Free The Pearl Wars by Nick James

powered on the harness. Cassius watched as the device whirred to life, absorbing the energy from inside the Pearl and sucking it out. In a few hours there’d be nothing left but a hollow, translucent shell—an empty fishbowl.
    “ It’s amazing,” Henrich started. “All these years and we’re still not able to break through the outer layer. That’s some strong material there. It’d have to be to withst and impact, I guess. I’d hate to be standing in the way of one of these when it fell.”
    Cassius agreed. There’d be no surviving it. A falling Pearl burned through anything it touched before hitting land. They were only safe after they stabilized.
    “So you’re heading to Skyship tomorrow.” Henrich leaned on the counter. “Be prepared for protestors up there. Flip the Tribunal the middle finger for me, okay?”
    Cassius kept his eyes on the emptying Pearl. “Do you know why Madame picked me?”
    “You’re her kid, Stevenson. She’s giving you an opportunity the other kids don’t get. It’s an honor.”
    He thought back to the infirmary room, to his raw, tingling skin. An honor. Right.
    Henrich frowned. “Listen, I’ve known Madame longer than you’ve been alive. Let me tell you what I’ve learned.” He scratched his nose. “It’s all about Pearls. It’s all she thinks about. How to find them, what to do with them. Bring her Pearls and you’re golden. Stand in her way and … ” He chuckled. “Well, you don’t stand in Madame’s way.” He ran his fingers over the emptying Pearl. “If she’s bringing you up to Skyship, chances are it’s got something to do with these little babies.”
    Cassius was about to respond when he noticed movement on the top-right security monitor. “Hey,” he pointed to the screen, “what’s that?”
    Lieutenant Henrich craned his neck over the counter to see the screen. Cassius watched as a crowd of people—twenty or so—converged on the seventh Bio-Net entrance. He recognized them as Fringers immediately. Their clothing was filthy, little more than torn rags covering their gaunt bodies. Their skin was dark with the Surface Tan.
    “Second group this week.” Henrich shook his head.
    Cassius moved closer to the display, trying to make out details. The Fringers carried something in their arms. Sunlight glinted off of metal. Weapons.
    A monitor in the opposite corner whirred to life showing footage from a nearby ground camera. He could see the rectangular entrance clearly, as well as the closest Bio-Net connectors—large, solid Xs climbing into the sky, growing fainter the higher they were placed.
    The group sped up as they neared the entrance. Ever since the Unified Party had erected the Chosens and shut out anyone unable to pay the environmental tax, the cities had become targets for bands of Fringers, incensed with the government’s lack of support to those on the outside.
    Cassius turned to Henrich. “Why are they allowing them to get so close?”
    “Just wait,” Henrich replied, fixated on the monitor.
    The group of Fringers stopped mere feet from the entrance and drew their weapons. The video feed didn’t pick up sound. Cassius wondered if they had fired any shots.
    Henrich smiled. “Can you believe this? They think all it takes is a couple of guns to break into a Chosen City.”
    “This happens often?”
    He nodded. “We’re coming up on the anniversary of the Chosens. Perfect time to stage a coup, right? Expect the crowds to get bigger before they die down. Doesn’t matter, though. Watch.”
    Cassius turned his attention back to the screen. The Fringers stood still, probably making demands of the guards.
    A blinding beam of light filled the screen. The ground exploded. Dust shot up from below, engulfing the crowd in a swirling brown cloud. Limbs fell in a tangle to the ground. Weapons flew into the air.
    “Automated defense systems.” Henrich chuckled. “Stupid Fringers forgot to look up. Bam!” He laughed.
    Cassius turned to him.