Local Time: 7:18 PM | Earth Year 3252 | Planet: Queen’s Gate | City: Brompton | Sheehan Apartment

“C’mon in.” Rory stepped aside, brushing his still-wet hair out of his face as Steph walked past him and into his flat. She was in relaxed non-work clothing, which for her apparently meant sweatpants and a t-shirt. He wore close to the same but with his usual long sleeves.

Rory looked around. “Umm. You can put the food on the table. Or maybe the counter. Yeah. The counter over there. Then I’ll give you a tour. Umm. In person I guess,” Rory ended lamely. He was so screwing this up.

She giggled. “Relax, Rory.” She walked over, placed the four food containers from her ring onto the counter, and turned to him. “Tour?”

He jumped, having been distracted by her braid and the fit of her sweats.

“Right. Umm. This way.”

So he gave her a brief tour. At the bathroom he told her the first thing he did after putting his clothes away was take a hot bath for hours.

“It was amazing. Oh. You have to tell me if you like the soap and shampoo. If not, tell me what smells to get and I’ll get them. And if you ever need a place to crash, I bought extra towels and gave you secondary access to the door. I still haven’t worked out how to clean my clothes in the machine in the closet over there. There are a lot of selections. None of them just say, ‘clean your clothes.’ I’m sure it’s easy, I just haven’t had time to research it yet.”

Rory’s mouth was moving too quickly but he couldn’t stop because she might say she didn’t like his place if he did, and he wanted to show her how great it was first.

“And the bed is the softest thing I’ve ever experienced. There’s an interface that says its firmness is adjustable, but I haven’t wanted to risk messing it up cause it’s so great. And you saw the kitchen and dining room. There’s a tiny room to side for an office or cubby or whatever, but I’m not sure what to do with it. Umm. I guess that’s it.”

He was looking at her nervously. She was looking back, biting her lip and not saying anything.

Great. She hates it and doesn’t want to tell me.

“Umm. I know it’s not up to your standards, but it’s the best place I’ve ever lived in. Even my old home back on Earth wasn’t this nice.”

She looked surprised and Rory smacked his forehead while mumbling, “Why does my brain stop working when you look at me?”

Steph laughed lightly and gave him a hug. “Rory, please relax. I love your place. It’s homey and warm.”

He slumped into her hug and squeezed back. “Easy, Rory. Not too hard.”

He immediately let go and jumped back. “Sorry! Sorry! I was just hunting, and I don’t hold back when I do that and I forgot and I’m sorry.”

Steph was a Soul Crafter and according to her that meant her body only got the minimum attention to live a long healthy life and be very attractive. Agility for fingers was useful, but she was young and didn’t do much for SVs.

She laughed again. “It’s fine. Just try to remember. How about we eat and you can tell me everything that happened since we saw each other last.”

They ate a lovely meal of specially spiced creature meat and was absolutely delicious. Since it had happened most recently, he started with his first Eskrima class. “It was both amazing and awful at the same time.” He rolled his shoulders, still feeling the soreness. “The teacher, he was a normal human by the way, started with a demonstration which was amazing. He used his hands and feet first and they were a blur. I didn’t think normal humans could move that fast. Then he took out a pair of sticks and that’s when he blew my mind.”

He started describing what he saw and how the teacher described what he was doing. Steph seemed really interested, so he went into a bit more detail. “When it was the turn of us, all we did was practice breathing and what he called stances. Those are the baseline things I’ll have to learn according to him. The breathing was interesting, if boring. The stances though, surprised me. We basically had stand in position perfectly still, for a while until he told us to slowly move to another which he demonstrated. He had a helper adjust our legs and arms and such. It was much harder than I thought it would be. I don’t think I’ve really used my muscles that way before, or at least not those muscles. But that demonstration…” He sighed. “I can’t wait to get that good.”

Steph smiled. “That does sound really interesting and fun. And very physically taxing, which is right up your alley.” He nodded, agreeing completely. “So, what happened with your thing with that business you told me about?”

Rory had prepared what he was going to tell her so he shared the broad strokes. Basically, that he had been attacked by Morton’s men, killed everyone, and stole Carlisle’s stuff.

“Which reminds me.” He put the six infusers from his ring onto the table and asked, “I don’t suppose you’d be able to tell me what these are?”

After asking his question, Rory stuffed his face quickly as he had been doing most of the talking to that point.

She unwrapped the binding and picked one up, examining it. Her face scrunched up in a curious look and she pulled out her tablet. Tapping it a few times, her face became concerned. She tapped some more and her face went from slightly concerned to scared.

“You said you got this from the safe of a crooked business owner?” Rory nodded. She looked at them and was biting her lip again.

More time passed and Rory asked softly, “Steph?”

She looked back at him. “I can’t tell you what they are. It’s a corporate secrecy thing and not my choice. I…” She looked back at them.

“Are they dangerous? Should I destroy them?” Rory asked.

Steph shook her head hard enough that her braid swung around violently. “I’m sorry I’m being evasive. It really isn’t personal. It’s… well these were stolen from the company.”

Rory relaxed at her answer. “Oh. Well, knowing Carlisle I’m not surprised. He probably stole the other stuff that was in the safe too.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Were there any more Cosmica products?” she asked.

Rory shook his head. “Mostly cash. A lot of cash really. Also a rifle and a couple of myst cells.”

“What were you thinking of doing with those infusers?” she asked evasively.

“My plan was to ask you to identify them and go from there. You know my body’s changing so fast I’m not planning on taking anything until it calms down a bit.” She nodded but didn’t say anything more, clearly distracted.

“Steph, do you want to take them back to your company? Are you hesitating to ask me?”

She looked up at him surprised, but only a moment later she smiled ruefully. “I should remember your mind isn’t what you show me when you’re a nervous wreck.”

He blushed and looked down. “Sometimes I’m a little intimidated by you, okay?” he said in a low voice.

She stood and took his hand. He looked up at her and she guided him up. “Put them aside for now. Let’s watch a vid.”

He opened his mouth to remind her he didn’t know anything about vids but she cut him off. “I’ll pick. Relax.” He deflated but nodded.

Leaving everything at the table the way it was, she brought him to the couch, sat him down, searched some selection she had access to, and turned on a vid about crazy people in space called “space cowboys” and how they do crazy things. At one point, Rory was laughing so hard at some points Steph had to pause it. By the end, he had cried he laughed so hard.

But beyond all the humor, watching an entertaining vid was amazing. He vaguely remembered doing it once or twice, but it wasn’t a solid memory. Seeing it projected in three dimensions like everything was in front of him and then moving around was mind-boggling. On top of that, the sounds came from wherever the projection was so it was really immersive. He loved every second of it.

When it was over he hugged her. “That was amazing. Thanks, Steph.”

“You know there are interactive games you can play like that. There’s one you must have heard of. It’s called Virtual Blasto. It-”

Rory stood up in a blink and walked away. “No,” was his only response.

He took the dishes from the table and placed them into the thing that cleaned them, the vibro-cleaner in the kitchen.

He heard “Rory?” from where the table was.

“Do you want to keep the leftovers or should I?” he asked.

Still facing away, he heard her sigh behind him and felt Steph’s hand on his back. He slumped. Her arms wrapped around him from behind and he felt her press her body against his.

“Talk to me.”

His shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes tightly. After taking a few breaths, he raised his arms, turned around, and then wrapped them around her. “Can we sit or lie down or something?”

“Sure. Let’s go to the bed. The couch is too small for two to lie down comfortably.”

He nodded and allowed himself be led to the bed.

He lay down on his back and she put her head on his chest. After a few minutes of silence, he asked, “Are you familiar with Spectara Industries?”

“Sure. Everyone knows them. They make a lot of things, but they’re most famous for the testers everyone uses at ten years old. They’re quite large. Not really a competitor since we’re in different industries, but they’ve been branching out into enhancements in the last ten or so years I think.”

“Do you know the founders and owners?”

“The Walsh family? Sure. They’re pretty well respected and feared, like most of the eight.”

“Like the encarts? They’re royals too right? I read about the eight ducal families after I learned about your family.”

She nodded into his chest. “Yeah. The eight strongest and wealthiest families in the empire. Each owns a major piece of the empire’s biggest industries.”

“Right. So, do you have your tablet?”

“Sure.” And it appeared in her hand.

Rory was rubbing her hair with one hand and holding her with the other. “Can you look up the record for the highest compatibility scores in the Empire?”

“Okay…” Her tone was one of obvious bafflement. She put the tablet on his chest, lifted her head, and started poking at it. “Let’s see. The current is Sir Michael with six, which everyone knows. There was another before him. About a century ago that was also six. A few hundred of fives. The Americans have a group of strong fives that they call the Cruisers. There are rumors the leader of the cruisers is a six but it’s unconfirmed.”

“Can you use your corporate connection to look up specific records if I give you the date and location?”

She was quiet for a few seconds. “I think so.”

“Look up Belfast, Ireland on Earth. Belfast’s Independent Institute of Soul Learning and Growth. September 28, 3244.”

“That place is pretty famous. I almost went there, but my parents sent me to Centauri instead. My grandmother’s an alum.”

She tapped for a while then stopped.

“That explains why you asked about the Walshes. One of their children was tested. Level 3. No element. A little average and lackluster for a major family.”

Rory had learned, from stories on GalNet no less, that she was a compatiability level of 5 and had metal as an element. Pretty amazing even for one of her societal level and family. The stories about it had gushed about how amazing her future was going to be thanks to her gifts and her family’s industry.

He cleared his throat. “Does anything come up if you search under Ruari O’Duinn Sheehan? I’m sure you’ve tried to find me in the past and discovered some stuff missing. So you might have to poke hard to find it. Really hard.”

She didn't move for nearly thirty seconds and then started tapping again.

After a few minutes, she said quietly, “Something isn’t right.”

Rory nodded.

“I can ask for a little help. But I might need a trade.”

“They’re yours,” he replied without hesitation.

She sat up and started a comm on the tablet. Rory smiled when he heard the call. She hadn’t muted it or used an earpiece, openly allowing Rory to hear and possibly be involved.

“Granddaughter. What a pleasant surprise,” sounded the voice of Duchess Encart.

To Rory, she didn’t sound particularly pleasant nor surprised, but neither was she upset. Just interested.

A short pause later she continued, “That’s not our estate. Where are you?”

“I’m at Rory’s, grandmother.”

“I see. And why are you calling me at this moment when you are with that dashing young redhead?” Her voice was bland but Rory grinned to himself. Maybe the appreciation of his particular hair pigment ran in the family?

“I found samples 42671 through 42676.”

There was silence on the other side for at least ten seconds until the woman said, “I see. How much can you share?”

“They were in the hands of a small-time businessman whose bad deeds finally caught up to him.”

“And do you think it can be traced?”

Rory sighed out loud and sat up, showing himself behind Steph. He couldn’t see Steph’s reaction, but Madam Encart’s was a sharp look. He spoke out loud for both, “I have his ring which has various tablets in it. If there are any records to be found, they would be there. I’ll turn it over to your granddaughter along with the infusers tonight.”

Rory saw Steph’s shoulders slump.

Okay then. How badly did I just screw up?

The old woman’s sharp-eyed glance moved between Steph and Rory.

“How interesting. Alright Stephanie, now you can tell me why you are burning this advantage and spending time on a comm with me when you two are clearly busy together.”

“Grandmother, I need access to information that’s blocked at my level.”

Madam Encart’s sharp gray eyes moved between them again, probably putting some pieces together. “I see. You’re finally looking into him then.” She looked off-screen for a few seconds. “One hour. That that channel will be closed.”

“Thank you, grandmother,” Stephanie said.

“Thank you, Madam Encart,” Rory said after.

“Have a good evening you two.” Then the comm cut off.

She looked over at him and he winced. “Did I just mess up?”

She sighed and pushed him back down, which he didn’t resist. She followed and answered with, “No. She’s just aware that I try really hard never to use my family’s connections. Which means I wouldn’t ask for this lightly.”

“So she knows you called in something big, at least for you, and it’s purpose was for me. Which means she gained an understanding of your feelings.”

Steph nodded into his chest. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“I don’t understand why it’s bad that she knows you like me enough to do it.”

“It’s not bad. Bad isn’t the word. It’s leverage. Our family is run like a corporation and she’s the CEO. It just means she has leverage on an employee. But I’m not really worried about that in particular. She doesn’t treat me in same way as the others. What I’m more concerned with is if it gets to some others, namely my father, because they would absolutely use you to leverage me.”

Rory sighed. “I know we’ve talked about this, but I don’t think I’d fit into that environment.”

“Not today. But you’re smart enough to get there. It doesn’t matter because power means everything anyway and at the rate you’re growing you’ll have that in spades. Now let’s not waste our hour. Back to the mysterious research.”