by Charles Case
Corbin saw Lawrence pumping his fist in excitement at their display of power before running up the dropship’s ramp as it began to close.
19
“This is incredible, man.” Lawrence had gotten out of the power armor on the flight back and now wore one of the black-on-green jumpsuits of a technician. He was slowly spinning in a circle, his hands on his hips, and his mouth hanging open. “How the hell did we not know this was here?”
“That’s what I said.” Corbin threw up a hand to take in the space. “I mean, look at this place. I figured our satellite surveys of the planet would have seen the void, but evidently the stuff the walls are made of conceals it from a lot of types of scans.” Corbin playfully elbowed Lawrence. “You think we can fit everybody in here?”
“Are you kidding? There’s more space in here than the entire downtown of Settle… Oh, you’re joking.” Lawrence rolled his eyes when he saw Seena and Corbin laughing. “Honestly, our biggest problem is going to be transporting everything here. We only have two dropships, including the one you procured earlier. If we use both, we could probably get the main base cleared out and over here in a day or two, but most of our agents are out in the field and it’s not like they can catch a cab out here.”
“We’re only going to have one dropship available for at least the next day.” Seena gave Lawrence an apologetic smile. “Corbin and I need to take this one to Vale to meet with Brast. Speaking of, did Mara happen to send over some formal clothes for us? We can't exactly go to a dinner party looking like this.” She waved a hand up and down her form-fitting green suit.
Lawrence followed her hand but flushed and locked his eyes on Corbin's face when he realized just how skintight the outfit was. “Uh, yeah. That would raise some eyebrows. I didn't bring any clothes, but I did one better.” He motioned for them to follow him to where a dozen people were unloading the dropship.
Corbin didn't recognize all of them, but he did pick out a couple of them from his previous visits to the rebellion’s underground base in the city. A guy still in power armor, but with the helmet off, was hauling large crates from the cargo bay.
Lawrence led them to a particular crate and waved a hand over it as if he were a model on a game show. “I brought you this.”
Corbin looked at the unmarked black crate and frowned. “What is it?”
Lawrence gave him a look like he was particularly dense then glanced down and saw that the crate was unmarked, and chuckled. “Sorry. Forgot this wasn't marked.” He unlatched the lid and lifted it off, revealing a fabrication machine.
The fabrication machines were exactly what they sounded like. They made stuff. Anything could be printed or extruded if they had the right materials to work with.
Corbin smiled and leaned over the crate to see that there were several cases of various raw elements to feed into the machine. “This is perfect, Lore. Good work. Let me guess, this just happened to fall off a truck as well?”
“Actually, I’ll have you know I bought this one personally.” Lawrence beamed with pride. “Cost me a year’s wages, but It was worth it.”
“Damn.” Corbin’s eyebrows raised in appreciation. “You’re really invested.”
“Well, yeah,” Lawrence smirked. “Either this works, or we all go to jail.”
“Fair enough.” Corbin nodded, looking over the people setting up a large field tent and stacking supplies. “This is going to look pretty different in a few days.”
“I don't know about you,” Seena said, a smile on her face, “but I could do with a little change in scenery. The empty room motif is a little boring.”
Corbin’s tablet rang and he raised his arm to see that Mara was calling. “Hey, I’m going to take this. Holler if you need any help.”
Lawrence nodded and waved as he jogged off to help unload. Seena turned to Corbin and put a hand on her hip. “Should I go, too?”
“No, it’s Mara. Stick around, you’re better versed in what we should be doing at this party.” He touched the accept button and they were connected by audio only. “Hey, Mara. How’s it going on your end?”
“My end?” she sounded surprised. “We’re not the ones under attack.”
“Didn't anyone let you know?” Corbin furrowed his brow. “We destroyed the ship and took out the attackers fifteen minutes ago.”
Mara breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank god for that. I’m assuming by the tone of your voice that everyone is fine? No casualties?”
“Yeah, all good over here. A little light on ammo after the sustained barrage needed to take those stone bastards down, but other than that, it’s all peachy.”
“I swear, Lawrence is one hell of a badass when it comes to getting into systems and organizing intel, but he is garbage when it comes to getting back to me and reporting.” Mara was irritated, but her tone lightened as her tension over not knowing what the battle’s outcome had been eased. “Did you get a good look at who was coming after us?”
Corbin and Seena shared a look before he answered, “Those would be the Kubla. At least, it’s their tech.”
“What is a Kubla?” Mara asked.
Corbin sighed. He had been dreading this moment. “The rebellion and what it’s trying to accomplish are important to me, but it comes second to the overall goal. There is an invasion on the horizon, and if Seena and I are not able to stop it then there won’t be a society left to change.”
Mara was quiet for long enough that Corbin and Seena exchanged a look and he checked to be sure the call hadn’t been cut off.
“You have proof of this invasion?” Corbin could hear the gears turning in Mara’s head.
“We didn't until the attack on the dropship. There haven’t been any sightings of them until now.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Mara said, and Corbin's tablet dinged with a new message. “I just sent you a video from one of our operatives on Rush. I don't know if you’ve heard but a couple of smaller farming and mining settlements have gone offline. At first, we thought it was a super flexing his power over the workers or losing control. While something like that is rare, it does happen. So, we sent an agent close to the last place, a mine works, to see if they could catch the bastard in the act. However, the video he sent back showed something else entirely.”
Corbin and Seena huddled so they could watch the video together. It wasn't long, and taken from far off, but at least a dozen Kubla ships circled a strip mine operation before descending into the giant hole in the ground.
“How long ago was this recorded?” Seena asked, her jaw tight with tension.
“Yesterday. But it wasn't the first place to suddenly go quiet. There have been half a dozen smaller places over the last week. The military is keeping it quiet but everyone they send in doesn't come back, and sooner or later someone is going to notice.”
Corbin frowned. “We need to get there and help those people out. They have no clue who the attackers are, or how best to deal with them.”
Seena put a hand on his arm. “We can't. I know you want to help. I do, too, but we wouldn't stand much better chance than the military. There are too many of them. We took out one ship full, but there are dozens of ships there and probably thousands of golems. We also don't know who is controlling them. This is nothing like before. There’s a new player. We need more information and stronger allies. We need to stick to the plan.”
“Seena’s right about needing stronger allies,” Mara interjected. “There is far too much going on to handle this ourselves. Shasa said there was more coming than just a revolution, but she didn't tell me any of the details. To be honest, I don't know that she had any details, but I trust you two. You want what’s best for the normies, so if you are saying this is more important than that, then we need to prepare. I’ll coordinate with Lawrence to have everything ready for you two to leave for Brast’s party in the next couple of hours. Until then, you might want to get some sleep.”
They said their goodbyes and hung up. Corbin glanced down at Seena an
d gave her a half-smile. “This is all moving too fast. I don't know that we’ll be ready.”
She slid her arms around his waist and put her head on his chest. “We’ll be ready. I know we will. But first, we need to have some clothes made, and I need to teach you a little ball etiquette before we leave. Brast is a very powerful man. You don't hold onto the kind of power he does without being able to throw your weight around. We are going to be surrounded by the most powerful people in the VRC, and the last thing we want is for you to stand out.”
“This is your wheelhouse. I’m just along for the ride.” He took her hand and they headed over toward Lawrence as he set up the fabricator.
20
Corbin carefully angled the dropship onto the small landing pad at the “house” of Brast Kessler, under the direction of the valet. Corbin didn't like the fact that they were coming to a ball in a military-grade dropship. He’d been required to give the remote deactivation codes for the two auto-cannons tucked under the wings before he was allowed within fifty miles of the compound.
Focusing on the tight spot for the huge ship had taken most of Corbin's concentration, so he got his first good look at the house when he turned the corner after taking a short tram ride from the landing area to the house grounds.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Corbin's jaw was hanging open at the opulence laid out before him.
The main house was a few hundred yards away, which on its own was the most intricate exercise in architecture he had ever seen, but between them and the house were the gardens. It looked like millions of flowering plants had been arranged in winding paths, lined with stone statues of all shapes and material. A hundred or more people milled about, drinks in hand, and dressed to the nines.
While the gardens were something to behold, the house took his breath away. It was four stories and seemed to be made of glass and stone filigree. Warm light spilled out of the three-story windows that ran the length of a huge marble patio where more guests stood in small groups, laughing and eating miniature versions of foods off small plates.
“How is this even possible? There can't be enough money in the entire system to make this sustainable.”
Seena laughed lightly, slipping her arm in his and gently leading him onto a path toward the house. “Brast is very shrewd. He was one of the first investors in father’s venture to build a colony. He made sure that he had a percentage of every suit of armor, gun, and bullet sold by the Lieu Corporation. If it weren’t for his initial investments then the whole colony would have never made it. I don't know this for sure, but I have a pretty good feeling that he is worth more than father, by quite a bit. He doesn't need to reinvest in the colony, like my family, and he has holdings throughout the galaxy.”
“He’s richer than your father?” Corbin’s brow rose as he looked her way.
“Pretty sure. He is a very secretive man,” she mused, biting her lip and looking around to be sure they were out of earshot of the milling guests. She lowered her voice to just above a whisper and leaned in. “No one knows this, and I only know because of how much time he spent at our house when I was growing up, but Brast isn’t a super.”
Corbin stared at her. “How is that possible? I thought everyone in power was a super. Hell, the list Shasa gave us was for the most influential supers in the system. His name was at the top.”
Seena pulled him back into motion, and around a couple who nodded at them before moving past. “Everyone thinks he’s a super. He’s even set up some interactions where it looked like he had powers, but it was all part of the game. He’s a normie. He does have quite a few supers in his employ, so he’s not exactly vulnerable, but still. It’s something to keep in mind.”
They weaved their way through the gardens and finally made it to the patio. Corbin was again floored at the sheer size of the house. The patio was at least two hundred yards long and half again that deep. Hundreds of people in their best finery were all around them, and to Corbin's discomfort, many of them were glancing their way. At first, he thought they might know something about him and his plans to one day overthrow them, but he soon realized they didn't even see him, except as arm candy for Seena.
Corbin chuckled quietly when he realized what was going on.
“What?” Seena asked, smiling up at him.
“I just remembered that you are probably the second most famous person in the VRC, and I was worried that we might stand out.” His grin made her laugh.
“Well, duh. I’m the distraction, dummy. You’re the one who is going to slip away and talk with Brast. We need to be sure no one takes all that much notice of you.” She gazed up at his imposing height and broad shoulders. “We need someone as famous as me to make you invisible. Besides, do you think I got this dressed up not to draw all the attention?”
Corbin gave her a once-over, appreciating the dress. She wore a high collared, dark green halter dress that covered her tattoo and neck but left her arms and back exposed. The bottom was made up of hundreds of thin strips of more of the green fabric, giving the impression of a full skirt, but in fact, left her legs free to move in case she needed to make a quick getaway. Compared to Corbin's standard although well-fitted black tux, she was like an emerald to his coal.
“I suppose you’re right.” He turned a little red with embarrassment. “So, what’s the plan exactly? You know this guy. How do we make contact?”
“Well, Shasa said she already told him we were coming. My guess is that we simply need to find him, and he’ll make the rest happen.” She led him into the ballroom off the patio through a large set of glass doors.
Corbin's eyes danced at the sight of the ballroom. If it wasn't covered in gold or silver it was made of some sort of rare stone or wood. There was so much to look at that after a second, Corbin felt numb to the sights.
“Is there such a thing as being so gaudy that it becomes boring?” Corbin asked, suddenly over the opulence.
“Oh, yeah.” Seena nodded, taking in the room as well. “This definitely crosses a line somewhere. I think I see Brast over at the food table. He’s the one standing alone, eating those little cocktail weenies.”
Corbin looked toward where she had indicated and saw a man of indeterminate age with sandy brown hair, and a plate full of tiny sausages. He popped a few in his mouth at a time and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying every bite.
“Why is he alone? I would have thought the person throwing the party would be the center of attention.” Corbin led Seena to the bar and picked up two champagne flutes, handing her one before taking a sip.
Seena clinked her flute against his and then sipped. “Brast is an interesting guy. He doesn't really have any friends, and he isn't exactly trying to get any, either. He keeps the world at arms’ length and rarely goes to parties where there are more than a few people in attendance. But, for some reason, he throws these elaborate balls all the time and invites everybody. People say their hellos and then leave him alone, just the way he likes.”
“So, people are scared of him?”
“I guess.” She shrugged. “I mean, he is one of the few people who could ruin anyone’s life with a word. About the only person who’s not at least a little in fear of his power is my father.”
“And me.” Corbin smiled, taking a drink.
“That’s because you don't understand how powerful he is.” Seena gave him a sidelong glance.
Corbin downed the rest of the champagne and set the glass on the bar. “No, it’s because I don't have anything to lose.” He smiled over at her. “Except you, and you’re untouchable to these people, even Brast.”
“Maybe, but be careful. Give me a few minutes and no one will be looking at you.” She downed the rest of her drink and picked up a fresh one.
“Have fun.” Corbin discreetly reached down and goosed her.
She jumped and gave him a death glare. “Oh, you’re so going to get it later.”
“Promise?”
Seena’s frown cracked and she tried to hide
a small smile before wandering out into the crowds. Within seconds, there was a small group surrounding her, trying to chat her up. That group grew quickly, and soon everyone in the place was trying to position themselves to get a word in with the heir of the Lieu Empire.
Corbin watched her turn on the charm, smiling and lightly touching arms in a social dance Corbin didn't even know existed.
After a few minutes, Corbin glanced over at the food table and saw that Brast had noticed the commotion, following Seena around the room with his eyes, but seeming to be more interested in the small fried won-tons with seared tuna and wasabi drizzle that he had piled onto his plate.
Feeling a bit hungry himself, Corbin walked to the opposite side of the table from Brast and began filling a small plate.
“Try the little hotdog things,” Brast’s rich baritone rumbled out. “And the tiny quiches are pretty good, even if a little standard.”
Corbin looked up, a mild look of surprise affixed to his face. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Kessler.” Corbin added a few sausages and small round egg pies to his plate.
“You don't need to call me Mr. Kessler, Major. We both know that you and I will be working quite closely for a while. Might as well just call me Brast.” He hadn’t looked over at Corbin. Instead, he seemed to be speaking to a plate of what looked like deviled quail eggs. “I never understood why tiny versions of food are the preferred portion size at parties like this, but I do love them. Whole reason I throw these disgusting soirees in the first place.” He held up a tiny sandwich and smiled at it. “Simply wonderful.”
Corbin was flabbergasted, and it took a second for his brain to catch up to what he had just heard. “You throw these parties for the food? That’s it? Why not have your cook or whoever make them for you without throwing the party?”
Finally, Brast looked past his tiny sandwich at Corbin. He was struck by just how plain this man was. He could be anywhere from his mid-thirties to his mid-sixties. The medical procedures available to a man of his influence and wealth meant that he could be pushing a hundred, and Corbin would never be able to tell the difference.
