The Destiny Dance

"Good," she said. "This may take a while -- can I get a bowl of soup?"

* * *

An hour and two bowls of hot chowder literally gorfed down her gullet later, she sent the gLUM off chasing its own tail. Unfortunately she also made a disturbing discovery.

"The net came here looking for illegally held data about a human,"Athowyn said quietly. "A human male. It was set to erase the data and flag the place for extermination. Would you know anything about that?"

"My techs intercepted a data burst from the Keep a month ago," Ola said. "It appeared to show that the Caer'Nin have been holding a human prisoner -- a high-ranking member of their fleet -- somewhere in the Sprawl."

"Where was the burst directed?"

"Deep underground, to what we thought was a long abandoned microbiology lab."

"My father re-activated them after mother decoded the Avarian genome," Athowyn said quietly. "He built his virus in labs like that. When you said the Caer'Nin are a stain upon the sprawl, you were not exaggerating -- and no, I have no idea who this human might be and why he's there."

"Someone does, though," Ola hinted.

"Yep," Athowyn agreed. "We've got to find that human ... why would they keep him alive?"

* * *

At least they had made a decent effort to hide their tracks: they had shunted the human's very existence down mutating encryption matrices that even she found annoyingly complex. Somebody on dear daddy's payroll was earning their pay.

She was stuck until Tommi -- crouched on his haunches next to the display -- noted, "If you invert that algorithm, you'll get a false positive run, which you then load into the next search ..." -- that it suddenly made sense.

"Now why didn't I think of that?" Athowyn mumbled.

"No augments," Tommi teased. "Generally dull intellect. Slow learner. Mind still frazzled by the destiny dance." His eyebrows arched quizzically in her direction.

Athowyn blushed at the thought of what she had done on that dance floor. With Bolly. With others. There was something she'd been wondering about ...

"Do Avarians ever have sex ... alone?"

"You wouldn't believe how many times I've had sex alone," Tommi claimed grimly. "There was this one time, in the shower --"

"No, no, Tommi," Athowyn interrupted quickly. "I meant, as couples ... without others watching."

"Privacy is a rare treat in the Sprawl," Tommi said.

The display beeped at her.

"Found him," she said. "Now who might you be, and why are you so important to my father?"

Athowyn's mind buzzed with excitement over the idea that she might yet meet an actual human being who was not her mom; who might give her insight into herself, and her kind, and why her father despised her so.

Even if her father were not scheming to use the human somehow, she might still want to seek him out -- just to get a glimpse into herself.

"Go find Bolly," she said. "There's someplace we need to be."

Chapter 8

"Do you see them?" Bolly asked her quietly. "They're in plain view; not even hiding."

The two well armed mercenaries across the street from them appeared to be lounging around with no particular purpose; yet they never strayed far from an old carbon composite door that looked years unused.

"It's probably a trap then," Tommi wondered. He was scanning down the right side of the street; Bolly peered left. Athowyn nervously kept her eyes on the two hired goons straight ahead. Buildings loomed upward twenty stories all around, blocking out most of the sky.

"Most like," Bolly added quietly.

Over Ola's strenuous objections, they had taken the van deep into the Sprawl, to the facility where the human was being held. Only after Athowyn had found a remote back-door into the facility had Ola relented and agreed to let them go. It was dangerous enough as it was.

They were huddled behind an ages old, burned out delivery truck that gave them some measure of cover.

Bolly lowered his scope and said cautiously, "This side of the street is clear -- if there's anybody in a window they're too far away to be effective."

"Same here," Tommi grinned. His genetic sight augmentations had given him a far more effective scan than even Bolly would have gotten through the scope.

"Here's the plan," Bolly said. "You two wander across the street like you're drunk. Distract them. I'll take them out from back here when their heads are turned." He lifted his long rifle into position.

Athowyn's belly knotted hard at the sudden thought of murder. She reminded herself that her father chose this dark path for them all, deliberately, without remorse; here might be their only means to stop whatever it was he was planning for their world. Her resolve hardened.

"Come on," she said grimly, putting her arm around Tommi. "We're wasting time."

As they stumbled 'drunkenly' into view around the rusted old hulk, Athowyn wondered loudly, "Lara was gorgeous -- are you two a couple now?"

Tommi laughed. The two guards turned toward them, not letting them out of their sight. Good, Athowyn thought. That was all the time Bolly would need.

The two guards crumpled like dolls with their strings cut, as Bolly's two echoing shots slammed into them.

The three of them had made it to the back-door when something hissed at them from the right side of the street. They whirled toward the sound in shock.

A sniper's bullet had found Tommi's leg, who crumpled against the wall in pain. He leaned against the wall, groaning.

Bolly roared; his rifle chattered, again and again. The sniper was silenced.

Tommi whispered in amazement, "I ... I should have ... been able ... see that guy ... Something definitely wrong with me."

"Do you think?" Bolly said, wrapping Tommi's leg up thickly in bandages from his first aid kit. "No more dancing for a while. Probably better for all of us," he grinned.

They moved Tommi back into cover under the rusted old hulk. "Sorry kid, but this will have to do," Bolly explained, leaving a handgun and extra ammo. "We still need to get in there, figure out what's going on, if you watch our back."

"Naturally," Tommi agreed. "Say Hi for me."

They reluctantly left Tommi and made their way toward the door again. Both guards had keycards in their pockets. It only took them a moment to make their way inside. The door slid shut behind them.

Chapter 9

Sun gleamed in puddles after an early spring rain; the air was thick with the scents of lavender and hibiscus. These he could identify, there were at least a half-dozen more he could not, but that were just as pungent, and welcome. Beyond the puddles at his feet lay a colorful explosion of artistry that was one of House Caer'Nin's finest expressions of mastery, the Great Gardens.

Following the Avarian fashion, gardens were open to all, Avarian or not, from the Sprawl or not, and were completely free and accessible. Most Avarians had a deep respect for nature, and respected others who did as well. Despite the early hour the gardens were almost completely full, many of them children on field trips with their teachers.

He had to make way several times for children not watching where they were going; it must be the first time for many.

He spotted her then. Feelings of paternal love overwhelmed him for a moment. Had he really made this awkward little creature barely able to stand? Did that beautiful human standing with her really love me as much as I love her? I still can't believe I'm an actual father. Her father.

He got on his knees so he could be eye level with his little Addy. He stroked her fascinating human hair; she looked up at him with enormous eyes.

"Daddy," she asked very seriously, "Can we go over there?" She'd recently discovered pointing, and was now using her new found superpower to command her parents at every opportunity.

"Sure, Addy, we'll follow you," he agreed. Athowyn took hold of their hands and began dragging them both toward an enormous lavender bush. To his wife he wondered, "Has the new research assistant settled in?"

Charlotte turned her head toward him, revealing thick blond curls framing high cheekbones and an easy smile. "You could say that; Kiril is amazing. On his first day he realized we were running production algorithms on last year's software and hardware; he installed the new components and software by the end of that week. The new hardware allows us to compute simulations at ten orders of magnitude higher. Which is huge! The rest of us didn't even know it was upgradeable."

The garden seemed to dissolve, leaving just Charlotte's face behind, that smiling face that suddenly filled the sky.

A deep ache filled him, and Omer awoke, sweating into his sheets again.

* * *

Charlotte should never have died. She was Avaria's foremost virologist; to die from an upper respiratory tract infection--the common cold--was just insultingly pathetic.

But that was the risk all humans took living on Avaria, certain things were deadly to them and not Avarians.

Charlotte had lived on Avaria despite the risks, because of her fascination with Avaria at large, and her love for one Avarian man, Grol Omer, himself. But the Avarian society she had loved could not save her. Her Avarian husband could not save her.

All the other Great Houses on Avaria sent their condolences but there was nothing they could do. They had sent representatives to the Sprawl, searching for something they might have missed. But while the denizens of the Sprawl were sympathetic, they were also unable to help.

Grol had replayed the events over and over a thousand times already in his head this morning, as he did every day: the sudden coughing and temperature rise, the runny nose and congestion, worsening symptoms over time. He lay beside her when she died; he was cradling her wracked form, to let his tears will life back into her.

They never even found out where she got infected.

It was such a needless death.

Eventually, among the many dark reckonings in the night, he had a striking insight; the same lab and research technicians who had failed to save her would create something new in her place, a virus that would get his revenge upon all of Avaria for failing to protect his wife.

The Sprawl and the other Houses, they would all pay.

That was ten years ago. Today another piece would fall into place. The time was near.

* * *

Otak Hursh stroked his thick, smartly trimmed grey beard in anticipation of the meeting, as he did every day. Seeing his old friend fallen so low in rage and madness, still hurt him every day.

Hursh was taller than most Avarians, with his blue fading in certain places to ash, showing his age somewhat. He was not just a grandfather, but a great-grandfather, with a brood of relatives so numerous others would not believe it. He couldn't imagine losing any one of his extended family, never mind his partner. He thought he understood that initial shock Omer must have felt.

Then to drive his own daughter away because she reminded him of Charlotte. She continued to live at the Keep, finishing school and then a degree, then another one. All the while her father kept himself in his own wing, never wanting to see her.

Ten years later his temper had become shorter, his rages longer. He began to hate human and Avarian alike and schemed against them. He began to see the Sprawl and the other Houses as enemies to be fought against. He became paranoid and saw conspiracies where there were none. He concocted this viral plague that would finally bring "justice" for Charlotte.

It had been his difficult job as Grol Omer's Deputy to see this whole plan come together. He knew how insane the act was.

He noted the time and rapped on the door.

Omer was standing by a window, looking haggard, as usual. His oily, unwashed hair was plastered on his head haphazardly, as usual. There was a spark in his voice when he spoke, however. "We are on the way," he pronounced, coldly. "I officially give the order."

"Yes, Sir," Hursh replied. "The sealing-in stage will begin now."

"How long will it take?" Omer wondered.

"At least one full day. The new air filtration rebreathing plants should be online already." Silently, Hursh added, more like three if the other Houses have done their jobs. But the master of the Caer'Nin must never find out about that.

Chapter 10

A dimly lit corridor with burned out lights presented them with only one way to go. They made their way farther into the complex, Bolly with his rifle leading cautiously. They made their way from what seemed to be one empty room to the next. The lab equipment seemed to have been moved out, but then if it was abandoned why were there guards?

They finally had some good luck when they came across a workstation that was still connected to something. Athowyn brought up the lab interior.

"The only thing in here is a cell with one inhabitant," she explained. "It looks like all the staff have run off. They've even abandoned their prisoner."

"Maybe the guys outside didn't get the word?" Bolly wondered darkly. "Perhaps someone just doesn't care."

"It's one level below us," Athowyn explained.

It didn't take them long to make their way to the cell. When they were finally standing in front of it Athowyn had a shock. "Uncle Grant!"

The cell also was only dimly lit, but they had no trouble making out the prisoner, a gaunt graying human. He was of typical human height and build, but his grey eyes pierced into them energetically, not intimidated in the least.

"Addy?" he called out in a strong voice. "Is that you? I'd recognize that voice anywhere."

"Addy, huh?" Bolly said. "Our Princess Athowyn is an Addy huh? Not going to let you live that one down, ever."

"This is General Grant Ruben," Athowyn explained. "The commander-in-chief of the Avarian Armed Forces of House Caer'Nin." It didn't take her long to work the control panel and unlock the door.

As the general stepped out he collapsed into their arms. It seemed to have taken his remaining strength to stand up to greet them. He appeared malnourished. They let him rest on a nearby bench.

"Uncle Grant disappeared from the Keep ten years ago. I never found out what happened to him, until just now," Athowyn explained, still shaken.

After Ruben's strength had returned somewhat he began to talk in a steady voice. "After your father went mad from the death of his wife he wanted to create a deadly viral plague to unleash upon all of Avaria. The Avaria that had failed to protect his wife, when no such protection was possible! Since an antidote was not possible, he meant to seal us all in, protect the House but destroy everyone else." Ruben paused for a moment to catch his breath. "I objected to this madness and I've been down here ever since. I was also one of your mother's closest friends and he could not abide being reminded of your mother."

Athowyn was horrified. He was confirming everything she suspected about her father. He was rotten at the core and needed to be stopped before he hurt more people.

"That squares with the intel we've gathered," said Bolly. "It's going to begin soon as well."

They spent a few minutes helping the General exit the microbiology lab. After they made it outside and gathered up Tommi, they sped back home as fast as they could. They had no time to lose. After Tommi was bandaged up properly they met in Ola's control room.

"Here's what we know for sure," Ola explained to a packed room shortly afterward. "House Caer'Nin Has embarked on an enterprise to unleash a viral plague upon everybody but House Caer'Nin." There were gasps as this fact began to sink in. "To this end they have secretly built enormous air rebreathing machines on the grounds of the house. They have created an energy shield that will cover the Keep and its closest confidants. They have stockpiled a year's worth of food and supplies. They have already begun shutting down the enormous air ducting systems into the House." More gasps. "However as far as we can tell the virus itself has not been deployed yet. But it is scheduled to happen soon; obviously we must not allow that to happen!"

It seemed like everyone began talking at once. But Ola had some good news to share for a change, "Everybody calm down," she explained. "We haven't been idle. All the other Houses, the U'Tach, the Os'Ben, even the Kik'Irn have been most cooperative in sabotaging Omer's air ducting plans. We even have a man on the inside sympathetic to us, or at least not as insane as Grol Omer."

"That's why I couldn't let you near our database," she admitted to Athowyn. "Too many secrets that could compromise too many people."

"Just because we're getting help doesn't mean we're off the hook. We obviously have a lot of work left to do," Ola continued. "We need to know where the virus is going to be deployed and how and when. They can't deploy the virus until all the air ducts are closed, and because the other houses have sabotaged that plan we think we have three days. Three days before our world ends for good."

They gave Athowyn a console and let her get to work. There was a lot of information they needed to discover, and not a lot of time to do it in.

Chapter 11

They were 12 hours into the locking down and it looked to Otak Hursh that the sabotaging he was hoping for was actually happening. At the rate they were going there was no way they were going to be finished in just another 12 hours. That was great news--he had some time to get the message out about the virus delivery vehicle! He knew for a fact that certain parties in the Sprawl and amongst the Houses were waiting for this information. The trouble was even his own console would very likely be observed by Grol Omer's Secret Security operatives.

The master of the Keep had grown more paranoid, not just in the last ten years, but in the last ten hours. There were physical guards everywhere now too.

The plan--his plan--as it was now, was that once they were sealed in, the virus delivery crew would take a nondescript antigrav ground vehicle at random into the Sprawl and launch two canisters out the back of the vehicle. Both would have to break, mixing the contents together to create the deadly plague. A second, decoy vehicle would also be launched. The vehicle crew would then head back to the Keep and doff the hazmat suits they would have been wearing, undergo a disinfection process, and be back to their normal duties back at the Keep.

He looked out over his fully staffed office. He had no way of knowing where any of their loyalties lay. All he knew for sure was that he had a contact in the Sprawl who reliably relayed information on to the other Houses for him. He thought of his husband--the love of his own life--and their incredibly big brood and knew that he had to do it; he didn't want them living in this world that had been destroyed by this insane psychopath.

* * *

Athowyn was working the console when the message came through about the plan details. Ola said, "This is exactly what we were waiting for; contact the Os'Ben, they have the best drones. That's how we'll beat this thing!" After doing so she realized she was crying, and feeling ill. She excused herself.

She found an empty stall and threw up into the toilet. What gave him the right to destroy lives, she thought furiously? It was just that nobody was standing up to him. It was easier to just go along with orders than to buck the system, and risk everything you have and everything you are. There is a sacrifice that's made by the people who stand up to him. Nobody wanted to be that person. Almost nobody. Her whole House seemed to be eagerly going along with what he wanted. What did that say about the Caer'Nin?

Bolly appeared suddenly; he held her in a tight embrace. She cried into his shoulder for a while. "They're not all bad, you know. That message almost certainly came from Otak Hursh, your father's Deputy. There are probably many more Caer'Nin who are just as horrified as we are, and who will do the right thing."