Demosthenes, nomansland.
Bellona glanced at Sang. “Ready?” she asked.
He nodded.
She cleared her throat, as the lens dropped down to the level of her face and hovered in front of her.
“My name is Bellona Cardenas,” she begun. “Many of you already know of me as Xenia. Up until a few days ago, I was forced to revert to Xenia’s appearance just to convince you I was really her, that Xenia is a person, not an android as the Karassians would prefer to believe.
“Today I have dispensed with that appearance. Xenia no longer exists and hasn’t for three years. In the meantime, something has happened in our galaxy. Something significant. Something every person, every android, every computer that can hold abstract thought, should consider.”
* * * * *
A big screen had been generated at the end of the dining room. It was running the live footage as Sang walked in. Bellona was still setting up, the camera close in on her face.
“A city killer was used for the second time. We of the free worlds once more lost hundreds of thousands of people and our beloved Cerce City. This is despite my promise to all free world people that it would never happen again. I failed you in this only because the free worlds did not understand that I meant what I said.”
Sang poured two mugs of coffee from the real brew sitting on the hotplate and took them over to the table where Hero sat watching Bellona. He gave her one of the mugs.
“You didn’t want to be in the room with her?” Sang asked. “Be counted as one of them standing with her?”
Hero shook her head with a small smile. She touched her chest. “In here, I know I am hers. I always have been. That’s all I need to know. Everyone else can bugger off.”
Sang considered her. “Only now I see it, too,” he pointed out.
“Of course you do. It’s a small club. We all know each other.” She smiled impishly and drank.
* * * * *
Kachmarain City, Kachmar Sodality, The Karassian Homogeny
As the sun set, Chidi moved around the apartment, polarizing all the windows so that nothing could see in. Then, still looking over his shoulder, he generated a screen and tuned it.
The sound came in first, Xenia’s voice with the lovely modulations and timbre. “Now, though, the free worlds understand what I mean. We have a meeting of minds and on one thing we are very clear.”
The images flickered into place, with odd distortions because of the security hacks and work-arounds Chidi had set up to disguise the feed. Xenia—the woman called Bellona—stood centered in front of the lens, which was slowly pulling back to show the people standing behind her. Dozens of them, dressed in regal and diplomatic finery. Chidi recognized many of the faces and although he couldn’t name them right now, he would research them later. One of them, at least, he did know, only because he was one of the most vocal and visible leaders of the free world and in the last few days everyone had speculated wildly about how Lin Alberda, the governor of Cerce, had survived the city killer.
Bellona was still speaking. “You will soon learn about a new technology, one that only the free worlds control. It is a bridge forge that allows us to go anywhere we want in the galaxy, instantly. We do not need ships, or null-engines, or guns to fight off bigger ships. We can step into the room you are sitting in now, if we choose to. No security shield ever invented can stop us.”
Chidi shivered with atavistic delight and glanced around his empty apartment. Perhaps, one day, she would step into this room…
* * * * *
Demosthenes, Nomansland.
As the lens floating slowly backward, Bellona continued to speak. “We have a base of operations that you will never find. It is constantly moving and can never be targeted. Demosthenes is from where we will enforce our will.
“What is our will? It is simple. Independence from the Alliance yoke, free will and self-determination. They are simple things. They are the right of every free person, no matter what their origins. We will enforce those rights. Push us and we will push back. Annex us and we will throw off your collar and force you to flee back to your ships and your empires.
“If you are listening to me now and agree with what I am saying, then join our fight. Go to any civil administration in the free worlds and tell them you want to help and you will be recruited to the cause.
“On the other hand, if you are listening to me now and think we are bluffing, consider this. Demosthenes is untraceable. You will never find us, but we can find you. We know where you live and sleep and dream and hope. We can reach you anywhere, instantly. Try to interfere with the free states and we will hit back.”
Bellona gave the lens and everyone who was watching a small smile. “I am Bellona Cardenas of the Free Worlds. Remember what I have promised.”