Peter Hamilton - The Evolutionary Void

“We are honored,” he said effusively.

“Thank you. Shall we move to the Upper Council chamber now? We have much to settle.”

Ethan glanced along the line of Cleric Councillors, their uncertain hopeful faces. One of them smiled slickly. “Of course, Dreamer,” he said.

“Rincenso, isn’t it?” Araminta said.

“Yes, Dreamer.”

“I’m grateful for your support.”

“My pleasure.”

I’ll bet it is, you unctuous little tit . “Which way?”

Rincenso’s bow was so deep, it verged on parody. He gestured. “This way, please, Dreamer.”

She watched the eternal storm playing across the ceiling, oddly saddened by the fact it was only a replica of the real Malfit Hall and the vivid images above her were nothing but a copy of Querencia’s planetary system. Now that she’d begun this course of action, she was actually keen to see it resolved, to walk through the real Makkathran and see for herself the streets and buildings where Edeard’s dramas had played out.

They walked silently through the smaller Toral Hall and into the Upper Council chamber. Araminta grinned at the solar vortex playing on its cross-vault ceiling. Here the copper sun’s accretion disc was still in its glory days, not as Justine had just seen it, with the brash comets dwindling and a new planet orbiting where it should never have been.

“You haven’t updated it, then?” she inquired lightly as she walked straight to the gold-embossed throne at the head of the long table.

“This is the Makkathran of the Waterwalker, Dreamer,” Ethan said.

“Of course. Not that it matters; we will soon be leaving here for good. Be seated,” she said graciously.

Ethan claimed the seat on her left-hand side, and Rincenso sat opposite him. There were just enough seats for everyone. No Phelim , she thought sagely. Let’s keep it like that . The thin Cleric unnerved her somewhat.

“May I ask if you intend to keep sharing so widely with the gaiafield?” Ethan said.

“Until we pass into the Void,” she confirmed. “The followers of Living Dream have had too much doubt and trouble intrude into their lives of late, in no small part due to you, Cleric. I feel they need the reassurance of seeing for themselves that I am honestly doing everything I can to lead the Pilgrimage. That is my only concern now. In that respect I will require this council to continue its running of the day-to-day aspects of Living Dream.”

She studied Ethan, curious about how he’d react to the deal. It was so painfully obvious that he didn’t understand or believe in her apparent conversion to the cause. He suspected something but couldn’t see what could possibly be askew.

“I will be delighted to help in any way I can,” Ethan said.

“We all will be,” Rincenso added quickly.

Araminta had to be stern with herself not to leak any disgust out into the gaiafield at the Clerics’ sycophancy. “Excellent. So my first question is on the progress of the Pilgrimage fleet.”

“The hulls are all complete,” Cleric DeLouis said. “Fitting out is going to take a while, but hopefully no more than a month.”

“And the drives?” Araminta asked.

It probably helped that Ethan was less than a meter away from her, but there was no way he could hide the little burst of dismay from her. She turned to fix him with a level stare. “By my estimation, it will take nearly half a year to reach the Void using a standard hyperdrive.”

“Yes, Dreamer.”

“There is also the problem of the warrior Raiel. Justine barely made it through.”

“We are making arrangements,” Ethan said grudgingly.

“Which are?”

He made a small gesture with his hand. “They are confidential.”

“No more. This unhealthy obsession with secrecy and violence ends now. It has done untold damage to Living Dream; Inigo and Edeard would not have tolerated such vice. Besides, we are no longer members of the Greater Commonwealth, and you are under my protection. Now, what arrangements have been made?”

“Are you sure you-”

“Yes!”

“Very well. I organized delivery of ultradrives for each Pilgrimage ship. The journey time should be less than a month.”

“Good work. And the Raiel warships? How do we get past them?”

Ethan was completely impassive. “The same manufacturing facility will also provide force fields capable of withstanding an attack by the warrior Raiel.”

“I see. And the cost?”

“It’s budgeted for. We do have the wealth of the entire Free Trade Zone at our disposal, after all.”

Araminta’s voice hardened. “The cost, please, Cleric, specifically the political cost for this technology?”

Everyone at the table turned to look at Ethan. The pressure of curiosity from the gaiafield was extraordinary. Even the Skylord was displaying a minor interest, engaged by the volume of emotion.

“Our supplier is to be taken into the Void with us.”

“Logical,” Araminta said. She smiled graciously. “Thank you one and all for attending me. We’ll convene formally tomorrow when I’ve had a chance to settle in. Ethan, I will be using the Mayor’s state rooms here in the Orchard Palace as my residence until we depart.”

“Yes, Dreamer.” He seemed surprised there had been no censure concerning his Faustian deal.

Darraklan peered in through the door as the subdued yet relieved Cleric Council filed out. Araminta held up a finger to him. “A moment more, please.”

“Yes, Dreamer.” He bowed and shut the doors after the last Cleric had left.

Araminta allowed herself a slow look around the Council chamber, her gaze falling once again on the radiant image spinning endlessly on the ceiling. She wondered how Justine was getting on inside the Void, if she had reached the real Makkathran yet. But no, that would take days-weeks-even with the Void’s accelerated time, although the Silverbird should arrive before the Pilgrimage ships reached the boundary. Ozzie! I hope she and Gore can do something to salvage this crock of shit before then, or I’m well and truly screwed. It sounded like Gore had a plan, or at least an idea. He owes me, too. Maybe he’ll get in touch . Somehow, she suspected she was going to have to do most of the work. But for now, there was the real threat to face. She took a breath, feeling the billions of Living Dream followers share her mind with a sense of trepidation as her own unease leaked out.

“Aren’t you going to talk to me?” she asked the chamber. Her own voice reverberated off the hard walls. “I know you’re sharing me.” Again the chamber was silent. Empty. Araminta let out a mildly exasperated sigh and allowed her ire to show. “I am talking to you , that which emerged from Earth’s prison. You have to speak with me at some time, for I am the only way to reach the Void. Let us begin now. Don’t be afraid. You’ve seen I am both reasonable and practical.”

The curiosity within the gaiafield grew more intense as everyone strained to perceive what she was talking to. Her u-shadow reported that the Upper Council chamber’s secure communication net was activating. A solido projection appeared at the other end of the table. Not a person but a simple dark sphere scintillating with grim purple light. Araminta faced it impassively.

“Congratulations on your ascension, Dreamer.” Its voice was female, melodically sinister.

“And you are?”

“Ilanthe.”

“You must be the one supplying the ultradrives and the force fields.”

“My agents arranged that with Ethan, yes.”

“Will the force fields be strong enough to protect us from the warrior Raiel?”

“I believe so. They are the same type currently protecting Earth.”