She doesn’t want to see me. She made that perfectly clear. But she’ll see you, and I need to know she’s all right.
Fifty years ago, the colonel had fallen in love with a mortal. Rosalie had stayed with him for over thirty years until she’d started to age, while the colonel had stayed exactly the same.
Callum had offered her the Meridian treatment, but she’d refused. Some people couldn’t face the idea of eternity. Nor could she face growing older while the colonel stayed forever young. She’d left and nearly broken his friend’s heart. Now she ran a bar on Trakis Two, and Callum had offered to visit her, check that she was doing okay—it was as good a place as any to meet up with Venna, his science officer.
Then come along for the ride—it might be fun.
Fun? I’ve forgotten what that is. The colonel gave him a wry smile and pressed the package into his hand. I can’t. If I was so close, then I’d need to see her. I couldn’t do that to her. Besides, I need to stay with my men. I have a feeling you might be in need of an army in the not too distant future.
Callum glanced at him sharply. What have you heard?
You know the Church has been in chaos since their High Priest disappeared.
The old High Priest, Hezrai Fischer, had vanished over a month ago. The timing was suspect, and Callum had the idea that the disappearance was somehow tied in with Aiden’s death, but if anybody within the Church knew anything, they weren’t talking.
Well it looks like they’ve picked a new leader. I just got word Temperance Hatcher was appointed High Priest a week ago.
Great. Why the hell wasn’t I told before?
We didn’t know. Fischer was our main source of information within the Church and now we have to build our network from nothing.
Hezrai Fischer had been another asshole, but he’d outwardly supported the Collective, and Aiden had made some sort of deal with the man before going completely off his rocker. Temperance Hatcher was a total fanatic who loathed the Collective.
Are you monitoring them?
We have people in there. Apparently, his first order was to mobilize the Church’s army.
Why didn’t you tell me before?
There was nothing to tell. Until Hatcher was given the job, it was all speculation. Besides, I never actually thought you’d go through with this.
This?
This carnival. Do you really plan on leaving?
Hell yeah. He cast the other man a speculative look. You think they’re right? You think we should just hide this away? He waved a hand at the wings folded neatly under the cloak, but still very obvious. Pretend it’s not happening?
No. But you’ve been building up to this for a long time. I reckon you need to blow off some steam, then maybe you can come back and make some sensible decisions.
Sensible? He shuddered.
We need leadership now, more than ever. This isn’t just going to affect the Council but every member of the Collective.
I’ve left you in charge.
What? The colonel sounded shocked.
I’ve left a document stating you have my full powers within the Council.
Shit, I don’t want that, Callum.
Hard luck. Now, let’s do this.
He strode through the open doors and the crowd roared as he came into sight. Glancing across the vast stadium, he spotted the Mark Three space cruiser touching down lightly on the landing pad. Black and sleek, with the words, El Cazador de la Sangre, in silver script on the side. It looked like his ride was here. He stepped up to the podium and raised a hand to quiet the crowd.
“Welcome, people of the worlds.”
The masses quieted, until an expectant silence filled the stadium.
“Over a thousand years ago, we fled our dying world in search of a place we could call home. And for over five hundred years, we roamed the vast emptiness of space until we finally came to rest in the Trakis system. And here we found suns that would warm us, air we could breathe, and food we could eat.”
So far so good. He could sense the waves of complacency wafting off the Council behind him. Time to shake them up a little—or a lot.
“We also discovered something else, something beyond our wildest dreams and the secret to man’s greatest fear. We found the gift of immortality. But every gift comes with a price. I have come to believe it is a price worth paying. I hope the rest of the world will see it as the same.”
He fingered the edges of the cloak. “So, with that in mind, I have brought you together today to show you the new, improved Collective.”
Chapter Two
They’d touched down smoothly on a raised landing platform that looked out over a vast, packed stadium. Tannis pressed her palm to the panel, and the doors of the docking bay slid open.