Andromeda's Fall (Legion of the Damned) Read Free Page A

quickly discovered that it was difficult to swim with a weapon in one hand while holding on to Macy with the other. So he let go of her as they surfaced. He said, “Follow me,” and she spluttered by way of a reply.
    Rex turned and swam toward the sound of the artificial waterfall to his right. Then, as water began to pummel his head, he made a grab for Macy and towed her through the deluge.
    The hidden grotto had been his grandfather’s idea. His brother and he had enjoyed the secret hideaway as children. Then, during his early teens, Rex discovered that the secret chamber was a wonderful place to take girls. There were half-submerged benches to either side plus a deep ledge in the back. It was stocked with a supply of fluffy towels and wide enough for two.
    The water was warm, but the air was cool, and Macy’s skimpy cocktail dress was plastered to her body as they climbed up onto the ledge. It was dark, but Rex could hear her teeth chattering. “Get out of those wet clothes,” he ordered. “And wrap yourself in towels. We’re going to be here for a while. An hour at least.”
    Sirens could be heard in the distance, but who was on the way? Firemen? Or more synths? There was no way to know, but one thing was for sure. Cyntarch Dor Carletto and Lady Carolyn were dead. That left Rex and Catherine. Cat! He had to warn her. But how? Lights stabbed downwards, found the bottom of the pool, and began to explore it.
    IMPERIAL PLANET ESPARTO
    Lady Catherine Carletto snapped her lipstick closed and studied herself in the oval-shaped mirror. She had shoulder-length blond hair, wide-set blue eyes, and a softly rounded face. Everyone agreed that she was beautiful. And that was true. In the technical sense, anyway. The problem was that she didn’t feel beautiful. Or anything else for that matter. No ambition. No fear. No joy. And that didn’t make sense since she had everything . Or that’s what the vidnets claimed. Cat made a face at herself, dropped the lipstick into a tiny clutch, and turned to go. The door to her hotel suite hurried to slide out of the way, and the private elevator surged upwards the moment she stepped on board.
    There was a small but tastefully furnished lobby on the roof—and two of the hotel’s employees were there to wish Cat a good evening as she passed through. Less fortunate people were constantly wishing her “good morning,” “good afternoon,” and “good evening.” But very few, if any, meant it. And why would they? Everything was for sale—including the most trivial of greetings. So Cat ignored them, followed a green runner out to a waiting air car, and slid into the backseat. A chime sounded as she buckled the seat belt.
    Moments later, the limo was in the air and entering the flow of southbound traffic. Esparto was an Earth-normal planet known for its vast grasslands, rich deposits of rare earth minerals, and the glittering city spread out below her. The only city on Esparto.
    There were townships of course. But laws laid down by the first families limited them to populations of no more than ten thousand people each. The idea was to contain urban sprawl and encourage decentralization. But the unintended consequence of that policy had been to create a city that occupied more than five thousand square miles of land and had a reputation for both sophistication and decadence. That was the main reason why young men and women fortunate enough to be sent on the so-called grand tour wanted to visit Elysium. And Cat was no exception.
    Thanks to her family’s relationship with Emperor Ordanus, and their considerable wealth, Cat was a much-sought-after guest. It was a role she both enjoyed and despised. Because although she loved the attention, Cat knew it was undeserved and felt a sense of contempt for both herself and the people who fawned over her.
    So the socialite took in the view as the car followed a stream of other aircraft south over brightly lit buildings and toward the glowing globe