“Not important today. We have a lot of work to do between now and then. There’s all kinds of ways this thing can go south.”

  Moon nodded and reached inside his jacket. He pulled out another cigar and handed it to Royal.

  “I understand. Patience.”

  Royal took the cigar and found his lighter. His first puff confirmed what he’d known for unmeasured eons: Moon smoked too much, but he smoked the best leaf in the universes.

  “You will be tested,” Corvaan said. “Bessians know it’s coming.”

  “Which is why,” Royal said, “we need to walk the streets and get a feel for the city. They need to see Riders on the prowl.”

  “Especially our enemies.” Moon took a short puff. “I want to stare them down while their heads are still attached to their necks.”

  The threesome headed out, leaving the dirty dishes on the trays and the blood splatters drying upstairs. Royal felt good about the morning. He felt even better about his best friend.

  24

  Day 4, Tranteum Conference

  K ARA WATCHED HAM’S FINAL JOURNEY from the bridge of the Aston James. She avoided tears; the anger at his murder kept her grief at bay. She had important work to do on his behalf. This ceremony required composure. Moreover, it would be the shortest and simplest step en route to a difficult day. Kara steeled herself for what came next.

  Capt. Sylvia Dunston verified the comm link with Scylla, which had jumped through a short wormhole to within twenty thousand kilometers of the Tranteum sun. A massive holo spread across the bridge’s forward bulwark, depicting an image from Scylla’s landing bay. There, the small crew stood with Cando and Yusef beside a one-man EV maintenance pod, close to the cascade barrier.

  Far beyond, the sun blazed red.

  “Attention, all delegations,” Dunston announced in a shipwide broadcast. “At this time, we will proceed with the farewell to Capt. Hamilton Cortez, special advisor to Hokkaido. We ask you to pay respect to a man who played a vital role in bringing us together for this historic conference. If you have not done so, you may access this broadcast on any channel.”

  Dunston and her bridge team occupied an inner circle. A narrow viewing platform wrapped around. Kara stood at the rear center of the platform, directly behind the Captain. A few dozen other faces stood at attention along the semi-circle. The Captain invited one representative from each delegation. Most followed through.

  Men like Earth VP Rikard Bryznewieski, Zwahili delegate Joseph Mogandi, and Hokki Ambassador Jen Won offered a comforting presence. Kara did not think the same of Michael Cooper, who arrived last and fidgeted, as if inconvenienced by the whole affair. Yet Kara’s eyes gravitated toward the final man to see Ham alive.

  Amayas Knight dressed in a funereal tunic. He arrived among the first few and expressed surprise at the invitation. Kara said Ham would have wanted it this way.

  “You two didn’t see eye to eye,” Kara reassured him. “But you helped us rid Hokkaido of the Swarm. Plus, Ham respected what you built with the Alliance.”

  Amayas thanked her with a hug; Kara’s blood boiled. She kept her cool, which would have made her husband proud.

  “He can’t suspect a thing,” Cando said before departing to Scylla.

  Everyone had a part to play, now and in the difficult hours ahead. Three days of dogged pursuit – often outside the purview of Capt. Dunston and her Security Chief Peter Philbin – turned up enough evidence to proceed with a drastic step. Dunston and Philbin were afraid of blowback if this went wrong. Kara took responsibility.

  Philbin and his deputy flanked the entry portal to the bridge. Kara glanced at them over her shoulder, but neither acknowledged her. They played it straight.

  For the moment, those plans waited. Paul Ochoba, Scylla’s new Captain, joined his crew outside the EV pod. From her chair, Dunston swung around and nodded to Kara.

  “At this time,” Capt. Dunston told the ships, “We will hear from Ambassador Kara Aleksanyan of Hokkaido.”

  Kara took a deep breath. Her words were about to echo across the Aston James and inside the Scylla landing bay.

  “Hamilton Cortez never thought of himself as a hero,” she began. “He lived a life of regret for the wrongs he claimed to have done to others. He sought refuge on my home world for many years, but he never escaped his past. Even as he found new purpose on Scylla, he believed there would be no redemption for him.

  “I watched him struggle to become an effective Captain and make the most difficult decisions to weigh the lives of his crew and the greater mission we faced. He was far from perfect, but I believe in his heart, Ham rediscovered the man he always wanted to be.

  “He searched for truth and leaned on the hope of a better future. He did this with honor, compassion, and an iron will. Few among us know the man he became over the past year. I believe history will tell his story, and it will be kind. He holds a place of distinction in many hearts, including mine. I will miss him.”

  She steadied herself against the handrail and bowed her head.

  “Next,” Dunston said, “I recognize Capt. Paul Ochoba of Scylla.”

  Paul stood between Cando and his comms officer, Hiro Parke.

  “On behalf of our crew,” Paul said, “I commend this strong and honorable warrior to space. May he find eternal peace. Farewell, my Captain.”

  Earlier, Cando told Kara what Paul would say. This was the final tribute given to all Talons at shipboard farewells, regardless of rank.

  The secure cam did not show the inside of the EV pod, but Kara saw an image after they inserted Ham’s body. He sat tall, dressed in his best tunic, buckled up for one last trip into the deep.

  Paul slid his fingers across a tablet, and the pod’s thrusters ignited. It hovered for a few seconds then passed through the cascade barrier. The thrusters were fueled with an accelerant that propelled the pod for a thousand kilometers. Forward inertia would trap the vehicle inside the sun’s gravity well.

  Scylla’s crew and everyone on Aston James’s bridge watched until the pod disappeared from view. Dunston spoke to both ships:

  “May Hamilton Cortez remind us of what we are working toward, and also that time is not our friend if we linger too long. Thank you, Scylla, for allowing the Aston James to say goodbye. To all delegations, this concludes our ceremony. Per the announced schedule, we will resume breakout sessions in two standard hours. Dunston out.”

  Kara heard kind words from the delegates as they departed. Joseph hugged her and again expressed his condolences. VP Rikard reiterated his promise to make Ham’s effort with the gene therapy cure known after the Earth trials concluded.

  Michael bypassed her. Did he avoid her because he had something to hide? Perhaps he didn’t want to justify his behavior during the technologists’ committee meetings, where his obstinance increased the past two days. She expected him to oppose every tech-sharing proposal impacting Aeterna. She was sick of him.

  He also wasn’t important. Not anymore.

  Her eyes latched onto Security Chief Philbin, who pulled Amayas aside and said a few words. The Inventor nodded and smiled. They left the bridge together, Philbin’s deputy following behind.

  The plan moved along nicely.

  Kara waited for Dunston to finish her duties. The bridge emptied of delegates before the Captain joined Kara.

  “A beautiful speech, Ambassador,” Dunston said. “Heartfelt. I didn’t know the man, but you gave me a sense of him.”

  Kara felt impatient.

  “He died alone, and he never saw it coming. Captain, you’re going to allow me to do this my way. Yes?”

  “I will, but we mustn’t stray from the facts. He is a very influential figure. If we’re wrong, the fallout could be problematic.”

  “That’s why only a handful of people know what we’re about to do. If we’re wrong, we’ll sort it out.”

  Per their arrangement, Kara waited outside Dunston’s office until the Captain had time to engage Amayas in pleasantries. Thirty seconds felt like enough. She entered stone-faced with Philbin behind her. The Inventor looked up from the conference table with a slight nod. His eyes shifted between Kara and the Captain.

  Did he know?

  “Please, Ambassador,” Dunston said, “join us.”

  The Inventor waited for Kara to take a seat directly across.

  “I must compliment your lovely words for Hamilton,” he said.

  “Thank you. He deserved more.”

  “Indeed.” Amayas tapped his upper lip. “I wasn’t aware you’d be joining us. I’m talking to the Captain about how I built the Alliance.”

  Dunston maintained a gracious tone.

  “The Ambassador represents an Alliance world. I thought she might offer a valuable insight.”

  “Different perspectives. Yes. Absolutely.” He turned an eye toward Philbin, who stood at the door. “And your Security Chief? He’s also interested in my process?”

  “He has many interests. Earthers want to learn how to build interplanetary bonds. Your efforts are a template.”

  “Thank you, Captain. It’s nice to be appreciated.”

  If Amayas understood their deception, he showed no signs. Only a salesman with theatrical skills could have pulled together ten planets to common cause, Splinters or otherwise. He knew how to read the temperature and adapt to the moment.

  “I’m curious, Amayas,” the Captain said. “What are the most important lessons you’ve learned about empire-building?”

  He flexed a brow.

  “Oh? Is that what you’d call it, Captain? A loose economic union between ten planets, many of whom are economically distressed.”

  “Must an empire require a minimum number?”

  “I suppose not. Still, I never saw the Splinter Alliance fit the mold of an empire. Such a structure implies a central governing body.”

  “Or single ruler,” Kara added.

  “A tyrant?”

  “Maybe a freely elected leader. But I don’t think that’s feasible across so many light-years. Do you?”

  He sighed long and deep.

  “It would be chaotic. Yes.”

  “So, you’d need a person everybody could rally behind. A man with great charisma. Maybe someone who made the same promise to every planet and claimed he alone could change their fortunes.”

  “Such a man would need enormous wealth and a masterful power of persuasion.”

  She took care with her next words.

  “All he’d ask for in return is control. Sign over your freedom, and I’ll look after you.”

  Amayas tapped his fingers on the table’s edge.

  “Is that what I planned to do?”

  “I don’t know your motives, Inventor. I think that’s the point. No one does. Maybe you could tell us now?”

  “Hmph.” Amayas transported his eyes around the office and settled on Dunston. “I don’t think we’re here to discuss the Alliance.” To Kara: “Moments ago, you said farewell to a dear friend. You shifted gears in an instant. Does this relate to Hamilton?”

  He knew the answer, but Kara played along.

  “I’m curious. Ham recently followed you to your base of operations. We were surprised you set up shop two thousand light-years from Collectorate space.”

  “It’s actually not far at all, thanks to wormhole travel. Hamilton made me see reason. I’ll soon open a facility on an Alliance world.”

  “Oh? Which one?”

  “Undecided. We’ll be scouting real estate in the coming weeks.”

  “Huh.” She paused long enough to see whether Dunston or Philbin wanted to direct her off this path. They said nothing. “It’s strange. Ham’s official report was brief. He didn’t describe your facility or his experience. He only said you lived on an asteroid.”

  “There’s little to add, I’m afraid. I chose a humble refuge.”

  “Which you did everything in your power to hide.”

  “Your point?”

  “You formed a union of ten worlds, built technological marvels, and dumped millions of Splinters onto those planets free of charge. But you moved away to another sector of the galaxy. I don’t think your asteroid is a humble refuge. I think Ham had an eye-opening visit. I also think he withheld details for security reasons.”

  “Interesting.” His tapping intensified. “You just said think three times. I believe you want to accuse me of something, but you’re hesitant. You lack evidence, and you’re angry about losing Hamilton. What are you …?” He studied the room. “What are the three of you fishing for?”

  Dunston raised a hand suggesting Amayas keep his cool.

  “I apologize for bringing you here under false pretense. We have concerns, Amayas.”

  “About?”

  “Your relationship with Ham,” Kara said.

  “In what sense?”

  “You were the last person to see him alive.”

  He threw up his hands with a why-didn’t-you-say-so attitude.

  “Ah. That. After I heard where and when he died, I assumed witnesses would bring my name forward. For the record, I did not detect anything unusual in his demeanor. I left him in good stead.”

  “What did you talk about?”

  “Various issues linked to the conference. It was a very dry conversation, actually.”

  “You never discussed what happened at your asteroid?”

  “Not with any detail. Why does it matter, Ambassador?”

  “Ham didn’t trust you.”

  “A fact he made clear. I did not consider him a friend. He did spend the better part of a year hunting me.”

  “If I may,” Philbin said. “The secure cam shows you met for twenty minutes. You leaned in close to each other the entire time. At the end, you shook hands. Can you explain the contradiction?”

  “Hmm. I never said we didn’t respect each other, Mr. Philbin. I also find these questions disturbing and pointless. Again, if you have an accusation, please make it.”

  Philbin and Dunston shared a nod. The Security Chief tapped a hand-comm, igniting the plate at the table’s center. Several graphics and video overlays rose into holos. Kara sorted through them until she found the proper starting point.

  “Ham was not himself after he returned from your asteroid,” she said. “He wanted to meet my husband and me later to discuss important security issues. We never had the chance. What you see here are Ham’s private logs. Scylla’s new Captain was able to break through Ham’s command codes. It took him a whole day. Do you know what we found?”

  “I couldn’t possibly know.”

  Kara fought her rage. The man’s audacity was off the charts. Of course, he knew.

  “He described everything he learned at your asteroid. Forty screens. Much of it reads like a fantasy. Some of it’s terrifying. I’m not sure I believe all of it. But for the sake of argument, I’ll assume it’s true. If so, I understand why he didn’t go public.”

  Amayas held a stoic pose. He must have been brilliant at cards.

  “I’m at a disadvantage, Ambassador. What stood out?”

  “Many things. Caves with billions of Splinters. A room with giant glass structures called mirrors. He said you claimed they showed you the future. Then there’s this plan called the Genesis Defense. I read it three times. I can’t even …”

  “It’s madness. Yes?” Amayas sat up straight then leaned forward. “Either I’m mad, Ham was mad, or we’re all mad. You can’t decide.”

  “You admit it?”

  “Yes. Hamilton and I reached an agreement to withhold these secrets for now. I assumed he would write the report anyway.”

  Dunston shuffled uneasily.

  “Amayas, do you mean to say his information is accurate?”

  “Yes. This is why I was compelled to hide my location.”

  “The implications are …”

  “Far reaching, to say the least, Captain. If this information went public, you can’t imagine the backlash.”

  “I can,” Kara said. “You’d be ruined, this conference would collapse, and there’d be violence on every planet with Splinters. You would do anything to keep this secret, Amayas. Wouldn’t you?”

  “Given the right context? Yes.”

  “Would you murder the only man who knew?”

  Amayas banged his left fist on the table and snapped his fingers.

  “There. At last. The accusation. I wondered how long you’d take.”

  “What?”

  “From the time you walked into the room. I saw a number of possibilities within the future subsets. Most of them involved your husband being here, but the future is not a guarantee.”

  “Future subsets?”

  “A subset is an act of causality by an individual.”

  Kara saw Dunston and Philbin were as confused.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Did you kill Ham?”

  “I’ll try not to take offense, Ambassador. Hamilton died of a brain aneurysm.” He studied the room. “Unless he did not.”

  Kara scrolled through the holos and retrieved the autopsy report with graphics, as well as an image from the secure cams.

  “I’ll sum it up,” she said. “Ham died from a virus that attacked his nervous system. Someone introduced the virus through close contact.” She pointed to the highlighted area on the graphic. “Right here. That’s where it entered. A handshake, most likely, less than two hours before he died.”

  “That’s terrifying. I understand why you’d cover up the cause of his death. News of a murder onboard would not go over well.”

  Philbin said, “You don’t sound surprised, Amayas.”

  “I’m not. Nor am I upset you would accuse me, given what you know of my home base. Yes, I had an outstanding motive for killing Hamilton.” He pointed to the secure-cam still image. “And we did shake hands in our final encounter. I see your reasoning. Yet I’m not charged with a crime because you don’t believe I’d be so stupid.”

  “Desperate men …”

  “Do desperate things. Yes, Mr. Philbin. Luckily, I’m not desperate. Yet.” He focused on Kara. “I did not kill Hamilton. But I must be honest. I allowed him to die.”

  Kara pushed aside the holos, which hovered between her and the Inventor. Did she hear him right?