This is a fan translation of Line of Dreams (Линия грёз) by the Russian science fiction and fantasy author Sergei Lukyanenko. The novel can be considered a fan fiction of the original Master of Orion game.
Chapter 11
Kay was woken up in the morning. He had gone to bed at three a.m., so the awakening could hardly be called a pleasant one.
"Curtis van Curtis is expecting you," the human who had come to him said simply. He was wearing powered armor with its defenses active, while the holster of his Bumblebee was unfastened. Kay preferred not to argue with people like that. Silently, he got dressed and left the room. The armored man, whose closed helmet hid his facial expression, walked behind him, touching Kay with his hand to indicate direction. Two hallways and three local hypertunnels, with an additional armored escort joining their party after each of those, took him to an office unfamiliar to Kay. The room was most reminiscent of a cruiser's bridge, both in its layout and in the amount of equipment. Curtis came out to meet them.
"The situation has changed, Kay."
"Am I no longer necessary?"
Curtis frowned, "What makes you say that? Nick, I didn't tell you to give Kay an armed escort!"
"Sorry, van Curtis. We were guarding him."
Curtis took Kay by the shoulders, dismissing the guards with a shake of his head, "Everyone's jumpy today, Kay. A spy has been captured… one of my employees. He may have had a chance to send a message, I don't know. We were forced to kill him."
"Interrogate him."
"He's dead."
"I thought all your people had aTan."
"Only humans, and he wasn't human."
"Too bad," Kay agreed.
"The operation will begin immediately. Have you compared your cover stories?"
"As if you don't know, Curtis!" Kay couldn't restrain himself.
"Settle down, kid." Curtis's eyes immediately lost all friendliness. "I hired you for a very important operation, and I expect good work. You are going to take my son to Grail. Safe and sound. Not a single hair will fall from his head. If worse comes to worst, kill him yourself. And remember, Kay – immortality! An eternity of pleasure, or an eternity of torment. Remember!"
"Dad?"
Both men turned to face him. Kay had already adopted his cover. Arthur van Curtis was no longer the son of a god. Before him stood a boy, dressed in worn blue jeans, a checkered shirt that was too big for him, and sneakers that had seen better days. Nearly a dozen pins with planetary coats of arms gleamed on his shirt – a never-ending childhood fad. Kay recalled how, when he had allowed himself to take a cruise aboard the Southern Star, one teenage steward put on pins just like that after every new planet.
"Are you sure about Kay, son?"
"Pretty much…" Arthur fell silent. "Yes, Father. He'll do his best."
That little bastard, Kay thought calmly. He stepped towards Arthur and patted his head.
"Let's go, son?"
"Let's go, Dad."
"Good job," Curtis spoke sourly. "Sounds believable."
"Everything's going to be great, Mr. van Curtis," Arthur promised, taking Kay by the hand.
"Me, Arthur, and Kay – to the simulator." Curtis didn't bother to hide the irritation in his voice. The world around them blinked and changed. Instead of the hall, covered in consoles, they found themselves in a tiny empty room. Just walls made of rough stone and a single steel door.
"Go!" Curtis pushed Kay towards the door. "I don't know how much time we have. But everything will be quite realistic."
The door opened at Kay's touch. He found himself in an airlock, a tiny cylindrical chamber with two more hatches. So… the right one led to the cargo hold and the engine compartment, while the left one led to the habitation module. A small cargo hauler, able to carry a hundred to a hundred and fifty tons of useful mass. One of hundreds of thousands that roamed the galaxy. A pair of spacesuits in covers, and a photo taped to the wall… A pretty woman wagging her finger and a quick inscription across the picture, "Make sure there's a planet outside before leaving!"
Right. A greeting from the thoughtful Mrs. Ovald to her careless husband and unruly son. That old fart van Curtis had done a thorough job.
Kay peeked through the open "outer" hatch. Curtis van Curtis was saying something, holding his hand on his son's shoulder. Kay was able to make out pieces of the conversation, "…and remember, I'm always with you. If the situation goes out of control, come back. I love you, Arthur, and trust in your strength. No need to rush. We have eternity ahead of us…"
…an eternity of torment…
Turning away, Kay smoothed out the spacesuit covers. The smaller of the suits looked almost new, while the larger one was fairly shabby but in good condition.
The hatch hissed, closing.
"I'm thinking, should I splurge for a new spacesuit, son?" Kay asked without turning around. "If this trip ends in success."
"Of course, Dad."
Arthur's eyes were dry. But Kay could see many tears that were flowing somewhere inside him.
"You seem sad, Arthur. What do you want to do?"
"Let's go to sleep. We've already checked the cargo…"
Kay nodded. Many newbies thought that it was easiest to die in their sleep. It was bullshit. You usually woke up just before anyway.