by Isaac Hooke
“I’m here because I’m your friend,” G’allanthamas said. “I recognized early on that you needed much guidance, and I knew you’d be lost without me. Just like Tiberius. He was so young. So naive. I remember, back when I was chasing my brood mate, seeing Tiberius for the first time. Here was this man walking among my people. This human, wearing his spacesuit, somehow having found his way to our universe. It expanded my mind, made me realize that ours wasn’t the only universe out there. I promptly launched myself at him and carried him away, announcing to everyone else that I was going to eat him, and I’d let them know how he tasted. It was a trick, of course. I took Tiberius to the mountains, and so there I began his training, along with others. He began amassing followers, and the rest, as they say, is history.”
“What history?” Tane said. “I don’t know anything about his history...”
“We toured different planets, came up with new Essenceworks,” G’allanthamas said. “Then returned to Tiberius’ universe, and lived with him until the rest of his days. When he died, we returned. And then I went into hibernation with my brood mate, waiting for your arrival.”
Tane glanced at Sinive.
“You already know why I’m here,” she told him.
He nodded. “I trust you the most, out of anyone.”
“Hey!” G’allanthamas said. “Bros before hoes!”
“Sorry,” Tane said. “Not this time.”
“Where does he even come up with this stuff?” Sinive asked.
“He considers himself an anthropologist of humanity, remember?” Tane replied.
“Yeah, a weird one,” Sinive said.
“I don’t think this ‘bonding’ of yours is really working,” G’allanthamas said. “I don’t feel my trust levels growing beyond what they were before, not with any of you. But I have an idea!”
“Great, just what we need, an alien idea to help us bond,” Sinive said.
“We have this game we play among the elite of my kind,” G’allanthamas continued excitedly. “Perhaps it would be appropriate here. Let me tell you how it works. Every person takes a turn. When your turn comes, you pick another person, any person, and ask them, ‘truth or command.’ If they say ‘truth,’ they have to answer any question you pose truthfully. If they say ‘command,’ you can tell them to do something. The more embarrassing, the better!”
“We humans have that game, too,” Sinive said. “It’s called Truth or Dare. It’s something kids play. Or adolescents. This is silly. I’m out.”
Gia pursed her lips. “I’ll play it.”
“So will I,” Nebb said.
“That’s right, team up against me, would you?” Sinive said.
“Everyone for Gall’s game, say aye,” Tane commented.
A chorus of ayes filled the room. Sinive remained quiet.
“That’s loyalty for you.” She folded her arms. “A robot, an alien, and five humans playing Truth or Dare? No thanks.”
“Come on,” Chase told her. “It could be fun. Like Tane said, this could be the last time all of us are in the same room together again.”
Sinive held up her nose and sniffed in disdain. But she remained in her seat, and the fact she hadn’t yet left told Tane she was at least partially open to the game.
“I’ll start first,” G’allanthamas said. “Sinive, truth or command?”
“I told you I’m not playing,” Sinive said.
“Truth or command?” the dweller pressed.
Sinive rolled her eyes. “Fine. Truth. And it better not be something too personal, or I’m not answering.”
“Have you ever eaten a booger?” G’allanthamas said.
Sinive’s face curled up in disdain. “Like when I was five, maybe. What kind of a question is that? Are we three year olds, or something?” She looked at Tane. “I told you this game is for kids. Not adults.” She got up.
“I thought it was an amusing question,” G’allanthamas said.
“All right, Nebb, you’re next,” Tane said quickly.
Nebb looked right at Tane. “Truth or command?”
Tane was aware of Sinive lingering by the wardroom entrance to listen.
“Truth,” Tane said.
“When did you know you had fallen for Sinive?” Nebb said.
“Probably the very first time I met her, actually,” Tane said, glancing her way. “I remember thinking how beautiful she was in her flowing white dress. Like no one else I’d ever seen. My heart sped up when she looked my way and smiled the first time. Her cheeks dimpled when she grinned, you see, and the corners of hers eyes crinkled so adorably. I knew then that I wanted to be with her and no one else.”
She smiled brightly, living up to her dimpled cheeks and crinkling eyes.
“Truth or command,” Gia said to G’allanthamas.
“Command!” the dweller said.
“Hmm,” Gia said. “Shoot. And I was prepped with a pretty good question. Okay. Command. Talk to Sinive like she’s your brood mate.”
“But I already do,” G’allanthamas said. He glanced at Sinive, but before he could say anything, she rolled her eyes and left.
“Ouch, that’s gotta hurt,” Nebb said. “The rejection.”
“Actually, it’s kind of preferable,” G’allanthamas said. “You wouldn’t want to to hear me talking to my brood mate.”
“Chase, truth or command?” Tane told the Mancer.
“Truth,” Chase said.
“When you were in the military, did you ever sleep with someone you weren’t supposed to?” Tane said.
“You mean like fraternization?” Chase said.
“Yeah, I guess,” Tane said.
“I did, actually,” Chase said. “In my first year, shortly after I graduated from boot camp. It was someone in my own unit.”
“I didn’t know the military allowed fraternization between men and women in the same unit,” Gia said.
“They don’t,” Chase said. “We kept it a secret. We were very good at hiding our feelings. We only hooked up on leave. She eventually got a promotion and I never saw her again. Probably for the best really, given what eventually happened to the Darkslayers.”
Chase glanced at Positron. “Truth or command?”
“I believe I will abstain from participating,” the robot said.
“Come on,” Chase said.
Positron hesitated, then: “Truth.”
“Have you ever had sex with a human?” Chase asked.
“I have, in fact,” Positron replied. “It was in a bar on Septa Prime.”
“Oh! I was there!” Nebb said.
“Yes, it was quite the interesting bar,” Positron said. “Apparently the women on Septa Prime have never seen a robot like me before—robots cast in the shape of humans are forbidden there. One thing led to another, and, well, soon she was back in my room, testing out how anatomically correct I was.”
“Nice...!” Chase said.
“Whorl Bender,” Nebb said. “If you had to choose between dating someone ugly yet good in bed, or someone hot and terrible in bed, who would you pick?”
“But you didn’t ask truth or command,” Tane said.
“Yeah, I’m skipping straight to truth,” Nebb said. “So which is it?”
“Someone hot of course,” Tane said. “If you can’t get it up, it doesn’t help if she’s good in bed now, does it?”
Chase laughed.
Tane glanced nervously at the entrance. It was empty. “I’m just glad Sinive wasn’t around to hear that.”
“Actually, I heard every word,” Sinive said over the comm.
“Muse!” Tane said.
“I thought you knew she was listening,” Muse said.
“It’s not like you said anything bad about her...” Chase commented.
“Yes,” Positron said. “In fact, you sort of complimented her.”
“Actually no, he only revealed how shallow he really is,” Sinive said.
“Thanks...” Tane said.
“It wasn’t a compliment,” Sini
ve said.
“I don’t understand,” G’allanthamas said. “This game was suppose to be about bonding, but all of your questions are quickly devolving, and becoming entirely sexual in nature.”
“What did you expect?” Gia said. “We’re adults. We’re going to ask adult questions. Probably a lot of them sexual. And besides, I’m the only women present. With all the testosterone we have running around the room, you can’t expect sex not to be at the forefront of the conversation?”
And so they went back and forth like that, trading jibes and insults while bonding—at least somewhat—with one another.
The game ended shortly after Gia got a question from Nebb.
“How did you meet Jed?” the smuggler asked.
Gia’s face saddened. She didn’t answer. Not at first. Then: “I was called to correct a robot on an outpost near the outskirts of explored space. When I arrived, the retirees who lived at the outpost told me the robot had escaped the colony, and was roving at large somewhere on the moon. I followed the trail. Eventually, it led back to the outpost itself.
“When I returned, I found the retirees dead. I was too late. I found someone still among them, not a robot—but a man. Lying on the floor, covered in blood. He was badly injured. I took him aboard my ship, nursed him back to health. When he was well enough, I asked him about the robot that had attacked the outpost and killed everyone. Asked if he knew where it had gone.
“He told me that it hadn’t gone anywhere. That he was the one who had killed those retirees. I told him that was impossible, because I was called in specifically to hunt a robot. That he must have been delusional, because of his injuries. ‘No,’ he said. ‘The slavers hired you because you were the closest. They would have told you anything to get you to come here and save them.’ You see, these weren’t ordinary retirees, but slavers. The very same people who had raised Jed as a slave and sold him into servitude. They were enjoying the fruits of their labor, of their blood money. Lyra had bought Jed and set him free, and he had returned to the slavers to rectify his sale.”
Gia sat back and gazed at Nebb wanly. “That’s how I met Jed.”
A quietude descended around the table.
“You miss him, don’t you?” Tane said.
“More than anything,” Gia said. “He knows I care about him. It’s why he left, I think. He’s afraid.”
“Of what, commitment?” Tane said.
“No,” Gia said. “If he was afraid of commitment, he wouldn’t be following that Volur witch around. He’s afraid he’ll hurt me again.”
Tane was about to ask why, but decided he had pressed her enough. If she wanted to talk more, she would. If not, then that was fine as well.
“We were a couple, you see,” Gia said. “After I nursed him back to health. We toured the galaxy together, hunting down robots side by side during the day, and having sex all night. He started to act strange, after I bought him his first nanotech upgrade. Distant. As the months passed, he only became more distant. Then he finally showed me his test results, after his brain scan from the first upgrade. He tested positive for Essence use. And his skill was high. Enough to be a Volur. He told me he had to make a choice. Become a Volur, or stay with me, on the run until the TSN captured him and conscripted him into their armies. I told him I wasn’t going to stand in the way of his future. And so he left. And I didn’t see him again until you came to me for a ride.”
“I didn’t know that,” Tane said. “Thank you for sharing.” He paused. “You know, I’ve been thinking. I’ve already risked all of your lives, many times over. Maybe this is a bad idea. Maybe you shouldn’t be coming with me.”
“We have to come,” Chase said. “Haven’t you been listening to anything we’ve been telling you? Your path is our path, now.”
“If any of you die, I’ll bring you back, I swear I will,” Tane said. “No matter the cost.” He glanced up, toward the ceiling intercom. “But what about you, Sinive? I’ve already lost you once. If I lose you again, you’re gone forever.”
“You won’t lose me,” Sinive replied. “And of course I’m coming.”
Tane dissolved the bonding session after that. When he left the wardroom, he was seriously considering running away, if only to avoid putting Sinive in danger. But it wasn’t like he could just hop into a shuttle and hope to outrun the ship. Nor could he take over, not when the AI was running things and he had no hacking skills. He resigned himself to the fact that Sinive was coming. And he would just have to do whatever he could to protect her. And as for the others, he intended to live up to his promise. He’d Revive anyone who died, assuming the body wasn’t entirely obliterated. He just hoped it didn’t come to that.
Because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to endure yet another Revive ritual, and the life-and-death struggle it entailed.
Tane dismantled the table in the wardroom and cleared it out to serve as a training area during the final leg of the journey. He practiced with his Dark and White beam hilts, allowing only a small amount of Essence to flow into each so that the blades didn’t reach the overheads or bulkheads. He didn’t level at all in either beam hilt control skill, which wasn’t entirely unexpected, given that he wasn’t practicing with a real opponent. He could’ve had Positron download a sword or ax routine, and then practiced with some substitute, like a stick, but then he’d merely level in stick fighting.
In the end he decided to store the Dark beam hilt in his pouch indefinitely. One day he’d have to download the muscle memory necessary to operate two hilts at once, if he could find a Peddler of the Esoteric who would sell it to him. And if he could afford it. Until then, the weapon simply wasn’t of much use to him, especially considering how much higher in level his White beam hilt control was.
The Mosaic jumped to the final system.
The expected TSN warships arrived to escort them to Timerus. When they entered orbit above the planet, smaller atmosphere-capable transports escorted them down to the surface, where the Mosaic would land in the capital.
Tane accessed the external nose camera with Gia’s approval and watched the entire approach. He could see the buildings of the capital city from afar. For a luxury world, those buildings were certainly tall and industrial looking. Skyscrapers consumed most of the landscape.
As the Mosaic neared the city, his attention was drawn to the countless arrays of armored carriers and other defenses that ringed the perimeter wall. In moments the Mosaic flew past that perimeter and the skyscrapers were directly below, with flyers in designated lanes moving between the tall buildings. Those airborne vehicles were surprisingly sparse, as was the street traffic—Tane suspected the city had banned all except essential vehicles from the skylanes and roadways in preparation for his arrival. He had to remind himself how very afraid of him the TSN was.
If the Festival of Debauchery was in full swing, he saw no hints of it. Perhaps the partying was confined to the evening hours, or restricted to designated locations inside the different skyscrapers, out of view of the general public—that would make some sense, given how risqué some of those parties were supposed to be, based upon what he had read about the whole affair over the Galnet.
But what he did see was the continued military presence. He spotted mechs and combat robots on every street corner. Armed drones and gunships roved the skylanes. Mancers and Essence warriors stood watch on the rooftops. Missile vehicles parked in different side streets, huge rockets harbored in their trailers, the outriggers on the launchers partially extended in preparation for firing.
Glaringly absent from all of that were space-capable vessels of any kind. Every rooftop shipyard the Mosaic passed over was empty. No doubt the TSN had cleared out the Chrysalium gateways from all planet-side transport terminals as well. They wanted to make sure any potential Chrysalium sources were kept well away from him.
The TSN wasn’t taking any chances on a repeat of what happened on Xalantas.
Yes, when he saw that sheer military might on display, and the lack of
Chrysalium, Tane knew he was probably stepping into something a little over his head.
Well, there’s no turning back now.
26
The Mosaic approached the military complex where the Paramount Leader was staying. It was a sprawling compound with multiple outbuildings. Electrified walls topped by laser wire surrounded the entire complex. Multiple turrets—some containing missiles, others laser or plasma blasters—resided both atop the encircling walls, and several of the buildings. These turrets, without fail, tracked the Mosaic during its approach. Armed drones meanwhile patrolled the skies above.
“Enough security for you?” Nebb said over the comm. He watched from his quarters.
The Mosaic approached a landing pad situated among the outbuildings. Unsurprisingly, there were no other ships down there. Beyond the nearby buildings, he could see a palace: a long, box-like structure with towering spires jutting from the four corners, and a golden dome rising from its center. The dome itself was topped by a small silver cupola, glinting in the sunlight.
When the ship landed, Tane dismissed the video feed. He was in the cockpit, with Sinive and Gia.
“It’s time,” Gia said.
Tane swallowed. “I’m not sure I can go through with this.”
“Well they’re not going to let us take off again,” Gia said. “You know that, right?”
“Of course I know,” Tane said. “That doesn’t mean I’m ready.”
Sinive held his hand. “The plan will work.”
Tane regarded her with a wan smile, then settled himself on the deck, propping his back against the bulkhead behind him and crossing his legs. He reached into his storage pouch and retrieved the bone crown.
He rotated the object in his hands. “I never wanted this, you know. Never asked to be the Bender of Worlds.”
“You’re going to get all retrospecty on us now?” Gia said.
He had practiced with that crown once before arriving, several hours ago. But now he was beginning to feel like that Emerald session had been woefully inadequate.
“I could’ve been practicing all this time,” Tane said. “In fact, I should’ve been.”