Read Online Ragnarock by Stephen Kenson - Free Book Online

they were back "home." away from the physical world altogether. Aracos was remarkably unrevealing on that score. All he would say is "stuff." and Talon chose not to press his familiar for more detailed information.
    Trouble likewise stopped to check in with the female security guard, yielding up her cyberdeck for examination and certifying that it contained no illegal or contraband data. Her identification said she was Mary O'Connel, corporate data-specialist, and licensed to carry a sophisticated cyberdeck. The Nova-tech casing on the deck made it look legit, and Trouble had installed enough baffles and masking programs to cover up the cyberdeck's expanded functions. Besides, the guards were far more interested in making sure it wasn't a bomb in disguise than in the possibilities of computer crime. The deck quickly passed inspection and they were on their way.
    Talon grinned as he heard Boom behind them, loudly greeting the security guard who asked for his identification like they were long-lost friends.
    The flight to the Rhine-Ruhr megaplex was a suborbital, so they were able to avail themselves of the first-class passenger lounge while they waited for the boarding call.
    "I've gotta give the boss one thing." Talon said to Trouble as he picked up the German-import beer and poured it into the heavy glass mug left by the bartender. "He certainly doesn't skimp on the travel budget."
    "Or on the accommodations." Trouble agreed. "We've got a corporate condo waiting for us, probably the nicest place we've ever stayed in." They were talking about Herr Brackhaus, of course, but kept any names or references to their real business out of it, just in case anyone was listening. Even the sparsely populated lounge was too public a place in which to discuss shadow-biz. Until they were safely inside a vehicle or other safe space in Germany, they had to stay in character.
    Eventually, an attendant announced the boarding of their flight, and Talon&Co made their way to the umbilical tube connecting the terminal to the waiting suborbital. Crossing the transpex tube toward the passenger compartment, Talon was struck by the sheer size of the spaceplane. It measured easily the length of a football field, and was aerodynamically curved like a wave frozen in motion and cast in metal. The hull was sleek, with stubby wings and massive SCRAMjets that allowed the craft to fly at speeds in the neighborhood of Mach 20, at an altitude just shy of low-orbital distance. Most of the plane's bulk was taken up by the massive jets and the equally massive amounts of fuel they consumed.
    Inside, the passenger compartment was much like any other aircraft except there were no windows. Instead, flat trideo screens occupied spaces on the walls and the backs of the seats, allowing passengers a view of the outside world from several different angles, as well as an expansive menu of entertainment and telecommunications options.
    Everyone settled into their seats, and Talon was sure that Boom and Hammer were pleased to be traveling first class. The seats were large enough to accommodate even Boom's broad, bulky frame—a pleasant change, since public transportation wasn't always designed with larger or smaller metahumans in mind. The flight attendants advised the passengers on the suborbital's safety features, including a warning to Awakened passengers not to use magic during the flight, since it was prohibited by international aviation regulations. Then they proceeded to serve beverages and bland packages of snack foods as the spaceplane prepared for takeoff.
    In short order, they were underway. Talon watched on the side viewscreen as the ground dropped away sharply, the Boston sprawl shrinking to become a toy model as the vast blue expanse of the Atlantic stretched before them. When the spaceplane achieved sufficient altitude, the pilot kicked in the SCRAMjets, and Talon recalled just what "steep" and "fast" meant.
    The public address system beeped, and the captain's