Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy

by Mark Brandon Powell

“Sorry brother.”

  “Not brother, just Vargas.”

  She shakes her head, “I want to call you brother.”

  He throws his hands in the air, “Fine, but I’m calling you by your name. Is that ok Amber?”

  She smiles.

  They were on orders from the Commander of the Paladins, Tyler Hemlic, to meet up with an informant. That informant’s name is Yeti. Which Vargas was sure that it was either a code name, or nickname. His best friend was also going to be getting married on this boat in a few hours, which was an interesting coincidence. When he asked Tyler about it, he just shrugged, saying it this was the first mission for Vargas, and he should enjoy the coincidences, and relax. There will always be more work once he gets back.

  Shaking his head he looks over to Amber. She had become a new recruit to the order like he was, but she never mentioned to him that she joined the academy for him. Four years they were apart, yet so close to each other.

  They were dressed in fancy attire to match the other clientele that were going to be aboard. The short dress she was wearing hugged her curves in almost too well. He catches a glimpse of her watching his eyes dance around her curves. Her eyes dart away, to the ground, then back to his.

  “Do I look alright?”

  “You do. Are you ready for the week?”

  “I am, Cap… brother.”

  “Good, we have a meeting set up with Yeti in five hours. He’s going to give us some names of people we can talk to on The Island and Aspiration. Once we have those, it’s just a waiting game till the ship gets there.”

  Security was as to be expected, and they flagged Vargas quickly as potentially hostile. He got dragged off into a side room as Amber waited for him outside the security area. He needed all of the equipment he brought with him to make sure the mission was going to be a success. Tyler had told him to expect as much, but he still didn’t have to like it. Vargas looks around the room, and it looked to be an interrogation room, minus the two way mirror. It was also missing the cameras that typically hid in the corners, which was worrisome.

  A man of medium height and build walked into the small room. Vargas took note of his entrance, but nothing else. All in an effort to try to remain in control.

  “I have a permit to carry all of my equipment on board, and have made special arrangements with the company before coming here today. So how long are you going to hold me aside?”

  “I know of all the arrangements, Mr. Mitchell, but what I want to know is why you are here?”

  “Security for Amber Leneth, which was in the request I sent in.”

  “I know what your report said, and your cover story is at least acceptable. What I want to know is, what the newly appointed captain of the newly formed 9th division of the Paladin Order want on my ship?”

  This got Vargas’ attention. No one was even supposed to be briefed about his position until he got back. Even Amber thought it was a short assignment, not knowing all the details of her transfer to his command. He looked directly at the man asking the questions for the first time. Steeled brown eyes stare back at him under thick groomed brown hair. His cheeks rise to a smile as Vargas’ attention turns toward him. Strong features fill his face, and demeanor, as silence fills the room.

  “I will ask you again…”

  Vargas cuts him off, “No need, I heard you the first time. If you know that much, I can tell you I’m on an assignment, but that’s all. If you also know that I am a Paladin, then me carrying weaponry aboard shouldn’t really be a problem.”

  “No, It isn’t. As the owner of the vessel though, I don’t like to have armed passengers as a general guideline. We are going to be out of the jurisdiction of your order after all.”

  “As far as I know, we didn’t have one.”

  “The Island, and Aspiration are both free cities, not affiliated with the Astrum Government. Your authority over anyone would end at their borders.”

  “Good thing I’m not here as a Paladin then.”

  “Yes. Just remember, I do not like violence around my toys, and I will not stand for their use aboard my vessel.”

  “Clear as crystal.”

  “Good, I will let you onboard once the other passengers have boarded. It will avoid any suspicion or confusion when we bypass our security for you and your equipment.”

  “Just don’t forget about me.”

  “Oh I won’t. Your Commander is cashing in on a favor, I owed him for this, and I pay my debts.”

  “And you are?”

  “No one of import to you I assure you. Just keep a low profile, and your weapons hidden, both will win you my averted attention.”

  With that, the man leaves the room, with Vargas in it. A few moments later Amber comes to the door, and tells him they can board.

  3

  Vernon nods and returns the smile, of the olive skinned man as his head disappears back around the corner. He hurries to where he saw the man, and turns the corner to see him now behind a booth at full attention — which would only come from deliberate practiced effort — and has a perfectly practiced smile across his face to complement his posture.

  Extending an open palm he jesters toward the HaLO reader asking in a polished voice, “Sir if you would please check in by swiping your HaLO over the reader and accepting the overlay prompt.”

  Vernon follows the instructions, and as he does an overlay prompt comes up in the center of his vision blurring away everything else. The prompt asks to share his personal information with Paradise Sailing for the duration of the trip. He changes his focus back to the host, which fades the plain and flat looking prompt into the background, allowing him to see the host’s face.

  He asks, “What information am I sharing?”

  The answer comes out every bit as polished as his first words, “About that, my apologies sir, our overlay settings for the ship’s prompts are still being worked on, but will be ready before the guests are allowed to board. The one you were given is dreadfully boring and flat, for that I am sorry. You sir, just happen to be boarding early due to your wedding, which we are delighted to be able to host. An updated release will be sent to your room explaining everything in detail, and any other prompts you receive from us will be more substantial for the rest of your stay, that I can assure you. To answer your original question, it is your location, and vital statistics we are requesting. We would wouldn’t want to lose a valued guest or have them expire on our cruise liner, especially on her maiden voyage.”

  Vernon nods. “Alright, thank you.”

  He reaches out to touch the prompt, pulling it back into view with a swipe of his index and middle finger, then once the prompt reappears, he quickly confirms. With that, it shrinks with a poof of virtual smoke to be replaced by a new popup. A virtual map of the ship's layout hovers and spins before his eyes. The map details the ship down to the most minute details, like the brush strokes in the paint on a particular wall, or the fibers in the carpet he was standing on.

  The host adds, “Thank you sir for accepting our terms. You will now have access to our ship’s layout through our virtual map. As you can see this is a finished product, and if you so choose, you can tour the entire ship right through there. If you have any questions there is our FAQ’s by flipping the map over, or simply calling the front desk by asking aloud; front desk. Once aboard you will be routed through our internal network to reach the HVN. This, I assure you, is only to ensure the best possible experience when using any of our virtual excursions and entertainment.”

  Vernon continues to nod, not really looking at him, but looking at the map. He wants to get an idea of where he is compared to where the ceremony is going to be. His eyes shift back to the host, who’s virtual name plate appears across his heart. Charles is stamped into the metal plate.

  Charles continues, “Your room is on the top floor, under the main deck, room 1215. Thank you for your patronage with Paradise Sailing, and congratulations on the wedding.” He finishes with a bow of his head toward Vernon.<
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  Vernon returns the gesture, nodding politely, and starts walking toward his room to get changed. He stops mid-stride hand stretched out reaching for the heavily polished walnut colored banister of the stairs, and turns back around to ask Charles, “Is the rest of my wedding party already here?”

  “Yes sir, dressed and awaiting the ceremonies in the ballroom waiting rooms. Once you are dressed you can make your way to the grooms waiting area. I’ll mark it on your map.”

  “Thank you.”

  Vernon turns back to the stairs, and lets himself get lost in thought about where Marie might be, dreading the thought of running into her by accident. He pulls up the map as he walks up the first of two flights of stairs he needs to reach his room, searching for the ballroom and adjacent waiting rooms.

  The elevator was very close to the stairs, looking very inviting, but if his Paladin trainer Rajini saw him even attempt to with the stairs so close. The thought sends a chill of terror through him like lightning. He shudders and rolls his shoulders trying to shake off the chill, and finds the ballroom on the aft of the ship, with his room is near the forward elevators.

  Wanting to make deliberate plans to avoid the bridal suite after he gets dressed, he plans out his path. An accidental peak could result in a lynching, which would ruin his whole week. Luckily the groom’s waiting room is on the starboard side, which happens to be the same as his room.

  The tension that was building in his shoulders relaxes with that off his check list, and he hurries down to his room to get his tux on. With the rest of the groomsmen already here, he doesn’t want to be the one holding things up.

  Since he was still not officially a Paladin he couldn't wear his dress uniform for the wedding. His initiation into the Order doesn't happen until the week after he gets back. Marie had argued with him on waiting, because there was no rush, and it would be nice to have him in the uniform for pictures and recordings.

  He was tired of waiting, and convinced her to go with the tux they already picked out before the topic came up. This way they could just hurry up and move in together, and he can get out of his parents’ house. He loves his parents, but they were starting to drive him nuts.

  Nerves begin to creep into his thoughts, like a worm into an apple, as he reaches the door to his room. His eyes don’t focus on anything but the numbers on the door as his mind rolls through the unnecessary, yet nagging questions in the darker corners of his mind. Is he ready for all of this, is he right for her, is this the wedding that she will be happy with, and is this all a dream, or is it really happening? He almost though about pinching himself, but if it was a virtual world, dream, or magical construct, he wanted to at least get to see Marie first.

  Swiping his HaLO across the door reader unlocks it, and he presses it open. As he walks into the room he can see the door to the bathroom on his left and across that a door to a closet on his right. The room is fitted with all the high-end comforts that he would expect to be in the honeymoon suite.

  He walks over to the patio door, pulling the handle, as metal scraps against each other. Sliding the heavy door to the right, the noise of the finishing construction floods in along with a fresh gust of sea air. He could hear directions being shouted, and felt the pressure of all the magic that was moving the equipment around.

  The large gray wall that was blocking his view of the ship as he arrived, now stares back at him from the other side, again blocking his view. He looks down over the railing to see the workers, hurrying back and forth putting the final touches on the first cruise ship on Eden. Large boxes are loaded on rune covered platforms, hovering, being hauled into the ship all while the lone man with two shinning orange cones directing the traffic, both loading and construction crews, taking care they don’t mix.

  To Vernon’s right he can see the glass corridor. It extends out from the large wall, and he can see people beginning to fill it, preparing to get on board. Some of which are pulling luggage behind them, some pulling children. He smiles at this, knowing that even the rich have to do physical labor sometimes.

  Vernon goes back inside, closing the patio door with more effort than it should need to take, and heads toward the closet. Opening that door reveals a closet the size of his parents’ house. Inside it a black bag with a hanger sticking out of the top, and below that are his and Marie’s luggage for the trip. Vernon smiles knowing she must have already been to the room, dropping off his clothes. Even on their wedding day she wants to take care of him.

  He takes the bag out of the closet and closes the door behind him, wondering if he might need to bring a bag of bread with him the next time he ventures in, and lays the bag on the foot of the bed. With all of his rushing to get out of the door, he wasn't able to take a shower, and now has time to. Inside the bathroom is a note from Marie. It’s on paper, which is a rare sight being as expensive as paper is, it has Paradise Sailing filigree at the top with a heavy feel between his fingertips as he pulls the note up to read, I love you, in her hand writing.

  He can feel his face flush, as a smile beams across his face, fighting back tears. The short yet powerful message bringing a flood of memories, and for as long as he can remember he has loved Marie, always right by his side. There is no one else in this world, or any other, that he would ever think he would want to spend the rest of his life with. Except for maybe Duke, but that would be more in the brothers forever kind of way.

  He opens the bag and puts on his tux as best as he knows how. With the suit and tie all together, made to impress, he gives himself a once over in the dresser mirror to make sure everything is in right place. Marie would want no less. He stands there and inspects the white tux with the long black tie sporting a herringbone pattern, permanently pressed black slacks, polished black shoes, thin white shirt, black vest with white herringbone accents, a red rose for the corsage, and he sticks his hand into his jacket pocket to grab the box the ring is in.

  He likes what he sees, and gives credit to Marie’s father who wanted to give Vernon something as a thank you for what he has done for his daughter in the past, the tailored suit he now wore being that gift. A gift he would have never expected from a man that seemingly hated him five years prior, but rescuing daughters from kidnappers can do that.

  There comes a knock on the door with Duke waiting on the other side. He gives an impressed looked, before making a joke, “I guess you really can clean up well after all.”

  “Well hello mister pot my name is kettle, nice to meet you.”

  “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m doing alright. A bit nervous, but no cold feet.”

  “Anything you need?”

  Vernon shakes his head no.

  Duke continues, “Alright then, you let me know if there is. I have a car fully charged out there if you need it, but I know that it won’t be necessary.”

  Vernon laughs, “That would be more dangerous than if we tried to fight a hoard of dragons, because we know the dragons would at least kill us.”

  Duke shakes his head laughing as well, “You’re right, Marie might just have our hides for making that joke.”

  “You might be right about that, with her fire elemental temper she has, but I love her and she loves me.” He shrugs. “So I am pretty sure she’ll let it slide, or make a wisecrack back at you. Probably about when you and Ashley are going to get hitched.”

  “You’re probably right with that one. Got the ring?”

  Vernon opens the box he had been twirling nervously in his hands the whole conversation. Two weaving rows of diamonds show, one row black, one white. A two karat faint yellow diamond rests in the center with a weaving circle around the center diamond of black and white diamonds, all of which is set in twenty four karat delorium metal.

  Duke looks at the ring and whistles, “I don’t remember it looking that expensive when you proposed?”

  “Yea the diamonds weren’t even the worst part, the delorium metal was. It was three times the price of the diamonds, but that’s wha
t she wanted.”

  “Well she does like you, so I guess I could say she has good taste.”

  “Protect this with your life.” Vernon says as he extends his hand with the ring in the palm of it, the weight of it heavy in his hands.

  Duke nods, “I will, and you should stay here. The girls are running all over the place right now making sure everything is perfect. I’ll come get you once we sequester them in the bridal suite.”

  “Yes, thank you! I have been worrying about that since I have gotten here. There is a reason I made you my best man.”

  Duke grins, “Yea yea, just declare your love for me later alright.”

  Vernon grins back, “Alright just this once,” and reaches out to hug him. Duke meets his hug with open arms, and leaves with ring in hand, going back to his best man duties. Vernon turns back to look at his room and lets out a deep breath of relief.

  He sits down in the high backed chair with thirty minutes to spare. He makes a circling hand gesture which pulls up his menu for the HaLO’s overlay, and swipes at the list till he gets to the bottom where the game tab is. He stares at the lone game there, Worlds of Sword and Sorcery, the logo of a sword and staff floating there in the center of his vision. The last time it had been launched was over four years ago when he was still in high school. It was right before he left for the trip to New Atlantis to participate in a Mixed Magical Arts match. He was the team captain, and he had poured what felt like months into training for that day. Which he now knows was nothing in comparison to the Paladin training he received.

  He wanted to relax the night before and loaded it up, found a pickup group, and fought some virtual monsters. The HaLO allowed for this type of fully immersive game play through the control of an avatar. Your body would go into a state similar to that of dreaming, and paralyze the body to prevent the gamer from acting out their movements in the game. He had loaded up his favorite character, the mage, and spent that night gaming. He remembered the night fondly.

  He looks back at the digital clock on his HaLO with only twenty minutes left before Duke should return, there isn’t any way he would have time to play. With the game needing to download updates and learning any of the changes made would take time he doesn’t have. For a second he thinks about downloading something new, but decides against it. He likes to have time when starting a new game, to play with and fiddle with it. There would just be a nagging sensation the whole honeymoon to play it, and that isn't fare to Marie or himself.