In the Shadow of the Rings by Frank Kennedy (grave mercy .txt) 📕

Lan Chua leaned into Kai and whispered in his ear. Chua tapped Ryllen’s chin, giving permission to look up. Then the boss walked past Ryllen and to the officers.

“I think we’ve had more than sufficient excitement,” he told the men. “What do you say we erase the details of this incident? Enjoy Ascension. Why don’t each of you have a plate on me? No one sears Kohlna like my personal chef.”

Ryllen didn’t turn around, nor did he hear the officers object. He faced Kai, whose attempt at a poker face fel short. Kai drew close, wrapped a hand around Ryllen’s neck, and lowered his voice.

“You’re in, you lucky snake.” He kissed Ryllen on the cheek.

“Welcome to Green Sun.”

Ryllen dared to hope. “You’re not having me on?”

“You risked your life to look him in the eye. It’s al he needs to know.

Lan is a difficult man. Very selective. Very cautious.”

“I should thank him.”

Kai replied with a sharp tongue.

“No. Not tonight.” He nodded across the crowd. Ryllen pivoted.

Lan Chua had moved on, introducing the ITD officers to his personal chef, who was supervising a long gril . “He knows you’re grateful.

He demands action. Not words.”

“Understood. What now?”

Kai revealed his pipe and tapped it on. He inhaled then blew out a white cloud of high-end poltash smoke. He handed it to Ryllen, who pul ed a long drag. It was sweeter than sugar.

“Now,” Kai said, “we change your life forever. Let’s go.”

As Kai ushered him away, Ryllen asked, “What about my rifter?

I’m more than il egal y parked.”

“Not for long. You nav, I’l point.”

After they hopped into the rifter and the bubble closed around them, Kai laughed.

“Stay inside the narrows this time,” he said. “We don’t need any more hassle from ITD.”

Ryllen appreciated the order; he preferred to limit his acts of utter stupidity to one a day. The next leg of his journey into Green Sun ended a few blocks east of the port in Umkau, not far from where Kai found Ryllen sleeping in a culvert three months ago.

Umkau was both the most electric and dangerous district of Pinchon, with its hundreds of bars, lounges, and “special”

entertainment bungalows catering to a local crowd consisting mostly of the seamasters’ crews. Flashing neon, graffiti, and homeless itinerants (most of them immos) dominated the narrow streets, which were centuries old. Mobile kiosks sel ing cheap fish rol s, pared sea cabbage, and deep-fried confections competed for attention on every block. No vehicles larger than rifters flew over these streets. The rooftops, typical y no more than five floors high, were already crowding with Ascension watch parties.

Kai directed Ryllen to enter an al ey just past the intersection of Ho-Li 1 and Ho-Li 2. The rifter stopped outside a nondescript door, above which flashed in neon: Nothing to See Here.

A young woman, perhaps twenty, her hair matching Kai’s for its showmanship, blocked the entrance. She wore a red, ful -length bodysuit, form-fitting and curvaceous. She offered no reaction to

Ryllen and did not let down her guard with Kai until he opened his arms and brought her into an embrace. They kissed with the passion of a long overdue reunion. Ryllen never saw Kai with a woman or heard him express interest.

When their lips parted, she eyed Ryllen with deep suspicion.

“This is the one you told me about?” She said. “The poser?”

“Harsh, Mei. Very harsh. No, RJ prefers Idiot of The Lagos. But, he’s one of us now.”

“He saw Lan?”

“Flying colors. Now, we stamp him.”

She pushed away from Kai and eyed Ryllen with disdain.

“Are we this desperate? They don’t even have to be Hokki?”

“Sweet-things! Are you being racist?”

“I’m practical.”

Kai waved Ryllen forward. “He’l do more for us than most. You’l see. Now, what say you let us in? Boetha’s waiting.”

As they entered, Kai ignored formal introductions, and the woman seemed uninterested in greeting the newbie.

“Who was that?” Ryl en asked once inside.

“My sister.” Kai laughed when Ryllen turned pale. “Oh, yeah. That.

She’s adopted. We’ve had a thing for each other since I was twelve.

She’s one degree colder every time I see her.”

They entered what appeared at first blush to be a tiny repair shop, its shelves of gadgets lining three wal s. Behind the work bench, itself cluttered with a showcase for disorganization, a tal , thin Hokki with a three-day beard reclined while playing hologames.

“Boetha, you magnificent dorsal fin.” Kai shouted his common street insult, drawing the man out of his momentary pleasure.

Rather than taking offense, Boetha jumped from his chair and raced around the work bench, greeting Kai with a joyous hug.

“Pink is surely your color, Kai Durin. What did I tell you?”

“Lilac. Which, by the way, I tried for about an hour. No thanks.”

“I recommended lilac? Hmm. What can I tel you? It comes. It goes.”

He faced Ryllen. “This is your RJ?”

“It is. Lan approved him. Time for the stamp.”

He waved them toward a door Ryllen only now noticed. On the other

side, the room was smal er, the light brighter. In the center, an unmistakable chair sprawled beneath a series of phasic tools.

“This is it, RJ,” Kai said. “Any reservations? Walk out now and be on your own again. You stay, you’re Green Sun for life. It’s the way without judgment.”

Ryllen thought of al those times when he lowered his eyes to avoid the dismissive