by Al Robertson
‘Oh, no.’ Jack stepped towards Penderville and put a hand on his shoulder. This time, it didn’t sink in. ‘That’s what you all do, isn’t it?’ he said to Grey accusingly. ‘You make us puppets.’
‘We’ve got your best interests at heart. We always have done.’
‘Grey and I had nothing to do with this, Jack,’ added East, stepping forwards. ‘We’re as shocked by it as you are. And we’re working with the Totality now. That’s why that snowflake’s here, that’s why we’re not stopping the dead from rising. We want people to know about all this. We want a fresh start.’
‘You want to bring down Kingdom and reinstate Grey. All this is a power play, nothing more.’
‘I was framed and I fell from power,’ said Grey, sounding offended. ‘I’m a victim too.’
Jack snorted dismissively.
‘And we’ve still got work to do,’ Grey continued. ‘Kingdom’s pushing for a resumption of hostilities against the Totality. He’s seen that I’m active again, so he’s hitting me hard. My headquarters are under attack. People are beginning to notice all this’ – he waved at the snowflake – ‘and everyone will know about it once Andrea and the Totality have released all those fetches on to the weave. We need to make sure there’s no way Kingdom can turn it all to his advantage.’
‘How could he?’
‘He’s very powerful and he’s very afraid, which makes him very dangerous. We need to make sure that there’s no way he can cover up any of his crimes. East needs to make sure that people hear the right side of the story. I need to reawaken my board, so I can defend myself properly. You need to get everything you know in front of the Totality and the Pantheon. Now, you can stay here and discuss the niceties of morality, or we can get moving. Which is it going to be?’
‘Fist and I don’t have a body to go back to,’ said Jack. ‘We’re much more vulnerable to Kingdom without it.’
‘Oh yes you do,’ replied Grey confidently. ‘It’s in my headquarters, with Lestak. And Harry upgraded it. Easy to access, more efficient and lots of room for you both.’
[ I told you so!] crowed Fist.
‘Gods,’ said Jack, shocked. ‘How?’
‘He filled your skull with nanogel in Yamata’s medical facility, just like she did with her clones. Then he dressed himself in your flesh and used her security codes to walk out of Kingdom’s HQ. Lestak intercepted him on his way back to Homelands and he fled, leaving your body untenanted. By then Kingdom had realised that Yamata was dead. He mobilised, Lestak came under attack by his forces and she fell back to my headquarters, taking your body with her.’
‘Is Fist’s hardware still installed?’
‘Harry left it all in there. He tried to activate Fist’s weapon systems, but he didn’t get anywhere.’
‘Then let’s go back and break Kingdom. But not for your benefit, Grey, not for the Pantheon. We’ll do it for humanity, and for the Totality.’
‘Fuck that noble bullshit,’ spat Fist. ‘I’m going to do it because it’ll make me very happy indeed.’
Jack wondered for a moment how he’d restrain him once they were back on Station.
‘Jolly good,’ said Grey, not really paying attention. ‘Now, I’ve got a direct link to Lestak set up. It’ll route us through the snowflake and then straight to her.’ He closed his eyes and the world changed.
They found themselves in a high, round room, its concrete floor and walls softened by gentle light from above. Twelve sarcophagi hovered round it, equally spaced from each other. Each pointed in towards a control area at the centre of the room. There was also a stretcher, covered with a white sheet. Something that was probably a human body lay beneath it. Lestak was bent over it, prodding at a control panel. A sound that could have been gunfire rattled up out of the staircase.
‘Welcome to my boardroom!’ said Grey, throwing his arms out theatrically.
Lestak turned to him. ‘About bloody time! You promised you’d be here an hour ago. We’re barely holding off Kingdom’s forces. Nearly half my men are dead. Many of your employees, too.’
‘You’ve done a grand job to keep this room safe for this long! And now, we only need a few more minutes. Jack – you’d better go and take a look at your body. See how it’s getting on.’
Grey moved over towards a control panel. East followed him, positioning herself in front of a screen. It flickered into life as she gazed at it. ‘I’ve got a line out,’ she beamed. ‘I’m going to go and get everyone ready for our new media star. Everyone on Station’s going to be watching! Oh, and Jack – make sure you take a second to enjoy being virtual!’
She winked at Grey, then vanished. A second, and Penderville was gone too.
Jack looked down at himself and gasped. He’d assumed that he’d jumped straight back into his body, but soft pixilation was smoothing the hard edges of his visual presence. He was a simulation, running onweave rather than in his own flesh.
Fist stepped into view. ‘Now you know what being unreal feels like,’ he grinned.
Jack could see and hear, but realised with a shock that he could feel nothing else. He didn’t know if the room was hot or cold and he couldn’t smell anything. He opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out. He couldn’t sense or taste the air. He closed his mouth and tried to roll his tongue around inside it, but there was nothing there. When not visible, his tongue disappeared.
Fist laughed.
‘What is it?’ Jack said.
‘I always thought I’d become one of you – but look! You’re one of us.’
‘I’m still me, though.’
‘You seem to be. Just goes to show, doesn’t it? There’s not much difference between us after all.’
‘Enough philosophy,’ shouted Grey from a control panel. ‘We need your help. Get over there and see if your body will accept you. You need to be running on a secure physical platform when you’re in front of the Pantheon, anything less and Kingdom will just squash you.’
Jack joined Lestak by the stretcher.
‘I shouldn’t be helping you at all, after what you did to Issie,’ she said angrily.
There was more gunfire from below. Shouting and smoke rose up the stairwell.
‘What do you mean?’
‘She told me about the snowflake. She thinks she can climb out of the Coffin Drives for good. She’s not strong enough. It’ll break her.’
‘She’s got Andrea and the Totality to help her. And she’s not a four-year-old girl any more. She’s something very different.’
Lestak sighed. ‘Who are you to tell me what she is? You don’t even know what you are.’
She pulled the sheet back from the stretcher. Jack looked down at his own corpse. Its skin was a soft, neutral grey. Purple shimmered out of two staring eyes. The mouth had been strapped shut. It was wearing a white, papery hospital gown.
‘Come on!’ shouted Grey. ‘The board’s waking up.’ The sarcophagi hissed softly, venting coolant. White liquid bubbled out of exhaust pipes, exploding into a ferocious boil as soon as it touched the floor. Small gouts of steam-like smoke sprang up and disappeared. ‘Another few minutes and I’ll have full control again.’
Jack stared down at his body. The shock was profound. Here he was and yet, there he was. He wondered how much of his self the flesh beneath him retained.
[ Nothing at all,] snapped Fist, striding past him and up to the body. He gave one of the arms a kick. His foot sank briefly into it. The rucksack wobbled on his back, but the body’s arm didn’t move. [ I’ve just been checking gateways. It’s been cored. Nothing in that skull but nanogel, waiting for your imprint.]
[ How do I get in there? And what about you?]
[ They left all my hardware, like Grey said. There’s lots of room for both of us. And, if you want to get in – well, you have to ask me nicely.]
[ Fist …]
[ I’m kidding! The gate’s open!]
A shimmering oval opened up on the forehead of Jack’s body, looking something like a burni
ng white eye.
[ You just need to touch it, Jack. I’ll follow you in.]
Jack reached down. There was an instant of void, then he was occupying his own body again. His senses flooded back – the cold of the room sharp against his skin, the acrid tang of gun smoke cutting into his tongue. The sensations were surprisingly intense. He opened his eyes. Jagged light smashed into them. Gunshots sounded in the distance, battering him. He squeezed both eyes tight shut, tried to jam his hands over his ears. The weight of flesh and bone made both arms immovable. He felt the body’s heart rate rise. His own panting rasped in his ears.
[Stop trying to move,] said Fist. [ We’re meshing with the new systems. Takes a moment or two. Just stay calm.]
Jack felt panic build. He tried to regulate his breathing, reaching into the muscles of his chest and throat, forcing them into a softer, slower rhythm. At first there was no response, but then he heard his panting breaths slow to a more normal pace.
[Good job,] said Fist. [Control systems pretty much fully online now. Try a basic movement.]
Jack’s arms seemed much less heavy. He brought his hands up to his face, then slowly crossed and uncrossed his legs. His body was beginning to feel more like a part of him again. He opened his eyes cautiously. The light was no longer so brutal. There were more distant gunshots, but his hearing was properly calibrated now so their sharp rattle was bearable. The world was becoming something to interact with rather than be overwhelmed by. Muscles felt more responsive. Reports pinged in his mind as his consciousness integrated new corporate sensors. Pulse, blood pressure, pain levels – all were suddenly easily accessible and controllable.
[Pretty good, eh?]
[ What have they done to me?]
[ Nothing. But Harry’s upgraded your mind/body interface. I think you’ll find you’re more in control of your flesh now.]
Jack sat up.
There was a sudden explosion from the stairwell, followed by enraged shouting from below. ‘We can’t let them get near the board!’ yelled Grey, sounding stressed. Jack stumbled to his feet. The Yamatas had found it difficult to move in their newly possessed bodies. He was lurching in the same way.
‘I won’t be good for a few minutes,’ he shouted back at Grey. His tongue felt awkward in his mouth.
[Oh, for gods’ sake,] grumbled Fist. [Do I have to do everything?]
[ Wait,] said Jack, but it was too late. Fist had bounded away from him, leaping over the control panel and down the stairs. [Don’t worry,] he told Jack. [ It’ll do me some good to take on Kingdom’s people. Almost like attacking him.]
[ The files’ll be safe?]
[Oh yes.]
[ You don’t have to.]
[ But I fucking want to.]
At first, there was no difference to the sounds coming up the stairwell. The battle continued unabated. Then, there was shouting. Where machine-gun fire had been disciplined, it was now coming in wild bursts. There were more explosions. They seemed to be further away. The screaming became more distant. Kingdom’s people seemed to be retreating in disarray. Jack wondered how many minds Fist had had to reach into to cause such panic, and what he had made them see.
[ You don’t want to know,] whispered Fist.
‘Fantastic!’ said Grey cheerfully. ‘Awake at last.’
The coffins had finished venting. The groups of flashing lights that danced across them shifted into new formations. Apart from that, there was no change.
‘Is that it?’ said Jack. His mouth was starting to feel more like it belonged to him.
‘I can’t bring them all the way back. The locks on them are too strong, but they’re aware enough now for me to take control of my remaining head office personnel again. In a basic way.’
‘Turn them back into drones, you mean.’
‘You saw how far they’d fallen. And right now, they’re getting cut to pieces. They need organising.’
‘I hate to say it,’ Lestak chipped in, ‘but he’s right. For now, at least.’
‘You’re going to have to let your people go once you’re done,’ Jack told Grey. ‘Gently, this time.’
‘Jack, you’re right. I give you my word that I will. Now, can you move around yet?’
Jack took a couple of experimental steps. He almost felt comfortable doing so.
‘That’s good enough. You and Lestak – get going! Head for the flyer pad. I’m going to stay here. My people will direct and protect you. With Fist and a bit of luck, you’ll get through.’
Jack never remembered too much of the frantic race through Grey’s offices. He shielded Lestak and her people from his Eastware and let it run as high as he dared. There were looks of adoration. There were bullet howls and explosions. There were Grey employees, suddenly energised, shepherding him and Fist and Lestak through the struggle. When he thought back on it, it was always the details that stood out: broken glass in windows, a smashed photocopier, a blood-slicked whiteboard. The daily essentials of office life had been pulled out of their routine identities and remade as witnesses to warfare.
At last, they reached the flyer pad. A man in a blue boiler suit was waiting for them. For a moment, Jack thought he was Mr Stabs, but then the man moved with fluid ease, ushering them towards a flyer. They were on top of a tall building; below, there were gunshots and explosions, above, the oblivious stars. ‘I’m driving,’ said Lestak. Jack didn’t argue. He let the Eastware fall back to zero. They threw themselves into the flyer and were skyborne. ‘I hope nobody gets in a lucky shot,’ she continued, as she flicked switches and went through pre-flight checks. Nobody did.
Jack wasn’t sure if anybody even noticed them. They were away, and for a moment – the first in a very long time, it seemed – there was peace.
Chapter 47
Jack had to grab Ifor’s hand four times before the mind responded.
‘Grey told me about Penderville’s confession,’ said Ifor. ‘You saw the snowflake in the Coffin Drives?’ Jack nodded. ‘We had to rescue the two of you, and make sure that the caged dead could get the news about Kingdom out. Now we’re dealing with the fallout. Be quick!’
‘We’re on our way to join you. We’re about to release the news cross-Station, but the Pantheon will need more than just media reports. I’m bringing the proof of Kingdom’s corruption directly to you.’
Ifor stilled for a moment, digesting the news. Jack imagined him sending it out into the Totality; a mass of voices discussing options. ‘That’s good to know. When’s East going live with Penderville?’
‘I’m not sure. Soon. You need to stop anything bad happening before then. And make sure that we get into the negotiating room.’
‘It’s chaos here. We’ll send minds to meet you at the landing pad, and bring you in as diplomatic representatives.’
‘How are the negotiations going?’
‘We’re twenty minutes from war. Kingdom’s forces are deploying against us. He’s realised we’ve opened the Coffin Drives. He’s ranting about the violation of sacred space. It’s looking bad.’
‘We’ll take care of it.’
‘I hope so. See you in a moment.’
The call ended.
[ Very interesting,] said Fist.
[ The Totality?]
[ No, it’s Harry. He’s just tried to use his back door to access me.]
[Shit. Don’t let him in.]
[ No danger of that, I’m wise to him now!]
Fist was silent for a moment. He cocked his head, as if listening. [ He’s like a little enraged fly,] he said gleefully. [ Buzz, buzz, buzz.] He giggled. [Oo! The ninja code’s up and running too!]
[Keep him out! No more slip-ups.]
[Oh, don’t you worry about that. He’s going to do exactly what I want him to. He’s working for me now.]
There was no time to find out what Fist meant. They’d reached Sandal’s headquarters, landing so fast that they nearly crashed. The flyer’s landing gear buckled. They were out of it before it stopped moving. Armed guards stalked
towards them, guns raised. A delegation of Totality minds emerged from the building, led by Ifor. They ran towards the guards, shouting. Jack hit them with his Eastware. Guilt lashed him in return. But the guns didn’t waver. The guards must be shielded against any sort of virtual influence. The minds flashed up diplomatic credentials. Disappointed muzzles drooped towards the ground. One of the guards radioed a superior, requesting clarification. It was difficult to know what he’d be told. The small party ran for the doors. A shout of ‘halt’ came too late. They were through the door, racing down corridors.
[Slow the guards, Fist.]
[Shielded. Not much I can do.]
[Shit.]
One of the minds turned and tossed a small metal ball back down the corridor. There was a blinding flash of light behind them.
[ Blind ’em,] said Fist. [ Nice one.]
After a moment, the shouting started again. Then there were bullets. Jack looked back. A sharp burning scored the side of his face. He stumbled for a moment, then found a switch in his mind and turned pain off. They turned a corner.
[All right?] asked Fist.
[ I’ll keep going.]
Now he was slightly behind Fist and Ifor. There was a pair of double doors ahead of them, guards on either side. They wore body armour and carried assault rifles. Jack let the Eastware rise up. These guards sunk to their knees. Jack wondered how he appeared to them – a shining god, divine enough to obey, human enough to be panting and bleeding. ‘Let us pass!’ he yelled. They leapt to one side. One of them reached up with a security pass, and the doors slid open. They led into a lift.
‘It’s the way to the conference space,’ said Ifor.
They slammed into the lift. There was a bloody smear where Jack had cannoned into its back wall. He wondered how badly he was hurt. Not enough to slow him down. Their pursuers were rounding the corner, rifles up and ready to fire. Ifor, Jack and Fist were easy targets.
‘Stop them!’ screamed Jack, and the enamoured guards opened fire. The lift doors started to close. The first pursuer to round the corner collapsed. Momentum kept the rest coming forward. One of them threw a grenade before he was cut down. The doors shut and the lift began to rise. An explosion shook it, but it kept moving. Jack and Ifor slumped back against the wall. Fist was stock still.