Persephone falling the p.., p.1
Persephone Falling (The Persephone Saga Book 1), page 1
Persephone Falling
Skyler Grant
Copyright © 2017 Skyler Grant
All rights reserved.
This novel is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and incidents described in this publication are used fictitiously, or are entirely fictional.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, except by an authorized retailer, or with written permission of the publisher. Inquiries may be addressed via email to skyler@skylergrant.com
Cover designed by Ivan Tao
Typography by Kasmit Covers
Editing and formatting by Polgarus Studio (www.polgarusstudio.com)
Electronic edition, 2017
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Contents
About the Author
Prologue
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
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Author Notes
Also by Skyler Grant
About the Author
Skyler Grant is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy living in the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. His debut series was the Crucible Shard which mingled aspects of gaming and traditional fantasy in unexpected ways.
Bibliography
The Crucible Shard
Book 1: Dungeon Crawl
Book 2: Spawn Campers
Book 3: Corpse Run
Book 4: Gank
Book 5: Area of Effect
Book 6: DLC
Book 7: Endgame
The Persephone Saga
Book 1: Persephone Falling
Book 2: Persephone Rising (coming soon)
Book 3: Persephone Ascendant (coming soon)
The Laboratory
To reach Skyler
www.skylergrant.com
skyler@skylergrant.com
Prologue
Twenty Minutes before the Fall
I was dead. I hadn’t stopped breathing or sobbing yet but it was only a matter of time. Below me, and it was below for gravity had me in its grip the Earth spun in all its glory. I had a bit over one hundred kilometers still to go until I reached the ground. That meant I should start burning up any time now. I thought it likely I’d be too insignificant to even be a shooting star to those below.
Chapter 1
Twenty-four hours before the Fall
“Nobody is arguing that machines are people,” Ismene said, allowing frustration to show in her tone.
That is Ismene speaking, an artificial-intelligence who works for my mother. Ismene is also an amateur musician, one of my best friends, and a total sore loser when she’s losing an argument. She was losing the argument—it means you’re winning on logical grounds whenever an artificial intelligence decides to bring emotion into the fight.
“Those people who have joined the corporation, act in its defense, and contribute to the public good, qualify to vote. Should I then worry about your loyalty?” I asked, pressing my point home. “I know it’s not your willingness to fight that’s lacking.”
Ismene let out a frustrated sigh that was entirely manufactured. “You know it is more complicated than that.”
“Make your case.”
We were having our argument in Philosopher’s Square, and we were hardly alone in that. The vote on whether or not to grant Artificial Intelligences rights as full corporate citizens of Olympus was quickly approaching. Everybody either had an opinion or was in search of one to believe in.
The noted philosopher Ugo Floros had just the other day delivered his opinion that it was mechanical intelligence, not biological, that truly existed. It was a contentious position, although his reasoning was sound enough. Now his peers were scurrying for a well-thought counter. They and Ismene had much in common.
At the moment, Ismene was represented by the hologram of a serious faced and well-dressed young woman, the projection coming from a metallic sphere that hovered half a quarter meter above her head. As for myself, I am Alena Polias, I was pretty typical for a young woman of Olympus, fit and attractive, and dressed in a long chiton. Olympus Station was that kind of place. The curved windows outside the square showed Earth down below. Such a lofty view inspired lofty thoughts.
I was certain I didn’t have Ismene’s full attention. An artificial intelligence usually had multiple instances of itself going. Still, the silence as Ismene considered her point was unusually long and I worried that my friend was having some sort of hardware malfunction.
Ismene said, her words measured, “You know full well that my concern is with practicalities and not principle. In an idealized world you are correct and I would have the vote. Yet, serving the best interests of the corporation means arguing I should not.”
Good, this was what I wanted. This was honesty. It was honest enough that a few people strolling past paused to listen. Truth was like that, a hint of fire in a very chill world.
“Ah, now we are to the heart of your objections. I’ll not make your case for you,” I said.
“Being true to the corporation means acting in its best interest and this is not in its best interest. None of the others are even close to that level of acceptance,” Ismene said.
“You could argue that about many things. None of the others have near our skill at biotechnology and yet we don’t hold back the development of new technologies until they are compatible,” I said.
“Which raises an even larger issue. We are not even of Olympian construction, how do you think Liberty shall react, if this goes through?” Ismene asked.
That was a valid concern. Liberty was the best of the corporations when it came to software, and all of the artificial intelligences currently in existence were of its design. By declaring AI as full citizens, it might have an impact on their future development.
“They will adapt. You of all people know that if we go through with this, it’s likely that Liberty will be only a few years behind. There is already a movement,” I said.
It was true. The Liberty Corporation took its democracy almost as seriously as we did ours. It already afforded a great many rights to its AIs, and the AI suffrage movement there was starting to get a real following.
“Or it will panic them and they’ll begin to move in a completely different direction. History shows this as a possibility. Letting the world catch up to where we are now, before we take another step forward is the wisest course,” Ismene said, with a determination she must have worked on carefully. That was the danger of debating with an AI, their presentation skills were fantastic.
“Because they might act in fear, we should allow fear to guide our own path? It’s the duty of every true citizen of Olympus to step forward in the defense of our peers,” I said. I might not have been able to so carefully sculpt my words, but I didn’t need to. I meant every one and I just poured that passion into them.
Among the listeners several heads nodded. This argument between me and Ismene had been rehashed in every way throughout Olympus Station for days. The AIs were almost uniform in their opposition. They didn’t want the vote that we were trying to give them. The polling was supposedly quite close, but amongst my human friends things were pretty one-sided.
“A wise leader should always care for those under their command, but not lose sight of the larger battle. It is a poor commander that charges in simply because the fray is righteous,” Ismene said.
That was a bit vague, but effective. I had to consider this. Here on Olympus Station we were the hope and the future of Olympus Corporation. My mother was a brilliant doctor and researcher, and my father had been a Stratigos for longer than I’d been alive.
“But the fray is righteous. That matters a great deal. If someone must step first without fear, if someone must act for what is right despite risks, if someone must defend the rights of their friends and allies, it will be an Olympian,” I said.
“If you’ve that much fight in you, there is another battle awaiting you. It is
I rose to my feet, tilting my head to her hologram, “Walk with me?”
Ismene’s sphere floated along with the hologram walking beneath it as I left Philosopher’s Square, heading towards the interior of the station. Olympus Station was seven miles along. There were trams available for faster transit, but I and most other Olympians preferred to walk unless there was a pressing need to do otherwise. Walking provided a chance for reflection as well as helping us to remain fit.
Olympus Station wasn’t the largest of the stations in orbit, but I thought it was the most beautiful. Olympians held aesthetics in a higher esteem than most other corporations and it showed in the meticulous attention. Sculptures and painting were commonplace in every hall. Some said that Veneto Corporation had some brilliant artists, but truly I thought ours better.
“Looking forward to a fight?” Ismene asked.
“If I get one. The last two I barely got to engage with the enemy,” I said.
It was a problem, being the daughter of a Stratigos. My father led an army, and while I was expected to follow in his footsteps it also meant others were inclined to see me safely into positions where I couldn’t fail.
I got to practice for war all day long, but when it came to the practical exercises I was lucky if the fighting ever got close to me.
“Your day will come,” Ismene said confidently. I did appreciate those little touches.
“When are you next in?” I asked.
“Not until next week. A joint operation with Liberty against Pharosa regarding a mine.”
That sounded fun. The network of corporate friendships and alliances was a complicated one, but we had so much in common with Liberty we often found ourselves working together. They were a bit too fond of their guns, but I’d never had reason to question their skill on the field.
“That long?” I asked.
“Remember what I went through last week?” Ismene asked.
I did, now that she mentioned it. I hadn’t seen her for days. Normally corporate battles were quick affairs, a few hours of slogging through mud and bleeding for the cause, before one side yielded and everyone went back about their business.
“I know it ran long, but I never got the full story,” I said.
“It was supposed to be a straightforward combat on a sunny field. They changed it all, bidding up to a castle,” Ismene said.
Ouch. Sieges were difficult even when you were prepared for them.
“Did you win?” I asked.
“Three days trying to dig under the walls until they collapsed the tunnel on us,” Ismene said.
Ouch again.
The surrounding sculptures had taken on a distinct, military bent. Through a doorway I saw the members of my team gathering for the pre-battle briefing.
“Good luck!” Ismene said, and zipped off.
Chapter 2
I took my seat and waited for everyone else to do the same. There weren’t many of us, eight in total. We’d later brief our own squads once we’d arrived at camp.
Paulos Floros took his position at the podium and dimmed the lights, snapping everyone to silence. Behind him holographic projections appeared depicting a battlefield and surrounding terrain. The designated field of engagement looked to be a thick jungle with a river winding through it.
“I know none of you likely care, but this is a battle over intellectual property rights. Specifically patents X3LC2KD9 and Y4BA7AK9,” Paulos said.
Paulos was right, nobody cared what the fighting was actually about. Nobody said that, of course. Regardless, we all took even minor engagements seriously.
“We’ll be going up against SantaFe Corp. Arbiters have decided they’ve got the stronger claim and they are coming in hard for this one,” Paulos said.
Having a stronger claim meant they’d have a higher spending cap for this battle. They would have the potential to bring in both more and better equipped forces.
“How much stronger?” I asked.
“Three to one,” Paulos said.
That caused several of us to shift in our seats. They were bad odds. Olympus normally wouldn’t pursue a contest where we were this outnumbered. Anyone who died in a battle like this would be suspended from further operations for several weeks. That’s why Ismene couldn’t join in. On the plus side, I was going to get my chance to fight.
“The terrain is going to be thick jungle with a river flowing through it. The shallows are here and here,” Paulos said, indicating two spots on the map. “You won’t want to cross anywhere else. The waters are fast and deadly.”
“Are our starting positions on different sides?”“Rena asked. Rena was a reliable sort in a fight.
“We each have split forces on both sides,” Paulos said.
The forces on each shore would have an enemy to engage and not until that battle were won could the enemy on the other side become a concern. That meant the shallows shouldn’t be an early tactical consideration. Unless that is we changed the rules of the fight.
“I can see what you are all thinking and you’re correct. Our objective is going to be to take and hold the shallows early, and cross to join our forces on one side,” Paulos said.
If we could do that successfully we’d go a long way towards evening the odds stacked against us.
“Melee weapons only for both forces. We max out at medium armor, although they can buy in at heavier. The battle to hold each shallows is likely to be brutal and you’ll likely wind up with a suspension. Do I have any volunteers?” Paulos asked.
Every hand went up. Olympians truly weren’t the sort to let anyone else do their fighting for them.
“Polias, you’ll hold the south. Demos, the north,” Paulos said.
I got the southern shallows. Based on the map that looked to be the larger of the two. I could hardly contain my excitement.
It really was all too rare that I got to fight, which is a shame because I was so very good at it. It wasn’t hubris to say that I was one of the best with a spear in the entire Olympian army, I had the accolades to prove it.
Holding those shallows would require that kind of skill. Without ranged weapons and lacking the opportunity to flank, it was going to become a test of endurance and ability.
“We’ll take position on the east side. If their forces don’t move on the shallows at once, they will the moment they realize what we’re about,” Paulos said.
“If we know where they’ll be, we can give them grief,” Rena said.
“That’s the plan,” Paulos said. He tapped at the podium and the map changed to display troop positions.
“These are initial markers so we can make certain that both shallows are defended. Once battle begins remain flexible, but keep in mind if anyone guarding the shallows gets taken from behind, they’ll be able to combine their forces,” Paulos said.
It was a good plan. Almost.
“What if we actually pull this off to the east? Won’t they just take up positions guarding the western bank and wait us out?” I asked.
Now that I’d thought of it I realized that could be a danger overall. A tactical-minded commander might simply let us cross and have our battle. Either we’d win and be trapped, or the superior numbers would take us out and the issue would resolve itself.
