- 3 MONTHS AGO -
There’s sadness in those eyes. Anger, too, bitter and scalding. But plenty of sadness. Aki01 watches as Irene raises the Red Partizan overhead, ready to strike her down. Ready to end Aki’s life.
She doesn’t want to do it, Aki knows. But Irene is left with little choice. She believes, rightfully so, that Aki will stop at nothing to fulfill her Master’s wishes. And so she prepares to deliver the final blow.
They are deep in the maintenance tunnels beneath the ARKS Command tower. The lighting is patchy and the air is stale. Aki01 is sprawled on the catwalk grating, back to the floor. Irene stands over her. Below the catwalk is an impossibly vast abyss. It stretches down forever, to a place where light will never reach.
“It seems you’re quite adept at keeping secrets,” Aki says with a smirk. “Well, if we’re being honest, I’ve been keeping one from you as well.”
Irene isn’t fazed. She steadies the partizan in her hands, taking aim at Aki’s chest. Ready to impale the closest thing she has to a daughter.
But she doesn’t strike right away. She hesitates, as Aki knows she would.
Foolish woman. Emotions are a crutch, familial bonds a weakness. Aki is no longer burdened by such things. The only thing she cares about now is loyalty. Complete, unquestioning loyalty to her Master and his vision. Anyone who gets in the way of that is an enemy.
“The truth is,” Aki continues, “I always carry a backup weapon.”
She pulls the concealed holdout pistol from her coat and fires. Point blank, right into Irene’s chest. The dark-haired woman stands there in shock. Dark fluids drip from the newly-formed hole above her left breast.
Aki fires again. And again. And again. It feels good, somehow. Gratifying. She enjoys being useful to her Master.
Irene drops the Red Partizan and staggers back, right up to the edge of the catwalk. The woman is losing fluids fast. Her android body is beginning to shut down. Still, she manages to remain standing.
Aki climbs to her feet, her weapon firmly trained on Irene. Her finger tightens around the trigger.
“Aki, wait—,” Irene pleads.
But there is no room for mercy. The next bullet rips through Irene’s positronic brain. Aki adds one more for good measure, then watches as the woman’s body tumbles backward over the railing. Down, down into the depths it falls, slipping into the darkness far below. Hidden from view—but not from Aki’s CAST sensors. Her enhanced vision records the entire thing.
When the body eventually hits the ground, the force of the impact turns it into a twisted, mangled mess. There is no chance of survival. Satisfied, Aki bends down and picks up the discarded Red Partizan. “That’s one down,” she mutters to herself.
One down, four to go.
* * * * * * * * *
- CURRENT DAY -
Stars. An endless curtain of them, draped overhead as far as Aki01 could see.
She didn’t really see them, though. The Caseal was lost in perpetual thought. Her mind, replaying images of the past. Scenes she’d rather not remember but couldn’t seem to forget.
A never-ending nightmare.
Aki closed her eyes. Opened them again. The stars were still there, the same as before. Just like the images stuck in her head. She briefly entertained the idea of conducting a memory purge, of wiping it all out and starting anew. But no. This was her burden, her cross to bear. After everything she’d done, she deserved to suffer. It was only fair.
She walked slowly and aimlessly along the deck of the cruise ship, no particular destination in mind. She just wanted to walk, and think, and get her mind off the past. So far it hadn’t helped.
People drifted by and she hardly noticed. They were in another world, another place, another time. Each one, bright-eyed and full of optimism. They had come to enjoy a vacation. Aki, on the other hand, had come to escape.
The
Celestial Princess promised a cruise through the stars. A luxury liner the size of a warship, it was the ideal place to get away—elegant, relaxing, and best of all, far from home. Unfortunately, Aki was too distracted to appreciate it.
“Hey, lady. You okay?”
Aki blinked twice.
A hand tapped her on the shoulder. “Yoo-hoo, anybody home?”
At that, Aki turned around. An unfamiliar man was standing there, a concerned look on his face.
“What?” she asked blankly.
“You spaced out for a while, not moving or anything. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” she was quick to reply. Brushing past the man, Aki hurried on her way.
She was on the Starlight Deck of the
Celestial Princess. It was a magnificent vessel, one of the largest of its kind. From bow to stern it measured nearly four hundred meters. Typical passenger complement was fifty-two hundred people. At present they were halfway through a week-long voyage, one that began in the Yagami Cluster and was scheduled to end in the Lambda Sector.
The Starlight Deck was the uppermost deck of the cruise ship. Its name came from the transparent dome overhead, which spanned the entirety of the aft dorsal hull and allowed passengers an unfiltered view of space. A great place to think and relax—or so Aki had hoped. Instead, her mind kept drifting into uncomfortable flashbacks. Reminding her, persistently, that the past is not so easily forgotten.
She wandered the deck aimlessly for almost an hour. Eventually she ended up at a railing overlooking a large, open area near the elevators. People of all types passed back and forth below her. Some, heading out for a day of fun and adventure. Others, returning to their cabins after a day well spent.
People-watching was one of Aki’s favorite pastimes. By studying others, she learned to act more naturally in various social settings. It was a never-ending process of self-improvement. But more than that, Aki simply enjoyed it. She liked watching people go about their day. Walking, talking, laughing, interacting. Each one had their own life, their own story to tell. Sometimes Aki would guess things about them based on their appearance and behavior. Even in her current mental state, she found it relaxing.
The people she saw that day were mostly smiling, happy people. Which made sense, considering they were vacationing aboard a luxury cruise liner. Aki watched as a trio of women, one older and two younger, passed beneath her. A mother and two daughters, probably, judging by their physical similarities. One of the daughters looked cheerful and energetic. The other looked sullen and slightly irritated. Aki guessed there had been a disagreement and the mother had sided with the cheerful daughter—an idea reinforced by the fresh slap mark on the sullen daughter’s cheek.
Next a pair of starry-eyed lovers strolled past. They walked hand in hand, paying no attention to anyone around them. After that came a group of four middle-aged men. They were laughing and joking around like old friends. Maybe they were having some kind of reunion, or just sharing a family vacation. Aki couldn’t tell for sure.
Just then, someone new caught her eye. A rather interesting someone, in fact. Aki watched as a woman with a sweeping mane of purple hair approached a blonde woman in gym shorts. The purple-haired woman was all smiles. She leaned in close to the blonde, her posture confident, perhaps even a little aggressive. The two exchanged words. Aki couldn’t hear them but she was fairly adept at reading lips. Unfortunately, the purple-haired woman was facing away from her. She could only catch the blonde’s replies:
“Why thank you.” …
“Sorry, I’m not interested.” …
“I said I’m not interested. Please, just leave me alone.”
But Purple Hair didn’t leave her alone. She kept talking. Kept gesturing. Kept leaning in closer. Eventually the blonde woman got fed up and stormed off.
Aki found the exchange rather curious. What were they talking about, she wondered, that had caused such a strong reaction? She decided to keep watching, to see what Purple Hair would do next. Incredibly, the same story played out again a few minutes later, this time with a completely different woman. Purple Hair said something, the other woman got offended, then left in a huff. Shortly afterwards it happened a third time. Another woman, same setup, same result.
Aki wasn’t prepared for what happened next. As she continued watching, Purple Hair looked up and spotted her at the railing. Their eyes locked, briefly, and a moment passed between them. Then Purple Hair remembered how to move and hurriedly climbed the steps leading up to Aki’s level.
As Purple Hair approached, Aki got her first good look at the woman. She was beautiful. Stunning, even, with vibrant eyes that matched the color of her hair. She was of average height—about ten centimeters shorter than Aki—and clad mostly in black. Black pants, black shoes, black jacket. But if there was one feature that stood out (apart from her hair), it was her figure. The woman had cleavage to spare. It was practically spilling out of her skin-tight corset. She was the kind of woman who knew what she had and wasn’t afraid to show it off.
Purple Hair reached out and took Aki’s right hand in both of hers. In a melodious and lightly accented voice she exclaimed, rather forcefully, “Your name,
mon chéri—I must have it.”
Aki was taken aback by the woman’s sudden boldness. Then again, given everything she’d just witnessed, it was hardly surprising. “Aki,” she answered cautiously, not sure what to expect.
“Aki,” the woman repeated, letting its flavor linger on her lips. “If I’m not mistaken, it means ‘autumn’ in one of the old languages. A beautiful name. Almost as beautiful as the person wearing it.”
The Caseal raised a single crimson eyebrow in amusement. “And you would be…?”
“Ah! Forgive my rudeness. Your radiance is so blinding, I nearly forgot to introduce myself.” The purple-haired woman dropped to one knee and, with a delicate grace, kissed the back of Aki’s hand. “
Enchantée, mademoiselle. It is my great pleasure to make your acquaintance today. My name is Évangelique Violette and I am a connoisseur of fine things. And you, my dear flower, are the finest I have ever laid eyes upon.”
At that, Aki gently pulled her hand away. “You expect me to believe that after I watched you flatter those other women?”
“I admit I may have flattered them, just a little. But I never claimed they were the most beautiful. Even if I had, that claim would be invalid now that I’ve met you.”
Évangelique stood up and moved closer to Aki. A
lot closer. Her elbow rested on the railing, nearly touching Aki’s. Her face was only two handspans away. She was close enough that Aki could distinguish the subtle aroma of her perfume. A unique scent, but a pleasant one. Cinnamon, according to her olfactory sensor.
It was then that Aki noticed it—the seam in her neck. That faint, all-too-familiar crease. “You—you’re a CAST?” Aki blinked in surprise.
“
Oui. But of course,
mon chéri!” the woman grinned.
“It’s just that, you look so… so human.”
Évangelique chuckled. “What is that saying about the pot and the kettle? But yes, I was designed that way. I find it helps, in my line of work.”
“And what kind of work would that be?”
“I am an entertainer, of sorts. Get to know me a little better and I’ll gladly tell you all about it.”
Aki decided to jump straight to the point. “What is it you want from me, exactly?” she asked.
“Want? I can think of several things. But we can save that for later,” Évangelique said with a mischievous wink. “At the moment, I want only to invite you to the Cosmic Ball.”
“The Cosmic Ball?”
“
Oui! Tonight, after dinner, in the Grand Ballroom. My ‘plus-one’ unfortunately had to cancel at the last moment, and now I have no one to accompany me. It would be a terrible tragedy if I were forced to attend alone.”
“Your date,” Aki said in understanding. “You’re asking me to be your date.”
Évangelique shrugged, then smiled. “My date, my guest, my plus-one.
Oui. I would very much like the pleasure of your company tonight.”
Aki hesitated, not sure how to respond. “I’ve been through a lot lately. I actually came here to get my mind off things. To be honest, I’m not sure I would make the best company right now.”
“All the more reason to go, then. Music, dancing, a beautiful woman at your side. What better way to cheer you up, hm?”
“I…”
“One word. A simple ‘yes’ is all I ask.”
“…Yes,” said Aki. The answer came as a surprise, even to herself. Maybe she wanted the company more than she realized. Maybe she needed it.
“
Magnifique!” The purple-haired CAST clapped her hands together in delight. “Then I look forward to seeing you tonight. Until then, I bid you
adieu!”
Évangelique kissed Aki’s hand once more, then turned to leave—
“Wait!” Aki called after her. “I… I don’t have anything to wear to a ball.”
“Worry not,
mon chéri. I shall take care of everything.”
And just like that, she left.
* * * * * * * * *
With nowhere in particular to go, Aki decided to return to her cabin. She rode the elevator down three decks and stepped out into an opulent, high-ceilinged hallway. Mirrors lined the walls. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling. It was no royal palace, but its designers certainly wanted people to think it was.
The glamour was lost on Aki. Hands stuffed in her jacket pockets, she treaded down the long hallway in silence. Past the mirrors, past the chandeliers, past an endless parade of doors. Each door led to a First Class cabin. This was where all the high-paying passengers were housed. Aki wasn’t rich, but ARKS Command paid well. She figured it was alright to indulge herself once in a while.
Up ahead, a door on the left was open. Aki glanced inside as she passed. A brief look, less than six-tenths of a second, but it was enough. For a CAST like Aki, six-tenths of a second was plenty. What she saw was a pair of security guards standing inside the doorway, their backs to her. Deeper in the room, a bearded gray-haired man with glasses was conversing with a hysterical woman. Based on the man’s demeanor, not to mention his navy-blue uniform, Aki assumed he worked for the cruise ship. The woman was probably a passenger. She was upset as hell about something, demanding the cruise ship “apprehend the culprit or compensate her appropriately.”
Aki didn’t catch the rest.
Not my problem, she thought, and kept walking.
Her own cabin was ten doors down on the right. Aki swiped her electronic key card and the door opened automatically. She stepped inside.
* * * * * * * * *
An hour passed. Aki wasted most of it on menial tasks. She was just passing time until the ball, and—if she was being honest with herself—looking for a distraction from her own corrosive thoughts.
That was when her doorbell chimed. Aki wasn’t expecting visitors, but she got up and answered it. The door slid open with a soft
hiss. Standing outside her doorway was a curious surprise. It was the bearded man in the blue uniform, the one Aki saw earlier talking to the hysterical woman.
“Aki01?” he asked in a deep, resonant voice.
“Can I help you?”
The man clasped his hands behind his back. There was a stiffness about him, an almost regal bearing. Aki wondered if he might have been a military man in a former life.
“My name is Clifton Orville,” he said by way of introduction. “I’m the captain of the
Celestial Princess. If possible, I would very much like to speak with you.”
Aki raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Inside, if I may,” he added.
She shrugged and stepped aside. Orville moved past her into the cabin. The door hissed shut behind him. Aki offered him a chair, to which he politely declined. Said he preferred to remain on his feet during business hours.
They both stood there awkwardly for a moment. Orville seemed to be gathering his thoughts. He tried to keep a straight face, but Aki could tell he was deeply troubled by something. Most likely, something related to the incident down the hall.
“You’re her, aren’t you?” he said at last. “The ARKS colonel. They were talking about you on the news a few months back. Said you stopped a KAI-OS plot to take control of the ARKS. It was some kind of big deal at the time. Saved a whole colony ship, or something to that effect.”
A dozen replies flashed through Aki’s mind. None of them seemed appropriate. Instead she answered, “My apologies if this comes across as too direct, but clearly this isn’t a social call. So what can I do for you today, Captain Orville?”
The man pursed his lips. Tensed his eyes. He was getting ready to ask the unpleasant thing he’d come to ask. Aki didn’t know what it was, not specifically, but she could make an educated guess. Patiently, she waited for him to continue.
“The thing is, we’ve been suffering a string of burglaries aboard the
Celestial Princess. Three so far, that we know of. All from wealthy passengers. All items of significant value.”
Aki crossed her arms. “If you’re here to warn me, I assure you I’m not that wealthy. Despite my First Class accommodations.”
“That’s not it. I’m here because… well, to put it frankly, I need your help. You’re an ARKS commander. You have experience catching criminals. This crime spree is a stain on the
Celestial Princess’s reputation. I need it taken care of, and soon.”
“You already have a security detail aboard. I’ve seen them around. Isn’t this exactly what they were trained to do? Stop and prevent crimes?”
“Yes. However, they are severely understaffed at the moment. It seems half of them came down with food poisoning just before we left port. Spoiled meat in their catered lunch, if you can believe it. I didn’t have time to find replacements. Now we don’t have enough security to cover the entire ship.”
“You allowed the
Celestial Princess to leave port knowing you had inadequate security aboard?”
“A bad call on my part, perhaps. But you must understand, Colonel, these cruise lines operate on an incredibly tight schedule. Postponing or canceling would have cost our parent company millions. And so, I gambled we could get by with the people we had.”
“A gamble you seem to have lost,” Aki remarked.
“Which is why I’m here asking for your help. Believe me, this is the last thing I want to be doing. But I’m left with little choice in the matter.”
“Why not put out an official client order with the ARKS? I’m sure plenty of people would be willing to sign up for a temporary security detail.”
“As I said, I’m short on time. By the time they get out here, it could be too late. And…”
“…And you don’t want to make it public, because that would make you—and by extension your employers—look very bad,” Aki finished for him.
Orville nodded gravely. “So you see, I’m in quite a bind. Then I saw you earlier. I recognized you and decided to pay you a visit. If anyone can root out this thief, it’s you.”
“I’m here on vacation, Captain. A paying customer, just like anyone else.”
“I realize that. And I’m sorry to have to ask. But I promise, I’ll compensate you generously for your time.”
Aki considered his proposal—for three-tenths of a second. To a CAST, a rather generous length of time. Not that it changed her answer. “I’m not accepting client orders right now. I’ve been put on… administrative leave.”
“Unofficially, then.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Captain. I can’t help you.”
Orville chewed his lower lip. He looked like he wanted to say more, to plead for mercy, but in the end he gave up. His shoulders sagged as the hope drained from his eyes. “Very well, then,” he said.
The man called up a small holographic screen above his left wrist. Tapped a few buttons, then let it fade into nothingness. “I just sent you my contact information,” he told Aki. “In case you change your mind.”
Then he left.
Once again, Aki was alone with her thoughts. Her dark, brooding, unproductive thoughts. Should she have helped Orville?
Could she have helped him? She didn’t entirely trust herself anymore.
A minute later the doorbell chimed. Aki answered it again, assuming the captain was back for another try. But no. There was a pale-faced teenage kid standing outside her door. He was wearing a navy-blue uniform, the same kind as the cruise staff. A bellhop, by the looks of him. In one hand he was carrying a tall, sealed garment bag.
“Yes?” asked Aki.
The kid shuffled his feet nervously. “Hey. I, uh, have a delivery for Room 124 from a Miss Évangelique Violette.”
So that’s what she meant when she said she would take care of it, Aki thought to herself.
She took the bag from the bellhop and unzipped it. Inside was the most gorgeous dress Aki had ever seen. It was a strapless formal gown, mostly red—her favorite color—with a frilled, multi-tiered skirt featuring a ring of silken, flower-shaped ornaments. A black beaded necklace, long mesh gloves, and a pair of high-heeled shoes completed the ensemble. “It’s rather… showy,” she commented.
The bellhop smiled awkwardly. He didn’t know what to say to that.
Aki zipped the bag back up again and shook her head. “I can’t accept this. It’s too much. It must have cost… well, I can’t even imagine.”
“Miss Violette thought you might say that,” the kid replied. “Which is why she asked me to tell you, ‘Take it. Seeing you wear it will be compensation enough.’”
The Caseal looked from the bellhop to the garment bag, then back to the bellhop. Mulled it over for a few seconds. Finally, she sighed in resignation.
I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try it on…
TO BE CONTINUED
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