Peter Hamilton - The Evolutionary Void

“Thank you. And thank you for receiving our emissary. Are you the one accompanying her to Makkathran?”

“I am with my kindred.” The Skylord’s incredible senses revealed a vast swath of space between nebulae, devoid of stars. It flew on and on through the emptiness, followed by a flock of its own kind who called to one another across the Gulf. They were all gladdened that minds were once again emerging into the Void, giant somber thoughts enlivened by anticipation.

“Oh. Do you know where she is?”

“The one you seek is within our universe. This is known to us all. For that we all give thanks. Soon there will be more. Soon we will guide your kind to the Heart again.”

“Can you call to the one who is with her?”

“My kindred are departed across the universe. Most lie beyond my reach. I will encounter them again in time, within the Heart.”

“So how do you know one of us has arrived?”

“The Heart feels it. We all know the Heart.”

“Damn. Okay, thank you.”

“When will you come? When will you be here with your kind?”

“I don’t know.”

Araminta withdrew her mind from the connection and permitted herself a brief feeling of disappointment. It would have been nice to talk to Justine. Instead, she had only herself to rely on, a state she was growing accustomed to. Her mind reached out into the human gaiafield again, stealthily, slipping into the local confluence nests like a silent thief. Her thoughts fluttered around the sight, taste, and smell of Edeard, and up into her brain sprang the wonderful lazy awakening on a soft mattress as dawn stoked the sky over Makkathran. A kiss touched Edeard’s cheek, the phantom touch sending a delightful tingle along Araminta’s spine. A nose nuzzled her ear. Then a hand could be felt sliding down her/his stomach, and her smile widened at the naughty sensation. Jessile giggled close by and thousands of years ago. “Now, that’s what I call rising to greet the dawn,” she said.

The other girl giggled as well. Edeard’s eyes snapped open, and Araminta looked out through them into his maisonette.

The Ellezelin forces capsule slid over the smooth fast-moving surface of the Cairns. Directly ahead was a big old house with walls of white arches filled with purple and silver glass, surrounded by balconies that overhung a pool whose water glimmered an inviting turquoise. Well-maintained formal gardens flowed down the slope to the southern bank of the broad river. Even under the wan light that filtered through the gray clouds scudding against Colwyn City’s weather dome force field, the place looked inviting, a real home.

“Very fancy,” Beckia muttered as the capsule floated down onto the broad lawns. “The building supplies game must pay more than I realized.”

“In an External planet economy, going multiple is just a smart way of avoiding taxes,” Tomansio said dismissively. “Bovey wouldn’t be able to afford this if every one of hims paid income tax.”

The capsule door expanded.

“Can I trust you?” Oscar asked quietly. The other two froze, then looked at him. Beckia’s gaiafield emissions were spitting out resentment. Tomansio was amused more than anything.

“You can trust us,” Tomansio said, pushing a warm sensation of confidence into the gaiafield.

“She founded you. You wouldn’t even exist without her. And you’re all waiting for her return.”

“Common mistake,” Tomansio said. “We all understand her flaws, but we don’t forgive her. We were born out of her determination, but now we have grown far beyond her.”

“Pupil and master relationship, huh?” Oscar queried.

“Exactly. She accomplished a lot in her time, most of which was disastrous. We are about the only good thing that ever emerged from the Cat’s life.” He raised an eyebrow. “Unless she did have children …”

Oscar simply responded with a wry smile.

“Quite,” Tomansio continued. “So her continuing existence, albeit in suspension, is something of an embarrassment to us. It leads to misunderstandings like this one.”

“Far Away rioted when Investigator Myo arrested her,” Oscar countered.

“Far Away did,” Beckia said. “We didn’t. By that time she’d grown to a symbol of Far Away’s independence. Arresting her was seen as a political act of repression against the planetary government by an authoritarian Commonwealth. I’d point out the riots didn’t last long once the details of the Pantar Cathedral atrocity became known.”

“But her principles remain with us,” Tomansio said. “The dedication to strength. Ever since our founding we have never broken our code. We stay loyal to our client, no matter what. Not even the Cat broke that. And we certainly wouldn’t double-cross you . Oscar, you demonstrated the ultimate human strength when you martyred yourself so our species could survive. I told you before, we respect you almost as much as the Cat.”

Oscar looked into Tomansio’s handsome face, so redolent with sincerity, a note backed up by his gaiafield emission. He fervently hoped his own embarrassment at such a proclamation wasn’t evident. “Okay, then.”

“Besides, that wasn’t our Cat, not the founder of the Knights Guardian. If we weren’t committed to you, I would take a great deal of satisfaction in tracking her down and finding out exactly which faction has violated our Cat for its own ends. Didn’t you say they’d cloned more of her?”

“Not anymore,” Oscar said flatly, and walked out of the capsule. Beckia and Tomansio shared a quiet smile and followed him out onto the trim lawn.

Mr. Bovey had come out of the house to meet the capsule, three of hims. Oscar hadn’t met a multiple before, at least not knowingly. He couldn’t ever recall hearing about any on Orakum. The leader of the trio, the one standing in front, had black skin and a face that had even more wrinkles than Oscar’s; several gray strands were frosting his temples. To his left was a tall Oriental male, and the third was a young teenager with a thick mop of blond hair. None of them was releasing anything into the gaiafield. However, their posture alone told Oscar they were going to be extremely stubborn.

Oscar’s immediate response was to regret wearing the Ellezelin forces uniform, which was a huge visual trigger for any Viotia citizen right now. Then a deeper guilt began to manifest. He wasn’t here backed by Ellezelin authority; his sponsor was a whole lot more powerful than that. That was the problem. Marching into someone’s home with the authority and force to demand his cooperation was exactly the kind of fascistic repression that had so animated the young Oscar Monroe’s political instincts, which in turn led to him joining the Socialist Party at college and ultimately being seduced by radical elements. A journey that ended in the tragedy of Aberdan station.

Talk about going full circle. But we have to find her. Overriding necessity, the siren call of tyrants everywhere. Yet I know she cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of the factions. Damn, how does Paula live like this?

“What do you want?” the first Mr. Bovey asked sourly.

Oscar grinned, letting his amusement free in the gaiafield. “Oh, come on. We know you and her had a thing.”

The three Mr. Boveys stared defiantly ahead.

“Look,” Oscar said reasonably, and plucked at his tunic. “This uniform, it’s a load of bollocks. We’re not Living Dream. I’ve never even been to Ellezelin. I work for ANA.”

“Yeah? And I work for the Raiel,” Mr. Bovey replied, all three of hims speaking in concert. “So that makes us both supersecret agents.”

“I saw her at Bodant Park. Me and my team here, we covered for her so she could get free. Ask her. We’re the reason she’s still out there. If she still is.”