up.”
“You know Nick?” Toby asked, uncertain.
“No, sir. We’ve never met—but I live in this neighborhood as well, so I was the closest person he could find. He asked me to bring you to him.”
Toby looked the other man over again and noticed something he had missed the first time. The man was wearing a metal lapel pin, about an inch and a half across, in the shape of a white circle with the right half filled in. In the center was a silver Maltese cross overlaid with three gold circles—exactly like the symbol on the shirt of the person on TV who had looked so much like Nick. Toby swallowed and let his gaze rise to meet the other man’s eyes.
“It was really him, wasn’t it?”
The other man looked at him sympathetically.
“I think he wants to tell you himself, Toby. We’re already working on finding the rest of your family.”
Toby stepped out of the apartment and pulled the door closed behind him. “Then let’s go.”
“Initiate priority transit for two, relayed through the Anchorpoint master gateway directly to the Citadel.” Lucas reached out his hand and laid it on Toby’s shoulder.
A voice spoke out of the air. “Teleport ready.”
“Execute.”
The world disappeared in white light. When the light faded, they were standing in an open courtyard in the center of an eight-pointed star inlaid on the floor. Surrounding them were low white metal buildings. Narrow pillars stood at each of the eight points of the star, each about six feet high and four inches in diameter. The pillars and the outline of the star design glowed a luminous blue.
Toby looked around in wonder. Crowds of people moved purposefully about their business on all sides, most dressed in simple two-piece outfits of white, gray, or green that resembled surgical scrubs. The rest wore regular clothes, but again, the colors of white, gray, and green predominated. All of them completely ignored Lucas and Toby. There was a curious deadness to the sounds of their footsteps, as if the very air was muffled. Then Toby looked up. The area was brightly lit by overhead floodlights, suspended from an open framework of white metal that curved across the night sky. But what really caught his attention were the stars: there were so many, more than he had ever seen.
“Toby,” said Lucas.
Toby tore his eyes away from the sky to look where Lucas was pointing, at one of a number of slightly raised circular platforms. Each was about six feet across and situated at one of the points of the star.
“This way.”
Not trusting himself to ask any of the questions that threatened to burst from his lips, Toby followed.
When they both stood on the platform he’d indicated, Lucas said, “Initiate transit for two to Tower Alpha Seven, observation level.”
“Teleport ready.”
“Execute,” said Lucas. The world turned white again, and they were standing on a similar platform in the center of a large disk of bright white metal. The smaller platform was surrounded by numerous tables and chairs, all clear as glass except for the white cushions. Overhead, the numberless stars blazed brightly.
Toby barely had time to step off the platform before he heard someone call his name and felt himself wrapped in a tight embrace.
“Mom?” Toby was floored. All of his questions flew out of his head at the sight of her. He pulled back out of her arms. “What’s going on? How did you get here?”
Struggling to hold back tears, Claire Jameson met her younger son’s eyes. She turned to the side so Toby could see past her.
“Your brother brought me.”
Beyond her, Nick stood at the edge of the metal disk, facing away from them. Still dressed exactly as he'd been when Toby had last seen him on television, in a white collarless shirt and white slacks tucked into his boots, he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring straight ahead at the stars. Beside Nick, Scott stood next to another man seated in one of the clear chairs. Toby’s eyes
“You know Nick?” Toby asked, uncertain.
“No, sir. We’ve never met—but I live in this neighborhood as well, so I was the closest person he could find. He asked me to bring you to him.”
Toby looked the other man over again and noticed something he had missed the first time. The man was wearing a metal lapel pin, about an inch and a half across, in the shape of a white circle with the right half filled in. In the center was a silver Maltese cross overlaid with three gold circles—exactly like the symbol on the shirt of the person on TV who had looked so much like Nick. Toby swallowed and let his gaze rise to meet the other man’s eyes.
“It was really him, wasn’t it?”
The other man looked at him sympathetically.
“I think he wants to tell you himself, Toby. We’re already working on finding the rest of your family.”
Toby stepped out of the apartment and pulled the door closed behind him. “Then let’s go.”
“Initiate priority transit for two, relayed through the Anchorpoint master gateway directly to the Citadel.” Lucas reached out his hand and laid it on Toby’s shoulder.
A voice spoke out of the air. “Teleport ready.”
“Execute.”
The world disappeared in white light. When the light faded, they were standing in an open courtyard in the center of an eight-pointed star inlaid on the floor. Surrounding them were low white metal buildings. Narrow pillars stood at each of the eight points of the star, each about six feet high and four inches in diameter. The pillars and the outline of the star design glowed a luminous blue.
Toby looked around in wonder. Crowds of people moved purposefully about their business on all sides, most dressed in simple two-piece outfits of white, gray, or green that resembled surgical scrubs. The rest wore regular clothes, but again, the colors of white, gray, and green predominated. All of them completely ignored Lucas and Toby. There was a curious deadness to the sounds of their footsteps, as if the very air was muffled. Then Toby looked up. The area was brightly lit by overhead floodlights, suspended from an open framework of white metal that curved across the night sky. But what really caught his attention were the stars: there were so many, more than he had ever seen.
“Toby,” said Lucas.
Toby tore his eyes away from the sky to look where Lucas was pointing, at one of a number of slightly raised circular platforms. Each was about six feet across and situated at one of the points of the star.
“This way.”
Not trusting himself to ask any of the questions that threatened to burst from his lips, Toby followed.
When they both stood on the platform he’d indicated, Lucas said, “Initiate transit for two to Tower Alpha Seven, observation level.”
“Teleport ready.”
“Execute,” said Lucas. The world turned white again, and they were standing on a similar platform in the center of a large disk of bright white metal. The smaller platform was surrounded by numerous tables and chairs, all clear as glass except for the white cushions. Overhead, the numberless stars blazed brightly.
Toby barely had time to step off the platform before he heard someone call his name and felt himself wrapped in a tight embrace.
“Mom?” Toby was floored. All of his questions flew out of his head at the sight of her. He pulled back out of her arms. “What’s going on? How did you get here?”
Struggling to hold back tears, Claire Jameson met her younger son’s eyes. She turned to the side so Toby could see past her.
“Your brother brought me.”
Beyond her, Nick stood at the edge of the metal disk, facing away from them. Still dressed exactly as he'd been when Toby had last seen him on television, in a white collarless shirt and white slacks tucked into his boots, he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring straight ahead at the stars. Beside Nick, Scott stood next to another man seated in one of the clear chairs. Toby’s eyes
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