Golden Son Read Free

youhaveinstore,don’tbeshyaboutit.”
    “Coms,tellRipperandTalonsquadronstoengagetheenemy.”
    IwatchthetacticaldisplayasthesquadronsIdispatchedahalfhourpriorswooparoundeitherside oftheasteroidsanddescendonKarnus’sflank.Fromthisdistance,theyareimpossibletoseewiththe nakedeye,buttheypulsegoldonthedisplay.
    “Congratulations,myfriend,”Roquewhispersbeforeitisevendone.There’sastrangereverence in his voice, any earlier frustration now gone. “With this, everything will change.” He touches my shoulder.“Everything.”
    I watch my trap close, feeling the imminent victory drain the tension from my shoulders. The Grays of my bridge take a step forward. Even the Obsidians lean to watch the displays as Karnus’s ship registers my squadrons’ signatures. He tries to flee, blasting his engines to escape what’s coming.Buttheanglesconspireagainsthim.MysquadronsloosemissilesbeforeKarnuscandeploy a flak screen or bring his own missiles to bear. Thirty simulated nuclear explosions wrack his last ship.Thereisnopointtocapturinghisshipatthispointinthegame,andsotheBluefighterpilots relishalittleoverkill.
    Andlikethat,Ihavewon.
    My bridge erupts with shouts from Grays and the Orange technicians. The Blues wrap their knuckles vigorously. The Obsidians, at odds with this hi-tech world, make no sound. My personal valet,Theodora,smilestoheryoungerchargesatthebridge’svaletstation.AformerRosecourtesan wellpastprimeage,she’sheardherfairshareofsecretsandservesasmysocialadvisor.
    Acrosstheship,fromenginestokitchens,thevictorytransmitsthroughholoscreens.Thisisnot justmyvictory.Eachmanandwomansharesitintheirownway.ThatistheschemeoftheSociety.To prosper, your superior must prosper. As I found a patron in Augustus, so must the lowColors find theirowninme.ItbreedsaloyaltyofnecessitytoGoldsthattheColorsystemitselfcannotcreateby meredictation.
    Nowmystarwillrise,andallaboardwillrisewithit.
    Powerandpromisearecelebrityinthisculture.Notlongago,whentheArchGovernorannounced
    he would sponsor my studies at the Academy, the HC channels blazed with speculation. Could someonesoyoung,someonefromsuchapiteousfamily,win?LookwhatIdidattheInstitute.Ibroke thegame.IconqueredtheProctors,killedoneandboundtheotherslikechildren.Butwasthatamere flashinthenight?Nowthoseprattlingbastardshavetheiranswer.
    “Helmsman,setcoursefortheAcademy.We’velaurelstoclaim,”Iannouncetocheers. Laurel .The worditselfechoesthroughmypast,makingbittermymouth.Despitemysmile,Ifeelnogreatjoyat thisvictory.Justgrimsatisfaction.
    Onemorestep,Eo.Onemorestepforward.
    “Praetor DarrowauAndromedus.”Tactusplayswiththetitle.“TheBellonawillshitthemselves.I wonderifIcanleveragethisintoacommand,ordoyouthinkImustjoinyourfleet?Cannevertell.
    Gorydamn bureaucracy is so tedious. Coppers to grease. Golds to lobby. My brothers will want to throw us a party, naturally.” He nudges me. “At a Brothers Rath party, even you might finally get bedded.”
    “Asifhe’dtouchyourfriends.”Victrasqueezesmyhand,fingerslingeringasthoughsheworea gowninsteadofarmor.“LoathasIamtosayit,Antoniawasrightaboutyou.”
    IfeelRoqueflinch,andrememberthesoundofAntoniacuttingLea’sthroatasshetriedtolureme fromhidingattheInstitute.Ihadstayedintheshadows,listeningtomysmallfriendfallwetlytothe mossyground.RoquehadlovedLeainhisownfastway.
    “I’vetoldyoubeforenottomentionyoursister ’snameinourpresence,”IsaytoVictra,herface souringatthecurtdismissal.
    IturnbacktoRoque.
    “AsPraetor,IdobelieveIhaveauthoritytostockmyfleetwithpersonnelofmychoosing.Perhaps weshouldbringbacksomeoldfaces.SevrofromPluto,theHowlersfromwhereverthehelltheygot shippedoffto,andmaybe…QuinnfromGanymede?”
    RoqueflushesinthecheeksatthementionofQuinn’sname.
    Personally,IwishforSevrothemost.Neitherofusisparticularlydiligentatkeepingintouchover theholoNet,especiallyme,becauseIhaven’thadaccesstoitsincetheAcademybegan.Anyway,all he’spartialtosendingishologramsofuniquelypervertedunicornsandvideoclipsofhimreading