Page 85 of Guiding Reason
“A security bot?”
“Yes, Conduit. But everything is fine, please remain calm,” a first rank said.
Her partner, older and a fourth rank going by her uniform, clicked her tongue. “That’s Orrey Acton. He’s calm.”
“Oh! Apologies! These have been causing us a bit of trouble.”
She pointed at the unmoving bot.
“Huh.” Orrey looked at Senlas. “Do you need any help with it?”
“No, we can handle a stupid bot.” The older protector’s voice left no room for argument. “It’s good this happened here where no one in the ice sculpture competition can see.”
Orrey looked back at the fog-covered area of the lawn. “That’s what they’re doing?”
Senlas turned his head as well, and his Guardian’s face in profile distracted Orrey.
Senlas noticed and winked at him. Over on the lawn, fading sunlight made the patch of foggy air look like something from one of those paintings Orrey had loved best as a child. Despite the situation in Ferrea, this evening, the two of them on their way back to have dinner with their family, felt special to Orrey. Memorable.We had to come all this way to Ferrea to grow this close. I hate that there was a battle, but I love what Senlas and I have become.
The younger protector nodding pulled Orrey from his thoughts. “It’s such a wonderful idea. Some of the Guardians and Conduits are streaming it. And Champion Shoda set up the entire event as a donation drive for those who died during the battle. The Municipal AI helped organize it. It’s mostly time donations to help with the last steps toward the memory garden.”
“Oh. That’s…that’s so kind.” Orrey looked away, ashamed.
I did nothing wrong, but Alesa came here from Argentea, my city, and we knew he was going to be a problem. He followed us. If we had just gone back to Argentea, then—
He didn’t want to imagine what might have happened if Argentea had been hit by Guardian insurrectionists a second time. That Judiciary AIs had been the casualties in bombings while they had run from Alesa outside the walls still didn’t feel real.
Orrey felt Senlas’s attention on him even before the Guardian pulled him close.
“My Conduit is tired. It was a long day. If you can take care of the bot, we’ll head back to the Champions’ Tower.”
The two protectors nodded. “Rest well, Conduit Orrey. Ferrea thanks you both,” the older said.
The two of them dragged the bot away. Across the street, two children pointed at the spectacle, and their father stared, slack-jawed.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t—”
“Yes. I need to celebrate my third rank Conduit, and then I need to find out how to make him forgive me for a minuscule lie.”
Orrey chuckled as they headed toward the lawn but steered them right, heading to the sculptures even as he pulled out his screen. “I want to see them.”
“Fine. But we won’t stay long. It’s an ice sculpture competition. The food will get cold.”
“Okay. Oh, this is impressive. Guardians have pledged dozens upon dozens of hours to the families. And orators have pledged to speak for the dead as well. Other people too, to do whatever the families and friends need. It’s more than five thousand hours total.” He held up his screen for Senlas to see.
The Guardian hummed. “It is impressive.”
The two kept their distance, skirting the event, even though Orrey wanted to see at least a few of the sculptures up close. Shoda had made himself a tall column of ice. He sat on top of it and watched the sculptors. From what Orrey could see on hisscreen, Champion Shoda was the judge of the contest, but the viewers of the many live feeds bundled in the event left favors as well and cheered on the sculptors much like the people standing or sitting around to watch.
Shoda spotted them and waved, and his column shifted with the noise of ice cubes dropped into a cup of hot coffee. He hopped down and found his way toward them at an easy jog at which point others spotted them as well, aiming their screens or directing the cam bots some had brought.
Shoda’s blond hair sparkled with ice crystals. “Senlas, Orrey. How are you?”
“Tired,” Senlas said.
Orrey snorted. “I promised we’d just have a quick look.” He lifted his screen. “This event is impressive.”
Shoda shrugged. “Got people to leave their houses.” He made a gesture, and a delicate flower made entirely of ice materialized in his hand. “May I gift you this, Orrey? Not a statue that should win, but one that is deserved.”
