The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

in the middle of nowhere, Alabama, was nearabout failing out of school, and robbed a general store for runaway loot. You cannot be serious to think he designed something the whole damn Chancellory couldn’t figure out in a thousand years of trying. No goddamn way.”

Finnegan leaned back. “That boy you knew left his humanity behind a long time ago. To your point, Michael, no one is suggesting Bouchet alone designed this weapon. And make no mistake: It is a weapon. Remember, there are nine other hybrids. Additionally, they have recruited an unknown number of Chancellor scientists. Recruited, kidnapped. Hard to say. Remember, the assassins on Vasily were engineers by trade.”

“Which means,” Sam said, “the hybrids could generate the designs, but others build the tech.”

Michael wasn’t buying it. “What about the ships? They can’t build those in secret, can they? Somebody has to know what’s up.”

“Actually, yes, they can,” said Moss’s Chief of Staff, David Ellstrom, breaking his silence. “With apologies, Finnegan. Michael, the Fulcrum contains more than two hundred Nexus points. Most enter into dead space, but dozens lead to uninhabited systems – including some the Chancellory has left uncharted. My background gave me personal knowledge of at least six undocumented facilities in those systems, all designed for off-book projects. It is rumored the first experiments involving the Jewels were conducted on one of those facilities. We have reason to believe the Jewels that transformed Hiebimini decades ago were stolen from just such a location.”

“To the more immediate point,” Finnegan added, “this wormhole tech might only require retrofits. The ship outside Vasily was a century-old model. The terrorists could easily acquire parts through white or black markets then disappear into a cocoon dozens of light-years from the nearest colony.”

Sam felt an overwhelming sense of futility. “The Collectorate’s expanse reaches nine hundred light-years. Even if every system-capable ship could travel the stars …”

Finnegan reached for his wine. “We would need a miraculous stroke of luck to stumble upon them. Yes. That’s always been the problem with space. Too big for mortals. Without the Fulcrum, I’m not sure we’d have ever left our own system.”

“FTL?” Michael’s acronym drew gazes. “You know. Faster than light? Warp speed, and all that jazz. You don’t have FTL?”

Finnegan deferred to his Chief, the “expert historian” on self-sufficient interstellar travel.

“Michael, we tried to crack the speed of light for centuries, even before the Fulcrum,” Ellstrom said. “Best effort reached thirty-two percent of light. We were preparing the first generation ships to travel at that speed to the nearest systems, when we discovered the Fulcrum. After realizing we could travel hundreds of light-years in a standard week, the demand for FTL, as you call it, all but died. I fear what the terrorists have developed is more radical than any FTL.”

Michael threw back jubriska. “Yeah, well, I fear we’re fucked.”

“Not yet,” Sam said. “Finnegan, is there any good news?”

“There’s always good news.” He smiled. “You should know Chancellors well enough by now. The deeper my teams investigate, the more ground we cover on the colonies, the Ark Carriers, inside the Guard, the more intel we build. We have clues, leads. Some of my allies have agents who have infiltrated sympathizers. It’s dangerous work.” He turned to Ellstrom. “I ask a great deal of them. One breakthrough will turn the tide our way.”

“Again, I don’t wish to speak out of turn,” Ellstrom said. “But as dire as this one conflict might be, the fact remains we are facing enemies on multiple fronts. Until we find headway regarding the terrorists, the Solomon equity battle must move forward. My own informants believe a growing number of Chancellors no longer have an appetite for the restrictions in the Solomon treaty. They believe a resolution lies on the horizon. Many dangerous steps ahead, of course, but if we achieve new legislation, we might also facilitate an end to the Chancellor civil war.”

Sam nodded. “Unified Earth. Exciting concept. Right, sweetie?”

“Concept is the right word, babe. There’s gonna be a shitload of bodies on the ground before it becomes reality. Am I right, Finn?”

“The hardliners will not go down without a fight.”

“You’ll back whatever we have to do?”

“Michael, I owe you my life. As does David. I’d say that puts you in a position of considerable leverage. Yes?”

“I don’t want leverage, Finn. I just want to be happy, and I want to marry Sam.”

Sam held his hand tight, and her cheeks reddened. He’d just gotten her back from another near-death catastrophe. How much longer before luck betrayed them?

Michael didn’t know where the next words came from, but they swept him away. All they’d been through, all the dark days still ahead, and instinct decided this was the moment.

Michael took Sam by both hands and heard the words before he thought them.

“Will you marry me?”

“Michael … of course, sweetie. I thought we talked about …”

“Yeah. Kinda, sorta. But I never got around to making it official. Probably should’ve gotten down on my knees. And I don’t have a ring.” He turned to Finnegan. “Y’all do rings?”

Finnegan laughed. “Amulets with the crests of the unified descendancies. Solomons and indigos use rings.”

Tripping over his thoughts, Michael waved off the idea.

“We’ll sort that shit out later. So, what’s it gonna be, Samantha Pynn? Ready to marry a lowly Solomon like me? Don’t worry – I’ll still carry the luggage.” He winked.

“You know I will,” she said, tears raining. “To the end.”

His sudden delirium crushed the dispiriting mood of the evening – a turn wholly unexpected. Michael felt a buoyancy unlike any since the day he realized he was in love. He wanted to keep his tears.

They forgot about dinner and soon said farewell to Finnegan and David. All agreed to intensify their communications, spread their network of allies, and fortify their security apparatus for the coming threats.