S-2878 • L6 Teceluna • D22 Abete
"Teceluna weaves the path in a steady thread. Abete opens space in gentle light. The tide draws a curve in living silver. The story moves forward in a clear design."
Tanu helped Hikaru with the Bratva data.
Tiny robots buzzed around them.
Books, documents, objects floated through the air.
"What are they going to do now that the weapon disappeared?" the nanoengineer murmured, eyes fixed on the holoscreen.
"No idea, but that Trix is crazy."
The raccoon-dog compiled the key information.
The atmosphere shifted.
The air grew heavier.
The change came like a thread of ice along the back of his neck.
The chill of Saymon's aura always reached him from afar.
The citrus scent—the first sign.
"Tanu, you can go."
Hikaru rubbed his forehead.
What did this guy want now?
The robot obeyed.
Saymon clicked his tongue.
His fingers slid across the desk.
He picked up a technological component.
Turned it between his fingers.
"I need a weapon."
At least it wasn't another enigmatic midnight visit.
"Weapons aren't my specialty."
His taciturn voice rippled through Saymon.
The mercenary smiled.
Hmm. Good.
Saymon spun the chair, trapping Hikaru in his seat.
His body leaning over him.
His face close.
Too close.
Golden eyes burned with suggestion.
"Little Tanu proved himself to be quite a formidable qn-weapon.
Despite the… chaotic essence that inhabits him."
Saymon touched the scar on his own forehead.
"I connect to more than one android.
I can only do it by touching them.
I want to change that."
Hikaru looked away.
His heart pounded.
Breathing became difficult.
Did he really say he controlled more than one android?
Impossible.
"I don't know how I can help you."
Saymon tilted his head.
His lips curved.
"Tu es sûr, minou?
Des particules quantiques stabilisées par des nanites quantiques.
Ce n'est pas ta spécialité?"
His warm voice slid down Hikaru's spine.
"Are you sure, kitten?
Quantum particles stabilized by quantum nanites.
Isn't that your specialty?"
French.
That meant…
Hikaru sighed.
"Follow me."
In the laboratory at the back, he asked Saymon to lie on the examination table.
Vital signs appeared on the screen.
He connected the quantum analysis.
Scanned the mercenary from head to toe.
What the hell was that?
How did this man have such an insane quantity of q-nanites inside him?
Hikaru's head spun.
Hundreds of questions.
It hardly mattered.
"How does the connection work?"
Saymon briefly explained how Gagner functioned.
That explained many things.
Even stunned, Hikaru felt silent reverence for what he was seeing.
Those q-nanites—the owner of the diary had helped create them.
Those passages about transcendence of interfractal and technoneural networks must refer to Gagner.
Ideas ignited inside his mind.
How would he do it?
He collected Saymon's blood.
During the following moons, he worked intensely on the qn-prototype.
Two pistols.
Bullets loaded with the mercenary's DNA.
Amid the chaos of formulas and codes, Hikaru paused.
Chiyo's words echoed in his mind:
Chemistry always finds balance, especially in chaos.
He had never fully understood what she meant.
But now…
Maybe it made sense.
And then he reached something promising.
Several lunar cycles later
Saymon appeared in the middle of the night.
Familiarly bloodied.
Hikaru took care of him as always.
Slept on the sofa.
Woke up beside him in the bed.
Made coffee.
Saymon woke.
The usual coldness radiated from him.
Damn it.
Why did that indifference bother him so much?
"Here."
Hikaru handed him the pistol.
"The q-nanites you would send to the android—do it here.
The bullet will encapsulate the q-nanite."
Amber eyes sparked with pleasure.
He almost pressed his face against the nanoengineer's.
That scent of bamboo and metal Hikaru carried…
Why did he like it?
"Good kitten."
Saymon smiled charmingly.
Hikaru couldn't stop the warmth rising in his chest.
Saymon narrowed his eyes.
"I heard you met my beloved little sister, Maia."
His hand slid across Hikaru's dark-blue kimono, feeling the nanometal section of the implant along the right side of his ribcage.
The nanoengineer shivered subtly.
"What did you do to make her so furious?"
The amused chuckle challenged Hikaru with genuine subtlety.
He simply clicked his tongue.
Saymon smiled, suggestive.
"I felt you two might get along."
Hikaru tried to hide the surprise in his eyes, but his black gaze locked with the golden one in a magnetic frequency.
Saymon clicked his tongue again.
Warm breath brushed the nanoengineer's face.
"You know… the way you're looking at me right now…
really makes me want you even more."
Kuso.
Hikaru turned his face away and stepped back.
Saymon's smile faded.
Why did he feel that brief disappointment?
It didn't matter.
He left.
Hikaru clenched his fists.
Damn it.
Only that man made him feel so strange.