning sunshine through the windshield. But he had no time to question the enigma-fog or process its purpose. Something struck him between shoulder and breastplate. Pinpricks stabbed through his bodysuit and into his flesh. Two feet of arrow stuck out from Daine¡¯s shoulder. He had no chance to respond or to warn Felth. Electricity surged from the arrow tip and all through him, like a full-body static shock, racing everywhere, along his skin. Then he felt nothing for a long time. * * * Orson Gregory checked the abandoned substation¡¯s locks. The door didn¡¯t budge. ¡°When they wake up, they¡¯ll have food and water.¡± Orson walked around the squat, concrete building. All machinery around it was gone, long since stripped away for some unknown purpose. ¡°Oxygen in that room should last for over a week. Their air won¡¯t be too nice with their, uh, waste buckets in there with them, but that shouldn¡¯t kill them.¡± Orson wore the Inventory Captain¡¯s white armor, blaster holstered at his left hip. The man stood a few inches shorter than Orson. The stolen armor fit tight at Orson¡¯s knees and thighs, but tight looked better than loose. ¡°You¡¯ve gone through a great deal of work to spare them.¡± Dr. Stan wore one of the Mountain Patrol armor suits. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t escape.¡± ¡°Escape to where?¡± Orson laughed. The substation stood at the cleft of a long hill, surrounded by trees. The remains of a gravel road ended beside it, but it was overgrown with grasses and low shrubs. ¡°They have no tools and no way to communicate.¡± The building, the Aesir, and the three stolen skimmers were the only signs of human influence. Nothing else could be seen but nature in springtime. Nothing could be heard but wind and birdsong. ¡°This sends a message,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll be violent in a battle, if I have to. But we¡¯re not assassins. Well¡­ Maybe for Helmont. He¡¯s gotta go.¡± ¡°Rendering them inert via electric shock is nonviolent?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Ugh!¡± Jaleel tugged at his armor as he stepped from the Aesir. ¡°How did this work so well on the Death Star? Harrison Ford is tall, but Star Wars didn¡¯t talk about how the armor fit Han Solo. None of the armor fits me! None of it. And I don¡¯t get an easy fix, like Enoa wearing her own clothes underneath to make her armor fit.¡± ¡°This is real life.¡± Orson walked to him and pulled his right shoulder plate higher. ¡°This ain¡¯t the movies.¡± ¡°Think about how nicely this armor will fit in your trophy case, Jaleel,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Orson said. ¡°You can have it on display when you¡¯re Captain Yaye with your own ship. Great conversation starter too ¨C ¡®I got this back when I was just a lad in the Aesir crew¡¯.¡± ¡°Who says lad?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Are we in Scotland now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re grumpy today,¡± Orson said. ¡°Do you have the inventory cart ready for us?¡± ¡°We do.¡± Enoa also stepped from the Aesir. Wearing both armor and helmet, she looked like any other trooper. Her sex or ethnicity could not be determined. Her voice took on the generic monotone of Liberty Corps forces when projected through her helmet¡¯s speaker. ¡°You should check it out, but your sword, coat, and boot are in there. And the floppies.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Orson said. ¡°Thanks. Yeah, I¡¯ll give it a look and get the rest of my stuff secure. Well, we have our uniforms. I have the Card Key and the Captain¡¯s ID.¡± He tapped two fingers to his belt. ¡°The floppies are ready. We know our maps and our jobs. Jaleel, you¡¯re okay to drive a skimmer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier than what you¡¯re making me do with the sorting system,¡± he said. ¡°Dr. Stan, you¡¯re sure you¡¯re okay driving this with people watching you?¡± Orson continued. ¡°I was rusty,¡± she answered. ¡°But I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then I think that¡¯s all of it.¡± ¡°The Aesir¡¯s summon command,¡± Dr. Stan reminded. ¡°We all need to know that.¡± ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Orson sighed. ¡°Yeah, you do need that. Now, I want you to know that Franklin and Wayne set the code phrase. It wasn¡¯t me! And more importantly, remember, if things really do go that bad, and you need to use the summon without me, you still have to mess with the Liberty Corps air defenses. The Aesir can skim the valley floor, but it would probably need to be at a higher altitude to pick you up. If I¡¯m okay, I have some ideas for those defenses. If I¡¯m not okay, Jaleel, you¡¯re flying. Enoa, do one of your fog things for cover.¡± ¡°What can they do if something happens to both of us?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Whoever is¡­ Whoever is okay has to mess with their guns somehow.¡± Orson shrugged. He hummed to himself. He found the tune he still hadn¡¯t heard in over half a decade. ¡°Alright, the Aesir¡¯s deep clearance code is, ¡®Oh, won¡¯t you heal me with your hands, Sirona. Oh, won¡¯t you fill my heart with sound¡¯.¡± ¡°This is so much better than we thought!¡± Jaleel laughed and cheered. Enoa fought her own laughter. Her small, girlish chuckle sounded bizarre, filtered through her helmet¡¯s distortion. ¡°I expected a generic love song,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think there would be a real song with your girlfriend¡¯s name in the lyrics! Did you write that, Orson?¡± ¡°Welcome to the Aesir-class prototype exploratory vessel command terminal.¡± Ruby¡¯s voice came from the Aesir¡¯s open door. ¡°I speak for the vessel¡¯s main computer. How may I be of assistance?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t write it!¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you printouts of the pass code. Just say that into your ship comms and then you can give the auto command. But we need to destroy wherever it¡¯s written down. The Aesir is still voice-locked. It won¡¯t probably matter if someone else says it, but I still don¡¯t like anyone else knowing it.¡± ¡°The ship code is about your, eh, former romantic partner?¡± Dr. Stan asked. Jaleel laughed again. ¡°I think it¡¯s sweet!¡± Enoa said. ¡°Orson has his girlfriend¡¯s glowing fire weapon. He has a song about her as his pass code. It¡¯s really heartwarming, in an Orson way.¡± ¡°Fire weapon?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot the lantern! That¡¯s pretty neat. You literally carry a torch for her. That¡¯s a saying, right?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that. Of course the torch Orson carries for his old love can shoot fire at people.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t die today.¡± Orson laughed despite himself. ¡°Sirona meeting the two of you would kill me. I didn¡¯t do the lyrics. The song is this celtic folk metal thing. Don¡¯t ask me how Franklin and Wayne found it. I was already living in the Aesir at the time so Sirona was there a lot.¡± ¡°The Aesir was your hot bachelor pad.¡± Jaleel spoke in an affected deep voice. ¡°Hey, honey, wanna see my prototype spaceship camper?¡± ¡°She was part of the original crew too.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m glad we¡¯re feeling good, but we need to be serious now. We¡¯ve worked hard on this, and if we do it right, we¡¯ll be all set for information. We¡¯ll get Enoa her teacher. We¡¯ll avenge Dr. Stan¡¯s colleagues. Jaleel already has his trophy armor. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°But this is also the most dangerous thing we¡¯ve ever done together. If we mess up at all, we¡¯re all dead. I think this is important, stopping the Liberty Corps, resolving an old problem that the Hierarchia and the dead governments left behind. It might even break into my top ten, or bottom ten, or whatever.¡± ¡°Your rankings don¡¯t mean anything,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You told me that getting chased in Nimauk was top twenty-five.¡± ¡°One, I knew then there was a seriously powerful person there who flipped the train,¡± Orson said. ¡°And two, I do tend to skew my current problems and rank them higher than I do in hindsight. I¡¯m serious about this, though. I have faith in us. I have faith in the plan and our preparation, but we need to keep our heads or it¡¯s the end of us and everything we¡¯re trying to do.¡± Orson forced a smile across his face. It was a weak smile and distracted and melancholy. He missed the clear mind and anticipation he¡¯d had, a decade earlier, instead of the thousand mixed memories that fought to fill his mind with sadness and with doubt. ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet big pharma. Captain Daine likes to arrive really early for their drop-offs, but we can¡¯t be too late. We¡¯re doing the Lord Baron¡¯s business today.¡± * * * Baron Reidel Khunrath Helmont still wore an olive IHSA jumpsuit in his meditation. It was the same generation of garment he¡¯d worn in the earliest Neurzodone trials, many decades ago. It was the same cotton twill. In his care, it had the same precise, sterile smell and felt the same against his skin. And it transported him back to that time. Shaping came easier to him when he felt his mind surrounded by the plain, gray walls of the IHSA refinement center¡¯s examination rooms. He bore no command then. His only responsibility was excellence, wresting control of some power from the universe. Wielding that power had been his sole purpose. Politics in the Liberty Corps, politics with the Pacific Alliance, requisitions and inventory ¨C all the tawdry days of mundane concern could atrophy his power. The way long days in an office chair can atrophy muscle. The way long days of leisure can atrophy a mind. Helmont allowed no such atrophy. At his most focused, his strongest, his command became an extension, a lens through which to view his power. He knew his valley. He held a clear and full map of it in his mind, three maps truly. Helmont had a map of stone and structure. He¡¯d explored the mountains ringing his valley, from root to peak, from subterranean cavern to his own summit stronghold. He¡¯d touched the water under earth and the adamantine depths of stone, and his touch expanded his map. His map detailed the great weight of 10,000 feet of earth and the slumbering seismic forces that had birthed his mountains eons ago. His map pinpointed the lives around him, from those squirming, blind, through lightless water, to the perching avian, nesting in crag no human could ever reach on foot. The biological details of those lives needed their own map ¨C though plotting their presence was a worthy power. Helmont had a map of energy and light. He¡¯d stood beside the great nuclear reactor that fed his holdfast. He¡¯d mapped it during its construction and his map expanded when it became operational. His map showed him the nervous system of energy, of electrons racing through the valley, from his towering artillery to the lights in the crew quarters to the radiant heat that rose from his holdfast¡¯s floors and held at bay the almost-permanent winter of such high elevations. Helmont had a map of blood and bone. He¡¯d explored the minds and bodies of most who arrived at the Pinnacle, from prisoner to pilot, from engineer to rifleman, to his own knights. He¡¯d touched his enemies and his pupils, alike, and his touch filled in the blank edges of his map. His map detailed emotion and thought and intention, but also the movements of muscle and cartilage and skeleton. He knew the pilots in the wheeling Saw-wings and the gunners crewing his artillery. He felt their cool command and their unyielding focus. None would he allow to fly if he did not map them, could not track their unwavering attentiveness. He knew the prisoners in their cells, the failures, the traitors, the political foes. Some awaited their plummet with fear. Some awaited an endless incarceration, resigned or consumed with fury. Kolben Maros faced both death and prolonged incarceration. Finally, Helmont sensed no defiance in him. Only weariness and acceptance. And power ¨C what a shame it was that Maros had betrayed them. He held a rare gift. Helmont savored Kol¡¯s fear and his instinctual, desperate protective nature. He savored the blooming power he felt in the younger man. He savored the feeling of Shaping, mapping the enigma of real magic, alive in its wielders. Helmont knew his students best, his knights. From training and instruction, he¡¯d mapped them many times. He knew them down to the flow of blood in their veins, to the marrow of their bones, to their smallest cells and the organelles moving inside them. All the teeming life of their bodies was clear in his mind. This was the greatest of his knowledge, a truly living map that only he could perceive. Lives he had not touched stood out on his map like shadows without owner. Like empty picture frames, he saw the space they occupied on the wall, but without detail. Three men entered his chambers. Two he knew. They were mapped. They delivered his daily meals. Both were quiet and polite. Both feared him as ancient heathens feared their pagan god. Even after years of such service, if Helmont watched them on his map, he saw their bodies flood with adrenaline and cortisol as they approached his door. They wore plain white uniforms, without armor. The third man was a blank, an empty frame. All three men knew to wait. They waited for him to conclude his meditations. They waited for him to address them. ¡°Steak and eggs today?¡± He stood. His observation room was spare and gray. It had no decorations and needed none. Three walls were lined with shaped quartz glass, with a panoramic view of the Pinnacle and ten thousand feet of the Emperor Valley. Only a long black table stood in the room¡¯s center. A cloche-covered meal waited for him at the head of that table. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the culinary specialists answered. All three men stood at attention. He left them standing there, arms at sides, backs straight. He did not acknowledge them further until he crossed the room and collected his dressing gown. ¡°My favorite,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You two may leave. What is your name, Lieutenant?¡± ¡°Greenley, sir,¡± the unmapped said. ¡°Greenley, yes,¡± Helmont said. ¡°You are here to interview as my new Ledgerman, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Helmont offered his hand. Greenley shook it. From the place where their skin met, Helmont¡¯s awareness spread. The blank portrait revealed itself. He saw the wheeling cells and working organs of the man. And better yet, he could read meaning in the motion of heartbeat and hormone. He knew the man then. He knew his ambition and his fear, his anticipation and apprehension both. When their hands parted, Helmont¡¯s sense dimmed, lessened, but only slightly. He¡¯d plotted the man on his map, even if it required focus or strained his eyes to see him clearly. Greenley shivered and drew back his hand. ¡°I would like you to read my morning briefing.¡± Helmont returned to the head of his table. He sat and spread his linen napkin across his lap. He lifted the cloche and savored the smells of food prepared exactly as instructed. For an instant, he ignored everything but what his nose told him. He ignored every other sense and every map in his mind. ¡°I¡­¡± Greenley took a deep, composing breath. ¡°I am prepared, sir.¡± ¡°Then go ahead.¡± Helmont lifted knife and fork. ¡°What news do you bring for me, Lieutenant?¡± * * * Enoa watched Orson and Dr. Stan meet the Derzelas Pharmaceutical team. Three wore quasi-military vests and helmets, rifles slung across their chests. The fourth was dressed in a button-down shirt and dress pants, under a pinstripe overcoat. They met at the edge of a road, where a line of broken macadam ended in a wide, paved loop. It was just large enough for the trucks to turn around and take the same road back and away from the outskirts of the Liberty Corps territory. Pinstripe shook hands with Orson. They spoke briefly, but Enoa could not hear them. Pinstripe smiled. He laughed. Orson moved his head back, maybe laughing too, beneath his helmet. Then Pinstripe returned to the cab of his truck. The guards opened each of the trailers for Orson. Enoa watched his stolen white helmet turned down toward a datapad. He lifted a stylus and signed three times. Then the Derzelas guards unhooked the trailers from the cabs of their semi trucks. They climbed back into their cabs and drove away. The Derzelas crew left them alone with the shipment. Orson stepped back aboard the skimmer. ¡°Let¡¯s hope the cargo repulsors really do work. So far so good.¡± * * * Kol Maros found a tub of salve with his breakfast. He hadn¡¯t recognized the second plastic container next to his bowl of cream of wheat. Writing across the lid read, ¡®for burns¡¯. The salve stank with a chemical odor that made him cough. He set the tub away from his food tray. Kol ate first, and he ate fast. He shoveled the cream of wheat into his mouth. He did the same with his bread and his water. He used the cell¡¯s uncomfortably angled toilet and cleaned his hands at the cell¡¯s small sink. Only then did he take the salve and spread it across his wounds. He considered the possibility that they¡¯d decided to poison him. He accepted this, but he doubted it. Helmont wanted him to face his plummet, and so they would keep him alive. The burn on Kol¡¯s shoulder from the day before stuck to the fabric of his tunic when he pulled it off over his head. It was still beet red. That burn hurt the worst when the salve touched the wound. But then it went numb. The burn on his stomach hurt the least and it was the least severe. His breastplate had taken most of that blast. Even the superheated plasteel only cut through his bodysuit in two places. The burn on his hip leaked pus. He cleaned it away, but the mark where the flame had consumed the side of his belt cut the deepest. The flame had touched him there the longest. But soon that too was numb from the salve. Then Kol sat back against his bed. He waited. As expected, the salve calmed the pain in his burns. Soon, he could move his shoulder and his waist without discomfort. The salve had not been meant to poison him. And if they didn¡¯t plan to kill him, it was only a matter of time before testing began again. * * * Orson drove the lead skimmer into the mouth of the Emperor Valley. There, the line of mountains rose to 10,000 feet above sea level. The sheer cliffs were lined with sixteen city-destroying U-cannons and ten hidden launch pads for mechanized forces. The base was a small city set inside a single building. It could store up to three hundred fighter craft and house one hundred thousand personnel. Those were the facts Orson had studied, the data, the numbers that made his plan possible. But facts were nothing compared to the sight of it. Data about elevation and topography was nothing compared to the wall of mountains that swallowed out the sun and left the valley floor in nearly endless dusk. Data didn¡¯t prepare him for the sight of the cannons, each one of them a weapon of mass destruction. He¡¯d stood in the rubble left behind by such weapons. He¡¯d watched cities erased. He¡¯d seen seas brought to boil. He¡¯d felt the yellow-green glass remains of obliterated sand ¨C left behind in the wake of Thunderworks. Facts about hangar space couldn¡¯t prepare him for the sound of wheeling Saw-wings, shrieking as they circled the mountain peaks. He¡¯d heard that sound before, of course, but never so far from the Aesir or from help. He¡¯d never been utterly trapped on the ground when the Hierarchia¡¯s birds of prey took wing. Confronted with the legioned Liberty Corps forces, he saw its truth beyond what numbers could teach his imagination. This was the Hierarchia¡¯s ultimate dream, made real. Power, open power, and in five years on the Wayfarers Highway he¡¯d done nothing to halt its resurrection. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Enoa asked. And her distorted voice reminded him inescapably where they were. ¡°It¡¯s different seeing it.¡± In the shadow of the Emperor Valley, even Orson Gregory¡¯s voice had the unique helmet-distorted timbre of the Liberty Corps. He tried to keep his eyes at the ground. He tried not to look at the cannons, perched cliffside. He tried not to search for the hidden mechanized forces. He tried to find the core of his role, a bored man, an overworked trooper. Orson found common ground with his character, with his cover story. Both wanted nothing more than for their work to be done. Both wanted nothing more than to put that valley behind them. ¡°Some of the times I¡¯ve been on these kinds of missions,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve felt like¡­ You¡¯ll think it¡¯s really dumb and lame¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re really not okay, are you? You need to tell me if you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I feel sometimes like I¡¯m supposed to do something, like as much as the forces of the world are against me, there¡¯s something else that wants me to win. You know in legends, where the person who seems like they¡¯re just a farmer or just a villager is secretly magic or a genius or fated to become the strongest person alive?¡± ¡°What legends are we talking about?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I think that might just be a European cultural thing.¡± ¡°Maybe it is,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. God, I wish my friend Haydn was here. I wish he was here for a thousand reasons, actually. He was so much better at plans¡­ He could explain what I mean. He¡¯d be really literary about it, but he¡¯d make sense of this. Anyway, I know I¡¯m still just some guy. I don¡¯t have a power like you¡¯re learning and I¡¯m no genius, not like Jaleel and Dr. Stan. ¡°But I feel the legend sometimes, like I can make things work out anyway. Like the unique things that make me who I am, if I train and fight my hardest ¨C I can be good enough. I felt it when I went up against Thunderworks. When I got to Norlenheim, all the ships and robots and explosions were just more stuff to think about. Nothing felt impossible, because I was carrying legend that day. Damn, this is really not what I mean¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to say you feel that way, right now?¡± She asked. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t. Not even a little bit.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t believe in it, what you just said. I think for whatever reason you were just pumped-up or something at Norlenheim. You¡¯re just as skilled now. Just because you¡¯re not a Shaper, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re ¡®just¡¯ some guy. I think maybe you feel like you need this outside legendary whatever to give you permission to be great, because you don¡¯t feel, I don¡¯t know, worthy on your own. And that isn¡¯t true.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Orson kept his eyes away from the view of Liberty Corps might. He watched the valley floor as it rose higher toward the final wall of stone, still miles distant. He could already see the first of the lift cables. The cables were as thick around as tree trunks. Electromagnetic energy danced along the spooled metal, stretching thousands of feet from valley to the Pinnacle¡¯s summit. That magnetism carried cars and cargo lifts alike. Orson checked his dash. He watched the sensor profile of the two skimmers just behind him. Jaleel and Dr. Stan followed, safe. ¡°We¡¯re taking cables fourteen through sixteen?¡± Orson carried a cheat sheet in his pocket. It was a jumbled mess of writing, chronicling their entire plan, all on a standard note card. Sometimes he wrote left to right, sometimes top to bottom, sometimes interspersed with numbers or symbols. From a distance, the card looked colored in, solid black. But it was still stuck in his pocket. ¡°Yep,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Fourteen through sixteen.¡± Orson brought the skimmer to a stop at cable fourteen. The cable anchors ended in solid steel blocks the size and shape of an average garden shed. None were labeled. Orson counted them. The other two skimmers came to a stop alongside their cables, until all three waited in position. ¡°Next, the fun part,¡± Orson said. ¡°So far so good.¡± 125 - The Heist ¡°Now we just go up the mountain?¡± Enoa watched a patrol of Saw-wings, wheeling directly above the Pinnacle. ¡°There isn¡¯t like a cable car guy who starts it?¡± ¡°Not if everything works.¡± Orson leaned down at the dashboard. ¡°These skimmers are supposed to be modified with magnetic clamps that can activate with the cables and tracks. This might be¡ª¡± Enoa fell back against her seat. The world shifted, twisted sixty-degrees upward, angled toward the line of mountains above them. They began to move, bound to the track¡¯s steep ascent, like the first hill on a roller coaster. ¡°Just didn¡¯t wait long enough,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I see Jaleel and Dr. Stan are locked in with their tracks too. We¡¯re still together.¡± Far above, the Pinnacle could not be seen. They rose toward a gap in the spine of mountains¡¯ peaks, a stone horizon, the manmade holdfast plateau. Enoa slowed and steadied her breathing. But she didn¡¯t reach out to the motions of the air and the vessels moving in the sky. She shut her eyes. She¡¯d been sensed before. The Shapers in Nimauk had sensed her. The fake Sight-stealers had felt her presence before she¡¯d learned anything, before she¡¯d known anything. Major Rinlee and Sir Rowan had sensed her too. But she¡¯d been actively shaping those times, hiding Littlefield¡¯s defenders or hiding the Crystal Dune scientists with their Antler Clan escort. Nimauk though ¨C the other Shapers had known her fear. Just her emotions had been enough to give her away. And what did that mean for her studies? Shaping wasn¡¯t genetic. Aunt Su had said as much. If only training made the Shaper, and she¡¯d yet to be trained, how could anyone have sensed her? She couldn¡¯t know. But if her fear could reveal her to the Shapers Kol Maros assembled, Helmont¡¯s forces could sense her too. So she couldn¡¯t allow herself to feel fear. She couldn¡¯t let herself feel anything. A larger airship lumbered into the circle of Saw-wings. The craft was dagger-shaped, with a curved bottom like a seafaring vessel. Two cables, like the one they rode, but exposed, shot out from the bottom of the ship. They struck positions along the base plateau, beyond the visible line of rock. ¡°Popular spot today,¡± Orson said. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s how they get their food. I didn¡¯t see anything about them having farming up here.¡± A series of solid black cases descended the cables from the hovering ship. They moved faster from the craft than the skimmers¡¯ ascent. ¡°You¡¯re sure they¡¯ll just let us drive away when we¡¯re done?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Captain Daine never parks his skimmers in some big Liberty Corps garage?¡± ¡°They need to drop the trailers at the rendezvous spot for Derzelas to recover,¡± Orson said. ¡°And then they usually go on to the village. But as long as nobody stops us before we get back to the Aesir, then it¡¯s over. Even those fighters won¡¯t catch us then.¡± ¡°What about their Manifest Destiny?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°That has to be somewhere near here.¡± ¡°With the size of that thing and its cloak¡­¡± Orson shrugged. ¡°It could take up the whole sky above the valley and we wouldn¡¯t even know. Or it could be miles from here, tethered to some high-elevation launch pad. They must leave it cloaked. Hopefully it¡¯ll stay invisible, wherever it is. A ship that big isn¡¯t easy to get moving, and I doubt they have the manpower to keep it running constantly.¡± The skimmer crested the stone horizon. They had arrived at the Pinnacle. Enoa remembered the blurry photos she¡¯d seen, the same decades-old satellite images Orson had collected. She¡¯d seen the floor plans and imagined the labyrinth of hallways. ¡°It¡¯s just a big warehouse,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Or like a warehouse had a baby with an office building.¡± Its walls were a mottled gray, like a half-hearted attempt to imitate the rock cliffs. Other than the top level, its windows were small and square and tinted. The endless gray stretched out in both directions, as far as could be seen, dominating the leveled mountaintop. ¡°Were you expecting a castle?¡± Orson asked. ¡°The Hierarchia thought their nineteen-sixties offices would be the standard for fortresses the way medieval castles had their turrets and moats.¡± He raised his voice and spoke with an affected, arrogant tone. ¡°Behold our milquetoast imperialism and despair!¡± The skimmer docked on a wide, flat ledge extending from the Pinnacle¡¯s wall, where the base met the mountaintop. The ledge ran along the front of the base, wide enough for unloading stations and patrols of troopers, plus parking for skimmers and trailers alike ¨C all that and with room to spare. By the time Enoa followed Orson from the skimmer¡¯s side ramp, the other two craft had docked beside them. All sat in a row, beneath a long docking station ¨C a metal framework that stretched over all three parking berths. The structure supported a grappling arm with four curved fingers, longer than Enoa was tall. Dr. Stan and Jaleel joined them at the left skimmer. Dr. Stan guided the supply cart. There was no barrier at the valley end of the ledge, no wall and no fencing. After several meters of decking and mountainside, the ledge simply ended. Nothing separated them from the far fall back down to the valley floor, only thousands of feet of open air. The wind struck with enough force to jar Enoa on her feet. The circling Saw-wings screamed above their heads. The ships were still many meters away, but they looked close enough to touch, as they whipped around the unloading craft. The stream of boxes continued down the cables from the supplying ship. Far down the ledge, two Rifle Troopers worked at an unloading dock like theirs. They received the cases from the ship above, as these reached the ends of the cables. The troopers slid the cases aside as they unclasped from the magnetic grip. They guided them all through an opening in the floor. Enoa saw more three-berth docking ports further along the ledge. ¡°Remember.¡± Orson spoke in a lull of wind and overhead noise. ¡°No comms. And don¡¯t mess around with the HUDS on these things. How are we doing?¡± ¡°No problems,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°We feeling good? Jaleel, are you ready?¡± Jaleel nodded. ¡°You get set up.¡± Jaleel ran his hands along the base of the framework. A small square of gray metal flipped around, revealing a number pad. Orson and Dr. Stan deactivated the repulsors mounted at the first trailer¡¯s wheel wells. The trailer touched down onto the floor. Orson then maneuvered the skimmer free and parked it further down the ledge. They repeated this process with the other trailers. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring a cheat sheet, like Orson?¡± Enoa watched Jaleel work. ¡°That would look so shady.¡± He sighed. ¡°I think I have it figured out.¡± Orson and Dr. Stan finished with the last skimmer and joined them at the control pad. All three trailers sat on their wheels, in their docking spaces. Jaleel pressed his hand against the number pad. A hidden hatch swung aside where the nearest skimmer had floated. Red warning lights lit, circling the opening. Inside, a chute fell away into darkened depths. The grappler arm reached from the overhead structure and curled its fingers around the trailer. It lifted it. It spun. The airborne trailer slammed into its neighbor. Crash! Metal met metal. Enoa¡¯s ears rang. The grappling arm recoiled. Then it tried again. Crash! It tried again. Crash! The second trailer lifted. It leaned sideways. Only its right wheels touched the ground. Jaleel frantically jabbed his fingers against the keypad. ¡°No. No. No.¡± He hit the same button again and again and again. ¡°Shit no. Please NO! Goddammit!¡± The grappler arm swung back and released the trailer. It fell to the ledge in its parking spot. The other trailer paused, still perched on two tires. ¡°Please don¡¯t fall. Please don¡¯t fall.¡± Jaleel quickly chanted, like the speed and intensity of his words could command the trailer. ¡°Please don¡¯t fall. Please don¡¯t fall.¡± ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± Dr. Stan began. That trailer also fell back into place. Both trailers were left dented, white paint worn away, but they were returned to their starting positions. Enoa found the unloading Rifle Troopers watching them. But their airborne delivery continued. The boxes from the floating ship did not cease, and the troopers turned away. ¡°I always hated the claw machines.¡± Orson¡¯s voice didn¡¯t match his words. They couldn¡¯t hide his tension or his anger. ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t know what I was doing!¡± Jaleel leaned down at the controls. ¡°How many times did I tell you? I should ¨C should ¨C be able to get the claw to be gentler with them, but that doesn¡¯t keep them from hitting each other again. That doesn¡¯t fix this. The hand didn¡¯t go high enough! The manual said that was automatic.¡± ¡°Can we move the trailers?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°And only sit them here one at a time. Then there¡¯ll be nothing to hit.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°There are so many reasons that won¡¯t work.¡± He hit more keys. ¡°That would actually take forever.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve brought the manual.¡± Orson pulled his cheat sheet notecard from his pocket and held the unintelligible scrawl up to his helmet¡¯s visor. ¡°Or at least taken notes. We better hope I have something about this.¡± ¡°Jaleel.¡± Dr. Stan touched Orson on the arm. ¡°If the hand doesn¡¯t automatically lift the trailer, be logical. Do you remember anything that might pertain to the grappler¡¯s fine motor skills? I only skimmed the diagram, but I believe there was a slider to raise and lower the arm. Is there anything that looks like that?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Jaleel nodded. He touched his hand to the controls. He looked from side to side. ¡°Take a deep breath,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°We¡¯ll find it.¡± ¡°I might¡­¡± Jaleel reached up toward one of the controls. The grappler arm retracted back toward the top of the structure. Jaleel hit another button combination. The arm lowered again and curled its fingers around the trailer. It lifted back to the top of the structure and rotated, 180 degrees. The arm gently placed the trailer with its rear door now facing the unloading station. That trailer door slid open, aligning with the ramp in the floor. Three long, jointed arms reached up along the ramp from the ledge. Two had fingers of their own that stretched into the trailer and brought out a black case like the ones descending from the ship. The third arm sent a scanning red light at the case. The system chirped happily. Then all three arms retracted back into the opening, taking the case with it. ¡°I think I got it now.¡± Jaleel removed his hand from the wall. He took a deep breath. ¡°You were right, Dr. Stan.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can handle this arm without assistance?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Maybe we can unload the skimmers together and go together to the terminal?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°There could be more scrutiny that way,¡± Orson said. ¡°All four of us go down there? No. Let¡¯s just test this system and see what else you need, Jaleel.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what I need to know!¡± Jaleel hissed. ¡°It¡¯s too much! How many times did I tell you that? How would I know what problems will happen?¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve brought your cheat sheet,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about remembering and being clever at the same time.¡± ¡°A cheat sheet is useless if the manual is wrong!¡± Jaleel actually yelled. Both unloading Riflemen looked toward the sound. ¡°Please,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Orson, you¡¯re not helping. Let¡¯s briefly reassess. No plan made while panicked ever works. Jaleel, do you understand the system well enough to perform more adjustments like you just did?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± he said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t... What else don¡¯t I know?¡± ¡°I can at least be another pair of eyes,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t know how to change anything, I can watch where everything is and where it¡¯s going. And I can remind him to breathe and stay calm.¡± ¡°If an issue should happen again,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be totally unreasonable to use the comms, so long as we all remember who we¡¯re supposed to be.¡± ¡°They might be able to analyze vocal records,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. But if that¡¯s what you need to feel comfortable. Sure. You can call the Inventory Captain. But I think you¡¯ll be great. Both of you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, sir.¡± Jaleel saluted, some small attempt at humor. His hand trembled, and he returned it to his side. ¡°At ease,¡± Orson chuckled. ¡°Doc, let¡¯s go. The clock¡¯s ticking.¡± * * * Orson followed the schematics in his mind, followed the decades-old map. The elevator waited just inside the nearest command entrance. So far so good. With a swipe of the Inventory Card Key, the elevator lowered Orson and Dr. Stan two levels down into the side of the mountain. So far so good. The expected squad patrolled the terminal level. Orson heard the march of their booted feet from the far side of the L-shaped passage. But they weren¡¯t in sight, nowhere that demanded a proper performance from Orson¡¯s Captain role. No protocols or decorum to follow or risk discovery ¨C just a walk through the bland, beige hallway and then the terminal. Dr. Stan wheeled the supply cart beside him. She kept pace with him, a step behind and to his right. Orson kept his own pace even, unhurried, as if unconcerned. He could see the terminal door, the shining black card-reader built into the side. Only about twenty feet separated them from the doorway. Orson counted the distance. Eight long, white floor tiles to go. Only two more cold-light, pyramid wall sconces. Only a short space of the bland hallway and he could have the next hint in finding the Dreamside Road. But the terminal door opened before they got there. Another captain exited the room, the door closing behind him. The captain looked right at Orson. ¡°Last again, this month,¡± the captain said. ¡°I have to shuttle all the way down from the Scythe, and you just take your ride up the hill.¡± He shook his head. ¡°What held you up? Were our dealers late or are you still trying to score with that blonde who brings the paperwork sometimes? What¡¯s her name?¡± Orson raised his left middle finger and didn¡¯t break stride. The other captain snorted with laughter and continued down the hallway in the opposite direction. ¡°Have a good weekend, Daine,¡± the captain said. ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson spoke to the bottom of his helmet, where the mic would distort his voice the most, make it mechanical, inhuman. ¡°You too.¡± Orson raised the Card Key to the card-reader. With a click, the door opened. So far so good. They found the console room empty. It was a square space, lined with vintage monitors. Overhead lights lit for them, and more of the pyramid sconces. They walked inside. * * * Enoa and Jaleel stood on opposite sides of the unloading framework. Enoa looked toward the base, but she focused on nothing, saw nothing, thought nothing. ¡°I hope Wesley is okay.¡± Jaleel spoke at a normal volume, but sounded like a whisper over the wind and the roar of aircraft. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s been alone this long since we¡¯ve had him. Maybe he should¡¯ve gone with Teddy and April.¡± ¡°Too late for that.¡± Enoa felt him move against the wind, sensed his air displacement. He fidgeted from side to side, mindlessly nervous. Enoa¡¯s awareness of his movements was instinctual and automatic. She closed her eyes, as if she could close off all her senses. ¡°I¡¯m worried about him too,¡± she said. ¡°But you¡¯re moving around too much. I don¡¯t think their troopers would do that.¡± ¡°How do you know what I¡¯m¡­¡± he began. ¡°Hey! I thought you weren¡¯t going to use your air-motion sense. That¡¯s what you said.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± She squeezed her eyes tighter. ¡°It¡¯s like a totally new sense, like I learned to¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ Imagine you could never smell anything before and then suddenly you can. And that changes everything, because now it¡¯s a new way to experience the world. Now you know how grass smells or the way coffee smells or even the way you smell. And you can¡¯t shut it out. And you can¡¯t...¡± She felt someone else approaching, four people, armored, walking from her left. She stayed silent. ¡°You can¡¯t what?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°How long d¡¯you think he¡¯ll last today?¡± one of the approaching troopers spoke. ¡°No way to tell,¡± another answered. ¡°He¡¯s all over the place. Depends if they shoot at Gimp too. Traitor¡¯s a little bitch with two shields.¡± Enoa risked a glance to the left. Four Liberty Corps Rifle Troopers followed the walkway that led between the docking stations and the Pinnacle¡¯s wall. They held long blasters over their shoulders. ¡°Should¡¯ve plummeted him weeks ago.¡± A third trooper adjusted the rifle at his shoulder. ¡°Imagine if we turned Alliance. We wouldn¡¯t even get a plummet, just the firing squad and some well-done traitor meat for the buzzards.¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t the Czar¡¯s own men,¡± the first said. ¡°That¡¯s chain of command, son. Even a baron¡¯s gotta wait for his orders when it¡¯s the Czar talking.¡± The four troopers passed by on the base side of the docking station. Traitor? Shields? Enoa imagined the wall of light burning its way along the hill outside Littlefield. ¡°And here¡¯s little Lenz, still our delivery boy.¡± The third trooper yelled. ¡°Jesus H. Christ!¡± shouted the second trooper. ¡°What¡¯d you do to get stuck out in the cold for a full cycle?¡± ¡°Just paying my dues.¡± One of the troopers, Lenz, answered from the bottom of his unloading cable. ¡°Bullshit,¡± the second answered. ¡°Nobody gets the full trip unless they earn it. Even the rock-humpers rotate. Don¡¯t know the two that Daine¡¯s got back there today.¡± ¡°They must be new,¡± Lenz answered. ¡°They didn¡¯t know to raise the arm. Their trailers got a real wallop. They were yelling, and Daine was yelling. He¡¯ll be last again, for sure.¡± Enoa felt Jaleel tense. Even that slight motion stood out in her mind. She forced a full, calming breath through her lungs. ¡°Is that right?¡± the second rifleman laughed. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll be out here for a full cycle too. You can finally make some friends. ¡± ¡°We followed the manual!¡± Enoa shouted over the wind. ¡°It didn¡¯t say anything about adjusting the height.¡± ¡°The manual¡¯s shit,¡± Lenz answered. ¡°When the manual was written the unloading system didn¡¯t even work. It got updated multiple times during the IHSA days. Rule of thumb around here, don¡¯t take any of the old manuals as gospel. You¡¯re learning faster than a lotta the plebes. We had one last year who knocked a whole row off the ledge and got the grappler stuck past the rim. Had to call Sir Hiram to get it loose.¡± ¡°Look at Lenzy here get all perky,¡± the third Rifleman said. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re up here, Lenz? Command had to isolate you, keep you out of the base? Here¡¯s the only place women ever talked to you? Hate to break it to you, but the helmet¡¯s gotta come off eventually. Once they see that mug of yours it won¡¯t matter¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you boys up here?¡± The second unloading Rifle Trooper interrupted. ¡°Spectating again?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t miss our favorite show,¡± the first Rifleman answered. ¡°Geber¡¯s traitor barbecue, starring Kol Maros.¡± ¡°Do you watch because he¡¯s a traitor or because you like seeing somebody in that white armor get roasted?¡± Lenz asked. ¡°Both,¡± the first Rifleman laughed. ¡°You get done picking up the mail, you come on up. We¡¯ll leave the ladder out for you.¡± Enoa followed their footfalls as the four took the walkway beyond the unloading dock. They walked yards and yards along the outer wall of the base, so far away that the echo of their steps and their motion was dim in Enoa¡¯s mind. She strained her senses in the way she¡¯d strain her vision, hoping to recognize a friend¡¯s face on a dark night. The four troopers stopped at a point along the wall. It rotated like the control panel had. All four climbed the ladder hidden beneath. Enoa lost sense of them as they reached the Pinnacle¡¯s roof. ¡°I need to go up there.¡± By the time Enoa lost sense of the troopers, she¡¯d rounded the side of the unloading framework. ¡°What?¡± Jaleel turned away from the robotic appendages and the unloading process. ¡°Up where?¡± ¡°They have Maros,¡± she said. ¡°And he¡¯s here because he warned us. We need to see what they¡¯re doing to him.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t help him. If he really isn¡¯t with them anymore, the best way we can help is doing our jobs. Now please, let¡¯s stop talking about this.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to talk about it,¡± she said. ¡°How much longer do I have until the trailers need to switch?¡± ¡°Fifteen minutes at the most. I don¡¯t know!¡± Further along the walkway, the ship finished its unloading. The craft retracted its cables and drifted away. The troopers closed their cargo ports and proceeded away from them. ¡°If we¡¯d acted right away, Maros would be safe now,¡± she said. ¡°Fifteen minutes is enough time to see what happened to him. I have to look. It¡¯s not like I can do anything to help you if there¡¯s a problem before we switch trailers. And the other troopers don¡¯t seem to care what we do.¡± ¡°You already made up your mind.¡± He groaned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± She nodded and started along the walkway toward the ladder. * * * ¡°I found your island,¡± Dr. Stan said. Orson watched the intermingled mess of numbers and letters scroll across the terminal¡¯s main monitor. Additional lights had lit as they¡¯d entered the room. The wall behind the monitors was made of inches-thick glass. Beyond was another room where wall-to-wall towering processors stood. Some glowed or blinked pale colors. Others had moving parts, spinning disks and wheels ¨C many decades of IHSA learning compiled and protected. ¡°Already?¡± Orson asked. ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± The main monitor trailed wiring, leading to additional keyboards and instruments, to memory storage on disk and drive, and to a series of nondescript metal boxes Orson did not recognize. They¡¯d ignored all of these. The external floppy disk drive stood beneath the desk ¨C the only surface in the room that wasn¡¯t spotless. They¡¯d wiped away the thin film of dust and inserted the first of the floppies they¡¯d hidden with Orson¡¯s coat and weapons. ¡°I have all the pieces,¡± she corrected. ¡°I¡¯ve narrowed down relevant telemetry that could indicate a sizable landmass and cross-referenced that with IHSA map data, to find those that are missing. And I have a collection of coordinates, five sets, indicating currently-unlisted, unplotted, or uncharted islands that could support a population. I¡¯ve also routed the files listed ¡®Knightschurch¡¯.¡± ¡°Five?¡± Orson leaned closer to the monitor, as if the scrolling feed would transform into a convenient, readable list. ¡°How are there five secret islands in the world?¡± ¡°There are five in the north Pacific,¡± she said. ¡°Five that meet my criteria, out of the thousands of known and unknown landmasses in that area of the world. But everything can be narrowed down. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Liberty Corps is aware of the specific location of Knightschurch.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s all they know. To quote them, ¡° ¡®there is a possibility that this Knightschurch is a rebirth-sized enclave. Like the mammoths that survived on a tiny spit land in the polar sea, living long after the last Ice Age ¨C this is a refuge of Covenant Knights. The Order that died at the birth of our Hierarchia may still live there. We must proceed with all caution.¡¯ ¡± Dr. Stan pressed two keys. With a click, the current floppy slid free of the port at the floor. Orson took it and fit it back in the case in the inventory cart. He handed her a fresh floppy. ¡°It will take two or three more disks to record everything,¡± she said. ¡°But then you¡¯ll have what we came for. What should I find next?¡± 126 - Help for Help Enoa saw the flashing bursts of emerald green before she reached the top of the ladder. Even in broad daylight, the contrasting color stood out against the clear sky. She only saw the blue glow when she reached the ladder¡¯s top. Two translucent walls stood toward the center of the roof, the same shimmering blur that had protected Kol Maros and his friend, Duncan Racz. One field protected a thin, short-haired man who sat strapped to the top of a small cart, like the one that hid Orson¡¯s gear and the floppy disks. The other field protected Maros. Kol Maros wore his old suit of Liberty Corps armor, but it was dirty, discolored at the boots and forearms. He wore his helmet, but several strands of his dark hair trailed beneath the rim and hung down below his shoulders. Two Liberty Corps officers fired the green light from their hands! The light was Shaping! They sent it in fast bursts at Maros and the other man. The officers wore strange, modified armor with moving metal bars along their arms. They stood opposite Maros, inside a wide white circle drawn on the rooftop. Men and women in lab coats worked at instruments around the Shapers. They made notes with pen and paper and with stylus on datapad. One of Helmont¡¯s knights was there. His armor had long antenna raised from the forehead. The antenna moved, twitching in rhythm to the energy blasts from the Shapers. A group of Rifle and Blades Corps troopers flanked this man. Enoa joined the spectators already gathered on the roof, on a thin ledge that ran beyond the roof¡¯s perimeter fencing. She couldn¡¯t tell which of the dozen assembled Riflemen were those from the unloading dock. One nodded to her, but none spoke. She stood at the far end of their line. Another round of green blasts struck the twin shields, bright enough to reflect all the way along the roof. Maros flinched. His boots slid back, like the force of the attack transferred through the energy, like he really felt it. The seated man watched the knight, head turned away from the battle. This man wasn¡¯t the astronaut. She remembered the face of Duncan Racz, threating her, demanding her key to the Dreamside Road. Was the seated man the Maros brother, Maxwell? Another volley struck the shields. Maxwell didn¡¯t flinch. He didn¡¯t move a muscle, but Maros fell, sagged down to his knees. The light of the shields flickered, like a band of static racing across an old-fashioned television. ¡°Not long now,¡± one of the Riflemen said. ¡°He always falls first.¡± Then another of the Riflemen shushed him. Enoa watched Maros¡¯s hands, both of them shaking, even the prosthetic. Even through the armor, she could practically see his muscles taut. She understood the natural reflex to tense, like her own physical muscles could make her mind¡¯s muscles fight harder, shape stronger. And all this pain because the Aesir crew and Littlefield and the Pacific Alliance hadn¡¯t saved them in return. They¡¯d failed Kol Maros and his brother when they needed help. Help for help, that¡¯s how it should have been. But there was nothing she could do. Still, Enoa found herself wondering ¨C how would her Bullet Rain stand up against those energy blasts? Would her staff explosions puncture the armor of the knights and their other Shapers? She wondered at the powers of this knight. She¡¯d seen Sir Rowan and Sir Adrian. She assumed he had skills at the same level, but she had the element of surprise¡­ Maros turned away from the battle. He looked away from danger and the men attacking him. He looked at Enoa instead. He looked at her in the instinctual way people look toward a familiar voice. And he didn¡¯t look away. Enoa froze. Did he know? Even through her armor, did he recognize her from emotion alone? Or did he just sense another Shaper, as she¡¯d sensed Rinlee or Rowan¡¯s forces. Because if he did recognize her, then her cover was blown, all their hard work thrown away for the man who had destroyed her home, whatever later good he¡¯d done. Did their success really rely on the honor of Kol Maros? Had she thrown everything away to bear witness to the suffering of a man who¡¯d done so much evil? Maros stood again. He turned back toward the Shapers. They fired another volley. The twin shields absorbed the blasts, but this time, Maros stayed on his feet. He kept his footing. He didn¡¯t flinch or waver. Then, when the green light cleared, Maros fought back. The shields swept away from Maros and from his brother. They slid across the rooftop and scoured it, leaving the metal dull and darkened in their wake. Both Shapers fired. They fired blast after blast after blast from both open palms ¨C the shields absorbing it all. The Shapers yelled as they fired and Maros yelled with them. He yelled and his shield took their fire, took everything they threw at him and only got faster. Maros roared, both arms raised above his head. The Shapers turned and ran. They rushed back toward their edge of the wide circle. But it was too late. The shields were on them. The energy hit them and bore them from their feet. The shields drove them back. It swept them both along the rooftop like they¡¯d been struck by a wave. Maros pushed them and pushed them, until his shields flickered again. He fell back to his knees. The shields faded away. Only then did the men stop moving, white armor yellowed. Maros fell onto his side. ¡°Have you forgotten, Mr. Maros?¡± The knight bellowed. ¡°Have you forgotten your role here? Forgotten again? You¡¯d behaved yourself so well these last weeks. But I feel your old defiance. What will I do with you, Mr. Maros? Do I need to set them loose on Maxwell without your protections? Do I need¡ª¡± ¡°Make it worse for me, Geber,¡± Maros said. ¡°Do what you promised. But I wanted to win today. So I did. And if you hurt Max, then I¡¯ll always choose to win. Every day. I can. You know I can. They didn¡¯t learn to rule the mind. Did they? They¡¯re too scared when you¡¯re not holding their hands.¡± He laughed, a slow chuckle that grew into a full belly laugh, but he remained on his side. ¡°Rule the mind.¡± Enoa caught Maxwell Maros glance at her too. He scanned the full line of spectators, but lingered on her. Had he been paying closer attention to the battle than she¡¯d thought? Had he noticed where Maros was looking before he¡¯d found new strength? ¡°Do you have no imagination?¡± The knight, Geber, waved to the guards behind him. ¡°Retrieve him.¡± He walked to the Shapers. One stood. The other struggled to rise into a sitting position. He gasped and fought to move only with his left leg. Geber touched both men, pressing his bare right hand in the space between helmet and breastplate. ¡°Win today, Mr. Maros,¡± Geber said. ¡°The time for threats has passed. But a new reality will await you tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Maros said. Maxwell glanced again from his brother to the line of Liberty Corps spectators, toward Enoa. ¡°Gimp finally noticed us,¡± one of the Riflemen said. Three more shushed him. They all waited as the guards approached both Maroses. By the time they¡¯d collected the brothers, Enoa had returned to the ladder back to the unloading dock. * * * ¡°The Liberty Corps lists twenty-two names,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Twenty-two individuals that could have Dreamside Road keys. I¡¯ll begin copying the list and then start on the individual files about each of these people.¡± Orson watched the scrolling motion of indecipherable text. He saw nothing to separate the names. ¡°I¡¯m guessing I¡¯m listed somewhere,¡± he said. ¡°Of course,¡± she said. ¡° ¡®It is believed that the wizard Ophion¡¯s Key of the Forbidden Tower is now held by his pupil Orson Gregory.¡¯ It looks like they have quite the extensive files about you and this Ophion. I assume you want both files?¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Definitely,¡± Orson said. ¡°Maybe one of them has a hint where Ophion¡¯s been all this time. These last few months would¡¯ve been a hell of a lot easier with his help.¡± ¡°You are marked ¡®active investigation¡¯,¡± she said. ¡°He isn¡¯t.¡± She continued to scroll. ¡°And here¡¯s another active investigation ¨C Sirona Birgham. Hers is also marked ¡®surveillance¡¯. They appear to have extensive images.¡± ¡°They¡¯re watching her?¡± Orson said. ¡°Does Helmont still think I¡¯m gonna turn up there to hide?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°But that¡¯s not why she¡¯s listed here. They believe she has another key ¨C passed from a Gertrude Montgomery ¨C the Key of the Primeval Forest.¡± ¡°Oh shit,¡± Orson said. ¡°The Liberty Corps has surveillance, like they¡¯re watching her at the Inn?¡± ¡°Orson.¡± Dr. Stan looked up at him. ¡°I need to keep moving to collect everything. The images are stored separately, but they¡¯re being downloaded in tandem with the other data. If you¡¯d like to see them right now, you might be able to find them as they download if you turn on the next monitor.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Orson found the ¡°on/off¡± switch beneath that monitor and flipped it. The display looked more legible, recognizable folder icons rather than the endless moving text. Orson scanned the files, reading mostly combinations of numbers and letters and symbols. But then he saw a folder marked ¡°current download¡±. The connected keyboard had arrow keys that moved a cursor arrow along the screen. Orson selected that file. He saw for the first time in five years a new picture of Sirona. Sirona was laughing and smiling, wearing a green dress that accented the green of her eyes and hugged the curves of her body. Her hair was longer than when he¡¯d known her. Gone was the short-hair of the active adventurer, herself barely out of her teens. That was many years past. In the image, her red hair fell to the small of her back. Then Orson noticed she wore the pointed hat of a pop-culture Christmas Elf, green to match her dress. She wore some Christmas costume, elf hat and dress and striped stockings. She stood beside a tall wing-backed armchair where a man dressed as Santa Claus read from a thick leatherbound book. Behind them, Orson saw part of the foyer of the Inn at the Evergreen Forest, everything decorated for Christmas. The great atrium tree that grew up through the foyer and reached through a skylight in its roof was fully decorated with lights and red, white, and golden Christmas balls. The ivy and other vines and moss that lined the outer walls had come alive with long strings of fairy lights. Every little tree was lit, all the green made to shine at Yuletide. Orson remembered placing those same lights. Together, they¡¯d twined them between the leaves. The image changed. Sirona stood at the head of the inn¡¯s private dining room table, all seats full. She was smiling again, and Orson was so caught up in seeing her that the image was changing again before he thought to look for other faces he knew. The next image found Sirona seated at a round table, outdoors. She faced a broad-shouldered, bearded man. Was this the ex-boyfriend that Franklin mentioned? She was laughing here too. She looked so happy. Orson saw her living the life she¡¯d wanted. It was like she¡¯d found a truer version of herself than the Sirona he¡¯d known, like the heavy emotional callus she¡¯d worn to hide from all her pain and trauma had totally healed away. She was whole again, whole and happy and fulfilled, no signs of the horror or sorrow they¡¯d faced together. And his only interaction with her in five years was endangering her. Orson felt then the full weight of his choices and his wanderings. For the first time, he felt fully, truly, utterly homeless. He¡¯d spent a sixth of his life mostly alone on the highway, all those years of adventures that had done nothing to heal the world, that had done little but keep him from a true home he might have known and from joy he might have shared. He¡¯d lost it all by his own choices. Then the image changed. He saw more scattered pictures, photos stolen by the Liberty Corps that reminded him of their purpose. They were watching her. He saw an image filled with the red blur of oncoming flame. He saw Sirona standing on the wide drive from the Inn, a place with a great clearing from trees and buildings. He saw only part of her, her shoulder, her face, her booted feet. The rest was hidden behind the fire ¨C probably the last moments of the Redhead probe they¡¯d sent after her. Then the image changed. Orson saw her standing on her balcony, beside her residence at the Inn, where they¡¯d spent so many nights looking at the stars. He saw her walking in Evergreen City proper, walking beneath a canopy of trees grown between the buildings. He saw her standing on tiptoe to kiss the man from the cafe. Orson almost turned away and turned off the screen. What was wrong with him ¨C prying into her life, looking over the shoulder of the Liberty Corps as they spied on her? But then the image changed into something he didn¡¯t recognize. A blur of reds and whites filled the screen. He turned his head, hoping he¡¯d understand what he was seeing at a different angle, like with an optical illusion. Then he saw the text marking the bottom of the screen.
Fire Elemental ¨C Dermatological Cross Section
Dissection of Specimen 13
Elemental Enigma Nature Study ¨C June 1962
Correlates to footnote three, filing 3717-9
And the image changed. He saw a man on an operating table, naked, arms and legs bound. He was cut open, baring his organs from collar to belly. His eyes were wide and aware. Thin flames curled, inches above his fists. Men in heavy quilted garments stood around him with long prods, pointing at him, touching him, inside and outside. And the image changed. Orson saw a whole line of naked people, adults and children standing in a cramped, windowless space. They faced a machine that spewed fire. Some of their mouths were open in silent screams. And he saw a flurry of more images, more diagrams and charts, images of gouts of flame, images of individual body parts, more images of vivisection ¨C a cold, calculated montage of clinical torture. Then those pictures also were gone, replaced by a box that read, ¡°File: Primeval Forest 2 Images ¨C processing complete.¡± Orson shut off the screen. * * * ¡°I wish Geber still let us talk up there.¡± The Rifle-troopers spoke as they arrived back on the unloading ledge. Enoa walked far ahead of them, and she walked normally. She resisted the urge to run. Back on the roof, they¡¯d pulled Maros to his feet. She sensed him being dragged away. It was like his energy shield was still lit, a light she could see from far away and could not ignore. They took him back into the building, but she still followed him in her mind. ¡°If we could still talk up there, we¡¯d¡¯ve kept him from his mind powers,¡± one of the Riflemen said. ¡°Then he¡¯d have taken his punishment.¡± ¡°You got that right,¡± another answered. ¡°Remember when we all played that video of him getting his ass beat by that Indian chick?¡± Others laughed. Then Enoa did pick up the pace, on the path back to their unloading berths. ¡°Hey!¡± One of the Riflemen called after her. ¡°We¡¯re headed to the village to grab some drinks as soon as we get the okay. Why don¡¯t you join us?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Enoa turned back to the crowd of Riflemen. One stood closer. ¡°That¡¯s very nice, but I actually have to go back to work. I shouldn¡¯t really have left¡ª¡± ¡°Oh! Rejected!¡± Another of the Riflemen smacked the first across the shoulder. ¡°Lenz got shot down even with his helmet on.¡± ¡°Maybe another time if I don¡¯t mess up and get thrown off the mountain?¡± She shrugged. The Rifleman laughed and mercifully they took the other path along the ledge, away from her. Enoa turned back to Jaleel and the docked trailers. She saw then that the unloading had moved on to the second trailer, where the robotic arms extended from the open center hatch. Jaleel watched the proceedings. ¡°Oh no!¡± She ran to him. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°I got it now!¡± he said. ¡°Totally perfect. Another half hour and we¡¯ll be all done.¡± He waited for her to stand beside him. ¡°What happened up there? Do they really have that guy on the roof?¡± ¡°They have these Shapers who can shoot from their hands.¡± Enoa still felt Maros, even when he was taken inside. She felt his presence brought through the building, taken lower. ¡°They shoot energy¡­ things at him and his brother. And Maros just defends them with those shields he can make now. I think they do that until they wear him down and, I don¡¯t know, then they actually hit him. They both looked¡­¡± Maros had stopped moving. Had they taken him back to a cell, where they kept him, or to more torture? The knight had acted like they were finished with him. ¡°Looked how?¡± Jaleel leaned in front of her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Enoa remembered the Pacific Alliance¡¯s promise to rescue the Maroses and their friend, Duncan Racz. But there was no real chance of that. The Alliance would not brave the artillery and the ships and the Shapers to save the Maroses. Who would? Unless the Liberty Corps was totally beaten, unless everything they had was taken away, Maros and his brother and their friend, Duncan, if he was still alive ¨C they had no chance of rescue. No chance of rescue but her. ¡°You¡¯re scaring me,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Did something happen up there?¡± ¡°Maros sensed me,¡± she said. ¡°He knows I¡¯m here.¡± Jaleel stepped back. His posture went rigid. For the first time, he moved like the Liberty Corps trooper he pretended to be. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked. ¡°He could give us away¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to rescue him,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Him and his brother. I can feel him. I can sense him. I know exactly where he is. I think they took him back to his cell. I¡¯m their only chance or they¡¯ll be here until they¡¯re killed.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jaleel actually yelled. ¡°No! You can¡¯t! You don¡¯t know your way around. They could catch you, and then our whole mission would be ruined. And what about the K. E. Y.?¡± ¡°Aunt Su¡¯s key is at my bunk,¡± she said. ¡°And by the time our mission is done, it¡¯ll be too late. This is the only way they survive. I wanted Maros to face justice more than anything, but... But he already is facing it. So is his brother. His brother, Max, who Orson said wasn¡¯t even in the Liberty Corps! They¡¯re being tortured, Jaleel. Imagine if the Baron went after your sisters! And I think they¡¯re doing this to them every day. Who else can help them? We have the uniforms. And we can save them all, secretly, like they saved Littlefield.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring family into this!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And where did this ¡®we¡¯ start? I¡¯m still doing my job. I¡¯m not watching magic gladiator cage matches or doing rescue missions.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be ¡®we¡¯,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m going. We have a better chance together. We can wait until the third trailer¡¯s connected. We¡¯ll have twenty minutes. And even after that, we have a little time to clear the berth, right? We can be undercover Hiker Scouts. Isn¡¯t there some comic book or something you¡¯ll get to imitate?¡± ¡°Marching into the detention area is not what I had in mind,¡± Jaleel laughed, despite everything. ¡°But imagine what Orson will do if he gets back here and we¡¯re gone. I mean, what will he think?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to be back here by then,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re prisoners. It¡¯s not like we have to find their luggage.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Jaleel turned back to the unloading. ¡°We spent weeks coming up with this. Now we need to do a cell block rescue plan in twenty minutes! What excuse can we give for even being there? We need some kind of cover.¡± ¡°I have one idea.¡± Enoa said. ¡°Can we open the third trailer before the switch? No one will question a special medicine delivery, will they?¡± 127 - Special Delivery Enoa Cloud. Kol could still find her in his mind, like a faint sound at the edge of hearing. She was still at the base. He was sure of that, certain since he¡¯d recognized her watching him. It was like he¡¯d heard her call his name then, a sound outside his normal hearing, a vibration he could feel that meant Enoa Cloud. Why was she here? Why would anyone sneak into Helmont¡¯s base? Not for him ¨C no one would come there for him. Still, she had been there to witness his testing ¨C why? And how had she found him? Kol had no answers, and he looked for none. He couldn¡¯t risk losing the dim sound, like staying quiet to eavesdrop on a faraway conversation. He couldn¡¯t lose her. Enoa Cloud meant the Aesir was close. The Aesir could escape the base with Max, and his brother would finally be safe and free. So Kol held onto the vibration until he reached his cell. And when he returned there, he formed a new projection and held his cell door open. His body was flooded with adrenaline and a manic, feverish hope that forced the numbness and exhaustion from his mind. As long as he heard without hearing and knew Enoa was there, he had strength to fight. But what next? He couldn¡¯t flee into the corridor outside, unarmed. He couldn¡¯t wait. What if Enoa or the Aesir completed their purpose and vanished like they¡¯d arrived? He couldn¡¯t risk losing this one chance, but there might be no opening to flee. That was the one question he had to face, his one problem to solve ¨C how would he know his moment had come? How would he know it was time to leave his cell and fight to bring Max to salvation. Kol didn¡¯t wait long for an answer. Enoa moved. The unheard sound got louder, came closer. Kol knew Enoa Cloud was moving deeper into the base, closer to his own subterranean level in the facility. Kol got a new strange sense, a new complete certainty. She¡¯d found him too, like he gave off his own sound, and she heard him, and she was on her way. The unheard sound grew. * * * ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how many guards there are, while you get ready.¡± Enoa adjusted her belt so the hilt of her staff fit neatly beside her right hand and the stun box fit at her left. She held a small box of pharmaceuticals under her left arm. ¡°I can get one with the stun thing. How many can you get fast?¡± The elevator door slid open. The hallway outside had no overhead lighting. All light came from sconces embedded in the walls. These walls angled upward and were narrower at the top than at the floor. A pair of double doors stood at the opposite end of the passage. ¡°I can shoot two.¡± Jaleel held a bulk pack of toilet paper in both arms, ninety-six rolls in four layers, hiding most of his chest and head. ¡°Three if I¡¯m really in the zone, but I¡¯ll need a couple seconds to get ready after I fly the disco disruptor.¡± ¡°Disco disruptor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I use to mess up camera feeds. I¡¯m still working on the name. How are you gonna tell me the number of guards, that they won¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fit it in when I say what we¡¯re carrying,¡± she said. ¡°If I see four guards, I¡¯ll say we have four cases of painkiller. How will I know you have your thing ready to mess with the cameras?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see a little flying ball shining lights everywhere,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll know.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Enoa stepped from the elevator. ¡°When we get in there, just put your stuff down and get ready. I¡¯ll do the talking. Wait until I¡¯m about to use the stun box before you start your disruptor. And maybe you should start unpacking as soon as we get there. They¡¯ll be confused if we get right to work. I¡¯ll say something about an emergency delivery. What do you think?¡± ¡°Sounds like Looney Tunes,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll go Bugs on them.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ sure.¡± Enoa led the way, the passage too tight for them both to walk together while Jaleel held the toilet paper. The double doors opened at her approach. A small anteroom stood before a long corridor, this one lined with doors, each fitted with a number pad and card reader. A black desk stood in front of the corridor, manned by two guards. Enoa searched the anteroom and corridor for more guards and saw none. But down the passage, Enoa could see where Kol was kept. She knew, like the light from one of his projections actually glowed through the door of his cell. The troopers at the desk glanced from her to Jaleel, setting his toilet paper down onto the floor, and then back to her. ¡°What is this?¡± The guard on the right had black stripes along his blue armor. ¡°More lost plebes. What the¡­¡± ¡°Pharmaceutical delivery for Cell Block One Nine Seven Seven,¡± Enoa interrupted. ¡°To fulfill your emergency request. We came right away! Two cases of painkiller, and lots of toilet paper and, uh¡­ I¡¯d have to check the list for the rest.¡± The guards exchanged glances. ¡°We didn¡¯t order anything.¡± The guard on the right pressed his hand to the desk. The desk glowed red from his touch, some hidden controls coming to life. ¡°Bet this is another prank from Two Zero One Five,¡± the Blades Trooper said. ¡°Sarge will know.¡± Another Rifle Trooper appeared at the opposite end of the passage. He approached. ¡°We were told to come here right away!¡± Enoa said. ¡°With three cases of painkiller, actually. I just remembered.¡± Jaleel gave her a thumbs up from behind the mound of toilet paper. He started pulling out rolls out of the package. He also removed a small, reflective sphere ¨C his disruptor. He held it up and looked toward her. She saw the shapes of arrows and Jaleel¡¯s collapsed bow through the plastic packaging. ¡°Let me show you!¡± Enoa set her box down on the edge of the desk. Then she pulled a folded paper from the side of the box, a typed list of contents they¡¯d taken from one of the third trailer¡¯s cases. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Enoa also drew her stun box, and she primed it as she walked around the desk, angling toward the nearest Rifle Trooper. ¡°Look! This is what they gave us.¡± Enoa faced the guard. He turned to look at her and she unfolded the page. ¡®For Immediate Delivery ¨C Cell Block 19-77¡¯ was written across the top of the page in black marker. The Blades Guard watched her, both hands at his sides. His belt was ringed with sheathed weapons, all within reach. ¡°Look!¡± Enoa said again. The little ball flew from Jaleel¡¯s hand, humming as it shot up toward the ceiling. It flashed like a disco ball, multifaceted projectors and mirrors sending light everywhere. Both guards yelled and turned toward the light. Enoa jabbed the stun box under the Rifle Guard¡¯s breastplate, speared it through his tunic. She triggered the charge. The man convulsed. He fell away from the stunner, arms twitching, legs too weak to hold him upright. The Blades Trooper was still ducking away from the light display when an arrow took him in the gap at his right shoulder. Another arrow flew into the open hallway. Enoa heard a yell and a thud. She peered into the passage. The second Rifle Trooper lay in the middle of the corridor, arrow sticking from beneath his breastplate. ¡°Holy shit.¡± Jaleel stood behind her, still surrounded by the unpacked toilet paper. He held his extended bow and a loose arrow. ¡°Where will we go with them now? They never talk about that in movies.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll put them in Maros¡¯s cell,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Hopefully he¡¯ll be strong enough to help us.¡± Enoa hadn¡¯t yet considered what she¡¯d say to Kol Maros when she freed him. She hadn¡¯t even considered the rage she might feel just from the sight of his face. ¡°Do you know where they¡¯d keep their keys or Card Keys?¡± she asked. Another Rifle Trooper burst into the hall before Jaleel could respond, charging from one of the cells, his weapon already raised. The trooper ran headlong into a blue wall that appeared right in front of him. The translucent field of blue dragged him backward, screaming, back the way he¡¯d come, deeper into the cell block. When the light cleared, a shape in white was already on the trooper, driving a fist through the man¡¯s helmet. Kol Maros sagged away from the man and fell against the wall. His hair was partially matted, stuck together in long tendrils. Weeks-growth of beard hid his face. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me it was the unibomber who chased you all around the country,¡± Jaleel said. Kol raised his left hand in greeting. It shook. ¡°I heard you heading this way so I, um, I decided to meet you.¡± * * * ¡°If I survive here, Miss Cloud.¡± Kol had been given no true chance to prepare, so he had no time to fear, to plan his words or to question them. They could not linger in the cell block, so he spoke without hesitation and with all the clarity he could find. ¡°I will owe you forever. It is my fault what happened to your home. I could have put a stop to all of it. And now you¡¯re still in danger, but I will rebuild your home for you, if I survive long enough.¡± ¡°This maybe isn¡¯t the best time for a big speech,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to ask one more thing from you,¡± Kol continued. ¡°I need to ask you to take my brother to safety. I¡¯ll owe all of you.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re in luck!¡± the other disguised trooper said. ¡°That¡¯s already the plan.¡± ¡°Where is your brother?¡± Enoa walked up into the hall while her companion collected the discarded packages all over the floor. ¡°I only found you because I followed your Shaping.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I knew you were on your way,¡± Kol said. ¡°My brother, Max, is being held in a medical study, three corridors away. There will be more guards.¡± ¡°More good news.¡± The disguised man joined them at the edge of the cell corridor, holding a massive pack of toilet paper. ¡°I have more stun arrows.¡± ¡°Kol Maros this is Jaleel Yaye,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Jaleel, this is Kol.¡± ¡°Thank you for coming here,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re here for some other reason, but even if I had never¡­ Even if¡­¡± ¡°Even if you never committed arson,¡± Jaleel said. Kol inclined his head. ¡°I would still forever be in your debt for saving Max. He was never in the Liberty Corps. He always opposed it. And I can¡¯t let him die for helping me and helping Littlefield. I¡­ I can¡¯t, but I didn¡¯t know how much longer¡­¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I heard some of your ploy when you arrived. Do you think you could perform that again?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But where will you go? We¡¯ll need to find somewhere for you to hide.¡± ¡°I have a better idea.¡± Jaleel laughed. ¡°We¡¯ll do the old prisoner transfer trick instead. Show us your hands, traitor! The Lord Baron says he wants the two brothers brought together!¡± * * * ¡°It appears most of the information on your friend, Ophion, and the Montgomereys was never updated from the redacted reports recovered after the Blitzkrieg leaks.¡± Dr. Stan continued scrolling through data. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll learn much from this.¡± Even with only a partial view of the screen ¨C Orson saw large gaps in text, occupied only by extended underscore lines. ¡°We¡¯ll take it anyway,¡± Orson said. ¡°Take it all. The Clouds next.¡± He saw a brief break in the line of text, but then it resumed, still inscrutable. ¡°I see four entries under the Cloud family. Sucora Cloud, or Eta, has her own extensive listing. Enoa has her own as well ¨C and recently updated ¨C along with two other¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡­ I don¡¯t know what they are.¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t, I definitely don¡¯t.¡± ¡°These two linked files are pre-electronic collection. They have the standard integration date, May the first of Nineteen eighty-four. One is about messages engraved in linoleum, buried in West Virginia. The other is a report from a Sir Rowan ¨C was he the man that she and Jaleel encountered in the Crystal Dune Forest?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s the one who was after her personally. What¡¯s he saying?¡± ¡°This is the original report, at some point in the late seventies or early eighties. He says he can sense Anemos. That he can pick out that Shape even from many miles away. He describes sensing Eta and her pupil, Theta. ¡®I can feel them at work even from hundreds of kilometers. When they are idle, I still feel them, but I need to be closer. They¡¯re getting so strong together. I can almost feel the control they have. It¡¯s beautiful, and we need it.¡¯ ¡°And he has updates to this. Multiple updates. The most recent is dated a week ago. ¡®They¡¯re still in that desert. I know it. I can sense Enoa there. I know. Her scent is faint, but it¡¯s there at the Alliance border. She can¡¯t hide from me. We can find them.¡¯ But there¡¯s no registered response.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t hide?¡± Orson stood. ¡°Do another quick search, please, see where this Rowan is stationed right now.¡± * * * The last of the medical observation corridor¡¯s guards fell, an arrow sticking from his hip. Three others lay in the entryway to another long hallway of cells, almost identical to the one they¡¯d just left. These cells were wider with longer doorways, but all else looked the same. Enoa waited for Kol to collect a Card Key from the belt of a fallen trooper. Then she followed him down the corridor, Jaleel just behind her, bow still extended. ¡°Once we have your brother,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll leave the guards in his cell like we did with yours. Then we can go back up to the surface. Or we can once we find a way to hide you and your brother.¡± ¡°You only need to worry about Max.¡± Kol turned the Card Key between his hands. ¡°I need to find Duncan. He¡¯s my friend that you met¡­ outside Littlefield.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°I remember the astronaut. Is he here too?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°Helmont tried to kill him. I interfered, and I haven¡¯t seen him since then, but I need to know.¡± He stopped at a cell and swiped the Card Key. Its door slid aside. Enoa recognized Max from the roof. He sat in the center of the room, still strapped to his cart, an IV draining into his arm. He sagged to one side, his eyes open but distant. He did not look at them. He didn¡¯t acknowledge the door opening in any way. Kol ran to his brother. Enoa and Jaleel watched from the doorway. ¡°Look who¡¯s here, Max,¡± Kol said. ¡°They¡¯re friends from the Aesir crew. They¡¯ll get you far away from here. They did well, didn¡¯t they, finding their way here?¡± He turned back to Enoa. ¡°It would be easier with his wheelchair. Did you see anywhere there could be storage for his things? No, that must be long gone. They¡¯d destroy everything.¡± ¡°Not true.¡± Someone spoke down the hall, a sudden singsong voice she recognized. Enoa spun toward the sound. There¡¯d been no one else there. She¡¯d heard nothing. Sir Rowan floated at the end of the passage, both feet off the floor. She recognized the trunked helmet, the orbs that rose from his armor. ¡°Waste not is our policy,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°Hi, Enoa. You can¡¯t imagine my excitement, feeling you here ¨C and the way you and Mr. Maros were calling to each other! It¡¯s a good thing the other Shapers drowned you out, or we¡¯d never get the chance to catch up.¡± Enoa raised her staff, Jaleel his bow, arrow ready. Kol rushed from the cell to join them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, children,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°I won¡¯t be turning you in. This can be our little secret. Put your weapons down and let¡¯s talk.¡± 128 - Shapes from Air and Light ¡°Helmont recalled all eleven surviving knights,¡± Dr. Stan read. ¡°All eleven are now posted here at the Pinnacle, as of the return of the Manifest Destiny.¡± ¡°I need to call them.¡± Orson drew the stolen comm from his belt. It glowed a pale green in his gloved hand. ¡°Warn them. Maybe Enoa can do more to hide herself.¡± ¡°Or you¡¯ll scare her, and it will make her more noticeable,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°That is just as possible, unless you know something that I don¡¯t.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°But they should at least know she¡¯s in danger from that Rowan. Can I really just¡­¡± The comm lit up. Lines of writing spread across the screen. But the writing wasn¡¯t haloed in green like written messages through the Mountain Patrol unit. This writing was ringed in white and labeled with a name.
Quartermaster Silber: ¡°Your team is not present at your unloading. System is running without supervision. Explain.¡±
¡°I have to call them.¡± Orson angled the screen toward Dr. Stan. ¡°This guy gave me permission.¡± ¡°Why would they leave the unloading?¡± She asked. ¡°I can¡¯t...¡± He fumbled with the comm¡¯s keypad, hesitant and slow with his thick gloves on. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Even if they¡¯d been found, wouldn¡¯t the quartermaster know it ¨C unless this message is also a trap?¡± ¡°What are you going to say?¡± She leaned forward, as if to see his typing. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him the truth. I don¡¯t know, but I plan to find out.¡± * * * ¡°Why are you here?¡± Enoa held steady, kept the staff aimed at the knight¡¯s helmeted head. ¡°You¡¯re double-crossing the Liberty Corps because you¡¯re obsessed with me, but we beat you before.¡± Enoa felt the motion in the air around the knight. If she hadn¡¯t been so focused on Kol, would she have noticed him arrive? Would she feel the mass of other Shapers and other powers at the Pinnacle if she looked, if she really tried to see? Now Sir Rowan could not be ignored. He floated just beyond the edge of the corridor, his white armor reflecting the still flashing lights from the floating disruptor. And he was like a gathering weather system, clashing fronts and rain-heavy clouds that had already begun to rotate. The tornado wasn¡¯t imminent, wasn¡¯t inevitable, but the air had tensed at the other end of the passage. Enoa also felt tension in her sinuses, like the barometric pressure change before a sudden summer storm. ¡°That¡¯s right Sir Pervsalot,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And this time, it looks like three on one!¡± Enoa felt the tension of Jaleel¡¯s hand on the bow and the tension of the arrow set to the string. In a single motion, he could send the arrow at Sir Rowan. ¡°I work to free my brother.¡± Kol stood just behind them. ¡°If you hinder that, knight, you¡¯ll carry the scars from our meeting for the rest of your days.¡± Enoa¡¯s sense of Kol only expanded with him standing so close. She sensed the tension in his mind, the way she recognized the tension in Jaleel¡¯s arms. She knew he was a thought away from new shields. Enoa tried to quiet her expanding senses. Now was not the time to be distracted or occupied by her growing, instinctive knowledge of the world, unrefined and unfocused. Sir Rowan turned away from them, shifted back toward the mouth of the antechamber. A wet, grinding gurgle came from his helmet. A glob of neon orange flew from the helmet¡¯s proboscis. It struck the floating ball. The disruptor¡¯s lights went out, its reflectors dark. It listed to one side, angling lower and lower toward the floor. ¡°Ugh!¡± Jaleel yelled. ¡°He slimed my disco ball!¡± ¡°Clever children to disrupt the cameras,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°I enjoyed what you did with the feeds from the high security block ¨C interfering with the power supply. You¡¯re quite the little inventor, aren¡¯t you, archer? But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already disabled all surveillance in this block. I hate being interrupted.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t prepared to fight us now, Rowan,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Let go of whatever Shaping you plan to do, and then we¡¯ll figure out where to¡ª¡± Sir Rowan let out a sound, almost a whistle, thin and shrill. But the sound grew and changed, the noise of a great rush of air leaving the knight¡¯s helmet. The sound was harsh and inhuman, like the storm-carried whistle between tree branches. The noise wasn¡¯t overpowering, but loud enough that Enoa stopped speaking. One of Kol¡¯s shields appeared in front of all three of them. It started at the floor and reached above their heads, forming before the gale filled the hallway. A breeze could be felt even through the shield. Enoa felt it brush against her tunic and pants, anywhere her armor didn¡¯t keep her covered. ¡°I can bring the entire holdfast down on you,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°I can bring all ten knights, our squires, our students, and our lord master. They know my alarm. And if I call so they hear me, they¡¯ll be here. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, for the last time. Put your weapons down. I am here to offer freedom to you, Mr. Maros. You and your brother and the archer will leave. ¡°Enoa, you will stay here as my adherent. Together, we¡¯ll find all facets of your true potential. And mine. We complete each other, Enoa. I¡¯ve been drinking in the scent of Anemos for forty years. I watched Sucora Cloud and her apprentice, Theta, but I was kept away from them! ¡°And I smelled you too. I didn¡¯t know who I was tasting then, but now I do. Sometimes, from far away, I felt Sucora training you, when the cobalt alloy couldn¡¯t hide you both from me. I thought you were part of her, a divided thought or a dawn technique. You felt so similar, a halved-mind, closer than aunt and niece should be. You¡¯re a real ripening heir, but with no one to complete you.¡± ¡°Eeeeew!¡± Jaleel made a gagging noise in the back of his throat. ¡°Stop horning after Enoa! Shut up right now, or I¡¯ll shoot you just for talking like that to her.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Enoa raised her free hand. ¡°I don¡¯t even care about the mission, right now,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I just¡ª¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Enoa put just enough edge behind her words to quiet him. The controlled atmosphere of the corridor was too dry to produce the kind of Bullet Rain she¡¯d used in their last fight with Sir Rowan. That was their best ranged option. Rowan could redirect Jaleel¡¯s arrows or dodge them. She couldn¡¯t know or judge Kol¡¯s abilities. That left only the transmutation explosion. ¡°I won¡¯t go with you, Rowan,¡± she said. ¡°But there are things I need to learn. I have my own wager for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve presented you with your options already, Enoa,¡± Rowan said. ¡°Disappointing, I prefer my pupils to be attentive when I speak.¡± ¡°We have to shoot him, Enoa!¡± Jaleel kept his bow aimed ahead, even with the energy in his way. ¡°We have to.¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Enoa didn¡¯t look away from the knight, but she gripped Jaleel by the upper arm. ¡°Rowan, if you explain more about my aunt and her student, I¡¯ll show you the basic Anemos transmutation. That¡¯s what you want, isn¡¯t it? Aren¡¯t the Maros brothers worth learning what you¡¯ve wanted to know for so long?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Let me through the shield but follow me,¡± she said. ¡°Miss Cloud, please,¡± Kol said. ¡°This man, these knights are very dangerous. Our best option in defeating him is standing together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with the unibomber,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Do we really need to talk about what he wants to do to you?¡± ¡°Stay close,¡± she said. ¡°Kol, let me through.¡± ¡°The two of you can stay right where you are,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°That¡¯s what I prefer.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re not separating. And if you try to call the baron, he might hear you, but you¡¯ll be gone before he gets here.¡± ¡°A threat from you too!¡± Rowan laughed, shrill and loud like his Shaping whistle. ¡°So many threats from the children, so scared, and so alone. Don¡¯t worry, if you listen to me, no one will hurt you.¡± ¡°Kol, do you remember the second time I met you?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°This will be like that.¡± ¡°How could I forget?¡± Kol¡¯s shield did not waver. ¡°I think I understand.¡± ¡°The second time you met,¡± Sir Rowan laughed. ¡°We¡¯re more alike than I realized! Your own collection, Enoa! But you¡¯ll have more as mine than these boys can give you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not convinced,¡± Enoa said. ¡°My offer stands.¡± ¡°We need a better shorthand,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The archers came up with ours on like day one.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Enoa patted him on the arm. ¡°Kol, your shield.¡± The light retracted from a wall to the size of a true shield. Kol reached out and took it like it was a physical object. He held it, suspended at his left hand, hiding half of him behind the distorted blue wall. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Enoa led the way, the others just a pace behind her. Jaleel kept the arrow to the string, but loosened his grip. Enoa waited for Rowan to argue with her bargain or the presence of the others walking with her. But he stayed as he was, still airborne and alert, still watchful and silent. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the basics of Anemos transmutation,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯s the root of everything I can do. I¡¯m sure a Master Shaper like you can learn whatever you want after that. Then you can tell me about my aunt and her student.¡± ¡°You can show me whatever you want,¡± Sir Rowan said. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to tell you anything until we¡¯ve sent your boy toys on their way, and we can talk in private as¡­¡± He fell silent again when she raised her left hand and a drop of water coalesced out of the processed air. It floated there, experiencing transmutation, shifting from ice to water to vapor and back again. ¡°This is what you want,¡± she said. ¡°Letting me go, letting us all go is worth you getting it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have so much more than that, together.¡± He reached out his hand toward her, toward her display of power. Enoa pressed the staff to the shifting droplet. She held it, suspended, floating just above the end of the staff. She held the metal ahead of her and moved it as she walked, like it was the staff that held the water in the air, like it wasn¡¯t just the power of her own will and mind. ¡°Yes, hold it there.¡± Sir Rowan floated forward, hand still outstretched. His cushion of dense air visibly swirled beneath his feet. ¡°I can almost feel it. All these years, so close¡­¡± Enoa steadied her breathing. The timing was close, but if she acted when he did, acted when he reached for the droplet ¨C it could be over. She¡¯d catch him, blind from his own desire. She reached the end of the hall, Jaleel and Kol still just behind, still ready for a fight. But Rowan wasn¡¯t looking at any of them. He looked only at the approaching, transmuting droplet. The knight pulled back his hand. But it was only to tug his gauntlet and glove free. Then he reached his pale, bare hand back toward the Shaping, naked fingers stretching out toward the droplet. So close, so close, his fingers touched the outer vapor of the droplet, as it briefly steamed into gas. He pulled his hand back from the heat, but returned it, cautious, probing toward it, as it cycled to water and to ice. So close¡­ One of the guards stirred from the floor, stun arrow still sticking from his unarmored shoulder. Enoa heard the clink of armor-on-armor as the man woke and found himself packed tight, body-to-body with his fellow guards. He started, reeling. He gasped and let out a gargled yell. The spell was broken. Sir Rowan forgot the droplet and his desire. He spun away from her, revealing the orbs across his back. Three glowed. Smoke poured from the knight¡¯s helmet, propelled by the power of his own breath, green and brown. It engulfed the reeling guard, all of the guards. The man gasped. He struggled and flailed and fell again, flopped on top of his fellows. Enoa struck. She¡¯d lost her best chance, but she could not hope for another. The droplet burst against Rowan¡¯s back. Orbs shattered. A small explosion took him in the armor. Sir Rowan howled. He flew across the room, letting the force of the blast carry him. His armor was blackened, but not broken through. But the rest of him couldn¡¯t be seen. Gas and smoke poured from the shattered orbs, violet and mustard yellow and ruby red. Sir Rowan spun with grace, moving in practiced weightlessness like an experienced astronaut in zero gravity. He twisted around so his booted feet landed at the top of the opposite wall. With a push, he flew back at them at the same speed. He howled again and his yell carried more of the green and the brown smoke bearing down on them and at the mouth of the passage. An arrow flew past Enoa¡¯s right shoulder, arcing above the line of smoke, aimed straight for the knight¡¯s head. But the smoke shifted, expanded, flared outward. The arrow was sent spiraling away and out of sight. Enoa fell to the side when Kol shoved her. Before she could shout, two blue fields appeared, at once. One formed at the mouth of the corridor, blocking it before the oncoming smoke. The second formed just in front of Rowan. The knight flew bodily into the projection. He struck it, face-first. He yelled and for the first time lost his focus and his Shaping. He dropped to the floor. He struck it and rolled until his back met the side of the desk. He did not move. Kol¡¯s second shield reshaped and reformed, moving to the floor. It curved into a dome around Sir Rowan, pinning him in place between desk and glowing blue. ¡°Miss Cloud.¡± Kol raised both arms toward the fields. ¡°I can¡¯t hold back his smoke. I¡¯ve tried to hold it back before, but¡­ It¡¯s taking everything, and it will come through the shield. Take Max and save him.¡± ¡°We came to save both of you.¡± Enoa felt the moving currents of air, still filling the cell block antechamber. She felt the dense burst of knockout gas, clinging low to the floor, fogging and obscuring everything. The lighter bursts from the destroyed orbs, sifted through the heavier gas and drifted high toward the ceiling. Enoa felt the shield and Kol¡¯s will too, physically planted between the gas and the corridor. ¡°We can¡¯t leave you,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Yeah, Rowan will just call the other knights,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We won¡¯t get away unless we get around his fart flier technique and take him out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold back the gas that comes through.¡± Enoa remembered fighting the unseen, poison clouds in the Crystal Dune Forest. And she¡¯d only become stronger in the weeks since. ¡°Do we think he could be weak against his own knockout gas, if he was unmasked?¡± Jaleel walked close behind them and spoke in a low voice, though the trapped knight still hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re suggesting,¡± Kol said. ¡°Do it fast. I¡¯ve never worked this much Shaping and once I lose these projections there will be no more.¡± ¡°We unmask him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I have a couple grappling arrows, and I reworked a couple of my newer arrowheads to go through Rowan¡¯s fart shield technique. We just need somewhere to put him. I think one of the doors back there was storage, not a cell. It had a little sign.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to grab him with a grappling hook?¡± Kol said. ¡°And throw him in a closet.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Insanity. How are you all still alive? We would be wiser to kill him.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If we gas him and it¡¯s deadly, and he kills himself, then I¡¯m not gonna cry over it. But if it¡¯s not, we can¡¯t just kill him. Because, uh, we¡¯re the swashbuckling heroes.¡± ¡°Enough talk,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m losing¡­ losing control. Whatever you do. Do it.¡± Enoa felt the first gas ooze its way through the shield, like trickling leaks in the wall of a dam. She felt them and she stopped them, like pressing her mind tight to the gaps, holding them closed. But then particles oozed through everywhere, one, two, ten, twenty leaks, then more than she could count. Enoa added her will to Kol¡¯s to hold it all at bay, and she knew his strain, maintaining the protection, keeping it strong, keeping it solid. ¡°I have the arrows ready,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If we can get at him.¡± The gas from the shattered orbs reached the ceiling. The sprinklers kicked on, drumming water against the tile floor, the bodies, the desk, and against Kol¡¯s other projection. Water crept through to the knight. Real leaks dribbled against his armor. Sir Rowan started awake. Enoa felt him move, felt his mind, alert. The swirling of unseen forces began again. And Enoa could see the knight truly moving, blurred motion through the two fields of blue. ¡°I have no ideas,¡± Kol said. ¡°But we¡¯re running out of time. He¡¯s doing¡ª¡± An explosion bloomed under the shield between Rowan and the energy. Kol staggered back. Enoa felt his tight will slacken and she saw the second blue field blur in the antechamber flicker. The flicker was all Sir Rowan needed. He howled again, more inhuman shouts. He tore himself free of the energy. Even through the hallway shield, Enoa saw his white armor browned and darkened from the energy field. ¡°Clever children.¡± He lifted from the floor again. ¡°I inhaled some of my own mixture. Why didn¡¯t you come out here and kill me? Were you too afraid of my Shaping? Too afraid of me? Too afraid of death?¡± ¡°I changed my mind again,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I just want to shoot him.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t look at him, but she felt Jaleel switch arrows. The new arrow had a cable of its own, a long heavy cord of flexible metal that he connected to the body of the bow. ¡°Shoot me?¡± Sir Rowan giggled, the same unnerving, shrill laugh. ¡°Shapers are the real power, boy. You¡¯re just one of the little people.¡± Enoa still kept her focus on the gas, kept it from reaching them. It was a subconscious thing, simple when just bolstering Kol¡¯s own resolve. But that didn¡¯t solve how to reach Rowan through the gas. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Rowan was a man¡¯s name.¡± Jaleel¡¯s voice didn¡¯t waver. Neither did his arm, as he drew a second arrow and held it between ring finger and pinky. ¡°A girl named Rowan lived on my block as a kid, and I know Professor Rowan from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, but what¡¯s your deal?¡± Sir Rowan made a new sound, like the rush of air through bald canyons in a desert storm, moving sand and small, naked stone. ¡°Actually,¡± Kol said. ¡°There was also a male Rowan on my high school basketball team.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I thought it was just girls, video game scientists, and this creeper.¡± Sir Rowan sent more smoke at them, a noxious yellow-green. Then another explosive blast came through his armor, igniting the smoke, burning out from his still-gauntleted left hand. The yellow gas burned. Fire raced along the gas, down from where Sir Rowan flew, like he¡¯d burned free of Kol¡¯s barrier. Enoa had time only to process the attack, time enough to understand what was happening, to know that the explosion was coming and know that there was no chance to get away. The explosion against the shield sent Kol falling away from them, crashing to the wall and then to the floor. The field held, but it flickered and again the flicker was enough to let Sir Rowan through. The knight flew, carried with the speed and strength of a great plume of white gas. He drove his gauntlet into Jaleel¡¯s shoulder, above the bow. The young man clutched his arrows and didn¡¯t catch himself when he lost his feet. He slid on his side, away from Enoa and the knight. Sir Rowan didn¡¯t speak to Enoa or taunt her, but another burst of the heavy brown gas left him with the might of his gale-strong breathing. Enoa let go of Kol¡¯s shield. She turned all her focus toward the knight. Enoa breathed, and she felt the still-clean air. She held it and turned it, forming a bubble of breathable oxygen at the center of the onslaught, but she could see nothing of Jaleel or Kol. And the intensity of the knight¡¯s attack surrounded her in his thought and his obsession and his desire, as the gas encircled her. She could not feel the others. Enoa raised the staff. He would not take her, not without her burning all of his gas, burning them both, destroying them both, ending it all instead of letting him have her. And she could see him, the shape of his helmet, as more of the smoke came from it. He approached her through the gas and floated, just at the very edge of her protections. ¡°How long can you hold on?¡± He spoke. ¡°How long? I would have been gentle with you, but not now. Now I¡¯ll take what I want, and I will have it. All these years. Now, you¡¯re mine.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t answer. She only raised her staff to burn them both. Sir Rowan¡¯s helmet and chest and shoulders breached the circle of his gas, orbs glowing across his armor. An arrow struck the knight at the back of his neck. All the orbs¡¯ lights went dark. Sir Rowan spun toward the attack. He twisted, reached for the arrow, his focus divided, his helmeted head peering through his own gas. The second arrow pierced the gas and exploded right in his face. The arrowhead released spiked cables and barbed arms that wrapped the helmet in a tight embrace. Sir Rowan yelled. Even without his orbs, gas in many colors leaked from his armor, gold and green and gray, all muddied together. But he was caught. He wrenched and strained and flew back. The cable from the arrow went tight but wouldn¡¯t yield, and he couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°I can¡¯t get it!¡± Jaleel yelled. A ring of blue appeared through Sir Rowan¡¯s ring of poison. Kol was covered in his shield, all-glowing. He ran ahead of her, ran to the knight. He seized the cable with his prosthetic hand. The grip was strong. Jaleel and Kol both pulled. The helmet gave. With a long, wet slurp the trunked helmet pulled from Sir Rowan¡¯s head, revealing his face. He had a sickly complexion, yellowed like old parchment, his eyes bulging and red, his face thick, as if swollen, full in a way that did not fit the rest of his armored frame. ¡°Help Enoa!¡± Kol yelled. And when Sir Rowan fled back away from them, a shield appeared around him, a perfect globe that encircled him, trapped him tight in all directions, trapped with his own cloud of poison. Enoa felt the poison trying to worm its way free. She felt the full weight of the knight¡¯s hold on the air. She took her own grip of the poison gas. Enoa gave Sir Rowan a full display of Anemos. She held the air in the shield, and then she held it tighter still, held his own gas close to him and his face and his eyes until he breathed it in, until her power forced his own fumes back into his body and filled his lungs. Sir Rowan gagged and screamed his inhuman wail, his lips pursed, purple and swollen, like his cheeks. He drove more poison from his armor with each breath, seeping from boot and gauntlet and at the neck of his tunic. And more and more and more poison was driven back, back inside him, until it filled him. He flailed and fought and shook inside the shield. Then he went still. 129 - Intersecting Paths ¡°Our envoys have returned from the Khanate at Sea and the Pan-American Freehold.¡± Lieutenant Greenley, the prospective new Ledgerman, read the morning command briefing in an even voice. ¡°The midsummer Summit of the Seven will happen on schedule.¡± Greenley spoke a hair too slow for Baron Helmont¡¯s taste, but he didn¡¯t stumble with his words. He didn¡¯t hesitate, reading constantly without pause. He spoke while Helmont ate his steak and eggs, mopping up his plate with a slice of rich, fresh-baked bread. He spoke while Helmont took his morning tea. And he still spoke, the meal over, while Helmont stood at his observatory window, staring at his forces and his valley. ¡°Has this information been sent to the Lost Park Office?¡± Helmont interrupted for the first time. ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Greenley answered. ¡°I assume no answer from His Excellency?¡± ¡°None, sir, only a confirmation receipt with the seal of the Voice. Baron Weatherhold hopes to coordinate for the summit. And you¡¯ve received a direct hail from the Teth Division, but that message can be received only by you.¡± ¡°What could she want now?¡± Helmont returned to his table. ¡°I have only so much patience for the sideshows that follow along in the Czar¡¯s wake.¡± He found the control pad under his table, found the summons for his culinary specialists. He pressed it. Both men entered the room again, without hesitation, collecting cloche, cutlery, goblet, and his teacup. ¡°I would not guess,¡± Greenley said. ¡°No, of course not. What of Mr. Maros? No termination permissions seal?¡± ¡°Nothing, sir.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be feeding both Maros brothers all summer, while Sir Geber enables the embarrassment of all the base¡¯s apprentices.¡± Helmont found Kol again, his touched, known presence plotted on his mental maps. He found Kol in the midst of Shaping, power and strain, surrounded by other Shapes from air and light. His defiance had returned, his fury too. He sensed Sir Rowan as well, intent on his exertions, his mind racing with rage and lust and real distress. Helmont sensed something else, some third will maybe, or a division, but why would Rowan have two forms acting on his same vapor? Was this some new experiment, some new display of his appetites, twice the mind, twice the sensation? That would explain his distress, one more physio-spiritual experiment gone awry. Or was this a third mind Helmont felt, a blank frame with power enough to register on his map, outside reckoning? But how? There was no such unmapped person at the Pinnacle. ¡°Greenley, comm the Knight liaison to send a reminder to Sir Rowan. He seems to have taken some interest in Mr. Kolben Maros. They¡¯re in the medical detention corridor. They¡¯re likely with the brother. The liaison need not intervene, but I want Rowan¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Greenley followed the culinary specialists from the room. Perhaps Greenley was the one. If he performed these subtle duties well, that would be the decider. Sir Rowan needed his leash tightened, and it would not do to permanently harm Kolben Maros without permission. ¡°Let Sir Rowan know that I am running out of patience for his lack of self-control. I will be reviewing this matter, personally.¡± * * * ¡°I found a separate file about your friend, Ophion.¡± Dr. Stan had returned to the downloads, but Orson didn¡¯t watch her. He stared at the stolen comm, its screen again lit green. ¡®Scanning¡­¡¯ read small, black text across the screen, the ellipses slowly adding periods as if real progress was being made. ¡°You¡¯re not helping yourself by worrying,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°We have only a few minutes left. Then, locating our young friends will be our main concern. Until then, there¡¯s not much we can do.¡± ¡°I want to be ready,¡± Orson said. ¡°Depending on what¡¯s going on, they might contact me and need a fast reply.¡± ¡°Floppy,¡± she said. Orson reached to the floppy drive without looking at it. He collected the floppy when it ejected and fit it with the dozens of others in the base of the cart. ¡°It appears your mentor was a formal broker of the Enigma Pacts,¡± Dr. Stan continued. ¡°His name was redacted from the available transcription but they make mention of his sigil, which I believe is the same that you wear, the Forbidden Tower?¡± Orson didn¡¯t answer her. The comm¡¯s screen flashed white ¨C more writing.
Quartermaster Silber: Update. Now. You¡¯d best hope you¡¯ve found your team, Daine. Your days of leaving untrained troopers to unload are over. Your days taking early weekends are over. Your captaincy is over, if I have anything to say about it.
¡°Not ours, I¡¯m assuming,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Nope,¡± Orson said. ¡°Those kids just got me demoted. We might not have the easiest time getting outta here.¡± * * * The storage room matched the size and shape of the cells around it, lined with rolling shelves and transparent canisters of labeled medicines and equipment and surgical gear. Kol watched Jaleel bind Sir Rowan, the knight¡¯s eyes still closed, his pulse still racing. The younger man fit old-fashioned leather medical restraints around him, locking his legs together and his arms to his sides. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I looted the pack from Pervsalot¡¯s student who we fought before,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°They have these big wires that lead into the helmet.¡± ¡°Do you see medical tape,¡± Kol said. ¡°We should cover his mouth. We don¡¯t need him using his wailing ability.¡± ¡°Tape probably won¡¯t work on magic wind powers,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We gotta go!¡± ¡°I will prepare Max and then I can help you look,¡± Kol said. ¡°But yes, we must be gone before he wakes up.¡± ¡°He is awake.¡± Enoa leaned in the doorway, helmet off, one hand at her forehead. ¡°He¡¯s really hurt, but there¡¯s part of him that¡¯s still alert.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°More reason to bind him,¡± Kol said. ¡°Excuse me.¡± He walked around Enoa and across the hall. The passage was still empty and quiet. The antechamber sprinklers had ceased, all Shaping fumes washed away. Had Sir Rowan truly disabled the cameras and any sensors? Had he truly ensured they would go undisturbed, blinded by whatever designs he held for Enoa? Kol took the ramp into Max¡¯s cell. Inside, his brother didn¡¯t look at him, but his head did roll in his direction. ¡°Max, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Kol knelt beside him. He checked the port in his brother¡¯s arm, IV disconnected. ¡°Did you do that?¡± Max nodded once, his eyes closed. ¡°We¡¯ll get you to the Alliance. They will know what to do. You¡¯re leaving this place forever. I have to find Duncan, but you will go with the Aesir crew.¡± ¡°No.¡± Max¡¯s voice was small and hoarse, grating from his dry throat. ¡°You come with us.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t abandon Duncan.¡± Kol checked his brother¡¯s cart for wiring, any obvious electronics, or anywhere an obvious tracking device could be hidden. ¡°Do you know¡ª¡± ¡°Kol!¡± Enoa called. ¡°We found your brother¡¯s things.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Kol stood. Outside, Enoa and Jaleel arrived at the cell, wheelchair between them, a small plastic bag tied to the right handle. ¡°That room had a back storage area for the prisoners,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kol said. ¡°We should see if there¡¯s a blanket we can take, and maybe some of the Neurzodone that¡¯s used for Thought Fatigue.¡± ¡°Is Thought Fatigue that thing you get when you magic too hard?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°That¡¯s a gross way to say it,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If you are certain we are finished with Sir Rowan,¡± Kol continued. ¡°I can help you escort Max back to the Aesir. I can¡¯t imagine why all of you came here, but I owe thanks to you and Captain Gregory, as well. I¡¯ll give you time to reach a safe distance before I return here and search the cells. I have to find Duncan.¡± ¡°Do you think the other place would know where his friend is?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Orson¡¯s gonna flip the hell out anyway, and maybe he can help us.¡± ¡°He¡¯s really not going to be happy,¡± Enoa answered. ¡°But that¡¯s probably our best chance. Kol, you can¡¯t come back here. Orson might be able to help, though, but it will not be easy getting to¡­¡± Enoa trailed off at the sound of whistling. It wasn¡¯t Sir Rowan¡¯s inhuman Shaping-borne call. It had an electronic, synthesized quality, but the sound was coming from the still-open storage room. ¡°What now?¡± Kol looked back to Max. ¡°I¡¯m going to put you in your wheelchair.¡± Max nodded. Kol did not offer his brother the time he would in any other situation, giving Max the opportunity to maneuver from another seat to his wheelchair. Kol lifted his brother under the arms. He¡¯d lost weight in captivity, the weight-loss of starvation, lost mass and atrophied muscle. He set Max into the wheelchair and eased the wheelchair back into the corridor. Enoa and Jaleel were again waiting for him when he arrived outside. ¡°Someone¡¯s calling Sir Rowan!¡± Jaleel held a comm, issuing the synth whistle. ¡°Some liaison guy. He keeps calling. As soon as one call ends another one starts. And there¡¯s a little notification that says the Baron is watching him.¡± ¡°We still need to move the guards into your brother¡¯s cell,¡± Enoa said. ¡°No time,¡± Kol said. ¡°With this much attention, we¡¯ll have to hurry. We seal Max¡¯s cell, and leave it as it is.¡± ¡°No,¡± Max said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Enoa said. ¡°With Rowan, uh, nonverbal, it will take¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Max said again, his voice stronger but still scratchy. ¡°Answer, text only. Liberty Corps leadership has usage forms. Have Rowan take command of this area for testing. Imitate his signature if you find it on file, or use his fingerprint. Then you should have time enough to move the guards and prepare to leave this place.¡± ¡°And time to warn Orson.¡± Jaleel held up his own stolen comm, screen flashing white. ¡°With Rowan getting his call, I figured we should check our messages. Looks like our boss is persistent too.¡± * * * ¡°Orson, I have everything.¡± Dr. Stan turned away from the monitor, its screen darkened. ¡°Even the Brody family files are downloaded. Is there anything else we need?¡± ¡®Scanning¡­¡¯ The stolen comm¡¯s screen had not changed since the last message from Quartermaster Silber. ¡°Orson, we¡¯re running out of time,¡± she said. ¡°Five minutes on the timer.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± he started. ¡°You have information on the current knights?¡± ¡°I did that as soon as we read about Sir Rowan. Those floppies are packed away. Think, once I close this out, there¡¯s no coming back here. Is there anything else stored in the old Hierarchia memory that you¡¯ll want, before you lose your chance?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s worth going back early.¡± He clipped the comm ¨C still scanning ¨C to his belt. ¡°I don¡¯t see why they didn¡¯t answer. As long as Jaleel really had a handle on the unloading, what else did they really have to do? And if they didn¡¯t¡­ It was a mistake bringing them at all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure you want me to shut down?¡± Dr. Stan held her hands above the keyboard, the monitor still dark. ¡°Last chance.¡± Orson thought through the years, all the half-uncovered Hierarchia secrets, their tawdry plots, the corporate meddling, the power plays that had moved the world, changed and ended lives, known to only dozens. Were there still secrets that remained after the Blitzkrieg and Thunderworks? He thought too of the histories rewritten, the secret powers that still lived, their vast knowledge of the hidden truths of the universe. What had the IHSA known? Had they finished their unifying theory behind what the ancients called magic? Had they linked Shaping and sorcery and the old elements? Had the Hierarchia bridged the old world and the new and left that truth buried without fanfare? What else should he know? What else could be learned to heal old wounds and bring closure to the world so harmed by their secrecy. But his mind was empty of specifics, fogged by fear and near-helplessness. Sir Rowan could sense Anemos. If Sir Rowan found them again and found them when he wasn¡¯t there¡­ A chirp came from Orson¡¯s belt. He drew the comm and answered it. ¡°Captain Daine, sir!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I am very sorry to ignore your message, but we ran into an old friend and his, uh, other friend. They want to speak with you before the end of the, uh, the day. Another, uh, superior tried to reassign a member of the team to his own unit, but she said no. We¡¯re all fine now.¡± ¡°Explain,¡± Orson said. ¡°Is everything proceeding with the unloading?¡± Reassign a member of the team? Old friend? These could have many meanings. ¡°Have you returned to the trailers?¡± ¡°How did you know that we left?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Quartermaster Silber let me know,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been trying so hard to find you. Have you gone back there?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jaleel said. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. And behind his voice, Orson could hear other speaking, other lower voices, definitely not Enoa. ¡°We were forced away by our friends, and now we¡¯re trying to decide our best way forward¡­ our best course of action. You know what, we¡¯ll be there soon, and we can explain in person.¡± The call ended. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Orson said. ¡°I cannot imagine,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Let¡¯s shut off the system and have all the floppies secured before they get here. I¡¯m thinking this is about to get more complicated.¡± ¡°At least he said they¡¯re fine.¡± She turned back to the keyboard. She pressed a complex command, six keys at once. Then she issued another such command. The system made a long, low rumble. With a click, the towers and processors in the other room stopped moving. Their lights shut off. Dr. Stan handed him the last floppy, but a knock came on the door before he could add it to the cart. Orson handed it back to her and walked to the door. When he opened it, he found four people waiting there, Enoa and Jaleel in their Mountain Patrol armor, his too small. But another armored figure stood there too, a Liberty Corps officer in filthy armor. He was helmeted, but strands of greasy hair hung free and dangled along his breastplate. His boots were muddy and his gauntlets were stained the distinct reddish-brown of dried blood. Between them sat a man in a wheelchair, his eyes unfocused. He was wrapped in a heavy white blanket. ¡°Hi,¡± Enoa and Jaleel said, at once. ¡°Hurry.¡± Orson stepped out of the way. They entered, guiding the wheelchair-bound man into the room. ¡°What the hell is this? Why weren¡¯t you at¡­¡± The officer pulled the helmet from his head and revealed the face of Kolben Maros. * * * Helmont found Lieutenant Greenely waiting beside the observatory window when the baron returned to his main chambers, dressed, armed, and armored. ¡°Sir,¡± Greenley said. ¡°Sir Rowan has filed experimentation paperwork. Everything appears in order, including the prisoner release forms for Kolben Maros and Maxwell Maros.¡± ¡°Signature?¡± Helmont felt for Rowan, found him alert and still frightened, immobile. He did not sense Kolben Maros. He sensed no one near Rowan. ¡°Fingerprint,¡± Greenley answered. ¡°Prepare two squads.¡± Helmont scanned his maps for Kol Maros, seeking his body or his power. He wasn¡¯t in medical detention. He wasn¡¯t in his own cell. He was nowhere in the detention complex. Then Helmont felt Kol¡¯s defiance again, sustained adrenaline and the faint embers of hope. He sensed Kol clearly, and he was surrounded by more presences, five more that he did not recognize. One of the five left a strange imprint, a faceless shadow, but strong, as if cast by a great light. Only Shapers, only real powers felt that way on his maps. Was this the third presence from the struggle in detention passage? Was this some secret of Rowan¡¯s, now out of hand? The five strangers and Kol Maros were gathered in the computer terminal area. ¡°Send one squad to retrieve Rowan,¡± Helmont said. ¡°As my new Ledgerman, you have full authority to use my override. They are to escort Rowan back to me.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Greenley said. ¡°You honor me, sir.¡± ¡°Difficult day to begin,¡± Helmont said. ¡°The second squad must contain at least five Shapers, journeymen should be sufficient. And be sure the rifle troopers are equipped with repeaters.¡± ¡°You believe the forms were¡­ fraudulent?¡± Greenley asked. ¡°I believe Sir Rowan¡¯s appetites have finally come to harm him. And we are going to be certain we are not harmed with him.¡± * * * ¡°Thank you,¡± Kol said. ¡°Without your crew, my brother would be doomed here. I will owe Enoa forever for destroying her home and her business, but I owe you all for saving Max.¡± Orson stared at him, clearly bewildered. Kol needed his words of thanks and relief before he could ask help from the man he¡¯d opposed so many times. He had to gauge his reaction, but Jaleel spoke first. ¡°Orson, you wouldn¡¯t believe it!¡± He said. ¡°Sir Rowan found Enoa again. He was gonna let the rest of us go if she went with him, and he had like this magic kink going on, the grodiest thing I¡¯ve seriously ever seen, just so bad.¡± ¡°He sensed me,¡± Enoa added. ¡°Like he did at Crystal Dune.¡± ¡°And we had this huge battle with him,¡± Jaleel continued. ¡°Rowan was trying to keep it a secret that he was after her, and he gassed their own guys and helped block the cameras, and Enoa tried to blast him with those explosions she does, but he used his fart flier technique and escaped and¡­¡± ¡°We were in the cell block to rescue the Maros brothers,¡± Enoa said. ¡°For which I am grateful beyond words,¡± Kol said. ¡°Please take Max away from this place, but I need to ask¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s so good I took that armor from the other fart flier Shaper at Crystal Dune,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I knew right where to shoot Rowan¡¯s power supply.¡± An alarm sounded at the terminal desk. The woman seated there lifted what appeared to be an egg timer from beside the keyboard and shut it off. ¡°Time to go,¡± she said. ¡°Right,¡± Orson nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with the specifics of whatever the hell this is when we¡¯re anywhere but here.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s only figure out what we absolutely have to plan, right now. Enoa, I¡¯m guessing Rowan isn¡¯t currently a threat or you wouldn¡¯t be here. Is that right?¡± ¡°We trapped him without his mask surrounded by his own poison,¡± she answered. ¡°Now he¡¯s tied in a storage room.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Good job. Is there anyone else who can sense you or follow any of you? Because that changes how we have to do this.¡± ¡°Not that I know of.¡± Enoa looked over her shoulder at Kol. ¡°I found Kol through Shaping, and he knew I was moving toward him, but I don¡¯t know how. I still have so much to learn, I don¡¯t know what the other Shapers or Knights can do. I¡¯m trying to hide from them right now.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Orson nodded once and looked at Kol. ¡°And if she can sense you, can anybody do that? Do you have some kind of big magic spotlight on you, Man Bun?¡± Kol froze. No one had investigated his secret practice of holding the cell door open, but did that mean no one noticed? Did that mean no one could notice? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Unlikely.¡± Max coughed after he spoke, but he sat up straighter in the wheelchair. ¡°Documented instances of enigma co-detection are most common between acquainted parties or in areas without prevalent Shaping activity. I suppose you could call it background noise, for lack of a better term. This place is I¡¯m sure quite noisy, but my brother and Enoa are acquainted and this Sir Rowan was aware of her abilities.¡± ¡°Yeah, he was,¡± Orson said. ¡°That tracks. Well, if there¡¯s not a whole legion following along after you, I guess we¡¯ll risk this thing. Keep your armor on, Man Bun. We¡¯ll get you out of sight first. That just leaves finding some way to hide your brother. Max, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving,¡± Kol said. ¡°Not right away. I need to find our friend, Duncan Racz, who was also granted asylum by the Pacific Alliance and abducted by Baron Helmont. I am the reason he was taken. I¡¯m the cause of all of it. Save Max, but I need to be sure of Duncan. I need to use the computer terminal to look for my friend. He¡¯s like another brother.¡± ¡°Kol, you must come with us,¡± Max said. ¡°You can¡¯t free everyone here. If you attempt to free Duncan alone, both of you will die.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll die,¡± Kol said. ¡°Come on!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°After all the shit we dealt with to save you, you¡¯re still going to stay?¡± ¡°No,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We¡¯ll all find your friend.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± said the woman at the keyboard. ¡°Not with this terminal.¡± She sighed. ¡°It was my hope to only tell you all later, but¡ª¡± ¡°What now?¡± Orson rounded on her. ¡°Oh god, you didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s wiped,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s all gone.¡± Kol pictured Duncan, still bruised and bloodied as he¡¯d been when they¡¯d been dragged apart in the desert. He imagined his friend alone in a silent cell, as he had been, with no idea that rescue was once possible and no idea that possibility was lost. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You¡¯re telling us that everything here is just gone? All of the old IHSA stuff is just deleted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve begun a process that will make everything stored here unreadable,¡± she answered. ¡°We might as well have just downloaded everything to a big portable drive,¡± Orson said. ¡°Just let everybody know we were here. Why did we buy hundreds of damn floppy disks for you to draw attention to us while we¡¯re still here?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t draw attention to us,¡± she said. ¡°And I didn¡¯t tell you, because I couldn¡¯t know if my overwrite program would work until I actually dealt with the system. I modified one of those floppies to carry and introduce my own programming here, and that programming succeeded. And they won¡¯t know until the overnight system refresh at midnight, Pacific Time, tonight.¡± ¡°Am I really the only one who actually stuck to this plan?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You could have told me, you know that? I¡¯m all for breaking shit. I just like to know in advance.¡± ¡°This was one consideration you didn¡¯t need,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe I¡­¡± Orson stopped speaking as Max began to laugh. Max coughed again and wheezed, his breath short, but he didn¡¯t fight it. He laughed from his belly, his shoulders shaking. ¡°None of us can harm the Baron as deeply as you have,¡± he said. ¡°Other than destroying this base or his battleship or his sword ¨C if such a thing is possible ¨C no one could hurt him so much.¡± ¡°And what about Duncan?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I still can¡¯t leave.¡± He reached to his belt and retrieved the stolen Detention Complex Card Key. ¡°I¡¯ll have to check all the cells. If he is here, I¡¯ll find him.¡± ¡°The Shaper Influence Study is in the Quiet Zone,¡± Max said. ¡°Unless they left Duncan here for weeks without transfer. Unless¡­ No, we won¡¯t entertain that possibility here and now. I don¡¯t believe he is here.¡± ¡°How do you know all these things?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Did they leave the manual in your cell by accident?¡± ¡°Everyone,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Something¡¯s happening.¡± Kol heard the sound again, without words, the mental noise that meant Enoa was shaping or that particular place in her mind was active. ¡°Like you, Captain Gregory,¡± Max said. ¡°Information is my trade.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Enoa raised her hand. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming here! I feel it. People are on their way. They¡¯re looking for us. I feel them and something else. Someone else is watching us.¡± Kol felt it then too. The way he heard the slight sound that meant Enoa, Kol felt a deep thrum that moved through the walls and the floor, that moved everywhere around them, a power that stretched across the entire base. ¡°Helmont,¡± Kol said. ¡°The Baron knows something is wrong.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t look back at him!¡± Orson said. ¡°How does this shit work? Can you be quiet, and he won¡¯t see you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Enoa pressed her eyes shut. ¡°They¡¯re coming here, Orson. I think¡­ Baron Helmont will see us no matter what.¡± Kol looked back to Orson. The older man¡¯s jaw tensed, and he closed his own eyes. Kol expected Orson to rage at their discovery or the failure of his work there. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to give him a lot more to look at.¡± Orson tore the stolen gauntlets from his arms. ¡°Man Bun, I¡¯ll need that Card Key. Maybe I can get your friend for you if he¡¯s here. I assume he¡¯ll know me if he sees me, anyway.¡± ¡°He will,¡± Kol said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s the benefit of having you freaks chasing us for thousands of miles.¡± Orson slipped free of his boots, tassets, and breastplate. ¡°All of you need to get back to the unloading dock. This Helmont sense is different from Rowan homing in on you, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Enoa said. ¡°My aunt never talked about being noticed like this.¡± ¡°We downloaded reports from Sir Rowan, about him sensing you and your Aunt from far away.¡± Orson stripped down to sweat socks and a standard Liberty Corps jumpsuit. ¡°We¡¯ll add that to the list of crap we need to look into.¡± He opened the top of the storage cart. One corner held a unit for stacks and stacks of floppy disks. The rest held Orson¡¯s gear: coat, boot, and sheathed sword. ¡°Man Bun, do you have anywhere in mind for me to start?¡± Orson pulled on his coat and boots. A thin, dangling wire reached from coat to repulsor. Orson plugged them together, and lights raced down the boot. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether Duncan would be kept with the high risk prisoners or in medium-security.¡± Kol answered. ¡°The detention complex is spread across three levels,¡± Max said. ¡°With varying degrees of security. My area, for example, had access to fitness and library facilities, more a remnant of federally observed IHSA incarceration than current standards.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll start where they had you, Man Bun, and work my way out.¡± ¡°I was block One Nine Seven Seven.¡± Kol passed the Card Key to Orson. ¡°If you take the lift at the northern end¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a map of the place already.¡± Orson slid the key into his coat¡¯s breast pocket. ¡°So that might be all I need. Hopefully, I find the kind of prisoners who will cause problems for the Liberty Corps and not just for us.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not far away now, Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Whoever is coming here¡­ I see two that look a little like Kol does, and three more that look sharp. No, that isn¡¯t right.¡± Kol listened too, tried to hear beyond the thrum that meant Helmont, the unavoidable frequency that ran through everything and could not be ignored. He concentrated and the hair rose at the back of his neck. ¡°I think I fought the men who are coming here,¡± Kol said. ¡°Or people like them.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I think it¡¯s like them, too.¡± ¡°I hate being out of the loop like this,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I want to learn to sense people coming to kill us. I¡¯ll need to get working on a scouter, like DBZ.¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling the Aesir.¡± Orson removed his sword from the cart and with it, a slab of black stone, a glowing red gemstone set in its center. ¡°Keep to your disguises and stay out of sight. I don¡¯t know what else to tell you.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± The woman at the desk waved to Max. ¡°I think with the cart empty, we may be able to fit you and maybe your wheelchair safely inside. You won¡¯t be seen, and the cart may very well be better armored than most of us.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Max said. ¡°But I am prepared to fight with you. Arm me.¡± ¡°She might be right,¡± Kol said. ¡°We have no disguise for you, but if you¡¯re out of sight that would help us.¡± Max looked between Kol and the woman and the cart. ¡°I accept,¡± he said. ¡°If you really want a weapon, grab the blaster from my disguise.¡± Orson pulled on his visor and bandana. The automaton eyes lit blue. ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± He pressed his hand to the side of the visor. ¡°Activate.¡± A muffled woman¡¯s voice answered. ¡°Clearance code?¡± she asked. Orson paused. He groaned and walked as far away as the tight space would allow. ¡°Oh, won¡¯t you heal me with your hands, Sirona,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, won¡¯t you fill my heart with sound.¡± ¡°Accepted,¡± the voice answered. ¡°You may state your remote commands.¡± ¡°Pickup,¡± Orson said. ¡°We need pickup at the map location marked ¡®dock¡¯. Five passengers. Expect airborne sixth. Use skim route, shield-velocity balance, uh, seven.¡± ¡°Launch preparation commencing,¡± the voice said. ¡°Repulsors¡­¡± Orson pressed at the visor again and the voice stopped. ¡°The lyrics are even cuter in context,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s like he¡¯s asking fire girlfriend for help.¡± ¡°Adorable.¡± Enoa¡¯s voice stayed clipped and monotone. ¡°By the look of that smithcraft,¡± Max said. ¡°You keep a closer association with your former crewmate that you suggest publicly.¡± ¡°Now I have to change the damn code.¡± Orson nodded to Max. ¡°Do you need help getting into the cart? You just gave me a new reason to keep you safe ¨C find out why the hell you know so much about me.¡± ¡°No need to interrupt your preparations,¡± Max said. ¡°Kol, lift me to the cart. Please.¡± Kol lifted Max from the wheelchair, blanket still around his shoulders. His brother wrapped his arms around Kol¡¯s neck, until he swung Max¡¯s legs over the side of the open cart. The interior was wide enough for Max to sit, legs outward, his back against the stored floppies, but with room to spare. Kol removed the bag of luggage from the wheelchair¡¯s handle and passed it to Max. Then he collapsed the wheelchair and fit it snug beside his brother and the floppies. ¡°Leave the side open for airflow.¡± Orson handed Kol a small black sidearm, still holstered to his stolen belt. ¡°Some extra power packs on there. Hopefully, you won¡¯t need it.¡± Kol nodded and handed the belt and blaster down to Max. ¡°Thank you,¡± Max said. ¡°Do you want a blaster too, Kol?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I took an extra one from your gassed guards, so the one that came with my armor is yours if you want it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never fired an energy weapon,¡± Kol said. ¡°Only physical projectiles.¡± ¡°Take it.¡± Jaleel drew the blaster from his hip and held it out. ¡°It¡¯ll help me forget how I had to leave seven others behind and unlooted.¡± Kol took it. ¡°You better have good trigger discipline with that thing,¡± Orson said. ¡°Blasters aren¡¯t like firearms. You twitch your finger on that and you¡¯ll be shooting everyone.¡± ¡°You strike quite the different character in person, Captain Gregory,¡± Max said. ¡°Far more practical sense than the bravado I¡¯d expected.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen me fight yet.¡± Orson removed the glowing slab from his sword sheath. He held it against a patch of his exposed skin, at his cheek. A tracery of red writing spread like fire across the top of the object. ¡°Oh shit!¡± Jaleel shouted. ¡°Is it time for the lantern?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for all of you to go,¡± Orson said. ¡°Right, Enoa?¡± ¡°They¡¯re almost here.¡± Enoa faced the closed door, eyes still shut. ¡°You said that already,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s not an exact thing!¡± Enoa spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a security camera in my head. I don¡¯t know more than almost.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re almost gone. Are we ready? Do we have all our luggage? Dr. Stan, is everything set? Nothing else you want to delete?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finished my sabotage for the day,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Good. Get the cart set, and let¡¯s go.¡± Orson drew his sword. Kol felt the sudden warmth. He remembered the quick, brutal work Gregory had made of the Ferrant Shapers on Route 66. He imagined the full heat. The red stone on the lantern glowed brighter, like it worked with the sword, like they were connected. Kol heard something else, a new sound without hearing, another noise he couldn¡¯t capture in words. The sword and the other object were connected, made to work together, or bound as one in some way. Kol swung the cart shut above Max. Except for a narrow open panel along one side, where Max¡¯s shoe could be seen, the cart was solid black. Orson nodded to them and slid the door open, holding both sword and lantern. Kol waited for Enoa and Jaleel. Then he pushed Max and the cart of floppy disks from the room. ¡°They¡¯ll come from the right.¡± Enoa turned that way, toward the far end of the empty hall and a pair of the standard corridor bulkhead doors. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here to greet them.¡± Orson stopped in the center of the passage. ¡°My HUD sees them. They really are almost here. Go.¡± Enoa and Jaleel wavered. ¡°Go.¡± Orson didn¡¯t look back at them. ¡°I think we¡¯ll all have some fighting before this day is finally over, but I start mine right here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch for you.¡± Enoa led the way down the passage. She pulled her staff from her belt. ¡°Good luck, boss,¡± Jaleel said. He and Dr. Stan followed after Enoa. Kol pushed the cart after them. Enoa ran ahead and pressed the door release with her free hand. Jaleel covered the opening with his bow, but shouts erupted behind them before they could take the passage away from the terminal. ¡°Halt!¡± ¡°Sword down! Sword down! We will open fire!¡± Kol didn¡¯t turn back. He pushed the cart ahead and followed Jaleel through the open doors, Dr. Stan with them. But Enoa wavered in the opening. She stared toward the far end of the hall, where five figures in white stood, two of them with quivering metal bars sticking from their glowing gauntlets and breastplates. The other officers shaped weapons, daggers or long polearms. A dozen more rifle troopers stood behind them, blasters raised. ¡°Hi!¡± Orson called to them ¡°I¡¯m looking for my tour group. I went to the bathroom and got left behind. Can you point me in the right direction?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead coming here,¡± one of the energy Shapers said. ¡°Our master and all¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to give you my own warning even though I already know the answer.¡± Orson¡¯s voice changed, distorted and microphone-augmented, too loud to shout over him. ¡°You can put your weapons down, or you¡ª¡± Both energy Shapers fired blasts of green. Red fire met the Shaping. It burned from the lantern and struck the Shaped green orbs, filling the hallway with a yellow blossom of heat and light. Orson did not offer another warning. He fired from the lantern again, fired it directly into the blue of his sword. A projectile arc of blue flame shot out from the fire of the blade. It tore across the hallway, burning through another green volley, burning through two pairs of white armor and the men beneath them. Both energy Shapers fell in charred pieces, still thirty feet from Orson. ¡°The rest of you get the same chance,¡± Orson said. ¡°Weapons down or you¡¯ll go out like your friends the glow twins, here.¡± None of the Shapers or troopers fired, but none lowered their weapons. ¡°Run!¡± Orson shouted over his shoulder. Enoa fell back through the open bulkhead, letting it seal behind her. She took the next passage away from the battle. Kol pushed the cart after her. 130 - Uncontained Chaos ¡°The squad sent to medical detention found the area unguarded, sprinklers tripped, and coated in the residue from at least eight of Sir Rowan¡¯s substances.¡± Lt. Greenley read from the new ledgerman datapad. ¡°The Knight appears to be suffering from inhalation. We¡¯ve sent for his students and toxicology associate to attempt to revive him.¡± ¡°Rouse him and bring him to me.¡± Helmont heard the words, but they held only half his focus. He watched his maps, followed his dying Journeymen and troopers, their lights extinguished, their plotted places wiped away. Orson Gregory had found his way into the Pinnacle without notice, almost without alarm. He knew Gregory when he drew Thousand Destiny. Few were the unaccounted blades from the twelve covenant houses. And Orson Gregory stood with Kolben Maros. Why? Gregory arrived to save Kolben Maros? No, Gregory had some other purpose. Gregory¡¯s presence and Kol¡¯s provided the identities of the other shadows with them. The power he¡¯d felt was Enoa Cloud. She was also the other power he¡¯d sensed near Sir Rowan. She was the power that left Sir Rowan poisoned by his own works, led to pain by his own desire. Max Maros and Gregory¡¯s archer were certainly among the other three. For the fifth, there were multiple possibilities. Sophia Stanislakova seemed most obvious, but so many strays had clutched Gregory¡¯s coattails over the years he could not be sure. How many hired minds worked for Gregory¡¯s benefactors, Darlow or the Corwins or the clustered enigmas in Evergreen? Helmont followed the indistinct shadow that meant Orson Gregory, a life he¡¯d never touched, a mystery outside the scope of his scrutiny. He knew the bastardized Hierarchia works Gregory wore. Orson Gregory saw through the eyes of a Centurion-class automaton. He moved with the help of an exoskeleton unit¡¯s repulsor, repurposed and manufactured by Hierarchia design and Hierarchia learning. Helmont recognized the fire of Thousand Destiny, as it protected Orson Gregory and as it cut into his walls and cut into Liberty Corps troops. Helmont recognized the other object Gregory carried, fyr sige-gealdor, a sigalder of flame, reborn runecraft, old thought in a new frame. Such smithcraft was functionally unique, mysterious and rare beyond measure even by the standards of the great magpie Gregory¡¯s collection. Helmont felt the object¡¯s living fire, knew the heat and power, knew as its power mingled with Thousand Destiny. Helmont even recognized the metal that shielded Gregory, woven into his coat. He felt its complexity, like staring into an optical illusion, a tessellation, a Mobius strip. The metal could not be grasped or taken, but he knew it. ¡°Why would Gregory break off and go to the detention complex?¡± Greenley asked. ¡°Gregory is attempting a diversion while the others flee,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I want all forces on high alert. Recall all troops on leave or off-duty. I want all exits blocked. No one will leave this place.¡± ¡°We are going to allow the Maroses and the rest of the Aesir crew to flee to the outer walls?¡± Greenley asked. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Helmont said. ¡°But we will be prepared. Send a squad with high level Ferrant Shapers in pursuit. Intercept them if possible, but more importantly, keep them from moving further into the base. Drive them toward our preparations at the perimeter. And send another squad to the terminal. I believe I know their purpose here, but I must know what they¡¯ve taken from me.¡± * * * Eat ¨C sleep ¨C wait, eat ¨C sleep ¨C wait, the cycle seldom stopped, seldom shifted. Kit Allbrook did not hear the gunfire or blaster-fire from inside his sealed cell. He heard nothing of the fighting outside, none of the shouts or the swordplay. When the cell door opened, he knew only that his waiting had ended early. Mealtime was still hours away, by his reckoning. Was it time again for questioning? Had something else about his incarceration changed? But only one figure stood in the doorway to Kit¡¯s cell, and he wasn¡¯t dressed as a member of the Liberty Corps. He wore a long coat and a mask with glowing blue eyes. They were the eyes of a Thunderworks Automaton. Kit had seen those eyes before, and he¡¯d survived those eyes seeing him. He knew them, and knew that the figure¡¯s mask itself was partly an android head, as if this person was a warrior of mythic prehistory, crowned with a monster¡¯s skull. The figure held a sword in his right hand, its blade crafted from blue flame rather than metal. Kit had seen that manner of weapon only in storybooks or films or depicted in stained glass. Two figures in Liberty Corps officer armor lay, in pieces, behind the newcomer. ¡°Hey, your name isn¡¯t Duncan, is it?¡± the figure asked. ¡°No,¡± Kit said. ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± The figure sighed. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m letting everybody out. We¡¯re causing some shit, and trying to escape, and trying to find a man named Duncan. Everybody¡¯s welcome, obviously, but especially fighters.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kit Allbrook, League of Nations Diplomatic Corps.¡± He stood from his bed. ¡°Brighton, United Kingdom Office. My father was in the Royal Air Force. I¡¯m a firearm license holder.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m Orson Gregory. If you come on out here, I¡¯ll get you set up with a blaster. Then we¡¯ll get to freeing more prisoners.¡± * * * ¡°We have so far been unable to corner Orson Gregory.¡± Greenley sat his datapad on the table, maneuvering touchscreen base maps with both hands. ¡°Detention Defense for Cell Block One-Nine Seven-Seven issued a final report that confirms Gregory has freed at least half the men in that block. He is arming the prisoners with weapons stolen from our dead.¡± Helmont watched Orson Gregory¡¯s fire on his maps. Everywhere he went left those maps altered, lives lost, equipment destroyed. His maps came alive with fire, in truth and in metaphor, as the freed prisoners gunned down his troops. ¡°He is marshaling a force to oppose us,¡± Helmont said. ¡°He hopes to breach our defenses with greater numbers. How is our progress recalling our own personnel?¡± ¡°We have hailed all infantry forces,¡± Greenley said. ¡°In addition, Captain Davard and the Manifest Destiny are finalizing the quarterly diagnostic, but he should be reachable in approximately twenty-five minutes. Or should we interrupt their work?¡± Helmont felt Davard and a scattered few among the mammoth vessel¡¯s crew, miles distant, mapped at the farthest edges of his full awareness. He felt their focus, their diligent work. They were positioned. They were prepared. ¡°Their entire crew will be at battle stations come the end of their work, correct?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°That is standard, sir,¡± Greenley said. ¡°Then allow them to conclude,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Keep the Scythe airborne. They are not to return to Lakeport Three. Recall both the Mapiya and the Hemera. And scramble all of our Saw-wings. Fill these skies with all nine squadrons.¡± The Scythe¡¯s crew was still on his maps, still flying, not too far away, crew still prepared. ¡°There are not currently enough trained pilots for all nine,¡± Greenley said. ¡°We keep only enough to field four squadrons during weekends. Even with the others recalled, we have not recovered or replaced the dozen pilots you sent as instructors to the other Baronies.¡± ¡°Four will be sufficient if the prisoners are not allowed to leave the ground.¡± Helmont felt the pilots change their patterns, their fighters scatter outward to the far shoulders of the valley, flying to observe the Pinnacle, not merely to defend it from surprise attack. ¡°I want a full battalion at our perimeter,¡± Helmont continued. ¡°Send the Nine hundred and ninety-ninth. Full containment protocol. I will place another battalion at the mouth of the valley to stop any potential escape. The third will be the Mountain Patrol, to do the same. And the last we¡¯ll use to corral the prisoners, trap them, lead them directly to our main force.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Greenely began. ¡°That also isn¡¯t possible, sir.¡± ¡°I am aware, Lieutenant,¡± Helmont said. ¡°They have not yet returned to duty. Position the Nine hundred and ninety-ninth, as we discussed.¡± ¡°Less than half of them are here, sir,¡± Greenley said. ¡°Many of them live off base, and have since before the IHSA transition. That¡¯s most of the officers and your pre-transition troops.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. I should never have given them the leeway to stay in the IHSA village. Do you have the current count of how many live there?¡± ¡°Not at hand,¡± Greenley said. ¡°But at a full thousand of our current combat forces are there. More than that, if we consider our non-combatants, engineers, supply personnel, all their families. Hundreds more, at least, will have completed their weekly rotations and will be gone or returned to their quarters.¡± ¡°How long does it take for them to dress themselves and return here?¡± Helmont searched his maps, both the many mapped and the scattered blanks, but it was numbers beyond efficient counting. ¡°How many can we field currently?¡± ¡°Twelve-hundred currently, sir.¡± Greenley answered in a small voice, as if a soft tone would ease the situation or keep the baron calm. ¡°So Orson Gregory is successfully storming this fortress,¡± Helmont said. ¡°One of the great enemies of the IHSA is here, in our great holdfast, our redoubt.¡± His voice rose without thought. He kept a level tone, never a shout, but the volume he could not contain. ¡°He is here, in this sanctuary, defiling it, as he defiles everything! And we can¡¯t overwhelm him because he¡¯s here on a Friday! We¡¯re being bested by the weekend?¡± Greenley stared at him, mouth partially-agape, but he did not answer. ¡°There is one fighting force that is mine more than any other,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I want Sir Hiram and his armors on our mountainside. I want Sir Vergil, maps greater even than my own. I want Sir Tolem and all his blades. I want all my knights, all my Shapers, all my students. The school of sorcery that I grew for our blessed, fallen Hierarchia will rise to destroy Orson Gregory.¡± * * * ¡°We¡¯ve got a little break now,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let¡¯s take a minute and get a plan.¡± The center of the detention complex stood broken, all command cubicles shattered or burned, all security cameras shattered or burned. Seventeen men, all armed, stood with Orson in the center. Three more of the released prisoners stood beside the fallen, the escapees who¡¯d been caught by blaster-fire. Twice that many prisoners fled, shouting, firing their stolen blasters, already adding to the chaos. Orson took no time to argue them back or persuade them to his plan. Orson watched them leave. He scanned the round room with his HUD. He saw no motion and no heat except for the freed prisoners. ¡°We have their ID tags.¡± One of the men gathered with the fallen ran toward Orson. ¡°We¡¯re heading to find a working facial scanner and get pictures of¡­ of everyone.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°That¡¯s really honorable of you,¡± Orson said. ¡°But I¡¯m sure they¡¯d all rather have you escape than get killed trying to find a camera. ¡°Besides, we all need to talk before we split up. I wanted to free all of you, but also I really need your help with a couple of things. We gotta find that guy, Duncan Racz, who may or may not be here. And we need to raise enough hell so we can all get out alive. I¡¯ve got three skimmers with trailers waiting at the unloading dock. That¡¯s at the top ledge before the roof level, on the valley side. But if we all run that way, right now, we¡¯ll get cut down. Now, I don¡¯t know if there are more ways out. I have no idea, but we aren¡¯t ready to go anyway. ¡°First, we have to divide the Liberty Corps attention. When you see a computer or a camera or anything important that won¡¯t help us escape ¨C you destroy it. If you¡¯re attacked, fight back if you can. And if you see nothing and see no one, destroy walls, destroy light fixtures. Cause so many problems they can¡¯t solve them all. ¡°I also need to do a few things before I get back to raising hell. I need to find some way to take out their big cannons outside. That¡¯s going to¡­¡± Orson caught a flash of moving red. His HUD fixed on approaching figures, down a far left spoke of the connected passages. ¡°More company.¡± Orson didn¡¯t wait for the newcomers to clear the hallway. He fired his repulsor, arcing over the heads of the prisoners and landing at the mouth of the corridor. When he touched down, he drew a pellet from his stink set and a miniature concussion grenade. The explosives were already in hand when he saw them, two Rifle Troopers and a Blades Trooper with an electrified pike. ¡°Sword down!¡± One of the troopers shouted. ¡°Hands up!¡± Orson lobbed the stink first, before they opened fire, so it exploded in a heavy cloud ahead of the troopers. Then he threw the grenade. The stink cloud glowed with red light. There were screams and a shower of projectiles, all wide. Then silence. Orson waited for the cloud to clear. When it did, he saw no motion. He turned back to the prisoners and found fewer of them ¨C only fourteen ¨C with one of them still running into another branching hallway. Orson again took no time to argue. He flew back to the prisoners who¡¯d remained. They watched him warily. ¡°Like you can see,¡± Orson continued. ¡°I¡¯ve got my full arsenal with me, but we¡¯re still gonna need serious stuff to take out their cannons. I didn¡¯t come here to destroy this place, and I don¡¯t know everything we could use against them. If you¡¯ve got a plan, get a couple buddies or free a couple and get to it.¡± ¡°I know where the power regulator is for the nearer towers.¡± One of the prisoners spoke with an accent Orson couldn¡¯t place. He had a heavy beard, grown halfway down his chest. ¡°They force me to do some engineering work for them, when they¡¯re undercrewed, but I can knock out their power.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Orson said. ¡°I also need you to release anyone you find. I have no clue how many people are here, Liberty Corps or prisoners. And everyone I¡¯ve run into so far are men, but I¡¯m sure they have women, children, anybody Helmont had reason to take and keep alive. Free them. We also need to look out for, uh, I don¡¯t know what you call them, magic people, Shapers, enigmas, whatever. If you know they¡¯re here, free them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m interpreter for a man named Aneirin.¡± Kit Allbrook had remained with Orson¡¯s gathering. ¡°He refuses to speak to them in English.¡± ¡°He only knows Manx and Scottish,¡± another man said. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°There are no native Manx speakers. It¡¯s like Chen pretending he only speaks Mandarin to force the Liberty Corps to use a translator and interfere with interrogation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± the other man began. ¡°Are we coming to a point here?¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°Aneirin might be lying,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°He might be half-mad, but they force him to listen to this¡­ this sound day-in and day-out, like a low bass hum that you feel in your face.¡± ¡°Like interference.¡± Orson raised his hand to the pocket that held his kazoo. ¡°I know the thought-breaker.¡± ¡°Aneirin says if he could hear properly,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°If he had his tools, they¡¯d see the full reach of what he knows¡­ or somesuch. My Nan was born on the Isle of Man, so I know a little Manx. I think¡­ I think that¡¯s why I¡¯m still alive. I have extensive language experience. It¡¯s rare experience.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll rescue this guy,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then you can help him explain what Helmont¡¯s doing here. We¡¯ll go free him together once I deal with my last thing. I want to get a message out to Helmont. I want him to hear me.¡± ¡°There should be a detentions comm center and we can patch you in from there,¡± the engineer said. ¡°Why in God¡¯s name would you want to speak to Helmont?¡± Allbrook asked. ¡°Because he already knows I¡¯m here,¡± Orson said. ¡°I might have to fight him before I leave, so let¡¯s start fighting.¡± * * * Enoa felt their pursuers before she could see them. Three of the approaching figures looked sharp in her mind, like the shining glint on a blade¡¯s edge rather than the steady glow from Kol or the shifting green flashes from the Shapers who fought Kol or fell to Orson. These Shapers conjured bladed weapons. And there were others behind them. She felt their footfalls and their motion. All raced along the passage, that same passage toward them. ¡°Someone¡¯s following us.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t break stride or slow down. All of them ran toward the far end of a passageway and more double doors. ¡°Three Shapers and more people. Are we sure this is it, this time?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Jaleel turned back as he ran, bow extended. ¡°This is for sure the real one.¡± ¡°I believe he¡¯s correct.¡± Dr. Stan puffed, her voice strained, but she kept up. She continued running, just ahead of Kol and the cart. ¡°And once we get to the perimeter,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°There are lots of freight elevators that can take us back outside.¡± Enoa triggered the double-door release when they reached it. Ahead of them waited a half-moon atrium, lined with closed elevators. The others ran ahead, following Jaleel toward the center lift. Enoa shut the doors when the others passed. Her eyes saw only the solid metal, but their pursers were clearer in her mind now, distinct. One of the Shapers was ringed by floating needles. Another held a complex weapon, a loop of metal, wide as this Shaper was tall, crowned in axe heads. The last carried something ahead of him, like a shield but half as broad as the corridor. ¡°They¡¯re getting close,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m working on it.¡± Jaleel crouched beside the center elevator, control pad loose from the wall, dangling by its wires. ¡°I think they¡¯re already trying to trap us.¡± ¡°But you know how to do this?¡± Kol still had both hands pressed to the cart¡¯s handles. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I spent months and months hiding in this huge solar crawler, and a lot of their stuff¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, the Solar Saver,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m familiar. Can you do this before we are attacked?¡± ¡°I can if you let me work.¡± Jaleel raised a stylus from his belt and poked it out of sight into the wall. Kol sighed. ¡°Enoa,¡± he said. ¡°Can you create a fog like you used to blind Sloan¡¯s War Force? That could win us some time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the water.¡± Enoa watched the crowd of attackers run closer, the distance still vague in her thoughts. ¡°And this air is too dry.¡± ¡°There are water pipes in the walls,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°If I told you where to look, could you find them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know what I can do and what I can¡¯t. I¡¯ve learned so much in such a short time that¡­ It¡¯s like I see everything totally different every day or every other day.¡± And she saw the Shapers and their backup, knew that the wills that made their blades had rounded the corridor and were in physical, sighted view of their double doors. ¡°Jaleel.¡± Enoa pulled the blaster out of the holster at her hip. ¡°They can see the doors.¡± ¡°Couple seconds,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I think I can override it.¡± Enoa raised the blaster. ¡°I should¡¯ve learned more about using¡­¡± A bolt of energy flew past Enoa and struck the door controls. Buttons and metal and wiring all melted together with a smell like the aftermath of nearby lightning. ¡°Do they have Shaping that can get through there?¡± Dr. Stan asked. The barrel of her blaster still glowed red-hot. She held it, aimed at the doors. Something struck the doors from the other side, causing a great hollow sound that rang along the walls. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Jaleel jumped to his feet. The middle elevator slid open. ¡°They¡¯re too late.¡± The double doors rang from another strike, but Enoa waited for the others to board before she ran into the elevator. When the lift closed, the hallway doors were still solid and sealed. * * * ¡°They¡¯re splitting up,¡± Lt. Greenley said. ¡°They¡¯re destroying sensors as they progress, but they may be on levels five, six, seven, and nine now.¡± Baron Helmont knew this. He followed it, followed as much as he could. He followed Kol Maros, the fleeing Aesir crew, and the squad that would soon overtake them. He followed Orson Gregory and his carnage, central fire that spread chaos, igniting more fires everywhere. Helmont followed Qu and Qey Itzam, long bound, long silent. He¡¯d mapped them. He felt their hands clasp together. He felt their feet leave the floor, unmoored. He tracked them as they flew, but they were only one fire, and he lost them. Helmont followed Doryssa Melanthymos, removed from her wall-mounted containment unit by Gregory¡¯s mob. Her feet touched the floor. Walls sundered and split around her. Free, now barefoot, she added another fire of chaos that consumed his map. But Helmont tried to follow them, ambassadors, surviving soldiers, sorcerers, Shapers, prisoners ¨C those he had taken, freed and now fighting. The temple he¡¯d built for knowledge and order broke with his walls and with his troops. ¡°Redirect all arriving squads to contain the prisoners,¡± Helmont said. ¡°They¡¯ll need my knights. We¡¯ll have to divide them for now. Send Sir Garret and Sir Abaris to take command. Do not allow this wanton destruction.¡± ¡°There are currently sixty-three active sabotage efforts,¡± Greenley said. ¡°There are still not enough personnel to address all of them.¡± ¡°Then pull from the outer defense,¡± Helmont watched his arraying forces, gathering along the outside perimeter ledge. ¡°If Gregory plans to make some last stand, sabotaging this fortress than we¡­¡± Helmont lost sense of his maps when the comms in his table and on his belt and on Greenley¡¯s all chimed at the same time. Helmont answered the table and heard the voice of Orson Gregory. * * * The elevator came to a sudden stop, jarring them all in place. The door remained closed. ¡°This is not our stop, is it?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Nope.¡± Jaleel sighed and crouched down at the lift controls. ¡°I was worried about this. The elevator isn¡¯t computerized, but there are sensors between some floors, so sometimes a sensor will say, ¡®hey elevator, you¡¯re not supposed to be moving.¡¯ So now here we are.¡± Jaleel removed the front paneling and again reached his stylus into the internal wiring. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you can get us moving,¡± Kol said. ¡°But will we be experiencing this every few floors? We could be very, very vulnerable in the interim. I¡¯m sure they know which elevator is moving against their wishes.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I have an idea to stop the sensors from talking to each other, but that¡¯s gonna take even more time.¡± ¡°Maybe do that.¡± Enoa had her eyes closed again. She was searching outward. Kol knew it. He heard it. ¡°We should all allow Jaleel to do his work,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I have fairly extensive experience with IHSA systems, but my professional career never involved breaking into any elevators.¡± ¡°Incoming hail!¡± Max¡¯s muffled shout came from inside the cart. Kol partially slid open the cover. ¡°Hail to base personnel, two of them. One is recalling all off-duty personnel. The other is a message.¡± Max lifted the stolen belt Orson had given him. ¡°I guess we better hear it,¡± Enoa said. The voice of Orson Gregory filled the elevator car. ¡°Baron Helmont,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re even less than I expected. All your talk about us moving in parallel and knowing me, that was bullshit.¡± He adopted a different tone of voice, mock-pompous. ¡°You have all the powers of the hidden worlds and the worlds beyond.¡± He laughed. ¡°And it didn¡¯t help you, did it? You watched me but you didn¡¯t learn a damn thing, did you? My original crew beat the Blitzkrieg because we were trickier and we knew more. We defied everyone at Isla de Manos because we were trickier and we knew more. I beat the master of Thunderworks because I¡¯m trickier and I knew more. And I¡¯m doing it to you now. It¡¯s your turn, Baron. You were better off when I never heard of you. Because now I got in your castle without you even knowing. ¡°What else can I do, Baron? What else is waiting for you by fighting me? You have all the weapons of the old worlds and the new ones, but I actually learned from them. I didn¡¯t just take them. You¡¯ll let your prisoners go and let my crew leave, or your pinnacle is done for good. ¡°I already know what you¡¯re gonna do, but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± The message ended with an audible click. ¡°Does he really believe that will help anyone?¡± Kol remembered the knights gathered when they¡¯d taken him and Max and Duncan. He remembered Helmont¡¯s own power, how he¡¯d moved Duncan with only a touch. ¡°Does he really believe that antagonizing Helmont is a usable tactic?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s keeping everybody occupied long enough for us to get out.¡± Jaleel gave a twist with his stylus. ¡°I can¡¯t see the elevator¡¯s own code sensor, so I¡¯m flying blind here.¡± ¡°Orson fights with annoyance,¡± Enoa said. ¡°That tactic worked pretty well on you, remember?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kol began. He shook his head. ¡°There must be some reason he¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°Say what you will about the man,¡± Max said. ¡°But he certainly has a weighty pair on him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it.¡± Dr. Stan snorted with laughter. A series of metal thuds sounded from the elevator shaft, as something fell away from the lift car and bounced inside the chute. ¡°Got it!¡± Jaleel said. And with another lurch, the elevator restarted its ascent. ¡°If I did that right, our next stop will be at the perimeter.¡± * * * Helmont did not break the silence that fell after the message ended. He followed the destruction, the uncontained chaos. He didn¡¯t need to view the Ledgerman¡¯s datapad to know that the sabotage had increased, spread everywhere. ¡°We¡¯re losing visuals,¡± Greenley finally said. ¡°They¡¯re destroying cameras as they go, probes as well. Even our alarm system is disabled, except on the upper levels. All our regular personnel are in pursuit, but with so many systems down we don¡¯t have an accurate assessment of our situation. We have no casualty reports. We have few reports about relevant prisoners ¨C which fighters have been freed, enigmas, anyone. We have prisoners broadcasting over comms. My lord, even your own Shapers are not coordinating.¡± ¡°I follow my Shapers,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Have the supply division distribute radios if our comms and sensors are compromised. Issue the call.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Greenley returned to his datapad. ¡°Urgent! One prisoner group is about to breach the light hangar.¡± ¡°How many do we have to defend that location?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°Currently only a fire team.¡± ¡°Bolster them,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Pull more troops from the perimeter.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We also have a new message from Sir Lezander. He is assembling a team to trap Gregory. He wants your permission to gather a full platoon and your assistance in tracking him.¡± ¡°Tell him to take Sir Valdemar with him,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Gather a force enough to corner Gregory. Pin him, until I can join them personally. Gregory sullies the legend of Thousand Destiny by holding the sword so long, but it will be a fitting death for him, crossing blades with a true master of the Covenant Flame.¡± 131 - Sorcerers and the Shellcraft Orson felt the noise of the thought-breaker when the cell door opened. The sound bounced between the tight cell walls and vibrated through his face, always changing pitch. Aneirin was an older man, his black hair and beard streaked with white. He had long fingers and very blue eyes. He sat against the far wall, the side of his face pressed down against his bed. He turned toward Allbrook and spoke in a lilting tongue, both long vowels and quick sounds in the back of his throat. Allbrook replied, his speech stilted and slow as he searched for words in what Orson assumed was Manx. Allbrook stepped down into the cell, but did not approach the man. He traced his hands along the interior of the doorway. ¡°We need to find the source of the sound,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°Could any of your gear locate it, Gregory?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to take the time to scan this place,¡± Orson said. ¡°And slicing the cell apart won¡¯t be the safest thing. Will he let you help him from the room?¡± Both had another exchange in Manx. Then Aneirin sat up. Allbrook approached the older man, let him wrap his arm over his shoulders. They stood together. Aneirin winced as they walked. Orson gave them space, moving away from the cell doorway. Aneirin clung to Allbrook like a shipwreck survivor stranded on debris or driftwood. They exited the cell and Orson shut the door behind them. The reverberating noise stopped. Aneirin shuddered again. Then he spoke, longer this time. At first, his voice quavered, but his words sounded stronger, the more he spoke. Allbrook answered, still hesitant. ¡°They took his tools,¡± Allbrook said, in English. ¡°They took his coins and his candle and¡­ a scepter, maybe? I¡¯m not certain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing he doesn¡¯t know where they have his things,¡± Orson said. Both spoke. ¡°He knows the way,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°He can sense his stuff?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Allbrook gestured down the hallway. ¡°He says, ¡®go east¡¯.¡± ¡°I wish I could sense where I leave my stuff,¡± Orson said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lose so much crap. Alright, you tell him to lead the way, and we¡¯ll get back what they stole from him.¡± But then Orson¡¯s HUD caught a blurry mass of red, far down the passage, through the next pair of double doors. ¡°Company again.¡± Orson raised both sword and lantern. ¡°And a lot of it. We might¡¯ve tripped something getting him out of there. Or I guess it might be some of our people.¡± ¡°No.¡± It was Aneirin who spoke. Orson looked back at the man. He¡¯d removed his arm from Allbrook¡¯s shoulder and stood firm on his own feet. Then he walked ahead and stood beside Orson. ¡°Looks like he does know a little English,¡± Orson said. ¡°How do I tell him to be careful? I mean, does he know the armament those troopers carry? He might be safer behind me.¡± The red, living blur grew closer in Orson¡¯s HUD. Allbrook again spoke in Manx. But Aneirin did not reply. He only walked further ahead, both hands raised toward the far doors. The doors opened. Liberty Corps troopers ran through, firing. Orson¡¯s HUD filled with warnings.
CHEST SHOT ¨C 30%
HEAD SHOT ¨C 11%
KNEE SHOT ¨C 5%
All the bolts of blaster fire exploded in midair. They popped like overfilled balloons and exploded with sounds like firecrackers. All of them burst midway down the hall, still many feet away. The passage filled with a burning light.
INSTANT FILTER OVERLOAD
WOULD YOU PREFER DEFENSIVE COLOR GRADING?
Orson winced away from the glare. He heard Allbrook yell behind him. But Aneirin walked ahead. There was the sound of more blaster fire and more firecracker explosions. The old man continued on. He vanished into the blaze. Orson waited for his HUD to adjust, to darken for the glare. The light was still too bright, not merely an afterimage, but sustained illumination, like a high-lumen spotlight, that hovered in the center of the corridor. With Orson¡¯s HUD darkened, the light was impenetrable, but no longer painful. ¡°I can¡¯t see,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°I can now.¡± Orson stayed in front of him. Stay where you are, and I¡¯ll cover you. Let¡¯s hope your friend knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± There were noises from the standing light, yells and shouts that did not sound like the old man. There were other noises, crashing or falling. And there was the repeating, distinct sound of breaking bone. Orson watched the light until it began to fade away. It dimmed like a slowly dissipating afterimage, smaller and smaller. When the hallway came back into view, it was filled with the bodies of Rifle Troopers and Blades Troopers. Some lay as if sleeping. Others were clearly dead, their bodies twisted in strange and agonized contortions. Only one trooper still stood. He held a long electrified pike in both hands, pointed at Aneirin. It sizzled when it struck out against him. Aneirin let the pike take him across the shoulder. He yelled, but he didn¡¯t fall away from the pain. Aneirin lashed out. He pressed his hand to the man¡¯s helmet. The plasteel cracked and shattered apart like an egg. Orson saw the shock and sudden fear in the trooper¡¯s eyes. Then Aneirin struck out again. He drove his fingertips into the man¡¯s now-exposed face. Orson heard another horrible crack of breaking bone. The Blades Trooper fell. Aneirin fell too. He sagged sideways against the wall, laughing and shouting. Allbrook shouted back. ¡°He says with his tools that would have been much simpler,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°He would¡¯ve asked you for your¡­ I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying. He¡¯s complimenting the torch, I think he¡¯s calling it, the red object you¡¯re carrying. He says it¡¯s lovely work, and¡­ Now I have no idea what he¡¯s talking about. Maybe I misunderstood a phrase, but I believe he says she must love you very much. And he says that he would need to know you very well to ask for a touch of warmth from it. You are a lucky man. Does that make sense to you?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Orson said. ¡°I was lucky. Lucky and stupid. Please thank him for his words and his help.¡± Allbrook said more. Aneirin began to reply, but the words caught in his throat, as if close to tears. ¡°He says he wants to go home,¡± Allbrook said. ¡°Then he can lead us to his stuff.¡± Orson started down the hall toward the man, but he didn¡¯t go far before he saw another faint trace of red. It was nothing like the mass of the earlier attackers, but it was undeniable motion and life. ¡°Wait. Someone¡¯s coming.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Aneirin said. And he said more in Manx, but he did not rise from the wall. ¡°Not Liberty Corps,¡± Allbrook said. And when the doors opened, it was a single jumpsuited prisoner. The new arrival was a tall man who approached with both hands raised. ¡°Captain Gregory!¡± the newcomer called. ¡°Captain Gregory, I need your help. I have more beings in need of rescue. I don¡¯t want them to be overlooked.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Orson called back. ¡°Who¡¯s being forgotten?¡± ¡°I am Doctor Maurice Velye,¡± he said. ¡°The nonhuman biological enigmas are still caged. I am kept here as their caretaker, and I have a plan to free them, but I need help.¡± ¡°Are you two okay visiting the lost and found without me?¡± Orson nodded to Allbrook. ¡°Your friend seems okay to take care of you both. How are your eyes?¡± ¡°My sight¡¯s returning.¡± Allbrook then said more in Manx. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll find his belongings together. I believe we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Aneirin stood from the wall. ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°I hope you stay safe and our paths cross again. Alright, Doctor. Lead the way.¡± * * * The second set of elevator doors opened, facing the Pinnacle¡¯s outer wall. Enoa saw daylight again. She saw the square, outer windows from the inside. A two-note siren sounded, blasting down from overhead speakers. It repeated endlessly, echoing along the corridor. ¡°I¡¯ll see if we¡¯re okay.¡± Enoa stepped out into a long passage, wide enough for multiple lanes of automobile traffic. This corridor ran straight along the building perimeter. ¡°It looks okay out here.¡± Jaleel followed behind her. Enoa sensed no imminent attack. She kept close to the wall and scanned the area. The corridor was empty of the control panels and the monitors that lined many of the interior hallways. She saw thin, trolley-like tracks that ran down the center of the passage. She saw a series of tall metal canisters that stood along the window-side wall. She saw a row of crushed bodies in shattered Liberty Corps armor. Enoa recognized the metal loop, crowned with axe heads, lying feet from the flattened white-armored Shaper who¡¯d wielded it. She recognized the wide iron shield, now dented and broken in two, lying beneath several more bodies. Some troopers were face down, as if struck from behind. Others lay on their backs, breastplates caved in. This was the very force that had chased them, floors lower. Their pursuers had arrived ahead of them. The troopers were killed before their elevator reached the perimeter. ¡°How did they get around us?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Who did¡­¡± But Jaleel suddenly seized her, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back toward the elevator. Something solid flew past them. It struck the far wall with force enough to shake the floor beneath them. Everyone yelled. Enoa reeled and looked back toward the bodies and toward the origin of the attack. But Jaleel still had a grip on her arm. He dragged her back over the threshold and into the elevator. ¡°What was that?¡± Kol asked. A blue field appeared at the front of the elevator car. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel any Shaping.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t either,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But maybe it¡¯s too noisy to notice it, like Max said.¡± ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t magic,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The dead guys looked like they were hit like bowling pins. I saw the thing flying at us, but I don¡¯t know what it was. It was like a big chunk of concrete. They have knights here. Maybe they¡¯ve got catapults.¡± ¡°Can you sense anything now?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Not a Shaper!¡± Max¡¯s shout sounded muffled from the mostly-closed cart, but he swung open the side door beside him. ¡°There are other enigmas held here! It isn¡¯t a Shaper!¡± ¡°Other enigmas?¡± Kol asked. ¡°What do¡­¡± Another projectile soared down the hall. It was a blur of dark motion, but as big around as Enoa¡¯s whole body. The projectile came to a sudden perfect stop in midair and fell to the floor directly outside the elevator. It struck the floor with force enough to rattle them inside the elevator and make the lift car wobble ominously in the chute. It did look like concrete, pale gray and solid, but with smaller, dark stones scattered across its surface. It wasn¡¯t smooth, but it was round, rounder than almost any natural rock Enoa had seen. When the wobbling ceased, Enoa heard a soft, padding footfall approach them. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this before.¡± A voice called from out of sight. ¡°Third mystery. Defensive. Not genetic. Most of the men I¡¯ve been killing have been so simple.¡± She spoke in a mocking sing-song voice. ¡°Look at my great strength. Look at what I can make with iron. Fear me!¡± A woman walked into view. She wore a prisoner jumpsuit, torn at the arms and the ankles. Rounded flaps of cloth dangled from her calves, like she¡¯d torn the feet away from a pair of onesie pajamas. Strips of shredded cloth also dangled from destroyed sleeves, some tangled beneath her bare forearms. Her white hair was long and matted. The tips of her fingers were raw-red and dripping blood. ¡°We aren¡¯t Liberty Corps.¡± Enoa pulled the helmet from her head. ¡°We¡¯re trying to escape too! We¡¯re Orson Gregory¡¯s crew! Let¡¯s all show her who we are.¡± Jaleel and Dr. Stan removed their helmets. Kol did too, slowly. He pulled it away with just his prosthetic hand, the muscles in his flesh hand still visibly tight with his mental strain. Enoa continued. ¡°Orson¡¯s the¡ª¡± ¡°I know who he is,¡± the woman said. ¡°Loud. Very, VERY loud. How do I know you¡¯re not lying? Something about you seems extremely familiar. And by the look of you, I¡¯ve been here since you were shitting your diapers. I haven¡¯t seen many little girls here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Enoa Cloud,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m the niece of Sucora Cloud, who defected¡ª¡± ¡°Defected and left so many of us behind,¡± the woman said. ¡°I know her. I met her. And you do look like her, but...¡± She took a long breath, inhaled through her nose. ¡°I know lots of ways to see without seeing. There¡¯s something familiar, not smell or¡ª¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± a deep voice called from out of sight. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯re preparing to proceed, and we¡¯d appreciate your assistance.¡± A man came into view, also a prisoner. He had a blonde crew cut and a large pack across his back. ¡°I¡¯m deciding,¡± the woman answered. ¡°Are they Liberty Corps or are they not?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And I don¡¯t care how many rock chunks you throw around. You¡¯d still be in your straight jacket onesie if we weren¡¯t here!¡± ¡°Jaleel,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Perhaps not.¡± ¡°No.¡± Enoa remembered herself. The morning had worn on her resolve. Her expanding senses, Sir Rowan, their escape ¨C the Shaping was wearing on her, even after all her recent training. ¡°Jaleel is right. Kol is going to lower his shield in a second. Are you going to work with us, whoever you are? I don¡¯t believe my aunt left you behind, but I will, if you try to fight us after everything we¡¯ve already been through.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The woman laughed. She clapped her hands together, ignoring both the Aesir crew and the other prisoner waiting for her. ¡°I¡¯m Doryssa Melanthymos,¡± she said. ¡°And maybe you are like Sucora. I hope so. You can threaten me all you like, but there are dozens of Liberty Corps fighters flying between us and freedom. Are you up to that fight, Cloud girl?¡± * * * Orson followed Dr. Velye deeper into the Pinnacle¡¯s labyrinthine passages. The corridors widened when they left the detention area behind them. The sounds of explosions and shouts and blaster-fire also passed far away, soon limited to distant rumbles and vibrations, almost beyond hearing. ¡°Three-quarters of our guard contingent departed after your announcement,¡± Velye said. ¡°That allowed me to slip away. If the remaining guards can be subdued or¡­ There is a hangar with carrier hovercraft to transport the organisms in our care. Without our guard, we may all be able to escape that way.¡± ¡°Do you have pilots?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Yes. I ask for your help only in solving our guard problem and in helping me free the shellcraft.¡± ¡°That name rings a bell,¡± Orson said. ¡°The shellcraft is a living organism,¡± Velye explained. ¡°Very, very large, slightly bigger than an average blue whale. Through a complex respiratory system and a unique carapace, this entity is capable of surviving and even living in outer space. Picture a tortoise¡¯s shell that can pressurize against vacuum. She has been imprisoned here in this base for decades, since her rider, one of the Evorat ¨C if that name means anything to you ¨C was killed in combat with League of Nations operatives.¡± ¡°This is a living spaceship?¡± Orson asked. ¡°And you want me to set it free? Is that the gist of it?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Velye left the main passage, taking a tight, branching route. Two pairs of double-doors sealed behind them. ¡°Listen, I have major issues with the Hierarchia secretly holding anything prisoner for decades,¡± Orson said. ¡°But who¡¯s to say this space turtle won¡¯t want to rampage around to avenge its rider. I¡¯ve caused a lot of problems by accident, because I didn¡¯t have a full understanding of what was going on. I don¡¯t need to add ¡®giant monster rampage¡¯ to that list.¡± ¡°I could not be more certain,¡± Velye said. ¡°This organism ¨C this animal, I know her.¡± ¡°Her?¡± ¡°All the vessel shellcraft are female. It is the internal pouches where females of their species carry their young, where their Evorat riders occupied and where the steering took place with modified specimens.¡± ¡°So first her rider forced her to fly him around,¡± Orson said. ¡°Now the Hierarchia held onto her for all these years. Alright. If you say she won¡¯t go on a rampage, unless she wants to fight the Liberty Corps, I¡¯ll take you at your word.¡± ¡°I am sure. She knows who her captors are. I cared for her for the League of Nations. Now I am Baron Helmont¡¯s prisoner, and I still care for her. I have spent more waking moments with Earhart than I have with my own children. When she says she only wants to go home, I believe her.¡± ¡°When she says?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We are coming to it now,¡± Velye said. ¡°I believe you will understand when you see her.¡± He gestured to the far end of the corridor and more sealed doors. ¡°Two other lead scientists, six assistants, and now likely only four guards.¡± ¡°Are all of you researchers in agreement about this escape?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Or will any of them be taking potshots at me too?¡± ¡°We are agreed.¡± ¡°And these other animals, or whatever you want to call them, that you¡¯re caring for, what are you going to do with them?¡± Orson walked no farther. ¡°Are they getting carted off to some other government for study? Choose one jailer for them over another?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll free those we can,¡± Velye said. ¡°Many of them have genuine ecosystems in this world. Hidden places, and not well documented, but natural. The others we will attempt to care for ethically, those made or bred by the Hierarchia. You surprise me, Captain. I expected I¡¯d need to persuade you, that these living things also deserve freedom. I planned to use diversion as an argument, if you didn¡¯t see their value.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m happy for any diversion, but my crew has a pet aeropine, a flying porcupine. It would be awful for him to be here, so I get it. And I¡¯m not a fan of the Hierarchia owning lives. And I¡¯m no fan of new governments making new Hierarchias.¡± Velye nodded. ¡°I take it you will be able to defeat the guards?¡± ¡°These guards, will there be any that are Shapers or enigmas themselves, any with rare physical training or tricky combat knowledge?¡± ¡°Not as far as I know.¡± ¡°Then if my luck holds, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± * * * ¡°I¡¯m Master Sergeant Geoffrey Hale.¡± The man with the heavy pack directed them back along the perimeter hallway. ¡°Pacific Alliance Marines. Right now, I¡¯ve got everybody preparing to fight our way over to those skimmers Gregory says you¡¯ve got waiting. We have fifty people, give or take, and with more folks showing up all the time.¡± Enoa saw Melanthymos watching her as Kol and the crew filed in behind Sergeant Hale. The woman didn¡¯t stop staring even when noticed. ¡°Familiar,¡± Melanthymos said again. Enoa did not reply, instead taking up the rear of the procession through the perimeter hallway. ¡°That baron put most of his troops right on the edge,¡± Hale said. ¡°I think he was sure we¡¯d all run for it and get mowed down. Now we didn¡¯t do that ¨C good call on Gregory¡¯s part ¨C and Helmont¡¯s pulling more and more of them back inside. By our count, they¡¯ve only got double our number at the unloading area.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way down from the dock unless you have a ship,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Helmont doesn¡¯t know how we got here! He doesn¡¯t know about the skimmers!¡± ¡°Must not,¡± Hale said. ¡°But that leaves us with the problem of the Saw-wings. We¡¯ve got nothing stronger than these blasters, except Ms¡­ Melanthymos, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± she answered. ¡°I need uninterrupted time to work. I need the right materials to strike down a fighter like that.¡± ¡°Are there more enigma people here that we can recruit?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°With projectile powers or ranged attacks?¡± ¡°Only Ninth-Level Clearance will have access to all data about prisoners,¡± Max called from the cart. Hale turned back toward the sound of the voice. ¡°That¡¯s a good way to say we don¡¯t know,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°Yes, Hale, our new friends have a man in a box who shouts information at them.¡± ¡°Glad to hear he¡¯s a living man,¡± Hale said. ¡°Farem and his cellmate promised to take the other guy home or take his body home. Tough promise to keep here, but¡­¡± He shrugged. Ahead, a cluster of armed prisoners gathered at the far end of the perimeter corridor. Three carts of the sort that carried Max waited between them. Two stood open, stacked full with weaponry and rations and unmarked, black packing cases. There was a door to their right, an outer door, but it was blocked shut, barricaded by chairs and a heavy metal desk. ¡°Even more Saw-wings, Sarge!¡± A woman called as they approached. ¡°Forty-eight now.¡± She pointed to another woman, holding what appeared to be a handheld periscope, that stretched from her hands and face all the way up to one of the narrow windows. ¡°Damn,¡± Hale said. ¡°Helmont got wise. We might¡¯ve missed our chance. No way we can take a cable down to the surface with those ships.¡± ¡°How many could you fit on the Aesir?¡± Kol looked back at Enoa. ¡°Not enough,¡± she said. Even through the thin windows, she saw the darting shapes of the fighters, circling like buzzards drawn to the battle inside. ¡°I have an idea,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I just spent the last two weeks learning about the unloading system and it¡¯s so dangerous. If you have some heavy stuff, we can have ten unloading arms throwing major projectiles at over one hundred miles an hour.¡± ¡°You can control all those arms at the same time?¡± Hale asked. ¡°I can from the command room,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s really close. The access stairwell should only be a little way down the hall.¡± ¡°How are we going to go to the command room, with Max and all the floppy disks?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°We were really lucky not to be in a major fight already.¡± ¡°You and Dr. Stan can make sure Max is okay, if he doesn¡¯t mind,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Enoa, one of us has to be around to work the guns on the Aesir when it gets here. And who knows how long that will take. Did Orson cloak it? I was so busy laughing at his password I didn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°I have no idea,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But you can¡¯t go to the command room alone.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That¡¯s why we need to make sure Max is okay with you two.¡± ¡°Help me back to my wheelchair,¡± Max said. ¡°If my motor works, I¡¯ll fight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m following almost none of this,¡± Hale said. ¡°My point is,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to take Kol with me. What do you say, Unabomber?¡± * * * ¡°You¡¯re pretty good.¡± Orson watched the final Blades Trooper. The guard held a long, electrified pike in each closed fist. The non-human enigma containment atrium was built like all of the other prisoner blocks. It was a separate sealed room, three of its four guards now fallen. ¡°So I¡¯ll give you another chance to get out of here,¡± Orson continued. ¡°There¡¯s been way too much lopping apart today already.¡± The trooper howled in response. He charged Orson, vaulting the desk in the center of the room, one pike raised diagonally, in a high guard. He held the second weapon, point outward, ready to stab or probe Orson¡¯s defense. Orson trigged his blaster to fall into his left hand. When the Blades Trooper raised his outstretched pike, Orson struck it sideways. The stabbing pike swung in front of the trooper¡¯s torso, blocking a quick attack with the defending pike. The trooper twisted sideways, sidestepping to clear himself for another attack. Too late. Orson raised his blaster and fired once, point blank, into the space between breastplate and helmet. The trooper collapsed. ¡°Alright, Doctor,¡± Orson said. ¡°If that was really it. We should be good to get started.¡± Velye stood at the rear door. His eyes stayed on the fallen Blades Trooper, hands still clutching his pikes. ¡°Doctor,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, but we¡¯ve got to get moving. Let¡¯s free your turtle friend and get you out of here.¡± Velye still didn¡¯t speak, but he gave a quick nod. He walked around Orson toward the far door. The was no knob on the door and but it had a touchscreen surface with a message scrolling across it. Authorized Personnel Only Unauthorized entrants will be prosecuted. The writing vanished when the doctor pressed his open palm to the door. Then it swung open. Orson followed him into a massive white room filled with moving cages, pens, and tanks. All of them were set above heavy treads that brought them together in the center of the room. All of them held animals or stranger living things. Close at hand, Orson saw cages of rodents with fur that glowed, and a tank of fish with simian arms that dangled beneath their fins. ¡°You¡¯ve already started?¡± Velye asked. ¡°That¡¯s a risk.¡± The occupant of one of the larger tanks turned toward the sound. It looked amphibious, but stood on two legs, half-submerged in murky water. The frogman eyed Orson, blinking with multiple sets of eyelids. Orson saw its muscles, tightened like springs. It was contained and restrained only by its tank¡¯s transparent walls, but then the tank also moved and the creature looked away. ¡°More risk to wait,¡± a woman in a lab coat called back. She rounded the side of another cage, this filled with fluffy baby chicks who sent out smoke rings with each peep. ¡°We began as soon as the final guards left to confront you. We have to get all of them to safety. This is our best chance, and we¡¯re prepared to launch. Once we have them organized, we¡¯ll be taking them to the hangar. The supplies are already loaded.¡± Another tank moved past Orson and Velye. The creature inside floated, but without water. It was reptilian, serpentine, with yards of coiling, wrapping tail. Orson saw no wings, but it touched none of the walls of its tank. Its head ended in a long point, with trailing whiskers and cool, gray eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to help you secure them.¡± Velye called to his colleague. ¡°Once Captain Gregory helps me free Earhart.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you,¡± the woman replied. ¡°But don¡¯t be long. We need to leave, Maurice.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Velye reached out to Orson, guiding him out of the way of an approaching pen. Inside were several tall, furred animals, apelike and upright. ¡°You¡¯ve got bigfoots in here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You¡¯d put all those goofy mystery TV shows out of business in fifteen minutes.¡± One of them gave Orson a glance. It was the representative of a world of legends, centuries of stories about the yeti, the almas, and how many other folktales. ¡°The pithecus are something, aren¡¯t they?¡± Velye asked. ¡°Closer relatives of humans than chimps or bonobos. Almost as close as the Neanderthal. It is a terrible thing to probe their bodies and do nothing to explore their habitats or their lives outside captivity. They are all quite a sight to behold, all together, all our charges. But now, it is time for your real help, Captain. Time is very short.¡± He waved to four more people at the far side of the round room. Two were dressed in lab coats. Two more wore pilot-style jumpsuits. ¡°Now, let¡¯s make quick work of this.¡± Velye led Orson toward the far right of the round room. They wove through another gathering of containment units. Orson saw a pair of glowing red eyes watching him through dark-tinted glass. But he lost sight of them when he noticed another test subject who looked all-too human. A bearded man hung, belted to the side of another tank. He was still dressed in a dark prisoner jumpsuit. His thin, atrophied legs dangled below him. A chrome helmet sat tight on his head. ¡°Non-human?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Poor man.¡± Velye shook his head before unlocking another door with a quick swipe from his Card Key. ¡°He¡¯s been classified formerly human. ¡®Formerly human¡¯ is a manner of non-human to the Liberty Corps.¡± Orson did not reply or puzzle at the words. He lost all sense of the other enigmas when he entered the cell for the shellcraft. Orson heard the rumbling breathing of the creature as soon as they entered the long tunnel away from the antechamber. The passage led them away from the other containment areas and ended in a room the size and shape of a missile silo. They stood near the top, looking down on a massive living thing. The clinical explanation didn¡¯t capture a hundred feet of living, breathing stone. It looked like an asteroid, a hunk of space rock, held in the center of the tubular room. Dr. Velye led Orson along a platform that ran around the shellcraft¡¯s cylinder. From there, Orson saw bus-thick metal beams that reached from the walls and burrowed into the apparent stone of the creature¡¯s carapace. More walkways ran both below and above them. Further up, the roof looked like solid concrete. ¡°Earhart, my dear.¡± Velye spoke in a loud, clear voice. ¡°It is time now for us to part ways. I told you I would win you freedom¡­¡± His voice broke, and he took a great shuddering breath. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to dab at his eyes. ¡°But I could not do this alone. You will have to be very patient with my new friend, Orson Gregory.¡± Velye gestured to Orson behind his back. ¡°This way, please, Captain.¡± Orson saw the half-dried tear-streaks shining on Velye¡¯s face as he walked to the edge of the railing. He looked down into the face and eyes of the shellcraft. The face was a deep dark brown, colored like her carapace. Her eyes were a rich amber with swirls of white and black. Orson saw no pupils, but the swirls moved when he reached the edge. Earhart moaned. It was a pitiful sound, like the whine from a sad pet. But with the creature¡¯s size, the noise was louder than a revving diesel engine. ¡°Can your sword cut through that metal?¡± Velye asked. ¡°Probably,¡± Orson drew the blade again. Earhart moaned a second time at the sight of the fire. ¡°This fire will not hurt you, dear,¡± Velye said. ¡°He is here only to free you. Right, Captain? Speak to her, please.¡± ¡°Uh, hi,¡± Orson said. ¡°Hi, uh, Earhart. Your friend asked me to come and help you. We¡¯re gonna get you out of here.¡± He leaned toward Velye. ¡°Does the roof open, or what? Because I¡¯m not seeing any door her size.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll have to burn her way free,¡± Velye said. ¡°Her kind feeds on silicon-based life in the upper atmosphere and in real stellar rocks. She spits a projectile corrosive that can melt stone or concrete.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t she do that right now?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Melt the ceiling and us.¡± ¡°She has a special gag in her first mouth.¡± Velye pointed along the animal¡¯s face. Orson saw nothing but the rock-colored hide. ¡°I¡¯m going down there. I will clear her mouth. Go to the lower level. Begin freeing her when I am clear.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Orson stepped up to the railing and then dropped over the other side. The shellcraft moaned at the sound of his repulsor, but Orson fired it only once, just enough to angle himself back to the lower balcony. The circular ledge ran even with the anchors that bit into the animal¡¯s carapace. ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Orson shouted over the shellcraft¡¯s whine. ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Orson called out. ¡°It¡¯s okay, uh, Earhart. I¡¯m gonna let you go. Your friend, the doctor, just wants me to help you.¡± But Orson¡¯s words were drowned out by another new sound. A motorized walkway made a grinding noise as it stretched out from the upper balcony, reaching down toward the shellcraft¡¯s face. Only one side of the new platform was railed, and Dr. Velye gripped the metal with both hands as he walked to Earhart. ¡°You will be on your way home soon,¡± Velye said. ¡°Soon, soon. I¡¯m so sorry for everything, my dear. I¡¯m so very sorry. So very sorry.¡± The walkway ran low enough that he could reach out and touch the great animal¡¯s skin. Earhart let out a muffled whimpering sound. Something fell away from the shellcraft, oblong and shining. It clattered away, out of sight. Earhart¡¯s whole body shook and the room shook with her, as she gagged from the object¡¯s removal. ¡°You may begin cutting her free, Captain,¡± Velye called down. ¡°I will stay here to comfort her.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Orson yelled back. ¡°She won¡¯t melt you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Velye placed his hand on the shellcraft¡¯s face. The creature let out a long, lyrical sound. Orson expected high-pitched tones like whale-song, but Earhart was a bass, deeper than a bass. ¡°I have known Earhart for decades,¡± Velye called. ¡°Please.¡± His voice broke again. He wept openly then, and his shoulders shook in silent sobs. ¡°Free her.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Orson drew his blade¡¯s field disruptor from his coat. He extended the sword¡¯s blade and, in one swing, sliced through the first restraint. Earhart howled, a heavy, reverberating sound that Orson felt in his face like the thought-breaker. Orson fell away from the noise, and he heard Velye shout above him. But Orson did not hear the words. He returned to the edge of the balcony and saw that most of the restraint had fallen away from the carapace, torn away from the stone-like surface. Only a round metal base remained, still embedded, stuck in place. ¡°Do we have to get these things out of her?¡± Orson asked. ¡°The anchors or whatever they are?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t time,¡± Velye called. ¡°I believe she¡¯ll force them out, but we can¡¯t waste her chance!¡± Orson ran to the second restraint. He held the extended sword carefully. It was doubled, long enough to nick the walls as he rounded the curved platform, but he would not risk changing and re-changing the sword¡¯s containment field. He arrived at the second restraint and sliced it apart. Earhart howled again, but Orson rounded the side to the next one. He endured the bass rumble until it faded away and all he heard were the muttered reassurances from the doctor. Orson sliced through the third restraint. And that time the noise was enough for Orson to reach for his kazoo and its earplugs. But by the time he rounded the final support, the shellcraft¡¯s cries had died away. Still, Dr. Velye stood with her, hand against her. ¡°No, no,¡± he said. ¡°No, no, I cannot go with you. I have my life here. It has been a joy knowing you. You made my captivity bearable, and I hope I have done the same for you, dear. But you are going places I might not survive. I am not as versatile as you are.¡± And he made indecipherable sounds, moans, like he was imitating the great creature. ¡°What¡¯s happening, Doctor?¡± Orson called. ¡°Do you want to get clear before I do the last one?¡± ¡°She wants me to go with her,¡± Velye said. ¡°She¡­ She has a way of sending images. I see the stars, Captain. I see everything out there, flying through the darkness, but it¡¯s freedom.¡± He gasped. It was another strange sound, awe and unrestrained sorrow. ¡°I see the light at the center of the galaxy. I see other worlds and¡­ She¡¯s only shown this to me a few times before.¡± He moaned again. ¡°Do you want to get out of the way?¡± Orson called. But then Orson heard a new sound, like an explosion. ¡°I see¡­¡± Velye began again. Orson¡¯s HUD caught the blast of green energy flying down from above, from the uppermost balcony, but there was no time to save the doctor, no chance to intervene, not even a moment to speak. The light took Velye square in the back. He fell, instantly motionless. Even from the next ledge, Orson saw a plume of smoke burning from the man¡¯s back. Orson looked up again. He saw distant hints of red, far above, also on the uppermost walkway ¨C many separate shapes. The shellcraft howled then too, a noise even greater than her pain. She strained against the last support, fighting to reach up to the platform, to the doctor¡¯s body. Velye did not move. ¡°CAPTAIN GREGORY!¡± One of the figures along the top railing had smoking gauntlets. ¡°Show yourself, Gregory! I have thirty-guns and a full squad of Shapers. I am Sir Lezander. You killed my students, so I bring you justice. I am joined by Sir Valdemar, knight of the seen and the unseen. Step out and face your death. If you do, your own fate will be quick like this man¡¯s.¡± Orson stepped to the balcony¡¯s edge and sliced through the shellcraft¡¯s final support. The shellcraft did not fall with the last restraint. She stayed, suspended in the air. Orson fell away from her. A force like a great wind hit him and threw him backward. He gripped the extended sword, barely held it upright. He pulled the disruptor away when he found his footing. He looked up again and still saw faint heat from the Liberty Corps, but they didn¡¯t fire, and he could not hear them. The room had begun to shake and rumble all around them, everything under the otherworldly, biological force that held the massive creature in the open air. Earhart was free. 132 - Baron Helmonts Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Kol ran up the metal, spiral staircase behind Jaleel. The thin steps wound inside the building¡¯s perimeter wall. Only feet of concrete and reinforced steel separated Kol from the unloading dock and his first unsupervised fresh air in weeks. ¡°I want to see how many guys are in the command room,¡± Jaleel called over his shoulder. ¡°Maybe you can hang outside until I can give you the count.¡± ¡°How do you plan to let me know?¡± Kol asked. ¡°And how many can you incapacitate, with surprise on your side?¡± ¡°I can shoot two really fast,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s also, I think, the end of my stun arrows anyway. Most of my other arrows could really mess up the controls, so if it¡¯s more than two, I¡¯ll just say ¡®more¡¯ a couple times and you can help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Kol began, but gave up on his arguments when he saw sunlight. At the final curve in the spiral stair, a wide window looked out on the unloading dock. The mountains appeared somehow larger from indoors, with the prospect of escape at hand. The angle of the view did not reveal the troops gathering at the perimeter, but Kol saw the sky filled with ships. Saw-wings flew in concentric circles. And three larger ships were moving into position above them. Kol recognized the unloading vessel, but there were two more. These ships were also rounded like nautical vessels, but their guns were larger, longer, like the Naval destroyers he¡¯d seen when he¡¯d visited Max or those still assembled in Philadelphia. ¡°The unloading system won¡¯t be very useful with those in the sky,¡± Kol said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jaleel glanced out the window. ¡°Nope. We¡¯ll need a different idea with those.¡± He reached the uppermost landing. ¡°Command should be the second door,¡± he whispered. ¡°So let¡¯s just do the thing for now.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Kol came to stop between rooms, casual, back against the wall. ¡°Excuse me, sir!¡± Jaleel walked into the command room, bow in plain view. ¡°I have a report of intruders¡ª¡± ¡°What are you doing here, Private?¡± A gravelly voice spoke inside. ¡°Private, where is your team? Explain yourself. I¡¯ve been trying to reach Captain Daine on the comm.¡± ¡°Quartermaster, sir,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We ran into¡­ We encountered more problems than I have time to talk about. There¡¯s a prison break, sir. More prisoners...¡± Kol rounded the side of the doorway, shield projection already formed at his left fist. Inside, he saw three Officers. They stood between complex control panels. A wide, curved window jutted out from the front wall, looking on the whole line of unloading stations. All officers turned toward Kol when he came into view. ¡°I¡¯m aware of the attempted escape,¡± the quartermaster said. ¡°I am asking¡ª¡± An arrow took him at his armor¡¯s thigh gap. Another one took the rightmost officer under the arm. Both fell twitching. Kol raised a new projection before the other officer could draw his blaster. He slid the energy wall along the floor. He braced himself and kept his footing strong when the wall struck the officer, forced him backward, forced him against the far wall. ¡°Traitors!¡± The officer choked out the word. ¡°Okay.¡± Jaleel pulled a thin object from his belt, too shiny to be his stylus. ¡°Lower the shield enough so I can stun him at the neck.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± the officer asked. He squirmed, white armor pinned between wall and projection. ¡°Why?¡± And when the man asked that question Kol no longer saw the unloading official, the obstacle to Max¡¯s escape, to everyone¡¯s escape. Kol saw a man in the armor he still wore, that Duncan had worn, and Brielle¡­ So many he¡¯d known and fought with, ate with, lived with. And now a trooper in that same armor was a nameless enemy to pin and toss aside, mowing through these forces with Orson Gregory and his crew. ¡°Hey.¡± Jaleel waved a hand in front of Kol¡¯s face. ¡°Lower your shield so I can stun him. You¡¯re not having that thought seizure thing, now, are you?¡± ¡°Helmont will butcher you for this,¡± the pinned officer shouted. ¡°You¡¯ll feel his fire. Death to traitors!¡± Kol lowered the shield, shrank it so it stretched only from the floor to the man¡¯s neck. The officer raised his hand to the lip of the field, but before he could do anything, Jaleel jabbed the shining object beneath his chin. The man relaxed and fell, slack against the projection. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jaleel asked again. ¡°I am.¡± Kol lowered the officer to the floor. A rumbling in the earth began before he said more. The feeling of shockwaves in the ground made the breath catch in his throat. He would not forget that feeling. He¡¯d felt the ground shake with the oncoming march of Thunderworks automatons, marshaling outside Philadelphia. But then the tremors intensified, like the beginning of a real earthquake. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Jaleel yelled. A clipboard clattered down the control panel and fell to the floor. Pens rattled in a cup on the far side of the room. A mug also crashed to the floor, shattering, sending coffee running along the tile. ¡°Do what you¡¯re going to do,¡± Kol said. ¡°It¡¯s getting worse.¡± * * * Orson sheathed the sword before the shellcraft escaped. Earhart hesitated only once, before she tore free of her cell. She stretched her face out toward the platform that still held the prone form of Dr. Velye. She pushed it aside, shoved the walkway back toward the balcony. ¡°Fire on the enigma!¡± Sir Lezander shouted. ¡°Fall back to supported positions. Prepare and¡ª¡± Orson had just enough time to guide the kazoo¡¯s earplugs into his ears before Earhart sent a gout of neon green liquid from her face. It was a torrent, a blast like a broken fire hydrant and it stank. Even through his mask, the smell burned his nostrils. Orson was still tightening the rebreather at his mouth and nose when the screams began. The screams were short, a single peal of pain and terror. And the last voices were drowned out by the rumbling. Orson didn¡¯t know whether the acid had weakened the building around him. He didn¡¯t know if this was the noise of the massive shellcraft, fighting to escape. Even with ears plugged, Orson was overwhelmed by noise. Earhart rumbled as she flew, an odd bass wub-wub like overloud dance music. And she howled more as she worked. And the walls howled back as she broke them and broke free.
INCOMING DEBRIS ¨C NONLETHAL
FINE PARTICULATE MATTER ¨C RESPIRATOR SEALED
FALLING PROJECTILE ¨C CHANCE OF COLLISION ¨C 10%
FALLING PROJECTILE ¨C CHANCE OF COLLISION ¨C 15%
Orson was engulfed in noise. The disintegrating ceiling burst down in clouds of dust that obscured everything but the rising form of the shellcraft. Orson braced himself, arms over his head. He pressed himself against the curved wall. He waited through the thrumming and crashing and howling. He waited until the dust cleared and noise ceased and the scrolling warnings came to an end. Then Orson looked up and saw daylight. Everything was gone. Most of the upper balconies were gone. The long tunnel back to the central antechamber was melted through. Orson saw clear to the white roof of the main room. He saw no motion. The only heat he saw came from the still-dripping and half-melted walls. He drew his sword again and walked to the balcony¡¯s edge. Far above, there was only a hole where the concrete ceiling had been. Beyond that, he saw clear, open sky. * * * ¡°Something¡¯s happening,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°Something very large is tearing free of this building. Something alive.¡± Enoa saw the older woman¡¯s feet actually flex against the floor, veins and muscles bulging at her calves and her toes. ¡°Something alive is doing this?¡± Sergeant Hale asked. ¡°What¡¯ve they got in here, a herd of elephants?¡± ¡°Bigger,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°Much, MUCH bigger than elephants.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you stay inside there.¡± Dr. Stan leaned over the open cart. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Captain Maros. We will have you much more comfortable once the Aesir arrives here.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather have control of my own movement,¡± Max said. ¡°Whatever is making that sound could very easily keep us from leaving. It feels like an earthquake.¡± ¡°What could cause this?¡± A prisoner shouted. ¡°Every now and then I¡¯d sense something massive living here,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°I think it flies. And when it leaves, we will have our chance to fight. Prepare your forces, Sergeant. We take the perimeter when it escapes.¡± She wheeled toward Enoa. ¡°Do you know Bullet Rain?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Enoa said. She tried to feel out toward the shaking. She could find the source, hundreds of yards along the massive building. But was it alive? How many Hierarchia experiments gone wrong could cause the earth to shake that way? ¡°Get the Cloud girl one of those water jugs you¡¯ve been carrying.¡± Melanthymos snapped her fingers at the gathered prisoners, standing beside one of the open carts. ¡°She¡¯ll make better use of it than you will.¡± The prisoners looked between Melanthymos and Sergeant Hale. ¡°You owe me about forty-some answers if we both live through this,¡± Hale said. ¡°Do as she says. Give the young lady one of the waters.¡± He nodded to Enoa. ¡°Do you do water, Miss, the way she uses rocks?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I make the water explode, like little bombs.¡± Hale might¡¯ve said more, but the rumbling intensified. Explosions joined it. The sirens changed pattern around them and started a desperate, repeating three-note pattern. ¡°Once this begins, I¡¯ll need to get around your barricade and begin my work.¡± Melanthymos closed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s happening soon¡­¡± ¡°Mother of God.¡± One of the watchmen yelled at his portable periscope. ¡°You have to see this, Sarge.¡± And then the world exploded with noise, landslides, falling stone, energy fire, screaming. There were new sounds too, a deep howl that Enoa felt as much as she heard. It was a living sound. It was the sound of something very much alive breaking free of the Pinnacle and bursting out into the sky. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Time to leave.¡± Melanthymos smiled. * * * The rumbling stopped with an explosion far down the building. The shockwave threw Kol sideways into the command room¡¯s front control panel. ¡°Hey!¡± Jaleel sat dead center at the controls. ¡°Watch out! I need some of those.¡± He leaned around Kol to reach a lever. The room¡¯s hallway-side door sealed beside them. Kol slide aside but did not reply. He saw then the source of the tremors. A huge, living, flying creature rocketed out from the Pinnacle. It skirted the circle of mountain peaks, spewing long trails of neon green that melted ship and stone alike. Three Saw-wings spun out of sight, careening toward the valley far below, holes visible in their curved wings. And Kol also saw the mountain¡¯s peaks steaming. He saw the craggy edges smoothing away, melting down like butter, from the creature¡¯s discharge. ¡°That must¡¯ve been what caused the rumbling.¡± Jaleel clapped. ¡°Look at the size of that thing! This has to be an Orson!¡± The creature took another long loop, spewing green. One whole Saw-wing squadron, all in tight formation, took a stream of the corrosive. All melted. All fell, down to the growing graveyard on the valley floor or smashed to ruins among the melting mountain peaks. One Saw-wing rammed directly into the Pinnacle, far to Kol¡¯s left, sending out another immense shockwave. ¡°I haven¡¯t even gotten started,¡± Jaleel cheered. ¡°This is just way too good. The whole base is trashed now and everyone¡¯s escaping and we robbed them blind. It¡¯s like Baron Helmont¡¯s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day ¨C you know, like that kids¡¯ book.¡± ¡°The creature in the sky is useful,¡± Kol said. ¡°But only to a point. Whatever that behemoth is, if it decides to stay here, we¡¯ll face the same problem we had before. Worse. We know what Saw-wings are.¡± One of the larger Liberty Corps battleships moved in, firing its heavy cannons at the creature. What looked like stone chipped away from the dark blur, disintegrating under the heavy heat. The creature roared and twisted, end-over-end, 180 degrees and flew back toward the large ship. ¡°Don¡¯t get too worried.¡± Jaleel tapped one of the readouts on the monitor. ¡°Looks like more things are taking off, and it¡¯s looking pretty weird.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Kol listened. He tried to hear without hearing, to look for Shaping. But it was too noisy. He felt nothing more until he saw the other crowd of escapees, streaking across the sky. Kol couldn¡¯t follow them all. More creatures flew away from the base. There were winged shapes, some as small as birds. Some looked almost human with fleshy arms and legs despite their feathered wings. One of the human shapes had eyes that glowed red. It seemed to bring a shadow with it, a haze that shrouded everything around it. The flying figures dove down into the valley, avoiding acid and Saw-wing fire. Some of the Saw-wings gave pursuit. They peeled away from their wide maneuvers and swung low through the valley. ¡°Look!¡± Jaleel nodded. ¡°Their cannons aren¡¯t firing.¡± He didn¡¯t glance up from the controls. ¡°Probably another Orson.¡± He laughed again. But Kol did not answer him. A long, undulating thing flew past their wide window. It was like a sea serpent, but swimming through the air. It shot straight up, through the battle, ascending like a rocket at liftoff. More of the Liberty Corps fighters shot skyward after it. There were too many fliers, too many for the divided Saw-wings to chase them all, even with the creature still trading blows with the lead battleship. Kol didn¡¯t know where to look, his eyes drawn everywhere. He saw the totality of the madness. Then the human escapees joined the fray. Airships of multiple kinds, helicopters, and what looked like World War II era bombers all flew from the Pinnacle, strafing the Saw-wings and the bellies of the larger vessels before they too took to the valley. One of the main artillery batteries did fire then, one further from the base. It struck an airship. The craft exploded on contact, a single burst of heat and then nothing. But others fled on. ¡°How ready are you with your arms?¡± Kol watched the two other larger vessels sink low through the sky. They angled away from the dogfighting and toward the Pinnacle¡¯s roof. ¡°We will need them very soon.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be too long,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If we¡¯re gonna be on the same side, you have to learn not to rush me. We haven¡¯t even heard from the others yet. They might not have left the building with all of this going on.¡± The unloading ship opened fire toward the base, toward the perimeter ledge beneath them. It got off three shots before something responded. Five gray blurs the size of cars flew up from the ledge. Four exploded into dust against the ship¡¯s particle shield. But all struck in the same spot. The last projectile broke through the shielding and through the vessel¡¯s hull, a jagged break. Even from that distance, Kol could see the torn hole leaking thick steam. The unloading ship continued to fire, but it reversed course, back toward the line of mountains. ¡°I think they¡¯re making their move now,¡± Kol said. He couldn¡¯t see much from the lower level, nothing but blue flashes from blaster fire. Kol also heard the sound of Enoa¡¯s Shaping. And then he saw another blur, a translucent stream that reflected sunlight. Kol knew it was her Bullet Rain. ¡°We have an advantage with their larger ships too.¡± Jaleel set both hands on the controls. ¡°They don¡¯t want to open fire on their own base, even at close range. So they¡¯re not using their big artillery. Okay. When our friends give me something to throw, I¡¯m ready.¡± Another wave of aircraft flew from the Pinnacle. There were more of the vintage planes, another hovercraft, and several people in bright jumpsuits, piloting retro jetpacks, full body rocket packs as big as they were. One of these was struck by a bolt from the second battleship. But the exodus came and came, and it was simply too much in too many directions to stop. The Liberty Corps divided and divided, and they were too few to fire on the perimeter. The acid-spitting monster finished with the first battleship, sending it crashing down onto the inoperative artillery emplacements. By then, only a half-squadron of Saw-wings remained to defend the final battleship. The creature howled another bellow. Then it also shot straight upward, far, far higher than Kol could see, even when he leaned across the controls to watch it ascend. Kol was still leaning close to the window when the woman in the lab coat flew by, arms clutched around the neck of a winged lizard ¨C dragon and pterodactyl at once. They soared past the unloading area and swooped low through the valley. One of the operative cannons fired at her. Another two Saw-wings peeled away to stop her, but Kol could not see if they escaped. ¡°Hey, take my comm,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Please. Let¡¯s see if they¡¯re ready. If weird rock lady had trouble with the shield on that bulk cruiser, she might not manage their frigate. We¡¯ll need both of us to bust it up, even with it flying this close.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Kol leaned back and took the comm from Jaleel¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°My division didn¡¯t have anything this complex. We were still working with radios. It might be a minute before I manage a message.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The Aesir¡¯s not even here yet and their ships are two-thirds gone.¡± Kol heard something else then, an unheard sound. It was Shaping, but not Enoa. It was like walking, immense walking, huge like some of the creatures that had just fled the Pinnacle. And the sound was getting closer. He looked for the source of the noise and saw the first of the bipedal mechanized suits crest the perimeter ledge. It climbed up from the sheer mountainside. It stood easily as high as the unloading arms. ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate now.¡± Kol pointed. ¡°Here¡¯s something new to worry about.¡± * * * Orson fired his repulsor and flew up to the mouth of the passage back to the antechamber. Most of its ceiling was gone, melted clear through to steel mesh and misshapen concrete. The sounds of ships and battle were now unmistakable, clear through the open roof. He heard Saw-wings¡¯ shrieks cut short, drowned out by the shellcraft¡¯s bellows. He heard the sound of engines, other aerial propulsion. The sky was full of more than Hierarchia fighters. Orson turned away from those sounds when he heard the nearer screams and howls from the antechamber. He didn¡¯t follow the hall toward the noise. He flew instead, up through the broken ceiling. He looked down on the open antechamber from above. Fallen cages and broken tanks lay everywhere. Some of them had tipped sideways, treads still moving. Almost all living animals were gone. He saw several small, motionless forms and one larger body in a lab coat. A line of the apelike pithecus stood along the far wall. One held another scientist piggyback. They stood still. All watched the floating man, the ¡®former human¡¯ Orson had seen before. The escaped prisoner¡¯s legs still dangled, useless, but he had no clear need of them. His tight helmet was gone, revealing his shaved head and a tracery of scars along his skull. As Orson watched, the floating man raised his left arm, pointed straight out toward one of the taller pithecus. He waved the outstretched arm and the creature flew, skidding sideways. The man released the pithecus as he slammed into a curve of the wall. ¡°Hey, Parade Balloon!¡± Orson landed in the midst of the fallen containment units. ¡°Let them go.¡± Both the scientist and the pithecus crowd turned toward the sound of Orson¡¯s voice, but the floating man only glanced from side to side, his dazed eyes unfocused. ¡°Yeah, you,¡± Orson continued. ¡°Who else would I mean by ¡®Parade Balloon¡¯? I¡¯m talking to you.¡± The floating man twisted around in midair, craning his neck back to see Orson. The unfocused eyes scanned around him, from broken pen to shattered tank. Orson waved. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m gonna give you just the one chance,¡± he said. ¡°Those folks are trying to leave, just like you and me. So you let them go or I¡¯ll be seeing how good you really are at flying.¡± The eyes finally focused on him, the man¡¯s brow furrowed. But then the eyes, now intense with rage, settled on Orson¡¯s own. The floating man did not speak, but he raised a hand, one long finger pointed at Orson¡¯s chest. Orson felt as if hands suddenly pressed to his sides, like actual fingers were grasping at the outer fabric of his coat. But the hands found no purchase. They clawed at him as if trying to grasp a great, smooth stone. They found no way to grip him. The floating man¡¯s eyes widened even further. ¡°Not used to that, are you?¡± Orson took a step toward him. ¡°Most T.K. aren¡¯t. Even your skill ain¡¯t the be all and end all, buddy.¡± The floating man raised both hands, stretched them straight out. He clapped them together. A broken pen and transparent glass wall rose from the floor, lifted by no physical touch. They lifted on Orson¡¯s either side and flew toward each other. The debris hurtled together to crush him. When the metal bars shattered what remained of the glass, Orson was already fifteen feet in the air, held steady by his repulsor. The floating man looked up at him. He opened his mouth and let out short gargling sounds. Then he fled, flying toward another of the round room¡¯s far doors, arms pinwheeling. Orson watched him until he passed through the door. Then Orson returned to the floor several feet from the pithecus and the scientist. Two of the pithecus helped their fallen fellow rise back to his feet, embracing him and holding him upright. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Orson nodded to the scientist. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°We all thank you. Mr. Kesey, after what the baron did to him¡­ To him, everyone and everything is a threat. I¡­ Oh my God, where¡¯s Maurice? What happened to him?¡± ¡°One of the knights shot him while we were freeing Earhart,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have left him alone to comfort the shellcraft. If I was with him I might¡¯ve done something. But I don¡¯t even know how he planned to get her out of there. I doubt he had this level of destruction in mind.¡± ¡°You have no need to blame yourself,¡± the scientist answered. ¡°He would have preferred his own death to leaving her here. If he¡¯d survived, this would have been contained. Maurice had some influence on her aim and her target. But without that influence¡­¡± She gestured to the wreckage. ¡°We couldn¡¯t recover them all once they¡¯d been freed, but we took those we could. I hope the airships escaped.¡± ¡°Just you here?¡± ¡°I am leaving with the pithecus,¡± she said. ¡°Other than some specimens that are now gone into the main building, I believe we¡¯ve done as well as we can.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Orson still heard the Saw-wings outside when he listened. And when he stopped speaking, the scientist and her friends joined him in the quiet. Then Orson could also hear the cacophony of many firing blasters. ¡°Since you missed your airships, do you need some other ride out of here?¡± She shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll take the mountain pass. Once we leave the grounds, they will not find us. But thank you.¡± And the pithecus raised their hands to their chins. Some grinned at Orson. ¡°They are also thanking you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all welcome. Hey, is there a quicker way out of here, or should I just take the enormous hole in the ceiling?¡± ¡°That¡¯s likely the fastest,¡± she said. ¡°In fact, would you mind showing us the way? We need somewhere to climb out.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s past time to get out of here.¡± * * * Baron Helmont was in his personal storeroom when he felt Sir Lezander die. He kept his space neat, all shelves organized. Most were filled with small, identical boxes, labeled with chemical compositions and elements contained within. Helmont had briefly returned to his work, examining his stores of iron ingots. Then he¡¯d felt Sir Valdemar join Lezander in death. Then their Shapers had joined the dead. Then their troopers vanished from his maps. Helmont felt their entire platoon wiped out, lives literally melted away. He felt the shellcraft escape. He intimately felt the details of the destruction. He knew the fear from the dying troops. And he knew the fear from his pilots, his gunners, his crews outside. Terror and panic consumed them. It flooded them, adrenaline and cortisol ¨C all of them now useless, useless to panic. And of course, the unmistakable fire of Thousand Destiny burned amidst the wreckage. ¡°I am afraid I have more troubling news to deliver.¡± Lieutenant Greenley entered the storeroom. ¡°Report from the terminal squad, sir. Gregory used Inventory Captain Daine¡¯s Card Key. He accessed information on Knightschurch, our Pacific surveys, our suppositions about the key holders, among other data.¡± ¡°Unsurprising,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Thank you, Greenley. Now, I have a few messages before we adjourn this session.¡± ¡°I am prepared, sir.¡± Greenley held his datapad. ¡°First, interrupt Captain Davard. We have need of the Manifest Destiny.¡± Helmont finished collecting iron and then tungsten ingots, cobalt and carbon samples, and bottles of oxygen, hydrogen, and helium gases. ¡°Next, redirect all my knights and Shapers to the surface. Sir Lezander and Sir Valdemar will not be joining us. Their trap has not succeeded.¡± From a mahogany case, he retrieved a sample bag containing a firm block of ash wood encircled in several strands of silvery translucent thread or hair. ¡°Communication failure, sir.¡± Greenley set the datapad aside. ¡°It appears there is now some manner of interference being transmitted from our own comm hub. We cannot reach our remaining capital ships or any independent squads.¡± ¡°Did any of my instructions transmit before this outage?¡± Helmont collected several vials of blood from a temperature controlled case that hissed with steam when he opened it. Greenley retrieved his datapad. He turned it so Helmont could see the rows and rows of text, highlighted in red. ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°You will leave then, collect three squads and reclaim what remains of our communications network.¡± Helmont found the pouch at his belt, a device of his own design. Eight vials of blood could fit neatly inside it, secure until he needed them, until he needed most detailed maps of very particular targets. ¡°Of course, sir.¡± Greenley asked. ¡°What of you, sir?¡± ¡°You know, I have a piece of the shellcraft¡¯s hide in this very room.¡± Helmont walked to the far side of the narrow closet. Two objects stood there, unboxed. They were Hierarchia design, matte black ¨C knee-high boots. ¡°If this attack weren¡¯t from within, that beast would be in my grip. It would not currently be fleeing the Earth¡¯s exosphere. If my forces weren¡¯t scattered, they would rally alongside me. I would instruct them in neutralizing the prisoners. ¡°But now, Orson Gregory¡¯s chaos has taken us. His true weapon has claimed many lives. ¡± Helmont laid his bare hands on the boots. He felt the copper and aluminum, manganese and the layered cavorite filaments that lined the boots¡¯ repulsor units. ¡°My tasks remain the same,¡± Helmont finished. ¡°Contain the remaining enigmas and kill the Aesir crew.¡± 133 - TARGET LOCK – INCOMING FIGHTERS Enoa slammed the edge of her staff into the flat side of an iron Shaper¡¯s scimitar. The blade shattered, metal scattering. Her opponent tossed the useless hilt and got a two-handed grip on the handle of his second blade. Where before it was a short barbed knife, the weapon grew until it was a proper long sword, metal steaming from the transmutation. They fought at the edge of the skirmish, away from the onslaught of prisoners¡¯ blaster strikes and the response from the Rifle Troopers¡¯ heavy repeaters. ¡°I can make more, faster than you break them.¡± The iron Shaper wore the standard officer armor, but with heavy bandoliers over his shoulders, all lined with solid iron bars. Enoa took a step back toward the cart, where Max and the floppies still waited, hidden. Her water jug sat on top, mostly empty from the mad charge onto the ledge. Enoa kept her staff toward the other Shaper. But she risked a proper glance over her shoulder and saw nothing of Dr. Stan. She saw only the rear guard of fighting and yelling and dying prisoners. ¡°Enoa!¡± Max¡¯s muffled call came from the cart. ¡°Move aside, Enoa. Move aside!¡± The Iron Shaper took his chance when Enoa looked away, but she followed Max¡¯s plan. She dove far to the right. Her elbow and knee guards met the deck. The Iron Shaper brought down the sword into empty air. While the blade fell, Enoa heard the cart¡¯s side door. Max fired twice. Both blaster shots flew wide, arcing out and away from the perimeter, nowhere near the Shaper. ¡°You have a passenger.¡± The Shaper laughed and looked from Enoa on the ground to the still-open cart. ¡°Who are you¡­¡± A new bolt took the Shaper square in the neck. Then another struck his right thigh, above his armor, before he fell. ¡°They¡¯re almost finished.¡± Dr. Stan stood from her cover, where she¡¯d hidden behind the cart, her blaster raised. She pointed toward the unloading area and a final cluster of Rifle Troopers, hidden behind an iron shield, all driven toward the edge. ¡°You are quite the shot,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You had a poor vantage point,¡± she answered. Beyond the surviving Liberty Corps defense, Enoa found the skimmers like they¡¯d left them. All three trailers sat at the perimeter, their work complete, the unloading long finished. The skimmers waited, unharmed, by the fighting on the ledge or by the fantastical chaos in the sky. ¡°Let¡¯s get over there,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We might have a hard time connecting the trailers if that big ship shoots at us again.¡± In the sky, the last straggling escapees were taking the valley pass, an easier route with most of the cannon towers now crushed. One of the old-timey planes exploded. A shot from the remaining frigate¡¯s bow cannons sent its burning remains raining across the valley. Enoa saw the final escaping fliers, two bald children, hands clasped together. Moving without craft or wing, they skimmed the perimeter above her. One waved to Enoa as they passed. ¡°Big robots!¡± The child screamed to her. ¡°Big robots coming!¡± ¡°What?¡± She yelled back, but they finally left the perimeter, well to her right. Both dove away from the base. Then Enoa saw ¡®what¡¯. She saw a metal hand grip the edge of the Pinnacle¡¯s decking. Fingers as thick around as her arm tensed against the metal. When the armored suit pulled itself up onto the platform, its shoulders barely fit between two cables back to the surface. Then three more joined it, all along the ledge. They stood as tall as the trailers. Their eyes glowed green in heads that sat directly against their steel-gray torsos, swiveling without clear neck. The armors issued no warning. The closest grabbed an eager prisoner, standing close to the edge. The machine threw the man over its shoulder, sending him screaming down the cliff. ¡°More rocks!¡± The voice of Sergeant Hale roared over the screams and projectiles. ¡°More rocks! Where are my rocks?¡± Enoa looked for Melanthymos and found her flanked by two other prisoners, standing where the ledge met the side of the building. The decking at her feet was broken and her arms were plunged, up to her elbows, into the exposed earth. ¡°Rocks!¡± Hale yelled again. The towering armors barreled into the crowd of prisoners, stomping the fallen, crushing them or hurling them away. Melanthymos pushed her arms deeper into the mountainside. A tremor rippled through the ground. Enoa gripped the side of the cart. When Melanthymos pulled her hands back from the ground, she held a chunk of solid rock. She dropped the stone with a reverberating thud. There was fresh blood on her fingertips and the palms of her hands, but she plunged them back into the earth. ¡°Enoa!¡± Dr. Stan called over the other screams. ¡°Could a staff explosion puncture the armor of those machines?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Enoa yelled back. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could reach any higher than their legs. Maybe?¡± Enoa could feel the Shapers inside the metal armored suits. When the suits moved and sent their own heavy shockwaves through the decking, it was like Enoa saw the indistinct forms of their shaping pilots inside them, like the towering machines were shadows cast and nothing more. One of the armors ¡®saw¡¯ her looking, felt her looking. Its head swiveled to the side, and the green eyes found her in the crowd. ¡°Take the cart,¡± Enoa called without looking back. ¡°Leave my water here.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Dr. Stan started. But then the armor began to approach. It crushed a prisoner as it stepped around the nearest unloading arm¡¯s framework. When the armor raised its leg again, some of the remains still clung to the foot. Enoa heard the jug of water touch down to the deck. She heard the cart¡¯s wheels moving back away from her. When the armor approached, Enoa already had the water held in her mind. She found it without doubt or hesitation. She mingled the moisture with the thin mountain air, holding it like a sponge. She doubled the jug¡¯s contents, all heavy vapor, held in her control. When the armor cleared the other prisoners, the skimmers, and trailers, Enoa let loose with the water. Drops formed and flew, oxygen exploding against the chest of the robot, chipping at the body, chewing inward toward the Shaper who moved it. Enoa yelled. She burrowed the bursting oxygen toward the pilot. All she needed was a handful of drops. That was enough to stop the Shaper. But she didn¡¯t have enough. When the water was spent as vapor, Enoa saw only a fist-sized hole in the armor¡¯s heavy abdomen. The armor hesitated, waited for her to attack again. Enoa realized then how close she stood ¨C fifty or sixty feet. She was close enough to see where the flexible metal segments met at knee and elbow. She was close enough to see the hint of motion through the hole in the torso. The armor moved again before Enoa could decide how she might reach the opening. It ran at her, arms outstretched, reaching toward her. Her stolen Liberty Corps armor could never protect against it. Enoa ran. She sprinted diagonally away from the machine, around the far side of the framework. She felt massive steps behind her. Her own small, human steps could never get away. She tightened both hands on the staff, ready to turn again and sink the it into the grasping hand. She would deal the armor some final harm before it took her. Enoa heard the unloading arm before she saw it, the heavy grinding, then the slow closing of the robotic fingers. When she looked back around, she found the nearest arm reached out from its framework. It held her pursuer, wriggling in its grip. Then the arm swung to the edge of its frameworks and released the mechanized armor. The hand opened. The suit flew from the ledge and out of sight. * * * Kol turned away from Jaleel¡¯s fumbling work with the unloading controls when a heavy thud struck the command center door. ¡°Open in the name of Baron Helmont!¡± A voice screamed outside. ¡°Surrender your arms or be killed on sight.¡± ¡°Whatever you plan to do, Jaleel.¡± Kol raised a new projection at the door. ¡°Do it now.¡± Jaleel didn¡¯t answer. He cheered, hands still at the controls. Kol turned back to the window in time to see the armor that had threatened Enoa thrown from the edge. ¡°I saved her!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I got it!¡± He took a deep breath and fell back against the chair. ¡°Now, I know the trick. Time for the rest of them. Catch and release!¡± Then the unloading arms struck out again, two of them this time. They constricted around metal figures and threw them out into the open air ¨C catch and release. The final armor, in retreat, hugged the edge of the platform. It moved away from prisoners and skimmers and the unloading arms. ¡°I¡¯m coming to get you too,¡± Jaleel said. A second heavy thud struck the door. It rattled on its hinges. Kol felt the force of the strike through his projection, like he¡¯d been leaning against the wall when the blow fell. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know another way to leave this room?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°There¡¯s a little access ladder on the other side of the room, but that¡¯ll only take us a level or two. You can¡¯t just throw everybody on the other side of the door with your shield thing?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do anything unless I see the space,¡± Kol said. ¡°I learned most of what I know while they were shooting at me.¡± ¡°Well, what about catching us.¡± Jaleel didn¡¯t look away from his work. He stretched out one of the arms toward the last armored suit, driving it away, driving it slowly toward the range of another arm, further from the escaping prisoners. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kol asked. ¡°You caught that last guy I stunned. Your shield held him up. Can it hold us? I have an arrow that might blow the window if you can do the rest ¨C lower us back to the deck.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°I¡¯ve never done that when I planned it.¡± But he¡¯d held Duncan, caught him, maybe saved him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kol watched the fingers on the next unloading arm begin to twitch, as that system came online. ¡°So you mainly do literal shields and barriers,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Oh, and holding doors open. Got it. How long will that shield hold back, like, bullets. Come on!¡± The armor moved no farther. It stood equidistant between arms. Errant blaster strikes hit the huge torso but the metal was left unmarked. Another strike fell against the door. The doorframe rattled. Kol spun toward the sound and saw a crack grow down the wall, beside the door. ¡°Just hold on!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Just this one guy, and then we¡¯ll go. Then¡­¡± A massive shape flew up from beyond the edge of the platform, light burning out from its feet, sending it up from unseen depths. The new armor had the same neck-less, green-eyed head as the other armors, the same body shape. But this last stood twice the height. Its fingers alone were as wide around as a man¡¯s torso. ¡°It flies like Orson!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I hope this is the big boss battle and those other ones don¡¯t come flying back up here.¡± The new armor landed on the edge of the perimeter, and its weight shook the unloading arms in their frames. The armor reached out. It was tall enough, hands large enough to fit its fingers around the framework of the closest unloading arm. And Kol heard the new armor, heard its movements like they were a loud echo from within. ¡°That¡¯s Shaping,¡± Kol said. ¡°And a Shaper is making it move. Maybe they were all piloted by Shapers, but this is the strongest. A knight.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what you got!¡± Jaleel pulled back on a lever. The unloading arm reached out and coiled around the armor¡¯s mechanized bicep. Jaleel twisted the lever sideways. Kol saw the unloading arm stretching back, straining, dragging at the armor. Nothing happened. The armor¡¯s hands clenched. They twisted. The colossal machine leaned back. The entire unloading framework, nine meters of metal, tore free of the platform. The uprooted unloading arm slackened and hung limp. The armor dropped the framework back to the deck. Then the armor raised its left hand toward the next, nearest framework. Kol didn¡¯t see the projectile bomb leave the armor¡¯s wrist, but he saw that framework explode. Its unloading arm and fingers were left twisted and useless from the blast. Then another blow struck the door of the command room, and Kol looked away from the new threat. The strike grew the crack in the wall. Tiny bits of concrete fell free and peppered the floor like pebbles dislodged before an avalanche. ¡°It may be time for our exit strategy,¡± Kol said. Jaleel stared straight ahead. He still did not turn aside, but his hands had fallen free of the controls. The smaller of the two armors walked around the uprooted unloading framework and stood in the shadow of its larger companion. The bigger armor raised its right arm and a gout of fire sprayed down and out of sight. Kol could not see if it hit anyone, but only sporadic bursts of blaster fire responded. And the armor advanced, spraying fire at the defenders. And then the green eyes rose, the head bent backward. The armor stared through their window, as if looking at them, as if it could see them. ¡°We need to go,¡± Kol said. ¡°Uh.¡± Jaleel stood. ¡°Right.¡± He took up his bow and quiver. ¡°I¡¯ll try to blast open the window. I should have a grappler arrow in here too, somewhere.¡± ¡°How fast is this grappler?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Do you really want to go out the window toward that thing?¡± ¡°What about your shield?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you defend us?¡± The big armor twisted, swung its fists toward the building. Kol seized Jaleel by both shoulders and forced him back below the front console. Jaleel yelled, but Kol dropped to the floor beside him. Nothing burst through the window. Instead, Kol saw fire shooting straight into the sky. Only a hint of the red light could be seen from the floor. Kol rose and leaned over the console. Both of the armor¡¯s fists were aimed straight up. It fired flames, and a new explosive shot upward. Kol saw the glint of sunlight on another rocket bomb. An explosion rattled the walls and windows, like the enormous flying creature had returned. Kol heard yells outside the command door, like even the breach team was jarred by the blast. Something in the sky responded to the armor¡¯s attack. Fire shot back. It was like a waterfall of hot plasma fell down from the sky. It burned red and then it burned blue. ¡°Look,¡± Kol said. Jaleel stood with him. A small, billowing figure flew in the sky, white light glowing below him. Red and blue fire burned from his hands. The waterfall engulfed the armor. Kol squinted away from the light. The fire ceased and cleared. The armor was left misshapen, like a partially-melted popsicle. No green eyes glowed out from the lump of heated metal. The huge armor toppled. It crashed down to the platform and its weight sent out another shockwave that Kol could feel even yards away and indoors. The smaller armor was again left alone on the platform. ¡°Orson has the high score again!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I need to get me some crazier weapons.¡± But a final blow took the command room door and the top hinge broke. The top of the door bent inward against Kol¡¯s projection. Looking at the door, he couldn¡¯t see any sign of the attackers outside, but the crack in the frame was wide enough now to slip his fingers inside. ¡°Are your arrows still ready?¡± Kol stood back away from the front window. Jaleel also looked at the loose door. ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± He retrieved his quiver, arrows, and bow, and he fit a feather to the string. ¡°How is the noise reduction in your helmet?¡± * * * The cheers from the prisoners and the pithecus on the roof morphed together around Orson. He touched down beside the broken remains of the unloading framework. He scanned the deck for his crew and even his HUD did not find them in the mass of bodies. There were broken and burned bodies all along the platform. So many had fought to leave and live and would not. But more survived. These cheered for Orson and for freedom.
ULTRADENSE AIRBORNE PROJECTILE ¨C LOW COLLISION PROBABILITY (<1%)
Orson watched the boulder fly over the crowd. It struck the final armor and bowled it over the edge of the platform. The mechanized suit tumbled from the cliff. Orson found his crew when he found the source of the boulder, a woman with bloody hands. Enoa stood beside her. His HUD found her face when she removed her helmet. Then Dr. Stan did the same, where she stood beside the cart. They waved. New text filled his HUD¡¯s view before he could join them.
SAW-WINGS ¨C REORIENTING TOWARD YOU ¨C ATTACK POSITION
IHSA FRIGATE ¨C REORIENTING TOWARD YOU ¨C ATTACK POSITON
Orson looked at the scattered defenders and their blasters. Their only chance at escape was in skimmers that would travel near the ground. And there were still four Saw-wings circling beneath the frigate, now angling toward him. It swung away from its position at the valley-center, so fast that Orson could see rocks swept along the mountaintops in its wake. Orson touched his hand to his goggles. He reopened the direct Aesir tightbeam channel. ¡°Hey, Ruby, what¡¯s your ETA?¡± ¡°There is no Estimated Time of Arrival,¡± Ruby answered. ¡°The Aesir has already arrived near your present location. Energy use for camouflage measures is very high. Power supply will be exhausted in less than forty-one standard minutes under current usage. Would you like¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go after the big ship. If a Saw-wing comes close to shooting me, blast it, even if that gives away your location. Stay hidden otherwise. Actually, if I get blown up, reveal yourself and pick up the crew. They¡¯ll find you, if you appear. Do you understand?¡±
SIGNIFICANT ARTILLERY TARGET LOCKED ¨C COLLISION 65%
(INCREASING LIKELIHOOD)
¡°You suggested a detailed course of action¡ª¡± Ruby began. Orson flew before the voice could finish and before he bothered to answer. He fired his repulsor, all power. He arced low, down from the perimeter, below the frigate¡¯s central axis and below the heaviest guns, the Naval style cannons that would sit above water if the vessel traveled at sea.
TARGET LOCK ¨C SMALL BATTERY EMPLACEMENT
TARGET LOCK ¨C SMALL BATTERY EMPLACEMENT
TARGET LOCK ¨C SMALL BATTERY EMPLACEMENT
More target locks appeared before he had a chance to count them all. The text began scrolling, too many weapons found him, locked on, prepared to shoot him down. Orson fired the lantern before any of them acted. He swung sideways as he flew, and poured the fire up at the ship. He twisted his hand across the handle on the lantern¡¯s damper. The fire turned white-hot and then blue without touching the sword. The blast intensified, and he saw the ship¡¯s shield come alight from the touch of the heat. But the great ship didn¡¯t fire on him. It waited, delayed by the gunners¡¯ fear and surprise or delayed by the power draining to the overworked shields. Orson flew with the fire. He held the lantern outward, still pouring blue fire, so much heat that Orson felt it even through his coat. He felt the stone of the lantern warming. It was too hot for any insulation to hold back the heat completely. Sweat coated his skin from head to toe. It poured down his legs and arms and ran in his eyes even with the goggles tight to his face. But Orson didn¡¯t stop. He held out the sword and, with his thumb, slipped the disruptor to the blade¡¯s edge. Metal clicked and bound to metal. The sword flickered when it doubled in size and a second wave of heat hit him. The third wave of heat passed over him when Orson broke through the frigate¡¯s fire-weakened shield, flying through at the point of contact. And then he was inside and the slight golden glow from the shield was below him. He flew, hugged close between ship and shield. He twisted the lantern closed, its stone now so hot it warmed his skin through his armored gloves. With his other hand he raised his sword. He held it high and stabbed it into the underbelly of the ship¡¯s metal skin. Some of the guns fired as he went, joining their own energy and light to the nova that cleaved the ship¡¯s great, long hull. But none hit him through the blue flames. Orson disemboweled the frigate. He flew with his sword buried in the ship¡¯s belly until the golden shield glow flickered and failed below him. Then the sound of the Saw-wings returned, all around.
TARGET LOCK ¨C INCOMING FIGHTER CRAFT
TARGET LOCK ¨C INCOMING FIGHTER CRAFT
TARGET LOCK ¨C INCOMING FIGHTER CRAFT
Orson cut his propulsion. His repulsor stopped. He fell away from the ship. The warnings faded from his HUD. He pulled the disruptor from the sword. He fell. He dropped, far from the Pinnacle, down near the center of the valley. He saw the twisted wreckage of cannons and fallen ships ¨C a shipwreck graveyard on dry land. Orson sent a counter burst through the repulsor to slow his fall. He looked back and searched for the Saw-wings and for what had become of the frigate. More sweat ran through his goggles and in his eyes. They filled with tears and everything went blurry. Even the new scrolling text in his HUD was unreadable. ¡°Ruby!¡± Orson yelled. ¡°Catch me! Show me where you are!¡± The Aesir appeared beneath him. Even blurred, he knew it. When it dropped its full camouflage and fired its boosters to meet him, he would have known it blind. It popped into visual existence, already flying to catch him and to save him. But there were explosions over him and more shrieking Saw-wings and he could see none of it and all of it might kill him if he was sloppy or gave in to his exhaustion or if his luck faltered. ¡°Rad shields only, Ruby!¡± He fired the repulsor again, boosting toward the top of the blur that meant the Aesir. ¡°Open the skylight.¡± He saw light appear at the ship¡¯s roof, even as the Saw-wings homed in on him and opened fire. Orson sheathed the sword and touched down on the Aesir¡¯s roof. Two explosions hit the shield as Orson fell inside. They jarred the Aesir hard enough to drive his ribs into the lip of the roof door, hit him with enough force that even his own armor shoved the air from his lungs. But Orson was home. He fell inside and pulled the hood and goggles from his face. His coat was too drenched to wipe his eyes, but he didn¡¯t need to see. He knew where he was from the sound of his engines and from the sound of the automatic countermeasures that awakened the ship¡¯s Incursion Cannons. And he knew the distant chattering sound that could only be the still-penned Wesley. ¡°We¡¯re almost done, buddy!¡± Orson blinked away the sweat and tears and slid into the pilot¡¯s seat. He saw the frigate. It was crashing in slow-motion and spewing fire. He saw debris and machinery and flailing shapes tumbling from his long incision. One of the Saw-wings still circled the doomed ship, escorted it down toward its final resting place. The other three fighters flew at the Aesir. ¡°Damn, we really need the others.¡± Orson took the controls. He aimed the Incursion Cannons dead ahead. ¡°Ruby, keep firing the tri-cannon at twelve O¡¯clock. I¡¯ll try to fly us so you hit something.¡± The roof cannon opened fire without reply. A steady stream of bolts left the gun, aiming nowhere, all of them scattering off into the open air. Orson set his hand on the Incursions¡¯ firing controls and barreled straight ahead. He charged the fighters in close-combat chicken. Lighter and faster versus his heavier shields and versatile guns ¨C could he cut them down before they wore away his defenses or he wasted all of his power? He didn¡¯t have to. Two quick boulders struck one of the fighters. They soared right through the smaller ship¡¯s particle shield. The attacks bent metal and wing. The fighter spiraled away from its formation. Lightning took the second. A forked strike of iridescent, purple lightning fell from the clear, open sky with enough voltage to burn through a Saw-wing shield as the lantern had burned through the frigate¡¯s. The second fighter lost its propulsion. It shut down. Orson actually saw all its lights wink out. It fell. The last fighter made a spiraling maneuver, spinning away from Orson and from whatever projectiles had struck down its fellows. ¡°Ruby, where did he go?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Do you mean the Saw-wing fighter that was previously marked as an immediate hostile?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Orson yelled. ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°It has changed course and is now flying away from your present location.¡± ¡°He ran away?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Would you like me to keep watch on that vessel?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Please.¡± Orson watched the frigate continue its slow, labored descent toward the valley. Even with all he¡¯d done, some repulsors were still struggling to hold it up, but black smoke engulfed the falling ship. The final Saw-wing gave up on it. That too flew away from the valley. It offered no fight. Orson sent the Aesir up and around the falling frigate, and he could no longer see any of the enemy fighters. By the time Orson brought the Aesir to a stop beside the perimeter ledge, no Liberty Corps forces were in sight. The sky was clear. 134 - Ignitions Enoa was still watching the fire blooming from the bottom of the frigate when she heard the new explosion above her. She ducked away from the sound and pressed herself back against the Pinnacle¡¯s outer wall. ¡°Look!¡± Dr. Stan pointed over her head. ¡°Is that Jaleel and Kol?¡± Enoa looked up. ¡°It¡¯s them.¡± She knew them, even fully armored. She knew the sight of Kol¡¯s shield and knew the sense of his Shaping. And she knew it was Jaleel by the way he moved and by his presence in the air around him. The two faced each other, arms between them, clinging to a fast-descending cord. One of Kol¡¯s projections arced around their heads. Above them, a double-length window was broken open and leaking smoke. ¡°Stay where you are.¡± Melanthymos stood between them and the lowering cord. ¡°Don¡¯t block my view now. I¡¯m helping your loud friend.¡± She raised a boulder half as tall as she was. She guided it one-handed by her fingertips and held it high above her head. She struck it with the flat of her other palm. The boulder soared away, shot through the air like a cannonball. Enoa watched it fly out over the crowd and over the valley. It curved, swung aside in midair toward a trio of Saw-wings. When had the Aesir arrived? She saw it then, firing all weapons toward the Saw-wings, rocketing straight at them. Another rock soared from Melanthymos¡¯s hand. It followed the first. The rocks flew, one after the other, and one after the other they struck a fighter. The fighter broke. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough stone work to take them all,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°Hopefully, your friend is as good behind the wheel as he is with his fire.¡± Lightning took a second fighter before Enoa could answer, purple lightning that shot down out of the clear sky and burned right through the Saw-wing¡¯s shield. The last Saw-wing turned aside and fled down the valley. ¡°That lightning wasn¡¯t anything of ours,¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Was it?¡± ¡°No. Nothing of yours.¡± Melanthymos pointed farther down the platform where two prisoners stood. One held a long wooden object to the wind and it glowed with the color of the sudden lightning. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Max asked. ¡°The fighters attacking the Aesir were stopped by enigmas,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°The Aesir looks clear to land.¡± ¡°I thought they killed everyone else!¡± Melanthymos shouted toward the prisoner with the glowing weapon. The purple glow faded, and the man turned his bright blue eyes back toward her. A worn, leather satchel hung at his hip, over his prisoner jumpsuit. ¡°I survive.¡± He answered slowly, and he smiled. An accent was obvious even across those two words. ¡°You are¡­ You know earth?¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± She walked around Enoa and Dr. Stan. ¡°I didn¡¯t think a non-caster could hold a man like you against his will. How did they do it?¡± ¡°My wand.¡± He lifted the wooden implement. ¡°My¡­ My things. They help. They¡­¡± He gestured to the Pinnacle. ¡°They take them. They take me.¡± ¡°Did they force you into the work program?¡± Melanthymos spoke softer as she approached the man, until her words and the other prisoner¡¯s reply were lost in the noises of the gathering escapees. ¡°I¡¯m glad the release worked.¡± Jaleel said. Enoa heard him above the crowd, and she found him and Kol approaching along the side of the building. ¡°I was scared we¡¯d have to leave it there, and this is the only one I have with me.¡± He stowed an arrow back in his quiver. ¡°You used that to carry us and you didn¡¯t know if it would work?¡± Kol followed after him. ¡°How were you a successful bandit, not knowing if your devices work?¡± ¡°One, I was sure the grappler would carry us,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The retraction mechanism is totally different. Two, how were you a Team Rocket-style bad guy if new inventions freak you out?¡± ¡°I suppose I deserve any nickname you choose.¡± Kol nodded to Enoa and Dr. Stan. ¡°But how exactly was I a children¡¯s anime villain? I don¡¯t remember attempting to steal anyone¡¯s pets.¡± ¡°You one hundred percent deserve nicknames,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But you¡¯re being too specific with the details. You wear white, you chased my friends for thousands of miles, and ¨C pets or not ¨C you had thiefy schemes that always ended in you getting blown up. You¡¯re totally Team Rocket.¡± ¡°So I should trust every mad scientist I happen to meet?¡± Kol knelt at the cart and slid the door aside. ¡°Max, I was afraid you¡¯d be gone when I came back, and I¡¯d find you leading a battle somewhere.¡± ¡°I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t be back.¡± Max reached out and clasped Kol¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s a rare thing, even now, for you to find trouble where I can¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He had me to help.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Hey, nobody called me a mad scientist before. And my arrow came when I called it. Good day, after all.¡± ¡°Real Elvish rope,¡± Max said. Jaleel chuckled again. ¡°Finally! Years with the archers and nobody got my references. Enoa and Orson don¡¯t get my references. But you two are keeping up!¡± ¡°He only knows mythology and folklore,¡± Kol said. ¡°Tolkien¡¯s the rare exception.¡± ¡°This must be how Sergeant Hale felt,¡± Enoa sighed, ¡°when we were talking about all the Shaping and stuff. It¡¯s like you guys suddenly start speaking in Mandarin. I think I¡¯d understand that just as much.¡± ¡°I get to make my references, I just saved you,¡± Jaleel said, with pride. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a bad bit of rescuing, was it? Now, I think that¡¯s two you owe me.¡± ¡°I was going to thank you, but owe you?¡± Enoa said. ¡°And when else did you save me? I saved you from Nalrik. He would¡¯ve blasted you with his arm cannon if I didn¡¯t go running after you.¡± ¡°I saved you twice just today!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But now that you mention it, you also owe me for stunning me, way back on the Solar Saver. The floor was wet. That really hurt. I almost feel bad for all the guys I zapped today with my arrows.¡± ¡°You were there to terrorize everybody and have your friend beat up Orson.¡± Enoa shook her head. ¡°No way. No way! I don¡¯t owe you anything for that.¡± ¡°Is this often what it¡¯s like with them?¡± Kol asked. ¡°No,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Today¡¯s a special occasion for everyone.¡± Enoa had no chance for a sarcastic answer. Several bipedal, furred shapes leapt to the deck, falling into view from somewhere further up the side of the outer wall. A woman in a long lab coat clung to the back of one of them. They came within feet of the assembled crew, and all the prisoners parted for them. They ran toward the Aesir, as it came to a floating halt beside the ledge. Orson stepped from the ship. The furred escapees howled and waved to Orson as they passed. As one, they swung over the side of the platform and dropped out of sight. ¡°Wookiees too!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°This place has everything.¡± ¡°I should have a camera,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Teddy love to see them, even if they are not Neanderthal hybrids?¡± Enoa waved again when Orson found them all, in the crowd. He returned the gesture. ¡°Alright everyone.¡± Orson spoke through his distorting microphone. ¡°This ain¡¯t the post-riot afterparty, and we are in a lot of danger. Let¡¯s get these skimmers and trailers together and get you the hell out of here.¡± * * * Captain Christian Davard stood at the center of fictional carnage, holograms of broken towers and a sky full of hostiles above them. The shapes moved in full color, small darting enemy fighters, guns hanging from their tails like insect stingers, with larger vessels sending death down from the clouds. All craft moved above a fictional massacre, gutted skyscrapers, some with only missing windows, others broken and leaning together. Some lay in misshapen masses of metal, all of it rendered in high detail on the bridge of the Manifest Destiny. An entire reality was generated to view on all the command ship¡¯s monitors. Somewhere at the surface of the destroyed city there would be bodies, remains of people who never were and never lived. ¡°Final trial,¡± Davard said. ¡°Now, Fighter Coodinator, I want all Saw-wings in our shadow. Disperse those Hornets. Guns, probe the shields of those Dragons. I want us stationary, full repulsor power and full shields. Comms, have you located the distress signal?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Communications Lead spoke at her station. ¡°Shall I dispatch rescue craft?¡± ¡°Yes, prepare our forces.¡± Davard raised his datapad and watched the actual feed from Hangar 1. He watched full squads of troops marshaled for the survivors of an attack that had never happened. He saw the search and rescue team, a team of drone minders, and a team of urban specialist troopers. ¡°How many Hornets are we seeing, Sensor Team?¡± Davard looked up from his datapad. ¡°I see three clusters, sir,¡± Sensor Lead answered. ¡°Only two bombers.¡± ¡°There may be a third,¡± Davard said. ¡°Keep your eyes open. This coordination is¡ª¡± ¡°This coordination is precisely what we¡¯re lacking now.¡± A new hologram appeared in the center of the bridge, this one just a blue-gray ghost. But this one stood like a giant among the fake carnage, a real man and a real message. ¡°My lord.¡± Captain Davard jumped to attention. ¡°To what do we owe this honor?¡± ¡°Emergency, Captain,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°Intruders and a prisoner escape. I have need of the Destiny. Move your ship to Valley Position Six and dispatch your Dactyls in a targeted perimeter. Your stations should be updating with the specifics.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Davard said. ¡°Deactivate simulation. Show me Emperor Valley.¡± The hologram changed. The algorithmically-generated city, its towers, and its dead were gone. In their place was real carnage, real death. Two frigates were lying, burning, at the valley floor, several of the defensive cannons broken beneath them. Even from aerial scanning, Davard could see holes in the Pinnacle¡¯s roof, gaping openings. Some issued smoke. One opening looked large enough to fit a full dropship. A sensor officer gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t bother raising communications,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°Our escaping prisoners have seen to that. There was no coordination, not until I reached you with my own private tightbeam.¡± ¡°You heard him.¡± Davard raised his datapad. He saw new feeds, statistics of prisoners escaped, the video of an enormous monster melting the frigate Mapiya, and a mass of moving flame cutting into the Hemera. He saw Saw-wings splitting from their formations, scattering in all directions after fleeing creatures and aircraft. ¡°We¡­¡± Davard cleared his throat. ¡°We can function as a communications hub. We may be able to restore your other transmissions, and we will move to Valley Position as soon as all systems are set and all forces return to battle stations.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°And seek out any congregating forces. I was unable to coordinate with Sir Hiram¡¯s armor and his trained prototypes. All were lost.¡± ¡°My God,¡± Davard said. ¡°We¡¯ll scan for any active beacons. Who could do this, sir? Who could come here and free these prisoners?¡± ¡°Orson Gregory and his crew breached our defenses,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°They stole information from our main terminal and freed these prisoners as cover for their escape. They¡¯ve hit us when a large portion of our forces are off-base, and without our communications we could not retrieve them. This should all be in your reports, Captain.¡± ¡°Of course, sir.¡± Davard switched his datapad display away from the feed of the carnage and back to a report of freed prisoners. ¡°We have a hit, sir,¡± Scanner Lead called. ¡°Several beacons are converging on the unloading area. Sir Rowan, sir, and his full incapacitation equipment. All eight generators. He appears to be moving toward a gathering of escaped prisoners there. I also detect an unusual propulsion signature. Sir! The Aesir is there!¡± ¡°Hail Sir Rowan,¡± Davard said. ¡°We¡¯ll bring him into the lord baron¡¯s plan.¡± ¡°No,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°Let him be. We will coordinate without Rowan.¡± ¡°He is working at your command?¡± Davard asked. ¡°He is not,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°This is the second time today Rowan has chosen to operate as an individual. His future will depend on the results of this choice.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± Davard said. ¡°Continue marshaling forces, Captain,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°Many have fled. But there is time enough to show the intruders the full consequences of this invasion.¡± * * * Enoa stood with Jaleel and Kol along the far edge of the perimeter walkway. They watched Sergeant Hale step up to the side door of the first skimmer. The pilot¡¯s and copilot¡¯s seats were occupied. ¡°We don¡¯t know what we face out there,¡± Hale said. ¡°I¡¯d rather be the last to leave here, but someone needs to try this. These cables should be individually powered so they can¡¯t just be shut down, but somebody¡¯s got to test that too. And I can¡¯t float boulders or cut airships apart. Whatever¡¯s out there, I¡¯ll face it first. And whatever is still here, you¡¯ve got more dangerous folks than me to help. Hope to see you all again. Thank you.¡± He shook hands with Melanthymos and Orson. Hale stepped inside and shut the hatch behind him. The skimmer and trailer leapt from the deck to the cable. Its descent began, and it quickly passed away from the ledge. ¡°We¡¯ll try to get both skimmers boarded.¡± Orson called through his mic. ¡°As soon as everyone¡¯s in, we all go home.¡± He walked through the crowd. The crowd parted around him, all going to one skimmer and trailer or the other. Melanthymos walked away toward the left line. ¡°What are you and your brother doing, Kol?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Are you getting on a trailer, or are you gonna keep helping direct traffic and leave with us on the Aesir?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kol said. ¡°That is your captain¡¯s decision, and he¡¯s a hard man to pin down.¡± No more stragglers came from the Pinnacle. The last hiding noncombatants or wounded filled the edges of the crowd, surging toward the last, best escape routes. Most were young men and women, recent political prisoners or fighters. Some looked very old or very unwell. How long had they been prisoners, captive during the change from official IHSA to Liberty Corps? Others looked very young. Some children were among that number, though none of these were airborne. ¡°I think Dr. Stan made that choice for him.¡± Enoa pointed to the scientist, who struggled to move the cart alone back toward where the Aesir was hovering, further along the ledge. ¡°Kol, why don¡¯t you help her? Just get in. Orson won¡¯t argue if you¡¯re already inside and everyone else is gone.¡± ¡°Yeah, why not?¡± Jaleel clapped him on the back. ¡°You earned it, Unabomber.¡± ¡°I usually don¡¯t ask about your references, Jaleel,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But you said that name like ten times. Is Unabomber another movie character?¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± Jaleel shook his head briskly. ¡°He actually is a crazy terrorist guy. He¡¯s this¡ª¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Kol spun to Enoa. ¡°Hear what?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°You won¡¯t hear it,¡± Kol said. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Enoa, you said you can see changes in the air ¨C that¡¯s how you sense Shaping? Well, I hear things. And I hear Shaping. I hear something new, right now.¡± Enoa could see the new Shaping when she looked, like faint clouds drifting along the outer walls of the base, spreading out at the ground, coming together around them, encircling everyone trying to escape. She knew the sight of the moving gas ¨C like she¡¯d known the sight of Shaping during the fight in the Crystal Dune Forest against Sir Rowan and his students. ¡°Rowan,¡± she said. ¡°Again?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We beat him today already! Today! We actually should¡¯ve shot him for real.¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming from everywhere,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Can he have that many Shapers working with him?¡± ¡°Max and I were captured in a gas attack,¡± Kol said. ¡°He may make the gas, but there could be more than one way to distribute it.¡± Enoa nodded and forced her way ahead, staff first, toward him. ¡°Orson!¡± She waved over her head until he turned back to her. ¡°We¡¯re being gassed somehow. I think it¡¯s something to do with Sir Rowan. The gas is moving in around us.¡± ¡°What?¡± Orson pressed a hand to his visor and looked toward the base. ¡°Some air motion there, yeah. Dammit! Can you and Man Bun split up? You take one side, he takes the other, try to hold this back? My HUD says we¡¯ll have everybody loaded in a couple minutes.¡± And when he spoke more, his voice projected again. ¡°Everyone, load up the trailers. Everyone fits. Everyone fits!¡± ¡°So Kol and his brother are coming with us on the Aesir?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Can¡¯t leave them here at this point.¡± He spoke in his normal voice. Then his repulsor ignited beneath him and he soared away again, back toward the top of the base. Enoa found Jaleel and Kol staring at her. All three stood at the break in the crowd, where the uncounted mass divided and poured up the ramps into the trailers. One of Hale¡¯s force stood at each ramp, watching the crowd. And they watched her too, now that Orson had gone. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold it back without help,¡± Kol said. ¡°But I will take the right. Please get Max aboard your ship.¡± ¡°I wonder if the unloading arm can get him aboard,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We need to take the cart anyway. The floppies and Max¡¯s wheelchair, and all his stuff would get loaded at the same time.¡± ¡°Do you really think¡­¡± Kol trailed off when Jaleel ran away through the crowd. Then he turned aside and forced his own path, angling toward the edge and the oncoming gas. Enoa took the opposite way, and the crowd parted for her raised staff. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m following you to the Alliance.¡± Melanthymos stood at the end of the line, facing the old lightning-wielder and his young friend. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of government supervision for this life. I may need to get off the bus early.¡± ¡°Perhaps we go with you.¡± The old man said more in at least one other language, maybe more than one. His young friend nodded. Then another woman approached them through the crowd, replying in a language of long syllables. She was tall, and rail-thin, as pale as the Jim androids. Her hair was true-silver, and seemed to catch the sunlight and add its own faint glow in the reflection. ¡°Wait.¡± Melanthymos nodded to Enoa. ¡°What problem now, Cloud girl?¡± ¡°Gas,¡± Enoa said. ¡°They¡¯re trying to gas us.¡± The silver-haired woman spoke her strange language again. Her deep-gray eyes were wide. The old man answered her. ¡°If you can sense it,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Help. If you can¡¯t, just go.¡± She rounded the edge of the crowd and passed Jaleel at on the controls of the nearest working unloading arm. ¡°Alright, just hold steady.¡± He shouted toward Dr. Stan and Max in his cart. He shot her a quick glance when she walked by. Enoa cleared the framework and pushed at the oncoming gas formation. She knew her own influence, and she remembered the pocket of air she¡¯d made for herself during Sir Rowan¡¯s last attack. So she did the same thing. She pushed the air, seized it like it was a solid object. It felt like Sir Rowan¡¯s work, like the distortions and combinations he made for his poisons. But it moved back when she pushed it, and she advanced with it, shoving it further and further away from the transports. A new explosion sounded behind her. She looked into the sky and found Orson standing on the top of a flying gray box. She could see the gas pouring out from it. And she could see the edges of Orson¡¯s sword as he buried it in the metal. The gas faded away as the box crashed down, far back along the roof, and Orson flew again. There were more such devices floating above the Pinnacle. Enoa could not hear the sound of Orson¡¯s repulsor over the roar of the crowd. And the prisoners ran then from the explosion, even faster toward the trailers. The roaring was still constant when the bare-faced Sir Rowan and his trunk-helmeted apprentice fell from the sky toward her. Enoa recognized them before they landed. She knew the sight of their Shaping in her mind. And she looked up to see them falling, just before they met the platform. And she knew the subtle sight of coiling air beneath the apprentice. Enoa was already moving when he flew at her. She rolled to the side as the apprentice passed overhead. She stabbed her staff into the cushion of air beneath him. It exploded. The apprentice yelled as the blast tossed him aside, where he fell toward the platform. The apprentice caught himself on another air cushion, and he poured a new green gas from his helmet. The gas rose above Enoa, spreading out, forming a wall that blocked the platform ahead. Sir Rowan¡¯s bloodshot eyes watched her, and she could see the misshapen flesh beneath his chin wobbling as he struggled to breathe. But he didn¡¯t speak. Enoa held her bubble of clean air. She stepped away, and kept watch of both attackers in her periphery. But then the apprentice sent out a new burst of green gas. It poured toward the escaping prisoners, heavy and fast. Enoa could almost feel the potency of its poison. Like light casting shadow, she knew the poison where it touched her own breathable air. Enoa ran at the Shaper apprentice. He flew again, held by his cushion of air. He sped right at her, pouring the poison at her and her protections. Enoa dove aside, let him fly over her again, raised her staff again. But then she wasn¡¯t aiming for the swirling gas that held him airborne. She aimed for him, for his body as he flew, still spewing poison. Her new explosion sent the apprentice to the ground, his breastplate cracked. Even then he poured another noxious plume from his helmet ¨C right at her face. He sprayed it out with enough force to puncture her protections. Enoa held her breath, and she struck again. She brought her staff down into the apprentice¡¯s face. The helmet collapsed inward, metal and the head beneath crushed flat. The apprentice didn¡¯t move. Enoa stumbled away from the last poison plume and from the unmoving apprentice. She reformed her pure air bubble, packed it firm again like rebuilding a broken wall of snow. ¡°It¡¯s a tragedy I need to kill you,¡± Sir Rowan said. And the remaining poison gas moved again, encircling her and her small supply of breathable oxygen. ¡°We could have been so much. I wanted to learn you and teach you, but now I have to kill you. Even with you, so exquisite. You¡¯re one of a kind, but the baron would not understand. So now, now that you¡¯re tired, it¡¯s the end.¡± Enoa was tired. She had never worked so much. Fighting for what felt like days ¨C their escape seemed endless. Enoa heard another explosion, probably Orson still at work. But could she turn aside to him or even to Jaleel, closer at hand, without losing her focus? Why had Sir Rowan allowed her to fight his apprentice without intervening ¨C just to tire her out? Or had he learned his own caution toward her? Would she be forced to do the same to Sir Rowan as she¡¯d done to his student, a last strike from the staff? Enoa backed away, toward the edge of the perimeter. She forced her clean air through the swirling poison. Could she goad the knight into moving toward her? Or was her Bullet Rain finally strong enough to fight him, strong where it hadn¡¯t been when they¡¯d first crossed paths? And could she find that strength in herself after so much fighting and with no easy water supply? Sir Rowan strengthened his walls around her, packed the poison tighter, like he was bricking her in with gas that could crush her and her protections. She could see nothing but the swirling walls of green all around her and Sir Rowan, as if the escaping prisoners and her crew were gone, worlds away. She faced a simple choice ¨C fight Rowan or be crushed. She took a single step toward him. ¡°Now, you come to me willingly.¡± Sir Rowan smiled. But his expression was short-lived. His mouth widened in shock when the unloading arm punctured the gas wall and seized him around the legs and belly. The arm reeled back, hauling him through the smoke. He sent out one of his gale-wind breaths, but the arm pulled him out of sight. ¡°Got ya, Sir Pervsalot!¡± Jaleel shouted, also unseen. ¡°That¡¯s three to zero, creeper. You lose!¡± Sir Rowan¡¯s wall collapsed and dispersed. Enoa took a deep breath of her remaining air. She staggered through the fading gas, through the green, until she found the framework and Sir Rowan wriggling in the arm¡¯s grasp. Enoa moved around the trapped knight and came to a stop beside Jaleel and the arm¡¯s controls. Fuzziness spread across her limbs, the start of the first real fatigue she¡¯d felt since the long training in the desert. She almost collapsed against Jaleel, and he wrapped both arms around her shoulders. ¡°I thought the arm would crush him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Like actually mush him. I mean, it grabs stuff fifty times bigger than him. It must have safeguards or something.¡± Sir Rowan began to laugh, his same high-pitched cackle. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything else,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°My last arrows all have pointy ends.¡± He pulled one arm back from Enoa¡¯s shoulder. He looked in her face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°Are we¡­ Are we going to leave him here?¡± Sir Rowan¡¯s laugh deepened, and the sound was louder, like even that was carried by his Shaping. ¡°You fought so hard.¡± He laughed until tears streamed down his cheeks. ¡°But no one¡­ NO ONE is leaving.¡± The sound of his laughter was buried in a sustained klaxon that boomed along the mountains and echoed far between them. * * * The last of the floating gas machines burned beneath Orson¡¯s sword. He saw its emissions dissipating as he flew from it. And he heard the Manifest Destiny¡¯s klaxon before the second skimmer linked to the cable, and while the final trailer was still filling. The supercarrier¡¯s immense sound seemed to come from everywhere, but his HUD¡¯s thermal scanning revealed it. The ship was still cloaked, but the form of its heat showed a monster that swallowed the entire eastern horizon, away from the Emperor Valley and the tight pass toward freedom. But the gap between the Pinnacle and the flagship was barely more than the size of the vessel itself. The Manifest Destiny wasn¡¯t moving, but there was other motion, just above the Pinnacle¡¯s roof. Orson saw a freestanding lift like the one built into the underside of Franklin West¡¯s ship, the Hofvarpnir. But it was larger, and Orson counted several moving figures riding it, all white-armored, officers, Shapers ¨C all knights. Orson¡¯s HUD zoomed in on them. He recognized the scaled gauntlets of one knight, and the sheathed cleavers worn by another. A third was a towering figure, eight feet tall or more and as wide as two other men standing side by side. There was a knight of average build, but his helmet ended in tall antenna that moved against the wind. One carried a sheathed blade on each hip and three more across his back. Another carried only one, but it stretched all the way from the top of his head to the tips of his boots. The knight in the rear was hidden under a voluminous cloak. In the front stood another man, with short gray hair and thin cheeks. Orson focused his HUD on him. The man wore a dark cape and armor decorated with gold and purple and red accents. The raised likenesses of eagles stuck out from the shoulder pauldrons. An ornate sword with a complex guard of interwoven metal bands was sheathed at his left hip. And his belt was lined with heavy cases, a complex array of containers. Some were white like his armor, but others bore symbols or metal accents. Baron Helmont had marshaled his knights. Orson saw where they were headed, toward the far end of the unloading platform, where two figures stood beside an unloading arm with a man trapped in its grasp. Orson flew toward Enoa and Jaleel. Before he cleared the roof, he saw the distant heads of the baron and his knights turn toward him. Orson flew just above the unloading platforms, and he finally heard the metal whine of a second skimmer in motion. He saw the crowd outside the final skimmer jostling each other to board, but had no time to help. He saw Dr. Stan push an open and empty cart from the Aesir¡¯s door, but he took no time to acknowledge her. Orson landed beside Enoa and Jaleel. The man trapped in the unloading hand laughed hysterically at the sight of Orson, hard enough that he went short of breath. He wheezed. Orson saw a hint of white armor, where the man¡¯s shoulders were visible between the curled mechanical fingers. ¡°You never met Sir Rowan,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Did you, Boss?¡± Orson looked at the trapped man, cackling, tears rolling down his cheeks. Even gasping for breath, he didn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°He came after you a third time?¡± Orson asked. ¡°One way or another, he won¡¯t be back for a fourth.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I sense him. Helmont¡¯s coming here.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Orson rested his hand on Jaleel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You kids need to go.¡± Enoa had the dazed look of Thought Fatigue, and she leaned against Jaleel. ¡°No one is leaving!¡± Sir Rowan gasped out the words. ¡°Go back to the ship,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you when the last skimmer connects.¡± Jaleel nodded and guided Enoa away. Looking after them, Orson found the old man, Aneirin, standing there, wand in hand. The earth elemental, Melanthymos was with him. And further beyond them waited Allbrook and the pale enigma woman who¡¯d been rounding out their outlandish quartet. ¡°We could miss our ride,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°If we kill him here can we have a lift with you?¡± ¡°If we finish this now.¡± Orson watched Jaleel lift Enoa back through the Aesir¡¯s door. Dr. Stan and Kol still stood outside. ¡°I¡¯ll fly you wherever you want.¡± Sir Rowan laughter finally died away when the lift touched down to the platform, only yards distant. Baron Helmont stepped from the lift, his knights behind him. He held a helmet under his arm. The design was the same as his knights¡¯, but his was detailed and painted with purple and gold symbols. His other hand rested on the sword hilt. Orson waited for all knights to step from the lift. Then he hefted the lantern, the rock still faintly warm like the hearthstones around an hours-dead fire. Orson opened the lantern at Helmont. The red flame broke before it reached the baron. It exploded out in a starburst. The air around the baron kindled into its own fire, violet tongues of flame that matched the accents on his armor. The lantern¡¯s red fire dissipated. Then the violet faded too. Baron Helmont had drawn his own sword. Its blade wasn¡¯t metal, but fire. A long, thin rapier, it was made of that same violet flame and it burned out from the ornate hilt. ¡°As you can see, Gregory,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I am no pretender, no dabbler or magpie, like you. I know the arts of the fallen covenant. I know their swordplay and their ignitions. You will need more than your lover¡¯s runecraft to reach me.¡± A thick stone disk spun past Orson before he could speak, Melanthymos in action. The disk flew so close that Orson felt the breeze from its passing tug at his coat. The stone broke when the violet fire burned in the air. The disk fell to the ground, its edge hardened like obsidian. Aneirin stepped around Orson, wand raised. A solid red orb grew from the wooden edge, like a water droplet expanding before its fall. The orb sped toward the baron, but the violet fire appeared again. When red and purple met they exploded with a smell like sulfur and a thick smoke that enveloped the unloading station. And Orson still had no time to speak nor to act again. Melanthymos shouted. She yelled first, as if surprised, but then she screamed. It was an instinctual sound of sudden, unexpected agony. She fell to the deck. Orson glanced back at her and his HUD showed her figure contorted on the ground, her fists clenched. The sulfur-smelling smoke cleared, and Orson found Helmont holding three transparent tubes in his free hand, all filled with red. Then there was another, almost-avian, scream. ¡°What¡¯s happening? What¡¯s wrong, Miss?¡± Orson heard Kit Allbrook¡¯s voice beyond the screams. Aneirin called back to him in Manx, and he whispered something else, before stepping around Orson. There was a medallion dangling around Aneirin¡¯s neck, a round pendant with a hole in the center. Green, glowing writing danced around the rim, and it reminded Orson of the fire writing that moved across the lantern. Aneirin raised the wand and swung it through the air, like it was the hilt of an unseen sword. A real, curved blade formed in the air, all of golden light, and it flew at Helmont. Again, the violet combustion formed, but the fire was extinguished when the golden light struck it. The shining light flew farther, right at Helmont¡¯s face. The baron raised his sword and stabbed it into the center of the golden blade with a screech like metal scraping stone. The golden light fought with the sword¡¯s edge, but then it broke and was extinguished, and Helmont was left standing, still unhurt. ¡°There is nothing you know that I haven¡¯t seen, Aneirin,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Lay down your wand and enjoy the fresh air. Now is the last you¡¯ll taste it.¡± ¡°Without noise,¡± Anerin said. ¡°I kill you a hundred times. You learn nothing.¡± He muttered under his breath and raised his wand again. That time when the golden blade formed and flew, Orson triggered his blaster to hand. He fired a volley after the blade, blast after blast after blast. The golden blade broke the violet fire and the blaster shots followed after. Helmont again deflected the golden blade, like the first, but there was no second combustion to take the blaster shots. One energy bolt Helmont caught on the sword¡¯s edge until it steamed away to nothing. One missed entirely. But the last grazed Helmont¡¯s shoulder pauldron and left one of the eagle¡¯s wings melted, the likeness of its feathers smeared together. ¡°Good,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Very good. You learn well, Gregory. You see all the workings even with no understanding of their reasons. But that isn¡¯t enough.¡± Aneirin raised his wand the fourth time, but something shot out from Helmont¡¯s belt. It looked like a twig, but something was wrapped around it that reflected the sunlight. Helmont dropped the tubes in his hands. They floated beside him, and he caught the twig. He snapped it in two between thumb and forefinger. Aneirin¡¯s wand broke. It snapped in half with a small explosion that left the old man stumbling away from the pieces. Orson saw something thin, like thread, sticking from the broken ends that reflected the sunlight. Turned back, Orson saw that Melanthymos was still prone on the ground, but her hands were flat against the deck, and her eyes were open and alert. And far behind the avian keening had also ceased. Orson looked to the floating vials, and he knew then the red liquid inside them ¨C blood. And when the vials had been released, Helmont¡¯s grip had eased as well. ¡°I delayed them for you, my lord.¡± Sir Rowan twisted in the giant hand. He tried to turn back toward Helmont. ¡°I delayed them. Now they are¡ª¡± ¡°I know your motives, Rowan,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a fool. I know all the thoughts of your mind, all your lowest desires. Now, be silent.¡± ¡°Aneirin.¡± Orson took his own chance to speak. ¡°If he can¡¯t hurt you, take the others. Get out of here. I¡¯m figuring out the rules, like he said. When I do, I¡¯ll get through his fire. I¡¯ll break the bastard¡¯s nose for you. You have my word.¡± Aneirin bent down toward Melanthymos. Orson heard strong footsteps and the soft pad of bare feet, but he did not watch after them. The dangling Sir Rowan began laughing again at the threat. Some of the standing knights joined him, but Helmont just raised his hand, fingers pointed toward Orson. The blaster jumped from Orson¡¯s hand. It yanked free, and Orson felt the grip on the metal track and wires up his sleeve. He caught the metal and the cords and held on, but he felt his feet slipping, felt himself dragged across the platform. This was impossible strength, inhuman, magical. ¡°Surprised?¡± The baron laughed as well. ¡°I am too. It¡¯s a joy to know my knowledge can break even the complexity of Ruhland¡¯s shells. Even his metallurgy has its limits, or so we now see.¡± Orson swung the sword and severed the metal and wiring. The blaster fell to the deck and spun away. This wasn¡¯t normal T.K. Orson¡¯s armor was still strong and covered most of him. Orson could have asked for no better reassurance than his encounter with Parade Balloon. That telekinetic had taken no hold on the armor. Had the blaster reached too far from his sleeve, too far from the unfathomed patterns of the armor¡¯s construction? What else could break his protections? Helmont had used the prisoners¡¯ blood against them. The wooden piece had let him break Aneirin¡¯s wand. Could another blaster or similar technology give him that same influence on Orson¡¯s weapon? ¡°Finally, silence,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Now, you can plainly see that you have no true understanding of my power. So fall on your sword. Remove your stolen armor and bury your stolen fire in your belly. And then I will be lenient with your crew. Or I will leave you alive to watch them die, to watch while I learn them and force them to kill themselves first.¡± Orson heard the whine of the last trailer in motion. With any luck all prisoners were aboard, his crew was aboard the Aesir, the floppies were secure. Orson stood alone against Helmont and his knights. Orson pressed his fingers to his visor, opened his comm. ¡°Jaleel, fly now! Go now. Get out of here!¡± The Aesir revved awake, but it didn¡¯t fly. The tri-cannon spit light and death at Helmont and the knights. Their laughter stopped. The air between was suddenly filled with shining shapes. The Aesir¡¯s energy blasts sizzled to nothing amid the metal. Glittering shards swirled around the knights. The Shaper with the scaled gauntlets held his arms toward the swarm. Helmont raised no fire defense toward the Aesir. The baron secured his blood vials, donned his helmet, and he raised his sword. He flew at Orson. It was not a jump. There was no force from his legs. It was Shaping, more real sorcery. The baron was still in flight when he raised his sword in a high thrust. Orson raised his own blade up to parry. The two swords of fire met. Even under the afternoon sun, everything was bathed in the colors of the clashing blades. 135 - Tactum The swords of fire cast a lavender glow all along the perimeter ledge. New color flashed out with each meeting, and white sparks burst into life where the blades touched. Orson blocked Helmont¡¯s first lunge and then the answering riposte. Orson¡¯s arms still knew the recoil of the striking flames. It was a lesson his hands remembered, his grip firm, but fluid, his shoulders set. Helmont¡¯s feet met the deck, and he struck again, all wrist. He aimed a cut at Orson¡¯s belly, then another at his face, then another at his knees. He used the rapier¡¯s reach and polished, simple motions ¨C no movement wasted. Orson stopped them all. He slid his left hand down his sword¡¯s long hilt, gaining reach and losing strength. But he redirected, he parried, he dodged Helmont¡¯s strikes, flash and flash and flash of light, blue-to-violet like the sky at sunset. ¡°Your reflexes are better than I expected,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Did Ophion take up the sword again to teach you, or was it all Master Zelus?¡± ¡°Ophion would¡¯ve eaten you for lunch.¡± Orson saw that the Aesir had stopped firing on the knights, but the roof cannon still aimed toward them. All knights watched the swordplay ¨C Kol too, who remained outside the floating ship. ¡°He taught me to grow my method everywhere I fight¡ª¡± ¡°An amateur¡¯s answer.¡± Helmont snickered. ¡°This is the Griffin¡¯s Way you¡¯re facing now, the twelfth form from the last and greatest house. Their way was the Kings¡¯ Way. The Kings¡¯ Way to kill a sellsword pretender ¨C that¡¯s a fitting thing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want your resume, Baron.¡± Orson brought his sword so close to the rapier that he could see thin arcs of fire meet and clap apart. Their heat shields rubbed together. ¡°When you fight me, you fight me. Not what I¡¯m regurgitating back from some dusty scroll. I¡¯m the best of everything I¡¯ve faced and survived.¡± Orson batted Helmont¡¯s sword tip away. ¡°I fought all twelve of the covenant ways when I was just learning. I was twenty when I helped beat the Ends of the Earth Guild. I fought their fire then and won.¡± Orson stabbed at Helmont¡¯s helmeted face. The strike was pushed aside by a swipe from the rapier¡¯s tip, but Orson turned his blade with his thumb, spun the edge around the rapier. He stabbed again at the baron¡¯s throat. Helmont stepped away, sword in a low guard. ¡°If you were really at Isla de Manos and Norlenheim,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then you saw me fight the gold fire and the dragon-bone swords. Were you there to watch me win, Baron?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rare thing for these swords to meet,¡± Helmont said. ¡°So many now lost to time. I relish hearing the Fyrsang, even in battle against an amateur. What shall I do with Thousand Destiny when you die? Did you and your true master taint it? Should I divide it among my worthiest knights or preserve its history?¡± ¡°This¡¯ll be a great story to tell.¡± Orson aimed a slash up at the baron¡¯s helmet. It was redirected again. The rapier¡¯s tip pushed Orson¡¯s attack aside with another lavender blast. And Helmont advanced, the rapier¡¯s longer cutting edge all between Orson and his target. The blue fire burned broader, and Orson smashed the flat of the sword against the rapier. Explosions burst all down the weapons, but Orson held steady. He slid inside Helmont¡¯s guard, with the full length of flames grappling. He stepped closer, close enough to bring the edge toward Helmont¡¯s collar. Helmont flew backward, and stayed airborne. His boots floated inches above the deck. ¡°When I give this sword to one of my kids,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯ll love to hear about all your gloating.¡± Helmont flew at him again, and Orson braced himself, ready to jump aside or hold steady and weather another volley. But the gale of wind hit him first. Orson heard the scream, and he¡¯d almost forgotten Sir Rowan wriggling in the unloading arm¡¯s grip. The gale threw Orson sideways, off his feet, stance and sword posture gone. Orson fired his repulsor. He righted himself, raised his blade again, fought the still raging wind, howling from the trapped knight¡¯s lungs. But Helmont did not pursue. He dropped both feet back to the deck. He turned to Sir Rowan and walked toward him. The knight took a breath and watched his master¡¯s approach. ¡°I am here to support you, as I have been all these years, my lord,¡± Sir Rowan said. Helmont looked up at him, and he did not answer. ¡°Free me, and we will destroy him together, as we should have fought the Dreamthought traitors almost forty years ago.¡± ¡°I will free you.¡± Helmont rose from the deck again and held himself midair beside the trapped knight. ¡°Yes, I should have freed you long ago.¡± He flicked his glove from his left hand with a turn of his wrist. He touched his fingertips to Sir Rowan¡¯s bare face. He slid them down Rowan¡¯s neck and then out of sight, tight between the knight and the hand. ¡°Thank¡­¡± Sir Rowan¡¯s words ended in a gag and a long, desperate cough, like something had caught, deep in his lungs. ¡°I should have freed you from your lusts.¡± Helmont pulled his hand back. A trickle of blood began from Sir Rowan¡¯s lips. ¡°I should have freed you from your whims and your weakness. I could not fix you, so I should have freed you.¡± Sir Rowan gasped. The blood was not carried by the knight¡¯s breathing. It was like a wound had opened inside him. The blood poured out, like a constant stream of red vomit from his mouth and then his ears and eyes and pores ¨C everywhere, until the knight could not be seen, like he was being turned inside out. Somewhere beneath the discharge, Sir Rowan screamed, but the sound ended, faded, like he was washed away. When the last poured out from Sir Rowan, the knight was gone. Nothing remained of his head, sticking from the unloading hand¡¯s grip. Orson saw clear through to the loose, empty armor held between the fingers. Helmont regarded his handiwork. Orson drew the lantern and twisted it open again. Fire shot toward the baron, still looking away. The violet fire burned in the air around Helmont and met the lantern¡¯s red flame. But now Orson treated the aura like he had the frigate¡¯s shield. He intensified it, opened the lantern to burn white-hot and then burn blue. And then he flew at Helmont to cut through his defenses and¡ª Orson slammed down into the ledge before he could question why. It was like his boot had reversed and thrown him away. Then something pulled him, dragged him across the ledge, lantern still firing into the open air. And Orson rammed into the Pinnacle¡¯s outer wall. He came to a stop there, and only then did Orson recognize the invisible grip on his repulsor. It was the same will that had taken his blaster and dragged it out from his armor. Now it held his right boot, as if it had magnetized it to the deck. Orson twisted the lantern shut. He rolled onto his left side, right boot still tight at the platform. He angled his sword back toward its sheath. The boot moved again. It screeched against the metal, dragging Orson along behind it. ¡°We¡¯re not yet finished with Thousand Destiny,¡± Helmont said. ¡°And for now, I prefer you stay where I leave you. Unlike you, I need no trinkets to imitate the ancient arts. I know their ways. You¡¯re just a man, with no power but what you can teach your muscles. How could you ever hope to stand against me?¡± The baron raised his sword. But he didn¡¯t fly at Orson or move to strike him, from afar. Instead, the baron swung the blade, and an arc of violet fire broke free of the sword¡¯s tip, making another cutting edge. The new blade projected out through the air like Aneirin¡¯s golden technique. It followed the ledge toward the far unloading station where the skimmers had departed, where some might still be taking the long journey back to the valley. The violet light cut through all three magnetic cables before it burned away to nothing. Visible electricity shot from the decapitated docking stations. The three cables fell away from the base and down the mountainside toward the unseen ground. * * * Kol sensed the last two skimmers fall, like he heard their metal hides whistling through the air as they plummeted toward the valley floor. And it was like he could actually hear the screams of those inside, like he heard the distant roar of many voices, a crowd just out of sight. Kol could not sense the first skimmer. He assumed and hoped it had found the ground before Helmont¡¯s attack. But the two that fell, they faced a straight drop toward the ground. He knew that. He sensed it, as clear as if he saw it, as clear as he saw Helmont tormenting Orson Gregory. ¡°I¡¯ll strip you down, Gregory,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I¡¯ll peel Ruhland¡¯s shell from you ¨C or is it a Zelus imitation? I¡¯ll tear it away and plot you. Then you¡¯ll cleave your own head from your shoulders.¡± If Orson answered, Kol didn¡¯t hear him. Kol listened to the falling skimmers, his mind focused far down the sheer rock face, toward the valley floor. Kol reached out to catch the falling skimmers, cushion them both, slow their fall. Looking at the scale of the mountain, it seemed a short way from the bottom of the severed cords to the ground. Kol formed projections beneath them, but then he felt their full weight and their full inertia, and it was like trying to hold a car still with his bare hands. Pain raced down his shoulders, like he¡¯d physically caught them both or like they¡¯d both landed, one on each of his arms. It was weight and pain like the mass of steel that had destroyed his right hand. But this was outside logical explanation. It was all just mental, but still too real to ignore, like the weight would tear both arms from their sockets. Kol tried to lower the skimmers. He tried to find some place where only the task mattered, where the impossible truth of what he was attempting didn¡¯t matter, where only success or failure were real. But then Kol felt a new sensation ¨C numbness, and it was a numbness he knew, sudden and complete. Kol knew the power of Sir Geber when he felt it, but his whole mind and effort were tied to the impossible work to save the skimmers. He had none for himself. Kol dropped both projections when the numbness reached his head. He fell to the deck beside the Aesir. He toppled sideways so he had a clear view of Baron Helmont and his knights beyond. Most still stared at Orson, but Sir Geber looked at him. Both antenna pointed in his direction. Kol was only half looking back. In his mind, he watched both skimmers crash to the valley floor. The second fleeing skimmer dropped only meters, probably less than fifty feet. He felt the end of its fall, felt it break on the ground. The third fell much farther, a thousand feet or more remained. It was still plummeting when Kol heard his name and his concentration was broken. ¡°Kol!¡± Dr. Stan pressed one hand to his shoulder. From the corner of his eye, he saw her raise a blaster toward the knights. ¡°You need to move Kol!¡± Kol could not answer her. The numbness had taken his mouth too, all but his eyes. Nothing else would move. ¡°Jaleel! Now!¡± Dr. Stan yelled. And then there was a tremendous noise, gatling gun volleys or several machine guns. Kol remembered the hidden guns at the Aesir¡¯s front grill and how they¡¯d torn a Sun Talon to shreds. The numbness began to ease. He had feeling again in his face and neck and arms. Dr. Stan helped him into a sitting position. The knights stood behind a wall of shifting metal pieces, like it had been made of swirling shrapnel that absorbed the fire from the Aesir¡¯s guns. But Kol didn¡¯t look for long. He didn¡¯t look at the knights or the baron or captive, trapped Orson Gregory. When the feeling returned to his legs, he let Dr. Stan lead him up into the ship he had pursued so often at the beginning of the year. Kol stepped aboard the Aesir. ¡°It¡¯s his boot!¡± Jaleel sat in the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be. We need to get that baron, and I¡¯ll slice the boot off of Orson. I know how! I¡¯ve seen how he puts it on.¡± Kol allowed Dr. Stan to guide him to an armchair. His head was still spinning, and the tingling became a headache when the Manifest Destiny blared a second klaxon. New ringing in his ears drowned out the soft response Enoa mumbled in reply. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time.¡± Dr. Stan found a seatbelt at the side of the armchair and buckled Kol into place. ¡°Thank you.¡± Max sat across from him on the ship¡¯s couch. ¡°Enoa told us what you did, Kol. That was very brave.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t matter,¡± Kol said. ¡°Did you feel her catch it?¡± Enoa¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Melanthymos stopped her skimmer. She brought up the ground to meet them. You let her save all those people.¡± Kol couldn¡¯t feel it. Even his physical senses were diminished. His mental view of the valley was entirely gone. ¡°Damn, he¡¯s really zonked out, huh?¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d have his help again. What are we gonna do with both our magic people burned out? We gotta save Orson! We have to be smart like Orson would be if it was one of us.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another Shaper coming,¡± Enoa said. ¡°He¡¯s coming to get Helmont.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really going full DBZ on me, now,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Feeling power levels. How do you know he¡¯s coming to fight?¡± Jaleel was answered by a long howl. It was an animal cry, wild and crazed, but with a palpable, human anger. And then Kol felt it too, the rage, like an arrow pointing across the sky at the Baron. Then Jaleel yelled. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± * * * Orson eased his left hand down his side, toward his opposite leg, toward the wiring from his framework and the clasp that held the boot in place. The exoskeleton boot had carried him through the Hierarchia constructor forge. He¡¯d worn it first to fight foe and friend-turned-foe among the bonding metal and death machines. The boot had anchored him to the hull of the Zirukath, the city-killer dragon of the Thunderworks fleet. It held him there to win his HUD and face the half-living endling who ruled that warship. He¡¯d worn it for five years of travels and battles and survival. Now, Helmont had it. Orson hooked his index finger around the first power cable and gave it a quick yank. ¡°No, no.¡± Helmont sent him spinning again, thrown sideways by the boot. Orson lost his grip when he struck the deck, winded. ¡°You stole that repulsion unit, and it now belongs to the Liberty Corps. As justice, you belong to me, Gregory. You will die by your thievery, carried to death by your stolen repulsor and with your stolen sword buried in your heart.¡± Helmont turned him end-over-end so he fell face-first onto the platform. The limited armor at the edge of his hood pressed into his mask and cheek and made his teeth clack together. ¡°How durable are you beneath the shell?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°How long would it take to mash you down to pulp? How much dispersion can your armor achieve? Orson felt his pocketed weapons and tools beneath him. There were explosives that he had no time to arm. There was his second Colchean Man-trap, but no way to move within range to use it. There were annoyances and distractions, his stinks and smokes and his kazoo. Did he have enough air to wield the kazoo outdoors? Save himself and save the boot? But all the lung-power in the world couldn¡¯t retrieve it from his pocket or bring it up to his lips. ¡°I expected your usual wit,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I expected a usable epitaph for you, something to mark your grave. I¡¯d grant you that honor. But silence? This I never predicted. Are you only talkative when you win? Braggadocio from the sellsword? And look at you still holding the blade. Is¡ª¡± The sudden scream silenced Helmont. It sounded human, but modified, as if modified by some audio filter or distortion. The sound came from above. Orson tried to turn toward the noise, but his boot still clung tight to the deck. He didn¡¯t see the new shape until it flew over the top of the Pinnacle¡¯s roof. Parade Balloon shot down out of the sky. The ¡®former human¡¯ test subject once called Kesey brought a storm of torn-free roof tiles and girders flying along in his wake. He sent a rain of steel and stone down toward the platform. The knights gathered behind their shifting iron pieces. Bits of metal bounced from the Aesir¡¯s energy shield. Even near the base wall, Orson felt coin-sized fragments strike and fall away from his coat and armor. The violet fire burned around Helmont again. It turned aside shrapnel and a human-sized chunk of concrete. And when the fire cleared, Helmont no longer faced Orson. Orson slid his left fingers beneath his belly, toward his large hip pocket, where the kazoo waited. He could feel the lump, but he didn¡¯t move his weight to reach it. He didn¡¯t so much as flex the toes of his trapped right foot, and his right hand stayed clenched around his sword. Another vial of blood rose from Helmont¡¯s belt. Kesey took a breath and stared, unblinking, down at the baron. Helmont took hold of the vial, but then it shattered in his hand. The baron recoiled, and then the entire case shattered at his hip. Helmont sent it floating away from his belt without a touch. Several broken vials fell free, their contents splattering on Helmont¡¯s armor and leaking along the platform. Orson reached the pocket with the tips of his fingers, but the full weight of his hips lay across the kazoo. He forced his fingers inside. He forced them beneath his own weight without moving his body, without looking away from Helmont and the telekinetic battle. A lance soared out from the crowd of knights, but it turned around in midair and swung back toward them. The lance halted, shaking. Then the blade bent sideways, and the weapon fell to the deck. Kesey screamed again. All seven knights were bowled over, toppling into one another and falling as if thrown aside by a great wind. More debris flew at Helmont, and two fallen unloading docks joined it. They raised up high, then fell down to crush him. The moment the frameworks fell, Orson forced his fingers deep into the pocket beneath himself. He caught the kazoo between his index and middle fingers. He felt the metal. He twisted it free. It looked like nothing more than tarnished brass with a pair of earplugs twisted around the middle. Orson clenched his fist around it, where it could not be seen. The violet light erupted beneath the frameworks. The metal smoked with an alkaline smell that made Orson choke, but he didn¡¯t move to fix his rebreather. He did nothing to reveal the kazoo in his hand. And Helmont¡¯s grip was still immovable on the boot. The frameworks fell away, one to each side of the baron. Orson could no longer see Helmont, but he heard the man yell with real strain, adding his own voice beneath Kesey¡¯s wailing. A new projectile fire blade flew from the rapier. Orson saw the violet emerge from the far side of the melted framework. It flew up at Kesey. The fire wobbled, but it didn¡¯t stop until it reached the floating man¡¯s throat. Orson stuffed the kazoo in his mouth and filled his lungs by the time the test subject¡¯s remains fell, in pieces, to the platform. Then Orson sent his own blast through the kazoo. The sound was a bass rumble, a ululating cry that echoed through Orson¡¯s head and sent real pain through his ears. The hurt called to mind Sir Rowan¡¯s bleeding, but there was no sense to fear when the only other choice was certain death. He sent more air through the kazoo. He heard a voice cry out from the knights. And the weight eased on his right foot. Orson jumped to his feet. He sheathed the sword and ran. The Aesir had stayed floating at the edge, almost where he¡¯d left it. He could be aboard in an instant if he used the boot to aid him. He didn¡¯t take the risk, but he felt his lungs emptying by the time he rounded the nearest framework. He shot one glance toward Baron Helmont, and he saw the other man, sword still drawn. Helmont had his free hand pressed to the side of his helmet. But Orson didn¡¯t stop. He didn¡¯t pause. He pushed every ounce of air he could through the kazoo, his miniature thought-breaker, and every ounce of strength he could pump into his legs. The Aesir opened for him, and he slowed to pass through the particle shield. He only took a breath when he jumped aboard. ¡°Fly!¡± He yelled when he felt both feet plant firm on the floor of his own ship. He saw that Kol was there wincing, and Max had hands over his ears, and Enoa groaned. The Aesir moved. But Helmont¡¯s will caught the boot before the side door could close. Orson felt his right foot fly from under him. He fell sideways. His head struck the floor, and he saw stars even with his armored hood. The kazoo flew from his fingertips and let out a jingling sound as it bounced away. His boot stretched out behind him. Orson hooked himself in place, his left leg on one side of the doorframe and both arms on the other. ¡°Fly!¡± Orson screamed. ¡°He has me! Fly!¡± He heard yelling and talking and frantic, muffled chattering from Wesley. He felt the Aesir¡¯s engines. He felt the slight rush of air, even through the shield. But the weight on his foot didn¡¯t stop. It wasn¡¯t true pain, but there was a strain at his hips and shoulders, from the leg that would not move and his braced limbs. ¡°Fly!¡± He yelled again. ¡°Can¡¯t get the boot off! Can¡¯t get it off!¡± And the will on his boot pulled him back. Then there was pain at his left leg and his shoulders. The grip was irresistible and his body hurt from the effort to fight it, even with his coat draped most of the way down his legs. ¡°Orson,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°We will hold you in place. Then can you remove your boot?¡± ¡°I have to.¡± Orson saw through tears. Kol leaned down at him. The young man almost fell as he lowered himself to the floor. He gripped Orson¡¯s hands with his own. Dr. Stan grabbed his left foot. ¡°I need my left hand.¡± Orson screamed the words. ¡°Take the right.¡± And Kol did, gripped him flat to the wall with his prosthetic. Orson arched his back, twisted his left hand. He stretched backward, to his knee, to the clasp and the wiring. Both detached. He clenched his toes and pulled his leg back, and he caught the edge of the boot with his free fingers. He pushed down, shoved it lower, jammed his fingers against the metal. Baron Helmont did the rest. The repulsor boot that he¡¯d worn through so many dangers tore free of his foot and flew from the doorway. Orson didn¡¯t even see it fall. He rolled inside and the door cycled shut beside him. The boot was gone. He felt like he¡¯d been stretched, pulled apart in both directions. But his right leg and foot was the worst, like something real and physical had held him too tight to move. Something hit the Aesir¡¯s shields with force enough to jar Orson sideways. Everyone yelled. And Kol seized him and brought him back up to his knees. The room spun around him, but his legs worked. The right foot¡¯s flesh was tender, but he felt nothing pulled and nothing broken. ¡°Saw-wings!¡± Jaleel shouted. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re coming home!¡± ¡°Keep going, Jaleel,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Orson¡¯s in no state to fly. Enoa, do you have the guns?¡± ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± She asked. ¡°I might be able to take over,¡± Orson said. Dr. Stan forced his left arm around her shoulders. She and Kol guided him back to his feet. Orson¡¯s vision swam. The room seemed to spin. Kol reached out both hands toward him again. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°Get buckled in. Thanks, Kol.¡± ¡°Kol? You¡­¡± Kol began to speak, but then he nodded and turned aside. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Another blast struck the ship, and it was close enough to recognize the discharge of a Saw-wing¡¯s double blaster cannon. But the shields held and Dr. Stan guided him forward to the back row of seats. Orson fell into the seat behind Jaleel and buckled himself in place. Dr. Stan sat opposite him. Then the Aesir nosedived toward the valley below. The ship groaned. Orson fell tight to his restraints, and he heard a distant screech from Wesley. ¡°What is that sound?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Is there a wild animal in here?¡± ¡°Animal, yes,¡± Orson yelled. ¡°Wild, debatable. Jaleel, we¡¯re not in a movie! The inertials can¡¯t hold us like this.¡± ¡°Orson, let him work,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Jaleel¡¯s saved each of us at least twice since we got here.¡± ¡°Look at the sensors!¡± Jaleel yelled back. The Aesir leveled out. Max yelled. Kol let out a small, shocked yelp. ¡°He¡¯s watching us.¡± Kol slurred the words. ¡°He can watch me, Helmont. And he can almost watch Enoa and almost watch Orson now. He knows right where we are. There are so many of them.¡± ¡°Not now!¡± Enoa yelled. ¡°I¡¯m trying to ignore that right now.¡± Orson leaned sideways to see the dashboard and saw a screen filled with red. He saw moving Saw-wings and the far right of the scanner was a solid hostile blob that meant the Manifest Destiny. ¡°I haven¡¯t been a passenger in a long time.¡± Orson sat back and watched the green and brown blur of the valley whipping past them. ¡°Aim due west when we get through the valley. Get us out of Liberty Corps territory as fast as you can.¡± But then the blob of the Manifest Destiny moved. Even a quarter turn from the immense ship could bring them in its range. And if the worst came, and the supercarrier descended on them, Orson had no way to fight it. He had no way to grip the roof and fire the lantern into its belly as it pulled them back again. He was stuck on the ground again, landlocked again, the same powerless fool with a sword, just six years older. ¡°Fly as fast as I can?¡± Jaleel laughed. ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous plan, Boss. Enoa, there are way too many to shoot at, so I¡¯m gonna balance shields and speed. Only shoot at something if it gets close or comes right at us. Then I¡¯ll give you more firepower.¡± ¡°Dammit, Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯ve flown this boat, what, three or four times and you know where everything is?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the first thing I flew,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯ve built aircraft before, remember. And I always ride shotgun so I can watch what you¡¯re doing!¡± Orson could see the mouth of the valley ahead, and the last two tower-mounted cannons. ¡°I see one of our skimmers leaving,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna hope that¡¯s the one Melanthymos saved and the first one already got away.¡± As if in answer, there came a sound like a ringing phone from above them. ¡°Do we want to respond to that?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Is the Aesir going to tell us who¡¯s calling? Ruby, can you do that?¡± ¡°We are receiving a general hail,¡± Ruby said. ¡°It appears to be transmitted on a broad frequency, no encryption. Shall I open that channel?¡± ¡°Receive only,¡± Orson said. ¡°Attention Liberty Corps,¡± a low voice spoke from the ceiling. ¡°This is Pacific Alliance Sierra Lead to Liberty Corps. We¡¯re here to watch our people driving home. Thermal scan shows me your supercarrier¡¯s on the move. We see you, so we figured it was about time to let you know we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Look,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯re seeing them on the sensors.¡± Orson leaned sideways and saw a whole cluster of tiny yellow shapes swarming along the far western edge of the screen. The signatures overlapped on the simple display, flying over and around one another, impossible to count or to follow with the eye. ¡°Ruby, how many are we looking at?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I count thirty ships,¡± Ruby answered. ¡°Should I mark these vessels Alliance? Should I mark these vessels ¡®friendly¡¯?¡± ¡°Leave them neutral.¡± Orson the watched mountains shrink around them. Away to the west, everything leveled off to an expanse of flat plain and then forests. Orson watched the red shapes, still on the periphery, but the Manifest Destiny came no closer, and then even the Saw-wings were lost to the edges of the screen. But there were swarming ships above the far horizon, enough to be seen with the naked eye. ¡°They¡¯re the same kind of little ship that flew by when we were at Cartoon Roger¡¯s place,¡± Enoa said. ¡°They¡¯re the wedges, but now they have little fins and guns coming out of them.¡± ¡°The Pacific Alliance has fighter craft?¡± Max asked. ¡°Looks that way,¡± Orson said. ¡°Enoa, are you sure?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Then keep going, Jaleel.¡± Orson saw a sudden change to the endless red blob of the Manifest Destiny. ¡°They¡¯re moving now.¡± Before Jaleel answered, there was a puff like static from the speaker. Then another voice spoke over the open line. ¡°This is Captain Christian Davard of the LCS Manifest Destiny.¡± The man spoke with exact, precise diction. ¡°Any invasion of Liberty Corps airspace will be met with lethal reprisal. Any aircraft that are not pursuing immediate course correction back to your own territory will be met with lethal action. All fleeing craft are prisoners or intruders, and they will be apprehended with or without your cooperation.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Sierra Lead replied. ¡°I see it like this. Either you let our people leave, or some of your folks won¡¯t be going home tonight.¡± The swarm of Alliance fighters left the forest behind, and wove their complex formation over the flat plains. The red mass on the horizon moved as well. Then the Manifest Destiny appeared to the naked eye. Two miles of flying fortress and bristling cannon floated over the eastern horizon. It cast its gargantuan shadow across the mountains and circling Saw-wings beneath it. ¡°What do we do?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°If another fight is gonna happen, are we staying here to help the Alliance? We can¡¯t even contact them, can we?¡± ¡°I may have a transmission frequency,¡± Max said. ¡°Unless those fighters are really damn amazing,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯re totally screwed. Is there anybody still escaping out here? Where are the skimmers, can we find them?¡± ¡°The one with Melanthymos and the old guy is back a mile now.¡± Enoa had closed her eyes. Her hands were nowhere near the fire controls. ¡°They¡¯ll need a while to get to the trees, if they can even fit through there.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Orson said. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll try to get ahold of that Alliance crew. We need to coordinate if we¡¯re gonna¡ª¡± ¡°This is your last warning.¡± Captain Davard spoke again. ¡°Leave our airspace. Do not impede the capture of these prisoners and criminals. If you remain, you will be destroyed.¡± 136 - Wiped ¡°Where are my analytics reports?¡± Captain Davard stood in the center of the Manifest Destiny¡¯s ring of bridge consoles. ¡°What manner of fighters are these?¡± ¡°Details seem to match interceptor profile,¡± Sensor Lead said. ¡°Their motion is distorting our readings.¡± ¡°Do you have anything I can¡¯t learn by looking out the window?¡± Davard asked. ¡°How is our communication grid? Have we established a broad channel? I want phalanx shields for our fighters and our bombers in the air.¡± ¡°Not yet, sir,¡± Fighter Coordinator answered. ¡°All comms are direct line. Still no shield coordination. No system interaction.¡± ¡°And our reinforcements?¡± Davard asked. ¡°Have we made contact with our forces on leave? Have we regained communications with the lord baron?¡± Davard could see the swarming Alliance fighters, marshaled over the flatlands, weaving complex aerial patterns. And he saw the Aesir, just above the ground. He knew the twin blue drive glows. It moved farther and farther away from their tractor beam range, every moment that they stayed over the Pinnacle like a mother bird guarding her clutch of eggs. ¡°So far only tentative signals, sir,¡± Sensor Lead said. ¡°We did begin the wide alert. There are skimmers gathering personnel in the Summiton village, focusing on Shapers, strike force units, and data and medical specialists. But that will¡ª¡± ¡°But that will be of absolutely no use against these unknown vessels or the escaping Aesir,¡± Davard said. ¡°Prepare U-Cannons and PDCs.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Artillery Lead said. ¡°Leave the Saw-wings in their defense formation,¡± Davard said. ¡°We¡¯ll need direct messages to all fighters. Then we proceed without support. The Aesir¡¯s escape cannot be allowed. Crucial intelligence theft is reason alone for hostilities with the Pacific Alliance. All commands¡ª¡± ¡°Stand down.¡± Baron Helmont¡¯s blue-gray hologram appeared again in the center of the bridge. ¡°Stand down, Captain. I appreciate your crew¡¯s preparedness, but we are in no position to engage with the Aesir and these unknown craft, all while deaf. If your vessel were damaged in the engagement, without fighter support, there would be too few defenses for our own holdings. This action would mean war with the Alliance, and our resources are far better spent elsewhere.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± But Davard again caught the shrinking shape of the fleeing Aesir, passing now closer and closer to the Alliance swarm. ¡°But what of the information stolen? How can we let that fall into enemy hands?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Captain Gregory is no friend to the Pacific Alliance. Remember, he¡¯s an anarchist, Captain. All that matters now is we reach the Dreamside Road Keyholders before Gregory can warn them or intervene. We have a delicate timetable ahead, Captain. So stand down, and we can regroup and begin our key collection in earnest.¡± * * * Orson was watching the Manifest Destiny when it vanished again, returning to the red thermal sensor mass. The sunlight shone through and reflected across the circling Saw-wings and illuminated the sharp mountain peaks. ¡°Look,¡± he said. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°They¡¯re turning around,¡± Enoa said, her eyes still closed. ¡°I think they¡¯re letting us go.¡± ¡°We must¡¯ve cost them too much,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Too expensive to chase us, just like THX Eleven Thirty-eight. Classic.¡± He kept the Aesir aimed away from the mountains. Soon, even the horizon-swallowing mass of the Manifest Destiny would not be seen with their distance and trajectory. ¡°I swear you make up some of these on the spot,¡± Orson said. ¡°You just come up with a name and know I¡¯ll forget it before I can find out.¡± The Alliance ships still gathered over the expanse of plain. They did not shift course or break formation. ¡°Angle us around them,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m not inclined to get pulled over by them either, even with them helping us out. No offense, but I didn¡¯t disembowel a spaceship just to lose everything to another concerned authority.¡± ¡°We may be in no position to refuse,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Now would be a good time to figure out any record-sharing agreement we might propose. I know the most important information is likely a nonstarter for you, Orson.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Orson remembered the grip on his repulsor. He felt the true helplessness he had not known for years. It was no tool or weapon of his long travels that had held him in place and saved him. ¡°But I¡¯m not travelling alone anymore. It isn¡¯t just up to me.¡± ¡°Captain Gregory,¡± Max said. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you plan to go from here, but now may be a good opportunity to announce yourself to the Pacific Alliance and make arrangements to drop us off. I hope that is your intention for us, at any rate. You certainly have my thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Orson said. ¡°Yeah, Jaleel, not to throw more at you, but we¡¯ll need to make some arrangements. Maybe we can keep this from being a whole thing. Ruby can walk us through¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Kol said. ¡°I can¡¯t go¡­ I can¡¯t go yet. I need to find Duncan. And I need to make things right. I need¡ª¡± ¡°Kol, you¡¯re going into Thought Fatigue,¡± Max said. ¡°Just relax.¡± ¡°Look,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s good we had this bonding time, but¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Kol interrupted again. ¡°We can¡¯t leave. We can¡¯t. Enoa¡­ I couldn¡¯t make things right in Littlefield, and there was no opportunity until now. Enoa, I¡­ I would have told you in Littlefield, but Brielle, Major Rinlee, attacked us.¡± ¡°Told me what?¡± Enoa¡¯s voice suddenly had none of the unfocused detachment of her Shaping. She sounded totally present. ¡°My division of the Liberty Corps had some of your papers,¡± Kol said. ¡°After the rest was returned, we kept them. I did. Some of your aunt¡¯s business records ¨C we thought there might be a clue in the correspondence about the Dreamside Road. There wasn¡¯t, but there was a letter to you mixed between them.¡± ¡°My letter.¡± Enoa didn¡¯t yell. She fell back against the seat. She closed her eyes again. Orson sat forward, ready for an explosion that didn¡¯t come. Everyone else went silent. ¡°Of course you have it,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Of course you do.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kol began. ¡°I¡­ We¡­ We had very little, and we have it all together. You¡¯ll have it. It will not take long for someone to find.¡± ¡°Do you¡­¡± Enoa still didn¡¯t shout. She rested her hand across her face. ¡°Do you have any idea how much worse this all was because I didn¡¯t have it? That letter was supposed to show me the way to a real teacher, a member of the Dreamthought Project who saved the children the Hierarchia was experimenting on. Does Helmont know the way to them now?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kol asked. ¡°No! There were no directions, no map, or¡ª¡± ¡°Remember,¡± Orson said. ¡°Enoa, your aunt hid the coordinates with some system. That¡¯s what she said on her video.¡± Enoa nodded. ¡°I would have given you everything that day in Littlefield if I¡¯d had the chance,¡± Kol said. ¡°But it¡¯s away from everyone. It¡¯s safe. It¡¯s in storage. No one has it. No one¡­¡± He struggled with words, and Orson couldn¡¯t tell if it was fear or guilt or Thought Fatigue that held him back. ¡°Everything is at a self-storage business off of Route Sixty-Six.¡± Max spoke up. ¡°Not far from Littlefield. And perhaps we do have some distance yet to travel together. Until Kol recovers.¡± ¡°You knew about this too?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°We tried to hide it from him,¡± Kol said quickly. ¡°Duncan and I did. We knew he would never¡­ He would never do what we¡¯d done.¡± What else did Kol know? Orson had almost forgotten the tortured young man¡¯s former mission to find the Dreamside Road. Despite what Kol and Max said, what they believed, was this how the island was found ¨C Kol¡¯s robbery of Enoa, months before? ¡°Enoa,¡± Kol said. ¡°We¡¯ll tell you how to get there. I wanted to give it back¡­ I didn¡¯t want us¡­ I didn¡¯t want to have it. But I never saw you again. We were captured. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°But you read it.¡± Enoa interrupted. Her voice was still level and her eyes still closed. ¡°I¡­¡± Kol began. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time for this.¡± Orson spoke before anyone else could. ¡°Kol, Max, I¡¯d appreciate it if you stuck around until we got this sorted out. I have an idea for lodging, and I¡¯ll pay for the two of you somewhere totally comfortable and safe until we get you set up with the Alliance. It won¡¯t be more than a day or so until we get everything resolved.¡± He leaned out of his chair and rested a hand on Enoa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°Alright? We¡¯ll talk about it.¡± She nodded. ¡°I imagine this is the most reasonable solution we¡¯re likely to find,¡± Max said. ¡°You know, somebody really needs to tell me where we¡¯re going next!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Are we really just gonna fly right past the Alliance guys?¡± The swarm of fighters still gathered far above and to their right. They did not break formation as the Aesir neared. ¡°Give them a wave and keep going unless they hail us directly,¡± Orson said. ¡°Flash the headlights. Do whatever.¡± The Alliance ships gave no sign of changing their pattern. ¡°I get you,¡± Jaleel chuckled. ¡°Fly casual.¡± He blinked the headlights, and he honked the horn. Jaleel literally waved through the windshield. Enoa joined him. Orson and Dr. Stan leaned forward to do the same. No response came. The Aesir¡¯s cabin fell silent again, all quiet but the distant chirps from Wesley. The Alliance ships maintained their pattern, and then the Aesir flew beyond them and fast approached the line of trees that stretched from horizon to horizon. ¡°Where next?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Get to a safe distance and slow down so I can look through my junk,¡± Orson said. ¡°I have to find the map of old truce territory. We¡¯re going to hide on land that my former teacher, Ophion, used to protect.¡± * * * ¡°INTRUDERS. PRISONER ESCAPE. FULL ATTACK. RETURN TO BASE.¡± The synthesized voice said the words. Then the pinging siren sounded, three staccato beats and then ringing, three staccato beats and then ringing. It repeated, looped every sixty seconds. Operative Divenoll¡¯s comm was still looping the direct alert when he found the nearest roving skimmer that wandered the streets of Summiton. Other Liberty Corps personnel rushed from the prefab houses and shops, some half-dressed in their armor. Divenoll realized he still held his beer stein, as he stood a block from the trailer-turned-pub. He downed the rest and sat the empty mug on the sidewalk before he crossed to catch the skimmer. ¡°Liberty Corps Special Operations.¡± Divenoll found the skimmer with seats to spare. There was a fire team of Rifle Troopers, two Lieutenants in white, and a whole science team with lab coats draped over their arms. ¡°Leave now. I¡¯m needed.¡± ¡°We have only a few seats left to fill, sir,¡± the driver said. ¡°We¡¯ll be on our way¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ll go now,¡± Divenoll took a seat. ¡°I¡¯m needed now, Corporal.¡± Two more Rifle Troopers came aboard while he strapped himself into place, but then the door slid closed. Someone outside shouted, but then the skimmer lifted from the ground and left them behind. ¡°On our way, sir,¡± the corporal said. The village of Summiton passed around the skimmer ¨C neat grids of identical homes and nothing but identical Liberty Corps-issue cars and SUVs on the roads. Then the skimmer moved beyond the town to the dirt track that skirted the hills toward the Emperor Valley. The Manifest Destiny filled the northern horizon. It floated there in plain, imposing view, direct line of sight. ¡°INTRUDERS. PRISONER ESCAPE. FULL ATTACK. RETURN TO BASE.¡± The synthesized voice repeated. It called out from the comm at Divenoll¡¯s hip and from those held by other troopers and lab techs and from the pilot¡¯s dashboard, all with moments¡¯ delay, like echoes. Divenoll drew his comm again, searched its message controls and sound controls and alarm settings. ¡°Surely, there must be some way to silence the new comms,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°We are all well aware of the emergency.¡± One of the lab techs chuckled. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Updating the system for new alerts might silence it,¡± the tech said. ¡°Should we try that?¡± ¡°Either that or everyone¡¯s comm but mine is exiting the rear hatch.¡± Divenoll updated the alerts. The ringing alarm stopped mid-beep. Then the device pinged again. ¡°Restoration and recovery efforts are now to begin. Please check your mailbox for details.¡± That message sounded only once. When Divenoll set his comm aside, the Manifest Destiny had disappeared from view, cloaked and invisible once again. Even from that distance, Divenoll saw heavy, black smoke coiling from the top of the mountain. Something burned at the Pinnacle Holdfast. ¡°Jesus!¡± The driver swore. ¡°Mister, uh, Divenoll, I¡¯ve got another message for you. Do you have a device on you to receive a transmission from the Lord Baron Helmont?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see it your main monitor.¡± Divenoll stood. The inertial compensation was only slight, and he gripped other seats as he walked toward the front. ¡°Respond now.¡± Divenoll reached the dashboard. On the monitor, he saw the source of the smoke and fire. The Pinnacle¡¯s roof burned in four places and was broken through in a dozen more. One crater was large enough to be another hangar. Two of the proper hangars looked collapsed shut. The front unloading area was broken, multiple lines severed. Several capital ships lay along the mountainside, shattered, defensive artillery beneath them. But then the image changed to a feed of Baron Helmont. He stood just outside the Pinnacle, surrounded by seven of his knights, amid indistinguishable wreckage. ¡°Lord Baron.¡± Divenoll inclined his head. ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡± ¡°You¡¯re needed,¡± Helmont said. ¡°The damage is quite extensive. Your studies of combustion and fire were always valuable, but they are now invaluable. I will be sending a dropship to collect your skimmer and ferry you directly here. I will not wait for the cables.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°If I may, what happened? I did not have immediate access to anything but my comm in the village.¡± ¡°Infiltration,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Mass breakout. Many are dead. There are now five vacancies in my circle of knights. You¡¯ve wanted a seat for years, don¡¯t deny it. You may win a title in my circle, in the days ahead, if you succeed for me, and if you survive.¡± ¡°You honor me, my lord,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°And you have my word that your faith will be rewarded.¡± * * * Kol followed Orson from the Aesir. They¡¯d landed in a wide, grassy clearing, surrounded by old pine trees, with trailing mosses and dense foliage hugging their roots. Two phone booths and a tall post clock stood in the center of the clearing. One of the phone booths looked relatively new, mostly glass, its surface pristine. The other was not maintained. It looked to be covered in years of grime, and it was partially overgrown with vines and ivy. A heavy padlock hung from its loose door. Some of the vines stretched inside. Both booths had the word ¡®TELEPHONE¡¯ stenciled across the top. The clock was a complex, antique design, with four faces and brass ornamentation. It rested on a thin support, decorated with ornate gingerbread. Most of it was cast iron, with more brass accents and markings. All three structures stood on a wide cement base. The grass was trimmed neatly around it. ¡°Did the Pacific Alliance bring back phone booths after destabilization?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a payphone since I was a little kid.¡± ¡°There¡¯s an inn nearby where people can hide for an extra fee.¡± Orson handed Kol a small scrap of paper. ¡°It¡¯s way more complicated than that, but that¡¯s the gist of it. But I can¡¯t just show up. I have to make an advance reservation, and I can¡¯t make that call from just anywhere.¡± ¡°Which explains the strange phones in the middle of nowhere with no telephone lines and I¡¯m assuming no satellite or other cellular connection,¡± Kol said. ¡°I want to know how it works too,¡± Jaleel called from the Aesir¡¯s doorway. ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t make a lot of sense. Kol¡¯s right, there¡¯s no way there¡¯s an underground cable this far. Oooooh, is it old and magical, like the typewriter?¡± He stepped from the Aesir. ¡°Can I come along and take a look?¡± A figure appeared out of thin air the moment Jaleel¡¯s booted foot touched the ground. She materialized without sound or sign. Kol recoiled. Jaleel jumped backward. Orson laughed and began to slowly walk forward. The woman wore a dark, hooded cloak over layered plate armor, all shades of black or gray. Small red gemstones dotted her gauntlets and greaves and the choker around her neck. The armor at the stones danced with crimson writing that moved like fire, like the writing on Orson¡¯s lantern. The woman¡¯s red hair was draped across her left shoulder. What was visible under the hood was twisted into a series of complex braids and knots. It was ceremonial and complicated, in twisting patterns that confused the eye like an optical illusion. There was something familiar about her face, the command and color of her green eyes. She stared past Kol and Orson toward Jaleel. ¡°Look at you,¡± Orson said. ¡°It would be you now.¡± And Kol recognized her then, just before she spoke. ¡°Liberty Corps,¡± she said. ¡°You already know me, and you know the power that I have. I am Sirona Birgham, and I hold the peace now. Ophion and the Montgomerys made a truce with your Hierarchia, and they led the peace, but now it is mine to hold. You will leave this place or I will know it. You will leave all shielded lands or I will know it. You will not return or I will know it.¡± She raised her hand and the air above her fingertips burst into orange fire. A gout like a flamethrower leapt high above her head, and all the red jewels on her armor began to glow, and the writing flickered as if it too burned. But there was no heat from the immense flame. There was no rush of warmth, and Kol noticed then that her booted feet faded toward the ground. They made no imprint on the grass. ¡°It¡¯s an illusion,¡± Kol said. ¡°Jaleel.¡± Orson stepped sideways, blocking the figure¡¯s line of sight toward Jaleel. The fire now swirled above her, pinwheeling with enough palpable force to make her cloak billow around her and send bizarre shadows onto the untouched grass. ¡°Get back in the ship, Jaleel. Whatever this is knows your armor. Kol¡¯s armor is probably just too beat up and dirty to trigger the warning.¡± ¡°No wonder you¡¯re still super into her.¡± Jaleel stepped back aboard the Aesir. ¡°She¡¯s as threatening as you are!¡± Orson didn¡¯t answer him. He watched the illusion, while her eyes followed Jaleel. When the ship¡¯s door cycled closed, and he disappeared from sight, the image of Sirona disappeared too. Orson sighed, and it was a heavy, forlorn sound. Kol waited for him. ¡°Anyway,¡± Orson said slowly. ¡°The people who work where we¡¯re hopefully gonna stay, they¡¯ll probably want to talk to you. They might ask you some questions.¡± ¡°What kind of questions?¡± Kol asked. He lifted the paper Orson had handed to him and read the untidy scrawl. The Lodge at the Eldest Oak Lost in the woods package Wheelchair accessible accommodations ¡°I¡¯d tell you more if I knew how they do things.¡± Orson drew a second paper and pen from his pocket. It was a full sheet, all covered in writing, some of it scribbled away or crossed out. He crossed out more and pressed the paper against his knee to write again. Kol noticed the shining black boot ¨C like new, on his right foot. ¡°This would be a helluva lot easier if I knew these people, but I stayed at this place one time, about nine years ago.¡± He walked straight through the grass toward the phone booths. ¡°I should¡¯ve figured they¡¯d have a warning like that. I¡¯m sorry, but the important thing is, you¡¯ll be totally safe as long as you follow their instructions and assuming nobody followed us here.¡± At the clock, Kol turned left toward the new phone booth, but Orson waved a hand at him. ¡°Unless you want to make an actual phone call,¡± Orson led him toward the ivy-covered booth. ¡°That¡¯s not the one you want.¡± He wiggled his right foot and boot as he walked. ¡°Still didn¡¯t break in this damn thing.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re threatened just for having Liberty Corps armor,¡± Kol said. ¡°What happens if we led someone here?¡± Kol sensed little but the motion of the trees. The only Shaping disturbance came from Enoa. Kol sensed her, back in the Aesir. She sounded different now, discordant, like a harsh resonance, just on the edge of his hearing. She hadn¡¯t spoken aloud since they¡¯d left the Emperor Valley far behind, but her mind had been anything but silent. He heard her. He knew. All of it because the letter was found and kept from her, because it had been opened and read. ¡°Well, I can probably persuade my ex-girlfriend not go cook us, if that¡¯s what you were worried about.¡± Orson twisted a combination into the padlock. ¡°God, I hope they didn¡¯t change this.¡± But it clicked open. The interior wasn¡¯t glass, and there was no sign of the overwhelming, clinging vines. Inside, everything was all wood grain. It was perfect, an antique preserved from some other era. A strange, earthy aroma wafted out through the doorway, like flowers and deep undisturbed forest. ¡°How?¡± Kol stepped around the phone booth. He slide the vines aside and looked through the translucent glass. He saw the vague shape of a telephone inside, but he did not see Orson. And he could not be seeing through the wooden interior walls. ¡°Is it all fake?¡± ¡°Another illusion,¡± Orson said. Kol heard him dial the rotary phone inside. ¡°Yes, operator, I¡¯d like the Lodge at the Eldest Oak. Thank you.¡± Kol rounded the booth and found Orson with the phone handset to his ear, his paper in hand. ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to make a reservation,¡± Orson said. Kol heard a muffled voice reply. ¡°Thanks. You too. I hope you¡¯re having a calmer day than I am. Actually, I¡¯m making two reservations, both ¡®lost in the woods¡¯. One, I¡¯ll need garage clearance, twelve feet. I¡¯ll be staying on my ship with my three crew members. The other¡¯s for two guests and needs wheelchair accessibility. I can give you all the names if you want.¡± More muffled speech. ¡°Gregory,¡± Orson continued. ¡°I¡¯m Orson Gregory. Sorry about tripping your warning, but we needed to disguise ourselves in some Liberty Corps uniforms. It¡¯s been a busy morning and one of our group didn¡¯t have a chance to change. He was driving.¡± The voice on the other end spoke faster, and deeper. Kol could hear the precision of the speech, but none of the words. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You¡¯re really going to make me go through the whole thing?¡± Kol felt a sudden claustrophobia, like the trees were closing in, like the circle around the phone booth had receded. He looked back toward the Aesir and it seemed impossibly far away, some shape at the edge of sight. ¡°You¡¯re really making me do this?¡± Orson sighed again. He unrolled his paper and read. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m Orson Gregory, captain of the Aesir, and I need to hide from your enemies and mine.¡± He read faster as he went, his words stronger. ¡°I was the last student of the wizard Ophion when it was the threat of his power that protected you. I carry the seal of the forbidden tower and the sword once named Thousand Destiny. I was the confidant of Sirona Birgham. I shared the trust and the secrets of your lady protector. She has my full trust in all things. I fought your enemies today. I crossed fire with an agent of the Hierarchia. I fought a remnant that would conquer the worlds seen and the worlds beyond. I have need of lodging and secrecy too, and I have the coin to pay for it.¡± He groaned and crumpled the paper in his fist. ¡°Are you happy now?¡± The voice returned to normal, a single sound, almost definitely ¡°yes¡±. ¡°Great, so are we good?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Standard deal, midnight check-in, no wandering around between dawn and dusk, that stuff?¡± The voice spoke again and Orson answered with Kol¡¯s name. ¡°Kolben Maros. His brother Maxwell uses a wheelchair.¡± And then Orson was handing the phone to Kol, and Kol took it before he had a chance to question what he would be asked to do. ¡°Hello, Kolben Maros.¡± A cool, nondescript voice spoke, high in pitch, but probably male. ¡°How are you this afternoon?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± Was even this basic greeting some interrogation, some trick? ¡°I¡¯m tired. How are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasant day,¡± the voice answered. ¡°We expect a pleasant night. Would you like to join us?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like somewhere safe to stay,¡± Kol said. ¡°Captain Gregory is arranging lodging for you. You would stay of your own free will, without subterfuge or coercion?¡± Safety waited for Kol with the Pacific Alliance ¨C the safety of modern weaponry and tangible strength, the kind of strength he¡¯d known and admired all his life. But penance waited with the Aesir crew, helping Enoa and helping Duncan. He wouldn¡¯t have access to the floppies if he and Max left early. Only staying could give him that chance of finding his friend. Otherwise, that information was lost in the destruction Dr. Stan secretly worked at the Pinnacle. ¡°I am,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯d like to stay, if you¡¯ll have us.¡± Orson gave him a concerned look, but Kol ignored it. ¡°That depends,¡± the voice said. ¡°Did you stumble through the looking glass, or did you step inside with your eyes open?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kol considered. He could not judge the right answer or the correct one to give. ¡°I used to think I did everything with my eyes open, but now I¡¯m not sure. There are a lot of things I¡¯m not sure about now.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll see clearer after a nice rest,¡± the voice said. ¡°We¡¯ll see you tonight, Mr. Maros. Have a pleasant evening.¡± Then the line went dead. * * * Divenoll was already on the terminal level when the local alarm sounded. He held the remains of a reel-to-reel tape, half melted, burned clear away during Orson Gregory¡¯s rampage. The charred tape disintegrated, powdered to ash and dust as he slid it free of its plastic casing. ¡°It will take intense review to determine if anything can be saved.¡± Divenoll shouted over the whooping alarm. He handed the misshapen casing back to the local tech, surrounded by the cooked wreckage, melted metal and plastic. Divenoll didn¡¯t take the hallway back to the terminal. He followed the newer, faster route, the way Gregory had carved through the walls of the base. Some of the edges were still warm to the touch, but Divenoll knew the heat. He could feel it. He stepped from room to room, through more tape recording facilities and storage, through a room of destroyed vinyl records, all pooled together like melted candles. He moved last through a room lined with disk storage. No shelves stood at the room¡¯s center. Those around the walls were untouched from Gregory¡¯s passing. Divenoll found the terminal hallway filled with Shapers. Sir Geber stood there with two initiate iron Shapers and one of Sir Lezander¡¯s now teacherless pupils. They and a team of jumpsuit-wearing data techs all faced the closed elevator doors. ¡°Dangerous time to go climbing, Chace.¡± Geber nodded. He spoke so softly that Divenoll could scarcely hear him above the alarm. ¡°Lethal time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Divenoll whispered back. Geber walked away from the procession, back toward the terminal. Divenoll followed him without a word. Geber said no more until they stood beyond the interface room¡¯s doorway. The room stood empty, but light glowed from the main monitor. ¡°Sir Rowan knew they were here,¡± Geber whispered. ¡°The intruders ¨C Gregory and his pups, but he warned no one. Instead, he tried again to capture the Cloud girl and failed, twice.¡± Divenoll had traded blows with Gregory and survived. For all his association with flame, the Aesir captain had been less than prepared to face it in return. ¡°Gregory is slippery,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°His pups are less dangerous.¡± ¡°Hear me,¡± Geber said. ¡°The lord baron melted Sir Rowan for his disloyalty.¡± ¡°Melted him?¡± Divenoll pictured the fire the baron carried, a quick violet burst from the inherited sword. ¡°Fire?¡± ¡°He liquefied him,¡± Geber corrected. ¡°He touched him and whatever molecular bonds that held him as a man just fell apart. He turned to blood and viscous solutions, and the maintenance crew had to hose what was left off the unloading platform.¡± ¡°But Sir Rowan betrayed the lord baron¡¯s trust?¡± Divenoll said. ¡°And wasn¡¯t that the true folly, believing concealment was possible?¡± The elevator arrived before Sir Geber could answer. Baron Helmont stepped from the lift into the terminal hallway, two more techs trailing after him. ¡°Sir,¡± one of the techs stammered. ¡°We don¡¯t¡­ We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re looking at, sir. It¡¯s all asterisks and names, sir, even the local backups. I¡¯ve never¡­ I¡¯ve never seen something like this. I¡¯m afraid it might be a trap, sir.¡± ¡°Someone shut off the alarm.¡± Helmont forced his way ahead. He walked around the techs and Shapers without acknowledging Divenoll or Geber or any of the other assorted Liberty Corps troopers who followed in their wake. The baron entered the interface room. Divenoll watched Helmont through the doorway. He came close enough to see the baron standing alone at the main monitor, but did not follow Helmont inside. ¡°These names are League of Nations scientists,¡± Helmont said. ¡°The rest are the Air Force personnel who died failing to hold the Crystal Dune Laboratory from us.¡± Divenoll could see scrolling text, but no particulars. ¡°What is it, my lord?¡± Sir Geber leaned into the room, and his helmet¡¯s antennae twitched under his arm. ¡°Bring the encrypt team down from the library annex,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Call them now. Our offsite copies may recompile much of this. This may be overwritten, but not wiped away.¡± ¡°Wiped?¡± Sir Geber¡¯s voice was very small. ¡°A last wound from the Aesir crew,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Thirty years of records gone. Thirty years wiped away.¡± He clenched his fists. The room filled with palpable heat. Even Divenoll stepped away from the door. Liquefied him. ¡°They stole our records,¡± Helmont continued. ¡°They took them from us, but we know enough to predict the next moves. We know quite enough to meet them on the road.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± Sir Geber asked again. ¡°Alert all commands.¡± Baron Helmont¡¯s voice returned to its normal pace and tone. ¡°We gather supplies and equipment. We rally our forces and the full Balor battle group. We make sail for Knightschurch and the Dreamside Road.¡± 137 - Preparations for War and Survival Orson returned the pay phone¡¯s handset to its hook. ¡°Alright, now we just need to kill the next few hours until we can drive over.¡± Kol leaned against the booth wall, eyes half-closed. ¡°Drive? Isn¡¯t flying the entire point of that ridiculous camper of yours?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call the Aesir names.¡± Orson stretched around Kol and shoved the booth door ajar. ¡°That¡¯s pushing your luck. We¡¯re less than a hundred miles from your old friends in the Liberty Corps, and I deliberately ignored a Pacific Alliance squadron. So no flying. Now come on.¡± He clapped Kol on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve had weirder people than you nap on my couch, but I¡¯m not dragging you back to the ridiculous camper.¡± Kol nodded and stood up straight. Orson followed him out of the booth. He shut the door and locked it again. His hand brushed through the ivy. He felt the leaves and followed them to the place where they seemed to creep inside the broken door. But Orson could see the trick of it. He saw its truth, that the door was not broken. It fit snug and the ivy stretched right to the top without breaking through. The worn, exposed hinges and the gap along the top were false. The illusion carried no depth, like a vintage movie backlot, the fa?ade of a building with no rooms behind it. The phone booth was solid. ¡°Look.¡± Kol nudged his shoulder. Orson turned and followed the line of Kol¡¯s sight toward the far group of trees. Dark and twisted trunks wound together, like a living fence. There was motion there. Faint silhouettes moved. ¡°Is this another illusion?¡± Kol asked. ¡°Another trick?¡± Orson pulled his goggles to his eyes, and he tapped his left hand¡¯s fingers against his palm. He looked for the trigger that wasn¡¯t there. The blaster and its whole length of framework were gone, also lost to Helmont. But Orson saw heat. There were three shapes, all bipedal. One looked faint and oddly slender, the limbs long and uncanny, but all meant life. ¡°I hear them too,¡± Kol whispered. ¡°I sense them.¡± A blue shield projection appeared at his left hand. ¡°I might recognize them.¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re sure to recognize this.¡± Orson reached up toward his sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°No need for that, Gregory!¡± Someone shouted from the far line of trees. ¡°And you can put your strider eyes away too.¡± Doryssa Melanthymos stepped from the trees. Her long hair caught in dangling moss and splayed out all behind her. Aneirin followed after her, and he ducked beneath a gnarled tree trunk. Only their friend, the pale enigma woman passed easily into the clearing. She slipped between branches like water over rock. ¡°We left the skimmer before they went on to some secret Alliance border base.¡± Melanthymos led the group from the trees. ¡°I¡¯ve had more than enough government hospitality in my life.¡± ¡°Did Allbrook go with the skimmer?¡± Orson asked. ¡°He got out alright?¡± ¡°Young Kit is well.¡± Aneirin massaged his right hand with his left. He stretched out his fingers and grimaced. ¡°He went to the Alliance hidden fortress.¡± Melanthymos took Aneirin¡¯s right hand gently between her fingers. ¡°We¡¯ll get that looked at as soon as we can.¡± He rested his left hand across the backs of her fingers. ¡°And your hands,¡± he replied. ¡°They¡¯ll get used to stone work again,¡± she said. The young enigma began to whisper in her own language. She shot a furtive glance to Orson and then to the phone booth. Aneirin replied, but she raised her voice and talked over him. ¡°This place is real?¡± Aneirin asked. ¡°It is no trap.¡± ¡°It connects to the Wayfarer Network,¡± Orson said. ¡°If that¡¯s what you mean.¡± ¡°The Hierarchia had places like this set as traps,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°For travelers who were not protected by the registered cultures.¡± ¡°This is how they captured me,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°I make a call, and the noise begins. Then I am surrounded. Hierarchia. I have lost enough years.¡± ¡°Damn, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°Well, this is the real deal. I¡¯m guessing the hidden signs led you here?¡± Aneirin nodded. ¡°I can get you in to the phone. There¡¯s an inn not far from here that will let you stay for free, at least for a while. I know the current proprietor.¡± ¡°Your love?¡± Aneirin asked. ¡°She protects you too.¡± ¡°We saw the tail end of her message.¡± Melanthymos smirked. ¡°She¡¯s cute. Couldn¡¯t see much of her with the cloak and the armor, but I like her braids. I recognized the pattern for ¡®burn you alive¡¯. Sounds like your kind of woman.¡± ¡°Sirona keeps the protections now, yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°Her illusion should¡¯ve told you this place was real. If somebody used her threat as a trap, she¡¯d show them a taste of the real thing. The Inn at the Evergreen Forest is only a six or seven hour drive from here, and there used to be transportation that you could schedule. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been this way, though.¡± ¡°You are estranged?¡± Aneirin asked. ¡°She lets you¡­ You keep her fire.¡± The enigma woman whispered again in her own tongue, but Aneirin only nodded in response. ¡°The lantern was a gift,¡± Orson said. ¡°And we¡¯re, you know¡­ We still get along just fine. But no, we¡¯re not together. Anyway, should I get you inside¡ª¡± ¡°Not good,¡± Aneirin said. He pointed his left hand toward Orson¡¯s side where the lantern still hung from the sword¡¯s sheath. ¡°That is a gift from love.¡± ¡°Sometimes it just doesn¡¯t work out.¡± Orson fought and failed to keep the frustration from his voice. ¡°Now, do you want me to let you inside?¡± ¡°Please,¡± Melanthymos said. She waved to the enigma. ¡°Syly, we¡¯ll find a way to call your family. Don¡¯t worry, dear.¡± Aneirin also spoke in the lyrical tongue. Syly fell silent. ¡°Kol,¡± Orson said. ¡°You can start back toward the Aesir.¡± The younger man had both eyes closed again, and the way he swayed on his feet did not look like Shaping. ¡°Jaleel will let you in, okay?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kol gave a quick nod toward the new arrivals. Then he turned back toward the ship. ¡°If you talk to the operator.¡± Orson unlocked the phone booth again. ¡°They still do it the same way. Just tell her that you fall outside of the standard protections, and you should be set.¡± ¡°I have gold,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°We will stay close. We do not want a six hours drive. We are tired.¡± He reached to his satchel and shook it. It jingled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what money the nearby businesses take.¡± Orson opened the booth door again. ¡°I won¡¯t be much help for you there, but there is a place not far from here, the Lodge at the Eldest Oak. The operator can set you up with them too. That¡¯s where we¡¯re staying. If you stay there too, you can come the rest of the way with us.¡± Melanthymos stepped inside. Aneirin hesitated on the threshold. He held his hand to the doorframe. At his touch, a circle of light began to glow above the ¡®Telephone¡¯ sign. It was a symbol, a crest in the shape of a tree, encircled inside a crescent moon. Aneirin smiled. He pulled his hand away and the light faded. Then he shoved his left hand into his satchel almost up to his elbow. He stepped up into the phone booth. Syly stayed outside. She shivered and tucked both hands under her armpits. She turned away from Orson and looked around the clearing. ¡°I have a connection coin,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯ll need one of those too.¡± ¡°I have a coin.¡± Aneirin continued to rummage through his satchel. ¡°It was not taken. It is somewhere¡­¡± ¡°ORSON!¡± Jaleel shouted. Orson looked up at the sound and found Jaleel standing at the Aesir¡¯s open doorway, hands cupped around his mouth. ¡°Messages!¡± Jaleel shouted. ¡°Typewriter messages from everybody!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Orson looked back into the phone booth. Aneirin and Melanthymos stood close with the earpiece held between them, already connected. Orson ran back across the grass toward his ship. ¡°What happened now?¡± Orson jumped aboard. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But I went in my bunk and papers were all over the place. I think Eloise sent like fifteen messages. Two of them are just your name.¡± ¡°She was the same way when I had a phone she could text.¡± Orson shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s hear them, I guess.¡± Both Kol and Max sat on the couch, neither more than half-awake. Dr. Stan sat at the computer station, floppies stacked on the floor beside her. He saw no sign of Enoa. Jaleel pulled a small group of papers from the table and began to read. ¡°¡®Orson, you idiot!¡¯¡± Jaleel read. ¡°This one is Eloise, by the way.¡± ¡°I figured,¡± Orson said. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°¡®What are you doing trying to rob the Pinnacle with just information you bought? I might have something you can use. I have broken bones, Orson. I didn¡¯t have my eyes gouged out. I can read. I could¡¯ve helped you get information.¡¯¡± Jaleel switched pages. ¡°¡®If you die there, I¡¯ll have a s¨¦ance just to yell at you. Do you know that? I¡¯ll get ahold of that friend of Haydn¡¯s, the college paranormal guy. I¡¯ll get him to pull you back, so I can call you names.¡¯¡± ¡°¡®I¡¯m going to keep doing this, Orson. I¡¯m going to keep it up until you answer me!¡¯¡± ¡°¡®Now I¡¯m hearing about you freeing monsters. If you get melted, some other idiot will find my messages all over your floor.¡¯¡± ¡°Is there anything else, uh, substantial in any of that?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Because if not, maybe we¡¯ll skip ahead.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Jaleel shifted through more pieces of paper. ¡°These are the ¡®Orson, call me back. Orson, Orson, Orson¡¯ messages.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be a restless day for poor Carlos too.¡± Dr. Stan laughed. ¡°Eloise must feel better, at the very least. You¡¯ll have to write back to her first.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Orson said. ¡°Hey, Dr. Stan, while you¡¯re over there, do you mind having Ruby run a diagnostic on our sensors? I don¡¯t know how much you could hear in here, but some of the escapees from the Pinnacle also turned up to make reservations for lodging, and I didn¡¯t get any warning. It might be weird sorcery crap, but I want to be sure nothing got cooked in the battle and nothing stowed away.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t the diagnostic show where we are?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Like, maybe we should just have a lookout and do this once we¡¯re safe and get where we¡¯re going.¡± ¡°We should be fine, Jaleel,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°As long as it¡¯s all internal. I can start that now, Orson. I can watch it on the monitor, but once you¡¯re caught up with your correspondence, we have a lot to look over.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Orson nodded to Jaleel. ¡°But thanks!¡± Jaleel read again, slower this time. ¡°This one¡¯s from, uh, from Franklin. He says, ¡®Right on, Kid! We¡¯ve been hearing some crazy shit coming from your neck of the woods. Pops called me special just to get me to write to you. But what he doesn¡¯t know is my friend, Hayley, is one of those Dagger pilots the Alliance has watching the Pinnacle. She says she¡¯s got video of you cutting a spaceship in half. Too bad the old man isn¡¯t around to see you do this stuff. Ophion, I mean. He¡¯d be all fortune cookie about it, but he¡¯d be ultra proud. Anyway, get back to me when you can, and get back to Pops too so he can stop worrying. Later.¡± ¡°I will commence sensor diagnostic,¡± Ruby spoke softly from the ceiling speaker. Jaleel shot a glance toward the sound before he flipped to the final page. ¡°I think this one is from fire girlfriend,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°She says Teddy told her about the plan! Can you believe that? That¡¯s pretty not cool, right?¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Orson pulled the paper away from Jaleel. ¡°Hey!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Thanks for collecting all of these.¡± Orson read to himself.
You were great today. Teddy told me about your plan. I intended to listen for you. I did not need to. Everyone knows what you did. You saved so many people.
By the time you see this you will be hiding or looking for a place to hide.
Stop hiding. You need a base. You needed somewhere all year. I do not know why this is the last place you go. My inn is better protected than Littlefield or Wayfarers Rest. Unless Teddy has the whole family visiting. Maybe even then.
I have a key too. You will need to come here eventually to collect them all. Mrs. Montgomery told me about the Dreamside Road. I might know more than you do if all you have to go on are hints from the Cloud films.
We should talk anyway. Been a really long time.
What makes you think this is something you need to do alone? Not true.
Let me know when you are safe.
Sirona
Orson pictured Sirona like he¡¯d seen her in the images stolen of her, but with a pendant around her neck like the one he wore, crescent moon and tree instead of moon and tower. To find all keys, he would have to see her. Orson read the words a second time and chuckled to himself. ¡°Woah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°What did she say to make you smile after all this?¡± The warning alarm sounded before Orson could answer. ¡°Foreign agent,¡± Ruby said. ¡°Foreign signal. Small energy signature beneath floor segment B-Five. Foreign signal.¡± ¡°What?¡± Max stirred awake. He blinked sleep from his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Kol still didn¡¯t move. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening yet,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Orson, excellent call with the diagnostic.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Orson said. ¡°Ruby, are we being tracked?¡± ¡°No outgoing signature,¡± Ruby said. ¡°But foreign energy. An invader is here, hiding.¡± ¡°Some weapon?¡± Orson adjusted his HUD. Floor segment B-Five glowed yellow. ¡°How would there be a weapon in there?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°How could anybody get in here?¡± ¡°What now?¡± Enoa ran from her bunk. She had her cloak over one shoulder. Wesley rode on the other, chattering. Enoa held her staff, already extended. ¡°We¡¯ve got something in the floor,¡± Orson said. ¡°Ruby, any explosive or booby trap signatures?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ruby said. ¡°I don¡¯t have a record named ¡®booby trap signature¡¯, but I see no sign of explosive agents.¡± Orson fell to the floor, and he found the edges of the paneling with his gloved fingers. He lifted. ¡°Wait!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± But before Orson could question Jaleel, he looked into his floor and saw another pair of eyes looking back, dark eyes in a pale, lipless, earless face. ¡°Hello!¡± The decapitated head of a Jim android smiled up at him. * * * Divenoll did not recognize all those gathered in the holodeck. The high ceiling above them was lined with curved screens like a planetarium, but the only illumination glowed out from the floor. Baron Helmont stood at the far side of the room with his ledgerman and his remaining knights. Captain Davard and his command staff were with them. And there were other Shapers. One of the late Sir Lezander¡¯s pupils, a man named Baldari, was there. One of the acolytes of Adrian ¡°Nine-flails¡± joined him, his armor sporting only six spiked balls. More Shapers appeared, full color holograms blinked into life. Divenoll saw Lieutenant Colonel Gabrielle Rinlee, new silver rank bars on her shoulders and her arms still bandaged. Two other Ferrant Shapers appeared with her, also women, both bearing ornate polearms. Divenoll approached the gathering. Helmont looked to all the faces. When more officers¡¯ holograms appeared, he watched them as well, glancing at them all. ¡°We operate now as a division, as a barony,¡± he said. ¡°We suffered today, and we made our foes suffer, even in their escape. Now, we face a new beginning together. Now, we all climb as one, and there is place for all of you. There is need of all of you. There is honor and victory for all of you. Now stand with me, as I address Lord Vox, the Voice of His Excellency, the Czar. And we begin our preparations.¡± Baron Helmont gave them no opening to respond. He raised his left arm and touched two of his right fingers to the gauntlet. The walls and ceiling came alive with light. Then the world around them changed. Suddenly they were surrounded by trees of different kinds, dogwood and redbud and chestnut, with so few of the pines that dominated the forests near the Pinnacle. A gigantic glass dome took up most of the far side of the clearing projected around them. By the light of the setting sun, tall swaying branches could be seen inside it. Great winged shapes moved, obscured by the moving tree limbs. A columned Greek-revival house stood in the dome¡¯s shadow. Other holograms appeared around it. A man in ornate red, white, and gold armor stood in front of the house, flanked by guards in purple and crimson. ¡°Lord Vox,¡± Baron Helmont inclined his head. ¡°I come here with representatives of my barony¡¯s might, to report and inform you on current plans.¡± ¡°Baron Helmont,¡± Vox returned the nod. ¡°It is a pleasure, as always. And in light of today¡¯s events, I have prepared all baronies to meet before His Excellency¡¯s house. The Spiritual Advisory is also in attendance.¡± ¡°But His Excellency, the Czar, is not?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°His exertions continue.¡± Vox raised a hand toward the dome. ¡°Is there anything that must be reported first, spoken only to my ears, that listen for our founder?¡± ¡°No.¡± Helmont set his jaw firm, but he did not hesitate. ¡°Then I welcome them.¡± Vox raised his right fist. ¡°From his seat at Fort Hero, see Lord Weatherhold, Baron of the East, with our Atlantic Admiralty and the officers of all dozen forts.¡± Baron Weatherhold appeared first. His hologram winked to life far to the left of Helmont¡¯s gathering. He was dressed like Helmont, the same purple and gold accents, but no cape. Weatherhold was thicker in the shoulders and taller. He sported a heavy mustache. Thirteen other holograms appeared with him, all decorated officers. ¡°From his Nassau Fortress, see Lord Jeffyrs, Baron of the South, with his new tributary captains and his privateers.¡± The next man to appear looked quite old, and his armor fit tight across his chest and stomach, as if it had been created for another man. He was surrounded by a dozen armed guards, all tall and fit. They wore flack vests and generic black tactical gear, not Liberty Corps standard. All wore sheathed blades and rifles on straps across their shoulders. ¡°Pirates,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Pirates who ignore our own colors.¡± ¡°We seized the Caribbean for you.¡± Baron Jeffyrs spoke with an accent. He chortled under his breath. ¡°While you were hunting for buried treasure, we hold lands from the Alliances and from the Pan-American Freehold. But we¡¯re the pirates?¡± ¡°Ruling mango trees and lemon groves is nothing compared to the Dreamside Road,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Enough!¡± Vox didn¡¯t shout but his voice rose to a boom that echoed and made Divenoll¡¯s ears ache. ¡°None of this.¡± Vox returned to a normal speaking volume. ¡°We stand as one.¡± Another set of holograms appeared before Vox could continue. The holograms appeared farther back, beyond Weatherhold¡¯s contingent. Two officers stood in front, helmets in hands. They wore standard white with no hints of noble purple or gold. Four plainclothes individuals stood with them, three men in suits and a black-haired woman in a long dress. ¡°The Territory without a Baron,¡± Vox said. ¡°Our central north. How are your preparations?¡± ¡°When the elections come,¡± the woman answered. ¡°The people of the Great Lakes Alliance will choose us, and we will choose the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°What contingency do you plan if you are not chosen?¡± Vox asked. ¡°We will be chosen,¡± she replied. ¡°As long as only the right people are allowed a choice.¡± Vox snorted. ¡°And now for the Spiritual Advisory. My guard will escort them from the guest chambers. We are joined now by an Emissary of the New Light, by Dr. Delphine of the Four Mysteries Theory, by Lady Arveig of the Teth Research Division, and by Master Ruhland of the Foundations of the Future.¡± More guards in purple and black walked from the house, with the four advisors between them. Dr. Delphine wore all white, a jacket to evoke a lab coat, buttoned all the way up her throat. She wore her gray hair chin-length. Divenoll recognized her face, and he also knew the modified hazmat suit of the New Light Emissary, with matching yellow cloak and opaque face mask. Divenoll knew the others only by process of elimination. Both were cloaked, their faces hidden, but Arveig¡¯s mask was made in the likeness of a woman¡¯s face. The mask had the slight shine of pristine plastic, blue eyes and the hint of blonde hair. There was even a rosy hue to the cheeks, all of it painted into place like the woman wore a doll¡¯s face. She held a long metal staff in her right hand. Master Ruhland was the tallest of the four. It strained the eye to look at him. He wore crimson armor that blended into folds of dark cloak. The metal and garment disappeared at its edges, as the hologram struggled and failed to capture his shape. Only the mask was distinct. It too followed the basic form of a human face, but the eyes were empty and dark, and the mask ended just above the mouth, disappearing into folds of cloth. All of the advisors came to a stop behind Vox. The Czar¡¯s representative waited for the procession to stop, but he did not turn to greet them. ¡°Now, Baron Helmont,¡± Vox said. ¡°Report on the carnage at your holdfast. Tell us about your plans.¡± ¡°I must admit a shortcoming,¡± Baron Helmont said. ¡°The old ways of the IHSA let us down today. The Pinnacle Holdfast was infiltrated, information stolen, prisoners freed. The facility sustained heavy damage, and now my hand is forced. Our long-awaited pursuit of the Dreamside Road Keyholders begins.¡± ¡°Infiltrated?¡± Ruhland stepped forward. He spoke with real warmth and humor, nothing like the ethereal, hissed tones Divenoll had expected from his appearance. ¡°And who could do such a thing? Who could possibly break your perfect record, Baron?¡± ¡°He thinks he killed you,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Did you know, Ruhland? Did you know he¡¯s been traveling this world spreading stories of your defeat and death at his hand?¡± ¡°He has a gift for surprise attacks,¡± Ruhland said. ¡°You learned that well today. In another life and on another path, maybe it would have been me who felt that fire. Or maybe my instincts would have saved me. But we both have survived our surprises now.¡± ¡°Have we?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°Perhaps you are merely the latest in a long line of zealots to wear that mask. Perhaps your reputation is all illusory. That armor you love so dearly is not as impregnable as you believe.¡± ¡°I wear nothing you¡¯ve touched.¡± Ruhland laughed with true mirth. ¡°And you haven¡¯t learned to recognize without touch, have you? Of course not, otherwise you would see with more than your eyes. You couldn¡¯t be fooled by the face I¡¯ve chosen. You would know who I am.¡± ¡°I will learn your armor when you next send your pets to spy on me.¡± Helmont did not laugh in return. ¡°How could you possibly catch them?¡± Ruhland asked. ¡°Better yet, how will you catch our young friend when you meet him again? You¡¯ve shown your hand. He knows the trick to your Tactum. Even the imitation of my armor was more than enough to thwart you.¡± ¡°What about Cloud¡¯s heir?¡± Lady Arveig walked ahead to stand beside Ruhland. ¡°You had her within arm¡¯s reach and let her go, Helmont.¡± ¡°You are no better than Sir Rowan.¡± Helmont actually raised his voice. ¡°All impulse. You have no place making decisions for this body, how blinded you are by emotion, by revenge.¡± ¡°Where is Sir Rowan?¡± Vox asked. ¡°Are the rumor¡¯s true? Betrayal and flesh transmutation? Discovery and death?¡± ¡°How many of your knights did you liquefy, Helmont?¡± Ruhland asked. ¡°Almost half of your usual twelve are missing, and surely young Gregory didn¡¯t best all of them. And by the looks of your gathering, you¡¯ve already begun auditioning replacements.¡± ¡°Rowan was blinded by his base desires,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I was too patient with his weakness, but I¡¯ve learned that lesson. Greed blinds more than its owner. It leads many to death. Only those loyal to our true purpose will remain beside me. I won¡¯t raise knights who are blind like so many here. So many among us are invested only in their own interests, and that is doomed, doomed like the Covenant who began this tradition.¡± ¡°I am here only for your Czar,¡± Ruhland said. ¡°Ilias and I have been friends for so long, but I admit, my political activism does get the best of me. I like to be involved. I just can¡¯t help myself. On that same note, another of my friends captured an interesting video of a large animal leaving the atmosphere of this planet. I think you¡¯d recognize her. Would you like to see her? If any of your ships are still spaceworthy, you could chase her down.¡± ¡°Who did you kill to seize satellites?¡± Helmont asked. ¡°Whose child did you goad to parricide so you could watch the stars?¡± ¡°What are we talking about?¡± Baron Jeffyrs shouted from his side of the gathering. ¡°Some of us have material concerns. I know we serve a man of faith or spirituality, whatever you want to call it. But there are real problems we face. I thought we were here to help Weatherhold with the attacks at Montauk. I¡¯m definitely not interested in watching the Czar¡¯s friends arguing about witchcraft.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vox stepped forward again. ¡°Enough of this. Enough. Baron Helmont, I believe most of us have received some hint about the events at the Pinnacle today. I am disappointed by Sir Rowan¡¯s fate. He served us well, and I expect a full report on his betrayal and your judgment. But no recap now. Czar Hawthorne equipped me to grant you the full development fund for repairing your facilities and implementing new security measures.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Helmont said. ¡°And my thanks to His Excellency.¡± He shifted to the side so that he faced only Vox. He looked at neither his fellow Barons nor the various advisors. ¡°Before you discuss other matters. I need permission on two points.¡± ¡°Speak,¡± Vox said. ¡°I need full reign to utilize the Manifest Destiny.¡± Helmont gestured to Captain Davard behind him. ¡°I need free reign to send Captain Davard to secure unaligned frontier territory, to strike fear into the Alliance and their allies, so I may move my forces freely to the Balor battle group.¡± ¡°This will need to be discussed,¡± Vox said. ¡°The Alliances could change their tactics. Even a frontier action could begin open war. What is your second request?¡± ¡°I stayed my hand by the Czar¡¯s law,¡± Helmont said. ¡°But if my path crosses again with the Maros brothers, I want their protections lifted. I plan to end both brothers given the chance. I plan to kill all the Aesir crew, no matter what the Czar¡¯s spiritual allies may prefer. Gregory, Cloud, Stanislakova, Yaye, and Maros ¨C all must die.¡± ¡°You killed Kesey.¡± Ruhland spoke up again. ¡°You plan to kill Maxwell Maros. How many paraplegics do you intend to find with the genetic markers needed for the mobility study?¡± ¡°Kesey¡¯s death was not my first choice,¡± Helmont said. ¡°And the mobility study falls entirely within the Shaping studies, well outside the purview of an advisor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ruhland lifted both gauntleted hands, as if in surrender. The motion made his cloak shift, pull aside. A sword was sheathed at his hip. The dark metal of the hilt was almost invisible except when framed by the crimson armor. ¡°I was, after all, the one who set Ilias back on his feet. His mobility research interests me as an extension of my own.¡± ¡°You must recapture both Maros.¡± Dr. Delphine shouted from the gathering of advisors. ¡°You must. Understanding the four mysteries is the most important, the most crucial step in our work. It could be there is a genetic predisposition to works of the third mystery in the Maros line. It could be¡ª¡± ¡°It could be that you too value your own interests over the common good,¡± Helmont interrupted. ¡°There will be other samples, other familial lines. There is only one Dreamside Road trove, and we cannot afford to let it slip away.¡± ¡°No need for them to die.¡± Dr. Delphine shook her head. ¡°Why waste them? They are useful for their DNA, for their breeding stock, so much to lose.¡± ¡°We are not entertaining the idea of breeding human beings.¡± Baron Weatherhold stepped forward from his ring of subordinates. ¡°Operating in frontier lands, you¡¯ve lost your own humanity.¡± Divenoll saw Vox step away from the gathering, one hand pressed to the side of his large helmet, palm flat. He seemed to shrink, crouch in on himself, while the others talked and argued and ignored him. Vox doubled down. Then he clutched both hands to his helmet. ¡°Done!¡± Vox¡¯s speech boomed again, but the pitch of the voice changed too. The timbre was altered. His words took on a gravely tone, as if a different voice entirely spoke through him. Under the ornate helmet, the Voice of the Czar moved his throat and mouth and gave speech that was truly not his own. Everyone fell silent. ¡°The matter is finished.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, sir?¡± The New Light Emissary asked. ¡°You speak with us now? You honor us with your words.¡± ¡°I speak.¡± The Czar spoke through Vox. The man was literally his voice, his speaker. Vox stood straight, but his head lolled to one side and his arms hung limp. ¡°I know. You have my permission, Baron Helmont. Use the Manifest Destiny. Take your fleet. Win the trove.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Helmont made a true bow, bent at the waist. ¡°And if you encounter the Maros brothers,¡± the Czar said. ¡°Or Enoa Cloud, or Orson Gregory, or any of them.¡± ¡°No!¡± Arveig shouted. Ruhland only laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll have all the tests you could hope for in open battle,¡± the Czar continued. ¡°You¡¯ll learn all you want about Anemos and young Kolben¡¯s power and Captain Gregory¡¯s endless luck. And if their power and luck fail them, then go ahead. Kill them.¡± 138 - Glamer Kol snapped awake again as a shape pelted across the room toward him. He had no chance to clear his bleary mind. He had no time to question his surroundings ¨C not his cell in the Pinnacle. Kol slid from the couch and knelt low on the floor. ¡°What the hell, Jaleel?¡± Orson yelled. ¡°For God¡¯s sake! Can¡¯t I trust anyone to talk with me in this damn boat?¡± ¡°Let Jaleel explain.¡± Enoa said. ¡°He usually knows a lot more than the rest of us.¡± Kol remembered himself. He looked toward the Aesir¡¯s open door and the failing daylight. Orson stood with something pale white in his hands, the view blocked by Jaleel reaching out and Enoa with her staff leaned against one arm. But Kol spared them no more than a glance. The flying shape had come to a stop, perched on the back of the couch. It was an animal of some kind, heavily quilled like a porcupine, but with a mass of webbing beneath its forepaws. It clutched a strawberry between its paws and ate cheerily. ¡°I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s a threat to us, Kol.¡± Max nodded to the animal. ¡°I think he¡¯s their pet.¡± ¡°Wesley is very friendly,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Just don¡¯t startle him. Orson, maybe we should hear out Jaleel. He hasn¡¯t been reckless with our safety so far.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know any of you, truly,¡± Max said. ¡°But this is beyond reckless. Why would you have a Galactic Infiltration Model in your floor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Orson said. ¡°Jaleel, why do we have a Galactic Infiltration Model in my floor? Kol took a second look at the object Orson held. It was an earless head. Its eyes were open. It saw Kol looking and made eye contact. ¡°Hello!¡± The head smiled. ¡°I would like to upgrade to a window seat! I want to have polaroids from my flight.¡± Kol yelled and fell back against the couch. The motion jarred the odd pet, and it began to chatter at him, still holding onto the strawberry. Kol moved away. He averted his gaze from both the pet and the talking head. He still felt the overwhelming exhaustion of Thought Fatigue. Only the adrenaline of his sudden shock held it at bay. ¡°Now we¡¯ve got Kol being all weird too.¡± Orson pointed at him. ¡°Can one of you call Wesley? Let Kol be zonked out in peace, alright? Then we¡¯ll deal with the other passenger.¡± ¡°Wesley,¡± Enoa called. ¡°Come back to me, Wesley. You¡¯re sharp, Sweetie, and we¡¯re letting the Maroses have the couch today. Come on.¡± Wesley chattered, but he took flight again, soaring across the room and landing on Enoa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I can explain.¡± Jaleel took advantage of the pause. ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt Jim. Don¡¯t hurt him! He¡¯s totally safe. Cathy knows I have him. She kept a bunch after the attack at Teddy¡¯s. We¡¯re working on reprogramming them. If I get him to work again, he can train with us and help us out.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not in Cathy¡¯s crew,¡± Orson said. ¡°And in my crew we tell each other when we¡¯re going to keep a really dangerous whatever-this-is in the floor. I didn¡¯t think I had to explain that in the ground rules. I thought common sense would keep us from hiding murderous robots on board. I guess not!¡± ¡°Hemera Stardyne had little control of their androids,¡± Max said. ¡°Jaleel, I¡¯m sure your heart is in the right place, but you need to rethink this. I don¡¯t know who Cathy is, but anyone, including the Liberty Corps, who use these robots is placing everyone around them in immense danger.¡± ¡°Jaleel is better at this than they are,¡± Enoa said. She held out her fingers toward Wesley. He¡¯d finished his strawberry, and she scratched his chin. ¡°I¡¯m assuming the rest of him is down there somewhere?¡± Orson asked. ¡°How the hell did you get him packed? When the hell did you get him packed that I didn¡¯t notice?¡± ¡°I only have a carry on bag.¡± The head spoke again. ¡°I am traveling light, so it would be easy to move me to another seat.¡± ¡°The body has no power,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I slid him there when you were hanging out with Teddy, before we left. Jim can¡¯t move, and the head doesn¡¯t seem to have any shut-off. But the head only talks when you make eye contact with him anyway. He¡¯s interactive, like a Furby or one of those Japanese robot dogs.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s a Furby!¡± Orson knelt and set the head back in the floor. ¡°Please let me know about switching seats.¡± The head kept its animated tone. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll do that.¡± Orson slid the floor shut. ¡°Well, no worries, Jaleel. If he¡¯s a Furby, that¡¯s totally fine! Except children¡¯s toys never tried to kill me. One of those robots tried to dig my eyes out, a couple weeks ago, or did you forget that?¡± ¡°Dr. Stan,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Did you have time to get information about the Liberty Corps robotics program? About those Redhead probes and stuff?¡± ¡°I did,¡± she said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t read any of it yet.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something in there about working with the Jims,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That might be all I need to get him set up to help us, instead. I mean, the Liberty Corps inherited them from the Hierarchia, and they got them from Stardyne, and they got them from their shady outer-space stuff. So what¡¯s one more? Except I¡¯m not trying to make money with him. I¡¯m trying to learn about him and have him help us.¡± ¡°I suppose we could take a look,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Honestly,¡± Orson said. ¡°I might¡¯ve been open to this if you came to me when we were clearing out at Teddy¡¯s. But you let us live with that thing under our feet for weeks, so I¡¯m really not.¡± ¡°You absolutely would not have been open to it, ever,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly a Jim fan, either, but there¡¯s no way you would have gone along with him bringing that here. And he hasn¡¯t so much as made a single sound in almost two weeks. He hasn¡¯t done anything to threaten us.¡± ¡°You do not know that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Franklin and Royce took that entire canister,¡± Enoa continued. ¡°See what they found out.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re just a little grumpy because your sensors didn¡¯t pick up on him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And that¡¯s why this could be so great! He can show us stuff like holes in our security.¡± ¡°The HUD would have caught him if he turned on,¡± Orson said. ¡°Fine, if Dr. Stan finds information about them on the floppies, we¡¯ll look at it together. As long as he stays deactivated and in decapitated-head mode.¡± ¡°Alas, poor Yorick,¡± Max said. ¡°What¡¯s that? Shakespeare?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Hamlet.¡± Max nodded. ¡°Now it really is like the old days. If my original crew had any heads in the floor, Haydn would¡¯ve been quoting plays at it. Except we would¡¯ve been honest about the head being there in the first place!¡± When Orson raised his voice again, Wesley jumped from Enoa¡¯s shoulder. He circled the ceiling, wings extended, gliding above their heads. ¡°Come on down, Sweetie,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to my bunk. I¡¯ll get you some more food, and we can take a nap. We¡¯re all tired, aren¡¯t we?¡± But Wesley ignored her and flew out the ship¡¯s open door. Enoa and Jaleel both shouted and jumped out after him. Kol couldn¡¯t see what happened next, but he heard them both yell a second time. Then Sirona¡¯s threat began again. Whatever device was at work in the clearing had caught sight of the Liberty Corps armor on Jaleel. ¡°Liberty Corps,¡± Sirona said. ¡°You already know me, and you know the power that I have.¡± Jaleel jumped back inside the Aesir. ¡°I am Sirona Birgham, and I hold the peace now.¡± Jaleel ducked out of sight and the message abruptly stopped. ¡°It¡¯s probably just a warning,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be cooked!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You¡¯re already mad at me, and you¡¯d have a hard time fighting something that looks like your girlfriend, no matter what.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Enoa stepped back inside. The other escapees followed after her. Wesley was now perched on Syly¡¯s shoulder. He made more of his chattering noises, and the odd woman was giggling as if reminiscing with an old friend. ¡°We have a wait ahead of us.¡± Orson cycled the door shut behind the newcomers. ¡°So get comfortable, and I¡¯ll see what we¡¯ve got to eat. I think the two armchairs are open. And there might be some room there on the couch, if one of you doesn¡¯t mind getting cozy with Max and Kol. Or if Kol decides he prefers the floor.¡± ¡°This place isn¡¯t what I expected.¡± Melanthymos sat in one of the armchairs. Aneirin took the other. Syly stayed on her feet and directed a long comment at Orson. ¡°She is very hungry,¡± Aneirin explained. ¡°The Liberty Corps had so little for her to eat.¡± Syly answered him. Enoa passed her two strawberries. Syly ate the first and fed the second to Wesley. ¡°We¡¯ll see if we¡¯ve got something she¡¯d like.¡± Orson opened the freezer and started rooting through plastic packaging. ¡°You¡¯re all headed to the Eldest Oak place right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°So we¡¯re not asking you to go out of your way.¡± ¡°Wow, that place only has a few glamered rooms.¡± Orson began to stack packages on the counter. ¡°Between the three of you and the Maroses, you¡¯ll have most of the place full.¡± ¡°We use only two rooms.¡± Aneirin offered a small smile. He reached out and took Melanthymos¡¯s right hand. ¡°We were imprisoned for a long time,¡± she said. Jaleel made a sound halfway between a laugh and a cough. He walked deeper into the ship, away from the common area. Enoa shot him at look, but covered her own mouth with her hands. ¡°Oh, uh, congratulations.¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s good to find silver linings or whatever, especially after a day as long as this one. So these are our options for food¡ª¡± Syly began to speak again. She looked between Orson and Aneirin and then Wesley, as if the small animal could also interpret for her. ¡°She wonders. Is there food she can eat?¡± Aneirin leaned around the side of his chair and grimaced when the motion placed weight on his right hand. ¡°She eats only the plants.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see what I¡¯ve got,¡± Orson said. ¡°And Enoa might be able to help her out. She only eats the plants, too.¡± Aneirin said more in Syly¡¯s language. She made a small smile and a hesitant nod toward Orson. Then she returned to her interaction with Wesley, whispering to him again. ¡°Orson!¡± Jaleel ran back into the room with sheets of paper in one hand. ¡°We¡­¡± He looked at Kol and Max. ¡°We got more messages. Sirona says we¡¯ll stop tripping the warning if we don¡¯t have Liberty Corps armor on anymore.¡± ¡°I figured.¡± Orson grabbed a page from Jaleel. ¡°You¡¯re probably good to change now. We¡¯ll have to see if we can get something else for Kol to wear. God knows what security they might have waiting at the lodge.¡± ¡°And she also sent one to me,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Orson walked beside him and looked over his shoulder. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s writing for Teddy. He wrote this big message congratulating us on being alive and writing about how we¡¯re in Tater Tot country, or something like that.¡± ¡°Your friend, Theodore,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m assuming ¨C however you are communicating ¨C that he is not at his residence, or former residence, near the federal holdings in Nevada? Is that area now occupied by the Liberty Corps?¡± Everyone turned toward Max. Orson set the printed message aside on the countertop, where Jaleel collected it again. ¡°And how would you know any of that about Ted?¡± Orson asked. ¡°That¡¯s not exactly public knowledge.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not public knowledge,¡± Max said. ¡°You put far too much information into your memoir. I did not need five months at the Naval Intelligence Center to figure out where he lived, at least generally speaking.¡± ¡°You read Wayfarers Highway?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Was this a ¡®you¡¯ thing or a Maros group thing?¡± ¡°I had nothing to do with this.¡± Kol shook his head when Orson looked his way. Max reached to the bag on the floor beside him. Kol recognized it as the one that had been tied to his wheelchair¡¯s handle. Max opened it and pulled out a hardcover book with a sketch of a forest on its cover. ¡°The knights never took it from you?¡± Kol remembered Max paging through it on the long rover drive through the burned highway near the gulf coast. ¡°You brought it all this way?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Max said. ¡°The knights likely did not know its significance. And I¡¯m sure I am now quite in debt to my interlibrary loan network. It might be cheaper to buy them a new copy, after all these weeks.¡± ¡°Library?¡± Orson left the counter. Syly began to speak again, in a concerned murmur that Wesley seemed to imitate. But Orson passed to the other side of the cabin. He took the book when Max offered it to him. He turned through the pages. ¡°This one¡¯s autographed!¡± Orson turned the book back toward Jaleel and Enoa. ¡°This is the copy I gave to Kash! That asshole! He re-gifted my book to the public library in Portland, Oregon! I can¡¯t believe him!¡± ¡°I can,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Kash doesn¡¯t dislike you, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s interested enough to read about you. And Orson, let¡¯s figure out what we¡¯re making for food. Poor Syly is still waiting.¡± Syly also commented. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Orson handed the book back to Max. ¡°We can talk about that later. Alright, Jaleel, what did Teddy say about tater tots?¡± ¡°He says that this region is the birthplace of the legendary tot.¡± Jaleel began to read and took on a slightly affected voice, lower in pitch. ¡°You are in the homeland of this global staple, and if you have any left, it would be appropriate to appreciate them in their home country.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do the impression,¡± Orson groaned. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like that. But yeah, we have some tots left. They¡¯re all potato, so that¡¯s good for our people who only eat the plants. I can get started on that.¡± Orson found a large package on the frozen pile, and he returned the rest to the freezer. ¡°There is one more thing,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But I wanted us to figure out food first so you didn¡¯t leave us hungry.¡± He held the last page toward Orson. ¡°The Manifest Destiny just launched itself from the Pinnacle,¡± Orson read. ¡°It¡¯s moving down the border with the Alliance.¡± ¡°Is it coming this way?¡± Max asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Orson said. ¡°So far all it did was tractor beam a privately owned glider in the border area and blow up a bridge made since destabilization. Seems like they¡¯re trying to return the area to the way it was before the Hierarchia was destroyed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to assume whatever intelligence you receive is correct,¡± Max said. ¡°If there is information you stole from the Liberty Corps that can aid the Alliances in the battles to come, I hope you share it. We may have triggered an escalation in this conflict.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve got a lot to figure out,¡± Orson said. ¡°We need to hide before we eat. Jaleel, please drive us over to the tree line. I¡¯ll start getting the tarp ready. That way we won¡¯t leave our hungry passengers waiting too long.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Was that Eloise or Franklin who wrote about the Manifest Destiny?¡± ¡°Eloise,¡± he said. ¡°Can we also ask about getting my letter?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°We have a lot to do, and Eloise is hurt. But I¡¯ve waited too long already for this.¡± She looked at Kol for the first time since his interrupted dozing. Kol heard the sound of her shaping mind, still strained, roiling again. ¡°I can give the coordinates,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the way.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kol stood. ¡°I will. It¡¯s my fault you never had that letter. If you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll help you get it now.¡± * * * On its long journey from the Pinnacle Holdfast, many saw the Manifest Destiny as it skirted the southward spines of the Rocky Mountains. Mark Emerie was kneeling in his garden when he saw the shadow approaching. He worked the earth, nurtured it for corn and potatoes and all the seedlings that would carry his family through the highland winter. Then the darkness spread like a slow, lazy cloud hiding the sun, but the shadow was solid and silent, and it moved against the wind. Mr. Emerie looked up. He saw the Manifest Destiny rising above the mountains ¨C a dragon peering from its cave. Mr. Emerie hid. He stayed on the ground and pushed himself to his truck with his elbows and the sides of his knees. He crawled beneath it and lay, half-sunk in mud. He watched the shadow move and grow and spread across everything. He could not, from his vantage point, see the massive ship pass over the rest of Hullbeck Plateau Township. He couldn¡¯t even see the low door to his own home, a structure built by his own hand beneath a hill he¡¯d hollowed to hide from the sky. Mr. Emerie¡¯s mind reeled. What time was it? He wore no watch and could not judge the angle of the sun through the ship¡¯s impenetrable belly. Was it still a school hour? Was his daughter still in pre-school, hidden with the other youngest children, all of them too young to remember a world before the fear of annihilation from above? Or was she home, collected by his wife after her shift at the general store? Were they inside, hiding like they¡¯d always planned, wondering about him, fearing for him, how he¡¯d lost track of time working to feed them? Now he was trapped. Everything his life had been for five years was clustered on that two-mile strip of land. Everything his life had been for five years could be erased as quickly as his last life had been destroyed. He remembered the end of his last life, the home blown to splinters. In the quiet stillness of night, he still felt the three burned bodies. In his dreams, he heard the whine of the Thunderworks ships and the heavy tread of their war machines. Thunderworks was gone. Their ships were gone. For five years that had been true. But their shadow had returned to cover his entire world. Mr. Emerie listened. He closed his eyes while the ship spread across his home and eclipsed the sun. He knew the size and the power of those vessels. And with his eyes closed he could hear it move. He heard the distant hiss of the steam plumes from its repulsors and rear propulsion. He could hear it working while everything below was left in its artificial twilight. Mr. Emerie listened for the whine, the faint echoing gasp the Thunderbird carriers made before they opened fire and devastated the land and lives below. He did not hear that sound. But he waited for it. He waited in defenseless terror until the sunlight again reached his closed eyes, faint under the truck. Mr. Emerie waited there until the ship had gone to cast its shadow over other lives. * * * Enoa sensed the Lodge at the Eldest Oak before they arrived. It seemed to glow at the horizon, illumination seen only in the mind, but real and tangible, as if she could see it through the Aesir¡¯s hull and the interwoven trees beyond. She was already awake when the knock came on the bunk¡¯s door. ¡°Hey, Enoa,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Orson says we¡¯ll be there in a minute. He thinks the owners will want to see everybody because they¡¯re hiding us.¡± ¡°Be right there.¡± Enoa tried to give her words more energy than she felt. She pulled her cloak around her shoulders and clipped her retracted staff at her belt. When she opened her door, Jaleel still stood there. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jaleel spoke softly, like anything above a whisper might startle her back into her bunk. ¡°Just tired,¡± she said. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± He stepped aside so she could join him in the passage. ¡°Tired too. Today was so long.¡± ¡°Oh good!¡± Orson called over his shoulder. ¡°If we¡¯re all ready, hopefully this will go quickly. I¡¯ve gone through these check-ins before, but never with me leading, so I don¡¯t totally know what to expect.¡± Enoa walked into the main cabin. Kol, Max, and Syly sat on the couch, but only Max looked up at her. He gave a small smile. Enoa tried to return the expression. But she felt too much, too many fears to do more than fake happiness. Her letter had been taken and read and hidden away from her. It was a violation, her privacy, her secrets, her answers. Her last link to Sucora had been sullied, wrenched away and warped. And she feared it. She feared what she should have known months before, what she could have read. She feared the truth of her own weakness. What harm might have been altered if she¡¯d read the letter when Sucora died? But she could not fear the truth in peace. The fear of Helmont¡¯s retribution mingled with it, the Manifest Destiny at large. And the journey to Knightschurch awaited ¨C real training for her, real training that would have already begun if she¡¯d followed Sucora¡¯s hopes and wishes. Enoa felt also the simple contented relief of being alive. The heist had succeeded, even with loss and danger. They had survived. But none of what she felt was true happiness. Because their reprieve would not last. They would face Helmont again. She would face her other fears or they would find her. Kol clenched his clasped hands. He¡¯d removed his armor, wearing only his jumpsuit. His hair was back in its bun. He stared at his prosthetic without looking up, but Enoa saw a change in him, like the light he gave off flickered and dimmed, like he was trying to shrink in her presence. Syly ignored all of this. She sat with a bowl of tater tots in her lap and happily ate, Wesley asleep beside her on the arm of the couch. ¡°I have taken shelter at a sanctuary,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°It was old, an old place by your standards, far away east, in the east of this land.¡± He and Melanthymos still sat in the armchairs, but she slept, eyes tight, right hand outstretched and holding his. ¡°The biggest one used to be the Inn at the Crescent Moon.¡± Orson drove the Aesir down a winding road through trees. Enoa could see distant lights, but rain had started outside, and the water made a kaleidoscope of everything but the unmistakable shapes of tree trunks. Enoa looked to the glow ahead. It was another unseen light like the one Kol carried. They were close. She and Jaleel walked toward the front. The ship moved slowly, but there was no inertial compensation. None of the advanced systems were running. All the dashboard lights were dark, like they really were roaming the countryside in a camper. Enoa followed the wall with her hand and sat behind Orson. Dr. Stan was still at the sensor monitor with floppies in her lap. She offered Enoa a small wave without looking up. Jaleel continued on to the front passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°That old inn burned down,¡± Orson said. ¡°Almost twelve years ago now.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°Not Crescent Moon. More north. Another forest.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a place up in Vermont,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve only been there once.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Aneirin said. The road rose up to meet a large building with an even larger tree beside it. The tree was surely the eldest oak namesake for the lodge that stood in its shadow. The oak stretched knobby branches out in all directions. Some swung low along the ground, too close to the grass to walk beneath them. Other branches shot up into the sky, splaying their leaves like tiny fingers reaching for the stars. It dwarfed the inn, and its roots twisted above the ground and around the building, like a close embrace. The lodge stood four stories tall and stretched in an ¡®L¡¯ shape. A marquee sign hung from the wide front porch. It read, ¡®Lodge at The Eldest Oak¡¯. There was other writing beneath it and a small symbol of a tree inside a crescent moon, like the symbols of the Dreamside Road keys. There were other signs too, obscured by the rain, where the first floor of the lodge seemed to be divided into a small store and a restaurant. Up close, something about the building reminded Enoa of her lost home. She was thousands of miles away from the burned foundations of the Treasures from the Clouds to the Sea, but there was something similar, something familiar beyond the business-beneath-lodging construction. But this was not the source of the glow. Up close, the large building had a strange light to it too, but it was a subtle thing. It was a shining presence that was almost lost in the real candles that marked each window ledge. The greater glow waited further in the trees. Orson drove around the building and the great tree. He followed a gravel path that wrapped around them and led deeper into the forest. There were other buildings that way, four small structures, no larger than sheds, with an old barn beyond them. By the headlights, she saw all were overgrown, their windows dirty, with peeling paint and splintered wood. The roof of the barn was partly caved in, cratered and split. Or so it seemed. Enoa found the glow she¡¯d seen from afar present all around the little buildings, so she looked closer. It seemed then that the clinging vines were almost ornamental, purposely grown, not overgrown through neglect. And there was no hole in the barn¡¯s roof. The shadow at the edges of the hole was solid. She knew it, even though her eyes were not keen enough to be certain on their own, as if the wood was crafted and painted to appear destroyed. ¡°Lost in the woods,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯re staying there? I know we¡¯ve got to hide, but does it need to be beat up like that?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯s some kind of illusion, I guess. It¡¯s supposed to look like that.¡± ¡°You can see it too?¡± Orson nodded. ¡°Interesting.¡± He came to a stop in front of the barn. The wide double doors slid aside, like they were automatic and triggered by the Aesir¡¯s arrival. ¡°Did the Hierarchia teach Sucora any European illusion work?¡± Melanthymos asked. ¡°Was that part of their Dawn Initiative?¡± ¡°I have no idea what that means,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We can talk tomorrow,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they wanted to learn from indigenous people. That wasn¡¯t my department, but the glamer is famous. Even if not just any shmoe can see it.¡± ¡°Glamour?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Like in a fantasy book? Like it¡¯s actually totally normal, but it looks like crap? Like Hogwarts. Or other illusion stuff in¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Melanthymos interrupted. ¡°Why would I read daydreams when I¡¯ve lived the real damn thing for over fifty years? Glamer makes things look like what they¡¯re not, sometimes even feel like it. Sometimes you can know it¡¯s there and still not see it. Glamer is ¨C shit I knew this ¨C it¡¯s number seventeen out of the one hundred and forty-two enigmatic processes the IHSA cataloged. Enoa can see it because her aunt learned a little of it and brought it home with her. Or she¡¯s got some old European magic in her blood. The Hierarchia liked tracing the genetics of everything. Wouldn¡¯t be the first time they tried to play matchmaker.¡± ¡°My parents weren¡¯t in the IHSA.¡± Enoa said. ¡°Just Aunt Su.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say then,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°You can learn to see it.¡± Orson stood. A warm glow now came from the open garage doors. ¡°You sure can,¡± Melanthymos laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to make of you before, Gregory. Now I really don¡¯t. You had a woman who enjoyed you enough to clear your sight and you¡¯re here instead? Men.¡± Aneirin made a small chuckle. Syly giggled. ¡°God, you¡¯re one of those?¡± Orson rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on, the welcoming committee is on the way. Max, we¡¯ll bring you to the edge, but I¡¯ll get the ramp for you when they show you to your cabin. No one¡¯s getting out in the rain if they don¡¯t have to.¡± There were shapes framed against the light of the barn. Both were tall, broad-shouldered and cloaked, with swords sheathed at their hips. As they came closer, the Aesir¡¯s headlights showed faces that could only be family, the same shaped eyes, the same thin noses. Even their beards grew the same. Enoa followed Orson toward the door. Glamer. Had there ever been a time in her childhood when something was built different than it appeared? Had Sucora done something that had trained her eye for illusion? No, Enoa did not believe it. There was no Shaping in Nimauk, before Tucker. Everything was as it appeared, Nimauk their heritage, Nimauk the town and the valley around it. Nothing had intruded into their normal life, no hint of the mysteries in the world. Orson opened the door and offered his hand to the men. ¡°Orson Gregory.¡± ¡°Darick Vass.¡± The nearer man accepted the handshake. ¡°My brother is Daron.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here with nine guests for Lost in the Woods lodging.¡± Orson drew two objects from his pockets, a wooden carving shaped like his crescent moon and tower symbol, and a rock with a face carved in it. Darick waved his hand at Orson. ¡°We know who you are. It¡¯s the others we need to see. Reservation from House Aspallan first. Then Maros.¡± Aneirin walked forward. Melanthymos and Syly stood. Wesley flew from her shoulder and back across the cabin where he perched atop Jaleel¡¯s chair. ¡°If they need to see you, Max.¡± Kol rose. ¡°Then we¡¯ll get you back to the wheelchair. I¡¯ll talk to them first.¡± He followed the enigma trio toward the door. The men spoke to Aneirin and Syly in two separate languages. Darick passed Aneirin a small circle of metal, dull and dark. The old man clenched it in his left hand, tight so his knuckles turned white. Then he handed it back ¨C a clean, shining coin with a crown on both sides. Then Syly spoke. She spoke long in her own language while the rain intensified and drops were whipped into the ship¡¯s cabin by the wind. Then both men laughed and Syly laughed with them. The men stepped aside, and Aneirin led the trio from the Aesir and into the rain. ¡°Syly is in cabin two.¡± Aneirin pointed to the nearest of the small sheds. ¡°My lady¡­ We have three. Good night friends. Thank you greatly. We will see you at breakfast?¡± ¡°Maybe breakfast,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°Yeah, uh, maybe.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°I have some correspondence to take care of.¡± ¡°We will see you again,¡± Aneirin said. They started away from the ship. Kol walked to the doorway. ¡°Hello,¡± Kol said. ¡°Thank you for¡ª¡± Darick seized Kol and pulled him, shouting, from the door. Max yelled with him. Darick threw Kol to the ground. Kol raised his hands and projections glowed at his palms. The rain that hid them slid away, as if across laminate. Enoa yelled and reached for her staff, but Orson followed them all out the door before she could reach her hip. Orson seized Daron¡¯s right hand with his left. He gripped the other man¡¯s wrist and his sword¡¯s hilt, as he drew his own sword. Rain sizzled against it and steamed away as the drops struck the blade. Orson pointed the sword toward Darick, as the first man drew his own blade, a curved weapon with a thin cutting edge. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Melanthymos yelled. ¡°The Maros boy saved our lives today.¡± ¡°He was Liberty Corps.¡± Darick kept his sword pointed at Orson. ¡°That¡¯s an easy thing to learn. Every day our guests are running from them, hiding from them. Every day we see who they hurt. They¡¯re the Hierarchia again, but even worse. And we¡¯re supposed to share our table with him, who joined them.¡± ¡°He left the Liberty Corps!¡± Dr. Stan yelled. ¡°He turned against them.¡± ¡°He served the remnant willingly,¡± Daron answered. ¡°Now he¡¯s a turncoat. Neither can be trusted. He needs to know what the consequences will be if that same betrayal happens here.¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t welcome,¡± Kol said. ¡°Why let me come here?¡± ¡°Did you really think we¡¯d just let you beat him up?¡± Jaleel arrived beside Enoa and the open door. He held his bow with an arrow already fit to the string. ¡°You will let my brother go,¡± Max shouted. ¡°If this is the hospitality that the hidden peoples show, then¡ª¡± ¡°I have this!¡± Orson shouted louder. ¡°I have this!¡± Daron wrenched his hand. He fought away from Orson, hand still gripped around his sword¡¯s hilt. Orson broke the brother¡¯s grip. Enoa didn¡¯t see the motion of their hands. Between the speed and the rain, but Daron was left with an empty sheath. Orson held the other drawn sword. ¡°Do we need to leave here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°The Maros kid saved my life today too, from a man who could¡¯ve killed you both in a heartbeat.¡± ¡°Where else will you go?¡± Darick asked. ¡°You were Ms. Birgham¡¯s paramour, and she¡¯ll hide you, but what friends do you have left? And what will Ms. Birgham think of you when she knows you fought us on our land. You¡¯ll see another side¡ª¡± ¡°Captain Gregory sees through your glamer,¡± Melanthymos called. ¡°Do you understand? Your lady already knows him. She cleared his sight. And there¡¯s likely very little of her he hasn¡¯t seen already.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t disrespect her,¡± Darick said. ¡°She¡ª¡± A solid mass of something struck him in the side and bowled him down. He sprawled in the mud beside Kol, and the sword skidded away from his fingers, through the water and the grime. Kol took the chance to rise back to his feet. His shields grew as he moved, hiding most of his torso behind the translucent projections. ¡°BOYS!¡± A new voice called across the yard. ¡°I made my decision. It¡¯s done. Stand down. Guests, please stand down.¡± Enoa looked toward the voice and saw a strange motion of the rain. By the headlights, she saw the drops of water fly sideways, scattering outward. A woman approached them and the rain parted around her. She wore a bathrobe and heavy rain boots. Her hair was in curlers. She held a cane in one hand. ¡°You¡¯re the innkeeper?¡± Orson relaxed, but kept both swords ready at his sides. ¡°I am Embre Vass,¡± the woman said. ¡°I own and protect this place. I¡¯m sorry for my boys. They¡¯ve spent too long sheltered here. They don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯re lucky I¡¯m as steady as I am. They could¡¯ve been really hurt.¡± She laughed. ¡°Oh yes, I¡¯m sure. You know, I remember you, Orson Gregory. Though I suppose you can¡¯t say the same about me. Sirona was making her tour for Gertrude, visiting all the protected lands. You were a polite young man. So young! It all seems so recent, like just a few months. But the years show twice in your eyes, lad. You¡¯ve known a hard road, and you¡¯ll be safe here. All of you will. I¡¯m sorry for my sons. I will speak to them, and you will not see them again. Can you accept the punishment I¡¯ll give them?¡± Enoa looked from the wide-eyed silence of the two adult brothers to their mother¡¯s serene expression. Darick climbed from the ground. ¡°Yes.¡± Orson shot a glance between the brothers. ¡°Sure. Just so long as I know we¡¯re all safe. Kol Maros is no saint, and he¡¯s got a lot to answer for, but he¡¯s earned safety. I¡¯ll protect him again if I have to.¡± ¡°Please give me Daron¡¯s sword.¡± Embre reached her free hand toward Orson. ¡°He¡¯s got a great deal to learn before he¡¯ll wield it again.¡± Orson nodded and returned the weapon. But he didn¡¯t sheath the sword of fire until Darick retrieved and returned his own blade to its scabbard. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you no longer,¡± Embre said. ¡°Your cabins are unlocked, keys inside. Don¡¯t lose them. All amenities are marked well enough. Breakfast runs seven to eleven and not one minute later. Lost in the Woods package means you pay when you leave. We can talk about your discount after this episode tonight.¡± She pointed the sword at both brothers. ¡°You can find pricing in the main building, but I ask you remain here until dusk each day. Live music, games, and crafts are only for our regular guests. That¡¯s for your safety. The rest should all be explained in your welcome letters. Other than that, the room¡¯s phones connect to our main office. It¡¯s been a late night, so I¡¯ll leave you to your sleeping. Good night.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Enoa returned the good-bye. The others did as well. Then Embre started back up the gravel path, both sons behind her. Neither spoke as they were led away. ¡°Well,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°It¡¯s been really fun, but unless one of the rest of you gets sucker punched in the next few seconds, you¡¯re on your own.¡± She led Aneirin away by the hand. They smiled at each other and took the path out of sight. Syly turned back too and called something in her native tongue. Enoa heard Wesley begin to chatter from his perch at the front of the Aesir. Then Syly broke off toward her cabin. All fell silent but the beating rain and a slight clicking from deeper in the Aesir. ¡°The typewriter again?¡± Jaleel collapsed his bow and followed the passage back toward his bunk.¡± ¡°We still haven¡¯t heard from Eloise about the self-storage place,¡± Orson said. ¡°Or maybe Teddy is sending more recipes.¡± He nodded to Kol. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kol let his projections fade and pulled a clump of mud from his jumpsuit¡¯s right knee. ¡°I imagine I¡¯ll need to get used to that.¡± ¡°Terrible,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°That these people who should understand the burden of persecution would take out their rage on you.¡± Orson motioned Kol back aboard the Aesir, then followed him inside. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all this. Listen, I have no reason to think you¡¯ll be anything but totally safe while you¡¯re here, but if you¡¯re worried my couch is a sleeper sofa. It¡¯s not the most comfortable thing in the world. I think it got messed up when we bolted it to the floor. Anyway, it¡¯s yours if you want it. Or I can pull the Aesir around and get you over to your cabin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your decision, Kol,¡± Max said. ¡°If you¡¯ll brave the cabin,¡± Kol said. ¡°So will I. And if anyone wants to attack me, let them. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be a sound sleeper again.¡± ¡°I doubt¡ª¡± Orson began. He stopped short when Jaleel ran back into the cabin, another page in-hand. ¡°Eloise picked a team to visit the self-storage, first thing in the morning,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with her reading it and typing it, Enoa, she can send it here by typewriter before the end of the day.¡± 139 - Years Swept Away Spring had yet to find its way to the northern shoulders of the Sierra Nevada. The snow still lay thick at Allied Station Omega-CN, elevation 6,000 feet, when the Manifest Destiny descended through the clouds and perched low over the lonely mountainside complex. Pacific Alliance Weather Bureau Corporal Isabella Marquez was the only on-call Operations Officer that night, with all systems running well. But she abandoned her half-mixed hot chocolate when the muffled alarm sounded. She threw on her snow boots and parka. By the time she opened the prefab barracks and began her trudge through the darkness toward the sensor station, it was already too late. She recognized the alarm in the open air. It was no technology failure, no meteorological anomaly. It wasn¡¯t the fire alarm. It was a proximity warning. Then she noticed the reflection in the crusted snow. It wasn¡¯t starlight. These lights glowed yellow and red. They were imminent and shone down in orderly rows. Corporal Marquez looked up and saw no clouds and no true stars. The whole sky was suddenly metal, all lit by those orderly rows. She wavered. Run to the sensor station to deactivate their readings, delete them, save their studies by destroying them? Or return to the barracks, rally her crewmembers, transmit the emergency, inform command? She¡¯d run out of time either way. Smaller lights emerged from the sky-swallowing expanse above her. Two landing ships fell toward her and the station. They were repulsor dropships, escorted by the curves of Saw-wing, distantly shrieking. Suspended between them floated an object, a cylinder that glowed a nauseating green. And as they fell, a voice projected down from the metal sky. ¡°This is Liberty Corps Captain Christian Davard of the LCS Manifest Destiny. You build on federal territory owned by the IHSA. We are their successors. What was theirs is ours. Surrender now or be destroyed.¡± * * * Orson held the typewriter in his lap, a pen and pad of notepaper propped beside it. Lifting the typewriter reminded his shoulders of the hours he¡¯d spent fighting. The typewriter¡¯s weight across his legs reminded his tender skin of the grip from his trapped boot and the force that might¡¯ve torn him apart. Every motion reminded him of sleep, exhaustion like Enoa described in Thought Fatigue. Orson had spent a full day awake, too afraid to fall into deep sleep the night before, and then too busy planning and fighting and surviving to rest. And rest would wait. He sat in his bed, but with his back pressed to the wall and the typewriter on his sore legs, his pains enough to keep him from relief and relaxed sleep. Orson touched pen to paper and wrote in the clipped style needed for the typewriter. ¡®How are you? I am sorry I did not write back before. We had some more passengers than I expected. Thank you for inviting me.¡¯ He crossed out the last sentence and wrote again. ¡®Thanks for inviting us. I would love to see¡ª¡¯ He left the final half-sentence unfinished, and struck it out with another long ink line. ¡®I would really like to catch up. But I put you in enough danger before we got in touch. Until this thing resolves we cannot drag you into it now. ¡®I hope I am not writing too late. Some stuff we need to talk about. Stuff you need to know. And I am not sure what you know already. The Liberty Corps suspects you have a key. They have a whole file about you. I will get it to you. But cannot make you a bigger target than you are already. ¡®Let me know how to get that to you without too much attention. And thanks again. Seriously. After all this time you did not need to open your door to me and my people you never met.¡¯ Orson stopped. How could he capture his gratitude without seeing her, without hearing her voice? How could he know whether he¡¯d said too much or too little? How could he talk to her for the first time in a half-decade through the forced stilted sentences of the typewriter? He didn¡¯t get the chance to try. The typewriter¡¯s keys began to move ¨C striking one line across the blank page. ¡®Trying to call you. Are you awake? If so go out in the barn. Answer the phone.¡¯ Orson crept into the darkened passage. Everything was still and quiet. There was no light from the other bunks or from the Aesir¡¯s dashboard. He couldn¡¯t hear the phone ringing until he opened the Aesir¡¯s door. Then he stepped out into the barn. He shut the door behind him and moved toward the sound through the darkness. Enough moonlight bled through the windows to show him the old rotary phone waiting on a workbench at the far wall. ¡°Hello?¡± Orson raised the handset. ¡°You are awake!¡± And it was Sirona¡¯s voice, and somehow those three words swept years from him. Nothing separated him from their time together, when he heard this voice first and last each day. It all felt recent, like the journeys and toils he¡¯d faced were compressed, just a difficult chapter, a deviation from his real life. ¡°Or did I wake you?¡± she asked. ¡°I was awake,¡± he said. ¡°I was, uh, just writing to you when I got your message.¡± He tried to lean against the darkened wall and bumped into a long thin tool that hung there. He was still fumbling with it blind when she spoke again. ¡°Sure you were,¡± she laughed, and her laugh was inclusive, like they were both in on the joke. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you were writing to, but I didn¡¯t get anything.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t actually get to typing it yet.¡± He was glad for the dark, glad no one saw the uncontrolled grin he couldn¡¯t keep from his face. ¡°I had to plan what I was going to say. I was still writing it out. How are you? I assumed you¡¯d be asleep by now, with you being a legitimate businesswoman and everything.¡± ¡°I normally would be,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I¡¯ve been staying up to hear from this jerk I used to know, and he had me wait up all night.¡± ¡°Guy sounds like a real tool.¡± Orson laughed with her. ¡°But maybe he almost died today, and he has people to take care of now, and when he wrote to you he wanted to make sure he knew what he wanted to say.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been as much work if you just came right here.¡± The humor, the easy mischievous lilt, was gone from her voice. ¡°That thing, that machine that came after you was looking for me. And you didn¡¯t want to live with that danger anymore. It wasn¡¯t chasing after a Dreamside Road Key. I don¡¯t want to bring that back to you.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll come for the key eventually,¡± she replied. ¡°We¡¯re the ones with the responsibility now, Orson. We aren¡¯t kids anymore, and everything we said¡­ Everything I said, it doesn¡¯t matter as much now. The situation in the world, it¡¯s not what I expected. We have the keys. It¡¯s not Ophion or Gertrude. It¡¯s us, but someone has to do this. We¡¯re back no matter what.¡± ¡°Back on the old Wayfarers Highway,¡± he said. ¡°I guess it really was true after all. When you find your way to the road, you¡¯ll always find your way back.¡± ¡°A lot of people are so, so pissed at you for using that for the title of your memoir.¡± There was the mischievous lilt again. ¡°Just monumentally aggrieved. The Lerolyns are still talking about it. Every year they visit for the winter solstice and every year they complain about my Icarus and his hubris.¡± ¡°They would¡¯ve had me smash the wings and stay in the damn labyrinth.¡± Orson rolled his eyes because she couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°You remember a myth!¡± she said. ¡°Somewhere Haydn is really excited! I know a lot of the truce community didn¡¯t warm up to you, but you didn¡¯t make it very easy for them either.¡± ¡°Like Embre Vass¡¯s two kids who tried to rough up one of my passengers tonight?¡± Orson asked. ¡°If she told you where we¡¯re parked, did she tell you about that?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Her voice was suddenly serious. ¡°I spoke to her sons. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Orson said. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Darick acted like you were insulting me by bringing the former Liberty Corps boy to the lodge,¡± she said. ¡°And they said some woman registered with the Aspallan reservation made a lewd comment about me. Who is she? What did she say?¡± ¡°Aw man,¡± Orson said. ¡°Doryssa Melanthymos. She was a prisoner, earth elemental of some kind. When the Vass guys said I¡¯d get in trouble with you for messing with them, Melanthymos mentioned that I know you better than they do and implied you like me more.¡± ¡°She said it just like that, huh?¡± Sirona asked with exaggerated skepticism. ¡°She noticed me seeing through glamer,¡± Orson explained. ¡°And she assumed that whole sight clearing ritual¡­ thing. She mentioned it a couple times. It wasn¡¯t an insult to you. She was saying how lucky I was.¡± ¡°I bet you scoffed at her.¡± She had a note of accusation in her voice. ¡°Because sometimes you can¡¯t take a compliment.¡± ¡°I scoffed because it¡¯s weird. I mean, if a magic woman actively chooses to clear some dude¡¯s sight to illusions because she likes him for whatever reason, okay. I get that. But that¡¯s not what this is about. They act like if he¡¯s a big stud with her then it¡¯s just automatic. It¡¯s kinda freaky to everyone. It makes the mysterious magic stuff just a weird biological thing that can happen by accident.¡± ¡°Life is a weird biological thing that can happen by accident,¡± she said, her voice better humored. ¡°I still think you want it to be something you figured out on your own. You don¡¯t want it to be something that was given to you. Even if I gave it to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful every day,¡± Orson said. ¡°For us. For everything. Don¡¯t doubt that, please. Don¡¯t doubt that ever. It raises me up all the time, knowing we happened. You were, uh, telling me what you said to the Vass guys.¡± He continued without pause, back on topic, back on safer ground. ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°I told Darick Vass I could protect my own honor, and if I¡¯d pick someone else to defend me it wouldn¡¯t be either of them. It would be you. I also called their family sword knowledge a hobby, and said they shouldn¡¯t mess with a professional like you.¡± ¡°You went right for the throat! I should¡¯ve fought them for real. At least any scars I gave them would be stories they can share. You¡¯re just traumatic.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want them to have stories.¡± Her voice fell to a harsh murmur. ¡°I want them to learn their lesson.¡± Then she gave another inclusive laugh. ¡°They seemed really loyal to you,¡± he said. ¡°Are they more of your fanboys? What the hell did Eloise call them, the guys who worshipped your namesake? Trevors?¡± ¡°Treveri,¡± she said. ¡°They might be. It¡¯s all easier to ignore now that I hold the truce. I can¡¯t believe they mentioned me to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a standard thing,¡± Orson said. ¡°Years later, and people still have to be surprised we dated. I was your paramour. I¡¯m not your former partner. Even that guy Franklin works with now, what¡¯s his name, Royce ¨C even he had to make a big deal out of us being together.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s definitely one of the Treveri,¡± she chuckled uncomfortably. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t blame any of them,¡± he said. ¡°If you wear that armor all the time. Where was that five years ago? Today¡¯s real tragedy was finding out I missed Armor Sirona.¡± Orson didn¡¯t have the same mastery of his voice. He couldn¡¯t jump between levity and earnestness the way she did. But he tried to find some dramatic sadness. ¡°Trust me,¡± she said. ¡°The novelty would¡¯ve worn off for you. I can¡¯t get out of that armor in less than twenty minutes.¡± ¡°Challenge accepted.¡± She laughed again, but not controlled and half-playful. This was a real belly laugh, a sound he¡¯d thought he¡¯d never hear again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the little truce community,¡± she said. ¡°Their opinion of you and us doesn¡¯t matter. It never really did, but now¡­ All their opinions matter less every day. In ten years, this will just be any other inn. No more secrets. The whole world is changing. Everything¡¯s colliding. We¡¯re all on the Wayfarers Highway now. Ah! I want to talk about your book, but heist first. Teddy and Franklin told me about your new crew and some of what you all planned to do. But you freed people too. You freed everyone! Everyone¡¯s talking about what you did! Did you also manage to get the location of Knightschurch?¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°If you¡¯re about to tell me you had it all along,¡± Orson said. ¡°That Ophion gave it to you or something. I don¡¯t want to know. Okay. Just keep it to yourself.¡± ¡°No, Ophion never told me about it,¡± she said. ¡°He talked about Sir Merrill a little bit, maybe couple of times. I don¡¯t think they parted ways on the best terms. But you should always check with me before one of these missions.¡± ¡°Imagine if you¡¯d known, and I put my crew through that hell for no reason,¡± Orson exhaled slowly. ¡°Not no reason! All those people you saved, no matter what you learned! Hundreds, Orson! The escape made the nightly news out of Olympia, and they never talk about the Liberty Corps. It¡¯s like the world ends at the border. They had leaked video of the sky full of planes and creatures, dragons and things I didn¡¯t recognize. And I knew it was you. All of those lives saved because you were there.¡± ¡°They all got away?¡± Orson¡¯s memories were already clouding, confused by the adrenaline. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see too far past the Pinnacle.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know numbers, but there were unscheduled landings at airports all over the Northwest. Franklin said a friend of his with the Alliance saved some floating, uh, hover cars?¡± ¡°Skimmers?¡± Orson provided. ¡°Those!¡± she said. ¡°We heard on the community radio that Marina was called in to interpret for a woman who only spoke Aramaic. The Hierarchia had her prisoner since the sixties, Orson. We had twenty calls for sanctuary. Twenty! We¡¯ve never had that many.¡± ¡°Do you have that armored warning at all the phone booths?¡± Orson pictured her in full regalia, her hair braided, the illusion¡¯s eyes looking past him. ¡°I do!¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if she scared your friend. She¡¯s good at recognizing the Liberty Corps armor.¡± ¡°Jaleel¡¯s okay. He and I¡¯d had a little disagreement earlier about luggage, but he¡¯ll be just fine. My main, uh, takeaway from your image is that she didn¡¯t notice me. You didn¡¯t train her to recognize me or my awesome gear?¡± ¡°Why would I? I assumed you¡¯d come right to me, but I forget how silly you are. Instead I got a bunch of new guests here who knew you from this afternoon, but not you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about my silly decisions later,¡± Orson said. ¡°You know for a fact that some of the prisoners got away? I didn¡¯t like freeing them without any preparation for how they¡¯d all get away, but I figured that was their best shot at escape. I didn¡¯t see the Alliance going in to bust them out either. I couldn¡¯t just leave them there at that point.¡± ¡°Did you really rescue the boy who destroyed your friend¡¯s house?¡± She lowered her voice like she expected to be overheard. ¡°Him and his brother, yeah.¡± Orson leaned to the side and could see the moon cast a smear of light across the nearest darkened cabin. ¡°It¡¯s complicated though. The Maros who fought us before, Kol, he turned away from the Liberty Corps to save Littlefield from that Governor Sloan you probably heard about. And Kol also got attacked by this other officer, his girlfriend, and they had a big battle. So he gave up everything. But after all that, Kol and his brother Max, who¡¯s a paraplegic Navy veteran in a wheelchair, they got captured then and tortured for weeks by the Liberty Corps. So Kol¡¯s a mixed bag for sure. And he¡¯s a weirder guy than I would¡¯ve expected when he was shooting at us.¡± ¡°What a mess,¡± Sirona said. ¡°And it gets freakier. Kol and Enoa can sense each other with their Hierarchia Shaping mysticism. So Enoa and Jaleel were working unloading, to cover for our heist. But when she found out Kol was imprisoned right there, she dragged Jaleel on this rescue mission. She¡¯s not as vindictive as we were.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have let him stay and be tortured,¡± Sirona said. ¡°If it was Cyprus I might have,¡± he replied. ¡°Cyprus didn¡¯t save anybody, not even himself. If he¡¯d redeemed himself a little, you would have saved him too¡­ You might also have threatened him. You might¡¯ve even hit him, but you would¡¯ve saved him. Now, go on.¡± ¡°Well, Enoa gets found out by one of Helmont¡¯s knights, this old guy who had this grody and ambiguously sexual interest in her, but also in her Shaper powers. So my crew and Kol fight this guy, all while Dr. Stan and I were robbing them. Dr. Stan wiped out all their computer information by the way.¡± ¡°Typical Aesir crew move,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah. So my group wins, but Helmont finds out with his own Shaping sense bullshit. And he sends his troops after us, so I try a diversion which is how I found out about all the prisoners. I tried to recruit some to help, including some of those cryptid animals and such. And then as we were leaving, that creeper knight goes after Enoa again! Then he loses again. Then Helmont shows up, beats up everybody, and melts the knight.¡± ¡°He¡­ melted him?¡± she asked. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Not like us with fire melted him,¡± Orson clarified. He pictured the liquid remains of the knight, congealed red, darker than blood, as it pooled on the deck beneath the unloading arm. ¡°He liquefied him, like he dissolved him. It was the most disgusting thing I¡¯ve ever seen. And then we barely escaped. And Kol caught one of the skimmers of escaping prisoners with his shield powers ¨C so that made the freeing him call seem like the right idea. Melanthymos and her new boyfriend, this old European wizard, they were on that one. We met up with them again later. Then we made reservations and came here. And I found out elves dig tater tots.¡± ¡°Tater tots?¡± She asked. ¡°You remember,¡± he said. ¡°You sent the message from Teddy. There was this young, or relatively young woman, vaguely elvish but it¡¯s not like I know for sure. She escaped with Melanthymos and Wizard Boyfriend. The boyfriend¡¯s Aneirin Aspallen, by the way. The elf girl, Syly, she couldn¡¯t get enough of those tater tots.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a day only you could have,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Teddy also wants to know if you took any notes for your ¡®web serial¡¯. He wants to make sure you¡¯re taking notes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me started on that,¡± Orson said. ¡°But this Maros saga is another reason I didn¡¯t bring the gang to you. You don¡¯t need me to drag that along, and I don¡¯t need them learning more than they should.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ten years ago,¡± she said. ¡°I advertise now. We¡¯re on the new net. Gertrude only had so much left to put into this when she retired, and I don¡¯t have the kind of money to run it without constant guests.¡± ¡°No one gets to stay in exchange for gifts and information?¡± He laughed and hoped it was as welcoming a sound as hers. He remembered the trophy cases with heirlooms from across the world, adventurers¡¯ treasures, hidden peoples¡¯ arts, metal works, hand crafts, freely given as both payment and contribution. The inn wore its place in the stories, the crossroads shelter, the way station. ¡°I am still hoping for a matching set of knight¡¯s armor,¡± she said. ¡°Nothing anyone would use. You remember the one by the dining room doors?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Having one on each side would be so cool. But people aren¡¯t looking to hide here, not like they were. I don¡¯t say no to someone in a bad way. I keep to the truce, even on a crazy day like today, where a lot of people need somewhere. But hiding from the Liberty Corps is not like the way we hid from the Hierarchia. We won¡¯t hide that way again. I think you¡¯d like it here now.¡± ¡°I know I would.¡± He imagined the inn on the edge of colossal old growth forest, its five stories and towers dwarfed by the trees around them. He imagined standing on the long concourse toward the building, seeing it again outside of dreams, knowing she still waited for him there. ¡°I will love it,¡± he said. ¡°But I have to get this whole Maros thing figured out. And I think something¡¯s coming with Helmont. We never heard of him, did we?¡± ¡°I heard of the Hierarchia¡¯s emergency holdfast, but I didn¡¯t know any specifics,¡± she said. ¡°Is he strong? Teddy makes him sound like some kind of genius.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s strong. He fought that Melanthymos and Wizard Boyfriend and this ESP-test-subject-guy and me ¨C all at around the same time. I did well for a while. I got in a hit or two on his armor, but¡­ Helmont took my boot¡­ my repulsor. Even with Aorin¡¯s armor on me, Helmont could hold it with his powers. Dr. Stan, do you know her?¡± ¡°Only by reputation,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Well, she and Kol had to hold onto me while I took the boot off, or Helmont would¡¯ve had me. He would¡¯ve taken me right out of the Aesir or ripped me to pieces trying. I¡¯m glad that I helped everybody today. I really am, but this was the best I¡¯ve got and the best chance we could hope for. We took them totally by surprise and everybody fought their hardest. And we still lost. I still lost. He beat me.¡± ¡°How did he get the boot?¡± she asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Virus¡¯s armor supposed to stop telekinesis? Or is Aorin¡¯s re-creation weaker?¡± ¡°I think it works just fine,¡± Orson said. ¡°TK stuff never gets me through it. I think Helmont has to touch things and then it works even better than usual TK rules. But he even had to touch that Sir Rowan before the guy melted. And he¡¯s probably touched repulsors like mine, because they were Hierarchia. And he managed to take my blaster the same way.¡± ¡°So he couldn¡¯t melt you, right?¡± And there was the first hint of real fear in her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Orson tried to remember the baron¡¯s words. What had Helmont said while he¡¯d held him, pinned, to the deck? ¡°I think he needs to touch things a lot to know them that well. And he¡¯s never touched me.¡± ¡°Well, then there¡¯s nothing else for him to mentally grab, is there? You have the sword. And you have my lantern. I saw what you did to that spaceship thing. And you have your armor. Maybe the Virus really was good for something after all.¡± ¡°Stop talking about the Virus,¡± Orson groaned. ¡°Helmont mentioned him a time or two, acted really present tense about him. About the quality of Ruhland¡¯s armor and how ridiculous it was that I think I could beat Ruhland.¡± ¡°Teddy mentioned he said that.¡± The fear remained in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ But you thought the lantern did the job.¡± ¡°There was a lot of fire and there was a smoking corpse,¡± Orson said. ¡°So yeah, I was pretty damn sure.¡± ¡°I was afraid of that,¡± she said. ¡°Ophion warned me about this too. He said¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen Ophion!¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°Where the hell has he been all this time?¡± How many years had it been since Ophion sought him out? Before Thunderworks. And in all that time, how often could expert counsel have saved him, helped him help others, made the long road more bearable? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°In these last few years, he only visited here a time or two. He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s doing the full unreachable wandering wizard. You know how impossible it is to push him for information.¡± ¡°I¡¯d push him,¡± Orson said. ¡°I could accept non-answers or no answers when I was a kid. And I could accept him being retired off somewhere. He earned that, but if he¡¯s still wandering around and choosing not to tell us anything ¨C that¡¯s just not okay. Whatever he knows about the Dreamside Road¡­. Whatever he¡­¡± Orson didn¡¯t expect the venom in his voice, his feelings weighed down by the aimlessness of his own years of wandering, without guidance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We all just nearly died today to get information we should¡¯ve had long ago.¡± ¡°He was always afraid of us getting into more trouble than he thought we could handle.¡± Sirona spoke softer now. ¡°He didn¡¯t say it, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s happy you went to fight Calder and Ruhland at Norlenheim. You¡¯re a real target now. He¡¯s not happy you left, that we¡¯re not¡­ He said he hoped you¡¯d use what he taught you to live, not just to fight. And he said it seems unlikely we got off so easy with someone as prepared as the Virus always was. It¡¯s doubtful he¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Everybody lets their guard down eventually.¡± But Orson heard Helmont¡¯s derision. Defeat Ruhland? You believe that? ¡°Have we ever been that lucky?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°Even one time?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me think about the Virus being alive,¡± Orson groaned again. ¡°Please. This was a long-ass day. Let me just figure out Helmont. One major super-villain at a time, Babe.¡± Orson said the old endearment before he thought to stop himself. ¡°Okay.¡± Sirona practically giggled. ¡°One at a time then. What does Helmont do? Or does he mainly melt people?¡± ¡°He does a lot of stuff. He¡¯s really not easy to reach. He can fly. And he has his own sword of fire. It¡¯s covenant legitimate too. And there¡¯s his telekinesis. Now that I think about it, the flying might be him using telekinesis on himself.¡± ¡°We can figure this out,¡± she said. ¡°Deal with whatever is up with your crew and come here. We¡¯ll puzzle out how you can fight him. How many fights did we plan out for you beforehand? Is this baron a good duelist?¡± ¡°He knows the, uh, twelfth covenant form, the griffin¡¯s way. Seems pretty acrobatic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll want to study that form. Acrobatic, hmm? Your style already has a strong defense. With that and your armor, make sure he comes to you. If you give him reason to fly at you, you get him while he¡¯s close and don¡¯t give him any chance to fly away. We can work with that. I still have copies of the twelve scrolls in the private library. We¡¯ll take a look at those. We can go through¡ª¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know if this is a good idea,¡± Orson interrupted again. ¡°Helmont had studies about you. He had pictures of you at work and just living your life. Not just at your inn, out in the city too, like you were being followed. And he had pictures of¡­ pictures of things that the Hierarchia did to fire elementals. He¡¯s been preparing to fight you for your key.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he has.¡± Her voice mellowed, but only just. ¡°They all had that information, Orson. All of the Hierarchia. That¡¯s what happened to anyone who had something they wanted. They were chopped apart until the Hierarchia learned what interested them or until it got too expensive. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± Then her voice really did change. There was a sudden edge, a new energy, anger or long-buried stress. ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯ve always been. Everything¡¯s dissected until understood. What does it matter if the enigma is people-shaped? She can shoot fire from her hands and she doesn¡¯t burn¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how widespread it was¡­¡± Orson spoke with slow caution. ¡°I didn¡¯t know this was something that would be passed on like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like an anatomy study. It¡¯s like all the awful shit people got up to that eventually made medicine that helped other people. But now it¡¯s just weapons. And just because they cut up people like me doesn¡¯t mean they know me. If they cut into an Olympic athlete, like a tennis pro or someone, are they ready to go up against them on the court? I don¡¯t think so. You can cut into innocent people like they¡¯re some fae other thing, but they haven¡¯t seen how other I can be.¡± She took a second deep breath, and when she spoke again the easy, contented humor returned to her words, whatever horror or pain buried once again. ¡°I might need better security if the Liberty Corps is taking paparazzi pictures of me. Maybe some of them can be used for the website? Anyway, I was going to recruit you to do some work on the gutters in exchange for me helping you and letting you stay here. But I honestly won¡¯t miss you flying around like Tinkerbell with your one leg pulled up like you do.¡± ¡°Tinkerbell!¡± ¡°Tinkerbell, yeah,¡± she said. ¡°Like from Peter Pan. Not that I like the whole tiny fairies idea, but I like the look of that one boot even less.¡± ¡°That boot let me fight crazy powerful people! There was this guy, Tucker¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say you didn¡¯t use it well, but you didn¡¯t look your coolest. I¡¯m not a big flying boot fan at all, but why did you go five years with just one? You couldn¡¯t get another one in that long? I mean, why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I had all I needed,¡± Orson raised his voice in false outrage. ¡°It was my distinct look.¡± ¡°Distinctly goofy, maybe. But it¡¯s true, without the Tinkerbell boot it will be harder for you to pay off your debt to me. But I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll think of something.¡± ¡°Man, a few years running your little fantasy inn and you¡¯re trying to trap me in some weird bargain.¡± He knew the way she¡¯d look at him, if she were there, if they weren¡¯t hundreds of miles apart by his own choice. ¡°Trap you? You always liked our arrangement before.¡± The Aesir¡¯s side door cycled open before he could answer. ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa spoke at a low whisper. ¡°Is that you?¡± ¡°Just a minute,¡± Orson said into the phone. ¡°Crew thing.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sirona said. Orson lowered the phone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d be out here training and not¡­ in the dark. I heard you leave and¡­ I hoped that if you were awake, then maybe you¡¯d help me see the floppies. I want to read about my aunt.¡± ¡°I thought we were gonna wait for Dr. Stan.¡± But Orson could hear the tremor in Enoa¡¯s voice, like she struggled to steady her words. ¡°Are you alright? I was just getting some news, but we can sit down in a minute if you need to talk.¡± ¡°I want to read about my Aunt Su,¡± she said, her voice no stronger. ¡°I¡¯ve waited so long¡­ I can¡¯t sleep and more waiting for this letter¡¯s driving me crazy, Orson. I just want a warning, maybe. Are you¡­ Are you talking to someone?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m on the phone. There¡¯s a landline, but we can talk in a minute.¡± He raised the phone again but Sirona spoke before he could. ¡°Go,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Take care of your people. How about I give you a day to figure this out. We¡¯ll plan again. Call tomorrow, same time?¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± he answered. ¡°Wait here a second so I can say good-bye. Enoa, if you want to get the floppies back out of the case, I¡¯ll be right inside. We¡¯ll see what we can read about your aunt.¡± 140 - Eta Enoa found the case of floppies beside the sensor station, where Dr. Stan had left them after her night¡¯s work. The plastic opened with a snap. All floppy discs were back in their rows, all labeled in Dr. Stan¡¯s neat script on thin sticky notes. Enoa turned on the sensor monitor, pressed the center switch she¡¯d watched Dr. Stan use. The screen and console beneath lit up, pale green, enough light to work by. One stack of floppies was labeled ¡®Dreamthought Project¡¯. Enoa pulled floppies free, far enough to read the name on each label. She saw ¡®Perez¡¯ and ¡®O¡¯Harrell¡¯, ¡®Grant¡¯, ¡®Ophion¡¯, and ¡®Gerwold¡¯, until she found ¡®Cloud¡¯. Enoa slid the floppy free. ¡°Enoa?¡± Jaleel whispered. She looked back to find him peeking out of his open bunk door. He lit his cold-white work light in one hand and stepped into the passage barefoot. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± She whispered back. ¡°I wanted to get my aunt¡¯s letter before I checked out the floppies, but I just need to look now. I¡¯m still afraid that¡­ I¡¯m afraid that if I just read my letter last year, like I should have, the Liberty Corps wouldn¡¯t know as much as they do, that it¡¯s my fault, somehow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Jaleel started toward her. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault you got robbed.¡± He stopped to look through the outer door into the darkened barn. When she listened, Enoa could still hear the indecipherable murmur of Orson¡¯s speech. ¡°Is he talking to someone?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°He¡¯s ¡®getting news¡¯.¡± Enoa rose into a crouch and searched the sensor area for any sign of a floppy disk port or drive. She saw nothing but the smooth black surface of the console. ¡°He¡¯s supposedly just saying good-bye to¡­ I assume he¡¯s talking to Fire Girlfriend, because he sounds just way too happy.¡± Jaleel listened again. ¡°That¡¯s so wholesome! I thought he was like a stoic anime character who¡¯s only happy when he¡¯s messing with somebody in a fight. Oh, I think he¡¯s coming back.¡± He stepped out of the doorway to let Orson aboard. The door shut behind him. ¡°Alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°Are you two okay? Did I bother you leaving?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If you need to talk to your girlfriend, I¡¯ll never stand in the way, Boss.¡± ¡°And this is why I¡¯m glad the phone was outside the ship.¡± Orson nodded to Enoa. ¡°What¡¯s up? What¡¯s bothering you that you need to look at those floppies without¡­¡± He shot a thumb over his shoulder toward Dr. Stan¡¯s closed bunk. ¡°I need to know if people died because I didn¡¯t read my letter a year ago.¡± Enoa tried to remember all the times she¡¯d sat alone, in the last autumn she¡¯d spend in her childhood home, all those nights she could have looked through what Sucora had left behind. ¡°I need to be sure that Kol isn¡¯t wrong, and the Liberty Corps didn¡¯t get the island¡¯s location from me, because I screwed up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nuts.¡± Orson stepped around Jaleel and crouched beside her. ¡°Even if you¡¯d read it, that wouldn¡¯t have stopped the Liberty Corps from taking it, unless you left immediately. And how would you have known to leave?¡± ¡°Unless there¡¯s more about contacting Archie in the letter.¡± Enoa could see the old man, facedown and motionless, everything caught in the rosy glow of the firelight from the burning train. He was the first death she might have prevented, but maybe not the last. ¡°Archie was the old train guy?¡± Jaleel joined them on the floor. ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson took the floppy from Enoa and leaned up to the sensor station. A port opened in the side of the console and he slipped the disk inside. ¡°No matter what, this isn¡¯t your fault. But we were gonna look at all this eventually so we might as well go for it now.¡± Words filled the screen, green on black. They slowly began to scroll upward. Enoa leaned closer, Jaleel beside her. All three crushed into the space in front of the monitor.
CLOUD, SUCORA (aka ¡°Eta¡±)
The following summary was heavily edited, in accordance with the terms of the Third Concealment Truce (04/15/2002).
Sucora Cloud joined the IHSA in May 1977, along with the rest of Second Wave Dreamthought. She was a cultural recruit and the only E.S. Test recipient to both miss the standardized screening and to volunteer for a personal screening at a later date.
Though Sucora resisted a deep study based in her alternative cultural heritage, she produced a manner of extrasensory influence enigma, colloquially known as ¡°Shaping¡±, that fulfilled Administrator Lambda¡¯s (¦«) hopes for cross-cultural experimentation. In 1982, Sucora accepted the letter Eta (¦§) and with it the representative liaison position between the Dreamthought Project and Lambda Command. Lambda preferred the Fourth Mapmaker to hold this position, but the Mapmaker¡¯s frequent absences made a collaborative candidate more logical. In accordance with the succession protocols of the time, Sucora¡¯s assigned apprentice, [redacted], was lettered Theta (¦¨) and trained in all procedural methods.
Along with the remaining Dreamthought Project master-ranked enigma practitioners, Sucora defected on the night of July 23, 1985, during a changing of the locks ¨C when IHSA operations lost access to the ¡°Dreamside Road¡± storage facility.
Sucora is believed to have spent the next decade and a half mostly at her family home in Nimauk, Pennsylvania. Of the Second Wave Dreamthought Class, she alone survived Theta¡¯s effort to recover access through the Dreamside Door. [See file ¡°Night of the Seven Keys¡±]
LC UPDATE 08/10/2020: Sucora Cloud succumbed to cancer. With her, the last of Second Wave Dreamthought is now gone. Her heir, Enoa, has inherited many materials and knowledge of potential interest. [See file Cloud, Enoa]
The account ended with an image of Sucora, and she looked no older than Enoa. She had her hair pulled back, and she wore small earrings and a dark blue garment. The picture cut off just below her collar, like an ID photo. ¡°Wow, family resemblance,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Like nineteen-eighties Enoa.¡± Then the screen went dark. ¡°My file next.¡± Enoa turned back to the case of floppies before the image had scrolled out of sight. ¡°Is mine on a different floppy or is it on the same one? How much did you fit on these?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s on the same one.¡± Orson leaned down to the console. The view on the monitor changed to a bulleted list, the text too small to read. ¡°Enoa.¡± Jaleel whispered her name, and it wasn¡¯t the courtesy hushed tones they¡¯d used for Dr. Stan¡¯s benefit. Now he spoke at a level barely audible. ¡°That name again.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve never had a proper talk about Theta.¡± Orson didn¡¯t turn away from the screen. A green arrow moved between lines of text. ¡°We still have to compare our notes about Theta.¡± But before Enoa could answer, the screen changed again and showed her own younger face, five years before. She recognized the school photo, tenth grade, Nimauk Area High School. She remembered the dress she¡¯d worn, remembered choosing the pattern and the rich green fabric, remembered waiting as Sucora sewed it for her. There¡¯d been inconsistent schooling in later years, after Thunderworks turned tenth grade into chaos. But there were no more school photo days, and no more picture-day dresses sewn for her. That had been the last. Another picture followed that one, a still-image taken from her battle with Kol. She saw the moment again, this time frozen, with Kol flying backward, hair wild. And she saw herself, her own rage, the staff raised ¨C its tip still glowing red from the blast she¡¯d caused. Two more pictures followed, one after the next. The first showed Brett Nalrik, seated on a cushioned, gray bench, as if in a doctor¡¯s office. He was bearded now, and she knew him only from the shape of his eyes and from the short stub of bandaged arm that ended only inches past his shoulder. A caption below read, ¡°Extensive nerve damage. Ineligible for full-daktylos prosthesis.¡± The next picture showed Brielle Rinlee. She wore a tank top. Both arms were bandaged up to the shoulder, but a man in a lab coat stood beside her. He was undoing the wrappings, revealing red, burned flesh, as if she¡¯d been boiled. Enoa could see the spaces where the Bullet Rain had pierced the armor and the jumpsuit. The burns were all small circles, darkest in the middle and fading at the edges. That image¡¯s caption read, ¡°Four months expected recuperation time. No skin grafts necessary. Data sent to Shaper Influence Study, Lost Park Office, and ongoing Pinnacle Holdfast Preservation Project.¡± ¡°Man,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You really mess up our enemies. Damn!¡± Enoa nodded, but she felt only more fearful. This was harm done in defense, but what damage had she caused through negligence? How many had died, how many had been hurt, who¡¯d been innocent, whose only crime was being near her. Because she¡¯d found no strength to face her truth until she¡¯d had no choice. Only when all four images were gone did the text begin.
CLOUD, ENOA
Little information is available about the heir to Sucora Cloud¡¯s knowledge and property (notably her key to the Dreamside Door). We have no medical records to confirm the stated aunt/niece relationship between the two Cloud women. Enoa is stated to be the child of the late Shawsuna Cloud and her fianc¨¦ Mika Holt. No E.S. data was submitted after her birth, but this was not uncommon in rural settings. Consequently, Enoa Cloud¡¯s genomic data eludes us.
No educational or governmental records suggest any other Enigma connection prior to her encounter with Kolben Maros and Newtown Division. However, based on the skill of her Shaping technique, it is the consensus belief of all four analytics departments that Enoa was trained from a very early age. It is accepted theory that only a life defined by Shaping can yield fluency of technique of the kind the young Cloud has displayed. These hypotheses were partially-verified by Lieutenant Colonel Gabrielle Rinlee, who had brief access to Captain Maros¡¯s research into Ms. Cloud. However, Rinlee¡¯s recent wounds, suffered in battle with Cloud herself, have delayed a full debriefing.
Sir Rowan of the Western Barony had a conflicting take. He believes the younger Cloud¡¯s training was at most inconsistent. However, his own interest in Sucora Cloud¡¯s Anemos technique call this report into question.
Enoa Cloud is at large, operating as part of the current iteration of the Aesir Crew. She holds Sucora Cloud¡¯s Dreamside Road Key. She is a very gifted practitioner of Anemos and should be considered extremely dangerous.
Further Resources:
  • Aesir Crew: second iteration
  • Incident Report: Night of the Seven Keys
  • Incident Report: Wintertide Festival Ruse
  • Incident Report: Duel at the Age of the Dinosaurs
  • Incident Report: Littlefield War Force Debacle
¡°Did you and Dr. Stan take any of those incident reports?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I need to read about this Night of the Seven Keys.¡± Trained from an early age? Had she truly learned that much, that fast ¨C fast enough to trick them all, fool everyone but Sir Rowan? And Rinlee had seen Kol¡¯s data. What data did he have? What did he know? What other secrets was he still keeping? ¡°Lemme look.¡± Orson nodded to the case of floppies. ¡°I really can¡¯t say. It sounds relevant to the Dreamside Road, and it¡¯s referenced in those files, so Dr. Stan probably grabbed it.¡± ¡°Did Dr. Stan read all of these already?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Like, has she already absorbed all these crazy plot twists and she¡¯s just waiting to go over it all with us?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Orson squeezed between them and the case of floppies. ¡°I doubt it? It was a whole thing just to get them all labeled. Hey, while I¡¯m doing this, see what they say about the rest of us.¡± He drew another floppy from the case, this one marked ¡®Aesir 2¡¯. ¡°What about the rest of the entries on my disk?¡± Enoa asked. The screen was dark, her own personal entry ended. ¡°I saw a bunch of other lines there.¡± Jaleel leaned forward and pressed a key on the console. The monitor switched back to the bulleted list. This time Enoa leaned close enough to read.
  • CLOUD, SUCORA
  • CLOUD, ENOA
  • ANEMOS ABILITIES
    • (tagged CLOUD, SUCORA)
  • IHSA RRD: RESTORED MEETING MINUTES 1980-1985
    • (tagged CLOUD, SUCORA)
  • KEY-HOLDER SURVEILLANCE
    • (tagged CLOUD, SUCORA)
  • ENOA MESSAGE TILES: DESCIPHERING EFFORTS
¡°Enoa message tiles?¡± Jaleel read. ¡°What is that?¡± The arrow arrived on the final bullet. Then the screen changed again, showing a mass of tree roots interwoven above a solid square block, set into mossy ground. There was writing there, faded and obscured by dirt and plant-life. But one word could be seen, the name ¡®ENOA¡¯. ¡°I really doubt that¡¯s about me,¡± Enoa said. It was clear the text on the block was lines and sentences, but few words could be read, ¡®life¡¯, ¡®find¡¯, ¡®help¡¯. None of the others were clearly legible. ¡°Yeah, probably not.¡± Orson held out the ¡®Aesir 2¡¯ floppy again. ¡°We were rushed so we just took whatever we saw that might be relevant. I¡¯m still looking for incident reports. Check out this one out while we¡¯re looking at these. There are a couple floppies about the Aesir crew, but I think this one was current.¡± That time, Jaleel took the floppy and switched it with the Cloud disk. The screen now had only two true bullets.
  • GREGORY, ORSON
  • YAYE, JALEEL
*(See Cloud family files for crewmember Cloud, Enoa)
¡°Ooh, I¡¯m clicking me first!¡± Jaleel said. The screen changed again, now to another school picture. The Jaleel on the monitor looked no older than twelve. He had a broad grin and wore a button-down shirt with a thin, navy tie that almost matched the swirly-lined backdrop behind him. ¡°Jaleel Yaye, seventh grade: last confirmed image.¡± ¡°Look at you!¡± Enoa said. Past Jaleel had the same smile, but the expression seemed even happier, truly carefree. It was a child¡¯s smile for a world that allowed unwary happiness. Two more images followed it. One showed the Wuyar Archers, gathered on the roof of the Solar Saver Crawler, smoke billowing out around them. A red arrow was superimposed over the image. It pointed toward one of the masked figures. ¡°Yaye?¡± was written above it. The next image showed Jaleel, slumped to the side in an office chair, Enoa behind him. The image displayed nothing of the pursuit from Nalrik¡¯s men. Very little of the crawler hallway could be seen around them, just Enoa¡¯s own face, months before, and the obstructed view of Jaleel. But she remembered that chase, only minutes after they¡¯d met. A final picture rose into view, a blurred shape of two figures walking through a flat landscape, lit orange and violet by a vivid sunset. Neither figure was distinct, but one seemed to be wearing a strange helmet or headdress, a glossy and white rectangle. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°No!¡± Jaleel shouted. ¡°Hey, keep it down.¡± Orson looked over his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re trying to be considerate to the person who got us all¡­ Wait, what am I looking at?¡± ¡°Toilet paper.¡± Jaleel spoke with horror and sorrow. ¡°That¡¯s me, definitely, when I went with Dr. Stan to grab supplies while we were driving to see Teddy.¡± Then Enoa could see it too, the vague shapes of the toilet paper rolls, just barely visible through the plastic. ¡°This is a good thing,¡± Orson said. ¡°You don¡¯t want them to know who you are. That first picture of you is so old. I bet they have tons of pictures of me. All the facial recognition crap in the world will know me wherever I go.¡± ¡°I bet they have tons of cool pictures of you,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Just like they had the cool action pose of Enoa. But me, no. I¡¯m Two-ply Man.¡± His complaints ended when the text began to scroll.
YAYE, JALEEL
Jaleel Yaye is a current member of the Aesir Crew, Second Iteration. Recruited out of an independent outlaw troupe, Yaye is reportedly a prodigy inventor. However, outside of his pre-Aesir outlaw activities, little has been definitively seen of Yaye. He proved effective in combat against Sir Rowan and his pupils in the Crystal Dune Forest. Like all Aesir crewmembers, he should be considered armed and dangerous.
¡°See,¡± Orson said. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That¡¯s all?! Reportedly an inventor? They know about the fight with Nalrik but they don¡¯t know about my arrows, or the gliders, or the fire extinguisher? I¡¯m just Two-ply Man!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a man of mystery.¡± Enoa tried to sound positive, and she tried not to laugh. ¡°I¡¯d rather they not know all of these things about me.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can only imagine what they¡¯ve got on me.¡± Orson drew a whole stack of floppies from a far side of the case. He flicked through them and spread them across the floor. ¡°See what they¡¯ve got.¡± Jaleel returned to the menu and selected Orson¡¯s name. A second menu appeared.
  • Overview
  • Opal Theft and the Blitzkrieg Crisis
  • Evergreen Years
  • Isla de Manos and Treason
  • Role in Combatting Thunderworks
  • Aesir Captaincy
  • Dreamside Road Key-holder
  • Notable Accomplices
¡°See!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Look at this. It¡¯s like you¡¯re a superhero. They even broke it down by the story arc.¡± Orson raised a floppy from the pile. ¡°Pops said that Theta was administrator in the nineties,¡± he said. ¡°This is incident reports ending in two-thousand and two. Check out my overview and then we¡¯ll see what the IHSA has to say about that.¡± The overview began with three images. The first was a newspaper clipping. ¡°Student assaults Cyprus during school project.¡± None of the article¡¯s text was visible, just that title and an image of a much-younger Orson. He was short-haired, teenaged, and there was a boyish look to him, almost baby-faced. His hands were behind his back, presumably cuffed. Two police officers escorted him away from a brick building. Teen Orson¡¯s eyes were downcast, but the image scrolled out of sight before Enoa could take a longer look at his expression. The next image showed the front of the Aesir and a view through the windshield. The interior looked nothing like the place Enoa knew, where they all sat. The interior was a metallic gray, without the homey touches or enclosed bunks. The image showed clear through to the exposed beds and metal frames, more like a deep-sea submarine than the moving home where they all lived. Orson stood in the center of the submarine Aesir. He was in plain view, kissing a girl with short red hair, seen from behind. ¡°You really like redheads,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That¡¯s Sirona,¡± Orson said. ¡°First time we kissed.¡± ¡°Why does anyone have that?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°How would anyone know to take it?¡± Enoa attempted humor. ¡°Did you hire a photographer in case it was the only time?¡± ¡°Very funny.¡± Orson passed Jaleel the other floppy. ¡°No. I kissed her as a diversion. We got cornered by one of the Hierarchia administrators and I was messing with him. They must¡¯ve been taking pictures. Look, it¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°Romantic,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It must have done something for her if she¡¯s still talking to you on the phone in the middle of the night.¡± ¡°There was a little more to it than that.¡± But Orson offered no explanation. A third image rose into view. Orson stood on a long, metallic surface. Snowcapped mountain peaks lined the distant background. He wore his standard regalia, with bandana but no goggles. He led with his now-lost repulsor boot forward. His sword was drawn. He faced three figures. Two were clearly machines, naked metal. Their arms, legs, and torsos were scaled like chainmail. Their right arms stretched out far ahead of them and ended in blades that glowed blue like their eyes ¨C the same as the lenses of Orson¡¯s goggles. They held tall shields with their left hands. The shields bore the stylized image of what looked like a dinosaur skull, wreathed in lightning bolts. The cool gray of their bodies was splotched with red, blood or paint patterned to look like it. The figure behind them was also covered in scaled metal, but Enoa couldn¡¯t tell whether it was armor or an automaton¡¯s flesh. He stood a full head and shoulders taller than Orson, and he held swords in both hands. They were black blades, almost as long as Orson was tall, curved like scimitars. They gave off no light and reflected none. The massive figure wore a breastplate, pauldrons, gauntlets, and grieves of the same black as his swords. His mask too was the same, with angled oval slits for his eyes. His hair was snow white and fell from the top of his head in a long tail blended together with a cloak of furs that fell around his arms and down his back. This image was labeled, ¡°Gregory in battle with Thunderworks Supreme Commander and guards.¡± ¡°See!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That¡¯s the coolest thing I¡¯ve ever seen! You, right there, are everything I want to be in my life.¡± ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Orson said. ¡°If I lost, I would¡¯ve been just one of the countless no-names who tried to fight him one-on-one and died.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t lose!¡± Jaleel said. And then the text began.
GREGORY, ORSON
Orson Gregory is an American mercenary who took part in most of the key conflicts of the last dozen years. He is one of the most notorious independent operators still at-large.
Gregory was the target of an attempted Hiss Variation. The traitor Administrator, Delta, in partnership with the subversive agent known as Ruhland (aka ¡°the Virus¡± within Delta¡¯s operation), attempted to scandalize and incriminate young Gregory as leverage in a property acquisition maneuver. They had located Manufactured Enigma 2-99, ¡°the Opal¡±, buried beneath a defunct industrial plant, on land then owned by Gregory¡¯s family.
This was a colossal failure. Gregory stole the Opal and escaped. His flight led to the destruction of Delta and his Blitzkrieg [See file ¡°Blitzkrieg Crisis¡±], as well as the formation of the Aesir Crew, First Iteration. Without outside intervention, Gregory would surely have remained an uninvolved party.
Gregory received some manner of training from Ophion and lived with his Concealment Truce community for the better part of a half-decade. During these years, Gregory was the romantic partner of the current Keeper of the Truce, Sirona Birgham.
LC Update: Gregory and Birgham parted ways around the Battle of Norlenheim and Birgam¡¯s ascension to the post of Truce Keeper. Analysis suggests she ended the dalliance with outlaw Gregory just as she assumed her current position.
¡°That¡¯s not what happened!¡± Orson shouted. ¡°I killed their Hierarchia, and they¡¯re still lying about me!¡± Jaleel made a show of leaning sideways and shushing Orson. ¡°We¡¯re trying to be quiet for Dr. Stan.¡± He spoke in a whisper. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Orson grumbled. The narrative continued to scroll.
Gregory and his accomplices led an unchecked rampage over those next five years. None were tried. Most are still at large. Gregory spent most of the destabilization period as a solo operator.
Gregory is armed with the covenant sword nicknamed Thousand Destiny and currently resides in the prototype vessel, Aesir. Recently, he has begun assembling a new crew.
See incident-specific files for more details about Orson Gregory.
Further Resources (most notable):
  • Aesir Crew: first iteration
  • Data Aggregation: Thousand Destiny
  • Data Aggregation: Concealment Truce
  • Data Aggregation: Project Aesir
  • Data Aggregation: Dreamside Road
  • Person of Interest: Ophion
  • Person of Interest: Birgham, Sirona
  • Person of Interest: Corwin, Eloise
  • Person of Interest: Darlow, Earl
  • Person of Interest: Haydn, Arthur, PhD
¡°Wow,¡± Enoa said. ¡°You really are a big deal.¡± ¡°No wonder Teddy wanted you to have books about you!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You could have a whole series with all that.¡± ¡°It sounds like a lot when you look at a whole decade of your life in a couple minutes,¡± Orson said. ¡°Alright, Jaleel. Let¡¯s see what this Seven Keys thing is all about.¡± Jaleel switched the floppies again. This time the screen was filled with a complex mass of text, like lines of computer code, scattered words and numbers and even individual letters. This scrolled away, still too fast for Enoa to draw more than isolated words from the jumbled writing. But her eyes found scattered names again, some of the same names she¡¯d seen mingled throughout the labeled floppies, ¡®Perez¡¯, ¡®O¡¯Harrell¡¯, ¡®Montgomery¡¯, ¡®Cloud¡¯. Finally, the screen cleared of the coded text. A new narrative began to scroll in its place.
INCIDENT REPORT: ¡°NIGHT OF THE SEVEN KEYS¡±
On 7 April 2002, Administrator Theta launched an offensive to reclaim the keys to the Dreamside Door. Through this action, the Fourth Mapmaker and seven of the eight Key-holders perished, along with dozens of connected parties and bystanders.
This account is limited, in accordance with the terms of the Third Concealment Truce.
As RRD Administrator, it was Theta¡¯s purview to pursue the stolen Dreamside Road. Most of Second Wave Dreamthought was not formally protected from direct recovery action. One Key-holder, Joanna Wild, was a citizen of a Coexistent Community, and she was certainly a borderline case.
Only the direct pursuit of Bryce Montgomery violated the Second Concealment Truce. All other actions taken were sanctioned. All other recovery efforts taken by Theta were settled law, reprisals approved and collateral damage acceptable.
The Third Concealment Truce was signed as a response to the potential for further hostilities and further bloodshed. In addition, the loss of the Dreamside Road was, in the view of the IHSA Directorate Board, less of a blow than full exposure.
An image followed this introduction, a blonde woman in a cloak and dark military-style uniform. The letter ¦¨ was embroidered over the left breast pocket. It was only partially visible under her heavy cloak. A familiar metal cylinder hung at her belt. It was plain with a barbed end. It was a collapsed Anemos staff, like the one Enoa wore at her own hip. ¡°Their fantasy info dumps are so formal.¡± Jaleel said. ¡°If that¡¯s Theta, she has¡ª¡± ¡°I know,¡± Enoa interrupted. There were other figures gathered behind Theta, a full squad or more. They wore dark textured armors. They had sidearms holstered at their belts. Some wore rifles, strapped to their chests. Others had sheathed swords. All wore helmets with dark faceplates, like tinted glass. IHSA was printed in white across their chests. ¡°Hierarchia,¡± Orson said the word like a curse. Then the text resumed.
Theta did not file operation clearances. However, it was long understood that she had spent considerable resources surveilling the Dreamside Road Key-holders. Their locations had been monitored and recorded during her entire tenure as Administrator.
The Fourth Mapmaker died first. We know this from intercepted communications between other Dreamthought Project members.
He alone could follow the direct route to the trove. Theta attempted to arrest him and force him to deliver her to the trove. The Mapmaker did not survive their encounter.
Following this, Theta¡¯s hypersonic transport logged over fifteen thousand travel miles, visiting several locations across the contiguous United States, as well as Japan, the Philippines, and, finally, the United Kingdom.
By 0900 on April 8, Sucora Cloud held the last key not returned to IHSA control.
None of the Key-holders died without civilian casualties. Thirty-three other individuals perished or suffered grievous harm: family, friends, neighbors, and passersby [Key-holders and other casualties will be listed in full at the end of this report.] Theta¡¯s reclamation effort was conducted with reasonable precision until the final effort to apprehend Sucora Cloud. The same pattern of success may have proven true for Ms. Cloud, but she was not present at her home and place of business for Theta¡¯s attack. Her exact whereabouts at that time are unknown, but Theta did not halt the operation.
Sucora¡¯s widower father, Christophe, and two regulars at their family antique shop, Joseph Watkins and Hector Brantley, died in the strike. Theta then attempted to apprehend Sucora Cloud¡¯s younger sister, Shawsuna, as well as her fianc¨¦, Mika Holt. Both resisted and sustained fatal wounds. All five casualties occurred independent of Sucora Cloud¡¯s immediate presence.
¡°Stop it.¡± Enoa stood. She recoiled, pulled herself away from the sensor station, away from the words and the new truth. She forced herself around Orson. She retreated farther away. Jaleel was watching her, Orson too, and she couldn¡¯t look at them. She wouldn¡¯t. She lived a life defined by Shaping? The knowledge her aunt found had killed the rest of their family. The techniques she practiced had orphaned her. Trained from a young age? ¡°Hey.¡± Jaleel hit a key below the screen. The scrolling halted, now stuck on an image, too distant for her to decipher, a mass of green and black. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jaleel stood from his seat. Orson did too, but he stepped aside. ¡°I¡ª¡± Jaleel stammered, but he said nothing. What could he say? What could anyone say? Enoa felt the sudden urge to run, like the truth was a pain she could escape, like motion could force her brain to take it in, to accept truths and rewrite the life and childhood she¡¯d lived, built on lies and omission and untold horror. Her parents died in an accident? But that was a lie. Jaleel stepped closer. He tentatively wrapped his arms around her shoulders, but even that was like being trapped, like she could calm the pressure in her racing mind and ignore all thoughts only if she kept moving. ¡°She lied!¡± Enoa pushed away from him. Admitting it, vocalizing it, made it real, made it inescapable, undeniable. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me anything! She told me it was an accident, that they fell when they were rock climbing!¡± ¡°Maybe they did.¡± Jaleel¡¯s voice fell back to a whisper. ¡°Maybe¡­ Maybe that¡¯s how they died. Maybe your aunt didn¡¯t really lie to you. You loved your Aunt Sucora. It might be true.¡± ¡°But how can I know what¡¯s real?¡± Enoa felt hot tears roll down her cheeks. ¡°Aunt Sucora¡¯s gone. They¡¯re all¡­ All of them¡­¡± When Jaleel held his arms out again, she returned the hug. He didn¡¯t speak, but slowly rubbed her back. He held her steady and held her upright. Enoa gripped his back as if she were falling, and all the Shaper training in the world could not keep her mind clear. It was like her own thoughts could suffocate her, drown her, clutch at her and weigh her down in deep water. But holding onto him ¨C he could not pull her from the waves, but he could help her keep her face above the surface. She heard a distant crooning and felt a light touch on her legs. She twisted to the side with one arm still wrapped around Jaleel¡¯s back. Wesley sat beside them, forepaws rested on their legs. He chattered when he saw them looking. ¡°He must be afraid we¡¯re getting attacked again,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°It¡¯s okay, bud.¡± He laughed, and the normalcy was enough. ¡°Thank you, Sweetie,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We¡¯re all safe.¡± She took a deep breath. She found her peace, her controlled breathing and mind and thoughts. She found her training again. ¡°Thank you.¡± Enoa eased herself away from Wesley and Jaleel, her footsteps even, her mind still forced and distant. She felt the motion of the air through the cabin, the perfect, contained environment of the Aesir. She felt the motion of the air outside, the air in the barn that leaked out and mingled with the full world beyond. And the motion she watched kept her mind safe, far away from the rewritten past. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Enoa,¡± Orson said. ¡°But when you¡¯re ready, there¡¯s something else you need to see.¡± He pointed back to the sensor screen. Enoa followed Orson¡¯s gesture to the monitor and the image where the scrolling account had finally come to a stop. The green she¡¯d seen was a distorted sky. The clouds were a mass of swirls. And they clung close to the ground, so low that they swallowed the heads of the hills that ringed the scene in the image. Two figures stood in a road beneath the discolored sky, both women, both with staves raised. Enoa saw Theta, still in her uniform, cloak now billowing out behind her. There was visible light glowing at the tip of her raised staff. By the light, Enoa saw the eyes of the woman who¡¯d killed so many, murdered thirty-three. The eyes of the woman who¡¯d orphaned her were wide, lids forced open. Her teeth were bared and gritted shut. Sucora Cloud stood opposite her. Enoa couldn¡¯t judge the distance between them. The odd colors and dark landscape distorted the scale. Sucora wore a light jacket and jeans and suede boots of the kind she¡¯d favored all Enoa¡¯s life. Sucora held her own staff one-handed. It gave off a slight light of its own, but less than Theta¡¯s. Enoa could just see the small shape that Sucora clutched to her shoulder with her free hand. It was too dark to make out the toddler¡¯s face, but she didn¡¯t have to. ¡°Maybe there are more pictures,¡± Orson said. ¡°So we can get a look at the kid¡¯s face and we can be sure.¡± ¡°I am sure,¡± Enoa said. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± She felt another tear roll down her cheek. ¡°Keep going,¡± she said. ¡°Please. Keep going.¡± Orson pressed a key on the console and it scrolled again. The next image showed the same scene. The two women still faced each other under the green sky. But there was something above them. It was a great, dark mass that dwarfed the combatants. Enoa stared at Sucora and at herself. She ignored the blot in the sky until she saw the subtle swirls to it. It was textured. It was not some distortion or a photo error. Enoa took a closer look. The shape in the sky seemed to glow. Or it was transparent, a clear window of glass or ice that reflected the light from the green sky. ¡°Theta performs her Meteor Hail Technique.¡± The caption scrolled beneath the picture as it slid away. The next still showed the green-skied scene. But then the Meteor Hail was gone. The road was littered with shards of ice. Some of the upright shards stood almost as tall Sucora. Sucora stood alone in the road, still clutching Enoa. Then the next image scrolled into view. It showed a body buried in shards. Everything was still in the green glow, but the ground was red beneath Theta. Enoa couldn¡¯t find a face. All she saw was an impossible mass of blood and twisted flesh, shining red and green. ¡°Sucora performed a long-distance combustion. The hail shattered above its maker.¡± The last caption scrolled away. Standard text began beneath it.
LC Update: Theta¡¯s thirst for revenge proved her undoing. If she had recruited adequate numbers, Sucora Cloud would have met the same fate as her colleagues. Instead, Theta gave into her madness and petty cruelties. She killed Sucora¡¯s family. The directorate believed her excuses, how she hunted Cloud¡¯s sister for leverage, kidnapped Cloud¡¯s niece for leverage. But the truth is clear. Theta wanted to train the child as her own, and for that she gave Sucora time to prepare. We lost a full strike force that day. We lost yet another RRD Administrator. We lost the Dreamside Road keys for a second time, and for a second time they were scattered across this world. And this was the true price of Theta¡¯s whims.
Imagine, for a moment, what our fate would have been had we wielded the knowledge of the Dreamside Road against Thunderworks. We would not be a broken remnant of what we once were. That was robbed from us by Theta. What¡¯s more, she could have done us the favor of dying. The shattering hail failed in killing her. Now we live in a world built on her failure, but with her still alive in it.
Submitted by Baron R.K. Helmont, 08/17/20
Enoa watched the screen until it returned to darkness. Orson and Jaleel did not speak, not until she did. ¡°I needed to know this.¡± She still looked at neither of them. ¡°I should¡­ I should have known this so long ago. What really happened¡­ I always should have known.¡± ¡®We live in a world with her still alive in it.¡¯ Theta lived, who studied Anemos, who tried to kidnap her, who killed her family, who¡¯d killed so many people. She lived. ¡°This isn¡¯t an easy thing to tell someone,¡± Orson said. ¡°You haven¡¯t watched all of her films. You don¡¯t know what she says in the letter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I saw this first,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I need the real truth now. I don¡¯t¡­¡± What waited for her in the letter? Would it tell her this, the truth of murder and the real danger? Enoa did not believe it. She was still staring at the screen when a new image appeared. It showed a woman in Theta¡¯s same dark uniform. But now the face was a mask, a mask with the same pale cheeks and delicate chin and blue eyes as Theta¡¯s real face. Now it was a shiny, plastic recreation, worn by the same woman. Sucora Cloud and all of the Dreamthought Project were gone. But Theta lived. ¡°If she is out there,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I need more than movies. I need the truth. So I can be ready.¡± 141 - Not Nimauk in Origin At Mach 3, the Mojave passed far below in a blur of yellows and browns. Madelyne Reese had 500 hours in her Dagger and 200 spent in border recon. She knew the colors of the world below. ¡°You reading anything new, Yukon?¡± A voice spoke out of her helmet comm. She couldn¡¯t see her wingman in his Dagger that mimicked her motions. ¡°Nothing yet, Toucan,¡± Reese answered. ¡°And still no reply from our friends at the Promontory.¡± ¡°Copy,¡± Toucan answered. ¡°I see nothing but dirt and dirt and look! Over there, we¡¯ve got some more dirt. They didn¡¯t get this far.¡± ¡°Good. You don¡¯t want that Starbird carrier here.¡± Reese led them lower toward the surface. The fighter¡¯s complex inertial systems made the ship¡¯s canopy look more like a simulator than an actual transparent window. She felt almost no motion, none of the forces she¡¯d known behind the stick training in an F-15. Even skimming the jagged mountain ridge beside her only sent a small kick through her shoulders. ¡°Your Mama was still breastfeeding you the last time those ships were in the sky.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Toucan laughed. ¡°I was fifteen. Mama didn¡¯t wean me till she taught me to drive. Good thing¡­¡± There was a pop of static and Reese cringed. ¡°Quit sucking your microphone.¡± She kept the Dagger steady. The mountains stretched far ahead like high, stone vertebrae. ¡°Your mama didn¡¯t do a very good job weaning you, did she?¡± ¡°I¡¯m reading something, Yukon.¡± Toucan spoke with no humor. ¡°Check heat scan again. I¡¯m getting something.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Reese hit the scanner toggle with her fingertips. The cockpit HUD lit red like the entire mountainside glowed beside them. Something waited down there, power, energy, heat enough to make the mountains burn like they were a line of volcanoes. ¡°Pull to port. We¡¯ll get to transmission distance and alert command.¡± She swung her fighter westward, away from the heat. ¡°Follow my¡ª¡± White light shot from the mountain, fired as if from nowhere, as if the energy blast just materialized right on top of them. Reese rolled away. Reflex took over. Reflex rocketed her away from the strike and away from Toucan. ¡°¡­hit!¡± Toucan¡¯s voice came through the comm garbled, like through a badly tuned radio. ¡°Hit!¡± Reese leveled out. Toucan¡¯s Dagger shield glowed bright, a perfect sphere around the little fighter. The light glowed brighter than the sun ¨C too bright, like a light bulb about to burn out. Toucan¡¯s dagger slowed, still gleaming. Reese winced away from the light. ¡°Toucan!¡± Reese called. ¡°Change power. Throttle¡ª¡± But her warning came too late. A second burst of light shot from the rocks. It struck the glowing bulb of Toucan¡¯s shielded fighter. The shield blossomed in flame. Reese heard a last garbled wail, but it was blown away like the black smoke from the exploded fighter. Reese fell back into reflex. She burned hard, full throttle, away from the mountains and the unseen assailant. She wove as she flew, swirling serpentine through the air. Then her comm came alive again, a different sound this time. It hummed now, but she did nothing to change it. She fled. Then a new voice spoke in her ear. ¡°This is a message from Liberty Corps Captain Christian Davard.¡± The voice was precise, his speech perfect. ¡°All southwest IHSA installation defenses have been crewed. At this time, we consider all approach to IHSA RRD holdings to be acts of aggression. Any overt actions otherwise will be considered acts of war.¡± Reese did not answer. She wove away, but the voice spoke again. He spoke to her. ¡°Return our message to your masters, interceptor pilot. This is your only warning.¡± * * * Kol waited until daylight to leave the cabin. As the sunlight peeked under the blinds, he listened to Max¡¯s deep breathing. Max ignored the lightening glow. He slept. Kol risked waking his brother. He slipped back into his jumpsuit and boots and slipped through the cabin door. The forest was alive with springtime. It was warm too, but not with the heavy humidity he knew. This was a spring he¡¯d never felt before. Kol looked up the path toward the Lodge at the Eldest Oak. A pair of guests were leaving the tall building, a young couple, hand-in-hand. The pair spoke to each other with no furtive looks or guarded stance. They knew safety. How long had it been since Kol had felt safe like that? The couple both glanced back down the hill toward him, like they sensed him watching. Kol turned away. He followed the path away from the lodge. He walked beyond the other cabins and around the barn where the Aesir waited, hidden. There was a sweet smell and distant talking from the barn¡¯s open door. But Kol continued further. He found that the path plunged on between tall trees. When he stepped between them, the food smells and human sounds vanished. Birdsong and insect calls seemed to close in all around him. And there was a new smell, wet and mossy. Kol tugged at the collar of his jumpsuit. He¡¯d missed the changing seasons, captive in his cold cell and the high mountains. But he kept to the path, beyond low rows of ornate wooden structures. There were runes engraved in the wood and he saw groups of bees moving around them and between the trees. There was another building further still, a small wooden chapel. Kol guessed the building had room for little more than an alter, but there was a small bell tower rising from its roof. Its windows were stained glass, with images of figures waving gleaming swords or standing in forests like this one. After the chapel, the path rose again and it curved back through the trees. Kol considered returning the way he¡¯d come. He¡¯d left no note for Max. After everything, their remote surroundings, the threat from the Vass brothers ¨C if anything happened, it would seem like he¡¯d vanished. He could vanish. Who would know if he disappeared somewhere between the trees? Kol formed a small projection above his left hand. He was alone, but he was never unarmed ¨C not anymore. That was a gift from his time imprisoned. So he continued on. He took the path as it rose again and curved back. There were no buildings this way and the trees closed tighter. He still heard no sounds but the wind and the life in the encircling forest. ¡°It¡¯s good you stuck to the path.¡± A voice suddenly called out ahead of him. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first we¡¯ve worked to hide and hid too well.¡± Embre Vass stepped from the trees and onto the path ahead. The lodge owner wore a sky blue dress. She tapped at the stones of the gravel path with her cane as she walked toward him. ¡°Hello,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m not supposed to be here. I needed the walk.¡± Why had he gone so far? Why had he wasted his first free morning trekking through the woods? ¡°It¡¯s always one or the other.¡± Embre stopped in the path and Kol continued toward her. ¡°Sleep all day or up with the sun. You¡¯ll rest soon. I¡¯m sure. Is everything to your liking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very¡­¡± Kol began. ¡°Everything¡¯s very nice here. Thank you.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± She continued back up the sloping path. He walked beside her and matched her pace. ¡°Then if it¡¯s all right with you, I¡¯ll walk you back. I wouldn¡¯t have called for you if you were still asleep, but since you¡¯re awake, I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± ¡°The Aesir crew is looking for me.¡± Kol nodded. Had Enoa¡¯s letter been retrieved? What else would they think of him when the truth came out, what he had concealed? How much more pain would he see on Enoa¡¯s face, pain he¡¯d caused? And all after she¡¯d rescued him. Kol almost turned back down the hill or turned aside. ¡°No,¡± Embre said. ¡°Tath asked for you. He wants a word.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Kol began. ¡°Syly¡¯s brother,¡± Embre explained. ¡°Tathaln of Yll Banys, brother of Sylyr of Yll Banys, reunited after many years. Because you caught her and Master Aspallen and Elemental Melanthymos. And everyone else on that vehicle. They would all be dead if you hadn¡¯t caught them.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hold them very long,¡± Kol said. ¡°Only long enough for Melanthymos to raise the ground the stop their fall.¡± Ahead, the trees cleared, and the distant shapes of the barn and cabins became visible. ¡°False modesty isn¡¯t a condition of penance,¡± she said. ¡°Only real humility and better deeds.¡± Kol didn¡¯t argue. How far had his story spread? How far would it? Traitor to the Liberty Corps. Thief and arsonist to everyone else? The path exited back into the clearing, between the lodge and the group of cabins. Two trees bent low over the opening. Their branches wove together in a natural arch. Kol looked out and back toward the lodge. Another group was leaving the tall building, a family of five with three children. The smallest of the children, a little girl in overalls, turned toward the path and waved. Embre smiled and waved back. Kol raised his hand, but stepped back when the child¡¯s young teen sister picked her up and looked toward the tree line. But the teen seemed to scan the forest without seeing them. Then both siblings followed after their parents. ¡°Most don¡¯t look if there¡¯s nothing they want to see,¡± Embre said. ¡°You¡¯re safe here, Kol Maros. If you have left your past behind, it will not find you here.¡± Kol heard the rev of an engine before he could answer. A dark green motorcycle with a side car tore up the gravel path from the cabins. Both were decorated with thin loops of gold paint. The rider and passenger both wore long dark coats and helmets that matched the motorcycle paint style. The motorcycle stopped at the mouth of the path in the trees. Both rider and passenger took off their helmets, revealing pale faces and true-silver hair. Syly smiled at Kol as her brother stepped from his bike. ¡°Captain Kolben Maros.¡± Tathaln of Yll Banys bowed to Kol and offered his left hand. ¡°My thanks.¡± He spoke slowly and deliberately, but without his sister¡¯s hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m not a captain now.¡± Kol raised his own flesh-and-blood hand, but Tath instead stepped forward and gripped Kol¡¯s forearm. Then he lowered his head again. Kol returned the gesture. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ Kol.¡± ¡°Kol.¡± Tath stepped back. ¡°My sister ¨C you saved her life. You thought of her when you faced peril. The baron ¨C he killed so many. Yet you saved Syly, and it will not be forgotten. If a need arises for you, Yll Banys will remember.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯ve made many mistakes trying to protect people. And I¡¯ve often failed.¡± Tath bowed again. That time, Kol did too. ¡°Lady Vass,¡± Tath said. ¡°I will return. You will call for these tots?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Embre answered. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when your order is here.¡± Syly let out a small cheer. She clapped as her brother returned to the bike. ¡°Bye-well friends!¡± Syly called. ¡°Kol and Embre.¡± ¡°Farewell,¡± Tath spoke softly. ¡°Or good-bye.¡± ¡°Good-bye, host Embre,¡± Syly said. ¡°And farewell, my protector Kol!¡± ¡°Good-bye,¡± Kol said. He raised his hand. The siblings donned their helmets again and the motorcycle sped away up the path, around the lodge and out of sight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if your sons felt I endangered you,¡± Kol said. ¡°I followed Orson Gregory. I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°My sons should know the value of forgiveness.¡± Embre stared up toward the lodge. ¡°Their own father, my late husband, he fought in the Nightstorm Rebellion. If he were not forgiven, they would not be in this world.¡± Kol nodded. He did not know the name from the secret histories the Hierarchia had chronicled. He didn¡¯t know the extent of that forgiveness. ¡°You must be hungry, young man.¡± She squeezed his arm. ¡°Why don¡¯t you collect your own brother? You have an hour or two left for breakfast. Whatever Gregory has planned for you, I imagine there will be time for more rest after you¡¯re fed.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kol said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Whatever Gregory had planned ¨C Enoa¡¯s letter, the full truth. All the praise and thanks from pale travelers didn¡¯t erase what he¡¯d done or what he¡¯d planned. ¡°Well.¡± Embre continued on up the path. ¡°Have a good morning!¡± She left him alone again. * * * Orson set down the typewriter on the Aesir¡¯s table. He sat, facing it. ¡°You know.¡± Dr. Stan sat at the sensor station, monitor lit. Her new datapad was perched on her knees. ¡°Sleep is good for you. There¡¯s a lot of research on the subject.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°Good morning to you too. I¡¯ll probably sleep for a week once we know what this letter thing is about.¡± ¡°Are you worried what the Liberty Corps might know or what our young friend might learn?¡± Dr. Stan didn¡¯t look up from the datapad. ¡°What do you think?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We know what Helmont knows about the island. And I don¡¯t think that stuff comes from anything Kol stole a few months ago. I just¡­¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how soundly she¡¯d sleep, and I didn¡¯t want her out here alone when the message comes through from Eloise. Or have her stuck out here while I¡¯m basically dead with the typewriter in with me.¡± ¡°Jaleel would just go in your room and take the typewriter if he heard the keys and knew the message was for her.¡± Dr. Stan set the datapad aside. She stood and walked back toward the kitchen, but stopped short. She stooped down and ran her fingers along the floor. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Orson said. ¡°Still¡­¡± He jumped to his feet when he saw she¡¯d slipped her fingers into a panel at the floor and disconnected it. ¡°What are you doing? That thing is down there!¡± ¡°I have an idea.¡± Dr. Stan drew something from the chest pocket on her button-down shirt and slid the panel sideways. ¡°Hello!¡± The Jim android called out from the floor. ¡°I hope you had time to think about my request. I still would like to switch to a window seat!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have another seat for a little while.¡± Dr. Stan reached her other arm and the object in her free hand into the floor. ¡°Is it sunny out today?¡± Jim asked. ¡°I hope I can¡­¡± He stopped speaking midsentence. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Dr. Stan pulled the head from the floor. There were sunglasses perched on the bridge of the nose. A thin band ran between the earpieces. Dr. Stan tightened the band until the sunglasses fit snugly. ¡°It¡¯s a secondary power source that keeps the head running,¡± she said. ¡°And his responses are mostly triggered by visual stimuli. So I deprived him of the stimuli.¡± ¡°Nice trick.¡± Orson sat again. She carried the head back to the sensor station. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how you¡¯d get it to stay there with the ¡®no ears¡¯ thing.¡± ¡°Yes, that was the tricky part.¡± She sat the head in the opposite passenger seat and raised her datapad again. ¡°Now, what were we talking about? That¡¯s right, I¡¯m assuming that your adventure into the floppies did not go well, this morning.¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± Orson said. ¡°Did the computer leave a login alert or something, that you knew we were on there?¡± ¡°No.¡± She held up the datapad to face the Jim head. ¡°I heard the clicking sound the screen makes when it warms up. After all of our work preparing for the heist, I recognize that sound in my dreams.¡± She spun the head and aimed the datapad toward the back of the white cranium. ¡°And I heard you talking. You¡¯re all very loud.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°No need to worry about it.¡± She slipped a cord between the datapad and the sensor console. ¡°So what reading did you do? Would you like to bring me up to speed?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± Orson stood from the table just as the typewriter¡¯s keys began to move. ¡°Wait.¡± He looked to the paper as it rose. The message was not from Eloise.
Orson it is Franklin. We gotta talk Kid. Big shit went down last night. Liberty Corps rampage. Pops has a conference set up. Do you remember Yan Guo. Used to be with Norad. We have her current group on the line and this mountaineering specialist. Call went out to Sirona too. Beep us if you can take a call. Otherwise we will get some information sent to you some other way.
¡°Problem?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Pops has news.¡± Orson jumped back to his feet. ¡°Liberty Corps. He¡¯ll have a bird if he sees that head, so I¡¯ll take the call on the ship¡¯s tablet.¡± Orson slipped between Dr. Stan and the seated head, and pulled the tablet from its slot under the dashboard. ¡°We¡¯ll see what¡¯s up.¡± He sat the tablet beside the typewriter. ¡°Ruby, are we safe for a tightbeam? Should be local.¡± ¡°There is a local relay communication initiated by Earl Pops Darlow. This follows our security protocols. Would you like to accept?¡± ¡°Yeah, but let me know if we get any weird readings,¡± Orson said. ¡°Anything at all looks off, you pull the plug, right away.¡± ¡°You would like me to disengage transmission in the event that the sensors locate information outside¡ª¡± Ruby began. ¡°Yeah, take the call,¡± Orson interrupted. The tablet screen changed and displayed four video feeds. Pops wore a somber black suit and tie. Franklin and Sebastian Royce wore matching bomber jackets. There was a woman in a navy blue uniform with silver bars on her shoulders. The last feed showed a bearded man Orson did not know, with a parka hood pulled over his head. There was a rough wall of wooden planks visible behind him. ¡°You made it!¡± Franklin said. ¡°Good.¡± Pops nodded. ¡°I¡¯m still hoping Sirona will care to join us, but at least you¡¯re here early enough that we shouldn¡¯t have to repeat ourselves.¡± ¡°Captain Gregory,¡± the woman said. ¡°Good to see you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Colonel Guo,¡± Orson said. ¡°Same here. I like the new uniform.¡± ¡°Not so new,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a long time.¡± ¡°Orson, this is our contact on the ground, goes by Mathis, formerly of the National Park Service,¡± Pops said. ¡°He¡¯s getting us some useful information. Mathis, this is Orson Gregory, captain of the Aesir, if you know the name. Orson¡¯s a regular collaborator of mine, and he has my trust.¡± ¡°Good to have you, Gregory,¡± the man in the parka said. ¡°Right, so the Liberty Corps is setting up emplacements all through the mountains ¨C at least fifty, that we know of, over five hundred miles. But these emplacements appear to be consoles with only localized power. I haven¡¯t gotten any of my folks close enough to see their wiring, but we think that both the artillery and at least some of the power generation for these things was buried, put into place a long time ago. These weapons are very well hidden.¡± ¡°The Dagger pilot who survived didn¡¯t even see the artillery,¡± Franklin said. ¡°Just the whole mountain with a heat signature, like it was volcanic or something like that.¡± ¡°Geothermal power generation, maybe,¡± Pops said. ¡°At least supplemental. But that¡¯s how we come back to my idea.¡± ¡°When did they do this?¡± Orson asked. ¡°All last night?¡± ¡°Since your business yesterday,¡± Pops said. ¡°Manifest Destiny launched. It¡¯s been carrying crews to these emplacements up and down the Rocky Mountains. One of these emplacements attacked a Pacific Alliance recon mission this morning.¡± ¡°This is a response,¡± Orson said. ¡°To what we did yesterday. We freed those people and started a war.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the first you¡¯ve had a hand in starting,¡± Guo said. ¡°And it wouldn¡¯t be the first I¡¯ve finished.¡± Orson stood again when he heard a bunk door slide open. Enoa stepped out into the passage, wearing the same light cardigan she¡¯d worn the night before. ¡°The Liberty Corps emplacement teams seem like skeleton crews,¡± Mathis continued. ¡°A squad or two with a skimmer and some defensive guns we don¡¯t recognize.¡± Enoa approached the opposite side of the table. Orson ignored all responses on the conference. ¡°I heard the typewriter,¡± Enoa said. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Orson clicked the off switch on the tablet¡¯s built-in microphone. ¡°Liberty Corps news. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± she began. ¡°I just need to know all of it. I¡¯ll know how I am when I read the letter. Nothing from Eloise?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Orson said. ¡°Hope the Maros directions were good and nothing happened to that storage place. It¡¯d be terrible if one of Sloan¡¯s clowns blew it up, months ago.¡± ¡°New incoming message,¡± Ruby spoke from the ceiling. ¡°New message from Earl Pops Darlow.¡± Orson reached to the tablet and turned the mic back on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have other things going on.¡± ¡°Yeah, well none of that is the start of a second apocalypse war,¡± Pops said. ¡°So I¡¯m gonna ask for your undivided attention for a few minutes.¡± ¡°Pops is just sore you didn¡¯t call him last night,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I am not¡­¡± Pops began. ¡°Please,¡± Mathis said. ¡°For now, we¡¯ve cut our power. Unless they get very lucky, we can lay low and just observe. There are enough unoccupied mining towns and abandoned property that nothing but a close thermal scan should give us away. And we should be safe, so long as we don¡¯t freeze our balls off. Pardon the French.¡± Orson nodded to Enoa. ¡°I made some coffee already. If you¡¯re staying up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m awake,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Orson,¡± Colonel Guo said. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Orson sat again. ¡°Can your Aesir¡¯s repulsors work as the sole system in your ship,¡± she asked. ¡°Function as a skimmer for an insertion?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Orson said. ¡°There are some automatic essential systems. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever tried anything like that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t remember either,¡± Franklin said. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± Orson asked. ¡°We want to cut off their power,¡± Pops said. ¡°If that new artillery is using power supply and systems the Hierarchia put in place, all we have to do is cut off the battery. So I¡¯m hoping to manage insertions at the artillery sites, burrow to the power supply, sever it, and get out before the Liberty Corps realizes they¡¯ve lost half their secret guns. That¡¯s why I need you here. Yours could be the best ship we definitely have.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Orson said again. He looked back to Enoa as she retrieved a mug and walked to the coffee pot. She had the same hollow, distant look from hours before. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in a place to jump back into another fight. Not¡­¡± ¡°Orson, the Pacific Alliance is going to put out the Marshal Call,¡± Franklin said. ¡°The first full marshal and muster. The first ever. For war against the Liberty Corps. That means Evergreen.¡± Had Sirona known something the night before, known that they were both drawn into a new fight together? ¡°I talked to Sirona a little about the heist, last night,¡± Orson said. ¡°Well, I want her help,¡± Pops said. ¡°So let¡¯s get my pitch finished. We get the Alliance or the Alliances on board, we get the old Aesir Crew working together. Hell, I¡¯ll even send out the honorary messages to Wayne, Doc Haydn, and some of your Enigma Guard pals. We need to get this thing together before the Alliance tries something that¡¯s not creative enough.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Orson began, but the other bunk door slid open, followed by a crash, and a yell from Jaleel. Wesley flew through the passage and landed, chattering on Enoa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Jaleel ran into view. ¡°Did we get it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting, Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t hear yet.¡± Dr. Stan continued her work. ¡°What kind of message are you waiting for?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you done with your heist? What¡¯s going on, Orson?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not taking up more of our planning time for this,¡± Orson said. ¡°Pops, I meant to get in touch today, anyway. We¡¯ll do another call when this is done. It¡¯s complicated.¡± ¡°Why is Jim¡ª¡± Jaleel began. ¡°Wait!¡± Dr. Stan shouted. ¡°He can imprint¡ª¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Jim called. ¡°I am enjoying my travels. I still want a transfer to a window seat, but I have instead received a sleeper compartment. I like this better than riding in coach.¡± ¡°I know that voice,¡± Franklin said. ¡°You kept some too?¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Pops yelled. He glared at the camera. ¡°I can¡¯t help you plan if you¡¯re taking assassin androids and¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly know about it either, Pops,¡± Orson said. ¡°Sorry!¡± Jaleel stood beside Enoa. Wesley hopped from Enoa¡¯s shoulder to his. ¡°Look,¡± Orson said. ¡°I want to help with this, but we¡¯ve got some crew stuff that could be just as big as this secret mountain gun problem. That¡¯s gonna be my number one, right now.¡± ¡°Hi Pops!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Hello,¡± Enoa said, with him. ¡°Hi, Kids,¡± Pops said. ¡°What exactly are you working on?¡± ¡°For Christ¡¯s sake, Matt!¡± A deep voice shouted through Mathis¡¯s link. ¡°Who are these people? We don¡¯t know what the transmission power is for the snow patrols. I¡¯ll kill you if we get caught from their shouting!¡± ¡°I¡¯m lowering volume,¡± Mathis answered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°We can keep it down, right?¡± He glanced over the tablet. Jaleel nodded. Enoa shrugged. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get back to this. What are the distances between these emplacements? We can¡¯t hit fifty over a thousand miles without them noticing, even if everything goes perfect.¡± ¡°And it never goes that smooth,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I can get you the maps,¡± Mathis said. ¡°If¡ª¡± The typewriter began again. It stole Orson¡¯s attention. ¡°Sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°Might be getting our message now.¡± He read the words as they arrived. He rose and watched the rising paper. Enoa and Jaleel joined him. They stood on the other side of the table, all watching the moving paper like it was a long-feared diagnosis.
Orson. I am going to start sending the letter. I hope Enoa is ready. This is pretty heavy. But pickup went fine. I never typed something this complicated with the typewriter. I am going to try slashesfor some other punctuation. Hope you are ready.
Enoa grabbed the paper and bent it back. She read it sideways. ¡°Yes, I need to know now, Orson,¡± she said. ¡°Whatever it is, I have to know.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening, Orson?¡± Pops asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°New information about our, uh, our ongoing project,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± He muted the tablet. Eloise did not wait for a reply. When the first paper fell free in Enoa¡¯s hand, the typewriter continued to move. Orson joined them on the other side of the table and turned the typewriter to face them all. Dr. Stan joined them too. ¡°Do you¡­¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Is it okay if we¡¯re here with you?¡± Enoa nodded. The typerwriter¡¯s hammers inked the a letter on page after page, the truth falling piece-by-piece into Enoa¡¯s hands. They read.
Enoa / I have difficult news to share. This information I hoped to give only out of honesty / when I knew you were ready / but my plans have changed. I leave you this message to keep you safe. I need you to act as soon as you read these words. I should have told you this in life / but I wanted the last days with us together to be like they always were / without the burden of old secrets. You were the best part of my life. You are so good / and it has redeemed me to raise such an extraordinary person in this difficult world and dangerous time. I write this letter on July 5. I could have months left to live / but we cannot count on that. It could be that we deal with this situation long before my time comes / but I am too sick now to solve this on my own. This problem may outlive me. Something happened yesterday that forced me to act. Long ago I was part of a group of people that hid something very / very valuable / called the Dreamside Road. It is beyond priceless / and I fear now that someone is looking for it. They believe I have it or they know I have one of the keys to unlock it. I do not believe they are in Nimauk. I think this threat is still distant. The interested parties likely do not know where we are / but I could be wrong. My perceptions are not what they were. I have feared this day for decades and now it comes so close to the end of my life / when I know this burden will not be mine / but yours. I am so sorry that I passed this on to you / but I could not let the Dreamside Road be located by the wrong people. It poses the danger of Thunderworks / many times over. It must be kept safe and hidden. I have always wanted to find a way to free myself / to free us of this danger / but I could find no safe solution. You must be so confused. I promise everything will be explained in time. I have a plan that / if you follow it / I believe you can be safe / that you can live / and that all of this can be resolved. I want you to follow my instructions. They will seem very strange / at first / strange and terrifying / but trust me. As soon as my will is probated / you need to leave Nimauk / just for a time. I hope you can wait until the will is complete. If not / I have a plan for that too. Prepare to leave at a moment/s notice. Prepare to travel long distance / like one of our drives to Long Island. Next / I need you to go to our family mausoleum. There is a hidden door inside. A room is hidden there. I work in it sometimes. It can be reached by the house too / but that is not a door you could take / not yet. That hidden room contains a secret I must share with you. Enoa / I am capable of wielding a power of the mind / called Shaping. Do you remember when all of those stories leaked to the news / about seemingly magical abilities / about the ESP studied by the League of Nations or all the strange people that fought back against Thunderworks / I wield a power like that / and as much as I hope my plan will keep you far from danger and from harm / I want you to learn this power too. It must seem so impossible to you / to even think about this / but I promise it is possible. I will be honest with you now / honest in a way I should always have been. I am sorry / but this is not the last hard truth you may face. I have been preparing you to be a Shaper since you were a very little girl. The meditation we practice is influenced by the old Nimauk / by our ancestors / but it is not Nimauk in origin. I made it. I developed it to hone the mind to perform Shaping. I believe you could progress through the training very quickly. Shaping is difficult / but your mind is strong / and strong in all the ways it must be. That is the part most people never learn / and you are already there. Think of the glade you imagine / in meditation. Think of the way your mind feels. That is where you will go to learn Shaping. I have films prepared to teach you to shape / hidden in that room near the mausoleum. Please go there and watch at least the first seven films. I have a screen and projector. Everything you need is waiting for you. That should prepare you well enough to defend yourself in case of attack. You will think of Shaping as magical / but please try to learn it. If you believe / you can do it. If you believe / you can learn a power that will keep you safe. The detailed instructions to find your way through the mausoleum and into my secret study can be found on page 2 of this letter. I also need you to get in touch with a friend of mine / named Archie Grant. He is another old Shaper / like me / and he will see that you are safe if anyone should come looking for the Dreamside Road. You can reach him through the process detailed on page 3 of this letter. I want you to contact him when my will is complete or if there is any sign of danger. If you hear anyone speak about the Dreamside Road / for any reason / you need to contact him immediately. He will also be looking for any message from you or any word from Nimauk. I am sorry I set such a difficult path in front of you. I hope my fears are misplaced and you can live in our home. I always wanted our life to continue for you / no matter how long we were together. I have every faith in you. I love you Enoa / and I am so dearly sorry. It was such a joy to raise you and watch the best of our family live on in you. It is such a gift to see the strong young woman you have become. I hope you do not think less of me from these truths. I love you as my own child / and I only ever hoped to keep us safe. I hope I can continue to keep you safe / even after I leave this life. My thoughts will always be with you / Sucora
Orson watched the last page fall free. Enoa did not catch it. The page fluttered down toward the floor, until Dr. Stan took it from the air. ¡°Enoa.¡± Jaleel spoke first. ¡°This¡­ It doesn¡¯t mean¡­¡± Enoa held her hand to his shoulder. She shook her head and stepped away from the table. ¡°Enoa,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I don¡¯t believe anything has changed for you. She loved you very much, and you are still learning because of what she personally taught you. This is something she made and gave to you.¡± ¡°She did,¡± Enoa said. Her face was almost blank. It was a forced calm, another lesson from her training. ¡°This is what I expected after last night. After everything¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± She turned toward the passage. ¡°Enoa, wait,¡± Jaleel began. But she walked back to her bunk and slid the door shut behind her. * * * ¡°I laid the first stone of this holdfast.¡± Baron Helmont stood beneath his campana-class shuttle, on the low, rounded platform that reached down from the ship¡¯s belly. The shuttle floated above the Pinnacle Holdfast¡¯s roof. ¡°I set the stone myself.¡± Two thousand armored figures gathered below, seven knights, over one hundred Shapers, and many more Rifle Troopers, Blades Troopers, pilots, mechanics, techs, and support staff. The Holdfast¡¯s roof had been repaired in places, patched shut with sealants burned the nose but could hold thousands of pounds. The rest of the devastation remained. Smoke still leaked from the wrecks at the valley floor. Some fires still burned. Many bodies lay with them, still to be recovered. Even the unloading dock was still choked with debris and the unidentified dead. ¡°This stronghold was always a last resort,¡± Helmont continued, his voice magnified by the shuttle¡¯s sound system. ¡°This was a place to regroup, to rebuild. This was no way to run a new world. This was no place for the successor to the IHSA. It was folly to hold weapons development, biological experiments, and prisoners all together here. ¡°And this was its downfall. It was a hideway. It was made for a time of desperation. Prosperity in destruction! We were blind to the ways we still touched the world and it touched us. ¡°Orson Gregory exploited this. This is what he does. Trickery is his stock-in-trade. He and his crew can only fight us by engaging with us as people. He cannot fight us as warriors. But he can help us become true warriors again. I did not take you to Knightschurch before because we do not fully know what waits for us there. It could be that we face an entire island of the resurgent Covenant, knights of an older way than ours, armed with fire and the old world¡¯s knowledge of the occult, the hidden. Our analyzed Shaping against true sorcery. This was inevitable. For us to inherit their place in the world, we needed to best them. This is symbolism made real. Student against master. Future against the past. I hesitated. I waited.¡± The sky above Helmont filled with more craft. There were drop ships and long, personnel carriers. Shapes swarmed in the sky, enough to carry thousands. Saw-wings formed above them. Their cries were present, but too faint to interrupt their leader¡¯s words. ¡°Gregory and his allies forced our hands,¡± Helmont said. ¡°So we will rise as warriors. We have already fooled the Alliance with a war that is not coming. Not yet. Now we will ascend together. Now we will claim our birthright. Now we will claim our destiny. ¡°Freedom and might!¡± He called out to them. He shouted, as loud as he could without losing his exact diction. The shuttle carried the shout across the rooftop. ¡°LIBERTY CORPS FOREVER!¡± All answered him, and the Emperor Valley rang with their voices. The cheers carried and boomed until they sounded like a horde of the legendary past, a force twenty times their number, a force that could conquer the world. Conquer Knightschurch. ¡°Now we take to our ships,¡± Helmont said, when the echoes faded. ¡°When we win against the old Covenant, the Liberty Corps will have no equal.¡± 142 - The Marshal Call ¡°What are you actually hoping to do with that thing?¡± Orson sat at the sensor console. The monitor scrolled with text and simple schematics that held none of his attention. Jaleel and Dr. Stan leaned around the table. They¡¯d rolled a heavy plastic sheet across it and set the Jim head in the center, sunglasses over the eyes. The back of the android¡¯s head was open with translucent wires trailing out and across the table. ¡°We¡¯re learning,¡± Jaleel said, without looking away. ¡°There better not be any space-android goo seeping through onto the table.¡± Orson looked back to the monitor¡¯s scrolling writing. He read.
The Starbird-class supercarrier boasts three nuclear ionization reactor cores, with power enough to support full atmospheric repulsors, four Smith & Kelly dual-shield generators, and twelve U-Cannon batteries, among other systems¡­
¡°I think this work could prove useful to all of us,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°And if nothing else, we have little to do while we wait here. I¡¯m helping contribute to Jaleel¡¯s education.¡± ¡°How are either of you even doing real work with that thing?¡± Orson turned away from the text again. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re really knowledgeable, Doc, but this head situation¡­ It¡¯s not all that relevant to oceanography.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡± Dr. Stan wore surgical gloves and reached two fingers into the back of the android¡¯s open cranium. She drew her fingers back and held a small metal disk between them, still attached to the insides of the head by a thread as thin as fishing line. ¡°But the deep sea probes we used were IHSA, and many of those had technology from devices they¡­ borrowed. Just like our friend here.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Don¡¯t doubt Dr. Stan! I didn¡¯t even finish high school. And I build all kinds of things.¡± ¡°You still have the child prodigy factor,¡± Orson said. ¡°Once you¡¯re twenty-five or so, we won¡¯t give you the benefit of the doubt anymore.¡± ¡°Twenty-five is when childhood ended for you?¡± Dr. Stan pulled the disk from the back of the head. The fishing-line cord slid free. ¡°I thought ¨C with what I know about you ¨C you would¡¯ve considered yourself an adult at a younger age.¡± ¡°I thought I grew up when I left home.¡± Orson glanced back to the screen. It now displayed schematics and diagrams, floor plans, and intertwined lines he couldn¡¯t follow. Orson shut off the monitor. ¡°But I think I was still really a kid until I was travelling alone.¡± ¡°Why are you being cryptic and depressing?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°I thought Fire Girlfriend was supposed to call you again.¡± ¡°Any minute now,¡± Orson nodded. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m thinking about the situation with the Alliance. I don¡¯t want to start another war. I expected Helmont to come after us, not start playing invader. I guess we spanked him too publicly. He has to make a show of things.¡± Orson joined them at the table as they continued their work, untangling the wires from the back of the android¡¯s head. ¡°Whenever Enoa¡¯s up to work again,¡± Orson whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll need to get ahold of Eloise. We have to get those last three pages Sucora left behind. Based on what Sucora said in the video, there should be a section written in their store¡¯s inventory system that tells you how to get to the island. I want to compare notes with what we already have.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t even eat anything today.¡± Jaleel whispered too, but his usual easy humor was gone from the words. ¡°That can wait.¡± ¡°It can,¡± Orson said. ¡°But not for long. We don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll have time later. We can¡¯t know when our next downtime will be. And another thing, before we go to fight the Liberty Corps, we¡¯ll need to find somewhere to go with him.¡± He pointed to the head. ¡°I¡¯m not just getting rid of him,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to get rid of him,¡± Orson spoke before Jaleel could continue. ¡°I said, we need somewhere to go with him. Because I¡¯m not having a remote weapon of our enemies looking around my ship when I¡¯m fighting. I¡¯ve been tracked before, but I never willingly took a tracker along with me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe he will be a tracker,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°And I don¡¯t believe he will necessarily be theirs when we¡¯re finished here. We are removing the modifications and restarting him as his own model.¡± ¡°Oh great,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m happy he¡¯ll get to be his own man or his own machine, but that doesn¡¯t mean who he really is will be safe to keep around with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working with him now to help you,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°He could wait, but you need him.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Orson looked between Jaleel and the disembodied head spreading oily wires all over his table. ¡°Thanks. I appreciate that, but I can¡¯t imagine how.¡± ¡°He has the Liberty Corps combat procedures in his memory,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°And that includes procedures and techniques inherited from earlier organizations. He has everything from¡ª¡± The phone rang before she could fully explain. The classic tinny chime could just be heard through the ship¡¯s external mic. ¡°I do appreciate this,¡± Orson said. ¡°Again. Even if I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He pointed toward Enoa¡¯s bunk. ¡°If she comes out, let her know how worried I am too. Please.¡± He shut off her external mic, cycled the side door open and found the barn empty, dinner long since cleared away. He closed the door behind him, crossed to the phone and picked it up. ¡°Hey, how are you?¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Sirona chuckled in his ear. ¡°How was your day? I hope you got to be a more restful fugitive than the last time you were hiding out.¡± ¡°You know me,¡± he said. ¡°I always find some way to miss out on a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°Oh, I remember,¡± she said. ¡°I was usually the reason for your lost sleep.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t lost,¡± he said. ¡°It was just later. The best sleep of my life was with you. It was a good morning¡¯s sleep instead.¡± ¡°More like a good afternoon¡¯s sleep,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯d be going to work and you¡¯d still be totally worn out. No wonder they thought you were my paramour. I left you so tired, you weren¡¯t up until the evening.¡± ¡°Nothing like that today,¡± he said. ¡°Just a lot of shit hitting the fan. Hopefully I can just talk to you for the rest of my night and then rest for real.¡± ¡°I know that voice!¡± She spoke with mock annoyance. ¡°This is the worst kind of night, where I come back from work and you¡¯re tired from some other dumb adventure. Then I¡¯m awake alone, with you dead weight in my bed. I spent half my day finding information for you and you better not fall asleep on me now. This is work time, not ¡®use Sirona¡¯s voice as a lullaby¡¯ time.¡± ¡°After all this, I¡¯m not going to miss out on the chance to talk,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s been a long day, even after everything yesterday. It¡¯s¡­ a relief to hear you.¡± ¡°I can see through your sweet-talking, Orson Gregory, but you¡¯re pretty good at it.¡± There came the sound of rustling pages. ¡°But you will still owe me for all of my detective work today.¡± ¡°Did I pull you away from your real work?¡± Orson asked. ¡°It was Saturday, today, right?¡± ¡°Do you forget the day of the week because it¡¯s not part of your wayfarer lifestyle?¡± she asked. ¡°Or because you¡¯re disoriented low-sleep Orson?¡± ¡°Both, of course.¡± He¡¯d forgotten the subtleties of her speech, how she could voice concern and her sharp humor in the same words. ¡°I have the Twelfth Form Scroll for you,¡± she continued. ¡°I have Knightschurch information. I have Dreamside Road information. I have some Helmont backstory and you¡¯ll love that. I visited Gertrude and we pulled out boxes of really dusty old notes and letters. I can¡¯t believe them. The poor lady¡¯s cottage looked like a sandstorm had gone by outside. She mustn¡¯t have looked at those since you and I were kids. But¡­ They¡¯re from right after Mr. Montgomery died and about the woman who killed him.¡± ¡°Who also killed most of the original key-holders.¡± Orson lowered his voice. ¡°And my crewmember¡¯s parents. And a bunch of other people I never heard of.¡± ¡°Is that the crew issue from last night?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°You stole more information than you expected?¡± ¡°The crew issue caused us to discover it,¡± Orson said. ¡°I thought it was connected. You sound distracted. Not just tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no good at helping with this stuff,¡± Orson said. ¡°The crewmember, Enoa, she won¡¯t eat. I haven¡¯t even really seen her today. The other young crewmember¡¯s not taking it well either.¡± ¡°Are they an item?¡± she asked. ¡°The youngest members of the Aesir crew usually hook up. It¡¯s tradition.¡± ¡°You and me don¡¯t make a tradition,¡± Orson said. ¡°Nothing would¡¯ve happened if it was anybody else but you with me on that first adventure. And them ¨C the kids ¨C I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t see it. They seem too different.¡± ¡°Teddy ships them,¡± Sirona said. ¡°He thinks they have chemistry.¡± ¡°Teddy ships everyone with someone,¡± Orson said. ¡°He¡¯s a regular granny. It¡¯s a little bizarre. Meanwhile, I just can¡¯t believe we¡¯re still dusting off old secrets, after all these years.¡± ¡°Those generations spent seventy years making secrets,¡± she said. ¡°Some built on centuries of legends. That¡¯s a lot to figure out. I¡¯m sorry for your friend, by the way. That¡¯s a difficult thing. Didn¡¯t she know?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t,¡± Orson said. ¡°Thought it was some kind of accident that caused their deaths. Which it might¡¯ve been. God knows that generation loved telling half the truth, and that goes for our friends too. If Ophion ever told me the full explanation of anything the world would¡¯ve ended.¡± ¡°Ended sooner?¡± She laughed. ¡°I hate the whole ¡®end of the world¡¯ thing,¡± he said. ¡°This was more like a society falling apart. That¡¯s happened lots of times, right? Didn¡¯t Rome fall two or three different times? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re living in a nuclear winter.¡± ¡°Not unless your new friends in that battleship try to cause one.¡± She said the last without a trace of humor. ¡°Did you join Pops¡¯s secret brain trust today?¡± ¡°Yeah, he was insistent,¡± Orson said. ¡°He has some plan about cutting off power to the old Hierarchia guns in the mountains. He wants me to float in and help shut them down. Pops will moan about my plans being shit and then he comes out with something just as nuts.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s actually stupid,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Helmont doesn¡¯t want a war now. He wants attention. Or he wants you. This is about what you did. This is you.¡± ¡°What will people think?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Helmont¡¯s starting a war, but you say it¡¯s all about some guy you dated years ago. The baron¡¯s really after your ex-boyfriend? People will think you¡¯re pretty obsessed with me too.¡± ¡°Well, I did invest a lot in you,¡± she answered. ¡°Your success is partly my success. People will say, ¡®well no wonder she liked him. No wonder she thought so much of him. Look how he saved all those people yesterday. He fought to free those people. He¡¯s a hero. He¡¯s a normal man who made himself into the kind of hero we thought only lived in stories. But he¡¯s real. And we forget that people can do that kind of thing for real. And no wonder Helmont hates him. The attacking overlord always hates the hero adventurer¡¯.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Orson stammered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d call myself that.¡± ¡°Plus, I will have fun with the hero owing me,¡± she continued. ¡°And you do. I spent all of today with those dusty boxes, Orson! And May Day is almost here, but I didn¡¯t prepare for that. All I did was help some guy I dated years ago. Of course, I¡¯ve never let anyone else live in my rooms for five years, but that just means you owe me more. You moved out, so I revoked your privileges.¡± ¡°You will get a favor from the guy who robbed the big Hierarchia remnant,¡± Orson said. ¡°Not everyone has that.¡± ¡°And I didn¡¯t already have your favor?¡± She snorted. ¡°Anyway, I couldn¡¯t answer Pops¡¯s call ¨C and not just because I have a real business to run, instead of the cover operations he puts together. ¡°I got the Marshal Call today, Orson, early this morning actually, before the Liberty Corps even destroyed that Alliance plane. They already knew something was coming.¡± ¡°Franklin suspected that,¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to accept it, are you? The Hierarchia¡¯s gone! The Alliance has no legal way to go after the hidden communities. That¡¯s bold of them even to ask you.¡± ¡°They have no way to come after us now,¡± she said. ¡°Who knows what tomorrow will bring? People might decide to bother someone who can make fire from the air, but they¡¯re not as likely to bother the person who fought side-by-side with them on their worst day. And we¡¯re still part of this society. We¡¯re citizens of the Alliances now. ¡°And the Liberty Corps will eventually come for us. They¡¯ll want more test subjects like the people you freed. And we¡¯re more prepared to protect everyone else from these Shapers than your average person with a gun and a few months of basic training. So I held a vote last year, all one hundred and seventeen truce protectorates. We got a simple majority, only three votes more than we needed. There¡¯s less support without the Hierarchia Administrators in the world. But I intend to keep to that agreement.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You get to be part of the strategy, right? You wouldn¡¯t just go where the Alliance sends you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± she laughed. ¡°Please. But I don¡¯t know what it will be or what they plan. I still think this new Liberty Corps play is about you, but I intend to keep to the agreement regardless. Today I worked for you because I wanted to help you. And because this is all really about the Dreamside Road. And because you¡¯re a bigger enemy to Helmont than the Alliance is. You¡¯re his biggest threat of all, you and your crew. This isn¡¯t a time for armies. This isn¡¯t about numbers. This is a time for heroes, for individuals.¡± He could hear the smile in her voice. ¡°It¡¯s a time for wayfarers, and you can beat this baron just like you beat Calder. And whatever you did yesterday, I think he suspects that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Orson felt warmth spread up his cheeks. ¡°No one can build me up like you can. Thank you.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I know you¡¯ve earned it.¡± She said, self-satisfied. ¡°I made sure you earned it. Just like you earned the help of everyone who wants fewer men like Helmont in this world. Not that I¡¯ll forget all the hard work I put into you.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯d pay you back now. If I was¡­¡± Orson began, but he remembered the miles of Hierarchia metal moving through the sky, a ship of a kind that had turned whole deserts to glass. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t hiding,¡± he corrected. ¡°I could be with you in an hour. I¡¯d show you how much I appreciate you¡­ But¡ª¡± ¡°Terrible!¡± she interrupted. ¡°You hear my voice twice in years and you¡¯re already having lewd thoughts about me.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re reading into what I say?¡± He said with accusation. ¡°Huh? Maybe I plan on doing household work for your business? I can still clean the gutters or whatever, even without the boot. I¡¯ll hang out the window of the Aesir. Or I could¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what you meant,¡± she said. ¡°I was happy to help you today. We have a lot to talk about tonight, but tomorrow is for the truce and the promise.¡± Her voice became entirely serious again. ¡°For the Alliances and our agreement. I¡¯m going to rally my people for the Marshal Call and battle against the Liberty Corps.¡± * * * Operative Divenoll watched the Balor Atoll grow through the transport¡¯s window. It was a green dot, ringed by gray and surrounded by endless blue. It was a lonely spit of land in the ocean. The Hierarchia had kept their own little island, not hidden, but omitted from record. Its work was classified, off everyone¡¯s books but Helmont¡¯s. The rest of the troop transports swung down toward the island and the waiting battle group. Only the Saw-wings stayed airborne. They kept their defensive pattern. Divenoll sat in a row alone, situated between two groups of Shaper schools. Sir Vergil and his students sat ahead of him. Their armor was plain white like any officers¡¯, but each student and their master wasted an extra seat for their immense swords. Sir Jarod and his contingent sat behind Divenoll. All wore their flowing, dark cloaks and spoke to one another in short whispers. ¡°I repeat.¡± Helmont¡¯s voice projected through the ship¡¯s intercom. ¡°We will disembark directly into our assigned craft. Remain with your transfer group. Proceed only when ordered.¡± Divenoll got a brief look at the Balor Battle Group. The LCS Balor fighter carrier waited at the center of the formation, docked at a point where the atoll curved as it met the sea. The island embraced the ship that shared its name. There were eight other ships around it ¨C strictly seafaring vessels. There were also two small shapes where submarines had breached the water. A whole assembly of sailors waited on the ships. Even airborne, the motion of so many people was unmistakable. Divenoll recognized their black IHSA uniforms. They were a true remnant, passed directly from one power to another. ¡°Have you seen it before?¡± Sir Geber found the seat beside him. One of his own few students followed after him. Both held their helmets in their hands, antennas twitching. ¡°No,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the field work. And it wasn¡¯t my office. I was strictly recovery.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Geber nodded. ¡°They really don¡¯t look too special, do they?¡± He spoke under his breath. ¡°More antiques.¡± ¡°More antiques that can carry our air support and landing ships,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°And the main weapon.¡± ¡°The experimental main weapon,¡± Geber said. ¡°But you¡¯re right, as usual. Of our assets, this is the best. We¡¯ll be at Knightschurch in a few days. And once we have the key there, we can solve the island problem. Then only seven more.¡± ¡°Seven more and we know where three of them are,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°Two with Gregory and one with his bitch. She¡¯s not moving and he¡¯ll come to us. Then we¡¯re at half. We should¡¯ve done this years ago, and spent less time trying to perfect the drill.¡± ¡°I thought you supported the drill project?¡± Geber asked. ¡°That was your office.¡± ¡°It was.¡± Divenoll nodded. ¡°Because we were too scared of breaking the truce with the old man and his carnival act to pursue the keys. But we should have done this, instead of spending millions trying to tune the drill.¡± ¡°Sir Jarod and his students will transfer first.¡± Helmont spoke again. ¡°They need to acquaint themselves with their new station for launch at 0900 tomorrow.¡± The view through the transport window realigned with the earth. They halted on a landing pad, marked in yellow. Jarod and his team all stood. They adjusted their cloaks and stopped their muttering. Through the window, Divenoll could see the ¡®IHSA¡¯ written in white across the chests of the Balor Team who assembled on the landing pad. Somewhere far ahead, there was a hiss as the outer hatch cycled open. Geber pulled a small wristwatch out of his jumpsuit¡¯s sleeve and adjusted it so the face was visible beyond the edge of his gauntlet. ¡°That isn¡¯t standard issue,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°It¡¯s not. It¡¯s a trophy.¡± Geber fiddled with the watch again, but offered no other explanation. ¡°Maros.¡± ¡°What?¡± Divenoll asked. ¡°The Maros brothers,¡± Geber explained. ¡°They got away, both of them. And they aren¡¯t in Gregory¡¯s crew. They¡¯re gone. The Alliance must already have them. Without the Czar¡­ They could both be dead. Instead¡­ We might never find them.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find them,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°They¡¯ll get involved. They won¡¯t be hiding traitors. They¡¯re not going to go to ground. They will commit to their new cause. They¡¯ll believe it and they will help the Alliance. I¡¯m sure about it. We will see them soon.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Geber stood again and set his helmet on his head. The antennas spun in slow circles, as if stretching. His student imitated the action. ¡°But we will have a war between now and finally killing them.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Divenoll stood with him. Sir Jarod¡¯s force walked ahead, first to disembark. ¡°But that¡¯s better. Kol Maros betrayed us. His brother spied on us and for no reason. When we finally collect these keys and when everyone else is dead, we¡¯ll pull them from the rubble and end this.¡± Divenoll placed his own helmet on his head. Once Jarod¡¯s team had passed, he joined the line out of the transport. * * * ¡°All these updates and I almost forgot to tell you ¡®hi¡¯ from Gertrude.¡± Now Sirona yawned, a great, luxurious yawn pulled Orson from the conversation. He noticed the moon had risen into view since he¡¯d answered the phone. ¡°How is she doing?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I think she was in her seventies already when I met her. And I probably haven¡¯t seen her in¡­ I don¡¯t know how long.¡± Had he seen the former proprietor since Sirona¡¯s own appointment to the position? He hadn¡¯t seen any of those people since he¡¯d parted ways from the inn, from Sirona and that chapter of his life. ¡°I think she¡¯s enjoying her freedom. She doesn¡¯t need to worry about rallying hundreds of people trying to stay under the radar or worry about wackos showing up to attack the place or the day-to-day problems running the business.¡± ¡°So all the stuff you have to worry about now?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Basically.¡± Then there came the sound of more pages. ¡°Teddy also says ¡®hi¡¯. He¡¯s very happy that your passengers enjoyed the tots. I saw Embre posted a bulk order through the co-op, all tater tots for the clan of Yll Banis.¡± ¡°Yep, Ted¡¯s really started something.¡± ¡°Moving on, I think I have Theta¡¯s birth name ¨C Berit Arveig. She was one of the Tempestarii. They studied and influenced air and weather patterns. But Arveig would¡¯ve been too young to have the formal initiation. The trained family members were killed off about twenty-some years before she was born, during the Second World War. Looks like they thought Sucora Cloud¡¯s Anemos was the next best thing and sent her for training.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Orson said. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the pictures of the fight with her and Sucora Cloud. Green sky ¨C some crazy stuff. And Sucora is holding baby Enoa in the picture of the fight. From the look of it, I¡¯m surprised Sucora let Theta survive, or even that she could survive. How many of these freaking Administrators are still running around?¡± ¡°Nation¡¯s predecessor,¡± Sirona said. ¡°I would¡¯ve been twelve¡­ or thirteen maybe, when Thet tried to collect the keys. She sounds really powerful.¡± ¡°I fought somebody like that,¡± Orson said. ¡°In the north of Spain, when I was on my way to Ophion¡¯s old place in Florence. This guy tried to kill me with wind blasts and lightning, but he wasn¡¯t throwing around hail the size of a house.¡± ¡°The second mystery,¡± Sirona said. ¡°The elements of the world ¨C like me! What other pictures were in that?¡± ¡°The people who died,¡± Orson said. ¡°And Theta and her posse. Oh! And there were a couple of me. Me fighting, me getting arrested, me kissing you ¨C the standard Orson Gregory photo set.¡± ¡°Us kissing? Ew.¡± She made a noise in the back of her throat. ¡°Who was spying on us?¡± ¡°Omega¡¯s guys.¡± Orson thought of the day, the ring of IHSA forces around the Aesir. ¡°Or Nation¡¯s. It was from the first time.¡± ¡°Awww,¡± she cooed. ¡°I want a copy. Baby Orson and Sirona! I only just started to like you then. You hadn¡¯t totally won me over.¡± ¡°The kiss didn¡¯t hurt,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I was very brave when I fought Omega.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad for a fake kiss,¡± she said. ¡°You were very cocky dodging and jabbing at Omega. Still, you got me over my fear of the Administrators. He looked so constipated shooting his lightning at you. You were already pretty fit then too, so it was a nice contrast to him looking ridiculous. If you¡¯d actually won, I would¡¯ve really kissed you.¡± ¡°I did win.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± She sighed. ¡°You really didn¡¯t. You won using a weakness you didn¡¯t know was there. But you had potential. You¡¯d beat him now. I¡¯ll give you that. If you can survive yesterday¡­ Oh, I almost forgot!¡± There was a faster rustle of papers. ¡°I need a drumroll,¡± she said. ¡°Before it¡¯s too late. We need to go to the fun stuff. This is golden.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Orson drummed his fingers on the table beside the phone. ¡°How¡¯s that? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Grover!¡± Sirona shouted. ¡°Helmont¡¯s real name is Grover! Grover Melledge, Jr. ¨C he¡¯s the son of this Admiral who took on a Colonial Lord Commandant position. That might make Helmont a baron for real. But it¡¯s perfect. When you tell him it¡¯s over, like you do, it¡¯ll be perfect.¡± ¡°What do you mean, when I tell him it¡¯s over?¡± ¡°You know,¡± she said. ¡°You have to know. There¡¯s no way you do it without knowing. It¡¯s one of your two signature moves. You have the ¡®it¡¯s over¡¯ announcement and you have the punch on the nose. You always do those.¡± ¡°When is always?¡± ¡°Do you want the examples in order or should I list the most important fights first? You said ¡®it¡¯s over¡¯ to Kappa and punched his weird manservant guy ¨C what was his name, Braygun? You punched him in the face. A year later, you said ¡®it¡¯s over¡¯ and punched the Lockshaw heir and then Josiah Grenning and then that bounty hunter Grenning sent after you and then¡ª¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Orson said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to stop doing that now.¡± ¡°No!¡± She called. ¡°You can¡¯t stop. I love it! You have to say it to Helmont ¨C to Grover! Doesn¡¯t he take himself super seriously? It¡¯ll hurt him so much. It¡¯s over, Grover!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to say that,¡± Orson said. ¡°It sounds like the name of a children¡¯s book. I don¡¯t know. Do I really do that all the time?¡± ¡°Ask your new crew. I bet you still do it. And you have to do it this time. It¡¯s too perfect. But we can come back to that. Gods, we could use Haydn looking through these notes. I¡¯m so slow at reading shorthand and poor Gertrude practically needs a magnifying glass to see her husband¡¯s writing now. It¡¯s like Bryce thought writing small would make him more secretive.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m no help with that.¡± Orson leaned against the wall beside the phone. ¡°You might actually be slower than I am. Which is weird. You had pretty good penmanship when you were actively in your swordsman training. But I bet you¡¯re not keeping up with that.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t get why Ophion made me take handwriting lessons.¡± ¡°Because keeping a steady hand is important,¡± she said. ¡°And because it¡¯s part of the curriculum. And because I don¡¯t get to see you rebel against tradition if there¡¯s no tradition to annoy you.¡± ¡°I fight with a damn sword, not the toothpick-ass poker Helmont carries.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She spoke with skepticism. ¡°The rapier is arguably the most dangerous European sword. You don¡¯t want a cavalry piece to fight him. It looks like someone needs to go back to calligraphy practice.¡± ¡°I almost got inside his guard yesterday,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about his flying powers than his choice of sword.¡± ¡°Before we get too caught up with you complaining,¡± she said. ¡°After Theta¡¯s attack, the keys were retrieved by Ophion and given out to their next owners at the old inn in New Rotterdam. Ophion was there. Your friend¡¯s Aunt Sucora was there too. Most of the new key-holders only stopped by, but Sir Merrill and Ophion met them all.¡± ¡°I guess we can¡¯t get ahold of Ophion, can we?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I can put out feelers,¡± she said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Don¡¯t play coy with me, Birgham. Don¡¯t let the old man keep secrets from me. I could¡¯ve solved this crap about a year ago with a decent letter from him.¡± ¡°I have a way to leave messages,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Sometimes he picks them up. Sometimes they stay there a year or more without any attention. I can¡¯t say more than that. I wouldn¡¯t have said more even when we were together.¡± ¡°Yes, you would. You told me everything.¡± ¡°Okay fine,¡± she conceded. ¡°I would¡¯ve told you, but mostly because it would¡¯ve been too much of a hassle not to. I would¡¯ve needed to wait until you were sleeping to write the message or make you leave my rooms. I¡¯d have to keep you from following me into the woods. Just¡­ Way too big of a pain. But maybe you can talk to this Sir Merrill. He should also know all of the key holders.¡± ¡°That would be convenient.¡± They¡¯d done so much to recover the island¡¯s coordinates, to find another key and bring Enoa to a proper teacher, but she was in no state to learn. ¡°I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be going there.¡± ¡°Sir Merrill¡¯s knowledge will actually be about twenty years old,¡± Sirona corrected herself. ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing as knowing everyone now, but hopefully it¡¯s a help. So you get to him, he can give you the rest¡­ if you can persuade him. That¡¯s the other thing, it turns out Sir Merrill and Ophion did not get along. And Gertrude doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s just a personality thing or if there¡¯s a real reason behind it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ve had more than my share of people hating me for something random like that.¡± ¡°You have,¡± she chuckled. ¡°But you¡¯re also good at winning people over if you really try to do it. I say that from personal experience.¡± ¡°It was a lot of work to win you over. You attacked me! If a couple of those kicks had landed our relationship might¡¯ve gone a lot different.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She had an exaggerated catch in her voice. ¡°That was so long ago and you still always bring it up. Always. I was wrong one time and you never let it go.¡± ¡°Wrong?¡± Orson said. ¡°Man, we really are in a time of danger and impossible things. Sirona wrong?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really why I gave you a chance.¡± Her voice changed, now aloof, almost smug. ¡°Once I realized I was wrong about that strange, loud boy, I thought maybe I should take a closer look. And like I said, you were getting pretty fit from all those people trying to kill you. And from my training. What would my life have been without the strange, loud man you became?¡± ¡°A lot quieter?¡± Orson offered. ¡°Less strange?¡± ¡°I used to think so. For a long time I did, but¡­ It¡¯s been just as loud and just as dangerous without you. It seems like it¡¯ll be this way no matter who I have in my life so¡­¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°That reminds me,¡± she continued. ¡°We need to talk about the second edition of your memoir! It was really sweet of you to be private about some of what happened, but you didn¡¯t land us. You really didn¡¯t. I¡¯m like this stoic badass in your book, which is cool, but I think we¡¯d be more popular a little closer to how we actually are. We¡¯re hilarious. We could sell some books.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not totally sure if I¡¯m doing any more of the memoir stuff,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m not very happy with how the first edition turned out.¡± ¡°April says your biographer has been spending all the years since destabilization practicing his writing and he¡¯s really good now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Orson said. ¡°A second edition sounds like a lot of work.¡± ¡°We can talk about it tomorrow,¡± she said. ¡°We need to seriously figure out how we¡¯re preparing for this Liberty Corps thing. I have the Twelfth Form Scroll. I have some of your other swordsman books, but that won¡¯t work over the phone.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson followed the phone¡¯s cord from the handset to the wall. ¡°How secure is this connection? All we need is some Liberty Corps bug on the local phone line.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s private,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s run totally independent of any other network. If they intercept this call, it¡¯s over anyway. Actually, I better pack it in for the night. I¡¯m very flattered you stayed awake to talk to me so long, but I have that long drive tomorrow. I have my big recruitment meeting out of state. I can¡¯t fight the Liberty Corps without the pilot I want. He¡¯s a handful and everybody else wants the guy too. So I¡¯ll need to be extra persuasive. But I think he¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°Sounds like a jerk,¡± Orson said. She laughed in answer, a real, full laugh. ¡°He can be,¡± she said. ¡°Sometimes. But he makes up for it with some other qualities. And he has the best ship. Everyone knows it.¡± ¡°Listen,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to intrude or anything. You go meet with whoever you want, but let¡¯s be clear about something. I don¡¯t know this guy or his ship, but you¡¯re not gonna find a better ship than the Aesir. You¡¯re not. I don¡¯t care what other qualities this guy has.¡± Orson pictured a sleek airship, like the investors¡¯ flashy armored shuttles at the Solar Saver. He pictured a pilot in new, spotless gear like Sebastian Royce. ¡°The Aesir¡­ is the best,¡± she said. ¡°Wait. What are you talking about? Are you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Orson interrupted. ¡°We can figure out the scroll thing another time. You have a good night¡¯s sleep. We can talk later if you get the chance. I really should brush up on that twelfth method thing. I¡¯ve fought a bunch of swords that can withstand mine over the years, but probably not that specific form. But without somebody else who knows the form, the scroll will only be partly useful.¡± ¡°We can help you train.¡± Jaleel spoke suddenly. Orson turned toward the sound. Jaleel stood in the Aesir¡¯s open doorway. The Jim android stood behind him, whole and head attached. The automaton wore a Las Vegas 51s T-shirt and a Route 66 baseball cap. Dr. Stan stood further back in the ship, a weak smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry be a Samwise right now,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But I have an idea! We do!¡± Jim raised his right hand in a wave. He grinned maniacally. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°Orson, are you still there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Orson answered. ¡°My first mate¡¯s just sneaking up on me.¡± ¡°First mate?¡± Jaleel looked awestruck. ¡°Hello from First Mate to Fire Girlfriend.¡± ¡°Did he just call me Fire Girlfriend?¡± she asked. ¡°You have mentioned my name, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°Of course I have. He¡¯s just being funny. He knows your name and the fact we¡¯re not, uh, romantically¡­ uh, linked anymore.¡± ¡°Not romantically linked?¡± she asked. ¡°Did no one ever tell you it¡¯s very cruel to lead people on? All night you make your suggestive comments¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± Orson began. ¡°Ask your first mate if you say ¡®it¡¯s over¡¯ when you fight people,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Do I say ¡®it¡¯s over¡¯ when I fight people?¡± Orson asked. ¡°You said it to Nalrik and Governor Sloan,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Why? Is it like a regular catch phrase?¡± ¡°Tell him Helmont¡¯s name,¡± Sirona whispered in his ear. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Orson whispered back. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Tell him,¡± Sirona commanded. Orson groaned. ¡°She wants me to tell you that Helmont¡¯s real name is Grover.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, Grover!¡± Jaleel cheered. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. That¡¯s the best news of the whole day. I can¡¯t wait. Once you have enough practice with Jim, you¡¯ll be ready to go. It¡¯ll be over for Grover.¡± ¡°Practice with¡­ Jim?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Jaleel talked faster, like the speed of the words would stop Orson from interrupting. ¡°I was just taking Jim for a walk and I couldn¡¯t help hearing you talking. This was the perfect opening. Jim can train with you though. He knows all the forms. They¡¯re all in his head and he can use my fire extinguisher. It can take on the sword, remember!¡± ¡°What¡¯s he saying now?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°I don¡¯t totally know,¡± Orson answered. ¡°But maybe I will need that scroll.¡± Jim grinned at Orson and stood with one arm forward, the other behind his back, in a flamboyant fencing pose. Then he shouted. ¡°En garde!¡± 143 - Movie Night The lodge left an impressive spread for its handful of secret guests. Long tables were assembled in the barn, in the space beyond the Aesir. They were filled with food enough to feed the Lost in the Woods guests for days. Kol saw fresh baked goods: bagels, donuts, scones, croissants. He saw pancakes, waffles, bacon and sausage. He saw trays of fruit, bottled fruit juices, and coffee dispensers. Kol found an omelette station and made one, overflowing with ham and cheese, onions and peppers. He used every bit of space on his plate, cramming the rest with buttered toast, a jumbo blueberry muffin, and strips of bacon. It was more than he¡¯d eaten at once in months, more than he¡¯d eaten in what felt like years. Kol collected cutlery and a cup of coffee. He joined Max at the last table, with family-style seating. His brother had positioned his wheelchair at the head of the long table. Max read from a copy of the Oregonian newspaper. Melanthymos and Aneirin sat on his left. They wore matching blue bathrobes and shared a massive waffle with strawberries. Further down the table, a bearded man in a trench coat was hunched over a bowl of oatmeal. ¡°Ambitious.¡± Melanthymos assessed Kol¡¯s omelette. ¡°That¡¯ll screw up your boyish figure if you¡¯re not careful. Unless you¡¯re hoping to disguise yourself before you go on the lam.¡± Aneirin chortled. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve really focused on a meal since the fall,¡± Kol said. He¡¯d begun the year preparing for the operation in Nimauk. He¡¯d chased the Aesir. He¡¯d faced his hearing. He¡¯d bounced from Crater Base to Brielle¡¯s operation to the War Force to imprisonment¡­ ¡°And I intend to continue my training,¡± Kol said. ¡°I want to keep what Geber forced me to learn. I can use the calories.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done my life¡¯s training,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°I¡¯m happy enough just celebrating not being pinned to a wall twelve to eighteen hours a day. Now, I only let this one pin me to the wall.¡± Aneirin chortled again, but he also turned slightly red. ¡°How vivid,¡± Max said. The couple laughed. Max set his newspaper aside and leaned close to Kol. He spoke again in a low voice. ¡°On another note ¨C and this is only partly to change the subject ¨C that man, he has an Alliance ID badge.¡± Kol followed Max¡¯s gaze to the man in the trench coat. ¡°He showed it to one of the lodge employees. I¡¯m interested to see that here. I want to keep up with this new political situation.¡± ¡°He wants more freaks to fight with him.¡± Melanthymos spoke at a volume that the man could surely hear, but he did nothing to acknowledge her. He didn¡¯t so much as flinch. ¡°Alliance is moving up in the world, recruiting like the old Hierarchia did. They made homeboy over there into one of their spooks, got him recruiting just a couple days after our grand escape. There¡¯ll be a backstory behind why he joined them, not that I give sufficient shits to ask.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps will hurt everyone here.¡± The man answered without turning away from his oatmeal. ¡°I thought you would appreciate how dangerous they are.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play that with me.¡± Melanthymos rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it before. ¡®Come and fight. It¡¯s an emergency. Oh no! If we don¡¯t get enough magic people to fight then this thing will happen! Or that thing will happen!¡¯ It used to be the same way for the IHSA, back when they thought I could be an employee instead of their hostage. ¡®Come fight with us. We need you. It¡¯s the biggest problem ever!¡¯ You know how many things happened in all those years, how many were actually the ¡°big one¡±? One out of dozens.¡± ¡°This could be just as dangerous as Thunderworks.¡± The man finally turned toward Melanthymos. He had one dark brown eye. The other was a piercing blue mottled with multiple dark rings. ¡°I¡¯m not pressuring anyone. I¡¯m here on a personal matter, but the Pacific Alliances needs help now. With Helmont¡ª¡± ¡°Helmont¡¯s a big problem,¡± Melanthymos interrupted. ¡°Sure, but he¡¯d lose too much in conquering you, and you can¡¯t outright beat him. So instead, I think I¡¯ll enjoy my retirement. Visit my boyfriend¡¯s castle.¡± ¡°I want a time of love now,¡± Aneirin said slowly. ¡°I lived a life with war too long.¡± ¡°What he said,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°Good thing, though. Helmont and his Czar are no spring chickens. If we fall into a cold war with the Liberty Corps, they could both be six feet under before you have to fight anybody. Maybe then the Alliance will stand a chance.¡± Max looked to Kol over his newspaper. Kol braced himself, expecting some comment about the Czar or about the Liberty Corps. ¡°This may be our time to leave,¡± Max whispered. ¡°We gave the Aesir crew a day to bring the matter of the letter to our attention. I very much doubt they waited to retrieve it. They have it now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you again.¡± The Alliance man said. ¡°I want to actually take part in this society. That¡¯s what we voted on, those of us protected by the Concealment Truce.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re protected by that Birgham and her bunch,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°How many of you are there now? Does that Birgham know you¡¯re recruiting for the Alliance or is she too busy with her boy toy back in town?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not keeping any secrets.¡± The man stared at Melanthymos. His unique eye seemed to blink less often than its brown partner. ¡°I believe the time for secrecy is over. Sirona agrees with me. And I thought you might take up an opportunity to fight the people who imprisoned you. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡± ¡°And I didn¡¯t expect solicitors already,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of recruiters. But maybe you¡¯ll have better luck with someone younger than me. Our quiet friend here has some potential.¡± She pointed at Kol. ¡°But I hope he¡¯s got brains enough to get out while the getting¡¯s good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who caught the skimmer.¡± The man turned his stare toward Kol. The rings in his eye seemed to move. It was like staring into an optical illusion, the mind seeing motion where there likely was none. ¡°Embre was telling me about you.¡± ¡°I was proud to help,¡± Kol said. ¡°Excuse me, sir,¡± Max called. ¡°May I ask your position with the Pacific Alliance? My name is Maxwell Maros. My brother is Kolben Maros. We were seeking asylum before the Liberty Corps imprisoned us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Wyll Siegast,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯m from the Northeast Alliance actually, born and raised under the Concealment Truce, outside New Rotterdam. I¡¯m an enigma advisor for the Northeast Alliance. I¡¯m in the area because of the recent escape. I needed to see who had been freed. I¡¯m looking for someone.¡± The blue eye seemed to darken then, like the black rings expanded until there were only thin bands of color. ¡°But with the Liberty Corps attacking, I¡¯m trying to help while I¡¯m already here.¡± ¡°I hope you found who you were looking for,¡± Kol said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t,¡± Wyll answered. ¡°I can¡¯t find any list of names, not even here. None of you saw anyone with an eye like mine, did you?¡± ¡°I did not,¡± Max said. ¡°No,¡± Kol said. ¡°And now with possible war coming,¡± Wyll continued. ¡°I can¡¯t spend much time in searching, but I can try to put others onto the search. And if you¡¯re looking for transport to the Pacific Alliance¡­¡± Wyll set his spoon down. ¡°You could have a hard time with transportation, but maybe I can help.¡± When he smiled, the blue of his eye expanded and the dark rings shrank. ¡°Are you still seeking asylum with the Alliance?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Max said. ¡°If my brother is agreed, that¡¯s hopefully our destination.¡± ¡°We are agreed.¡± Kol looked toward the Aesir. The ship was dark and entirely quiet. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯re finished here. But I need to find out. And when I have settled my¡­ debt, then we will be ready to leave.¡± ¡°Take your time,¡± Wyll said. ¡°I¡¯ll be here another day trying to compile a list of the escapees, but if you¡¯re ready to go tomorrow afternoon, you¡¯re more than welcome to fly out with my crew.¡± * * * Above the LCS Balor¡¯s command island, Helmont watched Sir Jarod and his students at work. The top room of the command structure had a lower ceiling than the vessel¡¯s command bridge, but crystalline windows lined all the walls. The meditation room had been prepared for Jarod and his students. The room was forty feet in diameter and empty, except for a raised stone circle in its center. It rose only feet above the floor and was covered in a tracery of grooves and markings, like a model of intricate canals. Jarod¡¯s Shapers sat around the circle. The final standing student poured water from a pitcher into the center of the stone. It flowed outward through all the carvings and grooves. When the carvings filled, the Shapers dipped their fingers into the water. They breathed together and spoke together. ¡°Own the body.¡± They spoke in unison. ¡°Rule the mind.¡± And Helmont felt them think as one, shape as one, together. He watched his maps of energy and life. He saw the thoughts of Jarod¡¯s students intertwine like visible threads that wove between them. ¡°Own the body. Rule the mind. Shape the world.¡± And Helmont saw the world obey. On his mental map of the elements and the ever-changing world, he felt their influence. He watched the thread of their thought spread from ship to sea. Then with his eyes, Helmont watched the moving waves calm and slow. He watched the constant ebb of ocean against island come to a stop. The ocean around the battle group went as still as a standing pond. ¡°The sea.¡± Lieutenant Greenley gasped. Helmont had almost forgotten the man was there. ¡°They will control the seas to speed our travel,¡± Helmont explained. ¡°We will save fuel. We¡¯ll retake the day we lost preparing for this journey.¡± He reached over his shoulders and unclipped his cape. He handed it back to Greenley. ¡°I want to look out, as well. And forward.¡± Greenley accepted the cape. ¡°Forward, my lord?¡± ¡°The fourth mystery.¡± Helmont lowered himself to the floor, cross-legged. He used his personal map of his own body and life. He fed strength to his muscles and tendons. He had the flexibility of a far younger man. The decades fell from him like he¡¯d shed a heavy shroud. Then, in the depth of his focus, Helmont felt as he had when that first dose of Neurzodone had reached his blood. In the depths of his power, Helmont found the nascent strength of his earliest adulthood, but with the wisdom and skill of his decades. He had never been stronger, never more powerful. ¡°The fourth mystery is the last,¡± he explained. ¡°It is the mystery of fate and future and the interwoven, secret bindings of all things. I know the maps of life, the living world, and light. But the last is the least known, even to me. To anyone. Or to anyone still living.¡± Helmont watched the threads from Jarod¡¯s students to the ocean. And from the ocean he followed the real, literal map of the world that he¡¯d memorized. He followed it north across the Pacific, beyond the Bering Sea and the Chukchi Sea. Until, beyond the arctic circle, between west and east, between today and tomorrow, waited an island concealed in power. Surrounded by his own school of sorcery, Helmont could feel Knightschurch. He sensed their destiny. He saw flashes, glimpses of times to come ¨C future and fate. He saw four moments. Of life ¨C he saw a shore littered with bodies. There was a black sand beach. One of Helmont¡¯s own amphibious destroyers had hauled itself onto the sand. Helmont¡¯s own troops poured out, firing energy and death into a line of figures with short metal swords. These defenders wore no armor, just heavy, homespun cloaks. The beach was covered in their dead, bodies smoking and charred by energy fire. Of the elements ¨C he saw an island surrounded by a motionless sea. Knightschurch stood like an iceberg brought ashore. It was a tower of ice, a standing pyre one hundred feet tall and ten times that thick. It stood on black sand. A ring of ocean was frozen around the island. Beyond that, the seas were still, not a wave to be felt. Of power ¨C he saw a greatsword made of trapped emerald flame. Helmont did not see the blade¡¯s wielder, but he knew the weapon. He recognized the great fire, the simple black hilt, the single ruby set into the pommel. This was the blade of the unbroken line, the blade carried by the last true Covenant Knight. So he would face Sir Merrill, a duel for succession. Of the future ¨C he saw himself. His armor was broken. One of his vambraces was missing. There was a horrid gash along his left leg. It burned him, even in that brief vision. The room around him was carved from ice and it too seemed misshapen. The floor was wet, and there were other figures there, lying near him. But none of this mattered. Because his left hand was wrapped around a chain that held a small pendant. It was in the likeness of fire set inside a crescent moon ¨C a Dreamside Road key. So, he would seize it! Another hand caught the key¡¯s chain as well. It was bloodied and bare and too weak to pull the chain from his grip. Helmont felt himself ignore his opponent. He felt his feet leave the floor, the key¡¯s chain still caught in his fingers. His purpose was finally at hand. And then all visions passed, and he was back in the meditation chamber, while Sir Jarod¡¯s students chanted and Greenley waited for him. Greenley snapped to attention when Helmont blinked his eyes. ¡°At ease.¡± Helmont stood. When he moved, the burn across his leg still seared, as if the future lingered and looped and became past. But Helmont ignored the pain as he did in the vision. He turned back to the room¡¯s long windows and to the unmoving ocean. ¡°Look there,¡± he said. ¡°The future is already here. We will reach the island. The defenders will fall. I will face Sir Merrill and seize the key.¡± Already the pain was fading. Only the feeling of the chain in his fingers remained. ¡°Our path is clear. There is no reason to wait. Inform command that we are to launch immediately.¡± * * * Enoa could ignore everything until the screaming started. She could listen for the others, leave her bunk only to sneak food and visit the bathroom when she would not need to speak or think. She could spend her day slowly shifting a cup of water into ice and back, until the change began to warp the plastic around it. She could spend a full day without thinking, without remembering what she should have known. But the wailing she heard was distorted and pained. It was an inhuman sound. She sat up, jarring Wesley in his sleep. Jaleel¡¯s voice joined the yell. He shouted something and there was an edge to his indecipherable words ¨C fear? Enoa¡¯s staff was in her hand and extended before she left the bunk door. By the time she reached the kitchen, Orson¡¯s voice joined the yelling. Then Dr. Stan¡¯s. Then others joined in, but the mechanical wailing never stopped. Enoa raised the staff and trigged the outer door. In the barn outside, Orson faced the assembled Jim android. The android was the source of the wailing. He held a long, sparking cylinder toward Orson with his sword of fire. ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Jaleel stood between them. He held both hands toward the android. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jim!¡± ¡°NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!¡± Jim shouted. His voice still had the strained, mechanical edge, but up close Enoa could hear the words. ¡°No! I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Orson yelled. ¡°Sword¡¯s going away. Stop yelling!¡± Kol and Max waited on the far side of the barn, near Dr. Stan. A man in unusually thick glasses and a long trench coat also observed, along with several lodge employees in matching black polo shirts. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Orson sheathed the sword and stepped away. ¡°Shut up!¡± Jim lowered the cylinder. Its electricity disappeared. ¡°I will not attack.¡± His scream turned into normal speech. ¡°I am good at hurting, but Ruby says we will always help the captain. He is good and he shows us the whole world. I want to see the world on my vacation. I cannot hurt the captain.¡± ¡°Enoa,¡± Jaleel walked between Orson and the android when he noticed her. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± She searched for something to say that was not a lie. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Jim is going to train Orson,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Jim has all the old Liberty Corps knowledge in his head so he can imitate some of the moves from Helmont¡¯s fighting style.¡± ¡°I will not fight our captain,¡± Jim said. ¡°Why do you ask me to hurt him? I want to join the crew and go sightseeing with you.¡± ¡°What the hell was that about him talking to Ruby?¡± Orson wiped his hair back from his face. ¡°I appreciate you doing a lot of work on short notice, but I¡¯m gonna need to know what he said to my ship.¡± ¡°I plugged him into the diagnostic system,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Ruby speaks for the ship¡¯s computer.¡± ¡°And the ship¡¯s computer isn¡¯t supposed to be...¡± Orson began. ¡°An intelligence, a thinking¡­ I don¡¯t what to call it. It¡¯s supposed to just be information. Most of the ship¡¯s functions aren¡¯t supposed to be smart on their own.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°I will show the Griffin¡¯s Way,¡± Jim said. ¡°I will not use it on the captain.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not trying to teach Orson how to fight,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°He¡¯s already quite good at that. We want to help him practice. There¡¯s someone who wants to use this Griffin¡¯s Way to hurt him.¡± ¡°I might hurt him with the Griffin¡¯s way,¡± Jim said. ¡°I do not want to hurt the captain. I want to join the crew for the sightseeing.¡± ¡°And where does this sightseeing thing come from?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Look, Jim, if you don¡¯t want to train, I¡¯m not going to make you.¡± He looked to Dr. Stan. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t going to train, why does he keep doing the en garde thing?¡± ¡°¡®En garde¡¯ is a customary statement in fencing,¡± Jim said. ¡°I¡¯ve been training on my own for over five years now,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll figure this thing out. Just get him calmed down. It¡¯s alright, Jim.¡± ¡°Why are you angry?¡± Jim widened his eyes and pressed his pale, thin lips together. ¡°Why does he want me to hurt him? Is our captain unwell of the mind?¡± Everyone laughed, even Enoa. Jim twisted his head sideways to look at her. He waved. ¡°Hello! Crewmate, Enoa,¡± he said. ¡°It is I, Jim! We have both left our sleeper compartments on this fine evening.¡± ¡°Hi?¡± Enoa said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him.¡± Jaleel sidled between her and the android. ¡°Do you want something to eat? We¡¯re about to¡­¡± He shot a look over his shoulder toward the Maroses, still waiting at the far wall. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Enoa.¡± Kol left the group. He gave Jim a wide berth and approached her along the Aesir¡¯s hull. ¡°I wanted to talk to you earlier, but Jaleel told me about everything instead. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry for everything that¡¯s happened, that I caused you, and that¡¯s happened to you. But almost all of your things have been returned, and it¡¯s my plan to leave with Agent Siegast tomorrow.¡± ¡°Almost all?¡± Enoa asked, but there was no anger there. She felt no fear of what the Liberty Corps knew or what she hadn¡¯t learned first. ¡®Not Nimauk in origin¡­¡¯ Everything else was overshadowed. ¡°I¡¯m making a promise to you,¡± Kol continued. ¡°I will rebuild your home for you. If I survive, I will remake it, just the way you knew it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Enoa thought of her home, Sucora¡¯s home, where she¡¯d grown up ¨C above a secret room built for Shaping. It was like her entire life was secretly built across a foundation of the Hierarchia. How many other secrets were kept from her there? How many other secrets had she inherited? ¡°Thank you. I hope you and Max can stay safe wherever you go. Good luck.¡± ¡°You too.¡± He raised his hand as if to shake hers, but thought better of it and instead adjusted the collar of his light jacket. Only then did she notice he was no longer wearing his stained jumpsuit. His hair was clean and pulled back. He had a gaunt look in his cheeks since his captivity, but his eyes were brighter. ¡°Enoa,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a movie night. They¡¯re still making some movies out here, like they used to, like Hollywood. I never heard of any of them. I feel like Orson! Kol and Max have a DVD player in their cabin, so we were going to try to get something to watch. We¡¯ll get some food too. I think we¡¯re all going except Orson, but we didn¡¯t know how you felt or what you wanted, and I don¡¯t want to speak for anybody, but¡­¡± ¡°You are more than welcome to join us, Enoa,¡± Max said. ¡°Of course you are. None of us would be here without you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Enoa said. ¡°That¡¯s very kind. But¡­¡± But what? But she didn¡¯t know how she felt about anything? She didn¡¯t know herself? Her whole life was built on quicksand, everything sinking and soon to be buried and suffocated. ¡°It¡¯s been a long few days,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you for inviting me, but I¡¯m tired. I might just go for walk.¡± ¡°Then I suppose this may really be good-bye.¡± Max rolled his wheelchair toward them. Enoa jumped from the Aesir and walked to meet him half-way. The man in the trench coat stepped away from the wall too, but he approached Orson. ¡°Orson!¡± Trench Coat said. ¡°Good to see you! When I heard about the escape, I should¡¯ve expected you¡¯d be involved.¡± He and Orson shook hands, but the rest of what was said faded from Enoa¡¯s hearing. ¡°For so long,¡± Max clasped her hand between his. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to save my brother. But without your mercy, I would¡¯ve led him to death for betraying Sloan. You saved him, when he had done so much wrong to you, and I will always be grateful. Always.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Kol corrected. Enoa did not know what to say, but she was spared. With a creak of hinges, the barn¡¯s side door opened. Embre Vass entered. ¡°I have never had a noise complaint for the guests I am trying to hide. Most people have more sense than that. But if you keep up with this racket, the other guests will hear you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson called to her. ¡°We¡¯re just wrapping up. We¡¯ll be quieter from now on.¡± ¡°Yes, you will,¡± she said. ¡°Your movie night order is ready whenever you are. Same goes for your room service. Our movie library isn¡¯t too up-to-date, but we should have enough from the last half-decade that you should find something new.¡± The Maroses and Dr. Stan and all the rest followed Embre from the barn. Even Jim trailed along, and Dr. Stan guided him by the arm. Only Jaleel stopped to look over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later,¡± Enoa said. He lingered for another heartbeat and then joined the others. The barn door shut with another squeak. ¡°What a weird way for that to go.¡± Orson pulled his sheathed sword from his shoulders and set it on the nearest table. ¡°Man Bun just flying off¡­ with that guy who apparently knows me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know him?¡± she asked. ¡°I think I¡¯d remember glasses like that. But he¡¯s Truce, and everybody who knew Sirona thinks I know them too, but I don¡¯t. Hey, how are you? We missed you, y¡¯know? Jaleel was so upset he put that damn robot back together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Enoa took a deep breath and tried to fight the sudden lump in the back of her throat. Aunt Sucora dead. Aunt Sucora lied to her. She could have known. Their home gone, and most of what remained was of the Hierarchia. Not Nimauk in origin¡­ ¡°I need time,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long you want to stay here or how long you want to pay for us here, but I¡¯ll be ready to leave when you want to go.¡± He was looking at her with so much concern. There was none of the sharp humor or calm competence, just real worry. And she couldn¡¯t look at it, because that worry made her think about all the rest. She turned back toward the door. ¡°Well, you might get your wish,¡± he said. ¡°Because the Liberty Corps is up to shit. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard or paid attention to anything, but they¡¯re attacking the Pacific Alliance and it¡¯s a whole thing. We might be caught up with that too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready when we leave. Have a good talk with Fire Girlfriend.¡± She jumped back in the Aesir, just long enough to collect her flashlight and scratch Wesley beneath the chin. Then she made for the barn doors. ¡°Do you even know your way around?¡± Orson called after her. ¡°I won¡¯t get lost. Thanks.¡± She left the barn and followed the path. She lit her flashlight, found the first break between the trees, and took the fastest path away from the lodge. * * * Orson had not named all the ways he moved the sword or the positions of his body as he wielded it. Not even the drills he always performed were named moves. He performed stabs and thrusts, parries and blocks, pivots and guards. It was assessment and practice, keeping his body¡¯s motions memorized and analyzing his performance. He assessed his work. Was he connecting his movements? Was he mindful of his footwork? Was he conscious of the strength of each action, the investment of each strike? The regimen lasted thirty minutes or sixty or more. It lasted until he knew he remembered and would move with the speed of reaction. There was enough room to move the sword inside the barn and take stock of himself without fear of discovery. Orson was nearing the end of his cycle, deep lunges with full-weight that exposed him to strikes from the sides and rear. He was deep into a low strike when the barn door creaked open and Jaleel walked inside with his archer mask across his face. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Orson stood again and stretched his shoulders. ¡°Did Enoa come back in here?¡± he asked. ¡°I saw her go into the woods and didn¡¯t see her come back.¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t.¡± Orson sheathed the sword. ¡°How long has it been?¡± ¡°Maybe an hour?¡± Jaleel shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I just don¡¯t want her to be in danger. Is this some kind of magical forest with hungry things that might try to hurt her?¡± ¡°Not that I know of,¡± Orson said. ¡°She¡¯s usually pretty good at watching out for herself. If you¡¯re worried, why don¡¯t you let me get cleaned up and we¡¯ll go look for her.¡± ¡°I can go first.¡± Jaleel turned back. ¡°My mask has limited night vision, so I might be able to find her pretty easily. I¡¯ll send a message if I find her and we¡¯re okay. If not, you can come looking in a half-hour.¡± He ran through the door again. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a great idea!¡± Orson shouted. ¡°Let¡¯s split up.¡± He lifted the sword again but did not draw it. He saw through the window that the moon was now high in the sky. He set the sword back down and walked to the phone instead. He dialed it. Even after almost six years, he wouldn¡¯t forget the number or the extension that would reach the forest-facing rooms where he¡¯d spent so many nights. ¡°Hello, Ms. Birgham¡¯s residence,¡± an unfamiliar female voice answered. Not Sirona. ¡°This is Nen speaking. How can I help you?¡± ¡°Hi,¡± he said. ¡°This is, uh, Orson Gregory. I¡¯m calling for Sirona Birgham. She¡¯s expecting to talk to me tonight. I thought I¡¯d see if she¡¯s available now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nen answered. ¡°She isn¡¯t here right now, but you can leave a message and I¡¯ll make sure she gets it as soon as she¡¯s back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Orson paused. ¡°No, I¡¯ll just call back later tonight. Thanks.¡± ¡°We¡¯re actually not expecting her until tomorrow at the very earliest,¡± Nen said. ¡°That¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m answering her calls. But again, I¡¯d be happy to take a message.¡± Not back until tomorrow? Why had she mentioned talking to him tonight? Why would she spend an entire day digging out that scroll and his books and then just forget about him? ¡°Are you sure?¡± Orson asked. ¡°She was, uh, kindly helping me with a work problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite sure,¡± Nen said. ¡°She won¡¯t be back tonight.¡± She¡¯d forgotten him! ¡°I have nothing to say that can¡¯t wait,¡± Orson said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very welcome!¡± Nen said. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all, I hope you have a pleasant evening!¡± ¡°You too.¡± The line clicked dead. Orson returned the handset. Sirona had mentioned traveling a distance for her meeting with the pilot. Was the distance why she didn¡¯t plan to return that night? Or was it the pilot himself? Had he missed the obvious? What had she said about the man she was meeting? And realization hit him like a blow to the stomach. The way she¡¯d talked about this pilot, she used to talk about him that way. Used to. He sat on the edge of the table. He hadn¡¯t noticed it then, with how she seemed to be flirting with him. What had that meant, the last couple of nights? Just banter? Reliving a memory, but nothing to get in the way of real life? He obviously wasn¡¯t her real life, not if she¡¯d casually tell him about a date with another man. How did she see him? Was he an old friend to her? Did she think commenting about some guy¡¯s ¡®other qualities¡¯ wouldn¡¯t bother him? Why did it bother him? It had been the better part of six years. She should reasonably assume it was all past. That it was over. It was over for her. Long over. What had he thought, really? Why would she want anything with him? Nothing had improved for him in five years. He still wandered from job-to-job and adventure-to-adventure and danger-to-danger. What had he thought? She¡¯d leave her business and travel with him? Did he think he could hide out there, stay secret with all those legions gunning for him? Did he think he¡¯d live like he was twenty-something again? They¡¯d spend each day on some quest together and each night holding each other? That had always been a dream. What was wrong with him, that he could start to hope for impossible things? He was a grown man, not some naive child who thought himself a hero. He¡¯d seen the magical and the uncanny, and he should know the truly impossible when he saw it. Why was he so tied to something he¡¯d dreamed when he was still half-a-child? Why was the sound of her voice enough to make him want that life again? He couldn¡¯t have let go, not really. Because if he¡¯d emotionally learned what his mind had accepted years ago, then it would take more than a few hours with her voice in his ear to make him believe again. Sirona had found a man who had not made enemies across the world, who surely had a salary and stability. She¡¯d found someone who brought enough excitement, but nothing to overwhelm her, or to drive her away. Fine. That was her choice. She had every right to choose what was right for her. He had been a fool, the same fool he was at twenty, the same fool he had always been, imagining everything would just fit together like the bow-tied endings in fairy tales. Orson drew the sword again. A salaried pilot was good for building a life and for defending a rebuilt, safer world. But could he stand against the world-killers¡¯ general, like Orson had? Could he drive Baron Helmont and the Hierarchia remnant to fear and desperate action, like Orson had? Could he confront the world of madness, the Blitzkrieg or the Lockshaws, Bolon or the Eldren Order or Ruhland? Because Orson could win. He would again, even if he stood alone to do it, if that was his life¡¯s purpose. He would train like he had at the start of his years alone, work until he couldn¡¯t, until exhaustion took him into a deep sleep where he would not worry about his past or choices or life. That was how he¡¯d earned the skill to survive and carry legends. He began his exercises again from the very beginning. * * * Enoa wandered past the honey farm and the local shrine. The night was alive with sound and motion. Her awareness had grown so much since she¡¯d last focused on the real, living world around her. She knew the movement of unseen wing in the sky from its push against the air. She felt the hidden scurrying of feet from their imprint on the ground. Not Nimauk in origin. Enoa didn¡¯t stop walking until she heard a sound that wasn¡¯t augmented by Shaping. She found a rise in the ground and a space deep between the trees. There, she could hear distant music, piano music, drifting through one of the lodge¡¯s open windows. She set her flashlight against the trunk of a tree where it attracted a swirling storm of tiny insects. Enoa listened to the music. It was a melancholy tune, but speedy enough to keep her from thinking. Some time later, many songs later, she sensed Jaleel approaching. She felt the way he moved through the air before she heard him. ¡°I¡¯m alright!¡± She called out. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just¡­ not quite ready to be with everyone.¡± Then she heard him. He crashed between the trees. All of the other living things went silent as he approached. With a yell, he pushed his way between two trunks. He stumbled free and came to a stop beside her. He picked brambles or sticks from his clothing. ¡°You¡¯re missing movie night,¡± she said. ¡°I was worried about you.¡± He drew his comm from his belt. ¡°I have to send a message back to Orson. I made kinda a big deal about you going into the woods alone.¡± ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± she said. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s been not so good lately, so I was worried. And I thought maybe you¡¯d changed your mind about being alone.¡± He clicked on the comm. ¡°She¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± Orson answered. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡± He sounded short of breath. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah¡­. I¡¯m¡­ Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Still just training. Glad you¡¯re alright.¡± The comm clicked off again. ¡°He¡¯s weird about something.¡± Jaleel returned the comm to his belt. ¡°Anyway, the movie selection was¡­ not great. And they picked some comedy about this guy who travels through time in a Lamborghini. It looks like copyright isn¡¯t a thing anymore, because that¡¯s just Back to the Future but not good.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± She laughed at his frustration. ¡°You never saw Back to the Future?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Man¡­ I mean, it has this time loop where a white kid gave Chuck Berry his sound and that¡¯s just all kinds of messed up, but it¡¯s still a classic. Gotta add that one to the list.¡± ¡°Gotta add Chuck Berry to the list too,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s old school, but he started so much,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what music you like! Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± ¡°We just get attacked all the time,¡± she said. ¡°We don¡¯t do normal people things. But we better get started on your list. If not, we¡¯ll have to be looking for the Dreamside Road for twenty years to see it all.¡± ¡°Or¡­¡± he began. ¡°Or I could just come and visit you when nobody is trying to kill us?¡± ¡°Or that,¡± she laughed again. ¡°Wherever I am when this is all over. If I get that far.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He shifted on the slight hillside, so he was sitting facing her. ¡°You even have Kol building your new house. We can both just watch him work and comment on his technique.¡± ¡°He would be a bad guy again by the time he was done with that,¡± Enoa said. ¡°I¡­ I have nowhere else to go. It¡¯s my home. But Jaleel, it was never what I thought it was. It was like, my sanctuary. It was like a place where something still lived that was gone everywhere else.¡± ¡°You mean,¡± he began. ¡°You mean your Nimauk heritage?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°But now, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s real anymore. I just don¡¯t know who I am.¡± And when she started talking, all of the thoughts she¡¯d trapped and fought for days spilled out of her. All the dreads and lurking mysteries that she¡¯d been fleeing all fell out into the open. ¡°The meditation that I do, if that¡¯s just training for Shaping, how much else is fake? How many of the other traditions my aunt taught me are just ways so I can defend myself. The stories she taught me, are they really these old legends or are they just morality stories she made up to have me behave the way she wanted? Was the stuff she taught me about living in touch with the world, did the real Nimauk believe that, or was it just more Shaping? How much is bullshit? How much was her manipulating me? And if I don¡¯t know, then I¡¯m not really Nimauk. I¡¯m just anybody else who is descended from a different culture they don¡¯t practice. Like Orson, he¡¯s not really Scottish or Irish or whatever. Except in my case it¡¯s possible there are no Nimauk. They¡¯re all gone. And I¡¯m not one of them. I¡¯m just anybody else in the modern, worldwide mess we¡¯re stuck with.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you¡­¡± Jaleel seemed to struggle with words. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know anybody else¡­ growing up?¡± ¡°There are a couple other local Nimauk-descended families,¡± she explained. ¡°But a lot of them aren¡¯t very culturally active. Or they didn¡¯t seem to be ¨C I might not have any idea!¡± She raised her voice until the nearby chirping insects paused their calling. ¡°The Nimauk weren¡¯t recognized by anybody. There weren¡¯t enough of us. So it¡¯s going to be really hard for me to find out anything, find out what¡¯s real and where we really come from. Until I know for sure what is real and what isn¡¯t, I¡¯m not part of a culture. Now, I¡¯m just¡­ me.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Jaleel slowly began again. ¡°Before Thunderworks, my parents wanted to find out more about where our families were from. And it¡¯s really tough, looking for that and¡­ facing whatever the truth is. My dad¡¯s dad came from Ghana as a student in the sixties, so we know about that heritage. And he met my grandma back east, but my mom¡¯s family was in Illinois for hundreds of years. We know they were free during the Civil War. Some of them fought for the Union, but before that they were probably slaves.¡± ¡°Jaleel.¡± She rested her hand on his arm. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t really find out anything more than we already knew,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But it made me think a little bit about how, after everything that happened, whether people came here willingly or not or¡­ became part of the country willingly ¨C we were pretty much all just¡­ Americans. And now that¡¯s gone too.¡± She couldn¡¯t see his face by the dim light, but his tone of voice changed, became somber and soft. ¡°So no matter what happened to my ancestors,¡± he continued. ¡°I still get to influence the culture here, even if some people wouldn¡¯t want me to have that power. Culture¡­ I don¡¯t think it ever stays the same for very long. It¡¯s the people who make it, together. I didn¡¯t think about this enough to say what I mean.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°If America and the other old countries don¡¯t get rebuilt, we¡¯ll be the last Americans. Our generation. Then everyone will be part of the new whatever. Or they¡¯ll all be part of the ¨C what did you call it ¨C the mess? And you, you still have those people waiting for you on Knightschurch. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re going there late, but I¡¯m not sorry for me. I never would¡¯ve met you any other way, except by accident.¡± ¡°It might be better this way, traveling late.¡± She considered a world where she¡¯d read the letter, where Archie Grant had whisked her away to the island to be trained, totally embracing the new story. Before she was Nimauk, now she was only Nimauk by way of the Hierarchia. ¡°I think this is better,¡± she said. ¡°I did meet you this way. And I¡¯m figuring things out for myself. I¡¯m not even sure if I want to go to any island. I¡¯m not sure I want to keep doing this. If we didn¡¯t have people who were going to try to hurt us no matter what, I might just¡­ stop. I went twenty years not knowing. I only really need to know how to defend myself. I don¡¯t want to go anywhere. But I don¡¯t really want to stay here either.¡± ¡°If you want to leave,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll find somewhere for you to be, so you won¡¯t be in danger.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t the danger,¡± she said. ¡°And no, I don¡¯t think you will. My only choice is to keep going.¡± They fell silent, just as the piano music seemed suddenly louder, loud enough to fill the sudden break in the conversation. Voices could be heard inside, singing or chanting along. ¡°Holy crap!¡± Jaleel shouted. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®the Duck Song¡¯!¡± ¡°The what?¡± she asked. ¡°You know ¡®the Duck Song¡¯.¡± He began to sing along. ¡°Waddle, waddle, waddle, ¡®til the very next day!¡¯¡± He missed some words and mumbled over some lyrics. ¡°I definitely don¡¯t know that,¡± she said. But he continued through the song. ¡°When the duck walked up to the lemonade stand¡­¡± And he began to laugh and dance along with the music, and Enoa couldn¡¯t help but laugh with him. When the music stopped, Jaleel joined in with the applause. There were cheers too, inside, also loud enough to be heard from their distant vantage point. ¡°Jordyn watched a ton of YouTube, growing up,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And she was oldest so she decided what we all had to watch. Uh, do you think the piano player is done or will there be more?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. The crowd inside fell silent again. ¡°Are you staying to find out?¡± He asked. ¡°Probably,¡± she answered. ¡°Do you mind if I stay here with you?¡± ¡°I hope you do.¡± * * * Orson repeated his assessment and his exercises. He followed the art of simple defense, the art of imitation, the art of observant attack. He repeated the repetitions he¡¯d done for a decade. The dabblings of a boy had become the closest thing his adult life had to a constant. It was a mantra in motion. He repeated them again because he had the time, and it was rare in recent months for him to find that time. He needed it. He needed those hours spent preparing. If all he had ahead was a battle with Helmont and then someone else after that and someone else after that ¨C he needed the ability to survive and win. He needed the stories about him to be true. He repeated the moves a third time, because that was what he¡¯d done with help from Sirona and from Ophion and all his friends. He had to do the same now. If all he had in his life was one fight or another, then he would learn enough to carry legends. He repeated his cycle a third time because how many deskbound captains of the rebuilt world would do that? Train until his arms moved the sword like it was the end of his limbs. Because if that was all he was, Orson would be the greatest to be found on the Wayfarers Highway. Orson repeated the cycle a fourth time. Because his swordsmanship was all he had to show for his years. That was all he could hold up as a sign of the times that had passed, of how he¡¯d spent the last years of his youth. After five years, what had he accomplished? Should he have returned to the forest-side inn, after Norlenheim? Could he have given up everything else? Would she have taken him back then, after all that had happened? Would she have taken him back when that powerless boy she¡¯d known had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the great Enigma Guard and bested their worst enemy? How many of his lonely victories really mattered? What was any of it worth compared to time he could have really lived for himself, for her, for them? Orson was still distracted when he heard the creak of the door. By the time he saw motion it was too late to react. Something hit the sword with a puff of smoke. Suddenly, he couldn¡¯t move the blade, like he¡¯d buried it into the side of a wall. The smoke cleared. He saw red fire flickering at the edges of the sword. It burned to life in midair around the weapon¡¯s edge. ¡°Orson!¡± A familiar voice called from the doorway. ¡°You forgot to keep your attention on the door! I could¡¯ve cooked you.¡± Sirona was wearing an original Aesir crew jacket with her name embroidered across the chest and patches down the arms. Her braided hair fell nearly to her belt and the waist of her skinny jeans. She raised her hand and the red fire that barred the sword steamed away into nothing. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± she said. 144 - Singular ¡°I was already on the road for over an hour when I got a call from Teddy.¡± Sirona stepped back outside the door. She returned with a black bag over her shoulder. ¡°I had to turn around and meet him because he¡¯d made all this food! I only told him in passing that I was coming here, but he just assumed that I¡¯d know he was cooking for us. He and April borrowed a car to meet me halfway. That added another hour to the drive, but now we have some of Teddy¡¯s cooking for the big battle! And he made you something about a toad. I didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really nice of him,¡± Orson said. ¡°Hey, uh, how did the meeting go with your pilot?¡± He tried to hide his confusion. She was totally casual, as if there was no surprise to her standing there, nothing unique about them meeting face-to-face after more than five years. ¡°Did you see him on the way here? Oh, is he here too?¡± Orson hadn¡¯t considered that. This man was not a government pilot, but someone from her other established world. She was meeting a Truce flier or someone connected. How many other pilots could there be at the lodge? He¡¯d seen no one but the man in the thick glasses, someone with clearly poor eyesight. And not many pilots needed vision help, even in the world of impossible things. But who was to say there weren¡¯t others, guests staying in the main lodge? Sirona gave him a suggestive smirk, like they were both in on a joke. ¡°He is here, but I had such a long drive. I might need to rest before I ask him. I don¡¯t know how much persuading he¡¯ll expect me to do.¡± Why would she tell him that? Why would she talk to him like they were confidants in her love life? Orson¡¯s limbs suddenly felt very heavy. He felt the full weight of his night¡¯s training. He felt the full weight of the paths he¡¯d chosen. He returned the sword and set it aside. ¡°So,¡± Sirona continued, her voice casual once again. ¡°It took forever to get here. I hit a ton of traffic outside Eugene, but here I am! With all of your books, even the Italian one that drove you crazy. But you can carry those in yourself.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were coming here,¡± Orson said. ¡°I would¡¯ve had dinner ready for you or something. But I don¡¯t want to mess up your plans. I¡¯ll grab my books, and I¡¯ll get out of your way so you can go talk to this guy. And honestly.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re still on good terms, but I¡¯m not okay just talking about this guy you¡¯re¡­ trying to persuade.¡± Suddenly, he couldn¡¯t look at her. Suddenly, she was too real. He didn¡¯t want to see her. He felt like he had both hands pressed to a hole in a leaking ship. Only his active effort could keep him calm enough to speak and keep a host of memories and sorrows from flooding in. ¡°It crosses a line for me,¡± he said. ¡°It still just does.¡± She didn¡¯t answer him, but she set down her bag and walked toward him. Orson fiddled with the lock on the sheathed sword. He twisted at the metal, as if he was actually doing some task. He still couldn¡¯t meet her eyes. When she reached him, she laid her hand on his arm. He¡¯d forgotten how warm her fingertips were, even with a light touch. ¡°I know our recent impressions of each other weren¡¯t that great.¡± She touched her other hand to his cheek and turned his face toward hers. ¡°But I¡¯m facing a really tough time.¡± And he knew those words, so similar to what he¡¯d said, just before they¡¯d first taken to the road together. ¡°And you¡¯re such a great adventurer. I could really use your help. What would you say to coming with me?¡± He¡¯d forgotten how she looked at him, like her green eyes knew more about him than he knew about anything. ¡°Well, was that persuasive enough?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s me?¡± He asked. ¡°You were talking about me?¡± He felt his face flush. He hadn¡¯t known. He truly had not realized. He¡¯d been so trapped by fear and his own disappointment. Losing her was an unhealed wound in him, as raw as the day he¡¯d left. She brought his faced down to hers and kissed him. Then all of it was real again. All the hopes he¡¯d buried returned. All the dreams he¡¯d set aside as childish ¨C he¡¯d scorned those things for his own protection, but they were real and true. Orson felt like he¡¯d left part of himself behind, all those years ago. He felt like he¡¯d forgotten what it meant to be whole, to be home. He hugged her to him, but he could not have her close enough. Nothing he had seen, no feat of magic seemed so impossible as holding her against him or feeling the touch of her lips. ¡°Orson.¡± She pulled away and looked into his eyes again. Hers were glassy with tears. ¡°It¡¯s always you.¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t know.¡± He blinked back his own tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t take me for granted.¡± She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°It¡¯s pretty cute. Where¡¯s your crew?¡± He gave her a wicked smile. ¡°They¡¯re out. I don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll be back.¡± She returned his smile. ¡°Permission to come aboard, Captain?¡± She asked with false seriousness. He picked her up and carried her in the Aesir. He shut the door behind them. * * * Operative Divenoll accepted a black thermal cloak from the supply trolley on the Balor¡¯s main deck. The garment fell across his back and shoulders and all the way down to the tips of his boots. Then he felt none of the spray of the cold sea air, as if the gaps in his armor had been sealed. Divenoll waited on deck while the last lines of troopers received their own cold weather gear. All were given heavy rings of thermal cloth that reinforced their armor but did not impede their movements. The rings clipped at their necks and under their arms and behind their legs. A voice projected out from speakers built into the deck. ¡°Please collect your subzero reinforcement kit and report to your assigned stations. Mission launch in T-minus five minutes.¡± Divenoll finally took the lift, but he didn¡¯t ride to the command bridge where Baron Helmont and the other leadership would be waiting. He traveled down through the ship¡¯s hull and observed the war machines and assembling forces. He descended to the hangar levels. He watched the two squadrons of Saw-wings that had escorted them, docked and refueling. Pilots in red lingered near some of them. And he saw the racks of Dactyl drones. The racks stood ten meters tall, nearly the whole height of the internal hangar. Divenoll counted eight racks, each holding twenty drones. Tanks waited on the level below that. They had more mechanized units than they could use. They needed many to fit the provisional plans of combat against the unknown powers waiting at Knightschurch. Divenoll saw tanks with heavy spiked treads made to bite deep into ice. He saw tanks with repulsors to hover above impossible terrain. Last, he saw taller mechs with climbing spikes and long, balancing legs. On the level below that, Divenoll saw gatherings of Rifle Troopers and Blades Troopers, already in their subzero gear. They¡¯d received their armament and their instructions. Some would stay at battle stations for the launch. Divenoll counted fifty troops before the lift whisked him away, but there were thirty times that many scattered throughout the battle group. Divenoll continued on, through levels for crew quarters and for engineering. He traveled into the very bowels of the ship, down to the secret hold built for the ship¡¯s namesake weapon. Divenoll needed to provide his fingerprint and retinal scan just to view it. This room did not hold tanks or explosives or arcane weapons for knights to carry and enhance their power, like the Baron¡¯s covenant sword. Everything in the darkened room surrounded a single chrome case, no larger than a suitcase. It bore a stylized crescent moon and stood on a narrow, black plinth. Thick cables ran from the plinth and scattered to monitors and consoles and ports throughout the room. A contingent of seventeen IHSA-era Science Officers also surrounded the object. All wore black. Even their goggles appeared opaque. ¡°Operative Divenoll.¡± He raised his ID as he stepped from the lift. ¡°Inspecting our capabilities as we launch.¡± The Science Lead, a man with no identifying marks except gold pins on his lapel, nodded and turned back to the case. ¡°You¡¯re more than welcome to look, as long as you don¡¯t try to see the Eye. Then even you will need the release forms, Operative.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never had the privilege to view a relic from the Dreamside Road.¡± Divenoll approached. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to let the eye see into mine.¡± The Science Lead smiled. ¡°I appreciate the baron¡¯s irony. I don¡¯t know him well, but he kept us funded, so what else needs to be said?¡± He rested his gloved hand on the platform beneath the case, where all the cables met. ¡°I can show you a brief demonstration. I believe I remember hearing of you, Divenoll. You were already Helmont¡¯s man, before the fall?¡± ¡°I was.¡± ¡°No need to justify spending then,¡± Science Lead said. ¡°I spent twenty-five years defending how the taxpayer and investor money was being spent, and we developed something of a demonstration of the eye¡¯s power, for the Directorate Board. We can fit you with goggles and give you that taste.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already launched, Director,¡± another of the team said. ¡°With Sir Jarod at work, we won¡¯t feel any motion.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Science Lead inclined his head. ¡°It appears we are already on our way, Operative. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re too late.¡± ¡°No trouble,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before all of us see your work in action. A relic saved from the trove used to destroy people who keep the rest from us. Our first step to reclaiming everything. I like the poetry.¡± ¡°I like the prospect of studying the rest,¡± Science Lead said. ¡°And I do look forward to unveiling this work after so many years.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have long to wait,¡± Divenoll said. ¡°At our planned speed, we¡¯ll be there in less than two days.¡± Science Lead inclined his head again. Then Divenoll returned to the lift and let it carry him to the bridge and to the gathering of Helmont¡¯s circle. * * * Orson found the barn still empty. Whatever glamer and other protections guarded the building did not keep out the draft. He shivered, still damp from a shower. A nondescript silver SUV sat just outside. Keys from Sirona¡¯s bag fit in the driver¡¯s-side door and the ignition. He drove it in the barn. He gathered her gear and the large cooler he found in the back, but he left behind the duffel bag filled with books. His body ached enough from all his day¡¯s works. Orson stepped up into the Aesir. ¡°Do you know what food Teddy sent along? This thing weighs a ton!¡± The cooler thudded against the floor when he set it down. ¡°I don¡¯t, but he wants it back.¡± She answered him in a soft tone he had to strain to hear. He found her sitting on the edge of the bed. She now wore one of his old, faded T-shirts, with the castle and crescent moon crest. Her wet hair was wrapped in a towel. Her long legs were bare. She swung them idly and he followed them with his eyes. He heard an inquisitive squeak and Wesley appeared from behind her. The aeropine sniffed at Sirona and she went perfectly still. ¡°It¡¯s the spikey bat!¡± She said. ¡°He came to visit me. He must know I have gifts from his friends, Teddy and April.¡± She raised her hand slowly. Wesley sniffed her fingers. ¡°Yes, I do. They have lots of fruits for their buddy, Wesley. Lots of good treats for you.¡± ¡°He likes magic women right away.¡± Orson set her bags at the foot of the bed. ¡°Well, magic women and Jaleel. Wesley really opened up to that Syly girl too. The tater tot fan.¡± ¡°Maybe he likes me for me, Orson.¡± She said with mock accusation. ¡°Maybe we already have a special bond.¡± ¡°Okay. Well, be careful with your special bond. He¡¯s usually pretty gentle, but if you¡¯re not careful and he gets startled, you could get stabbed.¡± ¡°I am very careful.¡± She scratched the light fur along Wesley¡¯s jaw. The aeropine closed his eyes. He began to coo softly. ¡°I was hoping I would meet you. I would have been very disappointed if I didn¡¯t meet the little spikey bat, even though I don¡¯t know why anyone would say you look like a bat.¡± ¡°What would you have done if nobody was around when you got here?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Did you have other plans where to stay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Truce Master now.¡± Sirona gently petted the fur along Wesley¡¯s stomach. ¡°I¡¯d stay in the master suite or anywhere they could put me. Or¡­¡± She shot him a meaningful look. ¡°I still have my key to the ship. I thought about just letting myself in and making myself comfortable, right here, until you got back. I wanted to see if you left it the same and all the furniture I picked out was still in here.¡± ¡°And what would you have done if you were here and I came back with one of my adoring fans?¡± He asked. ¡°I think you¡¯re taking me for granted.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°The last few months, everyone has gone on and on about how wildly heroic and extremely single you are. Heroic, single Orson is one of my favorites.¡± She stretched out her leg and lightly kicked him on the hip. He caught her foot. ¡°I think most of our old friends are trying to get us together again. Teddy even has a name for it. Orona, like we¡¯re a Hollywood couple.¡± He moved closer, tracing her calf and thigh with his fingers. She caught his hand with hers. ¡°Poor Orson, starved for affection.¡± She held his hand as she stood. ¡°I almost forgot. I have something else for you in my bag.¡± She stopped to kiss him and to run her hands through his wet hair. Orson felt a light tap on his hand, holding Sirona at her hip. He found Wesley standing on the edge of the bed, resting a forepaw on his arm. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°We¡¯re being rude,¡± she said. ¡°We should be paying attention to Wesley now.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to share you with me,¡± he said. ¡°Aww.¡± She wiggled her fingers at Wesley. ¡°It¡¯s not often I meet a new type of someone I haven¡¯t seen before. Why don¡¯t we unpack Teddy¡¯s gifts? Feed our little friend. And maybe we¡¯ll eat too. You need to keep up your strength.¡± ¡°I think I showed I¡¯ve got plenty of strength,¡± he said. ¡°You did,¡± she answered. ¡°But I¡¯m not finished with you yet.¡± They laughed together. Sirona opened one of her bags and began shifting through belongings. Orson leaned toward the aeropine. ¡°How are you, Wesley? This must¡¯ve been a pretty boring night for you.¡± He reached out his hands to the aeropine, but Wesley backed away. ¡°Oh, rejected!¡± Sirona said. ¡°Do you spend much time with him?¡± ¡°Honestly,¡± he said. ¡°Not one-on-one. He¡¯s with Enoa and Jaleel all the time. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever been in my room before.¡± ¡°And you have your attachment issue with pets you feel responsible for.¡± Sirona pulled something from the bag before he could respond. ¡°He probably senses that. And you should think about resolving that emotionally. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± She handed him a small wooden sign with the words ¡°Toad Abode¡± written across it in green letters. ¡°That must be for the toad house.¡± Orson laughed. ¡°Yeah, Teddy got me this toad house because of a typo. Jaleel typed Dreamside Toad in our typewriter message to him. Now he thinks we¡¯re looking for a magic toad.¡± ¡°Is that the little house in your closet?¡± She pointed to the tight locker along the wall. ¡°I thought you had a doll house, but no judgment! I¡¯m assuming you haven¡¯t let Teddy know what it¡¯s actually called.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t hurt his feelings like that,¡± he said. ¡°No, I just have to wait a while and say I got the name wrong.¡± ¡°Aww!¡± She threw her arms around him again and kissed his neck. ¡°You¡¯re so sweet!¡± Wesley began chattering. Both turned toward him. ¡°Rude again?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you want to feed him?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He followed her out into the passage. Wesley flew after them. The aeropine landed on Sirona¡¯s shoulder and she beamed at him. ¡°Even flying, he¡¯s clearly not bat,¡± Sirona said. ¡°He¡¯s his own little fellow. Orson is going to give you your food. He¡¯s a good man, but he had sad things happen to him, so he can be surly. But we still love him, don¡¯t we?¡± Wesley cooed again in answer. ¡°Yes, we do.¡± ¡°You know, I don¡¯t have an attachment issue.¡± He opened the cooler and found it packed with labeled covered containers. ¡°I just think it¡¯s dangerous having pets on the road. I need him to listen to me, and he just does what he wants with the kids.¡± ¡°Did you tell your crew about Gracie?¡± She asked. ¡°They might understand you better.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell.¡± Orson found a case full of fresh strawberries. ¡°I don¡¯t need to give them another sob story from my life, and it¡¯s not totally relevant. Are these in season for you already?¡± He held up the strawberries. ¡°They¡¯re a very early.¡± She nodded. ¡°We had a warm winter.¡± ¡°Freaky weather this year.¡± Orson found a bowl and filled it strawberries. He set the bowl on the floor. Wesley leaped, chirping from Sirona¡¯s shoulder. He dove to the bowl and plucked a strawberry, eating cheerily. Orson looked through the packed food. He found more of the tater tot casserole. He found baked ziti and another potato dish he didn¡¯t recognize. He found four packs of homemade burgers, one mixed with Colby-jack cheese, another labeled ¡®veggie¡¯. Each casserole had an attached label with instructions, all written in Teddy¡¯s neat block-writing. ¡°Has he done anything else this week?¡± He found a separate box in the center of the cooler, all baked goods, bags of muffins and cookies and two pies. ¡°I see he broke out the old Aesir cookie cutter.¡± The Aesir cookies were colored in silver and black icing, with tiny distinct squares for the bumper stickers. ¡°I thought he was going to be doing some work for you.¡± ¡°He has been,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve never had so much business. I¡¯d like to hire him for a residency. People love when he¡¯s in town. But April had one of her science things so he apparently spent his evenings preparing this.¡± ¡°She has that Salt Lake City job.¡± Orson reached the bottom of the cooler. There, he found three bottles sealed in plastic and pulled them out. They were syrup! One was labeled blueberry, another apple, another apricot. ¡°He did it?¡± Orson put the syrups on the table. ¡°Did April have time to help him?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°They managed it already? I¡¯ll never pay them back for this. Hey, do you need food-food or would pancakes be okay? I have some batter in the fridge and some leftover sausage we could reheat.¡± ¡°You can make your pancakes,¡± she said. ¡°I had a full meal before I left. I didn¡¯t know what the cooking situation would be for me here. Be aware though, I need to go to breakfast tomorrow with everyone and make a Truce Master appearance, so that¡¯ll be a lot of breakfast food for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± He went to the fridge and found the batter and sausage. ¡°I knew the syrup would have you all excited,¡± she said. ¡°I never met anyone who likes pancakes the way you do.¡± ¡°I learned my love of rare syrup flavors in your inn.¡± He kissed her forehead. ¡°And I haven¡¯t been eating much lately. I still can¡¯t eat when I¡¯m stressed. And food was pretty tight before I came back to the states. It¡¯s a good thing too I didn¡¯t go nuts with the feasting. I needed to be in top shape for you to assess my fitness.¡± ¡°I did have to,¡± she said. ¡°And I think I¡¯ll need to check everything again before we get started tomorrow. Just to be totally sure. While I¡¯m thinking of it, what is this?¡± she took his wrist and guided his fingers to a thick, raised scar that ran along his side, just above his right kidney. ¡°That must¡¯ve been painful! Were you training shirtless again?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that my, uh, my love life was pretty lousy after we split. And the whole ¡®adventurer rescuing grateful women¡¯ thing is more dangerous than pulp stories will tell you.¡± ¡°You have to watch out.¡± She let go of him, but still traced the scar with her fingers. ¡°Some people have really weird kinks, Orson. I never got into stabbing, but you need to establish boundaries with people,¡± she joked. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re so good together. Because we¡¯re compatible.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± Orson stepped around Wesley, still digging into the strawberries. ¡°Seriously,¡± she said. ¡°What gave you that scar?¡± He set a pan on the stove. ¡°I got a call to help out an international community on an old League of Nations base in the Alps.¡± Then he returned to the fridge and began securing casseroles into Velcro straps. ¡°There was this pirate group trying to rob it. Anyway, I saved the place and there was this woman who made a fuss about me helping them. She wanted to give me a massage after the big fight, and I went along with it. ¡°I caught the reflection of the knife before she stabbed me, but I was on my stomach. She got me right as I rolled away. I had no idea who she really was. She didn¡¯t explain herself at all. She wouldn¡¯t talk. She just pulled out another knife and came at me. But the sword was still in the room.¡± ¡°Did you have to kill her?¡± she asked, her voice flat. ¡°No, but she¡¯s not gonna be massaging anybody.¡± He closed the fridge. ¡°Afterward the fight¡­ I looked up who she was. Her late husband was a Legionnaire Elite. I forget the rank, but he was serving under the Centurion assigned to protect that bastard Rineo, the one who ordered the engulfment at Isla de Manos.¡± She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning against his back. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know anything about this,¡± he continued. ¡°But U.S. law had it that no one could arrest a political official internationally.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s a pretty big extradition trial going on in San Francisco with one of the former directorate members. He pushed the Norlenheim plan.¡± ¡°Right, but nobody was lining up to arrest Rineo. He was guarded by a full, whatever they called the Legionnaire units. And he was living like some feudal lord, holding hundreds of acres and forcing people into goddamn tithing. So I dragged him out. I know you don¡¯t like how I dealt with Hierarchia things¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I necessarily disagree with you.¡± Her voice was muffled, her face between his shoulder blades. ¡°I worry about how you do things. But we don¡¯t need to talk about that right now.¡± ¡°Well, I warned them. I always warn them, and you should have heard them. They did their stupid shouting that they do. Like some prick screaming at me is gonna scare me off. I fought them. And they were really, really good. I finally got their Centurion talking when it was just us. He was weirdly polite by then, said how stability is the most important thing. Protecting that stability is all that matters, that I¡¯m chaos and a bigger threat than any collateral damage Director Rineo would cause.¡± He tensed. He couldn¡¯t help it. He could still see the smug certainty on the Centurion¡¯s face, before he¡¯d donned his helmet and began their last bout. Sirona slid her hands under his shirt again. She massaged the muscles of his middle back. ¡°How about after we eat, then I can give you a no-stab massage,¡± she said. ¡°That sounds great.¡± He reached back and touched her arm. ¡°But I better look after you first. I might fall asleep if you relax me too much.¡± ¡°So did you swear off all human touch after your stabbing?¡± ¡°I swore off a lot,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t regret nabbing Rineo ¨C and the old guy tried his judo shit with me after I got to him. Except he was out of shape. He strained something in his groin, and he moaned the whole way across the ocean. But then that woman comes after me. Who else is waiting for their shot? But what am I supposed to do? Either you keep your head down and get crushed or you make a whole world of enemies, and the more you do, the more enemies, and I just¡­ I thought the Dreamside Road was the end of it. I thought I¡¯d found it in the northeast a few months ago.¡± ¡°Eloise told me about it.¡± She kissed the center of his back. ¡°How you got your new crew.¡± ¡°I thought I was almost done,¡± he said. ¡°I have about half the Thousand-Point compass points to explore yet, but most of the ones I looked into didn¡¯t lead anywhere interesting. So I thought maybe I could be done when the Dreamside Road was taken care of. But it¡¯s not, and now I have the Liberty Corps to deal with, and now people say the Virus is still alive!¡± She shushed him and rubbed his back again. ¡°I know. I know how you feel. I thought I was done too. I thought it was over, but I found someone following me, around a year ago. I wasn¡¯t alone at the time and it was the middle of the afternoon. I knew it wasn¡¯t some random creep. ¡°The man attacked me when I confronted him. He was a spy, one of the Liberty Corps Shapers.¡± ¡°They actually came after you?¡± He turned back to her. ¡°They weren¡¯t just spying?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°We need to go through those pictures Helmont had of you,¡± he said. ¡°The Shaper,¡± she said. ¡°He made these stilt constructions. He could run up walls with them. There were people everywhere. I couldn¡¯t get at him. He kept attacking. He sent iron spikes at me and into the crowd and at the man¡­¡± ¡°I know you were seeing someone,¡± Orson said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to protect me. It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°The Shaper attacked him too,¡± she continued and her tone of voice changed, grew cold. She pulled her hands back. ¡°I finally got a clear shot. I gave everything I could. Obviously, it was self-defense and protecting other people. There were no charges against me, but my boyfriend didn¡¯t look at me the same way anymore. It was like all the things I was always scared of, as a teenager. He was actively afraid of me! He was terrified just being in the same room with me, but I was still me! I¡¯d closed off that part of my life for a long time, and seeing him so afraid¡­ I felt like a monster. If he didn¡¯t know me by then, he would never know me.¡± Orson held her again, held her tight to him. ¡°Everything I told myself about getting away from adventuring,¡± she said. ¡°That was a lie. All year, I¡¯ve been waiting for it to get worse again. I knew something like this with the Liberty Corps would happen. You were right, Orson. While there¡¯s anything left of the Hierarchia, everyone is in danger. We¡¯ll never just get to live. I am so grateful that you¡¯re here now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so grateful that you¡¯re here,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s okay. And I¡¯m so sorry you went through that. You didn¡¯t have to relive all that to explain anything to me. And like I said, I knew you were with somebody. That¡¯s why I never stopped by. I wouldn¡¯t get in the way or be the asshole ex showing up where no one wants him. That¡¯s also why I didn¡¯t go to you this week. I didn¡¯t know if you were seeing someone new. And I didn¡¯t want to do that to you. Or to me. That¡¯s why I needed to buy wacky pancake syrup from an Apocalypse Town. I had to find ways to imitate the food we always had together.¡± ¡°I never wanted to give you up.¡± She kept her cheek against his chest. ¡°I hope you know that. We have some stuff to talk over, depending on¡­ what our plans are with everything. I told myself that our chapter was over, that it was¡­ not even a new chapter, a whole new book in my life, where my abilities aren¡¯t important, where I just run an inn, where my Truce Master title is just an honor. If adventuring is over, I can¡¯t think about that adventurer I love. I don¡¯t know if I just needed to heal, and we should¡¯ve talked, or if I should have¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said again. He gave her a last squeeze. Then he ladled batter into the pan. ¡°Let¡¯s just make our food, okay? We have a lot of work the next few days. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to talk over everything.¡± He kissed her again, a full, deep kiss on the lips, like that touch could tell her every idea he¡¯d struggle to capture in words. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about any of that,¡± he continued. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. Then the no-stab massage? Let¡¯s enjoy tonight.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°And then training tomorrow. If we¡¯re back, we need to be just as skilled as we used to be.¡± * * * Baron Helmont waited on the bridge until all had departed for the night, save the current command team. He sensed Sir Jarod and his students on the level above, now hours into their work, still warping the seas for their passing. ¡°Lieutenant.¡± Helmont spoke to Greenley without turning to look at him. ¡°Did you know that I held the title Baron before the Czar spread the rank to others throughout the Liberty Corps?¡± ¡°I did not, sir,¡± Greenely answered. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Helmont sat in the command chair and looked out toward the darkened sea. ¡°My father found himself in a very unusual position in his service to the IHSA. He was named Lord Commandant of a chain of islands in the north Pacific. Of course, it was the sort of place that changed hands every time the latest power reigned supreme in those waters, the United States, of course, Japan, Spain, England, Portugal, the list goes on. And the vast majority of island natives, indigenous, whatever you want to call them, it makes no difference ¨C they were long gone by my father¡¯s tenure. All that remained was the land and its notable geographic location and eventually this project that my father had enabled.¡± ¡°Are you discussing the atolls we left behind today?¡± Greenley asked, his voice barely a whisper. ¡°Very good, Lieutenant,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Yes, indeed, and through a twist of laws of nations ancient or dead or both, my father¡¯s Baron title passed to me. And through those same laws and traditions, all land was given to me, controlled by me, and became my barony. Though I no longer wear my father¡¯s name, I do carry his title. And I carry those islands. ¡°I should not have been able to inherit that position. An equally convoluted series of laws and traditions should have prevented it. But I was my father¡¯s only son, his only offspring, the sole heir. I was singular, and so I became Baron. ¡°Likewise, I should not have maintained such a rank while in the IHSA. I was an officer¡¯s son. I should not have been eligible for the Neurzodone trials. It was a chance nearly as strange as the one that raised my father to nobility despite his birth in a nation that never followed such things. ¡°And not only was I in the trial! I was one of only two to face a revelation from it. I was the true success. Again, I was singular. I was alone.¡± Helmont sensed Greenley¡¯s exhaustion. He could almost watch the man¡¯s thoughts dull, his brain activity decrease. The man was half-asleep on his feet, but Helmont did not stop speaking. Greenley had no role in loading artillery or other inventory or preparing the landing force. He executed Helmont¡¯s will, and part of that will was helping guide his thinking. ¡°I was also alone after Thunderworks,¡± Helmont said. ¡°The last surviving Hierarchia leader, so far as we know. I was left with a staff of less than one thousand, scattered between the Pinnacle and primarily the Balor Atoll. I had the docking station of the secret starbird carrier that became the Manifest Destiny, which I could barely crew. And I had this parked battle group and the weapon they carry, which I could not crew. I¡¯d never had fewer resources, but again, I was singular. ¡°For two years, I was alone, leading the Pinnacle and secretly ruling the Balor Project, not that much progress could be made here. Then I received an invitation from Senator Ilias Hawthorne. Yes, Senator. He crowned himself far later. ¡°Joining my forces and my knowledge with the Liberty Corps was the sensible path. Czar Hawthorne represented a sensible remnant of the old civilian government. So I made the sensible choice ¨C I surrendered command. I allowed myself to be a subordinate. I surrendered, after only two years independent. Because every power has its limits. And we had the other personal friends and political donors of Hawthorne¡¯s filtering in to support us, Weatherhold and then all the rest. It was an odd union, but it gave me access to the manpower I needed to do something more than merely survive. That¡¯s what the Hierarchia had staffed me to do ¨C just survive. The Czar let me do more. ¡°But then, one morning, just three years ago, the Czar decided, idly, that he wanted more Barons. And because he¡¯s the Czar, I woke up that morning to learn that there were three other barons in the Liberty Corps. Three others now carry my father¡¯s rank. Suddenly, I was no longer singular. Suddenly, I was one among a handful. But in collecting the keys to the Dreamside Road, and in taking more artifacts than the eye we already carry in our hold ¨C I may be singular again.¡± ¡°The Dreamside Road will pass to the Czar.¡± Greenley snapped awake, as if the name of the trove had pulled him from his malaise. ¡°When it is recovered ¨C that is correct, sir?¡± ¡°He will,¡± Helmont said. ¡°If he ever leaves his dome again. ¡°What is certain is this: the man I will face on that island has a similar fate to mine. He was the youngest son of the youngest son of the youngest son. If anyone else had survived, he would not have been trained or raised or knighted. He would not carry the Blade of the Unbroken Line. If the Dreamthought Project had not taught him the rudiments of the arcane, his family¡¯s sorcery would be extinguished for all time. He is singular. Sir Merrill Lucas has been singular all his life. ¡°That will change in two days time. He will face another heir, and he will fall to a successor. I understand how fierce that threat can be, how quickly that fundamental identity can be stolen away.¡± ¡°Do you believe he is as powerful as the old knights?¡± Greenley asked. ¡°How can he be, if his training was secondhand after everyone else was dead?¡± ¡°I hope he is,¡± Helmont said. ¡°I want to face the old power. I want to conquer the old power at its highest heights. That is truly singular. That is destiny proven, destiny made manifest. I want him to be my ultimate test, and when I win, I will be worthy of all the long tradition before me. Singular.¡± Helmont¡¯s thoughts ran in circles. Was the Liberty Corps the true successor? If not, there was none. And yet his thoughts also returned him to what the fourth mystery had shown, sword and secured key. That was all that mattered. That was enough. Helmont felt Greenley¡¯s mind fading, growing distant again. He did not speak. He said nothing to rouse the man. But he stared out into the sea for a long time. 145 - A Forever Problem Enoa led the way through the forest. ¡°Left up ahead. We¡¯re almost there.¡± She guided Jaleel by the hand through the trees. The lodge lights had faded to a distant glow. Nothing else could be seen. ¡°I never would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d need spare batteries,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t either, but the show was pretty fun.¡± She could feel the trees ahead. Just the slight motion of the breeze around them showed her where trunks and branches were hidden in the darkness. Only close-clinging roots presented an obstacle she could not detect. She searched the ground ahead as they walked. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± They passed between the last trees and out onto the gentle slope back toward the barn. The forest erupted with noise again, behind them, as they returned to the path. It was a smooth walk to the barn and the interior was still lit, just as they¡¯d left it, hours before. There was a plain, silver van parked beside the Aesir. ¡°I wonder which one of the fantasy people drove some old junker in here.¡± Jaleel pointed to it. ¡°Somebody hit some hard times.¡± ¡°Junker?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think it looks bad. It¡¯s on the older side, maybe, but aren¡¯t most cars now?¡± Jaleel walked to the van. ¡°Check out all the rust. This thing wouldn¡¯t even be okay to take on the road back in the day.¡± Enoa approached the van. She felt the hood. It was smooth, the paint perfect. ¡°I think it¡¯s an illusion,¡± she said. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re seeing, it¡¯s like that Glamer stuff. I can see how it really looks, but you can¡¯t. You got fooled by it.¡± She didn¡¯t have the energy for a real joke, but she nudged him on the arm. ¡°Shit, really?¡± he said. ¡°Hiding the barn was one thing, but I got outed as a muggle by a van!¡± His shoulders slumped. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She steered him toward the Aesir. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how it works and I don¡¯t like it, so let¡¯s not deal with it right now.¡± They found Wesley fast asleep on the ship¡¯s couch. There was a bowl on the floor nearby, empty except for the hull of a single strawberry. ¡°Do we even have strawberries left?¡± Jaleel walked to Wesley. He held one of the aeropine¡¯s forepaws. ¡°Hey, little buddy, we¡¯re home.¡± Wesley let out a contented sigh but did not move. ¡°I thought we were out,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a note on the table.¡± There was a small scrap of paper waiting for them, two of its edges ragged. Hey gang, there¡¯s new food in the fridge. It¡¯s all labeled. Wesley already ate. ¨COrson ¡°Where did he get food?¡± Jaleel shot a look at Orson¡¯s closed door. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t in such a weird mood earlier, I¡¯d go bother him now.¡± ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t!¡± She reached for his arm again. ¡°It¡¯s after midnight! That¡¯s so rude.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m curious!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I want to know what¡¯s happening. Why do we have more food? I don¡¯t like mysteries, and he made a mystery!¡± Both fell silent at the sound of Orson¡¯s voice. He was muffled and faint. His words weren¡¯t distinct. And he wasn¡¯t talking to them. The tone of his voice was strange. He had no edge to his words, nothing like his usual frustrated attitude or even the manic style he adopted while fighting. He sounded lightly sarcastic, playful. He sounded happy. A woman laughed in response. Her laugh fit well with his words, the same humor and the same happiness answering back. ¡°He¡­ has a guest,¡± Enoa lowered her voice to a whisper. ¡°He has been talking to Fire Girlfriend a lot lately.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡± ¡°It is,¡± she said. ¡°I wonder what this means for the plan.¡± Was this just personal, some romantic reunion, or did it tie back to the danger to all of them? Did it mean turning aside from the journey to the island? And then all of her worries returned. The night of music and talk of small things had dulled her fears and stolen her thoughts from her pain. But one instant of other concern and it all returned. ¡°I guess we should eat,¡± she said. But her mind had already been stolen away, back to the Dreamside Road and to her training and her family history. Not Nimauk in origin¡­ * * * Kol let his full weight fall on a new shield projection. He held himself in a pushup position, the projection between him and the ground. A sensation like static electricity raced along his limbs, as if the field clashed with his touch. ¡°This is¡­ strange.¡± He spoke through gritted teeth. The projection was suspended inches above the mossy ground. All that held him up was his own creation, a solid made real from the air around him. ¡°Duncan didn¡¯t react well to falling against it,¡± Max said. ¡°This may not be the best idea.¡± ¡°Jaleel mentioned using my shields to hold myself.¡± Kol pictured Duncan, gripping his arms with bloody hands. ¡°If I could catch Duncan and catch the skimmer, I should be able to hold myself too. This is worth exploring.¡± Kol raised the projection. He moved it further from the ground, still solid, still holding him above it. But now an inch higher. Then another inch. Then another. The tingling intensified up his arms, even the prosthetic, like he was holding his hands to an active electric current. Then the sensation spread all up his torso, along his neck and into his head. He felt his hair begin to stand on end. He lowered himself back toward the ground. The projection faded, just before it touched the moss. He fell less than an inch, but his tingling limbs couldn¡¯t catch him. He sprawled face-first on the ground. ¡°Kol!¡± Max shouted. Kol heard the rustle of the wheelchair along the ground, but he couldn¡¯t raise himself, and he couldn¡¯t seem to force his mouth into words. He managed to push with his stomach and shoulder and heave himself onto his side. ¡°Can you hear me, Kol?¡± Max asked. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kol nodded. ¡°Very interesting.¡± Wyll spoke somewhere out of sight. ¡°I¡¯ve seen freestanding constructs before, but none quite like yours. I think your body¡¯s natural electrical field is actually talking to the air around it.¡± ¡°That is worth knowing,¡± Max said. ¡°However, this was dangerously ambitious, Kol. There is no reason to push yourself to the point of injury.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kol¡¯s prosthetic returned to normal sensation fastest. He shoved himself into a sitting position. ¡°Max, I appreciate your concern, but I need to be ready for whatever happens with the Manifest Destiny.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll be very ready while you¡¯re so exhausted you can hardly stand,¡± Max said. ¡°He looks normal again.¡± Wyll approached. He wore what appeared to be an old-school bomber jacket with armor on the shoulders. An elaborate gunbelt hung low around his hips. The rings of black in his eye seemed to shift, as it focused on Kol. ¡°Your brother has a point, though. It won¡¯t be long now until our lift arrives. My crew will want food before we leave, but if you¡¯re not fit by then, you could be very hungry by the time we land in San Francisco.¡± ¡°I can eat now.¡± Kol forced his half-numb legs beneath him. ¡°We¡¯re all but ready to leave.¡± ¡°Fantastic.¡± Wyll clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I still need to get my morning briefing from Alliance Command. I¡¯ll see you both for breakfast.¡± He drew his glasses from his jacket pocket and put them on as he walked away. ¡°Duncan,¡± Kol realized. ¡°I almost forgot him.¡± He held his left hand to his face. All the pain of their escape and he was still more afraid of consequence for his failures than finding the man who was as good as a second brother. ¡°I was so frightened with the letter, I almost forgot about him. We still need to look through the information the Aesir crew collected.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have anything relevant,¡± Max said. ¡°I asked Sophia to look for us, but they had very little prisoner information with the Dreamside Road data they took. I¡¯m sorry, Kol.¡± ¡°I should have remembered him,¡± Kol said. ¡°I should¡¯ve been less scared for me.¡± He walked Max back to the cabin. He showered and changed, and they returned to the barn for breakfast. They found a crowd around the long table. Aneirin and Melanthymos were there, as usual. Embre sat on the opposite side with four of her employees in their black uniforms. Three people in armored bomber jackets, like Wyll¡¯s, sat further down the table. And there was a group of seven young people around the head of the table. They were dressed casually in modern sneakers or boots with jeans and T-shirts. Some also wore short swords. One was pale in the distinct skin tone of Syly and her brother. Another had complex looping tattoos on his exposed forearms. They were green and seemed to reflect the sunlight coming through the barn¡¯s windows. A third wore earrings all down the outsides of her ears with round, dark gemstones. They were probably only a few years younger than Kol. But the way they spoke over each other and the energy in their voices made them sound like children to his ears. ¡°Can you believe they aren¡¯t holding Quest this year?¡± A boy asked. ¡°My sister said you won three years in a row, but I¡ª¡± A girl spoke over him. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything about it?¡± Interrupted a third. ¡°One at a time, please.¡± A woman spoke over them all. ¡°Please. I¡¯m not saying all events will be cancelled for the year, but the council voted and it is just not safe now.¡± ¡°But you did Quest!¡± One of the boys shouted. ¡°You were our age when you went on the Highway for real with Captain Gregory.¡± ¡°Bad example.¡± Orson stood on the far side of the table, half a muffin in his hand. He looked between two of the young people and nodded to Kol. ¡°People were trying to kill us.¡± ¡°My sister said you only beat the Thunderworks boss because you had weapons from Sirona,¡± the second said. ¡°He has lot more of Sirona than just her weapons.¡± Melanthymos called up the table. ¡°Master Melanthymos,¡± the woman answered. ¡°Here, we usually introduce ourselves before shouting innuendo in public places.¡± ¡°You know who I am,¡± Melanthymos answered. ¡°Master Sirona, is Captain Gregory your boyfriend again?¡± One of the girls asked. ¡°The Keeper¡¯s Consort,¡± the young man with the tattoos corrected. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the woman, Sirona Birgham, answered. ¡°Orson are you the Keeper¡¯s Consort?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accept whatever title fantasy world wants to give me.¡± He kissed the back of Sirona¡¯s hand. ¡°As long as there won¡¯t be any goofy outfits I¡¯ve gotta wear.¡± ¡°You are the height of fashion,¡± Sirona answered. Orson turned her wrist. He kissed her again where the side of her hand met her palm. ¡°Nobody take my seat,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± One of the girls jumped into the seat as Orson stepped around the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you call ¡®fives¡¯ Captain Gregory,¡± the girl said. ¡°I did something better,¡± Orson said. ¡°I actually paid to be here.¡± There was no bite to his words and none of the annoyance that had settled on him in recent weeks. The younger group groaned at Orson, as he walked around the table to meet Kol and Max. ¡°Sorry for messing with your breakfast,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re at a popular spot right now. Did you get what you needed from the crap we stole off the baron?¡± ¡°I think we have all we need,¡± Max said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°I, uh, covered everything for your stay, so you¡¯re good to head out. Let me just clear out the peanut gallery here so you¡¯ve got somewhere to sit.¡± He turned back to the gathering. ¡°We¡¯ve got hungry, paying customers here. Let¡¯s give them some table room.¡± When the group cleared, still grumbling, they revealed Sirona and Dr. Stan seated opposite Orson¡¯s chair. Sirona Birgham looked different without the armor from her illusion, but she wore her hair in a similar braid and the bracelets and choker she wore had the same red gems. But her eyes had none of the illusion¡¯s furious intensity. They were a paler green when she looked up at the brothers. ¡°Hello,¡± she said. ¡°You must be Maxwell and Kolben Maros. I¡¯m Sirona Birgham. I¡¯m glad I got to meet you before you left.¡± She stood and shook their hands in turn. ¡°You saved my friends two times, and I hope you had the chance to recover here.¡± Kol didn¡¯t know what to say, to thank her or to apologize for his early attacks against Orson. Again, he did not know which story waited ahead of him, the Liberty Corps agent or the man who¡¯d turned against them. ¡°We have,¡± Max said. ¡°Thank you. It was an honor to know the safety provided by the Concealment Truce. It was a rare opportunity. We appreciate it, and we will not forget it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kol added. ¡°Thank you.¡± And then the moment passed before he had to say more or think more. Sirona returned to the head of the table. Kol and Max gathered their breakfasts. Kol took his last opportunity to assemble one of the lodge¡¯s omelettes. He returned to find Max beside Dr. Stan and a free seat waiting for him between Max and one of the lodge employees. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I had them all,¡± Orson was saying. His plate was already clear. ¡°Every instrument known to human kind. It was beautiful. Almost brought a tear to my eye.¡± There was an ease in his voice. He looked somehow younger, not that he ever looked particularly old or even really looked his age, but it seemed like a palpable weight was lifted from him. He held one of Sirona¡¯s hands with both of his, like he was afraid of losing hold of her. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°You did not.¡± Sirona rolled her eyes theatrically. ¡°There¡¯s no way you had literally every instrument. I bet you didn¡¯t even have every European instrument. Did you have a lute?¡± ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s an obsolete instrument. Who plays the lute anymore?¡± One of the group in the bomber jackets looked up from his breakfast. ¡°I play the lute,¡± he said. ¡°Mainly electric. It carries well enough and I¡¯m good enough that no one says it¡¯s obsolete once they¡¯ve heard me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend your choice of music.¡± He turned back to Sirona. His voice was all playful again and she looked like she was trying to keep herself from laughing. ¡°This doesn¡¯t count. This is probably one of, at most, twenty places on the western seaboard where you can find anyone whose main instrument is the lute.¡± ¡°I know at least four lutists off the top of my head,¡± Sirona matched his lower volume. ¡°Now five. And I bet you didn¡¯t have the ocarina, either, or the cimbalom or the hurdy-gurdy.¡± ¡°You made those up.¡± Orson said. ¡°Those aren¡¯t real words.¡± ¡°Legend of Zelda.¡± Kol spoke up. ¡°Ocarina of Time. Nintendo Sixty-four.¡± ¡°Here we go!¡± Orson said. ¡°Kol, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be a second Jaleel with your references and your naming lists of things that I don¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°I play the hurdy-gurdy.¡± Embre didn¡¯t raise her voice, but her words projected out across the table. ¡°I think it¡¯s a fine instrument, even if its fame isn¡¯t what it was.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s great,¡± Orson said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t try to tease Sirona in public. She¡¯s way too dangerous socially.¡± ¡°Maybe leave all your flirting in private.¡± Melanthymos called up the table. ¡°We don¡¯t need to hear your clumsy banter.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re one to talk,¡± Orson replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Orson isn¡¯t aware of local musical taste,¡± Sirona said. ¡°And Orson, I¡¯m sorry how unreasonably touchy so many of us are here. Everyone thinks it¡¯s a closed group because of the arcane secrets we all have, but it¡¯s really just because most of us are too thin-skinned to mingle.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got it bad too, Girl,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°You cleared his sight. You defend him when he makes a fool of himself. Must be something special about him for all that.¡± ¡°There is,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s the kind of man who risks his life for other people, even if they¡¯re endlessly rude for no reason other than their own enjoyment.¡± Melanthymos snickered in answer. ¡°You got in without trouble, this morning?¡± Max looked to Dr. Stan. ¡°Actually,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯d locked me out. Our young friends were apparently fast asleep by the time I walked back, and I had to disturb Orson and Sirona.¡± ¡°We should¡¯ve left it at two movies,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It was no problem,¡± Sirona answered first. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d even fallen asleep until I heard some sort of low power message from your android,¡± Max said. ¡°He¡¯s still standing in the spare room of the cabin, with his sunglasses on.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll pick him up, Max.¡± Dr. Stan smiled at him. ¡°Thank you. And thank you for hosting a nice evening.¡± ¡°Can we leave Jim over there?¡± Orson turned back to the conversation. ¡°What the hell are we going to do with him? We can¡¯t really cart him along to go sightseeing.¡± ¡°I think we should,¡± Dr. Stan said, without a trace of doubt. ¡°I have no plan to leave him behind, here or anywhere. Helmont thinks Jim belongs to them, but he does not. Jim¡¯s one more thing that the old IHSA stamped as their own without really understanding.¡± ¡°No offense, Doc,¡± Orson said. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Ms. Birgham.¡± A short man approached from the far side of the table. He wore a pinstriped suit with pronounced shoulders. ¡°I have a matter I hope to bring to your attention and the attention of the council. I don¡¯t mean to interrupt.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t.¡± Sirona¡¯s demeanor changed, suddenly all thoughtful concentration. She sat back and wore a small smile. ¡°How can I help you, sir? Can we talk about this here or will we need to move to the lodge¡¯s business office? I¡¯ll be there for two hours this afternoon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a private matter,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s about the Liberty Corps. My name is Tevim Oakbless. I live in border country and I¡¯m troubled by the idea that you¡¯ll be marshaling against the Liberty Corps so close to my home. I maintain a very delicate ecosystem, several rare species¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re all here already!¡± Wyll entered the barn with the usual squeak from the side door. He held a thick stack of papers under his arm. ¡°Great! Kol and Max, if I can steal your attention. Let me introduce the rest of the crew.¡± The three travelers in bomber jackets stood up. ¡°Meet the crew of the Kestrel,¡± Wyll continued. ¡°Lewyn Lavena and the Cygbee twins, Averill and Alain.¡± The fraternal twins both had a slight build and short blonde hair. Lewyn, the lutist, was a much taller man than had been obvious, sitting down. ¡°Lewyn Lavena,¡± Orson said. ¡°You had to pick the lute. What other instrument starts with an ¡®L¡¯?¡± ¡°My father is a luthier,¡± Lewyn said. ¡°Best on this side of the world.¡± ¡°Okay, everyone,¡± Wyll said, with a chuckle. ¡°Kol and Max Maros are headed with us for a short while. They had a hand in the Pinnacle Escape. How was your flight in?¡± ¡°Uneventful,¡± Alain Cygbee said. ¡°Skies are clear. Not even any probes.¡± ¡°Did you fly silent?¡± Wyll asked. ¡°Always,¡± Averill answered. ¡°We¡¯ll greet our passengers properly a little later,¡± Wyll said. ¡°It¡¯ll be a tight squeeze, but the brothers have almost nothing in the way of luggage, so we¡¯ll manage for a few hundred miles. Enjoy your rest, I¡¯ve still got some things to talk over before we fly out of here.¡± ¡°Thank you again for your help,¡± Max said. ¡°I appreciated the hospitality here, but it will be good to return to our own course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Wyll shuffled through his stack of papers. ¡°Also, if you wouldn¡¯t mind. I could use your help with something. Would you take a look at these printouts? This shows Liberty Corps flight patterns, compared to where those hidden artillery emplacements are. It seems their Manifest Destiny is moving too far west. It¡¯s like they¡¯re pushing the edge of the envelope, so to speak, just to do it. No tactical reason that I can find. But you know these people¡­ Helmont.¡± He handed them each a handful of papers. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt your meal for this. It¡¯s not classified or anything like that, all public data. Just¡­ I¡¯m interested what you¡¯ll make of it.¡± ¡°I would be happy to look.¡± Max took his papers. He began paging through them. Kol tucked his own stack beneath his seat and returned to his omelette. Advising against the Liberty Corps ¨C it was real. The dreamlike atmosphere at the lodge was suddenly gone. Everything returned to mundane reality and mundane problems. Kol the traitor, Kol the fool, Kol the advisor against Helmont and Geber and all who had held him. He faced his full story. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you two together again.¡± Wyll waved to Orson and Sirona. The man in the pinstripes had gone. ¡°Brings back a lot.¡± ¡°Wyll!¡± Sirona stood and offered him a hug. ¡°How are you? How¡¯s Abigail?¡± ¡°She¡¯s great.¡± Wyll scratched his bearded chin. ¡°She¡¯s got the gallery going now. So at least we¡¯re both busy. How about you two? I didn¡¯t really expect to see you around, Sirona.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Orson is helping me with the truce marshal,¡± Sirona explained. ¡°Did you stop in to see Gertrude? ¡°I haven¡¯t yet,¡± Wyll said. ¡°Maybe on our way back from flying the Maroses to San Francisco.¡± ¡°Are you going to be here if there¡¯s a meeting with the Alliance?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°We¡¯d be happy to have you. Right?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Orson started. ¡°Sure we would.¡± ¡°No,¡± Wyll said. ¡°Once the Maroses are safe, I think we¡¯re headed back east. We¡¯ll fly north of the old border and out of Helmont¡¯s way.¡± Kol returned to his breakfast at the mention of Helmont. The omelette was perfect again, just the right mix of vegetables and meat and cheese. And the basic motor action of shoveling food in his mouth took him away from the memory of his captors. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Max stiffen. It was a simple gesture, a reflex. Max went very still. He clutched one page, the others neatly stacked in his lap. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kol asked. ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± Max answered. ¡°Are you okay, Max?¡± Dr. Stan asked. Her voice was soft and she set her hand on his wrist. ¡°I am,¡± he said. ¡°I will be. I just¡­ need to figure out what to do. I read something.¡± He held up the paper. Kol saw a blurry black-and-white image, but he couldn¡¯t decipher it at that angle. ¡°I¡¯m not sure Orson remembers you, Wyll,¡± Sirona said. ¡°I¡­¡± Orson hesitated. ¡°I remember.¡± He looked between them. Their conversation continued, all unaware of the change in Max, whatever he¡¯d seen. ¡°I thought you were acting a little strange last night.¡± Wyll pulled off his glasses. ¡°It¡¯s me, Orson! It¡¯s Eye Scan Man!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Orson stood and shook Wyll¡¯s hand. ¡°Eye Scan Man! Holy crap! It¡¯s been forever. I didn¡¯t know you in the glasses and with your beard.¡± ¡°Eye Scan Man?¡± Sirona swatted the back of her hand against Orson¡¯s arm. ¡°You didn¡¯t really call him that, did you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know!¡± Wyll said quickly. ¡°It¡¯s how everyone knows me and my family.¡± Max drew another page from the stack. He compared the two. Dr. Stan leaned closer, but she didn¡¯t seem to be reading the papers, just moving nearer to him. ¡°Listen,¡± Orson said. ¡°Ophion always assumed he¡¯d introduced me to everybody and usually he didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Wyll said. ¡°No one has my family¡¯s heterochromia anymore. It¡¯s even on my new sigil. You should see the Kestrel. Beautiful bird. The Cygbees have done a fantastic job.¡± He smiled. ¡°We have the smallest bird of prey.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Orson said. ¡°So you¡¯re doing consulting work now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Wyll answered. ¡°Puts my misspent youth to good use. You know, I just saw Dante a few weeks ago. He actually asked about you, heard something about you a few months ago. Somebody talked to him about hiring you. I didn¡¯t think you knew him that well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Orson said. ¡°I bet it was that Solar Saver job. They were really crawling up my butt, talking to everybody I ever met.¡± ¡°Solar Saver?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°They never talked to me.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t?¡± Orson asked back. ¡°Their leader¡¯s wife mentioned you¡­ Well, that job was just after my first run-in with the Liberty Corps. I got a call from Pops and he¡ª¡± ¡°Captain Gregory,¡± Max interrupted. ¡°Orson. I¡¯m very sorry, but we have to talk. I¡¯ve found something, thanks to Captain Siegast.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m unsure what I¡¯m about to do, but we need to talk about it, at the very least.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Orson asked. ¡°What¡¯s up? What did you find?¡± ¡°This move with the Liberty Corps,¡± Max whispered. ¡°It¡¯s a ruse. But I believe I know what they¡¯re really doing.¡± * * * Enoa could ignore the noises from the breakfast crowd, but it was louder that morning than the days before. Why? What day was it? She¡¯d lost all sense of time. They¡¯d robbed the Liberty Corps on Friday. So it was Monday? Was it really only three days? Her searching mind stopped at the sound of the Aesir¡¯s side door sliding aside. There was a loud thud and then the noises of walking aboard the ship, several pairs of footsteps and then voices. ¡°¡­need to know what you plan to do,¡± Max Maros said. ¡°I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for us, but this is about more than gratitude.¡± His crisp diction cut through the noises outside and all the ambient sounds aboard the ship. ¡°This is about the best course of action, maybe globally, and perhaps more than that.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Listen, we probably have different outlooks on the world, or however you want to say it, but don¡¯t be cryptic here. Tell me or don¡¯t, okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just it.¡± Max¡¯s voice fell. Enoa now had to fight to hear his words. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether I should tell you. Or whether there is some authority who should be the one to know. I don¡¯t believe defeating the Liberty Corps is a matter that should be solved by other vigilantism. They are not doing what it seems, but I need to be sure.¡± Not what it seems? What did it seem like they were doing? Enoa thought of the destruction at the Pinnacle, the Manifest Destiny on the move, new weapons all along the border, drawing all the attention east¡­ ¡°Then don¡¯t tell me!¡± Orson said. ¡°My trust in the alliances doesn¡¯t go far. And it won¡¯t. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s in me to totally trust something as big as they are. You chose to be the sword that defended your home. That¡¯s a beautiful thing, but that doesn¡¯t mean I trust the hand that wields the sword.¡± ¡°Max,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°So much of Orson¡¯s harsh reputation with the League of Nations comes from his actions at Isla de Manos. But what he did ¨C he defied many laws, but he also saved thousands of lives that would have been claimed to hide the Hierarchia¡¯s secrets. One of my colleagues was saved by him twice, first at Isla de Manos and again from Helmont¡¯s attack on the Crystal Dune Lab. ¡°And he has been honorable consistently for the brief time I¡¯ve known him. The one real vulnerability in his heist at the Pinnacle, as it was planned, was allowing the officers whose armor we stole to remain alive and detained, rather than killing them. He chose to spare them. I don¡¯t believe he is the anarchic vigilante he¡¯s often perceived to be.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Orson said. ¡°Fine then,¡± Max said. ¡°The Dreamside Road. What will you do with it? Imagine this: the Liberty Corps is gone. You have no competitors. And there you are with the power to remake the world, what do you do?¡± Enoa strained again to hear Orson¡¯s answer. ¡°Destroy it.¡± He spoke even softer than Max. ¡°If there¡¯s anything that was blatantly stolen from a person or a group of people that aren¡¯t hostile, they get their shit back. The rest goes away, like I destroyed the Opal, like I destroyed the engulfment weapon ¨C the Viracocha something? Whatever. I¡¯ll destroy the Dreamside Road the way I would¡¯ve destroyed the Thunderworks fleet at Isla de Manos, do it the right way, before the Hierarchia fought me to hide the truth getting out. It¡¯s gone then, all those leaps in power we didn¡¯t earn.¡± ¡°This is what I¡¯m afraid of,¡± Max began again. He spoke slower, but his voice was stronger. ¡°Who are any of us to say, as individuals, what the best course of action will be? Who are we?¡± ¡°What would you prefer?¡± Orson snapped. ¡°Leave it up to some political leader or the military brass who¡¯d use those artifacts to solve their current problem? Like the morons in forty-five who used the A-bomb ¨C and we won¡¯t even touch on the civilians killed ¨C but because of those bombs that were dropped, now we have to worry about having competent leaders for the rest of time. We face actual doomsday forever, not just the mostly societal crap we¡¯ve got going on now. And all because they did what was convenient in their time. They didn¡¯t really think about us in the future. No. But I won¡¯t let that happen with the Dreamside Road. They don¡¯t get to burden us with a forever problem. I¡¯m taking that option off the table, with or without whatever help you¡¯re considering giving to me now.¡± ¡°We have a fundamentally different assessment of nuclear history,¡± Max said. ¡°But this proves my point. You are not keeping a level head about this. It¡¯s all too personal for you. You¡¯re too close to it. And you¡¯re too emotional.¡± ¡°The Hierarchia killed his mother.¡± A woman spoke and Enoa remembered the laughter from the night before. ¡°They poisoned her. And there was no justice. Then they used Orson. And they tried to destroy him and throw him away.¡± ¡°I know his story,¡± Max said. ¡°I read the memoir. But Nation did not rep¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what Nation did or didn¡¯t represent,¡± the woman continued. ¡°I saw him. I fought him. He had a legion of Hierarchia forces. He was one of their nine, their administrators. No one batted an eye when he destroyed people, not until he threatened them. Then they wrung their hands and begged for help when he turned on them, but they didn¡¯t raise a finger to save an innocent boy. I help the Alliance willingly, because I am a citizen and I want my voice to be part of it. But the old way earned its death.¡± ¡°All of you¡ª¡± Dr. Stan began. ¡°I am not trying to defend the deeds of the Hierarchia,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to defend the need for some authority, that this is not a matter to be decided by individuals, especially individuals who are emotionally close to the matter. Because I¡¯m close to the matter too, so is Kol. We¡¯re all connected to Helmont and defeating him, stopping him from recovering the Dreamside Road Keys.¡± ¡°Just spit it out or don¡¯t!¡± Orson said. ¡°You¡¯re annoying me a lot more with this interrogation than if you just hadn¡¯t said anything.¡± Enoa slid her bunk door open. ¡°They¡¯re going after Knightschurch!¡± She called out. ¡°It¡¯s all that makes sense.¡± She walked out into the passage, still in pajamas, her feet bare. ¡°What else could they be doing that has to do with the Dreamside Road, that¡¯s about a Liberty Corp trick, but Max won¡¯t tell you?¡± Orson, Kol, Max, Dr. Stan, and a red-haired woman who could only be Sirona Birgham, all turned to look at her. Then Orson shot a long glance at Max and then at Kol, who shrugged. Max handed him a single piece of paper. ¡°These vessels flew over the Pacific Alliance two nights ago,¡± Max said. ¡°While their supercarrier was still supplying their artillery, these vessels flew out to sea. And the leading craft, the one shaped like a bell, I recognize it. I¡¯ve been aboard it. That¡¯s Helmont¡¯s shuttle.¡± ¡°A contact of mine showed us a picture of that ship,¡± Orson said. ¡°He had an image taken just after Helmont captured you near Littlefield.¡± Enoa walked to the end of the passage. Orson held out the page. She took it and saw a line of ships, Saw-wings and troop carriers like the one from Trolley Town. And in the front there was a bell-shaped vehicle with the mark of a left-facing Eagle over a red and blue star ¨C Helmont¡¯s sigil, just like the one Pops showed them in Cartoon Roger¡¯s Death Valley Station. ¡°They could be there already,¡± Orson said. ¡°They could have the key already.¡± ¡°Many of those craft are troop carriers,¡± Max said. ¡°How far would they go in such craft? I don¡¯t know this island¡¯s location, but is it a reasonable distance? Would they make a full invasion of a hostile territory with no staging area of any kind? We need more data before we can make that judgment.¡± ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Jaleel yelled from his bunk. ¡°Why¡¯s everyone yelling?¡± ¡°We¡¯re okay,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jaleel. We¡¯re just planning.¡± ¡°Does the Alliance monitor air traffic out to sea?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Could they find out if there¡¯s another vessel like the Manifest Destiny out there?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Max held up other pages. ¡°This is just what they gave to Wyll. The Liberty Corps could have a whole star fleet in the islands.¡± ¡°If they had a fleet, we would have seen it by now,¡± Sirona said. ¡°No.¡± She took Orson¡¯s hand. ¡°You might still get there first. You might beat them there and get the warriors on the island ready to fight them.¡± ¡°But.¡± Orson held her other hand. ¡°What about the marshal and the truce? What about us fighting together?¡± Jaleel stumbled out of his bunk and into the hallway. Wesley flew out above him. He crooned as he flew, and he settled happily on Sirona¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jaleel straightened his pajamas. ¡°Oh, uh,¡± Orson gestured between Sirona and Jaleel and Enoa. ¡°Sirona, this is the new Aesir crew, Enoa Cloud and Jaleel Yaye. Enoa and Jaleel, this is Sirona Birgham from the, uh, earlier Aesir crew.¡± ¡°Is that an Aesir crew jacket?¡± Jaleel ran around Kol and Max to stand beside Sirona. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have those yet? And what is this?¡± He grabbed at the printout in Enoa¡¯s hand. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to begin,¡± Orson said. ¡°But anyone who¡¯s not coming to Knightschurch for the big battle with Helmont, this is your best chance to jump ship.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going,¡± Max said. ¡°I will go with you. I know Helmont. I know his forces. And the tactics I¡¯ve studied will be similar enough that I can be useful in aiding whatever individuals live on this island.¡± ¡°What happened to ¡®too personal¡¯?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Are we not going with Wyll?¡± Kol asked. ¡°You are going with Wyll,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯ve been your voice of caution, Kol. Now, I can do the same in this fight against Helmont. Now that we understand the baron¡¯s newest move, the Aesir crew likely has the best chance to defeat him.¡± ¡°How do we know what Helmont¡¯s doing?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to Knightschurch,¡± Sirona said. ¡°It seems like a pretty good time to beat the old baron for good, in a huge, final showdown.¡± Jaleel¡¯s eyes widened with recognition. He and Sirona spoke at once. ¡°It¡¯s over, Grover!¡± ¡°I knew I¡¯d regret having you all together.¡± Orson held Sirona¡¯s hand to his cheek. ¡°Looks like our break is over. We¡¯ll have a helluva lot of work to do if we¡¯re gonna try and beat Helmont to Knightschurch.¡± 146 - The Twelfth Form ¡°No. No. No!¡± Enoa heard Jim from the forest path. He wasn¡¯t screaming, not like his refusal to train the night before. But his voice carried far enough to guide Enoa into a broad clearing with a floor of stones and moss. Orson nodded to her as she approached. He was fitting the sunglasses back over Jim¡¯s eyes. The android stopped speaking, as soon as the sunglasses were tightened into place. Jim¡¯s posture relaxed, and his head fell down to his chest. He went motionless. ¡°See,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is useless.¡± Sirona and Jaleel watched him from the far side of the clearing. ¡°Not going well?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°We don¡¯t even made it past ¡®en garde¡¯, before he starts freaking out.¡± Orson rolled his eyes. ¡°My regular practice will have to be enough. I don¡¯t have time to get Jim calmed down every five minutes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mean to him.¡± Sirona jumped up from the ground. ¡°He seems kinda sweet in his own way.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Jim is our friend now. He just wants to go sightseeing.¡± ¡°I¡¯d probably be nicer if one of his cousins hadn¡¯t tried to take out my eyes just a month ago,¡± Orson said. ¡°Besides, he can¡¯t hear me. He¡¯s turned off.¡± ¡°We should be happy he doesn¡¯t want to hurt you, Boss,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That¡¯s way better than what we saw with the other androids. Jim can¡¯t help who his family is.¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Sirona said. There was an odd tone to her voice, and Orson responded with only a deep breath. ¡°And that¡¯s okay. It looks like I¡¯ll have to step in and whip you into shape.¡± She ran around the clearing, where an actual scroll was unrolled, held open by stones. ¡°I¡¯ll have to beat you up with the Twelfth Form.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do the sword thing,¡± Orson said. ¡°That always stresses me out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing the sword thing!¡± Sirona gave Orson no chance to argue. The air between her hands burst into flame with a blast like a firecracker. Tongues of flame formed a thin pillar in the air, flickering but contained. Sirona placed both hands below the fire, as if gripping a sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°En garde!¡± she said, and she raised her ¡®sword¡¯ in a defensive stance in front of her face. ¡°Show me your best move, Captain.¡± Orson took his own sword, but he waited. Sirona struck with no second warning. The red flame clashed with the sword. They met with another firecracker pop. Sirona struck fast. She jabbed the fire at Orson¡¯s shoulder and then low toward his legs. He blocked both. Enoa rounded the clearing. She gave a wide berth to the sparring duo and crouched beside Jaleel at the other end of the stony ground. ¡°Are you done with your training?¡± Jaleel looked away from the colors of the sudden sword fight. ¡°I think so,¡± Enoa answered. ¡°I ran through all my usual transmutations. I did a couple explosions, some fog and some bullet rain.¡± She lifted her left wrist and her SITE bracelet. She angled it toward him. ¡°And I found an easier way to bring back old holograms.¡± She held her right hand to the spot where the bracelet¡¯s band met its screen. A hologram flickered into life above her arm. Congratulations (new user)! You have a strong grasp of the intermediary techniques. However, please document a broader array of skills. Refer your mentor to section 37 of the handbook for more specifics. This and your Dawn Project must be verified before you can be elevated to Journeyman at level 25. RANK: Apprentice LEVEL: 19 SHAPE: Anemos MODE: Training ¡°Wow!¡± Jaleel angled his head to read the hologram. ¡°That¡¯s three or four levels just in the last couple weeks. You¡¯re speed-running your training.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot else to do,¡± she began. She was fast because she¡¯d started long ago, because she¡¯d been preparing since childhood. She¡¯d become a proper Shaper like Aunt Sucora had wanted. Now she was going to Knightschurch, also like Aunt Sucora had wanted. Not Nimauk in origin¡­ There was a louder explosion from the sparring match and Jaleel looked away from the hologram. Enoa was spared from sharing more of her thoughts. ¡°Is this it?¡± Sirona shouted in an affected lower voice. ¡°Is this all the skill of the great Orson Gregory? I will make short work of you!¡± She launched herself straight up into the air. She jumped up from the balls of her feet like a cat, and she came crashing down, fire-first, aimed at Orson¡¯s head. But the fire sword redirected the attack. Sirona was thrown sideways by the force of the recoil from the firecracker explosion. She fell away, but landed on her feet. She attacked again. This time she jumped around Orson. She propelled herself behind him with another great leap. Orson caught the new attack with the edge of his sword. Sirona backpedaled and this time kept her distance. ¡°I prepared myself for your cheap humor, Gregory!¡± Sirona bellowed in her affected voice. ¡°But you are so quiet. No jokes for me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous,¡± Orson answered. ¡°When did you start working on impressions? There is zero overlap between what I want to say to you and what I¡¯d say to Helmont in a fight.¡± ¡°This is the legendary wit of Orson Gregory?¡± Sirona removed her left hand from the bottom of the fire she held. A second flame formed above her other closed fist. ¡°I know all the oldest techniques with all the most pretentious names. Now, prepare to die!¡± She struck with both flames, one high and one low. Orson angled the sword to take both attacks, but that was only the first strike ¨C just the first in a whirling pattern of red light that soon engulfed them both as Sirona wove and jumped around him. ¡°Woah,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Is that how Orson got good at all this?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Enoa sensed motion in the air back along the path. She focused on it. She saw the faint glow she knew meant Kol, and there were two others with him. Melanthymos and Aneirin followed Kol through the trees. They watched the elaborate sparring, but neither of the combatants spared them more than a glance. Sirona tried another leap over Orson¡¯s head. This one ended in a somersault above him, both flames extended. She spun down in a blurring, burning wheel. Orson jumped away from her. She landed on one foot and stumbled aside. Orson advanced now. He took a wide swing at one of the flames. It burst on contact and dissipated. Sirona jumped again, but this time she retreated. She took a few deep breaths, winded. She looked back at Orson in quiet surprise. Then she smiled. She ran at him again. He swung at the remaining flame, but Sirona opened her hand and let it vanish in a single puff of smoke. She caught Orson by the front of his coat. He twisted the blade away from her. She jumped up, as if in some wild head-butt. But she stopped short, and she kissed him. His stance relaxed. He slid his free hand to the small of her back. ¡°I win!¡± Sirona threw her arms in the air. ¡°If I was like the combustion monks, I would have breathed fire at you and cooked you. But I spared you.¡± Orson returned the sword. ¡°You cheated.¡± There was a suggestive edge to his voice. He took a step toward her. She backed away, but in two more steps her caught her around the waist and pulled her to him. He cupped the back of her head and kissed her, taking his time. She gripped his upper arms and leaned against him. ¡°Maybe you win,¡± she said. ¡°No,¡± Orson said, his lips still against hers. ¡°We both win.¡± They laughed together. ¡°Boyfriend Orson even sounds different than regular grump Orson,¡± Jaleel whispered. ¡°I was going to make a PDA joke. But I don¡¯t know her that well yet. I feel like she might be somebody who can get offended.¡± ¡°Could be.¡± Enoa returned to her work with the SITE. She traced the rest of the bracelet band, searching for more hidden controls. ¡°Traveling the world, fighting all the time has made you pretty good,¡± Sirona said, still ignoring everyone else. ¡°Just pretty good?¡± Orson asked. She scowled and bellowed in her mock villain voice. ¡°You may even live up to your reputation, Orson Gregory. But.¡± She returned to her normal voice. ¡°You need to be prepared for the unexpected with your new friend the baron. Even if you can outfight his swordsmanship, we don¡¯t know all of the other powers he has.¡± ¡°When you ran at me,¡± Orson said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to get hurt. And I don¡¯t think old Helmont¡¯s gonna try to plant one on me in the middle of a fight.¡± ¡°Maybe he will!¡± Jaleel called out. ¡°Maybe this is how he flirts. He thinks he¡¯s in some kind of enemies-to-lovers romance. He was super disappointed you ran away at the Pinnacle. You rejected his advances.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s not my type.¡± Orson nodded to Kol and the others. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Max and Dr. Stan believe they know how Helmont will be taking his forces to Knightschurch,¡± Kol said. ¡°Neat.¡± Orson wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his gloved hand. Kol continued. ¡°Helmont has a Naval battle group, a group that hosted one of the relics that was removed from the Dreamside Road trove before it was lost.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just here to see how quickly Helmont will slice you up if you go to that island,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°Stay with your love and friends,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°You have life. So live!¡± ¡°Did you tell them about this, Kol?¡± Orson asked. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°We know enough to get the gist from the way you¡¯re all running around,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly Hierarchia Central Command. Other than some fair swordsmanship, I don¡¯t know why everyone¡¯s so damn worried what you¡¯ll do. It might all be luck, but there¡¯s not enough luck in the world to save you from Helmont. He beat me. He beat all of us. And you¡¯ve got no real power. You¡¯re just clever man living out some dumb, boy fantasy with a few rare toys.¡± ¡°How did he beat you?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Specifically you?¡± ¡°He could hurt me just by touching my blood,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°And he didn¡¯t even need a proper facsimile or any tools, just the blood sample was enough.¡± ¡°Wrong,¡± Orson said. ¡°He attacked what he knew. He had your blood. And he knew my boot and my pistol. That¡¯s why I could get away, but you needed help just to stand up. He attacked my stuff, but not me. ¡°That¡¯s what so many of you powerful people forget,¡± Orson continued. ¡°This isn¡¯t comic book bullshit. We¡¯re all made of meat. Or just about all of us. Helmont didn¡¯t have to beat your powers, just your body. That¡¯s how I usually win too, and it¡¯s how I¡¯ll beat him.¡± ¡°Orson¡¯s good at this,¡± Sirona said. ¡°And this is far from the first major fight Orson¡¯s had.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about other young pups or half-machine freaks,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°If you go to that island with no flying boot, he¡¯ll just cut you down.¡± ¡°You cannot fly,¡± Aneirin added. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Orson do these things before.¡± Enoa stood again. ¡°I saw him beat a Hierarchia Shaper. This Shaper defeated Archie Grant. He derailed a whole train. But Orson won. I¡¯m really tired of everyone being so obsessed with these powers and with Shaping. All of us are just whatever genetics or magic training we have.¡± ¡°What are you arguing about?¡± Melanthymos asked. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here too. If you didn¡¯t have your aunt¡¯s gift, nobody¡¯d give a rat¡¯s ass about you after your key was claimed.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Enoa yelled with more force than she intended. ¡°I know that¡¯s why I¡¯m stuck here, in danger all the time. And if I wasn¡¯t a Shaper I¡¯d never have to listen to all the miserable things you¡¯re always saying.¡± Melanthymos rounded on Enoa. ¡°If having sense¡ª¡± ¡°This!¡± Aneirin spoke up, loud enough to interrupt the argument. ¡°His sword.¡± He pointed to Orson. ¡°Thousand Destiny! Great warrior carries Thousand Destiny. Maybe he wins? Destiny protects him.¡± ¡°If I win,¡± Orson said. ¡°I did it. Mine isn¡¯t one of the thousand names.¡± ¡°How is this?¡± Aneirin frowned. He looked to Sirona and back to Orson again. ¡°You broke the prediction? The¡­ the prophecy? The story?¡± ¡°I stole the story.¡± Orson grinned, all teeth. ¡°Stop!¡± Sirona leaned up to him and ran a hand along his jaw. ¡°You didn¡¯t steal it. You earned it fairly.¡± ¡°I stole it fair and square.¡± Orson took her hand. His smile softened. ¡°The thousand names don¡¯t matter anymore,¡± Sirona said. ¡°It¡¯s your destiny. You have every right to the sword and all that it can do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this again,¡± he said. ¡°I already can do what I need to do with it.¡± ¡°You won the sword,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°But no ignitions? Helmont knows the ignitions.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°So it¡¯ll suck even more for him when he loses anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯re delusional,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°What is all of this?¡± Kol asked. ¡°None of the materials about your arsenal described your sword¡¯s lineage.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°All you told us was that you weren¡¯t supposed to have it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Orson answered. ¡°I should¡¯ve brought my work computer.¡± Sirona still leaned against Orson, but she drew a small phone from her pocket. She pressed at the screen with her free hand. ¡°Ophion left all of his informational cue cards for the next Truce Keeper. I turned them into nice Powerpoint presentations. I could explain this.¡± ¡°You have fantasy exposition Powerpoints?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Do you have to explain lots of things?¡± ¡°Every so often,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Keeper of the Truce is also a keeper of lore. The presentation about the Covenant and their swords is a really good one too. Let me see if I remember it. I¡¯ve had to give this explanation a couple of times so I have some notes.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Our world was once rich in miracles.¡± Sirona¡¯s voice changed. Her words took on a mysterious edge, cold and serious. ¡°Every land had legends proven true and powers beyond explanation, mysteries of the body, mysteries of the elements, powers over fate and unseen things. But when all this world¡¯s peoples were separate, held apart by the countless leagues of land and sea, those powers remained sundered as well.¡± Enoa thought about leaving. No one was looking at her. Melanthymos had fully turned away. It would be simple to slip off, unnoticed. And what did she need to know about ancient swords and who owned them? ¡°This¡­¡± Sirona paused, whether for emphasis or because she struggled to remember more of the speech. ¡°This was not to last. When those ancient miracles met one another¡­¡± She groaned. ¡°Damn! How does it go? Well, there¡¯s a bit about how war happened as technology made the collisions of legends inevitable. Until¡­¡± She paused. ¡°I think I remember now.¡± Then her voice returned to its serious tone. ¡°Until a new power rose, one with knowledge of the intertwining secrets. A covenant of twelve familial houses formed for knowledge and power. They were the first to document the mysteries and look beyond the legends of their own time and people. ¡°And they were armed, each line, with blades of cloven aether, trapped eternal fire in the shape of great swords. Twelve lines, each to their own hue, split from the unbroken aether white.¡± Sirona took another deep breath. ¡°Then there¡¯s this whole part about how the houses started killing each other for supremacy.¡± ¡°Straight up Game of Thrones shit,¡± Jaleel said. Sirona chuckled. ¡°Many of the lines were lost,¡± Sirona continued. ¡°Their families broken. The aether fires and mysteries squandered. But they were the first, and their way of secret knowledge birthed the formal adventurers guilds and eventually the Hierarchia of our own time. And some of their relics survived. Some persisted. Some are still yet to be found.¡± Enoa considered the sheathed sword at Orson¡¯s back, the natural powers of fire and earth, Aneirin¡¯s old fairy tale magic. All of it was claimed and taken by the Hierarchia. The collision of legends, like Sirona had said. Now, they were all living through that collision, the remaining mysteries of the past and new mysteries for the future, brought together. Sirona tapped at the phone screen again. ¡°I¡¯ll skip a lot and focus on Thousand Destiny. Uh. It was a great weapon, last of a dead, lost line. But before its final heir died, a prophecy was read from the touch of its already-ancient hilt. The heir recruited the help of a great psychometrist whose eyes were sightless, but who allegedly could see an object¡¯s past and predict its future, with a touch of the hand. This psychometrist made the prediction of the thousand destinies. That sword¡¯s old name was forgotten. But the weapon would survive, and it would carry a new name. Thousand Destiny would wait until our world of unimaginable technology, ruled from cities of steel and glass. Many might wield the blade in our time. Many might claim it, but it would survive and it would see battle again. ¡°And there¡¯s a whole cavern in the North Sea where all the potential names the psychometrist predicted are etched into the rock. The sword was buried there for many years.¡± Sirona leaned up and kissed Orson¡¯s cheek. ¡°But they were wrong, for probably a hundred reasons, and instead it¡¯s Orson¡¯s destiny. The end.¡± ¡°Cute,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°But you left out the part where Helmont kills him and takes it. Did you bother checking if Helmont got his name on that cavern wall? Maybe Gregory here¡¯s just holding onto it for him and that prophet didn¡¯t bother jotting down your boyfriend¡¯s name?¡± ¡°What do you actually want any of us to do?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°I might really care what you have to say if you didn¡¯t just tell us all nonstop how death is inevitable.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Melanthymos looked to her. ¡°If you did more than give me new reasons to think you¡¯re all too stupid to live, I might care enough to say something else. Now, we see Gregory¡¯s got fate against him too. I thought he must at least have some real luck on his side, but it¡¯s just moving him into position to hand that sword to the baron.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re too stupid to live,¡± Enoa said. ¡°What does that make you? You¡¯d still be a prisoner without Orson. He¡¯s the only reason you¡¯re free right now.¡± ¡°And we all had the luck to escape,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°And he¡¯s throwing that away to give everything to the baron.¡± ¡°Neither Helmont, nor Grover Melledge is named among the thousand,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Helmont has no better claim than Orson, if you care about that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got the list handy?¡± Melanthymos asked. ¡°I do,¡± Sirona answered. ¡°I¡¯ve had it handy since I was fifteen. Because my name is there.¡± ¡°Then maybe he¡¯s holding onto it for you,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°You take it up in revenge after¡ª¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Orson said. He spoke with grave certainty and even Melanthymos stopped short and looked back at him. ¡°Enough. All of you. Kol, you said your brother and Dr. Stan found Helmont¡¯s plan. Let¡¯s see what they¡¯ve got. Either we all hand over our keys and hide the rest of our lives, or we get rid of Helmont. I don¡¯t speak for anyone else, but I¡¯d rather die than hide, so let¡¯s see what the bastard¡¯s doing and take the fight to him. Either way, this is almost over.¡± * * * Operative Divenoll joined a crowd of over one hundred officers. In that sea of white, only Divenoll wore armor tinged with the black, red, and purple of the former intelligence corps. The ocean was perfect and smooth around them. Divenoll felt no motion beneath them. He felt nothing from the ship¡¯s movement but a slight tugging at his legs and the breeze across the flat surface of the deck. The gathering surrounded Helmont and six of his seven knights. The baron turned in a slow circle. All wore helmets, but Helmont looked to them each like he knew them. ¡°We will reach Knightschurch tomorrow,¡± Helmont called. ¡°There, we will face a power that the world has not known in its full strength in centuries. Tomorrow, we may face not only the greatest living masters of old sorcery, but also some of this world¡¯s greatest sword masters, as well. All of you know your own Shaping, and you will rely on your training in combat. But many of you are merely proficient with a blade. ¡°Today, you will train to defend yourselves well enough to bring your Shaping to bear. Sir Merrill is the last scion of House Dommik. Theirs was the fourth form. Their house was founded by the risen squires for the original three royal houses. The fourth form favors decisive attack. It is more suitable to weapons with a greater reach. Sir Vergil will help me demonstrate.¡± Divenoll forced his way through the crowd. Two Shapers turned toward him, but neither spoke. They knew his armor. He passed between them, until he reached the inner ring, where Helmont stood facing Sir Vergil. Both had drawn their swords. The baron¡¯s rapier sent odd dancing violet light around the circle. And the metal of Virgil¡¯s sword seemed to catch the sunlight in odd reflections, like there was faint writing down the length of the long blade. Vergil stood at the far end of the circle, his upraised weapon almost as long as he was tall. Helmont raised the rapier. ¡°Begin.¡± Sir Virgil advanced. He stepped with his feet even and parallel. He did not charge. He walked at a measured, watchful pace. Helmont did not move in answer, but he kept the rapier raised, point-outward in defense. He didn¡¯t budge until Sir Virgil stood within swinging distance with his great sword. Sir Virgil struck. He swung with his arms, not his shoulders, a quick motion, faster than would seem possible. It was a subtle attack that the long weapon could turn into a killing strike. But Virgil¡¯s sword found nothing but the open air. Helmont spun away from the blade, with a twist and flourish that Divenoll could not follow. The baron now stood beside his student. He raised the rapier in a strike at Virgil¡¯s side. The knight¡¯s sword met the rapier. Virgil spun the blade with a twist of his wrist that brought the sword back in front of his face. The blades clashed for an instant. The rapier¡¯s contained fire flickered like a flame stoked with new fuel. And writing danced down the knight¡¯s sword. Divenoll saw it clearly then. There was a script that came alive in the heat from the sun and burned brightly against the rapier¡¯s overwhelming fire. But the metal of Virgil¡¯s blade withstood the heat from the rapier. Helmont struck again, quick jabs and close attacks. Virgil backpedaled and spun the blade with his arms. He flicked the rapier aside with the sword¡¯s edge, matching jab after jab until his sword also glowed. The letters could still clearly be seen ¨C a complicated, looping script. But Helmont was too close, and the rapier was too thin. The larger blade did not turn him aside. Helmont¡¯s motions were easy. His movements looked perfect to Divenoll, a flawless example of the technique he¡¯d mastered. No strike from the large weapon forced the baron away. Helmont regained his position, again and again. Always. None of Virgil¡¯s strikes bought more than a heartbeat. It wasn¡¯t enough, not nearly enough to free him from the baron¡¯s onslaught or to change the momentum of the contest. Sir Virgil leapt backward and pulled his sword inward. He fell into a crouch and made a desperate sweep with his sword. He struck at a height that could take the baron in the gap just above his armored boots. Helmont vanished again, disappeared in motion. Did he fly? Did he take to the air to save himself? But then the baron stood from behind his student. Virgil froze. The rapier¡¯s point waited only inches from the side of the knight¡¯s neck. Sir Virgil released his sword and let it fall with a thud that reverberated even through the carrier¡¯s deck. ¡°The fourth form is the auroch¡¯s way.¡± Helmont sheathed his sword. He offered a hand to help Sir Virgil back to his feet. ¡°It is respectable. It is very strong, but it cannot defeat the speed of a killing strike from the twelfth form. The griffin will always take the bull, even the lost bull of the legendary past.¡± He clasped Sir Virgil¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Strong impersonation, my boy. Very good.¡± He said this in a softer tone, where only the inner ring could hear him. There was real admiration there and pride from the baron to the closest of his knights. ¡°I follow and teach that twelfth form, the most complex of the old ways,¡± Helmont continued. ¡°My body knows all its secrets. Even House Vuett, its founder, did not master all the intricacies. Like everything in the Liberty Corps, it is old theory made real by our sweat and our might. Only some of you have had any need to study this form. But every one of us knows its thinking and its lethal power. ¡°Today will be spent in training, our final preparation, but I have been preparing you for years or decades.¡± He looked back to Sir Virgil. ¡°Some I¡¯ve been preparing for most of your lifetimes. And what you witnessed here, the mastered theory against the plodding, overcome tradition ¨C that¡¯s what waits for us tomorrow if we are ready. I will be watching all of you today. We have six hours until sundown and we will use them. ¡°Freedom and might!¡± Helmont called. ¡°Liberty Corps forever!¡± All responded. Divenoll added his voice to the cry. He joined his voice with the swordsmen and knights, Shapers all. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Helmont said. ¡°Our true quest begins at Knightschurch.¡± 147 - A Time for Wayfarers ¡°Once Jaleel has the big screen all set up, we¡¯ll be able to see everybody.¡± Orson held the Aesir¡¯s tablet console. The tablet showed three incoming feeds, Pops from his Heartland study, Franklin West aboard the Hof, and Eloise Corwin from the familiar infirmary in her father¡¯s home. There was a darkened flat-screen monitor half out of the ceiling. Flexible mechanical arms held it in place, but the arms were only bent partway, leaving the rest angled up and out of sight. ¡°You haven¡¯t used the big screen at all, have you?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°Not once since you left,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t have movie nights with me alone. And I don¡¯t get transmissions that anybody needs to see but me.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we have movie nights?¡± Jaleel aimed the screen¡¯s white remote control at the ceiling. ¡°We¡¯ve been a little busy,¡± Orson said. Kol and Dr. Stan turned the arm chairs to see the screen. Max positioned his wheelchair to face it too. Jaleel joined Enoa, Wesley, and sleep-mode Jim on the couch. There were still distant snatches of conversation from the still-open door. Embre and Aneirin and Melanthymos spoke softly out in the barn. ¡°We¡¯ll warn the people on this Knightschurch.¡± Orson sat at the table. ¡°Hopefully, that¡¯ll include this Sir Merrill. And hopefully, that¡¯ll mean another key and more useful information about the rest. We don¡¯t know anything about this island¡¯s people, how many there are, or what they can do, only that they expect Enoa to eventually get there.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know that for sure.¡± Eloise wore a large bandage that ran down her cheek and across her jaw and neck. ¡°You just know that Enoa¡¯s aunt and that man that was killed thought she was welcome there.¡± ¡°But Helmont is going there,¡± Orson said. ¡°So either we let Helmont and his force just do whatever they want, or we go to help stop him somehow.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Pops lowered his face into his hands. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to try for a plan this time?¡± The mechanical arms groaned and swung the big screen down until it hung vertically from the ceiling. The screen lit with the same three video feeds. A round camera extended from the open ceiling and aimed down toward them. A tiny copy of the outgoing feed appeared at the bottom of the display, showing a view of the Aesir¡¯s cabin. Orson saw his own face looking back at him. ¡°Wave everybody.¡± Jaleel waved, the video system¡¯s remote still clutched in his hand. ¡°Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°Do you mind doing the honors and keep moving our camera around when we need it?¡± ¡°Is this something you even know how to do?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Or do I have to say yes.¡± ¡°I could fumble my way along.¡± Orson faced Pops on the big screen. ¡°We¡¯re doing what we can here, Pops.¡± ¡°Saying we have no plan isn¡¯t true.¡± Max added. ¡°We are operating from all available data. We have context about Knightschurch, even if we have no reliable information about its inhabitants. And we know a great deal about Helmont and his methods. But in simple terms, this is now or never, and we will do the best we can with what we have. ¡± ¡°Who did you recruit now?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Are you trying to build up your own army to fight the Liberty Corps, one person at a time?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an expert,¡± Orson said. ¡°Former Naval Intelligence. Helmont¡¯s going by boat, so he has some inside knowledge. He¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Max Maros,¡± Eloise interrupted. ¡°And you¡¯re Kol Maros.¡± Her eyes turned toward Kol. ¡°You saved my town. Thank you. Thank you. I didn¡¯t think I would get the chance to say that. I thought you were going to die for helping us.¡± ¡°We thought the same thing.¡± Max gave a small smile. ¡°But you¡¯re very welcome, Miss Corwin. We could have done nothing less.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kol echoed. ¡°And you!¡± Eloise glared at Orson. ¡°You never told me you rescued them! I didn¡¯t know that! All I knew was you led an escape! You let me keep thinking they were dead! And the news reporters are just talking about magic and monsters. I¡¯m assuming you found these two at the Pinnacle. You didn¡¯t pick them up along the side of the road, did you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°I lost track of who I told. It¡¯s been a busy couple of days.¡± ¡°Why would you tell anyone else?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°They saved us, Orson!¡± ¡°Well, now you know.¡± Orson pointed to the Maroses. ¡°There they are, extremely alive.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so difficult.¡± Eloise scowled, but she smiled again when she looked back to Kol and Max. ¡°If either of you find your way toward us,¡± she continued. ¡°You¡¯re welcome here. Every time I see anyone, my family or my friends. Anyone in this town ¨C they could all be dead if you hadn¡¯t done what you did. You are always welcome here. Always. Actually, wait. You two have to visit us! We¡¯ll throw a big block party. The whole town will come out to see the guys who saved us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very flattered, Miss Corwin,¡± Max said. ¡°Truly. I would be honored to visit your community, but we didn¡¯t act out of any desire for a reward. Just moral responsibility.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kol looked like he wanted to slip through the floor tiles. ¡°They won¡¯t get to have their authentic Route Sixty-Six cookout if you go to this island and get them killed,¡± Pops said. ¡°Damn, Pops,¡± Orson said. ¡°You sound like Melanthymos, Pops,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Who?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Sarcastic, pessimist elemental I rescued,¡± Orson said. ¡°You might get along if she¡¯s not too mean about me and the crew. She and her wizard boyfriend might join us tonight. They¡¯re finishing their dinner.¡± ¡°More people,¡± Pops said. ¡°You¡¯re going for a town hall feel, instead of a real planning session.¡± ¡°This is how it goes,¡± Orson said. ¡°For big showdowns, usually the current enemy forces my hand into the final fight without a lot of information. Most of you guys miss this part. I¡¯m usually alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Franklin said. ¡°It was all of us for the Ends of the Earth Guild. That was a pretty similar thing. But we at least kinda knew what those Guildsmen were packing.¡± ¡°We may know some of that now.¡± Dr. Stan walked to the sensor station. ¡°Some of you are already familiar with Baron Helmont¡¯s family background and the islands he inherited. What we¡¯ve learned, since perusing the information we recovered, was that Grover Melledge, Sr ¨C Helmont¡¯s father ¨C was allowed to keep his Barony as a way of holding items of Hierarchia interest with less official oversight. This is in keeping...¡± Orson heard the distant squeak from the barn door. His attention was drawn to the outgoing feed, and he saw motion there before he heard someone step aboard. Sirona gave a smile and a wave toward the main screen and its camera. ¡°Sirona!¡± Eloise called. ¡°Sorry, Dr. Stan, but I didn¡¯t know Sirona would be joining us. When did you get there, Sirona? It feels so right seeing you on the Aesir. Doesn¡¯t it feel so right, Orson?¡± ¡°Sirona?¡± Sebastian Royce leaned into the close camera feed from the Hof, standing from the copilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Hi. I thought you were leading the muster.¡± ¡°Hi, Royce,¡± Sirona said. ¡°I am leading the muster. I¡¯m gathering my people, but I was in the market for a ship¡¯s captain, with that Starbird flying around and¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re not far away,¡± Royce said. ¡°If you¡¯re still looking for a ship.¡± Franklin shot a glance over his shoulder at him and shook his head. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sirona said. ¡°But I think I¡¯m going back to Evergreen to reassess. We have some new information. Oh, Eloise, look at what that machine did to you. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Eloise said. ¡°I¡¯m already fine. I¡¯m just not as lethal as you are.¡± Eloise gingerly ran her hand along her neck. ¡°Eloise actually left some useful remains behind from the probe she beat,¡± Franklin said. ¡°That whole exterior energy weapon on those things is what really makes them tricky. And Sirona cooked off all of hers¡¯.¡± ¡°I just got the reports on the Littlefield probe,¡± Pops added. ¡°How did you manage that?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I thought the Alliance took that one.¡± ¡°A little birdie got me the most important bits,¡± Pops said. ¡°Just enough to compile some research of my own. Both samples have a lot of damage, and we won¡¯t have a clear picture any time soon of what those weapons are.¡± ¡°We need that,¡± Royce added. ¡°Since that same system was present on the carriers for those androids.¡± Orson glanced to the couch, where Jim sat with a bright purple sleep mask over his eyes and a matching sleep cap on his bald head. Wesley was curled up, asleep, on his lap. ¡°I¡¯m not aware of much that could directly counter that capability,¡± Royce said. ¡°Not like your fire abilities, Sirona.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t like heat,¡± Orson said. ¡°My sword did just fine with that carrier. But we¡¯re thinking Helmont will be using an older weapon this time. Right, Dr. Stan?¡± ¡°He has a object called the Eye of Balor,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Named for a Celtic monster and transported by an entire Naval battle group. It is one of the relics of the Dreamside Road, but it has been held by Helmont all this time. It was never taken away from the Hierarchia. ¡°We have no image of this Eye of Balor or the Balor Battle Group. Baron Helmont may have deliberately withheld this information or he did less to document the weapons he himself possessed. However, we have an account of the eye¡¯s powers and the force that is likely to accompany it. I believe it is a weapon capable of destroying all living matter on this island. Its range may be larger even than that.¡± Orson watched Sirona on the screen. She walked across the cabin toward him. He stood from the table, leaving room for her to join him on his left. She met his eyes and smiled. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡± She whispered in his ear. He took her hand and they sat together. ¡°There was a line to see me.¡± Dr. Stan continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯m going to patch some schematics into our outgoing transmission. We believe these to be up-to-date for some of the ships from¡ª¡± ¡°No way!¡± Eloise interrupted. She leaned closer to her own screen. She winced. ¡°You¡¯re going to hurt yourself again.¡± Carlos spoke from off-screen. ¡°This is big news!¡± Eloise called to him. Distantly, Dino barked in answer. ¡°You two are unbelievable. Orson! When were you going to tell me that you¡¯re back together? What the hell!¡± ¡°Are we back together?¡± Sirona asked him when Eloise broke for air. ¡°They¡¯re already calling me the Keeper¡¯s Consort,¡± Orson said. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a job title last time.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a title last time either,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not up on your terminology,¡± Pops said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think consort¡¯s a job. It¡¯s just a polite way of acknowledging it¡¯s smart to be nice to you, but you have no power.¡± ¡°Orson probably has some power,¡± Franklin said. He sat alone again. Royce had disappeared. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what direction though. I never figured out if Orson was the reckless one or the calming voice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re both calmly reckless,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°Orson,¡± Eloise said. ¡°You need to start taking better care of yourself. You can¡¯t be so beat up if you¡¯re going to be her arm candy. And if you¡¯re back together you definitely can¡¯t go to this island! No!¡± ¡°I wish I could just follow her around for her job.¡± Orson glanced back to the screen. ¡°It would be fun to have something that¡¯s more privileges than responsibilities.¡± ¡°The responsibilities are privileges,¡± Sirona said. ¡°But nothing you can¡¯t handle.¡± She met his eyes again for half a moment and patted his cheek. ¡°You have had the job before.¡± She leaned close and whispered. ¡°You¡¯re even better at it now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still taking it as a promotion.¡± Orson squeezed her hand. He turned aside to hide the flush rising up his cheeks. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just warn the people on this island without going there?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°If Helmont is going there with a doomsday weapon, what can one ship do to stop it ¨C even the Aesir? Tip off the people living there, definitely, but we need you here, Orson. Sirona needs you here. You can¡¯t go now.¡± ¡°No.¡± Sirona said, her voice firm. ¡°He has to go. We have no way of contacting these people, and Orson has the best chance of personally beating Helmont. His crew escaped or won all three of their fights against him.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather this was done too.¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go chasing them to this island, but I need to finish this phase of the Dreamside Road bullshit. None of us will be safe if that baron gets to start his key collection. So we, uh, should probably go through what little we know about this island and the weapons Helmont¡¯s got. Sorry for interrupting you again, Dr. Stan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right, Orson,¡± Dr. Stan answered. ¡°We¡¯re all happy for your promotion. And better for us to enjoy the good news before I deliver the bad.¡± ¡°And we have to make peace with the bad pretty soon,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll be out before dawn if we want any real chance of getting there before the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°Dawn?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°Wow, I have to get to work on my messages to my family. I thought I had all night to figure out what I was going to say.¡± ¡°That reminds me, Jaleel,¡± Pops said. ¡°I have some of their latest replies to you. And some extra impatient comments.¡± ¡°I can only imagine,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to record anything since we were hiding out with Teddy. I haven¡¯t gotten any of their messages since my birthday.¡± ¡°When did you send messages?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I don¡¯t remember that.¡± ¡°Whenever it¡¯s been safe to transmit,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Through Pops and his network. I wouldn¡¯t just disappear. I couldn¡¯t do that to my parents! And my sisters would¡¯ve hunted us down already if I didn¡¯t let them know what¡¯s up.¡± ¡°What exactly do you tell them?¡± Orson asked. ¡°They¡¯ll probably be even more worried if they know what we¡¯re doing. We¡¯re in a lot more danger even than your archers got into with those Sabres.¡± ¡°My stories are very abridged,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We helped a town on Route Sixty-six fight bandits. We¡¯re staying with a friend of Orson¡¯s who¡¯s a chef. Lot¡¯s of great food, that kinda stuff. Don¡¯t worry, Boss. I¡¯m a pro.¡± ¡°Maybe you would be better off as arm candy,¡± Sirona said. ¡°You don¡¯t know what your crew gets up to.¡± She smirked. ¡°I have to keep my eye on Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°He had Jim in my floor. He¡¯s sending secret messages.¡± He sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t pick on Jaleel,¡± Franklin said. ¡°It was a pretty long while before we found out what you and Sirona were getting up to.¡± Jaleel whistled, in answer. Eloise cheered. Even the Maroses laughed nervously. ¡°Oh, maybe you didn¡¯t know,¡± Eloise said. ¡°It was always obvious to me.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Listen, Eloise,¡± Franklin said. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°While I have this encrypt in place,¡± Pops interrupted. ¡°If any of the rest of you have messages to send, I can get that together. That¡¯s no trouble. Do you have anybody you want to talk to, Enoa? You had those friends, your local Sheriff, and that young lady who¡¯s watching your things.¡± ¡°Megan,¡± Enoa answered. ¡°Yeah, I should call. We don¡¯t¡­ We don¡¯t know what¡¯s gong to happen with us here.¡± ¡°Whatever you have to do,¡± Orson said. ¡°Get on that. We have a lot tonight.¡± ¡°Embre also has the compact ceremony for you,¡± Sirona said. ¡°But that won¡¯t be too long.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°We have the farewell toast. So we¡¯ll get this done fast.¡± ¡°One more thing,¡± Pops said. ¡°What if this knight is hostile? This Merrill. That¡¯s my big question. Here¡¯s somebody who ran with the big leagues, but disappeared forty years ago. Anybody can go in weird directions in all those decades. Enoa, did your aunt really know this guy? Or was he just somebody from the program she¡¯d met a long time ago? Because there is a difference.¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Enoa shook her head as if to wake herself. She had the distant look she¡¯d worn since the revelations from the floppies and from her letter. Orson knew he should have found time to speak with her. Was she really prepared to leave safety again? Was she prepared to face the island and the path she¡¯d been waiting for months to follow? He didn¡¯t know. She¡¯d chosen solitude so often lately. And he¡¯d been preoccupied since they¡¯d arrived at the lodge. ¡°My aunt was sure.¡± Enoa finally spoke. ¡°She was totally sure I¡¯d be safe there. This was the plan all along. I think Archie knew the islanders, actively knew them. They had a way of keeping in touch.¡± ¡°Even though these Shapers thought you¡¯d be safe there,¡± Pops said. ¡°What about the rest of your crew? The original knight might be dead. And the other islanders might not have any love for non-Shapers. They might¡¯ve also gotten it in their heads to start their own key collection.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± Orson said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be glad my new friend Grover is also on his way.¡± Franklin laughed. ¡°Let them kill each other. Always a solid idea, Kid.¡± ¡°It is reported,¡± Dr. Stan read from the monitor. ¡°Over two hundred people were taken with the initial group who fled with Sir Merrill to Knightschurch. All were considered enemies to the ISHA. Many of them were ordinary people. And it is believed that more joined them since.¡± ¡°It¡¯s believed,¡± Pops said. ¡°Demographics might¡¯ve changed since the eighties.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this island anyway,¡± Franklin asked. ¡°I¡¯m talking the super basics here. Is the island itself somehow powerful? Or is it just the speck of land this Merrill is living on?¡± ¡°It is a secret redoubt of House Dommik.¡± Sirona spoke with authority. ¡°They were the fourth of the twelve houses that began the global understanding of enigmas. When the Pacific and the Arctic were charted for European powers, Knightschurch was omitted from the very beginning. The Dommiks chose that island. It will have their protections ¨C and some of their magic, as you¡¯d call it. When Sir Merrill inherited it, he will also have inherited true ownership of the island and all its powers. Of course, no one but House Dommik will know exactly what those defenses are.¡± ¡°Two heirs in conflict,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s right.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°The islanders may have other defenses,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°The Dreamthought Project had access to some tools from the Advanced Sciences Division of RRD. Sir Merrill reportedly requisitioned five Verne-class sonic jets and a number of smaller experimental light craft, of a make that was not listed in the records we¡¯ve recovered.¡± ¡°So they¡¯ve got some air support,¡± Orson added. ¡°But for all you know,¡± Pops said. ¡°Merrill is another problem just waiting to get back in the game. If he¡¯s got one of those keys, did he know your wizard?¡± ¡°He and Ophion did not get along,¡± Sirona said. ¡°I never knew any details, but I didn¡¯t get the impression that Merrill was a bad man or some kind of villain.¡± ¡°I think caution is good,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°But I¡¯m tempted to feel optimism toward someone who offers sanctuary to enemies of the Hierarchia. For all their differences, it sounds that Sir Merrill and your friend, Ophion, used their powers in similar ways, building communities and sanctuaries. Like the other known key-holders, much of the information was purged from the official record when the Concealment Truce was expanded.¡± ¡°If the island is connected to the truce,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And you¡¯re the boss of the truce, Sirona, does that mean you¡¯re his president or something?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Sirona said cheerily. ¡°There are communities directly under our collective protection. And some others that are allies in that protection. That¡¯s Knightschurch. But I don¡¯t even know where it is.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not like the Minister for Magic in Harry Potter, or whatever those guys were called in the Artemis Fowl books?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°No,¡± Sirona answered. ¡°Your referencing things to get context is endearing, but those don¡¯t fit. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a magic world secretly hidden. Not for most of us. The Hierarchia wasn¡¯t something people could lie to or easily hide from. They had their own powers. And the ¡®wave a magic wand and solve all your problems¡¯ kind of enigma is really rare.¡± ¡°I had a wand!¡± Aneirin called from the ship¡¯s open door. ¡°I still had problems.¡± Orson looked toward the voice. Melanthymos and Aneirin both stood there, at the ship¡¯s doorway. ¡°We wanted to wait until a proper break in your suicide mission planning,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°But this one couldn¡¯t resist the crack about wands.¡± ¡°I will make another wand,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°Some day.¡± ¡°Everyone,¡± Orson said. ¡°If you can see them, this is Aneirin Aspallen and Doryssa Melanthymos. They escaped with us. Aneirin and Melanthymos, this is a whole collection of people I work with, Eloise Corwin, Franklin West, and Earl Darlow.¡± ¡°No guarantees we¡¯ll be awake to see you off.¡± Melanthymos nodded to the screen. ¡°If you¡¯re sure you want to go die, Gregory, have fun with that. Thanks for freeing us. I hope your end comes quick, but with Helmont that¡¯s pretty doubtful.¡± ¡°We thank you.¡± Aneirin hugged Melanthymos. ¡°I will not forget. If you live¡­¡± ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Pops said, under his breath. ¡°If you live,¡± Aneirin repeated. ¡°You and your love must visit. My castle looks at the sea. Very beautiful. Very romantic.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯d love that,¡± Sirona said. The duo did not stay for further good-byes. Melanthymos led Aneirin away by the hand, out of sight. ¡°Nobody collects ominous warnings like you do, Orson.¡± An accented voice spoke from the screen. Looking back, Orson saw Kash standing in Pops¡¯s study. He was dressed in a white suit, no tie. ¡°Are you here to warn me too?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Of course not,¡± Kash said. ¡°You¡¯re not so average as you seem, Orson. All your freaky trauma has turned you into a killing machine. I have no doubt you and all your crazy friends will still be coming around and causing me problems long after that baron is corpsified.¡± He came closer, until he looked right over Pops¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My friend the motivational speaker.¡± Pops looked up at him. ¡°I¡¯m here for the Galactic Infiltration Model,¡± Kash said. ¡°I hear yours went tourist. How the hell did you manage that one?¡± ¡°I bypassed his main receiver,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°And Jaleel overrode his last command. He is his own android now.¡± ¡°I want a look at him before you leave,¡± Kash said. ¡°Better yet, I want a Jim for myself. I need something as weird as you people to protect me in my golden years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your choice.¡± Orson looked to Jaleel and Dr. Stan. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even choose to take him along, but they¡¯re insisting. He¡¯s not my project.¡± Orson saw Jaleel turned the camera far to the side, toward Jim in his mask and sleep cap. ¡°He¡¯s napping,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°That is really not something you see every day,¡± Kash said. ¡°Is that a standby or did you mess him up that he naps on the job? And what¡¯s that he¡¯s got there? Is he armed?¡± ¡°He¡¯s resting!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And that¡¯s our pet, Wesley. They¡¯re friends. Wesley¡¯s an aeropine. Jim¡¯s very protective of all of us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all lunatics,¡± Kash said. ¡°I have no idea what this means. Can I get a Jim without an aeropine? I would protect the android. I wouldn¡¯t let Earl anywhere near him. Not like my poor Dinos.¡± ¡°Dino?¡± Eloise asked. ¡°Like my dog.¡± ¡°Dinosaurs,¡± Orson said. ¡°Animatronics.¡± ¡°What happened to your dinosaurs, Kash?¡± Franklin asked. ¡°Wayne loved those. He would¡¯ve traded the Aesir for a raptor steed like yours¡­ if he could have.¡± ¡°Burned!¡± Kash said. ¡°And half blown-up by Staff Girl.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t blow it up.¡± Enoa¡¯s voice was sharp, as if with real anger. ¡°Nalrik did. I just broke his gun.¡± ¡°Alright, no need to get legal about it,¡± Kash said. ¡°No one¡¯s getting sued.¡± Orson caught Enoa¡¯s eye. He mouthed, ¡®you okay?¡¯ She nodded. ¡°Would you stop it with your fake lizards?¡± Pops asked. ¡°We¡¯re busy here.¡± ¡°Busy with what?¡± Kash asked. ¡°Just another one of Orson¡¯s shenanigans. Why are we worried? We¡¯ll hear all about it when he forces us to read the book.¡± ¡°I forgot about that!¡± Orson shouted too. ¡°You donated the book I gave you. You gave it away!¡± ¡°I gave it to my childhood library,¡± Kash said. ¡°Did you really expect me to keep it forever? Did you think your life story is going to be one of my family heirlooms? You need a shrink in your life, Orson.¡± ¡°I should make arrangements to return that book,¡± Max said. ¡°There is every chance that we will not get another opportunity.¡± ¡°Aww, you read it?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°See, some people pick it up on their own.¡± ¡°I want to read it too,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You can¡¯t give it back yet!¡± ¡°I have a few copies floating around,¡± Orson said. ¡°I can dig one out, if you¡¯re really interested.¡± ¡°This is why you don¡¯t sell more of them.¡± Sirona hooked her arm through his. ¡°Jaleel, you would buy one, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Sure, I would,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°How do I do that? Are bookstores still a thing, or do I need to be on the New Net?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll set you up,¡± Sirona said. ¡°The memoir was useful,¡± Max added slowly. ¡°I was glad to read his thoughts.¡± ¡°Look,¡± Kash said. ¡°If I didn¡¯t leave my copy there, how would this person have read it? I knew what I was doing.¡± ¡°Can we please get back to planning the mission?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Kash, if you want to see their robot, either help or get outta here.¡± ¡°No need to rip my head off,¡± Kash said. ¡°You¡¯re really scared for them, Earl? What in the world happened that I am the positive one?¡± He stepped away from Pops. ¡°Doctor Stanislakova,¡± Pops said. ¡°Are you really sure this knight isn¡¯t another problem?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read nothing that makes me think he would try to harm us.¡± Dr. Stan looked back toward the monitor. She read. ¡°IHSA report says Sir Merrill showed ¡®no signs of arcane or enigma aptitude at the proper ages¡¯, and that¡¯s a quote.¡± Words began to scroll up the screen. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until he completed his studies through the general IHSA Shaping modules that he could resurrect his bloodline¡¯s extinct methods. If this man was himself without powers, he would be a true monster to have such prejudice.¡± ¡°And God knows true monsters are unheard of,¡± Pops said. ¡°Thanks for sharing, Doctor. I agree with you. There is logic in that. But you have so little of what I¡¯d call real facts that I think you need to be ready for curveballs on this one.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I always ready?¡± Orson grinned. It was a real smile. There was anticipation there. He felt it ¨C a conclusion approaching. Months of battle against Helmont were nearing their end, whatever else waited along the quest for the Dreamside Road. ¡°I know that look,¡± Pops said. ¡°Don¡¯t get full of yourself, Orson. Just because your girlfriend is back after you¡¯ve been going solo for a long time ¨C that doesn¡¯t mean you can be less paranoid. You need to keep your loner wits with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a downer!¡± Eloise said. ¡°This is a magical day for them.¡± Dino barked again in the background. Carlos briefly passed into view, making soft shushing sounds toward their dog. ¡°We want them to have more than the one magical day, don¡¯t we?¡± Pops asked. ¡°Orson can win,¡± Sirona said. ¡°I believe he will win. We trained today¡ª¡± ¡°Trained or ¡®trained¡¯?¡± Eloise raised an eyebrow. ¡°Eloise,¡± Sirona said. ¡°When do I announce details of our relationship?¡± ¡°Both then.¡± Eloise winked. ¡°What I was trying to say,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Is that Orson¡¯s a better fighter now than he was years ago. I¡¯m probably not quite as precise as I was then. I sometimes go whole months with no one trying to kill me. Still, I believe my memory. Orson is at a rare level now. He¡¯s reached his place of fluency. He acts, but his mind and his body are so quick that he can be just as tricky in a fight as he would be with more time to plan. And with someone as naturally chaotic as Orson, that makes him very effective. I would¡¯ve had to burn him to a crisp to beat him today and that¡¯s if I could get through his armor.¡± ¡°He better be good, now,¡± Pops said. ¡°He¡¯s got no more time to learn.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sirona said. ¡°The big recital is coming up and either everybody practiced enough or they didn¡¯t.¡± She looked to the Maroses and Dr. Stan. ¡°I took fiddle and dance lessons for years,¡± she explained. ¡°Either you¡¯ve learned enough before you¡¯re onstage or you haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°What about when the young hero looks deep inside,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°And finds a true connection to the magic or the force or whatever? That¡¯s not practice.¡± ¡°It usually is, actually,¡± Sirona said. ¡°And even then, sudden storybook magic like you¡¯re talking about is really rare.¡± ¡°The best idea is to be ready in advance,¡± Orson said. ¡°So let¡¯s let Dr. Stan finish telling us about this weapon of Helmont¡¯s. That¡¯s one thing none of us has trained for.¡± ¡°No one has,¡± Dr. Stan said. The monitor beside her was filled with a dark, crimson red. ¡°This is the danger of the Dreamside Road. It is a relic that is only half understood, but it has a consistent power. And now it is a weapon for our enemies.¡± She pointed to the screen. ¡°This is the only image we have.¡± ¡°That looks like you broke the monitor,¡± Pops said. ¡°This red light is refracted through the Eye of Balor,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Sirona, you mentioned storybook magic? This is it, of the worst kind ¨C a weapon that can kill everything in its path and with no clear way to oppose it. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to paraphrase the histories, here. The Eye of Balor was found in the South Pacific, by an English merchant ship, in the years before the Second World War. More precisely, the merchants found a beached schooner. It was next to impossible to tell the exact make of the ship or its history, though the general design was quite old by that point. ¡°The ship¡¯s hull had been transformed and blackened into a substance like charcoal that broke when the merchants tried to step aboard. Stranger still, the island all around the wreck was also burned. The remaining trees and vegetation were in a similar state to the ship. ¡°Eventually, they forced their way aboard the schooner, through a place where the sea had eaten a hole in the hull. But they found only more mysteries. They found log books that were blackened and that crumbled in their hands. They found skeletons that appeared fossilized. Even the rings had melted from their fingers. ¡°There was only one object that was not affected, an unusual gemstone¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard this one before,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯m figuring this gemstone might be the source of the freaky cookery.¡± His voice sounded loud to him, breaking the silence from the story. Dr. Stan looked over her shoulder toward him. ¡°We¡¯re being a good audience, Orson!¡± Sirona pressed her finger to his lips. ¡°Sorry,¡± Orson said. ¡°Please continue.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°The stone had a complex interior structure, as if it were composed of many individual crystals, but the stone¡¯s exterior was smooth, as if created and cut deliberately. The merchants took the stone with them when they left that island. ¡°The next day, it burned out their captain¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s believed he was looking through the stone, holding it to catch the light through his stateroom¡¯s window. His first mate heard the captain¡¯s screams and forced entry into the room. By the time the first mate pulled the gem away, the captain¡¯s eyes were burned as if gouged with a hot poker. And the captain never spoke again. We believe now that the light through the stone even harmed his brain. ¡°The stone wasn¡¯t hot to the touch, but it burned the first mate¡¯s hand. He felt pain like he¡¯d forced his palm into an open fire. That brief touch permanently scarred the palm of his hand. ¡°He dropped the stone in his pain. It broke apart when it struck the stateroom floor. It split into seven equal fragments. ¡°The merchants wrapped these seven fragments in heavy cloth and hid them away in the deepest part of their hold. There are no specifics here, but each of the stone¡¯s fragments was as dangerous as the whole gem had been. They believed the seven pieces were still connected by an unseen bond. And the merchants new captain, a Scot, began calling the object or objects the Eye of Balor, for the killing eye of a monster from Celtic myth.¡± ¡°Balor¡¯s killing eye was wrapped seven times,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Seven pieces.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°The merchants returned the stone to England. From there, it eventually reached the hands of the IHSA and the RRD Sector. It has been studied consistently for years. The Eye of Balor has resided at the main island in Helmont¡¯s barony for so long that the island itself was renamed the Balor Atoll. The Eye is marked as a level three danger, and Helmont himself wrote the most recent report. ¡°He said, ¡®the seven stones known as the Eye of Balor remain a mystery, but it is a mystery under our control. We do not know its origin. Development Team favors the cosmic theory. I have seen no reason to disagree. However, it has shown almost forty years of consistency. It is a usable asset.¡¯¡± She looked away from her screen. ¡°This is what¡¯s going to that island ¨C all those people who tried to escape the Hierarchia. All of them will die.¡± ¡°Helmont¡¯s had this thing for forty years!¡± Eloise said. ¡°You can¡¯t fight that! How do you stop light from shining at you?¡± ¡°Is all the light that comes near that thing transformed?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Or is it just the light that passes through it, that gets focused by the crystals. Is it like those messed-up kids who cook bugs with magnifying glasses?¡± Orson remembered another strange gemstone, one that had its own power of light. ¡°Everything¡¯s got its rules. We¡¯ve seen things like this before. I¡¯ve destroyed things like it before.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Kid,¡± Franklin said. ¡°The Opal and that climate laser thing of Bolon¡¯s didn¡¯t fight back. This sounds worse than you¡¯ve seen before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like an actual Indiana Jones MacGuffin,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Except the bad guys don¡¯t get to use those in the movies.¡± ¡°With any luck,¡± Orson said. ¡°Helmont won¡¯t be using this either. We can¡¯t let light through it. We can¡¯t look at it. We can¡¯t touch it. But if it can be wrapped up and carted from the Pacific back to England, half the world away ¨C if we get to it, we can take it.¡± ¡°Contain it?¡± Max asked. There was a quaver in his voice. ¡°Perhaps you were right, Orson. Perhaps these objects do need to be destroyed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sure sleep better when its gone,¡± Orson said. ¡°Is there any more about the ships Helmont¡¯s got, the actual battle group? Other than those schematics that¡ª¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one who¡¯s seen things like this,¡± Pops said, in a slow, grave tone. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Hierarchia kill for these relics. I¡¯ve seen them turn men into monsters. I¡¯ve seen¡­ How in hell are you this calm, Orson?¡± ¡°Because this is what he does,¡± Sirona answered for him. ¡°I spent my whole childhood terrified of the Hierarchia and their administrators. Fighting them, even one of them, it was like imagining standing up to a whole host of demons. ¡°But Orson did it,¡± she said. ¡°The rest of us, we¡¯re super geniuses or natural warriors or¡­¡± She smiled. ¡°Or fire elementals. But Orson is Orson. He¡¯s what the Hierarchia always really wanted to create, a normal man who can learn to fight against the great mysteries of this world. The Hierarchia used drugs and nuclear isotopes and mental torture on people, but that didn¡¯t manage it. Orson succeeded, with help from the rest of us, and he¡¯s so good at this he raises the rest of us along with him. ¡°None of us know what will happen or what Helmont or the islanders can do, but the Aesir crew has exactly what they need. They¡¯ll be at sea with an oceanographer. They¡¯ll fight a seafaring fleet with a Naval veteran. They have the heir to a Dreamthought Project key-holder and a genius ¨C the first real official crewmember this ship ever had.¡± Jaleel cheered. ¡°They have an android and a biological experiment who the Hierarchia thought they owned, but didn¡¯t. They have exactly the right people on this mission. So when the last master of the Hierarchia gets to that island, after a lifetime of work, he¡¯ll be too late. Orson Gregory and his crew will already be there waiting for him.¡± ¡°Now you are building me up too much.¡± Orson felt his face flush again. He looked down. ¡°Thanks, Babe.¡± Sirona made the shape of a heart with her hands, under the table. ¡°I¡¯m building you up enough not to be scared. And because everything I said was true. And because you¡¯ll work extra hard to prove me right, now that I put myself out there. It would be really embarrassing if I was wrong.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We¡¯re the Aesir crew! We¡¯re gonna save that island and stop the baron in a big final showdown, like the end of a comic book story arc.¡± ¡°Kash is right,¡± Franklin said. ¡°You¡¯re all nuts. When I was with you guys, we¡¯d go after the sorcerer doomsday weapons, but we weren¡¯t so damn excited about it. It¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°Maybe we are crazy,¡± Enoa said. She wore a weak smile too. ¡°I didn¡¯t train all these months to watch someone else¡¯s home burned by the Liberty Corps. Uh, sorry, Kol.¡± Kol nodded weakly. There was a tremor in his flesh-and-blood hand. He held tight to the arm of the chair. ¡°Kol¡¯s not the Liberty Corps anymore,¡± Orson said. ¡°He has work ahead of him, but he gets a new chance to help this world for real, without the cult of Grand Poobah Hawthorne.¡± ¡°I said to Orson the other day,¡± Sirona said. ¡°This isn¡¯t a time for conquering hordes or super weapons. It¡¯s for choices and individuals. It¡¯s a time for wayfarers.¡± ¡°What¡¯s our next move,¡± Max asked. ¡°Captain Gregory?¡± ¡°Well, Captain Maros,¡± Orson answered. ¡°We can¡¯t find out more about that gemstone, but we can maybe learn a little about the people who will be using it. Let¡¯s go over everything we¡¯ve got about the Balor Group. Let¡¯s read about our buddy Grover again. And when we get to that island, we might not know much about Sir Merrill, but we¡¯ll be able to tell him about the people who are coming to attack his island. ¡°And if we¡¯re lucky, we just might get rid of Helmont¡¯s personal piece of the Dreamside Road.¡± 148 - 3,200 Pounds Kol watched his brother and the Aesir crew join Embre Vass in a wide circle. They surrounded a raised metal table. The evening sky was a rich orange. Kol stood away from the gathering, in the shadow of another tall oak tree. ¡°For one hundred and thirty-five years,¡± Embre said. ¡°The Lodge at the Eldest Oak has sent travelers on their journeys. And we maintain the old traditions of compacts made between adventurers. Tonight you form one of the oldest bonds between people. By some reckoning, it¡¯s second in age only to marriage. You join together in a common cause. Before, you may have been friends. Some among you were almost strangers. But now you share in a quest.¡± Kol heard footsteps behind him. He turned and found Wyll Siegast approaching. Wyll smiled. He didn¡¯t speak until they stood side-by-side. Then he whispered. ¡°The crew¡¯s all packed. Once the ceremony is over and you say good-bye to your brother, we¡¯ll be all ready to leave.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kol said. And then he would watch Max fly off toward danger without him. As a Captain of the Liberty Corps, Kol had failed to catch the Aesir. It would not be the first time he watched that ship leave him behind. But it was a different thing knowing Max would be aboard, that he might soon be facing the world alone. Embre lifted a satchel from the ground. She removed a jug and several small glasses. As if on cue, Sirona entered the ring from the opposite side. She touched her hands to the raised table. One side began to glow with a red light. Even from that distance, Kol saw that the metal lit in the shape of a crescent. On the other side of the table, away from the light, Embre began filling glasses with liquid. ¡°This is our own metheglin,¡± Embre said. ¡°Every ingredient is grown and made here, at the Eldest Oak. Our own bees and our own herbs made this. Drink together and grow together as you begin your journey.¡± Kol saw Embre slide five filled glasses forward, but there were several others on the table. The innkeeper began to collect them, sliding them back into her satchel. ¡°Wait,¡± Kol said, before anyone could take their drinks. ¡°Please wait. Pour another. Please. I¡¯m going too.¡± Everyone looked at him. Embre made no move toward either the jug or the glasses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kol nodded to Wyll. ¡°If this hadn¡¯t happened so fast, I wouldn¡¯t have left you waiting all day. Let me know what your crew charges by the hour, Wyll, and I¡¯ll make it right by them for waiting.¡± ¡°You¡¯re building up a few debts there, Kol.¡± Orson held his hands out over the glowing crescent. ¡°What¡¯s one more?¡± Kol walked to the table. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to pay,¡± Wyll said from behind him. ¡°I¡¯m a little tempted to tag along myself.¡± ¡°Kol,¡± Max said. ¡°You are not coming with us. You coming will do nothing but place you needlessly in danger. You¡¯re too new at your Shaping. And you have no needed expertise like the rest of us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong there.¡± Kol came to stand beside him. ¡°You know Naval warfare, but I know the Liberty Corps.¡± He looked back to Orson. ¡°I failed as your enemy, but maybe I could be useful as an ally.¡± ¡°Kol.¡± Max turned toward him. ¡°You have a chance at safety from the Liberty Corps. You have asylum waiting for you. If the Liberty Corps catches you again¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯ll kill me?¡± Kol asked. ¡°If Helmont seizes the Dreamside Road and destroys the Pacific Alliance, then I¡¯ll still die, just later. I wanted to protect this world by joining the Liberty Corps. But now I¡¯ll have to help protect the world by fighting them.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°I already needed to redeem myself for what I did to us. Now, I have a great deal further to go to find redemption. But redemption doesn¡¯t wait for me hiding in the Pacific Alliance with your Navy friends, while you leave to fight.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to redeem where our injuries are concerned,¡± Max said. ¡°We could just as easily be dead, no matter what you did.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kol remembered the sight of the ships on the horizon. And he remembered Max racing toward him, the last his brother would use his legs. ¡°We would have been safe.¡± ¡°What is all of this?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I think we¡¯re about to get his backstory,¡± Jaleel whispered. Enoa shushed him. ¡°I¡¯m the reason we were maimed,¡± Kol answered. ¡°When I lost my hand and Max lost the use of his legs. It was my fault. After the Office of Naval Intelligence fell to Thunderworks, Max tried to get us ¨C my parents and me ¨C to a safe distance before he reported to his next assignment. But I wasn¡¯t home. I¡¯d snuck out to the top-floor apartment of a family friend. I hoped I¡¯d get a look at the League of Nations¡¯ fighters.¡± Kol found the distant part of himself that could recite his story from memory and that had done so when he¡¯d first joined the Liberty Corps. All the recruits had shared their Thunderworks stories, and Kol learned not to refuse, after the Liberty Corps had gifted him a new hand and grafted it his nerve endings. ¡°Kol,¡± Max said. ¡°You were a teenager then.¡± ¡°I was only months from enlistment age,¡± Kol answered. ¡°And how many lied to enter wars at that same age or younger?¡± ¡°And there¡¯s a reason why teenaged enlistees make very few decisions,¡± Max said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Kol said, and he continued before Max could say more. ¡°Thunderworks attacked before the fighter defense could get to that part of Philadelphia, and Max found me right before a stray rocket hit the building. A thirty-two hundred pound ceiling collapsed on us. We¡¯re lucky to be alive. We were buried for over a day. And when we were dug out, we learned that our parents died in another rocket strike. They were driving to collect us.¡± ¡°It would have been no different if we¡¯d been caught in evacuation,¡± Max said. ¡°When the Starbirds hit Interstate Ninety-five, they used more than one rocket. We would¡¯ve died too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that,¡± Kol said. ¡°We would never have taken the interstate out of the city. There were safer ways. Instead, I caught us all in the battle, all because I wanted to see the new ships.¡± He nodded to Orson and then to Enoa. ¡°I wanted to see Sun Talons. I fooled myself into thinking it was fate when I had those ships on my side.¡± ¡°Christ,¡± Orson said. ¡°No wonder.¡± ¡°But I learned everything wrong,¡± Kol said. ¡°I lost my home but destroyed yours, Enoa. I thought I was walking this fateful, destined path, and that¡¯s all that mattered. I thought the story I was following was similar to yours, Orson. I had my own wise mentor. I thought I had my own guide to this dangerous world, a woman who truly cared about me, not just the power we¡¯d found. But I was wrong. The signs I thought I saw were just lies. The stories weren¡¯t real for me. The story I was telling myself led me to excuse real evil. ¡°This, now, is the first time I might hope to help and defend people. And now there¡¯s no narrative for me. I don¡¯t have an easy story guiding me. Just me. And this time I¡¯m not running into a disaster for other people to save me. Now I¡¯m just following and doing what I can ¨C making the kind of choices I always should have made.¡± Kol looked between Max and then Orson. But Orson also eyed Max warily. ¡°You made the choice to help already at the Pinnacle,¡± Embre said. ¡°There are people who would¡¯ve died falling in that skimmer who are alive right now because of you.¡± ¡°If we are unsuccessful at Knightschurch,¡± Dr. Stan rounded the far side of the crescent. ¡°It is true that safety for him would be quite unlikely to find.¡± Max took a deep breath, and he nodded. ¡°If you¡¯ll have him, Aesir crew, then I will not stand in his way. My apologies Embre and Wyll for interrupting your plans.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Wyll said, still out of sight, along the trees. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Embre pulled out another glass. ¡°You are joining them in this quest, to share an equal burden in this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kol said. ¡°No!¡± Another figure rushed from the trees, a bearded man ¨C one of the Vass sons. ¡°Giving the drink of our home to this dog? And you¡¯re in on this, Sirona? You¡¯re all too quick to forgive.¡± ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t going to see you again, Darick,¡± Orson said. ¡°That was the deal, right?¡± Kol saw him raise his left shoulder, leaving his sword¡¯s hilt extended and tilted within reach. ¡°This isn¡¯t my decision,¡± Sirona said. Her voice went cold. ¡°And I will not be brought to task by a non-voter. When you establish yourself as a full member, then we will talk. Not before.¡± ¡°This is bigger than your damned truce,¡± Darick said. ¡°This is older honor than the agreement your hippie made with the feds.¡± Darick pointed at Kol. ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve a bond formed by the drink from our table.¡± ¡°Listen,¡± Orson spoke fastest. ¡°Wait,¡± Kol interrupted. He raised his prosthetic hand. ¡°I don¡¯t need to drink. That¡¯s not why I¡¯m doing this. I just want to help.¡± ¡°Darick,¡± Embre tilted the jug and filled another glass anyway. ¡°You make me a liar, boy. And you forget the nature of all the things that hold you safe. The table and drink are mine, and I¡¯ll say who shares them. The sovereign will is mine, and it holds this place a sanctuary, not the sword you¡¯ve never raised in danger. The forge and foundry are mine too, and all the metal craft that comes from them are made with my power.¡± Darick yelped, as if stung or struck. Then he moaned. He gripped at his wrist and tore a metal band over his hand. He flung it into the grass. He reached in his shirt and pulled at a chain around his neck. He yelled and drew his hand back from the metal. Darick pulled his whole shirt off to get the chain away from his flesh, leaving his chest bare. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Then Darick undid the buckle of his belt and let it, sheathed sword and all, to fall to the ground. ¡°We will speak of this,¡± Embre said. ¡°You have your father¡¯s anger and none of the sense that saved his life.¡± Darick said nothing, now gripping the waist of his pants. He turned aside and hurried back between the trees without collecting the fallen metal objects. Embre pushed the new glass of metheglin toward Kol. He waited as the others, all silent, collected their drinks. But he still hesitated. ¡°That¡¯s for you,¡± Embre said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kol said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know. I may need to accept that I don¡¯t deserve honors like these. I will meet men who think of me like your son does. All my life now I will. And I will deserve it.¡± A small chime came from Orson¡¯s coat before any could answer him. ¡°Oh hey!¡± Orson pulled his goggles to his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s Teddy.¡± He touched his fingers to the goggles. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of my dinner crowd, man, and I almost forgot you guys!¡± A jolly baritone spoke from Orson¡¯s goggles. ¡°Hi everybody! April says ¡®hi¡¯ too.¡± Everyone seemed to shout in answer, even Dr. Stan and Enoa. Kol started at the sudden sound of their voices. ¡°You¡¯re right on time,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Oh yeah, man,¡± Teddy answered. ¡°You just said sundown so I have a hard time remembering when it¡¯s not real times, y¡¯know.¡± ¡°How is my inn, Teddy?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°One of the best,¡± he answered. ¡°There aren¡¯t too many places this full on a Tuesday night! How¡¯s our Orson?¡± ¡°Definitely the best.¡± She took Orson¡¯s hand. ¡°Anyway,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Farewell to questing wayfarers! Jaleel, may the Force be with you! And Orson, carry legend or whatever the line is.¡± ¡°Thanks, buddy,¡± Orson said. ¡°With all of your cooking for the flight out, we¡¯ll be in tip-top shape for whatever we find there. Just the farewell toast and then we¡¯ll be all set to leave in the morning.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Teddy said. ¡°Let me pour myself something.¡± There was the distant sound of pouring liquid. ¡°I¡¯m mooching from you, Sirona.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not a usual fan of sweet alcohol,¡± Teddy said. ¡°But the mead you keep around here isn¡¯t bad.¡± There came the clink of glass. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡± Embre caught Kol¡¯s eye and pushed his glass toward him. He took it, just as all the others raised their drinks. He waited for a typical toast, but none came. All drank and Kol followed. He expected a pure honey taste, all sweet, but there were muted fruits too, and citrus, and a mix of spices he couldn¡¯t identify. And when he swallowed, it left him with a feeling of eerie anticipation. He¡¯d felt that before Nimauk and the day he¡¯d been buried. It frightened him, but the feeling remained. ¡°Then go with our blessing,¡± Embre said. ¡°Knightschurch awaits.¡± * * * Christabel gasped when the coffee sloshed onto her lap. The heat snapped her awake. The coffee line ran down her leg and burned as it went. She set her mug aside and pulled the cloth of her pants away from her skin. She hurried for the kitchen. ¡°They¡¯ve got you working too hard, Chris!¡± Her father called after her. ¡°You go to bed if you need sleep. I¡¯ll be alright.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the big data review now.¡± She called back. She wet a paper towel and dabbed at the coffee line. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on this for a long time.¡± Investigative Researcher 3 had dominated her time in the days since the battle at the Pinnacle Holdfast. Four sixteen-hour days ¨C each day left less time for Christabel Lake. Chris lived in exhaustion, so IR-3¡¯s work maintained its quality. ¡°I have to do laundry later anyway.¡± She returned to the living room. The plain white walls and black furniture came standard. Only the framed photos and wall art were theirs. ¡°So no harm done.¡± Her father stood, waiting for her, cane in hand. ¡°They¡¯ve given you a rough few days.¡± Behind him, a classic Jeopardy episode played on the muted television. All the contestants had pronounced 1980s hair and shoulder pads. ¡°I¡¯m calling for delivery.¡± Her father walked for the phone, an old landline. He grimaced as he moved. ¡°You can¡¯t cook like this.¡± ¡°But I missed pizza night and roast beef night!¡± Chris protested. ¡°We have to catch up on them.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do that when, uh¡­¡± He looked up at her, phone in hand. ¡°We¡¯ll do that when your review is done. So, what do we want? Pizza night doesn¡¯t have to be homemade. That new Enzo¡¯s is good. I got to talking to him last week, Enzo, after one of my drives. You know, he¡¯s from Bridgeport, not too far from where your old man grew up. And Enzo¡¯s new here, isn¡¯t he, so there must be some other people who made it through like us.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to talk about that stuff, Dad,¡± she said. ¡°This is supposed to be a fresh start.¡± ¡°They¡¯d go to all the trouble of hiring a pizza chef and carting him all the way up here, just to punish him for talking about his life?¡± Her father pointed at her with his cane. ¡°And me? What¡¯ll they do to me? The dad of their number three researcher.¡± ¡°That¡¯s secret, Dad!¡± she said. ¡°Secret from everyone. And that¡¯s not what the numbers mean. It¡¯s about area of focus.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only talking to you,¡± he said. ¡°And area of focus three is probably pretty important, right? You can admit that much, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± she admitted. Her work was important enough to see the secret satellite feeds and all the enigma data they were collecting from the Liberty Corps. ¡°But the whole point of this is staying safe.¡± ¡°If never talking about where a guy grew up is the only way to stay safe¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. They¡¯ll have Enzo in one of those helmets soon. His son, the delivery boy, already wears one. I thought it was just supposed to be information and security, but they¡¯ll have us all in the damn things.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Chris said. Her father stared at her, as if waiting for her to say more. When she didn¡¯t, he dialed the phone. ¡°Enzo¡¯s?¡± He said. ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to order a large pie. Delivery, please. Yeah, extra cheese sounds great, and pepperoni on one side. Yeah, great. Let me see, one second.¡± He held the phone away from his face. ¡°Honey, do we want the parmesan garlic bread?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll have a day or two with lunch that way.¡± Her father nodded and held the phone back to his face. ¡°Yeah, that too. And two large sodas. Yeah, the lemon. Thanks. Name¡¯s Leonard L¡ª¡± Her father stopped short, as if interrupted. He sighed. ¡°Of course you already have our code.¡± He listened for another moment, muttered ¡°thanks¡±, and hung up. ¡°Twenty-five minutes.¡± Her father sat again with a groan and raised the TV remote. The sound returned on the game show. ¡°To most cooks,¡± said the vintage Alex Trebek, sporting his vintage 1980s mustache. ¡°Ratatouille isn¡¯t ratatouille without this purple vegetable.¡± ¡°What is eggplant?¡± Chris¡¯s father said. ¡°What is eggplant?¡± A contestant said, too. Chris let her mind wander again, but didn¡¯t doze. She had enough fear to keep her awake. Would helmets be mandated for all? Chris waited for her father to say more, but he didn¡¯t. She returned to her armchair and made sure it wasn¡¯t wet from the spilled coffee. Then she sat again. The vintage episode cut to a sponsored message, prerecorded decades earlier, just as knocking began at the front door. ¡°Today¡¯s second-place contestant will receive this beautiful thirty-inch electric range with self-cleaning¡­¡± The announcer spoke from the TV, a synth rendition of the classic Jeopardy theme playing in the background. A second knock sounded, and Chris jumped back to her feet. ¡°That can¡¯t be the pizza already,¡± her father said. ¡°No, it can¡¯t.¡± Chris walked to the door. It was not the pizza delivery. A glance through the peephole showed a figure outside in full scarlet and black, with a cloak that blended into the night air around her. A coiled loop of metal hung at the figure¡¯s hip. Chris opened the door and bowed. ¡°Journeyer Lyrid.¡± She found the calm tone she saved for her professional life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry IR-3 is not prepared to meet you.¡± She stepped outside and shut the door behind her. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Lyrid said. ¡°I came unannounced, but I need IR-3. You did fine work in the Cloud report, and I¡¯m assembling a force for an indefinite field operation. Details are waiting in your account. We have reason to believe that the Travelure may be aware that Royal has made his move. An intervention is imminent.¡± ¡°How could they know that?¡± Chris asked. ¡°Details are in your account,¡± Lyrid repeated. ¡°I have RN-25 on hand to help your father. She is here now to meet with him. She¡¯ll introduce herself when we depart. And she will provide him with a direct-line comm in your absence.¡± Chris looked beyond the specter in red to the standard Orthanc Industries cars parked at the curb. One of them bore the caduceus, the snake-twined staff, the ancient symbol of renewal and healing. And beyond that, another specter in red and fading black stood in front of the next identical prefab house. Lyrid followed Chris¡¯s glance back toward the other armored figure. ¡°What is it, Estel?¡± Lyrid asked. ¡°I want another placement for a chemical operative on the team.¡± Estel spoke in a bass monotone. ¡°I won¡¯t have time to maintain the full set alone.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no place for another operative,¡± Lyrid answered. ¡°Bring what you can maintain on your own, but I want aspen, amber, flame, and glass.¡± ¡°The most difficult,¡± Estel said. ¡°Does Master Ruhland expect conflict?¡± ¡°He expects us to be prepared,¡± Lyrid said. ¡°You¡¯ll have the spare storage for your preparations. I chose you only for your versatility. If you can¡¯t be ready, then I¡¯ll find someone else.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage the essentials,¡± Estel said. ¡°And we have Kyth piloting with everything she¡¯ll bring. But that makes me question why you¡¯re on this mission, Lyrid. How are you relevant? Is the old fire obsession the only reason you¡¯re leading us or is there something I don¡¯t know about? I¡¯m already handling¡ª¡± Estel fell silent when Lyrid raised the coiled metal from the hook at her hip. With a turn of her wrist, Lyrid lashed it out into the air like a whip. Blue fire raced along the whip, and the metal split into many burning heads. The weapon flashed with color, like a forking lightning bolt, that bore down the street toward Estel. Chris fell away from the sudden light. The whip stopped and curled back, right is Estel¡¯s face. The other armored figure stepped away. Lyrid cracked her whip a second time, before the flaming heads could fall to the groud. Blue light flashed again, even faster now. It stretched in an instant and stopped only inches from Estel¡¯s face. Then the flames were extinguished and the weapon retracted back to a single strand. ¡°I need nothing, but this.¡± Lyrid returned the whip to her side. ¡°Meet Kyth,¡± she commanded. ¡°We launch as soon as we all gather.¡± Estel bowed his head and continued up the street. Then Lyrid looked to Chris. ¡°Get your helmet, IR-3. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I can be at the spaceport in twenty minutes,¡± Chris said. ¡°I¡¯ll pack a bag, collect my helmet, and speak to my father.¡± ¡°Speak to your father and collect your helmet,¡± Lyrid said. ¡°But there is an away bag already waiting for you.¡± She nodded. ¡°Take ten minutes. Prepare him for your departure. I can wait that long for IR-3.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chris bowed again. She backed through the door. Inside, the television was dark. Her father stood just beside the doorway. He watched her. ¡°I was called to work, Dad.¡± Chris tried to find the easy cheer she showed her father. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s¡­ connected to the information review.¡± ¡°Indefinite field operation?¡± Her father asked. ¡°Dad,¡± Chris whispered. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t be listening when I get a work visit. There¡¯s a nurse who can help you, if you need it, while I¡¯m gone. She¡¯ll introduce herself once I leave.¡± ¡°Will you be safe?¡± he asked. ¡°Where they¡¯re taking you, will you be safe? They were talking about weapons. That girl ¨C Lyrid ¨C she sounded really young. And what¡¯s that thing she has?¡± ¡°She¡¯s trained, Dad,¡± Chris said. ¡°She has a cold attitude, but it¡¯s her job to keep me safe. And there will be more vouchers for us. Every hour I spend away will be overtime. We could use those tokens for another gardening plot or newer entertainment files or¡­¡± ¡°They should pay you real wages,¡± her father said. ¡°I know they don¡¯t want things the way they were, but if you could be hurt, you shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± He trailed off again too, and he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t need their damn nurse. I¡¯ll give her a wave out the door, once you leave with the lion tamer.¡± ¡°Dad,¡± Chris began, but he pulled her into a hug. He held her tight, clung to her. She knew his fear, and she gripped his back. ¡°You need to be safe,¡± he whispered. ¡°We¡¯d manage if you took a lower position. We¡¯d be alright. I don¡¯t want gardening plots or newer game shows.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°But this is the only reason we¡¯re here and why you have your medicine. We can¡¯t go back to the way it was.¡± Chris fought the lump that rose in her throat. ¡°I love you,¡± she said. ¡°And I will be in contact whenever I¡¯m allowed.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± he said. Chris took to the narrow stairs. She followed them to her room and the small lockbox hidden under her bedside table. Chris opened it and drew out her own crimson mask. She put it on. The HUD displayed text in front of her eyes.
NEW MISSION ASSIGNMENT: FIELD OPERATION
Commander: Journeyer Lyrid
Term: Indefinite
Position: Research Lead
She opened the message and said, ¡°IR-3, reporting in.¡± 149 - Launch ¡°Why are you still awake?¡± Sirona spoke softly. She still faced away from him, their bodies pressed together and their legs intertwined. ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡± Orson gave her a squeeze. She took his hand and put her fingers through his. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste that time sleeping.¡± She laughed. ¡°Why are you awake?¡± ¡°Same reason,¡± she said. ¡°I never gave you your gifts. I have new coats for you. They¡¯re so much better, with an interior that can hold your armor and an outer layer that can billow in a very heroic way. They¡¯re perfect for the adult adventurer who doesn¡¯t have to worry about his Tinker Bell boot setting the coat on fire. Oh, and these coats have a new weave, with better climate control. And they¡¯re more flame retardant. I also finally finished the new disruptor I wanted to make for your sword, years ago. There¡¯s a smaller chance of it exploding.¡± ¡°How much smaller?¡± He rested his chin on her bare shoulder. Strands of her hair fell across his face. He¡¯d forgotten the unique smell that meant Sirona, the scent that had clung to their bed and the clothes she¡¯d left behind. For months, he¡¯d held onto that scent, until it faded and he forced it from his mind, one more painful memory. ¡°A lot smaller,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s the difference between, ¡®this will eventually explode if you keep using it¡¯, and ¡®there¡¯s a chance this could explode, but there¡¯s also a good chance it won¡¯t¡¯.¡± She turned her cheek against his face. He breathed deeply and squeezed her again. ¡°You¡¯re sniffing me?¡± ¡°I missed you,¡± he said. ¡°I missed you,¡± she said, but she sighed. ¡°I must smell different now too. I bought up as much of my old perfume as I could, but it¡¯s going on six years. I just can¡¯t find it anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not smelling your perfume.¡± He leaned forward to kiss her. She reached up and held his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± She fell back against him. ¡°I forgot how charming you can be, in your own Orson way. I made myself forget a lot of things.¡± ¡°I did too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bad.¡± She turned her face away from him and leaned her head back toward his. ¡°Now if you want to sniff me, you get a face full of hair. I¡¯m used to it, but that¡¯s not how I wore it with you before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said. ¡°It fits your whole master magic-woman thing.¡± ¡°I wondered what you¡¯d think. After everything, I wanted to make a lot of changes. It seemed like the time to do it. And I always said if I grew my hair out, it would only be when I¡¯m not actively on the road anymore.¡± ¡°It is different,¡± he said. ¡°I kinda did miss the short-haircut, adventurer Sirona used to wear, but that¡¯s not what you¡¯re doing anymore. You¡¯re the powerful, wise, magic woman. You need the flowing locks for that.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t already the powerful, wise, magic woman before?¡± He didn¡¯t need to see her in the darkness to know she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t use my words against me.¡± He rested his face on top of hers. ¡°You know what I mean. You¡¯re the leader now. Your look fits your gig. And you couldn¡¯t write threatening stuff in your braids if your hair isn¡¯t long enough to braid.¡± ¡°How do you know about that?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been brushing up on your arcane lore?¡± ¡°Melanthymos told me,¡± he explained. ¡°Back with you phone booth illusion. Something about you cooking people or whatever.¡± ¡°She can read story knots?¡± Sirona slid her head from beneath his and looked up at him. ¡°It¡¯s good she didn¡¯t see me when I first got here. I put a special hello to you in my hair.¡± ¡°You did some witchy thing to your hair, to magic me?¡± He leaned away in mock outrage. ¡°What did it say?¡± ¡°It was an invitation,¡± she said formally. ¡°An invitation to resume our old agreement.¡± ¡°Our adventuring agreement?¡± He lay down again, pressed himself to her, the soft warmth of her skin. ¡°Or the agreement where I selflessly donate my body heat when you train too much and get the chills?¡± ¡°Well, what do you¡ª¡± she began. ¡°I accept.¡± He kissed her again. ¡°Thank you for the gifts,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll take them along. I have a feeling I¡¯ll break them in pretty soon. I, uh, I always try to use your gifts well. I was really sparing with the lantern. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt your life or intrude, with me using it all the time. Well, you already know that.¡± ¡°I know what?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You know,¡± he said. ¡°How you¡¯re bound or whatever to the flame of your making. And the lantern is all you. So I was really careful. I was carrying a piece of you, but we weren¡¯t together then. I needed to be cautious when I used that part of you, even just to defend myself. But I only brought it to Norlenheim and then again during this last couple months¡­ What?¡± Sirona held her hand to her mouth, but she lost her fight with laughter. She reached out and pulled him close. ¡°You¡¯re so sweet.¡± She threw her arms around his neck. ¡°You take my lore so seriously. That¡¯s not literal, Orson. No, I had no idea when you had the lantern. I mean, when I heard about you cutting a whole battleship in half, I thought that I might¡¯ve helped. But that is so cute.¡± She hugged him and kissed his neck. ¡°Hey, that reminds me,¡± he said. ¡°I actually have a gift to give you too.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been giving me gifts for days.¡± She said, with a nudge to his shoulder. ¡°No, all of this is for both of us,¡± he said. ¡°I mean an actual gift. It¡¯s not a huge deal, but I printed a copy of that picture of our first kiss. It¡¯s with the files to go. We couldn¡¯t print a backup of everything, but we have some stuff, in case, well¡­ You need to be prepared. If something happens to us, you still have your key. They¡¯ll still be after you.¡± ¡°You have my full faith.¡± She took his face in both hands. ¡°If you didn¡¯t, I would find a way to stop you from going. And I¡¯d find another way to help those people. Other than waiting to summon everyone who fought with your Enigma Guard against Thunderworks ¨C and who knows if that¡¯s possible now ¨C I think you are the best we have.¡± Even lying together in the darkness, Orson felt a flush rise up his cheeks. ¡°But even if you win,¡± she continued. ¡°Helmont is not the end, not even the end of the Liberty Corps. And there will be other people after it. No, there are. We shouldn¡¯t doubt that, even if we haven¡¯t seen them. We need a plan. I¡¯ve been thinking about that. I think I¡¯m going to protect the other Key-holders as Keeper of the Truce. If you find them, bring them back. We¡¯ll find the Dreamside Road together. We¡¯ll find a lasting solution together.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great idea,¡± he said. ¡°I beat Helmont. I find some fantasy people. Then you can take over.¡± He kissed the corner of her mouth, then her cheek. He trailed his lips across her skin and kissed her neck, her collarbone. ¡°We should be sleeping.¡± She wove her fingers through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m not tired yet.¡± ¡°If we oversleep because you wanted my attention¡­¡± She had exaggerated sarcasm in her voice, but he knew she was smiling. And when they touched, he forgot all that waited for him. No Helmont. No Knightschurch. No Dreamside Road. Only Sirona. * * * ¡°What more do you hope to learn?¡± Kol saw the clock read 10:45, just over six hours before their departure. ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Potential numbers.¡± Max faced their cabin¡¯s table. Dr. Stan sat beside him. They¡¯d assembled two rows of pages, some left behind by Wyll, the rest printed from the Aesir¡¯s computer. ¡°Weapons ranges, troop numbers, specifics about the ships Helmont¡¯s bringing. Everything with the IHSA was modified. Take the lead vessel, the Balor. It¡¯s ostensibly Nimitz-class, but the storage and weapons capabilities are totally different. If we are going to be useful in this situation to come, I need to be prepared to discuss my area of expertise.¡± ¡°There is also a fair amount of information about Helmont¡¯s knights,¡± Dr. Stan added. ¡°Not all of them are known quantities to you.¡± Kol imagined the gathered knights, Sir Geber and all the rest, surrounded by their students. He remembered the weight of Geber¡¯s mind on his body. He knew the power they all must have. He¡¯d fought so hard to save himself and Max from their control. Now, willingly, they might face them all again. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m too slow a researcher to add very much.¡± Kol stood. ¡°I will need my rest before Shaping.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Kol,¡± Max said. ¡°Goodnight,¡± Dr. Stan added. ¡°Goodnight,¡± Kol answered. ¡°You know, all of the good-byes and the well-wishes the others received tonight, friends and family and the odd man who called Orson¡ª¡± ¡°Teddy?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kol said. ¡°He¡¯s one of Orson¡¯s closest friends,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°He¡¯s like family to Orson.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an heir to the Ookelthorpe family,¡± Max added. ¡°Him?¡± Kol asked. He thought about the faded logo on the doors of the rover that had carried them across the country. ¡°That¡¯s ironic. Are you aware¡­¡± ¡°We drove in an Ookelthorpe Defense Rover for over one thousand miles?¡± Max asked. ¡°Well, you drove. Yes, I know. Orson¡¯s friend Theodore lived or lives on land just west of the old IHSA testing grounds. This was, I believe, a deliberate choice on his part, and it put him on a collision course with a young Orson Gregory, when the Blitzkrieg¡¯s forces sent him to die in the Mojave Desert. Is that correct?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all correct as far as I know,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°They didn¡¯t say very much about the specifics of how they met.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Kol asked Max. ¡°Memoir,¡± Max answered. ¡°At least to get me started. You were trying to say something before we interrupted you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kol said. He looked away from both of them. ¡°Every time anything happened, for good or bad, or any time I did anything really stupid. Duncan was always there. Now, he isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Given the chance,¡± Max said. ¡°We¡¯ll ask Helmont where he sent our dear friend.¡± He smiled, and it was the confident grin of the strong young sailor that Kol had not seen in so many years. ¡°Take it from me,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Revenge is, as the say, a dish best served cold.¡± ¡°Kol¡¯s trained well enough not to let anything get stuck in his head,¡± Max said. ¡°The Liberty Corps couldn¡¯t train you the way I was trained, not on purpose. They taught you in captivity instead, by accident.¡± ¡°They did,¡± Kol said. And he could still feel the moment when he resisted Sir Geber¡¯s strength in Max¡¯s testing room, when he turned the knight¡¯s power aside. ¡°Get some rest, both of you.¡± Kol took their cabin¡¯s small hallway, bare wood, with hanging paintings of the local scenery. He prepared for sleep, but long lay awake. For the rest of the night, both awake and asleep, two images dominated his mind. He saw Duncan carried away from him by Helmont¡¯s forces. And he saw Duncan¡¯s old heirloom watch wrapped around Sir Geber¡¯s wrist. * * * Enoa lay awake in the near-silent darkness. Far away, she heard only occasional sounds from Jaleel, still at work in the ship¡¯s cabin. But she paid him no attention. Tomorrow, she faced her true journey, her real destination. A season had passed for Enoa since she set out seeking Knightschurch, not even knowing its name. All that she had faced on the winding road ¨C the dangers, the places she¡¯d never imagined, the life among the crew ¨C none of it would have happened if she¡¯d read Aunt Sucora¡¯s letter. None of it would have happened if she¡¯d left with Archie Grant, did what her aunt intended. But what would training mean? What would it be to learn from a living person, from a voice that was not her aunt¡¯s? Enoa found no excitement for the next chapter. She knew too little. Would her new teacher try to change what she¡¯d already learned, methods that had saved her life? What more would she learn about the Dreamthought Project, the Hierarchia, her aunt¡¯s role in that long-gone time? What would she do, what would any of them do, if Sir Merrill refused to support their quest? What if he opposed the gathering of Dreamside Road keys? And half of the keys still waited for them, even after Sir Merrill¡¯s and Sirona¡¯s. So much more waited ahead, even after everything, after all those months of fighting. And a third of her year away from Nimauk was already over. Would she return home in defeat if that time ran out? Could she return, if the Liberty Corps still hunted for keys? How could she hope the Liberty Corps would be gone in such a short time? That could not be. Enoa sat bolt upright. She threw her blanket aside. She wiped the sudden sweat from her forehead. She returned to her most basic meditative breathing, ignoring everything. She found that place far away, the mental glade where she did not doubt the impossible, where Shaping could happen. She listened to her breathing and the faint arrhythmic clinking as Jaleel worked on something out in the cabin. She kept her mind blank, following only her sound and the noises of Jaleel at work, until she felt a chill on her sweaty skin. She pulled the blanket back across her legs. Enoa did not check her clock. She did not want to know how many hours remained until their flight. As she¡¯d done for days, she began her transmutation. She spun vapor to water to ice, and back, wheeling the basics of what she¡¯d learned. Enoa let her Shaping steam away as she finally found sleep. * * * ¡°We¡¯ve got our regular food stores and a week more, courtesy of the lodge and Teddy.¡± Orson held the ship¡¯s tablet. He scrolled through the final preflight list. ¡°Thanks to the lodge¡¯s summer camping area, we have a full water tank and empty waste.¡± ¡°And thanks to me,¡± Jaleel called from the copilot¡¯s chair. ¡°Apparently, first mate is the water and sewage specialist. That must go with being two-ply man!¡± ¡°Thank you, Jaleel,¡± Orson said. All of the crew and passengers were already in their seats. Dr. Stan and Enoa sat in the row behind Jaleel. Kol and Max were strapped into the armchairs. ¡°Solar cells are charged,¡± Orson read. ¡°All systems are in good condition. Ruby, is the Aesir ready for launch?¡± ¡°Ruby told me this morning that the Aesir is ready for you, Captain!¡± Jim called from the couch, where he was belted in place. ¡°It is time to go sightseeing?¡± ¡°I am happy to report that we are ready.¡± Ruby spoke in a more natural cadence, with almost none of the robotic stiffness Orson had heard for years. ¡°Everything¡¯s really interactive, suddenly,¡± Orson said. ¡°We are very excited to travel,¡± Jim said. ¡°Ruby told me all about flying and all of the exciting places you go.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Orson said. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s time for sightseeing.¡± He shot a glance at Jaleel, who was turned back toward him. ¡°We are going to talk about all the learning going on here. Do you have the emergency protective helmet?¡± ¡°I spent all night working on it, Boss,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Ready to go.¡± ¡°Jaleel let me know he made a helmet for me, special,¡± Jim said. ¡°My first special gift. You are taking us to see a dangerous place, but I¡¯ll be safe if I keep the helmet.¡± ¡°Safe as any of us.¡± Orson scrolled to the bottom of his list. ¡°We¡¯ll have sightseeing for a while, but we¡¯ll need to head above clouds too. Pops sent an update to the mapping system. Looks like some of the new Pacific powers are having a spat. The Free City of Vladivostok and the Republic of Kenai and Kodiak, in what used to be Alaska, are duking it out over part of the Pacific, so we¡¯ll be staying clear of that.¡± Orson walked to the front of the cabin and returned the tablet to its slot in the dashboard. He faced his crew and passengers. ¡°We ready?¡± Enoa nodded. He couldn¡¯t tell if she was tired, frightened, or sad. She¡¯d gone to her closed-off Shaping place. ¡°Aye-aye, Captain.¡± Jaleel gave Orson a two-fingered salute. ¡°I am ready.¡± Dr. Stan had the sensor screen already active, a small 2-D map of their course plotted. Orson looked to the Maroses. Both nodded too. Then Orson took his new coat and pulled it on. No wires wove through the fabric, not with his boot and blaster both gone. Now, only his armor hid inside. Orson walked to the open door. He let the coat billow out behind him. The Aesir was parked outside the barn, on the side toward the trees and away from the lodge guests. Sirona waited in the glow from the doorway. Aneirin and Melanthymos stood at the far edge of the light. Aneirin gave him a small wave. Melanthymos only stared. ¡°Looks like that¡¯s it,¡± Orson said. ¡°Looks like it.¡± Sirona wore a sad smile. She had her Aesir crew jacket again. Her hair was braided and draped over one shoulder. ¡°Greet Sir Merrill. Hello from the Concealment Truce Keeper.¡± She raised her closed fist. Red flame erupted into life above her knuckles. ¡°And give my best to Grover.¡± She let the flames die away. Orson remembered their last good-bye. After that parting, he did not see her for over five years. He imagined five more years stretching ahead of him, facing another half-decade of horrors before he held her again. Orson jumped from the ship. He pulled Sirona into his arms and kissed her. ¡°Sirona,¡± he said. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you, Orson,¡± she answered. ¡°Find the Key-holders. I¡¯ll find somewhere safe for us all.¡± ¡°And then I¡¯ll be back,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll figure out the rest together,¡± she concluded. Then he heard the faint sound of music. It was a strange droning, like a low and lyrical bagpipe. Orson looked toward the sound and found Embre approaching. She held an odd instrument, shaped something like a violin, but with keys and a curved crank that Embre turned from side-to-side. It took Orson another moment to realize what she was playing. The Wayfarer March sounded strange without the thundering brass. Embre¡¯s hudry-gurdy was less brazen, less like the modern world. But the sound had another quality, like the folk myths out of the legendary past. In Embre¡¯s hands, it was not just new music, it was the latest in an ancient tradition. ¡°Pops sent the sheet music.¡± Sirona spoke directly in his ear. ¡°Embre kindly learned it. Perfect for sending an adventurer to victory.¡± Embre ended her rendition. ¡°I hope you carry legend, Captain Gregory.¡± ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± Orson said. Sirona kissed him a last time, and he held her a heartbeat longer. But then he forced himself away and jumped back into the Aesir. Helmont and his ships were already on their way to Knightschurch. Orson could not afford to arrive second. ¡°Bye.¡± Orson gave Sirona his cockiest smile. ¡°Bye. Be back soon. I miss you already.¡± Sirona smiled back at him, and then there was no sadness. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to tell Grover.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, Grover!¡± Jaleel shouted. ¡°If I get the chance,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him.¡± He was still looking in her eyes when he cycled the door closed. Orson hurried through the cabin and back to the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Thank you for choosing Wayfarer Air for all your adventuring needs. We¡¯ll be seeing a view of the Pacific Northwest, followed by a lot of water, then a lot of clouds. Then we can only really guess.¡± Jim cheered from the couch. Jaleel joined him. There was applause too behind him and distant chattering from Wesley in his pen. Orson triggered the repulsors. He felt the slam at his feet and rose the Aesir into the sky, above the barn, the lodge, and the knobby limbs of the eldest oak. With a burst from the drives, Orson sent them hurtling into the west, toward Knightschurch. * * * Sirona watched the Aesir rocket into the distance. Everything in the clearing flashed with blue like a neon lightning flash. Then the color faded to two bars of light from the Aesir¡¯s twin drives. ¡°You could have stopped him, you know that,¡± Melanthymos suddenly snapped. ¡°He¡¯s a fool, but he listens to you. Only you. If you asked him to stay¡­ Stop!¡± She swatted away Aneirin¡¯s hand when he reached for her. ¡°You sent him to die!¡± ¡°No.¡± Sirona did not look at her. She watched the blue light slowly smear into one remote pinprick. ¡°I sent him to win.¡± Melanthymos made a noise like she was about to vomit. Then she turned and stormed away. Aneirin followed in her wake. ¡°If you plan to come with me to my inn,¡± Sirona called after them without looking. ¡°We leave after breakfast.¡± ¡°We will join you!¡± Anerin called back. He said something to Melanthymos, but Sirona could not hear the words. Embre walked away too then, playing her hurdy-gurdy. She started into a variation on the Wayfarer March, making it more nostalgic than triumphant. Sirona listened to the music and watched the fading light, until the last illumination from the ship was lost to the predawn darkness. 150 - Knightschurch Knightschurch looked like a beached iceberg. Even from thousands of feet, the single dot of white could be seen, glittering alone in the ocean. The Aesir descended toward the island. The ocean raged around below. Enoa saw waves and whirlpools swirling in the water. Seen closer, the island was dominated by a monolith of solid, jagged ice, surrounded by a ring of black sand beach. The sun was high in the noontime sky. Blazing reflections burned back out of the ice. The light shone in rich yellow and orange. ¡°Looks freaky enough to be the place,¡± Orson said. ¡°And big enough. That thing¡¯s a few square miles and at least a hundred feet tall.¡± ¡°Helmont¡¯s information and Enoa¡¯s letter both led us here,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°I would have been very surprised if we found nothing.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Orson guided the ship on a slow curve down toward the ice. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we would¡¯ve done if we found nothing here.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t see any Liberty Corps ships,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Only us moving around on the sensors.¡± ¡°No life form readings either,¡± Orson added. ¡°Nothing but some signals from undersea life. I¡¯ve never done a scan of a fantasy place like this. I wonder if they really can hide from systems like mine.¡± ¡°It would change our plans to find the island deserted,¡± Max said. Orson brought the Aesir level with the top of the ice structure. He slowly circled it. ¡°You ready, Enoa?¡± Orson glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Do you want to say hello? We¡¯ll send them a basic radio signal. If they don¡¯t respond, we¡¯ll try some other signal types.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Enoa said. ¡°If they expect any of us, it¡¯s me.¡± She pulled out the note they¡¯d agreed on, written and rewritten during the flight above the clouds. ¡°Let me know when you want me to talk.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Orson made a chopping motion with his hand. Enoa read. ¡°Hello, this is Enoa Cloud. I am the heir and niece of Sucora Cloud. I¡¯m here to seek training and to deliver a warning. A remnant of the Hierarchia, known as the Liberty Corps, is hunting the keys to the Dreamside Road. They have a battle group of naval ships coming here now. They¡¯re led by Shapers and Baron R.K. Helmont, also formerly of the Hierarchia. ¡°Archie Grant was supposed to bring me and my aunt¡¯s key to you after my aunt¡¯s death, but I¡¯m sorry to say he was killed by an IHSA agent helping the Liberty Corps. ¡°I¡¯m here now as part of the crew of the ship Aesir. The crew helped me survive the last few months since Archie¡¯s death. We have a lot of information about the Liberty Corps ships and Shapers preparing to attack. ¡°Please let us land so we can meet and deliver our warning in person.¡± Orson flipped a switch at the dashboard. He continued their circling course around the island. ¡°We¡¯ll give them a few minutes,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯ll leave that frequency open. Then we¡¯ll repeat the message if we¡­¡± A rumbling began beneath them, like an earthquake under the sea. The water frothed just below, bubbling like it had come to a boil. Orson pulled back on the wheel and sent the Aesir into the sky. More ice, pillars white as marble, erupted from the ocean and rose into the air. Twenty pillars in all climbed from the frothing water before the bubbling ceased. They formed a clear path, rising until they met the beach. Then, on the beach, the sands shifted as if moved by an unseen breeze. A ring began to form there. ¡°Ruby,¡± Orson said. ¡°Magnify.¡± The windshield view changed. A smaller window split from the main display. It showed that a symbol had formed in the sand, a stylized flame, partially encircled inside a crescent moon. ¡°Orson,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°This matches Helmont¡¯s report. The Seal of the Ascendant Fire.¡± ¡°Sir Merrill¡¯s,¡± Orson said. ¡°That¡¯ll match the key he¡¯s got.¡± There came a new hiss from the dashboard. Then a voice spoke over the radio. The reception was poor, muffled by static. ¡°Enoa Cloud,¡± the voice said. ¡°We¡¯ve hoped to see you. Vessel Aesir, please land beside the protector¡¯s seal. We¡¯ll guide you inside.¡± ¡°If anybody¡¯s got an issue with us playing along, speak now.¡± Orson sent the Aesir lower again. He flew them between the ice pillars. Enoa watched the structures out the window. They were perfectly smooth, rounded like stone. Enoa sensed it then, this was Shaping, transmutation like Anemos, with all the resulting heat removed from the growing pillars and left to cook the water around them. Orson landed the ship in the sand beside the seal. After a season of adventures, Enoa and the Aesir had come to Knightschurch. * * * ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Sirona drove her glamered van along a forested road, lined by giants, towering cedar and fir trees. ¡°The best view¡¯s coming up.¡± ¡°We will watch,¡± Aneirin said from behind her. Nothing broke the line of the titanic trees, until a sudden gap in the forest, where a smaller road split off to the right. A sign arched over the road and filled the space between trees. The Inn at the Evergreen Forest Sanctuary to Ancient Woods and Knowledge Sirona would always be eight years old when she saw the sign and turned onto the inn¡¯s concourse. Even after all that had happened, she was transported to that first arrival, a scared little girl brought to her new home, a place of mystery and magic. And this return was no different. Sirona took the turnoff. Then the trees parted onto an acres-wide clearing, filled with gardens and fountains. The Inn at the Evergreen Forest stood at the far side of the clearing, five stories of towers and complex gingerbread. Even the inn was dwarfed by the trees behind it. They made the great mansion-turned-inn look like a doll¡¯s house. But beneath the yellow siding and contrasting gingerbread ¨C the building was more than an inn. It was a fortress, hiding foot-thick walls under its outer facade. Its towers hosted more than employee lodging and private spaces. And it held other secrets, other enigmas and defenses. Sirona knew them now, because Ophion had vanished and the Montgomereys¡¯ leadership had passed. The secrets were now hers, just like the inn was hers and the truce was hers to keep. The Inn at the Evergreen Forest was her home and her castle ¨C only hers. The old powers had left her to lead alone. There were fewer networks to support her, fewer wills to guard against the world. She thought then of the Aesir, somewhere on the Pacific. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t hold it alone for long. ¡°Merrill¡¯s isn¡¯t the only fortress that will defend the Dreamside Road,¡± she said. ¡°Very beautiful,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°Not as old as yours, I¡¯m sure, but old for this part of the world.¡± Patrons crowded either side of the concourse. Even at midweek, the wide, front lot was packed with cars. The sloping western side of the inn¡¯s clearing was dotted with picnickers. The largest pavilion was full too, and a long line wrapped around it. Sirona looked for Teddy at the head of the pavilion, while she waited for a crowd of guests to cross the concourse. She didn¡¯t find him. None of the guests spared the van more than a glance. But they likely saw it silver and new, not its rusted disguise. The air of the inn clearing showed most things as they truly were. Then she drove her van the length of the concourse, between the lot and the picnickers. Further on, were the darkened half-built stalls, waiting for the May Day celebration. All festivities favored the western side, with views of the sprawling, ancient forest. Sirona followed the concourse to its end, until it looped around the inn and reached the smaller lot for employees and special guests. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Sirona parked and looked back to the jumper seats behind her. Aneirin and Melanthymos sat together. ¡°Are you sure you want to pay for the Presidential Suite? Our truce lodging is smaller than Embre¡¯s, but we¡¯d be more than happy to host you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Aneirin smiled. ¡°We want the presidential. Good interest rates while I was away.¡± Melanthymos only nodded. Sirona jumped from the van. She saw no shimmer to the paint under the daytime sun, only perfect silver. Its truth was revealed when it returned home. Sirona opened the door for her passengers and the inn opened for them too. The old, wooden back door, rounded at the top, swung wide. A woman with chin-length, strawberry-blonde hair walked out through it. She wore a uniform of a rich green, and there was a clasp at her throat, adorned with the tree in crescent moon crest. ¡°Nen!¡± Sirona smiled at her. ¡°Thank you so much for keeping watch for me. What have I missed?¡± ¡°Thirty-seven requests and incident reports, ma¡¯am,¡± Nen said. ¡°It¡¯s been constant. There¡¯s a lot to talk about.¡± She eyed Aneirin and Melanthymos. ¡°Nenue Lanwell,¡± Sirona said. ¡°These are guests, escapees from the Pinnacle, Aneirin Aspallen and Doryssa Melanthymos.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Aneirin said. ¡°Beautiful place. We thank you.¡± He smiled at Melanthymos. ¡°Yes. Thanks,¡± Melanthymos said. ¡°You have the Presidential.¡± Nen nodded. ¡°I can show you to your rooms.¡± ¡°Mervyn can help them,¡± Sirona said. ¡°I need your other focus now.¡± She led the way inside into a small foyer, with patterned tile floors in shades of green, white, and brown. Staircases lined each wall and met on the level above. Mervyn was a tall man. He wore the same green uniform, and he was waiting at a small desk beneath the stairs. He stood at their approach. ¡°Mervyn,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Please welcome the Aspallen Party. Masters, I hope I see you both for lunch. Our visiting chef is excellent. He can cook anything.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± Aneirin beamed. He took Melanthymos¡¯s arm. She held on limply. ¡°Hello,¡± Mervyn said. ¡°Welcome to the Inn at the Evergreen Forest. Please follow me.¡± ¡°They¡¯re escapees,¡± Sirona said. ¡°And they have almost no luggage. Please give them anything they need, our gift to them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see to it you¡¯re both thoroughly pampered,¡± Mervyn said. ¡°Thank you!¡± Aneirin said again. ¡°You are very kind.¡± He and Melanthymos followed Mervyn up the nearest stair and out of sight. ¡°Updates, please.¡± Sirona turned back to Nen. ¡°Anything dangerous?¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°You have two requests from protectorates.¡± Nen retrieved a clipboard from the desk. ¡°Seven from voting members. The cleaning team at Gertrude¡¯s cabin found another storage compartment she forgot about. We needed to hire a plumber for level four, broken valve. The invoice is waiting for you.¡± Nen flipped through pages on the clipboard. Then she set it aside. ¡°You had one call on your private line,¡± Nen said. ¡°Not the truce number. Orson Gregory expected to speak with you two nights ago, about a work problem. He seemed very surprised you weren¡¯t here and chose not to leave a message.¡± ¡°He called?¡± Sirona asked. Orson had looked so upset when she¡¯d found him at the lodge, so confused and disappointed. Even after five years, Orson¡¯s globe-trotting adventurer shell fell away. For her, he revealed the same lost boy he¡¯d been when they¡¯d met, sad and sweet and brave. Sirona failed to keep the smile from her face. ¡°We¡¯ve talked since then. We already discussed his work problem.¡± Nen gave her a knowing look. ¡°The rest can wait,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s also been a Liberty Corps update since you left the Eldest Oak this morning.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°The Manifest Destiny pulled back from their new perimeter. They¡¯ve taken a holding pattern over the former I-80 corridor. Fighters have also pulled back. All of the marshaling forces have gone quiet. The Pacific Alliance Liaison¡¯s Office hopes for your opinion on the matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they do,¡± Sirona said. ¡°They seem to believe,¡± Nen said, ¡°that it has something to do with a fast-moving aircraft that passed over Oregon territory early this morning. They seem to think you know something about that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t follow air traffic,¡± Sirona said. ¡°My information doesn¡¯t go to the Oregon coast. They should know that.¡± ¡°They should,¡± Nen agreed. ¡°And off the record?¡± ¡°Off the record,¡± Sirona said. ¡°I think our enemies must have almost reached our long-lost brother, out at sea.¡± ¡°Our friends are going there as well?¡± Nen asked. Sirona did not reply. ¡°Do you think they can get there first?¡± Sirona thought again of the Aesir blasting away, Orson at the wheel, flying at all speed. ¡°I think they¡¯re there already,¡± she said. * * * Enoa watched a gap appear in the ice wall. Knightschurch had no outer door with hinges to swing open. The walls simply changed. An area of the wall melted until it widened. Then it steamed as it refroze. Enoa knew this was Shaping. A group of seven emerged from the wall. All wore heavy, hooded parkas. ¡°Most of you,¡± Orson said. ¡°Stay where you are. Enoa and I can say hi to them, and we¡¯ll go from there. Does that work for you, Enoa?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She unbuckled herself and stood. ¡°I wish I brought my disposable camera,¡± Jim said. ¡°I want a picture of this for my photo album.¡± ¡°If everything turns out alright,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll take as many pictures as you want, Jim.¡± ¡°You are a kind captain,¡± Jim said. ¡°We¡¯ll see what you think in a day or two.¡± Orson walked to the door. Enoa followed him. ¡°This welcoming committee,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°They look just like regular guys, like ski bros or something. I expected something crazy.¡± ¡°Clothes aren¡¯t everything,¡± Dr. Stan replied. Orson waited for the group to arrive beside the ship. Then he opened the door. ¡°Hello,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m Orson Gregory, Captain of the Aesir.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Enoa Cloud,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks for talking with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you¡¯re finally here, Enoa.¡± The man in front spoke with a slight accent. He had black hair and a neatly-trimmed beard. He gave Enoa a small bow. Then all six behind him copied the gesture. ¡°And thanks to your escort.¡± Enoa returned the bow. ¡°We have to deliver our warning to whoever¡¯s in charge here,¡± Orson said. ¡°Take us to your leader!¡± Jaleel called. ¡°Basically.¡± Orson nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Gabriel Jendring.¡± The leader of the welcoming committee smiled. ¡°I¡¯m our foreign relations representative. I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t extend a welcome to all of you, quite yet. We don¡¯t know you. But we will see Enoa immediately, and the rest of you are welcome to stay on our grounds and wait for the council¡¯s entry decision.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand,¡± Orson said. ¡°The Liberty Corps could be here at any time. They could have thousands of troops and whole squadrons of boats and airships.¡± ¡°And they have a weapon,¡± Enoa added. ¡°A weapon Sir Merrill might know about. Is he here?¡± ¡°He does not leave us,¡± Jendring said. ¡°Then maybe he¡¯d know about the Eye of Balor,¡± Enoa said. ¡°Baron Helmont has it. We think this weapon could kill everyone and everything on this island. We hurried here, all of us, to help you defend yourselves.¡± Jendring eyed them. And he looked beyond them into the ship. Then he turned away and walked back to the group of six. They spoke in hushed tones. Then Jendring removed a translucent oval from his pocket. He raised it to his lips and spoke more. ¡°Huh,¡± Orson murmured. ¡°You recognize that?¡± Enoa whispered. ¡°Talking Stone,¡± Max said, behind her. ¡°Yep,¡± Orson said. ¡°They¡¯ve got the real stuff.¡± ¡°Good sign or bad?¡± Kol asked. ¡°No idea.¡± Orson said. ¡°What¡¯s a Talking Stone?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°This guy is talking into a rock? Does somebody else with their own rock hear him? Like he has a cell phone?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± Orson looked back at him. ¡°A set of those is also how the typewriters work.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that before?¡± Jaleel asked. ¡°We have a rock-powered typewriter. How does that work? Let me guess, that¡¯s in the memoir too?¡± ¡°The stones are,¡± Max said. ¡°But not the typewriter.¡± Jendring returned to the door, before Orson could respond. ¡°We will take your full ship inside,¡± Jendring said. ¡°Knightschurch Council is convening now. They will decide how many may meet and speak for you. Now, I will ride with you, aboard your ship, and show you the way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you,¡± Orson said. ¡°Come on in. I¡¯ll introduce everyone.¡± Orson and Enoa stepped out of the way. Jendring made a quick motion with the last two fingers of his right hand. His six compatriots turned around and hurried back to the ice wall. Then Jendring climbed aboard. ¡°Gabriel Jendring,¡± Orson said. ¡°This is Jaleel Yaye, my first mate. Dr. Sophia Stanislakova, who uncovered the Liberty Corps information about your island. Those are the Maros brothers, Kolben and Maxwell. They¡¯re experts in the kind of hardware the Liberty Corps might bring here.¡± ¡°And I am Jim!¡± Jim called. ¡°I am sightseeing.¡± ¡°Automaton.¡± Jendring¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hello.¡± He spoke stiffly. Then he turned to Enoa. ¡°You choose unusual traveling companions. You¡¯ll need to tell us all about Archie¡¯s last days. We have mourned him for a season already.¡± ¡°You knew?¡± Enoa asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Jendring sounded puzzled. ¡°He was a wonderful man and a dear friend to so many of us.¡± Orson looked around the ship¡¯s cabin. His eyes settled on the only vacant seats, on the couch beside Jim. ¡°Jaleel,¡± Orson said. ¡°Do me a favor and sit over here with Jim. We¡¯ll want a front seat for our guide.¡± Jaleel turned around. Jim began to pat the couch beside him. ¡°Sure.¡± Jaleel walked from the copilot¡¯s seat and sat next to Jim. ¡°This vessel,¡± Jendring began. ¡°Can it travel well on land? It will be easier if all of you stay aboard your ship.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Orson gestured Jendring forward to the copilot¡¯s seat. The man hesitated before he sat. His eyes lingered on Orson¡¯s sword of fire, positioned through its hooks on the wall. Then Jendring lowered himself into the seat. He found his restraints and fumbled with them until he fit the buckles together. Enoa returned to her own seat. ¡°Once you are inside,¡± Jendring said. ¡°You will drive aboard our barge for the trip to the council¡¯s meeting.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need a barge.¡± Orson patted the dashboard. ¡°The Aesir handles the water just fine.¡± Jendring gave Orson a long look. Then he reached up and made another quick motion with his hands, this one toward the ice wall. The hole in the ice expanded, stretched outward until it formed a yawning opening and a long tunnel. Enoa looked inside and expected darkness or odd shadows. But there was a warm glow like natural sunlight at the end of the tunnel. ¡°You may drive inside,¡± Jendring said. Orson drove the Aesir up the black sand and into the opening through the ice wall. Eerie lights reflected around them, like incandescent spirits were dancing in the wall. Enoa sensed them, as though each light was alive. She wondered if the others could see the movement around them or if she was viewing the unseen, as she saw through glamer at the lodge or saw the Shaping powers of others. The Aesir reached the wall¡¯s other side. Everything there was bright with the morning sun. The sunlight filtered hundreds of feet down from the ceiling, falling in beams, like spotlights. Enoa blinked her eyes, dazzled. ¡°Welcome,¡± Jendring said, ¡°to Knightschurch.¡± The sunlight bathed a vast community all around them. They viewed the real island, with grassy fields and hills. The inside of the iceberg was lined with raised earth and stone ¨C a second, hidden rampart that stood nearly to the ceiling. Some of the hills rose in steps, with each level covered in green plants or tall, thin trees with blue bark. Almost all of the buildings she saw were made of a white material, rounded and smooth. They reminded Enoa of pictures she¡¯d seen long ago, during Wintertide, from a traveling merchant with photos taken in remote Mediterranean villages. Smaller structures dotted the ground level and the steps built into the earthen rampart. Enoa saw only five larger buildings. Four were great, square, columned structures that stood in a line at the center of the community. Beyond these towered the only building made of ice, like the outer wall. It was a cathedral, and it stood tallest of all the island¡¯s buildings. It stretched from the ground to the frozen ceiling. Enoa leaned to the side, and she followed the cathedral¡¯s tallest steeple with her eyes. It rose and rose, out through a clear gap in the ice, far above. Enoa saw the glow of true sunlight there, though the gap could not be seen from above. The cathedral walls were gilded and ornate. The ice gleamed yellow where bronze or gold might decorate a traditional building. And the windows were like stained glass, alive with color. ¡°That church,¡± Kol said. ¡°Shaping made that entire building.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jendring said. ¡°The cathedral was built with the first defenses. By the sorcery of House Dommik, Sir Merrill¡¯s ancestors, now lost to time. As are all our buildings. Though the cathedral is the only structure carved from their warm-air ice. Everything else was shaped from volcanic stone, risen from the water.¡± Then he gestured to a gap between the nearest buildings, where a long canal ran down the center of the island. ¡°That way.¡± No solid roads or paths ran inside Knightschurch. No roads led toward the cathedral or the other large buildings, only canals of dark water. Boats of the same blue wood as the thin trees were moored at the sides of the nearest canal. A barge also waited there, wide and flat, likely the craft that would have ferried the Aesir. ¡°Straight ahead,¡± Jendring said. ¡°You will meet the council in the Hall of Laws. That is the second temple on our left.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine with us going right into the water?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jendring answered. ¡°Proceed.¡± Orson drove the Aesir to the canal¡¯s edge, where a ramp led into the water. The dashboard lights turned blue, and they continued up the canal. Some houses stood close to the water¡¯s edge. Enoa saw faces at windows, but no one outside. Enoa reached out to sense the residents, the same way she had felt the powers at the Pinnacle or the lodge. When she looked, really looked, she saw a second glow across the community, like a heat mirage. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if we scared everyone,¡± Enoa said. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ hiding?¡± ¡°We are all hidden here,¡± Jendring said. ¡°Did you deliberately hide your people?¡± Max asked. His voice was neutral. Enoa had heard that same tone from him, when he¡¯d questioned Orson the day before. ¡°We receive few visitors,¡± Jendring answered. ¡°You made quick work of hiding everyone,¡± Max said. ¡°We heard you before you spoke to us,¡± Jendring said. Orson drove them the full length of the central canal. They passed between more rows of small houses and boats. Six bridges stretched across the canal, just above them. Each time, Orson reached up to the sensors on the dash. And each time, Jendring answered, ¡°You¡¯ll fit.¡± ¡°An entire city enclosed in ice,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Miles of buildings ¨C incredible!¡± ¡°I want my disposable camera too,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°We ask no images be made of our sanctuary,¡± Jendring said. ¡°We removed ourselves from this world, and we prefer to remain removed. You may already have endangered us, just by being here.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be in a hell of a lot more danger if we¡¯d let the Liberty Corps get here first.¡± Orson guided the Aesir up another ramp and out of the water, arriving on the city¡¯s central island. He parked in the shadow of the second temple. A small force in light armor walked from the building. They each held an antique rifle with a long bayonet. Jendring stood and drew the translucent Talking Stone. Enoa heard faint speech from the object, like distorted conversation on the other end of a telephone. ¡°I will tell them,¡± he said. ¡°We will meet you shortly.¡± He pulled the stone from his cheek. ¡°We will meet with one representative, along with Sucora Cloud¡¯s heir. Do you all accept Captain Gregory as your spokesman?¡± Orson stood and exchanged glances with Max and Dr. Stan. ¡°If they agree,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with your council.¡± ¡°You are the wielder of Thousand Destiny,¡± Jendring said. ¡°We¡¯ve heard of you, Gregory, but not by name. You¡¯re Ophion¡¯s pupil, the one who was gifted his sword.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t gifted anything,¡± Orson said. ¡°I earned it. And it isn¡¯t called Thousand Destiny anymore.¡± Orson took the sheathed sword from the wall and fit the strap across his back. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Enoa followed Orson and Jendring back to the ship¡¯s door. Jaleel caught her eye. She offered a small wave before they stepped out from the ship. She¡¯d expected biting cold, like a deep winter day when snow and ice can transform the world. But it was only chilly. The air felt autumnal, not cold enough to hurt. Jendring led them up a wide stair and into the temple. The guards with their rifles parted for them and then followed behind. The temple¡¯s doors were already thrown wide. The building inside was actively warm and filled with light. There were ornate sconces made to look like cast-iron oil lamps or lanterns, but Enoa knew there was no flame. The entrance hall led off in many directions with stairs leading both up and down. And even though the outer walls were stone, the floors were hardwood, all from the strange blue tree. After the entrance hall, they arrived in a round room with a long table in its center. Five people sat along the table, three women and two men, wearing robes like judges. Another group of the armored guards stood along the rear wall. And there were two others in the Council Chamber, an old man with a short white beard, and a young woman. Both wore brown homespun tunics and pants. Both of them were tall, with eyes of the same piercing gray. But where the man was pale, the woman had a darker complexion. ¡°Sir Merrill?¡± Orson said to the man. ¡°Hello,¡± the old man answered. He had a slight English accent. ¡°You¡¯re perceptive, young Captain.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Orson said. ¡°We¡¯re here now to help your people.¡± He looked around the room. ¡°But we¡¯ve been hoping to meet you for a long time.¡± ¡°Well met,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°You are the first student of my colleague ever to set foot on this island.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored,¡± Orson said. ¡°Sir,¡± Enoa added quickly. ¡°Before she died, my aunt left instructions for me to visit you here. I¡¯m sorry for how long it¡¯s taken to see you.¡± The woman beside the knight seemed about to speak. But Sir Merrill rested his hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m happy to finally meet you, Enoa Cloud.¡± Sir Merrill smiled sadly. ¡°And let me offer my condolences. I was heartbroken to know Sucora¡¯s death. She was far too young. Too many lights have been extinguished, these last years. You¡¯ve faced a painful time in the wide world.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Enoa said. ¡°We all have.¡± ¡°We will speak soon.¡± Sir Merrill turned toward the council. ¡°Please begin, Chairwoman Carliss.¡± ¡°We thank Sir Merrill Lucas for his attendance here.¡± Chairwoman Carliss spoke from the center of the table. ¡°As this is a problem that ties to arcane matters. And to you, Captain Gregory, Shaper Cloud, we thank you for your warning.¡± ¡°Hopefully, we came with enough time for you to mount a defense,¡± Orson said. ¡°There can¡¯t be much time to swap stories, right now. But my crew all has expertise that can help you. We don¡¯t know what you can do to fight, but we know a lot about what the Liberty Corps might try to do here. Whatever you¡ª¡± ¡°Captain.¡± Chairwoman Carliss raised her hand to interrupt. ¡°You misunderstand. Your warning may have averted a very great loss of life here. But we won¡¯t be fighting. Our mundane population has no standing defense force, outside a small handful of guards. And our Arcanum is very skilled, but they use their talents only for learning, never for warfare.¡± Enoa looked to Sir Merrill. He inclined his head. ¡°What?¡± Orson said, his voice sharp with shock and anger. ¡°You can¡¯t surrender. Helmont will torture your people. He¡¯ll march his forces in here and kill everyone who doesn¡¯t bow down, and then use the survivors as guinea pigs for his experiments. You have to fight. We all have to fight.¡± ¡°You misunderstand again,¡± Carliss said. ¡°We will not fight. We will flee. The evacuation has already begun.¡± 151 - The Last Scattering ¡°These islanders aren¡¯t what I expected,¡± Jaleel said. Kol looked up at him. Jaleel stood beside the couch, staring out the nearest window. Jim glanced between the two of them. ¡°People are moving,¡± Jim said. ¡°Big vibrations. Maybe there is a tour. Do you think there is a gift shop? I would like to purchase a T-shirt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect this place sells souvenirs, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Dr. Stan sat at the sensor station. Max was back in his wheelchair, beside her. ¡°But thank you for telling us what you feel. Can you also tell us what they¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re getting in boats,¡± Jaleel answered first. ¡°A barge, or maybe a couple of barges ¨C like that one they had for us ¨C are going down the canal. People are climbing into one of them. And they¡¯ve got animals.¡± ¡°Animals?¡± Kol stood and walked to the window. Islanders gathered along the edge of the wide canal and climbed aboard a barge. The islanders wore layers of simple, dark clothing and heavy cloaks. They carried bags, suitcases, and old-fashioned steamer trunks. Some of the islanders did lead animals ¨C cows, pigs, and goats with long, curved horns. The islanders led their livestock down ramps to the water¡¯s edge. ¡°They¡¯re taking their farm animals,¡± Kol said. ¡°And the other citizens, they have luggage.¡± ¡°I feel more boats,¡± Jim said. He pointed to his left. ¡°There. And there. And there. And there.¡± He slowly moved his arm clockwise, until he wrapped it around his head. ¡°Maybe they are throwing a party!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t imagine this is a regular custom,¡± Max said. ¡°We saw enough grasslands to provide for grazing without regularly relocating animals.¡± ¡°Gathering their animals and civilians somewhere safe after our warning?¡± Dr. Stan walked to the next window and pulled its curtain aside. ¡°This is in response to us.¡± As she looked, the first barge looped around the center island. It was full of standing people, packed together like sardines. The animals were led aboard a second, longer barge, with thick, metal dividers. ¡°I think I¡¯ll ask them.¡± Dr. Stan walked to the door and cycled it open. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± Max asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re hostile,¡± she answered. ¡°And if they are, you four are here to rescue me.¡± She stepped from the ship and walked to the edge of the central island, looking to the livestock barge as it finished its path up the canal. ¡°Maybe the animals are part of the defense,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°Like, magic animals or something.¡± ¡°Magic goats?¡± Kol asked. ¡°What do the magic goats do, Jaleel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°They could be like the goats the Dwarves have in the Hobbit movies, or like Pokemon Gogoats. Horses might be tough to raise here, so they have battle goats.¡± ¡°I quit the Pokemon games before there were goats,¡± Kol said. ¡°But these goats are so small. I think it¡¯s more likely they¡¯re just regular goats.¡± ¡°Our Wesley is small,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°But he tore up the leg of a bounty hunter outside Littlefield.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened to Trivett?¡± Kol remembered the images of blood stains in the hunter¡¯s abandoned truck, shreds of sodden cloth mixed with the torn chunks of red. Wesley began to chatter in Jaleel¡¯s bunk. ¡°It¡¯s okay, buddy,¡± Jaleel called. ¡°Yeah, Wesley defended Enoa, until she beat that guy and we sent him to the Pacific Alliance. And Wesley also found the transmitter on our friends¡¯ roof. Did you hear about that one too?¡± He gave Kol a suspicious look. ¡°I heard about it.¡± Kol thought of the remote warnings from Duncan, as he spied on Littlefield, when he¡¯d been discovered. Kol found Max looking at him too. ¡°Duncan?¡± Max asked. ¡°No way!¡± Jaleel said. ¡°The astronaut was the one who spied on Eloise and Carlos? Wow, you¡¯re lucky Orson doesn¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°I tried to recall Duncan,¡± Kol said. ¡°I tried to disengage. I couldn¡¯t reach him. We¡¯d already transmitted the warning to Littlefield when that happened. None of it¡­ None of it happened the way I intended.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Jaleel still stared at him. ¡°Well, looks like Dr. Stan got somebody¡¯s attention.¡± The livestock barge was moving around the big island. It glided through the water with no oars and no visible motor. A figure walked to the boat¡¯s edge, facing Dr. Stan. ¡°Ruby, can we listen with the external mic?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll try!¡± Ruby answered. ¡°¡­brought the warning!¡± Dr. Stan called to the barge. ¡°Would you mind telling me what¡¯s happening here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± A man yelled back. ¡°Under full evacuation order, thanks to your Dreamside Road!¡± * * * ¡°Please,¡± Chairwoman Carliss said. ¡°Tell us about Archie Grant. How did he die?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get you caught up,¡± Orson spoke before Enoa could answer. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we¡¯re done talking about this evacuation. Helmont will hunt you across the world. He¡¯ll lay waste to half the planet if that¡¯s what it takes to get at the Dreamside Road keys. He needs to be stopped.¡± ¡°We will be fully evacuated in a few hours,¡± Carliss said. ¡°We have been making preparations for a long time, Captain Gregory.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t¡ª¡± Enoa began. ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± Orson had venom in his voice. ¡°Wherever you¡¯re going to hide, you need to do a better job of it than you did here. Because that¡¯s how we found you. We stole your location from them.¡± ¡°Archie left behind no method for finding us?¡± Sir Merrill asked. ¡°No,¡± Orson said. ¡°His killer got to him before he even set foot in Nimauk, where Enoa lived.¡± ¡°You never met Archie?¡± Sir Merrill widened his eyes with realization. Enoa saw a flash of light from the knight, illumination of a sickened, nauseous green, like she witnessed his emotions bleed into the air around him. But then he ran a hand along his forehead and took a deep breath. The light passed. When he looked at them again, his eyes were calm once more. ¡°He died in vain then.¡± ¡°He¡ª¡± Orson started. ¡°Orson,¡± Enoa spoke up. ¡°Wait.¡± He nodded once. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Archie warned my hometown,¡± she said. ¡°He died in a train derailment caused by a Hierarchia operative, a Shaper of Cobalt Nine named Daniel Tucker, who¡¯d secretly joined my community and become an elected official. Tucker was sent there to watch my aunt. But, before Archie died, he gave my town the warning that let us figure out Tucker¡¯s plan. And Archie also gave Captain Gregory time to find me, even if none of us intended that. I wish so much I could have met him. I¡¯ll always appreciate his sacrifice. That¡¯s another reason why it¡¯s so important I stop people like the Liberty Corps from getting to the Dreamside Road. I need to honor him.¡± ¡°If someone killed Master Grant.¡± The young woman beside Sir Merrill stepped away from him. ¡°How did either of you get here? Was Archie wrong? Did your aunt train you after she made her arrangements with Archie or he spoke to us? You were trained in less than a year?¡± ¡°I have¡­¡± Enoa began, but she trailed off. She had been trained, taught for years to prepare her thoughts to alter the world. Not Nimauk in origin. ¡°And you are?¡± Orson asked. ¡°Apologies.¡± She didn¡¯t take her eyes off of Enoa. ¡°Harper Tali. Great-niece and pupil to Sir Merrill.¡± She offered a slight bow. Enoa returned the gesture. ¡°I was not formally trained,¡± she explained. ¡°Whatever my aunt told Archie was the truth.¡± When had Aunt Su spoken to Archie? How had she talked to him? ¡°And even though I didn¡¯t learn real Shaping, my aunt taught me meditation and mental control for my whole life. She also left behind films of herself demonstrating Anemos, so I could start properly training. I¡¯ve worked with them constantly for the last months.¡± ¡°Films?¡± Harper asked. ¡°And you, Captain, we¡¯d heard the newest wielder of Thousand Destiny was a full mundane. But if a Shaper of Cobalt Nine really existed, and they could defeat Archie, a full mundane could never then win that contest.¡± ¡°Never¡¯s not as strict when I¡¯m around,¡± Orson said. ¡°And I don¡¯t know how many times¡ª¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain anything,¡± Harper interrupted. ¡°Could it be you were simply fooled, and this Tucker tricked you? Now you¡¯ve been tricked further, fooled into thinking you stole this island¡¯s location? Tricked into coming here as bait to lead us into a trap?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re bait,¡± Orson mocked. ¡°The Liberty Corps knew you¡¯d all turn tail and run away, and they sent us here to scare you off.¡± ¡°This island has all the defenses we could need,¡± Harper said. ¡°Whole battle groups, naval fleets, ancient weapons ¨C this island has powers to match. There are powers here that can fight any invasion, without violence from us. Leading us to flee could be a trap, and a full mundane may not be able to perceive this treachery.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good you don¡¯t want to fight,¡± Orson raised his voice. ¡°Anybody who assumes as much bullshit as you do would get cut down in a minute, no matter what powers you¡¯ve got. And you¡¯re forgetting one fact, I don¡¯t want you to evacuate. I came here hoping to help you defend yourselves. If your island can fight for itself too, that¡¯s even better.¡± ¡°Captain Gregory did defeat Archie¡¯s killer,¡± Enoa said quickly. ¡°He outsmarted Tucker and could protect himself from the cobalt attacks with his sword.¡± ¡°Many in our family wielded nothing arcane but their swords¡¯ ignitions,¡± Sir Merrill caught his student¡¯s eye. ¡°But they would be considered mundane by that measure.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need the ignitions,¡± Orson said. ¡°Tucker was powerful, but he had blind spots like a lot of enigmas or whatever name you use. I exploited those blind spots until I could catch him.¡± ¡°Without ignitions, it¡¯s just a sword,¡± Harper said. ¡°How could you possibly catch him?¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re pacifists,¡± Enoa raised her voice too. ¡°Orson probably knows a lot more about fighting than you do. And you¡¯re here on this island, how could you know what anything is like in the real world? Powers aren¡¯t everything. Orson overwhelmed Tucker and sedated him until his Cobalt Nine could be destroyed. Tucker¡¯s imprisoned now, like a common criminal. And there¡¯s going to be a trial to judge him for what he did.¡± ¡°I thought I liberated all the living Cobalt Nine subjects.¡± Sir Merrill sighed. ¡°I am glad to hear you resolved the situation in a just way. That is admirable. I¡¯m sorry if this is difficult, but did this man also kill your aunt?¡± ¡°No,¡± Enoa said. ¡°She had cancer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Sir Merrill said. Harper shot him another look. ¡°That was not how her passing felt to us. But we are very far away. And such senses are almost never precise.¡± ¡°We thank you again.¡± Chairwoman Carliss spoke up. She sounded strained, as if working to keep an even tone. ¡°We all face distressing news, and we understand that it must be difficult answering these questions after your long journey. If you do not have any immediate questions for us, we would like to vote again on our next course of action.¡± ¡°We still have to talk about the Dreamside Road keys.¡± Orson looked to Sir Merrill. ¡°Because the Liberty Corps is working on a way of getting at the trove without the keys. So they need to be collected. That problem needs a new answer.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°Council, I will speak to them. Thank you for your time. Know that the Arcanum supports your decision, whatever it may be.¡± Then he and Harper bowed to the council and led the way from the council chamber. ¡°Thank you,¡± Enoa said. She and Orson followed the other duo from the room. The chamber doors swung shut behind them. ¡°I hold my key with an oath to protect it.¡± Sir Merrill stopped along the far side of the entrance hall, beside one of the lamps. ¡°The lady who adopted me and raised me in the covenant tradition held it before me. She died holding it. And I cannot easily give it away, not even under these circumstances.¡± ¡°What would it take for you to come with us?¡± Orson asked. ¡°If we can ensure the safety of your people. Another key-holder, the current Keeper of the Concealment Truce, is preparing a safe place for all of us. With the four of us, that makes half of the keys.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®us¡¯?¡± Harper asked. ¡°I have Ophion¡¯s key,¡± Orson explained. ¡°The people of this island will scatter to our regional allies,¡± Sir Merrill said, ¡°though they do not know the full truth of who we are or where we come from. Until I am satisfied with their safety, that is my only concern.¡± ¡°The best way to be sure of their safety,¡± Orson started, ¡°is to get the Dreamside Road off the table. That¡¯ll take the target off their backs for the time being.¡± ¡°And why are you the one to collect these keys?¡± Harper asked. ¡°A full mundane with only a dubious ownership or understanding of the sword he wields can¡¯t be¡ª¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Stop,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°This is not the way, Child. I have another suggestion.¡± He turned toward Enoa. ¡°Guarding the key is not my only promise. Enoa, guiding you is another. Though I cannot offer you Anemos in the way Sucora could have, I can show you rudiments we all studied. If you learn from me, I can judge for myself if I can trust this oath to you and allow you to carry the Key of Ascendant Fire.¡± ¡°She already knows a lot more than rudiments,¡± Orson said. ¡°She blinded an army a thousand strong. She destroyed a canon designed on a different planet. And, with some help, she beat one of Helmont¡¯s own knights twice. She¡¯s protected her key for months.¡± Harper looked ready to answer, so Enoa spoke first. ¡°I¡¯m here to learn,¡± she said. ¡°Please teach me. ¡° ¡°I¡¯m not quite finished.¡± Sir Merrill raised a hand. ¡°There is no time to learn here and now, under such a terrible threat. If I am to teach you, you must come with me when I also leave this island, evacuating last as I was first to arrive here.¡± * * * ¡°You didn¡¯t have to come all the way in here, Teddy.¡± Sirona found him waiting outside the inn¡¯s mezzanine, wearing full chef¡¯s attire, toque and apron. ¡°I thought we¡¯d meet you outside.¡± ¡°I wanted to check on you,¡± he said. ¡°So I made a couple calls and had them prepare a private table for your special guests. You can stay close this way. I was worried, y¡¯know, worried about you, when I heard about Orson flying away to the North Pole.¡± The mezzanine sat partway up the inn¡¯s main atrium. It was lined with floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides. One looked onto the inn¡¯s central courtyard and the tree that stood there, still growing higher, level-by-level. The tree was wrapped in the inn¡¯s embrace, but it might one day grow to dwarf the building, another sentinel like the great line of trees. The mezzanine¡¯s other side gave a grand view of the gardens and the leagues of forest in the distance. ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Teddy.¡± Sirona walked with him toward the outer view. A handful of round tables sat near the windows, but only one was occupied. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here!¡± Sirona said. Aneirin and Melanthymos sat facing each other, and Sirona joined them. ¡°I hope you¡¯re both comfortable so far.¡± ¡°Very comfortable,¡± Aneirin said. Melanthymos only glanced at her. Both wore Inn merchandise, green and gold with the tree and moon symbol. ¡°Are you ready to order, Sirona?¡± Teddy asked. ¡°I can get you a list of our lunch specials.¡± ¡°Teddy, if I read about your new specials,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be much too tempted. Unfortunately, I¡¯ll be playing catch-up all day. I can¡¯t eat anything too heavy.¡± ¡°We¡¯re making the tortellini with the mushrooms that you like,¡± Teddy offered. ¡°Perfect for some lunch now and some leftover later.¡± ¡°That would be perfect,¡± she answered. ¡°Coming right up.¡± Teddy drew a pencil and notepad from an apron pocket and wrote a note. ¡°But I¡¯ve got some new recipes to try soon. When we get our good news from the snow chapel expedition, you have to promise me you¡¯ll celebrate and check out some of the new stuff.¡± ¡°Of course I will,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Maybe April¡¯s lake project will be done by then too.¡± ¡°Good news?¡± Melanthymos asked suddenly, but there was no real anger to her words. ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± She stood and walked from the table, following the mezzanine walkway until it curved out of sight. Aneirin stared after her. ¡°If you¡¯d like to wait,¡± Sirona said. ¡°We can meet up later for dinner instead. I don¡¯t mean to offend her. Do you know what she¡¯d want to do?¡± ¡°I have some pastry confections half-done,¡± Teddy said. ¡°I like to give my baking to the lady in my life when she could use a treat. Would she like something like that, Mr. Wizard?¡± Aneirin looked between Sirona and Teddy. He offered a weak smile, but did not answer. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead with that plan, Teddy?¡± Sirona said. ¡°You always have the best ideas.¡± ¡°This is why I¡¯m a pro!¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll see she gets whatever you prepare,¡± Sirona added. Teddy hurried off too, back toward the atrium side of the walkway. Sirona caught Aneirin¡¯s gaze. She waited, gave him the chance to speak before she asked any questions. ¡°She sees you,¡± he said. ¡°And she sees herself.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sirona asked. ¡°You¡­¡± He pressed his lips together. ¡°You remind her. When she served¡­ When she worked with the Hierarchia. She had a love. They worked together. They wanted to leave together. But the Hierarchia decided no. They were not free to go. Her love wanted to fight. He went alone. She thought he could win. She thought it did not matter what the Hierarchia decided.¡± He paused. ¡°They killed her love. And she was alone. She was a prisoner. They kept her. Tested on her. I know only some. She says not much. But young Kit, my friend, my holdfast interpreter ¨C he was a prisoner who knew all the prisoners. He told me her story. He told me many stories of the prisoners. When I met her, I cared already. And now she sees you and young Orson. She is cruel. It is her shield. She is hurt and very sad. ¡°And she thinks young Orson will die. She sees her past repeat. Orson saved her. She wanted to save him. She fears she failed.¡± Aneirin¡¯s eyes went glassy and he closed them. ¡°I have faith in Orson,¡± Sirona said. ¡°He¡¯s outside all our systems of ranked power. And the world is different now. The Liberty Corps won¡¯t be taking prisoners while the status quo just stays the same. This could be a real war. If Orson¡­ If the mission does not succeed, we will fight here too. We won¡¯t just be captured.¡± ¡°You believe.¡± Aneirin fixed her with a sad smile and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. ¡°It is not easy to ignore. Orson feels different. I feel story to him. I feel story to all in his crew. The Hierarchia said to me ¨C they wanted to know what I know. Because they are new and I am old. But now Helmont is the old way. And maybe a new way will win.¡± ¡°I think it will,¡± Sirona said. ¡°Orson does feel unique, but I¡¯m biased. Still, I¡¯m not sure if I could¡¯ve beaten him, not even if I really tried to cook him. He¡¯s something different now. Helmont¡¯s got quite the fight on his hands, no matter what Sir Merrill can do.¡± She felt the weight to Orson¡¯s strikes with the sword, his movements fluent and focused, nothing wasted. ¡°Orson¡¯s weaponized all his strongest traits,¡± she added. ¡°And he¡¯s good at bringing that out in others too.¡± ¡°If they do not win.¡± Aneirin met her eyes again, his brow furrowed. ¡°If the baron comes here, I may stay. I may fight him again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stay,¡± Sirona said. ¡°If Helmont comes here, I¡¯m not going anywhere either.¡± She pointed down the mezzanine, where Melanthymos had gone. ¡°Should we look for her, or would you rather wait here?¡± * * * Another full barge was circling the center island when Kol sensed Enoa returning to the Aesir. Kol heard the sound of her presence, but it was changed, turbulent, discordant. He looked away from the window as she and Orson stepped aboard. ¡°We¡¯ve got a whole bunch of complications.¡± Orson shut the door after them. ¡°The islanders have almost no standing defense force,¡± Max said. ¡°Their school of magic teaches only pacifism. They can¡¯t fight. They¡¯re going to run away.¡± ¡°Oh, great,¡± Orson said. ¡°That saves me the trouble of sharing the bad news. How did you find out?¡± ¡°I spoke to some of the evacuees,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°Orson, what are we going to do?¡± ¡°It gets better.¡± Orson glanced at Enoa. ¡°You want to tell them about the key crap?¡± ¡°Sir Merrill might be willing to let me take the key,¡± Enoa said. ¡°But he wants to train me first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great news,¡± Jaleel said. ¡°You¡¯ve got your own wise old mentor. That¡¯s a big deal, Enoa.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t all.¡± Enoa breathed deeply. ¡°He wants me to evacuate with him and his school. Then I¡¯ll be trained wherever they¡¯re going, and only when he¡¯s satisfied will he even think about giving me the key.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jaleel yelled. He walked around Kol and Orson and stopped right beside her. ¡°You can¡¯t go. We need you, Enoa. What will we do without you? If you stay and we go¡­ The others aren¡¯t really part of the quest. It¡¯ll just be Orson and me.¡± ¡°We want to get our photos quick before the park closes,¡± Jim said. ¡°Everyone is packing up.¡± ¡°Yeah, they sure are,¡± Orson said. ¡°Jaleel, this is some heavy stuff, right now. Maybe nap time?¡± Jaleel nodded. He retrieved a helmet with a metal faceplate from one of the cabin storage lockers. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you, Jim, when we can get our photos and souvenirs.¡± Jaleel leaned forward to set the mask on Jim¡¯s head. ¡°Thank¡ª¡± Jim stopped abruptly when the mask blocked his vision. Orson looked about to say something, but just shook his head. ¡°This Merrill¡¯s timetable won¡¯t work,¡± Max said. ¡°If the Liberty Corps is nearing a method of reaching the Dreamside Road without the use of the keys, we cannot afford to wait while Enoa undergoes months or, God forbid, years of training. We can¡¯t let the global power balance totally rest on the judgment of this one man, even if he is a knight.¡± ¡°You know I like personal rights and responsibilities,¡± Orson said. ¡°But this time, I agree with you. I¡¯m just not sure what else we can do now. It looks like we¡¯ve got two options, wait and watch or be actually hostile with these islanders.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already learned a lot,¡± Enoa added. She fiddled with her staff. She extended it and held it against her shoulder. ¡°The beginner stuff he¡¯s offering might not take too long to learn.¡± ¡°Are you certain that the lessons you would receive could translate into the knowledge your aunt¡¯s films have already been teaching you?¡± Dr. Stan asked. ¡°It could be very difficult to start all over again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not really thinking about this, are you?¡± Jaleel¡¯s voice sounded very small. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Enoa answered. ¡°My aunt wanted me to be trained by these people. She wanted me to learn and be safe with them.¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Max said. ¡°Her assessment of their safety here was not accurate. Who can say if the Liberty Corps would have come here if events transpired some other way, but the chance remained. It may be that these people only survive due to our warning.¡± ¡°The Liberty Corps would¡¯ve come here no matter what,¡± Kol said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the only one Czar Hawthorne had looking. Only Sir Merrill¡¯s reputation stayed their hand this long.¡± ¡°Others looking besides you and the baron?¡± Orson asked. ¡°When were you gonna share that?¡± ¡°Helmont introduced this prior to trying to plummet us,¡± Kol said. ¡°I have no details.¡± Orson grimaced. ¡°Well, there is more here than reputation. Merrill¡¯s student talked about the island protecting them. Like it¡¯s alive somehow and can fight for itself.¡± Kol heard a new Shaping sound, actually two sounds, he realized, two perfect sustained pitches. Together, they were like an endless bow brought across well-tuned strings. There came a knock at the ship¡¯s door. Orson turned around and opened it. An older man and young woman stood outside, wearing simple, matching clothes. ¡°Sir Merrill,¡± Orson said. ¡°Student, uh, Harper, this is the Aesir crew.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°The council has made its decision. The evacuation will be on course. The first plane will launch in minutes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your choice,¡± Orson said. ¡°But will your island fight to defend itself if you aren¡¯t still here? You won¡¯t want this place falling into the hands of the Liberty Corps.¡± ¡°I believe it will fight,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°The works of this place are not mine, but my ancestors¡¯. To my knowledge, it has never been located without the will of its leader, not until now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a day for that kind of thing,¡± Orson said. ¡°So you¡¯re just leaving then?¡± ¡°Soon.¡± Sir Merrill looked to Enoa. ¡°I will leave last, as I said. I am gathering my students to look at the world. It will be easier when we widen the throughway to let the planes leave. Would you like to join us, Enoa? It may be enlightening.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Enoa said immediately. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m honored.¡± ¡°Then come along,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°If you decide to remain with the crew when the time comes for me to leave this island, I will be sure you have the chance to return to your vessel.¡± ¡°Do you mind if we go over to this widened throughway?¡± Orson asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to take some readings. I¡¯m good at hiding my ship from the Liberty Corps. I promise I won¡¯t give you away.¡± ¡°I see no problem with it,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°The throughway will open to the far opposite side of the island from where you arrived. That will be where the planes gather.¡± He smiled at Enoa. ¡°Very well, shall we go?¡± Enoa looked back once, long enough to lock eyes with Jaleel. But then she jumped from the ship and followed after the knight. The young woman, Harper, lingered outside the door. She watched Orson. ¡°If any action is taken that communicates with the outside world,¡± she said. ¡°If you do anything that could draw us into conflict, all the power vested in this land will know you are the source of danger.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Orson said. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. I¡¯ve never been attacked by an island before. Well, at least not one that was really an island. Thanks for the heads up.¡± He shut the door in her face. Then he walked to the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°What a damn bust.¡± Orson powered on the Aesir. ¡°We spent a lot of time talking about expecting the unexpected, but this is a new one for me. I could¡¯ve lived to be a hundred and ten and I would never have guessed this.¡± ¡°Will I need to get strapped in again?¡± Max asked. ¡°We¡¯ll go slow,¡± Orson said. ¡°I don¡¯t see what hurry we¡¯re in. They¡¯re only interested in Enoa, and we don¡¯t have a whole lot to do. I¡¯ll ease around the big church here, and if you¡¯re uncomfortable and want to sit in something bolted down, just let me know.¡± Jaleel returned to the copilot¡¯s seat. Kol advanced too. He didn¡¯t sit in Enoa¡¯s vacant chair, but he stood beside it. He watched the center of Knightschurch as Orson drove them along the island. They passed beyond the identical temples and alongside the immense cathedral. The church had a second wall of ice, an inner rampart and concealed courtyard. And Kol saw the ice made to mimic stained glass. There were stories formed into the colored ice, legends, probably histories of the islands¡¯ founders. Kol saw riders on horseback, swordsmen with gleaming emerald blades, and the fire in crescent moon symbol. Kol looked away from the church when the noise started, a rumbling like a distant earthquake. ¡°I¡¯m gonna give us a little more speed,¡± Orson said. ¡°Let me know if I need to slow down, but I want to see their takeoff.¡± The Aesir cleared the cathedral and rounded the far side of the central island. More of the white buildings stood there, with more grasslands and terraced hills. Kol could not see where most of the planes were parked, but he did see one take flight, with a boom that he felt even inside the Aesir. It was a pointed, sleek aircraft, with six engines along its wings and more at the rear. A massive rent opened in the distant ice wall, like two sides of an opening zipper. Then the plane blasted out through the opening, glowing yellow from all its many engines. The ice slowly zipped shut again, with a rumbling like an avalanche. Kol did not know whether the noise was a real sound he heard or Shaping he sensed. The ice wall remained partly ajar, enough to see a clear view of the blue sky outside. ¡°I¡¯ll move us a little closer to the evacuation,¡± Orson said. ¡°See if we can learn anything useful.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re really running,¡± Dr. Stan said. ¡°All this. All of this! And they¡¯re just going to run away.¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± Orson drove them around the far side of the cathedral¡¯s wall. He found a ramp down into a canal on the opposite side. Orson guided them along the water again, steering toward the gap in the ice. * * * Enoa followed Sir Merrill and Harper to a boat moored behind the cathedral. It bobbed lightly as they stepped aboard. Enoa sat beside Harper, but Sir Merrill remained standing. He untied them from the dock, and the boat carried them away. There were no oars, no sail, no engine. Enoa saw nothing from Sir Merrill, but the boat seemed to move with his will. It followed another canal between low residential buildings. Locals already gathered outside with their packed bags. Light fell across the canal. Enoa looked up from the water and found the opening where the plane had departed. The light at the opening looked distorted. The color was too harsh, somehow less real than the light filtering down through the ice above. There was something strange about the glow of the true sky, like an optical illusion that forced her eye to see motion where there was none. Something looked strange at the horizon. Was she seeing the Shaping that opened the ice? ¡°My students will have already begun,¡± Sir Merrill lightly stepped from the boat and tied it at its new mooring. ¡°I will introduce you at the earliest pause. This is a unique chance for my students to learn. We will sense the world. It is easiest to look out when we lower our defenses, but that is a rare thing in these suspicious times.¡± Enoa tried not to think about her choice. Leave the Aesir crew? Lose a second home in less than six months? She saw Jaleel¡¯s devastated face. Instead of dwelling on her situation, Enoa focused again on the illusion at the hole in the ice. The trick of the light left her uneasy, but distracted. Sir Merrill led them along a wide grassy expanse. Ahead, four planes waited. A queue of people filed up a rear ramp into one of them. They moved in a practiced way. Enoa glanced from the odd light to the line of evacuees, laden with their bags. Then she looked back to the opening again. It seemed to have shifted, like clouds moved there, blocking and revealing the sun in flashes of light and shadow. But the illumination from above stayed steady. It did not change like the light at the horizon. ¡°Are you ill?¡± Harper watched her. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡± But Enoa couldn¡¯t put her finger on what bothered her, why the opening drew her eye. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sir Merrill brought them along the sides of one of the terraced hills. It was lined with plants, but there was also a brick path that circled higher. A crowd of people in the same, simple tunics sat in a circle at the hill¡¯s top. ¡°We are all here now.¡± Sir Merrill took a deep breath. He closed his eyes. ¡°We face a test of our values. We face a loss and a danger. We face a new scattering. May it be the last. We look to the world for answers. We look to the cycles of this earth, the motion of sea and sun, the turnings of the cosmos. Find peace in consistency. Find knowledge in what you can sense.¡± Enoa closed her eyes too. She followed the exercise, followed the sea and the sun. She followed the strange way the light shone in the distance. There, she found a place where the ocean did not move. She sensed water that was almost stagnant. The wind did not disturb it, skirting the sea without ripple or wave. And there was no tide. The unmoving ocean ignored the sun and the moon in the sky. It was still. It was Shaping. Enoa suddenly realized what the distortion meant. She snapped her eyes open and gasped. Sir Merrill and Harper and all the students turned to look at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I think the attack is here. I think they¡¯re doing something to the ocean.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything,¡± Harper said. ¡°Are you sure it isn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Sir Merrill had shut his eyes again. ¡°Very subtle. Powered ships on an unmoving ocean could travel very quickly. Inventive.¡± He regarded them all, before settling on Enoa. ¡°You bring a second warning, Enoa Cloud,¡± Sir Merrill said. ¡°I believe you¡¯re right. Our attackers are here.¡± 152 - Idle as a Painted Ship Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. 153 - Fist of the Fourth House This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
154 - The Eye of Balor A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. 155 - The Big Recital If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. 156 - Heir to Nothing If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. 157 - Ascendant Fire This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. 158 - Battle on the Briefest Night
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. 159 - Wayfarers vs. Knights Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. 160 - The Spear and the Shield This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. 161 - Stolen Destiny The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.