Battle Cruiser by B. V. Larson Read Free Book Online

me a hard look. Their suspicion quickly melted away when I was recognized. They appeared surprised to see me.
    “Is my father all right?” I asked the nearest of the plainclothes agents.
    “He’s alive, sir,” she said noncommittally. “We’re here to make sure he stays that way.”
    I thought of pointing out that their security at the ballroom had been lacking, but I didn’t. No one had expected the assassination attempt. Kidnappings and the like did occur from time to time, but an outright attempt to kill a sitting Public Servant? That hadn’t been seen for decades. Possibly, I hadn’t even been born the last time it had happened.
    Brushing past the agents, I headed inside. After a battery of formal identification procedures, I was at last escorted to Father’s private suite.
    “William?” asked my father in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you. Don’t you have duties to attend to?”
    “Yes father—that’s what I’m doing right now. The Guard was responsible for security at your speech, and it would appear to me that we failed you.”
    “Nonsense. You killed the assassin in the end. How can I help you?”
    “I need your assistance. I wish to investigate House Astra.”
    “Do you think that would be wise? Won’t it be a little obvious if I send a family member under the guise of being a guardsman?”
    “I am a guardsman.”
    “Hmm, yes… I suppose you could be mistaken for a neutral party. But if I understand the situation, your Captain hasn’t officially assigned the investigation of the attack to you?”
    “He hasn’t. That’s why I need your help to gain access to the Astra estate.”
    Father frowned. “I see… You’ve never asked me for a favor of this nature before.”
    “I’ve never witnessed the attempted assassination of a Servant before.”
    “You’re requesting that I use my personal influence to get you assigned to this investigation—is that correct?”
    “Yes.”
    Thinking it over, Father finally nodded. “All right. It could be a good use of bargaining power. House Astra must be embarrassed to have been connected with this unfortunate affair. I’ll make the arrangements. Go now—your visit will be expected by the time you arrive.”
    “Thank you, Father,” I said, and I turned to go.
    Part of my busy mind wondered why I hadn’t inquired into the details of my father’s health. Wasn’t I concerned for his well-being? I took solace in the fact he’d looked better than when I’d last seen him. His face was no longer white and drawn. It was pink and hale again, flush with an infusion of fresh artificial blood and surgical nanites.
    I asked that a guard be posted outside his room. Then, giving Father a nod, I left him there in his sick bed and made my way back into the general ward. It was there that my mother accosted me.
    She was a Grantholm by birth. Twenty years my father’s junior, she was still quite old. My father was in his second century of life—but she wasn’t far behind him. Neither of them looked a day over forty, however, due to the miracles of longevity treatments that worked to weed out aging cells and encourage only the best to flourish.
    “How are you, Mother?” I asked as she laid her hand upon the back of mine.
    “You were hurt,” she said. It was not a question, but a state of fact. “I saw it, when the mad bitch stabbed you.”
    “She only cut my clothing. And she was an android, mother. A simulacrum. A robot clothed in flesh.”
    “You’re right of course. She only resembled a member of that House. Astra is our rival, but they would never do this to us.”
    I frowned at her in confusion. I wasn’t quite sure what she was thinking. Was she angry with Astra or defending them? I suspected she was conflicted.
    “Never mind, William,” she said. “Why are you here? What are you trying to accomplish?”
    “I wanted to check on Father, naturally.”
    She hesitated for a fraction of a second too long before