by Drew Cordell
“Baron Ashton, it’s a pleasure. My name is Bracken Rowe,” the man said as he looked at some kind of alert on his datapad and pushed it aside. “I’m your Head Steward, and I’ll be tending to your affairs in Olympus and maintaining the estate.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I replied as I stood to shake his hand.
“Now, today we need to design your house insignia, set up your Olympus bank accounts, and order some furnishings for your estate. Also, I will hire staff to maintain everything while you are away,” he said as he pressed something on the datapad again.
“Will it be possible to visit the Omniscience Engine today? I’d like to learn more about it.”
“Not today I’m afraid. We’ve got a full slate,” he replied. “Now, first, I’ve had an artist draw up some insignia sketches to consider.” He put the datapad in front of me. The first one was a sword with orange edges and a regal looking ‘A’ below it. Another was an orange eagle against a triangle with a dark background. I didn’t even have to look at the others.
“The eagle. That’s the one,” I said with confidence.
“Wonderful choice, sir,” Bracken exclaimed. “I’ll have some more variations of it drawn, and we can go from there.”
I didn’t have to think about it. The eagle used to stand for freedom and liberty, and it was a well-known icon of the Champions of Liberty as well. I wasn’t supposed to know anything about those concepts, so I didn’t think anyone would be suspicious of my choice.
Bracken set up my bank accounts which were preloaded with over one million credits. He moved some of the credits to interest-bearing accounts which would accrue extra earnings by lending my money to the Government, and he set up the account which would be linked to my Paragon Thought and the Omniscience Engine. It took a little while for me to understand the whole banking system since nothing like it had existed in the Slums.
Bracken interviewed me for over half an hour to get a feel for my tastes to order furniture and decorations for the estate that would suit my preferences. He also captured my likes and dislikes for meals and styles of clothing. When he declared my fashion sense improper, I simply accepted it, and he ordered several suits, casual clothes which exceeded the cost of my rent down in the Slums, and dress tunics, trousers, and shoes like the ones I had worn to the ceremony the night before. After all of that, Bracken returned the cufflinks and watch I borrowed from Marwin through a courier bot on a small cargo ship that arrived a few minutes after his request.
“Do we need to discuss payment for your services?” I asked him.
“No, sir. My earnings and the earnings of my staff will come from the account linked to the Paragon Thought. No need to worry about it. Your estate is in good hands,” he said as he put aside the datapad. “Now, I suppose I’ll need to teach you some proper etiquette should the Supreme Leader decide to throw any more revelries,” he said with a laugh. “Etiquette tends to degrade as the consumption of alcohol increases, but it’s good to know your basics so House Ashton won’t be regarded lowly.”
“What kind of etiquette?” I asked.
“Customs, dining, and dance. The three basics,” he replied with a smile. “Since you’ve already eaten, we’ll start with customs. If you do not know someone’s title at an event, you should always address them as sir or madam, as any other form of address could be rude. If you were to call a Baroness a lady, they might take offense, but calling a gentleman or Baron sir will not cause any offense. Sir will suffice in casual situations with Supreme Leader Adrihel, but never when formality is required.”
“And what if I’m visiting the Slums?” I asked.
Bracken frowned. “Unless you’re planning on becoming an Inquisitor, then pray you never visit that vile place again. There are no established etiquette rules for the Slums in which a noble must behave, other than you must not speak of Olympus and must take an Enforcer Dropship rather than any personal aircraft. There are hundreds of small rules you’ll pick up in time; no one is expecting you to act as a perfect Baron yet. We all understand being the first of your house is a significant burden.”
Bracken instructed me on some of the smaller, more subtle laws of Olympus and gave some history lessons on important lineage of the houses that could come up in conversation. He explained some rules of dance and the slight difference in expected behavior when speaking with different ranks of people within Olympus.
“Okay, what else do I need to know?”
“Well, that’s all we need to worry about for today regarding etiquette and history. We’ll learn a bit each day, but there'll be much more to cover when you decide to court some young lady,” he said with a wink.
Bracken proceeded to teach me about the different eating utensils for formal occasions and the acceptable uses of each. The deep-bottom spoon was acceptable for the first seven bites of a stew, the first three of soup, and the first five of a chowder, at which point the tasting spoon, the smaller of the two, was expected to be used for at least three bites. The four-pronged fork was acceptable for almost anything other than seafood, and the three-pronged fork was to be used for seafood or dessert should the host not provide a separate set of dessert utensils – which apparently had their own unique rules. I learned the crucial differences between the steak knife, the butter knife, and the thin-bladed crustacean knife used to break apart lobster or crab shells when eating a more casual meal.
“Could you please have Lady Mary Dunn of House Aera come see me later today?” I asked, now knowing the difference between a Lady and Baroness. Barons and Baronesses were the direct descendants of a Paragon Thinker, while everyone in the house who was distantly related or married into the family became a Lady or Gentleman.
“Certainly, sir. I’ll inquire if she will see you.”
After all the etiquette lessons I could handle for the day, I ate a simple lunch of spiced rice and beef as Bracken called House Aera to set up a meeting. The meeting was confirmed and Mary was to arrive in an hour. Bracken addressed a few more issues then bowed as he took his leave to take care of furnishing the estate, hiring employees, and finalizing the insignia design of House Ashton. It was so strange for me to go from a position of nothingness to one of what seemed to be great power and opulence. I had more money than could ever be spent by someone in the Slums and nothing to spend it on but pointless luxuries. It was good I wasn’t very attached to the material world—it would help me focus as I sought to do what I could for the Champions during my stay. I was convinced I would return to the Slums and to the Guild Hall again, and possibly get Mary out of this place as well. It wasn’t right we should have so much while others had so little.
I once again returned to the bathroom and decided to take another bath in the minty water mixed with what Bracken called Eucalyptus, a plant with many useful health benefits—or so he told me. I soaked in the water and thought about what I was going to tell Mary. I could tell her I got into some trouble and saw something I wasn’t supposed to and … then what? Would I tell her Mr. Barton was actually one of the leaders of an illegal organization that defied the Government in almost every way? It was impossible.
I continued to ponder for some time and jumped when Bracken’s voice spoke over the console on the wall. “Sir, Lady Dunn will be here shortly,” he said.
“Thank you, Bracken,” I replied as I emerged from the tub and put on some of the casual clothes, a pair of soft jeans and a button-up shirt that I tucked in. I pulled on my new sneakers, gray with orange laces, and walked out to the main door of my estate, the door that led to the landing pad where Mary would arrive. The pad wasn’t as big as House Adrihel’s, but it could still hold a few ships.
Mary arrived in House Aera’s dark green transport ship and disembarked. She gave me a weak smile when she entered my home. Bracken had already cleared out, and we had the whole house to ourselves aside from the house robots. Needing privacy, I led her to the media room and turned on some classical music that would drown out our conversation.
“Mary, I’m
so sorry for everything. I got into a lot of trouble down in the Slums. I didn’t want to put you in any danger,” I said.
“You need to tell me exactly what happened. You were absolved of all crimes when you arrived here; it’s all in the past. If you want to start a life with me, then there needs to be communication between us and no more lies.”
“I read a treasonous book and turned to a life of a criminal in the Undercity because I couldn’t work as a Thinker anymore. I was scavenging for anything to sell,” I said, cursing myself for the lies.
Her cold eyes appraised me.
“Do you still have the sketchbook I gave you?” I asked. She nodded and handed it to me. I asked for a pencil, and she pulled one from her bag.
“I want to show you a new sketching technique,” I said. I flipped to a blank page and began to write as small and light as I could.
‘I’m not safe. They’ll kill you if I tell you the truth. They’re probably watching and listening to us,’ I wrote before passing her the sketch. “Pretty cool technique, huh?” I asked as she read.
She looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears before pulling me into a hug. “This is a strange place. I’m not sure why I’m here, but it’s very intimidating the way everyone is watching me and listening to what I have to say. Thank you, Jake, that is a cool technique,” she said, following along. “Perhaps we could have dinner later this evening if you’re not busy?”
“I’d very much enjoy that,” I said, genuinely meaning it. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”
We talked for a couple of hours, catching up and speaking in code, trying to return to normal despite the rift that had formed between us. I hated not being able to tell her everything.
“You should have seen the way Baroness Brae was looking at you last night,” she said, blushing.
“I lived it,” I replied with a smile. “But, she’s too old for me,” I added before scooping Mary up in a hug. It was unbelievable how good it felt to hold her in my arms.
“But she’s beautiful,” Mary added.
“Yes, I can’t argue with that,” I agreed, smiling at her. Mary frowned. “But, you’re much prettier,” I said, and I meant it.
She blushed and looked down, smiling as she pulled out of the hug.
“Are we all right?” I asked.
“Yes, but I think we need to take things slow,” she replied, her voice cautious.
“I agree.” It couldn’t be further from the truth. I still felt guilty for kissing Caeldra in the Undercity.
“I think,” she said slowly, “I think we should just be friends for now,” she finished with a heavy sigh.
“I agree; I don’t think either of us have adjusted to our new lifestyles. The events of the past few weeks have damaged our relationship. I think we need to actively work on mending our friendship before we can move on to a romantic relationship, should we choose to go down that path,” I said, careful with my words.
She hugged me and rested against my shoulder. “Thanks, Jake,” she said as tears rolled down her face. “I never want to lose you again.”
“I don’t want to lose you, either. Again, I’m so sorry.” I kissed the top of her hair; it smelled like sweet strawberries.
“Whatever happened, it’s in the past now. We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us,” Mary said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “We can start over.”
If only that were the case. I still had every intention of following through with my work for the Champions and liberating the people of the Slums. My ambition to learn more about the Absolute Knowledge project was driving me crazy. I was so close now, so close to making a difference and making things right.
I made a promise to myself at that moment I wouldn’t involve Mary in anything that would endanger her life, even if it meant pushing her away and limiting our relationship. If anyone suspected me and I had a strong relationship with her, she could be accused of things she had nothing to do with. I would have some tough decisions ahead of me, but for now, I just enjoyed her company, her resting on my shoulder, and the relaxing music playing in the background.
We ate a lavish dinner and returned to the media room after. Mary sat down on the couch, and I sat beside her. She was staring at me.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yes, it just all feels so strange. It might be horrible to say, but I wish we were back in the Slums. Things were easier, the little things mattered. I’d trade all this luxury for my old life. It sounds so selfish to say that while so many people are suffering. Anyone else would want this life, but not me.”
“I get what you’re saying. Believe me, I wish I could undo what I’ve done. I hate myself for my actions and for hurting you. You’ve changed my life, Mary. Seeing you every day back in the Slums was always the highlight of my day. I lived each day looking forward to spending time with you. It didn’t matter what we were doing, only that I was doing it with you.”
She was tearing up again. “You weren’t the only one feeling that way. It was mutual and, believe it or not, I was just as scared to tell you how I felt as you probably were. I didn’t want to lose you, and was too afraid to take the risk.”
Tears were pooling in my eyes. “Edgar tried to convince me to go for it every day, to just tell you how I felt. I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner.”
Mary leaned in and kissed me on the lips, tears rolling down both of our faces.
“I’d still like to take things slow, but I’m glad we were able to talk,” she said. “It’s getting late, so I think I’ll go home now.”
“Of course. Thank you for coming over today, Mary.” I walked her to her transport.
When she departed in her ship, I decided to take yet another bath in the relaxing herbal waters. Just as I had slipped into the tub, the console speaker on the wall crackled. I look over, unsure of what was happening.
“Bracken?”
“I know what you are,” a horrible voice concealed by heavy static said. There was another crackle and then it was gone.
33 OMNISCIENCE ENGINE
∆∆∆
After the shock of hearing the terrifying voice in my bathroom through the speaker, I ran to the nearest robot and requested a security sweep of the entire estate and an investigation into the security of the software running all the devices and networks in my home. All were declared secure. I knew with some degree of certainty I wasn’t going insane. Someone or something had managed to take remote control of my console and had spoken through it—worse yet, the hacker knew exactly where I was in my house.
Had it played the message across the entire house intercom, all the robots working would have heard it. I was either being watched, listened to, or both. Seeking some form of comfort, I went to the kitchen and grabbed a long knife that I carried to my room with me. If the hacker had any plans on attacking me, I hoped they weren’t a robot. A knife would do little good against a metal chassis. The cryptic message had sounded like more of a warning call than anything else, and I assumed I wasn’t in direct danger yet. I laid in bed with the kitchen knife tucked under the pillow next to me, wishing it was my CZR-7.
The next three weeks went by without any sign of the hacker, and my level of caution went down. I still slept with the kitchen knife under my pillow, but I thought less and less about the event that had transpired. I was settling into my life as a Baron well, and I had remained steadfast in my resolve to learn about the Omniscience Engine, and today I would. Inquisitor Zaris was taking me to the facility this morning, and I would finally be able to see with my own eyes the technology behind Absolute Knowledge, to learn about it, and potentially be able to pass that information to the Champions.
The shuttle arrived at my landing platform, and I was flown down to the huge building that was several hundred feet below all the houses in Olympus. We were heading toward the facility that housed Absolute Knowledge.
“It doesn’t look terribly impressive, but the work done by the Omniscience Engine means everythi
ng to us,” Marwin told me as we descended. We landed on a metal landing platform and were escorted out by some armed robots that looked like new Enforcers without the damage and wear from the Slums. The huge glass wall of the building reflected the sun’s beams in a blinding light, and a large door opened as we approached, the guard robots trailing behind us.
“This is the central facility. I’ll take you to the Omniscience Engine, and we’ll go from there. It’s best you see that first.”
“It’s freezing in here,” I remarked, surprised by the temperature drop as we walked inside.
“Well, the processors work at absolute zero. They are quantum based, and the tech behind them has to be supercooled to function. Most of this building is just storage structures and the servers that maintain everything. The Omniscience Engine actually adjusts all of its code as it goes, so the firmware is always up to date and all the processes are optimized,” he told me as we walked through the hallway, light from the outside shining on the polished black metal interior of the building.
My Nexweave clothing adapted to fight the cold temperatures, but I still had to tuck my hands in my pockets to stay warm. I also noticed there were very few humans in the building, but there was no shortage in the robots tasked with the security of the facility.
Marwin took me to a colossal vault door that was secured by a large hydraulic wall mount. He scanned his eye on the retina scanner, and the mechanical arm pulled out the massive vault door—it looked to be at least six feet thick and must have weighed several tons.
There was a large holoprojector in the center which projected a digital map made out of blue light. A huge sphere of brilliant swirling colors rested at the base of the round projector. Thirteen nodes of bright white light connected the flowing streams of a structure that looked like it was made out of liquid metal. Light coursed through the closed system as the shape in front of me shifted. New fragments of light were flying from the surface of the projector and flowing into the stream, but all the nodes, what I believed to be the Paragon Thoughts, held together everything else. Some nodes were dark as well, not burning from within like the others.
