by M D Cooper
“No one else has my network. Anyone else you might work with has to go through me. It’s good business to go right to the top of the chain.”
“We’re the top,” Silvan said.
“Yes, that is your ongoing issue,” Jeslan agreed with a slow nod. “You think you know better than us.”
“No, you’re in charge. Absolutely,” Toni backpedaled. “Please, let’s work out a deal. I can help you.” There was desperation in her eyes.
It was the mindset they’d hoped to get her in, though the reasons were different than when they’d taken her captive. All the same, they had too few resources now to let any opportunity go to waste.
Jeslan leaned down. “What are you suggesting?”
“I know someone with a lot of pull. He could get you ships. People. Weapons. Whatever you need. There’s never enough, right?”
“Yet another person you want to bring in to do your work for you.”
Toni groaned. “I’m sorry I didn’t clear it last time. It’s just how things are done—all about the supply chain and who you know. I promise you, let me put in a call, and everything will be taken care of.”
Jeslan looked over at Silvan, who shrugged.
“If this resolves matters faster, then may as well,” he said.
She nodded and turned back to Toni. “All right, make your call. I’ll be listening in, so don’t try anything.”
“I’d never dare.”
Jeslan allowed Toni to set up the Link conference, and she joined as an invisible observer. Toni joined her contact, a man, in the virtual meeting space.
Toni laughed.
His avatar nodded.
“I’d like to see how useful you truly are,” Jeslan replied. “How many ships and mercs can you get on short notice…say, by tomorrow?”
Toni laughed out loud, then quickly collected herself. “Tomorrow is impossible. Lead time on any meaningful number of ships and muscle would be at least a week.”
Silvan was about to protest, but Jeslan headed him off. “There is something to be said for preparing properly.” She wasn’t sure they had a week, but they were going to need people and ships in order to maintain any semblance of control.
“This will be over by then,” Silvan stated.
“The initial wave, perhaps, but what better opportunity than to exert our power independent from your family’s influence?”
That sparked a glimmer in his eyes. “Yes, I suppose mobilizing our own forces now would put us in the right position to take advantage of the instability.”
“Exactly.” Jeslan turned back to Toni. “You have a week. Gather your ships and people. Show us you’re worth keeping around.”
SECRETS REVEALED
STELLAR DATE: 12.27.8938 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Perseus, Serenity System
REGION: Orion Freedom Alliance, Perseus Arm
The old FGT ship was still stunningly massive, no matter how many times Terry saw it up close. The Celestiana pulled into the hold, fitting just as easily as the Star Ember, despite being magnitudes larger.
Dana greeted them as they docked, and instructed them to one of her node chambers, where they could have as much of an in-person conversation as was possible with an AI.
While communicating via the Link would have been just as productive, Terry suspected that the request might have been more to give Dana offensive options if the conversation didn’t go how she liked. A concerning thought, but she wasn’t in a position to protest.
The lights in the node chamber brightened when Terry, Cyrus, Pharis, and Antaris stepped inside.
“You’ve brought someone new,” Dana’s warm voice filled the space.
“Hello,” Pharis greeted. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“You’ve become the face of the chaos sweeping through the Ordus.”
Pharis’s brow knitted. “Is that a good or a bad thing?”
“An observation,” the AI replied. “What brings you here now?”
“We need help—” Terry began.
“I told you I would not interfere.”
“We’re not asking you to take action. We just need somewhere to wait it out until things settle down.”
“This isn’t a matter that will resolve itself,” Dana said.
Pharis took a step forward. “We weren’t suggesting—”
“You are,” the AI interjected. “You started a fire that will burn this system to the ground, and you are content to walk away and let it run its course.”
“No one will listen to reason right now. Emotions are too high,” Terry explained. “After the initial wave has passed, we can reach out with a plan to reorganize and rebuild.”
“What makes you think anything will be different then?” Dana questioned.
“People’s eyes have been opened. They see their leaders for who they are now. Even before, they could tell that Pharis was different.”
“That is not enough.”
Terry wasn’t sure how to refute the AI’s assertion. Is she jaded about human nature after being locked up for so long, or am I missing something?
“We don’t expect this change to happen overnight,” Antaris jumped in.
“I know I must prove myself and win trust,” Pharis added. “We have tried to lay the foundation for relationships with those who can vouch for our good intentions.”
“That’s not the concern,” Dana said. “You cannot simply tear down the old system and rebuild another in its place. The entire society is structured to function within certain constraints. You may flex the pattern, but you can’t take chaos and weave it into something new without deliberate stages.”
That’s an awfully strong opinion for someone who doesn’t want to get involved. Terry crossed her arms. “What are you suggesting, then?”
“At present, there is a focus on differences. You must unite the people with a shared vision of their place in the greater scheme.”
“How in the stars are we supposed to do that for such an insular system?” Cyrus asked.
“That is for you to figure out.” Dana focused her attention on Terry. “You know the way. For this, it is worth reconnecting.”
In the room, the others were giving Terry quizzical looks about Dana’s cryptic statement that only she seemed to understand.
Dana addressed the group.
When it was clear Dana had nothing else to say to them at present, they returned to the Celestiana, where Terry and Cyrus excused themselves.
“Well, that could have gone better,” Terry muttered when she had confirmed that the two of them were alone in the corridor outside the lounge area.
; “Yeah, that’s not what I’d hoped for.” Cyrus stopped and leaned against the wall.
“I’m sorry, I thought she might be willing to be more flexible.”
“She has no reason to alter her thinking. Humanity has made a mess of the situation.”
“We really have. I thought this was the right way to go about it…”
“I don’t believe there was a good way,” Cyrus said. “As I’ve been watching the news reports, I’ve been thinking about it more. We approached this under the assumption that a grassroots effort would be the most natural way to bring about change, but it was like opening the flood valve on a pressure vessel. I honestly didn’t realize how constrained people felt—beaten down, but not trapped. Maybe if I’d taken a closer look, I would have realized that this was inevitable.”
“I think I was in denial, myself,” Terry admitted.
Cyrus embraced her. “This needed to happen. It looks like a disaster now, but Serenity will be better for it in the end.”
“What about all the people who are dying?” she asked into his chest.
“All meaningful change has a cost. The quality of life for the survivors will make that loss have meaning.”
“I can’t help but feel responsible.”
“This isn’t on you, Terry. You inspired people to have courage. What they did with that sense of empowerment was their own decision. Opening people’s eyes is nothing to apologize for.”
“I’m not sure that will help me sleep better at night.”
“We’ll get through this together,” he murmured into her hair. “We started this, and we’ll finish it.”
She held him close. “I know we will.”
“Besides, we broke the High Table. How many people can say they did that?”
WAITING GAME
STELLAR DATE: 12.27.8938 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Perseus, Serenity System
REGION: Orion Freedom Alliance, Perseus Arm
Tanis crossed her arms, straight blonde hair framing her face as she watched the Celestiana leave the Perseus.
“They don’t seem to know what is necessary,” she said while shaking her head. “This situation is not going to sort itself out unless real leadership emerges. That’s either going to be a single leader from the houses, one of these rebels, or some random citizen from within the uprising populace.”
Dana replied, finding it curious that Tanis preferred to speak aloud so much. She wondered if maybe it was a result of the AI growing up living as a human within Star City’s Dream.
“Why not?” Tanis asked. “You’d make a better ruler than anyone else in this system.”
“Then boom.” The other AI nodded. “So do you want us to step in? Your ship is going to take more work to repair than is possible without it being very obvious as to what is going on. I have a hundred ships ready to move insystem. With our weapons and the stasis shield technology Sabrina and Iris gave us, twenty ships per moon is more than enough to quell any fighting.”
Tanis gestured at the holotank, and the view shifted from the departing freighter to encompass the gas giant and its five Earth-sized moons.
“This is going to end messy no matter how things go down. You know that. I know you’d love a solution where everyone just settles down and agrees rationally on a course of action that benefits everyone as best they can, but humans—especially humans who have had a boot on their neck for so long—aren’t known to be especially good at that.”
Tanis laughed. “Well, I didn’t say you were blameless, but I also wonder if my parents could have spent a bit more time here. The crew of Sabrina has the most leadership experience of anyone in a hundred light years.”
Dana joined in with the laughter, though hers was rueful and sardonic.
“How I’d love to do that, but they have to get to their home. It’s facing a not-dissimilar set of circumstances, ones that might have galactic consequences. But even if we wanted to, they’re in Stillwater, now.”
“They are, I imagine it’ll be quite the adventure…faster than going around, as well.”
There was a wistful tone to Tanis’s voice, Dana noted—an unusual affectation for such a young AI.
Then again, Dana had to keep in mind that the Dream had aged Tanis beyond her years, in addition to her lineage. The data packet sent weeks earlier had revealed a rather direct line back to the Weapon Born. All of that meant Tanis’s development and insights were inconsistent with her age.
It was a strange thing to consider that some of the most advanced technology—not to mention powerful weaponry—was under the control of an AI not yet six months old.
Tanis tapped a finger against her chin, then quickly whipped her hair back into a ponytail. “I think we should get ready. Terry was advised not to reveal anything about Star City, but I think she’ll tell Cyrus. And, if he believes her, they’ll likely seek us out.”
“It depends, I suppose. It’s a hell of a balancing act to render military aid and not become judge, jury, and executioner.”
A CRUX REVEALED
STELLAR DATE: 12.27.8938 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Celestiana, Serenity System
REGION: Orion Freedom Alliance, Perseus Arm
There was a somber mood in the Celestiana’s galley when the crew convened. Mai wore a permanent frown while Terry and Cyrus gave an account of the meeting with Dana.
By the end, Terry was feeling even more disheartened. They’d come too far and made too many promises to give up, but she didn’t know what to do.
“Maybe you should just let the people decide what they want, rather than continue your meddling,” Mai suggested flippantly.
A flush rose in Terry’s cheeks—not out of anger, but because she was worried the other woman might be right.
“No, movements like this need a leader,” Bryn stated.
Mai raised a thin eyebrow. “Right, like you have so much firsthand experience witnessing political uprisings.”
“We’ve all watched vids about this sort of thing. Even fiction is usually inspired by something based in reality,” Bryn insisted.
“Regardless,” Terry interjected, “we’re running out of options.”
“Since Dana has made it clear we’re on our own, we’ll need another tactic. But, no one else will help us without payment, and we barely have the credits to cover keeping this ship flying right now.”
“Speak for yourself,” Mai said. “By the way, rent is due.”
Cyrus glared at her. “You can’t be serious.”
She shrugged. “None of this Serenity business is my problem. If you don’t like the terms, cozy up with Terry on her pinnace. I’m ready to get back to my life.”
Terry stood up. “Maybe we’ll do just that.” She headed for the door.
“We will?” Cyrus tentatively rose and then hurried after her.
He caught up to her a little way down the corridor. “Look, Mai is just being Mai. She’s not actually going to kick us off the ship.”
She looked at him. “What’s left for you here?”
“It’s been home for a lo
ng time.” He sighed. “I don’t know.”
“I get that these people are your friends, but the wounded-act drama is more than I can take right now. I already have my own ride. And yes, you’re welcome to join me on it.”
“I appreciate that, but the Star Ember doesn’t exactly have the space the Celestiana offers.”
“Cargo hauling isn’t a big concern right now.”
“Picking up work like that is one of the only things we can trade to maybe get ourselves out of this hole.”
“By becoming indebted to Mai the way you were with Cam, trading for a favor you’ll keep paying for? No.”
“They’re pretty much the only friends we have left.”
“Not quite. We still have Antaris and Dana.”
“And what do we bring to that relationship? We have no leverage left. Pharis is out in the cold, Dana won’t do anything until we get our act together—”
“There is one move.”
He crossed his arms. “And what’s that?”
“When we first met, you asked me where I got my ship. I’ve been a little evasive about answering.”
“You don’t say?” He raised an eyebrow. “Why bring it up now?”
“Well, in my short time outside of Serenity, before I met you, I had quite an adventure. I left the system with a group of travelers. The details are way too complicated to get into, but they were from another part of the galaxy, and one of the people was from thousands of years ago, when the Sol System was still the center of power.”
“How…?”
“Time dilation is trippy.”
“Okay, we can circle back to that. What does this have to do with your ship?”
“Right. These people were separated from their friends and trying to get back. They were facing a decades-long journey. I almost went with them, but in the end, I couldn’t bring myself to turn away from this home with no possibility of coming back. But my last stop with them was to a place I can’t readily put into words. They call it Star City. It’s huge, and wondrous, and the tech they have there is almost beyond comprehension.
“Like Serenity, it is a remnant from another time, built by some of the same people after they left here. But unlike the people who chose to stay behind in Serenity, who elected to limit their tech, those others still have everything that’s been lost over the thousands of years. It’s a remnant from the past, but from my vantage, it felt like stepping into a breathtaking future.”