Coeus?

“The 'New Age' terrorist group has bombed one of the launching platforms for the new probes. This will throw back the efforts of the world government. But they claimed that no regressive force will be able to stop humanity from claiming the solar system.”

-Newspaper

***Aether, The floating City, above the Atlantic Ocean***

***Gideon***

“This is an outrageous incident! I hope that you are aware of what you have done.” The school's director, Mr. Freyd, glares at me. “Say something, or I have no other choice than expulsion.”

“Director Freyd!” Saden cuts in from my side. “I think that you made a mistake with what you have just said. I've had only a short time to take a look at the evidence, but it's very clear to me that Gideon isn't responsible for this situation.”

The director's eyes narrow and his attention turns towards Saden. “What do you mean?”

Saden corrects her blue dress before she starts speaking. “Let's revise the events. Ralph Hastur gets found on a corridor-”

“Heavily injured!” The director interrupts.

“-and claims that he was attacked. You let him search for the offender after he returns from the hospital, which led to the encounter in the canteen. Why didn't you check the security cameras?” Advertisements

“The security footage can't be used as evidence. It's too easy to manipulate it.” The director answers with a monotone voice.

Saden isn't impressed. “But it can be used to determine your future actions. Ralph's record of attacking other students is as long as my arm. His last episode should have had him thrown out of school. Why is he even on school grounds?”

The director starts fumbling with his fingers. “You know that his parents own a large company and are paying huge sums to this school. It seems like a failure on our part if we can't educate a small kid like him.”

“And how much are the techno-mages paying to this institute? I am not entirely sure that you would be able to keep this school running without our support. What would they say if you let someone like Ralph attack one of us.” Saden shakes her head. “I am sure that they aren't easily pleased without a proper investigation of the circumstances. What's happening here is an utter disgrace to our society. I think I have no other choice but to take this case in front of a tribunal to make everything public.”

The director freezes for a moment. “Tribunals are free food for the media. You wouldn't disgrace this institute by dirtying it with bad press. Think about the repercussions.”

“My grades are good enough to go to the Jupiter university. My sister is a prodigy and Gideon just has to fry their examination sprite to show that he is worth the effort. So let me ask again. Why wasn't the video footage looked at? You knew that Gideon has to be treated with care. After finding him on the video, you should have let Ralph and him never get close to each other. And what's up with the confrontation from person to person? Did you walk Ralph through every techno-mage in this school? Don't tell me that the camera wasn't recording.”

A vein on the director's forehead bulges visibly. “The files were... lost.”

“Such a coincidence. So everything you have is footage of Ralph attacking Gideon in the canteen. We admit that Gideon's reaction was excessive, but that's exactly the thing this school is paid to prevent! I am sure that Ralph also lied about the first attack. Right, Gideon?”

I stopped listening a while ago. Instead I am currently taking a look at the school's network. Who would have thought that the crystals at the ceiling aren't just spending light? They are also cameras! There are tons and tons of images, though it seems like someone removed all the footage from one hour before and after the incident.

“Right, Gideon?” Saden elbows me from the side and I return my attention to her.

“Yes? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I was just taking a look at the school-server with the saved files.” I try to smile.

The director gasps. “Those are secured!”

“Not very well. In fact it's very poorly secured. Even a child like me can get in.” I answer. “The firewall on the thing is full of holes. The ports for the student-services aren't blocked.” In that regard this school isn't much different from the schools on Earth.

“Gideon, there are reasons for securing those files. Don't break into the school's servers.” Saden takes my hand. “Would you please explain what happened between you and Ralph.”

“Ralph?” I ask.

Saden's grip on my hand turns tighter. “The thug!”

“Ah, that one. He attacked and caused me pain while I was checking out the clubs. I put him down and went my way. I didn't pay much attention to the incident, but when he attacked a second time I got a little annoyed, I'll admit that.” I answer.

“Annoyed? You almost killed a student!” The director calls out.

“I tried to-” But Saden places her hand over my mouth to shut me up.

She looks at the director. “Gideon only defended himself against repeated attacks from someone who is stronger and older than him.”

“The stronger doesn't seem to be accurate.” But the director doesn't get to say more because someone knocks on the door of his office.

Without waiting for an answer, the door is opened and reveals a man in a black suit and a boy. The boy seems to be Sada's age and has light brown hair with a slender figure. He is wearing an expensive grey suit.

The man in the black suit has dark brown hair and wears black glasses. It makes him look like one of those Mafia bosses from old Italy. I read a lot about those. He steps into the room and reaches into his suit.

Then he stabs a card at the director. “My name is Don Jerico. I am the head lawyer from StarDrive Inc. Obviously there are a few misunderstandings going on here. If you would let the children leave? Then we can discuss this between adults. I am sure that I don't have to inform you of all your mistakes regarding the proper procedure. Otherwise we would have to call the faceless and-”

Saden gets up and pulls me out of the room, closing the door behind us. “Whew! I was running out of ideas to keep the director occupied.” She hugs the new arrival, who keeps smiling. “Thank you for helping out. This is my cousin, Gideon. Gideon, this a friend of mine. His name is Paul Kleen. He is also a techno-mage and his family owns StarDrive. We are in the same class.”

I nod. “Hi.”

Paul smiles without showing his teeth. “Such a coincidence. If it isn't the person on the security footage.”

Saden raises one eyebrow. “So you were the one who deleted the footage?”

“Yes, actually a certain someone broke the lock on our clubroom and played with my computer while I was on the toilet.” He looks down on me, which is easy because he is two years older than me.

Saden's expression also turns strange, which is disturbing me.

For the first time I realize that I might have caused problems to Saden. What to do? My new family is doing so much for me. I don't want them hating me. But on the other side I don't get what I did wrong.

Isn't defending yourself a legitimate action? Nobody said anything when I injured the assassin.

“Don't cry, Gideon.” Suddenly my cousin hugs me.

“I am not crying.” I answer, but this time I am actually not exactly sure.

“Did he break something?” Saden looks up to Paul. “I am sorry, but he has special circumstances. Gideon isn't what you would call normal.”

Paul scratches his chin and squints his eyes at me. “Actually I want him to work for us.”

“Work?” I ask. “Sorry, but I've already made plans for the future.”

Saden gasps. “No, wait. Didn't you listen when I told you about StarDrive?” Then she turns to Paul. “No. Why do you want him to work for you?”

He grins. “Because he rewrote the control program for our new gravity based fusion-reactor in less than five minutes.”

“I just optimized the code.” I admit. Hopefully they didn't find the Easter egg.

“And increased the fusion reactor's power output by two percent while doing so.” Paul answers with a strange look on his face.

“What are measly two percent?” I turn to Saden. “I don't like the way he is looking at me.”

“Don't you realize what two percent are? Our competition isn't able to duplicate that! You need hundreds of fusion reactors to supply the big flying colonies. Aether alone has ninety of them installed. Increasing the power output by two percent is a big factor! It's decision making in the race to sell your products! We can't let you work for anyone else. How did you do it? And what do you want?”

This time I am the one who squints his eyes. “But I just eliminated the bugs, so that the program won't freeze any more. Then I optimized the code for speed, so that the plasma could be kept perfectly in the centre of the fusion chamber. Otherwise the energy of the ignition laser isn't used to its full potential.”

“That's it! Good man! How much do you want to be paid!?” Paul asks.

This guy is somehow suspicious to me. I want to go home. “I already have a business plan.” I try to turn away, but Saden grabs my cheek and starts pulling. “He takes the job. Half of all the profit he produces.”

Paul shakes his head. “Saden, you are a very good friend, but this is business. I am the heir of the company after all. He gets ten percent.”

“Then he takes sixty percent.” Saden's voice is as cold as ice.

“Didn't you listen? Okay twenty. That's all I can do.”

“Seventy!”

“That's not how it works! Thirty!”

“Eighty!”

“Fourty! You are supposed to come into my direction! But he has to take a look at all our reactor-types!”

“Then ninety!”

“Fifty! That's the last straw!”

“Then he'll work for you.” Saden's expression turns satisfied.

“But I-” I attempt to say something, but Saden cuts me off.

“I don't give a damn about your business plan. Do you realize how much money we were just talking about? If you get such a job offer, then you have to take it! In the name of our family!”

“But-”

“Your grandmother will be here any minute. Do you want me to tell her the nice version with flowers where you just defended yourself, or the one where you went nuts and tried to gut a boy in front of the entire school! Do you want me to be on your side, or against you! Choose now!” Saden glares at me with an expression which calls money all over her face.

My eyes wander back and forth between her and Paul, but when I think about facing Grandmother after such a major slip up... Advertisements

“Please be on my side.”

Saden reaches out and pats my head. “Good boy, you chose wisely!”

“Ah. And before I forget!” Paul raises one finger. “That Easter egg with the fake-meltdown. That wasn't funny!”

I want my plush cat.

.