Enid was becoming exhausted with having to explain everything her daughter was seeing to her. The city was old. It wasn’t some recently built thing. It had been lived in. There was graffiti. The cars seemed to be electrical. She didn’t see any exhaust. Buildings rose up all around them. Hazel was looking at everything and pointing. It had never occurred to her how strange the future would be to her daughter. It had, but she hadn’t comprehended the full ramifications of it.

“For the last time, its car, and no it doesn’t need any horses.”

Enid sighed. She had to ask for directions several times from people on the street. They hadn’t gotten too many strange looks for their bodysuits. In fact they’d seen others dressed similarly riding motor bikes. Enid had watched those go by very envious of the riders. After several hours of walking and Hazel complaining repeatedly about sore feet they reached the front doors of the Aurelius corp building. They walked inside. She recognized the lobby immediately. Most of the front lobbies of Aurelius corp buildings looked identical the same color marble, the same golden accents. Lovingly crafted to scream if you aren’t rich you don’t belong here. There were sentries, but they weren’t people they were armored robots with assault rifles. They had seen robots all over the city and the best concept Enid could use to describe them was a golem. There was a live woman at the counter. She had darker skin, but her hair was a light blonde. She smiled at the pair.

“Hello how may we help you ladies today?”

“I am here to check my account.”

“Mom, what are you saying? We don’t belong here this is like a government building.”

Enid shushed Hazel. The receptionist spoke.

“Just scan your ident chip and we’ll be happy to provide you any services you have access too.”

Enid bit her lip.

“I do not have an ident chip, my account is very old.”

The woman’s eyes went wide.

“I am sorry ma’am, here try this.”

She lifted a stone tablet with lines running out of the center. Enid placed her palm on it and received the prick she was expecting. The woman waited a couple of seconds then typed something into her holographic keyboard. The woman waited a few seconds, and her eyes went wide again.

“Mrs. Aurelius I am sorry we weren’t better prepared for your arrival. I…I need to get a manager!”

She rushed off. Hazel looked at her mother.

“Mom, what is going on? Is this where we are supposed to be?”

“No, I think we…went past that, but if we are going to find out when we are and if we want to pick up some extra gear I’m going to need money, this is a bank, where they store money, well Gold. I have a certain amount of Gold with them, and they will exchange it for currency when I need it. It is run by vampires and has existed since about thirty years after you were born. I have been a customer since they were founded.”

“So even if you were…not from here, they would know who you are?”

“Yes, they have magical blood reading devices. No one can access the account or vault unless they can prove themselves with a blood sample. Because I have so much money with them and have been a client since it was founded, I have the highest status account. They want to keep me happy. Thus, her scrambling around like a chicken with her head cut off.”

The woman returned with an older man in a suit, it was styled differently but basically was a suit. He typed a word in the holo keyboard and frowned slightly.

“Mrs. Aurelius, it seems our system thinks you are deceased.”

“I am very much alive.”

“We can see that, I am just requesting verification that we can unlock your account so you may access your funds and our services fully. I apologize for the inconvenience. Do you have any children by chance that would be…happy to see you gone?”

Enid smiled.

“I probably do but I can’t think of any off hand.”

He chuckled.

“Of course, ma’am”

There was a beep.

“There you go ma’am, the system has unlocked the account and oh my, you have been a client for a very long time. Would you like to partake in any of the founders’ benefits during today’s visit?”

“No, I just need some funds and information from my account.”

“Of course. I am sorry to say we do not have any of your vaults here. All of your goods have been transferred to our Okinawa branch as requested in…oh my, 1985.”

“Thank you, what is my balance.”

He typed for a few seconds and pressed a key. His eyes went wide.

“It is in the ten figures ma’am. How much would you like to withdraw today?”

“I need to take my daughter clothes shopping, and buy some portable power generators and the like, maybe some weapons, how much would you recommend?”

“Perhaps a nice round figure ma’am, a million credits?”

“That sounds like it might be cumbersome to deal with.”

“No ma’am…actually, I see you are part of our black program; Would you prefer just an untraceable credit chit? With your account balance, I do not see why we would put a limit on it.”

“Is that like a credit card?”

“Yes, it is like one of those, how intriguing I have heard of them from history books. It is more advanced; It requires your unique genetic make up to allow any funds to be released.”

“Give me one of those, do you have any with limits? My daughter can be careless with her spending, I am trying to teach her economic responsibility.”

“Very smart, yes we have various levels.”

“Does fifty thousand seem reasonable for a sixteen-year-old who needs a wardrobe?”

“Of course, a gold level chit. Let’s just get that ready for you.”

Enid and Hazel went through the hoops. After about thirty minutes they were both well fed and had genetically locked chits. Enid sat with her feet up enjoying a piece of chocolate. Hazel had been eating them so rapidly that Enid had to tell her to stop before she made herself sick. She had never had candy before let alone known the joys of chocolate. She sipped the glass of wine that was provided.

“Mom, you’re like a queen here.”

“No, I’m like an Empress.”

Enid smirked.

“It’s just, they are bending over backwards to serve you.”

“In the future money is power, and I have a lot of money.”

“Why didn’t we just go to one of these when we were with Halvd?”

“Because it only existed in Rome and that was where Sextus and my younger self were.”

Enid sipped the wine again. The manager came back in.

“Ma’am, you have a vidcom, would you like to take it?”

“I thought this was supposed to be confidential, how do they know I am here.”

“To unlock your account management had to be notified, and this is management.”

Enid frowned and took the offered holoemiter. In front of her floated a six-inch-tall woman with red hair and green eyes and face she recognized immediately.

“Mother? We thought you were dead! Where have you been? Do you know how much we have spent trying to retrieve you?”

“Hello Eyre, I love you too, and I am very glad you’re alive”

“Sorry mom, it’s just, it’s been over eight hundred years. How did you escape?”

“It is a long story. Where are you?”

“I’m in the NAFTA Western trading block dome. How did you end up in South America? Were you frozen in ice?”

“I don’t know, and no.”

“Who is the kid you’re with, why does she look like you?”

“Eyre, calm down.”

“No mother! I will not calm down. Maria and I have spent one hundred trillion credits over the last decade trying to pull you out of the pocket universe, the least you could do is answer a few questions with straight answers!”

“The kid is your sister, well half-sister and her name is Hazel. It is a long story, and I am not having it with a six inch version of you. I will explain everything soon.”

“I’m getting on the next suborbital over there.”

“You don’t need to Eyre, I’m fine, we’re fine. I will explain everything when the time is right, and now isn’t the right time, but you probably should tell Maria that I’m home safe so she can stop…whatever she is doing.”

“I will as soon as Pluto station has communications open.”

“Eyre, what year is it?”

“It is 2897 AD, or 503 AF or PCE depending on who you ask.”

“What does AF stand for?”

“Mom, where were you?”

“Please Eyre dear, just answer the question.”

“After Freeze or Post climate event. If you don’t know this, when did you have time to have another kid?”

“Like I said it’s a long story. I need access to a supercomputer or quantum computer or whatever is the best computer available, do you know anyone who would help me and not empty my bank?”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“Mom, you’re not making any sense.”

“Eyre, like I said before, I will explain when the time is right, and now is not the right time. Do you know someone or not?”

“Of course, I know someone mom, I’m the CEO of the biggest corporation in the world. However, we don’t have that kind of equipment in New Amazon. I know someone who can basically do whatever she wants but her cost is steep and not something I think you can pay. But…you might be able to, Mom, I love you, I have to go, I will see you in eight hours.”

“Eyre, wait who is your contact?”

“She’ll call you, the manager there will provide you with a wrist holo phone, just put it on and she’ll be in touch. She’ll be eager to talk to you. Just stay at Aurelius corp there and I will pick you up.”

She disconnected the call. Enid finished another chocolate and her glass of wine and was standing up when the manager approached with a wrist band on a silver tray. Enid took it.

“I understand you will be staying; Would you like some place to rest?”

Enid slipped the wrist communicator on. It linked with her suit. She quirked an eyebrow.

“No, we’re going to be leaving. If you could get us a car?”

“Of course, ma’am, but the CEO’s assistantadvised m-”

“She advised you wrong, the CEO is my daughter, and if she has a problem with me leaving she can take it up with me later.”

He looked like he thought he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Enid waited out front and a very fancy looking skycar landed. A woman got out and opened the door for them. Enid got in and motioned for Hazel to join her. The car floated into the air and the black metal became transparent and they could see the city passing by. It looked like there was sunlight filtering down, Enid knew it was fake. She wondered if she would ever feel mortal here. The driver glanced back once she was in a flow of traffic.

“Ma’am where am I taking you?”

“A few places, do you know where my daughter and I can find some clothes?”

“Sure, what are you looking for?”

“Hmm, jeans and t-shirt.”

“I know a couple of places.”

The divider between the driver and the girls went up and Enid leaned on arm rest and pressed the button to remove the display so she could see the city. She looked at Hazel then back outside her lips were in a wide grin. Hazel looked out the window as well.

“Mom. Can we just stay here?”

“I… sort of want to, but we don’t belong here anymore then we belonged in Egypt hon. Eyre’s a stranger, I’ve no idea what Maria is like now. I mean she’s running a space station at the edge of the solar system.”

She saw a flicker on a screen and she tapped her finger on it. A systemnet search came up. The first link was Admiral Maria Aurelius. Enid waved her finger through the hologram. She blinked it was a news story about Maria being the first earthling to see an exoplanet from orbit. She glanced at Hazel who didn’t understand the writing. Enid mouthed the words she was reading they were in Spanish and it wasn’t her favorite language. Maria had visited Alpha Centauri. She’d put down rebellions on three planets in the solar system. She had been the Fleet Admiral for the entire system alliance. She bit her nail absently and blinked. Her sister…had seen so much more then her now.

“Mom, isn’t that your sister?”

Hazel was pointing at the screen.

“Yes.”

“Wow, what is that?”

Hazel was pointing at a picture of what Enid read and inferred was some sort of starfighter carrier. Enid tapped her chin and tried to figure out how to tell her.

“You…know… how there are stars in the sky?”

“Yes mom.”

“Well, uh, that ship visited another star.”

“So like it sailed across space?”

“No dear. It tore a hole in the fabric of reality and broke the laws of physics. Stars are…so far away you have no comprehension of the distances.”

“It would take us millions of years to walk there.”

“Oh wow.”

“This ship did it in…months.”

“So, you’re sister’s important then?”

“I think so, she developed the first faster than light drive.”

“So…like… its faster than light as in it goes places like instantly?”

“No, uh, look its really complicated but light takes time to get places. Like I think it takes eight minutes for light to get her from the sun. So like for Alpha Centauri’s suns it takes four and a half years to get here. So, the ship…it moves faster then that and did it in months.”

“So wait…light time travels? So like if I looked through one those telemawhatsits I would only see what was happening four years ago in that solar system?”

“Yes.”

“So if like that ship like…flew from the mars at light speed and I looked through a telethingy, I would see it by Mars and here at the same time?”

“For about a couple minutes…I guess technically you would.”

“Woah.”

Enid continued to read about Maria’s exploits. She searched for Eyre next out of curiosity. There was less information on her beyond that she was one of the most powerful people in the world. Enid frowned.

“So much for staying out of human affairs.”

Hazel was staring out at the buildings as they passed she looked at her at her mother.

“I’m sorry mom, what was that?”

“Nothing, hon.”

Enid sighed and looked up Mintena Aurelius. She was half expecting to not find anything she assumed the girl would have passed away a mortal. She was quite surprised to see she was alive..well undead and well. She was apparently an prolific anti-corporate governance blogger and protester. Enid smiled but also wanted to face palm a little considering Eyre was her…defacto mother. Hazel had been looking over Enid’s shoulder.

“Who is she mom?”

“My adopted daughter… Looks like Eyre turned her.”

“She looks familiar.”

“That’s because her mother was spirit-kin.”

“Oh. What is it saying about her?”

“That she is an environmental terrorist.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means she’s fighting for nature. She wants the corporations to put more funding into cleaning up the grey. Which is apparently whatever is up in the sky.”

Hazel nodded. The skycar started to descend and landed in a designated lot. The divider went down. And the woman who was piloting it looked back.

“Hey, we’re at a shopping district. Should I wait here?”

Enid glanced at Hazel and out the window.

“Yes please.”

The pilot nodded. Enid motioned for Hazel to follow her, and the pair exited the car. Hazel got out and wrinkled her nose.

“I will never like this smell.”

“It’s the smell of a dense urban environment. Trust me the Middle Ages were worse.”

Hazel’s snapped to a building that had pounding base that could be heard from the parking lot. She looked at Enid.

“Mom what is that?”

“A club.”

“Translate that please?”

“Its like a long house, only there’s usually lots of dancing and alcohol, not so much food.”

“Can we go?”

Enid looked towards the shops.

“Its probably not going to be fun at the moment it’s probably too early.”

“Just a peak?”

“We don’t have any ID; We look like teenagers. I doubt we’re getting in.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means the world became full of prudes who thinks alcohol is for adults only. I’m not sure what the laws are here, but I’d rather know before we go sticking our nose in.”

“The music sounds like it might be…”

“It probably is. Let’s get some clothes. When your sister gets here, she can help us take care of ID and we can try a nightclub then. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Enid started walking towards the first shop she saw. Hazel wandered after her. It was what Enid would consider a store more for teenagers then adults. T-shirts, short skirts several t-shirts had logos that she didn’t recognize. Hazel looked at her mom then to the store.

“Mom where does all this come from?”

“A factory somewhere. I’m betting its all synthetic. Cotton doesn’t seem like a crop they would want to waste space growing. See if you can find anything like. Not sure what size you’ll be as girls go, you’re a big one.”

Enid let Hazel poke around and walked to the counter. There was a girl who appeared to be around the same age as Hazel appeared.

“Excuse me.”

The girl looked Enid and almost fell out of her seat. Enid glanced around behind her. Her hand went to what appeared to be a crucifix around her neck.

“Is something wrong?”

“Just…you, never mind, how can I help you?”

“My… sister needs some clothes, she’s a bit on the tall and muscular side, I was hoping you could help us find her something that would fit.”

Enid pointed to Hazel and the girl blinked.

“Wow, is she looks like she’s into sports.”

“She is. Do you have anything?”

“We do, she’ll probably have a better selection then you. Are you looking for anything?”

“Anything but this body suit.”

The girl laughed.

“I’m sure we can help you two.”

The girl released her crucifix and if Enid was mortal, she’d have blushed. It was her crucified to bloodseeker. Just like in her dreams.

“Uh…that is an interesting necklace… What is it?”

“It’s the Dark Mother. You don’t know who she is?”

“No idea. We’re…not from Earth.”

“Oh, where did you grow up?”

“Umm, Mom had us at a space station at the edge of the system. She kind of hated religion in general.”

“Oh wow. So, you’re totally homeschooled. I’m so sorry. Well if you want to know more about the Dark Mother, I’ll be happy to tell you about her… I mean after work, not supposed to bring religion in here, Corporate policy but they can’t stop me from wearing the Sacrificial Memory. Anyway, what kind of price range were you looking at?”

Enid held up her unlimited black credit chit. The girl’s eyes went wider still.

“Umm, okay, well in that case. I guess price is no object.”

“I’ll find something I like just help my sister. She was never good with languages so she doesn’t understand English.”

“Oh, that’s okay, I have a translator. Corp provides it, we’re so close to the travel nexus. Get all kinds here looking for that New Amazon look.”

“Uhh…do you have Latin, or Middle Ages Japanese?”

The girl blinked at Enid.

“Our mother is weird.”

The girl’s face softened, and she nodded.

“I’m so sorry. You know you can report that to the WTO. English is supposed to be standard curriculum for all students. Even if the stupid language makes no sense.”

“She’s kind of a big deal with them.”

“I guess that make sense who else could give their kid an unlimited credit chit from Aurelius Corp.”

Enid nodded along with her.

*****

By the end of the shopping trip Enid and Hazel were dressed in a band t-shirt mini-skirt and combats, and a jeans and a t-shirt respectively. They were wearing sunglasses, a totally unnecessary accessory in the false sun light of the dome but Hazel had demanded a pair as soon as she saw them. Enid looked at her daughter. Her hair was unkempt and much longer than Enid would have liked. She had refused to let it get dealt with in Japan. Mostly because they wouldn’t shave the sides for her. Enid was determined to fix it and not in the Viking shield maiden style. The divider had been left down. Enid spoke to the driver who over the last few hours had gotten more comfortable with them.

“She needs a haircut, know anyone?”

The driver glanced back.

“Sure do, my sister does hair.”

“Take us to her next please.”

“I’m make sure she gets you right in.”

Hazel looked at her mother and back to the woman in the front. She was growing frustrated about not understanding the language. Lucius was inside the pack so was out of communications so he could not translate for her.

“Mom, what was that about?”

“Just going to get your hair taken care of.”

“Finally.”

Enid flipped on the onboard entertainment system. Hazel looked around herself as music flooded into the car. Her head started moving to the throbbing beat. She just sat there silently staring into space letting the music hit her. As the first song finished, she looked at her mother.

“I have no idea what she was saying but I liked it.”

Enid laughed. She flicked her finger along the holographic control starting a new song. The tech had a fairly similar interface it just didn’t need a screen. She kept Hazel entertained with the musical system until the skycar landed in what looked like a residential sector. The door opened and the driver who was taller than Enid and looked to be in her thirties. Motioned to a house that had been converted to a hair stylist. She opened the door and motioned Enid and Hazel inside. The woman inside had a cybernetic arm that looked like it had been modified to hold all the tools a hair stylist could want. There was only one client and it was an older woman, likely to be in her sixties. The stylist looked to be in her forties. Her hair was purple.

“Hey, be with you in a few.”

“That’s all your sister gets?”

“Bee!”

“I told these ladies you could help them out with their hair issues.”

“I’ll take care of it. Go in the back and see your nephew Bee.”

The driver nodded and looked to Enid.

“Just let me know when you’re ready to go.”

Enid nodded to her. There was a tablet on the table with a massive library of feminine hairstyles. Hazel blinked as Enid flipped through them.

“Mom, can’t I just do what I used to do when we were at home?”

“No. You need to look less punk and more professional. I have no idea how long we’re going to stay here and who Eyre has us meeting. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure its something nice.”

Hazel grimaced at her mother.

“I’m like…twenty.”

“Yet you’re still sixteen.”

“I’m pretty sure teenagers here get to pick their own hair style.”

“They can speak english.”

“You need to get me one of those trans..whatevers.”

“I will, don’t worry. We need some professional clothing. Then we’ll go take care of electronics…maybe some new weapons.”

“Why?”

“Because I need bigger guns.”

Hazel shivered.

“They make too much noise for me.”

The pair were interrupted when the stylist came over. She looked at Enid.

“You’re hair looks…well perfect. What did you need?”

“Oh it’s not me, it’s her. Can you do something with the rat nest? Maybe trim it, below the shoulders? Layer it properly?”

Hazel blinked as the stylist started looking at the Hazel’s hair.

“It looks like you were sleeping in the farms.”

“She isn’t very good at taking care of it.”

“That’s an understatement.”

The stylist looked to Hazel and spoke to her.

“So, what do you want done with it?”

Hazel blinked at her. Enid sighed.

“Sorry she doesn’t understand English.”

“Oh.”

“She told me she wants it to look professional.”

“I can do that.”