Chapter XL – Epithymic Contagion

  Seraphina stepped into Apollo’s cabin.

  “You summoned me, Captain?”

  Apollo’s yellow eyes met hers, his tail flicking. He rose to his feet and stretched, then padded toward her.

  “I did,” he said, “Did you find anything in your Grimoires?”

  “Perhaps,” said Seraphina. “But I’m not sure. Nothing definitive.”

  She sensed that Apollo was about to reveal something to her. She awaited his words in silent expectation.

  He began, however, by asking a question: “You have theories?”

  “Yes, Captain,” she said, “Phenomena such as this are recorded at times. A Theophant, when summoning the Starflow to them, can cause such a flood of the Starflow to a single location.”

  “Do you think a Theophant is present on Luanyuan?”

  “I am not sure,” she said, carefully considering her words. “I do not think so… but I could not be certain. I believe there is something on the surface of the planet that is attracting the Starflow… but it doesn’t feel like a Theophant. At least, I do not believe so.”

  “Have you ever been in a Theophant’s presence?”

  “No, Captain. I am guided to this conclusion solely through intuition. This is why I cannot be certain of my inductions.”

  “Of course,” said Apollo.

  “Can I ask, Captain: do you know what is happening? Have you… foreseen this?”

  “Perhaps I once did,” said Apollo. “But I too am now operating mostly upon intuition – alongside fragmentary memory. It does make producing any degree of certainty rather difficult.”

  “Of course, Captain,” said Seraphina. “I understand.”

  Even as she spoke the words though, she sensed there was more than Apollo was telling her. She told herself she had to have faith that he would tell her what she needed to know.

  If the Captain withholds information, he does it for good reason, she assured herself.

  “Apart from the presence of a Theophant, did you have any other theories, Seraphina?”

  She considered a moment. “I am not sure whether it fully explains what we have seen, but Captain, are you familiar with beings known as Eutrias?”

  “I am,” replied the Captain, “They are messengers of the Awakened Stars, an intermediary between the Stars and the people of the Cosmos.”

  “According to my grimoires, the manifestation of a Eutria can have profound effects on the Starflow,” said Seraphina. “Is it possible that a Eutria has appeared on the surface of Luanyuan?”

  Apollo seemed to consider this for a time. “It is possible, I suppose. But it would certainly raise more questions. Eutrias appear for a purpose, mandated by the Stars. And each Eutria serves a specific Star. If indeed a Eutria has appeared on Luanyuan we must ask the question: by which Star was it sent? And for what purpose?”

  “I could not say, Captain. I cannot even say whether this is the correct explanation for what we have observed.”

  “Yes,” said Apollo. “It is quite the mystery. Perhaps it is now time to speak with those on the surface. They may have observed more than we can from out here.”

  “I will contact Nova and see if any of the crew have observed anything which may indicate the presence of a Eutria,” said Seraphina.

  “I think I shall contact her, Miss Seraphina,” said Apollo.

  “Of course, Captain,” said Seraphina, somewhat surprised. “I’d be interested to know what they’ve seen.”

  “I will keep you informed.

  With that she turned and left.

  The feeling she had before was only getting stronger. She was certain there was more that the Captain was not telling her.

  Have faith, she reminded herself once more.

  Mu awoke the following day knowing more than she had when she had gone to sleep, so she was not surprised when Nova rushed over to her with news.

  “Mu! You’re awake!” she exclaimed.

  “I am.”

  “Shit’s going down,” said Nova. “Two of the guards disappeared overnight. The Commandant is raging. A big group’s already gathered.”

  “I know,” said Mu.

  “You know?”

  Mu nodded.

  “How? You foresaw it?”

  Had she foreseen it? No, it didn’t feel like that. Besides, she couldn’t foresee what did not involve her. But she knew, sure enough. And she knew more than what Nova had told her.

  “They went to find the Blood,” said Mu.

  “What? I don’t und—”

  Mu interrupted her, realising something else. “Has anyone checked on Toghrul?”

  “Toghrul? What’s he got to do with it?”

  “He went with them.”

  Mu kicked away her sheet and got out of bed.

  “Let’s get the others. Things are going to start happening faster now,” she said.

  She quickly dressed and then said to Nova, “Come on, let’s go.”

  They found Tavian heading their way.

  “Oh,” he said, “You’re up, sleepyhead. Nova filled you in?”

  “Toghrul’s missing,” said Nova. “Mu told me. I don’t know how she knows, but she does, and he went with the missing guards, and I think—”

  “Toghrul’s gone?” asked Tavian. “How do you--?”

  “We don’t know, that’s what—”

  “We have to go after him, then,” said Tavian.

  “Where are the others?” asked Mu.

  “Ostara, Kal and Harry are back that way,” said Tavian, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. “Shit is getting increasingly crazy over there. The Commandant thinks someone’s done something to the missing guards.”

  “Let’s go and see Kal and Ostara,” said Mu. “I will tell the Commandant that the guards are alive.”

  “Okay,” said Tavian, “But two things: he’s gonna wonder how you know and how you can be sure, so maybe get that answer straight in your head. And, um, things are pretty messy over there.”

  From where they were Mu could hear the sounds of a crowd and raised voices.

  “Then let’s hurry,” she said.

  They set off at a jog in the direction of the crowd. They arrived in the space outside the hall, where a large crowd had gathered. They spied the other crewmembers near the margins of the crowd and headed over quickly.

  Before the others could say anything, Mu told them what she knew.

  Ostara looked like she was about to ask more questions, but instead just nodded. “Alright, then,” she said.

  “You’d better tell the Commandant,” said Kal. “I don’t think he’s far off starting to shoot people.” He looked across the crowd. “Come with me,” he said and began moving through the crowd.

  Mu followed.

  They reached the front of the crowd.

  “Commandant!” yelled Kal in a voice that boomed across the general clamour.

  The Commandant’s head snapped around to look to the source of the voice.

  “This doesn’t involve you,” he snarled. “Someone has attacked my men.”

  “No, they haven’t!” yelled Kal. “Just listen.”

  Mu stepped forward, feeling the eyes of the crowd on her and Kal. “Your men went to the crash site,” she said. “They went with Toghrul Yarghunoghul.”

  Ma Jinhai interjected, “I told you, we didn’t touch those bastards.”

  The Commandant frowned. “How do you know this?”

  Mu still didn’t know what to say. “I just do. Check on Toghrul, if you must. You won’t find him.”

  The Commandant’s eyes narrowed. “We saw your crewmembers talking to Yarghunoghul. What are you cooking up?”

  Mu shook her head. “There’s no conspiracy here. I’m telling you the truth.”

  Kal intervened. “Let us go to the crash site. We’ll bring back your men, bring back Toghrul. Just simmer down till then.”

  “And why should I believe you?” asked the Commandant. “I’ve turned a blind eye to your presence ever since you arrived, but I’m starting to wonder whether I should be asking HQ to take a closer look at you.”

  “I’d advise you listen to them,” came another voice.

  Mu looked around for its source, and saw Michael Arthur approaching, accompanied by Zhang Jiwen and Ostara.

  The Commandant rounded on Michael. “Mr Arthur, I let you play at your little committee games, but make no mistake. I am in charge here. You do not tell me what to do.”

  Michael shook his head. “I am not telling you, Commandant. I am simply offering my advice. We are in a precarious position here, and the fate of this settlement depends on cooperation.”

  “Are you done with us?” asked Ma Jinhai.

  “Don’t you move one fucking step,” growled the Commandant. “So, I suppose you want me to send more of my people after the others. Then you lot take over the settlement?”

  “That’s not what I said,” said Kal. “We will go. You and your remaining personnel can stay right here.”

  “Please, sir,” said Mu, keeping her voice steady, despite the adrenaline she was feeling pumping through her. “We can help. Just give us the chance. No one needs to get hurt here.”

  The Commandant’s eyes were full of fire, but it seemed they might be getting through to him.

  Michael seemingly sensed the same. “I will take personal accountability for the actions of the visitors,” he said. “Let them go and do as they say, and if they are not true to their word, I will accept penal duty or any other consequences you deem fit, sir.”

  “I don’t need your permission to punish you,” said the Commandant. “The entire leadership committee will be held accountable for the actions of the visitors. I will allow them to go to the crash site, but no convicts will accompany them.”

  Mu’s mind raced as he spoke. What would befall the leadership committee when they followed through with their plan to free Toghrul?

  One step at a time, she told herself. Let’s just get Toghrul back from the jungle in one piece.

  Another thought crossed her mind: if they were returning to the crash site… the Blood was near there.

  She pushed the thought away.

  “Thank you, sir,” she said.

  “You’re not all going. Where’s that mechanic girl?”

  “Here, sir!” came Nova’s voice and she squeezed her way through the crowd.

  “You stay here and keep working on the filtration unit.”

  “Sure thing. Totally. Happy to help,” said Nova, though Mu could hear the nerves in her voice.

  Something else too… was it disappointment?

  The image of many colours flowing over stones flickered through Mu’s mind. She pushed the thought away once more.

  Kal leant in close to her. “I don’t want Nova alone with these wolves.”

  Mu knew he was right. Port Arthur was becoming a more dangerous place by the day. By the hour. At the rate things were going, there would be no one left here long before the vines broke through the perimeter.

  She whispered back to Kal. “Let’s talk to the others and work out what everyone else is doing.”

  Kal nodded. Then he spoke up. “We will get organised and head out to find your men shortly.”

  The Commandant strode closer to them. When he stood just before them, he spoke in a low tone, laden with menace. “Do not fuck with me, understood? You may not be convicts, but make no mistake: you are here by my grace. And remember: all these others? They were free once too. But they made mistakes. I hope for your sake, you don’t also make such mistakes.”

  Kal grunted in acknowledgement, but didn’t say anything.

  “Understood, sir,” said Mu.

  The Commandant’s eyes lingered on them a moment longer, then he walked back, raising his voice again. “Until my men and Yarghunoghul are back in this settlement, no one else is to leave. I’m imposing a curfew – no one without essential duties is to leave their dormitory and all duties will be done under our supervision. Anyone violating these orders will be shot. Understood?”

  Michael and the crowd murmured their ascent.

  Ma was silent.

  The Commandant approached him. “Understood?”

  Ma remained standing, meeting the Commandant’s gaze without blinking. Mu could feel the tension as the passing seconds seemed to stretch out interminably. Finally, Ma spoke. “Of course. After all, me and my friends aren’t the problem here.”

  “I’m watching you, Ma,” said the Commandant. “I spared you this time. But just give me a reason…”

  This time Ma said nothing, simply giving a thin smile. He turned around.

  “C’mon,” he said to his goons and they left.

  “Time for us to make our exit too,” said Mu.

  “Mmmm…” said Kal, his eyes flicking between the Commandant and Ma’s posse.

  “What I don’t understand,” said Tavian, “Is why Toghrul went? Did the guards force him?”

  Mu sighed. “I… don’t know… but I think he wants the Blood.”

  “The Blood?” said Tavian. “He didn’t even mention it when I spoke to him last night.”

  “Aren’t you curious?” asked Nova.

  “Curious?” asked Tavian. “About what?”

  “The Blood…. Don’t you want to try it?”

  “No,” he said, emphatically. “And I’m beginning to worry about everyone else. Why are you so interested? You didn’t even try it.”

  “But Mu did… and it sounds wonderful,” said Nova.

  “It was…” said Mu, quietly, a glazed look in her eyes, like her mind was elsewhere.

  “Mu…” said Tavian. “We don’t know anything about this Blood. I was the one that insisted on giving it to you, but…”

  “Thank you for that,” said Mu. “You… you saved me.”

  “But what’s it doing to you?” he asked. “You… you’re thinking about it all the time, aren’t you?”

  “No,” said Mu, shaking her head. “No… I just… it intrigues me.”

  Tavian was about to speak further when Ostara, Kal, and Harry joined them. Tavian saw a guard standing a short distance away, watching their group. The Commandant had left.

  “What’s the plan?” asked Tavian.

  “Kal and Harry will stay here with Nova,” said Ostara. “Tavian, you and Mu will come with me to the crash site to find Toghrul.”

  “And once you’re back,” said Kal, his voice quiet, “We can’t delay any further. We have to get out of here one way or another. This place is falling apart fast. That Commandant and his guards – I’ve seen what happens to soldiers far from civilisation, surrounded by the enemy. They get twitchy trigger fingers. It’s only a matter of time before this place descends into a bloodbath.”

  Tavian glanced over at the guard, and looked away, realising he had made eye contact.

  “Agreed,” he said. “We better move,” he added. “The guards are getting a lot more suspicious of us.”

  “Yes,” said Ostara. “Nova, any word from Kang?”

  “I was only able to send a message,” said Nova. “I’m still waiting for a reply.”

  “Get something organised as soon as possible,” said Ostara. “The three of you that are staying can work on what we do about getting Toghrul out while we’re gone.”

  “Okay,” said Nova.

  Tavian saw the guard walking towards them. “Meeting’s over, I think,” he said.

  As Nova was heading back towards the equipment plant that housed the filtration system, her tablet buzzed.

  “The Cap?” she murmured out loud, seeing the caller. “Go for, Nova!” she answered.

  The Captain’s voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a well, distorted and echoing. Hisses of static interference occasionally shot through it.

  “Miss Reilly. Seraphina and I have detected a strong surge in the Starflow, seemingly toward a location on the planet’s surface,” said Apollo.

  “There’s definitely some strange stuff going on down here… but if it’s Starflow stuff you’re interested in… maybe Ostara… or Tavian and Mu are better to talk to than me.”

  There was a pause at the other end.

  “Can you tell me if you’ve encountered an unusual being there… something outside the natural order?”

  Nova knew immediately what he must be referring to. “Well, I haven’t seen it, but the others – Ostara and Tavian, that is – did find this… thing in the jungle. They said it was very alien… but how did you know, Cap?”

  “An educated guess,” replied Apollo. “Tell me… was there a girl with this being?”

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “Another educated guess?”

  “Something of that ilk. I take it that’s a yes?”

  “Yeah – but again, I wasn’t there – but Ostara and Tavian found a crashed ship near where they encountered the, er, thing. Apparently, there was a girl there as well, but she wouldn’t leave the wreckage to come back to the settlement. I dunno, like I said, Cap, maybe you should talk to Ostara and the others. They’re headed there now.”

  Apollo didn’t directly respond to what she said. Instead, he asked a question. “What is the situation in the settlement there?”

  “Not great,” said Nova. “Kal seems to think things are about to turn real ugly. And I don’t think that’s just Kal being paranoid or whatever. A lot of these people really don’t like each other and everyone is getting super mad at everyone else.”

  “What are they saying about the being? The one Ostara and Tavian found?”

  “Um… I dunno… I guess people are pretty interested in it… It… has this Blood – like rainbow Blood – and Mu was sick and she drank it, and then she was cured. Like, completely cured. And we were starting to worry she might die before that. I—”

  “Princess Mukushen drank this Blood?” asked Apollo.

  “Aha,” said Nova, “And others too – there were lots of sick—”

  “Has any other crewmember drunk it?”

  “No,” said Nova. She didn’t mention that she had been thinking more and more about it since Mu’s recovery. Something about the enthusiasm Mu showed for it – it made it seem so tempting.

  It must feel good, thought Nova.

  “I want everyone else to stay away from the Blood,” said Apollo. “No one else drink it. And everyone should keep a close watch on Mukushen. Please contact me if she begins to exhibit any unusual behaviours.”

  “Okay, Cap… but it really doesn’t seem bad. No one’s shown any side-effects, it just fixed all the sick people—”

  “No one is to drink it, understand?” said Apollo, his usually gentle voice taking on a harsh and urgent tone.

  “Alright, Cap. You’re the boss. No drinking it. And we’ll keep an eye on Mu.”

  She thought she heard a deep sigh from the other end. “And Nova? The girl that was at the crashed ship. She must be protected.”

  “Okay, Cap… but what about our mission? Getting Toghrul out and all that?”

  “This is more important,” said Apollo.

  Nova felt uneasy. Surely a change this big to the mission, right in the midst of it… surely this was something for Ostara or Kal.

  “I understand, Cap,” she said, “It’s just that – like I said – Kal is pretty worried about everything going to shit here at any moment and I’m just worried we may only have a narrow window to get out with Toghrul and if we stay—”

  “I appreciate the difficulties of what I am asking, Miss Reilly, however, this is of the utmost importance,” said Apollo.

  “Did you want to maybe talk to Ostara or Kal?” asked Nova, trying once more.

  “I will leave it with you to pass on this information,” said Apollo.

  “Oh… okay… could I maybe tell them why it’s so important?”

  A silence stretched out at the other end.

  When Apollo finally spoke, he sounded almost impatient. It was a tone Nova never really remembered hearing in his voice before. Usually, he sounded so calm and kind.

  “There will be time for further explanations later. For now, this just needs to get done,” said Apollo.

  “Should we try and get the girl out too?” asked Nova.

  “There will come a point when she no longer requires protection. I will be back in contact with you when I have ascertained all I need to know to be sure of the next steps. For now, the crew’s purpose needs to be keeping her safe. Events there at the colony are likely to soon pose a grave danger to her.”

  Nova’s unease was not abating. “I will try and tell the others. There have been all sorts of comms problems down here, but I will do my best to contact Ostara.”

  “Excellent, thank you, Miss Reilly,” said Apollo.

  A thought occurred to Nova.

  “Cap, if I could ask… before we came to Luanyuan, you had me searching for a ship from Moyang…?”

  Apollo’s reply was curt. “Yes, I believe the crashed vessel in the jungle is that very same ship. I am pleased to hear that the girl is alive.”

  Nova couldn’t help herself. “Who is she?”

  “Just a young girl,” said Apollo.

  “But she’s important?”

  “I believe she will be.”

  Zhang Jiwen massaged his own shoulder blade, trying to excise the painful knot that had formed over the last day. The hall was dark and deserted around him. Somehow, the shadows and emptiness seemed to also possess the quality of amplifying the damp smell of decay that shrouded so much of Port Arthur.

  Has it grown stronger lately?

  He looked back towards the words on the screen in front of him, representing the latest in a tranche of files he’d been going through from an old data leak.

  He’d spent years churning through old documents, news stories – anything he could find – using a small tablet smuggled in by one of the visiting merchants. Half the time he couldn’t even get a connection. But recently, he had discovered this file dump.

  Most of it was mind-numbingly dull; not at all illuminating.

  It took him a moment to focus, but when he did, the words resolved themselves with startling clarity, immediately seizing his attention:

  Classified A

  In all that time he’d been scouring for information on Luanyuan, he’d never come across a document of security classification A. He took in the seal the document bore:

  Office of the Chief Botanist and Director of the Bureau of Biological Sciences

  Imperial Ministry of Science and Technology

  Intriguing also was the individual to whom it was addressed:

  His Excellency Prince Aixin ?olontu

  Minister for Cultural Affairs

  Every aspect of this spoke to the fact that he had somehow stumbled upon a document of the utmost importance. How had such a document leaked? The risk any leaker would have had to have taken was astronomical.

  He read on:

  Your Excellency

  I hope this letter finds you well.

  I trust Your Excellency recalls my previous letter of the Eighth Month of the Imperial Year 388, in which I expressed a desire to proceed with enacting the Chaotic Garden Project on the candidate world of Nizamabad.

  I further trust Your Excellency is aware that my Chief of Staff, Dai Muchen, recently met with officials of your Ministry to discuss some outstanding issues regarding the selection of Nizamabad for this trial. I am now of the understanding that Your Excellency is amenable to my humble request for redesignation of the religious group calling itself the Orchestra as a proscribed religious cult. As I am sure Your Excellency is aware, the Orchestra’s current designation as a Protected Religious Minority and presence on Nizamabad make proceeding with the Chaotic Garden Project there exceedingly difficult – indeed, I have formed the view that in the absence of any such redesignation of the group, their presence would be entirely prohibitive.

  Prior to proceeding with preparatory actions for the Chaotic Garden Project, I humbly request confirmation of Your Excellency’s intentions with regards to the Orchestra. I of course appreciate that redesignation may require some additional steps on behalf of your Ministry, particularly with respect to any other worlds on which followers of the Orchestra may be present. Please know that I am immensely appreciative of the effort this involves for Your Excellency and your Ministry.

  I believe that the Chaotic Garden Project will significantly advance key aspects of the science of biome alteration incorporating Starflow Resonance, and that this will significantly enhance the speed with which the Empire can terraform new worlds. I am further of the belief that Nizamabad represents the ideal candidate for this trial process, due to its particular Starflow Resonance and ecological properties. This belief has only been formed after exhaustive surveys of the candidate worlds.

  Regrettably, it appears that this unique Resonance has also attracted the dangerous subversives of the Orchestra to Nizamabad. For Your Excellency’s information, I have attached reports forwarded from the Survey Division of the Bureau of Resonance, Ministry of Civil Administration, attesting to both the unique properties of Nizamabad, and the observed activities of the Orchestra which appear directed at harnessing this Resonance. My office has previously furnished copies of these reports to Your Excellency’s officials.

  The Bureau of Resonance has also provided its expert opinion that the activities of the Orchestra on Nizamabad likely constitute a threat to the Civil Administration and harmony of the Empire. I believe that once Project Chaotic Garden is initiated, it will likely result in the termination of any unsanctioned communities on the planet. This will efficiently deliver on the policy objective of reducing the threat to harmony posed by the Orchestra, whilst simultaneously advancing the programme’s key research objectives.

  I would like to humbly offer a suggestion to Your Excellency: your Ministry may wish to increase the promotion of Nizamabad as a sanctuary to members of the Orchestra, prior to the initiation of Project Chaotic Garden. This should effectively remove the threat that this cult poses from other worlds, whilst also providing additional data points for Project Chaotic Garden, arising from observation of independent settlement activity, and the resultant human-biome interactions. Of course, I understand that this recommendation exceeds my purview, and I provide it for Your Excellency’s consideration in a spirit of open dialogue between the Ministries of His Imperial Majesty’s Government.

  Should Your Excellency wish to discuss any of these matters further, I would be honoured to make myself available to Your Excellency’s summons. I am profoundly grateful for Your Excellency’s time and wisdom in these matters.

  Yours faithfully

  Countess Cai Wen

  Chief Botanist of the Imperial Court &

  Director of the Bureau of Biological Sciences

  Ministry of Science and Technology

  Jiwen sat back in his chair, considering what he had just read. The rain beat down on the roof of the hall.

  Nizamabad.

  He couldn’t recall where, but he was certain he’d encountered that name previously in his reading. Were Nizamabad and Luanyuan one and the same? It seemed highly likely. Certainly, there were no old records of Luanyuan. And there was no doubt that the Conductor had once been a figure of worship for whoever had been here previously.

  His mind turned to Lady Cai’s suggestion at the end of the letter – seemingly a proposal to lure followers of the Conductor to Nizamabad. Madam Ostara had found an idol depicting what appeared to be the Conductor on the crashed ship. Which strongly implied that Mei Xuelan and her family were members of this Orchestra cult, lured to Luanyuan. All seemingly in accordance with this Lady Cai Wen’s suggestion to Prince ?olontu.

  And what then was Project Chaotic Garden?

  It obviously involved terraforming experimentation – but what leapt out at Jiwen was the references to the importance of Nizamabad’s “unique Resonance”. Whatever this experimental technique was, it tapped into Starflow Resonance somehow.

  His contemplation was disturbed when he heard the door opening. He turned to see Gao Yunqi enter.

  “Zhang,” said Gao.

  “Hello,” replied Jiwen, absentmindedly.

  “Still trying to solve the mysteries of Luanyuan?” said Gao.

  “I think I’ve found something.”

  “Will it help us deal with the Commandant or Ma Jinhai?” asked Gao.

  “Ever heard of Nizamabad?” asked Jiwen, ignoring the barb.

  Gao shook his head. “Sounds Susanian.”

  “I think it is the old name of this world,” said Jiwen.

  Gao slumped into the chair opposite him. The sounds of his every movement echoed in the near empty hall. Wordlessly, Jiwen slid the tablet around to face him. Gao understood the gesture, grabbing the tablet and pulling it towards him. A moment later he looked up.

  “How did you find this?” he asked.

  “It was part of a leak,” replied Jiwen.

  “From where?” asked Gao.

  Jiwen shrugged.

  Gao resumed reading. After a while he muttered, “Bastards…”

  “What do you think?” asked Jiwen.

  “I think it’s further confirmation that the Imperial authorities have not the slightest decency,” replied Gao. He then added, “Which is not news.”

  “It tells us about how Luanyuan came to be,” said Jiwen.

  Gao shrugged. “And how does that help us?”

  “Information is power.”

  “And what power does this information grant you?”

  Jiwen felt the familiar bubble of frustration that typified his interactions with Gao. “Don’t you like to consider yourself an intellectual?”

  “There was a time for that,” said Gao, “But right now we need to worry less about history, and more about how we plan on being alive a week from now.”

  “Ma has really gotten to you, huh?”

  “Right now, Ma’s not the main concern,” said Gao, “It’s the Commandant I’m more worried about. That’s a man about to blow. And he’s a man with all the guns.”

  Jiwen nodded. “Right. He’s a man with all the guns. So, you’re not going to win any victories as a man of action. You need to be smart.”

  “Being a man of action and being smart are not mutually exclusive.”

  “You’ve got a big plan?”

  “I might… Look, I appreciate that I’m not exactly surrounded by friends here, and as passive and na?vely trusting as you and Michael Arthur are, I understand you’re better than most here… but I’m still not overly inclined to share with you.”

  Jiwen sighed. “Michael said something to me the other day: this place only falls apart if we decide that it will. But we can decide otherwise.”

  Gao sneered. “Wars only happen because people decide they will. Yet, they do happen.”

  “You may be right. But it could be it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. And if you push us from a contest of words and ideas to one of force, I’m not sure you’ll like the results,” said Jiwen.

  “You’d have us wait passively by? We do nothing and sooner or later we’ll be dead by the hand of either the Commandant or Ma.”

  “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

  Gao gave a cynical smirk. “I wish I could believe that. I genuinely do.”

  Jiwen shook his head. “I’m not sure I believe you. I think you always fantasised about your big revolution and putting your oppressors against the wall, but I’m not sure you’re ready for the reality of that violence and lawlessness.”

  “Violence and lawlessness are coming. Haven’t you been around here? It’s bigger than you or me or Michael Arthur. It’s bigger than the Commandant and Ma Jinhai. Ever since that fucking Blood was brought here, people are acting mighty strange. It’s building to a frenzy. Don’t you see?”

  “We know nothing about this Bloo—”

  “Oh, it’s way past that. It doesn’t matter what the Blood does. It’s unique. The only unique thing in this fucking jungle. And that makes it desirable. But not just that. No one trusts anyone else, and whether they know why or not, the very fact any of them desire the Blood, means they all do.”

  “We should study it, work togeth—”

  “Please. We should, we should, we should. Many things should be the case in this world. We should live in a Cosmos where each person is in command of their own destiny, with access to their basic needs, to happiness… but we don’t live in that Cosmos, and we’ll never have anything like that unless we’re willing to fight for it.”

  Jiwen was about to speak, but he could see Gao wasn’t done yet.

  Better to let him get it all out.

  “So, if I’m not inclined to share my plans with you, it’s because I see how passive you are. You and Arthur and Li Shulin. Wishing something will not make it so. And I think you’ll just be a liability.”

  He paused just a moment, before a gloating note entered into his voice.

  “Besides, I know you aren’t the noble whistleblower you claim to be. You got sent here because something went wrong and your bosses needed a scapegoat. Word is, you were just fine with everything that was happening at your company until someone got killed, right?”

  Where was Gao getting his information from?

  “I tried—”

  Again, he was interrupted.

  “Tried? Like you’re trying now? Actions count. Not intentions, Mr Zhang,” said Gao. “And I intend to take action.”

  Jiwen sighed once more. “You and I don’t need to be enemies.”

  Gao smiled. “I don’t consider you my enemy, Zhang. I just don’t consider you to be a player in this drama. At worst, you’re a liability, at best a non-entity.”

  “If I agree to be discrete, will you share with me your intentions?” asked Jiwen.

  “My course is set,” said Gao, “When I do what must be done, you will have the opportunity to decide which side you take.”

  “There don’t need to be sides,” said Jiwen.

  “But there do. There are. If peace was once a possibility, it hasn’t been since you and the outsiders brought the Blood here.”

  “Just give a peaceful solution a chance. The missing guards and Yarghunoghul will return.”

  “Maybe,” said Gao, “But they will probably bring more of the Blood. Don’t you see how it enflames desire? One does not need to have tasted it to crave it. To need to possess it. Things will not become more peaceful. Whoever moves first will have the advantage. Ma and the Commandant are brutes. If we are to defeat them, we need to seize the initiative.”

  “The outsiders will assist us in maintaining peace, I’m sure of it,” said Jiwen.

  “My hope is that they will support us in winning,” said Gao. “Have you seen that big one? I’ll warrant even the Commander and Ma are at least a little fearful of him.”

  “They are not bent on violence like you.”

  “They, like you, will have to make a decision when the moment arrives,” said Gao, “But tell me: have you heard what people are saying? Those who tasted the Blood are no longer hungry. They are strong. Healthy. Vital. Control the Blood and you control Port Arthur.”

  “We don’t know what else it does.”

  Gao smiled a ghoulish smile. “But we’re finding out. Word is those who tasted the Blood are having shared dreams.”

  Jiwen couldn’t help himself. He laughed.

  “Well, that alone tells me the stuff is dangerous.”

  “Dangerous or not, we have to deal with it now. And I’d rather be the one controlling access to it, than have that be the Commandant or Ma.”

  “Neither Ma nor us can do much about the Commandant as it stands. Need I remind you: he is the one with guns?”

  “For now.”

  “For now?”

  “For now,” reiterated Gao, then changed his tone to one more cajoling. “So, tell me, Mr Scientist, what principles of this Project Chaotic Garden have you ascertained?”

  Jiwen was wary of the mockery of Gao, but decided it simpler to take his words at face value. “It is obviously a terraforming experiment.”

  “Obviously.”

  “The crashed ship. I believe they were followers of this Orchestra. Did you ever speak to Dr Zhao?”

  “I never had the pleasure. At least not one-on-one.”

  “He seemed to know a great deal about the Orchestra and the Conductor. What I never discovered was why he came here.”

  “Well, I’d say he was working for the Government.”

  “That’s my assumption, too.”

  “Mystery solved. Idiot got himself killed.”

  “Yet, if he was working for the Government, he should have known about everything in this letter.”

  “The Government is an ouroboros. It devours its own tail. This secret missive of yours is top secret. He was probably some grunt.”

  “What use is there in sending some poor scientist to his death?”

  “You assume the Imperial Government is logical. It’s far too vast for any one part of it to know much about what another is doing. Half the time it fights itself. When I started out, I was na?ve too: I assumed the Government was some vast, evil cabal, ingeniously subverting human happiness, and dignity. It isn’t. The Government’s own operatives are victims just like us. Victims of an inhuman system that no one really controls anymore. It’s why people like you – people who think reform is possible – are fools. For reforms to work, the system would have to make some kind of internal sense. It doesn’t. It is a cruel force of nature at this point. Only through eradicating it can we live free. Interstellar civilisations like Aixingo are too vast for human minds to comprehend. For reform to be possible, controlling it would have to be possible, and it simply isn’t. Do you know how many people live in the Empire?”

  Jiwen shook his head.

  “No one does. Sure, the Empire conducts censuses, but they can never capture the reality. It is too large. Too inhuman. Maybe there are quintillions, maybe sextillions, maybe more – we don’t really even know the order of magnitude.”

  “You discount Theophany,” said Jiwen.

  Gao laughed. “Theophany… ah… who knows. The First Emperor had some great power, no doubt. But these inbred idiots that followed surely do not. They’re mere figureheads.”

  “How cynical.”

  “I believe the Stars have power. But I’m not a fool like that madwoman Fu Yuanjing. I know for a fact that They don’t care about us.”

  “How nihilistic.”

  “You mistake me, Mr Zhang. I believe profoundly in a better future. But it is one built by humanity and not predicated on the whims of unknowable Gods. One in which men and women can rule themselves.”

  “I can’t help but feel that it’s now you who is being idealistic,” said Jiwen, with a smirk.

  Gao returned the smirk. “The difference is I’m willing to take a humble first step. So, Mr Zhang, sit back and watch the show. It’s about to start.”

  With that he rose to his feet.

  Jiwen looked at him. “I wish you the wisdom to do what is right.” He paused. “And absent that, good fortune.”

  Gao just smiled, turned, and left.

  Du An, Commandant of LPDC Penal Settlement 682341, gazed out the window at the rain swathed settlement, better known to its residents as Port Arthur. Always with the rain. He was so sick of rain. Sick of everything being damp.

  Sick of that fucking rotting smell.

  He scowled.

  He hated it here. He hated the jungle, hated Port Arthur, hated Luanyuan. He hated it on the first day he came here, and hated it a little more with each passing day. If it weren’t for the money he would never have come, never would have stayed. And now he was wondering increasingly whether it was even worth the money. There were always jobs in the Empire for someone who could keep others in line.

  His eyes wandered the scene beyond the window.

  The settlement was quiet. His curfew was in effect.

  But for how long?

  Including himself, there had been seven of them. Seven guards for a settlement that had started out with eighty-six convicts. Now there were seventy-four convicts, and five guards. The ratio was getting worse… unless he could get those other two guards back quickly.

  What the hell were they doing?

  He’d already contacted headquarters in Heye. They were noncommittal about providing additional resources. They always were. They didn’t care. As long as the convicts weren’t escaping the planet, nothing else mattered. The D in LPDC stood for ‘development’, but Luanyuan was going backward. He wasn’t sure how obvious that was in Heye, but it was clear out here. Sooner or later, they were going to have to abandon Port Arthur. Abandon it or die.

  What to do?

  It was getting dark. He took a swig of baijiu and grimaced. He had no idea where this stuff on Luanyuan was even coming from. Still, it was better than nothing. He’d been drinking more recently. Apart from yelling at the scum under his watch, there wasn’t much more to do. He toyed with the idea of lighting up another cigarette. He had to ration them. His supplies were getting low, and no one could say when more would be available.

  That just made him more irritable.

  His chain of thought was interrupted by a distant rumble.

  Great, another fucking storm. What is going to get destroyed this time?

  The damage from the last storm still wasn’t fixed. Sergeant Bo had reported to him this afternoon that the crew attempting to repair the filtration system had discovered that its interior was filled with small vines, which were constantly breaking its parts. The vines were getting closer. Everywhere.

  Closing in.

  Constricting.

  Du clenched his fists. He felt powerless. He didn’t like feeling powerless. He liked to be in control. But nothing he could do would slow the advance of the vines. He couldn’t yell at them, couldn’t cow them.

  They just kept closing in. Each night the vine wardens were reporting upwards of twenty intrusions now.

  And this was the time the convicts had chosen to get rowdy?

  It’s all because of that Blood. It made my men run off. It’s getting the convicts excited.

  It had cured those sick people though. There was something to it. It wasn’t just some nonsense like that madwoman Fu Yuanjing’s rantings.

  He had tried to contact the missing men. Tell them that their unauthorised departure would be ignored if they secured control of the Blood. Perhaps that was the key to controlling these damned criminals. But it was to no avail. He got no response.

  Comms were down constantly around here. But he didn’t think it was that.

  He was being ignored.

  More baijiu.

  Fuck it, he thought and lit another cigarette. If nothing else the smell of the smoke would hide the rotting odour.

  No sooner had he done so than Sergeant Bo appeared, flinging open the door.

  “Sir!” he yelled.

  Du turned with a dark look.

  “What is it?”

  “The vine wardens are reporting a large-scale incursion on the eastern perimeter. They are requesting your assistance.”

  Du regarded Bo warily. “Fine, I’ll go,” said Du. “But tell Lieutenant Liao to conduct a patrol with Lian and Qin. Make sure there’s no funny business going on while we’re distracted. Then come and join me. And bring the flamethrower.”

  With an aggravated sigh he put down his baijiu and stubbed out his cigarette.

  What a waste.

  He grabbed his sidearm and utility belt – scabbard hanging from it – and stormed from the building.

  The rain was coming heavier now and the thunder was nearer. The wind had picked up too. It meant the branches of the nearby jungle shook about. Writhing. Like the vines.

  Ignoring the downpour, he strode rapidly across the settlement, his boots squelching in the slurry of mud and moss that covered the ground. Even over the sounds of the coming storm, he could hear the sound of voices as he drew nearer.

  The perimeter fence was breached. The vines were slithering through, spreading out like the fingers of two great hands attempting to pull apart the sides of the breach, widening it. Other green tendrils snaked along the ground, the blades of the wardens frantically slicing at them. But more would come.

  Du had seen incursions before.

  But not like this.

  There were so many.

  And they’d crossed the ditch, broken through the fence. They were inside Port Arthur.

  His pistol wouldn’t do much here. That was for humans. He instead drew the large machete. As he got close, he recognised the wardens. Gao Yunqi and a member of his little clique, Deng Weiren, if Du remembered correctly.

  No loss if those two died, thought Du.

  Unfortunately, there were larger matters at stake. Keeping back these vines. He ran forward. Gao saw him and yelled out.

  “Commandant! So nice of you to come,” he said, even as he swung his own machete. “I thought you should see this one for yourself.”

  “Why didn’t you light the pit?” demanded Du.

  “You seeing this fucking rain? There’s no way we could get it started.”

  “Are you stupid? That stuff will burn, rain or no rain.”

  Even as they spoke, the mass of vines was increasing, more and more reaching towards them.

  Hungrily.

  Where were the other wardens?

  Standard practice was to send out an alert and focus efforts at the breach site. Yet here there was just him and this one pair. Du could see they weren’t going to succeed in keeping these damned things back.

  Bo better get here soon.

  He asked the question.

  Gao let out a bitter laugh. “Commandant, there are incursions happening right along the perimeter.”

  Is this it?

  Even sooner than expected.

  The lightning flashed overhead and the thunder roared, immediate now. The rain was coming down in great, furious curtains, reducing visibility. Now there was little more filling Du’s vision than the writhing mass in the dark. With each flash of lighting the full scale of what they confronted would briefly reveal itself, before everything was plunged once more into the dark of the jungle night.

  He hacked and hacked.

  The vines kept coming.

  And it was starting to enrage Du. Perhaps it was the baijiu. Perhaps it was the frustration of corralling these convicts. Perhaps it was because he finally had the opportunity to actually do something.

  Yes, that was it.

  He advanced, swinging one way and then another, severing vine after vine. Actually, driving them back. He let out a bestial yell, felt the adrenaline surge through him. Let the rage finally flood out.

  Advance, advance!

  More were coming. Always more. But he just kept hacking. That was all that mattered now. Just hack and hack and hack.

  What were the other two doing?

  He found out a moment later.

  A sharp pain erupted in his midsection. Sharp enough to snap him out of his frenzy. He looked down and a machete blade was protruding from his stomach, ruby droplets illuminated by the flicker of lightning, swiftly washed away by the rain.

  He’d let himself be distracted.

  How foolish.

  He felt a hand at his waist. They were grabbing his pistol. Then a tug at his ankle. A vine had him.

  It was said it was over once the first latched on. More always came.

  The blade was tugged free. A torrent of blood erupted. A boot caught him square in the back. He lost his footing, and the vines pulled him sharply through the breach, down into the ditch beyond.

  He tried to turn, to see what happened. More vines had him now. Only a moment later he felt the first one begin to force its way into his mouth, felt it push open his oesophagus, and force its way deeper in. He gagged, unable to take in air. He felt it inside of him, even as his consciousness began to dim. Then there was another. This time he felt pressure on the surface of his eye. Then it was in, piercing his eye socket, worming its way toward his brain.

  In his final moments of consciousness, he witnessed a third figure appear above the pit.

  Sergeant Bo.

  He had the flamethrower.

  I’m here, you idiot, thought Du. Can’t you see me?

  But Bo couldn’t see him. And a part of Du wanted the warm embrace of the flames to come, for he could feel his body being torn from the inside. Even with the steady fall of the rain, he could feel the ruin of his own eyeball sliding down one of his cheeks, like the most morbid of tears.

  A moment later and a torrent of flame ushered forth. Everything exploded.