Scientist: An Earth 340K Standalone Novel (Soldier X Book 1) Read online

  “This is Lizhang,” Nuan said. “Lizhang, meet your uncles. Uncle Wenqi and Uncle Hazou.”

  Lizhang’s eyes widened. “Are these the uncles I’m not meant to meet?”

  “I’m so sorry.” Nuan turned and explained, “Dang Mao has forbidden communicating with you at all. I’m so sorry Hazou, I would’ve shown you Lizhang a long time ago. I swear. But…he wouldn’t be…he might have taken it out….” She wanted to say that her husband might have taken out his rage on their daughter, but she couldn’t, and she choked on the emotion and cried. The dark pits of Hazou’s eyes just stared at her. Wenqi’s back stooped as if he carried a heavy load. Something had crushed the life out of both of them.

  “Uncles, what are you doing here?” Lizhang asked, the terror and fear in her voice electrified Nuan.

  Nuan smiled, or tried to. She couldn’t abandon her brother and his friend at their time of need. “Yes, why don’t you come in? For some tea.” The fear made her voice tremble. Inviting them in wasn’t a good idea. Even now, she found herself wondering if Dang spied on her? Also, if she entertained guests it would make Lizhang late.

  Wenqi smiled sadly. She raised the collar on her cheongsam and crossed her arms. She bruised easily. His Adam’s apple shifted as he gulped.

  “No, we can’t impose,” said Wenqi.

  “Ma, the aero-bus is coming in one minute.” Lizhang tugged on her mother’s hand.

  The aero-bus appeared on the distant horizon, its inverted wings unfurling slightly as it lowered speed. Jagged lightning and darker clouds chased it.

  “Nuan, they have blocked all our accounts. We can’t even access anything. We’ve got no money,” said Hazou. He kept staring above her head as he spoke. “And can you please bring me Papa’s house keys?”

  That’s how abusers work, thought Nuan. They took control of everything. Control gave them power. But she would rather die than let Dang do the same to her brother as what he did to her.

  She said, “Money and the house keys? Yes, yes, I kept some physical money.” I kept it for myself for the day I left, she thought. She couldn’t access their bank account because Dang kept tabs on it. You’re never going to leave, a voice said in her head. She swallowed. “The key is upstairs. Let me go and get it.” She turned to her daughter. “You go on; go ahead and wait for the aero-bus.”

  Lizhang shook her head. “Not without you.” She’d been getting more and more attached to Nuan as she got older, which was a worrying sign.

  “It looks like it’s going to rain again,” Lizhang said defensively when Nuan shook her head. At this age, all the other girls stopped wetting their beds, but not Lizhang.

  “Wait for me here then. Talk to your uncles.”

  It took Nuan several minutes to open her hidden safe inside her makeup cabinet disguised as a box of lipsticks. Dang would never look for something hidden in plain sight. She grabbed at the square cc-chips, crypto currency chips, in her palms. It was all the money she had. Should I keep some for myself? What if something happened? No, stop being small-minded, this is for your brother and his best friend, said a voice. Next, she reached for the small coverlet that used to house her mother’s homemade perfumes and unzipped it. An octagonal key dropped into her palm. The last time she held that key she’d been twenty-one.

  She rushed back downstairs only to see the aero-bus flitting away into the distance. A sad-faced Lizhang leaned against the door with her arms crossed.

  “You should go uncles, mommy can get in trouble,” Lizhang said to Hazou and Wenqi.

  “Lizhang!” Nuan chided, rushing past her daughter. She clasped her brother’s hands. “Here is the money.” She dropped the cc-chips into his palms and then realizing he might lose it, she took it and put it into his coat’s pocket with the zipper. She put the octagonal key into his inner breast pocket.

  Hazou clasped Nuan in a gentle hug. She reached out her hand and placed it around Wenqi’s neck bringing him in closer. Nuan laughed when Lizhang inserted herself between her mother’s hip and Wenqi’s. They all shared the sweetest and most bitter hug as they formed that circle.

  “Goodbye,” said Nuan, as an aero-taxi wafted down from the air and opened its gull-wing doors.

  Hazou waved at her. Wenqi gave her a lingering look and then disappeared into the taxi.

  All Nuan could think was how angry Dang would be when he discovered Lizhang missed her aero-bus to school that morning.

  Part 2 - Bad Seed

  Chapter 7 - Compulsion

  Heaven’s Court stood empty that night. The bright court lights dimmed to a blue hue that edged everything in shadow.

  The Bashe Throne looked like a coiled, slumbering serpent hovering in the air. A set of holo-display panels branched out to either side of the throne like small wings, their screens flickered revealing a multitude of images as if somebody did indeed sit on the throne. As the displays windows minimized, new ones launched and others moved—they cast a myriad of subtle colors that shone back against the padded gelfoam cushions.

  Heaven’s Court consisted of three levels. The Bashe Throne sat on the highest level on a large circular platform that held ten seats ensconced into the ground. The same principles of design governed the place as it did the rest of High Beijing. Nobody could be on the same level as the People’s Favor. And no house could be on the same level as the Jade Palace.

  Each of the ten concave seats that sat in the ground belonged to the ten rulers of the China People’s Empire. Each of those rulers represented a country the Empire consumed: China, easternmost Russia, Mongolia, North and South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.

  Jingfei entered Heaven’s Court along the lowest floor. She strode through the fog that went up to her legs. It was always cold in Heaven’s Court. It needed to be so that the Bashe Throne could operate effectively. It was the largest ultra compnode in all the China People’s Empire, and its ruler could summon entire armies with a thought once she sat on that throne.

  The triant’s feet clicked against the blue carbonmite of the floor. Her silverite chassis blended against the background effectively hiding her. She jumped and hovered into the air and landed in front of the throne.

  She bowed, spreading her legs outwardly like a flower, and kept her head lowered. “People’s Favor, reporting in.”

  “It’s not fun playing hide and seek with you. You always cheat,” said Diaochan. The air shimmered over the throne like heat waves cascading over rock and revealed Diaochan sitting on the throne, her fingers in mid-motion over a holopad from one of the displays.

  The small pink suckers that coated the left side of Diaochan’s shaved head made sighing sounds as they unplugged themselves from the Bashe Throne. The suckers twitched like the mouths of hungry caterpillars. Diaochan jumped out of throne and somersaulted in the air, landing with ease. She combed jade hair, each strand the width of a fingernail, against her head where they stuck to the suckers.

  Heaven’s Court crystallized in Diaochan’s eyes as if she stepped through a waterfall. The blue floor filled with micro-circuitry, the ten seats, the huge gaps between the upper level, the middle level, and lower level of the court. It had been a long time since Diaochan called a full court. The High Ministers occupied the seats on the lower levels. Since her reign, she’d ensured half of them were women.

  Yet all she had attention for was the person in front of her. She grabbed Jingfei’s hand and brought it to her lips. “Butterfly, you strike a dancing pose. Shall we?” She bowed her head at the triant.

  Jingfei stared up at Diaochan. “People’s Favor, this is a bowing posture. I am reporting in. I’m not asking you to dance.”

  Diaochan tsk’d and let Jingfei’s hand go. “All play and no fun makes Jingfei a boring triant. You have to be more entertaining, butterfly. Otherwise I will spend all my life as my software-self and never disconnect from the throne.”

  The triangular eyes with the domed chassis of the triant narrowed.

  “Dang Mao dest
royed all of their research,” said Jingfei. A small triangular disk ejected itself from her chassis and flew into the air toward Diaochan. “This is all their data.”

  Diaochan just stared at the disk. Her eyes extracted the exabytes of data instantly routing it to her neuralnet connection where her multi-AIs instantly analyzed and presented her with the findings.

  “Their research is interesting. But tell me—why would Dang Mao delete their data? I didn’t ask for it. And nor did Anastasiya,” Diaochan said, walking around her triant.

  She admired the triants’ creation. Ironically, they had been created out of research that originated from the Department of Botanical Weapontech. Apparently, from those two scientists—according to the data she’d consumed—who had caused the explosion in the lab.

  “They said that inside the chassis the triants are soft.” Her long fingernails clicked against Jingfei’s chassis. The triant looked like an amped dragonfly made from silverite and armed with the most impressive weapons.

  “I think Dang Mao is manipulative. I also believe he is a Chrysanthemum Striped Tiger,” said Jingfei.

  Diaochan stopped after she made a circle around Jingfei. “Do you have any evidence?”

  Jingfei shook her head.

  The People’s Favor sighed. “You know, if I were to kill everyone who somebody in my court had suspicions of, nobody would be alive.”

  “I will obtain the evidence. I thought to tell you so nothing takes you by surprise.”

  “Nothing takes me by surprise,” Diaochan lied. Her father’s assassination took her by surprise. Zeyar’s betrayal took her by surprise. The exploding Chao-chao plant caused her to jump and hit her head against the People’s General’s nose. No doubt, Chaeyeon probably thought Diaochan had head butted her on purpose. That had been a surprise too.

  Diaochan said, “Those two scientists are the key. I cannot have them running amok. They will try to recreate the Chao-chao plant again...and if it falls into the hands of another empire?”

  “I do not think you have to worry about that. They are very much broken.” Jingfei’s monotone voice irritated Diaochan. Mandarin should be spoken in four tones.

  “I think for myself,” said Diaochan, her fingers grasped Jingfei’s head and tilted it. “Nobody thinks for me.”

  “I apologize, People’s Favor.” Jingfei stared at her without blinking.

  “The punishment for offending the People’s Favor is to have one’s limb ripped from one’s own body.” Diaochan’s fingers tapped Jingfei’s cheekbone.

  Jingfei moved so quickly. Her arms consisted of up and down curving blades. Four usable arms that shifted like a blur. Her left upper hand sliced down on her left lower hand. Aiming to sever her own limb.

  But Diaochan’s hand snaked out and arrested the movement. In those nanoseconds, Jingfei’s arm had transformed into a vibroblade so sharp it cut through Diaochan’s palm causing the micro-circuitry across her palm lines to ooze coolant.

  Diaochan withdrew her palm and ran her tongue across the coolant. They regarded one another.

  “The scientists will attempt to recreate the Chao-chao plant after their botched attempt. They are renowned for not giving up,” said Diaochan.

  “They didn’t botch anything. That was Dang Mao. He kept pushing them. For some reason he wanted them to make a mistake.” Jingfei’s hands blurred back to her sides where they wrapped around her body like blades.

  “So much attitude, Jingfei? You will keep a close eye on the two scientists. I expect the Chrysanthemum Striped Tigers to make a play for them. I expect the other fifteen Empires will make a play for them.” She grimaced. “I knew they were innocent.”

  “Then why let this happen to them?” Jingfei asked.

  “Because they are now the meat to lure the Chrysanthemum Striped Tigers. And when the tiger comes out to eat, we shall be there with our vibroblades ready to lop its head off.”

  “Diaochan, the Chrysanthemum Striped Tigers are a lot more powerful than we think.” Jingfei eyed the ten seats that circled the Bashe Throne.

  Diaochan stilled. “You suspect the Ten Divine Dragons?”

  “I do not have evidence,” said Jingfei.

  “Then your other orders are already there. You are to gather the evidence. My father’s assassination wasn’t an outside job.”

  The wall above the throne consisted of the golden-faced Lord of Ten Thousand Suns, Diaochan’s father, who had been assassinated by the Chrysanthemum Striped Tigers.

  A coldness radiated out from Diaochan’s being. Could she trust no one? Her eyes met Jingfei’s. “Dare I trust you fully?”

  “Of course, I will die for you. Just say it,” said Jingfei, unsheathing her many limbs.

  “That’s because you were programmed to do so. Not of your own free will.” Diaochan pursed her lips thoughtfully. “You are a slave, did you know that?”

  “I exist to serve and protect the true heir of the China People’s Empire.”

  “I’m so sick of your robotic parroting. They tell me there’s something alive inside of you.” Diaochan reached out her hand and the triant hesitatingly clasped it. “You are being invited into the most sacrosanct area in the China People’s Empire.” Diaochan tugged on Jingfei’s hand and floated into the air.

  Above her, the throne slowly reassembled itself into octagon tiles and changed into stairs. The stairs carried Diaochan and Jingfei up to the Infinite Ceiling. The air split apart and revealed the glimpse of wooden beams, a bed, and the smell of incense.

  “What is this most sacrosanct place?” asked Jingfei.

  Diaochan laughed. “Why, my bedroom.”

  A trillion permutations, answers, solutions, and pathways fluttered through Diaochan's synoptic nerves as she thought about the problems that plagued the empire. But it all faded away when her hand shook. “Your limbs are shaking,” said Diaochan. “Are you too cold?”

  “No, People’s Favor. I’m fine.”

  The ceiling swallowed them.

  Diaochan’s bedroom was nothing like any other part of the Jade Palace. Here technology wasn’t allowed to reign.

  The golden silk liners draped elegantly across the bed large enough to fit ten people. The bed sat on a burnished Zitan wooden floor—a most precious commodity considering ninety percent of the trees on Earth had died. Four large Zitan wooden pillars—dark red wood with thick lacquer and the golden swirls of the Hanzi characters revealed the lineage of Heaven's family. Diaochan's name appeared near the bottom of that list and she wondered if there would be more names to come after hers, or would she be the last? Jade stone lamps hovered in the air between pockets of dark and made it seem as if this room came from another time.

  Jingfei sat on the bed with her limbs stiffly against the sheets. Diaochan caressed her limbs and where her fingers trailed the silverite coating of Jingfei’s chassis fell like slivers of foil. What soon sat there was an elfin-looking female with three legs that ended in points with a type of sucker along them, and four hands with a smaller set of suckers. The completely bald head consisted of suckers that now gasped at the air. Jingfei crossed her arms across her single breast that stood in the middle of her body like a teardrop.

  “I should go back,” said Jingfei.

  Diaochan sealed her protest with a kiss and then she pressed Jingfei against the soft of the bed. She stared into Jingfei’s eyes. “Not until I’m satiated.”

  Diaochan satiated herself repeatedly. She lost herself in the scent and taste of the triant. She took Jingfei again and again. The stress and worries of holding the most powerful empire together washed away in the uncontrollable undulations of ecstasy.

  Afterward, as they lay there with their limbs intertwined, Jingfei suddenly sat up. A holo-display appeared in front of her. It showed Dang Mao’s face.

  “Diaochan, I need to go. It seems the director is on the move.” Jingfei stood up and stalked toward where her armor lay. The silverite pieces flew back onto her skin and connected seamlessly.

&n
bsp; “Dang has a strong following in politburo. Just today, my own People’s Educator, Kaloni, recommended him for a position in the inner courts.” Diaochan didn’t normally speak to anyone about what was in her mind, but she felt such a cool clarity after making love.

  “I do not trust him. He could hurt you. He’s been building his power base,” said Jingfei.

  “What if I were to remove your compulsion program?” said Diaochan.

  Jingfei stilled. “I’m loyal to you until the day I die.”

  “Come here,” said Diaochan. Jingfei came close to the bed. Diaochan sat up, the blanket covering one leg. “Bend your neck.” Jingfei bent her neck. Diaochan’s cold fingers danced at the base of Jingfei’s neck. Diaochan’s gene-id caused the hidden slits to materialize at Jingfei’s nape. The small interface connected wirelessly to Diaochan’s AI. She deleted the parameters that ensured Jingfei’s programmatic loyalty. She pushed Jingfei away feeling a sudden trepidation in her heart. “There, now you are free.”

  “I will do your bidding,” Jingfei said, her three sharp legs that resembled katana blades clicked against the wooden floor.

  Diaochan couldn’t help the shiver that took hold of her. She shouted out, “I am building my own seed-ship. You will have a place with me there. It will be the citizens of the China People’s Empire that will have their seeds sown amongst the stars.”

  Jingfei didn’t reply as she her body sunk into the floor disappearing where moments ago they entered.

  The People’s Favor waited five minutes before speaking out into the air. “Show yourselves. Each one of you assemble before me.”

  The seven triants that stood at precisely calculated locations around the most guarded room in the empire melted from the air, shedding their camouflage.

  “Today I set each of you free,” said Diaochan. “Follow me.”

  She took them back down to Heaven’s Court and made sure her sentinelbots were present. She then set the rest of the triants free. She didn’t trust the other triants like she trusted Jingfei.