most of what we would need."
The emperor folded his arms across his chest. "Everything from Nandia? Nothing there?"
"Many things, yes," Ouranos interjected. "Lord, the grapheet alone will be very helpful with organic engineering, but most of what we claimed is needed for making more Cyclops. There are some things that not even Nandia had."
"I understand." Caesar paced about in a tight circle and stopped when he faced Cronus again. "You've felt this way for some time?"
Cronus raised his chin and looked into the false eyes deeply. "Yes."
There was a lengthy pause. The other Psilons stopped what they were doing and turned to watch. Caesar sensed this and smiled. "You need not fear to speak your minds, truly." A few Psilons sighed and grinned. "You people …" he turned toward the others as he talked, "you have already contributed to the Empire in ways that cannot be quantified."
He moved toward Mnemosyne and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You've helped increase our computing power and miniaturized the technology simultaneously." He pointed to Oceanus and Tethys, "You two created a better desalinization facility than anything our scientists made in the last five hundred years." He looked at Hyperion and said, "Solar batteries." He shrugged and said, "More of our people have reliable energy than ever before." Caesar glanced around at the others and continued, "You're all working on the things that interest you and Tiberia reaps the benefits. Thank you." Caesar then bowed toward the Psilons.
They appeared somewhat dumbfounded but they eventually smiled. Cronus looked at Ouranos, who seemed surprised at the emperor's good mood.
"You go ahead and do your work. Tell me what you need and I will do what's in my power to make it happen." The Caesar took a small step toward Cronus and said, "There are large plans afoot. And you," he pointed his finger at Cronus and then swept it across the room at each of the other Psilons, "are all part of it."
Cronus held Rhea's hand. They were sitting in the chairs of the auditorium while they waited for the meeting to begin.
"I had fun last night," he said.
Rhea grinned. "I did, too."
He put his arm around her and looked at Coeus and Pheobe. They were smiling and laughing, just like Cronus and Rhea had been. He heard a gasp and looked over his shoulder. Two rows back, Tethys playfully smacked Hyperion for making some unwanted remark.
A door opened to the left and everyone in the auditorium turned. It was just Cronus and Themis. They had been carrying on the last few months just like all the other Psilons. Soon after, more people entered the room. Iapetus, Theia, Crius, Crius, the third Cronus, another Rhea … Ten minutes later, all of the Psilons had gathered.
The chatter became loud and Dr. Karin Baraz emerged on stage. This had been the media room for Baraz Bio Medical, but she used it as the meeting place with all of her children, as she put it.
"Gaia," she said. Baraz waved and she left the curtains, too. After Gaia sat in a chair on stage, Karin lifted the microphone to her mouth. "Hello, everyone."
"Hello," most of the crowd answered haphazardly.
"Time for another meeting." She smiled and looked around the auditorium. "I'm glad to see everyone in such good cheer."
Rhea squeezed Cronus' hand and he smiled, too.
"It's been a year, almost, since you were all awakened." Karin looked down at her feet and then slowly raised her eyes. "I feel like … I feel like I haven't been good enough to you."
Cronus squinted at her and a nearby Theia said, "You have."
Baraz raised her hand and paused before speaking. Gaia reached toward her and touched her arm. She didn't react but she did start to talk. "You know how your siblings, the first twelve, were treated." The Psilons nodded. "You know that BBM isn't about making profits any longer. It exists now to right the wrongs that we … I committed."
Cronus began shaking his head.
"There's no excuse for what was done. I can only hope that some … good will continues to come out of here. From you."
Rhea nodded and said, "Yes."
Gaia stood and took the microphone from Karin. "There were wrongs, but those were in the past. Now, when it matters, you are there for us, doctor." There was scattered applause. "And BBM isn't out of business. I'm pleased to announce that a vaccine for necrovirinae has been approved for distribution. Congratulations, Coeus and Theia." The two stood while the Psilons cheered raucously for them.
Baraz smiled and Gaia handed her the microphone again. "Very good work." When everyone settled again, Karin said, "And now I have some more good news. First, the last group of houses on the compound will be open and ready for you to move in tomorrow."
Rhea's eyes widened and she turned to Cronus. He laughed and hugged her tightly.
"Second, and even more important …" Baraz chuckled.
"I still can't believe this," Gaia said.
"Second, congratulations to Themis and Iapetus." Many of the Psilons turned in their chairs to find the couple. "They're having a child."
The room went silent. Mouths hung open and all breathing appeared to cease. Dozens of eyes focused on Themis. She became self conscious and reached toward her stomach. Baraz noticed the reaction and raised the microphone again. As she was about to say something, the auditorium erupted in cheers and applause. Psilons rose from their chairs to greet the expectant parents.
While they waited nearby for their turn, Rhea tugged on Cronus' arm and pulled him closer to her. "I wasn't sure we could even have children."
"Me neither," he answered. With a smile, he said, "I can't wait to start trying."
XL
OURANOS
142 Years Before the End
He was moving through screen after screen of coding. He just couldn't find it.
"I feel as though a hammer is hovering above me," Donovan said.
Ouranos sighed. "Mm-hmm."
Donovan slowly lifted his head from his hands. "It's like a special torture this." He gestured toward Ouranos. "You know far more about computerization and memory than I. You've accelerated the Project much further than anything I could have done in my lifetime." He shook his head. "There's no reason for me to remain."
Ouranos closed one file and opened another. "Perhaps you're right."
Donovan whipped around and he glared at the back of the large man's head. "I've tried. You've seen that, yes?"
Ouranos watched screen after screen flash by. Still no sign of the problem. "Yes."
"I've made suggestions. I've … I've written down my ideas." He grunted and almost laughed. "Cronus just tossed them aside. 'I'll look at it later,' he said."
"Cronus is arrogant."
Ryall nodded. "He is."
"But brilliant."
The doctor closed his eyes and looked away. "Yes."
As Ouranos closed that file and opened another, he said, "You need to ingratiate yourself with the Psilons."
"What?"
"They are the future," Ouranos said. He didn't see what he was searching for. "The Caesar won't be satisfied with his Cyclops body forever. The Psilons … they embody all that he desires."
"Yes," his voice was low.
Ouranos turned and looked at Donovan with as much sympathy as he could muster. "If you learn from the Psilons and bring to them your own expertise, you can be useful to them. Caesar already sees the Psilons as useful and if you're useful to the Psilons …"
Ryall began to nod. "Yes." He licked his lips and then squinted. "But Cronus …"
"Ignore Cronus," Ouranos said. He moved to a different file in the directory. "Start with someone else. Mnemosyne. She is kind-hearted and she is very knowledgeable about computers, memory transfer, and the like."
The doctor nodded again. Finally, a small smile crept onto his face. "Yes. Thank you."
Ouranos didn't answer. He had found the coding. Even after reading it through several times, he didn't understand where it could have origin
ated. The newer Cyclops being trained and organized fresh out of the factories didn't have this problem. The older ones, the veterans of Nandia, for example, did. These new files were slowing down their processors. It caused hesitation and even slight power drains.
Ouranos was looking in the memory files of one of those Cyclops. He shook his head and wrote down the name of the file and the directory. I'll have to keep an eye on that, he thought.
Then he pressed "delete."
XLI
CAESAR
141 Years Before the End
It was a dinner party with very little food.
The Caesar and most of the prefects remained in the grassy center area of the palace's grounds. Attendants stood nearby, but these people would not be eating. Prefects Curus and Aelia were still human. They ate a little, but they curbed their appetites so they could remain nearer the others.
"Another stellar electoral victory, dominus," Cleon said. His cube remained on a cart and its speakers conveyed the smarm of his voice adequately enough.
The robotic puppet of Gallian joined in. "Indeed. The Senate will remain with you for years to come."
Caesar looked at the new form of the prefect. In life, he was slovenly and homely. Naturally, he contracted with Dr. Donovan to give him a better body than he could have achieved on his own. The emperor's eyes followed the cables from Gallian's back, across the grass and into a blinking box against a fence. Caesar inhaled and silently thanked the fates he wasn't tethered like that any longer.
"My lord," Etne began, "as prefects, it is our duty to advise you on matters of state."
Maxentius raised an eyebrow and regarded
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