The Velocity of Revolution by Marshall Ryan Maresca

Author:Marshall Ryan Maresca [Maresca, Marshall Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2021-02-09T00:00:00+00:00

37

Ajiñe didn’t know how many crews were in play right now. Casintel and Bindeniz barked out orders and positions so quickly, all Ajiñe could really do was note her own responsibilities, and make sure her people were in place to act. Each crew was on their own strain of the mushroom, and then each crew had their Nicalla, and all of them were connected to each other as well. Which meant all of them, taking places along the tracks, getting into position on their cycles. It was the biggest thing she had ever seen the Fists of Zapi try to do.

She wondered why now. Up until this, they had been mosquitos, nipping bits of fuel and food from Alliance transports, taking what they could to make up for the shortfalls of rationing, ease the suffering of the undercastes.

Renzi surely felt her fear and doubt and churning unease in her gut.

“This run is very different than anything you’ve done before,” he said. They were staged in one of the abandoned tunnels, both sitting on his Puegoiz 960, waiting for their signal to move. Her cycle was with the rest of the cell, on the back of the truck.

“That’s the truth,” she said.

“We do this,” he said, “we follow the plan we’ve been given, the Alliance, the Provisional Council, the patrol . . . they’re going to come down hard. You know that, right?”

“I know,” she said. “This is a declaration of war.”

“You’re all right with that?”

“You aren’t? You’re the one saying this needed to matter.”

Their sync connection was light at the moment, but she felt a conflict brewing in him, like he was having an argument with himself. “It’s just I hadn’t expected something this big quite so soon,” he said.

“Same,” she said. “I recognize this is a lot for your second run with us, but . . . you are in, right?”

He was troublingly silent.

“Renzi,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “People are counting on us. Plus, you already know the plan.”

He looked back at her. “Are you saying you would force me?”

“No, but . . . if you’re out, we’re going to stay right here, together, until it’s all over.”

“You don’t trust me?” he asked. “Think I’d go to the tories or something?”

“It’s not about trust,” she said. “Let’s say you leave here right now. Let’s say you drive off, but the tories spot you and tether you up.”

“Then I’m arrested.”

“They’re doing some dark shit, I’ve heard,” she said. “I’ve heard stories of what they do when they’ve got people. Especially to people who are in mushroom sync. A cousin of a friend of mine told me—listen to this shit—that the Alliance and the Provisional Council are keeping members of the tyrant’s inner circle around. Alive and well.”

“What?” he asked.

“It’s what I heard. My friend’s cousin has this Intown job cleaning toilets for some fancy set of fasai right outside the Damas Kom, and you know who she heard lives there?”

“Who?”

“Doctor Shebiruht. You know, the tyrant’s Mushroom Witch?”

Renzi went pale and stammered.

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