Hero Code

by Lindsay Buroker

  Casmir would have settled for his shoes and his tool satchel.

  “No,” Jager said. “His wits should suffice.”

  Casmir remembered proclaiming to Bonita once that he was armed with his wits. She hadn’t been impressed.

  10

  Sunlight streamed through the cargo hatchway the next morning when Qin and Bonita opened it for their visitor. A man in a blue and black suit with four shimmering tails swishing and swirling in the air behind him rode toward them on a sleek gold air bike. The Kingdom Guards—a new shift of them—watched indifferently as he entered the facility.

  The guards on duty the night before had glared sternly at Qin when Asger escorted her back to the ship, but thanks to his presence, they hadn’t said anything about her sneaking off. He hadn’t explained it to them, but they hadn’t presumed to question a knight. Asger had left after seeing her to the ship, the foil from the explosive held carefully between thumb and forefinger as he headed off to report to his superiors.

  The man on the bike brought it to a halt, placed it in park, and dismounted. His tails continued to swirl in the air behind him, more like something attached to an animal than pieces of fabric. He removed a helmet, hung it on a handlebar, grabbed a silver briefcase, and walked toward them.

  He was a middle-aged man with brown skin and wavy black hair, and his eyes seemed to be ocular prostheses, similar to real eyes in appearance, but slightly more reflective. Had he been born blind? If so, maybe that was why he’d gotten into a medical-equipment business.

  “Baron Denji Takahashi?” Bonita started to stick out a hand for a clasp but shifted to a bow, which seemed to be favored among Kingdom subjects.

  “Yes. Call me Denji.” He returned the bow. “And yes, I’m related to the queen, and no, I can’t get you an audience.”

  Qin found the comment bewildering—she hadn’t known the queen’s maiden name and wouldn’t have assumed a relationship, regardless.

  Bonita straightened. “No problem. I doubt she wants medical-bandage vending machines.”

  “But I do, and if you are truly the rightful owner of the patent, I’m prepared to negotiate for it and for all research, schematics, data, etcetera, etcetera relating to it.” He raised his eyebrows. “Are you the rightful owner? You said Professor Dabrowski gave it to you, but my understanding is that you don’t have any notarized documentation.”

  “No, the professor and I have been busy eluding mercenaries, pirates, and killer robots. We haven’t spent much time in the company of, uh, notarizers.” Bonita looked at Qin, as if questioning if that was the correct term.

  As if Qin would know. She was only here to be the muscle.

  “A Kingdom notary public would be the appropriate person,” Denji said dryly. “In lieu of notarized documentation, I will need to speak with Professor Dabrowski and record an oral transferring of the rights. You said you’ve been traveling with him?”

  “Yes, but he’s currently…” Bonita looked toward the castle, the top half of the sprawling stone structure visible from the air harbor. “Detained.”

  Denji’s lips pinched together.

  “Maybe you can go see him in the castle,” Qin suggested. “If you know the queen.”

  “She’s my second cousin. I’m actually on better terms with her daughter, Princess Oku, but it would be deemed somewhat strange if I visited her without bringing botany equipment for her greenhouse lab. What do you mean, exactly, detained?” He frowned at Bonita.

  “Uhm.”

  Qin caught a familiar person’s scent on the breeze and leaned outside to spot Casmir walking across the pavement in socks, wearing the same rumpled T-shirt and black trousers he’d been in two days ago. Except that they were more rumpled. And so was he.

  “Captain?” Qin pointed.

  Casmir wore a worried, distracted expression, as if he was reading some news on his contacts. Maybe he’d already heard about the bombing.

  Bonita spotted him, gawked, and then spread her arms in a far warmer welcome than she’d ever given him. “Casmir! El Mago!”

  “El what?” Qin asked.

  “El Mago. The wizard. Robot whisperer was too much of a mouthful.”

  A faint refrain of Viggo’s favorite opera played on the speakers. It was the one the vacuums liked to work to, at least according to Viggo.

  Casmir appeared bemused by the spread arms, but he waved agreeably as he ambled up the ramp. “Hello, Laser, Qin. Gentleman with a beautiful Model 87 air bike.”

  “Baron Denji Takahashi.” The man bowed. “You’re Professor Dabrowski?” He considered Casmir’s dirty socks. “I’d heard you were quirky.”

  “Is that my reputation in the world these days? Huh.”

  “Is it not your reputation in the robotics community?” Qin asked.

  “Oh, it is. I just didn’t know it had spread.” Casmir grinned and patted her on the arm.

  “Mr. Takahashi is here from Kendo Equipment Manufacturing,” Bonita said. “He is related to the queen but can’t get you an audience.”

  “That’s all right. I’ve already had my expectations of an audience with the queen sufficiently dashed.”

  “I’m here to possibly make an offer on Patent Number 183794729-b,” Denji said. “You filed it, Professor. And this lady says you gave it to her.”

  “That’s true. In exchange for space fare and food.”

  “She doesn’t have any notarized documentation.”

  “No?” Casmir raised his eyebrows at Bonita. “Did you explain the pirates and mercenaries?”

  “And the killer robots,” Bonita said. “I tried.”

  “If you’ll allow me to make a recording,” Denji said, “we can formalize everything now and begin negotiations.”

  Qin thought Casmir might ask for a shower or food first—shoes, perhaps—but he nodded and said, “Happy to.”

  As he, Bonita, and Denji headed into the ship, the music increased in volume and two dozen robot vacuums whirred out of the ship’s nooks and crannies to zip around Casmir’s feet.

  Denji gaped.

  “It is good to have you back, Casmir,” Viggo’s voice came from the speakers.

  “Thank you, Viggo. Do you have anything that needs repairing or fine-tuning?”

  “There is a rattle in my primary engine housing that developed during our last landing.”

  “I’ll look at it as soon as I’ve helped Laser.”

  “Excellent. The robots can direct you to the spot when you’re ready.”

  Bonita sighed and shook her head. “Definitely El Mago.”

  Qin remained at the cargo hatch, in part because she didn’t know anything about negotiating for patents, and in part because she feared a legion of law enforcement officers would soon race across the pavement, intending to drag Casmir back to the dungeon. He had the look of an escaped prisoner. If he’d been let go, wouldn’t they have returned his shoes to him?

  Only a single man strode toward the Dragon. Asger.

  He was as handsome as ever, but there were uncharacteristic bags under his eyes, and he didn’t look like he’d slept.

  “Qin.” He nodded once as he climbed the ramp. “Is Casmir here?”

  “He just arrived.”

  Asger’s mouth twisted. “I’ve been assigned to protect, guard, and spy on him again.”

  “You object?”

  “Maybe not. The verbal orders I received from my superior were somewhat vague, but my understanding is that we’re going to find the terrorists. The people who bombed the synagogue last night, the people who’ve been attacking other targets on Odin, and the people who—Royal Intelligence believes—are trying to keep the Kingdom distracted by troubles at home so we don’t pay much attention to the crimes being committed in our name throughout the systems.”

  “I would definitely like to help stop the people who bombed that building last night.”

  “Good. We’ll need help. I’m confused about the why, but apparently, only Casmir and I have been given this respon
sibility. Even though a dozen knights and countless Kingdom Guards and Royal Intelligence agents have been trying to stop these people for the last two months. Without success.”

  His lips shifted into another position, his expression one she hadn’t seen on him before.

  “Are you… daunted?” Qin guessed.

  “Of course. Shouldn’t I be?”

  “The myths and legends don’t mention knights being daunted.”

  “I guess we’re supposed to hide that under our cloaks.” His smile was fleeting. “I need to talk to Casmir.”

  “You’ll have to get in line.”

  “Behind whom?”

  “A chief executive officer who’s related to the queen but can’t get you an audience and Viggo’s robots.”

  “Casmir’s popularity knows no bounds.”

  Asger waited by the hatch with Qin, showing a new willingness to answer questions—she asked him about how one became a knight and what kind of training they did. She didn’t know what had made him decide to look at her instead of through her or away from her, but she was encouraged by the change. She started to regret that she’d wished his balls would wither up, fall off into the toilet, and be flushed into space and sucked into a black hole. Fortunately, she hadn’t voiced those words to him. Kim had received that diatribe. And she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would gossip it back to Asger.

  After a half hour, Bonita, Denji, and Casmir returned to the cargo hold. Casmir patted Denji on the back as they ambled toward the hatch. Casmir was still in socks. Did he even have any backup shoes? During their time in space, Qin had only seen him in the one set of pants and a T-shirt. If he borrowed one of Bonita’s galaxy suits again, at least he would have use of the boots. And some protection if a random terrorist tried to shoot him on the streets.

  “Of course, I’ll make myself available should you have any questions once you get ready to begin manufacturing,” Casmir said. “I’m hoping my new, uhm, project for the crown won’t keep me too busy. But message me whatever you need, and I’ll prioritize answering you.”

  “You’re working for the crown now?” Denji didn’t sound that surprised.

  “I’m applying for the position of court roboticist.”

  Denji paused at the top of the cargo ramp. “I’ve been to the castle for a few functions, and I don’t remember a representative from that position.”

  “That’s because it doesn’t exist yet. It’s a long story. I’m hoping it will work out favorably.” Casmir’s face twisted into a strange expression that seemed to all at once be wistful, optimistic, and terrified.

  Denji didn’t seem to know quite what to make of it, but he bowed and said, “I’ll wish you luck, then. Like her daughter, the queen is a scientist by training, though the media portrays her only as a smiling benefactor who hands out blankets to the poor. You may find that she would be the one most receptive to an application for such a position.”

  “Oh, I’d very much like to see her and ask about it one day.” Casmir lifted a hand, as if to wave farewell, but he halted mid-motion. “Denji, I know you said you can’t arrange audiences, but do you by chance have a contact code, either for the queen or the princess, that might be used to send a packet of schematics?”

  “Schematics?”

  “I’ve been working on a robot bee project that I think the princess might find interesting. Or utterly appalling but practical. I fear it would never be seen if I sent it to one of the general castle correspondence addresses.”

  “Robot bee project?” Qin mouthed to Asger.

  Asger met her eyes and shrugged back.

  “Ah.” Denji tapped his lips. “That actually does sound like something that would interest the princess. And the queen. She originally studied as a botanist, you know.”

  “I didn’t know that,” Casmir said, though Asger nodded. He seemed to have more of a relationship with the queen.

  “Forward the message to me, and I’ll send it along to them,” Denji said.

  Casmir brightened. “I will. Thank you.”

  “What are the robot bees for?” Bonita stepped up to Casmir’s side as Denji strode down to his air bike.

  “Pollinating flowers, of course, though I think the challenge of creating robots that could also make honey would be enjoyable to work on. Gathering nectar and pollen is a mechanical process, of course, but my understanding is that there are enzymes and proteins in the bee’s stomach that break down the complex sugars in the flower nectar before it’s stored in honeycomb cells. It’s certainly not impossible to use mechanical means to replicate biological processes, but it’s not easy.”

  Bonita looked at Qin, with a similar expression to the one Qin had given Asger.

  “Asger,” Casmir said, his tone graver. “I need to go on an errand. Will you accompany me, please?”

  “It’s my understanding that I’ll be accompanying you everywhere for some time.”

  “Working for the crown comes with onerous obligations, doesn’t it?”

  “You’re only just beginning to find out.”

  They headed down the ramp, and Qin raised her eyebrows toward Bonita, curious how the meeting had gone. It had sounded promising.

  “We’re selling Casmir’s patent.” Bonita nodded firmly. “For fifty thousand crowns.”

  “That’s good, right? It’s as much as you would have been paid for that bioweapon, and it will help people.”

  “People in need of bandages without quick access to a medical facility, yes. And fifty thousand is enough to be useful. It’s a lot more than I expected to get, honestly. Now, I can pay you your last two months’ wages, and we can attempt to negotiate with the Druckers for your freedom.”

  “Thank you, Captain, but I don’t want you to feel obligated to share your money with me—and definitely not with them.”

  “We’ll figure something out.”

  “Are we leaving soon?” Qin didn’t manage to keep the alarm out of her voice.

  She wanted to stay and help Casmir and talk more about knights with Asger. Casmir hadn’t told them yet what exactly he was up to—the wry way he’d said court roboticist made it sound like a half-truth, at most—but Qin was sure he was still in danger. He had to be. All those people wanted that gate, and only he knew where it was.

  “Not for a few days. As Casmir suggested, I negotiated for something else as well.” Bonita flexed one of her legs. “And it’ll take some time for contracts to be drawn up and for everything to be signed and made official. I don’t want to fly off until I see the money sitting in my account.”

  “Understandable.” Qin smiled, relieved, though she didn’t know how much Casmir would resolve in the next few days. She also didn’t know where Bonita planned to head next, but Qin feared that in other systems, she would be more likely to run into bounty hunters and opportunists trying to collect her for the Druckers’ reward.

  Maybe it was a delusion, but she sensed that here, she would be less likely to encounter such people. The Kingdom seemed isolated from the rest of the systems. And it had that beautiful park.

  She supposed it was silly to wish to stay here so she could run through the trees again. It wasn’t as if she had the freedom to move about without people shouting freak at her. If she hadn’t had Asger at her side the night before, she would have been arrested, even though she’d been helping. The little boy giving her the robot doll had been sweet, but she had a feeling it would be naive to think she could ever have a life someplace like this. No matter how beautiful the trees were.

  Automated tractors pushed rubble into neat piles as the warm sun beat down, glinting off their metallic bodies. Casmir thought thunder and rainstorms would have been more appropriate for the situation. Asger had explained what it had been like at the synagogue the night before, and Casmir wasn’t sure if he was relieved the injured and dead had all been removed, or if he felt guilty that he hadn’t been here to help. This wasn’t the place where his family worshipped, but he’d been here several ti
mes for special ceremonies, and he knew a number of those who’d gone to the hospital after the bombing.

  …and the Kaganovichs, their little girl came out of the ICU this morning, bless the family. The Marshaks are unaccounted for. We’re praying they were simply out of town and will respond as soon as they’re able. You know they enjoy their camping trips. Casmir, this is so dreadful. Do you know if the king plans to do anything?

  No, Mother, he replied to the text scrolling down his contact, finally having the opportunity to catch up with his family this afternoon. We didn’t become close while he was questioning me. But he has assigned me to find the terrorists and guide the Kingdom Guard to them, and I intend to do so.

  Casmir spotted a child’s purse left among the wreckage, and he clenched his fist. He would have taken this assignment whether the king had wished it or not. This was despicable. Who would attack innocent civilians? And why? To get at him? If it was directed toward him, why not bomb the synagogue his family attended? He hoped it had nothing to do with him, that the synagogue had been chosen over the other religious buildings on the bluff because it had been at the end and an easier target.

  “As usual,” he muttered, wiping his eyes.

  You know I want these awful people brought to justice, or at least removed from our world, but why are you involved, Casmir? I don’t understand. And why can’t you comm me? And come to dinner tonight?

  I don’t want to endanger you and Father. I told you. Casmir had been going back and forth with his mother for over an hour. He was glad to finally have a chance to speak with her, even if by text message, but he needed to focus on figuring out his new assignment, and he feared he might have to start filing away her notes for later. Until after he’d come up with… He didn’t know what yet. Something.

  He gazed toward the ocean and the street out front.

  Asger leaned against one of the still-standing walls, alternating between watching him and watching their surroundings. With Zee still with Kim—he had sent her a message earlier to let her know he was all right, but he hadn’t heard back from her yet—he was counting on Asger to protect him if crushers showed up. What he hadn’t admitted to Asger was that he wanted crushers to show up.