Antonio stood from the central chair on the bridge and toggled a ship-wide announcement. “All hands, this is the Captain. The Singularity has arrived at Hephaestus Station. It has been my great honor to lead you over the course of this voyage. Passengers and crew, your service is discharged and you are cleared to disembark at your leisure. Set and done this day over my seal and signature, Antonio Sanyu Jameson Consul Curallorn, Spacer Guild.” He smiled at the cheers his monitors picked up from all over the ship. “Welcome home.”
The bridge crew all stood from their posts and began to applaud.
Antonio bowed formally to them, then sat back in his chair and waited while the crew began locking down their workstations. A psychic probe tapped against his mental shields.
“I guess this is it, Captain.” His godson’s thoughts were humming with excitement.
“Take care, Brad. I hope you enjoy life as a Dirtsider.” Antonio tried to keep the disappointment from creeping into his thoughts. I’m going to miss you, little man.
The younger telepath snorted. “If I don’t like it, then I’ll be the first to sign up on your next trip back.” The Starchild’s thoughts slid past Antonio to sift through the minds on the station. “Is that them?”
Antonio followed his psychic gaze to find five minds standing on the observation deck of the station. The older immortals seldom sought out the Spacer Guild, so the light of their power shone brightly against the other minds on the station, a testament to their age and strength. He took a deep breath. “Yeah, that’s definitely them.”
Bradley’s psychic voice became hesitant. “Tony, you’re a great guy, and I’m proud of you. Don’t let them tear you down, okay?”
“Family is everything,”thought Antonio. “Haven’t I told you that enough times?”
“Yeah, you always say that. Where did you learn it, if you dislike them so much?”
“My Uncle Nicholas said they were words to live by. But you’ve got it wrong. I don’t dislike them. I love them so much I tried to be what they wanted. It just took me a long time to realize I couldn’t.”
“Believe in yourself, Captain, just like the rest of us do. That’s all I’m saying.”The boy’s focus shifted momentarily, then he turned his attention back to Antonio. “Main Engineering is shut down. Mom and Dad are on their way back to our quarters. It’s time for me to go.”
“Goodbye, Bradley. If you ever need anything, give me a call. My door will always be open.”
“Take care of yourself, Tony.” The psychic connection broke.
Antonio sighed and began running through the data feeds to his workstation. The shutdown routines were entirely automated, so there wasn’t much for him to do but watch as the ship’s systems went offline one by one, and the flight crew was replaced by the caretaker personnel from the space station. Another few hours, and this trip would be officially over.
“All passengers and crew have disembarked, Captain,” said the ship’s AI, finally.
“Thank you, Pulsar.” Antonio remained seated for a few minutes. First on, last off. No reason left to delay any longer. He cast his mind out of the ship again, to look at the cluster of minds that still waited for him. His stomach roiled. Who the hell am I kidding?
August 2142; House Talizered Stronghold, St. Petersburg, Russia
Prince Vladimir Magister Talizered stared across the lights of his city, lost in thought. He was tall and gaunt, with dark features. His whipcord-thin profile at the edge of the rooftop made a fair impression of just another gargoyle. He turned away from the skyline when he heard a whisper of sound behind him, easily picking out the still form of the Night’s Herald standing in the shadows. “Herald. Thank you for joining me.”
The Herald stepped forward to the edge of the roof. “You asked for this meeting, my Lord. How can I assist you?”
“You were a senior member of my House before you took your vows, Herald. Perhaps it is I who wishes to be of assistance to you?”
The Herald frowned. “I serve the Court, my Lord, not any one House. If you wish me to show you some special favor, then I’m afraid I must decline.”
Vladimir chuckled as he looked out over the low buildings of the city. “You serve the Court, but that service need not be blind. Surely, you can see the damage that the Imperator and his allies have wrought?”
The Herald shrugged. “The Imperator is the leader of the Court. It is my duty to obey his orders lawfully given.”
“And if Lorcan were no longer Imperator? Where would your duty lie then?”
The Herald hesitated before answering. “My Lord, I must warn you. If you asked me here to plot treason—”
Vladimir shook his head, pleased at her brief lapse. So, she is open to the possibility. Excellent. “Not treason, Razheel. Honor. It is the Daywalker scourge among us that are the traitors, and they must be expunged for the honor of our race, before they bind our destinies any further to their false messiah.”
He waited, knowing that she was his the moment she didn’t object to the use of her former name.
The Herald took a deep breath. “What do you propose, my Lord?”
Done. “Lorcan’s strength is in the unity of his alliance. We must fracture their solidarity, then eliminate them one by one as they are isolated.”
“That is not possible, my Lord. The Imperator’s allies are bound to him by honor and desire. They have no vulnerabilities.”
Vladimir gave her a feral smile, his fangs fully extended. “Ah, yes, love. The heart of their fabled union is the relationship between Houses Diluthical, Luscian, and Jiao-long, based on that most exploitable of weaknesses.”
The Herald tilted her head, considering. “A personal attack?”
“A distraction to divide their alliance from within, while we rally the other houses to strike at them.”
The Herald nodded slightly. “And the nature of this distraction?”
Vladimir scowled as he stared at the pedestrians on the street below. “For that, I must turn to you. What have your spies learned about their relationship?”
“Relatively little over the years. We have never been able to insinuate any of our people into a position of trust within their household.”
Vladimir scratched at his chin. “Unfortunate. I expected more from you, Herald.”
“There may be an alternative, if we can isolate and interrogate a member of their entourage without their knowledge.”
Vladimir laughed. “Impossible.”
“No, my Lord. Just difficult.” She smiled. “In that, I may be able to assist.” She cupped her hands in front of her chest and summoned. Her palms lit up with green light, which faded to reveal a small rectangular device of white metal, topped with clear crystal.
Vladimir glanced at the object without recognition. “Is that a weapon?”
“Of a sort. It is an Armistice Security portable AI receptacle that once housed a copy of the Imperator’s original, fifth-generation AI, called Sunburst.”
Vladimir raised an eyebrow. “How did you acquire it?”
The Herald snarled. “He handed it to me with his own hands, to distract me from the implanted AI copy that he carried into the council chamber, allowing him to assassinate the Fourth Council a century ago.”
Vladimir gauged her reaction with interest, seeing her shields slip to reveal her tightly-controlled, but white-hot rage. “A fifth-generation AI from that era would have no useful knowledge of the alliance, and would not even be useful as a weapon, given that it is hopelessly obsolete.”
The Herald allowed herself a predatory grin. “True. But I was able to study and duplicate the programming matrix of that original AI, and my spies have been able to keep me updated with the advancements in Armistice science that were incorporated into the five subsequent generations of AI. This receptacle contains a fully functional prototype of a tenth-generation AI, whose loyalties are to myself and the Court.”
Vladimir stared at her. “You have the technology to create true AI? Why have yo
u not shared this with the Court? It would have finally secured our virtual defenses against Armistice sympathizers.”
The Herald shrugged. “A hidden blade cuts deeper than one wielded openly. The Daywalker Houses think their defenses are safe from attack. I merely allowed them to believe that was true.”
Vladimir nodded, gazing at her with new respect. “Impressive. Still, I do not see how an AI of our own would help us acquire an insider to the alliance.”
“Trust me, my Lord.” The Herald showed her fangs as she smiled.
“Very well.” Vladimir had to admire the vicious glee he could read in her mind. “Good hunting.”
CHAPTER 17
August 2142; Hephaestus Station, lunar space
Antonio walked down the corridor toward the observation deck. He steeled himself as he stepped into the small room below a clear dome of armored glass. As expected, Nick and Layla were waiting for him, accompanied by Rafael, Lorcan, and Rory. Antonio dropped his duffle bag next to the door. “Hello, everyone.”
Layla turned away from the view of the Singularity to give him a warm smile. “Welcome home, Antonio.”
Antonio’s spirits lifted as he embraced his mother and Nick in turn. At least they’re happy to see me. Maybe it won’t be so bad this time. “It’s good to be back.”
He looked over their mental shields and saw the question form in both of their minds simultaneously: Then why do you always leave? However, neither of them gave voice to it, for which Antonio was grateful. Sometimes, it sucks to know what everyone around me is thinking. To cover the souring of his mood, he faced his other relatives. “Uncle Rory, Uncle Ruarc, it’s been a long time. How have you been?”
“We’re doing great, Antonio,” said Rory with a secretive grin. “There’s something we wanted to talk to you about, actually, and we decided to wait and tell you in person.”
Antonio raised an eyebrow as he noticed the extensive layering of the Nightwalker’s mind. As a former Wind of Air, Rory had the strongest psychic gift of anyone other than the Children of Starlight, and he had plenty of experience at hiding his true thoughts. “Out with it, Uncle. You know I hate surprises.”
Next to Rory, Lorcan raised his left hand and spread his fingers.
Antonio frowned at the strange gesture, then caught his breath at the sight of the plain, gold band on Lorcan’s fourth finger. His gaze snapped down to Rory’s hand and the matching ring. Turning to look back at Nick, he saw a heavy, gold band showing two clasped hands on the Daywalker’s left ring finger. He raised his eyes to stare at Nick’s sheepish expression. “You’re married?”
“Engaged,” said Rory. “Nick proposed just over four months ago, on our anniversary.”
“We held off on the ceremony until you were here, Tony,” said Nick. “We wanted the entire family to be together for this.”
“Thank you,” said Antonio, still reeling from the news. “I appreciate your thinking of me. It’s just unexpected.”
Nick gave him a sad smile. “You mean you thought I’d never have the brains to see what I have, instead of what I had?”
Antonio reddened. “I wouldn’t have put it that way, Uncle. It just seemed like you were happy with the way things were.”
Nick’s expression grew serious again. “Everything changes, Tony. Nothing lasts forever.”
Antonio was at a loss for something to say. He had thought he understood Nick; that the Daywalker was too locked up in his grief to make a deeper commitment to Rory and Lorcan. He suddenly felt a surge of hope. If he can let go of the past that much, then maybe we can be a real family again someday. “I’m happy for you, Uncle.” He looked back at Rory and Lorcan. “And I know you two have been waiting for this for so long.”
Rory gave him a blinding grin. “Yes, we have.”
Antonio glanced at Nick’s ring again. “Why not matching rings?”
Nick nervously rotated the ring on his finger. “I gave them mine and Jeremy’s wedding rings. They wanted me to have something that had equal meaning.”
“It’s the faith ring I gave to Connor when we became lovers,” said Lorcan softly. “It has been in my possession for over five hundred years.”
Antonio took a deep breath. “Wow.”
Rafael laughed. “You always had a way with words, Tony.” He glanced down at the printed circuitry of the chronometer on the back of his left hand. “The rest of your luggage will be in quarantine by now. Shall we continue this conversation on the way home?”
Antonio nodded, and went back to reclaim his bag. Then he frowned as the others walked toward the wrong exit. “Isn’t the gateway down the other corridor?”
Rafael grinned. “I thought it might be fun to bring you home in the Starlight, Tony. When was the last time you actually took the controls of a ship?”
Antonio’s eyes widened. “It’s been almost a decade. I have a short-range jumpship in dock at Chiron Spaceport, to get around to the other colonies when I’m there, but the Singularity isn’t really built for solo operation. It would be nice to do a little piloting without letting the ship’s AI have all the fun.”
Rafael scowled. “Well, then, don’t think I won’t be watching when you input your course. If you’re too out of practice, you’re not getting anywhere near my baby.”
Antonio laughed at his concern. “If I screw up, then Rapier can fly the rest of the way, but don’t worry so much, Raf. I’d never do anything to jeopardize your antique rust-bucket.”
Layla chuckled at Rafael’s outraged expression. “Boys, you can insult each other’s toys later. It’s time we were going, and we have a lot of catching up to do.”
August 2142; Sanctuary municipal airspace, French Alps
Rapier watched Antonio through the Starlight’s internal sensors as the Spacer put the ship on final approach into Sanctuary. He was prepared to intervene in case Antonio made a mistake, but so far, there was no evidence of that.
Revenant hesitated for a moment too long.
Rapier laughed and simply went back to monitoring Antonio’s landing maneuvers.
* * *
Revenant ignored the ship’s AI and returned to the confines of Rory’s implant matrix.
Tobias didn’t answer, remaining silent for the remainder of the trip.
* * *
After Antonio made hard contact with the Sanctuary spaceport pad, Rapier watched as the organics gathered up their belongings and left the ship. The AI meticulously went through its landing protocols and shut down the spell-enhanced fusion reactor that powered the Starlight. He might have been of insufficient complexity to be compatible with the neurochip implants that were standard in personal AI clients now, but he could still do the job he had been assigned when Nick had upgraded to the new technology. When the ship’s flight systems were entirely offline, Rapier finally relaxed and retreated to the core computer module in the heart of the vessel to relax. He was about to dial up a book to read when there was a query from the ship’s communications system.
Surprised, Rapier found only a request to connect, without any further information. Intrigued, he noted that there was no signature associated with the message. Briefly, given their proximity to Court territory, he considered flagging the message for review by Armistice Security, but then decided against it. Rapier might be a relatively antiquated gen3AI, but he was more than a match for the most advanced near-AI constructs that the Court had access to.
Intrigued, Rapier opened a channel from behind his strongest firewalls. He was not stupid. He knew that an enemy could attempt to slip some kind of malware past him along the communications stream, so he locked the firewalls behind himself to protect the ship’s systems from interference.
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