sunlight, a series of four concentric circles with a hub at the center and four radial spokes. V-shaped lifting bodies were parked just beyond the outer circle and near the ten-mile-long runways forming a concrete square around the entire complex.
They slowed to a horizontal stop and made a five hundred foot vertical descent to the third terminal out from the hub, coming down on a concrete pad surrounded by buses and a single, black limousine. Petyr and Trae were last off the shuttle. The other passengers headed straight to the buses for transportation to the hub and ticketing for connecting flights both on and off planet.
The back door of the limousine opened, and a man got out. His hair was brilliant white in the sunlight. Petyr dropped back and followed Trae by half a step. The man left the car door open and stood by it. The windows were black, so Trae couldn’t see the car’s interior, but he walked right up to the man and smiled. “Sorry about the short notice, Evan,” he said. “We had a problem.”
“So I understand. We also had a similar problem, but solved it,” said Evan. He put his hand on the door. “Please. It’s a short drive, and there’s a lounge we can use until your flight is ready.”
They got into the back of the car. There was plush, black leather, and a bar. Another man was sitting there. He extended his hand to Petyr as Evan climbed in and shut the door behind him.
“I’m Darian. We met a long time ago. I was a novice precept when you were in third year.”
Petyr shook the man’s hand. “Sorry, I don’t recall you.”
“You probably don’t remember me either,” said Evan. “I was a year ahead of you, but my hair was red, then. I managed to change the color by spending two years as a special guest of the Emperor.”
“I’m sorry,” said Petyr, as the car began to move.
“Don’t be. It gave me a clear vision of what we’re fighting against.”
Evan turned to Trae, examining him. “You’re quite young for one who’s supposed to give us hope. You knew how to contact me. That’s known to only a few.”
“Someone gave us your name, said you’d meet us. After we were attacked your radio number came to me, and a vision of your face. I won’t try to explain it.”
“Do you know where you’re going from here?”
“No.”
“You’re going to Ariel II. Your flight leaves this evening.”
“That’s not a planet,” said Petyr.
Again something clouded Trae’s mind for just an instant, a brief lapse of consciousness that made him startle awake. “It’s—it’s a station, an orbiting satellite. Someone will meet us there, a man in white.”
Evan frowned. “I only know the destination from here. What else do you see?”
“I don’t see anything. I just know it.”
“It’s not for me to ask questions. You have Petyr to protect you and I’m only a brief guide, but I’m naturally curious, and I’ve never been in the presence of an Immortal before. You look normal to me.”
“I am normal; at least I feel normal,” said Trae.
“Then you have no idea how you can free us from the rule of a psychotic Emperor, you, a boy of what—sixteen?”
“I don’t know.” Trae leaned against Petyr as the car turned a corner.
“Think about it, Trae,” said Petyr. “Be aware of anything that comes into your head.”
It suddenly occurred to Trae that both men were pressing him, and then the other man, Darian, said, “I think what he senses is keyed by certain words spoken to him. It could also be sights and other sounds.”
“His last treatment was only two days ago,” said Petyr.
“It seems an unreliable way to program a mind, and we’re not told what’s being done, even those of us who put our lives at risk.” Evan’s voice rose in pitch as he spoke. “All this subtrafuge, after waiting for years. Why don’t The Immortals just come down and drive the Emperor out?”
Darian put a hand on his arm. “It’s not our place to question anything, but you
They slowed to a horizontal stop and made a five hundred foot vertical descent to the third terminal out from the hub, coming down on a concrete pad surrounded by buses and a single, black limousine. Petyr and Trae were last off the shuttle. The other passengers headed straight to the buses for transportation to the hub and ticketing for connecting flights both on and off planet.
The back door of the limousine opened, and a man got out. His hair was brilliant white in the sunlight. Petyr dropped back and followed Trae by half a step. The man left the car door open and stood by it. The windows were black, so Trae couldn’t see the car’s interior, but he walked right up to the man and smiled. “Sorry about the short notice, Evan,” he said. “We had a problem.”
“So I understand. We also had a similar problem, but solved it,” said Evan. He put his hand on the door. “Please. It’s a short drive, and there’s a lounge we can use until your flight is ready.”
They got into the back of the car. There was plush, black leather, and a bar. Another man was sitting there. He extended his hand to Petyr as Evan climbed in and shut the door behind him.
“I’m Darian. We met a long time ago. I was a novice precept when you were in third year.”
Petyr shook the man’s hand. “Sorry, I don’t recall you.”
“You probably don’t remember me either,” said Evan. “I was a year ahead of you, but my hair was red, then. I managed to change the color by spending two years as a special guest of the Emperor.”
“I’m sorry,” said Petyr, as the car began to move.
“Don’t be. It gave me a clear vision of what we’re fighting against.”
Evan turned to Trae, examining him. “You’re quite young for one who’s supposed to give us hope. You knew how to contact me. That’s known to only a few.”
“Someone gave us your name, said you’d meet us. After we were attacked your radio number came to me, and a vision of your face. I won’t try to explain it.”
“Do you know where you’re going from here?”
“No.”
“You’re going to Ariel II. Your flight leaves this evening.”
“That’s not a planet,” said Petyr.
Again something clouded Trae’s mind for just an instant, a brief lapse of consciousness that made him startle awake. “It’s—it’s a station, an orbiting satellite. Someone will meet us there, a man in white.”
Evan frowned. “I only know the destination from here. What else do you see?”
“I don’t see anything. I just know it.”
“It’s not for me to ask questions. You have Petyr to protect you and I’m only a brief guide, but I’m naturally curious, and I’ve never been in the presence of an Immortal before. You look normal to me.”
“I am normal; at least I feel normal,” said Trae.
“Then you have no idea how you can free us from the rule of a psychotic Emperor, you, a boy of what—sixteen?”
“I don’t know.” Trae leaned against Petyr as the car turned a corner.
“Think about it, Trae,” said Petyr. “Be aware of anything that comes into your head.”
It suddenly occurred to Trae that both men were pressing him, and then the other man, Darian, said, “I think what he senses is keyed by certain words spoken to him. It could also be sights and other sounds.”
“His last treatment was only two days ago,” said Petyr.
“It seems an unreliable way to program a mind, and we’re not told what’s being done, even those of us who put our lives at risk.” Evan’s voice rose in pitch as he spoke. “All this subtrafuge, after waiting for years. Why don’t The Immortals just come down and drive the Emperor out?”
Darian put a hand on his arm. “It’s not our place to question anything, but you
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