“One million people, and only natural energy? No Crystals or artificial energy technology?” Lukai was the first to ask the questions.

  Taj nodded. His projection was sharp—Si observed for a moment after they had met. Gates energy was working fine; it was clear.

  “It is good to see you being well, Taj,” he started with that.

  What he said made Lukai uncomfortable. Si knew why—Lukai didn’t ask; he went straight to the point.

  Luna snorted.

  “Right? Taj, let’s talk later. I am curious; you need to tell me everything, but you said you talked to a boy. It is impossible he said all those things. Didn’t you say he’s not even ten?” she asked.

  “Correct. There was an unusual movement on this planet for months; I checked already. People were transferred from the OFF, as I said, only Abilitiers. No Unio family businesses, no officials from Unio, and no Shadows—only the OFF people, young ones, a few coordinators—and that’s it. Basic equipment. No Crystal technology. It was too strange to not interest me; I went there and then met this boy.” Taj stopped and looked at them, especially at Lukai.

  Si noticed.

  Then Taj continued.

  “I wanted to test my projection as well; it worked. Lukai, there is something for you to check. This kid said some names, except your former Leader Yura; he mentioned people called Dennis and Fenix. About Yura, his travels to Planet Three were marked in his schedules as marathons. It looks weird; is he a big fan of running?”

  “I know these people; they are coordinators. Yes, Yura is quite a heated runner. However, I also wouldn’t treat all his runs as real ones. Too often on Planet Three,” Lukai said.

  “Air there is maybe good for… what?” Luna asked.

  Si smirked, but Lukai was deadly serious.

  Taj waved his hand to gather their attention.

  “I want to add that it is important to inform everyone about Gates. I need time to learn how to operate it and how to control the data. Soon, though, you will be in possession of very specific, detailed information; it will—it should—raise questions. You will be asked from where you have it. Others need to trust you both, and others need to understand that you have the power over Gates. It is crucial, the communication, no?” he asked.

  “So, Lukai, what Taj said, I agree. We must inform Domini and the board about Gates. It will be, as we discussed, treated as a hostile move. Let’s discuss how we plan to do it and how you, Lukai, would like to use it regarding Unio. The OFF would do whatever you order, I assume. Shadows, I am their Lord; they trust me; Gates won’t be any problem. Unio though, this we need to discuss,” Si said, trying to sound calm.

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  He wasn’t certain about how Lukai wanted to play it. Would he feel insecure about cooperating longer, or would he treat their previous alliance as something to continue?

  The situation with Luna was clear. Taj was in Gates; none of them could currently control him. But who knew what Lukai had on his mind.

  “I planned first to know more about Yura’s actions and his collaborators. I understand your concerns, and we can quicken our actions,” Lukai said, looking around.

  Si nodded, Luna the same. Taj said nothing; he clearly observed.

  “I have three strong arguments to highlight during the conversation with the board and Unio families,” Lukai added. “The OFF army, I am in command. Our strength is not the same, surely, but is similar to what Unio has currently. Unio didn’t take care of its training and recruitment. The second is alliance with you, Si, as Shadows Lord. Armies combined are not to be won with. And the third, Gates taking over. Here, I agree with all of you.”

  Lukai stopped for a moment, took a breath, and continued. “What I can add here is that Domini has decided. He wants to appoint me, but he needs to ask the families if they have other candidates. I will wait for proposals from the board and families. I care about the board; I’m not concerned about the families. If they do not agree with me as a candidate, then I have another plan. If you all give me credit, if you trust me, I will put everything in motion.”

  “So, it is settled. Lukai, you have my vote, as they say.” Si was content. It looked promising.

  Luna nodded.

  “O, my turn,” Taj said. “Lukai, you have my vote. To add, I recommend saying that it is the Sect’s invention that Shadows used in cooperation with you. Or that you allowed them—wording in this situation, I leave you to decide. I prefer no one to know it is connected to the e.i. and me personally. This is my request.”

  “Si, if you agree, let’s do it like this; cooperation is to be highlighted,” Lukai said. Si nodded.

  “How should we call you, Taj?” It was Luna who asked. After a second, she added. “To use your names openly is not secure, right?”

  Si had to say, “A good point.”

  “Use my name; I assume not many could connect it with the e.i.; I mean Taj, not An. Regarding the Gates—Elder? Would sound like some kind of old-time innovation of a kind, from the Sect?” Taj asked, probing.

  “Gates Elder?” Luna added.

  “I agree. Gates Elder sounds ancient and serious,” Lukai confirmed.

  Si then had a thought.

  “So, I would say, I have an addition to that,” he started to speak. “The old invention restored by Shadows, the Sect’s old experiment, sounds very good. Very good. Though I would complicate the name, for example, I would call it… Gates Elder Security Device Add-on. What? Luna, why laugh? Taj, I see you nod. You get it? What I mean is, Lukai, I am telling it, a second—”

  Si waited for a moment for Luna to stop laughing.

  “… I would deliberately use a long name and then create a shortcut. GESDA? No one will be able to easily repeat it, and everybody will make mistakes when asking; it will make it quite ridiculous. By this, I think that the focus will switch from the main point, meaning what or who this Gates Elder is and how we achieved that. I somehow know Unio families already and can say it will scare them more. What kind of device add-on it is, what it can do, and what it can track—when they ask, I would then, with pleasure, say that everything. GESDA can track everything. And so on. What do you think?”

  “O? That is a good idea. Lukai?” Taj commented; he looked… amused?

  Si had to hold in his laughter.

  “So, Lukai, then, we could say to the families in Unio that for their convenience we could use a simpler name, a special shortcut—the two first words. Gates Elder. It should help to dilute the truth and make it more difficult to figure out. What do you think?”

  Luna snorted loudly.

  Before they could discuss it further, Taj’s face changed.

  “Yura crossed the Gate on Planet Three,” he said and stopped.

  They all looked at him.

  “… And is in the OFF, at the Gate number twenty.” Taj stated.