Alexandria (60 page)

“Happy New Year, Dad.”

“Ten more minutes,” says Hargrove, blowing out the sconce. “Unless my clock’s wrong.”

He scribbles one last note, then collects up his things and greets them at the door. He kisses her cheek and they head off to the gardens, passing by open chambers where the old sciences are taught by candlelight.

Lingering on the grand staircase, they meet Sajiress and his reunited kin. He smiles and extends a hand, enamored of the new custom.

“Hello, old soldier,” says Hargrove, taking his hand. “Care to join us?
Diwaa?”

Sajiress hefts Alok onto his shoulders and they cross the grounds to join the congregation along the coast. Marikez and Karus wave them over and thrust glasses into their hands as the last moments of the century float by. Hargrove and his daughter spot Jack and Lia off to the side of the pool, bright with laughter, and they move to embrace them.

“It’s something.”

Lia smiles. “It’s beautiful.”

“Been a hell of a long time coming. Jack, how do you fair?”

“Better now,” he says, taking a glass.

“Wish Thomas could see it.”

“So do I.”

Hargrove’s new prototype is sure to be off, but they adhere to it regardless, counting the numbers down together as the thin metal sliver ticks toward the emblazoned
12
at the top of the dial. With a blossom of explosions over the coast, they raise their glasses high and toast the passage of the year.

Jeneth carries little Mariset over to meet them, Eriem walking with his hand around the small of her back. Lia whisks her away and holds her high, her arms outstretched, the ruddy little face looking down at her and smiling. The rest of their old friends slowly make their way over, longing for a happy reunion.

They clamor for Jack to say a few words and he shyly declines, until he feels petite hands on his back pushing him forward.

“I just… I thought, in honor of Hargrove, who is one of the best and bravest men I’ve ever known, and for all the people who fought, and for the ones that didn’t make it to see this night… that we could call this city Alexandria, so that we never forget why we’re here, and how this all came to be.”

The decision is unanimous, and as a new century dawns on this awakening planet, a stronghold is established against the darkness—this new city, Alexandria, which will stand through the coming Age as a beacon of light and reason.

The crowd breaks and music fills the air. Hargrove looks up to the shimmering palace and drinks to his brother, wherever he may be, then strikes a match to his pipe and wanders down along the garden path, lost in an old man’s reverie.

As the celebrations soars, Jack takes Lia’s hand and they slip away from the festivities and walk alone down the quarry road. They stumble from too much wine and collapse in the weeds, laughing. Eventually they weave toward the stables and light their way down to the last stall where Balazir stands with peaceful calm. Jack saddles him while Lia whispers drunken things and giggles.

They lead him outside and fumble onto the saddle, then ride down to their little spot along the cliffs. A river of galactic beauty flows slowly above them. They hitch Balazir and lay out a bed of fur. The shore is alive. Algae blooms off the coast and as the waves roll in and crash on the rocks they sizzle with electric blue. Jack settles in next to Lia, looking off at the vibrant ocean, and he shares with her Hargrove’s most beautiful secret. She looks quickly to the sky in wonderment, as though she might see it there, the Serapeum, traveling its ghostly orbit.

There is only the cosmos.

She closes her eyes and lies back on the soft fur, basking in the brilliant starlight. Jack lies back with her, holding her. Their voices are soft, almost whispering to each other. They talk about their journey, about science and the mysteries, and about small things too. They talk until their eyelids grow heavy, conversation sparse, and they drift into a deep golden sleep and dream of the future.