Coeus?

“

The new anti-matter reactors provide enough energy to make long range teleportations a worthwhile undertaking. The units to create the necessary rupture in space-time are designed to enable jumps of a maximum range of up to five thousand light years from unit to unit.

To accomplish that each facility will harbour several heavily shielded anti-matter reactors. The initial designs also include a network of point defence satellites around the main installation. Top priority is to keep the node from falling into enemy hands.

”

-Project report 24-24532

***Sol, Aether***

***Cyla***

“At least it looks like this party is going well.” Gideon takes a weary look around the festival hall. We rented a small dance theatre just for this event. Even if Gideon's mansion is big, the amount of people who ended up attending the party would have never fit into it.

The problem didn't lie in inviting just our inner circle of friends and family, but also their friends and relatives. To make it short everything got out of control when Gideon invited Zibil Firestorm. The whole party suddenly turned from a private announcement with friends and family into a public event. You can't just push a hundred people into Gideon's mansion.

I step closer and snake my hands around my man. “What's the problem? We somehow managed to organize this event and everything went wonderful so far. We've even announced our contract and people are socializing.”

“I guess.” He takes a sip from his wine. “It's just the fact that there are so many people. I am not the type who feels comfortable in a crowd. Then there is the fact that the recent months kept us on edge and I am simply expecting that something will blow up in our faces. And I hope you'll excuse it, but talking to your sisters and their 'minions' was tiring. It felt like they were trying to compare their three sizes with you and who has the better man.”

I rub my cheek against his chest. “The world can't be that cruel.”

“Then entertain me to divert my thoughts from all of this.” He gestures at the people around us.

“But how.” I purr at his chest. “It's much too early to sneak away.”

“Tell me what's up with your father. He looks awfully pale and you already promised me several times to tell me the story behind him and you. I am sure that you instigated another chain of events to freak him out.” Gideon asks. “And why is he passing out every time you pull a prank on him?”

“Oh.” I look at my parents. Dad is still a little pale from yesterday. “It may be a little petty of me to hold a grudge that long. And in the light of the recent events it may even make me look like a bad person.”

Gideon kisses my temple. “Let me be the judge of that.”

“Okay.” I sigh. “The simple one first. Dad's mutation is a very good example how this whole mutation business can go awfully wrong and why someone should never encourage a mutation willingly. There is no reason to draw a bad hand of cards if no one forces you to play the game. Right?”

“Right.” Gideon confirms.

“To make it short, Dad doesn't take increased blood pressure very well. If there is something that agitates him it simply goes 'click' and he drops like a puppet with its strings cut. He could take medicines against that, but it would practically mean that he is always stoned. So he refuses.”

“How unlucky. I bet a person like him ends up with a lot of bumps and bruises.” Gideon comments.

“Yeah. Especially when he talks to me.” I clarify. “And the other matter is that Dad was always trying to manipulate me. He is very old school with his four hundred years and still believes in marriage alliances to increase the power of his holdings inside the family business. Quantum Computers are a tough market.”

I gesture at the old crook. “Ever since I was small he tried to set me up with the sons of his partners: 'Go and play a little with that boy, why don't you dance with my young friend?' I didn't mind it as long as it didn't get out of hand. When he just made nice suggestions there wasn't a problem to at least talk to the people whom he introduced me to.

When I was seventeen I met this guy in school and we really hit it off right from the bat. We fell in love and did all the things a young couple does. It was the first time for both of us, but since we shared minds we both knew that we genuinely liked each other.”

I grimace. “Then Dad destroyed everything. Dad found out about my 'boyfriend' and his, according to Dad, 'low standing'. Dad invited him to have a little chat and completely alienated him from me. I don't know exactly what went down between them, but apparently he managed to induce something like guilt in him.

I blame it on the fact that he had a weak character, but still. Ever since then he had something like an inferiority complex towards me because my family was wealthy and he hadn't anything to give to me. Everything ended in us breaking up. That's when I decided that my Dad can do what he wants and that I've my own life. So I simply asked Mom for some money, packed my stuff and off I went.”

Gideon purses his lips. “That's quite a story of a family dispute. I guess it went down a little harsher than that? A lot of screaming, raised fists and bad mood?”

“Of course.” I smile.

“It's just that I can't avoid thinking that if your Dad hadn't been the asshole he is, you might be somewhere else and we would've never met. And was it really your Dad's speech which caused this inferiority complex and the subsequent break up? Wouldn't it have happened anyway at some point later on?” Gideon muses.

“That's why I am saying that it may be cheap of me to still be mad at my Dad. Others might say that my father simply wants the best for me, but I doubt that. The people whom he suggests are without exception business partners of his. You just have to take a look at the friends of my sisters.” I add. “And just yesterday, shortly before I told him about our marriage he tried to suggest some of his goons to me.”

Gideons hand around me tightens. “You are completely right in taking it out on him every time you two meet. And I hope you continue doing so until and long after he has a genuine change of heart. Any time you need my help for a setup, just ask.”

I draw a circle on his chest. “I'll make sure to take you up on that offer. Have you seen my brother by the way? I didn't get to talk to him that much tonight.”

Gideon furrows his forehead. “Which one? The older, or the younger one.”

“The older one. Brenton is the name. I've introduced Martin to Amia and the two of them seem to be in a world of their own since then.” I point at the dance floor where Martin and Amia are dancing with their eyes locked on each other. Martin's hand is a little too low on Amia's hips than is appropriate, but my friend doesn't seem to have any objections to being felt up.

Gideon corrects his collar. “Actually he talked to me for a while. Apparently he tried to socialize with me, but I must have failed since he suddenly excused himself and ran off. I am not good at this stuff.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Socialize? What did you two talk about. You didn't chase him off?”

“Of course not! I would never do that. He is your brother.” Gideon answers.

“Then what did you two talk about?” I ask.

Gideon answers with a bored and tired voice. “At first we just talked about random stuff. How you and me are doing? How business is going? For some reason he was much less hostile this time, though he still seemed concerned about you. Then the conversation shifted to all sorts of questions about Galia. Who she is? What's her job? Is she in a relationship? What's her hobby and what does she like? Honestly, at the end of the conversation I was so bored that I was happy that he ran off. I couldn't take much more of it.”

I bite on my lower lip, a suspicion creeping up my spine. Then I survey the ballroom. “And where is Galia?”

Now Gideon looks around himself. “I don't know? I think she was here before Brenton ran off, but it has been some time since then.” He pulls a hand-sized touch screen from his pocket. “At least we'll have that problem solved shortly.” A few manipulations display Galia's position on a map. “Hmm. Looks like she is in one of the building's locker rooms?”

Before I can stop him he gives another set of instructions and the image is replaced by a black screen, then a light turns on and reveals the insides of what's definitely a woman's handbag. Whatever is submitting the images slowly crawls over a pink purse and past a red lipstick to push its camera out of the bag to take a look around.

The handbag is obviously lying on the ground in a small room. Then the image settles on Galia and Brenton. My brother's pants are down and he is energetically ramming himself into Galia who is pinned between him and the wall. His arms are supporting her ass like a vice and her dress is pushed up to her hips while her legs are firmly locked around him.

My brother wears female, black panties on his head; most likely Galia's. She in turn has her hands around his head and is firmly burying his face in her cleavage while looking up to the ceiling.

I have my doubts that Brother can breathe properly in that position. Too bad that we can't see her expression from our point of view. Galia is performing cooperative movements to make it easier for him and the barely suppressed screams to go 'harder' and 'deeper' show quite clearly that she is approving of his efforts.

I reach for the touch-screen and switch it off. “We haven't seen anything.”

“But we have and I definitely don't like what I saw. Did I sell her out?” Gideon rubs his closed eyes as if he just got dirt into them. “I never realized that she likes the muscular type. Maybe it's because we always called her a brute?”

“Trust me. Brenton is a good guy at heart and I am sure that he isn't a player. That's not how our parents brought us up. You two just had a bad start. The socially best way to deal with this is to ignore it. We saw nothing, know nothing...” My voice trails off. “But how did you get a spy sprite into her handbag?” I ask.

“It's her phone. Galia isn't skilled at techno-magic, so she needs a device to interact with the network. I didn't bother to remove all my surveillance tools after the incident with the blood-mage.” He answers. “Isn't your father going to freak out about him and her?”

I smile. “Brenton is the eldest and has been standing on his own two feet for a long time. He can stand up to Dad and both Galia and Brenton are adults. I don't think we have any business in what they are doing.”

Then Gideon's eyes wander to the fire-mage elder and the representatives from Earth. “At least those three aren't having a threesome.”

My eyes widen at the mere thought. Though Kandy seems to be the type of girl who is into older men. In combination with her name... but no. Her two peers are much too old for her and I doubt that Roderik can even get it up at his age. Those people from Earth are such sad existences. To look that old and he is just in his fifties. “It's an opportunity to do their politicking. No harm done in letting them playing their games. This is our day and I don't want it smothered by underhanded conversations with politicians.”

***Sol, Aether***

***Saden***

“Look, Paul. There they are.” I point at Gideon and Cyla who are snuggling up close to each other at one of the tables. I take Paul's hand and pull him with me.

“I still don't get how that introverted guy got a girl like her.” Paul mumbles.

“Apparently the same way you got me.” I chime and poke his chest with a finger. “Techno-magic works wonders in matters of love once two people who fit together merge their minds.”

Once we are close enough I greet the two of them and give Gideon a hug. “Hello, little Brother. Apparently you overtook me in matters of relationships.” I throw a meaningful glance at Paul who is still dancing around the topic of children.

Gideon returns my embrace. “Long time no see. But I hope that will change in the future? We have to meet more often with me settled down on Aether. I hope you two stay here while the colony goes on its mission? And how's business going Paul?”

“As smooth as ever, Gideon.” Paul answers. “You warned my company in time about the new technology. We were the first ones who jumped onto the new train, though it looks like fusion reactors will still stay a lot cheaper than the anti-matter tech. Fusion reactors are smaller and cleaner, so there is no real reason for us to lose the market completely. It will simply shift to smaller applications. The only reason to use anti-matter is having to supply big ships and installations which need a lot of energy.”

I take a seat next to Cyla. “And of course we'll stay on Aether. StarDrive got tasked with the installation of the new teleportation network. We'll take four of the big shipyards with us to have everything at hand that's needed. Paul and I will play the supervisors for the project.”

Paul's eyes start glowing with greed. “Think of all the money we can make once we start taking fees from other species in exchange for using our network. Communication, transportation; they'll throw their resources at us once we get in place at the strategically important locations.”

.