Quantum Cultivation by Jace Kang (simple e reader TXT) 📕

Martin and Kim believed Keiko had given the order to maintain the EtherSpace bridge, Aya had to block communications. In her perception of the EtherSpace, she set a mirrored screen in front of the Messenger AI on the hilltop. The code would reroute all communication along the general channel to a secure line which only she monitored.

Her perception was now bombarded by multiple voices and images.  Hundreds of Peacekeepers spoke into their feeds, requesting their audio connection be restored. In the images, several tapped their earpieces.  Disconcerting as it was, she focused in on the incoming message from her sister.

“This is Captain Keiko Oyama, coming in on Transport PK-22 with my team. I am being held hostage by Ryusuke Ishihara.”

If Aya’s Avatar had a heart, it would’ve leapt. She cloned her surveillance app and found Keiko’s camera feed.

She appeared to be sitting in a hovercraft as Kyoto’s skyscrapers zipped by out the windows. There was no sign of Ryu, but he might be beside her, out of the camera’s line of sight.

“We are currently holding a Miss Hiromi Johnson; Ishihara has confessed that this is my sister, Aya Oyama. Her accomplice is Kentaro Tanaka, a Purebred who works as a custodian in Peacekeeper Headquarters.”

Why had Ryusuke revealed their identities? There must be a reason. Should she let the message go through?  She looked back into the interrogation room, where Kim was now shaking her and Martin had drawn a sidearm and waited in ambush by the side of the door.

“Captain Oyama,” Kim said. “Our subject has gone into some state of shock. Should we cut the EtherSpace bridge?”

“No,” Aya answered in his earpiece. “We are using it to lure the cultists into a trap.”

This lie was even worse than the last one, surely he wouldn’t—

“Yes, sir.”

This gave her a few more minutes, perhaps. The Peacekeepers would soon deduce this was more than a glitch beyond the scope of Repairer AIs. Aya took control of the holoprojectors in the hallway and projected an image of herself in front of Siena and Kentaro.

Kentaro skidded to a halt, an expression of relief watching over him. “Aya! Are you all right?”

Nobody had ever looked at her that way before, and Aya was again glad that she was disconnected from her body’s reactions.

Siena cast her eyes downward. “I’m sorry, Aya.”

“For what?”

The Elestrae cast a sidelong glance at Kentaro, but said nothing.

Just what did that mean?

For now, whatever it was didn’t matter. “I’ve shut down the Peacekeeper’s communications for now, so they are disorganized. You’ll need to hurry.”

“Where are you?” Kentaro asked.

“I am being held in the second room to the right.” She pointed. “There are two Peacekeepers inside, both armed.  One is waiting just inside the door. I’ll open it and send this projection in to take their fire.”

Both nodded.

Leaving a tethered app in the Communications partition, Aya jumped over to the control area. With her virtual lockpicks, she disengaged the door to her room.

It slid open, and she sent a projection of Kentaro in. A gun raised to the image’s head and fired.

The real Kentaro stepped in, seized Martin’s wrist, and spun so that the back of the Peacekeeper’s elbow bent awkwardly over Kentaro’s shoulder. Martin screamed out.

“I’m sorry,” Kentaro said, driving an elbow into the back of Martin’s head and knocking him out.

Kim looked up and pointed his gun first at the real Kentaro, then the projection. Confusion was scrawled across his face. “Stay where you are.”

Aya sent the projection around the table to the right, and Kim tracked her and shot. Kentaro leaped over the table and landed a flying kick into Kim’s temple. The Peacekeeper’s head snapped back, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

“Sorry!” Kentaro said.

“The EtherSpace bridge,” Aya resumed her own form and pointed to the black box. “Take that and the holoprojector and put them inside my dress.”

“Why don’t you come back?” Kentaro asked, even as he did what she said.

“I can hack the building’s operations from here, and I don’t want to risk having to bypass the Sentinels to get in again.  Here’s our chance to retrieve Ryusuke’s pills.”

“Where is he?” Siena asked.

Aya checked Keiko’s feed.  “He’s arriving at the same landing pad we did.”

“We need to go get him.” Kentaro bounced up and down on his heels.

“No, you start working your way to level twelve.  I’ll guide him to you.”

“Can you take control of the maglifts?” Siena gestured back out into the hallway.

“I could, but then you’ll be trapped for several seconds. If their Repairer AIs wrest control away from me while I’m focused on Ryu, I can’t be in two places at once in real time. The Peacekeepers could keep you in the maglift, or take you to a secure level.”

“What about you?” Kentaro asked. “I can’t just leave you here. Should I carry you?”

I? Not we? “You won’t be able to fight that way.  Just take these Peacekeepers out of the room, and I’ll seal it off until you finish your task.”

Kentaro gave her a dubious look. “You won’t be safe here, by yourself, undefended.”

Aya laughed. “I’ll be safer than you. Now go.”

Chapter 34:

The Purebred

K en dragged the two Peacekeepers out of the interrogation room and gave Aya one last look as the doors closed behind them. She’d be safe, wouldn’t she?

He looked over his shoulder at Siena, the Elestrae he’d had sex with, and that sense of guilt crawled over him again.

How silly he was being? Aya didn’t even like him.  Even if she’d been kinder in recent days, he’d still be the dirty Purebred.

“Stop thinking about her, and come on,” Siena said, beckoning him