We Happy Few: The Leviathan Universe 2138 Read online

  We Happy Few

  by Edward D. Hudson

  Leviathan Universe 2138

  Copyright © 2017 EDHudson Media LLC

  All Rights Reserved

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover Design by Stuart Bache

  Cover Art by Naraanbataar Ganbold

  Interior Formatting by Kevin G. Summers

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Acknowledgements

  CHAPTER 1

  Kyra, the Imperial Capitol, Capella Major, Capella System

  14 February 2138

  BREAKING NEWS

  Marissa St. Thomas, the acclaimed young actress from the Imperial Shakespearean Theater Company was found murdered in her Blue Sector flat. Miss St. Thomas first captured attention starring in Antony and Cleopatra with noted actor Robert Taylor Ford. There are unconfirmed reports of a second, as yet unidentified body at the crime scene. The Imperial Constabulary…

  Robert Taylor Ford switched off the news feed hovering in front of him with a wave of his hand. He slumped at the rail of the marble suspension bridge that joined the Imperial Palace complex to the posh district of Kyra, the capitol city of Capella Major, and the seat of government of the Capellan Empire. Twin suns fell behind the tall buildings, casting long, red shadows. He looked over the wide, rushing river that split the city in two. A brisk autumn wind blew; colored leaves cartwheeled past his feet. His chin burrowed into his chest, his downcast eyes filled with sorrow. I should just jump. What am I going to do now?

  Police sirens wailed in the distance. Robert’s head snapped in their direction. He waved his hand and a holo-screen appeared in front of him. I must change my appearance at once. He scrolled through outfits, trying to choose something nondescript.

  He wore a fine dark suit with a splendid waistcoat, and held a large bouquet of red roses. Sorrow threatened to overwhelm him. He drew in a deep breath. I can’t believe she’s gone. How could I have let this happen?

  “Mr. Ford?” The words hit him from behind and yanked him out of his self-pitying reverie. His posture straightened, an amiable smile appeared in an instant. He turned toward the voice. A city constable with a wide moustache approached him from the curb of the causeway. His patrol cruiser hovered in the right lane. The constable’s nametag read Townsend.

  This is it then, I’m done for. Robert stole a glance at the rail.

  The officer stopped one pace away. He appraised Robert with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes. The constable gestured to his vehicle. “Please come with me Mister Ford.”

  Robert managed to keep his composure. This is it then. He stepped mechanically towards the police cruiser. His mind swam, imagining the fate that awaited. Robert looked up and realized the constable was motioning him to get in the front passenger seat. He barely concealed his confusion. But, he complied.

  Constable Townsend held the passenger door and waved Robert in again. The slightest smirk formed at the side of his lip, his brushy moustache not quite hiding it.

  He sank into the seat feeling a bit foolish that he was still holding the bouquet of roses. Townsend settled into the driver’s seat. He gave Robert a sidelong glance. “You are in a great lot of trouble, Mister Ford. I’m sure you are aware of why I picked you up?”

  Robert sighed and nodded once. He let a long, slow breath, and accepted whatever was to come. The cruiser pulled into traffic and moved aggressively between the other vehicles.

  “Inquisitor Vartha plans to have you taken into custody on the morrow and will charge you with double homicide,” Townsend said. Robert turned white. Inquisitor Vartha was the bogeyman incarnate. A pitiless man. And if half the stories were true, a complete sociopath. It was said he would flay the flesh from his victims with a wicked smile on his face. There were other stories, dreadful, horrible stories. Robert tried to push those thoughts from his mind.

  “I don’t think you’re capable of this.” Townsend hesitated. “I believe the Inquisitor has made a dreadful error. Of course, you know…” The constable looked side to side, then whispered. “…no one returns from the Deep Place.”

  Far below the Imperial palace complex was the Deep Place, officially the IPCDA (Imperial Palace Complex Detention Area). Its reputation was fearsome indeed. Some people said the King himself personally watched the torture of all dissidents, rebels, and traitors to the crown. Others said that was a load of hogswallop. The truth was probably somewhere in the middle.

  The constable’s face flickered between emotions. Robert sensed he was weighing his next words carefully.

  “Mr. Ford, I must apologize for being so forward. I am a big fan of yours. I have followed your career at the Imperial Shakespearean Theater Company for some time now. Your performance of Henry V last season was definitive.”

  Robert smiled and bowed his head slightly. “Thank you very much, constable. I truly appreciate your praise.” He suppressed nervous laughter, not quite believing what he was hearing.

  Townsend grunted and slapped his console with an open hand. “Mr. Ford. I cannot conceive of a world where you could be capable of this. I’ll see you safely away.”

  Robert could not conceal his surprise. “Constable, I…” Robert’s mouth gaped open, not sure if he heard that correctly.

  “I’m sure you understand about what happens in the Deep Place. They are not stories, and they’re even worse than you could ever imagine. As I said, Mister Ford, I don’t think you could have possibly done this. I will not stand idly by to see this injustice carried out.” His eyes focused on a far away place. “Perhaps, this will at least, in some small way, atone for what I have stood idly by for.”

  Robert took a deep breath and let it escape in a low slow hiss. “Very well, sir.” He sat stunned and suppressed another laugh. What a twist of fate.

  They raced towards Capitol City’s spaceport in the constable’s patrol cruiser. The heavy traffic parted for the police vehicle thanks to the Central Net’s Official Authority protocol. The posh surroundings turned into retail business and light industry, then dirty slums. They sped through the bustle and grind of imperial subjects going about their business. The sleek hover sedans and luxury carriages gave way to wheeled cars and trucks.

  “All right, sir. You’ll need to book passage on the next ship going off world. I would stay clear of the core worlds.”

  Unbeknownst to Townsend, Rob
ert had already surfed the departure list in his personal browser. The constable couldn’t see it, just as Robert could not see constable Townsend’s multiple screens monitoring traffic, BOLOs, and police communications.

  “I wouldn’t expect a man of your caliber to have alternative ID credentials. You can fly out under your name. I will go into the port authority database and erase any trace of your leaving.”

  “Constable Townsend,” Robert said.

  “Call me Alston, please.”

  “Very well, Alston… I can’t thank you enough. I can never repay this act of supreme generosity.”

  His eyes got glossy. Perhaps he was just realizing that he wouldn’t see his favorite actor take the Bard’s tales and make them his own ever again. Robert averted his eyes to the passenger window and looked as the Capitol City Starport grew on the horizon. The King Henry I Starport was a large, half circle with a hundred spikes sticking out at even intervals. Those spikes were docking bays. Ships of all sizes docked here, many thousands coming and going daily.

  Robert found a suitable flight and bought a ticket in CryptoCoin. They could not track his purchase. If he had used his regular credit account, it’s likely that the authorities would be waiting for him at his destination. He transferred his entire account into his online CryptoCoin wallet. Pity, the market wasn’t open. He’d have to abandon his entire portfolio. And it was a handsome sum. Perhaps his account wouldn’t be frozen when the market opened in the morning. He’d be sure to check.

  “I’ve booked passage on the Pegasus. Terminal 36, Bay 12.” Robert said and sent the information to Townsend with the wave of his hand. The constable nodded and tapped at one of his holo-screens.

  “We’ll be cutting it close.” Alston said as he veered his vehicle onto a banked off ramp. They rode high on the wall, zipping past the slower moving vehicles. The colored blurs of traffic passed within a hand width of Robert’s window.

  Alston spotted a gap and maneuvered his patrol car off the motorway, turning right into a manmade valley of grungy tenement buildings. Robert looked over at the constable, the concern on his face unmistakable. Alston looked over and chuckled at Robert’s discomfort. “Fear not. This is just a shortcut.”

  The half kilometer tall tenements loomed over the dirty streets. The large concrete structures were built to house the underclass peasants that did the grunt work required to operate a large city. Robert stared with a combination of revulsion and awe. How can people live in such squalor?Robert surveyed the denizens of this dystopian part of town. Drab-looking as they shuffled about their business, many offered the constable scornful glances, and even flipped him the crux. It struck Robert that many of the people looked eerily similar to each other. A bunch of dreary automatons pushing through their days with little motivation. Robert realized the constable might live here, or have family here. He fought to keep the disgust from showing on his face. The posh hover sedans and expensive sports cars were now gone, replaced by grimy wheeled car and trucks. It was like taking a trip two hundred years back in time. The only modern looking vehicles were the automated public transit hover tubes that snaked through the streets.

  “Damn.” Townsend said through gritted teeth. “The Central net’s official authority protocol won’t work on many of these vehicles. They’ve either disabled the interface, or maybe they’re just too damned low-tech for it.”

  He glanced over at Robert. “This might delay us a bit.”

  The constable’s cruiser slowed and fell into the flow of traffic. They moved in fits and starts. Townsend cursed. “I would turn on my lights and siren, but I don’t want to alert my lieutenant that I am, in fact, not in my assigned sector.”

  Robert shrugged. “I’m in your capable hands.”

  Townsend grinned and checked his holo-screens as his vehicle crept through traffic.

  ***

  The traffic slowed to a complete stop. Robert could see a commotion up ahead. A group of people were in the street, many holding signs. The crowd churned, fists pumping, angry shouts reverberated down the concrete canyon of the Cheapside district.

  The Directorate of Public Works had recently raised the rates on recycled water and lowered the bandwidth capacity for the QNet access in this part of town. The denizens were outraged, hundreds of them were in the street to protest, and as usual, about a dozen were just there to create havoc.

  “What is this nonsense?” Townsend said with a grimace.

  Robert looked out to the sidewalk. The crowd was becoming increasingly hostile. Dark clad ruffians began to take notice of the lone police car.

  Constable Townsend briefly looked uneasy. His eyes darted around, taking in the situation. “This might get a little dicey,” he said with a glance towards Robert.

  Robert’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean?”

  “We’ve got to get through this ruckus without making a lot of noise. Fear not, Robert. Fear not.”

  Three of the protesters slinked towards the passenger side of the constable’s car. Robert noticed with increasing unease that the hooligans were viewing the police car as prey, not predator, as they inched closer. A hooded figure dressed in black slapped both hands on the passenger side window and thrust his face within an inch of it. His hot breath fogged the glass, his face a twisted mask of petulance and rage. “Oy! Constable, where might your friends be? It’s a bit odd to see any of you chaps down here one deep. And no lights and sirens? How curious,” he growled.

  A crowd started forming around the car. Robert could feel the panic growing deep inside. Could these animals actually do us harm? He looked to the constable, who merely looked annoyed.

  Townsend smirked. Robert could see he was manipulating something with his right hand. “Fear not, Robert,” he said in a singsong voice.

  Two metallic cylinders popped out on either side of the car with a snick. The hooligan’s head snapped in its direction. His anger was momentarily ebbed by curiosity.

  “What the hell is…” An arc of blue electricity struck him in the head and chest. His back arched violently, his arms flailed, and his face became distorted in agony. Townsend scanned the crowd and six more thugs were hit with the Tasers. The rest of the crowd quickly backed off.

  A public transit hover tube was fast approaching on their left side. Alston stared at his rearview camera monitor, he looked like he was doing math in his head. The crowd quickly parted for the hover tubes, as they were likely to not stop.

  The police car lurched to the left as the end of the train passed. His timing was impeccable, as his car smoothly took up a position directly behind the fast-moving hover tube.

  Alston looked at Robert and gave a hoot. “Well, that was exhilarating. I told you we’d be all right.”

  Robert laughed, if only to release the nervous energy he had built up.

  “I never doubted you for a moment,” Robert said, still chuckling.

  The dreary, gray slums shrank behind them as they entered an industrial sector on the outskirts of the city. The spaceport loomed large on the horizon. Robert breathed a sigh of relief.

  Alston changed lanes and veered towards the proper terminal. His vehicle hummed to a stop about five hundred meters short of their destination.

  “This is as far as I dare go. Any closer and the security sensors might see you getting out of my buggy.” Townsend opened his door, Robert did likewise. They both stepped out and met at the front of the vehicle. Robert put out his hand and Townsend took it again. This time with only one firm shake.

  “Alston, again I offer you my most sincere thanks.”

  Townsend’s lips formed a slight smile. “Godspeed, sir.” They released hands and Robert stepped up on the curb and turned. “Call me Robert.”

  Alston grinned again. He got back into his vehicle and pulled a U-turn to head back to the Capitol.

  Robert headed towards the terminal entrance. He realized he still held the bouquet of red roses. As he passed a recycling bin, they hit the bottom with a thud.


  CHAPTER 2

  The exterior of the terminal entrance was simple and functional. A stamped concrete façade held large panes of thick, reflective glass. The smell of ozone stung Robert’s nostrils. Thundering roars of the arriving and departing ships assaulted his ears.

  The crowd was thick. People of all income levels intermixed. Posh hover sedans sat next to raggedy wheeled taxis from Cheapside. Robert took in his surroundings. A finely dressed man spouted directions to several porters on the proper care and handling of his luggage. A few meters away, a huge bald man wearing mechanics coveralls hugged his wife and children. His family’s faces were streaked with tears. He looked sad, but tried to keep a brave face. He knelt down, and three small children wrapped their arms around him. Robert realized he was probably taking a job off world, and couldn’t take his family.

  Robert approached the great glass doors with a forced nonchalance. Despite his calm appearance on the exterior, inside he shook, absolutely petrified. His years spent at the Imperial Academy of Arts learning and honing his craft were well spent, indeed. To anyone one he passed, he would seem like a bored minor noble or a well-to-do functionary on his way to conduct business for his betters. The crowds were now starting to separate into socioeconomic classes. Robert drew near several Port Authority security officers. Their dark shiny armor and visored helms looked menacing, inhuman enforcers demanding your compliance.

  He paused just inside glass doors and brought up a holo screen and searched for a new face to wear. He had an incredible bag of tricks. Robert wore a nano suit that could change his outfit in the blink of an eye. The best feature, by far, was the ability to change his facial features, including skin pigment, eye color, and even the color, length, and style of his hair. It was a very expensive bag of tricks, and worth every bit of coin. Robert scrolled through different faces he could wear when it occurred to him. Wait, I can’t change my face. The ticket is in my name. If my face doesn’t match my name and citizen ID number, alarms will sound for a mismatched ident. He stepped to the side of the river of people pouring through the doors. He took a calming breath. That could have been a disaster. Think, Robert, think. Another deep breath. Try to relax.