by Lisa Eskra
Nadine stuffed her clothes back into her suitcases. "I remember the first time I saw the city. The sight was…exhilarating. There's no place else like it anywhere. The skyscrapers. The restaurants. The arts and nightlife. There's a reason it's the best. It's a symbol of pride for humanity. You will love it. I promise."
Somehow, the prospect of finding herself in the crowded city filled her with more trepidation than Pisa had. Lawlessness had its advantages, but on New England, she would need to be careful. Her own code of justice and morals didn't mesh with the rules of their society. Here, someone like Deadhead could sue her for pain and suffering despite the fact he intended to rape her. They hadn't even touched down, and she already wanted to leave.
Every instinct suggested she was very much the opposite of Nadine. Since their meeting, she spent a great deal of time with the second lady and found herself envious of her elegant bearing. Nadine epitomized classic beauty in the truest sense, and her savvy extended to political affairs. Her engaging discourse provided an opinion on everything whether it was a popular one or not. If only more people would aspire to such qualities…
"I'm a little nervous," Amii said. "How do you handle being around so many people?"
She chuckled and folded a green dress. "Well, I ignore them for the most part. They do their thing. I do mine. It's a busy place. And impersonal but that's city life. I suppose I've gotten used to it. If you end up staying, you will too I'm sure. There must be a good reason fate brought you here."
"You really think there's a purpose for my being here?"
All of a sudden, Nadine closed her eyes and cringed. Out of concern, Amii took Nadine's hands, which had become cold. "Is everything ok?"
"No." She inhaled several times and shivered. "I don't think it's going to be."
Amii leaned over with a sympathetic embrace, holding Nadine's petite frame close in her arms. She wondered if she'd had a vision but did not ask; if it were urgent, those words would have already been spoken.
Nadine reached into her suitcase and dug around. "There's something I want to give you." She pulled out a book and thrust it into Amii's hands. "A gift from me to you."
She ran her fingers over the leather cover. Gold letters had been stitched on it. Razor's Edge by Steve Lawson. Paper books had a limited appeal nowadays, but elegant limited editions still rolled off the presses. "Thank you. This means a lot to me."
"It won't change your life or anything but…" Her words drifted off in aimless dissolution. After locking the suitcase, she turned toward her friend with a sense of finality. "I've got to go."
"Will I ever see you again?"
She nodded with effort. Her forced smile made Amii doubt her sincerity, though she wondered if there was more to it than that. Before Nadine turned to leave, they held each other one last time. Without another word, she grabbed her bags and left.
The sudden solitude troubled her. The compulsion to call Xander made her heart race every second she failed to act on it. Nadine hadn't been gone for more than a minute before the door chime sounded and Xander walked in.
He clenched his fists and shook them. "If I have to spend another minute with that sodding idiot, I'll lose it."
Amii furrowed her brow as he approached. "Magnius?"
"Yes. He wouldn't stop asking me questions about you."
"Why?"
"Why else, Amii…" He ran his fingers through her hair. "Trust me, it's not your brilliant personality. I told him to shove off repeatedly, which encouraged him more. He caught a nap five hours ago so I had a shred of peace, but he's at it again and I'm tired of the kafuffle."
She returned her attention to the window. The cloud patterns had magnified and dispersed but the ship continued to travel over the water. Tree-covered mountains began to appear in the window. Judging by the rate of their descent, they'd land in less than five minutes. "Have you ever been to New England before?"
"I got my doctorate here. Feels like a century ago."
"Why do you keep trying? After all this time, do you ever want to give up?"
"I was blessed with a noble purpose in life, the sort of quest it takes people a lifetime to realize." He straightened the collar of his coat like a nobleman. "A lot of people laughed at my dream. Even my wife had a hard time believing an android was possible at our current level of development. But I wanted to prove them all wrong. I've been blessed with the uncanny gift of breathing life into the inanimate. My programming skills today make those household robots look juvenile."
"What about everything we left on Pisa? Do you think it was destroyed?"
Xander scratched his head dismally. "I hope not. I stored the important gear underground so unless the PAU hauled it away, it should be serviceable. I possess the hard data I need to recreate my work, but it took me years to procure all the equipment to assemble the android. The most costly part of the project itself had been finding the best materials with which to construct it. After all, this wasn't some mannequin I was building; it needed to live…to breathe."
He touched the left breast of his heavy overcoat and revealed a cylindrical metal canister in the inner pocket. "This is all that really matters. I began with almost enough electrum for three androids. I had to prove to the PAU that my project was a success before they'd give me more. I probably only have enough left for one more try. But in the name of science, it'll have to be enough."
Without warning, he wrapped his hands around her shoulders and pulled her in close to him. After brushing back the hair of her right ear, he pressed his cheek to hers. "We did it, Amii. You and me. There's a prototype android locked away there. I had to leave it behind. Bollocks, I hope no one finds it." He winced but the frustration faded when he looked at her. "Tell no one. Astra isn't ready to hear the truth."
The admission struck her speechless. She had so many questions but could not ask a single one. Such information was dangerous and she did not want to be a liability. It had been a miraculous achievement for him. A celebration seemed to be in order yet felt premature. She had no idea where the future would lead them.
"I'm not looking forward to meeting with the President," Xander said. "I'm a bit worried it might be a bait and switch."
"How do you mean?"
"I expect he will hand me over to the PAU for some kind of concession on their part."
"Then why did you agree to this?"
He sighed. "I had nowhere else to go. It was only a matter of time before the PAU found us; I always knew that. And I've never trusted the AC. If they thought I had a functional android, they'd take it away from me before I could blink. I guess I'm a cynic at heart. I have a hard time believing people. But not you. I feel like I've known you the better part of my life. It helps that you're amazingly intelligent and there's nothing you can't handle."
She smiled. "Nothing?"
Xander grinned in return. "Well, nothing that I've ever run across."
She felt the Kearsarge touchdown and looked outside. Chara blazed across the pristine sky, interrupted only by thin ribbons of high-altitude ice crystals. A blanket of snow covered the ground, though puddles on the pavement suggested it wouldn't last for long. At least a hundred ever-changing people strode through her field of vision, and hovercars glided through a busy intersection beyond the throng.
There could be no doubt they'd landed in Northampton, the capital city. An unassuming city had been transformed over the course of a decade into a place that had been dubbed "The City of Dreams," completed in 2265 as a tribute to United Europe's clout and prestige. The modern architecture impressed her casual sensibilities. Gleaming skyscrapers with holographic mirrored windows nearly blocked out the sun for blocks on end. Ads sprawled across them in a living display of technological genius. The vivid colors and array of spectacular effects dazzled her.
He pointed toward a sandy-colored building in the distance. "See that complex across from the park? I used to live there. It looks exactly the same as the day I left it twenty-five years ago."
&nb
sp; "Why did you ever leave?"
"Love. And it turned out to be a dreadful thing to do. Don't ever let yourself be led around by your heart; it's a recipe for disaster."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't really believe that."
He shoved his hands in his pockets. "As usual, you're right. I haven't loved in so long I've forgotten what it feels like. But I'm afraid the years have left me too acrimonious to realize love even if it socked me in the face. No matter. I have you."
"Me?"
"Yes. We all need someone we can trust. Someone to advise us. Or just to be able to rant to. You are all of those things to me, Amii…the greatest ally I could ever ask for. The day you came into my life, Astra became a much more bearable place."
The door beeped and opened to reveal a well-built security officer. "Dr. Adams, this is security. I'm here to escort you to the capitol building. If you'd follow me, please."
They walked in silence and soon reached the aft loading bay. The rear door stood open, and part of it made a ramp to the damp ground outside. Two officers waited there to send them off: Lieutenant Chen and Lieutenant-Commander Martinez.
The lieutenant stuck out his hand to Amii as she approached. "It was nice meeting you, Amii. I don't know if I'll ever see you again so…have a good one."
She shook his hand with confidence. "You too, Sibo. Perhaps we'll meet in our dreams."
He smiled. "I hope so."
Xander put his hand on her back and led her outside. By all accounts, New England appeared extremely Earth-like. The seasons were balanced; the ratio of land to ocean was similar; New England even had a single moon. The planet was about twice as large though and slightly closer to the sun. A day here was 35 hours, and a year lasted 333 days. To minimize confusion most planets had a local time system and also a universal time scale common to all of Astra, also used by the Allied Confederacy: 24-hour days and 372-day years.
Her first taste of the real world happened on March 1st, 2310 when she stepped off the Kearsarge onto the cold surface of New England into the City of Dreams. The wind whipped her hair around her face, and the two of them glanced up toward the glistening sky. They landed in the heart of Northampton, amongst a sea of luminous towers and cacophonic sounds. For a few moments she felt claustrophobic but wonder replaced the sensation. Each building stretched upward in a jealous competition to reach heaven. The skyline of the city included a spiral tower, the Obelisk of Peace, and Devignés Center—the tallest building in Astra.
Without warning, she felt someone slip a coat over her shoulders. She turned to see Magnius behind her. She hadn't expected such kindness from anyone, adding another quirky facet to his personality.
"Thank you."
The security officer from earlier gestured to a transport that just pulled out of the cargo hold. His appointment with the President…what if this really was a trap? They entered the vehicle at the guard's behest, and Xander shuddered after he sat down next to her. As the transport got underway, she watched him pick his nose and wipe his hand on the leather seat while the guard across from them curled his lips in disgust. Xander put his arm around her shoulders, and she could feel his pulse racing regarding his present circumstances.
A great deal of progress had been made for psions' rights in the UE, but that didn't mean their government was beyond reproach. They'd been criticized for the continued aggression on Pisa and toward the PAU in general. Most progressives wanted peace, but too many federalists were mired in the past. Therefore, nothing ever changed without a great deal of arm-twisting.
The UE's intelligence agency was extremely active and effective. Most people didn't realize how close New England had come to disaster on several occasions. If not for their questionable tactics, the UE would have fallen at the hands of PAU terrorists. Attacks of that magnitude were rare, yet even so, Amii worried. Would President Scheidecker have made a deal to hand over the scientist's head if it meant a lasting peace? That was, after all, a reasonable thing to do.
***
Magnius stared out a window in anticipation as the Kearsarge descended through the atmosphere of New England, Chara. High-reaching cumulus clouds resembled huge spools of colorless candyfloss. A thin layer of water vapor began to condense on the glass, obscuring his view while the ship approached the capital city. And yet, he paid attention to none of it, fixated on both his past and his future as though landing here was a culmination of his entire life.
Myriad thoughts ravaged his disorderly mind in a cyclical pattern of angst and contentment. The prospect of hiding in the shadowy underworld of Northampton terrified him. In ghettos the transients weren't met with suspicion, but it would be far from the lavish life he was accustomed to. With the cash he had on him, he could find a cheap place and stay off the streets; in order to survive his options dwindled to none. He hoped surviving would be worth the hardship.
His fear of Tiyuri's wrath overshadowed the pain of his imminent divorce. If Viva Vega hadn't reported on it by now, it would be in the news by the end of the day. Soon, every soul in Astra would discover his psionic heritage. He could face the shame head-on or he could cower in disgrace. He wanted to be a courageous man who didn't care what others thought of him as he forged his path through life. Instead, his fear shackled him to a paltry existence and he wished for an ounce of ambition to reform him.
Yet despite his hopeless future, Amii remained. Her likeness traipsed through his head and toyed with him the same way she did in the mess hall. Although he hadn't seen Amii since then, she lingered like the sweet taste of watermelon on a summer day. Smothering her with his loneliness intensified her grasp on him. He could still see her eyes…something about those beautiful blues remained like they'd been burned onto his retinas with a laser. Nadine must've been wrong; she had to be a psion.
In another few minutes the ship touched down on the landing pad near the Capitol. A transport bearing the Presidential seal waited nearby, which the second lady and the other VIP passengers boarded and left in. He noticed their ship was not alone on the landing pad. Next to the Kearsarge sat a larger, newer-looking vessel named Schenectady. The flurry of activity outside it drew the majority of his attention. A flock of reporters surrounded several AC officers like they were celebrities. He didn't know what to make of the scene.
With a heavy heart Magnius walked outside the cargo hold. The yellow sun hung high overhead, giving the illusion that there would be an early spring. Northampton was the windiest major city. It kept the capital cool in the height of summer but made for an overly long winter. As he stepped off the ship onto the rough pavement, the chilly breeze swept through him, and he pulled his jacket around him. He had few possessions to his name, and fortunately his weather-beaten leather jacket would allow him to blend in with the masses.
He spotted Amii and Xander behind him. Again an ethereal sheen enveloped her body before the effect vanished in the bright afternoon sunlight. His head throbbed for a moment after it faded. This time, he almost fooled himself into thinking he'd imagined it. Perhaps it would be best not to see her again because Amii was just the sort of lady he'd want to romance in the wake of his wrecked marriage.
Always a man who put chivalry before his own needs, he took off his jacket and headed toward her. She had to be chilled to the bone in that flimsy garment. She stood staring up at the skyscrapers around them with wondrous glee. Magnius recalled feeling the same way about the city's famous skyline when he'd experienced it years ago. This was exactly how he wanted to remember her.
I sure am going to miss this old thing, he thought when he put the old leather coat around her shoulders. Her eyes lit up and she almost smiled at him when she turned around. She slipped her arms inside and pulled it closed around her tall, narrow frame. "Thank you," she said and clenched a book to her chest.
Xander glared at him for a moment before leading her away toward a transport. For her sake, Magnius hoped the President would pardon the scientist of his crimes.
The sharp sound o
f grinding metal behind him made him spin around. Lyneea, overburdened with suitcases, climbed down the ramp dragging a trunk behind her. She'd owned the trunk since she was a child. Its wheels had long since passed their prime, having been reduced to nubs on their honeymoon. Despite his persuasion, she fought to keep it. Ironic that the trunk outlasted their marriage.
"Do you need a hand?" he called out to her.
She glanced at him and scoffed. "Always the gentleman…and no. I'm just heading over to the Schenectady. I can make it by myself." She struggled with her bags when she noticed the commotion outside the vessel. "What in Astra is going on over there? As if I need any more trouble in my life."
"Lyneea, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."
"Fuck you."
He clenched his jaw in response to her seething words. It was what he expected but that didn't mean he had to like it. "So, this is the end then. You're just going to walk out of my life?"
"Now you know how it feels to live a lie." Her caustic voice stung his ears. In that moment it became clear there was nothing left of their marriage to save.
Lyneea stared at him defiantly one last time before she turned toward the Schenectady and strode away, as though she was confident she'd left everything bad about her life behind. He took a deep breath and resisted the urge to find a bar and drink all his troubles away.
He hopped on his hoverbike and made his way over to the downtown district, hoping the cold air would help clear his mind. It didn't. His life was a complete mess, with no end to the drama anywhere in sight.
Businessmen and politicians clogged the streets with their large, luxurious hovermobiles all trying to squeeze in lunch at the same time. Many dressed in heather gray suits since it was the color of the season for most high-profile designers. Fedoras also seemed to be making a comeback.
