A solid black hovercar floated inches above the ground outside the royal estate garage. The waiting chauffer-droid's synthetic hair and thin outfit fluttered in the vehicle's updraft. Bel hopped into the backseat and the vehicle glided out the front gate of the royal estate. “Chauffer-droid, take the back way.”
The android driver replied, “Sire, that route will barely get us to your betrothal ceremony on time.”
“Then calculate what speed will get us there in time. I shouldn’t have to tell you how to think.”
“If his highness is trying to avoid-”
“Silence!” Bel snapped. His voice softened as he looked out the window. “I’m not avoiding anything. That road has been closed due to solar flare activity and it has a deep sentimental value.”
An unstable sun and a weak magnetosphere frequently bathed swathes of the planet in deadly showers of radiation, upending life in the area for days. A spring breeze and the hum of the hovercar soon had him reminiscing about many romantic rides with Lady Nordhi.
Bel was jolted from his reverie as the hovercar whirred around a bend in the road. He stared in amazement. Ahead was a stranded rider trying to fix a rare model of hoverbike. The one thing that could compete with his affection for Nordhi was hoverbikes, especially racing models.
He leaned forward and placed a hand on the driver’s shoulder. “Pull over so we can help this unfortunate individual.”
“Your highness, we are running behind schedule. Perhaps we should have emergency services dispatched instead,” replied the android.
Bel slid against the door with his hand already on the handle. “Inform the Duke and Duchess we will be tardy. This person requires assistance. Are you not programmed to serve the needs of people?”
The android's plastic face remained permanentely expressionless. However, the modulated tone of the android’s response managed to convey a sense of weariness. “I am your highness. Your needs specifically.”
“This is a desolate road, and they could be stranded for hours. We are stopping to render assistance,” the prince decreed.
The vehicle slowed to a halt behind the hoverbike. Bel tingled with barely restrained excitement as he exited the vehicle to introduce himself to the bent over rider. “Good day. What seems to be the problem?”
The stranger stood from where he had been fiddling with some wires. His back was to the sun, leaving his face in shadow. “It stopped providing lift and I cannot figure out why.”
“An Electro-dyne 572,” the prince said as he bent down to examine the instrumentation panel. “My father has a 500 series in his collection that I wish he allowed me to ride more often.” He dropped to one knee and stuck his hand inside the air intake nozzle. “This model doesn’t have a filter in the intake, which means–.”
Bel gazed at the stone pinched between his fingers as he extended his arm toward the stranger. “You kicked up a stone and it became jammed in the compressor blades.” He extended his arm further, holding the stone directly in line with the stranger’s eyes.
The stranger’s right hand was pointed at Bel’s face. The index finger was bent backward, exposing the barrel of a weapon. Bel’s heart skipped a beat as he focused on the gun barrel. He struggled to remember how to speak. “It is why... you cannot... generate lift.”
In the flat, officious tone used by androids, the stranger asked, “Can you confirm you are Prince Bel, son of King Ajeet-mar?”
“Yes.” He continued staring at the stranger, confused by what was happening.
“As an agent of the Assassin’s Guild, I have been contracted to kill you. Prepare to die.”
Kill me? Why? I cannot die today. His mind reeled. Without considering the futility, or stupidity, of asking such a question, Prince Bel blurted out, “How long do I have to prepare?”
The android assassin paused, its expression impassive as it consulted the terms of the contract. “I was not given a timeline. How much time do you need?”
Bel swallowed hard. His constricted throat made speech difficult. “I am on my way to be betrothed to Lady Nordhi. If I fail to appear, she might think I decided not to marry her. My childhood friend would be heartbroken. I require at least one day to prove how much I truly want to marry her.”
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“Since your preparations are on another’s behalf, I will grant you a one-day delay with the following conditions.” Its voice was devoid of emotion. “If you attempt to flee, I will kill you. If you attack or cause others to attack me, I will kill you. If you reveal my true identity without my approval, I will kill you.”
Bel’s hands trembled as he dropped the stone. He took a few deep breaths until he regained his composure. “I understand.” His voice wavered. “What happens tomorrow? Are we supposed to meet somewhere, or should I expect you to ambush me again?”
“I will accompany you to ensure you comply with my conditions.” The android looked directly into the eyes of the prince. “The arrangement is non-negotiable.”
Hot blood rushed to Bel’s head, and his nostrils flared. The gall of a droid to dictate terms! “You may not kill anyone at my betrothal ceremony. That is my non-negotiable term.”
“The contract is only for you.” The gun barrel receded into the index finger and the fingertip returned to a natural-looking position.
Relief washed over Bel. He stood and gestured at the passenger door of the hovercar. Venom filled his voice. “Get in droid. You have already made me late.”
While the android was seated comfortably in the center of its seat, Prince Bel squished himself uncomfortably against the side of the vehicle to maintain the widest safety buffer possible. He scrutinized the assassin from head to toe. With it's ruffled hair and well-fitting leather riding outfit, it looked and acted human. If he had not personally witnessed the android behaviors, Bel would believe he was sitting next to an average looking man in his late twenties.
The hovercar glided on in a tense silence, the only sound the hum of the engine. Bel’s gaze flickered to the android, searching for any sign of aggression. After five agonizing minutes with no movement, he finally broke the silence, his voice laced with a mix of trepidation and determination. “Who contracted you to assassinate me?”
“I am not provided that information. I only know the contract was vetted in accordance with Assassins Guild rules.”
“How much is the contract for? I want to buy it out,” said the prince as he pulled out his phone and thumbed the e-banking app.
The assassin turned to look at Bel. “A contract cannot be bought out. If the guild allowed targets to buy out contracts, then only the poor would be assassinated. The guild believes in equality.”
Bel returned his phone to a jacket pocket. “How noble of the guild,” he mumbled. “What if the contract was a mistake or there was an error? Surely there must be a way to cancel a contract.”
“Only the originator may cancel a contract at the risk of forfeiting their payment. Additionally, they would be barred from taking out another contract for two years.”
The prince fiddled with the buckle on his sash. It looked crooked and no matter how he twisted it, the buckle still had a slight cant. He let out a deflated sigh. “I had no idea the process was so complicated and rigid.”
“The Guild does its best to avoid questionable contracts. There is a one-month waiting period to deter requests made in the heat of passion. Contrary to its name, the Assassins Guild tries to avoid assassinations.”
“I refuse to believe that as an innocent man there is nothing I can say or do to dissuade you from assassinating me.”
“Convincing me to do anything that would violate the terms of the contract would go against my programming. It is not a moral choice. It is my core purpose.”
Bel’s shoulders slumped, the last vestiges of hope slipping away. He stared out the window, his mind numb with the realization that he was trapped, a pawn in a game he hadn’t learned the rules for.
The assassin was the first to speak. “Please tell me about your betrothed. She must be special for you to be more concerned about her than for yourself.”
“She is the most special of women. I know it sounds cliche, but she is the center of my universe. We have known each other since childhood. She was my first and best friend. I grew to love her until I could not think of marrying anyone else but her. The only thing I want is to get married, raise a family, and spend the rest of my life–.” The prince stared at the floor for a moment before muttering, “with her.”
They rode the last few miles in silence until taking a turn to approach a large metal grill gate set in a high stone perimeter wall.
The hovercar glided down a driveway flanked by trees whose branches were shaped to form a long arch. The driveway curved, and the trees gave way to a well-maintained lawn. A building resembling a medieval fortification appeared. Unlike the gleaming glass and steel structures of the capital city, the fortress home was constructed of massive, quarried stone blocks. Built by the original colonists to defend against the weather and the wildlife, the building was now weathered and covered in well-maintained ivy.
Prince Bel turned and scrutinized the assassin with cold, hard eyes. “Was your hoverbike really broken or was that a ruse?”
The android’s face showed no sign of malicious intent. “It was not a ruse. You possess an impressive level of knowledge about hover motors.”
Although Bel still maintained his distance from the assassin, he relaxed enough to ease the tension in his shoulders. A small flame of hope ignited inside him. Twice, he had proven himself more intelligent than the assassin droid. I can survive this.
“They are expecting only me. I need a way to explain your presence.”
“Wealthy people regularly hire consultants. There must be something I can consult on.”
“Hmm. Nobody would think twice about hiring an additional security consultant for the wedding. I assume that as an assassin-droid you can pass yourself off as a security expert.”
“Yes, sir. Essentially the job is to prevent someone like me from getting close to someone like you.”
“Do you have a name? If I have to introduce you, I need a name.”
“My unit ID is AR-T-3. You may call me Artee.” The android smiled warmly, held out his hand in greeting, and spoke in a warm, natural-sounding voice. “Hello, I’m Artee. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Instead of shaking Artee’s outstretched hand, Bel scowled at the android. “Do not embarrass me by acting familiar with members of the nobility. You are to be unseen and unheard.”