“We already have plainclothes guards at your scheduled destination, my Lord,” responded Gunner. “I promise we will be discreet this time.”
“This time?” asked Jack.
“Last time we were in town we had so many guards around us it looked more like we were prisoners than protectees,” replied Fredreek.
“We were just trying to ensure the safety of Lord Skyborn,” said Gunner.
“Yeah, where are all you guys when we’re fighting Deathlords on the Rim?” mused Wilvelm with a cocky smile. “We’re probably better at protecting ourselves than most of your men are.”
“No reason to take our duty any less seriously,” Gunner countered. “Now if you’d please follow me, your escort awaits.”
Gunner led them out of the room and into a large hangar housing a number of vehicles. There was a sleek armored shuttle in the center that resembled a fancy stretch limousine. Jack watched as the armed escort cars around it rose up into the air, their tires rotating until they were horizontal, their hubcap areas transforming into hoverfoils.
Coooool, thought Jack as he admired the vehicles. He’d never ridden in a flying car before. “We’re not teleporting to the club?” asked Jack.
“Though all the supertowers contain teleportation platforms, once you get out to the stratums they’re few and far between,” said Mourdock. “So I’m afraid it’s necessary to drive to our destination.”
“Besides, who wants to use public teleporters anyway?” said Fredreek. “Ick.”
Jack followed the others as they climbed into the shuttle. The inside of it had plush leather seats which made Jack feel like he was sitting on air. There was also a small bar inside, which Wilvelm and Fredreek spent no time before raiding.
“First time in a hovercar?” asked Mourdock as he took the seat next to Jack.
“Yeah,” replied Jack. “Back on my planet we just drove around on roads the old fashioned way.”
“So do we, usually,” said Mourdock. “There used to be a time when cities had lots of dedicated skylanes for hovercars, but there were far too many accidents. Now skylanes are limited, and most of the population uses the roads. The air is typically reserved for government officials, the military, and Peacekeepers.”
“In a city this big, traffic must be a real pain,” said Jack.
Mourdock chuckled. “Not as bad as you’d think,” he said. “Most people prefer to use teleportation. It’s far cheaper and quicker than using a hovercar, so traffic is usually fairly light.”
The shuttle jerked as Jack felt it lift off the ground. He glanced out the window and saw their escort hovering nearby. He couldn’t help but smile to himself. Despite everything he’d seen since leaving Earth, he still thought flying cars were cool.
The convoy started to move and Jack watched as they emerged from the Royal Tower, high above the city. The ride was so smooth and level, it barely felt like they were moving at all. As they flew, Wilvelm got a call on his datapad. “Excuse me, I have to take this…” he said, setting his drink aside and answering his call. “Yeah, are you guys there yet?” he asked into his datapad.
Fredreek checked his datapad, as well. “I should call the club and let them know we’re on our way,” he said, making his call as he spoke.
With the other two occupied, Jack glanced over at Mourdock. He still couldn’t get over how freakin’ perfect the guy looked. It almost made him depressed. Jack could practically see Mourdock’s muscles bulging from beneath his uniform. He briefly wondered if Anna was into guys with rock-hard bodies like that.
“So… you, like, work out a lot?” asked Jack.
“When I can, I guess,” Mourdock replied.
“How much you bench?”
“Bench?”
“Yeah, you know,” said Jack. “How many weights can you lift?”
Mourdock looked at Jack curiously. “Why would you want to know that?” he asked.
“Just… y’know,” said Jack, feeling stupid because he’d already concluded Mourdock could probably lift way more than him anyway. “Wondering how you got so fit.”
Mourdock laughed. “You do know I’m genetically engineered to look this way, don’t you?” he replied. “It just happens naturally. I don’t really have to work at it.”
Of course you don’t, thought Jack bitterly. “Genetically engineered, eh?”
“Yes, most Legacies employ some form of genetic engineering to try and maximize their Ancient gene,” Mourdock said.
“Ancient gene?”
“That’s what we call whatever it is that allows Legacy Prime to control Ancient Technology,” said Mourdock. “During the Age of Enlightenment, there was actually a movement to use genetic engineering to re-create the entire genetic sequence of the Ancients and decentralize control of their technology from Legacy Prime.”
“I take it that didn’t work out so well?” asked Jack.
“It just flat-out didn’t work, period,” Mourdock replied. “First of all, no one has been able to truly replicate Ancient DNA because there is no record of it in its pure form. The Ancients completely disappeared 50,000 years ago. Secondly, Ancient technology doesn’t appear to respond to someone whose genes were artificially engineered in a lab, which is why all attempts at cloning the Royal Family have failed.”
“Really?” said Jack. “Why doesn’t it work?”
“No one knows,” replied Mourdock. “Though the generally accepted answer is the one Emperor Nameer theorized, that there are different aspects to our connection to the Ancients than simply the structure of our DNA. He believed there was a spiritual and mental component to it, as well, which Legacy Prime seems to come by naturally. That is why he founded the order of the Luminadric Monks to help nurture and strengthen those aspects in the Royal Family.”
“The Luminadric Monks?” asked Jack. “You mean the guy with three eyes and the walking stick?”
“You must be speaking of Anna’s latest tutor,” Mourdock said. “I’d heard he’s an Endolan. Their race has a third eye.”
“So, if genetic engineering doesn’t work, then why did your parents do it with you?”
“Well, I wasn’t engineered in a lab, I was engineered organically,” Mourdock explained. “My parents recruited Paragons to help manifest my traits while my mother was pregnant, altering me as I naturally developed. There’s a school of thought that Ancient technology is shielded against use by anything artificial as a way to ensure it can only be used by those worthy of it and to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Thus, engineering children through the quantum manifestation of genes while in the womb gets far superior results but is far more difficult and prone to complications. It helps if there’s already a connection to the Royal Family, because those genes that are already there can be refined and brought to the forefront. Luckily, my mother has a connection to Legacy Prime, albeit a small one.”
“What kind of connection?”
“Some great-great-great-great grandfather, or something,” Mourdock said with a shrug. “Legacy Prime has existed for close to ten thousand years, so lots of Legacies have some type of link to them. But apparently the Paragons who helped manifest me did something right, because I was found to be highly compatible with the Royal Family. That’s one of the big reasons why they agreed to let my parents wed me to Anna.”
“Wow,” said Jack. “That all sounds really complicated.”
Mourdock chuckled. “Nothing when it comes to the Ancients is ever simple, Jack, as I’m sure you know,” he responded. “There are still as many mysteries surrounding them today as there were at the dawn of the Empire. And just when we think we’ve found some answers, a hundred new questions pop up. That is why Anna is so important. She’s the only one alive who is able to solve those puzzles.”
“And yet, when you two get married, you’re the one who’s gonna be Emperor,” said Jack.
“I’ll be expected to rule alongside Anna, yes,” replied Mourdock. “But my primary responsibility will be to have
children with her who will carry on the traits of Legacy Prime and keep the Empire’s connection to the Ancients alive.”
Jack didn’t really want to think about Anna having Mourdock’s perfect babies. “But what would happen if Anna died? Would you guys just be out of luck and unable to use any Ancient technology ever again?”
“That is indeed a topic of serious debate, particularly after Legacy Prime was almost wiped out,” Mourdock said. “The general consensus is that the Legacy with the strongest connection to the Ancients would assume power and the Luminadric Monks would work with them to bring about offspring who had the ability to operate the technology as Legacy Prime did. But that’s something that could take generations to achieve. My family subscribes to the idea that the spiritual and mental connection is enough to justify sitting on the throne, since pure genetics has proven to be so hit-or-miss. We believe that with the right training, anyone could operate Ancient technology.”
“Then why is Anna the only one who can do it?”
“Those in Legacy Prime have always been naturally talented when it comes to that,” said Mourdock. “No one really knows why. But they’ve also restricted access to it in order to ensure their supremacy in the Empire. When they have allowed others access to the technology and worked alongside them, it can usually be adapted for secular use, which means anyone can start using it. Teleportation, matter replication, hyperspace access, lightspeed travel – this all used to be exclusive to Legacy Prime until they allowed it to be researched. Now it’s common-place.”
“Prepare for arrival,” came the voice of the driver over the shuttle’s intercom.
Jack glanced out the window as the shuttle began to descend. He saw the stratum below slowly rise toward them, filled with various buildings and bustling streets. One building in particular appeared to be where they were headed. It was a tall, glass structure with metal frames, making it look very modern. But it was also littered with flashy neon lights, and a large, colorful holographic display on its face reading “Club Cristo.”
The escort cars landed first, and there was already a perimeter being guarded by armed Royal Guards since a throng of people had already gathered.
“Whoa,” said Jack. “Where did all these people come from?”
“Most likely Jyn leaked that we’d be coming,” mused Fredreek. “He wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to get publicity over the fact that both the Emperor Ascendant and the Hero of the Empire would be visiting his establishment.”
Jack nervously looked out the window at the mass of people. “Don’t sweat it,” said Mourdock. “Just smile and pose for pictures. The Royal Guard will keep everything from getting too raucous.”
Jack nodded as Mourdock opened the door. The minute Mourdock stepped out, Jack heard the crowd scream in excitement. Jack followed him out of the shuttle and looked around as various onlookers reached out toward him, calling his name. Flashes of light assaulted him as cameras snapped in his direction. Mourdock seemed comfortable with the attention, smiling and waving to the delight of the crowd. Jack watched as Mourdock approached the perimeter, shaking hands and posing for pictures with those who’d gathered.
“Lord Skyborn! Lord Skyborn!” Jack heard members of the press who’d forced their way to the perimeter call out. “What do you have to say about your latest victory over the Deathlords in the Rim?”
“Are the rumors true that you and the Princess got tattoos of each other’s names as a symbol of your commitment to one another?”
“Care to comment on the destruction of the Planetkiller Fleet?”
“What are you wearing tonight? Is that a Fabu original?”
Mourdock laughed and patiently answered a few questions as he continued walking down the line. Jack, along with Wilvelm and Fredreek, watched him.
“Wow, he’s so good at that,” observed Jack.
“Mourdock’s good at everything he does,” said Wilvelm with a smile.
“Not at first, though,” said Fredreek. “You should have seen him when he was younger. He’d freeze up the minute you’d put a camera in his face. It was hilarious.”
“That’s the thing about Mourdock, though,” said Wilvelm. “The man is able to conquer any fear. Overcome any obstacle. He’s going to make a great Emperor.”
“He’d better,” joked Fredreek. “We’ve invested way too much time and effort for him not to be.”
“Earthman! Earthman!” Jack heard people in the crowd screaming.
“What are you waiting for, Hero?” asked Wilvelm. “Go and greet your adoring fans!”
Wilvelm pushed Jack toward the perimeter. Jack felt overwhelmed, but proceeded to shake hands and pose for pictures just as Mourdock was doing. All the attention made him feel so strange, but deep down, he kind-of enjoyed it. Before he knew it, he was signing autographs, smiling for the cameras, and even fielding questions from reporters.
“Earthman! Are you and Lord Skyborn now friends?” one reporter shouted.
“Uh, I guess so,” replied Jack.
“Will you be joining him in his defense of the Rim from the Deathlords?” shouted another.
“I don’t know.”
“Are the rumors Princess Glorianna is secretly in love with you true?”
“No.”
“What are you wearing tonight?”
“Um… clothes.”
Eventually, they made it to the entrance of the club where an Orean in a bright green suit greeted them. “Welcome, compatriots!” the Orean said with a big smile, his body moving as he spoke. “It is an honor to receive both the Emperor Ascendant and the Hero of the Empire tonight!”
“Jyn, you old rascal,” said Fredreek. “I thought I asked you to be discreet about our visit?”
“Ah, Lord Goldstone, my humble apologies,” Jyn replied. “The crowd had already gathered by the time you’d contacted me. Not only are we featuring Paragon Tetso tonight, but we are also celebrating the release of a new album by—”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” interrupted Wilvelm. “Can we just please get inside? I could be drinking right now.”
“But of course,” replied Jyn, holding out four metal wristbands. “Here are your VIP bracelets. They will grant you access to any place in the club.”
“And the Diamond Room?” asked Fredreek.
“Prepped and ready for your arrival,” Jyn replied with a broad, toothy grin.
Jack slipped on his wristband as the group followed Jyn inside. Once they got past the entrance lobby, Jack was almost bowled over by what he saw. The inside of Club Cristo was huge. It had multiple tiers, all filled with various alien races. The floor below them had a large stage on it, in front of a glowing dance floor filled with people rocking out and Oreans having conversations. Multicolored lights flashed and moved around as loud music blared.
There was a man on the stage, sporting long dreadlocks and clad in a tight black bodysuit with glowing panels attached to it. He was surrounded by hovering orbs, which he reached out and spun, causing music to be produced when he did so. It was unlike anything Jack had ever heard before.
“Whoa,” said Jack as Jyn guided them through the club. “Who’s the DJ?”
“DJ?” asked Wilvelm. “You mean the clubmaster? That’s Paragon Tetso. One of the most famous musicians in the Empire.”
Jack remembered that Paragons engaged in all types of different disciplines, but he’d never seen any except the warrior kind before. “He’s really good,” said Jack.
“He’s amazing,” replied Fredreek. “He manifests all his own audio orbs and creates sounds no one has ever heard before. He’s one of the great artists of our time.”
Jyn led them down a level where a holographic sign reading “Diamond Room” hung above two double-doors with a shielded barrier in front of them. Jack’s wristband beeped as he and the others passed through the shield and into the room, the doors automatically closing behind them.
The room was a luxurious lounge. The walls were lined with display monitors that show
ed images of the dancefloor outside. The room was soundproof but had speakers which played the music from the stage. It was littered with various plush couches and chairs, and there was a private bar in the corner attended to by its own robo-servant.
“Gentlemen,” said Jyn with a bow, “I will take my leave of you now. If there is anything you require, just ask, and I shall personally see it is delivered to you.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” said Mourdock. “You’ve been most kind.”
“The pleasure is mine, Lord Skyborn,” Jyn replied before taking his leave.
Wilvelm and Fredreek wasted no time hitting the bar. Jack looked up at the monitors, fascinated by what was going on out in the club. “So, are we just gonna hang out in here all night?” Jack asked.
“If we’re lucky,” said Wilvelm with a chuckle.
Jack gave Mourdock a curious look. Mourdock smiled. “We didn’t want to tell you before we arrived, but we’ve got a little surprise planned for you,” he said.
“What kind of surprise?” Jack asked, a bit wary.
“If we told you, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise, would it?” replied Fredreek.
“Trust us,” said Wilvelm, lighting up a cigarette. “You’ll love it.” He took a long drag off the cigarette before handing it over to Fredreek, who did the same.
“Here,” said Fredreek, holding the cigarette out toward Jack, “take a hit.”
“Um… what is it?” Jack asked warily.
“Dreamleaf,” said Wilvelm as he exhaled a bevy of smoke. “You’re gonna need it.”
“Dreamleaf?” asked Jack, taking the cigarette from Fredreek. “Is that like lowbacco?”
“No, not even close,” said Fredreek with a smile. “Dreamleaf will shift your brainwaves from alpha stage to theta stage. Basically, it makes your brain act like you’re sleeping while you remain conscious. That means we can party all night, and come morning, we won’t be the least bit tired.”
“Seriously?” asked Jack.
“Yep,” replied Wilvelm. “They used to give it to soldiers back in the Age of Conquest so they wouldn’t need to sleep. But nowadays it’s mainly used to party and study for exams.”
Earthman Jack vs. The Secret Army (Earthman Jack Space Saga Book 2) Page 24