This one feels like it should also be an obvious yes. I mean, it shouldn’t have happened that way. I was court-martialed and found guilty. Dishonorably discharged with the fuckin’ spectra to prove it.
So, maybe it wasn’t Delta. But itwassomeone, that’s for sure.
There’s a war, Tyse. The Game of Gods. Ever hear of it?
No. I hadn’t heard of it actually. When Stayn said those words to me I had no idea what he was talking about.
Of course, three weeks on and maybe I don’t understand much, but I think I might be in this game.
My god liveson the top floor of his tower. The rest of it is empty, as far as I can tell. I mean, I’ve never been given a map or anything, but once you enter it’s very clear that this building is really nothing but empty space.
It’s just a hollow shell that contains one thing—a massive, winding staircase that leads to the top. The messenger leaves me at the front door, closing it behind me as I enter.
I look up, trying to see the top. Already tired and the climb hasn’t even started yet.
But this is what I wanted. This is what I’ve been waiting for. So I start the journey.
I go slow because pacing is everything. And while I had been living on the tenth floor of another god’s tower, and I did carry Clara up a million flights of stairs when I saved her, the trip out of Tau City was draining, to say the least, and I just don’t have the stamina I did the day I left.
Eventually though, I do make it to the top. I take each step very slow on that last bit of the ascent because there is a lot going on up here and I’m trying to listen in before I make my appearance.
When I arrive at the little stairwell foyer at the top the first thing I see is the tea spread. Silver trays holding tiny sandwiches, several tea pots with steam pouring out the spouts, and a whole set of matching china. There’s even a bouquet of flowers in the center of the fuckin’ table.
Of course, I do not partake. I walk right past it, but then stop short just outside the entrance to the god’s room becauseI realize I’m listening to a meeting of people. Many people because there are at least half a dozen different voices.
I catch a few words, but it’s not anything dramatic. More like backstage minutiae of city politics. When I finally step out of the little stairwell foyer, the first thing I see is the overlay.
Except it’s not my overlay. It’s Delta’s.
There are nine people up here, except they’re not people. Well, maybe they are. But in this tower, they’re holograms. The overlay is conducting a meeting. I’ve only ever seen something like this a handful of times while I was in Sweep. And it was mostly just walking past glass-walled offices while in random administration buildings. I’ve never actually been inside one.
For a moment I’m not sure what to do. Wait here? Announce myself? Leave?
But then Delta looks at me and steps aside—splitting himself in two.
The other eight… gods, because let’s face it, that’s what they are—they don’t seem to notice that my god has left the meeting. But that’s because he hasn’t. He’s talking to them in his other body even as he’s walking towards me, extending his hand in greeting. And as he does this, he stops being a spark hologram and turns into flesh and blood, wearing a cream-colored linen suit, nice leather shoes, and a smile that makes his spark-colored eyes brighten. His hair is slicked back, so I’m not sure if it’s long or short, and he’s got a ring on. I notice the ring because when I shake his hand, it’s cold against my skin.
I’ve never actually interacted with him in human form like this and it’s a little bit disconcerting. When I came up here as a kid—always because I was in trouble for… whatever—he was a giant face of code on the screen at the far edge of the room.
This human body was there, always, but it was sitting at a desk, its back to me, furiously writing things down in a book. Which feels like a really weird thing now that I’m a man, but asa kid, I didn’t even care. I interacted with the code face. Which was like forty feet high and twenty feet wide, so it was very intimidating and standing in front of it as a five-foot-tall child didn’t give me much time to look around and wonder about shit that didn’t concern me.
“Captain Tymothy Jarvinen.”
We finish shaking hands and so I withdraw mine before correcting him. “It’s Tyse Saarinen now. I’d appreciate it if you’d let everyone know.”
“Right.” He smiles again. “Tyse.” His eyes light up with spark. “Done. Tymothy is dead. All records erased and replaced.”
I sigh. “Well.” I sigh again. “Nice to see you, I guess.”
“Oh, you’re not here for a social call,Tyse. It’s business. But come, let’s get away from this boring meeting.” He turns and starts walking away.
I take one more look at the gathering of gods made of light, then follow.
We end up in a room behind the massive, dark screen and it’s kind of a relief when I enter and he closes the door behind me, making the many voices go away.
“Have a seat, Tyse.” He gestures to a large cream-colored leather chair situated in front of a massive desk made of glass.
I sit and he takes his place behind the desk.
