He gestured toward the control panel in question, an eyebrow raised, and she promptly readopted the scowl. “One of our guests screwed around with the data center settings.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised. Any damage done?”
“None that I can see, thankfully.” She closed out of the settings. “I had to reset the configuration, but everything seems to be in order now. What about you? Any luck?”
He nodded thoughtfully. “I think I found her.”
Because of course he had, and without the need of Alex’s help. He’d asked her to divulge where Mia had fled to, but she honestly didn’t know, since Mia had shut herself completely off from the Noesis after her dramatic exit from the Consulate. Could Valkyrie persuade Meno to reveal their location on the sly? Possibly, but it felt like a betrayal of the trust the Noetica Prevos placed in one another for her to ask the question.
But if Caleb wanted to find Mia on his own, she wasn’t going to stop him. He was Mia’s oldest friend, and the woman clearly needed a proper friend right now. Malcolm was alive after all, which was genuinely welcome news. But based on what her mother had shared about her meeting with Malcolm, it sounded as if no joyous reunion between the couple was materializing. The series of tragedies his false death had kicked off weren’t finished playing out their macabre theater quite yet.
“I’m glad. So you’re headed to…?”
“Pandora.”
She worked to keep a flare of concern off her expression. Pandora wasn’t that Anaden shithole Lethe that Caleb had tracked Eren to, and it definitely wasn’t a Rasu-occupied Namino, but it was still fraught with dangers, traps and criminals. “Do you want me to come with you?”
He laughed lightly, came over and wrapped his arms around her. “Not necessary. I’ll be fine. And it’ll be a good test—a measure of our progress.”
“Going to give Akeso a peek at the seedy underbelly of humanity and see how the two of you handle it?”
“That’s the plan.”
She searched his eyes, the twitching of his lips and the beating of his heart, but discerned no hesitation, deceit or fear. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. Besides, you have your own plans for today, don’t you?”
“I do, though say the word and I’ll postpone them. Otherwise, as soon as I finish up in here, I’m headed to Mirai to see Nika. I have a promise to keep.”
PANDORA
Caleb strolled the streets of The Approach with deliberate, practiced casualness. He hadn’t visited Pandora in almost a decade, and in the recesses of his mind, he let a cascade of old memories wash over him. Missions with Samuel at his side and solo ventures. Weekend getaways punctuated by a little too much fun in simpler times. Meeting Noah when the man was a gray-market tech dealer and smuggler. Nearly dying at the hand of a mysterious assassin at the hidden estate of a wealthy power-broker. Identifying Mia as the key to bringing down a petty warlord, feeding the starving young woman a burrito and helping her free herself from the bondage of the cartels.
With the other half of his awareness, he took in the energy pulsing through the streets. The passersby, their demeanors and intentions. The Approach was far from the most dangerous area on Pandora, but beneath a bit of spit and polish, it was dominated by criminals of all stripes, and there was plenty of danger here to trap the unwitting.
Akeso stirred in his mind. Humans willingly cause harm to one another? I do not comprehend why this could be.
For money, mostly. To gain power on the one hand and protection on the other. Here on Pandora, everyone is either looking out for themselves or paying tribute to someone more powerful to look out for them.
Are you the only Human who is not selfish and destructive?
He chuckled to himself. I can be as selfish and destructive as anyone, on bad days. People are complicated. All living beings are.
Akeso did not believe oneself to be complicated, until you arrived in one’s life.
His step hitched briefly, but he recovered and continued on. Recently—since returning from Namino—Akeso had begun, here and there, to refer to itself by their chosen moniker for the planet’s consciousness, rather than as ‘All.’ He hoped this was a sign of a burgeoning appreciation for some of the concepts he was trying to help Akeso understand. I’m showing you the larger world, as we agreed, and the inescapable reality is that the world is a very complicated place.
Indeed, it must be.
He caught notice of a man directing a challenging glare his way as they neared one another on the sidewalk. The shimmering tattoo on the man’s shoulder displayed a pattern too specific to lack significance; an active-duty intelligence agent would know what it meant, but he hadn’t been one of those in a long time.
A cold brutality hardened the man’s eyes. Cunning, also, for he’d sized Caleb up in seconds and identified him for what he was—had been. Still, he’d be surprised if the old him was shining through already. Had his trials on Namino reawakened something long-buried inside him, and done so enough for this man to see it?
This Human you are contemplating makes Akeso uneasy.
You’re probably sensing my unease. Do you understand why I’m feeling it?
Akeso understands why you perceive the person as worthy of unease. It has no frame of reference to judge if you’re correct in your assessment.
This was progress. Good progress. Akeso was beginning to accept how the world was full of nuance and shades of gray, which was one of his goals. Its naive absolutes could not survive out here in the rough-and-tumble world beyond its borders, and if he was going to live in that world, so must Akeso.
This man is the type of person who hurts people. If he hurts someone innocent in front of me, I will need to hurt him in response, to save the innocent life and all those who he would have endangered in the future. Understand?
But why would this person hurt that which is innocent? What gain comes from inflicting such pointless pain?
There are a thousand possibilities, but not every question can be answered by us. It’s true all the same.
He and the man passed one another, stares locked in challenge…and the man made no move. Most bullies were cowards when confronted by someone displaying both the ability and willingness to fight back.
Why didn’t the man attempt to attack you?
Because I let him know that I would fight back if challenged, and it wouldn’t go well for him.
You…Akeso will try to comprehend this. Human interaction is most crude, yet oddly complex.
After putting another dozen meters between him and the man, Caleb crossed the street at the next intersection. Mia’s new shop was only a few blocks away, and he turned his attention to the imminent conversation.
He reminded himself how he wasn’t here to chastise her or tell her what she should do, only to ensure she was physically safe and to provide a shoulder to cry on should she require one. She’d suffered through a horrific month, and he hadn’t been there for her during it; the last time he’d seen her, he’d lashed out at her in anger and stormed off. But he could be here for her now.
He walked through the door to the shop to find a brightly lit space with full shelves lining every wall. The open center of the shop was punctuated by elaborate displays of the latest in tech gadgetry and items marked ‘Grand Opening Sale.’
“This all looks rather familiar.”
A head popped up from behind the counter in the back. It came with a few surprises, such as shoulder-length lilac-and-silver hair and platinum irises, but her features were otherwise unmistakable. Mia’s eyes widened in shock, but the shock quickly gave way to relief.
She hurried out from around the counter and embraced him. “Caleb….”
He squeezed her tight against his chest, happy that she didn’t fight him, or worse, slap him on account of his behavior when they’d last seen each other. Only when the embrace began to border on awkward did he draw back, reaching out to flip the ends of her hair with a fingertip. “Cute. I like
it.”
“Thanks. First thing: how is Marlee?”
“I’m forced to say, better than ever.”
“Good. I am so glad she’s safe…” abruptly Mia scowled at him “…do I even want to hear how you found me? I thought I covered my tracks rather well.”
“Oh, you did. But I used to find people who didn’t want to be found for a living, and I know you better than anyone.”
A shadow passed across her features, and she stepped farther out of his reach. “You do. Naturally, you’d guess where I’d run.”
“Is that what you’re doing? Running?”
“I’m a fugitive living on a semi-lawless planet under a fake name. I assumed this much was obvious.”
Okay. Might as well venture straight into treacherous waters, then. “You know he’s alive, right?”
She nodded curtly and went around the counter to busy herself with typing something into a control panel. Presumably gibberish.
He pressed on. “Have you talked to him?”
“I have not.”
“He’s taken a leave of absence from the military to search for you. Let me save both of you a lot of trouble and bring him here.”
“No!” Her eyes burned a fierce challenge straight through him. “Caleb, don’t you dare. Promise me.”
“Listen, if you were secretly miserable in the relationship and were searching for a way out of it, then good on you for escaping. I won’t interfere—unless you ask me to beat him up, in which case I will seek him out and do so, for you. But, forgive me, I had the impression you were…happy being with him.”
The fierceness died away, leaving her looking so desolate. Broken beneath the steel. “I was. I truly was. But he lied to me. He let me believe he’d come back to me if the worst ever happened. Then the worst did happen, and I learned the truth: he’d never intended to return at all. He didn’t care enough about me to make certain he would always come back, and this tells me everything I need to know about our relationship.”
But it was much more complicated than that, like everything in the world, and he sensed Akeso’s enduring questions hovering beneath his conscious thoughts. This was heartbreak talking—a shattered soul scrambling to construct a narrative that allowed it to survive through all the pain.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here defending Malcolm Jenner, but don’t you think he at least deserves to hear you say this to his face? And a chance to respond with his side of the story?”
Her face blanched, and for a second her vulnerability bled through once again. “I’m not ready to see him. I can’t. Not yet. Please, promise me you won’t tell him where I am.”
“I promise. My allegiance has always been to you. But if you change your mind, tell me, and I’ll try to make this as easy as possible for you.”
She pretended to ignore his offer. “So are you only here to check on me?”
“Isn’t that enough of a reason?”
“Of course it is, and I appreciate your concern. But I know you fairly well, too, and I doubt it’s the only reason.”
He reached in his pocket and slid a thin film over the counter to her. “A plea deal offer. Richard’s signed off on it and persuaded the various prosecutors to get on board as well, so all you have to do is say yes to it.”
She stared at the film, eyes wide, as if she was afraid it would explode if she touched it. “What does the offer entail?”
“You plead guilty to unauthorized use of Concord property and interference with an official Concord investigation, pay a fine of 100,000 credits and agree to two hundred hours of community service.”
“And?”
“And…you’re barred from holding a government position with any Concord- or AEGIS-recognized entity. Forever.”
Her throat worked, and her gaze dropped to the floor.
“It’s a good deal, Mia. A fair one. No prison time, and other than the ban on holding government office, your actions and movements aren’t restricted.”
She nodded tightly. “It is.”
“So will you take it? Quit running? The store is a nice façade, but this kind of life isn’t you any longer. It hasn’t been for a long time.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Caleb, I just want to be left alone. I’m so damn tired….” She ran a hand through her silver locks, all the way to the lilac tips. “I want to walk in a world of strangers, where no one recognizes me or expects anything of me, and simply be. You can understand that, can’t you?”
“I absolutely can. But I also believe you’ll get past those desires. You’ll get your feet back underneath you, and Pandora will no longer be able to hold you.”
“Maybe one day. It doesn’t feel like it right now.”
He reached over the counter to clasp her shoulder. “Comm me when you’re ready. Comm me before then, the instant you need anything.”
“You know I will.”
“I’d prefer it if you’d confirm it.”
She conjured up a weak smile. “I swear.”
“Thank you.” He glanced toward the door and beyond it to the bustling street outside. “I don’t have to tell you to be careful, do I? This isn’t the safest neighborhood.”
“No, you don’t, and I’ll be fine.”
She was a long way from ‘fine,’ but short of camping out in her storage room or hiring a squad of armed guards—which she’d never allow—there wasn’t much more he could do for her at the moment.
“All right. I’ll respect your wishes. Again, comm me if you need anything, anytime. And…” he gestured to the thin film sitting on the counter like radioactive debris “…I’ll just leave this here with you.”
10
* * *
MIRAI
Mirai One
Though she’d made several fly-by visits, Alex had never lingered for long enough to get a proper view of the city of Mirai One. As she accompanied Nika through a series of levtram rides and sidewalk jaunts, she decided it was quite lovely. Cool, crisp air carried on a breeze from the gorgeous harbor the city overlooked gave it a fresh and lively atmosphere. Everything was hyper-clean, and the buildings shone as if they’d been buffed and polished the night before. In a lot of ways it reminded her of Cavare, though Mirai One was populated by fewer people and many more bots—or ‘dynes,’ as the Asterions called their mobile sub-Artificial machines.
She and Nika chatted about the Namino aftermath and speculated on the possible tactics of the Rasu until they arrived at the Industry Division’s Conceptual Research lab, where Dashiel Ridani was waiting for them. He and Nika embraced, and they murmured to one another for a minute before he stepped back and motioned toward a wide door. “Come on in, and I’ll make the introductions.”
Alex held up a hand to forestall him. “Hold on for a minute. Everyone will be relieved if we only do those once.” She sent a pulse.
Devon, are you ready for the meeting over in the Dominion?
One second…yep. At your location?
That’s right.
A few meters to her left, the air shimmered and a fissure opened up; once it took firm shape, Devon Reynolds walked through from his office. As the fissure healed itself and vanished, she gestured at everyone in turn. “This is Devon Reynolds, Director of Concord’s Special Projects division. Devon, these are Asterion Dominion Advisors Nika Kirumase and Dashiel Ridani.”
Handshakes were exchanged, then Dashiel glanced at her. “Are we good to go inside now?”
“We are.”
“Excellent.” He punched in a code and the door opened, revealing a long room with a tall ceiling and a series of glass enclosures. Pervasive white lighting and an abundance of a high-grade austenitic steel alloy gave the space a clinical, almost medical feel. Asterions in clean suits worked in many of the enclosures, dynes in others.
Dashiel led them to a circular table in an open corner; while they got situated, he walked off briefly, then returned accompanied by two men. “This is Hoya Isao, Director of Industry’s Conceptual Research D
epartment here on Mirai. And this is Parc Eshett, Omoikane Initiative consultant and all-around programming wizard.”
Alex had met Parc on Namino, but greetings were passed around as they took their seats. She dipped her chin toward Devon, who’d sat beside her. “Devon, you asked for this meeting, so why don’t you begin?”
“I’d be happy to.” He clasped his hands atop the table, looking every bit the head of a major intergovernmental organization and not the hacker, rebel and general prankster he’d once been.
“At Special Projects, we have created a new team of researchers and given them their own lab dedicated to understanding and countering the Rasu threat. I hear you’ve been doing much the same thing here, which is great. The more brilliant minds attacking the problem in as many ways as possible, the better.
“But I can’t help but think that a more productive path would be for us to, if not overtly work together, at a minimum maintain an open line of communication between our teams. When my people come up with a promising new weapon concept, we let you know. When you come up with a clever new defense system, you let us know. Perhaps most importantly, when one of us fails spectacularly, we can forewarn the other and save valuable time and resources. We can brainstorm ideas and poke holes in each other’s plans. This way, we don’t duplicate efforts or get too far down a path on research that already hasn’t panned out.”
Director Isao nodded thoughtfully. “In principle, it’s a worthy idea. But there are intellectual property ownership issues to work out, and a lot of what we do here is technically confidential.”
Devon waved off the protest. “Everything we do at Special Projects is technically confidential. But I was led to believe that when it comes to the Rasu, everything was also on the table. Was I misled?”
Dashiel shook his head while casting a meaningful look in Isao’s direction. “No, you weren’t. Director Isao, I’ll authorize whatever waivers we need in order to share our Rasu work with Concord Special Projects.”
“This is all I needed to hear.” Isao reached over and shook Devon’s hand. “Glad to have you on the team.”
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