Kartega

By the time they made their way into the heart of Tower City, Jericho had set and night engulfed their world in deep shades of blues and golds. “Oh. My. Star.” Sid took in the masterful construction of Tower City, slack jawed.

The layout of the entrance arch spanned so wide around the city’s perimeter that it was difficult to see the size of what lay beyond the arch’s protective walls. And it was magnificent! The central street they walked through was at least ten times wider than the entire span of the Arcturus with tall glass panes running parallel to one another, creating passageways for people and traffic pods; which zoomed by them in each and every direction, leaving traces of blue light in their wake. Even in the late hours of the evening there was a steady pace of movement all around them, muffled by circular glass buildings jutting out like tree trunks from the floors. Each building was connected to the one next to it with a series of tube-like passageways which stretched so high up that Sid wondered how anyone felt safe enough to walk across them. She could see a scurry of activity running through a passage in her peripheral and her breath caught in worry for the travelers. They made it across without a care and Sid let herself relax, the tension in her shoulders pulsing a steady beat behind her ears. A pod flew by them and landed a few meters away at one of the street’s many intersections. The clear doors slid open and a family of Citizens rushed out into the street, a man and woman, followed by four small children. Sid’s eyes widened at the sight of them, she’d only seen children in her lesson projections thus far — they were so much smaller in person. Like little pets, she thought, studying the family. Despite the gleeful hops of the children, they looked regal. Sid peeked further out from behind Ashlan’s shoulder, taking in the Citizens around them. All of them dressed in varying fabrics in shades of blue and white and all of them walking about like royalty. She couldn’t even imagine what the queen must look like if this was the general population of Tower City. It was as if they were weightless, gliding down the labyrinth of metal and glass. The city was full of life but serene at the same time; frozen in a constant state of activity.

Sid made sure to stay behind Ashlan to avoid drawing too much attention to herself, only occasionally popping her head out to scan the new environment. Each time she glanced around, she felt like she had shrunk to half her size — small in comparison to the vastness of the architecture around her. It was as though she was swallowed by glass and telescreens and light. Pure, all-encompassing light that shone so bright from each live screen that she could feel her pupils shrink to accommodate its presence. She thanked the star for her goggles, adjusting her sight to the glare around her, her thoughts immediately landing on Colton. How could she find him in this place? The task seemed nearly impossible now. They had been walking a straight line down the central passage but she still felt like she had been turned around a million times over. Everything was different and new and absolutely petrifying. Sid was completely lost. And with reason, she hadn’t the slightest idea where she was and where Ashlan was taking her.

“You weren’t kidding when you said this place was a maze,” she noted, pointing up to trace the ten-story high building to her right. “How do you even know where to go?”

“You get used to it,” Ashlan answered with a laugh. “It’s really quite simple once you orient yourself.”

“Doesn’t seem simple enough to me.”

He laughed again and she tried to push the warmth that rose to her neck away, she still hated the stardamned jerk.

Ashlan stopped at an intersection and nudged her to look up at the blue projection running atop a pillar in the middle of the road. Bright blue holographic numbers spilled into the air above, circling around an invisible center. “See that?” He pointed to it, “There’s one of these at every corner to mark the district number.”

She scanned the projection to note a flashing number scroll across the screen: thirty-seven.

“So we’re in district thirty-seven?”

“Uh huh. The districts are all numbered based on their proximity to the Queen’s Tower. So, we’re thirty-seven districts away from it, putting us about halfway in.”

“There are seventy-four districts in the city?” Sid yelped a little too excitedly. Despite the years she’d spent studying the nuances of the city, there was still so much she didn’t know. Every new piece of information shattered her and left her giddy with excitement. Minus the present company, Tower City was everything Sid imagined it to be; an absolute wonder.

“Seventy-six, not counting the gardens.” Ashlan said.

“There are gardens?”

Ashlan chuckled and threw his arms up, “Of course! Tower City has the most beautiful outdoor spaces!”

“Isn’t it all one big outdoor space?” She asked, pointing to the dark, night sky above them.

“Sort of. The entire city is atmosphere controlled. You can’t see it but the shield is there. Always.”

She took a breath in, realizing that she had not felt the coolness of air since they stepped foot through the arch. With Jericho’s light out, it must have been freezing at this time of the evening but she felt completely content. She guessed the shield spanned across the city in a dome and functioned like the climate control breakers on her ship. Invisible to the eye but continuously running code to maintain the most optimal temperature. Brilliant!

“Wow, you really are new here!” Ashlan said, noting her open-mouthed stare.

Sid tightened her lips into a thin line and let the embarrassment wash over her. “Not all of us get to live in this perfect little oasis, you know! Why don’t we just get to wherever it is you’re taking me? And let’s make it a silent trip, alright?” He is unbearable, the fool.

“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. Just most Domers have been here at least once in their life. Haven’t you ever had to work or get supplies for your family?”

Sid raised a finger to her lips and shot him a glowered gaze, “I thought I said silent?”

“Seriously? Fine, suit yourself. I was going to take you through the falls but no matter.”

“The falls? As in the waterfalls?” She grinned, hopping from foot to foot. She had spent hours on end replaying drone footage of the falls in Tower City. Huge masses of water that cascaded down from the rooftops of two of the tallest buildings at heart-wrenching speeds. Colton told her that there were Citizens brave enough to propel down the falls and dive effortlessly into the pools beneath but she never believed him. A drop like that would kill anyone who tried, she was sure of it.

“Oh, no, no. You said silent. They’re much too loud. Let’s just keep going quietly. As you wished.”

“You’re honestly the most annoying person I have met in my entire life!” She exclaimed, keeping the part that he’s only the second person she’s met to herself. “Which way to the falls?”

“Not sure. You’ll figure it out. You seem to know everything, no?”

She punched him in the shoulder, knocking the remnants of his blade from his grip and laughed sheepishly when it rolled on the ground a few steps away from them. Ashlan reached down to pick it up, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to be quiet just please can we see the falls?” She said, hoping that he’d let it go.

“Who’s the annoying one now?” He huffed, then, “They’re in district twelve. We should hurry it up if we want to make it there and to the blade cells before dinner.”

“You’re taking me to the blade cells?” She exclaimed.

“Well, obviously. You said you’ll fix my blade, remember? That was the bargain!”

The glass pane next to them suddenly felt so much closer than before. The wide, open-aired street they were on seemed to shrink in size before her eyes. Sid felt sick, she felt like she was suffocating. Her mind was a blurry mess and she felt sick to her stomach. She couldn’t go to the blade cells! The cells, used for charging and repairing the Starblade weapons, were located on the bottom level of the queen’s own tower and from what Colton had told her, it was guarded to the rims. Someone could figure out she didn’t belong here, that she wasn’t some Domer Ashlan found. If she was found out, she’d be in so much trouble! Worse, they could trace her back to Colton. As much as she wanted to find him, she didn’t want him to jeopardize his position because of her stupid decision to follow this daft Starblade into the city. What in the name of the star was she going to do now?

“Hello?” Ashlan waved a palm in front of her face aggressively, “Is Sid somewhere in there?”

“Sorry, I just got dizzy for a second. I’m probably just hungry.”

As if on command, her stomach growled loud enough to spark the attention of a Citizen next to her. The tall woman looked her up and down, shook her head with a sour expression and turned away, rearranging the folds of her sheer blue skirt and continuing on her way. Sid wanted to ram her fist right into her smug face. How dare she act like Sid was lesser than her? What gave this mucking woman the right to…

Sid stared wide-eyed as the woman was greeted by two Starblades, each bowing their heads to her until she waved for them to stand up. The first Starblade flicked his wrist and within moments, a pod descended next to them with a sudden whoosh that sent Sid toppling backwards. She looked up frantically to see that three more pods were idling above them, waiting for the woman to board the airy carriage. The woman lifted a few layers of skirt off the ground and stepped through the pod’s glass door. Without hesitation, the two Starblades followed suit and settled in seats next to her. She shot Sid a sideways glance through the pod’s clear walls before being shot up into the air and disappearing from sight. The other pods followed suit, leaving Sid staring blankly into the blue-lit trails of their take off.

Was that a Magistra? Did I just see a stardamned Magistra?

Sid tried to brush the dirt off her suit sleeve unsuccessfully. Of course she looks at me like I’m nothing. Look at her and look at me! As far as this place is concerned, I am nothing. Sid’s head ached and she wanted to push her way out of this stardamned place. She wanted to go home. To be alone again where she didn’t feel like she wasn’t worth the air she was breathing. As much as she wanted to live here, it felt empty without Colton. She wished it was him that was taking her on this tour. That it was him that she was on her way to see the falls with. Not this annoying Starblade with his self-assured smile and perfect row of teeth.

“We can stop for food on the way if you’d like?”

Muck. He’s still here.

“I’m fine. Let’s just get going, it’s getting late.” Sid pointed to the projection above them. The time read eight thirty-four, well past her usual dinner time. She needed to get rid of this kid and find Colton before she passed out from hunger. If she could only get him to take her close enough to the general’s quarters. But how?

“You sure? You don’t look great. No offense.”

She scowled but quickly perked up as an idea sparked her attention. “Actually, you’re right.”

“I am? Wow, that’s a change coming from you!”

“Don’t get used to it. But I am hungry and need to clean up a bit.”

“Why?”

“Because not all of us can be all prim and put together all the time, Starblade! Some of us don’t have little blue suits to keep us safe and clean!”

Ashlan raised his arms defensively, “I just meant that you don’t look terrible. Just like you could eat. Star help me, you’re something else, aren’t you?”

“Listen, you going to take me somewhere I can clean up, or not?”

He dropped his arms to his side and sighed, “Fine. Let’s go.”

Perfect! Now she simply needed to lose him and she’d be free to search for Colton. Hopefully he’d take her somewhere with a crowd so she could disappear with ease. They weren’t that far off from the towers and once she was alone, she’d have a better chance of hiding herself. She was wrong to think that walking with the Starblade would help camouflage her from the Citizens, all it did was draw more attention to them. A Starblade and a Domer walking together like they were pals. It must look even more out of place than it felt. Sid had never heard of such a thing in all of her studies. Starblades were Starblades and Domers were Domers. The two didn’t mix.

“Shouldn’t you get back now? It’s getting late. Don’t you have to be somewhere about now? Dinner or something? With your perfect little family?” She teased, hoping he’d take the bait.

Ashlan said nothing. His gaze drifting off past the edges of her white hair and into an unknown distance beyond them. What’s wrong with him? Did I break him?

“Hello?” She howled, “Mister Flawless? You thinking about your ideal life, huh? Yeah, I get it. You should definitely get back to it though. I’ll be completely fine on my own. And come find me tomorrow! I’ll fix that blade of yours then.”

“Actually, my father was killed this week.” He lowered his gaze and stepped aside, “so my ideal life is not exactly welcoming right now. And don’t try to get out of fixing my blade. We made a deal and you’re stuck with me until it’s handled.”

Wait, what? His father died? I am an actual mucking idiot. Sid felt foolish and rude and utterly selfish. This entire time, Ashlan had been trying to talk to her and she never once asked him about his life. Maybe if she did, he would have told her sooner about his father and she wouldn’t be feeling like a jerk right now. Yes, she needed to find Colton. And yes, Ashlan was an annoying Starblade that she had to get rid of to do that. But she couldn’t shrug him off, at least not until she knew he wasn’t upset. People who are upset do stupid things; Colton once told her. What if the stupid thing Ashlan did was to turn her in before she found him?

“I’m sorry about your dad. Really. What happened to him?”

“Nothing I shouldn’t have been ready for. He was the NSO general so it’s not like his job was all that safe.”

The Starblade tried to smile but Sid’s head spun before she could focus on the row of bright, white teeth lining his grin. “NSO general? Your father? He was…”

She couldn’t finish the words. No, no, no! It can’t be!

“Yes. The one and only. He gave up his entire life for the queen, now he died for her,” the Starblade shrugged. “He’s a hero. I guess.”

Sid could barely form the words that she was aching to shout. “What… what was his name?”

“General Colton Tirian Mandelev. Why?”

In seconds, Sid’s entire world collapsed. She felt like she was on the pod again, barreling at full speed into an incoming object that was sure to either kill her or render her entirely useless. Her mouth was dry. Her knees weaker than the pathetic carbon monoxide valve she’d spent months trying to fix. Colton was dead. He was the only one in this stardamned world that she cared about and he was dead! She was in Tower City looking for a dead man. The only person who could help her get off this star was a dead man! Dead. Colton. Dead.

Her gaze drifted to Ashlan’s olive skinned face. This was Colton’s son. She didn’t even know Colton had a son. He never spoke of his family and Sid naturally assumed he didn’t have one, aside from her, of course. Yet there he was, standing in front of her. All muscle and grins and self-assuredness. She hated him. She hated that he got to spend his life with Colton. Really spend a life with him. Not on some weekly scheduled calls, not on a rusty ship wishing he was closer. He was close. As close as one could get to a father. As close as Sid wished she was.

Sid shook her head, realizing she’d been silent for what must have seemed like forever.

“No reason,” she finally uttered, “so your father, how much did you know about him?”

“What?”

“The general, did he tell you anything? About a ship perhaps?”

The Starblade tilted his head, “That’s a really weird question. You alright? You didn’t hit your head when you fell on the bridge, did you?”

Sid grimaced. She must sound pretty crazy but if he thought she was insane, that could only mean that he didn’t know about the Arcturus. He didn’t know about her. Colton had always told her that she had to stay away, stay hidden. It never occurred to her that he might have been keeping her just as hidden as her ship was. Far off where no one could find her. She was some filthy little secret he had and it made her furious. The anger rushed through her like a tidal wave, her hands shook. In fact, her entire body vibrated. Fury mixing with sadness and grief until she didn’t know which one was which. She could feel the magic within her awaken, threatening to surface. She should let it. She should melt the entire city to the ground. The electricity crackled in her palms, readying to explode.

“Anyway, we should go. You’ll have to see the falls on your next trip in. I need to get this blade fixed before someone realizes what happened. It won’t be good for either of us if I don’t turn it in tonight.”

The blade? How could he think about his dumb blade right now? Colton was dead! Her thoughts screamed, pummeling through her but not reaching her lips. Of course that was all he could think about. He was selfish and arrogant and he didn’t care about Colton. Not the way she had. She had to get out of this place as soon as possible. Away from the city, the Citizens and Colton’s selfish son. With him gone, she needed to get the valve on her own no matter what it took.

Based on her vague knowledge of the towers schematics, the blade cells were a few floors above the rings control booth. The entire system ran on a symbiotic current of power being fed by the electricity generated by the Circulum System. There had to be a mechanics station nearby, close enough for regular maintenance of the system. If her valve was anywhere, that’s where it would be held.

“How long will it take us to get to the cells?” She asked, straightening her stance.

“On foot? Too long.” Ashlan looked her way, smiling. “But we don’t need to waste time walking.”

“You don’t mean…”

He looked past her and she followed his gaze to a row of docked transit pods at the end of the street.

“Let’s take a ride, shall we?”