Chapter 1

“Catch it, Kir!” the point defence screamed as she flung the gravity-neutral ball to Kiria, who was the point attacker for the Hrunesh Block Dynamos Grav-Ball side.

“Got it,” Kiria yelled back as she stretched out to grab the spinning ball, using her open com channel built into her eye to adjust her speed, velocity and direction before throwing it on to the outer wing attack just as one of her opponents crashed into her, trying to strip the ball away and get her own side, the Silcom Block Slashers, back into the game as the Dynamos had torn back a three goal lead to go one ahead with only five rotations (about 2 Earth minutes) to go.

Despite the tackle, Kiria remained stabilised and was rapidly moving herself away from the defender towards the current location of the mobile circular goal.

The Slashers were now rapidly streaming back to try and prevent the Dynamos from going further ahead and stop the match from going beyond their reach and hand the championship streamer to their closest and most hated rivals.

“Thread it, Calla!” Kiria yelled as she changed her axis rapidly in a spin, catching the Slashers off guard with her unorthodox, at this level of the game, manoeuvre.

Sure enough, Calla was able to throw the ball hard and fast through the gap created and straight into Kiria’s safe hands before she threw it directly into the still moving goal, putting the Dynamos two goals ahead. There was a huge roar of ‘Goal!’ from the watching crowd as almost half a dozen Slasher players ploughed into Kiria in a last desperate attempt to stop her.

There were no further goals in the match as the Hrunesh Block Dynamos took the streamer off their closest rivals and were crowned league champions for the first time in over an Imperial decade (28 years). Kiria herself was named top player due to the three goals she had claimed after coming on as a substitute for an injured colleague in the last twenty rotations (just under ten minutes).

“Wow, I’m so glad you’re still registered as a player for us, Kir,” her friend Calla, the outer wing attack, exulted as the girls ‘flew’ around the globular pitch in perfect formation as the Hrunesh Block supporters cheered like mad at the unexpected victory after being under the hammer for most of the match.

“Just glad I was free, though if Heny hadn’t been suspended for that stupid illegal tackle in the last match, I don’t think you’d have needed me as she’s as good if not better than me,” Kiria replied with a grin.

“She’s still a bit of a hot-head, but was absolutely gutted when she got banned,” Calla nodded.

“Yeah, it was a bit harsh. I reckon it was an attempt by Silcom to try and stop you. Their President is on the disciplinary committee after all.”

“Possibly, but it’s not the only time Heny’s done it, though she’s getting better at keeping her cool.”

“She can have my streamer. It was her goals that got you here after all. I’m mostly too busy with my higher education these days.”

“Aw, you’re a good person, Kir,” Calla replied with a hug.

“Well done, Kiria,” my Dad congratulated me as I finally managed to get away from the changing room celebrations as well as a tearful Heny, who almost collapsed in gratitude when I handed over the small winner’s streamer I’d been given.

“Thanks, Dad. All that college grav-ball paid off, as they are way ahead of these local leagues in tactics and skills.”

My Dad is a Cure which means he can cure anything in anyone (though won’t tell me how, even if I actually do know because I’m nosey like that, but he’s so sweet that I haven’t the heart to tell him I know all about what he actually has to do). He works officially for the Empress, but also for the medical centre in section D of the lower levels in Hrunesh block, hence my connection to the Dynamos, despite having upper level status. However as only men can be Cures, I’m studying to get the grades to be a Healer, which is not quite as good as a Cure, but has been an abiding passion in my life since my Aunt Cass let me use her medical wand to fix the wing of a bird. I also want to serve in the military as well, so I am aiming to get into Ground Force Command to help serve there.

“So, where do you want to celebrate?” he asked. “Oh, and your friends too.”

“Guess?”

“Mamma’s it is,” he chuckled as the other girls came out to meet their parents and then shrieked with joy at my Dad’s offer as they all sort of adore him as he always treats them when they win.

“Will Mum and Dayyev make it?” Dayyev is my young brother.

“Yes, they’re finishing at his Expo now.”

“Are his shadows with him?” I asked with a grin, referring to Amanda and Victoria, the Royal Princesses, who simply adore my brother and always try to be with him when they can.

“AIs aren’t saying, but probably, those three are joined at the hip,” my Dad chuckled.

“Can’t wait until the fight starts over who is going to marry him,” I grinned.

“Could be interesting, although I think it’s Amanda who is infatuated. Victoria just sees him as her best male friend. I think she’s carrying a torch for Pella.”

“Hmmm, probably right. So, no civil war then.”

“I’ve lived through one of them, Kiria. It’s not that funny when you do,” he replied with a frown, clearly remembering some of his history.

“Sorry, Dad.”

“No worries. I should be the one who apologises for spoiling your big day.”

“You didn’t. Ah, here we are.”

The lift disgorged what was essentially a gaggle of giggling schoolgirls right into the middle of the Hrunesh Block’s lower level market. None of whom, despite their various class levels, batted an eyelid as they headed en-masse to a stall-cum-café not too far from the lift exit. They were followed a few minutes later by a clump of parents, some of whom did look a little nervous about the surroundings, if gamely trying to hide it.

“Kiria, girls, what will it be?” Mamma asked us as we crowded around.

“Could we have enough Vertrucho dainty pastries to fill us up as well as some hrice juice please, Mamma. Dad’s paying,” I asked politely though with a grin all over my face as my Dad always pays when he’s there.

“You’re a real soft touch, Dave,” Mamma replied as she handed out the sweetmeats and sparkling juices.

“I know, but this one’s special. The girls here won the inter-block streamer,” he replied with a wide smile. “Oh, and whatever the Mums and Dads want as well.”

I suspect Dad had warned Mamma in advance as there were loads of treats waiting beneath her counter and soon we were all tucking in as various people came over to congratulate us on winning the streamer. Even gang members, who, for all they looked a little fierce, joined in. After all, they made up a large part of our support base.

“Kir! Congratulations!” my brother hailed me as he came out of a lift with my Mum, Amanda and Victoria.

“Was a team effort. The girls did all the hard work through the year,” I replied as he hugged me.

“Yeah, they worked hard, I know. Just wish I could have been there to cheer them on.”

“I know. They were a bit disappointed that their mascot couldn’t be there,” I giggled, knowing fine well that despite being younger than a few of the team, my bro was very popular with all of them in the sense that a few wanted to date him, though were kept well at bay by Amanda and Victoria through various means.

“Had to do the Expo,” he shrugged. “They were displaying my work and some people wanted signatures on the ones they bought.”

“Wow, how much did you make?”

“Hundred and fifty royals.”

My brother is a rarity in the Empire; he’s an artist who actually works with his hands, drawing scenes and portraits with some sort of graphite sticks. They’re incredibly lifelike, but clearly not AI done. He actually sells them too! He’s got more money stashed away than anyone else I know of in his or my generation. He’s not into team sports (though is pretty damned athletic) and as I said, he has his shadows (and their shadow as well) in the form of Amanda and Victoria, the daughters of Amantil the Great, Empress of the far-flung Stars of the Imperium ... or Aunt Manny to me and Dayyev. Their shadow today was Trusha, one of the Royal bodyguards hired from the Kilios Organisation (formerly the Kilios Cartel) to protect the girls as well as train them in various self-defence techniques.

“So what now, sis?” Dayyev asked as Amanda sort of leaned against him possessively whilst eyeing the other girls in my party.

“Get my exam results and, if good enough, take a Healer scholarship via Ground Force Officer training.”

“Still determined to serve?” he nodded sagely. He knew me better than I know myself at times.

“Yes, don’t know why, just something I feel I have to do.”

“I suspect you get it from both Mum and Dad, as well as Grandad,” he chuckled.

“Well, they’re all warriors in their own way,” I nodded. “Dad was a soldier in his previous life, as was Grandad. Mum ... well Mum is just about the best Investigator the Guardians have.”

“Yeah, though that doesn’t explain me so much,” he grinned.

“They’re all proud of you, bro, if a bit mystified at times,” I laughed, seeing Amanda grin as well.

“I blame Greea. She got me into drawing and it just went from there,” he smiled, mentioning his friend, a Guardian who also drew pretty good likenesses from verbal descriptions, though was nowhere near as talented as Dayyev was in capturing the essence of a subject as he called it.

“I like Greea,” Amanda piped up. “She said Dayyev and I can use her apartment if we want to explore some ... possibilities” she finished with a grin that made Dayyev blush down to his hair roots.

“Doubt you could escape Trusha,” I giggled, setting Amanda off as well.

“I couldn’t, but I like teasing your bro.”

“I know, but as soon as you’re seven (19 ½ Earth years) you can do as you like in that way ... technically...”

“One and a half years to go,” she grinned. (Amanda is 5 ½ Imperial years old or 15 Earth) “Plus that is something I won’t be sharing with Vicki.”

“Hey, don’t try to get me executed for deflowering the Royal Princess,” Dayyev jokingly protested.

“Oh, I’ll be alright,” she giggled.

“I might not be!”

“Oh, believe me, I’m worth going to the execution disintegrator for, Dayyev,” she informed him with a wickedly enticing grin.

“Er...”

“You love me, don’t you?” she asked with pleading eyes (it’s an act, but it gets my bro every time).

“Yes, Amanda. You know I do,” he admitted in public for the first time ever.

“Finally!” Amanda exulted.

“Took him long enough,” both Victoria and Trusha stated simultaneously.

“If you want time to explore ... possibilities, just ask. Your Mum asks every so often if you have or not,” Trusha commented to Amanda. “Just not sex, not yet.”

“I know, everything must be legal, like it or not,” she giggled. “Not only no scandals, but not even a hint that anything might have happened.”

“You’re worth waiting for, Amanda,” Dayyev told her with a smouldering look of desire, one that I so hoped a man who loved me would send my way one day.

“You’d better believe it, Dayyev,” she replied, eyes full of promise.

“Correct,” Trusha nodded.

I guess a few explanations need to be made.

I’m Kiria, daughter of David and Kirim, sister of Dayyev. I’m six Imperial years old (that’s the equivalent of 19 Earth years old, an Imperial year being 2.8 Earth years making 6 Imperial years go from 16.8 to 19.6 Earth years) and in my final year of neural education at Ala Imperial Upper Level Academy. Neural education is how the rich and talented get educated whereby information is inserted directly into your brain and the teachers teach you how to access it and use it correctly. This is not available to the lower or median levels unless you’re bordering on a genius. The Empire is very stratified by a class system where most levels simply don’t mix. There are exceptions of course, my family being one of them where we have upper level status but live in the median levels.

I’ve had an odd ... ish upbringing. All my life I’ve been surrounded by very talented, as well as important and powerful, people. To me though, they are just people, aunts, uncles (though not blood related) as well as friends. Hence I was very aware of how the Empire was guided by the decisions of these people, often working in the background to steer various committees and Courts into doing what was felt to be for the best. The best being decided by Aunt Manny’s Advisory Group which is made up of the same people I spent time around, oh, and Mum and Dad.

Aunt Manny, or Her Serenissima Amantil when she has her working crown on, has got to be one of the hardest working people I know, though she always has time for Amanda and Vicki along with the other kids in her group of friends. She spends most of her day either in front of a tri-dee screen or in various Courts or High Tables where she runs the Empire from. It’s not even micromanaging, these are the big decisions where things critical to the Empire’s direction are decided. You can’t micromanage the Empire. You can’t even micromanage a planet or a city as she once told me. All you can do is guide it in the direction you want it to go and trust the systems and institutions you have in place will take over and keep it going that way. She’s seriously cool and I try to model my own behaviour on her and my Mum. The only time I’ve ever seen her disconcerted was when she caught us kids playing ‘frisbee’ with one of her Imperial Diadem crowns after a Security Group meeting. Apparently they’re worth over a million Royals each, though fortunately almost unbreakable. Still, the scolding we got from her really hit home and it was nearly a binary cycle (10 Imperial days of 50 Earth hours each) before we got up to any real mischief again.