Substrate Phantoms by Jessica Reisman

Author:Jessica Reisman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Action & Adventure
ISBN: 9781958880234
Publisher: Fairwood Press
Published: 2024-07-30T04:00:00+00:00

*

They left the arboretum, catching the lift from Phyndarial to Nicodemus deck and heading for bayside, to Chath’s, outsystemer-run and out of the way. As the savory, rich aroma of khet reached Jhinsei, his mouth watered. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was. Before, when he’d forgotten to eat, Darshun or Esker had spoken acerbic remonstrance in his head. Before that, they’d said the words, when once they were living beings.

Now he had the rider, who lifted to the scents, curious and eager.

Foot traffic and ship bay transports traversed the wide periphery of the bayside arc. A mosaic of color and motion took them in, amongst ship folk from across the Aggregate worlds. A tight knot of Sinaiety members drew more attention than anything else. The Sinaiety were Palogenia System’s very own talisters, split off long ago in isolationist fervor down on Ash, during the settlement of the system. Their beliefs were somewhat opaque to Jhinsei; he only knew they disapproved of humanity’s failure to evolve in some way, and kept themselves to themselves while sending small groups of representatives to mingle with the corrupt rest of humanity and see to Sinaiety interests in the wider world. This group wore hooded cloaks in muted colors off which the light sheened, a fabric that was probably sensitive to its wearer’s core temperature. Woven into the robes were intricate patterns of metallic bits that caught and turned the light. They walked in close formation, expressions forbidding approach or contact. Anyone Termagenti-raised knew enough to leave Sinaiety alone, but Jhinsei wondered how they kept curious outsystemers from crossing their taboo line and talking to them. It was unusual for them to be up on station and off of Ash at all.

Between the group of Sinaiety and the flow of outsystem activity, Jhinsei felt anonymous, which was its own form of relief. A part of him knew the anonymity was an illusion. For the sake of food and some sense of normalcy, he accepted the illusion and tried to ignore the rider. He wondered if he’d get better at it with practice—or if the rider would grow stronger and he’d disappear altogether.

They found a standing table and keyed in orders. Jhinsei leaned his elbows on the table, scanning the other patrons. Cydonie had talked inanities all the way here and was now silent; Jhinsei knew she was overwhelmed and unsure what her reaction should be. Believing him, he thought, would be hard.

The Sinaiety had followed them in, congregating closely around one small table. He thought about the Sinaiety, then, recalling something Esker had once said, about close links between the reclusive Ash sect and House Tiyo. House Tiyo and the Sinaiety, Ash and bad beta tests of lumin kive cubes, covered up. Cydonie’s beta tester friend. Lumin . . . the derelict and what had happened to him on it . . .

What was the connection between all these elements? He studied the group of Sinaiety a moment more, then let it go. It was too vague.

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