“I want you to have all of this one day Charity.”
“All of…?”
“Centria. And everything that goes with it. When that happens you will understand.”
“Understand what Keris?”
She thinks for a moment.
“The scale of everything,” she says.
“I wish you were here.”
“So do I. But it’s too dangerous and not just for me.”
“When will I see you again?”
“I don’t know. Is that all right?”
“Yes. I really want to talk to you again soon though.”
“You will my Golden Princess. Good night.”
“Good night Keris.”
Her hologram fades and I’m alone over Centria.
Perfection is possible because I feel it now: a fleeting, unexpected thing, tiny and vital like one of the microscopic machines that built this place; that built me. It can’t last though; try and someone ‘imperfect’ gets pushed out. Instead it is a little milestone, like a girl on an island in the air with a strange journey behind her and a stranger one ahead, by a house full of loved ones and others with potential.
Whatever else happens I will always have this moment, when everything made sense. It takes my fear and changes it in a hidden flash to strength and certainty. I feel radiant with a joy and sureness I have never known. It will be my own source of cloud light amid the ever-moving fabric of my life, throwing brightness and shadow in equal measure on the astonishing landscape around me.
A breath catches in my throat. The darkening view blurs so I hear rather than see my first tear splash into the little pond. I start to cry but laugh as well because the tears are not born of grief but of love.
44
I head back across the bridge to Mum and Dad’s garden. It’s nearly full night and the lights in the house are on. I no longer want to be alone. I want to be with Mum and Ursula as we wait for Harlan to come out of the floor; I even want to see Gethen and Ellery.
Jaeger Darwin calls. I consider ignoring him because of the battering he gave Harlan; however, Jaeger is as much a part of me as Keris so I stop walking and accept the call. Jaeger appears as an image in the corner of my vision, superimposed over the almost unbearably alluring house. I wait for him to speak.
“Keris was right,” he says eventually. “It seems I can’t kill you any more than I could kill her or Gethen.”
“You nearly murdered Harlan.”
“He knew what would happen.”
“What are you going to spend his money on?”
“Secrets,” Jaeger says.
“What can I do for you?”
“Meet me outside Centria. There’s something you must see.”
“Must?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Now.”
“I’m…”
“You’re not busy Charity and it won’t take long.”
I look past him at the house. I could just peek in, see everyone and then meet Jaeger but if I do I won’t leave.
“All right,” I say. “Where?”
“Just outside the main door.”
I end the call and climb onto my flybike. The weariness has returned, as if I move through a narrowing tunnel of awareness. I’m going to need a long, slow rest after all this.
I key up and fly towards the main doorway. This evening seems particularly warm. I fly smooth and even, not too far off the ground but above the heads of people as they stroll below. Voices and laughter mix with the soft rush of air across my face.
Soon I leave the pathways behind and weave through great diamond buildings, their lit facades sheets and patchworks of thrilling colour. The buildings thin out as I head for the great door, which slowly opens for me.
Jaeger waits alone on the diamond road that leads to the train terminal and I slow down to land beside him. He wears his orange NFE uniform again and has no visible injuries despite Harlan’s terrific assault.
“Thank you for coming,” he says, his expression quietly quizzical as I get off the flybike.
“That’s all right. We are… linked Jaeger. There’s no reason we can’t make the most of that.”
“I agree Charity. I regret what happened with Harlan because his potential will never be realised, but terms are terms.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t find what you were looking for.”
“Not yet,” Jaeger says.
“Jaeger, Centria was bankrupt,” I say. “There was no unlimited kilo supply.”
“We’ll see,” Jaeger says.
“You’re so obstinate.”
“As are you.”
I smile but Jaeger continues to regard me with that strange expression. I think about home, about Harlan and wonder why I never let myself have what I want; why there is always some other thing that must be done before I deserve it. If I just solve the mystery, if I just rescue Ursula, if I just prove that Harlan loves me before I will admit to myself that I love him and acquiesce in that roaring bright cascade…
“What was it you wanted to show me?” I say.
Jaeger looks over my shoulder and indicates with his chin. I turn and see the five hundred New Form Enterprise soldiers walk from behind Centria, dressed like Jaeger in their orange uniforms. As the NFE close in to surround me I look at Jaeger and then at the flybike.
It sinks into the floor without any decision from me and I watch stupidly as the Basis takes the vehicle apart. I try to go in-Aer for an explanation.
Nothing happens. My Aerac fades and the world is naked, as if I’ve lost part of my ability to see. I feel my head whip from side to side in uncontrolled panic.
“What…?” I stutter.
“Your terms are not discharged,” Jaeger says.
“They are!”
“I was serious when I said I wanted you to join us. Now I know who you are there is no question.”
“Jaeger, I got you and five hundred of the NFE into Centria at the place and time we agreed,” I say, my voice rising to a shout.
“No,” Jaeger says. “I sent one of the team back to MidZone.”
And my heart feels like a vast empty diamond sphere.
“But…” I say.
No other words come because there are no other words.
“So Charity, you got me and four hundred and ninety-nine of the New Form Enterprise into Centria. You therefore broke the terms of our agreement.”
I stare at the floor where the flybike was absorbed as if doing so will gif it again.
“I have had control of your Aerac since eleven o’clock this morning,” Jaeger says.
I watch helplessly as my red and yellow jumpsuit dissolves off me into the floor. For a moment I am naked among these strangers and then a new suit grows up over me. It’s orange.
Jaeger smiles.
“You are mine, Charity Freestone,” he says.
The end
of
Sons of the Crystal Mind
Charity Freestone will return
in
The Outer Spheres
For more details please email [email protected]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Mark Edwards for the kindling, Stewart McCure for the economics, Gary Smailes for the big bag of editing jewels and Debs Joyce for the beautiful cover.
Thanks also to Dad for a galaxy far far away, Mum for putting up with it and Emma for everything else.
Finally, thanks to Vicky for a fabulous today and Lana for all our tomorrows.
Diamond Roads: Sons of the Crystal Mind
Copyright © 2014 Andrew Wallace
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN: 1508512817
EAN: 978-1508512813
Published by AC Experiments
[email protected]
Cover d
esign by Deborah Joyce
Sons of the Crystal Mind (Diamond Roads Book 1) Page 28