A Parade of Horribles
by Matt Dinniman
Contents
Interlude 2
Overview
This interlude reveals that Syndicate security has killed Linus and is sending his brother, Minus, into the crawl under Linus's identity. Captain Fresh makes clear that the operation is effectively a suicide mission aimed at using access to the "fairy crawler" to assassinate key crawler targets and trigger a wider collapse. The scene raises the stakes beyond the race itself by showing the Syndicate's desperation in its war against the rogue AI and its willingness to sacrifice its own people to stop it.
Summary
Captain Fresh of Syndicate security briefs Minus beside the body of Minus's brother, Linus, who has just been killed by Syndicate forces. Captain Fresh hands Minus a datapad containing hundreds of hours of footage, posts, and explicit material tied to the "fairy crawler," explaining that Minus must rapidly absorb Linus's habits and interests because he will be inserted in Linus's place that same night. Captain Fresh warns that if the system AI suspects Minus is anything but an ordinary tourist, it will kill him immediately, so Minus must rely on both injected memory and natural viewing behavior to sell the deception.
As the briefing continues, Minus looks at Linus's filthy berth and feels guilt over their estrangement. Minus had not known Linus had moved to an orbital habitat or that Linus had become wealthy from biological license engineering and purchased full citizenship. Remembering their last meeting after their father's funeral, Minus realizes he had known Linus was lonely and regrets never reaching out.
Minus questions the plan, arguing that even if he gets inside the crawl, the AI will stop any obvious attack. Captain Fresh says the Syndicate hopes the AI will treat Minus as Linus rather than as outside interference, giving Minus a narrow chance to act if he behaves like his brother and makes any kill look accidental. Captain Fresh tells Minus he has both a primary and a secondary target and urges him to eliminate them together if possible.
When Minus asks why this matters, Captain Fresh admits the assignment is a suicide mission. He explains that the Syndicate is trying and failing to destroy the entire system because the rogue AI keeps defeating their efforts, so they are now relying on hidden assets and a targeted crawler assassination to destabilize the group, force the Ascendency to begin early, and create an opening for other operations. Framing the conflict as a fight for species survival and condemning people like Linus for feeding the system by watching, Captain Fresh demands obedience, and Minus salutes and accepts the mission.
Who Appears
- MinusLinus's brother; ordered to impersonate him and enter the crawl on a suicide assassination mission.
- Captain FreshSyndicate security officer who briefs Minus and explains the desperate plan against the rogue AI.
- LinusMinus's dead brother, a wealthy obsessive viewer whose identity Minus must now assume.