Chimera (Fractured Orbit Book 2) by Herman Steuernagel

Author:Herman Steuernagel [Steuernagel, Herman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-02T16:00:00+00:00

Mikka

Shackleton City

Mikka and Aries finished their dinner and then continued on to the commander’s next stop of the evening. The seafood hadn’t been to Mikka’s taste, but there were other courses she had enjoyed.

Delicate Martian moss crisps boasted a subtly sweet and earthy flavor. Titan ice snails, a delicacy of Saturn’s largest moon, were served in a light, aromatic broth that shimmered with bioluminescent hues. From the asteroid belt came spiced rock ferns, which were surprisingly tender and juicy. To finish, they indulged in a dessert of Ganymede’s glacier jelly, a cool, translucent treat that melted on the tongue with hints of mint and wintergreen. The spread was more than just a culinary marvel, it was a showcase of the worlds the Syndicate had claimed dominion over.

Advancements hoarded by the elite. Few residing on any of those worlds would ever have sampled even a morsel of the dishes Mikka’d been presented with tonight.

Of course, she had seen Syndicate extravagance before, but never had anyone invited her to partake. Every bite felt like a betrayal, turning against the people who still lived in the Tubes, who wouldn’t see this much food in an entire month, let alone one meal.

“You can’t feel guilty,” Aries had said. “Nothing gets accomplished that way. You didn’t choose to be invited to this dinner any more than the poor choose to be desperate for food. The only thing we can do is help to bridge the gap.”

That was true enough. Change had to come from within, and unless that change was meaningful, it was like putting a bandage on a broken limb. But it still didn’t feel right.

“If nobody feels guilty,” she’d replied, “then nothing will change.”

A swarm of guards had escorted them from the Earthrise Restauranté down a series of elevators until they reached a railcar shuttle. It seemed strange to Mikka that the commander would choose to take public transportation anywhere, even while being escorted, but once she saw the exterior of the transit car itself was black with a glossy, sleek finish, similar to the uniforms worn by Aries’s private bodyguards, the pieces began to fit.

Syndicate markings―the double hexagon with the star of the Syndicate Front in its center―disclosed the vehicle was not public transport after all, but privately owned and used exclusively by the commander and his guard. Handy, if they needed to move through the city unobstructed by anyone on the street level.

Or in the event of an attack.

The ride itself was uneventful. The transit car was just large enough to comfortably hold the commander, herself, and the six guards who accompanied them. Aries’s coolness had returned, small talk and deep confessions left behind at the restaurant to be replaced only with silence.

It took all of Mikka’s effort not to shrink into her seat under the weight of the six sets of eyes that bore into her. There was no doubt in the security officers’ minds who the threat in this vehicle was, and it wasn’t the commander.

Aries either didn’t notice the treatment or expected nothing less.

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