“No, Royal. You’re wrong. What he’s doing will kill two hundred billion people. And that’s humanity. We don’t know how many other civilizations will be lost beyond this galaxy.”

  Royal shrugged.

  “Oh, he told me about the fractures collapsing. All this shit will go away, but Alpha lives on. And Alpha was first. Break a few eggs.”

  “You don’t care if eight realities are obliterated?”

  “I suppose it will be like going to sleep but never waking up.”

  “Amayas showed you how to see the future then he sent you here to stop us from trying to survive.”

  “You can’t peg it on him. I did this on my own. I know what the Swarm are. I fought those fuckers for six years. If you give them the tools, they’ll jump to Alpha and burn planets.”

  “That will never happen. I’m trying to save people. My family, for a start. Shouldn’t my children have a future?”

  “In theory? Sure. But what about the other families? You gonna save them, too? How many Splinters you gonna need? How many ships we talking about? You can’t do this without the Swarm.”

  Royal took a step back when the bigger picture clarified itself.

  “You already know how to use a Splinter for the nav. I showed the way. If you were straight-up using this to evacuate families, you wouldn’t need a tether. But you can’t maintain supply lines without one. The tether’s not about refugees. It’s about the biggest fucking military fleet in nine universes. You can’t do anything without their blessing. More to the point, without hers. That coit Empress.”

  Bonju did not have a chance to respond before his son did.

  “Is this true, Father?” Moon carried Royal’s change of clothes.

  “Son, the prisoner doesn’t understand our position. I’m trying …”

  “You said we’d find a way to do this without the Swarm.”

  “Oh, great.” Royal interjected. “Lying to the kid, too. Nice.”

  “I don’t lie to my son, Royal. I have too much respect for him. Moon, everything I’ve told you is true. You know the difficulty I face, and the compromise I’ve made in my alliances. My goal has not changed.”

  “Maybe that’s your problem, Bonju. Wrong goal. I’m an expert on the topic.”

  “Oh? And how do you suggest I proceed?”

  “First, maybe you let Moon give me those clothes. Don’t worry. You can trust me. I won’t kill him.”

  Bonju nodded his son to the chamber. Moon held out his palm. A phasic security pad came alive inside the glass, and a slot pixelated open in the center of the door. He pushed the clothes through.

  Royal dressed. The pants were a nudge loose at the waist, but the shirt of billowy fabric fit snug against his shoulders.

  “Not bad,” he said. “Oh, yeah. Goals. Here’s what I’m thinking. You and Moon round up the rest of your clan and program a Splinter into a Worm-capable ship. You hand over my Splinter. I’ll tether back home, and your children get a future. Trust me, you won’t feel guilty for long. Guilt is overrated.”

  “I see. The win-win plan. Yes?”

  “Every day of the week.”

  “But for one large problem. I do not have access to a Worm-capable ship. They are banned, even for connected Hokkis like me. Only the Swarm and Talons have the resources. In the time we knew each other, did you ever see me fly such a vessel?”

  “We never knew each other. You spoke, I listened, and I trusted because I was desperate. So here’s my question. If you don’t have access to a Worm drive, and you don’t know how to tether, how do you expect to get this done without the Swarm’s help? And don’t claim you’re in league with the Talons because I hear they’re pretty much in retreat mode.”

  “I won’t lie to you, Royal.”

  “If you have to say it, you’re not planning to do it.”

  Bonju rolled his eyes.

  “You already know I’ve been working with DLM. I have … had contacts who believed our universe only exists on borrowed time. We planned to take our evidence directly to the Empress and plead for resources to undertake a scientific mission across the divide. We had hoped to include a revelation that we’ve learned the secret to tethering. That connective piece is the only way Empress Chastain might have considered our plan. However, they are dead, in great part because of you. Dr. Noor was testing a method for tethering. I believe he was successful, but his records have been destroyed.

  “Royal, I have one ally within the Swarm establishment, and I need her. She is taking a huge risk on my behalf, which is why you are being held here rather than in a Swarm interrogation center. Your presence there would undermine our project.”

  Royal looked at the father-son duo and couldn’t believe he missed the obvious.

  “I’m on your estate. This is your private lab.”

  OK. This is definitely workable.

  “There are no Swarm FGs here, Royal. We’re on an island far from the battlefields.”

  “Those were FGs who shot me fifteen times. That ship above me was an officer’s transport. You trying to tell me a Swarm platoon left us all alone here?”

  The father and son shared a momentary glance. Royal saw a hint of anger rise in the boy.

  “We’re being monitored. It’s the only way I could make it work.”

  “Monitored how? Like, live?”

  “By my ally. Yes. She’s heard every word.”

  “Well, if she’s Swarm, we’re all pretty well fucked at this point.”

  Bonju sighed then tapped an ear bead.

  “You’re there?” He paused a beat. “Yes. It’s a change of plan, but I think he needs to know.” He listened to a lengthy response. “No. I doubt that will matter to him. I’ll bring you in.”

  Bonju double-tapped the bead, threw open a holo, and entered a short code. To his left, a three-dimensional hologram opened like a portal. The huge woman with a chest full of medals held a military stance, her hands behind her back.

  Royal didn’t know whether to laugh or spit.

  “Fuck me. I keep thinking I’ve seen it all, then along comes the butcher of Hokkaido herself.”

  General Hoija Taron crinkled her lips in amusement.

  “From one butcher to another. Yes?”

  “Fair point. How’d you like it when I killed your counterpart at her grandson’s wedding? What’s that like when another one dies? Shake you up a bit?”

  “She was a nice distraction. I enjoyed watching her final act.”

  “You’re next.”

  He was hoping for a maniacal laugh. No such luck.

  “Hate me, Royal. Every Hokki does, including my nephew and his family. I did what had to be done. Now you will do the same. Otherwise, you will find yourself in a burn pit. I can’t imagine immortal DNA surviving two-thousand-degree heat.”

  “I ain’t working with you, not for all the rings in the universe.” He turned to Bonju. “I don’t care what kind of bullshit she’s selling, but this crazy bitch is all in with the Swarm. She’ll take credit for your work, kill your family, and lead the Swarm across the divide.”

  “That’s what I …”

  Moon cut himself short at Bonju’s insistence.

  “Sorry, Father.”

  Bonju turned to all parties.

  “We need to take a moment and examine our options, which are few. Royal, you will never go home again without our help. We will never escape this prison without your help. General Taron … my aunt … is our conduit to that escape. She has personal motivation unconnected to her status with the Swarm. We have many reasons to hate, but one to cooperate. Royal, on behalf of my son Moon, who I love more than life, and my other seven children, and my wife, I ask you to put aside your understandable rage toward this woman. Put aside your understandable resentment for my actions. We are the best hope you have, and you are ours. We have a right to a future.”

  Royal seethed at the hologram.

  “Some of us do.”

  “I’ve been transparent, Royal. I could have kept the General’s identity hidden. Will you try to work with us?”

  Royal threw up his arms.

  “I might give it a try. But I got a couple conditions. One, I don’t stay inside this fucking chamber. If the place is monitored, then you’ll always know where to find me. Two, if we succeed without the Swarm tagging along, I want one good, clean shot at this coit.”

  “Royal, please. I …”

  That drew laughter from the General.

  “One shot?” She asked. “That’s all? No worries. After you miss, I’ll take my shot and throw your carcass in the fire.”

  “Sounds worth the price of admission. You got a deal.”

  22

  R OYAL WON HIS FREEDOM AT A COST. Hoija Taron dispatched a pair of aides to Bonju’s estate and implanted a radial bomb to the immortal’s belly. They embedded a tracker inside the bomb. If Royal left the island or tried to remove the device, his body parts would become projectiles, and laser missiles would shred anyone within twenty meters. Would it be enough to kill an immortal for good? Royal had no intention of finding out.

  Royal listened to Bonju lay down terms while they sat with Moon at a small table in Bonju’s office.

  “In nineteen days, they will kill me unless we demonstrate the ability to tether,” Bonju said. “My family will follow. They will have no use for you, Royal, but they will make you suffer. The Risen Church believes God wants all blasphemers and apostates to endure horrifying, soul-stripping pain before they die.”

  “Nice guy.”

  “We have one imperative, Royal. All our actions must serve this purpose. The question of who tethers and whether the Swarm will be able to put it into practical use goes beyond the imperative.”

  “So, we can’t talk about a Swarm invasion or how we’re going to make sure that will never happen.”

  “We must climb the mountain before we can see the other side.”

  Royal exhaled a cloud of smoke.

  “Or we can just go around it.”

  “That’s your preferred life strategy, I presume.”

  “Tends to work. More or less.”

  “Hmm. How many times have you been killed?”

  Royal moaned.

  “I didn’t say it was perfect.”

  “How many mortals have died because of your strategy?”

  “I don’t keep a ticker handy, and I don’t say sorry. For a guy who really needs my help, you’re pushing the wrong buttons.”

  “No, Royal. I’m being precise. This is my son. The rest of my family is a hundred meters away. I will not allow you to place them in danger. You’ll have freedom, but I don’t want you near the main house or associating with my other children. Understand?”

  “Got it. Don’t want the asshole with the wolf on his head to scare the little ones.”

  “Your presence will raise too many questions.”

  Moon tapped his pipe and created another smoke cloud.

  “Father, he’s bound to be seen, especially if he’s here for many days. We’ll have to bring him meals. The kids, they sometimes play nearby. I’m not saying we allow him into the house, but at least provide an explanation.”

  “I’ll consider it, Son. For now, Royal keeps his distance.”

  “We have to trust each other. Royal is a dangerous man, but I don’t believe he’ll hurt us. Aunt Hoija will.”

  Smart kid, but he plays his chips too soon. He’ll be useful.

  “See there?” Royal said. “A ringing endorsement.”

  “We shall see. I think it’s important we start from a position of giving. You and I need to share certain background details to put us on the same frequency. Yes?”

  “Whatever works.”

  Bonju turned to Moon.

  “I’m going to talk with Royal for a while. It’s getting late in the day. You need to resume your studies then check in with the others and make sure they finished their assignments.”

  Moon looked as if he’d been stabbed in the gut.

  “Father, we just sat down together. I’m part of this team.”

  “You are, Son, and I’ll catch you up, but we all have our routines.”

  He cursed under his breath and put away his pipe.

  “Yes, Father. I’ll see you at dinner.”

  Royal extended his hand toward the boy.

  “Good meeting you today, Moon. Thanks for the clothes.”

  Moon hesitated, as Royal predicted, but he stepped forward like a well-trained young gentleman and shook Royal’s hand.

  “Please help us, Royal.”

  Yeah. I’ll have to see about that.

  “I’ll give it my best.”

  When the boy left, Royal took a long pull on his pipe and exhaled a thin stream of smoke toward Bonju.

  “Answer me one question: What’s wrong with you?”

  “Excuse me, Royal?”

  “Your whole damn world is about to end, and you send the kid away to finish his homework.”

  “It’s not homework. It’s discipline. Children need a finely crafted routine. It instills hope. Otherwise, they sink into despair.”

  “Well, I don’t know shit about good parenting, but Moon already sank. He’s carrying around the weight of the cudfrucking universe on his shoulders. He needs to be treated like a man.”

  “I appreciate your input but …”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m not a parent. Blah, blah. Look, I know your deal, Bonju. You’re manipulating your son just like you do everybody. You played Ya-Li and me like a couple of halfwits. Now you think you can weave your away around Hoija Taron and that coit Empress. You’re not in control this time.”

  “I am when it comes to raising my children. I’ll speak no more on this matter. Follow me.”

  Bonju led Royal through the facility without pointing out any particulars, but Royal took careful note of everything. His mind whirred with furious abandon through his potential maneuvers. He needed to find the right tools. However, just before Bonju led him out a side door, the host undercut Royal’s prime objective.

  “Just so we understand who’s in control, Royal: I’ve made certain you won’t find your Splinter. It’s on the island, but anything you might use to track it won’t work. I created a program to find Splinters because I understand their magnetic energy. By the same reasoning, I know how to block that signal. Yes?”

  Shit.

  “Your son’s right. We have to trust each other.”

  “Trust is earned. Just like your escape route to Alpha universe.”

  The lab extended to the edge of a garden of tropical fruit trees. A warm breeze sidled through the orchard, carrying the ocean’s familiar perfume. The sun beat down hard. Royal felt as if he were back in The Lagos. Bonju led him to wiry trees with peeling bark and branches laden with a loaf-sized green fruit. He picked two.

  “Are you familiar with this one, Royal?”

  “Looks like a … sponge.”

  “Yes. Here.”

  Royal pressed it between his fingers. It had the same bounce-back as a damp luffa.

  “Grab it by the middle and twist as if you were opening a lid.”

  The fruit split in half, revealing a peppermint red flesh without seeds. Bonju reached inside and scooped a dollop. Royal did the same. The fruit tasted like hard candy but left a sugary aftertaste.

  “I could eat this all the damn day.”

  “Feel free. It’s called pungo fruit. It grows on three islands. I’ll miss it.”

  Bonju slurped out the remaining flesh and tossed the husk.

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “Off and on, most of my life. My grandparents owned the estate but willed it to me because they thought I would be the best caretaker.”

  “Better than your parents?”

  “A sad story. Every family has them. I’d rather skip past it. I was an archeologist and botanist. My ideals about the future of these islands meshed with my grands. They’re buried just beyond the orchard.”

  “How old were they?”

  “Not old enough. They took their own lives the day the Swarm entered our system. They wanted no part of what came next.”

  “Looking back, can you blame them?”

  “They lived a full life. They died in peace.”

  Royal threw the pungo husk down and stared at the complex collection of trees, hands on his hips.

  “Now see, here’s something I never understood. The Swarm didn’t come out of nowhere. They conquered worlds for a century. You knew they’d jump here sooner or later. Why didn’t Hokkaido have a fleet waiting when they jumped out of Worm? A planetary defense shield? Something. The Swarm follow the same fucking script with every world. Why not spend trillions of credits on a military? Bankrupt your damn economy. Who cares? That’s better than the alternative.”

  “No one believes they’ll be next. Or they claim to have worked out deals, received assurances. ‘Oh, never fear. The Swarm will annex Hokkaido, but they won’t invade.’ It’s the same story everywhere. When a planet is invaded, the others are guaranteed at least seven or eight years of peace. It’s enough time to become complacent, especially when the slaughter is happening many light-years away.”

  “Your own worst enemy.”

  “Second worst. No one will dethrone the Swarm.”

  They moved on through the orchard to a sandy field where thick blades of ornamental grass grew like individual plants.

  “How did you become involved in all this madness?”

  Bonju pointed out his grandparents’ humble grave markers.

  “I moved my family here three years before the invasion. I built the lab as a temple to my two passions: Archeology and botany. Our youngest four children were born here. It was a good life.

  “Then I went on a private dig in the Lang-Ta Mountains. I found a vein containing sixty-four cubes. I had no idea what they were, but I detected a magnetic energy around them unlike anything known to science. When I proposed the idea of alien tech, my partners were incredulous. They wanted me to bury the evidence and destroy my notes.”