Chapter 68: The secrets we carry

Chapter 68: The secrets we carry

The machine was beautiful. Easily a dozen feet long, it was slender and delicate, fashioned from sinews and plates of steel and gold, and veined with divine diamond that gave off a pulsing glow. A large depression near the front could serve as seating, and James realized the whole of it was like a kind of motorbike without wheels, elongated and with ivory wings emblazed along the side; the wings werent functional, he saw, but more a stylistic effect, a symbolic decoration.

Everybody pressed in close, admiring. There were handlebars near the front, but no instrument panel, no obvious mode of ignition, nothing that compared to a machine. How did it turn on?

Jessica stepped in close and touched one of the handlebars, her expression one of naked awe.

Well done, chief, said Captain Torres, his grin nearly splitting his face. Looks like we scored another first.

Damn, said Denzel, head bobbing from one side to the other as he examined it from all angles. Hows it work?

Im not sure, said Jessica, her tone distant. Its not intelligent, nor aware, even, but

James crouched beside it and realized the Angel Wing was hovering a couple of inches off the ground. Taken aback, he raised his gaze back and forth, but no, there was nothing holding it up.

Its flying, said one of the operators from Crimson Dragon. Its actually flying.

Lets give the chief some room, barked Captain Torres. Platoons, step back.Ñøv€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

People reluctantly did so.

Jessica? James looked to her. Thoughts? It come out right?

I think so. She trailed her fingertips over one of the stylized ivory wings set down the length of the craft. It feels right.

You know how to fly it?

Hmm? She looked up at James and blinked. Me? Oh. No. I mean, I think I do, but it responds to Arete. It has its own internal power source; literally anybody could fly it, but that would drain the Aeviternum. Its better if the rider fuels it with their Arete.

What happens if it runs out? asked James. Would it fall apart?

No, but it would become unresponsive. Id need to awaken it again with a new ritual. Minor in comparison, but inconvenient. So. She looked up briskly and smiled. Want to take it for a spin?

Me? Jamess eyes widened. You made it.

But my Arete is pitiful compared to yours. That, and it feels right for you to take it out for the first time.

Maybe, but this is your creation. You definitely get first dibs.

Oh enough already, interjected Serenity. Why dont you both take it out?

James eyed the seat. There was definitely room for two. He glanced up to Jessica, who adjusted her glasses. I suppose we could, she said.

James went to protest again, but saw Serenity roll her eyes and smiled sheepishly. All right. I guess thats a decent compromise.

Carefully, hesitantly, he moved up alongside the Angel Wing and swung a leg over the seat. Settled, felt the craft dip an inch under him, then rise back up as if it were floating on the air.

Jessica moved up behind him, swung her leg over as well, and sat. I think you have to connect with it. Grasp the handles.

James hadnt felt this nervous since that first time, a lifetime ago, when hed first taken a motorbike out onto the I95. He wiped his palms on his pants then leaned forward to grip the handlebars.

They were of textured gold, and the moment his fingers closed around them a new sense of the Angel Wing blossomed in his mind: he felt it as much the same way Jessica had described her bond to her mechanicus, an extension of himself. He felt its beating heart, powered by an incredibly dense nucleus of Aeviternum. Its Throne of Reason was embedded within the Wings body just beneath the handlebars, and felt not alive, but vital, quickened, responsive, ready. It reached out to him, powered by its Helm of whatever, and James felt a spiritual click as he synchronized with the Wing.

Which immediately lifted another foot into the air, causing Jessica to cry out and clutch at him in shock.

There we go, he said, and just like that he knew how to fly it. Control was intuitive, and he felt his divine power begin to whisper into the heart, activating the entirety of the Wing through its Adiaphoron Network.

He turned the handles and the Wing slowly pitched around to the right, causing the platoons to yell out in good humor and fall back.

You all right back there? he asked.

Fine. No safety belts. Just realized.

Well, hold on. Here we go. He looked over to Torres. Be right back, captain.

Torres laughed, his eyes shining. Enjoy the ride, Master Sergeant.

James willed the Wing to nose forward, and they glided over the pile of steel pipes, smooth as silk, their feet bumping against the topmost and then they slid through the parking level like a surfboard pushed across the surface of a still swimming pool.

Go faster! yelled Serenity.

James chuckled and willed the Wing to move a little quicker; they eased around a huge cement column, glided down the lane, and then nosed into the exit ramp. The Wings nose yawed up, but James felt a strange pull keeping him tight on the seat; it wasnt quite the same feeling hed experienced while riding the Killer Eggs outside platform, but the effect was similar.

A security bar crossed the top of the ramp beside the security booth, and James pushed the Wing a little faster as they slid up the ramp, cleared the bar, and emerged into the dusk.

Sparse traffic was going up and down the avenue, most of it still focused on the Emergency Management building up the street. One of the cars slammed on its horn and then abruptly stopped, the man within staring at them with bulging eyes as James turned the Wing up the avenue and pushed it even faster.

Jessica was gripping his arms tightly, but now slid her arms around his stomach as they flew six feet above the street, sliding up the avenue effortlessly.

This as high as it goes? she called.

James grinned. Hold on.

And he willed the Wing to rise, its nose climbing, and just like that they flew higher, first one story, then two, then three.

Im fine. It felt more like an assertion than anything else. Obviously theres a lot of pressure. But Im working well with OShea. Hes not quite as focused as I think necessary, but he knows how the army works, and thats enough.

Is anybody focused enough for you?

She snorted. Star Boy can achieve brief bursts of impressive productivity if hes sufficiently caffeinated and isolated.

Fair. He stared out at the city but didnt see it. Thought of what Star Boy had told him of Jessicas past. But youre taking care of yourself? This is a marathon, not a sprint. You keep burning the candle at both ends youll burn out altogether.

I know. She sighed, and he felt surprised; hed genuinely expected her to deflect him again. But theres too much to be done, and Ive always been terrible at delegating. Im fine, James. I promise.

Did he believe her? He knew she wanted him to, but

That, she continued, and wed not be sitting here now if I took things easy. Now that weve got proof of concept, Im going to refine my process and see if we cant get a production assembly line going. Weve millions of Fabricators in the city. If we can organize them, create - I dont know - an engineer corpse like the armys, a parallel to Blue Light - what?

James grinned out into the darkness. Nothing.

There was a moment of baffled silence. No, its not nothing. She punched him lightly again. What did I say that was so funny?

Its not corpse. Its corps, like an apple core.

No it isnt.

Yes, actually. It is.

Another pause. Oh. Oh. Thats why Serenity loves it so much. Why didnt she tell me?

Because he trailed off. Because youre almost overwhelmingly competent? I think she appreciates your having some hint of not being infallible.

She thinks Im infallible?

I think we all do at this point.

Another silence, and James had to resist the urge to turn around and glance at her.

Well, Im not. Jessica suddenly sounded subdued. Believe me James, I am far, far from being overwhelmingly anything.

Now he did turn. She was frowning out over the city, lips pursed, glasses catching the myriad reflections. What is it?

Hmm? She blinked at him. Nothing. Just - feel free to tell Serenity not to be so impressed. None of us really know each other, do we? Her gaze was direct, her expression raw, open. The secrets we carry. The sides to us nobody else sees.

True. He remained twisted around. Anything you want to share?

Me? She laughed. Oh no. Not at all. Forget I said anything. What was I saying? A Battle Engineer Corps. This time she said it right, without even an ironic emphasis. If we could mass produce Angel Wings it would be of huge benefit. What if Nem3 can fly?

True. James turned back to the city with a pang of frustration. For a moment there shed seemed ready to lower her guard.

Then he scowled. What was he angling for? She was over ten years younger than him. And clearly not even aware of how idiotic his thoughts were. Which they were. Given that there was nothing going on here.

So. This has clearly been a successful run. Now to refine the process, share the data, and mass produce. One day, who knows? We could be fielding entire platoons on Angel Wings. That, and these are the very lowest ranked models.

Jamess interest perked. Oh yeah?

Indeed. I leveled, incidentally, upon creating the Wing before. Fabricator 3, which has opened up a new series of items I can create, one of which is the Archangel Wing.

No shit? Whats that like?

If this is a, I dont know, scout ship, then I get the impression an Archangel is more of an armored presidential sedan.

Hard to make?

He heard more than saw her smile. Oh yes. Im going to have to study these new plans for a while. New components, the works. But for now we can get to work on making more Wings.

Yeah, for sure. James rubbed his thumb across his other palm. Ready to head back down.

Yes. She sounded so decisive, clear, focused. Weve a lot of work to do.

Right, yeah. He willed the Wing to rise.

And James?

He paused, didnt look back. Yeah?

She pressed her palm against his back. Thank you. For everything. I dont know if Ive ever told you how much of a difference youve made. Though obviously you know, what I mean is, clearly She trailed off. Clearly youre an incredible asset to our team, and Im honored to be working with you. Ive worked with my fair share of terrible bosses, but youre easily head and shoulders above them all.

James smiled tiredly. Mighty nice of you to say. But like some wise lady once said, I am far, far from being overwhelmingly anything.

She snorted. Ha ha.

Ha ha indeed. Hold on.

And before she could reply he urged the Wing over the buildings rating wall and pointed the nose straight down.

Jessicas scream trailed them all the way down, her arms clamped around his waist like iron bands. They leveled out at the last moment to speed down the avenue, and her screams turned to outraged laughter.

She kept holding him, though, and he grinned all the way back to the Marriott.