“In a way,” I say. His eyes narrow. “I did not ask you your opinions when we came here because we were under the orders of our Sovereign and had but one ship. I’m going to ask your opinions after I show you something. Sevro, you and I have already talked, and I know you’re going home. This is not to pressure you, but I want you to know what I know.”
He grows guarded.
I activate the pedestal. The moons of Jupiter bathe the faces of Cassius, Aurae, and Sevro in gloomy golden light. Sevro looks up. Aurae begins to smile until she sees the Obsidian ships.
“In war, especially those that span a decade, it is inevitable for a vulture to appear and prey on the weakened powers,” I say. “Our war finally has its first true vulture. Volsung Fá. He fell on Sefi and the Alltribe before they could set their feet after rebelling from the Republic. He stole her throne, her braves, her navy. Instead of staying on Mars where he’d be overwhelmed eventually, he saw we were weakened in the Belt and started gnawing on our cities and trade posts there. It seems, finally, he’s smelled blood from someone else.
“We were all wondering why we saw so little sign of the Obsidian pirates, many my own old veterans, who were supposed to be raiding along our route to this asteroid. Now we have our answer. They are not in the asteroid belt any longer. They have attacked the moons of Jupiter. The home of the Raa themselves.”
Cassius coughs. “Obsidians…attacking Ilium. That’s suicide.”
“Not this time. In their haste to finish off the Republic, Helios and Dido threw most of the Rim’s naval might into the Core. Two whole armadas, Dragon and Dust, which left only the Shadow Armada and local fleets to guard all of the Rim. It’s three point seven two billion kilometers from Neptune to Jupiter on a good day. Since Dragon and Dust are racing back, we can assume the Shadow Armada is very out of place.” I grin. “They’re caught with their pants down and the vulture’s got them in the ass.”
“There’s still the Ilium Guard,” Aurae murmurs. “No?”
“Volsung Fá beat that garrison,” I say almost like I’m proud of the monster who killed Sefi. “The telescope doesn’t have footage, but I’ve seen the debris. Currently there are no Rim ships opposing him in the moon system that I can see. Those ships he stole from Sefi used to serve on my front line. The Volk navy is tough. Dreadnaughts, destroyers. This is not some minor raid.
“I wasn’t able to see as much as I’d like—they’re clever, using the moons as cover. But it appears—and here’s the weird part—it appears Fá has joined the ships and braves he took from the Alltribe on Mars with the Ascomanni of the Far Ink.”
I gesture to two dozen dim ships skulking between the moons. They are small, corvettes maybe, but their design is like none any of us have ever seen.
Cassius guffaws. Sevro sips his coffee. He knows it’s good news for Mars. Aurae looks like she’s about to throw up. I tame my enthusiasm. It’s the Raa who’ve been made fools of, but it’s their people who will suffer.
“This is the problem with AIs,” Cassius says. “They’re creative little beasts. The Ascomanni of the Far Ink…well yes, some exist. Probably. But they’re so far away. And absolute savages. If any are left. They can’t make ships. Much less challenge Ilium. If you ask me, this AI has spent far too much time alone and concocted a ludicrous fiction.”
“Or Fá has compiled the largest Obsidian navy since the Dark Revolt,” Sevro says. “Maybe he is Ragnar’s da. Let him eat, I say. Chew, chew, evil bastard.”
“Personally, I think he’s a fraud but either way his luck won’t last. He can’t face the armadas coming for him. Not even with the Volk ships. Helios is going to eat him alive. But…I believe it will be absolute chaos in the one hundred and twenty-one moons of Jupiter.”
Sevro eyes me like I’m the worlds’ biggest idiot and sips his coffee again.
“This chaos can be used to infiltrate Ilium. I want to accept Athena’s invitation. I want to meet with her agents at Kalyke, present the Helm of Ares, and use the ships she’s stockpiled to complete our mission and bring them back to unite with the Republic ships to finish this war.”
Dead silence.
“I hope the ships will be enough to give Gold a contest, but I do not know for certain. What I do know is Virginia and Victra are depending upon us for reinforcements. I see this as our last chance to matter in this fight. I will not make any of you come with me, but I believe I have to go.”
“Darrow,” Sevro says. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I was sent on a mission. It is not yet done,” I say.
“Athena’s invitation was not to you, Darrow,” Aurae says, a little troubled. “If you answer it without Sevro, I cannot promise she will give you the ships.”
“Why wouldn’t she?” Cassius asks.
Aurae looks to me to see if I’ll tell the truth.
“Twelve years ago, to secure Romulus’s help against Roque before the Battle of Ilium, I offered to give him the names of all the known Sons of Ares on the Rim,” I say. “The Raa used this information and purged them all.”
“Purged?”
“They killed them,” Aurae says. “And many more.”
Cassius is stunned. He points between us. “And there’s no tension…or…heartfolly poison in his oats?”
“You of all people should know I believe a man can walk out of his own darkness, Cassius,” she says. “But I was a deepcell agent. I do not know the Daughters well enough to say they are all as forgiving as I am.”
“Athena gave you The Path to the Vale, did she not?” I ask. She nods. “Then if you can get me to Athena, I will take my chances,” I say.
Aurae looks worried for me, but proud too in a way. “It really would be best if Sevro came. Sevro, you are the son of Ares. You have a responsibility to help us,” she says.
“Not going to lie, he’s a hell of a guerilla. We could use you out there, Barca,” Cassius says.
“No,” I say. “Sevro has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Every single time I’ve asked. Then even when I haven’t. He’s earned his trip home. With the Rim gone, he stands a good chance of making it to the surface back to his family.”
Sevro appreciates that. I see the change in his eyes as he imagines greeting his daughters and new child. His voice is friendly, but heavy. “Darrow, you’re sailing into a warzone with the only safe harbor being among people who’ve got every reason to put a bullet in your head…at best.”
I nod. “This is the path that is available to me. Your father left it for you. But we’re brothers, so in a way it’s my inheritance too.”
40
LYRIA
Departure
IN FRONT OF THE mirror, I run a finger along the pink line of raw skin that circles my head just above my highest forehead wrinkle. “You popped my skull like a candy dispenser,” I say.
“I told you it would be maximally invasive,” Matteo calls back from the medical suite.
“Oh, the options I had. So grand.”