Desmond reached the corridor of the Innovate lab, secured himself for entry with his unique code, and cleared the body scan as he entered the one place where he was free from other’s judgments.  His work had order and precision.  To him, it was easier to deduce a solution for a broken machine or follow a medical procedure than to fix a broken spirit or create a work of art.

Arthur’s aura beamed as he saw Desmond approach and half-shouted “My dear friend, at last I can share my wonderful news!  It’s the discovery of the century!”

Desmond’s chest fluttered with anticipation.  He hoped it was the final key to what they’d worked and anguished over for years although Arthur discovered many new scientific feats regularly and tended to call all ‘the discovery of the century’, always with the same child-like enthusiasm.

“Arthur, is it the final piece of the puzzle?”

“Come with me.  I would rather show you.”

They navigated through twisting hallways of the lab until they had reached a large, cool temperature-controlled chamber.  It contained the mechanism that was their masterpiece.  Desmond entered the security code and then placed his hand on the wall console for a biometric scan.  Arthur authenticated with his scan and they entered.

As always, Arthur stopped for a brief moment to marvel at all the fine-tuned components that came together in perfect intertwining succession to make the mechanism whole—smoothed metal curves, angular polyethene, translucent glass, the gears and motors being the heart and muscles, and the electrical components being the nervous system.  The mechanism as one large sum came into focus.  He considered not only the scientific feat of accomplishment but the ideals it could help to give a foundation.  “There she is.  Let’s power her up.”

Desmond reached for the control panel but hesitated, pulled away and grimaced.  “Is this finally the solution to our blood shortage crisis?  I can’t handle the disappointment of another failed trial launch.”

“I’m quite sure this time.”  Arthur wrapped his arm around Desmond’s broad, pointed shoulders and said, “You do the honors.”

“It’s your life’s work, Artie.  You should.”

“Nonsense.  You have played as much a part in this as I.  You will be instrumental in the next steps for it and all of Luminia.”  Arthur raised his eyebrows and gave a slight nod of his head towards the control panel.

“If you insist.”  Desmond queued the procedures to gear up the mechanism.

They simultaneously stepped back and looked in awe as the mechanism began its functions and continued without so much as a technical error to produce their crimson, life nectar—blood.

“We must notify the Affiliation Council immediately and convene a special gathering,” Desmond said, eyes ablaze as he turned to Arthur.

“Done and done.  They’re meeting here tomorrow for the first official viewing.  Let’s go celebrate!  We can work on securing a voting initiative for human emancipation once the new blood is in production.”

They left the lab and strolled through the commons to the outer balcony.  They stepped onto a rectangular hover platform that lit up blue and made an angular descent to the courtyard.  Several ascending platforms passed them.  When viewed from afar, the effect had a pleasing symmetry, reminiscent of luminous flying carpets whisking people to-and-fro.

“Maybe next time we should just jump down to the courtyard for a change.  We’d already be there,” Desmond hopped and unsteadied the platform for a moment.

Arthur righted himself. “We aren’t animals, Des.  That would be uncivilized.”

“Unthinkable.”  Desmond rolled his eyes.  “Most Luminians despise humans yet still conform to so many of their conventions.”

Arthur stepped off the platform.

Desmond followed.

They reached one of the blood bars. The server spoke first to Arthur as was customary since he was the elder vampire between Desmond and himself.

“Will you take the usual tonight, sir?”

“Yes please, chilled and aged,” Arthur said in a friendly tone.

“And how about you, sir? Fresh tapped, chilled, specialty?”

“Nothing for me, thank you,” Desmond replied with a soured wince.

“Are you sure?  The specialty tonight is quite rare—a blood mix of vegetarian fed human and wild lion.  We can go months without finding any rare beasts for blood.”

“Seems tempting, but I graciously decline.”  Desmond turned away, leaning his elbows on the bar.

Arthur was served his drink in a slender, temperature-controlled bottle with a spout for him to draw blood.  He always savored the first sip the most—that deliciously salty and tangy copper flavor of all blood.  The finer nuances followed in the aftertaste: sweetness spices, chocolate—endless notes of flavor dancing on his palette.

As they departed Arthur said to Desmond with concerned, “It’s not healthy for you to skip feedings.”

“I know.  My mind is just swimming with ideas right now.  I’ll feed later.”

“Well, alright.  I’ll take you at your word,” Arthur encouraged knowing this to be a blatant lie.  “I revel in the day when we won’t have to feast in such barbaric rituals.”

“Don’t tear into yourself, Artie.  You’ve always been a staunch defender of human equality.  By eliminating the blood shortage crisis, mankind might have a chance now.”

“Yes, well vampire’s ideals are no better than the past rituals of human destruction if we continue to use them as our life sustenance.”

Desmond stopped to watch some crude street performers doing fire breathing and acrobatics.  The background music was drowning out their voices but the entertainers carried on in stride.

Desmond leaned in towards Arthur.  “I don’t care that the Council’s viewed you as a radical for decades.  I am honored to work with you.”

Arthur bowed his head with humility.  “Thank you but don’t get sentimental on me now.  I need you to be strong for our battle with the Council.”

An inward, humble smile from Arthur shone through with warmth that flowed into Desmond.

They walked on with contented hearts enjoying the eclectic mix of the night festivities from jugglers to interpretive dancers, electronic music to elaborate digital art installations.  At least tonight, they could be elated at their success with purity until it would be tainted by the skepticism and prejudices of the Affiliation Council.

Desmond saw Simon walking towards them, but even his presence did not vex him.  He thought, just tonight, I’ll let him pass with no recourse.

Simon struck Desmond hard with his shoulder while passing.

Desmond jerked back slightly.  Recovering, he glared at Simon, his whole body clinched, restraining his reflexes to retaliate with his fist.

Simon looked at him with feigned astonishment, then a conniving smile, “Pardon me.”

“You know what, Simon?  I’m feeling generous today.  I’ll give way to you, my fellow Affiliate.”  Desmond bowed so humbly as to be absurd.

Simon winced.

It was just enough for Desmond to pick up on as he chuckled inwardly.

This was a thinly veiled insult as Simon had long been ousted from his position on the Affiliation Council.  Only Council chairs bowed to one another and called each other “My Fellow Affiliate”.  Simon was now just a citizen of Luminia and would be called by approaching compatriots, “My fellow Luminian” if they wanted to pay special homage.

“It’s too generous for you to bow,” Simon remarked through clenched teeth.  “Please, I am merely your fellow Luminian.”

“Goodbye, Simon,” Desmond said as a further insult.  He knew Simon couldn’t such insolence to Affiliates in such a large crowd—not anymore.

Simon bowed.  His face went taught as he seethed with malice, but he didn’t utter another word.  He took a few steps past Desmond before bolting into the sky and flying out of sight.

Desmond and Arthur looked to one another and laughed.

“Brilliant jest, Des, but you really shouldn’t taunt Simon.”

“What’s he going to do about it?  Besides, you thought it was hilarious.”

“Well, I should have contained myself.”  Arthur removed his smile as he ran his free hand across the side of his grey hair.  “You never know how Simon might repay this embarrassment in kind.”

“Let him try.”  Desmond tensed; fists clinched at his side.  “Simon’s been a constant menace to me since childhood.”

“Let’s not allow this get in the way of tonight.”

“If I only had your good sense, Artie.”

Desmond and Arthur jaunted through the mazes communicating telepathically for secrecy. The twenty-foot high yew mazes hugged the left and right sides of the courtyard.  During the day, wandering through them made for a nice distraction by viewing the ornate topiary and priceless sculpture at every turn.  By night, the mazes took on a more sinister effect.

Although it was a quieter place than the courtyards, many vampires engaged in bloodletting dalliances with unsuspecting or sometimes willing human prey there and Luminian spies lurked about.  Desmond and Arthur had taken several turns deeper into the maze, when they spotted a young, dark-haired woman in a red dress, lying still and slack-jawed against a marble statue.

Desmond approached the woman, and squatted down, facing her.  Looking into her cold dead eyes, an opaque, clouded blue, gave him a disquieted chill throughout his body.  Two crimson puncture marked on the left side of her neck diverted his gaze.  He sighed and sunk his head downward.

The desire for human blood becomes bitter with every passing decade, even though I forgo in taking the fatal drink.  Arthur sat his drink down and placed a hand on Desmond’s shoulder.

Yes.  She was probably having the time of her life shortly before this, never knowing it would soon come to an end.  Desmond looked at her once more, closed her eyes with a gentle motion of his fingers, and stood.

Our best course of action will be to strike quickly and get a voting initiative after the viewing.  Arthur rested on a nearby bench.  We’ll gain some immediate support from the Imagine and Innovate Affiliates.

Desmond sat next to Arthur.  Agreed.  I assume many Sovereign and Enforcer Affiliates will be against emancipation.

Yes.  Arthur sighed with preemptive exhaustion for the task at hand.  It’s going to be a monumental challenge to get a human emancipation law passed.  Let’s hope for the voting initiative first.

We all have equal votes.  Desmond looked to Arthur.  Sovereign and Enforcer dominance is an illusion.

It’s no illusion, my friend.  It’s real and has been demonstrated in the past in an all too tangible of ways.

Desmond knew what Arthur referred to.  It was when Luminia and the Affiliation were in their infancy, before Desmond’s time.  Arthur was there and this restrained him in ways Desmond could never understand.  Arthur was a founder, but he didn’t wield his power over Luminians in the fashion that other founders such as Chancellor Alexander and his father, Atticus did.  He admired this in Arthur—so much, he’d forsaken his family’s tradition of political leadership within the Sovereign class of Luminians in favor of science.  He knew Arthur now relied on his political acumen learned early in life from Atticus to foster a new era of growth for Luminia.  Desmond feared himself wanton for the task.

“I believe changes are in store and no forces against us will prevail.  We are right in our endeavor.  I know it,” Arthur said aloud trying to restore faith in himself as much as Desmond.

In a daydream, Desmond did not hear these words.  A vision of Vivid surfaced in his mind.

Arthur jumped slightly at the sight of a redheaded woman in his mind and turned to Desmond with wildly inquisitive eyes.  He was seeing what Desmond was thinking.  “Who is the young lady in your thoughts?”

“Oh!”  Desmond was unaware that his telepathy was still tuned to Arthur.  “I met the most amazing creature today.  Aside from her obvious beauty, she was quick-witted, fiery, and not charmed by me one bit.”

“Very intriguing…And what class is she?  She looks to be Imagine.  I know you have a flavor for their flair.”

Desmond stood and paced a few steps as he smoothed both hands across his hair.  “She’s not of any class.”

“Oh!  Is she an outlaw vampire?”

“No vampire.”  Desmond turned to face Arthur.  “She’s human—works in some higher level clerk assignment.”

Arthur stood and paused for a moment with a disturbed look on his face.  “I see.”

“Is something wrong?  You look as though the lab had a meltdown.”

“I cannot tell you how to live your life, Des, but I want to impress upon you to act with strict caution regarding your infatuation with this human woman.  Perhaps you should even consider letting her be.”

“Don’t worry.  I have everything under control.  I won’t let my personal endeavors distract me from our higher calling.”

“I—I’m not worried.  I know you’ll do the right thing.”

Desmond glared at Arthur, baffled by his response.  It seemed uncharacteristic and at odds with his ethics.  Desmond shrugged it off for the time being.  “Well, the night is calling and you’re right.  I should have fed.  Shall we convene tomorrow morning at the lab?”

“Excellent plan.  Until tomorrow then.”  Arthur gave Desmond a quick nod and departed at the fork in the maze path.

Desmond watched Arthur disappear out of sight, then made an aggressive leap upward propelling his self into the night’s sky and out of Luminian walls.