holding a smaller machine gun as blood streamed from his ears. The tiny bullets bounced off the machines' chests and they quickly dispatched the soldiers.
The unit checked the twenty-caliber gun on the right as the other three examined the one on the left. The unit then activated its internal radio, "Centurion, machine gun emplacement secured. Proceeding to clear the wall."
"Excellent work. Carry on."
From the locator beacon, the unit could tell that the centurion and his staff were still at the rocks on the far side of the field. It lingered on that thought for a moment before it looked down at its left hand. It was twitching again. A diagnostic revealed no damage, of course.
LVII
CAESAR
114 Years Before the End
"Forgive me, dominus, but advancements have been slow in coming," Prefect Titus said.
The Caesar regarded her newer Cyclops body. Like most of the elite these days, she wore a skin-like plastic covering over her Cyclops machinery. He looked across the room at the couple dozen or so prefects, senators, legates, and tribunes. The highest classes in Tiberian society, they were fast becoming immortal like Caesar. Caesar, though, kept his liquid metal flesh. He appreciated its versatility.
"I understand your displeasure, prefect," Maxentius said. "Dr. Donovan's murder of Ouranos and subsequent suicide was a great blow," he fought the urge to spit at having to say the doctor's name, "but we have some of the greatest minds in the world working on the Life Extension Project."
"Have you given thought to broadcasting the desire for fresh minds as you once did, lord?" a tribune asked.
Caesar nodded and said, "I have, though I don't believe the rest of the world would be receptive, given current events."
The prefects nodded and Gallian said, "That brings to mind our difficulties with the Pact of Nations."
"Indeed," Senator Blasia, one of the few humans in the room, began, "the PN's military actions, blockades, and embargoes are having a greater effect on Tiberia than we had prepared for."
"We're flush with income from the new territories, senator," Prefect Curus said, glancing toward Caesar as if to glean some sort of approval. "Some industries have suffered, but as Tiber's influence grows, so does her wealth."
"One would not know that by walking the streets, prefect." Senator Tullus said. He used an older Cyclops body with its joints still exposed. "Unemployment rates are ridiculously high and …"
Prefect Cleon interrupted, "The Caesar is generously taking the unemployed to war-torn areas so that they may aid in the rebuilding efforts."
"That program, prefect, is on the decline, thanks to more Cyclops units being introduced to the workforce." Cleon said nothing and Tullus continued, "Resident unemployment is still above thirty percent. Many of our cities have fallen into disrepair. Hunger and disease stalk the camps of homeless in every urban area of the Empire." A few of the prefects openly scoffed.
"Thank you, senator, for bringing this to my attention," Caesar said. "I have kept a wary eye on the Cyclops situation. Last week, I gave an order to our factories to slow production of non-military units."
The senator bowed and Prefect Gallian said, "Very wise, dominus. Might I also suggest a measure of debt forgiveness?" Some of the other prefects and senators looked toward him. "I know many of our patrician friends earn a great deal in the moneylending business, but minor debt forgiveness has gone a long way toward stifling plebeians' cries in the past."
Caesar ignored him and moved toward the large wall map of Larsa. "The Pact of Nations also concerns me greatly. They are attempting to enforce the Accord, a document that is hopelessly outdated."
"Nearly five hundred years old, imperator," a legate said.
Caesar nodded and continued, "Thanks to Thoria and Attica, our forces have been stalled in Tyria and Ordoga for years."
"They developed weapons and countermeasures to our Cyclops units far faster than we believed possible," Prefect Etne said.
"Yes," the emperor said. "New designs were implemented a few years ago and more of those units are entering the service now. My legates, magisters, and I," he glanced toward them and the uniformed men nodded, "will order the legions to pull back to the borders of these regions and allow the new Cyclops to fill out the ranks. We will hold the lines. Some day soon, they will push forward and when they do, hopefully, they will prove more hardy."
There was a knock at the door and a Praetorian Guard leaned toward it. He spoke through the crack and allowed a young woman into the room. Caesar recognized her as an intelligence subconsul. She looked around at the assembled elite before the emperor waved her forward.
She paused a few meters away and saluted, "My lord, I bring urgent news to you."
He motioned with his open palm and said, "Come."
Her eyes widened and she leaned forward, "Your orders were to present news of this nature to you in private."
Caesar smiled a little at her nervousness and waved her toward the far corner of the marble room. "Excuse us, please." The prefects and others turned away and spoke among themselves. Once they were in the corner, the imperator said, softly, "Very well, subconsul."
She swallowed hard and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Some years ago, you asked the intelligence division to find whatever remained of Baraz Bio Medical from Doria."
"I recall."
She nodded, "The company was liquidated and its personnel scattered after the raid …"
"I know this, subconsul." He waved his hand quickly, "Get to the new information."
"Sorry, my lord. We've found them."
"Dr. Karin Baraz?"
"Yes. Her and … the Psilons."
Caesar blinked slowly. "The Psilons? They were killed in the raid. The other Titans, their children …"
The woman shook her head. "The Psilons themselves, Cronuses, Rheas, Phoebes … they were killed and their transfer technology destroyed. But children remained."
Caesar leaned back and looked toward the elites. They were still chattering and he looked back at the subconsul, "We were told that twenty-four children were killed in the raid."
She nodded. "But there were more. Many more. I don't know how so many were missed in the old reports, but …"
"It doesn't matter." Caesar closed his eyes and thought. As he did, he muttered an old Tiberian saying, "'If you kill the father, kill the son, lest he grow and seek your blood.'"
"Lord?"
Caesar said, "You have new information. Where are they?"
"Badar. Fardan, specifically."
Gordian's Quagmire, he thought. "Very well." I'm not certain what to do with this information just yet …
"There's something else you should know, dominus." Caesar didn't speak. He just stared at her until she continued, "Cronus knows."
He straightened up and raised his voice, "How?"
She cowered slightly and answered, "He has bought friends in the department."
He put his hand on her shoulder and said, very genially, "Tell me who, and I will make you the intelligence consul."
She smiled and began to name names.
LVIII
CRONUS
114 Years Before the End
The praetor unfolded his legs and leaned forward. Outside his window, his sliver of perception from the office, he saw calm and tranquility. The last remnant of Alabor's military was defeated years ago, but terrorist cells remained.
He looked back at his desk and saw the report from his friend in Tiber. His skin flushed hot at the thought of Psilons surviving … but it waned when he looked out the window.
It was sunny in Derben. The trees were green. A flock of birds flew past. Traffic moved along far below like normal. It was a beautiful day.
Cronus stood and walked toward the glass. He touched it with his fingertips and felt the heat conducted away from his skin … it was cool. He could see more of the sky and there were clouds in the west. He looked toward the si
dewalk and watched the people moving about.
"It's ready, dominus." Cronus sighed and turned away. As he passed the desk, he pressed a button on his computer screen and kept moving toward the technician. "All you have to do is wait for this to signal you." He was holding up a small silver rectangle. "When it does, plug it into the monitor. It'll do the rest."
"Thank you," Cronus looked at the device as the technician gathered his things. The rectangle beeped and a blue light blinked. The man nodded and the praetor said, "Leave me." After grabbing his bags, the man left.
Cronus walked to the large screen and positioned the silver shape above its slot. He took in a deep breath and inserted it. The monitor came on and after some audio-visual static, he could make out the forms of two women speaking. Standing behind them were a few other people but the image was not clear. A status bar appeared and read, "Standby …" The pixellation subsided and audio became intelligible.
There was laughter. He didn't recognize the voices at first. The image began to clear further and he saw Karin Baraz sitting in a soft chair, smiling and laughing with others. He studied these new people. After just a moment, he was sure that they were Psilons. The realization made his chest ache. His stomach roiled and he briefly felt lightheaded. Then the disorientation washed away and became a hot anger. He watched them chat and hold each other. And Baraz … she sat there and talked with them like they were regular people. Cronus shook his head and saw a message on screen. "Ready. Press 'enter' to engage." He did.
"Lisa? What's going on?" one of the women said.
"I