A bit abrupt. But, 1) this is a raw MS, and 2) it is part of at least one more book; the likely war which may involved two planets and the space in between. I’d like to have that finished by late July, but, honestly, I don’t see it. Instead, I’ve some RealLife things to get done in the spring. So, maybe I’ll just play with some micro story ideas. Some of those have turned into novels, so I never really know where I’ll be led.

I’ve gone back and broken this 52k word story into chapters. Sixteen plus an epilogue. There are still some bracketed notes at the very end as well as on paper just to my right. Like I said: raw MS. Also, while doing the chapters, I realized I’m introducing a lot here, even for those passingly familiar with Machine Civilization. So, a bit more material; but, this was designed to set the stage for the coming war, and I think it accomplishes that. Thanks for coming along for this journey.

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The two raps of the judge’s gavel had Graf suddenly fully awake.  For the last two hours it had been a drone of a prosecutor and Luce’s defense attorney, dispatched at speed from the imperium, going back and forth about not only the facts of what she did, but what kind of sentence she might face.  Too much legalese, it was simple to be more asleep than awake.  He considered this odd day.

We had to wait another three hours for Caper to finish charging at the Fusions’ compound just a bit to the north.  Having spent so much time in Japan, first as an exchange student then later as a kind of expat, Ildi had settled her new race there, Graf thought, only kept in his chair by his four-point harness.  While all that was going on, my wife sat still, staring at nothing.

“Who were you talking to,” he asked, as their ship drifted in a broken orbit over the North Pacific.  “And, we’re taking our time, why?”

“First,” she said, with a glance to the still and quiet Fusion girl to Graf’s left, “the Empress.  An event such as this in the ‘Z goes all the way to the top.  She did agree to what Ildi and I discussed, but also did not want some rando public defender involved, so she ordered a lawyer she knows onto a ship.  He’ll be in Weaverville, they have a small courthouse, in an hour, and I didn’t want us in the area, first.  Once he…”

She blinked.

“Mister Howell, lets me know, we’ll land.  Further, I also contacted Prefect Simmons.  All flags, banners, posters of our guest, here, are coming down now.  I told him he would have a presser this evening – after the trial – to let the good folks in and around Redding what is going on.”

“And,” Graf paused to take a sip of water from his freefall bulb, “that’s the imperium and you for the Russians.  The Mexicans have any say or interest in this?”

“They are curious…wait a moment.” Pai pushed back a little and took another bulb from a friction fit on the wall.  “Hey, Luce.  Catch.”

The Fusion looked up just as it hit her on her nose.  Graf grabbed it and handed it to her.  “We’re going to get this sorted, Luce.  And we’re going to get it done today.  Trust me?”

“Oh, no, Graf…” Pai muttered, slapping a palm to her forehead.

“What?”

“You just tied her to you!  I told you to stop talking like that!”

“Tied…?” He realized Luce’s blue eyes were riveted on his.

“I trust you.  Completely.”

What did I just do?  Safer to look back to his wife.  “So, Mexico?”

“Nothing official,” Pai said, looking at both of them.  “They’ve known for a generation they cannot take on my empire and have been content with this stalemate policed by the imperium.  I really doubt they will get involved at all.”

Another wrap of the gavel.  The judge was speaking.  And saying the talking points developed in the woods of Aomori nearly word-for-word.  Across the aisle to his right, the mother of the killed was crying and the father livid.  No talk of compensation will fly right now.  He heard one of the brothers say just loud enough, “she’s a murdering freak!” to get yet another bang from the gavel.

“There are some administrative details to still be worked out,” he concluded from the bench.  “But, otherwise, this court is adjourned.  Miss Luce DinAlt?  You must be out of the Zone within ten minutes; never to return.”

They all stood.  With his departure, Luce turned about from the table ahead, next to her borrowed attorney.  To stare at me.  “What shall I do?”

“You brought this on yourself, Husband and Girl Collector,” Pai whispered.  “Get it sorted.”

Dammit.  Graf pointed right and spoke, loud, to Luce.  “No wings, no halo.  Go on your knees and apologize to the family.  We leave right after.”

She did as ordered.  They did nothing, seething with sadness and hate.  Standing, Graf took her left arm and hustled them out of the small courthouse.  Caper was a few feet over the asphalt in the parking lot.

“Where to, my Lord and Master?” Pai teased him.  “But, Aurie wants an in-person briefing of all this mess.”

“Then we go to her, first.  Please tell her we’re coming and will await an audience.” On board, he let go of Luce and tried to relax.  “After?  Alix and the kids; we’ve been away too long.”

Pai nodded and began to take a step when he kept on.

“Pai?  Do you still think there will be some kind of war?”

“Yes.”