“Your disclosure is appreciated. Protective ordnance is permitted by both the Cacitrum Governing Council and the Warden.”

  I shivered at the machine’s mention of the foppish pseudo-god.

  “What can you tell us about the Warden?” Ben asked.

  “All must follow the edicts of the Warden. No more needs to be said.”

  “Who is he, though?” Alyssa asked.

  “No more needs to be said,” the robot repeated.

  “You can’t tell us anything else about him?” Tyler inquired.

  “No more needs to be said.”

  “It kind of does,” he pressed.

  “I am detecting unnecessary hostility,” the robot said, shifting its weapon toward Tyler.

  “Whoa! Sorry,” Tyler cried, putting up his hands, palms out. “I’m not hostile at all, see?” He spread his lips into a huge grin. “I’m very friendly in fact.”

  The robot returned its rifle to its original position. “This will not take long.”

  It was right. Within a couple of minutes, the rest of the machines emerged from the elevator and descended the steps to join it. The chief pivoted smoothly to address Ben.

  "Preliminary inspection complete. This vessel matches no known configurations in our database, but internal systems are unremarkable. I detect no obvious contraband nor indications of potential hostility against Cacitrum interests. You are conditionally granted surface access for a period of thirty days. You may apply with the local Port Authority in any of our beautiful cities to extend your stay.”

  It extended a slender metallic card emblazoned with an official government seal and strings of alien symbols. Smiling, Ben accepted it.

  "That is your temporary entry pass," it explained. "Do not lose or damage this pass prior to completing planetary registration. Display your entry pass to starport officials upon arrival. I will relay orders to orbital defense releasing you from detention. Safe travels, Captain.”

  “Thank you.”

  It nodded crisply and exited toward the umbilical corridor, its companions falling silently in line behind it. The station’s airlock door hissed closed in their wake.

  "Well, that was easy," Matt said. “Anyone else think those robots looked familiar?”

  "Too easy if you ask me,” Tyler replied.

  Ben waved the entry pass, frowning. “Let’s get this bucket registered so we can find Levain and get this side quest wrapped up. Getting back to Earth is the priority, not running errands for the Warden.”

  We had to wait at the top of the steps for a couple of minutes while the elevator batteries recharged to power the sigils. After a short silence, Tyler once again broke the ice.

  “So, do you think this whole planet is populated and run by machines?” he asked. “I have a vision of little robot babies in floating bassinets, like ugly steel Baby Yodas.”

  “Why would machines need cities?” I asked. “They could exist entirely as unique programs within massive data centers. The only machines that would need to take physical form would be the ones responsible for providing power to run the data centers.”

  “What if they’re sentient machines? They might like the nightlife.”

  “They could build simulations of any experience they wanted to have. If their intellect is a construct, then all of reality can become a construct.”

  “You mean like the Matrix.”

  “Sort of. The Matrix was a prison for the human mind. The free machines all lived in the post-apocalypse outside. Kind of a crappy existence, when you think about how it was depicted.”

  “That’s why Cypher had it right,” Tyler agreed. “I even wrote a paper about it for my social studies class.”

  “This conversation is even a little too geeky, even for me,” Alyssa said.

  “Ben’s tried to have similar conversations with me,” Matt said. “I just nod my head and smile until he wears himself out.”

  “I’m not that bad,” Ben argued.

  “You used to be. Not as much anymore.”

  The elevator cab arrived, and we hurried back up to the flight deck, retaking our positions at the different stations.

  “Station Control,” Ben said. “Requesting permission to disembark.”

  “Permission granted, Head Case,” the same voice as the Orbital Defense controller replied. “You are clear for departure to the surface. Please select a spaceport so appropriate approach coordinates can be provided.”

  “Apologies, Control. I’m not that familiar with Cacitrum. I don’t really know where to go.”

  “What is your business on the planet?” Control replied. “If you seek trade, you will land at Caspsus. If you seek recreation, Iona. If you seek employment as a cargo transport or mercenary, Portus.”

  “Employment as a mercenary?” Tyler said. “That sounds fun.”

  “What if we’re looking for a specific individual?” Ben asked. “We don’t know much about them. Only a name. We were hired to deliver a message to him.”

  “Provide the name.”

  “Levain,” Ben said.

  “Are you certain this is the individual you have been hired to contact?”

  Ben’s expression reflected sudden confusion and concern. “Yes, why?”

  “You are cleared for departure,” Control replied, ignoring the question. “Do not deviate from the assigned approach coordinates, or you will be considered in violation of your clearance and considered hostile. Thank you for visiting Cacitrum. Have a nice day.”

  CHAPTER 41

  The comms disconnected and the docking clamps released. A small burst of air shoved us away from the docking arm, sending us drifting out toward the incoming traffic before Matt had a chance to ignite the main thrusters.

  “Damn it,’ he cursed, scrambling to prep Head Case for flying. “Noah, grab the stick.”

  I didn’t hesitate, ready to take control the moment the engines fired up. Some quick cajoling kept us from slipping outside the approach vector station control provided. Good thing, too. The orbital defense starfighters had adjusted course to intercept.

  “Like sharks circling a seal,” Tyler said, noticing their movements.

  “Atmospheric entry in fifteen minutes,” Matt announced, checking our flight path.

  I kept my attention glued to my surround feed, careful to remain in the designated lane while our escorts flanked us. Cacitrum’s continents—the broad mountain chains, verdant forests, and green plains giving way to silver cities heavy with activity—gained definition as we descended. Outgoing starships, launched from the same spaceport where we’d been cleared to land, climbed past on our left.

  “Does anyone else think it’s weird that control knew who we were looking for from a single name?” Tyler asked.

  “Maybe Levain really is famous,” Alyssa suggested. “That would explain why the request surprised him.”

  “And why control didn’t answer your question, Ben,” I added. “He’s probably like, who the hell doesn’t know Levain?”

  “If that’s the case, Levain won’t be easy to reach,” Ben said. “Famous folks have entourages, bodyguards, maybe even a security detail. The whole nine yards.”

  “We still have plenty of time to deliver the message before the Warden gets restless.”

  “That worries me, too. He probably expects it to take days for us to get an audience. And I’m sure it won’t be easy or there would be no entertainment value watching us try.”

  “Have I mentioned that I hate this yet today?” Ally said.

  “You just filled your quota,” Tyler replied.

  Matt’s estimate for atmospheric entry was right on the mark, and within fifteen minutes, we were pushing through the upper layers, the ship’s shields easily deflecting the heat. Completing our ingress, I shifted my view to take in the landscape below, eager for a closer glimpse of the city we were approaching.

  Perched at the end of a continental peninsula, the gleaming metropolis stood out like a beacon of prosperity. I’d never seen such incredible architecture. Impressive in size, shape, and material, every towering skyscraper had a different appeal. Every green space was perfectly designed to merge with the lower-lying structures. It was definitely a purposely designed city, not one that had merely sprung haphazardly up at a convenient spot.

  My gaping jerked up short as the spaceport came into view. I had expected a continuation of the opulent design. Instead, my eyes landed on a utilitarian enclosure taking up miles of precious waterfront property. The concrete tarmac intermingled with a huge, blocky terminal structure and its support structures created the most severe-looking checkerboard I had ever seen. Landing bays, lined with cracked asphalt that was thick with weeds, occupied every other space on the board while ancient-looking control towers looked down on the facility, their stone walls crumbling like the buildings of ancient Rome.

  "What a dump,” Tyler muttered, voicing my own thoughts. “Are you sure we've got the right place?"

  “These are the coordinates station control gave us.” Matt shrugged.

  “The spaceport doesn’t look like much,” Ben said. “But the city proper beats anything I’ve ever seen before.”

  “Apparently, this is Portus,” Alyssa said.

  “The mercenary city?” Tyler asked. “Sweet.”

  “I guess that explains the gunships at the far end of the tarmac,” I said, pointing to a trio of sleek gray vessels bristling with firepower, nestled within three of the landing bays.

  “And the line of cargo transports sitting in the loading zones,” Matt agreed.

  “Incoming starship Head Case,” the familiar voice said over the comms. “You’re cleared to land in bay thirty-seven.”

  Like before, lights activated to indicate the proper bay and our positioning on our final approach. Unlike before, I handled the landing without fear. Head Case settled gently onto the tarmac, surrounded by the concrete walls of the spaceport. A pair of blast doors within one of the walls parted. A single humanoid robot marched toward the ship.

  “Here we go again,” Tyler said.

  “Relax. It’s probably just coming out to greet us and answer any questions we might have,” Ben said. “Noah, do you want to wait here or come with us?”

  “Are you kidding?” I replied.

  Ben tapped his comm badge. “Leo, I need you on the flight deck to manage the ship.”

  “On my way, Captain.”

  “Poor Leo never gets to be part of the away team?” Alyssa asked.

  “He’s fine with it,” Matt replied. “His idea of adventure is tearing apart a new hyperdrive.”

  “That does sound pretty fun,” I said. “But not as fun as checking out a new alien world.”

  “One more question,” Alyssa said. “We’re supposed to deliver a message to Levain. But either the Warden didn’t give us one, or we have to find it.”

  “There’s no hidden message in the datastore,” Ben said. “Leo and Meg spent most of the trip looking for it.”

  “Isn’t it possible they missed it?”

  “Well sure, it’s possible. But then it’s not a message that wants to be found. Anyway, we’re out of time searching for it. The way I see it, if the Warden wants us to deliver a message, he’ll make sure we have it when the time comes.”

  “That’s really what we’re going with?” Tyler asked.

  “The Warden said as long as we tried,” I said. “We tried.”

  “I wonder why he made that promise to us when he didn’t make it to the Achai,” Alyssa said.

  “I guess he just likes us better,” Tyler said. “I don’t blame him.”

  “We need to go,” Ben said, rising from his station.

  For the second time in half an hour, we headed down to the hangar. Ben had Levi open the entire hangar bay door, splitting Head Case’s grin into a huge open mouth, the ramp descending to the tarmac like a tongue. I thought maybe I should leave my blaster behind until I noticed Matt still had his, and I figured he knew better than me. I also thought about leaving the Aleal behind, but I knew Shaq was hiding somewhere in Ben’s coat, and besides, I was sure the little guy wouldn’t be any trouble.

  “Greetings. Welcome to Cacitrum,” the robot waiting for us said as we descended onto the planet’s surface.

  Overhead, unlike on Earth, the nearly cloudless sky took on a turquoise cast. Hanging front and center, the planet’s star seemed larger than ours, or perhaps it was closer to Cacitrum than our sun was to Earth, but it shone more white than yellow. Unlike the stifling heat and humidity of Goldhaven, a springlike breeze kept the environment nice and comfy.

  “Please present your access credentials for processing,” the robot continued. Ben handed the robot the card he had received earlier. It touched the card with its palm. “You have thirty days remaining on your current credentials. Please see a local port authority if you require an extension. Enjoy your visit.” The robot turned to leave.

  “Wait,” Ben said. It stopped and turned around, waiting expectantly. “We’ve never been on Cacitrum before. We don’t know where we’re going. We could use some directions.”

  “Of course. Once you enter the terminal here, you will either walk or take a transport to the main processing facility. If you intend to apply for employment or contracting work, buy, sell, or trade goods, or otherwise earn an income from your visit to Cacitrum, you must be fully processed. If you are here purely for leisure, you may advance through the processing facility and board a high-speed transport into Portus.”

  “And is there a directory or something I can use to locate a specific person? I’m looking for Levain.”

  “Are you certain?” The robot asked.

  “Yes,” Ben repeated. “Why?”

  Before the machine could answer, the twin blast doors into the terminal parted again. A handful of different style robots marched in, carrying weapons. These were black instead of the greeter bot’s silver, with smaller heads and no activity lights.

  “You are dismissed,” one of the new bots said to the greeter. It didn’t argue, turning and walking away as if everything about this was perfectly normal.

  “Captain?” I questioned nervously.

  Ben turned his head to glance up and back at Head Case’s closest camera, signaling to Leo. While the turrets behind us didn’t move, I could visualize him activating the systems in preparation.

  “You are here to see Levain?” The lead bot asked.

  “That’s right,” Ben replied.

  “We are authorized to transport you to him. You will leave your weapons behind.”

  “I’m not sure that’s an agreeable demand,” Matt said.

  “You will leave your weapons behind,” the bot repeated.

  “It can’t be this easy,” Tyler said. “Something’s up.”

  “It’s the Warden,” Ally added. “There’s a trick to this. There has to be.”

  “We are authorized to transport you to him. You will leave your weapons behind.”

  “Yeah, we heard you the first time, man,” Tyler said. “And don’t think about turning your weapon on me. I might be a visitor, but I feel pretty confident you aren’t allowed to just gun me down in cold blood.”

  “You are correct,” the bot replied. “Murder is prohibited in this venue.”

  The modifier sent a chill down my spine. Tyler’s face paled.

  “We are authorized to transport you to Levain. You will leave your weapons behind.”

  “Who is Levain?” Ben asked.

  “You will meet him soon. You will leave your weapons behind.”

  “Repetitive, aren’t they?” Alyssa said.

  “Seriously, even Grok has more varied responses,” I replied. “Ben, what should we do?”

  “You and I will go with the bots,” Ben answered. “The rest of us will wait here, just in case.”

  “You want to bring Noah instead of me?” Matt asked, confused.

  “No. But the Warden has given Noah more direct attention than anyone else. If this is a game or a trick, I think it’s better to have him with me to help figure things out.”

  “You should at least let me come with you, then,” Tyler said. “You might need a little muscle, and let’s be honest. Noah doesn’t have any.”

  Ben considered before nodding. “Okay, Matt, you stay here with Ally. Stay ready for Plan B.”

  “What’s Plan B?” Tyler asked.

  “Hopefully we won’t need one,” Matt said. “Be safe. All of you.”

  “We are authorized to transport you to Levain. You will leave your weapons behind.”

  “Geez, we know already,” Tyler groaned, undoing the straps to his sidearm. He passed the holstered weapon to Matt. I did the same.

  “You will follow us,” the lead bot said. It turned on its heel and marched away, the other robots right behind it.

  “Noah!” Ally said before we could follow. As I turned, she threw her arms around me, hugging me tight. “Be careful.”

  “I will,” I replied.

  “Where’s my hug?” Tyler complained after she backed away.

  “I’m sure the Aleal would be happy to hug you,” Alyssa replied.

  “Uh, no thanks.”

  “Come on,” Ben urged. “We don’t want to lose them, and they aren’t waiting up.” The robots had already vanished inside the terminal.

  “This is a bad idea,” I said as we hurried to catch them. “And I don’t trust any part of it.”

  “Me neither,” Ben replied. “But we have to play the Warden’s game, at least for now. We don’t have a choice.”

  “For now,” I agreed.

  CHAPTER 42

  The robots marched swiftly across the landing zone, disappearing through the open doorway. Ben, Tyler and I scrambled to catch up before we could lose them. Crossing the threshold into the structure, the next thing I noticed after catching sight of the robots was a large banner hanging from the high ceiling. In full color and printed so that it appeared fully three-dimensional, I was only mildly surprised to find the Warden’s larger-than-life grin beaming back at me, his pearly whites gleaming and his eyes glittering like stars. The message beneath his mug, on the other hand, did come as a shock.