by R S Penney
The door swung open, allowing a woman in tan pants and a bright blue t-shirt to step out. Sareena Valtez looked very much like her daughter but with black hair that was slowly graying and a few wrinkles. “You made it!” she said, throwing her arms around Gabi. “I've been excited all week!”
Gabi stepped out of the hug.
She turned partway, gesturing to Jack. “The young man I told you to expect.” she said in smooth tones. So Gabi had made contact with her mother. “I'm sure you'll find him very…entertaining.”
No pressure, Jack.
Sareena looked up at him with a great big smile, blinking as though unsure of what she saw. “Ah yes!” she exclaimed. “Your name sounded familiar when I read Gabrina's message. So…are you the Jack Hunter?”
“I'm a the?” Jack sputtered. “How did I become a the?”
“My dear boy, you are the first person from your world to bond a Nassai. Perhaps that doesn't mean much to your people, but Justice Keepers hold a place of honour here on Leyria!” He was famous? Oh boy, that didn't sit well with him. True there had been accolades in the days after First Contact – he still cringed every time he recalled doing that damn interview with the CBC – but those had fizzled out when his natural tendency to turtle up and avoid social media had given people plenty of motivation to move on to the next passing fad. “Your name has already appeared in history textbooks,” Sareena went on. “Tell me, what was it that compelled you to accept a symbiont?”
Jack scrunched up his face into a painful grimace. He tried to ignore the blush he couldn't fight off. “Not much of a story, really,” he said. “The geeks on my world have always loved aliens. Captain Kirk slept with a green woman; Commander Shepard slept with a blue woman, but me? I got it on with bacteria!”
He expected a glare of disapproval.
Instead, Sareena threw her head back and roared with laughter. “My goodness!” she said, pressing a hand to her stomach. “Gabi, you didn't tell me he was so witty! Oh, I can tell the next few days are going to be very amusing.”
Jack felt his lips curl, his cheeks burning noticeably. He closed his eyes and nodded to her. “Thank you for letting me stay here, and I promise to keep the snarky outbursts to a minimum.”
“Nonsense! Come inside!”
A dining room table positioned right beneath the skylight supported a large bowl full of salad. Jack wasn't sure what really got him thinking: the similarity to a dish he might have tried on Earth or the fact that the entire meal was served by a human shaped robot who carried plates from the kitchen.
The bot – a five-foot tall creature with metal arms and legs – paused just in front of the table. It turned its camera lens to focus on Jack, then set a green plate down in front of him without a word.
He bit his lip as he studied the thing. “Um…Thank you?” he said, sliding his chair closer to the table. “Gabs, I'm a little confused by the customs here. Are we supposed to just ignore it?”
Gabi sat across from him with a fork in one hand, staring down at her empty plate. “Sweetie, it's a piece of technology,” she murmured. “It doesn't mind serving plates any more than your dishwasher minds cleaning them.”
Jack smiled, his face growing warmer by the second. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. “Well, just the same, I figure a little common courtesy goes a long way toward preventing a robot uprising.”
On his left, Sareena lifted a glass of wine and paused just before taking a sip. “You aren't the only one to express such sentiments, Jack,” she said. “When human-form bots were introduced, many people grew uncomfortable with the notion.”
“I can see why.”
The robot turned and left them.
In truth, he recognized it as something of a perceptual bias. If you were going to fight for robot rights, then you should be equally willing to stick up for those cylindrical things that cut the grass on board the star-liner. Houses were designed for humans, and thus robots with arms and legs would have an easier time maneuvering through them. It was simple utilitarianism and nothing else.
A device didn't have a soul simply because it looked more like a human; sapience was a function of cognition not appearance. In the early days of his Keeper training, he had read a bit of Leyrian history and learned that – almost two centuries ago – they had indeed created a real artificial intelligence. Fortunately, the people had been wise enough to treat it with respect.
But it was software, not hardware, a life-form that existed entirely in virtual space. As expected, its sapience had been an accident; the program had been created to oversee the resource management of an entire planet, and when it decided to forego those duties in favour of more fulfilling activities, the program had been kind enough to leave behind a replacement that could manage Leyria's systems without feeling…well, anything.
Jack used a pair of tongs to scoop salad out of the bowl and drop it onto his plate. The dish had kind of a south-west flavour with lettuce drizzled with some spicy dressing, sweet corn, black beans and diced chicken.
Jack stabbed a piece with his fork.
Lifting the meat up in front of his face, he squinted at it. “This isn't real chicken?” he asked.
“Genetically speaking, it's chicken,” Sareena explained. “It's just no animals had to die to make that piece. We clone animal tissue for food.”
“There are still farms, of course,” Gabi added. She sat back in her chair, smiling at him. “After centuries of domestication, most animals can't survive in the wild, but they aren't slaughtered for their meat.”
Jack took a bite with more than a little apprehension – he had never eaten cloned meat before – but he very quickly let go of his concerns. It tasted like…Well, he wasn't willing to repeat a worn-out cliché, but he couldn't tell the difference between this and “the real thing.” This was going to be an interesting trip; he just hoped they managed to get the professor back to Earth without incident.
And of course, even hoping for it jinxed him.
Chapter 10
A long hallway with carpeted floors was illuminated by purple moonlight that came in through windows on his left. At the far end, a large pair of double doors stood closed, soft light glinting off their metallic surfaces.
Ben stood in the middle of the corridor with a hand pressed to his aching stomach, hunched over and groaning. Anxiety had a tendency to make him feel sick. Don't chicken out now, he thought, making his way forward. You came this far.
Potted plants with large green leaves that drooped stood on either side of the doors, and when he glanced over his shoulder, he saw the sides of other skyscrapers through the windows. It was a beautiful night without a cloud in the sky.
He stopped in front of the door.
Ben shut his eyes, then hung his head in frustration. You have to know, he thought to himself. You get a head start on this, and you might be able to leave the system before-
Before what?
Before he was arrested for treason? For delivering weapons to a hostile militia that was technically in an act of rebellion against the Leyrian government. Was he truly going to turn tail and run? Doing so would almost certainly mean an end to his relationship with Darrel. Not that he was planning on a life-long commitment, but…
The doors slid open, revealing a large, open room with a single desk of polished SmartGlass and some more potted plants in the corner. The soft moonlight was barely enough to let him see, but he had no desire to activate his ocular implant and no desire to turn on the lights.
This was a spare office in the new LIS building in downtown Saroga. Sometimes, field agents who were placed on colony worlds needed a work space when they returned to Leyria. This would do for now.
He went to the desk.
Brushing his fingertips along its surface, he brought up a square-shaped window that would allow for a user interface. “Computer,” he said. “Sync with my multi-tool and access LIS investigation files.”
The window on the desk's surface displayed
a list of ongoing investigations with case file numbers for each one. He selected file 5127-CT, the investigation that had been launched three months ago when someone left an anonymous tip about missing weapons shipments on the Fringe. That someone had been Tyron, of course. When that bastard made a threat, he followed-through.
A message window appeared informing him that he did not have authorization to view the contents of this file. Instantly, his stomach twisted itself in knots. Two weeks ago, he'd had full access. The fact that he could no longer view the contents of this file could only mean one thing.
He was a suspect.
Ben felt sweat roll over his face. He rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand and let out a throaty growl. “Companion have mercy,” he muttered, shuffling over to the window. “It's already started, hasn't it?”
A set of stone steps built into a grassy hill were illuminated by small floodlights, and willow trees on the hilltop sighed softly with strings of lights laced through their branches and dangling alongside their leaves. Beds of flowers lined the hillside, blossoms sprouting in shades of red or violet. Gabi had said that these were the Nesaran Gardens: one of the most romantic spots on all of Leyria.
Jack stood on the path in a pair of gray pants and a green t-shirt with a V-neck, his hair a bit messier than usual. “Well, this is unexpected,” he mumbled. “I know you said we had a date, but I was kind of expecting a coffee shop.”
Gabi stepped up beside him in a white sun dress with thin straps, her hair left loose to fall over her shoulders. She had put a purple flower in it, just above her right ear. “We only get three days here,” she explained. “If I'm going to take you on a date, it should be one of the more memorable spots, no?”
“Good call.”
He looked up to see the purple moon in the night sky shining bright and clear with a slight nimbus caused by a thin layer of cloud cover. Summer felt a burst of joy when his eyes fell on her home.
His lips curled into a small smile. “It's lovely here,” he said. “Thanks for bringing me.”
Gabi led him up the steps to a place where people stood with drinks in hand, taking in the sight of flowerbeds alongside the path with blossoms of yellow and orange and red. He spotted two men holding hands over a bed of tulips.
In the distance, a pavilion with a metallic roof that shimmered in the soft light was home to maybe twenty people who stood in pairs or little groups, making enough noise to fill the air with a buzz of conversation.
The whole place felt very…ritzy. Jack had to admit that when he imagined going on a date, this wasn't exactly what he had in mind. Still…it was nice. And he had never really had anyone go to such lengths on his behalf.
Underneath the pavilion, a circular bar with a counter that glowed with soft white light was covered in something that looked like vines. Canadian sensibilities made him wonder what would provoke someone into creating a structure like this – this pavilion offered absolutely no protection from the elements – but then he remembered that the Nesaran Gardens were located at a latitude where snow wouldn't be an issue.
Gabi took a bar stool and set her elbows on the counter, lacing her fingers tightly. “What would you like?” she asked with a glance in his direction. “Perhaps I should ask what Summer will let you have.”
Jack smiled, hanging his head as he tried to fight off his embarrassment. “Gaining the power to bend space and time comes with a price,” he muttered. “Got anything that's light on the alcohol?”
“Light on the alcohol?”
“She can handle a little bit.”
Tapping her lips with a single finger, Gabi closed her eyes. “I've got it,” she said. “Computer, I'd like one Stellar Cascade for my boyfriend and a glass of Zicaran white for me.”
A hatch with edges so fine you wouldn't even notice unless you knew what to look for split apart, leaving a circular hole in the counter. Thirty seconds later, a platform with two drinks rose up. One was obviously a glass of wine.
The other.
Whatever Gabi had ordered for him came in a tall thin glass. It was blue and fizzy like soda. Jack wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
He lifted the glass to his lips and took a sip. The beverage was sweet and just a bit sour. And it tingled on his tongue just like soda. The real surprise came when some of it seemed to evaporate and fill his nostrils with a scent that matched the taste.
Clamping a hand over his mouth, Jack winced. He backed away from the counter on shaky feet. “Oh my god!” he mumbled into his own palm. “Is it supposed to do that? Why do I get the impression this thing is a hit with college students?”
Gabi watched him over her shoulder, a sly smile on her face. “It's actually much more popular with teenagers,” she said. “One of the few alcoholic beverages they can order. You'd have to drink ten before it really hit you.”
“You let kids drink booze?”
“It isn't quite so cut and dry on our world,” she explained. “We try to encourage responsibility by giving them the opportunity to experiment with milder drinks rather than simply denying them access to everything until they reach a certain age.”
“How do you prevent them from just walking up here and ordering ten of these?”
“The bar's automated systems are programmed with bio-metrics. They assess the age of anyone who approaches the counter by measuring height, weight, body-type and facial structure. A fifteen-year-old can order at most one Stellar Cascade. That number increases as they get older. New options also become available.”
Jack took the stool next to her.
As dates went, this one was actually keeping him entertained. If nothing else, he was learning quite a bit about Leyrian culture. His girlfriend – it dawned on him that he was finally comfortable using that phrase – had a talent for planning a romantic evening. This was probably the most interesting date he'd ever been on, but…
But it wasn't frozen yogurt and sitting side by side on a bench next to the Ottawa River. He didn't have to wonder what that meant; he knew perfectly well what the meant, but the opportunities to go down that road had come and passed. Best to just put it out of his head right away. Still, a small selfish part of him wished that Anna could have been the one to tell him about Stellar Cascades.
A much larger part of him felt that he was being lax in his duties – they had come to Leyria on business, not pleasure – but their appointment with Professor Nareo was scheduled for tomorrow. They had to do something to pass the time.
Besides, it wasn't like things would go to hell if Jack Hunter took one night off.
Vetrid Col stood on city street that curved slightly, a street lined with thick bushes and trees on either side. The bright lights left him feeling exposed. Leyrian cities used piezoelectric sensors so that the streetlights only came on when a car or a pedestrian passed through the area.
Col wore black: boots, pants and a light jacket with the hood down. His hollow-cheeked face of olive skin was shaved clean, and he kept his black hair cut short. Neat and tidy. Normally, he wouldn't be comfortable with his face exposed, but here, a man in a hood drew more attention than he would like. Besides, no one else was outside at this time of night.
He approached a gap in the trees lining the sidewalk, a gap that looked in on the front yard of a small house. Through it, he could see the small two-story structure with its dome-like roof. The thrill came over him now that he was close.
Col felt his mouth tighten. He wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. Focus. The thought came as a chastising rebuke that seemed to blend the voice of every teacher he'd ever had.
He crouched down at the edge of the property.
Slipping one hand into his pocket, he pulled out half a dozen small marbles with a glossy metallic surface. He left them in his palm for a moment before tapping each with his thumb to activate it.
He tossed them.
They landed on the path that cut through the front yard with a soft rattling sound, some rolling into the grass.
Half a moment later, there was a soft hissing pop like wood crackling in a fire-pit.
The marbles had been a gift from Isara, each one programmed to deliver a sharp electromagnetic pulse that would short-out any security systems. Most people used some combination of cameras and motion sensors to secure their homes. Getting inside would be difficult enough without accidentally setting off an alarm.
Col felt his lips peel back in a vicious smile. He let his head hang, sucking in a deep breath. It's really nothing personal, he thought at the owner of the house. But Isara wants you dead, and I want to kill something.
He started up the path through the yard, moving carefully, stealthily. The ability to walk without making too much noise – one of the simplest necessities of survival – was a skill too few people possessed nowadays. Too much coddling. When you built a society where no one had to struggle to find food, you inevitably bred weakness.
That wasn't why he killed.
He simply enjoyed the thrill of it: slipping past security measures, finding his target in a moment of vulnerability, removing any clues that might lead back to him. It was a challenge that pushed a man to his limits.
Around the side of the house, he found a rectangular window that looked in on the first floor. Inside, he saw nothing but darkness. There was no sign that the professor was home, but the man might have gone to bed.
Col unclipped a small disk from his belt.
He stuck it onto the window and watched as the blue LEDs blinked in quick, erratic patterns. The screen of his multi-tool lit up, and he checked the readout. This house was equipped with a standard security system: sensors would activate the alarm if he shattered the glass. Force-fields would keep him out, and the police would be here within minutes.