Dr Mukta Chandrasekhar stared at the read out on her desk on Avalon. She’d been there for the last three years. She’d spent the better part of the last decade travelling back and forth between Earth and Avalon as a visiting scholar. She’d been more than happy to take up full time residence when the University of Atlantis offered to make her head of High Energy Physics. Especially since part of that role involved tinkering with the engines of the Zeno’s Paradox. It was hard to say no to that.

It was why when the Head of JTSA R&D had called her up and asked her to get involved in a joint project with Avalon she more than happy to agree. Cooperation was a good thing between the two Human worlds. Avalon, while it trailed behind Earth in a lot of areas was vastly more proficient in others. There was a lot to be learned from them regarding automation and efficient energy distribution.

Though staring at the readout on her desk turned her stomach.

“This shouldn’t be possible.” she said to herself.

She’d first seen this particular energy pattern two years ago when Acolyte number one was switched on for the first time. As part of the Joint Defence Agreement between Earth and Avalon the two worlds had quietly agreed to develop a ship capable of standing in combat with an enemy fleet, no matter what species they were. The chiefs on Earth didn’t think it was possible but the Avalonians had insisted they had experience in these matters.

Avalon had agreed to provide the reactor and engines. Earth had agreed to provide the airframe and accompanying accoutrements.

That left one thing missing. Weapons. And that’s where Mukta came in.

She remembered two years ago standing in front of the prototype looking at the same readout. A readout that showed the reactor output of Acolyte One. It was two hundred times that of the Zeno’s Paradox. But this ship wasn’t a near three hundred metre Titan craft. It was a tiny in comparison, almost twenty metre fighter craft.

Her job had been to find a way to channel the enormous amount of energy the ship generated into a weapon. She’d had develop laser weapons based on earlier JTSA designs that had previously been impractical due to the energy needed but they couldn’t make a dent in Titan armour let alone the shields that protected Titan ships. She wasn’t assuming the Titans would be the targets but it was the only suitable test materials they could get their hands on.

In the end she could only think of one option. She had used superconducting magnets to manipulate and control the highly unstable plasma that was generated by the reactor. This was fired in a series of short, sharp bursts. It had taken new technologies and some reverse engineering and improvements to the Zeno’s Paradox’s cooling system but it had worked quite well. More than well. Incredibly well. The plasma cannon she had devised was capable of penetrating even the hardiest of Titan armours.

While Titan shields were still an issue, combat sims had shown that if the Acolytes got to within a few dozen metres of their target they would fire from within a ship’s shield bubble rendering them useless. A dozen acolytes attacking at once could do devastating damage coupled with their small size and high speed they were exceptionally hard to hit; which was useful as the acolytes possessed no defences to speak of. Optimistic simulations even showed that a squadron could defeat a Magilna class frigate. They were impressive to say the least.

Which is why the readouts bothered Dr Chandrasekhar so much. Energy output at this scale from a ship this small should not be possible. She had a reasonable understanding of how Titan reactors worked. Even they couldn’t manufacture one like this. The law of diminishing returns dictated that the smaller the reactor got the more inefficient it got. Eventually that hit zero and it just wouldn’t work. Yet this ship had the same energy signature as a large Titan corvette.

Secretary Xanthopolous had told her not to worry about it. That Avalonians physicists had developed the Acolyte reactor but that just didn’t make sense to her. They had only recently developed efficient fusion; leap frogging the Titans in matter/antimatter reactions just seemed impossible.

Mukta knew most of physicists on Avalon. She knew it was impossible.

The physicist sighed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She hadn’t realised how late it had gotten. She tried to rest her eyes but even then she could still see the beautiful wave form dancing behind her eyelids. It had a slight resemblance to the one from a Titan reactor, though that was to be expected with matter/antimatter. If only she had a better understanding of the Titan technology.

There was only one Human she knew of who understood Titan reactors. She’d asked him before for some lessons in matter/antimatter reactions but Dr Freeman was unwilling to just hand over the secrets to such advanced technology. And rightly so she thought. She thought Dr Freeman would love to see this readout but she’d be sworn to secrecy. And not the schoolyard type of secrecy. Supra-government level that got you thrown out an airlock if you opened your mouth type of secrecy.

Mukta groaned and opened her desk and pulled out an old paper notepad she had filled with notes, diagrams and extrapolations she’d made as she tried to solve the puzzle of the Acolyte’s reactor. She had the best understanding of antimatter/matter of any Human in the Universe save for one. If anyone was going to figure this is out, she was determined it would be her.

“Looks like this will be another sleepless night…” she said to herself and opened the notepad.

****

“Do you have any plans for lunch?” Niall said to his assistant.

“No Doctor Freeman.”

“Good! Because I’ve twenty essays on the manipulation of quantum foam to grade and I’m not going to get through them all.” Niall grinned and tapped his pad transferring half to his assistant.

Maslan rolled his eyes. He had been hoping to go for a walk given it was sunny and quite warm, a rarity in this part of the world. He sat in his chair and picked up his pad.

“Usual plan? Anything of note flag it and send it back?” He asked.

“Exactly.” Niall said already halfway down the front page of his first essay.

Maslan waited a few seconds, pretending to scan the page. “What about lunch Doctor?”

Niall looked up to his assistant. He was a thin man in his mid-twenties with a pale face and dark beard which was so thin it barely suited the word. Maslan was like all the rest of his assistants; brilliant, hard-working, shy and in need of a push to reach their full potential. Like Dr Kymie Abaforad, now head of development for the Imperial Fleet’s new high speed cruiser’s reactor, and the rest of his former assistants, Niall was sure Maslan would do great things. But for now he just wanted him to mark the stack of essays he’d been given.

“What about it?” Niall asked in a dismissive tone.

“Don’t you want anything to eat?”

“No I’m quite alright thank you. I shall eat once these essays are marked.” Niall said and turned back to his pad.

Maslan paused a minute unsure whether to carry on or not. The grumbling in his stomach told him he needed to press on. “It’s just I slept in…missed breakfast.”

Niall sighed audibly and for effect. “Maslan, you need to learn to manage your time better. Perhaps being hungry for the next few hours will be a good way to remind you of that. If I can manage with my Human metabolism then so can you.”

Maslan nodded. “Yes Dr Freeman. Sorry Dr Freeman.”

“Carry on.” Niall said and went back to his pad.

The pair sat in silence reading over their pads and making notes on the essays that were to be returned after lunch.

BANG!

The door flung open and whirlwind with dark hair rushed inside.

“You!” the girl, former whirlwind, pointed to Maslan “Out!”

“Sorcha, you don’t order my staff anywhere.” Niall responded and then motioned to Maslan to sit down.

“I need to talk to you. In private!” Sorcha insisted.

“Shall I call security doctor?” Maslan asked nervously. The girl was taller than him. Broader too. He wasn’t a physical man and he didn’t fancy his chances.

“You call security you better call a medic while you’re at it.” Sorcha took a step forward.

“Sorcha, relax.” Niall said in a tone that was not to be argued with. “Maslan, this is my daughter. Sorcha.”

Maslan breathed a sigh of relief and extended his hand to Sorcha. “Nice to meet you.” He said as she shook it.

“You too. Now seriously, skedaddle.” She ordered and set a bag on the table and started unloading containers of food.

Maslan shuffled towards the door. He had no desire to be around this girl and had a pressing need to eat and enjoy the sunshine. This was his chance.

“Sit down Maslan.” Niall sighed. “Whatever you have to say to me can be said around him.”

“But Daaaad!” Sorcha moaned. ”This is really important. Like government top secret stuff!”

“Don’t but daaaad me, you’re not five! And you can talk around Maslan. If he mentions this to anyone then he’s sacked and I’ll make sure he’s expelled.” Niall said.

Maslan continued to pretend he was marking papers. He didn’t like this one bit. It appeared to him that the junior Freeman was almost as bad as her father. He wondered how the lovely Naskia Freeman coped.

“Fine!” Sorcha sighed and opened the bag. “I brought us lunch.”

“Mmmmm smells good. What is it?”

“Curried harset, mum’s recipe. Though I tweaked it a bit.” Sorcha started to serve up.

Niall spotted Maslan eying the food enviously.

“Make sure to give Maslan plenty. This is too good to miss and he has lots of marking to do.” Niall told his daughter.

“Thank you Dr Freeman! And Miss Freeman!” Maslan put his pad down and immediately picked up the plate Sorcha pushed his way.

“Just remember. Mark the papers and keep your ears shut!” Sorcha sent him a death glare.

Maslan nodded enthusiastically taking his first bite of what turned out to be a rather more delicious than expected meal. “Yes! Of course!”

Sorcha waited for Maslan to insert two small buds into his ears and turn back to his papers and then started to eat. “I’m in big trouble Dad.”

“What else is new?” Her father joked.

“I’m serious! And it’s not even my fault! I don’t know what to do! This is way beyond me!” Sorcha flapped.

Niall held up a hand and the flapping stopped.

“Start from the start.”

“Well Qorni has screwed all the freed pet Humans so now Loona has to find some planet to put them on and build a new colony and she called me to ask me how to do it and I told her how I thought I’d do it and then she’s all like ‘well I think you should run it’ and I’m totally not the person for this Dad!” Sorcha ran off without breath.

“Wow…”

“Wow!? What do you mean wow!? I’m fucked! And humanity is fucked if I’m the first call Aunt Loona makes!” Sorcha threw her arms up without managing to throw too much of her lunch around. “How the fuck did she even get to be Deputy Floor Leader!?

“Calm down lass.” Niall said.

“I am calm!” His daughter replied in a manner that suggested the opposite.

“First, Loona is very canny. That’s how she got to be Deputy Floor Leader. Second, if she’s called you then she’s called you for a reason. You’ve done a lot of good work on Avalon. Learned a lot.”

“But I’m just a kid! Why did she call me!?”

Niall shook his head and laughed. “Daughter, as much as it pains me to say it…you are not a child. You haven’t been for a long time. You grew up fast. As fast as any Human. And sitting in front me is not a little girl but a grown woman. A grown woman with two degrees and thirty years’ experience in managing a Human civilisation…”

“I’ve only been there five years…” Sorcha corrected.

“Five Titan years. About thirty Human ones. Loona knows this as well as me or your mother. When she looks as you she doesn’t see a Titan but a Human. Albeit a very tall one.”

Sorcha shook her head and started to tear up. “I can’t do this Daddy. It’s too much. Two hundred and fifty million helpless, frightened people. I can’t be responsible for them. I’m only getting the hang of being responsible for me.”

“Shhhh. No one is asking you to be responsible for them. Loona’s asked for some advice. She’ll look at all the options, assemble a team and put the right people in the right place. That’s what she does. If she wanted you to be in charge there’d be a formal interview and likely a committee hearing to get you OK’d. So relax. It’s fine.” Niall reassured.

Sorcha took a big sniff and blinked back some tears. Niall couldn’t help but be more than a little reminded of her mother. “Ok…ok…you’re right. This isn’t on me.”

Niall got back to his lunch. “No. It’s not. But for what it’s worth I don’t think they could do much better.”

“You have to say that.” Sorcha said with her mouth full.

“No I don’t. A few years ago I would have testified at your confirmation hearing myself that you would be terrible. But now, you’ve grown up a bit. You’ve calmed down, you’re more thoughtful and less rash. A few years ago you would have just thrown Maslan out the door rather than demanding he leave instead.”

Sorcha laughed.

“And the main thing. Most important of all…”

“What’s that?” Sorcha asked smiling a little in the warmth of her father’s praise.

“You’re Human.”

****

“This is not good. This is beyond not good. This is a disaster.” Lyroo Prenn said to no one in particular as she looked over the numbers that were constantly being updated on her pad. There were two big numbers that concerned her. The first number was two million.

Two million Humans now residing in HOS care facilities across one hundred worlds. This was ten times the number it had ever been. This led Lyroo to the next number which was now a full fifty million.

“Fifty million credits…that should last five months at this rate…” she spoke again trying to vocalise her train of thought.

The number had been startling close to zero. Most regular donors had cancelled their automatic donations and a lot of members had cut ties completely. Why donate or belong to organisation dedicated to owning creatures that could no longer be owned? Had it not been for the exceptionally generous donation from Thyllia Fand HOS would almost certainly have run out of funds. And the only people that would be bad for would be Humans.

Lyroo figured the Lady Fand was likely trying to throw money at a problem that her sister had helped create. Though obviously she had not told her that. She had thanked her and promised to do all she could to ensure no Human would come to harm.

“Call for you ma’am.” Lyroo’s assistant appeared on her desk monitor.

Lyroo rolled her eyes. “I’m busy. Take the details.”

“It’s…it’s the Deputy Floor Leader ma’am.”

Lyroo quickly examined her reflection in a pocket mirror, tidied her hair and attempted to hide the bags under her eyes. Satisfied she looked as good as she could in under a minute she nodded for assistant to put her old rival through.

“Lyroo…” The Deputy Floor Leader said.

“Madam Deputy Floor Leader, to what do I owe the honour of this call?”

“I think we’ve known each other long enough to skip the formalities, Lyroo.” Loona replied.

Lyroo eyed her old rival. Loona looked as bad as Lyroo felt. She hadn’t even taken the time to attempt a façade of freshness. The pressure was clearly getting to her. Which gave cause for Lyroo to smirk a little.

“You’re not looking too sharp this morning Loona. What’s wrong? Guilt getting to you?” Lyroo spoke with undisguised bitterness.

Loona groaned. “I didn’t call to trade insults like two bickering first years. I called to see how we can help each other.”

“Ha! How we can help each other!? I don’t see how you can possibly help me!?

“You like the fifty million cred donation? Those just don’t come out of thin air.” Loona replied.

A thin smile drew across Lyroo’s lips. “So you were behind that? Trying to assuage your guilty conscience?”

“I’ve nothing to feel guilty about…”

“Humans are dead!” Lyroo shouted.

“And I didn’t kill them!” Loona shouted back.

“You didn’t directly but you’re no less responsible! You’re the one who pushed this issue for decades despite the warnings! I told you this would happen!” Lyroo’s cool was long gone.

“I, and many others freed them! They’re people Lyroo!”

“I know they are gods dammit! And you’ve condemned thousands to death! Did you think shopkeepers and breeders were just going to keep on feeding and housing them out of the goodness of their hearts!? NO! The really good ones have. The decent ones gave them to us. The rest just dumped them on their doorstep. Some made it to us…the rest…I don’t dare to think.” Lyroo had started out screaming but by the end was barely able to hold it together.

Loona stared at her. She knew Lyroo was right. She knew if the Zeramblin Act hadn’t passed there would likely be Humans alive today who were not as a result. That was on her. But she didn’t have time to grieve yet. She had millions more to worry about.

“You know what we have in common Lyroo?” Loona spoke softly.

Lyroo chuckled and wiped away a tear. “Very little I imagine.”

“We both care deeply about these people. About making sure they are safe and healthy and happy. Our methods of doing so just differ. Can we at least agree on that?”

Lyroo paused and thought. “I suppose. But at this point I fail to see how this can work.”

“Well I had plan rehabilitation centres, to house and educate Humans. You can thank your friend Qorni for this mess.” Loona spat.

“What do you mean?” Lyroo’s eyes widened.

“She shot down my funding. Only agreed to funding resettlement to another world. Any Humans who remain on Titan worlds can only do so through their ’owner’s’ goodwill. They likely won’t be in a rush to educate their pets to the point they can qualify for citizenship.” Loona spoke with venom in her voice.

“That fegelcarber!” Lyroo slammed a hand down on her desk.

“I recognise I’m not blameless here. I got played and outmanoeuvred and people have died as a result. I’m trying to do the best I can for these people and I really appreciate how good you and your organisation have been with taking people in. I’ll keep working behind the scenes to get you funding.” Loona said switching to a more diplomatic tone.

Lyroo blinked, surprised. “We do what we have to.”

“Are you doing anything beyond housing and feeding?” Loona asked.

“We’re doing what we can. With this money we can implement the Aenur Foundation’s suggested education program. We don’t agree with the law but getting these Humans citizenship is their best chance for long term survival.”

“Good, if you keep doing that I promise the money will keep flowing to your organisation.” Loona said.

“Good. That takes a load off my mind.”

“There is one thing I’d ask you to do. This helps both of us. Humans most of all.” Loona leaned forward a bit. “We’re working on starting a world for these Humans. Preparations are coming along well. We are looking to start with around one hundred thousand settlers as first. But we need smart ones. Both emotionally and intellectually. People who will become leaders and mentors to the Humans that follow.”

“I’ll ask my people to keep a look out. From what my people are telling me a world of their own may be their best hope.” Lyroo sighed. “You aren’t just abandoning them I hope?”

“No. We’ll be funding this world. It’ll be a protectorate. The territory of Avalon will be providing support and education and I’ve put forward an expert in Human colony management for governor.” Loona explained.

Lyroo’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t know there was such a thing as an expert in Human colony management?”

Loona smiled. “You might recognise the name; Sorcha Freeman.”

“Well…at least with a Titan running things there couldn’t be too many problems.” Lyroo shifted in her chair.

Loona chuckled. “Really? Still going to play this game after all these years? It’s starting to look a bit silly given the amount of half Titan, half Human hybrids out there.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Uh huh. Just say to Sorcha if you ever meet her, she’ll be happy to demonstrate for you.” Loona said grinning.

Lyroo shook her head. “There’s one more thing you should know. I want to be honest here…so you don’t think I’m taking advantage.”

“Go on…”

“The HOS centres on Federation worlds. They’re not taking direction from me anymore. They’ve broken away from us. They’re acting as if nothing has changed. Still going on telling people Humans are pets and homing them as pets. You know what it’s like out there.” The tired blonde woman explained.

“Ok.” Loona tapped on her pad. “I know this sounds bad but at least the Humans there are safe. We’ll get the colony up and running and deal with the Humans who have no settled homes first. Once they are safe and surviving on their own we’ll get to the Federation.”

“I’ve kept recordings of the calls I’ve had with centre managers out there.” Lyroo said nervously. “In case you want to prosecute.”

Loona grinned. “Send them over. We’ll act when appropriate.”

“I’m glad to hear it Madam Deputy Floor Leader. I don’t agree with you on a lot of things. But the law has been passed and Humans are legally people now. We can’t go back from that and we can’t start deciding individually who are and who are not people. That’s very dangerous territory.” Lyroo adopted a formal tone.

“I completely agree.” Loona mirrored her rival’s tone. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”

“No. We’re ok for now. I’ll let your office know though.”

“I’ll tell them to treat any correspondence from you as urgent.” Loona replied.

“Thank you Madam Deputy Floor Leader.”

“And thank you Ms Prenn.” Loona bowed her head.

“Loona?”

“Yeah Lyroo?”

“Good luck.”

Loona smiled wearily. “Thanks. We’re going to need it.”