Spinspace: The Space of Spins (The Metaspace Chronicles Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

who unfurled the flag.  It was just a bit of cloth, dyed red, white and blue.  But it was not a Texas flag.
    “What's that?”
    “Something old, now something new,” he said.  “We're putting the Union back together, started with Rado and Texas.”
    An officer stepped forward, frowning.  “What are you telling us, sir?  Did you surrender to Rado?”
    “No, nor they to us.  We both keep our governments and armies, but we are not at war anymore.  We're both part of something bigger.”
    There were more questions, but he waved them off.  “I'll be meeting with you in my offices tomorrow,” he said.  “But right now, if you don't mind, I have something to do.”
    “What's that?” someone wanted to know.
    “I have to go tell my mother that her husband is dead.”
    That, at least, they understood.

Chapter 7
     
     
    Kareef: A Scary Request
     

    “ Conspiring secretly together is of Satan, that the believers may sorrow;”
     
    – Quran 58:10
     
     
    He could hardly believe his ears.  “You want me to do what? ”
    So the Mullah repeated it. “We want you to go to Denver.”
    “That's what I thought you said.  But why?  Surely we have diplomats there.”
    “Yours is not a diplomatic task.”
    “Then why do you want me to go?”
    “Word has reached us that Denver is setting up a school for wizards.  We want you to go there, as a student.”
    Kareef stared at the Mullah .  What was the man thinking?  “But I'm not even a good student here .  Why would you send me?  Forgive me, sir, but I do not understand this.”
    Nizar smiled and shrugged.  “You are young enough to go, but old enough to be firm of purpose,” he said.  “We cannot send someone older.”
    “Why not?  Surely their students will be of all ages...”
    “Because all of the older candidates have already taken their oaths and put on their black robes.  They are needed elsewhere.”
    Black robes?  What was his teacher saying?  Only the Order of the Sihr wore black...
    “Yes,” said the Mullah, as he were reading his mind.  “I had a second reason for asking you to stay after classes.  I was going to welcome you to the Sihr ...before I received new instructions.  Now, of course, I cannot do so.  You cannot go to Denver wearing the black.”
    “But...” his mind faltered.  “I never even asked to be considered for the Order .  Why me?”
    “I know,” his teacher said.  “We do not accept those who ask to join.  It is by invitation only.  To act otherwise would be cruel, because it would raise false hopes.  Only those with the ability already developing within them are considered.”
    “But I've never even been tested!  What makes you think I have the ability?”
    “Enough argument,” said Nizar.  “We have ways of telling that have never proven wrong.  At any other time, I would have been welcoming you to the order and sending you to a teacher.  But the times are different, so, I am sending you to Denver.”
    He knew better than to argue.  “But how am I to get there?”
    “You will be traveling with our new ambassador to the government of Rado.”
    “New ambassador?  What happened to the old one?”
    “Nothing.  But there have been ...developments.  You will understand by the time you arrive.”
    He exhaled.  “When do I leave?”
    The mullah smiled.  “Tomorrow,” he said.  “Go home and say your goodbyes.  And pack, but not too much.”
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 8
     

               Lester: The Offer
     
    “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
    – Albert Einstein
     
    His mother came out while he was sinking the pipe next to the old pump.  She stood there, holding the bucket handles.  “What are you doing?”
    “Making an improvement,” he said.  “Here, let me show you.”  He accepted  one of the buckets for her and set it down under the new pipe.  Then he concentrated for a bit, weaving the pathspace around the pipe.
    She