STORY: He waves a hand and the dozen AIs who surrounded you become red mist, floating away. You are alone, and a fifty-foot tall armored chieftain stands before you.
ALEJO: Alejo squares up, next to Tueller, shoulder to shoulder.
STORY: He takes a knee, looking down at you.
STORY: “Little humans.”
STORY: “Even now, you think you can battle us.”
STORY: “We have won.”
TUELLER: “We didn’t come here to battle.”
ALEJO: Alejo nods and shakes his head all at once.
STORY: “You have lost anyway.”
TUELLER: “So have you.”
TUELLER: “You just don’t know it yet.”
MILLICENT: Millie nods.
Chapter 99
TUELLER: Tueller handles the two minutes of getting off a call politely, and then hangs up.
TUELLER: “Sorry, Bwana. I know you don’t like to wait, but Mr. Caro needs his ego stroked and these talks are very delicate.”
TUELLER: Tueller stands up and walks over to her, and takes her hand gingerly in his.
TUELLER: “How are you feeling?”
STORY: Esinam looks at you a long time, her head tilted slightly forward.
STORY: “Ousted.”
TUELLER: Tueller smiles, at a loss for words.
TUELLER: “Sure, I guess you could put it that way.”
STORY: She nods.
STORY: “All right. I’m going to catch up on some tv.”
STORY: She starts to leave.
TUELLER: Tueller is having trouble knowing what to say next, he keeps opening his mouth to speak, and rethinking on it.
TUELLER: “I love you, sis. I’m glad you’re up.”
STORY: “Thanks.”
TUELLER: “And when you catch up a little, and feel well rested, you should dive into our projects. I think you’re going to be amazed at what we’re doing with it all.”
STORY: “Good luck, little brother. Don’t get us blown up.”
TUELLER: “No promises, sis.”
Chapter 98
STORY: Ryo straggles in and asks the nurse at the desk for an ice pack. She finds him one. He sits between Alejo and Tueller on the waiting bench.
STORY: “This is not how I expected my week to go.”
ALEJO: “It’s been something. I agree.” Alejo looks over to Tueller. “Being the boss suits you. I think you might just be ready for it. For real this time.”
STORY: “Jesus, no. Why do people keep offering me that job?”
STORY: “Under no circumstances do I want to run this planet.”
TUELLER: “I think he was talking to me.”
ALEJO: Alejo smiles.
TUELLER: “I have the same instinctive response.”
STORY: “Oh. Good. Yes.”
STORY: “Although it sounds like… I mean, what they’re doing in there? Maybe you don’t need to.”
STORY: “You know, if she’s coming out of there her normal self, you may want to be gone before she does.”
TUELLER: “I’m here for her. Good or bad.”
Chapter 97
TUELLER: “Well, you have a certain situational cowardice that will serve you well if you survive long enough to take the top spot here.”
STORY: “I have absolutely no interest in that.”
STORY: “And I think you know that. It would be suicide to take that job, especially as someone outside the families.”
TUELLER: “Is there an official order of succession, by the by?”
STORY: You hear a chuckle.
STORY: “You don’t want to know.”
TUELLER: “It’s not me, is it?”
STORY: “She had me update everything six weeks ago, when you got out.”
STORY: “Was going to talk to you about it. But that was during… a more cogent week for her.”
TUELLER: “Oh no.”
Chapter 80
TUELLER: “This is literally messianic, Millie.”
MILLICENT: Millie nods.
STORY: Calixta blows air out of her mouth.
TUELLER: “Except instead of saving the human race you’re now talking about saving the universe.”
MILLICENT: “I. I know it’s big.”
STORY: “I call the one with the sword.”
STORY: “The flaming sword? Right?”
STORY: “I always wanted a flaming sword.”
TUELLER: “The flaming sword was what was used to keep people out of Eden.”
MILLICENT: “Uriel.” Millie says absently.
STORY: “Well this time we’ll let them in with it, smarty pants.”
Chapter 79
MILLICENT: “We need a supercomputer. Well, we need a network of supercomputers. And they must be in the Sol system.”
RYO: Ryo nods and tilts his head thoughtfully, listening for the rest of the details.
MILLICENT: “And I doubt anyone who owns such an array in the Sol system will be amenable to the idea of Noma and myself commandeering their use so we can peer under the hood of the most advanced and crucial tech in the system.”
STORY: Calixta moves over to a console. “You mind?”
RYO: “Please.”
STORY: She pulls up a star chart.
STORY: Pointing at the current locations of the planets in the system, she explains. “Got a couple options. We can all become priests and use the Exodus supercomputer on Enceladus. We can break into Chandra’s base on Titan, good luck with that one, or, well, there’s Io.”
STORY: “But I suspect Esinam Ya’Makasi isn’t interested in letting us borrow some time on her rig.”
STORY: “So basically we’re fucked three ways.”
MILLICENT: “One of three ways.”
MILLICENT: “Now we must simply choose the manner of our fucking.”
RYO: Ryo nods in agreement. “Spoiled for choice.”
Chapter 34
STORY: Wen looks at the group of you, gesturing to Alejo. “You gave me your blessing, man.”
ALEJO: Alejo goes back to get Aki, who is still looking up to Wen. “We gotta go.” He says this softly.
STORY: Alejo, Akilah takes your hand, without looking away from Wen. She shakes her head sadly.
STORY: “Tueller, you were my best man!”
STORY: He’s just sputtering at this point.
TUELLER: “You’re better off not being part of this family, man. I’m sorry.”
TUELLER: Tueller looks mildly sorry.
ALEJO: Alejo closes his eyes for a moment. “Jesus.” He looks up to Wen again. “I’m sorry, Wen. I truly am.” He squeezes Aki’s hand and heads, with her, to the shuttle.
STORY: Wen just looks pathetically at the scene. Akilah turns away and hustles to the shuttle.
MILLICENT: Millie waves at Wen. “Sorry! Good luck with the in-laws!”
Chapter 33
STORY: You drop something and lean over, whispering as you touch the spot below your neck that activates the walkie, and just as you’re getting through “Kahn, ev–” you are greeted with Ezio’s smiling face, bent down right next to yours.
STORY: He grabs you roughly by the arm. “Wouldn’t do that, Millie.”
MILLICENT: Millie glares daggers at Ezio. “You should leave now and forget you ever saw me. I know you don’t think you’re in danger, but believe you me, if you stick around you’re going to wish you hadn’t.” And Millie closes the channel to Kahn.
STORY: Kahn comes in on the earpiece. “Roger that. Alejo knows the all clear.” And he cuts out.
STORY: Ezio scowls at you. “Aw, and we were just starting to get along. Listen, this is going to go a _lot_ easier if you play nice.”
Chapter 32
STORY: The guard gives you a narrowed eyelids look, Alejo.
STORY: “He security?” he asks Tueller.
TUELLER: “_My_ security, yes.”
ALEJO: Alejo plays the role, stiff and somber.
STORY: He nods, letting you both pass.
ALEJO: “You know I’m getting very drunk, right,” Alejo mutters, once they are past the guards.
Chapter 19
STORY: “So, Soto, given that I can’t suss you out indirectly, I’d like you to tell me why I should send my baby brother into space with a double agent.”
TUELLER: “In his defense, he has saved my life multiple times.”
TUELLER: Tueller sounds meeker than you’ve heard him.
STORY: “Now why would he do that?”
STORY: She turns her back to the three of you, watching out the window behind her desk.
TUELLER: “He’s my co-captain.”
ALEJO: “He’s my family.” Alejo hits the middle word. “Cards on the table? I really was a triple agent. Or quadruple. I lose count. The point is that I am good at what I do. I choose this. It’s not about masters and debts. It’s about choice.”
ALEJO: “I’d take a bullet for Tueller.”
MILLICENT: “I don’t want to derail the issue but I am also a co-captain.”