spread before them in a splendid cluster of towering buildings and perpetual motion. Twin trams extended as far as the eye could see, one on top of the other, the cars speeding in opposite directions. Many of the smaller buildings sported rooftop solariums. Capped with retractable domes, the greenery provided a pleasant contrast to the endless sea of alloy and transparent composite.
“We’ll have to leave the shuttle in a commuter lot and take one of the trams. A few of the larger buildings can facilitate a shuttle landing, but we’re trying not to draw attention to ourselves.”
Years of training had taught her to be suspicious. She was in a strange world with little information and no recourse. Lyrik was not just her best chance, he was her only chance. Still, her mind wouldn’t accept his decisions without question.
“Isn’t your insignia on the side of the shuttle?”
“I morphed it into a common commercial logo, but how did you know what it was?”
Saebin shot him an impatient look. “Something made the miners think this was your shuttle. I noticed the design when we boarded. Don’t let the implants fool you, Commander. My brain still functions.” He chuckled in response to her surly comment, which only compounded her annoyance. He’d been calm and collected since they left the Day Moon. She’d repeatedly asked their destination. He’d only say they were going to visit a friend. “Are these garments going to draw attention to us?”
“They shouldn’t. Uniforms aren’t that unusual. Besides, if push comes to shove, Father can pinpoint my location with a simple scan.”
“How is that possible?”
“During the induction process at the City of Tears every cadet is injected with a micryte.”
“I’m not familiar with that term.” She fidgeted in her chair, tugging on the safety restraints. Her chair held her captive next to a man who disturbed her in ways she couldn’t comprehend. His voice caused her insides to quiver and her pulse to race. She couldn’t forget how it felt with his mouth moving over hers or his long, lean body spread beneath her as she ground her mound against his shaft. Why did her body still ache if she’d dispersed the overload?
“It’s a microscopic chip encoded with basic information about the person … medical alerts, next of kin, that sort of thing.”
“And this micryte can be scanned from the Day Moon?” She didn’t care nearly as much about the micryte as she needed something to distract her wayward thoughts.
He nodded, his attention momentarily absorbed with the shuttle controls.
“What’s to keep an enemy from accessing the information?”
“Micrytes are activated with a very specific signal. If the disk is scanned with a counterfeit signal it dissolves. There is only one scanner able to access the information, and it’s on the Day Moon.”
They lapsed into silence as he finalized their destination and guided the shuttle onto a landing pad. “Alignment acceptable. Please offload here. Your transport will be stowed in slip B-226.” A synthesized voice offered the information.
“This lot is automated.” He smiled and released the controls. “That’s why I chose it. When we go through the hatch, stand directly behind me, and keep your head down. As long as the security system imprints one or the other of us, it’s programmed to let us pass.”
“This will tell your father exactly where we are.” She released the safety restraints and stood.
“No, this will tell my father exactly where I am.”
“A fact he can determine with a simple scan.”
“Exactly.” She used his broad back as a shield until the security system had imprinted his facial characteristics. He reached back and took her hand, drawing her forward as they walked beyond the security station. Rows and rows of shuttles lined the enclosed lot. Massive mechanisms maneuvered the transports around as if they were toys. Saebin had never seen anything like it.
“Is your friend
“We’ll have to leave the shuttle in a commuter lot and take one of the trams. A few of the larger buildings can facilitate a shuttle landing, but we’re trying not to draw attention to ourselves.”
Years of training had taught her to be suspicious. She was in a strange world with little information and no recourse. Lyrik was not just her best chance, he was her only chance. Still, her mind wouldn’t accept his decisions without question.
“Isn’t your insignia on the side of the shuttle?”
“I morphed it into a common commercial logo, but how did you know what it was?”
Saebin shot him an impatient look. “Something made the miners think this was your shuttle. I noticed the design when we boarded. Don’t let the implants fool you, Commander. My brain still functions.” He chuckled in response to her surly comment, which only compounded her annoyance. He’d been calm and collected since they left the Day Moon. She’d repeatedly asked their destination. He’d only say they were going to visit a friend. “Are these garments going to draw attention to us?”
“They shouldn’t. Uniforms aren’t that unusual. Besides, if push comes to shove, Father can pinpoint my location with a simple scan.”
“How is that possible?”
“During the induction process at the City of Tears every cadet is injected with a micryte.”
“I’m not familiar with that term.” She fidgeted in her chair, tugging on the safety restraints. Her chair held her captive next to a man who disturbed her in ways she couldn’t comprehend. His voice caused her insides to quiver and her pulse to race. She couldn’t forget how it felt with his mouth moving over hers or his long, lean body spread beneath her as she ground her mound against his shaft. Why did her body still ache if she’d dispersed the overload?
“It’s a microscopic chip encoded with basic information about the person … medical alerts, next of kin, that sort of thing.”
“And this micryte can be scanned from the Day Moon?” She didn’t care nearly as much about the micryte as she needed something to distract her wayward thoughts.
He nodded, his attention momentarily absorbed with the shuttle controls.
“What’s to keep an enemy from accessing the information?”
“Micrytes are activated with a very specific signal. If the disk is scanned with a counterfeit signal it dissolves. There is only one scanner able to access the information, and it’s on the Day Moon.”
They lapsed into silence as he finalized their destination and guided the shuttle onto a landing pad. “Alignment acceptable. Please offload here. Your transport will be stowed in slip B-226.” A synthesized voice offered the information.
“This lot is automated.” He smiled and released the controls. “That’s why I chose it. When we go through the hatch, stand directly behind me, and keep your head down. As long as the security system imprints one or the other of us, it’s programmed to let us pass.”
“This will tell your father exactly where we are.” She released the safety restraints and stood.
“No, this will tell my father exactly where I am.”
“A fact he can determine with a simple scan.”
“Exactly.” She used his broad back as a shield until the security system had imprinted his facial characteristics. He reached back and took her hand, drawing her forward as they walked beyond the security station. Rows and rows of shuttles lined the enclosed lot. Massive mechanisms maneuvered the transports around as if they were toys. Saebin had never seen anything like it.
“Is your friend
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