Read Online The Blood Solution (Approaching Infinity Book 3) by Chris Eisenlauer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Chris Eisenlauer
Ads: Link
it to be that of the Emperor without a doubt.
Stoakes was 55 when he’d received his Artifact, the Suicide Knife. He was clean-shaven and had close-cropped iron gray hair. He was not tall, standing at 165 centimeters, but he was solid with a broad chest and shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore soft clothes of charcoal gray, loose except for the forearms and lower legs, which were wrapped tight. His feet were wrapped in the same material, tied split-toe fashion. He wore no other footgear and, even without going Dark, could approach soundlessly, taking man and beast alike completely unaware.
“It has been a long time, Salton Stoakes. You are the last of your generation. I could not protect Isker Vays or Aila Schosser, but you should know that they died fighting and are not forgotten.”
“Yes, Lord Emperor.”
“I have asked you here to once again request your services, but some explanation is required. For centuries, and millennia even, I fed aimlessly, taking us to the next closest planet or system at hand. But over time I came to detect a pattern. There were always choices to make and as I examined those choices and their results, an image began to take shape, of The Place with Many Doors and the woman who would lead me there. I have developed techniques to find this woman, wherever she is along each step of the path.”
“I don’t understand, Lord Emperor,” Stoakes said with a frown.
“It’s not just one woman, but her echoes which populate the universe, each resonating more strongly the closer it is to the source. These are soul echoes, and I want you to kill them all. Well, I want you to end their lives without killing them, actually. I fear that as we continue, we will encounter these soul echoes with increasing regularity.
“Perhaps you know of Jav Holson. He replaced Karlan Farsal of the Plague Squad and remains on the remade Death Squad. Because of all that has happened to us lately, I am considering instituting the 21st Generation early and making him First General.”
“My Lord Emperor is generous,” Stoakes said.
“I am, but Holson is deserving, and I fear that Wheeler Barson may not make his retirement should I maintain the schedule. Tia Winn and Mefis Abanastar are excellent Shades, but Barson is our military strength now. He was hurt badly by Ty Karr and it would not do to have Barson, already weakened, fall without back-up in place. It is early, but they have served. This brings us back to Jav Holson.
“Holson is connected in some way to the woman or the echoes. If just an echo, the problem could potentially sort itself out. But I fear that his connection is with the source.
“I would have all future associations prevented.”
Stoakes nodded silently. “And why must her corpse live even if she does not? My blade can do a great many things, but I must know the stakes and the potential consequences. You know that I take the utmost pride in my work, but a surgeon who lances a boil one day and mends a pumping heart the next prepares differently and accordingly.”
“Just so. Each echo we have encountered so far has been killed, either on purpose or by accident. Perhaps you noticed.”
Stoakes shook his head.
“Oh, but I think you have, even this far out, at least the news of the worm holes has reached you.”
“The worm holes?” Stoakes furrowed his brow, concern beginning to stir in him.
“The worm holes. I believe that it is possible to accomplish our goal without bringing forth another brood of spatial anomalies. They are a nuisance and a hazard, but more than that, they are a signal. I don’t want Jav Holson meeting any more of these soul echoes nor do I want him alerted to their deaths.
“Each of these echoes is connected to the source by some means. This connection must be isolated and severed without directly resulting in the echo’s death.”
Stoakes nodded somberly.
“Was I wrong in my choice of agents for this duty?”
“No, Lord Emperor. You were
Stoakes was 55 when he’d received his Artifact, the Suicide Knife. He was clean-shaven and had close-cropped iron gray hair. He was not tall, standing at 165 centimeters, but he was solid with a broad chest and shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore soft clothes of charcoal gray, loose except for the forearms and lower legs, which were wrapped tight. His feet were wrapped in the same material, tied split-toe fashion. He wore no other footgear and, even without going Dark, could approach soundlessly, taking man and beast alike completely unaware.
“It has been a long time, Salton Stoakes. You are the last of your generation. I could not protect Isker Vays or Aila Schosser, but you should know that they died fighting and are not forgotten.”
“Yes, Lord Emperor.”
“I have asked you here to once again request your services, but some explanation is required. For centuries, and millennia even, I fed aimlessly, taking us to the next closest planet or system at hand. But over time I came to detect a pattern. There were always choices to make and as I examined those choices and their results, an image began to take shape, of The Place with Many Doors and the woman who would lead me there. I have developed techniques to find this woman, wherever she is along each step of the path.”
“I don’t understand, Lord Emperor,” Stoakes said with a frown.
“It’s not just one woman, but her echoes which populate the universe, each resonating more strongly the closer it is to the source. These are soul echoes, and I want you to kill them all. Well, I want you to end their lives without killing them, actually. I fear that as we continue, we will encounter these soul echoes with increasing regularity.
“Perhaps you know of Jav Holson. He replaced Karlan Farsal of the Plague Squad and remains on the remade Death Squad. Because of all that has happened to us lately, I am considering instituting the 21st Generation early and making him First General.”
“My Lord Emperor is generous,” Stoakes said.
“I am, but Holson is deserving, and I fear that Wheeler Barson may not make his retirement should I maintain the schedule. Tia Winn and Mefis Abanastar are excellent Shades, but Barson is our military strength now. He was hurt badly by Ty Karr and it would not do to have Barson, already weakened, fall without back-up in place. It is early, but they have served. This brings us back to Jav Holson.
“Holson is connected in some way to the woman or the echoes. If just an echo, the problem could potentially sort itself out. But I fear that his connection is with the source.
“I would have all future associations prevented.”
Stoakes nodded silently. “And why must her corpse live even if she does not? My blade can do a great many things, but I must know the stakes and the potential consequences. You know that I take the utmost pride in my work, but a surgeon who lances a boil one day and mends a pumping heart the next prepares differently and accordingly.”
“Just so. Each echo we have encountered so far has been killed, either on purpose or by accident. Perhaps you noticed.”
Stoakes shook his head.
“Oh, but I think you have, even this far out, at least the news of the worm holes has reached you.”
“The worm holes?” Stoakes furrowed his brow, concern beginning to stir in him.
“The worm holes. I believe that it is possible to accomplish our goal without bringing forth another brood of spatial anomalies. They are a nuisance and a hazard, but more than that, they are a signal. I don’t want Jav Holson meeting any more of these soul echoes nor do I want him alerted to their deaths.
“Each of these echoes is connected to the source by some means. This connection must be isolated and severed without directly resulting in the echo’s death.”
Stoakes nodded somberly.
“Was I wrong in my choice of agents for this duty?”
“No, Lord Emperor. You were
Similar Books
