like so
many things at the estate. It was old when our ancestors first
plunged onto the world in a fiery ship after crossing the void.
I felt Hammerstein and his men before the
bells announced the arrival of the aircars this time. They came in
the morning as the moons set and the sun, blue and gleaming, lifted
itself with its intense glory among the cumulonimbus clouds, like
marshmallow mountains in the sky. Six Royal aircars came, like they
owned the clouds, which in a sense they did.
Father stood defiant at the
agents strolled coolly to the gate at the landing pads. “I’ve
considered your offer for my son to work with you on the case,
Officer Hammerstein. I think it’s best he not.”
I could feel Hammerstein’s
regret like a… “ heavy-metal core
drill ”…he thought, disappointed that he
would have to resort to intimidation.
“ Your family charter,
granted by Queen Altair. How many generations now?” Hammerstein
said darkly. “A shame if it were withdrawn, having been such a long
and fruitful benefit to you, and to yours.”
Now father’s eyes darkened. “You resort to
extortion? There are other Empaths! Why does it need to be the
boy?”
“ We’ve tried others. Older
Empaths are too sensitive. One died, another is in intensive care.
It is the boy’s very limitations that will make him at once useful
to the case, yet not in danger of damage. Any older and he too
would be of no utility. This case moves into the direct security of
our entire stellar system-this world, and all the others under the
dominion of the Royal family.”
I could feel father was
ready to hand the charter back rather than place me at risk. I
could also feel a deep sense of loyalty to the Royals. For many
generations they had stood excellent in good government of the
worlds under their care. “What is this case that you ask my child
to involve himself with? Such that ruins the minds of older
Empaths?”
I answered for Hammerstein,
“The Princess has been taken.”
All the people at the gate
exuded shock. My family for the revelation, the detectives that I
knew.
Vindication ran deep in
Hammerstein now, “The boy is right, and now you see, indeed, his
gift is true. I am the only one in this group that was aware of the
Princess’s abduction.”
He glared at me, solemn-yet sympathetic.
“Say no more about it, young man, of what you sense lest we are
alone.” Then, sharply, at his men: “A word from any of you and your
rank is gone and you’ll find yourselves transferred to the
loneliest moon in the belt.”
There came a clicking of heels. One of his
younger officers, a woman of great beauty and self discipline,
ached with the shock, and struggled with all her being to maintain
her composure.
Quite grand, such
discipline and depth of feeling. I will never forget her
overwhelming pain at the loss of the Princess, and her stolid chin
as she held back her tears, I think, as long as I live.
I determined then I should
find the Princess, with Hammerstein, and root out the devils who
did this. “Duty, father.” I stood, small but somehow towering now
in the minds of the detectives, “Duty and honor. For the Royal
family, for our own.”
“ Duty and honor,” he
whispered. “But the boy takes his personal android, and a
disser.
He tossed me his disser and
I caught it easily, knowing afore he announced it, and felt the generations of my forefathers (and a
particularly self possessed Grand Matron) land in my hands with
it.
A half smile curled up the
side of Hammerstein’s face, “But of course.”
And I gathered with the
Royal Security detectives and we took to the clouds in their
aircars. The last of the moons had faded and the volcano littered
Tangerine Sea glimmered beneath us. Thus began my first great
adventure.
I could feel mother’s fears as the estate
seemed to diminish with distance like a toy. A dark winter had of
her own had come now. I knew she would not feel the light and
warmth of Caldris again until
many things at the estate. It was old when our ancestors first
plunged onto the world in a fiery ship after crossing the void.
I felt Hammerstein and his men before the
bells announced the arrival of the aircars this time. They came in
the morning as the moons set and the sun, blue and gleaming, lifted
itself with its intense glory among the cumulonimbus clouds, like
marshmallow mountains in the sky. Six Royal aircars came, like they
owned the clouds, which in a sense they did.
Father stood defiant at the
agents strolled coolly to the gate at the landing pads. “I’ve
considered your offer for my son to work with you on the case,
Officer Hammerstein. I think it’s best he not.”
I could feel Hammerstein’s
regret like a… “ heavy-metal core
drill ”…he thought, disappointed that he
would have to resort to intimidation.
“ Your family charter,
granted by Queen Altair. How many generations now?” Hammerstein
said darkly. “A shame if it were withdrawn, having been such a long
and fruitful benefit to you, and to yours.”
Now father’s eyes darkened. “You resort to
extortion? There are other Empaths! Why does it need to be the
boy?”
“ We’ve tried others. Older
Empaths are too sensitive. One died, another is in intensive care.
It is the boy’s very limitations that will make him at once useful
to the case, yet not in danger of damage. Any older and he too
would be of no utility. This case moves into the direct security of
our entire stellar system-this world, and all the others under the
dominion of the Royal family.”
I could feel father was
ready to hand the charter back rather than place me at risk. I
could also feel a deep sense of loyalty to the Royals. For many
generations they had stood excellent in good government of the
worlds under their care. “What is this case that you ask my child
to involve himself with? Such that ruins the minds of older
Empaths?”
I answered for Hammerstein,
“The Princess has been taken.”
All the people at the gate
exuded shock. My family for the revelation, the detectives that I
knew.
Vindication ran deep in
Hammerstein now, “The boy is right, and now you see, indeed, his
gift is true. I am the only one in this group that was aware of the
Princess’s abduction.”
He glared at me, solemn-yet sympathetic.
“Say no more about it, young man, of what you sense lest we are
alone.” Then, sharply, at his men: “A word from any of you and your
rank is gone and you’ll find yourselves transferred to the
loneliest moon in the belt.”
There came a clicking of heels. One of his
younger officers, a woman of great beauty and self discipline,
ached with the shock, and struggled with all her being to maintain
her composure.
Quite grand, such
discipline and depth of feeling. I will never forget her
overwhelming pain at the loss of the Princess, and her stolid chin
as she held back her tears, I think, as long as I live.
I determined then I should
find the Princess, with Hammerstein, and root out the devils who
did this. “Duty, father.” I stood, small but somehow towering now
in the minds of the detectives, “Duty and honor. For the Royal
family, for our own.”
“ Duty and honor,” he
whispered. “But the boy takes his personal android, and a
disser.
He tossed me his disser and
I caught it easily, knowing afore he announced it, and felt the generations of my forefathers (and a
particularly self possessed Grand Matron) land in my hands with
it.
A half smile curled up the
side of Hammerstein’s face, “But of course.”
And I gathered with the
Royal Security detectives and we took to the clouds in their
aircars. The last of the moons had faded and the volcano littered
Tangerine Sea glimmered beneath us. Thus began my first great
adventure.
I could feel mother’s fears as the estate
seemed to diminish with distance like a toy. A dark winter had of
her own had come now. I knew she would not feel the light and
warmth of Caldris again until
Similar Books
