Liminal space shadows an.., p.5
Liminal Space (Shadows & Light Book One), page 5
“Oh? I didn’t realize.”
“He says he didn’t invite her so much as she just showed up. But I think he’s covering for the fact he didn’t invite us.”
Caleb buried a grin behind his cup of coffee. Miriam had once said Felzeor could bring sunshine to the seventh level of Hell, and she wasn’t wrong. He was a balm for the deepest wounds of the soul. “Nyx is his boss. Arguably she has a right to check in on him.”
“I suppose. What a horrible boss she must be! I still wish he would come back to work at CINT. I’m sure Director Navick would approve a larger team, and I think Eren and Lyndall would get along.”
“I know you do. But Corradeo needs him more than Richard does.”
“And Sator Nisi was a good boss. So I guess I understand.” Felzeor swallowed the last bite of the frittata and shook his feathers out. “I’m glad our dinner evening is coming up soon. Are we going to train with Marlee again?”
“I think so, yes. She had her own adventure without us, and she says she needs to sharpen her combat skills.”
“It’s not true. She’s almost as fast as you are now.” Felzeor dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “But don’t tell her I said so. I enjoy training with you and her, and I would hate for it to end.”
“It’ll be our little secret.”
5
* * *
CONCORD HQ
Command
The holographic map stretched for over three gigaparsecs on the long side and almost half as far on the short one. Odds were high that so great a swath of the universe had never before been tamed.
Well, maybe not tamed. Surveyed and measured, though. And now, monitored.
A tight tangle of flickering dots clustered in the center, with a bridge connecting it to a second, smaller grouping of dots a little off to the left. From there, the gaps between the dots gradually increased, until the distance between them was counted in kiloparsecs.
Alex scowled at the map. “Not bad coverage in Concord and Dominion territories. But there is way too much dead space once you get beyond Laniakea. A Dzhvar would have to trip over one of those sensors to set it off.”
Devon Reynolds fisted a hand at his mouth. “You didn’t read the briefing material.”
“No. I didn’t have time this morning. Look, Devon, I realize you’re not dumb. So convince me this network is going to succeed in alerting us if the Dzhvar show up anywhere in the admittedly impressive Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex.”
“Not dumb….” He exhaled dramatically. “Commandant Solovy, do I have to convince her?”
Her mother shrugged mildly. “I would sleep better at night knowing Alex was convinced.”
“Fine. Fine, fine, fine. So the core network is an upgrade of the system we rolled out to detect Rasu incursions, with the listener algorithm switched to trigger on the Dzhvar signal Advocate Corradeo provided. Nothing new there. Greatly improved, but only in the way we’re constantly improving our systems as a matter of course.
“But once the distances become too vast to capture near-real-time measurements, we had to get creative. We implemented a triangulation structure to detect minuscule perturbations in the fabric of spacetime. It’ll pick up other things—gravitational waves, supernova shock waves, etc.—but it should definitely pick up Dzhvar.”
“But—”
“Those types of waves take time to propagate. This is where Advisor Ridani pitched in.”
Across the table, Dashiel sat up straighter. “Not me alone. Most of the details were worked out by one of the Conceptual Research ceraffin. The gist is, we added kyoseil to the equation. Each sensor includes two grams of a pre-linked kyoseil set. Testing shows kyoseil waves are able to sense perturbations that cross their paths, so—”
“Multiple sensors are able to triangulate in on a perturbation,” Alex finished for him.
“Correct. There is still a bit of lag time, particularly the farther any one sensor is from a disruption, but it’s much smaller than it was with the old hardware alone.”
“And shrinking.” Devon cleared his throat. “We’re placing more equipment every day, working to shorten the lag time. Satisfied?”
Alex tilted her chin in concession. It wasn’t as if she didn’t believe Devon and Dashiel were far and away the two smartest people currently on HQ. But she never accepted anything at face value. If she ever had, they wouldn’t be here in Amaranthe at all. “That we’ll be alerted if they pop their heads out anywhere on this map? It seems likely. It’s a good system. But it’s not enough.”
“What?” Devon sputtered.
“This is a mind-bogglingly tremendous span of space.” She waved at the map overhead. “It truly is. But it’s less than one percent of the observable universe. The Dzhvar could gobble up half of Amaranthe, and we’d be none the wiser.”
“Alex?” Her mother shot her a pained look. “We are moving as quickly as we can.”
Okay, so it was possible she was being a bitch today. She was cranky. Her dreams had been haunted by the damn scar in the Elakrin system, and she’d awoken to second guessing all the decisions she’d made when shutting down the Piega Strai. Not choosing to save the Elakri, but how. What if there had been another way? What the fuck were the Dzhvar doing there?
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry. I know you are. This is terrific work. You haven’t picked anything up yet?”
“Not anything Dzhvar, no.” Devon’s tone had softened, and now she felt bad; she shouldn’t have goaded him. No one at HQ, save her mother, worked harder than he did. “We did detect a spatial disruption when the Piega Strai shut down, which was actually a nice test run for the system.”
He zoomed the map way in to the Marestelle galaxy over in the Shapley Supercluster, and an orange ping flared, followed a few seconds later by a larger ping that propagated out into space.
“Yeah, there were two shock waves, the second one much more significant than the first. Obviously, they would have drowned out any Dzhvar signature that might have appeared at the same time.”
“But you did see them at Elakrin?” Devon asked. “Is there something you can tell me to help improve our detection efforts?”
She shook her head. “I only saw them in sidespace. I don’t think they crossed onto the manifold. Not there.” Then where were they coming from?
“We already know what they look like in real space, from the first war. I’m frankly more interested in what they look like in sidespace.”
“I get that. But I didn’t really see them as such. It was akin to…a shadow in the corner of my eye, no matter where I directed my attention. A writhing void carved through a swarm of dimensional energy. Ugh.” Alex groaned into her hands. “I realize it’s nothing to go on. The important takeaway is that Akeso sensed their presence as well. This means kyoseil will sense it. Your sensors will work.”
Dashiel huffed a breath, but didn’t say anything.
She watched him while Devon and her mom talked through some technicals of the continuing rollout of the upgraded sensors. She and Dashiel weren’t exceptionally close, but she’d gotten to know the man fairly well over the last few years, and he acted troubled.
Dashiel, what is it?
His gaze rose to meet hers.
I’m just wondering what it’s going to do to Nika when they show up. If the kyoseil can sense the Dzhvar’s presence…you remember how rough the Rasu’s invasive thoughts were on her.
I do. But The Rasu were actively using the kyoseil. Sending orders to their minions through it. These sensors will merely be registering transient activity in the surrounding space. I don’t think she’ll be able to—or be forced to—listen in on the Dzhvar’s thoughts, assuming they have any.
You’re probably right.
A thousand thoughts of her own queued up on her tongue, but she couldn’t share a one of them. He didn’t know the truth. Didn’t know what fate awaited Nika unless they found a way to stop the Dzhvar from causing the end of everything.
6
* * *
SCHOLITE
Milky Way Galaxy
Eren Savitas accepted an apéranti thálassa from the bartender then wandered over to a decorative pillar, lounged against it, and evaluated the crowd.
The dance floor sported a healthy supply of cavorters, and the tables scattered on its periphery held a full house of drinkers…and diners, here and there. It was a fairly sophisticated clientele, on the whole. Not to say that hypnols weren’t being bought, sold and consumed, but they were the quality hypnols. Not to say that sexual escapades weren’t on the evening’s menu, but they would take place upstairs, later.
The patrons were notably varied, too. This marked one of the first times he’d seen so many aliens in an Anaden club on an Anaden world, at least as anything other than bottom-tier staff. Most of the aliens were Novoloume, for no one appreciated refined entertainment so much as they did. He thought he spotted several Humans, too, but in the patchy, often dim light it was somewhat difficult to tell Humans and Anadens apart from a distance. Plenty of Naraida, and even a few cleaned-up Barisans.
Damn, were two Asterions sitting over near the bar? The glowing skin made them stand out in the shadows. Corradeo was making good on his promise to welcome their genetic siblings home, and it seemed the odd Asterion was beginning to believe him. One way the man was changing the world.
Eren sipped on his drink and began scanning the patrons with greater care, searching for one person in particular. A Novoloume, though the man would likely be meeting with a couple of Anadens.
Ihelahn Roshiive was a wealthy businessman on Nopreis; a purveyor of soft core interspecies porn more than anything else. He’d earned millions in his trade these last twenty years, but he’d learned his trade under the whip of the Idoni Primor. Granted, Eren didn’t know for certain whether an actual whip had been involved, but when it came to Savine Idoni, it was a safe bet.
While most Novoloume were far too mannered to let it show in public spaces, bitterness at their degrading treatment under Directorate rule ran both wide and deep. The species had a typical life span of several hundred years before Concord gifted eternal life to them in the form of regenesis, so many had centuries of experience living through said degradation. And while Corradeo Praesidis was not responsible for Directorate policies or Anaden behavior in carrying them out, vengeance fantasies rarely drew such strict lines. It was enough of a trigger that the Anadens were getting their shite together again, and starting to assert themselves within the intergalactic community in meaningful ways.
More than one former subjugate wanted to knock Anadens back down a few rungs in a revenge play, and Roshiive was both the wealthiest and the best connected of them. Eren couldn’t truthfully fault the man for the inclination, but he had a duty to prevent him from fulfilling it.
The unfortunate thing, though, was how Anadens existed who were willing to help people like Roshiive. Men and women who’d preferred life under the Directorate for one reason or another, or bore their own resentments against the still-developing Advocacy. Since the instigator was a Novoloume, though, Eren figured this counted as a ‘Non-Anaden Affair’ and thus fell under his purview.
But Roshiive appeared to be a no show so far. With a sigh he scanned the crowd again, this time searching for something or someone who’d entertain him for a spell.
“Aha.” He pushed off the pillar and worked his way through the milling patrons to a table in the far corner.
One of the occupants of the table got up and left as he arrived, and he slid smoothly into the chair opposite Malesh Prante Idoni. “How are you this fine evening?”
Malesh shot him a dirty scowl. “Look, I’m simply enjoying a decent meal and a drink. That’s not a crime, is it?”
“Not so far.” The man was a longtime hypnol dealer based on Brizo. Once upon a time, back during his anarch days, Eren had used him as a personal supplier. The man had climbed a couple of rungs up the ladder since then and now ran several hypnol production factories. Three years ago, Nyx had destroyed his apomono factory after the attempt on Corradeo’s life, though Malesh didn’t know Eren had been involved. The man hadn’t worked with the assassins, and Eren would’ve preferred the factory stay operational where he was able to keep an eye on it, but if there was one thing Nyx didn’t broker, it was apomono.
Of course, the surprising things she did broker in private had turned out to be absolutely fascinating and—he shut the thought down hard. It was bad enough how lascivious memories of their night together on Nythir haunted him every time he laid down and tried to go to sleep, but the least they could do was restrict themselves to the bedroom. Dammit.
Eren glanced over his shoulder, where the previous occupant of his chair was disappearing into the shadows. “And he was merely another friend of yours stopping by for a chat?”
“What if he was?”
“Then it’ll be the first time I’ve been wrong this month.” He clasped his hands on the table and leaned in eagerly. “What have you been up to lately?”
“Nothing that concerns you. I hear you’ve got a fancy job these days, so why are you here harassing little old me?” A glint lit Malesh’s eyes. “Unless…I can hook you up, if you’re itching. I’ve got a vial of laevona in my bag. For my own personal use, but I’d be willing to share it due to our history.”
Eren acknowledged the faint twinge of need flaring in his gut. Addiction never fully departed, especially not when he’d suffered occasional small relapses over the years. But ninety-nine days out of a hundred, he was good, and this was one of the ninety-nine. “Not why I’m here. I simply saw an opportunity to check in and see if there are any juicy developments spicing up your world these days.”
“I’m not a rat. I have a reputation to uphold. An honorable one, in the circles that matter to me. I can’t burn relationships.”
“And I’m not asking you to burn anything. I’m just asking if you know any morsels someone such as myself, with my fancy job, would be interested in hearing. The more favorably I view you, the less my gaze will be apt to wander over toward Brizo.”
Malesh studied his drink for several seconds, a long breath escaping out through tight lips. “There is one thing. It’s not fact, mind you. But I did hear a whisper the other day that apomono might be back on the street, for the right price.”
“Who’s supplying it?”
“It’s a new player called Riamere. Popped up in the last two years out of nowhere and is starting to crowd out the other dealers on Domor and Ficenti.”
“Two years from zero to a major player? That’s unusual. The group must have a wealthy patron.”
“Maybe, but that’s not the twist.” Malesh bit his lower lip in some kind of perverse glee, caught up in the drama of the reveal.
Eren stared at him deadpan. “What’s the twist?”
“The leader of this Riamere? They call her the ‘Pale Viper.’ And rumor is, she’s Human.”
“Human? What is a Human doing running hypnols on Domor and Ficenti?”
“No idea. But it’s what they say.”
“And why do ‘they’ call her the Pale Viper?”
“Because she’s pale, obviously. Skin like alabaster paper mâché and hair like corn silk. And that’s not all. Her skin kind of glows. Not like those Asterion freaks, though. It’s as if a fine mesh web is overlaid atop it. And her eyes glitter like golden beryls.”
Eren arched an eyebrow. “You’ve given a rather detailed description, and a poetic one, too. Sure you haven’t met this woman yourself? Sure you aren’t doing business with her?”
“I’m sure. Don’t get me wrong—if I thought I could use her to get back into the apomono trade, I’d do it. Highest profit margin in the Milky Way. But she doesn’t make deals with other suppliers.”
“Such a shame for you. Thank you, Malesh. You’ve earned your peace for the rest of the night.” Mostly because Eren had spotted Ihelahn Roshiive striding in through the entrance. “Just make sure I don’t notice you again while I’m here.”
“I will. Hey, before you go, there’s one more thing about this Pale Viper you need to know if you’re going to go after her. Which you should. Clear the way for ordinary, hardworking Anadens and all.”
“Oh? What’s that?” he asked as he stood.
“Where she got the ‘Viper’ part of her name. I know a guy who’s fallen into her orbit. He used to work for Giora elasson-Idoni back in the Directorate days, so he’s seen some sick, depraved shit. And he is terrified out of his wits of this woman.”
ARES
Milky Way Galaxy
Eren took the lift to the top floor of the new Security Division building and exited into a broad, brightly lit hallway. The textured walls glistened from fresh ivory-hued paint, and his boots glided along the reflective pewter marble flooring. The décor was tastefully refined down to the last corner molding.
Ahh, he could almost feel the Advocacy stretching its branches in the morning sun as ever more seedlings took root.
He passed two laborers guiding a trolley stacked high with office equipment. He offered them a silent nod in greeting as he stepped to the side to give the trolley a wide berth, then continued on. At the end of the hallway hung a serious and most officious sign:
Prefect Nyx Praesidis
Director of Advocacy Intelligence
The door beneath the sign was unlocked, and it opened to reveal a spacious office three times larger than her previous one over in the Executive Building. A long, curving desk made of conductive glass centered the room. A window-wall spanned the back, providing a view of the many fountains and gardens of Advocacy Square, while the left wall bore the smooth, dark translucent hallmarks of a holographic display. His boots sank into plush burgundy carpet as he stepped inside.
Nyx stood at the right wall, fiddling with an enormous painting of waves crashing over rocks to tumble down from a jagged cliff while storm clouds leered in the distance. She wore snug black workpants tucked into high boots and a gunmetal gray shirt with three-quarters sleeves bunched up at the elbows; her hair was drawn back into her typical low tail, but strands had come loose to tease her ears.
