Defending Elysium
| Defending Elysium | |
|---|---|
| Released | Holiday 2009 |
Defending Elysium is a short story written by Brandon Sanderson published on his website:
Background
The United Governments military had accidentally shot down a Tenasi diplomatic vessel during an embarrassing first contact. Humanity had worried this would throw them into a conflict, then the Phone Company stepped in and, using methods unknown to even humanities intelligence agencies, brokered a peace with the Tenasi. In exchange, the PC demanded they be above the laws of humanity and had since then worked autonomously.
Other alien races refused to communicate with humanity unless they went through the PC first. Thus far, humankind has expanded beyond the reach of Saturn but is kept back by the PC's refusal to share FTL travel technology they are suspected of possessing. They are, however, capable of constructing orbital stations from nothing more than inert metal, using their Element-specific gravity generators.
Summary
- Part One
The story opens with Jason Write in his private cabin aboard a shuttle, watching a video playback of a woman thrashing in a hospital bed. He could do nothing for the woman right now, not until he reached Evensong - an orbital platform hanging between Saturn and Uranus, and the frontier of humanities conquest in space. As the shuttle begins to dock with the Evensong, his support operative, Lanna, enters Jason's cabin informing him that his colleagues have been sent on assignment elsewhere and she is the one that will be accompanying him. Lanna has booked Jason in to a hotel under a peculiar alias, suggesting that Jason is actually an agent.
As they prepare to depart, Jason notices his control disk being tapped. Sending Lanna a coded request in the form of a question Lanna responds in kind. Someone had managed to tap Jason's control disk. While Lanna could easily install a tap block, Jason doesn't order it. Strolling off the shuttle he steps to one side and apparently searches out his ID while watching the other passengers walk by, knowing the one that tapped his control disk should be there. The report of a murder on the news feed sets Jason into a hurry.
Captain Orson Ansed of the Evensong police department meets his officer, Ken Harris, outside the scene of a crime in Topside's slums. They find the corpse of a missing Varvax ambassador inside a cylindrical burner. A newcomer bustles onto the scene that Orson believes is the press at first. Upon seeing the man's silver bell pin on the lapel of his suit, Orson realises his jurisdiction has come to an end with the arrival of a Phone Company (henceforth, PC) operative. Jason now has authority at the scene.
Jason begins to question the time of death of the victim and makes note of Orson's regard for him. As a member of the PC Jason is accustomed to the general annoyance at the interference, but also the relief that the PC were there to deal with an alien ambassador. It was customary that the PC handle all matters relating to alien species. Having his own mystery to solve regarding a missing scientist, Jason hands the investigation back over to Orson.
Outside, reporters have gathered but Jason isn't interested in the slightest at giving an interview. They also know this and allow him to leave without commotion, but not before Jason has had a chance to scan the crowd of people for the one that got off the same shuttle as him. Sensing the man following him, he gives Lanna the code to shut off the hack to his control disk and leads the man to a nearby cafe.
Coln Abrams observes Jason Write, trying not to look suspicious. Coln works for the United Intelligence Bureau and shows some reservations against the PC; Write in particular. Suddenly, the wiretap Coln had been using to listen in on Jason and Lanna's communication indicated that his cover had been blown. Showing that he'd noticed Coln, Jason asks him to come talk to him. They talk and Coln supposes Jason thinks he's there officially - the UIB regards the PC with little trust. As Coln stands to go, regretful that he wouldn't be able to discover the truth behind the Tenasi Agreement, Jason surprises him by allowing him to tag along.
At that moment Jason senses something awry, shortly before a hail of bullets tear through the window. Jason lashes out with his mindblades, splitting each bullet in two. Feeling for the sniper he can't sense him outside any more. After analysing the bullet holes int he window Jason concludes that they had been aiming at the UIB agent, and not himself. Wondering why he scans the cafe with his Sense and notices a nondescript man watching him with slightly unfocused eyes. Without bothering to see if Coln follows, Jason leaves the cafe.
Characters
- Jason Write
- Considered to be the top operative of the Phone Company he is a powerful psionic looking for a missing scientist on the Evensong orbital platform.
- Lanna
- Jason's support operative in the field. She handles all of Jason's intel.
- Coln Abrams
- Working for the United Intelligence Bureau tasked with tracking Jason Write as he enters Evensong.
Organizations
- Phone Company
- The PC were the first to make contact with an alien specie and had negotiated humanity out of a disaster following the Tenasi incident. The PC had brought FTL communications to humankind.
- They are completely autonomous to the constraints and laws of humanity following the Tenasi incident that only they were capable of mollifying.
- United Intelligence Bureau
- The UIB is humankind's (supposedly) largest intelligence agency in the entire solar system. They mistrust the Phone Company because of their apparent shadowy motives.
Note