Starlight(Pact Arcanum 4)

by Arshad Ahsanuddin

  “Let him save who he can. In the end, it won’t make any difference to the outcome.”

  Ghian smiled. “Fine. Tell him. But I want that research by the end of the day.”

  “You’ll have it.”

  The Speaker for the Watch tipped an imaginary hat. “A pleasure doing business with you.”

  Nick turned away and headed for the door. “Give my regards to Luscian when you meet him in Hell.”

  CHAPTER 34

  October 2142; Paris, France

  “Do you understand what you’re asking?” said Lorcan in Arcolin.

  Nick, Lorcan, and William were seated around the table in an open-air cafe in one of the less touristy areas of the city, ignoring the stares of the humans who recognized them.

  “This is Paris, Leshir,” answered Nick in the same language. “Of course I know.”

  “Don’t you dare bring our relationship into this!” said Lorcan, his eyes red and his fangs showing. William simply sat there looking stunned. “You killed a whole bunch of people here, and so did I. Now, you want me to choose which of my people should survive while you wipe out the rest?”

  “I’m giving you the opportunity to save the ones who might still choose the Grace.”

  “You’re certain of this?” asked William. “Harbinger blood will truly poison the entire world against the Children of Darkness?”

  “Ghian and Rory both confirmed the information when I asked.”

  “Good that you moved them off-world, then,” said William. “It gives us time to maneuver.”

  “We have some breathing room, but it’s only a matter of time before someone acts unilaterally,” said Lorcan. “How can you go along with this?”

  “Like you said, it’s only a matter of time,” answered Nick. “We will have to recruit anyone who’ll join us, before it’s too late.”

  “Yes,” said William softly, as the lovers argued. “Yes, we will.”

  October 2142; Inquisition Headquarters, Court of Shadows Council Chamber Complex, Alexandria, Egypt

  The Night’s Herald looked up as William barged into his office. “Prince William. What can I do for you?”

  “Herald. I need to speak with you privately.”

  The Herald gave the Daywalker an appraising look. Then he cut one of his own fingers with his claws and allowed a single drop of blood to drip onto a crystal orb embedded in one corner of his desk. The orb glowed with a bright, red light. “Very well. We are now protected from all forms of scrying. What do you have to say for yourself, Razheel?”

  William took an involuntary step back. “Razheel is dead, Herald. I am William Magister Daviroquir.”

  The Herald chuckled. “I examined my predecessor’s body quite carefully, Prince William. A single horizontal blow, with no other wounds? That was an execution, not a duel, and she would not have let herself be killed so easily. She was my lover for centuries before she advanced to the rank of Night’s Herald, severing any relationship that would challenge her allegiance to the Court. She served Luscian well, and Aleksei after him, and knew many of their secrets. If anyone could have recovered the magic of the Eldest, it would have been her.”

  William smiled. “Very good, Eduardo. I am impressed.”

  Eduardo frowned. “You may address me as Herald, Razheel. I came by my rank honorably.”

  “And you may call me Soulkiller.”

  Eduardo nodded gravely. “It suits you. Why choose a Daywalker?”

  “I needed his soul, and William’s identity gave me eyes among my enemies.”

  “You understand that if you take any action that endangers the Imperator, I am honor-bound to stop you.”

  “When you hear my news, you may reconsider your position.” William laid out everything Nick had told them in Paris, and Lorcan’s acceptance of the deal.

  Eduardo sat silently through it all, waiting for William to finish before speaking. “He has foreknowledge of a threat of this magnitude, and he intends to share it only with his allies?”

  “Now do you see who he is, the man you have sworn to serve?”

  Eduardo stared at William for a long moment. “What do you need from me, Soulkiller?”

  “The Daywalker alliance must be destroyed, if we are to rally the Court to eliminate the Children of Starlight before they can strike against us.”

  “What do you propose?”

  “Give me access to the Inquisition. Track the Imperator and find a way to eliminate him.”

  Eduardo chose his words with deliberate care. “I cannot betray my oath, nor will the Inquisition take any action that will imperil the Imperator’s life so long as he maintains the honor of his office. However, I will monitor him closely. Should he dishonor himself, I will not prevent you from moving against him.”

  William nodded. “That will be sufficient, Herald. Thank you.”

  “Then our business is concluded. You may see yourself out.” The Herald reached out to the glowing orb on his desk.

  “Wait.”

  The Herald faced William again. “Was there something else?”

  “When Razheel took her vows as Night’s Herald and gave up her old identity, she had no regrets but one. Only you. She would have wanted you to know that.”

  Eduardo sat perfectly still, then took a deep breath. “Such a pity that she waited until after she was dead to tell me so.” He touched his fingers to the orb, and it faded back to ordinary crystal. “Good night, Prince William. Get out and don’t come back.”

  CHAPTER 35

  November 2142; High Council Chamber, Armistice Security Headquarters, Anchorpoint City, Colorado; one month later

  “How is the evacuation proceeding?” asked Layla.

  “We’re still trying to keep it quiet and off the Court’s radar. We’ve been bringing the Nightwalker population to Icehaven in groups of about a hundred at a time, so that Rory can touch them with the Grace,” answered Marcus. “Those that agree, that is. Some of them are refusing to take the risk, even though we explained that the alternative is certain death. They don’t care. They’re just not ready to face the Light.”

  Layla addressed Ghian. “How are you doing with Nicholas’ research?”

  “He was very close to success,” answered Ghian. “With a little work, we managed to increase the power of the spell so that it will penetrate the standard shields of a House stronghold. There’s a problem, though. The Council Chamber Complex routinely uses a stronger interlace of defense screens. We’ll never be able to get the spell to work from outside.”

  “So the largest stockpile of bloodwine will remain untouched,” said Layla.

  “Not necessarily,” said Ghian. “The spell could still be effective if cast from within the complex.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” said Rory. “The Inquisition would detect your spellcasters immediately and eliminate them. It’s a suicide mission with no chance of success.”

  “We’ve crafted a variation of the spell that might work, and still slip below the level of the Court’s mystic detection,” said Ghian. “However, it’s much shorter in range. It would have to be cast from within the stockpile itself.”

  “Again—it’s a suicide mission,” answered Rory.

  “Not if the operative was careful.”

  “He’d still get caught.”

  “All of this is moot,” said Amaterasu. “The bloodwine stockpile is a strategic asset. No operative would be able to enter. It is sealed to prevent tampering or unauthorized use. Only the Night’s Herald or the Imperator can unlock the doors, and one of them must be physically present to verify the access codes.”

  “Well, that’s that then,” said Rory with satisfaction. “Unless Ghian thinks he can convince Lorcan or the Herald to risk their lives for him, then there’s no way to proceed further on this front. We’ll just have to accept that the Council Chamber Complex will hold out for a while.”

  Ghian gritted his teeth. “That could take another year! What if they develop a counteragent in the meantime? Th
is has to be settled now, while we have the advantage.” He leaned forward belligerently. “I think you should convince Lorcan to take the mission.”

  Rory laughed. “Right. Like that will ever happen.”

  “He’s your lover. Play on his loyalties.”

  Rory stared at him in shock. “You’re serious. Unbelievable. It will never happen because I’m not going to do it, whether or not he might actually agree.”

  Ghian looked at him in contempt. “We have a chance to win the war. If you can’t get behind that, then maybe you and Nicholas are too compromised in your loyalties to remain part of the Armistice government.”

  Layla put her hand firmly on Rory’s shoulder, forcing him to keep his seat instead of leaping across the table to attack. “This is getting us nowhere. We’ll recess for now and reconvene in an hour.”

  Rory twisted out from under her hand, and left the room without another word. Marcus and Amaterasu followed. Ghian stood to leave.

  “Wait a moment, Ghian.”

  Ghian turned back to face Layla. “What is it?”

  “Sean Magister Jiao-long is a patriot, and an honorable man. He has sacrificed more for our cause than anyone else in Armistice history, including you and me. If you continue to antagonize him, I will force a vote of ‘no confidence’ to remove you from the Council and then expel you from Armistice territory.”

  Ghian laughed. “I’m the Wind of Earth. The Sentinels wouldn’t accept such poor treatment of me. Aren’t you afraid that your blatant favoritism will show? He’s practically your brother-in-law, after all.”

  “I don’t think you understand how powerful he is. The Redeemer is revered throughout the Armistice, not just among the Children of the Dawn. All Sean has to do to eliminate you would be to announce that you insulted his honor. The people would tear you to pieces before you left the city, Sentinels included.”

  Ghian’s mood sobered. “He doesn’t have the resolve.”

  “You are a student of military history. Go read up on the Burning and then tell me again how far he’ll go.”

  Ghian marched to the teleport disk and jumped away. Making his way from the gateway to his office, he practically vibrated with rage. He snapped on his comm unit and dialed a preset number. “Brennigan won’t do it. You’ll have to convince Lorcan that this mission is in all our best interests.”

  “I will,” answered William.

  CHAPTER 36

  November 2142; the Citadel, Lunar Farside

  Rafael stepped off the internal teleport gateway and walked back toward his old apartment. He stood before the door for a moment, then pulled a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. He read the message one more time.

  Raf,

  I know you don’t really want to see me, but I have some good news for a change, and you were the first person I wanted to tell. Would you care to meet me for dinner? I’m stuck on the Singularity for a while, but I think I might have faked something together that will suit.

  If you’re wondering, then yes, the address is your old place. I bought it as soon as it was listed in the common pool. I’ve been on the waiting list for fifty years, so I was ahead of most of the others. I cut a deal with Citadel Control so that it’s listed in both of our names, so that the space isn’t unoccupied when I’m out-system. You can move back in anytime you like, if you decide that’s what you want.

  Tony

  Rafael put his hand down on the security sensor, and let it recognize him. Then he opened the door and walked into his apartment to see that it had been entirely redecorated. The furniture he left behind had been replaced with softer, more sumptuous antique pieces. Pictures graced all the walls of Rafael and Antonio, together with their friends and family, as well as Tony’s friends in the Centauri colonies.

  Then a delicious aroma invaded his senses, and his mouth began to water. He followed his nose to the covered dishes on the table in the dining room. It had been a library when he had lived here, since he didn’t eat in his previous life as a Nightwalker. Now that he was a Daywalker, he was hooked on the experience of food, the sensations of flavor and taste that he’d been missing because his digestive system couldn’t tolerate it.

  Rafael lifted the covers one by one. Rack of lamb. Grilled asparagus. Foie gras.

  “Uncle Nick told me your favorites.”

  Rafael looked up to find Antonio grinning at him from the opposite side of the table, which was well-stocked as well, though it had been empty a moment before. Rafael stood straight. “Virtual environment?”

  “Yes.” Antonio waved his hand absently. “Other than the table and the food, the rest of the room is illusion on my side, projected over the nice restaurant on the deck-ten promenade of my ship.” He smiled. “It’s good to see you again, Raf. You look well.”

  “So do you.” Rafael looked Tony’s formal dress uniform up and down. “I thought the monkey suit only came out for weddings and funerals.”

  Tony shrugged. “It makes an impression, and I want this to be special.”

  “This is a dinner between friends, Antonio. It’s not a date.”

  “Then why are you wearing a suit?”

  Rafael looked down at his clothes, and felt his cheeks redden. “Why don’t we eat, and you can tell me your good news.”

  Antonio took a seat at his side of the table, and started serving himself. Rafael did the same, and they ate slowly, talking about the happenings in Sanctuary and on board the Singularity.

  Finally, when they were finished with dinner, Rafael poured himself a glass of the aged scotch that Antonio had left for him, and asked the question he had been wondering about since he received the note back in Sanctuary. “You said you had some good news. What is it?”

  Antonio grinned. “Oh, yeah. Sorry, I meant to tell you earlier, but I got sidetracked. I figured out how we can turn this whole Nexus technology to our advantage. It’s the neurochip tech. The funny thing was, it wasn’t the neurochip software that gave me the idea, it was the chips themselves. Did you know they are derived from cloning technology?”

  Rafael nodded. “Vaguely. Something to do with organ transplants.”

  “Right. They used to grow up an anencephalic clone of a patient with no higher functions, and then harvest the organs. Then they got better at growing single organs, and the practice of growing entire bodies fell out of practice. The neurochips are only an extreme example of the altered organs that they were able to engineer.”

  “So?”

  “So, what if you grew a complete body except for the brain, and then created a neurochip brain and downloaded an AI into it?”

  Rafael dropped his fork as he stared at Antonio, who was grinning madly. “You want to grow human bodies to house AIs?”

  “Think about it. We give the humans and Sentinels the means to record their personalities after death, then offer them a duplicate body to continue their existence.”

  “Digital resurrection.”

  “Sort of. Alternately, the recorded AIs could leave the solar system, either dormant during flight or active and assisting the crew, and then on arrival they could be offered a clone body. They’d get to live out a full life on Earth, and then they get to make a fresh start somewhere else.”

  “Interesting. There’s another aspect that you might not have considered, though.”

  Tony raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

  “If you have a neurochip matrix dense enough to house a complete AI and maintain a human body, then you don’t have to restrict the controlling AI to just the mind recordings of organics. You could give the true AIs a chance to reach out and have a presence in the physical world.”

  Antonio blinked. “You want me to give the Nexus the ability to walk around on two legs? That would certainly throw a wrench into the way society works.”

  “It gets better. Suppose, instead of human clones, you created Daywalker clones, or Harbinger clones? Consider what it would mean for a human to suddenly be fused with an AI, then given access to an immortal body
and the fount of magic that goes with it?”

  Antonio looked lost in thought. “Everything would change. Radically. I’ll have to think about it.”

  Rafael checked the chronometer printed on his hand. “It’s getting late. I should probably go.”

  Antonio smiled wistfully. “I wish I was there in person.”

  Rafael cocked his head. “Why?”

  “I’d put some music on, and ask you to dance before you left.”

  “Tony, I—”

  “Would you have turned me down?”

  Rafael looked at Antonio and saw his face warring to show determination and resignation at once. “I don’t know,” he said softly.

  Antonio looked thunderstruck, then recovered. “Maybe you should hold that thought, and think about it some more later.”

  Rafael nodded. “Yeah, I guess I will.”

  Antonio grinned. “Thanks for dinner, Raf. I enjoyed myself.”

  “So did I.”

  The virtual environment terminated, and Rafael was alone in the apartment again. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

  What the hell am I doing?

  CHAPTER 37

  November 2142; Northwest of Juneau, Alaska; One week later

  “Absolutely not!” screamed Nick. “You’ll do this over my dead body.”

  “Get in line,” said Rory, his eyes red and fangs showing.

  “Calm down, both of you,” replied Lorcan, his voice cold. “This is my decision, and I’ve made it.”

  Nick clenched his fists at his sides. “And what made you decide something so insane? Can you tell us that?”

  Lorcan sighed and dropped into an overstuffed easy chair. “William pointed out that no matter what I say to get the other houses on board with the Grace, as long as an alternative exists, they’ll choose to avoid making a decision.”

  Rory snorted in disgust. “Remind me to kick William’s ass the next time I see him.”

  “Look at it from my point of view, guys. You’ve put me in an impossible situation. Without some leverage on the other houses, they’ll refuse to join me, and they’ll be wiped out when the inevitable happens. My failure will make me responsible for the destruction of Nightwalker civilization unless I take steps to preserve it. The stockpiles exist; therefore, the other houses think there’s time for them to debate the issue. Sooner or later, the Night’s Herald is going to pick up on my negotiations and change the security arrangements around the bloodwine depot.”