Exurbia: A Novel About Caterpillars (An Infinite Triptych Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

jury. Then the rest of their lives in holding. You’d think they would know better.’
    I wish I knew better , Jura thought.
    ‘Well, the sphere isn’t stable,’ said Jura. ‘They didn’t have the power yet. It takes a lot of energy. They were probably going to try and hook it into the local grid, source the electricity that way. It’s how the others always do it. You’re done here, Detective. Go back to the Bureau, tell them it was mere days from a stage one crisis.’ 
    The t’assali sphere jerked uncertainly and settled again.
    ‘I’m taking the machinery into my custody,’ he said then. I cannot help myself.
    ‘ Your custody?’ said the detective, guardedly incredulous.
    ‘Mine, yes. It’s my job to decommission Ixer equipment. Don’t worry, you can take the credit for the brute force, that’s the part the media streams will care about. Go back to the flyer. I’ll make my own way back.’
    ‘Professor -’
    ‘I always administrate the decommissioning in these instances. Go back to the Bureau.’  You know I have ties with Governance. You wouldn't dare contradict me.
    The superior eyed him cautiously and ascended the cellar’s staircase, stopping at the landing to take a last look at the spinning rings, then finally leaving.
    Jura bent to a crouch and stared into the orange sphere. It seemed, he thought, to stare into him.

5
    “Every conflict tends towards total surrender on both sides.”
    - The Ixenite Manifesto – 6th Edition
     
     
    Fortmann -
     
    ‘Friends,’ Fortmann said. ‘Romans, countrymen, Ixenites.’  I wonder if they know what a Roman was. Never mind, it was a little joke he could enjoy by himself if nothing else.
    ‘I have vital news, a little surprise if you will. But first, as you are all no doubt aware, the Ayakashi obliterated Xianxi several days ago. Several of Our Brothers in the Up, Tanaka Godel and Jonathan Incandenza, were visiting family members there. The entire city was lost. Let us hope that their final moments were not painful. They were good men, both having given themselves completely to our cause and the Up.’
    Good riddance. Godel was an incompetent, and Incandenza a total simpleton.
    ‘Now, to happier matters. As you know, our sister Maria met with the moralising imp himself , thanks to our lottery scheme.’
    He found her eyes in the audience. She was wearing the beginnings of a proud smile.
    ‘And had the chance to speak with him at length. I’m sure she will give you the full details of the proceedings in a moment. Let me assure you that it is good news. And let me further assure you that this is the breakthrough we have been waiting for, the fatal chink in Governance’s armour. As ever, we are tasked with being god’s midwives. And like any birth, it will now only take one final resolved push.’ 
    They applauded at that. The Zdrastian was staring with desperate eyes. Even Mr. Covert Woof was up on his front paws at his master’s side.
    Fortmann looked about. Gnesha, they're all staring with desperate eyes. Had Ceaser felt like this? he wondered. Had Alexander? Some men were followers. It was in their nature. Others, a precious few, were born with something else in their blood, a kind of violent talent for leadership. He could feel it coursing through him now, a sort of vitality. He stifled the applause with a wave.
    ‘And it is with great pleasure and without further ado then that I invite Our Sister in the Up, Maria, onto the stage.’
    Applause again. He took Maria’s seat in the audience as she made her way to the podium. She walked with a kind of feigned confidence. One , Fortmann thought, she learned from me .
    ‘Good afternoon,’ said Maria. He pictured her without clothes now, still wearing that almost-smug smile. ‘Thank you, of course, to Our Brother in the Up, Seer Fortmann, without whom none of what I’m about to tell you would have been possible. He engineered the entire operation from the outset. I volunteered for two