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  “That doesn’t matter!” Conor shouted. “You had no right to do that.”

  “It was necessary,” Michael continued. “It had to be done. Your people needed a leader. They needed you.”

  “What you did is unthinkable!” Conor shouted angrily. “How could you? And what about me? What am I? What did you do to me?”

  “You are still you,” Michael answered, trying to calm him down. “You were given some gifts, that’s all. The idea is to introduce a leader into the indigent population that is a bit more advanced. Typically, a bit more intelligent and athletic than what they would have been otherwise. Someone capable of speeding the population’s social and technological development. It’s all about economics and maximizing credits. The quicker a marginal population becomes a viable trading partner, the better it is for all concerned.”

  “Marginal populations, maximizing credits, implants, viable trading partners,” Conor repeated his words. “You should listen to yourself. Just because you can travel through space doesn’t make you better than us. You are all so smart, so advanced. If you ask me, you are the primitive ones. Kristi told me about reboots. How many people has your beloved Consortium of Allied Planets killed in the name of maximizing credits? The count must be in the millions, but I don’t suppose that you keep a record of that. Oh no. There is no sense in keeping records on that. After all, what’s the profit in knowing that?”

  “I cannot change the system,” Michael stated, throwing up his hands defensively. “It is what it is. All I know is that unless we do something your people are doomed. There are powerful forces lining up as I speak that want to see your planet rebooted and auctioned off to the highest bidders. That is what you have to focus on. We have to work together to save your people, to save Baer, Marle-Marja, and Ulric. If we fail, they are all dead.”

  Conor stared at Michael, his emotions shifting from anger to revulsion to reluctant acceptance.

  “There is going to be a vacancy on the Interstellar Court of Justice at the end of this session,” Michael continued. “The Chief Justice is stepping aside and there is going to be an election to fill the vacancy. There are four candidates and I am one of them. All of my opponents have indicated that they would vote to reboot your planet. That’s the politically popular position. None of them care about your planet or your people. None of them know or care about Baer, Marle-Marja, or Ulric. I know them. I care. Although the vote on your planet will take place before the election, I intend to make it the focal point of my campaign. I want to use the election as a platform to save your planet. I want to convince the Justices to do the right thing and honor the terms of the reprieve. If we can do that, I know that once you are back home that your people will rise to the challenge and be admitted to the Consortium as a Junior Member. I have faith in you and your abilities. I know that you can do it.”

  Conor grew very quiet.

  “You are still you,” Michael repeated. “We didn’t change who you are. We just provided you a few enhancements.”

  “Is this why I can levitate things, read minds, and project thoughts and sounds?” Conor asked. “Did you do this to me?”

  “No,” Michael stated. “You were provided a heightened sense of smell, a slight intelligence boost, quicker reflexes, greater resistance to disease, and what was supposed to be a slightly accelerated growth pattern. Your ability to levitate objects, read minds, and project sounds and thoughts were totally unexpected, as was how quickly you have matured. All bonuses, you could call it. Actually, to be quite honest, you have taken us all by surprise. Kristi is delighted. Until now, hers was the only species in the Consortium with the power of levitation and telepathy, and only one out of every two million of her species has that gift. She is hoping that you will pass it on to your children.”

  “She knows?” Conor asked, saddened by the news. “That I am an implant.”

  “Of course,” Michael continued. “It’s not a bad thing. It’s a good thing. You should be proud. You have been given gifts. All I ask is that you help us to help you and the ones that you love.”

  “How can I trust you?” Conor asked. “You are a liar and a cheat.”

  “As I said before,” Michael stated. “I cannot change the system or the past. Yes, I sometimes cut corners. I do not always follow the rules. I sent you berries when I shouldn’t have. I took you to a place of safety when I shouldn’t have. I arranged for Kristi to train you when I shouldn’t have. And now I have asked Alex to train you when I shouldn’t have. All of those actions are against the rules. Well, if it’s one thing that I have learned in life is that some rules should be broken. If that makes me a liar and a cheat, so be it. But the thing that you need to remember is that we are on the same side. I need you and you need me. I don’t think that I can save your people without your help. All I am asking you to do is to help us save the ones that you love.”

  “I see,” Conor stated. “Your Interstellar Court of Justice, supposedly representing the most technologically and socially advanced societies in the entire universe, is poised to kill everyone on my planet, including all of the children, not because we are a threat, but because someone will profit from it. If you ask me, your Interstellar Court of Justice stinks.”

  “I know that it does not seem fair,” Michael answered. “But as I said before, it is what it is. I don’t like it either. I don’t like it one bit. But I do know one thing. Alex, Kristi, and I are going to do everything in our power to save your people. But we need your help. We can’t do this alone.”

  Conor straightened up and stated reluctantly, “I guess that I have no choice.”

  “Good,” Michael answered. “We will reach Rylyn in 10 days. We need you to make the most of them. Continue your studies and work as hard as you can. We are arranging a new identity for you. Your name is now Conor Sinclair and you work for me. No one knows about your special gifts. Keep them secret. I don’t want anyone to know what you can do. We are about to enter the world of interstellar politics. It is not a game. It is complicated and dangerous. There are trillions of credits in play and a lot of very influential people are working very hard to ensure that your planet is rebooted. Make no mistake. They will do everything in their power to stop us. You are a wild card. No one knows about you and what you can do. I need you to be ready. I need you to be prepared to do whatever it takes. That includes defending yourself, Alex, Kristi, and me. It means that you may have to hurt, or even kill, someone. Can you do that? Can you kill someone if you have to?”

  “Yes,” Conor answered without pause. “I can do that.”

  Michael smiled.

  Glancing at the clock sitting on Conor’s nightstand, Michael stated, “It’s late. You had better get some sleep.”

  Michael pulled down the sheets on Conor’s bed and motioned for him to get in. When Conor did not move, Michael headed for the door and announced, “Suit yourself. I have some business that I need to attend to. I know that this has been difficult. But life is difficult.”

  After Michael left, Conor climbed into bed and stared at the ceiling.

  “Lights off, please,” Conor stated softly.

  The lights dimmed and the room went dark.

  Chapter 12

  THE TRIP TO RYLYN

  Conor woke up to the sound of running water. Someone had just turned his bathroom faucet on. Sitting up, he strained to see through the darkness. He couldn’t see anything.

  “Try something else,” Alex’s voice announced out of the darkness.

  “Alex, is that you?” Conor asked.

  “You disappoint me,” Alex continued. “I have been here for quite a long time, rummaging through your things. If I had been an assassin, you would be dead.”

  “It was a rough night,” Conor answered. “I did not sleep well.”

  Looking over at the clock on his nightstand, it read 4:54.

  “It’s 5 in the morning!” Conor complained, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “I was supposed to meet you in the galley for breakfast at 7.�
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  “There has been a new development,” Alex explained. “Michael asked me to get you up a bit early.”

  “Couldn’t you have just knocked?” Conor asked after instructing the room’s computer to turn the lights on.

  “You still don’t understand,” Alex stated sternly. “You have to expect the unexpected. I was able to enter your room without you knowing. An assassin doesn’t care if you are tired; if you had a rough night. An assassin doesn’t care what hour it is. You have to remain alert, even when you are bone-tired. You have heightened senses of smell and hearing. Use them! Don’t rely on your eyes. Your eyes can, and will, deceive you. Assassins are very good at blending into their surroundings, disguising themselves to look harmless when, in fact, they are not. Remember, most attacks occur when you least expect it.”

  “I know,” Conor stated. “But if you will excuse me for just a moment, I have to go and it cannot wait.”

  As Conor headed for the bathroom, Alex leapt through the air, his outstretched arms reaching for Conor’s back. He never reached his target. Instead, he found himself floating helplessly in the air, his arms and legs dangling beneath him, his head just below the ceiling.

  “Got you!” Conor called out as he entered the bathroom. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

  “He just may work out after all,” Alex thought to himself.

  Conor stepped out from the bathroom and floated Alex to the floor.

  “You still have much to learn,” Alex stated. “When you heard the faucet running, you relied on your eyes to identify and locate the danger. That was a mistake. Always remember, your eyes are easily fooled. Next time, use all of your senses, not just one. But enough for now. Come on, let’s go eat. Michael is waiting for us.”

  Conor followed Alex down the corridor to the galley. Michael was waiting at one of the glass-topped tables. Three plates and assorted utensils were in a pile at the center of the table.

  “Good morning!” Michael announced as Conor and Alex joined him.

  “Good morning,” Conor answered.

  Michael walked over to the galley’s dispensary and returned with a large platter of orange fruit balls.

  “I think that you will like these, they are very tasty,” Michael stated as he sat down.

  Conor took a plate, a knife, and a fork from the center of the table and placed them in front of his seat. Reaching over, he took about dozen of the fruit balls and put them onto his plate. Alex and Michael did the same. As they ate, Michael filled them in on the latest development.

  “As you both know, Chief Justice Kartini recently announced that she is retiring,” he started. “Her announcement was a political shock. Justices rarely step down before their term ends. They are elected to renewable terms of 100 standard years each. This is her third term and she still has 10 years to go before her next election. As expected, each of the Assembly’s various factions have nominated a candidate to fill the vacancy. To make a long story short, four candidates, including myself, have been nominated to fill the seat. Marilyn Hunt, a wealthy financier from the Grange system, is representing the outer spirals. Rosemary Vesperie, a reptilian from the Beta Prime system, is representing the non-humanoid faction. Justin Clark, an amphibiotic from the Nagel system, is representing the Assembly’s progressive caucus. He is advocating a package of reforms designed to redistribute wealth within the Consortium to promote a more equalitarian society. No one seriously thinks that he will win, but he does have some wealthy benefactors so he cannot be totally discounted. I am Rylyn’s nominee and the only non-politician running. The other three candidates are prominent members of the Assembly and have extensive campaign experience. I have none. Dee Sanders has volunteered to run my campaign and Justice Brandix has lined up several financiers to fund it. I have no idea what deals he is making in exchange for that financing. That makes me nervous. But there’s not much I can do about that. Elections are expensive and the credits have to come from somewhere.”

  Michael paused, walked over to the dispensary, and returned with a platter of scrambled eggs.

  “Dee contacted me late last night,” Michael continued as he filled his plate. “Things have become more complicated. That is why I asked you here so early in the morning. Karen Kartini died last night. So, instead of holding the election at the end of the current Court session, it is going to be held now.”

  “I don’t want to sound callous, but isn’t that good news?” Conor asked. “I’m sorry that she died, but doesn’t that mean that the election will be held before the Court votes on my planet?”

  “It does,” Michael answered. “If I win, the chances of saving your planet goes way up. But I still have to win. As you know, the other candidates have already announced that they will vote to reboot your planet. I thought that Justin Clark might be opposed. He seems to be the type of guy that would oppose reboots on principle. But the only difference between his stance and the others is that he wants to target the credits generated from the government’s share of the land and mineral contracts to planets in economic distress.”

  “How nice of him,” Conor stated sarcastically.

  “There’s another detail that I need to mention,” Michael explained.

  “What’s that?” Alex asked.

  “Kartini was poisoned,” Michael answered. “An official investigation is underway. Dee informs me that the local prosecutor is being pressured to include me on the list of suspects.”

  “How can anyone possibly think that you had anything to do with her murder?” Conor asked. “We are nowhere near Rylyn.”

  “Being off-world is no defense,” Michael explained. “All they have to do is prove that I knew about the murder before it took place and did nothing to prevent it.”

  “I still don’t understand,” Conor stated. “Why do we have anything to worry about? You didn’t have anything to do with her murder, so there is no evidence against you. Without evidence, they can’t name you as a suspect, right?”

  “Evidence can be manufactured,” Michael answered. “Prosecutors can be bribed.”

  Conor let out a long sigh and slumped back into his chair.

  “I guess I still have a lot to learn about politics,” he confessed.

  “It can be a very nasty business,” Michael answered. “But there is some hope. According to Dee, the local prosecutor is an honest fellow, not prone to taking bribes or looking the other way when an infraction is brought to his attention. However, she knows that at least one, and maybe more than one, of the other nominees is pressuring him to name me as a suspect anyway. If they succeed, my chances of winning the election plummet. In other words, this is a political maneuver to narrow the field.”

  “One that could also get you the death sentence,” Alex interrupted.

  “Yes, it could,” Michael sighed. “And because we are business partners they will probably name you and Kristi as co-conspirators.”

  “Life with you is never boring,” Alex stated matter-of-factly.

  “That’s for sure,” Michael answered, leaning back in his chair. “Obviously, this changes everything. We have to come up with a new plan. First, we have to figure out who is trying to get me named as a suspect. Dee’s working on that right now. Then, we find a friendly reporter who will use that information to expose the person who is behind all of this. There are lots of reporters who would love to get an exclusive story like that. The trick is to find one that will write the story in such a way that it generates sympathy for our campaign and helps me to get elected.”

  “And save my people,” Conor added.

  “And discover who murdered the Chief Justice,” Alex added.

  “What do you mean?” Conor asked.

  “It’s fairly simple,” Alex stated. “The person who is trying to frame Michael ordered her murder.”

  “Are you suggesting that someone killed her just to get Michael in trouble?” Conor asked.

  “Of course,” Alex answered. “She was retiring and the current
Court session is nearing its end. Her political value is practically nil to everyone.”

  “I get it,” Conor stated. “If I was one of the nominees, or someone who was going to benefit from a particular candidate’s election, and I thought that Michael was going to win, I would do whatever I had to do to discredit him.”

  “Now you know why I hate politics,” Michael stated. “You never know what’s coming next.”

  A loud beeping noise, followed by the computer’s tinny voice interrupted their conversation.

  “A message has arrived for Captain LaRocque,” the computer announced. “It is marked urgent, please reply at once. Repeat, a message has arrived for Captain LaRocque. It is marked urgent, please reply at once.”

  Michael walked over to a computer screen embedded into the wall, hit the reply button, and stated, “Thank you, I will take the message in my cabin.”

  Michael left for his cabin and Alex and Conor headed down to cargo bay three. Entering his cabin, Michael headed straight for his computer and tapped the on button. Dee Sanders’ smiling face appeared on its screen.

  “I have great news,” Dee stated, still smiling. “The local prosecutor has agreed not to name you as a suspect. We offered him some compensation, but he refused. He insisted that his decision was based on the facts of the case.”

  “That is great news,” Michael stated. “Thanks for all your help on this. You’re absolutely amazing, do you know that?”

  “Of course,” Dee stated confidently. “How else do you think I got this far? By the way, Brandix has arranged a hero’s welcome for you when you arrive. We are spreading the word, running ads on all the daytime news and evening talk shows. But just to be sure that we have a good crowd, we have hired over 300 actors, all of them paid handsomely to sing your praises and to chant slogans like “We love LaRocque” and “It’s Time For A Change.” That’s going to be our official campaign slogan by the way, “It’s Time For A Change.” It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? It reminds everyone that you are the only non-politician in the campaign. Anyway, the goal is to provide a great show for the video and audio networks. We have also been working with the local political clubs, asking them to make certain that a lot of people show up. You are, after all, Rylyn’s candidate. We need to show everyone everywhere that Rylyn is behind you 100 percent.”