Elysium Fire (Prefect Dreyfus Emergency #2)

by Alastair Reynolds

‘It’s hard, Father,’ Caleb said, the strain making him look older, finding the invisible weaknesses in his face that would eventually turn into folds and wrinkles. ‘You’ve done very well. Give the staff back to your brother. Julius – see if you can straighten the staff. It’s sometimes easier to restore something to an earlier state, if you have a clear idea of the desired end.’ Julius took the bent staff and tried to undo Caleb’s work. But the staff was as unresponsive as it had been before. ‘I can’t,’ he said, offering the staff back. ‘You tried, and that’s all we expected for today,’ Father said. ‘I remember my first time – your mother hers. Don’t you, dear?’ Her answer was terse. ‘Of course.’ ‘Days of frustration before the quickmatter moved to our will,’ Father went on. ‘After that, though, I knew all the doors stood open, and the world was mine for the shaping. Here.’ He reached out