THE WARS OF

ZEGANDARIA

A .J. MASTER

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 CONTENTS:

CHAPTER ONE: THE MARCH................................................5

CHAPTER TWO: THE VISION...............................................38

CHAPTER THREE: THE GENERAL......................................48

CHAPTER FOUR: THE COSMIC SECOND RING..................61

CHAPTER FIVE: THE SECRET ROOM.................................66

CHAPTER SIX: ENNIO HAMMER..........................................91

CHAPTER SEVEN: DIOMED BASE......................................99

CHAPTER EIGHT: LABOUR COLONY 206.........................120

CHAPTER NINE: ENSARIAN...............................................153

CHAPTER TEN: RODWELL.................................................175

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE NAVY..........................................192

CHAPTER TWELVE: HANS.................................................211

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: VICTORY........................................218

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN: KEITH............................................231

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE POLIS.........................................240

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: ELOHY...............................................247

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: BECKY........................................255

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: GORDON........................................263

CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE CRAZIES................................274

CHAPTER TWENTY: KIER ZOH..........................................283

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: DOOM.......................................308

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: ZORIN......................................316

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: EMZIROU.............................323

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: A NEW REALITY....................333

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: LEAVING..................................356

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: THE CHASE................................365

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THE CYCLO TO....................376

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: THE SWARM.........................383

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: IN THE FOREST.......................392

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CHAPTER THIRTY: THE RECKONING................................399

EPILOGUE............................................................................407

CHAPTER ONE: THE MARCH

THIS MAN WAS DIFFERENT. ALTHOUGH AT FIRST GLANCE HE LOOKED

LIKE THE OTHERS, HE WAS NOT LIKE THEM. HE COULD NOT CRY. NOT
ONCE IN HIS LIFE HAD HE DONE SO.NOT EVEN WHEN HE HELD THE
COOLING BODY OF HIS COMMANDER, GENERAL JACOB W ALLACE, IN
HIS ARMS. THAT HAD HAPPENED AT THE FAMOUS BATTLE OF
XANDERAR, WHERE THE HUMAN ALLIANCE TROOPS HAD CLASHED.
'A GREAT MIRACLE' SOME BIASED PERSON MIGHT SAY, BUT MIRACLE
OR NO MIRACLE, IT REMAINED A FACT . NO ONE HAD BEEN ABLE TO
EXPLAIN THIS DISTINGUISHING FEATURE OF THE STRANGE MAN-
WHETHER IT WAS CONGENITAL, ACQUIRED, A DISEASE, A SIGN OF
INSENSIBILITY, OR SOMETHING ELSE. PERHAPS IT WAS EACH OF
THESE THINGS SEPARATELY, OR PERHAPS IT WAS SOME STRANGE
MIXTURE OF THE ABOVE. STILL, THERE HAD TO BE SOME
EXPLANATION, OR AT LEAST A SEMBLANCE OF AN EXPLANATION, AND
MAYBE NOT ? AFTER ALL, WHO NEEDED IT ?

MAYBE EVERYONE! IT WAS NO COINCIDENCE, THEREFORE, THAT THE

GENERAL HAD SENT HIM ON A SECRET MISSION DESPITE HIS LOW
RANK, FOR HE HAD BEEN IMPRESSED BY HIS EXTRAORDINARY
COOLNESS AND CONCENTRATION ON THE TASK AT HAND FROM THE
VERY FIRST DAYS. AND THAT , AFTER ALL, WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING ON THE BATTLEFIELD, WHERE AN ERRANT BULLET COULD
CRACK YOUR SKULL. ALMOST ALL HIS BATTLE COMRADES WERE
KILLED, YET HE DID NOT SHED A SINGLE TEAR. NOT BECAUSE THEY
HADN'T SHARED EVERYTHING OVER THE PAST YEARS, BUT BECAUSE
AN ORDER WAS AN ORDER. AN ORDER - CLEAR AND FIRM. AND VITAL.
AN ORDER YOU COULDN'T DISOBEY. AND HE KNEW THAT VERY WELL.

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AT THE MOMENT, THIS MAN WAS WALKING LIKE A BUM THROUGH THE
CROWD SWARMING AROUND THE SUPPOSED APPROACHES TO ULTRA
CITY, THE LAST BASTION THAT KEPT HUMAN CIVILIZATION ALIVE. THE
LAND HAD LONG SINCE BEEN TURNED INTO A DESERT , OR RATHER
INTO SOMETHING BETWEEN UTTERLY DESOLATE REGIONS AND SEMI-
DESERT AREAS, WHERE HERE AND THERE WERE OASES IN WHICH THE
LAST SPARKS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE STILL SMOULDERED. THE PEOPLE
HAD LONG FORGOTTEN W HAT YEAR IT WAS, AND IT DIDN'T MATTER SO
MUCH ANYMORE. W HAT WAS MORE IMPORTANT WAS THAT ALMOST
ALL THE RAW MATERIALS ON THE PLANET WERE EXHAUSTED, CLEAN
DRINKING WATER WAS SCARCE, AND FOOD, REAL FOOD, WAS FOR
SOME JUST A MIRAGE BEFORE WHICH THEY LICKED THEIR LIPS
HELPLESSLY AS THEY W ALKED AIMLESSLY IN THE WILDERNESS.

IN FACT, ULTRA CITY WAS A VAST COMPLEX WHOSE ENTRANCES, OR

PERHAPS MORE ACCURATELY APPROACHES, WERE LOCATED IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE ZEGARAI MOUNTAINS, EAST OF UBUNDER. IT WAS A
PLACE THAT WAS PRACTICALLY INACCESSIBLE EVEN AS A MERE
POINT OF APPROACH, AND EVEN MORE SO THAT THE UNTRAINED EYE
WOULD HARDLY HAVE DISCERNED ANY SIGNS OF LIFE HERE.
VIRTUALLY NONE OF THE NEWCOMERS WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE
EXACT DIMENSIONS OF THIS CITY-STATE, WHICH STILL OFFERED
SOME HOPE OF SURVIVAL FOR HUMANITY. UBUNDER, THEY CALLED
THE EASTERN PART OF THE PLANET ZEGANDARIA, WHICH HUMANS
HAD COLONIZED IN THE NOT -SO-DISTANT PAST, BUT WHICH, DUE TO
EXCESSIVE HUMAN GREED AND RECKLESSNESS, HAD BEEN ALMOST
COMPLETELY RUINED AND DEVASTATED IN A RELATIVELY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.

ALL THAT COULD BE READ ON THE TORTURED FACES OF THE

STRANGERS WAS FATIGUE AND SOME FEELING RESEMBLING
BOREDOM WITH THE 'NEED' TO LIVE, THEY LOOKED LIKE A HERD OF
TORMENTED ANIMALS THAT HAD GONE IN SEARCH OF SALVATION
FROM THE HARSH ZEGANDARIAN SUN, WHICH WITH PROLONGED
EXPOSURE INFLICTED SLIGHT BURNS ON THE SURFACE OF THE SKIN
THAT DID NOT HEAL FOR DAYS. BUT AS THE SAYING GOES - 'HOPE
DIES LAST '. THEY WERE DRIVEN LESS BY AN INSTINCT TO LIVE THAN

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BY A HERD SENSE OF BELONGING TO THE REST . YET HERE AND
THERE AMONG THE CROW D GLIMMERED INDIVIDUAL CLEARER
SILHOUETTES THAT STOOD OUT MORE VIVIDLY AGAINST THE
GENERAL IMPERSONAL AND GREY BACKGROUND. ONE WAS THAT OF
A YOUNG EX- MILITARY MAN, WHO WORE A UNIFORM THAT, THOUGH A
LITTLE WORN, WAS STILL STURDY AND FIT HIM WELL ENOUGH NOT TO
LOOK GROTESQUE LIKE MUCH OF THE CROWD, WHO WERE DRESSED
IN RAGS RATHER THAN NORMAL CLOTHES. NORMALITY?! IN FACT,
THAT WORD HAD LOST ITS MEANING SO LONG AGO THAT IT WAS
DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE ITS MEANING. LIFE HAD BEEN REDUCED TO
A DAY-TO-DAY THOUGHT , AND SOMETIMES FOR MUCH LESS. NO ONE
KNEW WHETHER, THE STEP HE TOOK AT ANY MOMENT , WOULD NOT
BE HIS LAST . PARADOXICALLY, OR PERHAPS QUITE NATURALLY, THE
WORLD HAD STRUCK BACK AT THE 'BLOW ' OF THE HUMAN RACE, AND
AS IT WAS RUINING IT , SO WAS IT.

MARK LENNER, THAT WAS THE MILITARY MAN'S REAL NAME, STRODE
ALONG QUITE CONFIDENTLY, THOUGH IT WOULD BE FAIR TO ADMIT
THAT THE GENERAL DISCORDANT CHORUS OF HUMAN MOANS,
GRUNTS AND SO ON INEVITABLY HAD SOME EFFECT ON HIM.
SLIGHTLY PARADOXICALLY, THE FORMER PRIVATE W AS NOW IN THE
ROLE OF LEADER, A SORT OF 'GENERAL' OF THIS ENTIRE 'ARMY', AS
IT WOULD BE RATHER CURTLY TO CALL THE DRIBBLERS STRIDING
ACROSS THE PLANET 'S DRY SURFACE. STILL, MILITARY TRAINING AND
DISCIPLINE HAD THEIR SAY, AND HE MAINTAINED A COMPARATIVELY
SLOW BUT FIRM AND MEASURED PACE TO HIS PROGRESS, MUCH LIKE
A PROFESSIONAL CLIMBER MIGHT WISH TO KEEP HIS BREATH LONGER
IN CASE HE WAS NEEDED AT SOME LATER BUT VITAL STAGE.

IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT YET HAVE SOME PROTECTION FROM THE
SCORCHING ZEGANDARIAN RAYS, THEY HAD WRAPPED OVER THEIR
BATTLE HELMETS A SPECIAL MATERIAL, CALLED QUIZON, USED
CHIEFLY FOR MAKING MARCHING TENTS FOR THE INFANTRY, ON
ACCOUNT OF ITS STRENGTH, MOISTURE-PROOFNESS, AND HEAT -
PROOFNESS. BUT THE MAIN REASON THEY DID NOT RELY ON THE
BUILT-IN COOLING SYSTEM OF THEIR SPACESUITS WAS THE
INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT WAS SORELY NEEDED TO

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MAINTAIN THEIR RESPIRATORY FUNCTIONS, AS THE OXYGEN
CONTENT OF THE PLANET WAS RELATIVELY LOW . NOT THAT A MAN
LEFT WITHOUT A SPACESUIT WOULD NECESSARILY DIE IMMEDIATELY,
BUT HIS BREATHING WOULD BECOME CONSIDERABLY MORE
DIFFICULT , AND IF HE STILL DIDN'T GET AT LEAST A RESPIRATOR
WITHIN A FEW HOURS, HE WOULD START TO SUFFOCATE LITTLE BY
LITTLE. AS A MATTER OF FACT , THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PLANET
DURING THE DAY COULD REACH UP TO ABOUT 60 DEGREES, BUT AT
NIGHT IT WOULD GET QUITE COLD AND TEMPERATURES COULD DROP
TO -30. THE REASON FOR THIS LAY IN THE SLIGHTLY ECCENTRIC TILT
OF THE PLANET , AND THE REMOTENESS OF ITS SUN.

APART FROM THE SCARCITY OF FOOD AND CLEAN DRINKING WATER,

THE DANGER TO HUMANS CAME NOT ONLY FROM THE ABRUPT
CLIMATIC FLUCTUATIONS, BUT ALSO FROM THE PRESENCE OF
CREATURES CALLED GUARRONS, WHICH WERE LARGE HUMANOID
LIZARDS WITH RELATIVELY ADVANCED INTELLIGENCE, BUT
CONSIDERABLY BETTER ADAPTED THAN HUMANS TO THE EXTREME
ENVIRONMENT . NO ONE KNEW WHERE THEY HAD COME FROM. ALL
SORTS OF LEGENDS HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT THEM SINCE THE TIME
WHEN MIDRIEL WAS KING OF THE HUMAN ALLIANCE. BUT
ACCORDING TO SOME RUMORS, THEY WERE ACTUALLY MUCH MORE
ANCIENT . THERE WAS NO ONE TO CONFIRM THESE RUMORS ANYWAY,
AS KING MIDRIEL HAD REIGNED OVER 1000 ZEGANDARIAN YEARS
AGO, SO ANY TALES OF THIS NATURE REMAINED PRACTICALLY IN THE
REALM OF CONJECTURE.

THE MARCH, OR TREK AS IT WOULD BE MORE APTLY CALLED, FOR THE

SAKE OF MOVING FROM POINT TO POINT , WITH SOMETHING GOING
WRONG AT ANY MOMENT AND THE CARAVAN PERISHING, WAS NOW IN
ITS TENTH DAY. THEY WERE FORCED TO DRAG THEMSELVES
LITERALLY LIKE DOGS BECAUSE THE SPEEDER WAS BECOMING
USELESS WITHOUT FUEL. AND THE FUEL HAD TO BE SAVED FOR FAR
MORE PRESSING NEEDS, SUCH AS KEEPING THE GUAROONS AT BAY,
WHO FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT REASON HAD BECOME CONSIDERABLY
MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN BEFORE. APPARENTLY THEY SNIFFED THAT
THE HUMAN RACE WAS SLOWLY BUT SURELY FADING, AND THEIR

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HOUR TO RULE THIS PLANET SINGLE-HANDEDLY AS BEFORE HAD
STRUCK.

BUT EVEN THE GUARRONS WERE NOT THE MAIN REASON FOR THE
EXHAUSTING JOURNEY MARK, ALONG WITH PAUL ZOLSKY, HAD BEEN
FORCED TO UNDERTAKE. THE TWO HAD SERVED IN THE ELITE ROYAL
COMBAT UNITS. ONE AS AN INFANTRYMAN AND THE OTHER AS A
SNIPER. THE REAL REASON FOR THE RAPID DEPLETION OF
RESOURCES WAS THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE EASTERN PART OF
THE PLANET , UBUNDER, AND THE WESTERN PART , CALLED ELOHY.
THE CLASHES WERE NATURALLY DRIVEN BY THE LUST FOR POWER
OF THE RESPECTIVE LEADERS OF THE EAST AND THE W EST,
CLEVERLY DRESSED UP IN A COMPLEX TANGLE OF IDEOLOGICAL
FABRICATIONS, WHICH, HOWEVER, THE MASSES AT FIRST BLINDLY
BELIEVED IN, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO BELIEVE IN. IN
TIME THE SITUATION BECAME MORE ACUTE AND THE PLANET WAS
PLUNGED INTO A STATE OF TOTAL WAR IN WHICH MANY DIED
SENSELESSLY.

ULTRA CITY WAS PRACTICALLY A NEUTRAL CITY IN ADDITION TO THE

LAST BASTION OF HUMANITY. MANY HAD EVEN DOUBTED ITS
EXISTENCE ALTOGETHER, BUT GIVEN THE LACK OF OTHER
PROSPECTS, HAD RESOLVED TO BELIEVE IN IT.

THEY HOPED THAT SINCE THE POLIS HAD NOT INTERFERED IN THE
ALL-OUT WAR BETWEEN EAST AND W EST, IT MIGHT BE THE SCENE OF
PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE FORMER ENEMIES, AND
THAT IN A LONGER PERSPECTIVE THE POSSIBLE REMNANTS OF
HUMAN CIVILIZATION MIGHT BE GATHERED AND ORGANIZED TO DO
BATTLE WITH THE GUARRONS, WHO WERE GENERALLY VERY
SECRETIVE AND SUBVERSIVE CREATURES ABOUT WHOSE
ORGANIZATION AND HIERARCHY LITTLE WAS KNOWN.

- 'MARK, DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THEY WILL OPEN UP TO US? W HAT

IF THERE'S JUST NOTHING THERE?,' VOICED PAUL'S CONCERNS.

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- 'THEY SHOULD OPEN UP,' MARK REPLIED, WITH A SLIGHT SNORT OF
CONTEMPT , 'THE INFORMATION AND ORDERS WERE GIVEN TO ME
PERSONALLY BY GENERAL JACOB W ALLACE.'

- 'YOU DON'T THINK HE COULD HAVE BEEN FOOLED? AFTER ALL, BY

NOW WORD OF HIS EXISTENCE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT FROM
SOMEWHERE.,' PAUL PERSISTED.

- 'THE GENERAL EVEN GAVE ME THE SECRET PASSWORDS. LET'S

HOPE THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED THEM IN THE MEANTIME.,' SAID MARK
WITH SLIGHT IRRITATION.

W HILE THIS VERY BRIEF CONVERSATION WAS GOING ON SOMEONE IN

THE CROWD GROYANED AND SAID IN AS TORTURED A VOICE AS IF
FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL:

- 'I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT , MARK, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN DRAGGING

US AROUND THE DAMNED DESERT FOR TEN DAYS NOW . QUITE A FEW
PEOPLE ARE ON THE EDGE OF THEIR STRENGTH AND ARE ALREADY
BEGINNING TO BE DISSATISFIED. W HAT IF THERE REALLY IS NOTHING
OUT THERE AND ALL THIS WANDERING HAS BEEN FOR NOTHING?',
THIS REMARK CAME FROM A MOUSE- FACED MAN WHOSE REAL NAME
FEW KNEW , AND WAS KNOWN AMONG HIS COLLEAGUES AS THE RAT,
BECAUSE OF THE PREDATORY EXPRESSION HE TOOK ON WHEN HE
GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH AN ENEMY. THE OTHER SOLDIERS DIDN'T
PARTICULARLY LIKE HIM, BUT THEY FELT SOMETHING OF AWE FOR
HIM.

MEANWHILE SOME OF THE OTHERS PRICKED UP THEIR EARS AND

LISTENED TO THE CONVERSATION, AND HERE AND THERE A VOICE OR
TWO WAS HEARD IN FAVOUR OF WHAT RAT SAID. THE GROUP WAS
NOW ENTERING W INDY CANYON, ALSO KNOWN AS DEVIL'S THROAT,
FOR AGAIN ACCORDING TO LEGEND, QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAD
DISAPPEARED WITHOUT A TRACE IN THESE PARTS. OF COURSE
THERE WERE NO LIVING EYEWITNESSES TO CONFIRM IT, SO THE
PLACE WAS SHROUDED IN MYSTERY. FROM HERE ON, ACCORDING TO
THE INSTRUCTIONS MARK HAD RECEIVED, THE REAL APPROACHES
TO THE SECRET CITY BEGAN. HE SLOWED HIS PACE AND SAID:

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- 'BOYS, BE CAREFUL,' WITH THOSE WORDS, HE TOOK OFF THE STRAP
OF HIS PLASMA RIFLE AND BROUGHT IT TO THE READY TO FIRE.

- 'I THINK WE'D BETTER MAKE A TIGHTER FORMATION,' PAUL ADDED.

'LIKE ANYTHING, A GUARRON MIGHT POP OUT OF SOMEWHERE...'
HE DIDN'T FINISH WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN WHISTLING SOUND
AND A SHARP FEATHER OF ENORMOUS SIZE LANDED JUST INCHES
FROM HIM.

- 'ARCHANEANS,' THE RAT BARELY STAMMERED, AND DUCKED

UNDER A LARGE PROTRUDING FLAT STONE THAT FORMED
SOMETHING AKIN TO A SMALL ALCOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
OTHERWISE DESERTED AREA TO PROTECT HIMSELF FROM THE
WHOLE BARRAGE OF DEADLY FEATHER-SHOTS THAT SUDDENLY
POURED DOWN FROM ABOVE.

THERE WAS A COMMOTION THROUGHOUT THE CROWD , AS NOT ALL

OF THEM WERE MILITARY, AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW CIVILIANS
AS WELL, WITH THE ENTIRE GROUP NUMBERING NO MORE THAN
THIRTY OR FORTY. FEW WERE THOSE WHO HAD HEARD OF THE
TERRIBLE BIRD- MEN THAT HAD APPEARED AS A RESULT OF
RADIOACTIVE MUTATION FOLLOWING A MALFUNCTION IN THE
POLYGON REACTOR AT THE MYSTERIOUS NINTH QUADRANT
MILITARY BASE. IT WAS RUMORED THAT SECRET HUMAN GENETIC
EXPERIMENTS WERE BEING CONDUCTED THERE, SOMETHING THAT
WAS NEVER OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. BUT
THESE CURIOUS DETAILS WOULD HARDLY BE HELPFUL IN SAVING
THEIR OWN SKINS AT THE MOMENT .

STILL HEARING THE WHISTLING, MARK CROUCHED AND LEANED HIS

BACK AGAINST A NEARBY BOULDER, JUTTING UP LIKE A PHALLIC
SYMBOL, AND TOOK AIM AT ONE OF THE CREATURES. THEY WERE
SOARING, AND THEIR HUGE WINGS, WITH A SPREAD OF SEVERAL
FEET, NOW OBSCURED THE SUN, NOW ITS BURNING LIGHT
PROTRUDED THROUGH THE TIPS OF THEIR FEATHERS.

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MARK HELD HIS BREATH FOR A SECOND AND UTTERED A FEW
FRAGMENTARY SHOTS, BUT THE CREATURES WERE TOO AGILE AND
HE ONLY MANAGED TO BRING ONE DOWN. ITS LARGE TORSO PAINTED
AN IRREGULAR SPIRAL IN THE AIR AND STOMPED HILARIOUSLY DOWN
INTO THE DUST LIKE UNDEAD CHILDREN'S FEET IN A SANDBOX. THE
OTHER CREATURES GAVE AN UGLY ROAR, BUT BEGAN TO FALL ONE
BY ONE. EVIDENTLY SOMETHING W AS DESTROYING THEM W ITH
SYSTEMATIC AND COLD- BLOODED METHODICALNESS.

MARK NOTICED THAT HIS FAITHFUL FRIEND PAUL HAD TURNED HIS
SNIPER RIFLE AT A HIGHLY UNUSUAL ANGLE DUE TO THE NATURE OF
THE BATTLE, TAKING COVER BETWEEN A SMALL PILE OF LOW
BOULDERS THAT , WHILE PROVIDING SOME COVER, WAS NOT A SAFE
ENOUGH REFUGE. AND THE FEATHERS WERE STILL STILL POURING
IN, THOUGH SLIGHTLY LESS THAN BEFORE. IN SPITE OF HIS
TENSENESS, MARK WAS ABLE TO NOTICE THAT BESIDES HIMSELF,
PAUL, AND THE RAT, WHO OCCASIONALLY DROPPED A BRIEF BITE OF
HIS COVER INTO THE ALCOVE, THE BATTLE WITH THE CREATURES
WAS BEING FOUGHT BY ONLY 3 OTHER WARRIORS. ONE WAS HIS
FORMER COMPANY COMMANDER, NICKNAMED LONG JACK BECAUSE
FOR SOME REASON HE SOMETIMES PRONOUNCED THE LAST WORD
OF HIS SENTENCE ELONGATED. OTHERWISE, LONG JACK WAS NOT
TALL IN STATURE AT ALL, RATHER AVERAGE, BUT HE WAS AN
EXTREMELY WIRY WARRIOR WHO NEVER BACKED DOWN, EVEN
THOUGH HE WAS APPROACHING HIS FORTIETH YEAR AND SOME OF
THE YOUNGER SOLDIERS JOKINGLY CALLED HIM ‘GRANDPA JACK’
AMONGST THEMSELVES. THE OTHER WAS SAM W ALLACE, THE SON
OF GENERAL JACOB W ALLACE, WHO WAS YOUNG AND RELATIVELY
INEXPERIENCED, BUT CARRIED THE HEART AND FIGHTING SPIRIT OF
HIS LATE FATHER, AND OF COURSE FATHER. FATHER WAS ANOTHER
STRANGE FIGURE. ALTHOUGH HE WAS OBVIOUSLY AN ATHEIST ,
WHEN HE SHOT AN ENEMY COMBATANT HE WOULD MUTTER UNDER
HIS BREATH ‘GOD FORGIVE HIM’. SOME OF THE SOLDIERS
CONSIDERED HIM A BIT OF A WEIRDO, FOR OTHERS HE WAS A ROLE
MODEL, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT PARTICULARLY
TALKATIVE, HE WAS A PARTY POOPER AND A BRAWLER, WHICH BY

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THE WAY DID NOT AFFECT HIS MILITARY DISCIPLINE IN THE LEAST . IT
ALL WENT LIKE A FILMSTRIP THROUGH MARK'S MIND IN A SPLIT
SECOND.

MEANWHILE, AFTER THE CREATURES' UNEXPECTED REBUFF FROM

BELOW , THEY SEEMED TO GIVE UP THE FIGHT AND FLEW AWAY WITH
A QUICK FLAP OF THEIR WINGS UNTIL THEIR HUGE SILHOUETTES
WERE HIDDEN OVER THE HORIZON.

GENERAL W ALLACE'S SON WAS THE FIRST TO CALL:

- W HAT WAS THAT, MARK? I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF SUCH
CREATURES BEFORE!

- 'THEY'RE ARCHANAYANS,' HE REPLIED COMPETENTLY AND WITH

SATISFACTION, WITHOUT BEING QUESTIONED BY THE RAT, WHO HAD
MEANWHILE CRAWLED OUT FROM UNDER THE ALCOVE AND WAS
BRUSHING DUST AND SAND FROM HIS PATHETIC RAGS, 'RUMOUR HAS
IT THAT THESE CREATURES WERE THE PRODUCT OF AN ARTIFICIAL
DEVELOPMENT TO COUNTERACT THE GUARRON, AT THE EXPENSE OF
HUMANS.

- 'I HAVE HEARD THAT STORY TOO,' INTERJECTED PAUL, WHO WAS
BANDAGING HIS HAND, WHICH BORE A SLIGHT WOUND FROM A
FEATHER THAT HAD ACCIDENTALLY FEATHERED HIM, 'BUT HOW FAR
THAT IS TRUE WE CAN ONLY GUESS?

- 'YOU KNOW ,' MARK APPROACHED THE GROUP, RELOADING HIS

AUTOMATIC, ‘I THINK THIS COULD JUST BE FURTHER PROOF THAT
WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? W HATEVER THESE
CREATURES ARE, APPARENTLY THEIR LAIR IS NEARBY, AND THEY
APPEAR TO BE A PERFECT OBSTACLE FOR ANYONE CURIOUS ABOUT
THESE PLACES. I HAVE A FEELING THE CITY IS PRETTY CLOSE TO US.

- 'ANDWHERE AMONGST ALL THESE COTTAGERS COULD IT BE?,'

ASKEDRAT, IN HIS TYPICAL QUERULOUS STYLE, ‘I SEE NOTHING BUT
SAND AND STONES, AND OUR SUPPLY OF WATER IS ALMOST
EXHAUSTED.

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- 'ACCORDING TO GENERAL W ALLACE,' MARK BEGAN CONFIDENTLY,
'WE SHOULD BE LESS THAN HALF A DAY'S JOURNEY AWAY.'
SAYING THIS, HE PAUSED FOR A MOMENT AND LOOKED AT PAUL,
SEARCHING HIS GAZE FOR SUPPORT , IGNORING RAT'S MUTTERINGS
AND CONTEMPTUOUS MUTTERINGS.

THE REST OF THE GROUP HAD ALSO CLUSTERED AROUND THEM,

SOME STILL HOLDING THEIR ASSAULT RIFLES AT THE READY FOR
FEAR OF THE RETURN OF THE NIGHTMARISH FEATHERED WARRIORS.

- 'IF NOTHING SLOWS US DOWN UNTIL THEN,' FATHER INTERJECTED

FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THERE WAS A FLURRY OF MURMURING AMONGST THE GROUP, AS HE

QUITE RARELY SPOKE, BUT HIS WORD WAS ALW AYS ON THE MARK.

- 'I DON'T BELIEVE THE GENERAL HASN'T TOLD YOU ABOUT THE
ZENDORIAN KEVLARITE HERMETIC GATE GUARDS, WHO HAVE
ORDERS TO SHOOT ANYTHING LIVING WITHIN HALF A KILOMETRE,'
FATHER CONTINUED.

THERE WERE MURMURS AMONG THE CROWD AGAIN.

- 'NOT THAT I WANT TO FRIGHTEN YOU,' FATHER BEGAN HIS SERMON,

'BUT THE ROAD INEVITABLY PASSES THROUGH THE LANDORIAN
PASS, AND WHAT AWAITS US THERE GOD ONLY KNOWS. SO IT MAY
TAKE US A GOOD DEAL MORE THAN HALF A DAY'S JOURNEY, MARK.'

- 'AND HOW DO YOU KNOW ?,' SNIFFED MARK, 'THE GENERAL...'

- 'THE GENERAL, THE GENERAL,' FATHER QUIPPED, 'W ITH ALL DUE
RESPECT TO JACOB, AND TO YOU, I'VE BEEN THROUGH HERE
BEFORE. ALLOW ME TO BE MORE AWARE THAN YOU.'

- 'AND WHAT WAS IT YOU W ERE LOOKING FOR SO MUCH WITH THOSE
PREDATORY BASTARDS?,' CALLED RAT.

THE FATHER ONLY SMILED SOURLY AND REPLIED:

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- 'I WAS VERY MUCH IN THE MOOD FOR ROAST CHICKEN, SO I DECIDED
TO SHOOT ONE OR TWO...'

^^^
FATHER'S WORDS WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT ENTIRELY WITHOUT MERIT,
FOR ALTHOUGH THE GROUP SPED UP THEIR PROGRESS AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, THEY HAD NOT YET REACHED THEIR FINAL DESTINATION
BY EVENING. THE CANYON THAT MARK HAD ASSUMED THEY WOULD
BE ABLE TO CROSS IN A FEW HOURS TURNED OUT TO BE MUCH
LARGER THAN EXPECTED, OR PERHAPS EVERYTHING AROUND THEM
WAS A DECEPTIVE MIRAGE AND THEY WERE JUST GOING IN CIRCLES?
IN A CIRCLE, WAS THAT POSSIBLE? AND THE GENERAL'S
INSTRUCTIONS OR THE STRANGE AND EVEN BRUTAL RAMBLINGS OF
THAT RENEGADE FATHER? MARK'S MEN WERE GROWING W EARY,
AND DRINKING WATER W AS LEFT IN ONLY TWO CANTEENS. AND
AFTER THEY RAN OUT TOO? THEN...MARK KNEW HOW MANY OF HIS
BATTLE COMRADES HAD DIED FOR THIS SIMPLE AND TRIVIAL REASON,
BUT...WHAT COULD HE DO AGAINST NATURE!

- 'IF WE DON'T FIND SOME SORT OF SPRING SOON, MARK, WE'RE

IRRETRIEVABLY LOST ,'
PAUL WHISPERED TO HIM, WHO HAD CAUGHT
UP WITH HIM AND WAS PACING WEARILY, 'THE CIVILIANS WON'T LAST
EITHER, AND WHATEVER WE SAY, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SURE WE'LL
FIND ANYTHING THERE AT ALL EITHER.

MARK PAUSED FOR A MOMENT, CASTING A CURSORY GLANCE AT THE

REST OF HIS COMPANIONS BESIDES HIMSELF, PAUL, SAM W ALLACE,
LONG JACK, FATHER AND RAT, THERE WERE ONLY A FEW YOUNG
CONSCRIPTS LEFT WHO COULD BARELY HOLD A PLASMA RIFLE. AND
A DOZEN CIVILIANS.

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UNNOTICED ALONG THE W AY, SEVERAL OF THE SICK AND WOUNDED
HAD DIED AND THE CARAVAN HAD BEEN REDUCED BY ABOUT A THIRD.
THEY HADN'T EVEN HEARD THEM STOMPING IN THE DUST ? W AS THAT
POSSIBLE. THEY'D LOST NEARLY A DOZEN OF THEIR PEOPLE, MOSTLY
CIVILIANS, WITHOUT EVEN FEELING IT?

- 'MARK, DUMP THEM!

STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN IN THESE PARTS
SOMETIMES,'FATHER SAID IN A SLIGHTLY MYSTERIOUS TONE, 'BUT
WE CAN ONLY TURN THEM TO OUR ADVANTAGE IF... '

- 'ONLY IF? W HAT?,' GASPED MARK.

- 'LOOK, THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO FIND WATER IN THESE DRY
PLACES IS TO DIG UP SOME MAN-EATING ENDUARO CACTUS.'

- 'PLEASE?,' MARK BARELY RESTRAINED HIMSELF FROM SHOUTING.

- 'NOTHING TO BE FOOLED ABOUT,' ADDED THE RAT WITH A WRY GRIN

AS HE APPROACHED THE 'CO-CREATURES'. 'THOSE CIVILIANS AT THE
BACK, WRITE THEM OFF. EVEN IF THEY CAN LAST WITHOUT WATER,
WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE, THEY ARE COMPLETELY UNFIT FOR COMBAT .
ONLY DRAGGING THEM ALONG LIKE A CONDEMNED CLUB OF THEIR
OWN. IF YOU ASK ME, DIRECTLY SHOOT THEM AND THAT 'S IT!

- 'THEY ARE IMPORTANT PRISONERS,' OBJECTED PAUL. 'ISN'T THAT

RIGHT, MARK?'

MARK NODDED.

- 'PRISONER-PRISONERS,' THE FATHER TOSSED AT THEM, 'IF YOU

WANT US NOT TO BECOME PRISONERS ON THESE ROCKS AND SANDS,
WE'D BETTER GET OUR ASSES KICKED. IT IS NOW REALLY BEGINNING
TO GET DARK, AND SOON IT WILL BE COMPLETELY DARK. W E HAVE
LESS THAN AN HOUR.'

- 'ALL RIGHT , SINCE YOU'RE SO AWARE OF THESE CACTI, TELL US

WHAT TO DO,' MARK SNAPPED AT HIM.

FATHER WAS WAITING FOR JUST THAT . SUDDENLY HE BECAME

DOWNRIGHT TALKATIVE, AS UNCHARACTERISTIC AS THAT WAS FOR

16
HIM.HE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL HOW THESE PREDATORY PLANTS FED
MAINLY ON HUMAN CARRION, AS WELL AS ON LIVING HUMANS, FROM
WHOSE BLOOD AND SECRETIONS THEY GOT THE WATER THEY
NEEDED. IN FACT , THEY SPENT THE ENTIRE DAY UNDERGROUND,
WHERE TEMPERATURES W ERE LOWER THAN ON THE SURFACE, SO AS
NOT TO EVAPORATE THE PROCESSED WATER, AND IN THE EVENING,
WHEN TEMPERATURES DROPPED, THEY CAME UP TO BREATHE.

- 'THAT'S WHEN WE'LL HIT THEM,' FATHER EXPRESSED WITH MILD

SATISFACTION, 'EVEN IF WE ONLY KILL ONE, WE'LL HAVE THE WATER
WE NEED FOR AT LEAST TWO MORE DAYS.'

- 'AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY'VE EATEN ANYTHING TO CONTAIN

ENOUGH WATER?,' INTERJECTED SAM W ALLACE, 'W HAT IF WE JUST
WASTE THE LAST OF OUR REMAINING STRENGTH?'

- 'DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE?,' CALLED LONG JACK FOR THE
FIRST TIME, LOUDLY PROLONGING THE LAST WORD. 'WHATEVER
HAPPENS, I'LL BE GLAD TO DIE AMONG YOU GUYS.'

- 'YOU'VE LIVED YOUR LIFE, GRANDPA JACK, BUT I'VE GOT MORE TO
SEE OF LIFE,' THE RAT SHRUGGED.

DESPITE THE OMINOUS SURROUNDINGS, EVERYONE BURST OUT

LAUGHING. IT WAS JUST THAT THEIR NERVES WERE STRETCHED TO
THE LIMIT AND LAUGHTER WAS THE ONLY POSSIBLE 'OUTLET ' AT THAT
MOMENT . AND THE RAT WAS GIVING THEM SOME...

- 'MARK, WHAT DO YOU DECIDE?,' ASKED THE FATHER QUITE

SERIOUSLY.

- 'W E'D BETTER DO SOMETHING,' SAID MARK, A LITTLE EXCITEDLY.

- 'I'M WITH YOU,' SAID SAM W ALLACE ENTHUSIASTICALLY.

- 'AND ME,' ADDED GRANDPA JACK.

- 'W ELL IF THAT 'S SO, WRITE ME TOO,' RAT WINKED AT THEM
DEVILISHLY.

17
- 'W ELL, PAUL, WHAT DO YOU THINK?,' TOSSED IN MARK.

HE NOTICED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THE SNIPER HAD MOVED TO
ONE SIDE AND WAS CROUCHING SLIGHTLY, CHECKING HIS WEAPON
AND BRINGING IT TO THE READY.

- MARK, I JUST WONDER IF THOSE SAME CACTI ATE OUR CIVILIANS

FOR LUNCH.

- 'IT'S POSSIBLE,' FATHER SAID, COMPLETELY DISPASSIONATE.

- 'DID YOU SEE THEM?,' ASKED MARK STERNLY.

- 'MARK THEY ATTACK VERY QUICKLY. THE GROUND BENEATH THE

VICTIM'S FEET DISSOLVED AND THEY DRAGGED HIM INTO THE SAND.'

- 'DID YOU SEE THEM?,' REPEATED MARK.

- AND YES I DID, THEY WERE AN UNNECESSARY BURDEN, MARK.

- YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU SUSPECTED THINGS MIGHT TURN
OUT THIS WAY AND DELIBERATELY LEFT THEM TO DIE.

- MARK, THEY WERE SICK AND THEY WERE DOOMED.

MARK STAYED AS IF NUMB FOR A MOMENT , BUT SUDDENLY

DELIVERED A LIGHTNING LEFT CROSS TO THE FATHER'S NOSE, GOOD
THING HE WAS WEARING THE HELMET OF HIS SPACESUIT OR HE
MIGHT HAVE SMASHED HIS HEAD RIGHT THROUGH. FROM THE
IMPACT, FATHER JUST SAT DOWN ON THE SAND. THE OTHERS
GASPED IN SURPRISE.

FATHER STOOD UP SHAKING THE DUST OFF HIMSELF, WITH NO

APPARENT DESIRE TO FIGHT BACK AT THE PROVOCATION.

- 'DON'T YOU EVER DO ANYTHING BEHIND MY BACK AGAIN ,' MARK

HISSED QUIETLY, 'W E EITHER STICK TOGETHER OR DIE.'

- MARK, THERE'S NO NEED TO REACT SO EMOTIONALLY. W E WOULD

HAVE DIED IF I HADN'T ACTED THAT WAY.

18
W ITH A VISIBLY MORE SOBER EXPRESSION, MARK UTTERED BARELY
AUDIBLY:

- YOU MAY BE RIGHT, BUT STILL DON'T DO IT.

- 'COME ON, BULLIES, LET'S CATCH ONE OF THOSE MAN -EATING
GROWTHS,' AT TRIED TO LIGHTEN THE ATMOSPHERE.

- 'AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH THOSE?,' THE FATHER POINTED

TO THE OTHER CIVILIANS WHO WERE STANDING TEN METERS AWAY
AND WATCHING, TRYING TO CATCH WHAT THE ‘BOSSES ’ WERE UP TO.

- 'W HAT SHOULD WE DO? IF THEY SURVIVE, THEY SURVIVE, BUT I'M
NOT GOING TO DELIBERATELY KILL THEM IN DEFIANCE OF GENERAL
W ALLACE'S ORDERS,' MARK REPLIED, NOW COMPLETELY CALM.

- 'THAT'S THE WAY I WANT YOU,' THE FATHER NODDED TO HIM.

MARK MADE AS IF HE HADN'T HEARD HIM.

NEARLY HALF AN HOUR HAD ELAPSED WHILE THIS PROLONGED
DIALOGUE WAS BEING CARRIED ON, AND THE GROUP PREPARED
FRANTICALLY, FOR THE TIME DURING WHICH THE CACTI WERE
SURFACING WAS LIMITED, AND IF THEY MISSED IT WHO KNEW WHEN
THEY WOULD REAPPEAR. PAUL ADJUSTED HIS MYELITE ZETKANG
240 SNIPER RIFLE AND STATED:

- I'LL COVER YOU.

THE OTHERS OCCUPIED VARIOUS HIGHER POINTS OF THE CANYON,

DOING THEIR BEST TO AVOID HAVING DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE
SAND BENEATH THEIR FEET. MORE THAN AN HOUR PASSED, BUT NOT
A SINGLE CACTUS HAD SHOWN ITSELF. A FEW OF THEM WERE
STARTING TO GET A LITTLE NERVOUS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE COLD
WIND WAS BLOWING HARD AND KICKING UP CLOUDS OF DUST AND
SMALL PEBBLES, TOSSING THEM CARELESSLY JUST A FEW FEET
AWAY.

19
- 'PAUL, CAN YOU HEAR ME?,' WHISPERED MARK OVER THE
CYCLOTRON SYNTHESIZER. THE DEVICE ALTERED HIS VOICE, MAKING
IT SOUND DEADPAN.

- I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ENOUGH VIEW BECAUSE OF THIS WIND, BUT

HOPEFULLY THE DAMN CACTI WILL SHOW UP AFTER ALL. ARE YOU AT
THE READY?

- 'YES,' HE HEARD MARK'S, W ALLACE'S, LONG JACK'S, FATHER'S

AND FINALLY RAT'S VOICES IN SUCCESSION OVER THE TRANSMITTER.

AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE WIND SEEMED TO DIE DOWN BRIEFLY AND
THE SAND STIRRED SLIGHTLY. SWEAT TRICKLED DOWN THE FACES
OF THE SOLDIERS, BUT THEY STRAINED THEIR SENSES TO USE THEIR
LIGHTNING REFLEXES W HEN NEEDED. AFTER A MOMENT, SEVERAL
CACTI SHOWED THEMSELVES ABOVE THE SURFACE. THEY WERE
DEFINITELY NOT PLEASANT TO LOOK AT . THEY WERE ABOUT THREE
METERS TALL. THEY HAD SHORT AND HARD GRAY SPINES, SHARP AS
NAILS. THEIR SLIMY TRUNKS LOOKED LIKE CARICATURES OUT OF A
COMIC BOOK. THEIR IRREGULAR SHAPE WAS UGLY, BUT IT RADIATED
A HIDDEN MENACE. AND NEAR THE BOTTOM, THEY HAD AN OPENING
SIMILAR TO...

- 'OH GOD!', MARK

MY MUTTERED. 'THAT MUST BE WHERE THEY
FEED FROM...'

- 'FIRE,' FATHER MUTTERED INTO THE TRANSMITTER.

SUDDENLY THE EERIE SILENCE AROUND WAS SPLIT BY AUTOMATIC

GUNFIRE AND THE CUT OFF AND MUFFLED WHISTLE OF A SNIPER
RIFLE.

^^^
THE CAMP FIRE CRACKLED MERRILY. THEY HAD LIT IT IN AN ALCOVE
FROM WHERE IT WAS QUITE DIFFICULT TO SEE. THE CIVILIANS HAD
STAYED TO THE SIDE, GUARDED BY THE FEW YOUNG MEN, WHILE THE

20
OLD DOGS HAD POSITIONED THEMSELVES NEXT TO THE FIRE THEY
HAD LIT FROM GATHERED TRASH THAT HAD BEEN LIBERALLY DOUSED
WITH INTERRON FUEL.

- 'GOOD CATCH, WASN'T IT, MARK,' CALLED LONG JACK, 'PAUL

CERTAINLY DID A GOOD JOB. BUT SAMMY'S LEARNING NOW TOO,' HE
ADDED, GIVING SAM W ALLACE A FRIENDLY TAP ON THE SHOULDER.
'A GLORIOUS BOY HE'LL MAKE, MARK MY WORD.'

- 'W E CRACKED 'EM UP,' RAT GRINNED, EXPOSING HIS MOUSY FACE
TO THE LIGHT OF THE CAMPFIRE. 'THREE WHOLE PIECES. I WASN'T
EXPECTING THAT MANY, HONEST. THE OTHERS INSTANTLY HID IN THE
SAND AND ARE UNLIKELY TO MOVE ANYTIME SOON.'

- 'THEY'RE NOT RATIONAL CREATURES,' FATHER ADDED. 'JUST A

PURE PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTION.'

- 'A PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTION, YEAH?,' THE RAT MADE AN OBSCENE

GESTURE WITH HIS HAND AND LIPS, 'VERY ACCURATELY PUT ,' AND
BEGAN TO CHUCKLE AT HIS OWN WITTICISMS.

MARK WAS LOST IN HIS OWN UNHAPPY THOUGHTS, AND PAUL WHO
WAS KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE ON HIS FRIEND DIDN'T HAVE THE
COURAGE TO TEAR HIM AWAY FROM THEM. IN FACT PRIVATE LENNER
HAD FALLEN INTO A STRANGE SORT OF REVERIE, IN WHICH HE COULD
DISTINCTLY HEAR THE WORDS OF THE BATTLE-COMRADES
CLUSTERED ABOUT HIM, BUT HE SEEMED TO BE IN ANOTHER PLACE
ALSO, THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY, A PLACE FAR MORE VISIBLE TO
HIM THAN THE SURROUNDING WILDERNESS. HE RECALLED HIS FIRST
DAYS AS A YOUNG CADET AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY IN ENSARIANAN,
THE CAPITAL OF UBUNDER. A BEAUTIFUL, ULTRAMODERN CITY
WHOSE POPULATION WAS HUGE. THE FUTURISTIC DWELLINGS THAT
THE PEOPLE INHABITED WERE SHAPED LIKE BEAN PODS, HALF DRIVEN
INTO THE GROUND AND BORE THE NAME XENTAR. PERHAPS THE
GREATEST EQUALITY THAT COULD EXIST IN A HUMAN SOCIETY
REIGNED IN THIS CITY. THE ONLY INEQUALITY CAME FROM THE
INTERNAL PLOYS. THERE WAS NO DIVISION BY WEALTH,
BACKGROUND, OR SOCIAL STANDING. ALL THAT MATTERED WAS A

21
BROTHER'S WORD, HONESTY, VALOR, MANHOOD, WISDOM. THE CITY
WAS ENCIRCLED BY THREE KINDS OF DEFENSIVE WALLS. MAINLY
BECAUSE OF THE GUARRONS, AND BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS
UNFRIENDLY TO HUMANS CREATURES INHABITING THE PLANET .
NATURALLY, PEOPLE WERE CONSTANTLY DISCOVERING NEW AND
NEW OF THEM, EXPLORING PREVIOUSLY UNDISCOVERED PLACES.

MARK WAS VALEDICTORIAN OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS, AND UNDER

THE INFLUENCE OF HIS FATHER, HE HEADED OFF TO CADET SCHOOL.
HIS MOTHER DIDN'T QUITE AGREE WITH THIS, BUT SHE WASN'T ABOUT
TO INTERFERE IN THE FATHER-SON RELATIONSHIP. SHE KNEW VERY
WELL THAT MEN HAD A DIFFERENT , DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON
LIFE, AND THERE HAD BEEN RUMORS OF A BREWING W AR LATELY.
ACTUALLY, SUCH RANTS WERE NOT A NOVELTY, BUT THEY WERE
MORE LIKE A JOKE THAN SOMETHING REALLY SERIOUS. PRACTICALLY
EVERYONE SCOFFED SLIGHTLY BECAUSE THEY CONSIDERED THEM
UNREALISTIC TO SAY THE LEAST. ON THE OTHER HAND, INWARDLY
SOME MORE FARSIGHTED PEOPLE FEARED THAT THEY WOULD COME
TRUE, BUT DID NOT DARE TO VOICE THEIR DOUBTS OUT LOUD.

ONE EVENING MARK CAME HOME. THE TRUTH WAS THAT HE HAD
BEEN PUTTING OFF THIS MOMENT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT HERE IT WAS
AT LAST .
HE FOUND HIS PARENTS IN THE LIVING ROOM, WHERE THE
FIRE FROM THE FIREPLACE WAS CRACKLING MERRILY. W INTER WAS
COMING ON AND THE BLIZZARD WAS HOWLING FIERCELY OUTSIDE.

- MOM, DAD I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT A DECISION I'VE MADE.

HIS PARENTS LOOKED AT HIM WITH SOME CURIOSITY, BUT WAITED

FOR HIM TO TELL THEM HIS INTENTIONS.

- I'VE DECIDED TO ENTER THE ROYAL ACADEMY AS A CADET , I'VE

EVEN ALREADY SUBMITTED MY PAPERS.

THEY BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER. HIS FATHER NODDED

APPROVINGLY, BUT HIS MOTHER'S FACE SHOWED SOME CONCERN,
WHICH SHE TRIED TO HIDE. IT DIDN'T ESCAPE MARK'S GAZE.

22
- W HAT'S THE MATTER MUM, DON'T YOU LIKE THIS LINE OF WORK?
THINK YOU'LL SOON SEE ME DRESSED IN A SHINY CADET UNIFORM.
AND I'LL BE DEFENDING ENSARIANAN SOMEDAY.
- 'ON THE CONTRARY, YOUR MOTHER IS PLEASED, MY BOY,' REPLIED
HIS FATHER, GEORGE LENNER. 'ISN'T THAT RIGHT , DEAR? A
MILITARY CAREER HAS ALWAYS BEEN WORTHY OF RESPECT .'

- 'OF COURSE,' HIS MOTHER TRIED TO SMILE, BUT TRY AS SHE MIGHT ,
HER ANXIETY WAS EVIDENT. 'THAT ELOHY WANTS TO ATTACK US,
AND THAT ALL THE YOUTHS WILL SOON BE CALLED TO A GENERAL
MOBILIZATION.'

- 'IT'S JUST IDLE TALK, DEAR,' HER HUSBAND TRIED TO REASSURE

HER. 'AFTER ALL, PEOPLE CAN SAY WHAT THEY LIKE,' HE ADDED,
THOUGH HE DIDN'T SEEM QUITE SURE OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

MARK COULD SEE HIS PARENTS' SPLIT, THOUGH HIS FATHER'S

APPROVAL AND HIS MOTHER'S COVERT DISAPPROVAL WERE
EVIDENT . HE DECIDED TO TRY HIS LAST RESORT TO BE PROPERLY
UNDERSTOOD. HE PAUSED BRIEFLY TO SORT OUT HIS THOUGHTS
BEFORE BEGINNING. AND MAINLY TO BE MORE CONVINCING.

- EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THAT ALL MY CONSCIOUS LIFE

YOU HAVE WANTED TO RAISE ME TO BE A CONSCIENTIOUS AND
RESPONSIBLE PERSON W HO WILL ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCES OF
MY ACTIONS, WHETHER THEY ARE GOOD OR BAD. MY FRIEND KEITH,
WHOSE FATHER WORKS FOR THE ENSARIANAN MINISTRY OF THE
INTERIOR, HAS BEEN VISIBLY WORRIED LATELY.
HE'S OBLIGED TO
MAINTAIN COMPLETE CONFIDENTIALITY, BUT...

HIS PARENTS HAD LISTENED CAREFULLY TO HIS WORDS, AND EVEN

THE SEMI-DARK ROOM HAD TAKEN ON A SOMEWHAT SOLEMN AIR.

- 'ACCORDING TO WHAT KEITH HAS HEARD FROM VARIOUS OTHER

PLACES, WHICH HE DIDN'T WISH TO NAME,' MARK CONTINUED WITH
INCREASING CONFIDENCE, 'THE REASON THEY ATTACKED US HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH IDEOLOGIES OR UNDERSTANDINGS AT ALL, BUT
WITH OUR RICH DEPOSITS OF INTERRON FUEL AND ZENDORIAN

23
KEVLARITE, WHICH THEY DESPERATELY NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THEIR
MILITARY MIGHT IF THEY WANTED TO 'FLEX THEIR MUSCLES' WITH US,
AND ALSO TO SURVIVE THE GUARRON RAIDS. THE PROBLEM IS...

- 'THE PROBLEM IS?,' HIS MOTHER HALF-VOICED, HER EYES,

IMMERSED IN THE DARKNESS OF THE ROOM, REFLECTING THE
FLAMES FROM THE FIREPLACE LIKE A SMOOTH MIRROR SURFACE.

- 'THE PROBLEM IS THAT ,' THEY HAVE FAILED TO AGREE, ON THE

REDISTRIBUTION OF INFLUENCE IN THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF
SYNTHROS, WHERE THERE ARE MANY UNEXPLORED AREAS, SOME
OF WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN VAST DEPOSITS OF THE VITAL
RAW MATERIALS WE HAVE IN ABUNDANCE.

- 'THAT IS TO SAY, THE ISSUE IS MORE ECONOMIC,' HIS FATHER SAID,

WITH ONLY MILD IRONY. 'APPARENTLY, AS LONG AS THE WORLD
KEEPS TURNING, THINGS WON'T CHANGE MUCH.'

A SHIVER TICKLED DOWN HIS MOTHER'S BACK, SHE HAD A

PREMONITION THAT SHE WAS ABOUT TO HEAR THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING.

- LIKE I SAID, WITHOUT THE RAW MATERIALS VITAL TO THEM, THEY

WOULDN'T SURVIVE. THEIR CAPITAL CITY OF I MGRADON, THOUGH
WELL FORTIFIED NEEDED FRESH RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN ITS
FIGHTING CAPACITY.

- 'PERHAPS THE SITUATION IS NOT ENTIRELY HOPELESS AFTER ALL,'

SIGHED HIS FATHER, WHO HAD NOW BECOME COMPLETELY SERIOUS.

- FATHER, I'M AFRAID THINGS ARE EVEN WORSE. IF OUR TWO

OPPOSING CAMPS DON'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND WE THROW
OURSELVES INTO THIS SENSELESS WAR, THE ENTIRE HUMAN
POPULATION OF THE PLANET COULD BE WIPED OUT . AFTER THAT , WE
WILL BE TOO EXHAUSTED TO FIGHT OFF THE GUARRON ATTACKS.

- 'SO YOU AGREE TO GO TO THE SLAUGHTER?,' HIS MOTHER ASKED

QUITE SADLY, HER EYES FIXED ON NOTHING.

24
SOMETHING BURNED MARK INSIDE, BUT HE CONTROLLED HIMSELF
AND TURNED AWAY:

- LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, MUM, THE WAR WILL INEVITABLY BREAK OUT
TODAY OR TOMORROW . W OULD YOU RATHER I STAND IDLY BY AND
DIE UNDER THE RUBBLE OF OUR HOME INSTEAD OF DYING IN BATTLE
DEFENDING IT . THAT WAY AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE THE HOPE THAT
SOMETHING COULD STILL CHANGE AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT I WAS
DOING THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE I WOULD BE TAKING PART IN THAT
CHANGE MYSELF.

- 'YOU SEEM TO HAVE GROW N UP QUICKER THAN I THOUGHT ,' HIS

MOTHER PRONOUNCED IN A SLIGHTLY CHOKED VOICE.

- 'I AM PROUD TO BE THE FATHER OF A REAL MAN,' HIS FATHER STOOD

UP AND HUGGED HIM.

MARK NOTICED THAT TEARS GLISTENED IN HIS EYES. HE WAS UNDER

NO ILLUSIONS THAT IF A GENERAL MOBILISATION WAS INTRODUCED
THE RECRUITS WOULD BE SENT TO THE FRONT LINES AS CANNON
FODDER, BUT STRANGE AS IT WAS HE LONGED FOR THAT MOMENT.

SUDDENLY THE PICTURE IN HIS MIND SHIFTED AND HE WAS

TRANSPORTED TO A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE. A PLACE FAR MORE
SINISTER THAN THE IDYLLIC EVENING IN FRONT OF THEIR FAMILY
FIREPLACE.

^^^
- 'PRIVATE LENNER, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?,' A THICK BASS
VOICE CALLED OUT TO HIS RIGHT .

HE TURNED TO SEE HIS COMMANDER, LONG JACK, WEARING A DUST

AND MUD STAINED SPACESUIT AND CRAWLING ON THE GROUND LIKE
A WORM, HIDING BEHIND THE CORPSES OF SOLDIERS ALREADY
KILLED.

25
- 'I DON'T KNOW SIR, BUT THEY ARE TOO MANY. I DON'T THINK WE'RE
GOING TO MAKE IT .,' SHOUTED MARK INTO THE TRANSMITTER.

- W HATEVER IT COSTS US, WE MUST SUCCEED. MANY OF OUR OWN

DIED TO GIVE US A CHANCE TO GET OUT . W IGGLE YOUR ASS,
LENNER. THAT'S AN ORDER!

- 'FUCK HIM!,' GROWLED GRANDPA JACK AS AN AUTOMATIC PLASMA

BLAST SPLIT THE EARTH JUST INCHES FROM HIM.

- 'ARE YOU ALIVE, SIR?,' ASKED MARK AS IF IN A DAZE BETWEEN THE

SAVAGE BLASTS HE WAS SENDING AT THE ENEMY. HE HAD HIDDEN
BEHIND A LOW PILE OF STONES, WAITING FOR THE OPPORTUNE
MOMENT TO ROLL TO HIS NEXT COVER AT THE RISK OF HAVING HIS
SKULL BLOWN OPEN.

- 'SIR?,' MARK TRIED TO GET THROUGH AGAIN, AS THE RADIO HAD

GONE DEAD AND A THICK FOG WAS GATHERING AROUND HIM,
FORMED BY THE DUST THAT HAD RISEN.

- 'SIR, ARE YOU THERE?,' HE REPEATED AGAIN WITH A NOTE OF

DESPERATION IN HIS VOICE.

- 'DAMN IT, LENNER, IT WAS A CLOSE CALL,' LONG JACK GROANED

HEAVILY. 'KEEP GOING AS PLANNED.'

CHAOTIC RUNNING. W ANDERING. VERTIGO. CRUMPLED CORPSES

OF COMRADES. BLOOD! LOTS OF BLOOD! CORPSES OF ELOHYN
WARRIORS. OR RATHER, PARTS OF THEM! SCATTERED LIKE A
CARELESSLY ARRANGED JIGSAW PUZZLE, ARRANGED BY AN
UNFEELING HAND THAT CARES FOR NOTHING. BROKEN WARSHIPS,
COMPLETELY OUT OF COMMISSION. CRATERS FROM EXPLOSIONS.
TINNITUS. THE LULLABY OF DEATH. IS IT REALLY THAT CLOSE ? W HAT
IS THE LINE BETWEEN REALITY AND MADNESS? OR DOES NOTHING
EXIST AT ALL? IS IT POSSIBLE?

'YOU MUST SUCCEED, MARK, AT ALL COSTS. ONLY YOU HAVE THE
NECESSARY QUALITIES TO ENDURE TO THE END.,' HE HEARD
GENERAL W ALLACE'S VOICE IN HIS EARS. 'ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

26
RANK DOESN'T MATTER, FOR ALL ARE EQUAL BEFORE DEATH, AND
YOU HAVE NO FEAR OF IT.'

SUDDENLY SOMEONE SHOOK HIM ON THE SHOULDER. HE GASPED. IT

WAS THE RAT. THEY HAD LEFT HIM ON DUTY WHILE THE OTHERS
SLEPT, BUT HE WOULD SOON BE REPLACED BY ANOTHER.

- 'MARK,' HE HEARD HIS CONCERNED VOICE AND WAS SLIGHTLY

SURPRISED AT HIS TONE, 'WHATEVER YOU'VE SEEN, YOU SHOULD
GET SOME SLEEP. YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE GROUP WITHOUT A GUIDE.
IT'S ONLY FOUR HOURS UNTIL DAWN.'

THEN FATIGUE TOOK OVER AND HE CLOSED HIS EYES. AND FOR A
MOMENT , AT LEAST, HE WAS PLUNGED INTO UTTER EMPTINESS, INTO
COMPLETE OBLIVION, WHERE NO ONE AND NOTHING EXISTED!

EARLY IN THE MORNING THE FIGHTERS STIRRED. ALL WITHOUT

EXCEPTION WERE IN A MORE CHEERFUL MOOD THAN THE DAY
BEFORE, FOR THEY NOW HAD WATER FOR ABOUT A WEEK, AND THIS,
AT LEAST IN THEORY, INCREASED THEIR LIVES BY AS MUCH. THE SUN
SEEMED TO BE BAKING MORE MERCILESSLY THAN THE DAY BEFORE,
APPARENTLY INTENT ON MAKING UP FOR THE JOY OF EVERY DROP OF
WATER THEY HAD POURED INTO THEIR WATERSKINS.

THEY HADN'T MADE IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE CANYON YET, BUT
ACCORDING TO FATHER, THERE WASN'T LIKELY TO BE MUCH
FURTHER TO THE FAMOUS LANDORIAN PASS. LENDORIAN PASS.
THIS PLACE WAS SHROUDED IN MYSTERY, EVEN COMPLETE
MYSTERY. VIRTUALLY NO ONE ELSE IN THE GROUP HAD HEARD OF IT
BESIDES FATHER.

- 'COME ON, BOYS,' SAM W ALLACE MOTIONED TO THEM, GRINNING,

'THE BEACH IS OVER.'

THE GROUP LAUGHED, GETTING HIS JOKE.

- 'IT REALLY IS TIME,' PAUL CONFIRMED. 'FATHER WILL BE OUR GUIDE,

SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE BEFORE.'

27
- 'I'M NOT SAYING I'VE BEEN HERE EXACTLY, JUST THAT I'VE BEEN
AROUND THESE PARTS,' FATHER TOSSED IN, SEEMINGLY CASUALLY,
BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS HE FELT FLATTERED BY HIS WORDS.

- 'ENOUGH TALK,' RAT CUT THEM OFF QUIZZICALLY. 'DON'T YOU

WANT THOSE BIRDS TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE AND RAID US AGAIN?
W E'RE EASY TARGETS OUT HERE IN THE OPEN.'

THE REMAINING FEW HOURS PASSED IN NEAR SILENCE. EVERYONE

HAD THEIR ASSAULT RIFLES AT THE READY AND WERE MOVING IN A
TIGHT LINE, WITH THE CIVILIANS TRAILING BEHIND. STRANGE AS IT
WAS, NOTHING UNUSUAL HAPPENED TO STOP THEM IN THEIR
TRACKS.

AS THEY MOVED, MARK SURVEYED THE SURROUNDING HILLS OF RED

SANDSTONE AND LIMESTONE CLIFFS. ‘A RIVER MUST HAVE FLOW ED
HERE, THOUGH THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. BUT NOW IT HAS DRIED
UP, LIKE THE FUTURE OF MANKIND.’

PAUL, RAT, SAM, LONG JACK, AND FATHER PACED, THE LOOSE SAND
CRUNCHING UNDER THEIR FEET. THEY ALL KNEW THAT THEIR
CHANCES INCREASED THE FASTER THEY GOT OUT OF THE CANYON,
BUT THE UNKNOWN THAT AWAITED THEM IN THE MYSTERIOUS
PASSAGE DID NOT PARTICULARLY EXCITE THEM.

NEARLY FIVE HOURS PASSED AT A MEASURED SOLDIER'S GAIT.

- 'THERE, THAT THERE IN THE DISTANCE,' CRIED THE FATHER

SUDDENLY.

EVERYONE FIXED THEIR EYES AHEAD, EVEN THE CIVILIANS W HO

WERE TOTALLY FORGOTTEN BY THE GROUP. THE AIR TREMBLED
WITH THE HEAVY MARANA, LIKE MOLTEN LEAD.
NO MORE THAN TWO
HUNDRED YARDS AHEAD OF THEM, BEHIND A SMALL SAND DUNE,
WERE THE VAGUE OUTLINES OF HIGH CLIFFS. APPARENTLY THE
CANYON ENDED WITH THEM. HOWEVER, A CLOSER LOOK REVEALED
A RELATIVELY LARGE CAVE-LIKE HOLE THAT YAWNED DARK AND
FATHOMLESS. MARK REMEMBERED HIS LESSONS ABOUT BLACK
HOLES IN ASTRONOMY CLASS. THE COMPARISON WAS QUITE APT.

28
ACCORDING TO HIS TEACHER, CONCEPTS LIKE TIME AND SPACE
SIMPLY DIDN'T EXIST THERE. HOWEVER, IT WAS QUITE DIFFICULT TO
IMAGINE A BIG NOTHING, BECAUSE SUBCONSCIOUSLY THE HUMAN
BRAIN WAS TRYING TO TRANSFORM IT INTO SOMETHING, TO DRESS IT
UP IN SOME HUMAN NOTIONS THAT CLEARLY DID NOT CORRESPOND
TO REALITY. OR WAS REALITY JUST NOT THERE?

- 'W HAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?,' WAS THE FIRST THING GRANDPA
JACK CALLED.

- 'LET TWO OR THREE OF US GO FORWARD AND THE REST OF US

COVER THEM,' SUGGESTED RAT, 'PAUL'S A GOOD SNIPER, LET HIM
STAY AND WATCH OUR BACKS, THERE'S NO TELLING IF THE CALM
WE'VE HAD SO FAR HAS BEEN THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM.'

THE OTHERS APPROVED THE IDEA AND PAUL, ALONG WITH GRANDPA
JACK AND SAM W ALLACE TOOK UP A COMFORTABLE POSITION ON
THE DUNE FOR POSSIBLE OPENING FIRE. FORWARD WENT MARK, THE
RAT AND THE FATHER. AFTER ALL, WASN'T FATHER IN HIS OWN
WATERS? BUT THEY HAD BARELY TAKEN A FEW STEPS WHEN FATHER
SAID:

- DO YOU KNOW , BASS I CATCH THAT THIS HERE IS A MINEFIELD ? I

HAD HEARD ONCE THAT THOSE OF ULTRA CITY WERE RATHER
PECULIAR, THOUGH PEACE-LOVING, THEY LIKED TO BE QUITE
SHELTERED. IF WHAT I'VE HEARD IS TRUE, THE LENDORIAN PASS
WILL TAKE US CLOSE TO THE HERMETIC GATES OF THE CITY.

- 'W E'VE PLANTED OURSELVES NICELY, ALL RIGHT!,' MURMURED THE

RAT IN HIS TYPICAL STYLE, 'NOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIND THE
MINES?'

- 'THERE'S A WAY.,' FATHER STATED, NOT VERY CONFIDENTLY.

'THOUGH THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THOUGH.'

- 'AND WHAT IS IT?,' ASKED MARK, A LITTLE NERVOUS.

- 'W ELL, LET'S JUST SACRIFICE SOME OF THE CIVILIANS,' FATHER

VOICED HIS THOUGHT .

29
EVEN THE RAT LOOKED AT HIM A LITTLE SURPRISED AND ASKED:

- W ELL, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THE OTHERS TO FOLLOW US, SO

WE DON'T HAVE TO KILL THEM LATER TOO? THEY MIGHT PANIC AND
REFUSE TO MOVE.

- 'THEY WILL FOLLOW US WHEREVER THEY GO, THERE CAN BE NO

TURNING BACK, THEY SAW VERY WELL W HAT WE LEFT BEHIND US,'
FATHER ARGUED CALMLY.
HIS WORDS DEFINITELY HAD AN IMPACT ON THE OTHERS. IT REALLY
WAS PURE MADNESS FOR THE CIVILIANS TO TAKE THE RETURN ROUTE
ALONE, AFTER SEEING WITH THEIR OWN EYES HOW THE GROUP
BARELY ESCAPED THE DANGERS AT THE COST OF SO MANY
CASUALTIES. IT WAS SIMPLY UNTHINKABLE!

- 'YOU MEAN WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM IN A COMPLETE

STANDOFF?,' ASKED MARK.

- EXACTLY. THEY ACTUALLY ARE. NEITHER CAN RETREAT BACK, LET

ALONE RETURN TO THEIRS. YOU KNOW THAT THE MILITARY
TRIBUNAL OF I MGRADON WILL ISSUE DEATH SENTENCES TO THEM
DIRECTLY. JUST THINK, IF EVEN ONE MANAGES TO GET THROUGH
WITHOUT ACTIVATING A SINGLE CHARGE, THEN WE WILL VERY
CAREFULLY LEAVE, TREADING RIGHT IN HIS FOOTSTEPS. MINES ARE
SENSOR MINES, WE HAVE TO PRAY THAT SOMEONE DOESN'T GET A
HAND OR FOOT OVER THE AIRSPACE OF ONE.

- 'IF WE'RE LUCKY, WE MIGHT HIT THE JACKPOT WITH THE FIRST ONE.,'
RAT GRINNED IN HIS TYPICAL STYLE. 'AFTER ALL, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN
MUCH USE TO US SO FAR.'

- 'W E'LL HAVE TO CHOOSE WHICH ONE IT 'LL BE THOUGH.,' MARK

ADDED. 'W E'LL RANK THEM IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.

- 'TELL THE NEW RECRUITS TO BRING THEM HERE.,' THE FATHER

TURNED TO THE RAT.

30
RAT RAN BACK, SIGNALING TO PAUL AND THE OTHERS W HO WERE ON
THE DUNE THAT ALL WAS WELL FOR NOW .

AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE RECRUITS BROUGHT THE TORTURED

CAPTIVES HOME. IT WAS ACTUALLY A DOZEN ELOHYN WARRIORS,
BUT OF MINOR RANKS, THEY WERE WORTH PRACTICALLY NOTHING.
GENERAL JACOB W ALLACE'S REASON FOR ORDERING MARK TO LET
THEM LIVE WAS MORE THAN PRACTICAL. THE THING WAS, WHEN HE
AND GRANDPA JACK HAD BEEN CRAWLING AROUND XANDERAR,
WHICH HAD BEEN TURNED INTO A VERITABLE BATTLEFIELD DUE TO
THE CONFLICT OF THE TWO ARMIES, THE TWO OF THEM HAD
KNOCKED OUT THE HEROES IN QUESTION, WHO WERE DEFENDING A
SMALL FORTIFICATION WITH A LASER LAUNCHER, AND HAD TAKEN
THEIR PLASMA RIFLES BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THEM DESPERATELY.
OF COURSE, THEY HAD TO KILL SOME OF THEM. BUT THE REST, ON
GENERAL JACOB'S ADVICE, WERE USED AS COVER SO THEY COULD
GET ACROSS THE HEAVILY GUARDED BORDER WITH SYNTHROS,
WHICH, IN THEORY AT LEAST , WAS KEPT AUTONOMOUS BY
ELOHIARIAN TROOPS. MARK AND LONG JACK HAD TAKEN THE NAME
BADGES OF SEVERAL SLAIN WARRIORS, FIGURING THAT IN THE
COMMOTION THE BORDER GUARDS WOULDN'T BE SO CAREFUL. THE
PLOY HAD WORKED IN THE END. THE RICKETY SPEEDER THAT OUR
‘ELOHYN’ FIGHTERS HAD CRAMMED INTO ALONG WITH THE REAL
ONES HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE TRIPLE LASER FIREWALL, WHICH
HAD BEEN BRIEFLY DISABLED BY THE NAIVE PATROLLERS WHO,
AFTER A QUICK CHECK OF A FEW OF THE REAL ELOHYN FIGHTERS'
BADGES, HADN'T BOTHERED TO CHECK THE REST . THIS WAS
GREATLY HELPED BY THE EXPLANATION MARK HAD PUSHED , WHICH
SEEMED QUITE PLAUSIBLE TO THEM. HE ASSERTED THAT GENERAL
JIN PALEY, THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ELOHIAST FORCES,
HAD PERSONALLY SENT THEM ON A SPECIAL MISSION TO LIAISE WITH
THE UNITS OF THESECOND ELOHIAST ARMY STATIONED ON THE
SOUTHERN FRONT IN THE SINTHROS AREA, AND THAT EVERY MINUTE
WAS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN CARRYING OUT THIS
IMPORTANT MISSION.

31
MARK NOW RECALLED ALL THESE DETAILS AS HE SAW THE ENEMY
SOLDIERS FACING HIM. THEIR APPEARANCE WAS MORE PITIFUL EVEN
THAN THAT OF HIS OWN MEN, FOR THE ELOHIASTS WERE NOT
RECEIVING THEIR REGULAR RATION OF WATER. THEY WERE GRIM,
THEIR EYES STARING BLANKLY INTO NOTHINGNESS.

- 'AND SO, LADS,' THE FATHER BEGAN, 'WHICH OF YOU WILL PASS
FIRST ALONG THE TRACK?'

AT FIRST THEY DIDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS SAYING,

BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS ONE OF THEM SAID TORTUREDLY:

- W HAT DO YOU REALLY WANT FROM US? W HERE THE HELL ARE YOU
TAKING US?

- 'W HAT'S YOUR NAME, BOY?,' ASKED MARK.

- 'W ESTNER,' REPLIED THE OTHER, LANGUIDLY AND APATHETICALLY.

- 'OKAY, W ESTNER, HERE'S THE DEAL,' MARK CONTINUED. 'YOU

KNOW VERY WELL THAT THERE'S NO TURNING BACK FOR YOU, SO I'M
OFFERING YOU THE FOLLOWING DEAL THAT YOU CAN'T REFUSE. I
WANT YOU TO CAREFULLY WALK THOSE TWO HUNDRED YARDS ALL
THE WAY TO THAT HOLE IN THE ROCKS, CAREFULLY LEAVING DEEPER
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME ?'

- 'AND IF I REFUSE?,' STRETCHED W ESTNER.

- 'THEN WE'LL BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT RIGHT HERE LIKE A DOG!,'
SNARLED THE FATHER, A LITTLE UNNERVED BY ALL THIS STALLING.

- 'BUT IF YOU PASS,' MARK ADDED, 'WE'LL INCREASE YOUR DAILY

WATER RATION.'

THE SOLDIER LICKED HIS CHAPPED LIPS, GLANCED BACK AT HIS

COMRADES, WHO HAD FIXED QUESTIONING EYES ON HIM, AND AFTER
A FEW SECONDS OF INNER STRUGGLE SAID:

- ALL RIGHT, I ACCEPT.

32
- 'STAND BACK, BOYS,' THE FATHER MOTIONED TO THEM, 'BECAUSE
THERE MAY BE A BIG 'BOOM!'

THE GROUP RETREATED BACK TO THE DUNE AND HUNKERED DOWN

AWAITING THE OUTCOME.

W ESTNOR STRODE FORWARD SLOWLY, PICKING THE BEST PATH. HE

HAD ALMOST REACHED THE OPENING IN THE ROCKS WHEN A
POWERFUL EXPLOSION TORE HIM APART . PIECES OF HIS BODY FLEW
IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND WHERE THEY THUDDED NEW
EXPLOSIONS FOLLOWED.

MARK, PAUL, AND THE OTHERS BARELY MANAGED TO LAND BEFORE

THE SHOCKWAVE REACHED THEM.

- 'FUCK HIM,' FATHER GROWLED, 'BIRDS AND CACTI WERE CHILD'S

PLAY COMPARED TO THESE MINES.'

- 'LET'S HOPE MOST OF THEM AT LEAST BLEW UP,' RAT SAID IN AN

ANGRY TONE. 'W HAT DO YOU THINK, GRANDPA JACK?,' HE ADDED
SUDDENLY.

- 'I THINK WE'D BETTER RISK ANOTHER ONE GOING TO THE VERY END
BY EXACTLY THE SAME ROUTE,' SUGGESTED GRANDPA JACK.

- 'LET US GO, DAMN YOU,' THE

ELOHYNS CRIED. 'W E'D RATHER DIE
BY THOSE VILE CACTI THAN SERVE YOUR FILTHY EXPERIMENTS.'

- 'THEN LET'S FINISH THIS RIGHT NOW , YEAH?,' THE FATHER PULLED
DOWN THE SAFETY OF THE MACHINE GUN WITH A THREATENING
GESTURE. 'W E'VE ALREADY WASTED OVER TWO HOURS ON
NONSENSE.'

FACED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF INSTANT DEATH, THE CAPTURED

WARRIORS SOBERED. THERE WERE MURMURS LIKE 'W HAT ARE WE
GOING TO DO, SO AND SO WILL DIE!', 'LET'S SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE
NOT AFRAID OF DEATH' AND SO ON. THIS WENT ON FOR A FEW
MINUTES, UNTIL SUDDENLY A WISHER CAME OUT AND SAID:

- HELL, I'LL DO IT, AT LEAST I'LL KNOW I DIED LIKE A MAN.

33
- 'YOU JUST DO IT , FROM THEN ON YOU'LL RISE IN OUR EYES,' RAT
LAUGHED IRONICALLY.

- 'IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO PROVE YOURSELF,' MARK ALLOWED

HIM. 'THE OFFER OF WATER RATIONS STANDS.'

THE MAN SCRAMBLED DOW N THE DUNE AND LANDED CAREFULLY ON

THE GROUND BELOW . A SMALL CLOUD OF DUST ROSE FROM HIS
FOOTSTEPS. HE LOOKED AROUND. THE SPACE HAD DEFINITELY
TAKEN ON THE APPEARANCE OF A BATTLEFIELD BECAUSE OF THE
MANY DETONATIONS. SHALLOW CRATERS OF 1-2 METERS HAD
OPENED HERE AND THERE DUE TO THE POWER OF THE EXPLOSIONS.
THE SOLDIER WAS AWARE THAT IF HE HOOKED EVEN ONE MINE, IT
WOULD BE THE LAST THING IN HIS LIFE, YET HE HAD NO CHOICE. ‘YOU
SERVE YOUR COUNTRY!’ HIS FATHER HAD ONCE SAID. ‘A MAN NEVER
CRIES AND KEEPS ON GOING NO MATTER WHAT ,’ HE REMEMBERED
HOW HE HAD ENCOURAGED HIM WHEN HE CALLED HOME ONCE A
WEEK ON THE ULTRAS DURING THE FIRST AND WORST WEEKS IN THE
BARRACKS. NOW HE DEFINITELY HAD TO SHOW IN PRACTICE THAT HE
HAD DRAWN ON HIS PARENT'S WISDOM. PLUS HE COULD HELP HIS
COMRADES SURVIVE. AFTER ALL, BY ACTING NOW , HE WOULD GIVE
THEM HOPE. HE WAS AWARE OF THE PARADOX OF THE CURRENT
SITUATION, FIGHTING FOR THEIR HOMELAND, THEY WOULD BE
DECLARED COWARDS AND DESERTERS IF THEY SUCCEEDED IN
RETURNING. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE RETURN ITSELF WAS ALSO
IMPOSSIBLE.

- 'COME ON, MY BOY, WE HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY,' HE HEARD A VOICE

FROM THE HEIGHT OF THE DUNE BEHIND HIM, BUT HE COULDN'T
PINPOINT EXACTLY WHO IT BELONGED TO, FOR THE TENSION WITHIN
HIM WAS HAVING ITS SAY. HE COULD FEEL THE BEADS OF SWEAT
TRICKLING DOWN HIS FOREHEAD AND THE BUZZING IN HIS HEAD
INTENSIFYING. IT WAS AS IF EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF HIS EYES
BEGAN TO HAPPEN IN SLOW MOTION AND THE PICTURE FLICKERED
LIKE THE FOOTAGE ON AN OLD VIDEO CAMERA.

SLOWLY BUT SURELY HE BEGAN TO FOLLOW THE SAME ROUTE AS

THE UNFORTUNATE W ESTNER, WHEN SUDDENLY HE NOTICED A

34
HALF-ERODED MINE AHEAD OF HIM, BARELY VISIBLE BECAUSE OF THE
CLODS OF SANDY EARTH AROUND IT .

HE STOPPED AND SHOUTED BACK:

- THERE'S SOMETHING HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE A SPUNDLER MODEL 392
MINE. I THINK I CAN DEFUSE IT IF I HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS.

- 'HEY, RUSSELL, WEREN'T YOU A BOMB SQUAD?,' THE RAT TURNED

TO ONE OF THE RECRUITS.

- 'I'M NOT VERY SKILLED, SIR,' THE OTHER MAN SPUTTERED, NOW OUT
OF SURPRISE, NOW OUT OF FEAR THAT HE MIGHT BE BLOWN UP BY
THE MINE IF HE ACCEPTED.

- 'CHARGE,' WAVED HIS HAND CONTEMPTUOUSLY AT THE FATHER,

'GIVE HIM A PAIR OF SAPPER'S PLIERS AND A CLIP FOR THE
DETONATOR PIN.'

GRANDPA JACK TOOK THE THINGS, WRAPPED THEM IN A PIECE OF

CLOTH, RAN DOWN THE DUNE AND CAREFULLY TOSSED THEM TO THE
ELOHYN, THEN WENT BACK. AS UNNERVING AS THE W HOLE
SITUATION WAS, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CURIOSITY HAD TAKEN HOLD
OF EVERYONE.

THEY COULD CLEARLY SEE THE SOLDIER HAD HIS BACK TURNED TO
THEM AND WAS FUMBLING WITH SOMETHING IN FRONT OF HIM. THEY
COULDN'T CLEARLY MAKE OUT THE MINE BECAUSE OF THE PILES OF
DIRT AROUND IT .

SEVERAL AGONIZING AND TENSE MINUTES PASSED. TO EVERYONE'S

DELIGHT , NO DETONATION FOLLOW ED.

THE SOLDIER SIGNALLED TO THEM THAT IT WAS SAFE TO COME

DOWN. OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, MARK DECIDED TO SEE
IF HE WAS TRYING TO TRAP THEM AND IN HIS DESPERATION BLOW
EVERYONE UP, INCLUDING HIMSELF. SO HE SENT GRANDPA JACK
AND RUSSELL, WHO AFTER ALL WAS OFFICIALLY A BOMB DISPOSAL
OFFICER, TO SEE IF THE MINE WAS INDEED DEFUSED.

35
- 'IT'S REALLY ALL RIGHT ,' RUSSELL CALLED OUT . 'THE COLLEAGUE
HAD DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB.'

- 'YES, UNLIKE YOU,' FATHER MUTTERED, STRIDING WITH MARK AND

THE OTHERS TOWARDS THEM.

RUSSELL PRETENDED NOT TO HAVE HEARD HIM.

MARK WALKED OVER AND LOOKED AROUND THE MINE. IT WAS A

ROUND PIECE OF STRANGE METAL ALLOY WITH A DIGITAL DETONATOR
ATTACHED. FATHER NOTICED THE ARTFULLY CUT FIBER OPTICS
CONNECTING THE DETONATOR TO THE EXPLOSIVE AND ASKED:

- HOW DID YOU FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT MINE WAS, I'VE NEVER SEEN
ONE LIKE IT ?

- 'I WAS A SAPPER IN THE NINTH COMPANY BEFORE YOU CAPTURED

ME,' THE SOLDIER REPLIED.

- 'YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY A VALUABLE CADRE,' NOTED WITH OBVIOUS

RESPECT FATHER.

- 'YOU'VE EARNED YOUR WATER RATION, BOYS,' MARK CONFIRMED,

'AND I STAND BY MY WORD.'

- 'AND DON'T FORGET , WHAT DID YOU SAY YOUR NAME WAS?,'
SUDDENLY INTERJECTED PAUL, WHO HAD BEEN SILENT ALL THIS
TIME.

- 'DURNYAM,' REPLIED THE OTHER, A LITTLE SURPRISED.

PAUL MADE NO REPLY, ONLY SHOOK HIS HEAD THOUGHTFULLY.
DURNYAM. THAT NAME, THOUGH DISTANT , SOUNDED FAMILIAR, BUT
HE COULD NOT REMEMBER WHERE HE HAD HEARD IT...?

LOOKED AT CLOSELY, THE HOLE DIDN'T LOOK MUCH LIKE A CAVE.

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT MADE YOUR HEART RACE
AND YOUR WORLD SPIN. THE OPENING WAS AS DARK AS PITCH OR
TAR, AND NO MATTER HOW HARD THE EYES STARED, THEY COULDN'T
MAKE OUT ANYTHING IN DEPTH. IT WAS AS IF A THICK BARRIER

36
PREVENTED IT FROM HAPPENING. MARK AND THE OTHERS W ERE
HUDDLED A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY A FEW YARDS TO THE SIDE.

- 'W AS IT REALLY LEADING TO THE POLIS?,' THE RAT VOICED HIS

CONCERNS.

GRANDPA JACK HAD MOVED CLOSER TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT

HER, BUT HE HAD HIS ASSAULT RIFLE AT THE READY. IT WAS
DEFINITELY A STRANGE HOLE, NO ONE DISPUTED THAT , SO HE
RETURNED TO THE GROUP, ACKNOWLEDGING THE OBVIOUSNESS OF
THAT FACT .

- 'BUT ISN'T IT A PORTAL TO ANOTHER DIMENSION ?,' INTERJECTED

SAM W ALLACE.
THE OTHERS LOOKED AT HIM IN AMAZEMENT , BUT AFTER ALL THE
MISHAPS THEY COULD BELIEVE ANYTHING.

- 'ACCORDING TO THE LEGENDS,' THE FATHER BEGAN, 'THIS IS THE

DREAM GATE. W HOEVER PASSES THROUGH IT SEES HIS WORST
NIGHTMARES. OF COURSE THEY ARE NOT REAL, BUT ONLY A
SIMULATION THAT THE ULTRAS HAVE INVENTED FOR SOME REALLY
INSISTENT INTRUDER. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE ALREADY
OVERCOME THREE OBSTACLES AND NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME THAT
THEY WERE AN ACCIDENT. THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY
COINCIDENCES.'

- 'SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE INSIDE?,' MUTTERED RUSSELL

THE RECRUIT . HE WAS A HANDSOME AND SLENDER YOUNG MAN,
WITH A GOOD-NATURED EXPRESSION THAT SAID FROM MILES AWAY
THAT HE WAS NOT BORN TO BE A SOLDIER, BUT CIRCUMSTANCES HAD
MADE HIM ONE.

- 'FATHER HAS ALREADY SAID,' PAUL INTERJECTED. 'BUT I THINK IT'S

POSSIBLE THAT 'S NOT TRUE AT ALL. IT COULD BE A GATEWAY TO...'

- 'DON'T GET SUPERSTITIOUS, PAUL,' RAT GROWLED QUIZZICALLY,

'W HATEVER IT IS, IT'S THE WAY.'

37
BUT EVERYONE WAS WORRIED. THEY HAD FOUGHT MATERIAL
THINGS BEFORE, AND NOW THEY WERE ABOUT TO FACE SOMETHING
RADICALLY DIFFERENT - THEIR VERY FEARS.
- 'I'LL BE FIRST,' MARK DECLARED, AND HE SLIPPED INTO THE HOLE,
THE DARKNESS SWALLOW ING HIM.

- 'I'M COMING, MY FRIEND,' PAUL SAID AND FOLLOWED HIM.

HE WAS FOLLOWED BY RAT, FATHER, RUSSELL, GRANDPA JACK,
SAM W ALLACE AND THE REST ...

CHAPTER TWO: THE VISION

THE FIRST MOMENT A MAN DIES HE FEELS NOTHING. HE IS BODILESS,

HE IS IMMATERIAL ENERGY IN THIS WHOLE VACUUM. HE IS
EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE AT THE SAME TIME. THAT IS EXACTLY
THE FEELING OF OUR HEROES. IN FACT , THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE
SLIGHTEST IDEA OF EXACTLY WHERE THEY HAD ENDED UP.

- 'W HERE THE HELL ARE WE?,' BLURTED PAUL. THIS WAS QUITE
UNCHARACTERISTIC OF HIM, BUT EVEN HE WAS FORCED TO ADMIT
THAT THIS PLACE DEFIED ALL DESCRIPTION.
THEY WERE LITERALLY
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. OR MAYBE THEY HAD ALREADY
BECOME NOTHING THEMSELVES. HOW CAN ONE BECOME NOTHING?
THAT THOUGHT ALONE WAS STARTLING.
- 'IS EVERYONE OKAY?,' ASKED MARK, NOT SEEING OR HEARING THE
OTHERS, BUT GETTING NO ANSWER. NOT EVEN A SOUND CAME FROM
HIS THROAT , AS IF HE WERE MUTE.

- 'W HAT THE HELL IS GOING ON ?,' THE RAT SCREAMED, REALIZING HE
WAS ACTUALLY HEARING HIS OWN THOUGHTS, AND HE HADN'T EVEN
OPENED HIS MOUTH.

38
- 'BOYS, WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?,' SCREAMED GRANDPA JACK AT
THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS.

- 'W HY, THAT'S ODD,' SAM W ALLACE VOICED HIS SURPRISE ALOUD.
'THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE,'
THOUGHT FATHER, NOT MAKING A SOUND, AND EVEN IF HE WANTED
TO HE FELT HE COULDN'T.

ONLY PAUL HAD SUNK INTO SUCH A REVERIE THAT HE COULDN'T

EVEN THINK. IN FACT , RIGHT NOW HE COULD HARDLY DO ANYTHING.

SUDDENLY, LIKE A FLASH, A PICTURE CREPT INTO HIS MIND, THE

IMAGE WAS RATHER HAZY. IT LOOKED LIKE A VIEW THROUGH A
FOGGED-UP CAR WINDSHIELD. PAUL REMEMBERED THAT HE HAD
SEEN SOME SIMILAR ILLUSTRATIONS IN AN E-BOOK WHEN HE WAS
YOUNG. APPARENTLY HIS BRAIN WAS MAKING THAT ASSOCIATION
QUITE APTLY. SUDDENLY HE SAW SOMETHING THAT WAS DEFINITELY
NOT FAMILIAR TO HIM. A YOUNG WOMAN, QUITE BEAUTIFUL AND
SLENDER. STRANDS OF HAIR WERE SCATTERED ACROSS HER FACE,
BUT HE COULD SEE IT CLEARLY BECAUSE A BOLT OF LIGHTNING
ANGRILY SLICED THROUGH THE SKY. THE WOMAN LOOKED AROUND
FEARFULLY, AS IF AFRAID SOMEONE MIGHT SEE HER. BECOMING AN
UNWILLING SPECTATOR OF THE WHOLE SCENE, PAUL FELT A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF CURIOSITY. HER FIGURE WAS WEARING A CAPE, NO
PROTECTIVE SUIT OR ANYTHING, AND WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEMI-
DARK ALLEY. THE SILHOUETTE OF THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF HER
LOOKED MENACING. SUDDENLY, SHE STARTED TO CLIMB THE FEW
STEPS THAT LED UP TO THE FRONT DOOR OF SAID BUILDING. HER
DELICATE LITTLE HAND PRESSED FIRMLY AND GENTLY ON THE
HANDLE AND THE DOOR CREAKED OPEN. SOMETHING IN PAUL'S MIND
SEEMED TO BREAK, AND STRANGELY WHY THAT CREAK MADE HIS
WHOLE SOUL SHUDDER. W HO WAS SHE REALLY? AND WHY DID HE
HAVE TO WATCH ALL THIS? BUT WHATEVER WAS CAUSING THIS
VISION, IT WAS CLEAR THAT HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT PAUL'S OPINIONS
OR DESIRES. SO HE CONTINUED TO WATCH WHAT WOULD FOLLOW .

39
IN FACT , BESIDES BEING A BACKWATER, THE ALLEY IN QUESTION
SEEMED COMPLETELY DESERTED. THE RAIN CONTINUED TO FALL.
THE RAINDROPS LOOKED LIKE SHARP DAGGERS PIERCING THE DARK
EARTH. THE WINDOWS OF THE BUILDING CAST A DIM LIGHT ONTO THE
STREET AND LOOKED LIKE THE EYES OF SOME TERRIFYING BEAST .
PAUL WATCHED AS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ACTUALLY SEEMED TO
HAPPEN FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY. FINALLY THE YOUNG
WOMAN CAME OUT , HOLDING HER STOMACH WITH HER HAND,
OBVIOUSLY IN PAIN. EVERY MOVEMENT PRESENTED A DIFFICULTY
FOR HER, AND IT WAS APPARENT EVEN UNDER THE TIGHT CAPE THAT
ENVELOPED HER BODY. ONLY NOW DID IT BEGIN TO OCCUR TO PAUL
THAT THE BUILDING IN QUESTION RESEMBLED A HOSPITAL. AS IF TO
CONFIRM HIS FEARS, A TERRIBLE BOLT OF LIGHTNING ILLUMINATED
HER SIGN, ‘ST. JOSEPH'S CLINIC,’ SPELLED OUT IN STRANGE AND
EVEN FRIGHTENING GOTHIC LETTERS.

SUDDENLY THE WHOLE PICTURE DIMMED, LIKE A REFLECTION IN

WATER THAT HAS BEEN SHATTERED BY A STONE THROWN AT IT . PAUL
FELT SOME FORCE TRYING TO TEAR HIM AWAY FROM HERE. SOME
DISTANT VOICE, INSISTENTLY CALLING HIS NAME, URGING HIM ON.

- PAUL, PAUL, WAKE UP, PAUL.

THE VOICE WAS STRANGELY REMINISCENT OF MARK'S, BUT
DIFFERENT . PAUL LISTENED INTENTLY. NO IT WASN'T MARK'S VOICE,
THERE WAS SOMETHING STRANGE AND INHUMAN ABOUT IT.

- ONLY THE PURE IN HEART COME THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE.

ONLY THEY GET TO THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH.

- 'W HO ARE YOU? OR WHAT ?,' THE SNIPER TRIED TO SPEAK IN A

CALM VOICE. 'AND IS ALL THIS HERE REAL AT ALL?'

- 'IT COULDN'T BE MORE REAL, PAUL.,' THE VOICE REPLIED WITH A

SUBTLE SNEER.

- 'W HAT HAPPENED TO MY FRIENDS?,' ZOLSKY SOUNDED A LITTLE

NERVOUS NOW .

40
- 'YOUR FRIENDS ARE NOT YOUR CONCERN NOW , PAUL.,' THE VOICE
REPLIED SERIOUSLY WITH SOME TENSION. 'BUT THEY'RE FINE...FOR
NOW .'

- W HAT DO YOU MEAN ?

- EVERYTHING IN ITS TIME, EVERYTHING IN ITS TIME. THE ONLY THING

I CAN TELL YOU AT THIS POINT IS THAT YOUR PART IN THIS WHOLE
THING MAY BE A LOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK.

^^^

PAUL WOKE UP IN AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE. IN FACT , HE COULDN'T

EVEN TELL WHERE HE WAS, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS AWAKE. ALL
AROUND HIM, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT DARKNESS, FRIGHTENING
AND OPPRESSIVE, BUT A BRIGHT LIGHT THAT ENVELOPED HIM LIKE A
THICK CURTAIN. NO MATTER HOW MANY THINGS PAUL HAD SEEN,
THE CURRENT SIGHT COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED HIM. IT WAS
UTTERLY UNEARTHLY, OR RATHER UNZEGANDARIAN, FOR MANKIND
HAD LONG SINCE MIGRATED TO DISTANT PLANETS AND LEFT EARTH.
W AS THIS THE OTHER DIMENSION THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT IN
CADET SCHOOL WITH MARK? IN FACT, THE ELITE SNIPERS, HAD MORE
INTENSIVE STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE, AS THERE
THEY STUDIED THE 26-DIMENSIONAL MODEL FOR ITS STRUCTURE,
WHICH HAD LONG BEEN PROVEN. BUT IF ALL THAT WERE TRUE,
THEN...

- 'THAT'S RIGHT, PAUL. NOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY ONLY YOU

WENT THROUGH THE PORTAL WHILE THE OTHERS COULDN'T AND ARE
NOW IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACE. AND IT'S FAR FROM JUST
BECAUSE YOU'RE SO PERCEPTIVE, PAUL. THERE'S SOMETHING
SPECIAL ABOUT YOU,' THE VOICE CONTINUED, THE SAME ONE THAT
HAD SPOKEN TO HIM WHILE HE WAS...OH, DAMN, IT WAS ALL SO
MESSED UP...

NO MATTER HOW MUCH PAUL LOOKED AROUND, HIS GAZE COULDN'T

PENETRATE THE DENSE VEIL OF LIGHT , BUT STRANGELY ENOUGH,
DESPITE ITS BRIGHTNESS, IT DIDN'T IRRITATE HIS EYES.

41
- 'THIS BETTER NOT BE THE AFTERLIFE,' PAUL BARELY MUTTERED,
AWARE THAT THE LINE SOUNDED SOMEWHAT COMICAL.

- PAUL, PAUL...HAVEN'T YOU LEARNED ANYTHING...W HAT IS THE

AFTERLIFE AND WHAT IS REALITY, WHO CAN SAY?

- PAUL STARTED TO RETORT, BUT THOUGHT BETTER OF IT AND

ASKED:

- W HY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO TALK IN RIDDLES? TELL ME AT LEAST

ONE THING STRAIGHT TO MY FACE!

- 'I ALREADY TOLD YOU THIS THING, PAUL.,' THE VOICE ANSWERED
SOMEWHAT INDEFINITELY. 'W HAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ?,' HE
ADDED, SOMEWHAT SUDDENLY AND MORE SOFTLY.

- W HERE EXACTLY ARE WE?

- 'ACTUALLY, WE ARE BOTH VERY NEAR AND VERY FAR FROM YOUR
FRIENDS AT THE SAME TIME,' THE VOICE ADDED.

- 'I TAKE IT THAT MEANS THAT IT'S UP TO ME TO GO BACK TO THEM?,'

BEGAN PAUL HESITANTLY.

- THAT'S RIGHT. YOU KNOW THAT NOTHING IS LOST IN THE UNIVERSE.

AND IN FACT, AS MUCH AS YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT , YOU'RE
HALF A METER AWAY FROM MARK AND THE OTHERS RIGHT NOW , BUT
YOU CAN'T SEE THEM, HEAR THEM, OR FEEL THEM...

- ALTHOUGH PAUL WAS BEGINNING TO FIGURE SOME THINGS OUT, HE

STILL COULDN'T PUT THE PUZZLE TOGETHER IN HIS HEAD, BUT WHO
COULD?

- 'SO MY VISION LED ME HERE?,' THE SNIPER TRIED TO CONTINUE THE

INTERRUPTED CONVERSATION.

- 'NOT EXACTLY, BUT YOU COULD SAY THAT,' THE VOICE STATED
CALMLY.

42
- AND I AM ASKED TO CHANGE SOMETHING IN THE VISION, OR RATHER
TO FIND OUT WHAT INFLUENCE THE EVENTS IN IT HAVE HAD?

THE VOICE WAS SILENT , BUT PAUL TOOK THAT AS A SIGN OF

AGREEMENT .

^^^

SUDDENLY PAUL FELT SOMEONE SHAKING HIM. IT WAS MARK. AND

HE WAS TENSE. PAUL RUBBED HIS EYES WITH HIS HAND. THE OTHERS
WERE STANDING AROUND, LOOKING AT HIM WITH SOME CONCERN,
AND RAT WAS GIVING HIM A HEAD COMPRESS. HE COULD STILL SEE
A LITTLE BLURRY, BUT HIS VISION SEEMED TO BE COMING INTO
FOCUS. W HEN IT WAS POSSIBLE TO SEE FAIRLY CLEARLY, HE LOOKED
AROUND. THEY WERE STILL IN THE DARK CAVE, BUT A BRIGHT DOT
WAS VISIBLE IN THE DISTANCE.

- HE'D BEEN UNCONSCIOUS FOR ALMOST A WHOLE DAY, MARK

ADDED. WE THOUGHT WE'D LOST YOU. AND WE COULDN'T GO ON
WITHOUT OUR SNIPER.

- 'THAT'S RIGHT,' FATHER INTERJECTED.

SAM W ALLACE, GRANDPA JACK, THE RAT, RUSSELL AND THE

OTHERS PATROLLED AROUND WITH ASSAULT RIFLES IN THEIR HANDS,
FOR NO ONE KNEW WHAT MIGHT BE RAINING DOW N ON THEIR HEADS.

- 'W HAT'S THE MATTER?,' SAID PAUL, WITH ANGUISH.

- 'THE DEVIL KNOWS,' MUTTERED THE FATHER, WHO IN THE EYES OF

THE GROUP PASSED FOR A CONNOISSEUR OF THESE THINGS, OR AT
LEAST THE IMPASSE THEY WERE IN MADE THEM THINK HE WAS, 'BUT
THIS PLACE OBEYS NO LAWS OF PHYSICS, NEITHER NORMAL NOR
SPECIAL PHYSICS.'

43
SUDDENLY WE WERE ALL JUST AS FROZEN, AS IF WE WERE HELPLESS
PLAYTHINGS IN THE HANDS OF SOME HIGHER BEING.

THERE WAS A MOMENT'S SILENCE. PAUL WAS TRYING TO GATHER HIS

THOUGHTS IN HIS BRAIN, FOGGY FROM THIS OVEREXERTION.

AND SUDDENLY HE UTTERED:

- I SAW IT.

- 'W HAT?,' ROARED GRANDPA JACK IN A TONE THAT MADE THE

UTTERLY INNOCUOUS WORD SOUND ALMOST LIKE A CURSE.

- ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T SEE IT ...I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED

EITHER, BUT WHILE I WAS UNCONSCIOUS I HAD A VISION , I WAS
ENVELOPED BY A WHITE LIGHT , LIKE A CURTAIN, AND A VOICE SPOKE
TO ME, CLAIMING THAT I HAD A BIGGER PART TO PLAY IN THIS WHOLE
THING.

IN FACT , PAUL HAD DECIDED NOT TO MENTION TO THEM THE

STRANGE SCENE HE HAD WITNESSED WHILE HE HAD FALLEN
INTO...GOD KNOWS WHAT .

- 'W ONDERFUL BUSINESS,' SAM W ALLACE MURMURED. 'MY FATHER

MENTIONED THAT THE MILITARY HAD ONCE DEVELOPED A SECRET
MILITARY EXPERIMENT IN MIND CONTROL. IT TOOK PLACE IN THE
MYTHICAL AREA NINE.'

- 'YOU MEAN,' MARK BEGAN TENTATIVELY, 'THAT WE MIGHT HAVE

ENDED UP SOMEWHERE ELSE ENTIRELY, RIGHT?'

- 'THAT'S RIGHT,' THE FATHER INTERJECTED AGAIN, 'FRIENDS, I

DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU OFF, BUT IF MY ASSUMPTIONS ARE
CORRECT , THE GAME COULD GET ROUGH.'

FATHER HAD NOT EVEN FINISHED HIS REMARK W HEN A STRANGE

NOISE REACHED THE GROUP. IT WAS SOMETHING AKIN TO A DEVILISH
CRUNCH OR CRACKLE. ONLY IT SOUNDED SOMEW HAT MUFFLED,
ALMOST GENTLE EVEN. EVERYONE TOOK UP THEIR FIGHTING
POSITIONS AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE, EACH LEANING BACK

44
AGAINST THAT OF THEIR COMRADE. EXPECTING THE WORST .
THE
UNKNOWN. A WHOLE MOMENT OF ABSOLUTE SILENCE PASSED,
DURING WHICH ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED. BUT THAT
MOMENT , SHORTER THAN A SECOND, SEEMED ALMOST LIKE AN
ETERNITY, SO TIRED AND NERVOUS WERE THEY ALL. SUDDENLY THE
NOISE REPEATED ITSELF, ONLY THIS TIME A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY.

PEOPLE'S THUMBS WERE NOW STRAINED TO THE LIMIT ON THE

PLASMA AUTOMATONS' SENSOR TRIGGERS.

SUDDENLY, A MOST ORDINARY MOUSE RAN IN FRONT OF THE

SPOTLIGHT . IT PAUSED, STARED IN AMAZEMENT , THEN DARTED INTO
A NEARBY CREVICE IN THE ROCK.

EVERYONE BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF, AND PAUL EVEN

CHUCKLED.

SUDDENLY, A MOST ORDINARY MOUSE RAN IN FRONT OF THE

SPOTLIGHT . IT PAUSED, STARED IN AMAZEMENT , THEN DARTED INTO
A NEARBY CREVICE IN THE ROCK.

EVERYONE BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF, AND PAUL EVEN

CHUCKLED.

SUDDENLY A DECEPTIVE CALM CAME OVER THEM, A STRANGE

EUPHORIA. IN SHORT , THE FEELING COULD BE DESCRIBED AS
ABSOLUTE UNPLUCKINESS ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. MARK WAS
GREATLY SURPRISED, AND SO WERE THE OTHERS.

- 'PUT ON YOUR HELMETS, THIS IS AN INTOXICATING GAS ZEMBRAN.

IT'S TOO RISKY TO INHALE FOR LONG,' FATHER SHOUTED.
THE OTHERS, THOUGH LOST IN REVERIE, STRUGGLED TO CARRY OUT
HIS INSTRUCTION, FEELING SUBCONSCIOUSLY THAT HE WAS RIGHT .
ONCE THEY HAD THEIR HELMETS ON THEIR HEADS AND THE
ASPIRATOR FILTERS HAD SHOWERED THEM WITH COMPRESSED AIR,
THEIR HAZY CONSCIOUSNESS SEEMED TO HAVE BEGUN TO CLEAR.

45
- 'BUT AREN'T ALL THESE VISIONS CAUSED BY HIM?,' CHIMED IN
GRANDPA JACK IN TURN.
THE OTHER FIGHTERS LOOKED AT EACH OTHER QUIZZICALLY. THEY
HAD ALREADY WASTED A LOT OF TIME WANDERING AROUND THESE
CAVES, BUT THE WHITE DOT IN THE DISTANCE REMAINED GLOWING,
AND IT SEEMED THAT NO MATTER HOW FAR THEY WALKED, THEY
WERE GETTING NO CLOSER TO IT .

- 'W E CAN'T STAY HERE,' RAT ADDED. 'W E DEFINITELY DON'T KNOW
WHERE WE ARE. W E CAN ONLY FOLLOW THIS BRIGHT SPOT .'

MARK HELPED PAUL TO HIS FEET AND THE GROUP MOVED OFF.
- 'W HAT A DAMN PLACE, I FEEL LIKE PRIMAL CHAOS HAS BEEN
SPAWNED HERE,' RUSSELL MUTTERED.

- 'W HAT'S A ROOKIE LIKE YOU GOT IN HIS HEAD?,' THE FATHER
UTTERED IN A SLIGHTLY STRAINED TONE, BUT IT WAS CLEAR HE WAS
JOKING.

- 'GUYS, WHAT IF WE JUST MOVE IN CIRCLES,' PAUL CUT IN

SUDDENLY. 'MAYBE THAT VOICE OR WHATEVER IT WAS WANTED US
TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.'

- 'IT'S WORTH THINKING ABOUT,' RAT ADDED WITH A LITTLE IRONY,

SEEMING TO HAVE SLIGHTLY REGAINED HIS SPIRITS.

^^^
MORE THAN TWO DAYS PASSED, DURING WHICH THE GROUP
WANDERED AROUND THESE DUNGEONS LOCATED IN THE
NOTHINGNESS. STRANGE AS IT WAS, THE GROUP WENT THROUGH
THE SAME ROUTE OF APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED METERS AND
THEN TOOK IT AGAIN.

- 'GUYS,' PAUL MUTTERED, 'I DIDN'T TELL YOU THE WHOLE TRUTH.'

46
- 'W HAT ELSE IS THERE TO LEARN ?,' THE FATHER INQUIRED.

- APART FROM THE VOICE I MENTIONED TO YOU, I HAD A VISION OF A

WOMAN GOING INTO WHAT LOOKED LIKE A HOSPITAL AND THEN
COMING OUT .

- 'W ELL?,' CALLED THE RAT WITH EVIDENT ANNOYANCE.

- W ELL, THE WHOLE SETTING WAS LIKE SOMETHING FROM HUNDREDS

OF YEARS AGO, MAYBE EVEN MUCH MORE.

AT THESE WORDS OF PAUL THE WHOLE GROUP CONSISTING OF

ABOUT TWENTY PEOPLE STOPPED AS IF ON COMMAND.

- 'W HY DIDN'T YOU TELL US EARLIER ?,' MARK TURNED TO HIM,

IRRITATION EVIDENT IN HIS VOICE.

- W ELL, TO BE HONEST, IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
IT, BUT I SEEMED TO HAVE THE VAGUE FEELING THAT I'D SEEN IT
BEFORE.

- 'YOU KNOW WHAT ,' MARK STARTED, 'WHAT IF WE ASSUME, FROM

WHAT PAUL TOLD US, THAT HIS VISIONS ARE SOMEHOW CONNECTED
TO OUR MISSION.'

- 'BUT THAT'S CRAZY,' RAT MUTTERED.

THE REST OF THE GROUP LOOKED AT HIM A LITTLE QUIZZICALLY AND
HE FELL SILENT .

- 'IT'S WORTH A TRY,' MARK CONTINUED. 'OBVIOUSLY THINGS AREN'T

NORMAL HERE. I THINK THE LAWS OF THIS DIMENSION ARE MORE
PECULIAR. 'THE DREAM GATE IS NOTHING BUT A TRIAL FOR THE
MOST PURE-HEARTED. AND NOW WE'RE BEING GIVEN A CHANCE TO
GET OUT . W HAT HAPPENS IF WE JUST START MOVING BACKWARDS?'

- 'W E DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND YOU,' THE TROOP MUTTERED

ALMOST IN UNISON, EXCEPT FOR FATHER, WHO SMILED SLIGHTLY
AND SAID:

47
- IT'S CLEAR AS DAY, UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES IF A BODY
MOVES AT LESS THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT , TIME PASSES NORMALLY,
BUT IF IT STARTS MOVING AT A SPEED THAT EXCEEDS IT , THEN TIME
STARTS FLOWING BACKW ARDS. THE POINT IS THAT THIS IS NOT AT
ALL TRUE FOR BLACK HOLES, AND ALSO FOR WORMHOLES.

- 'EXACTLY!,' RETORTED MARK, BEAMING THAT THEY HAD

UNDERSTOOD HIM.

THE GROUP BEGAN TO MOVE ALONG THE SAME ROUTE, ONLY IN THE
OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND THE HITHERTO UNREACHABLE WHITE
DOT, WHICH APPEARED TO BE THE EXIT FROM ALL THIS
NOTHINGNESS, BEGAN TO APPROACH. SUDDENLY, HOWEVER, WHEN
THEY HAD ALMOST REACHED IT , A STRONG WIND BLEW UP, WHICH
SEEMED UNWILLING TO LET THEM PASS THROUGH THE PASS. IT
FORCED THEM TO WALK ALIGNED FORWARD TOWARDS THEIR GOAL.

- 'BOYS, HAVE FAITH, IT'S ALL IN YOUR IMAGINATION,' SHOUTED

MARK.

SILENCE.

COMPLETE SILENCE.

THEN EVERYTHING SANK INTO DARKNESS AGAIN.

CHAPTER THREE: THE GENERAL

ISONGDAR WAS DRESSED IN HIS BLACK ROBE THAT FORMED A

CLOCHE AT HIS FEET . THE GARMENT IN QUESTION WAS MADE OF A
STRANGE MIXTURE OF KEVLAR, KYSON, AND A FABRIC THAT DIDN'T
EVEN HAVE A NAME YET , AS IT WAS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT . IT
HAD TO BE SAID THOUGH, THAT DESPITE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
VANITY, SOMETHING QUITE NORMAL FOR A MAN OF HIS RANK,
ISONGDAR WAS NOT AT ALL A WOMANIZER, BUT ON THE CONTRARY
VERY SKILLED IN MILITARY COMBAT AND DIPLOMACY.

48
ISONDAR WAS JUST PAST FORTY-FIVE, WHILE GENERAL PALEY WAS
OVER FIFTY-FIVE, AND THIS DIFFERENCE IN AGE WAS APPARENT IN
THE STARK CONTRAST BETWEEN THE GENERAL'S SILVER HAIR AND
THE ADJUTANT 'S STILL COMPLETELY BLACK HAIR.

- 'ADJUTANT, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE THE HELL MARK

LENNER IS?,' ASKED GENERAL GENE PALEY, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE ELOHIAN FORCES.

- 'THEY'VE MANAGED TO SNEAK THROUGH ONE OF OUR BORDER

POSTS IN THE SYNTHROS AREA, AND QUITE BRAZENLY AT THAT,'
ISONGDAR, ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE W ESTERN FORCES,
THE
SAID WITH OBVIOUS ANGER.

- 'IT IS A SHAME AND DISGRACE FOR OUR SOLDIERS TO LET THEM OFF
IN SUCH A VULGAR MANNER,' THE GENERAL RAGED, EVEN TAPPING
HIS HAND ON HIS HUGE METAL DESK MADE OF ZEGANDARIAN
KEVLARITE.

- 'INDEED, SIR, YOU ARE RIGHT ,' THE ADJUTANT SPOKE WITH SOME
RESIGNATION, BUT NOT OUT OF SERVILITY OR SYCOPHANCY, BUT
OUT OF SHEER PRAGMATISM, AS HE DID NOT WANT TO STRAIN THE
GENERAL'S ALREADY STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT NERVES WITH THE
SITUATION AT HAND. 'W HAT THEY HAVE DONE IS A GRAVE MISTAKE
THAT MAY WELL DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF THE W AR.'

THE GENERAL RAN HIS FINGERS THROUGH HIS SHAGGY HAIR FOR A
MOMENT , AS IF TO KEEP SOME THOUGHT FROM ESCAPING . THEN
VERY SLOWLY HE PROCEEDED THROUGH HIS TEETH:

- ISONGDAR, EXPLAIN TO ME AGAIN HOW THE WHOLE THING CAME

ABOUT, IN AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU LIKE.

- TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, SIR, FROM THE INFORMATION I

GOT FROM MY SPIES, MARK LENNER, PAUL ZOLSKY, AND A FEW
OTHER AS YET UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE CAPTURED SOME OF OURS AND
TOOK THEIR IDENTIFICATION CARDS, THEN USED OUR SPEEDER TO
GET TO THE BORDER CROSSING AND, USING THE HOSTAGES THEY
TOOK AS COVER, CROSSED THE BORDER INTO UBUNDER.

49
- 'AND?,' SAID THE GENERAL IN A TONE THAT SOUNDED SOMETHING
BETWEEN MELODRAMATIC, ANGRY AND ANNOYED. 'THEN?'

- 'THEN THEIR TRAIL IS LOST,' THE ADJUTANT MUTTERED. 'I HAVE NOT
BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE MATTER
FROM OUR INTELLIGENCE.'

- 'BUT THE REASON WHY AN ORDINARY PRIVATE LIKE LENNER WOULD

TAKE ORDINARY SOLDIERS HOSTAGE AND CROSS THE BORDER
REMAINS UNEXPLAINED?,' THE GENERAL RANTED.

THE ADJUTANT LOWERED HIS EYES IN SILENCE, BUT REMAINED

SILENT, LEAVING THE GENERAL TO PONDER ALOUD.

- 'THE RISK IS TOO GREAT TO USE THEM IN A SIMPLE PRISONER

EXCHANGE,' HE CONTINUED HIS REASONING. 'SOMETHING MUCH
GREATER AND PERHAPS EVEN VITAL LIES HERE, BUT WHAT ?'

- 'GENERAL, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT ,' THE ADJUTANT VENTURED TO

MUTTER, 'SHALL I ORDER THE SPEEDER TO BE PREPARED FOR YOUR
DEPARTURE?'

PALEY WAVED A HAND. THE GESTURE WAS DIFFICULT TO DEFINE,

BUT THE ADJUTANT CHOSE NOT TO PRESS THE POINT.

ON HIS WAY OUT, HE CAST A GLANCE AT THE GENERAL. HE HAD HIS

BACK TO THE HYDRON DOOR THROUGH WHICH THE ADJUTANT WAS
NOW LEAVING THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S OFFICE.

THE ADJUTANT WAS WELL AWARE THAT THE TWO OF THEM WERE
ABOUT TO HAVE A SECURITY CONFERENCE WITH GOVERNOR
GORDON ELMBAUM, WHICH COULD NOT BE DELAYED BECAUSE OF
THE CIVIL UNREST THAT HAD BROKEN OUT IN THE POLIS. THERE WAS
NOTHING TO BE DONE. THINGS HAD TO BE BROUGHT TO A HEAD.

^^^

50
GENE PALEY WAS A HEREDITARY MILITARY MAN. HIS FATHER, SIR
LENWORTH IMBUS PALEY, WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE ELOHYN
MILITARY IN GENERAL. AS SUCH, HE WANTED HIS SON TO CONTINUE
HIS WORK AND NOT LET HIM DOWN. HE HAD A GREAT DEAL TO DO
WITH THE REBIRTH OF THE MILITARY MIGHT OF ELOHY. HE CREATED
THE BATTLE CORPS WITHOUT WAITING FOR ANY THANKS. HE BUILT
UP THE MILITARY DISCIPLINE AND STRENGTH OF THE SOLDIERS. THE
YOUNG LIONS OF IMGRADON WERE HIS IDEA! AND IT WAS ALREADY
PAYING OFF!

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE URUS ONX SPACEPORT WAS AGAIN IN

HIS TIME. THIS MILITARY FACILITY WAS TRULY IMPRESSIVE.
EVERYTHING IN IT HAD BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH BEYOND MEASURE.
IT HAD AS MANY AS SIX MAIN DOCKS FOR LAUNCHING SHUTTLES,
PLUS A SPECIAL HANGAR WHERE THE SPEEDERS MAKING
INTRAPLANETARY FLIGHTS WOULD STAY. NOT FAR FROM THE
SPACEPORT WAS A SPECIAL PRODUCTION HALL WHERE THE SO-
CALLED VOLTAN SHUTTLES WERE MANUFACTURED, AND ALSO
DESTROYER-CLASS SPEEDERS. ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCES IN THE COMBAT AIRCRAFT OF ELOHY AND UBUNDER
WAS THE RADAR SYSTEM. THE UBUNDER ONES HAD A GREATER
RADAR RANGE, BUT THE ELOHYN ONES WERE FAR MORE ACCURATE.
IT WAS A TACTICAL ADVANTAGE PALEY INTENDED TO EXPLOIT,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE ADDITIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF TROOPS INTO
ENEMY TERRITORY. SOME OF THE MEDIUM-RANGE PROTON MISSILE
DEVELOPMENTS WERE LOCATED THERE. DANGEROUS WEAPONS
INDEED, HIDDEN DEEP UNDERGROUND IN SPECIAL HALLS.

HOWEVER, HE KNEW THAT A MAN SO SUCCESSFUL MUST

CONSTANTLY MEET EXPECTATIONS. OTHERWISE THE ROAD TO DOOM
WAS TOO SHORT. THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY WHO COULD ACTUALLY
THREATEN HIS LIFE. BUT HE WAS ALWAYS REASSURING HIMSELF
AGAINST POSSIBLE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS, AND THERE HAD
BEEN QUITE A FEW SO FAR. AS MUCH AS HE STRUGGLED TO
REMEMBER, THERE WERE SOME DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN
ISONGDAR'S WORDS AND HIS ACTIONS. HE SUSPECTED HIM OF
PLAYING A DOUBLE GAME W ITH GOVERNOR ELMBAUM - THE

51
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF ELOHY - BUT THERE WAS NO REAL
EVIDENCE YET .

HE HAD SET A TRAP FOR HIS ADJUTANT AND HOPED HE WOULD BITE.
THEN HE'D GET EVEN WITH HIM TOO HARSHLY.
GENE PALEY KNEW ABOUT THE HUGE WAR LOSSES ON THE FRONTS
AND WAS UNDER NO ILLUSION THAT HE WAS ALREADY ON THE
GOVERNOR'S LIST .W ELL, MAYBE NOT TODAY, EXACTLY. MAYBE
SOME OTHER DAY. BUT SOONER OR LATER HE WOULD FALL VICTIM
TO HIS ENORMOUS EGO, WHICH WOULD NOT FORGIVE HIM A SINGLE
TRANSGRESSION, SINCE ONLY PALEY CAME CLOSE TO HIS POWER,
AND GORDON DID NOT LIKE TO SHARE ANYTHING WITH ANYONE.

GENE PALEY COULD ALSO SEE WHERE ALL THE CONFLICT WAS
GOING. HE HAD SPIES EVERYWHERE. UNDER HIS PRESSURE , HE HAD
ORGANIZED QUITE A FEW PURGES. VERY URGENT ONES AT THAT.

- 'ISONGDAR, YOU'RE PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME, BUT DEFINITELY

NOT WITH WHOM YOU SHOULD AND CAN GET AWAY WITH,' HE
MUTTERED. 'ONLY I STILL NEED YOU TO LEAD THE GOVERNOR BY THE
NOSE, OR AT LEAST TO TRY.'

HE NEEDED TO VISIT THE SPACEPORT AND CHECK ON THE PROGRESS

OF MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS. THEN HE HAD TO DROP BY THE
INTENDANT'S AS WELL. THE LIST WAS ENDLESS. HAD HE KNOWN
WHAT AWAITED HIM, HE WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE INTO THE
MILITARY FIELD. BUT HE KNEW HOW TO DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
ELSE. AND THAT SCARED HIM. YES HE WAS A GOOD MILITARY MAN
WITH REAL MERIT , BUT THE SAME BUREAUCRAT AS HIS BOSS. AND
NOBODY LIKED BUREAUCRATS.

POLITICALLY HE WAS STABLE BECAUSE HE HAD MAINTAINED A

RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE UNION LEADERS WHO SERVED THE
MILITARY INDUSTRY AND WHO HAD THE MERIT OF GETTING HIM
ELEVATED TO THAT POST AT THE COST OF HUGE BRIBES.

THE ADMIRAL KNEW THAT UBUNDER OUTCLASSED THEM MILITARILY,

CHIEFLY IN THEIR EXCELLENT WEAPONS, BUT IN QUANTITY THE

52
SUPERIORITY WAS ON THEIR SIDE. THEIR ENGINEERS HAD PUT INTO
ACTION SOME NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT HE HOPED WOULD CHANGE
THE COURSE OF THE WAR.

UNFORTUNATELY, TIME PASSED, AND HE HEARD NO CONCRETE

NEWS, ONLY SKETCHY RUMORS OF UTTER FAILURE, AND THAT WAS
NOT GOOD. IT WAS HEADING FOR DOOM. HIS OWN DOOM. W HY DID
ANYONE HAVE TO RESIST IN SUCH A WAY THAT W ASN'T VERY
RELEVANT . ONLY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER PERSPECTIVE.
YES, PALEY WAS A PROPONENT OF MILITARY FORCE AND
DOMINANCE, BUT IF MY INTERESTS WERE PRESERVED, HE WAS
WILLING TO COME TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. TIME PASSED, AND
HE HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY REAL OFFER TO QUELL THE CONFLICT .
INSTEAD, NEW FRONTS WERE OPENING UP AND HIS MILITARY FORCES
WERE GASPING TO RESPOND TO THE CHANGED SITUATION. THE
GENERAL WAS FAR FROM RETIREMENT AND COULD NOT PASS THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO ANOTHER. EVEN IF HE WANTED TO.

HE HAD TO KEEP UP. THERE WAS NO GOING BACK. ANY DAY COULD
BE HIS LAST IF SOME THINGS SLIPPED FROM HIS HANDS. BUT HE KEPT
BELIEVING AND HOPING. EVERY MINUTE THE SITUATION WAS
CHANGING.

TODAY HE PLANNED TO MAKE AN URGENT INSPECTION OF A COMBAT

CORPS BEFORE IT LEFT FOR THE FRONT .

- 'THE SPEEDER'S READY,' ISONGDAR REPORTED AGAIN, AS MUCH TO

STRAIN THE SUPERIORS. 'AFTER HE HAD GONE OUT , HE HAD
CHECKED AGAIN. EVERYTHING WAS EXCELLENT AND HE HAD
RETURNED TO INFORM THE GENERAL.'

- 'TELL THEM I'LL BE IN SHORTLY,' HE INSTRUCTED WITHOUT

FURTHER ADO.

- 'FOURTH BATTALION IS READY FOR INSPECTION, SIR,' HE TURNED

TO HIS COMMANDER.

THE SPEEDER FLIGHT TOOK NO MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR TO COVER

THE THIRTY-FIVE ZEGANDARIAN MILES NORTHEAST OF THE POLIS.

53
NOT FAR FROM HERE WERE THE PLEXONIARS MINES, BUT THE
DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM AND THE MILITARY SITE WAS NO LESS
THAN EIGHT MILES - WITH THE AIR BOUNDARIES ALSO HEAVILY
GUARDED.

HERE THE SOLDIERS WERE TRAINED IN THE UTMOST SECRECY. THEY

GAVE THEIR BEST , BUT NONE OF THEM MADE THE FAINTEST ATTEMPT
TO STAND OUT . THIS WAS THE PRINCIPLE. ON THE BATTLEFIELD ALL
WERE EQUAL AND THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR SUPERFLUOUS EGO.

THE REAL REASON, HOWEVER, FOR PALEY TO COME AND INSPECT

THE BATTALION WAS OF AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT NATURE. IF HE
WANTED TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE SITUATION AT THE BASE, THERE
WERE ENOUGH CLASSIFIED REPORTS AND NO REASON TO GO JUST
LIKE THAT . HE WAS TO MEET PERSONALLY WITH A PERSON ABOUT
WHOM HE HAD BEEN SUPPLIED WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION. THE
PERSON IN QUESTION W AS NAMED ANDREW DISLAN AND WAS IN
CHARGE OF BASE MAINTENANCE. FEW EVEN ON BASE HAD HEARD HIS
NAME. HE HIMSELF TRIED TO APPEAR SO UNASSUMING AS NOT TO
ATTRACT UNDUE ATTENTION. HE GENERALLY HAD A HARD TIME
TOLERATING PEOPLE.

PALEY DECIDED TO MAKE A FORMAL ROUND OF THE FACILITIES AND

EXAMINE THE SOLDIERS AS HE HAD PROMISED. W HILE THE ROUTINE
CHECKS WERE GOING ON, HE KEPT STRUGGLING TO MEET THE
TECHNICIAN IN QUESTION SOMEWHERE. YES, THE BASE WAS HUGE,
BUT NOT SO HUGE THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ONE PARTICULAR
PERSON.

AFTER LEAVING HIS ADJUTANT TO DEAL WITH THE TECHNICALITIES,

HE WENT TO CHECK ON THE MAINTENANCE SQUAD HIMSELF,
WITHOUT AROUSING ANY UNDUE SUSPICION. EVERYTHING WAS
GOING MORE THAN WELL, BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT
SURPRISED HIM SLIGHTLY. HE ALMOST RAN INTO THE TECHNICIAN IN
QUESTION. HE MUMBLED SOMETHING THAT MADE HIM EVEN MORE
EMBARRASSED, ALMOST EXPECTING A COURT MARTIAL FOR
DISRESPECTING HIS SUPERIORS.

54
- 'ARE YOU ANDREW DISLAN?,' SPOKE PALEY, QUITE FORMALLY, AS
IF THE INCIDENT IN QUESTION HAD NEVER TAKEN PLACE.

- 'I AM,' HE REPLIED AS IF ON COMMAND. 'EXCUSE ME, GENERAL

PALEY, FOR HAVING TO LOOK MORE AT MY FEET.'
- 'I HAVEN'T NOTICED ANYTHING W RONG,' THE GENERAL COUGHED.
'DO YOU KNOW HE WANTS TO SEE YOU AFTER ALL?'
- 'W HO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?,' HE ASKED AS IF PULLED OUT OF A
DREAM.

- 'W ELL, ABOUT YOUR GRANDFATHER,' MUTTERED THE GENERAL

CALMLY.

- I AM AN ORPHAN, SIR.

- I UNDERSTAND YOU, BUT THINK OF YOURSELF.

- W HAT YOU SAY CANNOT BE TRUE. I'M JUST A FARMER'S SON, BEN
ELIGHT. I EARNED A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THOSE QUALIFYING COURSES
IN MECHANICS AND NANOROBOTICS, AND SPACE WELDING. YOU SEE
WHAT I DO, I JUST FIX STUFF.

- 'OH, DON'T BE MODEST. YOUR TALENTS COULD BE USEFUL TO THE

OUTCOME OF THE WAR,' PALEY SAID, VERY MILDLY. 'ACTUALLY,
THINGS ARE BASICALLY QUITE SIMPLE. HE JUST WANTS TO MEET
YOU. JUST ONCE. IF IT DOESN'T SUIT YOU, YOU'LL LEAVE.'

DISLAN LOOKED AT HIM INCREDULOUSLY. HE COULDN'T POSSIBLY

ASSUME THAT A GENERAL COULD TALK TO HIM LIKE THAT . THEIR
MEETING DID INDEED TAKE PLACE IN COMPLETE SECRECY, IN ONE OF
THE MOST SECLUDED HALLS OF THE REPAIR DEPOTS. THE GENERAL
WORE A HYON SILENCER. BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARY. THERE WASN'T
A LIVING SOUL AROUND. DISLAN HAD CRUELLY INSULATED HIMSELF
AGAINST POTENTIAL HUMAN INTERFERENCE WITH HIS WORK. EVEN
HIS IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR SOUGHT HIM OUT ON AVERAGE ONCE
EVERY TWO WEEKS, AND THEN ONLY TO GIVE HIM A REPORT ON THE
WORK HE HAD DONE.

55
- 'I TAKE IT YOUR DECISION IS FINAL?,' HE ASKED HIM ONE LAST TIME.

- 'YES,' DISLAN CONFIRMED UNEQUIVOCALLY.

- IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO DECIDE THAT. BUT BEYOND THE FAMILY STUFF,
WHICH DOESN'T CONCERN ME, LET'S CUT TO THE CHASE. W HAT ARE
YOU DEVELOPING AT THE BASE?

DISLAN BRIGHTENED AND TOLD HIM VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT THE

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN TACHYON ENGINES, WHICH WERE IN A VERY
EARLY STAGE, BUT THEY HAD ALREADY MADE A SHIP CAPABLE OF
RUNNING ON SUCH AN ENGINE. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT WAS
RECEPTIVE.

- 'AND MAY I ASK THE NAME OF THIS SHIP?,' QUICKLY INTERJECTED

PALEY.

- NO, SIR, IT IS NOT EVEN WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION TO GIVE YOU

THAT INFORMATION.

PALEY WASN'T YESTERDAY'S MAN. THE GATO COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

OF THE ZEGANDARIA HIGH COUNCIL ALONE WAS ABOVE HIM. BUT HE
WAS LONG GONE. 'BUT PERHAPS THEY MIGHT HAVE MADE THE SHIP
EARLIER? W HO KNOWS?,' HE THOUGHT.

BEFORE THEY PARTED, THOUGH, HE DECIDED TO ASK THE YOUNG

MAN ONE LAST AND VERY UNAMBIGUOUS QUESTION.

- 'DON'T YOU FEEL ALONE AMONG THESE MACHINES ? YOU COULD

HAVE A MUCH BETTER FATE. 'IF YOU JUST CHANGE YOUR THINKING A
LITTLE,' HE MUTTERED, TURNING AND WALKING OUT. AND NEVER
SAW ANDREW DISLAN AGAIN.
ISONDAR DID NOT DOUBT FOR A MOMENT THAT ANYTHING HAD
HAPPENED, FOR THE GENERAL'S FACE WAS IMPENETRABLE. THE
TWO BOARDED THE TRANSPORT SHUTTLE AGAIN. BEFORE THEY
TOOK OFF, HOWEVER, ONE OF THE SOLDIERS TRIED TO CATCH UP TO
THEM AND HANDED SOME SMALL PACKAGE TO THE ADJUTANT .

THE TWO LOOKED AT EACH OTHER IN AMAZEMENT .

56
- 'OPEN IT!,' ORDERED PALEY.

INSIDE WAS A SMALL PHOTOGRAPH. IT SHOWED A BEAUTIFUL

TROPICAL PARADISE, AND THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE
SOMEWHERE. ONE OF THEM WAS GORDON ELMBAUM. AND NEXT TO
HIM WAS GENERAL JACOB W ALLACE AND HIS WIFE CATHERINE.

FORTUNATELY, ISONGDAR DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ANY OF THEM IN THE

SEMANTIC PHOTOGRAPH. ODDLY ENOUGH, NOT EVEN GENERAL
PALEY. EVERYTHING WAS FALLING INTO PLACE, THOUGH. A LITTLE
LESS SO. GENE PALEY HAD LEARNED TOO MUCH. AGAINST TOO
LITTLE.

NOW THEY COULD TAKE OFF. THE SPEEDER CARRIED THEM FAR-FAR
INTO THE SKY. W HERE THE PROBLEMS DIDN'T SEEM TO EXIST.
W HERE THEY COULD INDULGE THEIR THOUGHTS, AT LEAST FOR A
LITTLE WHILE. W HERE THE LAWS OF LIFE COULD ONLY BE REDUCED
TO THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH. PERHAPS THAT
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE NATURAL COURSE OF THINGS. LIFE WENT
ON VERY SIMPLY, BUT PEOPLE MADE IT HARD FOR THEMSELVES.
PALEY WAS NOT GRATEFUL TO FATE FOR SUCH A TURN OF EVENTS.
HE HAD ACHIEVED HIS GOAL. THE SUN WAS ALREADY SETTING.
FLYING SMOOTHLY, THE SPEEDER HID BEYOND THE HORIZON.

^^^

W HEN HE GOT BACK TO HIS SMALL ROOM, DISLAN BEGAN TO GO

OVER SOME OF HIS FUTURE PROJECTS. THEY DID NOT BEAR
DELAYING. SPECIAL ENOSANT PROJECTORS CONTAINING AN
ELECTRONIC MICROFILM SAT ON THE ELATOM TABLE. THEY WERE
GOING TO SUMMON HIM AT SOME TIME AND HE NEEDED TO BE WELL
PREPARED. HE KNEW THAT AFTER THE VISIT, THERE WAS NO WAY HE
WOULDN'T GET ANOTHER VISIT FROM A SUPERIOR WHO WOULDN'T
DEMAND THE BLUEPRINTS IN QUESTION. YES, THE GENERAL WAS
COMING ALONE AND WITHOUT DEMANDING ANYTHING SPECIFIC FROM
HIM, EXCEPT THE VISIT IN QUESTION. YES, HE HAD REFUSED HIM.

57
HOW INSOLENT! BUT THAT ALONE WAS NOT ENOUGH. MUCH MORE
WAS NEEDED. HE HAD TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO BE ON THE LEVEL AND
MEET THE EXPECTATIONS PLACED ON HIM.

THE DRAWINGS OF THE EMZIROU WERE HIDDEN IN AN ELECTRONIC

MICROFILM. THERE WERE THE DETAILS OF THE TACHYON ENGINES,
DETAILED SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEVICE'S HERMETIC
COMPARTMENT , THE ION STABILIZERS, AND A BUNCH MORE
FEATURES. DISLAN PAINSTAKINGLY SET ABOUT DESTROYING THE
FILM. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PREPARED. SURELY THEY'D
SEARCH THE PREMISES SOON. AND HE TURNED OUT TO BE RIGHT .

LESS THAN TWENTY MINUTES LATER, AN EMERGENCY INSPECTION OF

THE TECHNICIANS WAS ORDERED. THE ORDER CAME FROM W HO
KNEW WHERE, BUT HE OBEYED IMMEDIATELY, AS HE SHOULD HAVE.
THERE WAS NO MISTAKING IT! HE HAD MANAGED TO GET RID OF THE
BULGING FILM. PIECE BY PIECE.

AFTER FINDING NOTHING , THE INSPECTION ENDED QUITE

INGLORIOUSLY, BUT HE WAS ORDERED TO GO ANYWAY AND WAS
REASSIGNED TO MAINTENANCE ON SOME INSTALLATIONS IN EARTH
ORBIT. HE HADN'T MINDED ALL THAT , AS SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME
IN THE SPACEPORT HAD TAKEN A SERIOUS TOLL ON HIS PSYCHE. AT
LEAST THIS WAY HE WOULD HAVE TIME TO LEARN AND DEVELOP. AND
THAT WAS SOMETHING HE WANTED BADLY.

THE MAINTENANCE OF THE SPACE INSTALLATIONS GENERALLY

CONSISTED OF READING THE CHANGED PARAMETERS ON THE
MOVEMENTS OF CERTAIN SATELLITES, AND ALSO THE ELATORIAN
ANTI-RADAR SYSTEM, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO NEUTRALIZE SOME
PARTICULAR PROBLEMS THAT WERE PRESENT . SO FAR, DISLAN HAD
ALWAYS CONSULTED A NUMBER OF EMINENT SPECIALISTS. NOW HE
WAS JUST GOING TO STAND IN THEIR PLACE. IT WAS AS SIMPLE AS
THAT. SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD.

THE NEXT DAY HE WENT THROUGH THE NECESSARY BRIEFING. THE

URUS ONX SPACEPORT WAS NOW A PART OF HIS PAST . PERHAPS A
NOT SO PLEASANT PART!

58
DISLAN BOARDED THE SHUTTLE THAT HAD BROUGHT HIM TO THE
SPACEPORT . THIS TIME IT WAS TO TAKE HIM INTO EARTH ORBIT. AS
HE FIXED HIS GAZE ON THE SHRINKING SILHOUETTES AND THE TINY
WIGGLING MEN HURRYING TO COMPLETE THEIR TASKS, IT CROSSED
HIS MIND THAT HE HADN'T MADE MANY SERIOUS FRIENDSHIPS, LET
ALONE ANY, IN ALL THE TIME HE'D BEEN HERE. HE WASN'T GOING TO
MISS ANYONE.

THE COMMAND SECTION ORDERED SOMETHING BEFORE THE

APPARATUS TOOK OFF. DISLAN UNDERSTOOD IT . LATER, IT TURNED
OUT THAT THEY'D BEEN GIVEN FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO STAY IN
CLOSE ORBIT LONGER THAN PREVIOUSLY PLANNED. IT WASN'T A
PROBLEM FOR HIM. AFTER ALL, HE WAS GOING TO BE TINKERING
WITH HIS BELOVED MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT. UP THERE IN THE
SKY, IN OPEN SPACE, HE WOULD BE MUCH CLOSER TO GOD!

THE SHUTTLE WAS FLYING FAR, FAR AWAY. DISLAN MENTALLY

REVIEWED THE KNOWLEDGE HE FELT HE NEEDED FOR HIS NEW
ASSIGNMENT .
HE WAS USING EVERY SECOND TO LEARN AND GROW .
SOMETHING FEW WERE ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF DOING.
A BRIEF ORB OF LIGHTNING FLASHED BEFORE THEY ENTERED THE
ATMOSPHERE. TO THE TECHNICIANS, IT WAS A SIGN OF GOOD OMEN.
CLEARLY HIS NEW FIELD WAS GOING TO BE A SUCCESS. A THRILL OF
ANTICIPATION CAME OVER HIM.

SOME OF THE PLANET 'S METEOROLOGISTS GAVE A RATHER

STRANGE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WAS TO COME. THE PRESENCE OF
GLOBULAR LIGHTNING W AS AN OMEN, AS THOSE STRANGE BALLS OF
LIGHT WERE DEFINITELY SPARKING THE IMAGINATION. EVEN IN THE
ADVANCED FUTURE, SCIENTISTS HAD NO PRECISE EXPLANATION FOR
THE ORIGIN OF THIS PHENOMENON. THEIR THEORIES IN THIS
RESPECT CONTRADICTED EACH OTHER EXCEEDINGLY. ACCORDING
TO SOME, THEY EVEN ORIGINATED IN THE BOWELS OF THE PLANET
ZEGANDARIA.

DISLAN THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND TRIED TO TAKE STOCK OF HIS ENTIRE

LIFE SO FAR. HE WAS THE MOST ANTI-SOCIAL PERSON THAT COULD

59
POSSIBLY EXIST IN THE UNIVERSE. PERHAPS TO SOME HE WAS EVEN
AN ARROGANT AND NASTY BASTARD, DONNING THE MASK OF
HUMILITY THAT ENSURED HIS SURVIVAL IN THE SO-CALLED S OCIETY.
HIS INABILITY TO TOLERATE THOSE AROUND HIM HAD LED HIM TO
CHOOSE THIS PARTICULAR PROFESSION. NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY,
HE WAS HELL-BENT ON SURVIVING IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING AND
EVERYONE. HE WAS BORN STUBBORN. AND HE WAS USED TO DOING
HIS OWN WORK. W ELL, FOR SOME THINGS, AT LEAST FROM A
PROFESSIONAL STANDPOINT , HE COULD MAKE AN EXCEPTION. THE
WELDING OF THE ELATOR RADAR SYSTEM COULD HARDLY BE
ACCOMPLISHED BY A LONE MAN DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE
ACTIVITY. HE WAS WELL AWARE THAT HE HAD SOME CHANCE TO
IMPROVE HIS PEOPLE SKILLS. BEFORE HE HAD BOARDED THE
SHUTTLE, THE HIGH COMMAND HAD GIVEN HIM A SPECIAL
ELECTRONIC SEAL OF ‘GOOD’, WHICH WAS A KIND OF RECOGNITION.
HE HAD NO RIGHT TO BE ANGRY WITH ANYONE.

W HEN EVERYTHING HAD SHRUNK AS FAR AS IT COULD HE REALIZED

CLEARLY THAT HE WAS ALREADY FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM PEOPLE
AND THEIR PROBLEMS. HE HAD TO MEET ENNIO HAMMER, THE CHIEF
ENGINEER OF THE SO-CALLED ‘SPACE RING ’, WHO COULD HELP HIM
IN SOME WAYS. HE HAD ENOUGH RECOMMENDATIONS TO DO SO.
THERE WAS ALSO A SPECIAL ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION RING
BECAUSE IN THE RECENT PAST SOME POLITICAL CRIMINALS HAD
HIJACKED ONE OF THE SHUTTLES AND ‘BLOWN’ IT TO THE UNKNOWN
QUADRANT.

THE FLIGHT WAS TAKING A LITTLE LONGER THAN PLANNED. THE

SHUTTLE CROSSED THE STRATOSPHERE AND DIRECTLY ENTERED
THE SO-CALLED EXOSPHERE. THERE WAS NO DOUBT ABOUT ONE
THING, HOWEVER. THERE, SOMEWHERE, LAY THE KEY TO ITS
SUCCESS. DISLAN HAD TAKEN THE NEW OPPORTUNITY AS A
PROMOTION OF SORTS AND DIDN'T GRUMBLE. IT WAS TIME TO SEE
THE STARS HE HAD DREAMED OF FOR SO LONG HIDDEN IN HIS DUSTY
AND STUFFY QUARTERS MANY METERS UNDERGROUND. IT WAS TIME
TO EXPLORE NEW HORIZONS!

60
CHAPTER FOUR: THE COSMIC SECOND RING

THE COSMIC SECOND RING WAS A WELL-CONCEIVED DEFENSIVE

INSTALLATION LOCATED IN NEUTRAL SPACE - BEYOND THE PLANET 'S
SO-CALLED EXOSPHERE. GOVERNOR ELMBAUM HAD BUILT IT AS
WELL. IT HAD COST THE TAXPAYERS TOO MUCH. SEPARATELY, ITS
CONSTRUCTION HAD BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY NOT A FEW POLITICAL
SCANDALS. BUT ONE THING WAS CERTAIN - SHE WAS DOING HER JOB
PERFECTLY. AND OUTSIDERS WERE FORBIDDEN TO STICK THEIR
NOSES IN THERE. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINTS WAS THE
GOVERNOR'S MONOPOLY OF POWER OVER THIS FACILITY. BUT THE
PROTESTS WENT ON DEAF EARS.

AFTER THE NOT-SO-GREAT FORMALITIES, DISLAN WAS INTRODUCED

TO HIS NEW EMPLOYERS. ENNIO HAMMER WASN'T EXACTLY HIS
TYPE, BUT HE WASN'T TOO PICKY - AS LONG AS THEY DIDN'T
INTERFERE WITH HIS WORK AND, ESPECIALLY, HIS PERSONAL SPACE.

THE FIRST THING HE DID WAS WALK THE ENTIRE BASE. THE SPACE
INSTALLATIONS WERE INTERCONNECTED BY EQUANADIUM HOSES
THAT LOOKED LIKE SOME SORT OF ‘SPACE GUTS’. THEY HAD GIRDLED
THE INDIVIDUAL MODULES OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. ‘W HAT A
ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE TO WORK IN,’ THOUGHT DISLAN, ENJOYING
HIS OWN ODD SENSE OF HUMOR. CLEARLY THIS WAS WHERE HE
BELONGED!

THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT HE GOT WAS MANNING THE RADAR SYSTEM'S

RELATIONAL SOUND TRANSLATORS, WHICH WERE SOMETIMES USED
IN CASE OF NEED BY SOME STRAGGLING COMBAT SPEEDER PILOTS
WHO HAD GONE INTO CLOSE ORBIT .

61
W ITH THE ZEAL OF A PROFESSIONAL, DISLAN BEGAN TO TINKER AND
FIX ANY IRREGULARITIES AND MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS HE DEEMED
NECESSARY. IT DIDN'T TAKE HIM TOO LONG TO DEAL WITH THESE
PROBLEMS. THE THING THAT BOTHERED HIM, HOWEVER, WAS THE
COMPLETE LACK OF ANY SIGNS OF LIFE. NOT FOR ANYTHING ELSE,
BUT HE EXPECTED ENNIO HAMMER TO FILL HIM IN ON SOME MORE OF
HIS DUTIES.

IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE APPEARED AS WELL. HE WAS A

DIGNIFIED MAN WHO CERTAINLY KNEW WHAT HE WAS ABOUT . BESIDE
HIM STRODE A YOUNG W OMAN. NO OLDER THAN TWENTY-FIVE.

DISLAN BOWED HIS HEAD RESPECTFULLY. STILL, SENIORITY WAS

SENIORITY. HE ALSO HAD TO ADMIT THAT THE OLDER MAN MIGHT BE
OF USE TO HIM.

- 'ANDREW DISLAN,' HE MURMURED QUIETLY.

- 'I AM,' HE REPLIED.

- 'I HOPE OUR STATION APPEALS TO YOU, AS NEW RECRUITS RARELY
COME HERE,' THE DIGNIFIED MAN CONTINUED. 'YOU MUST NOT FEEL
PARTICULARLY FLATTERED TO BE DEALING WITH A VARIETY OF
THINGS THAT ARE FAR BENEATH YOUR ACTUAL ABILITIES. W E WILL
TRY TO GIVE YOU WORK THAT WILL DEVELOP YOU AND KEEP YOU
WITH US.'

- 'I APPRECIATE YOUR GESTURE,' DISLAN WAS TOUCHED, DESPITE

THE DIFFICULTY OF EXPRESSING HIS EMOTIONS.

- OF COURSE LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO THIS LADY FIRST. SHE IS

MY WIFE. MIERU*, MEET MR. TECHNICIAN. YOU ARE OUR GUEST
TONIGHT . BESIDES THE TWO OF US, THERE ARE ONLY TWO OR THREE
SHIFTS OF TECHNICIANS HERE. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S PRETTY
LONELY AS IT IS.

- 'I'M HARDLY THE BEST COMPANY, YOU MUST HAVE HEARD OF ME,'
DISLAN WHINED.

62
- NO NEED TO BE MODEST . W E ALL HAVE OUR FAULTS. THAT DOESN'T
ENTER INTO MY WORK. YOU'RE A WONDERFUL PROFESSIONAL. BUT
MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU CAN HOLD YOUR TONGUE,' HE SAID
CONFIDENTIALLY.

- 'THIS SEEMS TO ME A PRELUDE TO SOME SECRET YOU ARE ABOUT

TO CONFIDE IN ME,' DISLAN BEGAN DISTANTLY.

- 'THAT'S RIGHT, YOUNG MAN,' WAS THE REPLY.

THEY SAT DOWN TO EAT IN A SPECIAL DINING-ROOM, WHERE THE
COURTEOUS HOSTS TREATED DISLAN. HE DID NOT CONDESCEND
AND DINED WELL. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS SEEMINGLY RELAXED, BUT
HE WAS UNDER NO ILLUSIONS THAT BEHIND THOSE WELL-INSULATED
WALLS OF KEVLARITE WITH A COATING OF HYON FIBER, THINGS
WOULD BE DISCUSSED THAT COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

- LOOK, WE DIDN'T CALL YOU IN TO FIX ANY WIRES OR RELAYS. YOU

HAVE SOMETHING MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO DO THAN THAT .

DISLAN HAS TURNED ALL EARS. HE HAD TO BE MORE THAN CAREFUL,

ESPECIALLY SINCE HE WAS WELL AWARE THAT IF HE SCREWED UP,
HE MIGHT NEVER GET THAT CHANCE TO LEAVE THE PLANET AGAIN.
HE'D BE TRAPPED BETWEEN FOUR WALLS FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE
FIXING VARIOUS MECHANISMS.

- 'BOY, YOU WEREN'T SENT HERE BY ACCIDENT. SO I AM AMICABLY

ADVISING YOU TO THANK FATE FOR THIS CHANCE,’ BEGAN ENNIO
HAMMER CALMLY. 'YOU ARE EXPECTED TO JAM THE SPEEDERS'
RADARS DURING THE BATTLE, WHICH HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET ,
BUT WILL DEFINITELY BE INEVITABLE AFTER A WHILE. THIS IS HOW WE
WILL PROTECT THE CAPITAL CITY OF I MGRADON.'

- 'OKAY, BUT LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING TOO.,' DISLAN SNORTED

SLIGHTLY. 'DOES GOVERNOR ELMBAUM HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH
SENDING ME HERE?'

- 'THE GOVERNOR IS PERSONALLY CONCERNED FOR YOUR SAFETY,'

HAMMER VENTURED TO SAY.

63
- 'IS THAT SUPPOSED TO FLATTER ME?,' COUNTERED DISLAN.

- 'PERHAPS A LITTLE AT LEAST,' ENNIO SMILED. 'BUT YOU SEEM TO

WANT TO BE AWARE OF YOUR DUTIES HERE, DON'T YOU?'

- 'YES,' THE TECHNICIAN REPLIED CURTLY.

- YOU'LL SOON HAVE IT ALL SORTED OUT IN YOUR HEAD. AND NOW
YOU CAN GO AND GET SOME SLEEP.

ALTHOUGH SHE WAS IN THE ROOM WITH HER HUSBAND AND GUEST,
THE PETITE MIERU WAS SIMPLY INCONSPICUOUS. BUT STILL SHE
REMAINED A TRUE LADY. W ELL MANNERED AND RESERVED. SHE HAD
AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE WHOLE PLAN. THEIR REAL GOAL WAS TO
DIG OUT THE SECRET INFORMATION ABOUT THE BATTLESHIP UNDER
DEVELOPMENT . DISLAN HAD NATURALLY THOUGHT OF THIS LONG
AGO, BUT HE WAS PLAYING THE FOOL TO BUY TIME.

HIS ISOLATION HERE WASN'T GOING TO LAST FOREVER AFTER ALL.

SOMEHOW HE MIGHT STILL COME OUT OF THE SITUATION WITH
DIGNITY. HE WONDERED, THOUGH, IF THE CONSTRUCTED SUPER-
SHIP WAS THE ONLY REASON HE WAS HERE, OR WAS SOMETHING
STILL LEFT UNSAID?

DISLAN WONDERED WHAT KIND OF PSYCHE THE INHABITANTS OF

SUCH A PLACE HAD. NOT EVERYONE WOULD LAST SIX MONTHS OR A
YEAR HERE. AND SOME HAD LIVED HERE ALMOST A QUARTER OF
THEIR ENTIRE LIVES UNTIL THE NEW SHIFT OF TECHNICIANS ARRIVED.

TOO MANY PICTURES AND TOO MANY EVENTS MINGLED IN HIS MIND.
HE HAD BARELY SURVIVED PLAYING HIS ROLE AS A HARMLESS
TECHNICIAN. HE DIDN'T BOTHER ANYONE. HE WAS JUST DOING HIS
JOB. THERE WERE SO MANY INTERESTED IN HIM FAILING. BUT HE
WASN'T FAILING. ON THE CONTRARY, HE WAS QUIETLY AND
PEACEFULLY PROGRESSING IN HIS WORK. AT LEAST FOR NOW .
SOMEWHERE THERE IN HIS EARS RAGED THE SOUND OF DEATH,
WHICH HAD ESCAPED BY SOME MIRACLE. HE'D HEARD THAT PALEY
DIDN'T FORGIVE ANYONE. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME VERY

64
SPECIFIC REASON FOR SPARING HIM. KNOWN TO SOME, BUT
UNKNOWN TO DISLAN.

DISLAN MENTALLY TRIED TO IMAGINE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE HIM

TO GET USED TO LIVING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS. MAYBE FIVE MONTHS
AT LEAST . HE WASN'T THE QUICKEST TO ADJUST , BUT HE DEFINITELY
KNEW HOW TO MANAGE TO GAIN FOLLOWERS. IT WAS NO
COINCIDENCE THAT ANDREW DISLAN WAS THE BEST . THERE WAS
SOMETHING ABOUT HIM. SOMETHING THAT COULD MAKE ANYONE
HELP HIM WHEN THEY SAW HIM FEELING THREATENED. AND HE WAS
STARTING TO FEEL THAT WAY.

AFTER DINNER, ENNIO CALLED HIM OVER TO SHOW HIM AROUND HIS
DOMAIN. OFF THEY WENT AGAIN ON THE EQUANATI 'GUT'. THEY
WALKED FOR SOME TIME UNTIL THEY CAME TO A PARTICULAR DOOR.
IT WAS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS. W ITH A SLIGHTLY
DARKER OBSIDIAN COLOR AND A SPECIAL CARD THAT WAS NEEDED
TO OPEN IT .

- 'HERE WE ARE,' ENNIO ENCOURAGED HIM AND OPENED THE DOOR.

DISLAN GASPED. A VERITABLE GARDEN IN THE MIDDLE OF SPACE,

AND NOT JUST ANY PLANTS GROWN IN ETONIAN GLASSHOUSES OR
PURE IMITATIONS OF SUCH, BUT AN ALMOST PRISTINE FOREST . SOME
RARE PLANT SPECIES W ERE EVEN VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE . IT WAS
HARDLY TOO BIG, MAYBE NO MORE THAN A HUNDRED SQUARE
METERS OR A LITTLE MORE, BUT IT WAS STILL IMPRESSIVE. HE HAD
HEARD OF SUCH A THING BEFORE, BUT HAD NEVER SEEN IT WITH HIS
OWN EYES.

- LOOK, YOU'RE NOT HERE TO LOOK AT MY PLANTS, YOU'RE HERE TO

BE MY EYES AND EARS TO WHAT 'S GOING ON ON THE SHIP. I KNOW
SOME ARE TRYING TO PREPARE MY DEATH AS COMMANDER BECAUSE
THIS FACILITY COULD DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR. THIS HAS
BEEN BREWING FOR FAR TOO LONG, BUT STILL.

- 'I WILL KEEP YOUR SECRET,' DISLAN REPLIED, NEVER TAKING HIS
EYES FROM HIS.

65
- 'YOU'LL FIND OUT THE REST LATER,' ENNIO SAID CRYPTICALLY.

CHAPTER FIVE: THE SECRET ROOM

ENNIO HAMMER WAS A DIFFERENT TYPE COMPARED TO DISLAN, BUT

INWARDLY HE FELT SOME NEED TO GUIDE AND PROTECT HIM, OR AT
LEAST HE INSISTED THAT IT BE SO.

DISLAN HIMSELF DIDN'T MIND. HE DIDN'T WANT TO MISS HIS CHANCE,

WHICH WAS SHAPING UP TO GIVE HIS LIFE SOME MEANING.

DISLAN WAS FORCED TO ADMIT THAT THEY HAD BEEN TOO LENIENT
WITH HIS CHARACTER, GIVING HIM A CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF IN
SUCH A RESPONSIBLE POSITION. HE WAS SURE THEY KNEW A LOT
MORE ABOUT HIM THAN THEY WERE LETTING ON. THEY JUST SORT OF
FORGAVE HIM, BUT EVEN IF IT WAS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE
SECRET DEVELOPMENTS OF A SHIP LIKE THE EMZIROU, IT STILL
DIDN'T ADD UP. THEY COULD HAVE JUST INQUIRED ABOUT THE OTHER
DESIGNERS WHO WERE MORE OR LESS ON HIS LEVEL AND PUT THE
PUZZLE TOGETHER TOO EASILY. W HY HIM? EVEN IF THE GOVERNOR
HAD STOOD UP FOR HIM, MANY OF THE THINGS W ERE TOO WELL
ARRANGED.

HE WENT BACK TO HIS SETTLED ROOM. HE HAD NO INTENTION OF

PROTESTING THE NEW PLACE'S WAYS, AS HE DIDN'T USUALLY
COMPLAIN. HE TRIED TO FIND THE NECESSARY ARGUMENTS FOR
WHAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN AND FAILED AGAIN.

HE HAD ALREADY FALLEN INTO A HALF-SLEEP WHEN HE FELT ...SOME

SCRATCHING, LIKE SCRAPING...IT LASTED A FEW SECONDS...HE FELL
ASLEEP AGAIN...THE SCRAPING CONTINUED...THERE WAS NO
DOUBT...SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE...BUT
WHAT...

66
DISLAN SAT UP...THEY HAD TAKEN HIS WEAPON BEFORE HE EVEN
LEFT. EACH TECHNICIAN HAD A LASER CUTTER. JUST IN CASE. THEN
THEY PUT A SPECIAL CHIP ON HIM TO MAKE SURE HE DIDN'T LEAVE
THE BASE. VERY STRANGE.

DISLAN SAW MIERU STANDING IN THE DOORWAY, MORE TEMPTING

THAN EVER. SHE QUIETLY WALKED IN TO HIM.

- MY HUSBAND IS OLD AND SICK.EXPENSIVE MEDICATION BARELY

KEEPS UP HIS DECEPTIVE GOOD LOOKS. HE CAN'T COPE WITH
EVERYTHING HERE. DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT HE'S TELLING YOU AT
ALL. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT YOU.

DISLAN LISTENED TO HER AS IF SPELLBOUND. HE COULDN'T TAKE HIS

EYES OFF HER.

HER VOICE WAS LIKE HONEY. AND HER FIGURE SEEMED TO DISSOLVE
INTO THE DARKNESS.

- THE GOVERNOR IS NOT THE MAN WHO SENT YOU TO US. THAT WAS
ARRANGED BY GENE PALEY. THIS TRUMP CARD COULD DECIDE THE
OUTCOME OF THE WAR.

- 'I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND,' DISLAN CALLED RELUCTANTLY.

- HE THOUGHT ABOUT WHY YOU WERE SO IMPORTANT. IS IT JUST
BECAUSE OF YOUR SKILLS AS A TECHNICIAN OR IS THERE A SECRET
LYING IN THERE SOMEW HERE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ?

DISLAN WAS SILENT. HE'D BEEN THE VICTIM OF BACKSTABBING MORE

THAN ONCE. BUT STILL.

- 'LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR ORIGINS,' MIERU

CALLED, 'IT HAPPENED NOT SO LONG AGO. BEFORE THE WAR FOR AU
KAKTIR. GOVERNOR ELMBAUM IS YOUR GRANDFATHER. AND YOUR
FATHER IS VIAR, THE WARDEN OF LABOR COLONY 206. YOU'VE BEEN
WELL HIDDEN, BUT IT 'S GETTING DANGEROUS FOR YOU NOW . GENE
PALEY REALIZED THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP YOUR FATHER IN LINE WAS
TO SEND YOU TO US. BUT HE MISSED ME. YOU KNOW WE WOMEN ARE

67
GIFTED WITH A FINE SENSITIVITY.
AH, YOU, MR. DISLAN, WILL HELP
ME, AS IN FACT I AM HELPING YOU. OF COURSE, YOU'LL GET YOUR
SHARE OF THE EARNINGS. YOU WILL NOT UPSET THE ENEMY'S
SPEEDERS, BUT ELOHIA'S SPEEDERS.'

DISLAN LISTENED AND DID NOT BELIEVE. IT DIDN'T EVEN SOUND

GOOD EVEN IF IT WAS A JOKE. HE TURNED PALE.

- AT THE APPOINTED TIME YOU WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE COMMAND

ROOM, BUT EVERYTHING MUST BE BETWEEN THE TWO OF US. IF WE
ARE DISCOVERED, WE WILL BE KILLED IMMEDIATELY. AND YOU WILL
SAY GOODBYE FOREVER TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING
EXTRAORDINARY.

- 'W HY ARE YOU DOING ALL THIS?,' THE TECHNICIAN TURNED TO HER.
- LET'S JUST SAY I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THE CORRUPTION IN
IMGRADON, IT'S TIME FOR THINGS TO STOP HERE.
MY MOTHER
SUFFERED BACK DURING THE LAST WAR IN AU KAKTIR. SHE
PERISHED BENEATH THE RUINS OF SOR IN TUM CATHEDRAL.

DISLAN NODDED SILENTLY. THAT MEANT 'YES!'

THE TWO OF THEM EXITED THE STATION AND WALKED ALONG THE
INTERTWINED EQUANAT 'GUTS'. THEY LOOKED LIKE FELLOW
TRAVELERS, OFF ON A JOURNEY. THEY PASSED THROUGH ALL SORTS
OF ROOMS. ONE WAS FULL OF EMBOSAT COILS, WHICH WERE
THEMSELVES IN TERRIBLE DEMAND IN THE ZEGANDARIAN MARKET . IT
IMMEDIATELY CROSSED DISLAN'S MIND THAT THEY WERE STOLEN,
AND THAT WASN'T BY STATUTE. IN THE NEXT CHAMBER, SPECIAL
HYON BREAKERS WERE PLACED, WHICH FURTHER ENSURED THE
JAMMING OF SOME OF THE SIGNALS. IT HAD TO BE TOUCHED
CAREFULLY. DISLAN WAS AMAZED THAT THERE WAS NO SECURITY AT
ALL. APPARENTLY HIS COMPANION HAD ISSUED SOME SORT OF
ORDERS. THE ALL TOO DISTINCT PRESENCE OF SULPHUR
COMPOUNDS MADE EVERYTHING SEEM VERY STRANGE. THE
TECHNICIAN DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT . HE HAD ALREADY MADE HIS
PROMISE - NOW IT WAS TIME TO TREAD VERY CAREFULLY. THEY

68
CAME TO A ROOM FULL OF AILERON ROPES HOLDING UP A CERTAIN
OBJECT THAT WAS QUITE BULKY.

- 'IT'S WHAT 'S CALLED AN ANTI-RADAR ACCELERATOR,' MIERU

HASTENED TO EXPLAIN. 'IT CONVERTS FREQUENCIES AND RETURNS
PRECISELY DEFINED DISCRETE VALUES TO THE PILOTS. IN OTHER
WORDS, THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN BE SURE WHICH WAY THEY'RE
FLYING WITHOUT PROPER CONFIRMATION FROM US.'

- 'THAT SOUNDS INTERESTING,' DISLAN REPLIED, STROKING HIS

BEARD. 'SO WHY IS EVERYTHING WORKING OUT THIS WAY?'

- IT'S TOO LIKELY THAT SOMEWHERE OUT THERE THE EXCESSES ARE
BEING HACKED AND COPIED,' MIERU SUGGESTED.

- NOT IF WE JUST MAKE A LAST-MINUTE CHANGE TO THE

PARAMETERS OF THE ENTIRE MACHINE BEFORE THE NEW SHIFT .

- 'THEY DO A CHECK EVERY TIME BEFORE THEY TURN IT ON,' SHE

INTERJECTED.

- 'SOME OF THESE SPECIALISTS MIGHT JUST MISS SOMETHING,' HE

COUGHED QUIETLY AND GOT TO WORK.

THE SECRET WOULD BE BETWEEN THEM. THEY RETURNED THE SAME

SILENT WAY THEY HAD COME AND DIDN'T AROUSE ANYONE'S
SUSPICION.

- 'YOU'RE A BRAVE WOMAN,' SAID DISLAN. 'YOUR KINDNESS TO ME

WILL BE REWARDED AND YOU WILL HAVE YOUR REVENGE. BUT
REMEMBER ONE THING - IT IS YET TO BECOME TERRIBLE FOR ALL
THOSE WHO DARE TO FLY IN THE SHARED AIRSPACE OVER THE
ELANDON FIELD. THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO LEAVE THE BASE.'

THE WAY BACK WAS FAR EASIER. THEY DIDN'T UTTER A WORD.
MIERU QUIETLY WENT BACK TO HER HUSBAND. SHE KNEW ALL TOO
WELL WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THEY DISCOVERED SHE HAD HELPED
DISLAN. AND DISLAN HIMSELF KNEW THAT A MAN LIKE HAMMER
WOULDN'T COMPROMISE AND SEND HIM DIRECTLY WITH A BURIAL

69
CAPSULE, WRITING THAT HE HAD MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED INTO
DEEP SPACE.

SOMEWHERE IN THERE, THE IDEA FLASHED THROUGH HIS MIND THAT

HE HIMSELF WAS TO BLAME FOR HIS OWN SITUATION.
ALONE. YEAH
SOMEONE SEEMED TO BE HELPING HIM OUT FROM BEHIND HIS BACK.
BUT HE WAS MAKING MISCHIEF AFTER MISCHIEF. MAYBE THAT
SOMEONE WAS GOING TO GET TIRED OF HELPING HIM. DISLAN
REALIZED HOW MUCH MIERU HAD DONE FOR HIM. THIS WOMAN HAD
SACRIFICED ALMOST EVERYTHING FOR A STRANGER WHO COULD
POSSIBLY DO WHAT SHE HAD ASKED HIM TO DO . DISLAN WASN'T AN
EXPERT ON ANTI-RADAR ACCELERATORS, BUT WITH HIS INNATE
INTELLECT , HE'D GOTTEN THE JOB DONE.EVERYTHING SEEMED TO
BE FALLING INTO PLACE. ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING THINGS,
THOUGH, WAS THE TECHNICIAN'S DETACHMENT FROM REALITY. HE
KNEW HE HAD DONE THE JOB BETTER THAN ANYONE. SOMEWHERE IN
THERE, SOMETHING IN HIM BROKE. HE WAS WELL AWARE THAT TOO
MUCH NOW DEPENDED ON MIERU'S DISPOSITION. S HE HAD
UNINTENTIONALLY, OR PERHAPS QUITE DELIBERATELY, BECOME
SOMETHING OF A PATRON OF HIS. HE HAD TO NOT LET HER DOWN.

^^^

DISLAN PRETENDED TO BE DISTRACTED AND UNPREPARED

EXPERTLY, THOUGH HE WAS PERFECTLY AWARE OF WHAT HE HAD TO
DO. IT WAS PART OF HIS REPERTOIRE AS A HIGH LEVEL ARTIST . IT
WAS HOW HE SURVIVED AMONG THE MASS OF PEOPLE. BUT OF
COURSE THAT WOULD ONLY BE UNTIL HE WAS DISCOVERED. AND
THAT WAS INEVITABLY GOING TO HAPPEN. SO HE HAD TO PLAY HIS
CARDS RIGHT .

AFTER THEY PARTED WITH MIERU, HE PRETENDED TO SLEEP AND

SLEPT LIKE A BATH. HE HAD TO BE FRESH FOR THE NEXT DAY. THEN
HE WOULD GO THROUGH A SERIES OF SHORT TRAINING SESSIONS
AND BE INDUCTED AMONG THE TECHNICIANS AS A SENIOR
TECHNICIAN FIRST RANK.

70
HE REALIZED THAT MIERU HAD HELPED HIM GET W HERE HE WAS
GOING. THAT SIMPLE TRUTH BURNED HIS BRAIN. A WOMAN WHO HAD
HELPED HIM BEFORE SHE EVEN SAW THE BENEFIT OF HER
ASSISTANCE WAS AN INVALUABLE ALLY, BUT AN EVEN MORE
FORMIDABLE POTENTIAL ENEMY.

THE TECHNICIAN CRINGED AT THE THOUGHT THAT TIME WAS PASSING

IN SOME VERY STRANGE WAY. IN HIS THOUGHTS, EVERYTHING
SEEMED TO BE A MESS. ONE BIG MESS.

ENNIO HAMMER GREETED HIM AT MORNING OPS WITH A PLEASANT

EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE AND NO PARTICULAR WORRIES.
EVERYTHING WAS AS IT SHOULD BE. NO BETTER - NO WORSE. BUT
DISLAN SECRETLY FELT LOST.
HAMMER INTRODUCED THE TECHS TO THEIR NEW BOSS. DISLAN WAS
GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING WITH ONLY SIX PEOPLE
PLUS TWO SUPPORT STAFF. HE'D HANDLE IT NATURALLY. THERE
WASN'T AN OUNCE OF DOUBT . BUT SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF HIS
MIND A STRANGE REASONING WAS PROCESSING . W HAT WOULD
HAPPEN IF SOMEONE JUST PULLED THE COORDINATES AND MIXED
THEM WITH FAKE ONES? THAT WOULD CAUSE TREMENDOUS DAMAGE
TO EVERYONE. IRREPARABLE DAMAGE!

HE STARTED TO EXPLORE THIS POSSIBILITY OF SABOTAGING THEIR

ACTIVITIES AS WELL, AS HE WANTED TO GET IN MIERU'S EYES THAT
HE MIGHT AS WELL ACT IN A SELF- SYNDICATED MANNER. FOR BETTER
OR WORSE.

HAMMER KEPT EXPLAINING TO THE TECHNICIANS ABOUT HIS VAST

EXPERIENCE, HIS MANY QUALIFICATIONS, AND ON AND ON. HE JUST
COULDN'T SHUT UP.

- TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT HIM. THIS IS THE BEST TECHNICIAN ON THE

PLANET ZEGANDARIA. A NATURAL TALENT . I'M JUST FLATTERED THAT
HE EVEN STOPPED BY. ISN'T THAT RIGHT ?

- 'HURRAH,' THE TECHNICIANS ROARED, LIKE A MILITARY UNIT ON A

PHYSICAL EXERCISE.

71
ONLY NOW DID DISLAN FEEL IN HIS OW N WATERS. AND HE STOPPED
CARING ABOUT EVERYTHING. HE JUST REALLY STOPPED CARING.
THE PEOPLE'S SPEECH WAS LIKE A BUZZING SOUND TO HIM,
CRASHING AGAINST THE SIDES OF HIS HELMET . HE FELT LIKE A
DRUNK, OR MORE LIKE A SLIGHTLY SLEEP-DEPRIVED PERSON. THE
SOUND WAS PRACTICALLY TRANSMITTED ON THE SUITS INTERNAL
FREQUENCIES, BUT IT STRUCK DISLAN THAT SOMEWHERE IN THERE
SOMETHING HAD BROKEN. IT WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT MADE HIM
READY TO LEARN AND EVOLVE AGAIN.

THE FOLLOWING DAYS PASSED IN TRAINING AND DRILLS. SOME OF

THEM WERE NOT TO THE LIKING OF DISLAN, WHO HAD A VERY
DIFFERENT ROUTINE IN THE PAST .
EVEN THE CREW OF BARELY A
DOZEN OR SO SEEMED LIKE A CROWD TO HIM. BUT WITH TIME HE WAS
ABLE TO GET TO KNOW THEM AND EVEN GROW ATTACHED TO MOST
OF THEM. THEY HAD QUITE SIMILAR INTERESTS, BUT WHAT SET THEM
APART FROM DISLAN WAS THE RESPECT AND LOVE THEY HAD FOR
THEIR HOME PLANET . IT UNITED THEM AND WAS COMPLETELY
UNDERSTANDABLE. SOMEWHERE OUT THERE IN ALL THE COMPLEX
TANGLE OF SOCIAL INTERRELATIONSHIP HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME
FINDING HIS TRUE PLACE. TOO COMPLICATED EVEN. A LOT HAD BEEN
LEFT UNSAID BETWEEN THEM ALL THIS TIME.NOT THAT DISLAN WAS
SOME KIND OF A TEMERUT WHO COULDN'T WIN PEOPLE OVER. BUT
HE HAD A RATHER SELECTIVE STRATEGY IN HIS CHOICE OF FRIENDS.
IT DEFINED HIM AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

IT WAS THEIR CUSTOM TO GET TOGETHER AND GET DRUNK WHILE

HAMMER WASN'T LOOKING. INTERESTINGLY, THEY BREWED A
SPECIAL DISTILLATE THAT CONTAINED ZOMBIE SALTS AND COMBINED
WITH A FEW OTHER INGREDIENTS COULD MAKE THEM EXPLODE. BUT
THEY NEVER ABUSED THE AMOUNT OF THIS DRINK. THEY WERE VERY
CAREFUL. STILL, THEY ENJOYED THEMSELVES TO THE FULLEST .

DISLAN PRETENDED TO DRINK, AND POURED THE DISTILLATE INTO A

SPECIAL SPONGE UNDER HIS SPACESUIT . THAT WAY HE COULD
OBSERVE AND APPRECIATE THE VARIOUS FOIBLES OF HIS SO -CALLED
'FRIENDS'. AND THEY HAD THEM IN ABUNDANCE.

72
ONE OF THE TECHNICIANS EVEN HAD A HABIT OF PISSING HIMSELF,
SOMETHING THAT GENUINELY AMUSED THE OTHERS.

HE BECAME AN UNWITTING WITNESS TO THEIR GLOATING AGAINST

HAMMER. OF THEIR LATENT HATRED AGAINST HIM. W HEN THEY
MADE HIM JOIN IN, HE ALWAYS DEFLECTED THEIR SUGGESTIONS IN A
WAY THAT DIDN'T MALIGN HIM IN THEIR EYES OR TURN THEM AGAINST
HIM.

HE HAD TO DO MIERU'S BIDDING. THIS WOMAN KNEW WHAT SHE

WANTED. SHE ALSO KNEW HOW TO ACHIEVE IT . SHE KNEW SO MUCH.
AND SHE WAS SO INDISPENSABLE. HE WAS AWARE OF THE W ELL-
KNOWN TENDENCY OF MEN TO PUT THE WOMAN THEY ADMIRED ON A
PEDESTAL. BUT IN THIS CASE, DISLAN VIEWED HER MERELY AS A
STEP OR LINK IN HIS OWN DEVELOPMENT .

DISLAN WAS ONLY WAITING FOR THE OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO GET

AT THE MACHINE AGAIN. HE'D HIDDEN THE DRAINED INFORMATION IN
A VERY TARKATHIAN WAY. HE'D ANTICIPATED ALL OF THIS IN
ADVANCE. EVEN IF THEY DID MAKE A CHECK, AS HE HAD ALREADY
UNDERGONE AT URUS ONX, HE WOULD NOT BE STOPPED.

BUT THEN SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.

^^^

IN THE MORNING THE TECHNICIANS STARTED TO CHANGE. THEY

SUSPECTED NOTHING OF DISLAN'S NIGHT ADVENTURE.
NOTHING
COULD EVEN HINT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TOO SOON. FIRST
THEY PERFORMED THE STANDARD FACILITY CHECK. THEY CHECKED
ALL THE FREQUENCIES. THEY EVEN CHECKED FOR TACHYON-
DETECTING MICRO-DETECTORS. EVERYTHING LOOKED MORE THAN
FINE. NO PROBLEMS WERE BEING REPORTED. BUT THERE WAS
SOMETHING IN THERE SOMEWHERE THAT WAS DISTURBING.
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT SHIFT, NO ONE REMEMBERED EXACTLY
WHAT HAD HAPPENED. LOOKED AT FROM THE SIDE, IT WASN'T MUCH.
THERE HAPPENED TO BE SOME PEOPLE ASLEEP ON WATCH, AS THE

73
SPACE SECOND RING WAS BASICALLY A STATIONARY SPACESHIP
WITH VERY SPECIAL FUNCTIONS. THE CULPRITS USUALLY RECEIVED
RATHER HARSH PUNISHMENTS. SOME OF THEM EVEN GOT THEIR
HEADS SPLIT OFF. NO BURIAL CAPSULES WERE WASTED ON THEM.
ABSOLUTELY NONE. BECAUSE IT JUST WASN'T NECESSARY. THE
FACILITY WAS BROUGHT INTO READINESS STEP BY STEP. SOME OF
THE FREQUENCIES AT FIRST REFUSED. BUT A LITTLE WHILE LATER,
EVERYTHING SEEMED PERFECTLY FINE. NOW THE TESTS COULD
BEGIN.

W HERE IN JEST WHERE IN TRUTH THE TECHNICIANS WIPED THEIR

SWEATY BROWS. METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING, SINCE IN OPEN
SPACE, THEIR BODIES DID NOT SWEAT DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF
COMPLEX MECHANISMS IN THEIR SPACESUITS.

HOWEVER, ONE OF THE RECRUITS NOTICED SOMETHING RATHER

UNUSUAL. AND CALLED OUT TO THE OTHERS. W HATEVER ELSE HE
MIGHT SAY, DISLAN WAS A BIT OF A DILETTANTE, AND IN THAT LINE
OF THOUGHT HE HAD MADE A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT OVERSIGHT .
HE COULD HAVE PREJUDGED QUITE A FEW OF THE SHIP'S FATES.
SINCE MIERU HAD LULLED THE GUARDS TO SLEEP WITH A SPECIAL
SERUM SHE HAD PREPARED HERSELF AND INJECTED INTO THE SUIT 'S
EMONATHIUM AIR MIXERS, SOME OF THE RECRUITS HAD BRUISED
FACES AND LOOKED AS IF THEY WERE DYING.

DISLAN HAD BEEN FORCED TO HURRY AND HAD FORGOTTEN TO

RETURN THE SCANNER'S DATA HISTORY TO THE LAST BLANK ENTRY.
THAT WAS TO SAY, THERE WAS EXACTLY ONE BLANK RECORD
LURKING SOMEWHERE IN THE VAST DATABASE. A MANUALLY RUN
CHECK MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT. BUT WHEN THE MACHINE CHECK WAS
RUN, IT DIDN'T.

THIS MORNING, HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIANS WERE IN A HURRY

BECAUSE THEY HAD TOO MANY OBLIGATIONS AND THIS OMISSION
WENT UNNOTICED. SO FAR.

74
THEY SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH THE CODED FREQUENCIES OF
THE PILOTS WHO WERE TAKING OFF. THEY RELIED ON THAT
INFORMATION TOO MUCH. THEY HAD TO GET IT ON TIME AND IN THE
APPROPRIATE READY FORM. THEN SOME OF THE WELL-TRAINED
EXPERTS COULD ADJUST TO THE SITUATION AND ENCRYPT THE
FREQUENCIES FURTHER.

ENNIO HAMMER WAS DARTING THIS WAY AND THAT LIKE A HORNET,
READY TO STING ANYONE WHO MADE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST MISTAKE.
BUT EVERYONE WAS DOING THEIR JOB PERFECTLY. SOMEWHERE IN
THERE SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL HAPPENED. ONE OF THE
TECHNICIANS WITH A SLIGHTLY BRUISED FACE COLLAPSED.
INSTANTLY THEY RUSHED TO HIS AID. BUT HE COLLAPSED AND
GASPED. HAMMER ORDERED AN INSTANT INVESTIGATION. THE DYING
MAN'S BODY WOULD BE RELEASED INTO OPEN SPACE, AS WAS HIS
ORDER, BUT NOT BEFORE AN AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED. THE
CAUSES OF DEATH WERE TO BE WORKED OUT IN MINUTE DETAIL.

ON THE SPACE SECOND RING THEY HAD MODERN HOSPITAL

EQUIPMENT . THERE WAS WHAT THEY USUALLY CALLED AN ESONIAN
SCANNER SOMEWHERE. IT MADE IT POSSIBLE TO PICK UP ALL SORTS
OF DEVIATIONS FROM THE NORM. EVERYTHING WAS SLOWLY
FALLING INTO PLACE. BUT THE SCANNER HAD MALFUNCTIONED TWO
DAYS AGO AND NOW THEY WERE FIXING IT . SO THE CORPSE JUST
ENDED UP IN THE SHIP'S MORGUE.

ENNIO HAMMER WAS FURIOUS AS HE IMMEDIATELY SUSPECTED A

CONSPIRACY. AND MAYBE EVEN A LEAK OF INFORMATION RELATED
TO THE POSITION OF SOME OF THE CREW . W HAT COULD HAVE
CAUSED IT ? HE COULDN'T SUSPECT DISLAN, WHO HAD ONLY
ARRIVED YESTERDAY. HE COULDN'T, AND HE SHOULDN'T HAVE.
MIERU ALSO SEEMED TO TRUST HIM COMPLETELY. W HO, THEN, HAD
STIRRED UP THE WHOLE MESS?

FOR AN OLD DOG LIKE HIM, THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT SUCH A
THING WAS HARDLY THE WORK OF A LONE MAN. IT JUST WASN'T
POSSIBLE. IT WASN'T TOO HARD TO GUESS THAT PERHAPS SOME OF

75
THE EQUIPMENT IN THE COMMAND ROOM HAD BEEN TAMPERED WITH.
BUT WHICH ONE, EXACTLY? AND HOW ?
HE DECIDED TO CONDUCT HIS OWN INVESTIGATION, BUT ONE THAT
WOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH THE OFFICIAL ONE. IT WOULD ALL COME
OUT SOONER OR LATER. HE WAS ASTUTE ENOUGH IN THAT RESPECT .
THE STAKES WERE ENORMOUS. BUT AGAIN, HE DIDN'T SUSPECT
DISLAN, AS IT WAS TOO OBVIOUS. IT JUST SEEMED RIDICULOUS. OF
COURSE, ENNIO WAS GOING TO CHECK OUT THAT VERSION TOO
THOUGH. BUT A LITTLE LATER.

AFTER HE FINISHED THE BRIEFING, HE DECIDED TO QUESTION THE

TECHNICIANS ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD SEEN OR HEARD, BUT NO ONE
KNEW ANYTHING.

THEY REPORTED TO HIM THAT SOME OF THE SHIPS HAD DEPLOYED IN

THE HIGHER AND FOGGIER LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE DUE TO THE
PILOTS' TEMPORARY ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH UNSUCCESSFUL
COMMUNICATION WITH THE SPACE SECOND RING'S COMMAND
CENTER. IF THINGS WEREN'T TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, IT WAS
HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THERE WOULD BE CASUALTIES. AND LOTS OF
THEM.

HAMMER'S RESPONSIBILITY WAS ENORMOUS. HE HAD TO DO

SOMETHING. IMMEDIATELY!

THE FIRST THING HE DID WAS GO TO THE MORGUE AND CHECK THE
CORPSE. ACCORDING TO THE READINGS OF THE NANOPROBE AS
WELL AS THE QUANTUM COMPUTER WITH MEDICAL FUNCTIONS,
NOTHING SPECIAL HAD HAPPENED EXCEPT THAT THE LEVEL OF
PENTANOL IN THE VICTIM'S SYSTEM WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER
THAN NORMAL. AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT EVIDENCE OF AN OLD HOUND
LIKEHAMMER. THEN SUDDENLY HE SAW SOMETHING STRANGE. A
SMALL, BARELY NOTICEABLE HOLE ON THE VICTIM'S SPACESUIT .

- 'THERE, WE'VE FOUND SOMETHING AFTER ALL,' HE MUTTERED AS IF

TO HIMSELF.

76
HE TURNED BACK AND TRIED NOT TO AROUSE ANY SUSPICIONS. HE
ANSWERED HIS SUBORDINATES' QUESTIONS MONOSYLLABICALLY
AND LOOKED DISTRACTED.

MIERU, HOWEVER, DID NOT LOSE SIGHT OF HIM. HE APPEARED

SLIGHTLY TENSE TO HER, BUT HIS EXPRESSION DIDN'T SUGGEST HE
SUSPECTED HER, LET ALONE DISLAN. STILL, HAMMER COULD
REVEAL THEM SOON ENOUGH.

^^^

- 'THEY'VE ATTACKED THE REFINERY! IT'S ALL IN FLAMES!,' SHOUTED

SOMEONE ON WATCH.

IT HAD HAPPENED ON THE NINETY-THIRD DAY OF DISLAN'S STAY IN

THE SPACE SECOND RING, TO BE EXACT . HE HAD ALREADY FULLY
ADAPTED TO HIS NEW ENVIRONMENT . NO ONE HAD YET BEEN ABLE
TO DISCOVER WHAT THEY HAD DONE, BUT HAMMER WAS NATURALLY
STILL STEWING, THOUGH NOT SO OPENLY. HE KNEW THAT IF HE
CAUGHT THE CULPRIT , HE WOULD KILL HIM WITH HIS OWN HANDS.

- 'THE WORKERS WOULD DIE! INTERON FUEL SUPPLIES COULD BE IN

JEOPARDY!,' THE TECHNICIANS SHOUTED, SHAKING THEIR
SPACESUIT HELMETS IN SURPRISE.

THE TEAMS MOBILIZED TO RESPOND TO THIS WHOLE EMERGENCY.

THERE WAS NO DOUBT .
NEVERTHELESS, DISLAN CLEARLY FELT THAT PERHAPS NOW WAS
HIS TIME. IT WAS IN ORDER TO TAKE THIS RARE CHANCE AND STRIKE
SOME BLOWS AT SOME POINTS OF THE ENEMY DEFENSE WITHOUT
ANYONE NOTICING - AT LEAST NOT AT FIRST. EVERYONE WAS
SHUFFLING AROUND, TRYING TO GIVE IT THEIR BEST SHOT . DISLAN
REMEMBERED THAT THE ONLY ESCAPE ROUTE BEFORE HE WAS
DISCOVERED, WHICH HE DEFINITELY WOULD BE AFTER USING THE
MACHINE A SECOND TIME, WAS TO GET HOME TO ONE OF THE
RESERVE PODS. HOWEVER, THERE WERE ALMOST NONE IN THE

77
SPACE SECOND RING. THE FACILITY ITSELF ONLY HAD FOUR SPARE
ESCAPE PODS, AND THEY WERE ONLY AVAILABLE IN AN ALCOVE
UNDER THE COMMAND BAY. DISLAN WANTED TO BE SURE HE COULD
ESCAPE, BUT IT WAS TOO LIKELY THEY WOULD SHOOT HIM DOWN
EVEN IF HE TOOK OFF. THE SITUATION WAS RELATIVE. AND HE HAD
TO CONSIDER ALL POSSIBLE RISKS.

INSTANTLY THE GENERAL MOOD SHIFTED. ALL THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE

HAPPENED. DISLAN ACTED AS IF HE WERE IN A DREAM. HE DIDN'T
CARE AT ALL. AT ALL. HE WAS DETERMINED TO PUNISH THOSE
BASTARDS.

HE WENT TO THE ANTI-RADAR ACCELERATOR AND SURREPTITIOUSLY

INSERTED THE WRONG ENTRIES INTO THE MISSING CELL HE HAD
SUPPOSEDLY ACCIDENTALLY ERASED THE PREVIOUS TIME. THIS WAS
DEFINITELY GOING TO CHANGE THE RULES OF THE GAME. THE ENTIRE
MATHEMATICAL PARADIGM DEPENDED ON THE SHIFTED
COEFFICIENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUNCTION RESPONSIBLE FOR
AIMING THE WEAPON.

THEN HE ALSO TRIED TO REDIRECT SOME OF THE POWER OF THE

MAIN GENERATOR AND AMPLIFY ITS POWER. ONCE THE DIRECTION
CHANGED A LOT OF LIVES WOULD DEPEND ON HIS GOOD WILL. HE
WOULD AT LEAST BE PLAYING THE ROLE OF A GOD FOR A BIT !

ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION RECEIVED, THE REFINERY

CATCHING FIRE WAS JUST A PRETEXT FOR SOME OF THE TROOPS TO
BE STATIONED OUTSIDE THE CITY FOR REASONS UNKNOWN. THE
DEPLOYMENT OF THIS SECOND FRONT SEEMED A BIT ILLOGICAL TO
DISLAN, NOT FOR ANY OTHER REASON, BUT BECAUSE THE FACILITY
WAS A KEY SITE THAT HAD DETERMINED THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND
OF INTERRON FUEL UNTIL VERY RECENTLY.

ENNIO HAMMER, BY CHANCE, WAS A LITTLE OFF TO THE SIDE AND

DIDN'T NOTICEDISLAN. FOR THE SECOND TIME HIS LUCK WAS
WORKING. HE WAS SURE THERE DEFINITELY WOULDN'T BE A THIRD.

78
SOMEWHERE OUT THERE W AS THE VASTNESS OF SPACE. THE
SOURCE OF ALL THIS CHAOS. THE VERY BEGINNING OF CO-
CREATION. DISLAN WAS IMMERSED IN IT THOUGH ABOARD THE
SPACESHIP.

SOON HE HAD SET EVERYTHING UP. THE TECHNICIANS GOT THE

INSTRUCTIONS THEY NEEDED FROM HIM. AND THEN HE REALIZED
HOW WRONG HE HAD BEEN. IT HAD ALL BEEN A SET -UP. OR SO HE
THOUGHT AT FIRST .

ENNIO HAMMER HAD DECIDED TO REMOVE IT IN A VERY SUBTLE WAY.

HE'D PROBABLY EVEN LET IT SLIP AWAY WITH ONE OF THE SHUTTLES.
THE ONLY REASON WAS THAT IF HE TOUCHED IT , HE WOULD BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS ACTIONS TO THE GOVERNOR, AND THAT
SIMPLY MEANT DEATH. INEVITABLE DOOM! NO, HE WAS GOING TO
GRANT HIM THE RIGHT OF FREE WITHDRAWAL. MIERU WAS IN MORTAL
DANGER. HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS BEGINNING TO LOVE THIS
WOMAN. NOT WITH THE LOVE OF A KID, BUT WITH THE WARM
AFFECTION OF A MAN W HO HAD SEEN AND JUDGED THE CHARACTERS
OF THOSE AROUND HIM. HE HAD TO FIGHT FOR HER. HE HAD TO WIN
FOR HER, BUT ALSO FOR HIMSELF. THAT WAS THE CLINCHER . HE DID
NOT HAVE TO THINK HIMSELF A HERO!BUT JUST TO GIVE HIS ALL SO
THEY COULD BOTH LIVE. TO LIVE TOGETHER. AND TO SHARE THE
REST OF THEIR LIVES. SHE HAD TO SURVIVE. THEY BOTH HAD TO
SURVIVE.

HE TRIED TO FIND HER, BUT SHE WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND

AROUND THE SHIP. IT WAS ALL APPARENTLY ARRANGED THAT WAY.
ENNIO HAMMER HAD DONE HIS JOB PERFECTLY. JUST HOW WELL-
MANNERED HE WAS!

HE REMEMBERED THE SECRET GARDEN. THE DOOR WAS SLIGHTLY

AJAR. HE DIDN'T JUST WALK IN, HE BARGED IN. SOMEWHERE IN
THERE, BEHIND ALL THAT VEGETATION, HE FOUND HER. HER FRAIL
BODY WAS STILL WARM. HER EYES WERE CLOSED. TEARS DRIPPED
FROM HIS EYELIDS. HE FELT LOST FOR HER DEMISE. HE FOUND A
SMALL NOTE THAT SHE HELD IN HER HANDS THAT SAID, ‘THANK YOU

79
FOR TEACHING ME TO LIVE. A MOMENT WHEN I WAS FREE TO DEFINE
MY LIFE, INDEPENDENT OF MY HUSBAND. YOUR MIERU. I LOVE YOU!’

THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND HIM. CLEARLY THEY WEREN'T GOING TO

LET HIM IN AFTER ALL.
HE HAD DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE TO MANY
DIFFERENT SPEEDERS. AT A ROUGH ESTIMATE, THEY'D PROBABLY
BEEN MORE THAN NINETY. AND THAT MEANT A LOT .

- 'I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU PLAY ME, TECH DISLAN. YOU'VE
ALREADY DONE A LOT OF MISCHIEF AND EVEN STRIPPED ME OF MY
WIFE. AND I'M AN OLD MAN AND IT 'S A BIT LATE TO LOOK FOR A NEW
ONE,' CAME A SLIGHTLY HOARSE BUT WELL-MANNERED VOICE.

DISLAN HAD LITTLE DESIRE TO TURN, BUT HE DIDN'T WANT HIS

OPPONENT TO THINK HIM A COWARD.

- I ONLY SHOWED YOU MY GARDEN BECAUSE I KNEW YOU'D GET THIS

FAR. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN UP THE SHIP'S PLANS FOR THE
WORLD. BUT THAT HASN'T MATTERED IN A LONG TIME. DO THE
SENSIBLE THING. BUT NOW YOU'LL TIGHTEN THE NOOSE AROUND
YOUR OWN NECK.

- 'THE RESERVE CAPSULE,' HE WHISPERED, GRABBING MIERU'S

CORPSE. HE WOULD NOT LEAVE HIS BELOVED EVEN IN THE HOUR OF
HER DEATH.

HE WAS AT THE OTHER END OF THE GARDEN, HIS WOULD-BE

PURSUERS ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE METERS AWAY. HE HAD TO OUTRUN
THEM.

^^^

THEY WERE JUST APPROACHING HIM WHEN HE CAUGHT SIGHT OF A

SMALL DOOR, HALF HIDDEN BY THE SURROUNDING LUSH
VEGETATION. HE DECIDED TO RISK IT , EVEN IF HE ENDED UP IN A HALL
WHERE HE WOULD FALL VICTIM TO DECOMPRESSION. HE SIMPLY
PUSHED IT OPEN. EVEN TRIED TO KICK IT . THE DOOR WAS FIRMLY

80
BOLTED. IT HAD NO EFFECT . HE ONLY HAD A FEW SECONDS LEFT
BEFORE HE WOULD BE CUT DOWN BY HAMMER'S MEN, WHO, IN
ADDITION TO LASER CUTTERS, CARRIED PNEUMATIC ELORIUM
HAMMERS WITH WHICH TO CRUSH HIM LIKE PYTHIUM. SUDDENLY,
THOUGH, TIME SEEMED TO STAND STILL. IT LASTED FOR LESS THAN A
SECOND.

IN HIS HEAD, HE HEARD MIERU'S VOICE, 'YOU WILL BE SAVED,

BELOVED.'

THE HATCH OPENED AND CLOSED IN A FLASH. DISLAN JERKED AND

ALMOST GOT STUCK IN THE NARROW OPENING.

W HEN THEY CAME TO, HAMMER'S MEN LOOKED AROUND, BUT THERE
WAS NO SIGN OF HIM. NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY POUNDED ON THE
LOCKED HATCH, THERE WAS NO RESULT. THEY TRIED TO CUT IT WITH
A PLASMA TORCH. BUT IT TOOK QUITE A W HILE AND EVENTUALLY,
DISLAN SLIPPED OUT.
HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO LEAVE THE SHIP. SOON THEY WOULD
SENSE HIM AND FINISH HIM OFF FOR GOOD. THEY WERE JUST GOING
TO EXECUTE HIM.

'FEAR NOT,' WAS UNDOUBTEDLY MIERU'S VOICE. THEN HE CAUGHT

SIGHT OF A SMALL RECORDING DEVICE - THE SOUND WAS COMING
FROM IT . THAT LITTLE 'BOX' HAD SAVED HIS LIFE.

DISLAN KNEW SOMETHING ELSE, THOUGH. ENNIO HAMMER WAS

HIDING OTHER SECRETS. HE WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF SOMETHING
ELSE INTERESTING TURNED UP ABOARD THIS SHIP. HE DOUBTED
THAT THE SHIP'S FUNCTION WAS LIMITED TO SIMPLY MONITORING
AND USING THE ANTI-RADAR ACCELERATOR.

DISLAN EVEN WONDERED HOW TWO PEOPLE WITH SUCH DIFFERENT

PERSONALITIES COULD BECOME SPOUSES. IT SEEMED DOWNRIGHT
UNBELIEVABLE TO HIM.
SUDDENLY HE SLAPPED HIMSELF ON THE
FOREHEAD. W HAT MIERU WAS JUST AN ANDROID. SHE WAS
IF
PROGRAMMED TO LOVE HIM. BUT STILL, INWARDLY, SHE HATED HIM
TO DEATH.

81
SHE DECIDED TO TEST HER HYPOTHESIS. HE POKED BEHIND HER
CROWN, AND BEFORE LONG, HE SPIED THE BARELY NOTICEABLE
ELONIUM COVER OF HER SKULL, FITTED BENEATH SO-CALLED
SYNTHETIC HAIR THAT HAD BEEN PROPERLY TREATED TO MIMIC THE
REAL THING.

SHE TRIED TO EXAMINE THE INTEGRATED CIRCUITRY, WHICH WAS

CONNECTED IN A VERY PARTICULAR WAY TO THE REST OF THE
COMPONENTS INSIDE HER HEAD. IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT SOMEONE'S
SKILLED FINGERS HAD BEEN TOUCHING, BUT THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO
HAVE HAD TIME TO FINE TUNE ANYTHING AND HAD STOPPED THEIR
WORK PREMATURELY.

'DAMN, GOOD ENGINEERS WE HAVE, IF THEY EVEN MANAGED TO

SWEEP ME. JUST DON'T BLAME THEM.'

OUT OF RESPECT FOR HER HELP, HE DIDN'T DISASSEMBLE IT , BUT

KEPT ITS INTEGRITY, AS HE FOUND IT MORE PLEASANT TO LOOK AT IN
ITS COMPLETE FORM.

IT WOULD DEFINITELY SLOW HIM DOWN IF HE HAD TO CARRY HER,

MUCH LIKE HIS DOOMED CLUB, BUT HE COULDN'T LEAVE HER EITHER.
IF THEY FOUND HER, THEY COULD EASILY SMELL HIS OWN
FOOTPRINTS.

IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT HE WAS LIKE A RED DEER AROUND WHICH

THE WOLF PACK WAS NARROWING THE CIRCLE UNTIL THEY COULD
CORNER HIM AND BREAK HIS BACK, WATCHING THE LIGHT SLOWLY
FADE IN HIS PUPILS. QUITE A HEARTBREAKING SIGHT OF A MAN
CAUGHT IN A COMPLETE STANDOFF! BUT DISLAN WASN'T GOING TO
GIVE IN SO EASILY TO THIS BAND OF SCOUNDRELS!

THE GLOOMY ROOM HE FOUND HIMSELF IN, AS HE DIDN 'T STOP

WALKING EVEN WITH THE ANDROID ON HIS BACK, DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A
HALL OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT WAS SOMETHING SUGGESTIVE OF
SORROW .

DISLAN SHED A TEAR. AN ANDROID THAT HADN 'T EVEN BEEN

PROGRAMMED TO LOVE HIM, SINCE HE WASN'T ITS OWNER OR

82
MASTER, HAD GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM IN SUCH A SHORT TIME MORE
THAN ALL OF HIS COWORKERS HE'D WORKED WITH FOR YEARS.

OF COURSE THE DANGER TO HIM STILL EXISTED. W ALKING SLOWLY

ALONG SOMETHING RESEMBLING THE AFOREMENTIONED EQUANATE
'CASINGS' THAT WERE THE SHIP'S MAIN ARTERIES, HE REACHED THE
ENGINE ROOM.

'HELL BEGINS NOW!,' HE WHISPERED, AND MOVED INTO THE ENGINE

ROOM.

HE CRAWLED AND CROUCHED, LEST SOME BUMP NEARBY TEAR HIS

SUIT'S INSULATION. THEN HE SUDDENLY REALIZED. SAM HAD
WALKED INTO A PLACE WITH NO WAY OUT .

FORTUNATELY, ENNIO'S MEN, FOR SOME REASON, DIDN' T GO TO

CHECK THE ENGINE ROOM FIRST, BUT SCATTERED TO LOOK AROUND
FOR NEARBY EXITS. THEY KNEW ALL TOO WELL THAT EVEN IF HE HAD
BEEN INSIDE, DISLAN SIMPLY HAD NOW HERE TO GET OUT. LITTLE BY
LITTLE THEY BEGAN TO RETURN.

DISLAN COULD FEEL THE TEMPERATURE RISE IN THE ENGINE ROOM,

BUT HE COULDN'T GAG. THEY COULD JUST GET HIM OUT OF THERE AT
ANY MOMENT .

SUDDENLY, MIERU'S VOICE WHISPERED TO HIM 'DON'T WORRY, THEY

CAN'T GET TO YOU. JUST DON'T LEAVE THIS PLACE FOR A WHILE YET .'

THE GIAMOSAN-ENHANCED SPACESUITS THAT THE BATTLECORDON

WORE ON THEIR BACKS PREVENTED THEM FROM SQUEEZING INTO
THE NARROW SYNTH HATCH. THEY LOOKED LIKE A TEAM OF SHISH
KEBABS WHO'D HAD A GOOD MEAL BUT DIDN'T WANT TO ADMIT IT .

THEY HADN'T TAKEN THE TORCH THEY'D USED TO MELT THE

PREVIOUS HATCH. AND THEY DIDN'T REMEMBER WHERE THEY'D
THROWN IT. DISLAN KNEW THIS GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE COULDN'T
GO ON MUCH LONGER.

83
THEN SUDDENLY IT OCCURRED TO HIM TO USE SOMETHING HIGHLY
UNCHARACTERISTIC. MIERU' S VOICE. THEY'D HARDLY EXPECTED TO
HEAR THE VOICE OF A DEAD MAN. EVEN HAMMER WAS
SUPERSTITIOUS ENOUGH TO BE STARTLED. AT LEAST FOR A
MOMENT!

HE TRIED TO MAKE THE LITTLE BOX WORK, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT . IT

JUST REMAINED MUTE. IT WAS AS IF THE SPIRIT HAD EVAPORATED
AND LEFT HIM TO SORT IT OUT AS HE KNEW HOW . THEN HE NOTICED
THAT THERE WAS A TINY TRANSLATOR VALVE ON THE SIDE OF THE
DEVICE AND HE DECIDED TO PRESS IT . HE SWITCHED ON HIS SUIT'S
BUILT-IN MICROPHONE AND SHOUTED OUT IN HIS LOW BASS VOICE,
'ONGURO ZENAL.' THE TRANSLATOR MECHANISM HAD
TRANSFORMED HIS VOICE BEYOND RECOGNITION, HOWEVER. IT WAS
AS IF IT CAME FROM HELL. W AS THIS A QUIRK OF MIERU'S?
ABOVE, THE HEAVILY ARMORED SOLDIERS BEGAN TO LOOK AROUND
UNEASILY. ‘W HAT IF THERE'S A DEMON DOWN THERE?’ THEY
WHISPERED.

DISLAN PREFERRED TO THINK OF IT AS A DEMON. BUT HE KNEW THE

HUMAN PSYCHE. IT WOULDN'T TAKE THEM LONG TO COME TO THEIR
SENSES.

THOUGH SLIGHTLY ODD, HE HAD THE TIME HE NEEDED TO SQUEEZE

INTO ONE OF THE ESCAPE PODS THAT WAS HIDDEN JUST OFF TO ONE
SIDE IN THE ENGINE ROOM. BY THE TIME THEY CAME TO THEIR
SENSES, HE ROLLED OVER AND QUICKLY PRESSURIZED THE
SHUTTLE. HE HAD NO IDEA IF IT WAS PREPARED FOR FLIGHT. HE
PRESSED THE EMERGENCY LAUNCH BUTTON. AND IT FLEW . OUT INTO
THE VASTNESS.

- 'CALL THE COMMAND ROOM TO HAVE IT SHOT DOWN INSTANTLY,'

ENNIO HAMMER GROWLED IN UTTER FRUSTRATION.

W HILE FLYING THE SHUTTLE, DISLAN NOTICED THAT IT HAD A

SPECIAL CAMOUFLAGE MODE, IN WHICH NOT ONLY ITS SYSTEMS
WENT INTO HIBERNATION CONDITIONS, BUT EVEN MORE IT BECAME

84
COMPLETELY INVISIBLE. THE TECHNOLOGY WAS EXTREMELY
INTERESTING AS IT WAS BASED ON A SPECIAL 'META SKIN' CREATED
FROM A LIQUID METAL NANO BASE. THIS SORT OF ‘CLOAK’ COVERED
THE MACHINE. DISLAN ACTIVATED IT INSTANTLY.AND THE SHIP
BECAME TRANSPARENT AS GLASS. BUT IT ALSO SEEMED TO BECOME
TRANSPARENT ITSELF. IT WAS QUITE WHIPLASH. W ELL, HE COULDN'T
SEE HIS INSIDES LIKE ON AN X-RAY, BUT IT WAS JUST AS IF THERE
WAS ONLY A VACUUM IN PLACE OF THE SHIP.

HE IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO MAKE A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DEGREE

MANEUVER TO AVOID BEING SHOT DOWN BY THE FIREPOWER OF THE
FLYING SPACE CITY, WHICH WAS HOVERING SOMEWHAT OMINOUSLY
ON THE BOUNDARY BETW EEN STATIONARY NEAR ORBIT AND THE
VAST EXPANSE OF SPACE. IT LOOKED LIKE A GHOSTLY ISLAND WHOSE
FANGS LIKE PREDATORY CLAWS WANTED TO GRAB HIM. HE DIDN'T
WANT TO JUST RELY ON HIS INVISIBILITY. THAT COULD HAVE PLAYED
HIM A BAD JOKE.

THE RATHER CRAMPED COCKPIT HAD A SMALL AIRTIGHT

COMPARTMENT IN WHICH HE HAD STOWED MIERU'S REMAINS. BUT
THIS WAS NOT FETISHISM, IT WAS HIS FIRM INTENTION TO GIVE HER A
DECENT BURIAL! SHE WAS THE ONLY TRUE FRIEND HE HAD EVER HAD!
ANDROID OR NOT , THE CHIPS ON HER HEAD HELD SOME OF THE KEYS
LEADING TO THE ANSWERS THE TECHNICIAN SOUGHT . BESIDES, THE
CAMOUFLAGE THE FLYING APPARATUS PROVIDED HIM WAS NOT TO
BE UNDERESTIMATED EITHER. HE HAD TO THINK ABOUT WHERE TO
POSSIBLY LAND. BEHIND HIM, A GOOD DISTANCE FROM HIS FLIGHT
PATH, WERE THE SLOPES OF SPECIAL QUANTUM CANNONS. ONLY
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COSMIC SECOND RING WERE
AUTHORIZED TO POSSESS SUCH. HIS SPECIAL CAMOUFLAGE HAD
MADE HIM INVISIBLE TO RADAR, BUT NOTHING COULD STOP THE
QUANTUM BEAMS.

HE DECIDED TO MAKE A RUSHING LANDING. HE HOPED THE

SHUTTLE'S HULL WOULDN'T CATCH FIRE OR EVEN DISINTEGRATE
UPON ENTERING THE PLANET'S ATMOSPHERE.

85
OF COURSE, THERE WAS A DANGER THAT THIS WOULD MAKE HIS
FLYING APPARATUS NOTICEABLE AND HE WOULD BE SHOT DOWN.
BUT HE DECIDED TO RISK IT. BESIDES BEING AN EXCELLENT
MECHANIC, HE WAS PROBABLY ZEGANDARIA'S BEST PILOT!

HE TURNED OFF THE AUTOPILOT AS WELL AS ALL OF THE MACHINE'S

ENGINES - MAIN AND LATERAL STABILIZERS.

IT WAS TIME FOR ANDREW DISLAN TO SURVIVE HIS WAY!

HE ANGLED THE NOSE OF THE SHUTTLE AND UNDERTOOK A
CONTROLLED FREE FALL, TRYING TO AVOID ANY HULL DEFORMATION
THAT AN IMPROPER ANGLE OF DESCENT MIGHT CAUSE.

DISLAN DEFINITELY FELT THE TEMPERATURE RISE. OH YEAH , IT WAS

STARTING TO GET DAMN HOT .

ELECTRIFIED CLOUDS FLASHED AMIDST THE ERUPTIONS OF PLASMA

THAT WERE OCCURRING IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE PLANET . THE
SHUTTLE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO AVOID THEM. BUT AT ANY MOMENT
THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A COLLISION, AND DUE TO THE EXTREMELY
POOR VISIBILITY LANDING BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

DISLAN HAD SET THE RIGHT COORDINATES AND THE SHUTTLE HAD TO
LAND NEAR THE URUS ONX SPACEPORT . PREDICTABLY, HE WANTED
IT AWAY FROM THE REFINERY ON MAERX STREET . W HO WAS THE
CULPRIT FOR ITS INCINERATION?

THE SHUTTLE DESCENDED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE THIN

ATMOSPHERE DOWN TO THE ROCKY SEMI-DESERT SURFACE OF THE
PLANET. SOON, VERY SOON, IT WOULD BE ON SOLID GROUND. THE
CRAFT LANDED SMOOTHLY AMIDST A SMALL CLOUD OF DUST . DISLAN
OPENED THE AIRLOCK AND STEPPED OUT . CAREFULLY, HE JUMPED
TO THE GROUND. IMMEDIATELY HE LOOKED AROUND. THE FOGGY
ATMOSPHERE ALL AROUND, MIXED WITH THE RUMBLE OF WAR,
REVEALED AN ALMOST SURREAL, BUT FRIGHTENING PICTURE!

THE REFINERY FELL AMONG A GROUP OF OBJECTS OF STRATEGIC

PURPOSE. IT WAS NO WONDER THAT SOMEONE HAD WANTED ITS

86
OBLITERATION. IN THE DISTANCE HE SPOTTED WOUNDED. SOME OF
THE WORKERS HAD BEEN THROWN OUT BY THE LOUD EXPLOSION AND
THEIR BODIES WERE TORN APART . W HEN ANDREW LOOKED AT THEM
WITH AN EXPRESSIONLESS FACE, HIS DRUNKEN EXPRESSION MEANT
ONLY THAT THEY SIMPLY HAD NO CHANCE OF SURVIVING. I T THREW
HIM INTO TURMOIL BRIEFLY, BUT THEN HE TOLD HIMSELF THAT IT WAS
OBVIOUSLY INEVITABLE. A LITTLE LESS HE BEGAN TO EXAMINE WHAT
HAD HAPPENED TO THE REFINERY. THE TREATMENT PLANTS WERE
HALF DESTROYED, BUT NOT ANY PART OF THE MAIN BUILDING. MORE
THAN TWENTY THOUSAND WORKERS TOILED HERE EVERY DAY, AS IT
WAS THE MONOPOLY FUEL PRODUCTION UNIT OF THE WESTERN PART
OF THE PLANET .

THE TECHNICIAN WAS IN A WELL-INSULATED SPACESUIT . HE HAD

SLIPPED THE REMAINS OF THE MIERU INTO A SMALL AIRTIGHT
CAPSULE. THERE WERE CLEARLY NO OTHER SIGNS OF LIFE AROUND.
HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO TAKE ONE LAST LOOK W HEN HIS EYES FELL
ON A DEAD WOMAN. THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN HIS MIND THAT SHE
HAD GASPED IN HELLISH AGONY. IT WAS PLAIN TO SEE ON HER
HAGGARD FACE THAT THE SHIFTS AT THE REFINERY HAD
COMPLETELY RUINED HER. BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW
SECURE JOBS. BESIDE HER, HER BABY GIRL WAS STILL BREATHING.
SHE HAD SURVIVED AGAINST ALL ODDS. DISLAN RUSHED TO TRY TO
DO WHAT SHE COULD FOR HIM. THE WOMAN HAD CHANGED HER
COMPRESSED AIR BOTTLE AND GIVEN IT TO HER DAUGHTER IN AN
ATTEMPT TO SAVE HER. SHE HAD SACRIFICED HERSELF SO SHE
COULD LIVE. THE LITTLE GIRL MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY AWARE
OF IT ALL. BUT THERE WERE DRIED TEARS ON HIS LITTLE FACE,
CLEARLY VISIBLE THROUGH THE GLASS OF THE SPACESUIT .
APPARENTLY THE MOTHER HAD PICKED HIM UP FROM SOMEWHERE
UNKNOWN. THE STRANGE THING WAS THAT HE HADN'T UN-
AIRTIGHTENED HIMSELF AFTER ALL.

DISLAN TOOK THE CHILD IN. SHE LOOKED INTO HIS DEEP BLUE EYES
AND ASKED:

- W HAT'S YOUR NAME ?

87
- 'MIERU,' CAME HIS CHILDISH VOICE.

THEN DISLAN UNDERSTOOD THE WHOLE CONFUSED STORY. MIERU

WAS JUST THE MOTHER OF THE CHILD WHO BORE HER OWN NAME. IT
WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS ILLEGITIMATE, OR SHE WOULDN'T HAVE
GIVEN IT TO THIS SIMPLE AND DESTITUTE WOMAN TO RAISE. A
WOMAN, HOWEVER, WHO HAD COME TO LOVE HIM AS HER OWN,
DESPITE BARELY SUPPORTING HIM WITH HER MEAGER RESOURCES.
BUT HOW COULD AN ANDROID BE A MOTHER? AND MAYBE THAT WAS
EXACTLY WHAT HAMMER WANTED? THE PERFECT OBEDIENT
CREATURE TO PROVIDE THE PERFECT VENEER OF NORMALCY THAT
WOULD ENSURE HE STAYED IN POST ON THE FLYING SPACE CITY. BUT
DISLAN ALLOWED FOR ANOTHER MUCH MORE LIKELY POSSIBILITY. IT
ASSUMED THE REPLACEMENT OF ABSOLUTELY EVERY BODY PART
AND REPLACING IT WITH A BIOMECHANICAL ONE SINCE THE BLACK
MARKET FOR ORGANS WAS WELL DEVELOPED. AS WAS EVERY OTHER
PLANET IN THE GALAXY, BY THE WAY. SO, BY THAT LOGIC, SHE HAD
BEEN GIVING HER ORGANS AWAY ONE BY ONE JUST TO PROVIDE THE
MEANS TO RAISE HER DAUGHTER AND KEEP HER AWAY FROM THE
REAL DANGER. IN THE END SHE HAD EVEN AGREED TO HAVE HER
MIND TRANSPLANTED ONTO SOME SIMPLE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT .

BEHIND HER, THE TECHNICIAN HEARD A NOISE. APPARENTLY, MAYBE

IT WAS SOLDIERS OR MARAUDERS. SHE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE ANY
CHANCES. HE GRABBED THE CHILD UNDER THE ARM. IT LOOKED AT
HIM IN SURPRISE, BUT SAID NOTHING. AND THEY WALKED TOWARDS
THE CRYPT . AS A TECHNICIAN OF THE HIGHEST RANK, DISLAN KNEW
THE SECRETS OF THIS PLANET ON HIS FIVE FINGERS. MAYBE THAT
WAS WHY HE WAS SUCH A BRUTE!

THE CRYPT WAS A SPECIAL UNDERGROUND COMPLEX W HOSE

ACCESS WAYS LED TO UNKNOWN PLACES. IN ORDER TO PREVENT
THE SPEEDER FROM BEING STOLEN, DISLAN HAD ACTIVATED THE
CAMOUFLAGE MODE AND IT WAS NOW COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT .
DISLAN HAD KEPT HIS NARENZIUM IDENTIFICATION CHIP IN ORDER TO
LEGITIMIZE HIMSELF IF HE WAS ASKED FOR IT. IN CASE THEY MET
ANYONE AT ALL. THE GIRL OBEDIENTLY FOLLOWED AFTER HIM.

88
SOMEWHERE FAR BEHIND THEM THE RUMBLE OF BATTLE COULD BE
HEARD.

THE CRYPT WAS BUILT W ITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORKERS

ON MAERX STREET AND WAS LOCATED NOT THAT FAR FROM THE
REFINERY AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT FIVE MILES. BUT THE PERIMETER
WAS CORDONED OFF.

DISLAN WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT , DUE TO THE OUTBREAK OF

ALL-OUT WAR, THE POSTS WERE NOT IN PLACE OR HE WOULD NEVER
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PENETRATE THE REFINERY.

AT FIRST, DISLAN COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE IN HIMSELF

AT ALL. HE HAD NEVER HAD CLOSE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER HUMAN
BEING. BUT NOW HE WAS GIVING EVERYTHING TO SAVE THE GIRL.
PERHAPS THAT WAS HOW HE WANTED TO CLEAR HIS CONSCIENCE.
THE GLOOMY SURROUNDINGS OF THE CRYPT WERE NOT THE BEST
PLACE FOR A MAN TO BE. THE TECHNICIAN WAS WELL ACQUAINTED
WITH THE INNER INTRICATE TANGLE OF CORRIDORS AND TUNNELS
THAT LED FAR TO THE NORTHEAST - PERHAPS STRETCHING
HUNDREDS OR EVEN THOUSANDS OF MILES. DISLAN HAD OF COURSE
NEVER WALKED THROUGH ALL OF THEM. HE ONLY HAD MAPS AND A
FLAIR FOR HOW TO READ THEM. W HEN THEY WERE DOING THE FIRST
TRIALS, SOME OF THE HALLS WERE EXCELLENT PLACES TO CONDUCT
THE EXPERIMENTS.

MIERU HAD NEVER ENTERED A ROOM LIKE THIS, BUT SOMEHOW SHE
TRUSTED HER NEW PROTECTOR.

THEY KEPT GOING FURTHER AND FURTHER INSIDE. DISLAN

SWITCHED ON A SMALL FLASHLIGHT THAT WAS TOO OFTEN USED FOR
EVERYDAY NEEDS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNARMED, AND IF ANYONE
IN THE DARK WAS INTENT ON ATTACKING THEM, IT WAS UNLIKELY HE
WOULD BE ABLE TO DEFEND HIMSELF MUCH.

BUT HE WASN'T INTIMIDATED. TO BE HONEST , AND TO BE SCARED

THE MARAUDERS OUTSIDE WERE HARDLY THE BETTER ALTERNATIVE.
HE KNEW THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE DEPTHS LURKED THE SOR IN

89
TUM CATHEDRAL. HE WANTED TO TAKE THE LITTLE GIRL TO WHERE
HIS GRANDMOTHER HAD DIED, NOT SHOW HER SOME RAGGEDY
ANDROID HE CLAIMED W AS ACTUALLY HER MOTHER.

THERE WOULD BE MANY SINS WEIGHING ON DISLAN'S CONSCIENCE.

THE TUNNELS RAN DEEP AND MADE SUCH IMPROBABLE
RAMIFICATIONS THAT IT WAS INEVITABLE HE WOULD HAVE TO
CONSULT THE MAP FROM TIME TO TIME. OTHERWISE HE MIGHT
NEVER HAVE GOT OUT OF THIS MAZE AT ALL.

MIERU DIDN'T CRY OR SCREAM, ONLY HER LARGE EYES WIDENED IN

SOME SORT OF WONDER AT THE BIZARRE SURROUNDINGS. IT WASN'T
HUMID DOWN HERE, IT WAS DRY, AND THE SOUNDS FROM OUTSIDE
DIDN'T REACH THAT DEPTH.

DISLAN SUDDENLY WONDERED WHY THIS CATHEDRAL HAD BEEN

ERECTED HERE AND WASN'T EVEN ON THE MAP. HONESTLY, IF IT
WASN'T FOR THE WORDS OF MIERU'S MOTHER, HE WOULD HAVE
NEVER SUSPECTED ABOUT THIS OBJECT .

THE SOR IN TUM CATHEDRAL WAS BUILT BY AN ORDER OF

VENETARIAN ROGUES AND PSEUDO-DWARVES WHO BELIEVED IN A
FICTIONAL GOD, TORNUS. THERE WAS NO MORE FOOLISH
REASONING PUT INTO THE MINDS OF THE ORDINARY BELIEVERS THAN
THAT OF THEIR INNER DEVOTION TO A FALSE DEITY. IT WASN'T EVEN
EXACTLY A CULT .

DISLAN PULLED OUT A SMALL BLASTER THAT HE HAD CASUALLY

SHRUGGED OFF ONE OF HIS PURSUERS. MORE ACCURATELY, THE
WEAPON HAD SOMEHOW ENDED UP IN THE ENGINE ROOM WHERE HE
ACTUALLY WAS. THOUGH SMALL, THE WEAPON WAS DANGEROUS.

BEFORE LONG, THEY WERE IN FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL IN

QUESTION. THE BUILDING WAS INDEED MAJESTIC, A RARE GOTHIC
ARCHITECTURE WITH ENORMOUS NEOBAROQUE-STYLE SUPPORTING
COLUMNS. THIS RARE WORK OF ART COULD ONLY EVOKE
ADMIRATION. IT WAS THE TRUTH ITSELF. THEY HAD LINGERED TOO
LONG PAST THE CATHEDRAL ITSELF, WHICH EXUDED A SPECIAL AURA.

90
DISLAN COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS BECKONING THEM TO GO
INSIDE.

HOWEVER, WHEN THEY STEPPED INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL SOME

INVISIBLE HAND SEEMED TO PREVENT THEM FROM DOING SO .

W HY SUCH PSEUDO-RELIGIOUS CULTS FOUND SUCH FERTILE

GROUND NO ONE COULD SAY.

ONE THING WAS FOR SURE THE LITTLE GIRL DID NOT FEEL
COMFORTABLE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS. EVERYTHING AROUND WAS
MALEVOLENT .

DISLAN TRIED TO CONTINUE DOWN SOME OF THE SIDE CORRIDORS,

BUT FAILED. THE SAME INVISIBLE HAND SEEMED TO BE HOLDING HIM
BACK.

THEN NEAR THE CATHEDRAL HE SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE A SMALL

SARCOPHAGUS. INSIDE LAY THE BODY OF THE REAL MIERU. THE VILE
ENNIO HAMMER HAD TURNED THIS ANDROID DOLL INTO HER
LIKENESS. HER TORSO WAS COMPLETELY MUTILATED AND DECAYED,
BUT HER FACE WAS STILL BEAUTIFUL AS IF SOME INVISIBLE FORCE
WAS KEEPING IT FROM LOSING ITS CHARM.

DISLAN UNDERSTOOD. THERE WAS NO WAY ON - SHE HAD TO GO

BACK. HE HEADED BACK.

W HEN THEY EMERGED FROM THE CRYPT THE NEXT MORNING, THEY
SAW THAT MANY OF THE WORKERS' CORPSES WERE MISSING.
SURELY ENNIO HAMMER HAD FOLLOWED ON THEIR HEELS!

CHAPTER SIX: ENNIO HAMMER

HAMMER WAS NOT A MAN WHO FORGAVE OR DISREGARDED

MEANNESS. DISLAN HAD ABUSED HIS TRUST AND HE WAS GOING TO
PAY - AND PAY DEARLY. HOW HE HAD DESTROYED COMBAT

91
SPEEDERS WHO COULD HAVE TIPPED THE SCALES IN THEIR FAVOR!
IT WAS ONLY WITH MIERU'S KNOWLEDGE - OR RATHER, THE ANDROID
THAT HAD COPIED HER IDENTITY.

DISLAN HAD SAVED HIMSELF INITIALLY, BUT THIS TIME HIS

PUNISHMENT WOULD BE SEVERE. ENNIO READIED ALL AVAILABLE
STRENGTH TO STOP HIM. HE HAD CONTACTED SURVIVING
MERCENARIES AND SENT A PLATOON OF TRAINED ASSASSINS ON THE
COCKY FOOL'S HEELS TO FINISH HIM OFF WITHOUT A DROP OF
MERCY.

HAMMER HAD DELIBERATELY AVOIDED HIS CONTACTS WITH THEM

AND HAD INSTRUCTED THEIR COMMANDER TO CARRY OUT HIS
ORDERS. THEY WERE TO BRING HIM ANDREW 'S HEAD!

DISLAN CAUGHT SIGHT OF THEM SNIFFING NOT FAR FROM THE

CRYPT. THEY HADN'T FOUND THE SHUTTLE OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE
ACTED SO OPENLY. THEY WERE COMING IN GROUPS . THEY
APPEARED TO BE PROFESSIONALS, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE
REALLY WAS.

AS A TECHNICIAN OF THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RANK, HE HAD

UNDERGONE THE TRAINING FOR AN ELITE SOLDIER IN AN
ABBREVIATED FORM - THIS INCLUDED BASIC ARMY TRAINING AND NOT
LEAST SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN WEAPONS HANDLING. HE COULD
EASILY HAVE PURSUED A MILITARY CAREER, AS LONG AS HE HAD
ASKED FOR IT OF COURSE.

DISLAN HAD READ SOMEW HERE THAT THE TRAJECTORY OF A PLASMA

BULLET COULD PIERCE THE HEADS OF SEVERAL PEOPLE
SIMULTANEOUSLY IF A SO-CALLED TORQUE AMPLIFIER WAS USED.
DISLAN DIDN'T HAVE THAT GADGET OR HE WOULD HAVE BLOWN THEIR
HEADS OFF LIKE A PUNCH.

THE GIRL HAD COVERED THE VISOR OF HER SUIT HELMET WITH HER
HANDS. DISLAN HAD CHECKED TO MAKE SURE HER OXYGEN BOTTLES
WERE IN WORKING ORDER, SINCE HE WOULDN'T HAVE TIME TO DEAL
WITH HER LATER.

92
SHE DECIDED TO OPERATE COVERTLY AND PLAY IT SAFE. THE WIND
WOULD BE HIS ALLY AS HE WAS AWARE OF WHAT HE WAS DOING. AND
MASTERFUL EVASION WOULD HAVE THEM MOVING MORE TIGHTLY
BEFORE HE PRESSED THE TRIGGER ON THE WEAPON. GET READY
AND FIRE.

THE FIRST ONE DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED
TO HIM. TO SOME EXTENT , NEITHER DID THE SECOND. BUT THE
OTHERS SENSED AND BEGAN TO SHELL THE PLACE WHERE ANDREW
WAS HIDING. THEY WERE DETERMINED TO BURY HIM WITHOUT AN
OUNCE OF MERCY. THAT WAS THE ORDER.

THE TECHNICIAN TRIED TO PROVIDE A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE GIRL. HE

NEEDED TO BE IN A MORE SHELTERED SPOT BECAUSE SOME RANDOM
SLOPE COULD EASILY KILL HIM. DISLAN WAS AT LEAST PROTECTED
BY A COMBAT SUIT , WHICH WAS A COMPARATIVELY SMALL
CONSOLATION, BUT THE GIRL WORE A MOST ORDINARY ONE AND HAD
TO BE CAREFUL.

- 'DISLAN, WE KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE,' SOMEONE BELLOWED.

'DON'T HANG AROUND AND HIDE FROM US. OTHERWISE IT WILL GET
WORSE FOR YOU.'

HOWEVER, DISLAN DECIDED TO PLAY THEM OFF SO HE COULD KILL

THE OTHERS. HE HAD TO DEAL WITH EVERYONE AND NOT MISS - NOT
ONCE.

THE REFINERY RUINS WERE PRETTY GOOD FOR A GAME LIKE THIS,
BUT HERE, A FEW MILES AWAY, THE TERRAIN WAS ALMOST
COMPLETELY OPEN.

DISLAN THOUGHT OF THE ANDROID. MIERU WAS GOING TO PLAY HIS

ROLE AS HIS PROTECTOR ONE LAST TIME.
THIS TIME HE WOULD USE
HER AS BAIT .

HE HAD TO SHOW WHAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF OR HIS DOOM WAS

INEVITABLE. THE SOLDIERS, HOWEVER, DID NOT DESCEND TO
PURSUE HIM AS HE EXPECTED, BUT SIMPLY THINNED THEIR

93
FORMATION AND TRIED TO SURROUND HIM AND NARROW THE CIRCLE
AROUND HIM.

THE TECHNICIAN UNDERSTOOD. THEN HE ROARED LIKE A WOUNDED

ANIMAL AND TOOK OFF FOR THE NEAREST COVER. THE SOLDIERS
OPENED FIRE ON HIM AGAIN. THE BATTLE WAS TOO UNEQUAL. BUT
EVEN SO THERE WAS STILL SOME PROSPECT OF HIS SUCCESS.

THE TECHNICIAN DECIDED TO MAKE THEM SPIN IN A CIRCLE AS HE

EXPERTLY STEPPED OVER THE CORPSES OF THE TWO HE HAD
ALREADY KILLED. HE'D NOTICED THAT THEY HAD ESONIUM BOMBS.
HE JUST HAD TO GET TO ONE OF THEM.

HOWEVER, THEY HAD FIGURED OUT HIS INTENT AGAIN. T HAT WAS
WHEN DISLAN DECIDED TO SHOOT THE BOMB STRAIGHT - WHATEVER
HAPPENED. THE SHOCKWAVE DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO SWEEP AWAY
TWO OF THE OTHER CLOSEST ONES, AND MANAGED TO WOUND
THREE OF HIS ENEMIES.

THEN HE TOOK OUT THE ANDROID. HIS REMAINS STILL LANGUISHED

IN THE SPECIAL BAG HE HAD STOWED THEM IN. AT THE SIGHT OF
MIERU - WHO WAS KNOWN AS HAMMER'S WIFE - THEY WERE A LITTLE
CONFUSED. DISLAN SHOT THE LAST FEW AS WELL. IT WAS SIMPLY
PHENOMENAL!

HE THEN STOWED THEIR WEAPONS AND PICKED UP THE GIRL, WHO

HAD TO BE TAKEN TO SAFETY. HE WAS WOUNDED HIMSELF, TOO - BUT
NOT FROM THE BULLETS, BUT FROM THE NEAR DETONATION OF THE
TEN MICROTONS OF ESONIUM EQUIVALENT HE HAD ACTIVATED
HIMSELF.

HAMMER HAD ANTICIPATED THEIR COMMANDER STAYING FURTHER

AWAY. HE FAILED TO GET WITHIN SIGHT OF DISLAN.

THE COMMANDER STEPPED BACK TO REPORT.

- 'SHOOT HIM,'
HAMMER ORDERED. 'I DON'T CARE, BUT I WANT HIM
REMOVED. OTHERWISE YOU'LL BE REMOVED.'

94
- 'I'LL BE FINE,' HE MUTTERED TORTUREDLY.

DISLAN, HOWEVER, WAS GONE. THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF FINDING

HIM.

HAMMER HAD WITNESSED HIS SPECTACULAR FAILURE. THIS TIME HE

KNEW ONE THING - HIS DEATH WAS INEVITABLE - NOT FOR ANYTHING
ELSE, BUT BECAUSE THEY WOULD EASILY FIND OUT WHO WAS TO
BLAME. IT WAS HAMMER. HE'D DROPPED THAT DISLAN SNAKE IN HIS
BOSOM. HE'D LET MIERU USE HIM TO GET REVENGE. W HAT A BLIND
MAN HE WAS! HAMMER SMACKED HIS SUIT'S HEAVILY ARMORED
GAUNTLET AGAINST HIS HEAD, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF
GRAVITY, HE FELT NOTHING.

HIS GRIEF WAS INDESCRIBABLE. HE HAD QUESTIONED ALL HIS

SUBORDINATES ABOUT THE WHOLE BLASPHEMOUS INTERFERENCE
WITH THE WEAPON SETTINGS. NO ONE HAD SEEN ANYTHING. AND NO
ONE DARED TO GROYAN.

HAMMER KNEW DISLAN WAS TOO SMART AND ONCE HE SLIPPED

AWAY, IT WOULDN'T BE EASY TO CATCH HIM. HE'D MANAGED TO
LOCATE HIS APPROXIMATE DROP POINT , BUT HE'D MISSED IT AGAIN.
HE WOULDN'T CATCH IT A THIRD TIME. AND HE WAS LEFT TO AW AIT
HARSH RETRIBUTION AT THE HAND OF HIS OPPONENT! AND IT
CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE LATE, BUT WOULD COME MOST
UNEXPECTEDLY.

STAYING ON THE COSMIC SECOND RING WAS RATHER POINTLESS

MAINLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WEAPON W AS ALREADY
USELESS. YES, THE SYSTEMS WERE FUNCTIONAL, BUT IN PRACTICE
IT WASN'T GOING TO SAVE THEM FROM CERTAIN STARVATION, AS
THEY HAD NOTHING TO EAT ANYMORE AND ALL THE SUPPLIES OF
ELENDORANS AND HYRAS WERE DEPLETED.

HAMMER DECIDED TO AT LEAST USE THE LAST REMNANTS OF HIS

POWER TO SURVIVE. ON THE PRETEXT OF USING THE CORRECTION
TO WITHDRAW FROM A MILITARY SITE, HE GATHERED THE REMAINS

95
OF THE CREW AND FORCED HIMSELF INTO THOSE ESCAPE PODS THAT
HAD REMAINED INTACT SO FAR.

HE INTENDED TO FLY OFF IN AN UNKNOWN DIRECTION AT LEAST UNTIL

EVENTS SETTLED DOWN. BUT HE WOULD RETURN SOONER OR LATER
NTO AVENGE HIS MORTAL ENEMY.
AN ENEMY THAT HAD DESTROYED
HIS ENTIRE WORLD. BUILT SO THOROUGHLY. SO PERFECTLY
ARRANGED ACCORDING TO HAMMER'S IDEAS.

DISLAN AND THE GIRL DECIDED TO HEAD FOR THE URUS ONX
SPACEPORT . ONLY THIS PLACE COULD BE CALLED SAFE. AT LEAST
FOR NOW ! DISLAN KNEW THAT NO ONE WOULD HIT HIM. FIRSTLY, IT
TOOK A LOT OF PUNCHING POWER AND SECONDLY MANY OF THE
CHIEFS COULDN'T LEAVE ZEGANDARIA ANY OTHER WAY.

ENTERING SUCH A FACILITY WAS INDEED FORBIDDEN. BUT DISLAN

DIDN'T PARTICULARLY CARE. HE WAS BORN TO BREAK LAWS AND
RULES. IT WAS HIS TRUE CALLING, AND IT GAVE HIM PLEASURE.

THE TWO CREPT STEALTHILY TOWARDS DISLAN'S FORMER WORK

'PLACE'. A PLACE THAT WAS ABOUT TO BECOME HIS GRAVE, BUT
COULD NOW BE HIS ONLY SAFE HAVEN.

THE SPACEPORT LOOKED LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST TIME HE

HAD RESIDED HERE. A STRANGE PLACE. FOR STRANGE PEOPLE.
DISLAN AND MIERU. TWO CONDEMNED SOULS THAT NO ONE
WANTED.

THE TWO JUST STOOD THERE, NOT MOVING, WAITING FOR THE
WORST. BUT IT DIDN'T FOLLOW . THEY RAN TO THE INSTALLATIONS OF
ONE OF THE INNER SECTORS.

THE SPACEPORT WAS HUGE. THE SIZE OF THIS FACILITY NOW

SEEMED TO DISLAN EVEN LARGER THAN BEFORE. SOMEWHERE IN
THERE, THE DIM LIGHT OF A CHEAP IRENIC LAMP - THE KIND THEY
USUALLY PUT NEAR SOME OF THE SECONDARY SHUTTLE LAUNCH
BAYS - WAS DIMLY FILTERING THROUGH. THEY DECIDED TO HEAD
THAT WAY.

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THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO LOOK AROUND TO SEE IF ANY
THREAT WAS LURKING. THE WHOLE COMPLEX WAS VERY WELL
PROTECTED BY UNDERGROUND INSTALLATIONS W HERE PROTON
BOMBS WERE PLACED. THE SPACEPORT NATURALLY ALSO HAD AN
ENERGY SHIELD AGAINST POSSIBLE ATTACKS.

DISLAN WONDERED IF THERE WERE AT LEAST ANY PEOPLE LEFT

ALIVE HERE FROM HIS LAST TIME ON THE PLANET . HE DEFINITELY
DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AROUND EVERY CORNER, AND MAYBE HE
SHOULD HAVE.

A LOUD EXPLOSION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SPACEPORT CAUGHT

THEIR ATTENTION.

- 'THEY'VE STARTED THE ATTACK,' DISLAN MUTTERED. 'IT WOULD ALL

BE OVER SOON. OR SO I HOPE.'

THE ADVANCING SWARMS OF COMBAT DRONES AND OTHER

EQUIPMENT MADE IT ALL SEEM SIMPLY UNREAL.

THE TWO COULD SEE THAT A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAY,

EVERYTHING WAS JUST A NEVER-ENDING FIERY INFERNO. SOME OF
THE CITY'S PROTECTIVE RINGS HAD BEEN KNOCKED DOWN. THIS WAS
NOW ALL TOO CLEARLY VISIBLE. THERE WAS NO WAY THEY WERE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO WIN.

DISLAN TOOK THE GIRL IN HIS ARMS, AS MUCH AS IT WAS POSSIBLE

TO DO SO GIVEN THE FACT THAT SHE WAS WEARING A SPACESUIT .
THE GIRL LOOKED AT HIM AND COOED:
- YOU KNOW MOMMY TOLD ME YOU WERE COMING. THAT'S WHY I
HELPED YOU GET OUT OF THERE.

DISLAN WAS QUITE AWARE THAT HE HADN'T GOTTEN HIS FREEDOM

FOR NOTHING. AND HE WAS READY TO RETURN THE FAVOR THAT
MIERU HAD VALUED AT THE COST OF HIS OWN LIFE.

97
- 'YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE KILLED
HAMMER'S MEN,' THE CHILD
PRONOUNCED SOMEWHAT SNIDELY. 'THEY WOULDN'T TOUCH YOU
WHILE YOU WERE PAST ME.'

DISLAN HADN'T REALLY EXPECTED TO HEAR SUCH A THING FROM A

CHILD.BUT HE KNEW THAT HIS SURVIVAL DEPENDED ON CARRYING
OUT HIS MOTHER'S DYING WISH, AND WITHOUT HER EXPLICITLY
ASKING HIM TO DO SO - SOMETHING VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE GIVEN
THAT SHE WAS LONG DEAD.

- 'W HO ARE YOU, ANYWAY?,' ASKED DISLAN, WHO WAS BECOMING

WELL AWARE OF WHAT HE HAD GOTTEN HIMSELF INTO.

- I AM ACTUALLY THE GOD THORNUS, OR RATHER I WAS POSING AS

THIS FICTIONAL FALSE GOD. YOU HUMANS CERTAINLY LIKE TO
BELIEVE IN FICTIONAL GODS AND IDOLS. YOU RESORT TO THEM IN
YOUR PRAYERS IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS. LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING. INSTEAD OF LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR HELP, YOU SHOULD
SIMPLY LOOK WITHIN FOR THE ANSWER. THERE YOU WILL SURELY
FIND IT. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN DESTINY.

- 'AND HOW YOU FOOLED SO MANY PEOPLE!,' DISLAN WAS

ASTONISHED.

- IT WASN'T THAT HARD. THE MYERANIAN RACE ACTUALLY HAD TO

SURVIVE. THE VENETARIANS WERE JUST OUR NATURAL ENEMIES.

- 'BUT YOU'RE LIKE US - HUMANS!,' GASPED DISLAN AGAIN.

- 'ONLY EXTERNALLY, BECAUSE WE CAN CHANGE OUR APPEARANCE,'

THE GIRL CALMLY REPLIED. 'HOWEVER, THERE ARE VERY FEW
PLACES LEFT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SURVIVE. THIS PLANET IS
EXTREMELY HOSTILE TO US. W E ARE JUST TRYING TO CONTINUE OUR
EXISTENCE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.'

- 'OKAY, LET'S ASSUME I SAVED YOU,' DISLAN BEGAN RATHER

CAUTIOUSLY, 'NOT SO MUCH TO SHOW OFF WHAT HE DID AS TO
REASSURE HIMSELF, 'WHAT AM I TO YOU?'

98
- I NEED YOU FOR COVER, AT LEAST FOR A WHILE. UNTIL MY RACE
LEAVES THESE PARTS OR MOVES TO LIVE SOMEWHERE SAFER.

- 'SO YOU INHABIT THE INSIDE OF THE CATHEDRAL?,' HE ASKED HER.

- NOT EXACTLY. THE CATHEDRAL ITSELF IS MADE UP OF THE BONES
OF FALLEN MYRANIANS, AND PERHAPS THAT IS WHY IT IS SO
BEAUTIFUL.

DISLAN BIT HIS LIP ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLY. HE HAD FALLEN INTO A

DEATH TRAP.

THE GIRL DIDN'T SEEM UPSET, THOUGH. SHE JUST WANTED TO TELL
HIM A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HER OWN RACE THAT SHE WISHED TO
SAVE.

THE TECHNICIAN HAD TAKEN IT UPON HIMSELF TO TAKE CARE OF HER

UNTIL THE END, AND HE WAS TRUE TO HIS WORD. HE WANTED TO GET
BACK AT HER. THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT HER, SOMETHING HE
MISSED SO MUCH IN MANY OTHER PEOPLE HE W AS OBLIGED TO
INTERACT WITH. THERE WAS NO STOPPING HIM FROM HELPING HER
AND PAYING HER BACK.

CHAPTER SEVEN: DIOMED BASE

SASIA LESHOND WAS A BEAUTIFUL BLONDE GIRL WHO DEFINITELY

DIDN'T SUFFER FROM A LACK OF ADMIRERS. A STRAIGHT A STUDENT
IN HER CLASS, SHE STOOD OUT AMONG HER CLASSMATES FROM A
VERY YOUNG AGE. HER PARENTS WERE SO VERY PROUD OF HER.
OTHERS BELIEVED THAT WHATEVER SHE TOOK UP, SHE COULD
HANDLE. SHE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT WAS
ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP HER FRIENDS. ONE COULD REALLY
WONDER HOW SHE FOUND THE TIME. IT WAS HARD TO PINPOINT
WHAT HAD MADE HER ENLIST IN THE ROYAL UBUNDER F IGHTING
FORCE. A PROFESSION THAT MANY ATTRIBUTED MORE TO MEN THAN

99
CREATURES OF THE FAIRER SEX, BUT ONE THAT HAD CAPTURED HER
COMPLETELY. SASIA WAS A FIGHTER PILOT OF THE DESTROYER
CLASS.

HER FRIENDSHIP WITH MARK DATED BACK TO TRAINING AT THE

ACADEMY, BUT THEY HAD ACTUALLY KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR MUCH
LONGER. THEY HAD PLAYED ON THE GREEN MEADOWS OF
ENSARIANAN AS CHILDREN. ALTHOUGH THE PLANET W AS ALMOST
COMPLETELY DESERTED, THE GREENERY THRIVED THANKS TO THE
SPECIAL ENDOSIAN COVER THAT THE ENTIRE CAPITAL WAS UNDER,
WHICH MAINTAINED NOT ONLY THE OXYGEN LEVEL BUT ALSO THE
ARTIFICIAL CLIMATE OF THIS OASIS.

IN FACT, SHE HAD MET MARK AT A BOOK FAIR, WHERE HE HAPPENED

TO BE WITH HIS PARENTS, LOOKING FOR THE LATEST E-BOOK ON
VINTAGE SPEEDER MODELS. IN TRUTH, THE ENCOUNTER WAS NOT
SIGNIFICANT FOR ANYTHING, BUT THE FACT THAT IT TOOK PLACE AT
ALL HAD NO SMALL IMPACT ON FUTURE EVENTS.

FROM THEN ON, SASIA COULDN'T TEAR HERSELF AWAY FROM HIM
AND THE TWO BECAME INSEPARABLE FRIENDS. THEY ORGANISED
CHASES THROUGH THE NARROW GOTHIC STREETS OF ENSARIANAN.
AND THEY WERE DEFINITELY GETTING ON THE NERVES OF THE
LOCALS. BUT IT WAS ALL STUCK BACK IN CHILDHOOD. SHE STILL KEPT
BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES OF THAT TIME. MEMORIES THAT MADE HER
FEEL TRULY ALIVE.

'LIFE SLIPS THROUGH OUR FINGERS LIKE SAND IN AN HOURGLASS,

BUT AT LEAST WE CAN LIVE FOR THE MOMENT ,' SHE LIKED TO REPEAT
A CLICHÉ SHE HAD HEARD FROM WHO KNEW WHERE. NOT THAT
ANYONE IN THE ADVANCED FUTURE WOULD EVER HAVE THOUGHT TO
CHECK THIS OUT IN PRACTICE, AS NO ONE HAD SEEN OR HEARD OF
THIS RATHER INTERESTING MEANS OF MEASURING TIME.

W ITH THE GRACE OF A PANTHER, SASIA DESCENDED THE ANTI-

GRAVITY LADDER FROM THE SPEEDER'S COCKPIT AND LANDED
SAFELY WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF A CAT THAT NEVER FALLS ON ITS
BACK. SHE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM A MISSION AND W AS HOPING

100
TO REPORT IMPORTANT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO HER
SUPERIORS. THE INFORMATION, SHE BELIEVED, CAME FROM A
TRUSTED SOURCE AND STATED AN APPARENT BETRAYAL OF THE
BASE. SHE HADN'T COUNTED ON ANYONE BELIEVING HER, AS ALL
MEMBERS OF THE HIGH COMMAND HAD BEEN LOOKING AT HER
WARILY SINCE HER SPEEDER HAD LANDED AT THE BASE.

THERE WERE OTHER SHUTTLES AROUND, SOME OF WHICH WERE

ALREADY EMPTY, AS THEIR OWNERS HAD GONE TO THE NEARBY
MARCHING PUB, UNCLE ZENGAR'S, WHICH OFFERED THE ARMY
PEOPLE'S FAVOURITE SHAKE, BEARING THE EXOTIC NAME OF
‘SUNSET OF THE GUAROONS’. ACTUALLY, THIS RATHER POETIC AND
IN A WAY EVEN ROMANTIC NAME WAS JUST A CLEVER TRICK DEVISED
BY THE OWNER OF THE RESTAURANT , ZENGAR ONE-EYED, TO
ATTRACT MORE CUSTOMERS. UNCLE ZENGAR WAS DEFINITELY AN
ODD BIRD.

EVERYBODY KNEW THIS GUY, BUT NOBODY KNEW WHAT HE WAS LIKE
BEFORE OR WHERE HE CAME FROM. IT WAS A GREAT MYSTERY TO
ALL CONSPIRACY THEORY BUFFS, WHO THUS GOT A WIDE FIELD FOR
THEIR CONJECTURES. ONE THING WAS CLEAR, ZENGAR O NE-EYED
WAS HERE AND REGULARLY MOVED WITH THE TROOPS, ALBEIT IN THE
STABLE, OR RATHER THE ‘ENTERTAINMENT ’ PART OF IT .

FAINT LIGHT FILTERED INTO THE HANGAR THROUGH THE SINTERED

HATCHES, WHICH WERE SUPPOSED TO MIMIC SOMETHING LIKE THE
GLASS USED BY MANKIND IN THE PAST . THE DIFFERENCE, HOWEVER,
LAY NOT ONLY IN THEIR IMMEASURABLY GREATER STRENGTH, BUT
ALSO IN THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOT MERELY TRANSPARENT , BUT
ALMOST INVISIBLE, AND HENCE GAVE THE ILLUSION THAT HERE AND
THERE IN ITS MASSIVE HULL, MADE OF ZENDORIAN KEVLARITE,
THERE WERE SIMPLY THE MOST ORDINARY HOLES THROUGH WHICH
ONE COULD SAFELY PUT ONE'S HAND.

STEPPING NOW ON A HARD SURFACE AND A FEW METERS AWAY

FROM THE AIRCRAFT , SASIA ACTIVATED THE SPEEDER'S SECURITY
SYSTEM IN ORDER TO PREVENT ITS MISUSE BY SOME POSSIBLE
INTRUDER AND SLOWLY LEFT THE HANGAR THAT SHELTERED MORE

101
THAN THREE HUNDRED SPEEDER OF DIFFERENT CLASSES. HERE THE
KEEN EYE OF THE CONNOISSEUR COULD STOP ON ANY MODEL OF
AIRCRAFT . FROM THE LARGEST CLASS OF DESTROYER-CLASS
FIGHTERS, SUCH AS SHE PILOTED HERSELF, TO VERY TINY
RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLES CALLED ISORENDERS, WHICH WERE,
SORT OF, AN AEROSUIT THAT THE PILOT IN QUESTION DONNED IN
ORDER TO BE AS INCONSPICUOUS AS POSSIBLE TO ENEMY RADARS.

ON THE WAY OUT OF THE HANGAR, SASIA TURNED AND TOOK ONE
LAST LOOK AT HER FIGHTER.

‘W HAT A BEAUTY!’ SHE THOUGHT.

THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND HER AND THE HANGAR PLUNGED INTO
DARKNESS.

^^^
UNCLE ZENGAR'S TAVERN WAS ABOUT A FIFTEEN MINUTE WALK
FROM THE HANGARS, SO THIS ALBEIT SHORT WALK WOULD HAVE A
SOBERING EFFECT ON SASIA, THUS HELPING HER COLLECT HER
THOUGHTS BEFORE REPORTING. BECAUSE OF THE PLANET 'S LOW
OXYGEN LEVEL, SHE WAS STILL IN HER PROTECTIVE PILOT SUIT , IN
WHICH SHE FELT AS COMFORTABLE AS A BABY FLOATING IN THE
AMNIOTIC WATERS OF ITS MOTHER'S WOMB.

ON THE WAY, SHE DIDN'T ENCOUNTER A SINGLE FAMILIAR FACE,

ALTHOUGH SHE HAD EXPECTED SUCH A THING W HEN SHE WAS
REASSIGNED TO THE SOUTHERN FRONT IN THE LEARNIA AREA ,
WHICH WAS NORTHEAST OF S YNTHROS, APPEARING AS ITS NATURAL
DIAGONAL EXTENSION. IN EFFECT , THIS WAS THE WESTERNMOST
PART OF UBUNDER, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY HEAVILY GUARDED NOT
ONLY BY THE ROYAL NAVY'S 2ND PILOT DIVISION, BUT ALSO BY A
SERIOUS AMOUNT OF INFANTRY AND ARTILLERY.

SINCE THE SEASONS ON ZEGANDARIA WERE SIMILAR TO EARTH'S, IT

HAD TO BE AUTUMN BY EARTH STANDARDS NOW . THOUGH THE

102
HANGAR WHERE SASIA HAD BEEN UNTIL RECENTLY WAS RATHER
STUFFY AND WARM, SHE SHIVERED NOW DESPITE HER SUIT 'S BUILT-
IN HEATING SYSTEM. SHE COULDN'T TELL IF IT WAS DUE TO THE
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OR JUST SOME SORT OF OVEREXERTION
BROUGHT ON BY THE FACT THAT SHE HADN'T SLEPT IN ALMOST
THREE DAYS.

W ITH A MEASURED GAIT , SHE PASSED THE HANGARS, WALKED PAST

THE WAREHOUSES, CROSSED THE 'CENTRAL SQUARE' OF THE CAMP,
AND IN ITS FURTHEST NORTHWEST CORNER, SPIED WHAT LOOKED
LIKE A PORTABLE CAPSULE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A MEDIUM-SIZED
HOUSE, SET WELL BACK FROM THE REST OF THE BUILDINGS BY
ABOUT TWO HUNDRED METERS. OVERCOME WITH CURIOSITY, SASIA
SLOWLY APPROACHED AND EXAMINED THE STRANGE 'STRUCTURE'.
HER GAZE FELL ON A TATTERED SIGN THAT READ ‘KERSONIAVTIK
102’. SASIA PONDERED. HER INITIAL THOUGHT W AS THAT THIS
ESCAPE POD FROM A LARGE SHUTTLE MUST BE VERY OLD, PERHAPS
FIFTY ZEGANDARIAN YEARS OLD. SHE REMEMBERED SEEING IT IN
SOME TEXTBOOKS, BUT TRY AS SHE MIGHT SHE COULDN'T
REMEMBER WHEN OR WHERE.

SUDDENLY HER THOUGHTS WERE INTERRUPTED BY TWO MEN

SUDDENLY POPPING THROUGH THE CAPSULE'S ABRUPTLY OPENED
HYDRONIC DOOR. THEY WERE LARGE AND BROAD-SHOULDERED.
ONE WAS KEITH ENDWALKER, THE SAME FRIEND OF MARK'S WHOSE
FATHER WORKED AT THE MINISTRY. THE EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE
WAS GRAVE, AND HE LISTENED INTENTLY TO HIS TIPSY
INTERLOCUTOR, MAJOR KETROL, WHO WAS EVIDENTLY TELLING HIM
SOME INCREDIBLY INTERESTING (AS COULD BE JUDGED FROM THE
EXCITED EXPRESSION ON THE MAJOR'S FACE) STORY, WHILE KEITH,
OUT OF POLITENESS, MERELY LISTENED AND NODDED SILENTLY
FROM TIME TO TIME.

- 'SO I TELL YOU, KEITH, THAT GUARRON HAD COME AT ME, AND WITH
HIS SHARP PREDATORY CLAWS WAS AH-AH-AH TO TEAR ME TO
PIECES, BUT MY FAITHFUL 'ZIRAULT 400' SAVED ME FROM THE
MONSTER,' HE SAID, AND THROUGH HIS LAUGHTER STROKED THE

103
HUGE PLASMA PISTOL SUSPENDED IN A SPECIAL HOLSTER ON HIS
RIGHT LEG.

- 'DEFINITELY AN INTERESTING STORY, MAJOR,' KEITH MUTTERED

BARELY AUDIBLY, BUT SASIA SOMEHOW CAUGHT THE MEANING OF
WHAT HE SAID.

- 'INTERESTING?,' THE MAJOR STAMMERED SOMEW HAT

CONFUSEDLY, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE HUGE AMOUNT OF THE
SHAKE 'THE SUNSET OF THE GUARRONS' HE HAD DRUNK JUST A FEW
MINUTES AGO.

HE SCRATCHED HIS NOSE FOR A MOMENT AND TRIED TO CLEAR HIS

CLOUDED VISION.

- THIS IS A STORY FOR THE MILLIONS, BOY, JUST WAIT UNTIL I TALK
TO A JOURNALIST WHEN WE GET BACK TO ENSARIANAN. THE
REPORTS WILL SELL LIKE HOT BREAD. I MIGHT EVEN WRITE A BOOK. -
HE ADDED THROUGH A LAUGH, FOR EVERYONE KNEW HIS NOT VERY
HIGH EDUCATION, COMPENSATED, HOWEVER, BY AN IMPECCABLE
WARRIOR COURAGE, BORDERING, AND SOMETIMES EVEN
SURPASSING, THE LIMITS OF SANITY.

- 'THAT'S RIGHT, MAJOR, BUT THAT CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF WE EVER

GET BACK TO ENSARIAN ALIVE AND WELL,' KEITH SAID, SEEMINGLY
CALM, A SUBTLE NOTE OF TENSION IN HIS VOICE.

THROUGHOUT THE CONVERSATION, SASIA HAD BEEN LURKING

BEHIND SOME BOXES THAT HAD BEEN THROWN HAPHAZARDLY JUST
FIVE OR SIX METERS FROM THE CAPSULE. SOMEHOW SHE THOUGHT
THE YOUNG MAN HAD NOTICED HER, BUT SEEMED TO IGNORE HER
PRESENCE. NO, IT JUST SEEMED THAT WAY TO HER.

- 'YOU'RE RIGHT, MATE, BUT AS THE POET SAID, 'HOPE DIES LAST,'
HE PRONOUNCED IN A HALF-THOUGHT , HALF-JOKING VOICE AND
GIGGLED DRUNKENLY.

- 'COME ON, MAJOR, IT'S TIME TO GO HOME, WHO KNOWS WHAT 'S
WAITING FOR US TOMORROW ,' KEITH SEEMED TO COMMAND, AND

104
WITHOUT LISTENING TO HIS RAMBLINGS ANY LONGER, HE DRAGGED
HIM, OR RATHER CARRIED HIM ALMOST ON HIS BACK, TO ONE OF THE
NEIGHBOURING BUILDINGS. THE DARKNESS SWALLOWED THEM UP.
THE HYDRONIC DOOR OF THE OTHER BUILDING OPENED AND THEN
CLOSED.

SASIA STOOD FOR ANOTHER MINUTE OR TWO BEFORE EMERGING

FROM HER HIDING PLACE. W HEN SHE FINALLY MADE UP HER MIND,
SHE STOOD ONCE MORE IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE
CAPSULE, ABOVE WHICH GLOWED THE WORDS ‘W ELCOME, OUR
BRAVE WARRIORS OF UBUNDER!’. AND IN SHE WENT.

THE INSIDE OF THE CAPSULE WAS WELL LIT AND, AS IT SEEMED TO

SASIA, FAR TOO COZY FOR A MARCHING SOLDIER'S INN IN A CAMP IN
THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. IT WAS JUST THAT THE WHOLE SETTING
BROUGHT YOU HOME. THE AREA OF THE ROOM WAS NO MORE THAN
THIRTY, THIRTY-FIVE SQUARE METERS AT MOST , BUT SOMEONE'S
SKILLED HAND HAD LAID IT OUT IN SUCH A W AY, USING EVEN THE
SMALLEST AND MOST INSIGNIFICANT CORNERS, THAT THE INSIDE OF
THE CAPSULE SEEMED LARGER THAN ONE MIGHT EXPECT LOOKING
AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE.

SASIA SWEPT HER GAZE OVER THE ENTIRE MAKESHIFT

'ESTABLISHMENT'. IN FACT, THE TIME WAS AROUND 10PM AND IT
WASN'T VERY FULL, MAINLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PILOTS HAD
TO BE SOBER FOR THEIR MORNING TRAINING AND ALSO FOR THE
PATROLLING OVER THE ENTIRE SURROUNDING AREA THAT THEY
WERE DOING IN SHIFTS. THE INFANTRYMEN, NOT SUFFERING FROM
SUCH SCRUPLES AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CANNON FODDER,
WERE FAR MORE FREQUENT VISITORS TO THIS PLACE, BUT WHO
KNOWS WHY THEY WERE NOT EVEN IN ABUNDANCE TONIGHT . IN
FACT, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE TWO TABLES IN THE CORNER THAT
WERE OCCUPIED AND ZENGAR ONE-EYED BUSTLING AROUND THE
MAKESHIFT ‘BARPLOT ’, AS SEVERAL ARMY PLASMA WEAPON AMMO
CRATES TAILORED TOGETHER WITH METAL BRACKETS COULD BE
CALLED WITH A LITTLE IMAGINATION, THE ENTIRE PLACE WOULD HAVE
BEEN COMPLETELY EMPTY.

105
- 'GOOD EVENING, MISS,' SAID ZENGAR IN A SLIGHTLY MYSTERIOUS
VOICE, 'WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE?'

- 'AND WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?,' REPLIED SASIA, A LITTLE

CLUMSILY, CONTRARY TO HER OTHERWISE RATHER CALM AND
COMPOSED NATURE, AS THE BARTENDER'S VOICE WAS SLIGHTLY
IRRITATING HER.

- 'THE SPECIALTY OF THE PLACE IS THE SUNSET GUARRON SHAKE,

REAL MAGIC IF YOU ASK ME,' THE ONE-EYED REPLIED
CORRUPTINGLY.

- 'YEAH, I SAW THAT ALREADY, AN ENCHANTED ONE OUTSIDE,' SASIA

LET OUT WITHOUT ASKING.

- 'YOU MUST BE REFERRING TO MAJOR KETROL,' ZENGAR SPOKE

WITH SOME RESPECT NOW , 'HE IS PROBABLY MY MOST FREQUENT
CLIENT'.

- 'I NOTICED,' SASIA BARELY FORCED HERSELF TO REPLY.

W HILE THIS CONVERSATION WAS TAKING PLACE, THE MAN IN THE
SHADOWS, SEATED AT THE TABLE IN THE FARTHEST CORNER OF THE
CAPSULE, SEEMED TO MOVE SUBTLY, OR SO IT SEEMED TO SASIA.

- 'W HO IS HE?,' SHE INQUIRED.

- 'I DON'T KNOW ,' ZENGAR ADMITTED, BUT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO
JOCULARITY OR INSOLENCE IN HIS TONE, 'BUT HE WARNED ME THAT
A YOUNG LADY WOULD BE ARRIVING TONIGHT AND TOLD ME TO BE
POLITE TO HER.'

- 'W ELL, YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY FOLLOWING HIS ORDERS VERY

STRICTLY,' SASIA SAID IN A SLIGHTLY SOUR TONE, LEAVING THE
GAPING ZENGAR AT THE BAR.

IT TOOK HER ONLY FOUR OR FIVE STEPS TO FIND HERSELF IN THE

STRANGER'S DARK CORNER. HIS FACE WASN'T VISIBLE, BUT JUDGING
BY HIS SILHOUETTE, ONE WOULD HAVE SAID HE WAS MILITARY, AND
NOT JUST ANY MILITARY AT THAT .

106
- 'W ELL, GENERAL ZENGAL, SO YOU WISHED TO MEET ME IN THIS
HOLE?,' SASIA UTTERED QUITE DISPASSIONATELY.

- 'IT IS SAFEST HERE,' SAID THE VOICE.

- 'AND THE PEOPLE AT THE NEXT TABLE, OR THE BARTENDER,' SASIA
ADDED.

- 'DON'T WORRY, THEY'RE TRUSTED PEOPLE,' THE VOICE SAID IN THE

SAME TONE. 'W ELL, REPORT BACK LIEUTENANT , WHAT NEW THINGS
YOU'VE LEARNED IN THE LAST THREE DAYS SINCE YOU' VE BEEN
GONE.'

SASIA PAUSED BRIEFLY, BUT PRUDENTLY KEPT HER REMARK SILENT .

THEN SHE BEGAN HER PRESENTATION TO HER SUPERIORS IN A
PERFECTLY CALM VOICE:

- 'THE SITUATION ISN'T ROSY AT ALL,' SHE SAID. 'I FLEW OVER
XANDERAR, ALL THE WAY TO THE PLATEAU OF DEATH, AND THERE
WAS NOTHING BUT DESTRUCTION AND BLOODIED CORPSES
EVERYWHERE.'

- AND?

- AND NO SIGN OF LIFE, AT LEAST AT FIRST GLANCE. IT WAS LIKE I'D

FLOWN OVER A DESERT , EVEN THOUGH XANDERAR IS STILL A SEMI-
DESERT . YOU KNOW , SIR, AT ONE TIME I FELT LIKE I WAS THE LAST
HUMAN BEING ON THIS PLANET.

THE SILHOUETTE LISTENED IN SILENCE. SASIA CONTINUED:

- I DECIDED TO TRY TO CONTACT OUR NORTHERN OUTPOSTS IN
RODWELL, BUT I ONLY GOT SKETCHY SIGNALS THAT WEREN'T VERY
CLEAR. I CHECKED ALL THE FREQUENCIES, TRYING TO COVER THE
FULL RANGE, BUT I KEPT HEARING THE SAME THING.

THE SILHOUETTE SHIFTED BARELY NOTICEABLY.

- 'SPEAK MORE CLEARLY, LIEUTENANT,' GENERAL ZENGAL CALLED

SUDDENLY.

107
- 'I MEAN, THE SOUNDS WEREN'T VERY HUMAN, SIR,' SASIA
MUTTERED, SOMEWHAT WORRIEDLY.

- 'GUARRONS?,' CALLED THE VOICE IN THE DARKNESS.

- 'I DON'T THINK SO, SIR, WHATEVER IT WAS WASN'T QUITE HUMAN.,'
THE PILOT REPLIED.'

- 'LIEUTENANT, IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE TO TELL ME IN THREE DAYS

OF RECONNAISSANCE WITH ONE OF OUR MOST ADVANCED
SPEEDERS?,' THE VOICE CUT IN SOMEWHAT ABRUPTLY.

- SORRY, SIR, THAT'S ALL. BESIDES, I MADE RECORDINGS OF THOSE

SOUNDS.

- 'RECORDINGS, YOU, SAY?,' THE VOICE MURMURED, SOMEWHAT

DRAGGED OUT , AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED TO SASIA
THAT GENERAL ZENGAL'S VOICE WAS SOMEHOW PECULIAR, BUT SHE
CHOSE TO REMAIN SILENT.

- 'YOU SEE, LIEUTENANT,' THE VOICE SUDDENLY BECAME EVEN

AGAIN, 'THE SITUATION IS SUCH THAT YOUR SUPERIORS HAVE
DECIDED TO SEND YOU TO LABOUR COLONY 206. THAT'S ALL FOR
NOW .'

THOUGH PLUNGED IN DARKNESS, THE SILHOUETTE FLICKERED AND

SOMEHOW DISTORTED.

- EXPECT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS, LIEUTENANT, AND NOW DRINK

ONE TO MY HEALTH.

THERE WAS A SLIGHT POP AND THE SILHOUETTE DISAPPEARED, AND

WITH IT THE DARKNESS AROUND. THE HOLOGRAM DISINTEGRATED.
THERE WAS SILENCE. LONG AND PROLONGED. LIKE AN ETERNITY.

SASIA LOOKED AROUND TO SEE THE BARTENDER OR THE PEOPLE AT

THE NEXT TABLE, BUT THE CAPSULE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY.

SUDDENLY SHE BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT THE SITUATION WAS EVEN

WORSE THAN SHE HAD IMAGINED. THE GENERAL'S TEXT WAS CODED,

108
AND THE FACT THAT HE WASN'T PERSONALLY PRESENT AT THE
MEETING WAS SOMEWHAT EXPLAINABLE. AS AN OFFICER, SASIA WAS
EXPECTED TO LEAD THE CAMP'S AVAILABLE AIR FORCE. SO THAT
YOUNG MAN AND THE OLD MAN WHO HAD COME OUT WERE JUST A
MIRAGE IN DISGUISE?

SASIA HAD HEARD OF LABOR COLONY 206. AS AN OFFICER, SHE HAD

ACCESS TO SOME OF THE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. BUT ITS
WHEREABOUTS WERE KNOWN ONLY TO A HANDFUL OF OFFICERS IN
THE COMMAND STAFF OF THE ROYAL UBUNDER FLEET.

'SO THEY'VE DECIDED TO COMMAND FROM A DISTANCE AND WE'RE

LEFT FOR CANNON FODDER, THAT EXPLAINS RODWELL'S SILENCE.'

IN FACT , IT WAS ONLY NOW THAT SHE REALIZED HOW TIRED SHE
ACTUALLY WAS. SHE WALKED OVER TO THE BARPLOT, WHICH
THANKFULLY WASN'T A HOLOGRAM, AND POURED HERSELF A SMALL
AMOUNT OF GUARRON'S BAY SHAKE FROM A WESTERN BOTTLE. SHE
DRANK IT ON THE EX.

^^^

SASIA SHOOK HER HEAD. APPARENTLY DRINKING SHAKES WASN'T

HER ELEMENT - UNLIKE DRIVING A COMBAT SPEEDER. THE YOUNG
WOMAN CHEERED AT THAT THOUGHT , BUT SUDDENLY CAME TO HER
SENSES AND GLANCED AROUND. SHE WAS STILL IN THE DARK
CAPSULE, WITH NOT A SOUL ALIVE BUT HER. SUDDENLY AN ALARM
SOUNDED. LONG AND SHRILL.

- 'THE GUARRON ARE ATTACKING US!,' CAME THE SOLDIERS'

SCREAMS, FILLED WITH TERROR AND FEAR.

SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A CRASHING SOUND AND SOME POWERFUL

EARTHQUAKE-LIKE TREMOR.

IT DIDN'T TAKE SASIA LONG TO COME TO HER SENSES. DESPITE HER

FRAIL AGE, SHE HAD BEEN IN QUITE A FEW BATTLES AND HAD A GOOD

109
IDEA OF HOW THE GUARRON CONDUCTED THEIR ATTACKS. 'NO TIME
TO WASTE!’ SHE THOUGHT , ‘THEY'LL PROBABLY ATTACK THE MAIN
GENERATOR TO BRING DOWN THE DEFENSES AROUND THE CAMP.

SHE THEN CHECKED HER SUIT'S OXYGEN LEVEL. IT WAS CRITICALLY

LOW .SHE HAD ABOUT AN HOUR'S SUPPLY LEFT. LIGHTNING QUICK,
SHE LOWERED HERSELF AND PULLED OUT A SMALL COMBAT PLASMA
PISTOL, THE KIND EVERY NAVY PILOT HAD. THEN SHE CROUCHED AT
THE SIDE OF THE DOOR. SHE DIDN'T WANT TO RISK SOME RANDOM
BOUNCE KILLING HER INGLORIOUSLY JUST WHEN SO MUCH WAS
EXPECTED OF HER.

SHE SIGHED.

SHE PULLED THE SAFETY OFF THE GUN.

AND PRESSED THE SENSOR BUTTON ON THE HYDRON DOOR .

INDESCRIBABLE CHAOS UNFOLDED BEFORE SASIA'S EYES - AN

INDESCRIBABLE SLAUGHTER. SHE WISHED SHE HAD A HIDING PLACE,
LIKE THE BOXES SHE'D HUDDLED BEHIND THE NIGHT BEFORE,
LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN KEITH AND THE MAJOR,
BUT THEY WERE GONE. INSTEAD, A HUGE HOLE, CAUSED BY AN
EXPLOSION, YAWNED IN THE SAME SPOT, MORE THAN TWO METERS
DEEP.

SOLDIERS WERE RUNNING EVERYWHERE, AND DESPITE THEIR

MILITARY DISCIPLINE, FEAR WAS READ ON THEIR FACES. FEAR OF THE
UNKNOWN OUTCOME OF EVENTS. OR RATHER, OF THEIR
COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED COURSE.

SASIA KNEW AT A GLANCE. THEY HADN'T BEEN EXPECTING A

GUARRONS ATTACK AT THIS EXACT MOMENT , MUCH LESS ASSUMING
THE MONSTROUS CREATURES WOULD BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THE
BASE'S ENERGY SHIELD. BUT THERE WAS NO TIME FOR SUCH
THOUGHTS. THEY HAD TO ACT , AND ACT IMMEDIATELY. SHE KNEW
THAT NO ONE IN THE CAMP KNEW HER, AND SHE WAS ONLY ALLOWED
IN BECAUSE OF HER SECRET PASSWORD AND HER OFFICER 'S CARD
MARKED ‘TOP SECRET’. IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE CAMP

110
AUTHORITIES HAD ALLOWED HER TO STAY FOR A DAY OR TWO
WITHOUT FURTHER INTEREST. THEY KNEW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT
TOO MUCH CURIOSITY, EVEN IN THESE TROUBLED TIMES, COULD
EASILY GET THEM COURT -MARTIALED, AND THE CONSEQUENCES
WERE MORE THAN CLEAR.

CLUTCHING THE PLASMA PISTOL TIGHTLY IN HER HAND, ON THE RUN

SHE SOMEHOW MADE IT NEAR THAT BUILDING SHE'D SEEN K EITH AND
THE MAJOR ENTER THE NIGHT BEFORE.

ONLY NOW , WITH HER BACK AGAINST IT, DID SHE HAVE A CHANCE TO
GLANCE AROUND FOR A MOMENT AND REMAIN SHAKEN.

THE GREEN HUMANOID LIZARDS WERE ATTACKING THE SHIELD WITH

SOME SORT OF DEVICE THAT , STRANGELY, SHE COULDN'T SEE. THE
DEFENSIVE WALLS, MADE OF HUGE SLABS OF ZEGANDARIAN
KEVLARITE, WERE BENT , AND IN MANY PLACES GAPED LARGE HOLES,
CAUSED NOT ONLY BY THE BIOLOGICAL ACID OF THE LARGE
GROYANDUS USED BY THE GUARRONS AS HORSES, BUT ALSO BY
THEIR SHARP AND HARD AS ZEGANDARIAN CRYSTALS CLAWS. THE
GROYANDUS WERE TRULY POISONOUS CREATURES WITH THE
APPEARANCE OF HUGE W ILD PIGS, AS IF THEY HAD EMERGED FROM
HELL ITSELF. JUST THE SIGHT OF THEM HAD A DEMORALIZING EFFECT
ON THE SOLDIERS.

THE SITUATION WAS INDEED TENSE, AND THE CAMP'S DEFENSES

WERE MELTING. SOME OF THE INFANTRYMEN HAD RISEN UP AND
WERE EVEN ENGAGED IN OPEN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT WITH A FEW
OF THE POISONOUS CREATURES THAT HAD MANAGED TO LEAP OVER
THE FIVE METER HIGH DEFENSIVE WALL.

DUE TO THE LACK OF AMMUNITION, MANY OF THEM WERE USING THE

'MYELITE ZETKANK 240' SNIPER RIFLES AS SIMPLE CLUBS WITH
WHICH TO STRIKE THESE BRUTAL CREATURES. BLOODY PITH WAS
LITERALLY FLYING IN ALL DIRECTIONS. SEVERED HUMAN AND
GUARRON LIMBS ROLLED IN THE DUST . BUT THE MONSTROUS
CREATURES DID NOT GIVE UP, BUT THREW THEMSELVES FORWARD
WITH EVEN GREATER GUSTO AND MOMENTUM.

111
SUDDENLY AN INFANTRYMAN WAS PIERCED THROUGH A BREACH IN
THE WALL BY A SHARP GUARRON CLAW , AND HUNG UPON IT LIKE A
PITIFUL RAG-DOLL DEVOID OF LIFE. BLOOD FLOWED FROM HIS
MOUTH, BUT WHAT TERRIFIED SASIA MOST WERE HIS LIFELESS,
BULGING EYES, WHICH LOOKED AS IF THEY WERE ABOUT TO BURST
FROM THEIR ORBITS. IT WAS A REPULSIVE SIGHT . IN THAT INSTANT
THE YOUNG WOMAN REMEMBERED THE STRANGE SIGNALS SHE HAD
HEARD NEAR RODWELL.

THOUGH IT ALL HAPPENED IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, SASIA'S

ATTENTION WAS SO ABSORBED THAT SHE DIDN'T NOTICE HOW
SOMETHING MOVED IMPERCEPTIBLY BEHIND HER.

- 'LOOK OUT!,' A VOICE SHOUTED BEHIND HER AND SHE FELT

SOMEONE OR SOMETHING PUSH HER.

SASIA HEARD A WHISTLE JUST INCHES FROM WHERE HER HEAD HAD
BEEN LESS THAN A SECOND AGO. THOUGH WELL-TRAINED, PULLED
BY THE MOMENTUM OF HER OWN BODY, SHE COULDN'T KEEP HER
BALANCE AND FELL TO THE GROUND, BUT ROLLED IMMEDIATELY,
TAKING UP A SHOOTING STANCE.

IN THAT INSTANT, SASIA SAW THE YOUTH FROM LAST NIGHT IN A LIFE
AND DEATH STRUGGLE W ITH A LARGE GUARRON CLAD IN HEAVY
METAL ARMOR. THE BEAST WAS NEARLY TWICE THE YOUTH'S SIZE,
AND TOWERED OVER HIM BY A FULL FOOT IN HEIGHT, THOUGH THE
OTHER MAN WAS INDEED TALL - PERHAPS NEARLY TWO METERS. THE
YOUTH HAD FLUNG HIMSELF ON THE GUARRON'S BACK AND WAS
RIDING IT LIKE A HORSE, GRIPPING ITS THICK GREEN NECK TIGHTLY.

ALTHOUGH IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE YOUTH POSSESSED GREAT

PHYSICAL STRENGTH, THE BATTLE WAS VERY UNEQUAL. THE
GUARRON LUNGED WILDLY AND TRIED TO THROW HIM OFF HIS BACK,
BUT FAILED ASKEITH CLAMPED HIS HANDS EVEN TIGHTER INTO THE
IRON GRIP AROUND HIS NECK. THE HUMANOID LIZARD W ENT
STRAIGHT BERSERK AND BEGAN TO SHAKE, TRYING TO WEAKEN HIS
GRIP. AFTER THAT DIDN'T HELP EITHER, THE MONSTER SUDDENLY
CROUCHED DOWN AND PULLED SOME SMALL DEVICE OUT OF HIS

112
BATTLE SUIT , ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLY PRESSING SOME BUTTON.
THERE WAS A SLIGHT CRACKLE, AND SASIA COULD CLEARLY SEE
THAT IT WAS A LASER BLADE.

AS CUNNING AS THE CREATURE WAS, HOWEVER, KEITH WASN'T

YESTERDAY'S MAN AND NIMBLY BOUNCED AWAY, PUSHING OFF THE
SIDE OF THE BUILDING WITH HIS FEET LIKE AN UNDEAD SPRING JUST
WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT TO SPRING OUT OF PLACE. THE
GUARRON COULDN'T REACT IN TIME AND SLAMMED DOWN UNDER THE
YOUTH'S THRUST , DRAGGING HIM INTO THE DUST AFTER IT . THE
LASER BLADE WHIPPED TO THE SIDE, FAILING TO DELIVER THE
INSIDIOUS BLOW . DESPITE KEITH'S SEEMING SUPERIORITY, THE
GUARRON SPUN SHARPLY AND DELIVERED A VICIOUS ELBOW STRIKE
WITH HIS HEAVILY ARMOURED ARM. THE YOUTH REELED BACK LIKE A
RAG DOLL, AND WOULD HAVE NEARLY STRUCK HIS HEAD AGAINST THE
WALL HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE TIMELY REACTION OF THE MAJOR,
WHO CAUGHT HIM IN A FLASH AND THUS AVERTED THIS ALMOST
INEVITABLE DOOM. THE GUARRON CAME AT THEM IN A FLASH, BARING
ITS CANINE TEETH LIKE A HUNGRY WOLF.

SASIA SAW ALL THIS AS IN A DREAM, FOR IT HAPPENED EXTREMELY

QUICKLY. IN A STRANGE EUPHORIA, INTOXICATED BY THE
ADRENALINE RUSH, SHE HELD HER BREATH FOR A SECOND, TOOK AIM
AND FIRED, GRAZING THE BEAST RIGHT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD.
THE MONSTER'S MASSIVE GREEN HEAD BURST OPEN LIKE A RIPE
WATERMELON, AND BLOOD AND SHARDS OF BRAIN SPLATTERED
KEITH AND THE MAJOR, WHO WERE A FEW FEET AWAY.

SASIA WASN'T THINKING OF ANYTHING ELSE AT THAT MOMENT.

THE BATTLE OF LIFE AND DEATH WAS OVER.

^^^

- 'LET'S GO! WE HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE!,' KEITH PICKED HER UP

OFF THE GROUND BEFORE SHE CAME TO HER SENSES.

113
- 'W HO ARE YOU?,' ASKED SASIA AS THEY RAN, TRYING NOT TO MAKE
HER QUESTION SOUND DELIBERATE.

- 'W ELL, IT'S MORE LIKE WE, MY GIRL, SHOULD BE ASKING YOU WHO
YOU ARE!,' THE MAJOR SNARLED, TRYING TO KEEP UP THEIR PACE.

- 'LIEUTENANT SASIA LESHOND OF THE ROYAL NAVY, PILOT OF A

DESTROYER-CLASS BATTLE SPEEDER,' THE GIRL RECITED ALMOST
IN ONE BREATH.

AS SOON AS THEY HEARD HER QUICK OPENING TIRADE THE TWO MEN,
DESPITE RUNNING TO AVOID ENEMY SHOTS, LOOKED AT HER WITH
SOME RESPECT .

- 'THAT EXPLAINS YOUR ACCURATE SHOOTING, MY LADY,' KEITH

ADDRESSED HER A LITTLE MORE FLATTERINGLY. 'YOU MIGHT SAY
YOU SAVED OUR LIVES,' HE ADDED.

- 'CUT THAT CRAP,' MAJOR SAID IN HER TYPICAL FLOWERY STYLE,

'W E CAN'T JUST GO AROUND HIDING FOREVER. W E NEED TO FORM
SOME SORT OF PLAN OF ACTION, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THAT
THINGS HAVE STARTED TO GET QUITE...'

HE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED HIS RAMBLING IF KEITH HADN'T

SQUEEZED HIS HAND IN TIME.

- 'LET'S AT LEAST INTRODUCE OURSELVES TO THIS WORTHY LADY,

JERRY,' KEITH SAID BREATHLESSLY AS THEY RAN FROM ONE COVER
TO ANOTHER.

- 'ALL RIGHT THEN,' AGREED THE MAJOR WITH SOME RELUCTANCE.

'I'M JERRY KETROL, MAJOR OF THE 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION, WHICH
IS CURRENTLY SUPPOSED TO BE DEFENDING THIS PROOOCLET CAMP.

THE MAJOR PRONOUNCED THE PENULTIMATE WORD AT LENGTH, FOR

HE STUMBLED, TRIPPING OVER A CLOD OF EARTH.

MEANWHILE, WHILE THIS CONVERSATION HAD BEEN GOING ON, THE

MONSTROUS CREATURES HAD MANAGED TO OPEN A HOLE IN THE

114
CAMP'S MASSIVE DEFENSIVE WALLS WIDE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO
ENTER, EVEN MOUNTED BY THE MONSTROUS GROYANDUS.

- 'W E NEED TO GET TO THE HANGARS, OR WE MAY SOON BE

PANCAKES,' SASIA REPLIED.

THE THREE OF THEM LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND COULD ONLY

MANAGE A GLANCE. SASIA WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THEM CAPABLE OF
FLYING AN AERIAL VEHICLE, AND THEY, BEING INFANTRYMEN , WOULD
PROVIDE HER WITH THE COVER SHE NEEDED TO REACH THEM,
UNLESS OF COURSE THE HIDEOUS LIZARD- LIKE CREATURES
REDUCED THEM TO ASHES WITH THEIR PRIMITIVE BUT FAR FROM
HARMLESS MEANS OF COMBAT.

SASIA TURNED THE CORNER, LETTING THEM SORT THEMSELVES OUT

AS BEST THEY COULD, FOR TIME WAS RUNNING OUT ON THEM LIKE
SAND IN A CLOCK. THE SITUATION WAS HOPELESS INDEED . IN THE
COMMOTION SHE, BEING A PRETTY GOOD PHYSIOGNOMIST ,
RECOGNIZED THE TORN BODIES OF DEAD YOUNG PILOTS.
IRONICALLY, SOME OF THEM HAD VISITED OLD UNCLE ZENGAR'S PUB
THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND IT HAD PLAYED A RATHER BAD JOKE ON
THEM. BLOOD! PUDDLES OF BLOOD!

SASIA KNEW THAT THE HANGARS WERE NO MORE THAN TWO

HUNDRED METERS AWAY, BUT CROSSING THEM PROVED TO BE A
LIVING HELL. THERE WERE BURST BARRELS OF INTERRON FUEL
ROLLING ALL OVER THE BASE, ALREADY BURNING HEAVILY.
APPARENTLY THE HIDEOUS CREATURES POSSESSED ENOUGH
INTELLIGENCE TO USE THEM FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE AND TO
DESTROY WHAT WAS LEFT OF THIS NEST OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION.

THE YOUNG WOMAN DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO THINK, HOWEVER,

AS A LARGE GUARRON RIDING A HUGE GROYANDUS NEARLY SWEPT
HER AWAY. HE SPED PAST HER LIKE A MOVIE, BUT FORTUNATELY
DIDN'T NOTICE HER AT ALL. W AS IT THE FLAMES THAT CAUSED THIS,
OR WAS IT JUST THAT THE GUARRONS HAD POOR EYESIGHT BY
NATURE?

115
SASIA CRAWLED FORWARD WITH ALL HER STRENGTH. INCH BY INCH.
DEBRIS FLEW OVER HER HEAD AND FRAGMENTED GUNSHOTS
SOUNDED.

'THEY WON'T SURVIVE LONG. THEY JUST DON'T STAND A CHANCE,'

SHE THOUGHT .

THE HANGARS WERE CLOSE NOW , BUT HERE WAS A NEW OBSTACLE
IN FRONT OF HER. THERE WERE ALREADY THREE LARGE
GROYANDUS AT THE ENTRANCE, BUT THE GUARRON RIDERS WERE
NOWHERE TO BE SEEN, OR AT LEAST SASIA COULDN'T MAKE THEM
OUT AMIDST THE FLAMES AND THICK SMOKE ENGULFING THE BASE.

IT WAS UNTHINKABLE TO ATTEMPT ENTRY THROUGH THE PARADE

ENTRANCE. THEN SHE REMEMBERED THAT, AS AN OFFICER WITH A
SECRET CARD, SHE HAD ALSO BEEN SHOWN A SECRET PASSAGE
THROUGH WHICH SHE COULD ENTER THE HANGAR IN SECRET .
'W ORTH A TRY,' SHE TOLD HERSELF.
REACHING THAT SECRET PASSAGE, HOWEVER, WAS BY NO MEANS
EASY. ADJACENT TO THE SOLDIERS' QUARTERS WAS A SPECIAL
PREFABRICATED PUMPING STATION FOR WATER, OR RATHER FOR A
SUBSTRATE FROM WHICH, AFTER ELABORATE PROCESSING , WATER
WAS EXTRACTED. SASIA DECIDED TO TRY THIS LAST WAY OUT
BEFORE THE ENEMY FINALLY CUT OFF ABSOLUTELY ALL POSSIBLE
EXITS.

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT IN HER PARTIALLY CHAOTIC WANDERING,

SASIA HAD LEFT HIM A LITTLE OUT OF HER WAY. NOW SHE HAD TO
MAKE A SMALL TURN, BUT ORIENTATION WAS A BIG PROBLEM. W ITH
THE PLASMA WEAPONS FIRING CONTINUOUSLY, ANY , EVEN
MOMENTARY, RISE FROM THE GROUND WOULD MEAN MORTAL
DANGER. THE GIRL WONDERED WHAT TO DO, AS SHE CLEARLY
REALIZED THAT THE SALVATION OF ALL THREE DEPENDED ON IT .

THEN SUDDENLY SHE FELT SOMETHING WAS KILLING HER. SASIA

SOMEHOW SLIPPED HER HAND UNDER HER BELLY TO CHECK IF SHE
WAS INJURED. ALL SORTS OF CRAZY THOUGHTS WENT THROUGH HER

116
MIND. HOWEVER, SHE SOON REALIZED THAT SHE WAS LYING ON A
BARELY NOTICEABLE MANHOLE IN THE GROUND. ‘APPARENTLY THIS
IS THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE,’ SHE THOUGHT , OPENING THE HATCH
AND DARKNESS ENVELOPED HER.

^^^
TWISTED IN TWO, SASIA CRAWLED INTO THE NARROW SHAFT , WHICH
WAS QUITE OXYGEN-POOR, AND SHE COULD CLEARLY SENSE THIS
EVEN THROUGH THE FILTERS OF HER SUIT . IT WAS A GOOD THING HER
SUIT STILL HAD SOME RESERVES, OR SHE WOULD SURELY HAVE
SUFFOCATED.

SHE HAD TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS LAST OBSTACLE, THIS NARROW

TUNNEL, AT ALL COSTS, OTHERWISE IT MIGHT TURN INTO HER COFFIN
ONCE THE DEBRIS FROM THE HALF-DESTROYED BASE LITTERED THE
HATCH SHE HAD ENTERED THROUGH. OF THAT THERE COULD BE NO
DOUBT. THE WAY COULD ONLY BE FORWARD!

THOUGH SHE HAD CURLED UP IN A RELATIVELY SAFE HAVEN FOR THE

MOMENT , SASIA COULD HEAR THE RUMBLE OF THE BATTLE ABOVE,
AND SHE COULD ALREADY SENSE QUITE CLEARLY THAT THE END WAS
NEAR. THE MAIDEN DID NOT LET THESE UNHAPPY THOUGHTS ENTER
HER HEAD, BUT ON THE CONTRARY REDOUBLED HER ZEAL AND
CRAWLED INTO THE NARROW DUNGEON, REMINISCENT OF AN
INFERNAL INTESTINE, WITH EVEN MORE GUSTO AND VERVE . AFTER
ABOUT TWENTY METERS, SHE HEARD A GASP, SO QUIET THAT IF IT
WEREN'T FOR HER PHENOMENAL SENSES, SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE
EVEN PAID ATTENTION TO IT.

FROM THE MAIN TUNNEL BEGAN A FORK, LIKE A SMALL ALCOVE THAT
SEEMED TO HAVE A PERSON IN IT . SASIA STRAINED, BUT TRY AS SHE
MIGHT SHE COULD MAKE OUT NOTHING MORE THAN A BLURRY
SILHOUETTE.

- 'IMAGINE RIGHT AWAY WHO YOU ARE,' SHE SAID FIERCELY,

POINTING HER ARMY PLASMA PISTOL AT THE ALCOVE.

117
A SECOND LATER A MAN W HOSE FACE WAS VERY FAMILIAR TO HER
EMERGED FROM THERE. HE WAS OF A SOMEWHAT INDETERMINATE
AGE, BUT IN ANY CASE FAR FROM BEING IN HIS PRIME, THE
EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE RESEMBLING SOME SORT OF SLIGHT AND
ODD SMILE, EVEN AS THE MAN WAS COMPLETELY SERIOUS, HIS
SINGLE EYE LOOKING AT HER QUESTIONINGLY.

- 'ZENGAR ONE-EYED - AT YOUR SERVICE, MADAM,' HE SNAPPED,

QUITE UNCEREMONIOUSLY.

SASIA FELT AS IF HER WORLD WAS SPINNING, BUT SHE HAD TO BEAR
WITH THIS MAN'S SOMEWHAT IRRITATING NATURE.

- 'W HAT ARE YOU DOING HERE,' SHE HISSED. SHE WAS ABOUT TO
ADD 'I THOUGHT YOU WERE A HOLOGRAM' BUT REFRAINED,
REALIZING HOW SILLY AND INAPPROPRIATE SUCH A STATEMENT
WOULD BE IN THIS CASE.'

- 'THE SAME AS YOU, MADAM. I'M GUARDING MY LIFE, OR AT LEAST

TRYING TO.,' HE SAID WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INSOLENCE IN HIS
VOICE.

- 'IF YOU'RE HERE THEN YOU KNOW WHERE THIS TUNNEL LEADS,
DON'T YOU?,' SASIA CUT TO THE CHASE.

- MOREOVER, MADAM,
I AM EVEN PREPARED TO TAKE YOU
PERSONALLY TO LABOUR COLONY 206. BUT IT WON'T BE FOR FREE.

SASIA WAS STUNNED. IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE VILE LITTLE SLUG
WAS BLUFFING. HIS QUIRKY APPEARANCE ALONE DIDN'T INSPIRE
MUCH CONFIDENCE IN HER. W HAT IF HE ATTACKED HER IN THE BACK.
ON THE OTHER HAND, SHE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TRUST HIM, AT
LEAST UNTIL THEY GOT OUT OF THIS DAMNED TUNNEL.

- 'ALL RIGHT ,' SHE REPLIED AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE, 'WHAT DO YOU
WANT IN RETURN?'

- 'AH, NOT LIKE THAT ,' HE REPLIED WITH A WRY SMILE, 'CHANGE YOUR
TONE TO A KINDER ONE AND SHOW AT LEAST A SMALL SHOW OF

118
TRUST. AFTER ALL, WE CAN BOTH HELP EACH OTHER TO GET OUT OF
THIS HELL.'

- 'W HAT ARE YOUR TERMS?,' ASKED SASIA, SOFTER THIS TIME.
- 'THAT'S BETTER NOW ,' THE STRANGE MAN MURMURED
REASSURINGLY.

THE SHORTNESS OF BREATH IN THE TUNNEL HAD BEGUN TO BECOME

INTOLERABLE TO SASIA AS WELL, AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE
OXYGEN IN HER PROTECTIVE SUIT WAS NOW ABOUT TO RUN OUT . IF
THEY DIDN'T AT LEAST GET TO THE SURFACE, THEY WOULDN'T
SURVIVE.

- 'I WANT YOU TO TAKE ME WITH YOU TO RODWELL,' THE ONE

SHOUTED, NEITHER IN WEDGE NOR SLEEVE.

THIS PUZZLED SASIA EVEN MORE.

- 'HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?,' SHE STAMMERED.

- 'I OVERHEARD SOMETHING OF YOUR CONVERSATION WITH

GENERAL ZENGAL,' THE OTHER SNEERED.

- W HAT IF I REFUSE?
- 'THEN WE'LL BOTH DIE,' PRONOUNCED ZENGAR, NOW QUITE
SERIOUS.

119
CHAPTER EIGHT: LABOUR COLONY 206

LOCATION: UNKNOWN

TIME: UNKNOWN

LABOUR COLONY 206

- 'HEY, GET UP, YOU, LAZY BASTARD,' CALLED W ARDEN VIAR.

'ENOUGH OF YOUR BITCHING. YOU NEED TO BREAK CRYSTALS,
THAT'S WHY THE ALLIANCE SPARED YOUR PATHETIC LIFE!'

THE INTELLIGENT MAN W ITH THE LOOK OF A TECHNICIAN RUBBED HIS

HANDS, STIFF WITH COLD, AND TRIED TO CONTINUE HIS WORK, BUT
AT THAT MOMENT THE GUARD'S ELECTRIC WHIP WRAPPED AROUND
HIS NECK, CAUSING HIM A FURIOUS PAIN.

- 'ARE YOU IN A HURRY TO GET SOMEWHERE, MISTER?,' THE GUARD

SAID AND BEGAN TO ROUGHLY WHIP HIM.

- 'HEY, THAT'S ENOUGH, VIAR, THIS ONE'S GOING TO DIE, AND IT'S
ONLY GOING TO GET US INTO UNNECESSARY FUNERAL CAPSULE
EXPENSES,' REMARKED LIHODRON, A LARGE AND STURDY WARDER,
A LITTLE DERISIVELY.

- 'I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT,' THE FIRST WARDEN SCRATCHED HIS HEAD ,
THEN BELLOWED, 'GET BACK TO WORK BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND!'

THE MAN DRAGGED HIMSELF WITH ANGUISH TO THE QUARRY,

WHERE, WITH SWEAT ON HIS BROW , THE PRISONERS BROKE THE
INCREDIBLY HARD ZEGANDARIAN CRYSTALS THAT WERE NEEDED IN
PRACTICALLY EVERY ELECTRONICS, BUT ESPECIALLY VALUABLE FOR
AVIATION GENERATORS.

HIS GROUP CONSISTED OF THREE PEOPLE. W HILE ONE WAS

HAMMERING THE CRYSTAL VEINS, ANOTHER WAS HOLDING THE MAIN

120
CRYSTAL, AND TWO OTHERS WERE LOADING AND CARRYING THE
CART TO A NEARBY ELECTRONIC CONTAINER. CURT LABOR, SOME
MIGHT SAY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IN THIS CASE IT HOUSED NOT
SOME CRIMINAL PRISONERS OR REPEAT OFFENDERS, BUT THE
FLOWER OF THE PLANET ZEGANDARIA - PROMINENT POLITICAL,
SCIENTIFIC, ETC. FIGURES WHO WERE INCONVENIENT TO THE
ALLIANCE'S CENTRAL AUTHORITY. OR RATHER, THEY WERE FAR
MORE CONVENIENT TO BE FORGOTTEN BY THE PEOPLE, AS THEY HAD
BECOME AN OBSTACLE TO ONE'S INTERESTS.

- 'THAT BEAST VIAR, IF IT SHOULD ONLY FALL INTO MY HANDS ONE

DAY, I'LL KILL IT ,' SAID A SHORT AND STOCKY MAN WHO CALLED
HIMSELF HERNS.

- 'DON'T DO THAT , JONATHAN, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT

THEY'RE DOING,' MUTTERED THE PHILOSOPHER.

- 'YOU, PHILOSOPHER, HAD BETTER WATCH THE PHILOSOPHICAL

TREATISES OF WHAT WAS...SOCRATES,' CALLED THE ENGINEER.

- 'SOCRATES HAS NOT LEFT MANKIND A SINGLE TREATISE,' THE

PHILOSOPHER TRIED TO OBJECT, BUT WAS MET WITH A
DISAPPROVING LOOK FROM HERNES.

- 'I AM SICK OF THIS DULL CONVICT PRISON,' SIGHED THE ENGINEER

HEAVILY.

- 'YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT ONLY THE DEVIL CAN GET US OUT OF
HERE,' MURMURED HERNES CAUTIOUSLY AND SOMEWHAT
MYSTERIOUSLY.

- 'I'D LIKE THAT DEVIL TO APPEAR FROM SOMEWHERE,' WIPED THE

ENGINEER'S BROW .

- 'ENOUGH OF YOUR GRUMBLING,' INTERJECTED THE SAGE, 'THERE'S

A TIME AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.'

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- 'YES, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN EITHER PLACE AT ALL,' THE
PHILOSOPHER TRIED TO OBJECT FEARFULLY, BUT MEETING HIS COLD
GAZE FELL SILENT FOR GOOD.

THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN DIGGING THE ORE FOR FOUR HOURS, AND
THERE WERE MORE THAN TEN HOURS TO THE END OF THE WORKING
DAY. THEY HAD TONS OF ORE TO PROCESS AND LOAD INTO THE
ELECTRONIC SILOS. THE STANDARD WAS INDEFINITE, OR MORE
ACCURATELY, THEY HAD TO WORK OUT AS MUCH AS THEY COULD,
AND IF ANY FAILED TO HOLD OUT , THEN THE WORST FOLLOWED.

- 'HEY, YOU LAZY BASTARDS, IF YOU DRIVE IT LIKE THAT, YOU WON'T
LAST MUCH LONGER HERE,' VIAR CALLED FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE
DISTANCE. 'MORE ALIVE. COME ON!'

HEARING THE WARNING SIGNALS AND THE LOOMING DANGER, ALL

FOUR FELL SILENT AND WORKED EVEN HARDER. THEY WERE USED
TO WORKING AT SUCH A PACE AS THEY HADN'T BEEN HERE SINCE
YESTERDAY AND THE WAYS OF THE COLONY WERE VERY WELL
KNOWN TO THEM. ANY DISOBEDIENCE WAS PUNISHED IN A
PARTICULARLY NASTY W AY, WHICH GENERALLY DEPENDED ON WHAT
MOOD THE HEAD WARDEN WAS IN.

MORE THAN ONE OR TWO UNFORTUNATES HAD GASPED UNDER HIS

ELECTRIC SHOCK WHIP, FOR HE SOMETIMES LIKED TO TURN UP THE
VOLTAGES TO THE MAXIMUM, WATCHING THE VICTIM WRITHE IN
AGONY AS IF STRANGLED BY A HUGE SNAKE. AT OTHER TIMES, HIS
IMAGINATION, WHICH KNEW NO BOUNDS, WOULD HAVE ACUSTRO
(THAT WAS THE NAME OF THE HEAD WARDEN) STRAP HIS VICTIMS TO
THE CRYSTALS THEMSELVES AND HEAT THEM RED HOT WITH A
PLASMA TORCH UNTIL THE WRETCH WAS ROASTED AND TURNED TO
CHARCOAL.

THE HEAD WARDEN WAS A BIT OF A VAIN MAN HIMSELF, HE ALWAYS

MADE SURE HE WAS WELL DRESSED, AND DECENTLY COIFFED, AS
POINTLESS AS THAT WAS IN THIS WASTELAND. AND APART FROM
TORTURING PRISONERS AND HIS APPEARANCE, HE DIDN'T CARE
ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. HE KNEW FULL WELL THAT WHILE THE

122
ALLIANCE CONSTITUTION TECHNICALLY PLACED THE LABOR COLONY
UNDER ITS JURISDICTION, THE REAL POWER IN THE CAMP BELONGED
TO HIM AND HIM ALONE, AND THERE WAS NO ONE TO HOLD HIM
ACCOUNTABLE IN THIS BACKWATER PLACE.

IN FACT , THE WHOLE DESIGN OF THE COLONY RESEMBLED

SOMETHING OF DANTE'S INFERNO, THOUGH THE HAND THAT HAD
CREATED IT SCARCELY SUSPECTED THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH A
WRITER. THE CRYSTAL QUARRIES STRETCHED OVER AN AREA
GREATER THAN 10,000 SCINTILLATERS, MAKING THEM EQUAL TO
ALMOST A QUARTER OF THE TERRITORY OF THE PLANET
ZEGANDARIA. AT A DISTANCE OF THREE OR FOUR ZEGANDARIAN
MILES WERE THE WARDENS' QUARTERS, LOCATED IN HUGE BEAN-
SHAPED PODS, XENTAR, SIMILAR TO THOSE THEY LIVED IN ON THEIR
HOME PLANET . THOUGH THEY GUARDED CRIMINALS, AS THE
ALLIANCE CALLED THE INTELLECTUALS IMPRISONED HERE, THE
WARDENS LIVED QUITE WELL. THE PRISONERS' QUARTERS WERE
LOCATED IN THE MOST ORDINARY CAVERNS IN THE GROUND, IN
WHICH THE ENTERPRISING WARDERS HAD PLACED ONLY ONE
GRAVITY BED AND, TO PREVENT ESCAPES, ONE HYDRON DOOR. AS
THE OXYGEN LEVEL ON THE PLANET WAS LOW , EVEN THE PRISONERS
WERE ENTITLED TO A SPACESUIT, BUT THIS WAS NOT OUT OF ANY
SENSE OF PITY OR CONCERN FOR THEIR LIVES, BUT OUT OF SIMPLE
CALCULATION, AFTER ALL, THE DEAD HAD TO BE SHOT INTO SPACE IN
A SPACE CAPSULE, AND THIS REPRESENTED SOME EXPENSE , ON THE
OTHER HAND THEY COULD NOT LEAVE THE ROTTING CORPSE, AS IT
MIGHT CAUSE A CONTAGION AND AN EPIDEMIC TO SWEEP THE WHOLE
COLONY.

THE COLONY ITSELF WAS QUITE FAR FROM ZEGANDARIA. EVEN A

SPACESHIP TRAVELING AT SUPERLUMINAL SPEED WOULD TAKE MORE
THAN TWO ZEGANDARIAN YEARS TO GET HERE FROM ZEGANDARIA,
SO ONLY SHIPS THAT COULD WARP THE SPACE OF THE UNIVERSE
COULD GET TO THIS INFERNO. AND THOSE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL
OF SHIPS FROM THE ALLIANCE MILITARY FLEET, AND ALSO THE
CLASS B PRISON SHIPS THAT WERE DESIGNED SOLELY FOR THAT
PURPOSE.

123
^^^

THE NIGHTS IN LABOR COLONY 206 ARE COLD, VERY COLD. AND
VERY LONELY. A NEWLY ARRIVED PRISONER WOULD THINK HE WAS
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOW HERE AND THE VERY THOUGHT WOULD DRIVE
HIM MAD. GRADUALLY SOME GOT USED TO IT AND KEPT THEIR
SANITY, ONLY TO FALL VICTIM TO THEIR OWN NIGHTMARES LATER.
AND THEY USUALLY HAUNTED THEM AT NIGHT , FOR NO ONE KNEW IF
TODAY WOULD BE HIS LAST.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE NIGHT, IF NOT LIGHTER, GAVE A PERSON A

CHANCE TO BE ALONE W ITH THEMSELVES FOR AT LEAST A FEW
MINUTES BEFORE BOWING THEIR EYES FOR THE BRIEF SLEEP THAT
WAS THEIR DUE IN THIS CURSED PLACE.

IT WAS NEARING THE END OF THE DAY SHIFT (THOUGH DARKNESS

HAD LONG SINCE FALLEN) AND OUR ACQUAINTANCES INWARDLY
HOPED THEY WOULD LAST UNTIL ITS END.

- 'YOU GUYS BETTER COME OUT STIFF BASTARDS,' VIAR CALLED

FROM SOMEWHERE, HIS FACE STRETCHING INTO A SOMEWHAT
INTIMIDATING SMILE DESPITE THE DARKNESS. 'YOU MANAGED TO DIG
UP NEARLY 10 TERATONS OF CRYSTALS TODAY. HE PAUSED
BRIEFLY, AS IF THINKING. BUT THE PRISONERS KNEW THAT THIS DID
NOT BODE WELL.'

- 'A REAL ACHIEVEMENT ISN'T IT...LET'S MARCH TO THE CELLS. AND

I'M GOING TO REPORT TO THE HEAD WARDEN ABOUT YOU.,' HE
GIGGLED AT HIS OWN STRANGE RAMBLINGS AND WALKED AWAY INTO
THE DARKNESS.

THE LOWER WARDERS LED THE GROUP DOWN THE DARK PATHS THAT
LED TO THE CELLS. THEY HAD SEVERAL MILES TO COVER AFTER 14
HOURS OF HARD LABOUR. AND IF THIS WAS NOT THE SUPREME
MOCKERY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE?

HERNS, THE PHILOSOPHER, THE ENGINEER, AND THE SAGE WERE IN

THE SECOND COLUMN, WITH ONLY A FEW OTHER PRISONERS IN
FRONT OF THEM. ALL WERE INFINITELY DEJECTED, AND DARED NOT

124
RAISE THEIR HEADS. W HAT WERE THEY GOING TO SEE ANYWAY?
STILL THE SAME DARKNESS AND DESOLATION THAT HAD LONG SINCE
SETTLED DEEP INTO THEIR SOULS. THEY HAD BEEN SEPARATED
FROM THOSE CLOSEST TO THEM SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT
COMFORTABLE WITH ANYONE. THE COLUMN JOSTLED PAINFULLY,
THE GUARDS ROLLING A CURSE WORD NOW AND THEN AS THEY KEPT
PACE. A PITIFUL SIGHT!

EACH TIME THE PRISONERS TOOK THIS ROUTE, THEIR THOUGHTS

WERE DIFFERENT . THEY REVOLVED AROUND THE PEOPLE THEY
LOVED, THEIR FAMILIES, ON SCIENCE OR ART . RATHER, HOWEVER,
THESE WERE GLIMPSES. VAGUE VISIONS THAT FADED WITH TIME AND
BLURRED IN THEIR MINDS LIKE A TRANSPARENT FOG. LIKE THE ONE
THAT LOOMED EARLY IN THE MORNING OVER THE SURFACE OF THE
PLANET ON WHICH THE COLONY WAS LOCATED.

AS OVERWHELMED AS HE WAS BY THE INHUMAN PHYSICAL LABOR,

HOWEVER, JONATHAN HEARNS HAD TIME TO CAST AT LEAST ONE
FURTIVE GLANCE DURING EACH PASSAGE, FOR THE PRISONERS
WERE FORBIDDEN TO LOOK UP OR TO THE SIDE, AND THE GUARDS
HAD REPEATEDLY PROVED IT WITH THE BEVELS OF THEIR PLASMA
AUTOMATONS. THIS WAS OF COURSE BEFORE, WHILE FRESH
RECRUITS CONTINUED TO ARRIVE AT THE COLONY. SOMETHING THAT
HAD BEEN HAPPENING LESS AND LESS LATELY.

HERNS' GAZE GREW CASUALLY FIXED FOR NO MORE THAN A SECOND

OR TWO, AND HE QUICKLY DUCKED HIS HEAD. HE DIDN'T LIKE WHAT
HE SAW AT ALL. HE HAD NOTICED LATELY THAT THE PRISONERS
WERE BECOMING MORE AND MORE INDIFFERENT TO EVERYTHING
AROUND THEM, THAT THEY WERE LOSING THEIR LIFE, AND THIS
ADDED FURTHER BITTERNESS TO HIS ALREADY TORTURED MIND.

SUDDENLY SOMEONE NUDGED HIM ON THE ARM. IT WAS A SUBTLE

TOUCH. HEARNS REALIZED IT WAS THE ENGINEER. THAT WAS THE
NAME GIVEN TO LEROY ENCOLL, WHO WAS HERE FOR THE TRIVIAL
REASON THAT HE HAD W ISHED TO MAKE FREE ENERGY AVAILABLE TO
HUMANS. THIS, OF COURSE, DIDN'T SIT WELL WITH ANY OF THE
ENERGY COMPANIES FROM HIS NATIVE ELOHY. THE MILITARY

125
TRIBUNAL OF IMGRADON HAD PARDONED HIM FROM A DEATH
SENTENCE AT THE LAST MOMENT FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, TO
PUNISH AND BREAK HIM MENTALLY BY SENDING HIM TO EXILE IN THIS
DESERT PLACE AND SECOND WITH THE CLEAR KNOWLEDGE THAT
DESPITE HIS DISSIDENT VIEWS, HE COULD PROVE USEFUL SOONER
OR LATER IN THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR AND PERHAPS EVEN
AFTERWARDS.

- 'COME, JONATHAN, IT IS TIME,' HE UTTERED IN A VOICE THAT COULD

PERHAPS ONLY BE DETECTED BY THE ACUTE HEARING OF A
BLOODHOUND. 'THE BOYS ARE READY. JUST GIVE THE SIGNAL.'

- 'DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT TO ME. AND YOU HEARD WHAT VIAR SAID.
LET'S POSTPONE THE GETAW AY UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT,'
JONATHAN SAID, VERY CALMLY BUT FIRMLY. 'W E'RE TAKING A HUGE
RISK IF WE ACT NOW AND IT COULD ALL GO TO HELL.'

- 'YOU KNOW THAT ,' AGREED LIROITH, QUITE RELUCTANTLY, BUT

STILL RESPECTFULLY, 'BUT IF WE DON'T ACT TOMORROW , I'M GOING
TO THROW MYSELF AT THE WARDERS, AND I'LL BE TORN TO PIECES
IF I HAVE TO.'

- 'ONLY DON'T DO ANY LAST -MINUTE NONSENSE,' HERNES CUT HIM

OFF QUIETLY. 'I DON'T NEED ANOTHER DEAD FRIEND WEIGHING ON
MY CONSCIENCE.'

THOSE WORDS SEEMED TO SOBER THE ENGINEER AND HE FELL

SILENT.

THE COLUMN WAS ONCE MORE DRAWN SILENTLY INTO

NOTHINGNESS.

^^^
THE CHIEF W ARDEN HAD REMOVED HIS SPACESUIT AND WAS
HAPPILY SIPPING THE DELICIOUS ENSARIAN WINE, ENJOYING HIS
FAVORITE MUSIC, 'THE DANCE OF DEATH', WRITTEN OVER THREE

126
HUNDRED YEARS AGO BY ONE ASTEORN. ALTHOUGH HE WAS A
PURE-BLOODED ELOHYN, HE SECRETLY FELT A REAL REVERENCE
FOR THE TASTE OF THIS DIVINE AMBROSIA, WHICH DULLED HIS TIRED
SENSES AND MADE THE NIGHTS LIGHTER, OR RATHER MORE
DREAMLESS. IT WAS A PITY THAT HE HAD VERY LITTLE STOCK LEFT
OF THIS PRECIOUS DRINK. FOR WHAT ACUSTRO WANTED WAS NOT
TO REMEMBER. W HAT WAS THE POINT IF EACH SUCCEEDING DAY
PASSED JUST LIKE THE LAST ? ALL HE HAD LEFT WAS TO REVEL IN THE
POWER HE HAD OVER HIS CAPTIVES AND THE INHUMAN TORTURE HE
SUBJECTED THEM TO DAILY. THE VERY THOUGHT OF IT MADE HIM
STOP DRINKING FOR A MOMENT AND ENJOY THE JOYOUS EXCITEMENT
THAT OVERCAME HIM.

IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT THAT SENIOR W ARDEN VIAR ENTERED THE

ROOM AND STOOD SLIGHTLY EMBARRASSED IN THE CORNER,
LOOKING LIKE A MAN W HO FELT OUT OF PLACE IN SUCH A SETTING
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY LIKE A MAN FEELING THE STRAIN OF FACING
A SUPERIOR WHO HAD VIRTUALLY THE FATE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
ENTIRE COLONY AT HIS DISPOSAL.

ACUSTRO DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE HIM. HE WAS LOST IN THOUGHTS OF

WHAT NEW TORTURE TO APPLY. IN ORDER TO GET TO KNOW THE
CHARACTER OF THE HEAD WARDEN BETTER, IT WAS NECESSARY TO
MENTION THAT HE RARELY REPEATED THE SAME TORTURE TWICE. IN
TRUTH, THIS BORED HIM TO DEATH AND SOMEHOW DEPRIVED HIM OF
THE PERVERSE PLEASURE; ON THE OTHER HAND, HIS EXTREMELY
UNPREDICTABLE CHARACTER AND HIS VERY CHANGEABLE MOODS
MADE THE PRISONERS SHUDDER AT THE NEW UNKNOWN TO WHICH
HE WAS ABOUT TO SUBJECT THEM.

- 'PERMIT ME TO REPORT , SIR,' PRONOUNCED VIAR WITH SOME

STAMMERING.

ACUSTRO MOVED ONLY SLIGHTLY, REMAINING HALF- TURNED

TOWARDS THE SENIOR WARDER STILL STANDING IN THE CORNER OF
THE ROOM, WHERE SEMI-DARKNESS REIGNED.

127
- 'W HAT'S THE MATTER, VIAR, WHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU BOTHERING
ME ABOUT THIS TIME, EH ?,' HIS VOICE WAS A MIXTURE OF
ANNOYANCE, ARISTOCRATIC CONDESCENSION AND THE COOL
INDIFFERENCE OF A BOA READY TO SWALLOW HIS PREY WHOLE AT
ANY MOMENT .

- 'FORGIVE ME FOR INTERRUPTING, SIR, BUT...,' VIAR BEGAN TO TRAIL

OFF, THOUGH HE HAD REPEATED IN HIS MIND WHAT HE WAS ABOUT
TO REPORT .

IN TRUTH, HE TOO, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, HAD A GENUINE HORROR

OF ACUSTRO, AND SOMETIMES EVEN W ONDERED IF HE WAS A HUMAN
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE OR A FREAK STRAIGHT OUT OF HELL. IN FACT,
ACUSTRO'S FACE WAS UNUSUALLY BEAUTIFUL AND PALE, LIKE THAT
OF A VAMPIRE.

- 'W ELL?,'
PRONOUNCED ACUSTRO, NOW WITH OBVIOUS
ANNOYANCE. 'COULD IT BE THAT THE WORKERS CAN'T FULFILL THE
DAILY NORM? IF SO, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING VIOLATING MY
PRIVACY? CAN'T YOU HANDLE THE PROBLEM YOURSELF ?'

- 'NO SIR,' VIAR, WHO HAD BEGUN TO QUESTION HIMSELF , BEGAN

MORE CONFIDENTLY NOW , 'THEY EVEN OVERFILLED IT SLIGHTLY BY
HALF A TERATON.'

- 'LOOK AT YOU!,' EXCLAIMED ACUSTRO, AND HIS FACE LIT UP WITH

SOMETHING AKIN TO A SMILE OF SURPRISE, BUT IT WAS RATHER
PLAINTIVE. OR AT LEAST THAT WAS HOW THE SENIOR WARDEN
PERCEIVED IT .

- 'QUITE TRUE, SIR,' VIAR UTTERED AS IF TO KEEP THE

CONVERSATION GOING.

- 'I THOUGHT THE NORM OF NINE TERATONS A DAY WAS

UNWORKABLE, BUT APPARENTLY IT 'S NOT,' ACUSTRO PAUSED
BRIEFLY. 'AND NOW IT SEEMS WE'LL HAVE NOTHING TO PUNISH THEM
FOR, EH?'

128
VIAR COULD FEEL HIMSELF STARTING TO SWEAT , BUT SOMEHOW
SUMMONED THE COURAGE TO CONTINUE.

- NOT QUITE, SIR, I SUSPECT THE PRISONERS ARE PLOTTING SOME

SORT OF ESCAPE.

- 'IT CAN'T BE,' ACUSTRO CHUCKLED, BARING HIS EVEN WHITE TEETH,
'AND WHERE, IF I MAY ASK?'
- I WONDER THAT TOO, SIR. SO WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
EVEN CLASS B SHIPS ARE HARD TO REACH AND THEY COME TO US
SO INFREQUENTLY, ONLY TO DROP NEW PRISONERS.

SUDDENLY, ACUSTRO BECAME SERIOUS.

- AND WHO IS THE LEADER OF THIS SO-CALLED REBELLION?

- I DON'T KNOW YET SIR, THE PRISONERS KEEP EVERYTHING HIDDEN,
BUT I HAVE SOME SUSPICIONS.

- I DON'T WORK WITH SUSPICIONS, VIAR, I WANT TO KNOW FOR SURE.

YES, THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS TO KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM,
WIPE OUT THE WHOLE DAMNED COLONY, BUT THEN WHO THE DEVIL
WILL SERVE US? THEY'LL TAKE SENDING US TO THE EASTERN FRONT
OF ZEGANDARIA. AND THAT WAY AT LEAST WE HAVE AN EXCUSE TO
STAND HERE AND VEGETATE BUT STAY ALIVE. AND YOU KNOW VERY
WELL THAT IN A MASS EXTERMINATION THE DANGER OF PLAGUE ALSO
EXISTS.

MENTALLY THE SENIOR WARDEN AGREED WITH THIS REASONING AND

NODDED APPROVINGLY. STILL, THE DESTRUCTIVE WRATH OF
ACUSTRO HAD NOT FALLEN UPON HIM THIS TIME, BUT WHO COULD BE
SURE OF THAT ?

- 'LOOK WHAT, VIAR,' ACUSTRO PROMPTED AFTER A MOMENT 'S

SILENCE, 'YOU RESEARCH THIS JOB. I WANT A RESULT BY TOMORROW
MORNING, IF NOT...YOU KNOW WE STILL HAVE A SPARE CAPSULE OR
TWO.'

129
HIS FACE HAD NOW BECOME COMPLETELY EXPRESSIONLESS AND
IMPENETRABLE.

- 'AS YOU ORDER, SIR!,' VIAR DID THE HONOURS AND WALKED OUT.
BEHIND HIS EARS THE SAME TUNE CONTINUED TO DRIFT. A MELODY
REMINISCENT OF DEATH.

^^^
AFTER THE NOT VERY PLEASANT CONVERSATION WITH THE HEAD
WARDEN, VIAR WENT BACK TO HIS CHAMBERS. HE KNEW VERY WELL
THAT HE WAS EXPECTED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM QUICKLY, OR HIS
HEAD WOULD BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. THOUGH HE WAS PLAIN-
SPOKEN AND RUDE, HE WAS HORRIFIED TO REALIZE THE IRONY OF
THIS SUDDEN THOUGHT RUNNING THROUGH HIS MIND. THE
COMPARISON WAS QUITE APT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAD
LONG SINCE STOPPED USING THIS PRIMITIVE METHOD AS A MEANS OF
EXECUTION. AS A CHILD HE HAD READ ALMOST NOTHING, AND IN
SPITE OF THE VERY RUDIMENTARY LITERACY HE POSSESSED, SOME
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GREAT FRENCH REVOLUTION APPEARED IN
HIS THOUGHT -BLURRED MIND, WHERE THEY GUILLOTINED A CRIMINAL
WHOSE HEAD FELL INTO AN EMPTY BASKET , WHILE ALL AROUND THE
CROWD CHEERED!

FRANKLY, A MORE DISGUSTING AND HUMILIATING SIGHT THAN THIS

HE COULD NOT HAVE IMAGINED. IT WAS TRUE THAT THE TORTURE
AND EXECUTIONS ADMINISTERED BY ACUSTRO WERE BEYOND THE
LIMITS OF EVEN THE MOST SADISTIC MINDS, BUT VIAR POSSESSED A
CERTAIN SENSE OF DIGNITY OF HIS OWN THAT HE FELT WOULD BE
VIOLATED BY SUCH AN INGLORIOUS END.

THE W ARDEN LOOKED UP AND STARED INTO THE DIGITAL MIRROR.

HE WAS ACTUALLY IN THE BATHROOM OF HIS SMALL APARTMENT . ITS
AREA DID NOT EXCEED TWO SQUARE METERS BY EARTH STANDARDS.
IN THE ADVANCED FUTURE, EVEN ORDINARY PEOPLE HAD SUCH
DIGITAL MIRRORS. W ITH THEM, A SPECIAL SCANNER READ THE

130
BUMPS ON THE HUMAN FACE. EVERY BULGE WAS A 1, AND EVERY
FLAT SURFACE A 0. THEN THE REFLECTION ITSELF WAS
CONSTRUCTED BASED ON A SPECTACULAR SPIRAL EFFECT . ONLY
ACUSTRO AND VIAR POSSESSED SUCH LUXURY IN THE ENTIRE
COLONY. NO ONE ELSE. AND EVERYONE KNEW IT . BUT THIS TIME,
INSTEAD OF ENJOYING THE BEAUTIFUL REFLECTION FORMING, HIS
VISION WAS BLURRED AND HE COULD CLEARLY SEE THE TIRED FACE
OF A MAN IN HIS FORTIES, AND THIS MAN WAS PALE AS A GHOST.

BEADS OF SWEAT BEGAN TO TRICKLE DOWN THE ASSISTANT

SUPERINTENDENT 'S FACE. FOR A MOMENT HE IMAGINED THE SECRET
GLOATING OF QUITE A FEW OF HIS SUBORDINATES THAT HE HAD
GOTTEN WHAT HE DESERVED, FOR IT COULD NOT BE SAID THAT HE
WAS THE BEST WARDEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE COLONY.
INSTINCTIVELY, HE FELT HIS BRAIN SHUT DOWN AND SEEMINGLY
BEGIN TO REWIND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD.

'IT WOULD BE TOO EASY TO TOSS A NAME AT HIM, NO MATTER WHAT .

BUT IF I DON'T GIVE HIM SOME ACCEPTABLE EXPLANATION, HE'LL SAY
I'M LOOKING THROUGH MY FINGERS. HE'LL GET MAD IF HE REALIZES
HE CAN'T CONTROL THE SITUATION.'

AS HE TALKED TO HIMSELF, HIDDEN FROM EVERYONE, VIAR BECAME

MORE AND MORE AWARE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF HIS OWN
SITUATION. SOME OF THE OTHERS SUSPECTED HIS SECRET
AMBITIONS TO OUST ACUSTRO FROM OFFICE AND TAKE OVER ALL
POWER IN THE COLONY, BUT THAT WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS IN
THE SITUATION AT HAND. FIRST OF ALL, EVERYONE WAS AFRAID OF
THE HEAD WARDEN, INCLUDING HIMSELF, AND SECONDLY, EVEN IN
THIS GOD DAMNED PLACE, TRAITORS, OR RATHER OUTRIGHT
TRAITORS, WERE NOT HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM.

THERE WAS ANOTHER IMPORTANT DETAIL THAT MADE THE GAP

BETWEEN THE TWO EVEN DEEPER AND INCREASED VIAR'S LOATHING
FOR THE SUPREME SOVEREIGN OF THIS HELL - AND THAT WAS THE
DIFFERENCE IN CLASSES. HIS PARENTS HAD BEEN SPACE FARMERS
ON ZEGANDARIA, AND FRANKLY, AS A YOUNG MAN, VIAR HAD
DREAMED OF BECOMING THE MOST CAPABLE FARMER ON THE ENTIRE

131
PLANET, AND EVEN SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF FEEDING ITS HUMAN
POPULATION. HIS FATHER WAS A STERN MAN, TRYING TO RAISE HIM
IN VIRTUES SUCH AS FRUGALITY AND PATIENT , MOLE-LIKE LABOR.
BUT THE IDEALS OF HIS YOUTH WERE SOON SHATTERED AS A SECRET
MILITARY RECRUITMENT WAS CALLED, OF WHICH HE WAS A MEMBER.
W ITH DIFFICULTY HE ROSE TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. HE HAD
PARTICIPATED IN MANY BATTLES. AND ACUSTRO HAD SPRUNG
SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOW HERE TO OCCUPY A POSITION HIGHER THAN
HIS, FOR HE WAS CONSIDERABLY CLOSER TO THE HIGH COMMAND
OF ZEGANDARIA, A JOINT BODY THAT HAD UNITED THE MILITARY
COUNCILS OF UBUNDER AND ELOHY IN THE RECENT PAST . AND
MOSTLY BECAUSE HE HELD THE RANK OF COLONEL. HOW HE HAD
COME BY IT , HOWEVER, EVEN THE GREATEST LOVERS OF
SPECULATION COULD ONLY GUESS. BUT VIAR COULD SENSE BY HIS
SUPERIOR'S ARISTOCRATIC MANNERS THAT THE TWO WERE NOT OF
THE SAME BREED AT ALL, AS THEY PUT IT ON HIS END.

'HOW SORDID LIFE REALLY IS!,' HE THOUGHT INDIGNANTLY. EVEN

THE COLONY WARDENS WOULD HAVE LAUGHED ALOUD AT SUCH A
THOUGHT, CONSIDERING WHO ITS SOURCE WAS.

'THE PLOT MUST BE UNRAVELED, OR SO ACUSTRO MUST THINK' HE

CONTINUED HIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT .

SUDDENLY, VIAR SLAPPED HIMSELF. HOW HAD HE NOT THOUGHT OF

IT EARLIER? HE STEPPED INTO THE PRESSURIZATION CHAMBER,
WHERE HE SLIPPED ON HIS SPACESUIT .

THE HYDRONIC DOOR CLOSED BEHIND HIM.

HE HAD LEFT HIS CHAMBERS.

^^^

THE PROCEDURE FOR CONFINING A PRISONER TO A CELL WAS MORE

THAN ROUTINE, BUT THE GUARDS WERE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT
BECAUSE THERE WAS STILL SOME DANGER OF ESCAPES.

132
MOREOVER, THE CAVERNS THAT SERVED AS CELLS NUMBERED
NEARLY FIVE HUNDRED. TO THIS END, THEY PUT SPECIAL MAGNETIC
BRACELETS ON EACH PRISONER, WHICH PINNED THEM TO THE
GRAVITY BED AND THEN CLOSED THE MASSIVE HYDRON DOOR.

A BUNDLE OF LIGHT .

CLICK. THE HUGE HYDRON DOOR CLOSED.

COMPLETE DARKNESS ENVELOPED THE CELL.

'JUST WHAT I NEED,' THOUGHT JONATHAN HEARNS, LYING PINNED
ON THE GRAVITY BED.

LATELY THE GUARDS HAD BECOME PARTICULARLY VIGILANT AND

EVEN SOMEWHAT TENSE AND AGGRESSIVE.

'NOW IS REALLY THE TIME FOR ACTION,' THE THOUGHT RAN THROUGH
HIS MIND LIKE LIGHTNING.

ACTUALLY, TO SOME BIASED BYSTANDER, REFUSING TO TAKE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE WHILE ESCORTING THE PRISONERS FROM
THE CRYSTAL QUARRIES TO THE CELLS MIGHT HAVE SEEMED
DOWNRIGHT STUPID, BUT JONATHAN KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS
DOING. EVEN IF THEY MANAGED TO INCAPACITATE THE HEAVILY
ARMED GUARDS OF THE CONVOY, WHICH NUMBERED ALL IN ALL FIVE
PLATOONS, IT WOULDN'T DO THEM ANY GOOD. FOR ONE THING, THE
PLANET WAS DESERTED, AND WITHOUT REFUELING THE SPACESUITS
WITH FRESH COMPRESSED AIR CAPSULES, THEY WOULD SURELY
SUFFOCATE. SECONDLY THEY WOULD STARVE AND DIE OF THIRST ,
FOR OUTSIDE THE SPECIAL SPACE FARMING FARM WHERE FOUR OR
FIVE CROPS WERE GROWN, WHICH WITH THE PITIFUL SEMBLANCE OF
BREAD THEY WERE GIVEN MADE UP THEIR ENTIRE MENU, THERE WAS
NO OTHER FOOD AT ALL. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST IN WHAT WAY
COULD THEY LEAVE THE PLANET?

THAT WAS THE HARDEST QUESTION, AND ONE THE YOUNG

COMPUTER SPECIALIST HAD ASKED HIMSELF MANY TIMES OVER THE
LAST THREE YEARS AS HE PLOTTED HOW TO GET OUT OF HERE. HIS

133
ENTHUSIASM HAD NOT LEFT HIM FOR A MOMENT SINCE THEN , AND HE
HAD BEEN SECRETLY WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO PUT
IT INTO ACTION.

SUBSEQUENTLY, DURING THE FOUR YEARS HE HAD SPENT IN THE

COLONY, HE HAD BECOME ACQUAINTED SUCCESSIVELY WITH THE
ENGINEER, THE PHILOSOPHER, WHO BORE THE SONOROUS NAME OF
PINDOR AND WAS A LITTLE OLDER THAN THE REST , AND LAST BUT
NOT LEAST WITH THE SAGE. BUT HE WAS A BIT OF A WEIRDO, SO THE
NAME SUITED HIM PERFECTLY.

JONATHAN'S PLAN WAS MORE THAN SIMPLE, AT LEAST IN THEORY. AS

A WORLD-CLASS COMPUTER SPECIALIST, HE HAD A KNACK FOR
FINDING HOLES IN THE SYSTEM.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE RARE, CLASS B SHIPS WOULD ARRIVE ON THE

PLANET TO RESUPPLY IT WITH FRESH SUPPLIES, BUT ON THOSE RUNS
THEY ALSO DELIVERED THINGS QUITE USEFUL TO THE COLONY, SUCH
AS ASTERON CUTTERS, WHICH WERE USED TO CUT CRYSTALS AND
WERE ROUGHLY TEN TIMES HARDER THAN A REGULAR DIAMOND.
JONATHAN HAD STOLEN ONE OF THESE, AND AS ODD AS IT LOOKED
AT FIRST GLANCE, HE INTENDED TO USE IT TO CUT A HOLE IN THE
GLASS HEMISPHERE OF GLOSSANDER THAT COVERED THE CAVERN,
STILL PROVIDING VERY MINIMAL LIGHT IN THE PRISONER'S CELL.
W ITH THE HELP OF THE ENGINEER, WHO WAS ACTUALLY A
SPECIALIST IN APPLIED PHYSICS, HE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE GRAVITY
BED INTO SOMETHING OF A SORT OF SPRINGBOARD, USING AN ANTI-
GRAVITY FIELD CREATED BY A SMALL GENERATOR INVENTED BY
LIROUT. ONCE ON THE SURFACE, HE WOULD USE THE COVER OF
NIGHT AND KNOWING THE PATROLS' ROUTE WELL TO PUNCH HOLES
IN THE HEMISPHERES OF GLOSSANDER AND OTHER PRISONERS.

ONE MIGHT HAVE WONDERED IF THIS PLAN LIMPED TOO MUCH, BUT
THE TRUTH WAS THAT JONATHAN HAD THOUGHT OF NOTHING BETTER
THAN THIS. THE HYDRON DOORS HAD SOLID SECURITY, WHICH WAS
NOT AT ALL TO BE UNDERESTIMATED. THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE
GUARD STANDING OUTSIDE EACH OF THE CELLS, ARMED WITH A
PLASMA SUBMACHINE GUN AND A CYCLOTRON SYNTHESIZER TO

134
COMMUNICATE WITH THE OTHERS. ADDITIONALLY, EVERY TWO
HOURS A PATROL OF TEN GUARDS MADE THE ROUNDS OF THE
SURFACE, CHECKING FOR IRREGULARITIES.

IT WAS BARELY PAST TEN AT NIGHT. JONATHAN KNEW HE HAD LESS

THAN TWO HOURS UNTIL THE NEXT PATROL SWEEP, DURING WHICH
HE HAD TO ACT .

HE MOVED HIS HAND AND PULLED OUT THE CUTTER THAT HAD BEEN
HIDDEN THERE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PATROL'S NIGHTLY CHECK
OF HIS CELL. W ITH GREAT DILIGENCE, HE MANAGED TO GRASP IT
BACKWARDS AND BEGAN TO MOVE IT QUITE DEFTLY, RUBBING THE
MAGNETIC BRACELETS OF ZEGANDARIAN KEVLARITE WITH ZEAL AND
FEROCITY, BUT CAUTIOUSLY ENOUGH SO THAT THE SCRAPING
WOULD NOT BE CAUGHT BY THE GUARDS.

BUT HOWEVER GREAT THE HARDNESS OF THE TOOL HE WAS USING,

IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT THE KEVLARITE YIELDED PARTICULARLY
SLOWLY, AND HE WONDERED IF THE TWO HOURS IN QUESTION
WOULD BE ENOUGH. AFTER SOME TIME, WHICH IN HIS OPINION
EXCEEDED TEN MINUTES, ONE OF HIS HANDS WAS FREED FROM ITS
BONDS. HE NOW HAD FAR MORE FREEDOM TO WORK, BUT HE
STOPPED FOR A MOMENT AND LISTENED FOR ANY POSSIBLE
STIRRING. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SOUND EXCEPT HIS OWN
RAPID BREATHING AND THE RUSHING OF THE BLOOD IN HIS EARS.

HE REDOUBLED HIS EFFORTS.

THE SECOND CHAIN FELL, THEN THE THIRD, AND FINALLY JONATHAN
ROSE FROM THE GRAVITY BED. HE CHECKED CAREFULLY TO MAKE
SURE HE HADN'T DONE SOME FATAL DAMAGE TO HIS SUIT .

EVEN THE TINIEST BREACH WOULD MEAN ONLY ONE THING - CERTAIN
AND ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, EXTREMELY
PAINFUL DEATH. THE PLANET 'S LOW GRAVITY WAS CAUSING THE
HUMAN BODY TO BURST , TO EXPLODE LIKE A BALLOON. IN PRACTICE,
EVEN WITH A RESPIRATOR, WITHOUT A SPACESUIT , ONE COULD NOT

135
SURVIVE MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES IN THIS EXTREMELY
INHOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENT .

FORTUNATELY, THE ELECTRONIC OXYGEN SUPPLY VALVE WAS IN

FULL WORKING ORDER AND NOT EVEN THE TINIEST PINHOLE WAS
VISIBLE ANYWHERE.

HE BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF.

NOW THERE WAS SOMETHING FAR MORE DIFFICULT AND RISKY - TO
MANAGE TO REACH THE SPHERE OF GLOSSYANDER AND CUT IT . THIS
WAS WHERE THINGS COULD REALLY GO WRONG.

JONATHAN KNEW FULL WELL THAT WHILE LIROUT'S GENIUS WAS

UNQUESTIONABLE, THE ANTIGRAVITY FORCES INDUCED BY THE
GENERATOR WOULDN'T LAST LONG, AND IF THE GLOSSANDRE DIDN'T
GIVE IN, GIVING HIM A CHANCE TO CLIMB TO THE SURFACE, HE'D FALL
BACK AND GET SWATTED LIKE A FLY. W HO WOULD WANT SUCH A
HUMILIATING END ?

ALL THESE THOUGHTS PASSED THROUGH HIS MIND IN LESS THAN A

SECOND. HE HAD TO HURRY, BECAUSE IF HE MISSED HIS CHANCE,
THE GUARDS WOULD INEVITABLY SEE THE CUT MAGNETIC BRACELETS
EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND FROM THEN ON THE ROAD TO
EXECUTION WAS TOO SHORT .

HE EXAMINED THE DEVICE. THE GENERATOR WAS A SMALL METAL

SPHERE WITH SEVERAL HOLES. DESPITE ITS BIZARRE APPEARANCE,
HOWEVER, IT HAD TO BE ADMITTED THAT JONATHAN HAD TOO HIGH
HOPES FOR IT . AFTER ALL, IT WAS HIS ONLY PATH TO SALVATION, AND
PERHAPS EVEN TO FREEDOM.

HE PLACED HER CAREFULLY ON THE BED THAT HAD UNTIL RECENTLY

BEEN HIS PRISON AND SAT ON TOP OF HER. THEN HE STROKED IT
WITH HIS HAND. IT HAD NO EFFECT . THE SPHERE STOOD STILL.
JONATHAN BEGAN TO CURSE THE BAD LUCK THAT WAS BEGINNING TO
MANIFEST ITSELF AT THE MOST SUBLIME MOMENT. THEN HE
SUDDENLY REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE HOLES
ON THE SPHERE TO EXACTLY MATCH THE PLACES ON THE BED WHERE

136
THE MAGNETIC BRACELETS WERE ATTACHED. A SLIGHT SHIFT OF THE
METAL BALL FIXED THAT LITTLE SNAG. JONATHAN STROKED THE
SENSOR READER ON IT , SET TO READ ONLY HIS FINGERPRINTS.
REPEAT, SHUDDER...
SUDDENLY FOOTSTEPS WERE HEARD, AND HE DUCKED BEHIND THE
DOOR, LOWERING HIMSELF IN READINESS FOR AN ATTACK, GRIPPING
TIGHTLY THE SMALL METAL BALL THAT WAS NOW HIS ONLY WEAPON.

COMPLETE SILENCE.

ONE COULD GO MAD JUST FROM IT.

SUDDENLY, THE ELECTRONIC HYDRON DOOR OF THE CELL CREAKED

OPEN SLIGHTLY.

JONATHAN HEARD THE VOICES OF THE GUARDS.

- 'W HERE THE HELL DID THAT SON OF A BITCH GO?,' A FAMILIAR VOICE
UTTERED.

- 'LET'S CHECK THE CELL,' SUGGESTED THE OTHER. 'MAYBE HE'S

HIDING AROUND SOMEWHERE.'

THE TWO SILHOUETTES CAUTIOUSLY WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR,

SHIELDING EACH OTHER. THEY WERE WEARING REINFORCED
KEVLAR BODY ARMOUR, COVERED WITH SLABS OF ZEGANDARIAN
KEVLARITE, AND CLUTCHED THEIR PLASMA WEAPONS TIGHTLY IN
THEIR HANDS. JONATHAN DECIDED TO RISK IT. SECONDS REMAINED
BEFORE HE WOULD BE DISCOVERED AND SHOT W ITHOUT TRIAL OR
CONVICTION. HE WAITED A MOMENT , HOLDING HIS BREATH.

THE GUARDS WERE MOVING TOO CAUTIOUSLY, FOR APART FROM THE
ALMOST COMPLETE DARKNESS OF THE CELL, ITS AREA SUGGESTED
AMPLE NOOKS AND CRANNIES IN WHICH THE FUGITIVE COULD
CONCEAL HIMSELF. THEY WERE, AFTER ALL, IN A CAVE, THE
ENNOBLEMENT OF WHICH THEY HAD NOT TAKEN MUCH CARE .

137
ONE OF THEM PAUSED FOR A MOMENT AND TURNED HIS HEAD IN ALL
DIRECTIONS, SCANNING THE PERIMETER WITH HIS NIGHT VISION
VISOR.

- HEY, LICHODRON, I THINK WE SHOULD CALL FOR BACKUP. W HAT IF

THE DOG PLAYS US?

- 'RELAX,' THE OTHER MAN SLITHERED QUIETLY, 'THERE'S ABOUT

THIRTY OF THEM WAITING OUTSIDE. IT'S INCONCEIVABLE HE'LL SLIP
AWAY.'

HIDDEN IN THE DARKNESS BEHIND A ROCK,JONATHAN LISTENED

WITH GREAT SUSPENSE. AFTER INSPECTING ALL THE CORNERS OF
THE CELL MOST CAREFULLY, THEY APPROACHED THE GRAVITY BED,
WHICH, NOW LEFT EMPTY, SOMEHOW RESEMBLED THE WRECK OF A
SUNKEN SHIP, SUGGESTING ALL THE FUTILITY OF THIS ACCURSED
PLACE.

- 'THE BRACELETS HAVE BEEN CUT BY THE BASTARD,' THE FIRST

VOICE EXCLAIMED. 'I WONDER WITH WHAT ?'

- 'ONLY ASTERON CUTTERS ARE CAPABLE OF THAT ,' SLITHERED THAT

LOW , EVEN VOICE AGAIN, WHICH JONATHAN FOUND SLIGHTLY
IRRITATING.

AS THEIR SPACESUITS HAD A SLIGHT ILLUMINATION EMANATING

MAINLY FROM THE SENSOR CONTROL BUTTONS AND THE SUIT 'S
INDICATOR DISPLAY, HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THE FACE OF THE OTHER
MAN, WHO HAD REMAINED ANONYMOUS SO TO SPEAK UNTIL NOW .
HIS NAME WAS KENDOR. THIS MAN HAD A LIGHTNING-LIKE SLASH ON
HIS RIGHT CHEEK, AS HE HAD ONCE BEEN INVOLVED IN PUTTING
DOWN A PRISON RIOT , EVEN BEFORE ACUSTRO HAD BECOME
WARDEN.

- 'LICHODRON,' KENDOR CALLED SUDDENLY. 'I THINK WE MISSED

THAT ANGLE. LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT IT .'

SUDDENLY THE TWO OF THEM HEADED FOR WHERE JONATHAN WAS

HIDING. AS MUCH AS HE HAD PREPARED FOR CONTINGENCIES,

138
HOWEVER, PANIC OVERTOOK HIM. HE FELT HIS ENTIRE BODY
CONVULSE AND SEEMED UNABLE TO MOVE ANYWHERE. IT FELT LIKE
ANTS WERE CRAWLING ON HIS CEREBRAL CORTEX. EVERYTHING
WAS HAPPENING BEFORE HIS EYES LIKE A DREAM.

LIHODRON POINTED THE SPECIAL BATTLE LANTERN ATTACHED TO HIS

PLASMA SUBMACHINE GUN AT THE CLIFF AND TOGETHER HE AND
KENDOR STEPPED SLOWLY. THEIR FINGERS HAD STRAINED THE
SENSOR TRIGGERS TO THE LIMIT AND WERE READY TO PRODUCE A
SHOT.

AS THEY APPROACHED, JONATHAN INSTINCTIVELY PRESSED THE

SPHERE'S SENSOR READER. HIS MECHANICAL MOVEMENT, MADE IN
THAT MOMENT OF PRE-DEATH DANGER, HAD AN EFFECT . SUDDENLY
IT STARTED, EMITTING A FAINT BLUISH LIGHT , THERE WAS A SUBTLE
POP, THEN A MUFFLED BUT DENSE SOUND. THE WHOLE
PHENOMENON RESEMBLED A POWERFUL FIREWORKS DISPLAY THAT
ILLUMINATES EVERYTHING FOR A MOMENT , ONLY TO GIVE WAY TO
ALL-CONSUMING DARKNESS.

THE TWO GUARDS HAD NO TIME TO REACT AS IT HAPPENED IN LESS

THAN A SECOND. THE POWERFUL SHOCKWAVE OUTRIGHT SWEPT
THEM AWAY AND SMASHED THEM INTO THE NEARBY ROCKS. THEIR
VISORS SHATTERED INTO A THOUSAND PIECES. THE SURROUNDING
VACUUM ENVELOPED THEM. THEY DESPERATELY STRUGGLED FOR
BREATH, BUT SOMETHING AKIN TO WHEEZING WAS HEARD. AFTER
SEVERAL MINUTES OF AGONY, THE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL BURST
THEM APART . BLOOD DRIPPED FROM THEIR SUITS, AND THEIR HANDS
SLOWLY RELEASED THE PLASMA WEAPONS. THEIR HULKING TORSOS
LOOKED LIKE PITIFUL SHELLS DEVOID OF LIFE. NOW THEY WERE JUST
CORPSE MATTER WITHOUT A SOUL.

JONATHAN COULDN'T EVEN OPEN HIS MOUTH IN SURPRISE. HIS MIND

WAS STILL PARALYZED. IT WAS ALMOST A MINUTE BEFORE HE CAME
TO.

HE SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT REINFORCEMENTS WOULD ARRIVE

ANY MOMENT, THERE WAS NO TIME TO WASTE. HE WALKED OVER TO

139
ONE OF THE CORPSES, PULLED OFF HIS PROTECTIVE VEST AND
QUICKLY PUT IT ON, THEN GRABBED HIS PLASMA RIFLE. W ITH A FLICK
OF THE ASTERON CUTTER, HE SENT AWAY THE IDENTIFICATION
PATCHES PINNED TO THE KEVLAR PART OF HIS GEAR. HE ALSO TOOK
THE SPECIAL NIGHT VISION VISOR AND SECURED IT ONTO THE
HELMET OF HIS OWN SPACESUIT. THEN HE PUSHED THE CORPSE
WITH THE PATCH OFF BY THE EYES AND SLIGHTLY TO THE SIDE,
FOLDING HIS ARM SO IT WOULDN'T SHOW .

NO SOONER HAD HE MANAGED TO DO THIS THAN THE HYDRON DOOR

CREAKED OPEN AGAIN.

THE SOLDIERS WHO ENTERED, HOWEVER, SAW A SOLDIER LIKE THEM

IN FULL BATTLE GEAR AND WEARING SERGEANT 'S INSIGNIA.
HE WAS
FUSSING OVER HIS BATTLE COMRADES WHO SHOWED NO SIGNS OF
LIFE.

^^^
'THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF EVOLUTION HAVE NOT CHANGED HUMAN
CONSCIOUSNESS AT ALL. IT HAS REMAINED LESS THAN A PEA. W HY
ALL THIS VIOLENCE? IS IT JUST BECAUSE MAN IS WEAK BY NATURE
AND CANNOT RESIST HIS THIRST FOR BLOOD, OR DOES THE REASON
LIE SOMEWHERE MUCH DEEPER?'

PINDOR LIKED TO REASON IN THE CRAMPED CELL, WHERE TIME AND

SPACE SEEMED TO BE NON-EXISTENT AND ONE HAD THE FEELING OF
BEING IMMERSED IN A VACUUM. BESIDES, WHAT ELSE WAS THERE
FOR THE SQUAT PRISONER BUT TO DISTRACT HIS WORRIES WITH
LOGICAL DEDUCTIONS, WHICH HOWEVER CONTRADICTED THE LOGIC
OF THE PLACE. AND THE LOGIC HERE WAS SIMPLE AND
UNAMBIGUOUS - THE STRONGER WAS ALWAYS RIGHT , NO MATTER
WHAT.

OF COURSE, HE ONLY HAD A FEW BRIEF MOMENTS BEFORE HE HAD

TO DOZE OFF FOR THE BRIEF FOUR HOURS OF SLEEP THAT WAS DUE
TO EVERY PRISONER.

140
UNLIKE THE OTHER PRISONERS, PINDOR HAD A BIT OF A
MISDEMEANOUR, AS HE HAD SINGLE-HANDEDLY SHOT TWO
MARAUDERS WHO HAD TRIED TO KIDNAP HIS HOME AND RAPE HIS
WIFE. HE WAS AN AVOWED PACIFIST AND A DISTINGUISHED
UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY. HIS STUDENTS LISTENED
EAGERLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY, NOT TO SOME DRY AND BANAL
SERMONS, BUT TO BRILLIANT AND EVEN SLIGHTLY CRACKPOT
COMMENTS ON SENSITIVE AND ALWAYS OPEN TOPICS SUCH AS
‘HEGEL'S DIALECTIC’ AND ‘THE CONTROVERSY OVER UNIVERSALS’.
AND THOUGH THESE AREAS OF PHILOSOPHY WERE LONG WELL-
TRODDEN, HE ALWAYS MANAGED TO CAPTURE THEIR INTEREST IN AN
UNCONVENTIONAL WAY, OFTEN ENTANGLING THEM LIKE DUCKS IN
TOW .

- 'PRISON,' HE WOULD BEGIN, 'MAY BE A NOMINAL CONCEPT, THAT IS,

IT MAY EXIST ONLY AS A WORD, BUT IT MAY ALSO BE REAL AND HAVE
VERY REAL BARS.

- 'W HAT IF IT IS A CONCEPTUAL CONCEPT ?,' ONE OF HIS STUDENTS

ASKED HIM.

- 'THEN THE GENERAL CONCEPT EXISTS ONLY IN THE MIND OF THE

CONCEPT , THAT IS, IN YOUR OWN MIND,' PINDOR CALMLY EXPLAINED
THINGS PAINFULLY FAMILIAR TO SCIENCE.

- 'TEACHER, BUT CAN'T ALL THREE TYPES OF CONCEPTS FROM THE

EXAMPLE EXIST AT THE SAME TIME AND BE COMBINED INTO ONE,'
ASKED A SOMEWHAT NAIVE QUESTION ANOTHER STUDENT .

- 'IT CAN,' SMILED PINDOR, 'BUT IF WE STICK TO THE EXAMPLE, THEN

YOU WILL BE THE UNHAPPIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD.'

LYING ON THE GRAVITY BED, PINDOR REALISED THE CRUEL IRONY OF

THIS FORGOTTEN EPISODE OF HIS LIFE.NOW , WITH FULL RIGHT , HE
COULD CALL HIMSELF THE UNHAPPIEST MAN IN THE WORLD. AND THE
REASON WASN'T JUST THAT HE WAS AT AN UNIMAGINABLY GREAT
DISTANCE FROM HIS FAMILY-HIS WIFE, LIZ, AND HIS SON, ROYAN.
W HAT TORMENTED HIM MOST WAS THAT, IN A WICKED IRONY OF

141
FATE, HE HAD TRANSGRESSED HIS VIEWS ON NON-VIOLENCE AND
HAD SHED BLOOD BECAUSE CIRCUMSTANCES HAD FORCED HIM TO.

'THE WAR HAD ALREADY BEGUN,' HE CONTINUED HIS THOUGHTS-

'THAT NIGHT MY FAMILY AND I THOUGHT OF LEAVING HOME.
ENSARIAN HAD BEEN ALMOST COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WE HAD
TO SAVE OURSELVES, FOR IN SUCH A CRISIS THERE WAS NO ONE TO
THINK OF US. AND EVEN IF THERE HAD BEEN NO BOMBING AND
SHOOTING, THERE WAS NOTHING TO EAT AND WE WOULD INEVITABLY
HAVE PERISHED. THERE WASN'T EVEN WATER. FORTUNATELY I WAS
FORESIGHTED AND WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF SUPPLIES FOR ABOUT A
DAY-. TWO... THAT NIGHT ... EVERYTHING WAS DECIDED EVEN THEN...
THEY WERE SENT TO THE HOUSE... THEY WERE SENT ON PURPOSE...
THEY WERE NOT THERE BY ACCIDENT... NO... NO... NO... IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE... IT'S JUST ... IMPOSSIBLE... THEN... THOSE VOICES...
THEY WERE JUST WHISPERING TO ME TO KILL THEM... AND MY WIFE
WAS UNCONSCIOUS... BUT THEY HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO MOCK HER...
SHE HAD JUST FAINTED FROM THE SHOCK OF THE EXPERIENCE.
LITTLE ROYAN WAS LOCKED UPSTAIRS IN HIS ROOM SO HE WOULDN'T
BOTHER THEM... GOD, WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I'D BEEN
JUST A FEW MINUTES LATE.'

THE CLERIC FELT THE WEIGHT OF THE MEMORIES PRESS AGAINST

THE SIDES OF HIS SKULL LIKE THE CRUEL GRIP OF A VICE. HIS BRAIN
SANK INTO A FLOOD OF FIRE. IT LASTED ONLY A FEW SECONDS, THEN,
AS THROUGH A FOG, HE BEGAN AGAIN TO STRUGGLE TO CLEAR HIS
TORMENTING MEMORIES.

'I WAS JUST ABOUT TO PICK UP THE HYPER-SPEED NIRANGAITER

(ANTI-GRAVITY CUSHION MOTOR), REALIZING HOW DANGEROUS IT
WAS TO DRIVE SUCH A VEHICLE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS.
MOREOVER, THE CITY LIMITS HAD BEEN QUARANTINED, AND I WAS
BEING WATCHED CLOSELY FOR THOSE SPEECHES OF MINE AGAINST
THE HYPOCRITICAL FORM OF DEMOCRACY THAT REIGNED IN
UBUNDER... I WAS A THORN IN THEIR SIDE... THEY TRIED TO GIVE
THEM MORE PUBLICITY...EVEN THOUGH IT WAS DIRECTED AGAINST
THEM...TO TURN ME INTO A DISSIDENT ...THEY FAILED ...W ELL,

142
MAYBE...TO SOME EXTENT ...THEY RUINED MY REPUTATION... BUT WE
HAD TO MOVE AWAY AT LEAST A LITTLE FROM THE MAIN POINT OF
CONFLICT ...AND THE NIRANGAITER WAS THE ONLY MEANS OF
SALVATION...THEN I HEARD HER VOICE...THAT MOANING...I'LL NEVER
FORGET IT ...IT BEGGED...IT PLEADED...IT WAS HOPELESSNESS
ITSELF...I DUCKED BEHIND THE WALL AND...THEY EXPECTED HER TO
BE ALONE...THEY HAD FOLLOWED ME CLOSELY...SURELY THEY
WOULD HAVE KILLED HER...BUT...THEY DIDN'T EXPECT THAT , WHAT
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM...THE PLASMA BLASTER , THAT I
KEPT IN THE HANGAR DID A GREAT JOB...FRIED THE DAMN
BASTARDS...MORE MORE ACCURATELY I VAPORIZED THEM...THAT
WAS THE LAST I SAW OF HER...I WAS TAKEN AWAY...HELD AND
INTERROGATED...CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER...THEY HAD
CUNNINGLY ENGINEERED THE SITUATION...I HUNG FROM COURT TO
COURT ...UNTIL THAT DECISION CAME DOWN TO ESTABLISH LABOR
COLONY 206...THEN I MET THE BOYS...NOW THEY ARE MY ONLY
SUPPORT ...IN THIS DAMNED HELL! '

'W HY DID ALL THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?,' THE PHILOSOPHER MOANED,

ALMOST VOICELESS. NOT EVEN A BLOODHOUND WOULD HAVE
CAUGHT THE SOUND OF ALL THAT STALE BITTERNESS.

THE SILENCE AND DARKNESS IN THE CELL WERE MURDEROUS. THEY

GAVE NO ANSWER TO SO PRIMAL AND SINCERE A QUESTION. AND
PINDOR DESPERATELY NEEDED IT, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS
LIFE HE DID NOT KNOW THE ANSWER.

143
'EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT IN THE END, IF IT'S NOT ALL RIGHT ,
THEN IT'S NOT THE END.'

UNKNOWN AUTHOR

^^^
IT FELT LIKE AN ETERNITY HAD PASSED. PINDOR HAD FALLEN INTO
OBLIVION. HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF HE WAS AWAKE OR DREAMING.
IF THIS WAS TRULY A DREAM, HE'D RATHER NEVER WAKE UP FROM IT
AGAIN. SINKING INTO A REVERIE, HE SAW A LIGHT SIMILAR TO THE
ONE USUALLY SAID TO BE ‘AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL’.

THERE WAS A SQUEAK. THE MASSIVE HYDRON DOOR OPENED.

- 'COME ON, GET UP, PHILOSOPHER,' CAME THE THROATY VOICE OF
A WARDER, 'TIME TO TELL US ABOUT YOURS, HOW WAS IT ?
'TRUCULENTS?' HE UTTERED WITH A DISGUSTED STAMMER ON THE
LAST SYLLABLE.

- 'SLOW DOWN, LIVELIER, WE HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY, YEAH,' THE

GUARDS WERE SAYING AS THEY REMOVED THE MAGNETIC
BRACELETS FROM HIS ARMS.

THEY DID THIS RATHER RUDELY AND SOMEWHAT CLUMSILY, FOR

THEY THEMSELVES FELT THE STRAIN OF THE SITUATION, BUT THE
PHILOSOPHER OFFERED NO RESISTANCE, MOREOVER, HE SEEMED
UNABLE TO COME OUT OF THE STUPOR THAT HAD SEIZED HIM AT ALL.

THE INITIATOR OF THIS WHOLE CIRCUS WAS, OF COURSE, VIAR.

ACUSTRO HAD TO BE CONVINCED THAT HE WAS IN CONTROL OF THE
SITUATION, OR THE CONSEQUENCES FOR EVERYONE COULD PROVE
UNPREDICTABLE. AND IN THE 'LANGUAGE OF THE COLONY' THAT
MEANT 'FATAL'.

VIAR'S POINT WAS MORE THAN SIMPLE. HIS GOAL WAS TO FRAME A
CULPRIT FOR THE ALLEGED ESCAPE PLOT , BUT TO MAKE IT APPEAR
BY NO MEANS RANDOM. HE HAD AMPLE INTELLIGENCE, AND KNEW

144
WITH POSITIVE CERTAINTY THAT THE PRISONERS ACCEPTED PINDOR
AS SOMETHING OF THEIR ‘SPIRITUAL GUIDE.’ BUT HE HAD HATCHED A
DEEPER PLAN. NATURALLY, HE DID NOT COUNT ON THAT PLAN ALONE
BEING ENOUGH TO CONVINCE ACUSTRO OF ITS RIGHTNESS. ON THE
CONTRARY, HE WANTED TO USE THE PHILOSOPHER AS A SCAPEGOAT
TO PROVOKE A CORRESPONDING REACTION IN THE OTHER
PRISONERS AND PREDISPOSE THEM TO CONFESS EVEN
UNREPENTANT SINS IN ORDER TO GET RID OF HIM. W HAT EVEN THEY
DIDN'T KNOW , INCLUDING PINDOR HIMSELF, WAS THAT VIAR, AS THE
DEPUTY W ARDEN OF THE COLONY, HAD SOMETHING OF HIS OWN
INTELLIGENCE. IT WORKED FLAWLESSLY, SOME OF ITS OPERATIONS,
EVEN ACUSTRO HIMSELF WAS UNAWARE OF. VIAR HAD MANAGED TO
GET HIS HANDS ON THE PHILOSOPHER'S FILE AND WAS FULLY AWARE
THAT HE WAS THE ONLY PRISONER IN THE COLONY WHO HAD BEEN
CONVICTED FOR NON-POLITICAL REASONS. THIS ‘MINOR ’ FACT OF HIS
AUTOBIOGRAPHY HAD REMAINED HIDDEN FROM THE OTHER
PRISONERS. THE ASSISTANT WARDEN PLANNED TO TAKE THIS TRUMP
CARD AND, ALLEGEDLY BY ACCIDENT, THROUGH HIS OWN HENCHMEN
AMONG THE PRISONERS, TO THROW THEM A ‘FLY’, THUS HOPING TO
DISCREDIT HIM IN THEIR EYES. THAT IS, HE WAS GOING TO ‘HIT TWO
BIRDS WITH ONE STONE’. FOR THIS HE HAD ONLY A FEW HOURS UNTIL
DAWN, OTHERWISE THIS DAWN WOULD BE THE LAST THING HE WOULD
SEE IN HIS LIFE. NO WAY DID HE WANT TO END UP IN A BURIAL
CAPSULE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DEAD AND SILENT VACUUM OF OPEN
SPACE.

THE PHILOSOPHER'S CROSS-EYED LOOK DID NOT FOR A MOMENT

UNNERVE HIS EXECUTIONERS, WHO ROUGHLY PICKED HIM UP, LIKE A
RAG DOLL, AND DRAGGED HIM FROM THE CELL.

AS THEY PASSED BY LIROITH'S CELL, WHICH WAS ADJACENT TO HIS,

PINDOR SEEMED TO REGAIN SOME OF HIS STRENGTH. THE VEIL THAT
HAD BEEN BLOCKING HIS VISION FELL FROM HIS EYES FOR A MOMENT ,
AND WITHOUT FULLY REALIZING WHAT HAD HAPPENED SO FAR, HE
ASKED HALF ANGRILY, HALF IN WONDER.

145
- 'W HERE THE DEVIL ARE YOU TAKING ME?,' THE MAN STAGGERED,
STRUGGLING TO FREE HIMSELF FROM THE IRON GRIP, BUT IT PROVED
UTTERLY USELESS AND HIS ATTEMPT TO RESIST WAS BROKEN.

- 'YOU'LL BE SHOWING YOUR ENERGY SOON, PHILOSOPHER,' VIAR,

WHO WAS WALKING A LITTLE FURTHER BACK, SMILED MOCKINGLY.
'VERY SOON.'

THE LONE GROUP, CONSISTING OF FOUR MEN, HAD TO CROSS THE

DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CAVERNS AND THE XENTARI, WHERE THE
WARDERS' DWELLINGS WERE LOCATED. THE STRUCTURES IN
QUESTION NUMBERED ABOUT SIXTY, BUT STILL FORMED SOMETHING
RESEMBLING A SETTLEMENT OF QUITE RESPECTABLE, FOR A SPACE
COLONY, DIMENSIONS. THE GREENISH FUTURISTIC BUILDINGS WERE
INDEED AN IMPRESSIVE SIGHT . IN THE BEST -KEPT XENTAR LIVED
ACUSTRO.

OF COURSE, IT WASN'T EVERY DAY THAT A PRISONER WAS USHERED

INTO A WARDEN'S QUARTERS. TO BE FAIR, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT
HAD HAPPENED. EVEN THE GUARDS WERE COMPLETELY BAFFLED AS
TO WHAT WAS GOING ON. BUT VIAR WAS PLAYING HIS PART
BEAUTIFULLY. HE FELT HE HAD THINGS IN HIS OWN HANDS, OR SO HE
THOUGHT.

THE GROUP STOOD BENEATH A CURVE OF THE XENTAR ABOUT FOUR

METERS ABOVE THE SURFACE. THEY WERE ENVELOPED BY A BEAM
OF LIGHT AND THE CHILIRON SUCTION VALVE CREATING ARTIFICIAL
GRAVITY PULLED THEM UP.

AFTER PASSING THROUGH THE SPECIAL PRESSURE EQUALIZATION

CHAMBER, THEY REMOVED THEIR SPACESUITS. THE HYDRON DOOR
OPENED AND ACUSTRO STOOD BEFORE THEM. HIS FACE WAS AS
PALE AS A GHOST 'S.

- 'PHILOSOPHER, I EXPECT YOU HAVE SOME INTERESTING THINGS TO

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PLOT,' HE HISSED, HIS VOICE SEEMINGLY CALM
AND SOFT , BUT WITH A SUBTLE NOTE OF MENACE.

146
EVEN THE GUARDS COULD SENSE THE TENSE ATMOSPHERE.
HONESTLY, IF IT WERE UP TO THEM, THEY WOULD PREFER TO LEAVE,
BUT THERE WAS NOWHERE TO MOVE. EVEN THE MERE PRESENCE OF
ACUSTRO WAS UNSETTLING AND STRETCHING THEIR NERVES TO THE
LIMIT.

THE LIGHT IN THE ROOM WAS DIM, WITH ACUSTRO'S FACE HALF-LIT
AND INSCRUTABLE.

- 'LEAVE US,' HE WAVED CASUALLY TO THE GUARDS.

FOR A MOMENT, VIAR FELT AN INNER CONFUSION, AND IT SEEMED TO
HIM THAT SOMEONE WAS GRIPPING HIS HEART W ITH COLD METAL
PINCERS. THE GUARDS SILENTLY STEPPED BACK AND LEFT HIS
CHAMBERS. VIAR HESITATED TO LEAVE, AND HAD JUST TAKEN A STEP
IN RETREAT WHEN A SLITHER ESCAPED FROM BETWEEN ACUSTRO'S
THIN SNAKE LIPS:

- NOT YOU, VIAR.

AT THAT REMARK FROM THE SUPREME SOVEREIGN OF THIS PLACE,
THE TENSION THAT HAD SUDDENLY GRIPPED HIM EVAPORATED AND
HE REGAINED SOME OF HIS CONFIDENCE.

- 'SO,' ACUSTRO PROMPTED AFTER A BRIEF SILENCE, 'YOU WERE

GOING TO ESCAPE, THEN? AND WHO WAS THE INSTIGATOR OF ALL
THIS?,' HE CONTINUED, HIS VOICE SEEMING TO COME FROM
UNDERGROUND.

THE PHILOSOPHER WAS OBSTINATELY SILENT AND REFUSED TO

SPEAK, BUT IT WAS PLAIN TO SEE THAT HE HAD COME OUT OF THE
STUPOR WHICH HAD SEIZED HIM ONLY A MOMENT BEFORE. VIAR
LOOKED AT HIM IN AMAZEMENT. W HERE HAD SUCH AUDACITY COME
FROM IN THIS SIMPLE PRISONER? ACUSTRO GAVE NO SIGN OF
IMPATIENCE, BUT ONE COULD GUESS THAT HE WAS NOT PLEASED
WITH THE SILENCE OF THE ESTRANGED PARTY. HIS ANGER WAS
LIKELY TO ERUPT AT ANY MOMENT , LIKE A TROPICAL STORM.

147
THERE WAS EVIDENTLY SOME STRANGE CHANGE GOING ON IN THE
PHILOSOPHER, SOME INNER STRUGGLE THAT WAS PICKED UP TO
SOME EXTENT BY THE OTHERS IN THE ROOM.

- 'YOU TREAT US LIKE DOGS, AND WORSE,' THE PHILOSOPHER

BEGAN, 'IS THIS THE DEMOCRACY WE ALL BELIEVED IN SO MUCH ?
YOU SLAUGHTER US EVERY GODDAMN DAY WITH UNREASONABLE
STANDARDS AND EVEN FOR NO REASON. JUST FOR PERSONAL
PLEASURE. TO SHOW US THAT YOU HOLD THE POWER.'

- 'YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT ,' ACUSTRO TOSSED IN CASUALLY. 'I DO

HOLD THE POWER. AND AS FOR DEMOCRACY - THERE IS NO
DEMOCRACY IN THIS CAMP. IN FACT, IT NEVER HAS.,' HE LAUGHED
LIGHTLY, BARING HIS SHARP WHITE TEETH. 'BUT YOU'RE NOT SO
INNOCENT EITHER, PHILOSOPHER. YOU'VE KILLED TWO PEOPLE.
YOU DESERVE TO BE HERE.'

- 'AND I WOULD DO IT AGAIN. AGAINST PEOPLE LIKE YOU, IT'S THE

ONLY POSSIBLE REMEDY.,' THE PHILOSOPHER, WHO ONLY A MOMENT
AGO HAD STOOD SO MEEKLY AND APATHETICALLY, STARING INTO
NOTHINGNESS, STRETCHED HIMSELF.

- 'SO, WHEN THE KNIFE GOES TO THE STAKE, YOU QUICKLY FORGET
YOUR PHILOSOPHICAL TREATISES!,' VENTURED VIAR.

ACUSTRO PRETENDED NOT TO NOTICE HIS PRESENCE AND HIS

PARTICIPATION IN THE CONVERSATION AT ALL. SHE DIDN 'T EVEN
BOTHER TO CROSS HIM.

- 'LISTEN, PHILOSOPHER, I HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE, YOU KNOW WHO

THE OTHERS ARE. IF YOU BETRAY THEM, IT'S POSSIBLE I MIGHT
SPARE YOU. YOU DO HAVE VALUABLE QUALITIES. I MIGHT EVEN MAKE
YOU THE COLONY WARDEN, WHO KNOWS?,' DRAWLED ACUSTRO,
SEEMINGLY CASUALLY.

VIAR WAS NOW TRULY AMAZED HERE. HIS PLAN WAS DEFINITELY
STARTING TO FAIL, EVEN BEFORE HE HAD PROPERLY GOTTEN INTO
ACTION.

148
- 'I AM NOT AN INFORMER,' REPLIED THE PHILOSOPHER SHORTLY.

- 'JUST THINK,' ACUSTRO CONTINUED IN A HONEYED VOICE, BUT VIAR

WAS UNDER NO ILLUSIONS THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE WAS ABOUT
TO HAPPEN, 'YOU CAN SEE YOUR FAMILY AGAIN. I CAN TELL YOU
WHERE LITTLE ROIAN IS, WHOM YOU MAY THINK IS DEAD. AND YOUR
WIFE LIZ - DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE HER IN YOUR ARMS AGAIN?'

'HOW THE HELL DOES HE KNOW ALL THIS?,' WONDERED VIAR, WHO
WAS BEGINNING TO SUSPECT HE WAS IN MORTAL DANGER. HE
WASN'T FOOLING HIMSELF THAT ACUSTRO WHO NEVER ACTED
DIRECTLY BUT WRAPPED HIMSELF LIKE A BOA AROUND HIS VICTIM,
BLOWING ON HER SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY, WAS NOW COOKING UP
SOME SORT OF SURPRISE FOR HIM.

A THIN TRICKLE OF SWEAT RAN DOWN THE PHILOSOPHER'S

FOREHEAD. CONFUSION WAS READ IN HIS EYES. IT WAS AS IF ALL HIS
MANHOOD HAD EVAPORATED IN LESS THAN A SECOND. THE BLOW
HAD HAD ITS EFFECT .

- 'IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.,' HE ANSWERED IN AMAZEMENT. 'THESE ARE

LIES, VILE MANIPULATIONS. HIS MIND WAS READY TO SCREAM UNDER
THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE MEMORY.'

- 'ARE YOUR SO-CALLED FRIENDS WORTH AS MUCH AS YOUR MOST

BELOVED PEOPLE?,' ACUSTRO STRUCK HIS FINAL BLOW .

^^^
TODAY WAS A SPECIAL DAY OR NIGHT FOR COLONY 206. DEPENDS
ON THE ZEGANDARIAN PERSPECTIVE, AS IT WAS PRACTICALLY
PERPETUAL DARKNESS HERE. PINDOR SPENT ALL THIS TIME IN AN
ISOLATED CAPSULE. IT WAS SO QUIET INSIDE THAT HE COULD HEAR
THE SOUND OF HIS OWN BREATHING. ACUSTRO HAD DETERMINED HIS
SENTENCE, WHICH WOULD BE A SIMPLE HANGING AS IN THE DISTANT
PAST. OF COURSE, ANY SANE PERSON WOULD QUESTION HOW YOU
COULD HANG SOMEONE IN THE MIDDLE OF OPEN SPACE WITH AN

149
ALMOST COMPLETE LACK OF GRAVITY. W ELL, ACCORDING TO
ACUSTRO'S DESIGN, IT WAS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE. W HAT'S MORE, HE
HAD EAGERLY DETERMINED AND EVEN METHODICALLY TESTED THE
EXACT WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TORTURE, WHICH FILLED HIM WITH
A THRILL OF EXCITEMENT. POWERFUL MAGNETIC BRACELETS WERE
HOOKED TO THE UNFORTUNATE'S LEGS, AND SPECIAL DUAL
NANOMAGNETS WOULD CREATE A CONCENTRATED GRAVITATIONAL
MICROFIELD THAT WOULD TEAR THE INTRUDER IN TWO AS A SPECIAL
COLLAR OF KEVLARITE WAS PLACED AROUND HIS HEAD. THERE WAS
NO SHORTAGE OF SYMBOLISM. IN THIS WAY, ACUSTRO WOULD SHOW
THEM ONCE MORE THAT HE VIEWED THEM AS DOGS.

THE PRISONERS, LINED UP TO WATCH WHAT WAS TO HAPPEN TO

THEIR LEADER, WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY AWARE OF THE
WHOLE RIDICULOUSNESS OF THE THOUGHT OF ESCAPE. HE WAS,
AFTER ALL, THE SOUL OF THE PLACE! HE HAD BUILT IT , USING THE
NATURAL FEATURES OF THE ENVIRONMENT , TO HIS OWN TASTE. HE
HAD CALCULATED EVERY MICROMETER OF THOSE 10,000 SCINTERS.
HE'D PUT EXTRA POSTS AT THE SHUTTLE DOCKS AND THE ISOLATED
BAYS FOR THE UPPER-CLASS SHIPS, JUST IN CASE. JUST IN CASE
THERE WAS SOME RECKLESS DAREDEVIL READY TO ACT RASHLY!
STILL, HE HAD SOME VAGUE FEELING, SOME INSTINCT NAGGING AT
HIM THAT SOMETHING MIGHT GO WRONG.

PINDOR WAS TO SERVE HIM WELL AS A PRETEXT TO DEAL WITH VIAR

AND HIS DASTARDLY PLOTS. BUT HE HAD TO TREAD CAREFULLY.
THOUGH HE SEEMED LIKE THE UNDISPUTED MASTER OF THIS
COLONY, ACUSTRO WAS WELL AWARE THAT THE OTHER WARDENS
UNDER VIAR'S COMMAND COULD SWEEP HIM OFF HIS FEET W ITH
EASE. BUT HIS ABILITY TO INSPIRE FEAR AND REMAIN
UNPREDICTABLE WOULD HAVE COME IN HANDY.

THE PHILOSOPHER WAS EXTRACTED AND HIS HANDS WERE PINNED

MOST CAREFULLY. GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE SUITS WERE A
COMPLETE NECESSITY, THE JOB TO NAILING HIM DOWN TOOK
LONGER THAN EXPECTED.

150
THE DEATHS OF LIHODRON AND KENDOR WOULD NOT BE
FORGOTTEN. THEY DID THEIR DUTY AND DIED HEROICALLY! THE
CULPRIT OF ALL THE HEINOUS REBEL ACTIVITY WILL BE SEVERELY
PUNISHED!’ THE YOUNG WARDEN RECITED WITH WELL-PLAYED
PATHOS. AFTER ALL, HE HAD TO SUCK UP TO HIS SUPERIORS, AND A
SECOND SUCH OCCASION WOULD HARDLY DO.

- 'CARRY OUT THE SENTENCE IMMEDIATELY,' ORDERED ACUSTRO,

LICKING HIS LIPS ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLY, FOR IN HIS MIND WAS A
CLEAR MEMORY OF PINDOR'S WELL-DEFINED SPIRITUAL
SUPERIORITY. THAT LEARNED IMP HAD TO PAY WITH HIS BLOOD!

THE KEVLARITE COLLAR HAD BEGUN TO TIGHTEN AROUND THE

UNFORTUNATE'S NECK AND HIS FACE HAD BEGUN TO TURN BLUE.

- 'TURN OFF HIS OXYGEN SUPPLY,' ORDERED VIAR, STANDING

NEARBY.

PINDOR WAS BEGINNING TO DROWN, BUT WAS STILL TRYING TO

APPEAR STRONG AND STEADFAST TO HIS TORMENTORS. A MOMENT
LATER, FOAM BEGAN TO ERUPT FROM HIS MOUTH, SPRAYING THE
GLASS OF HIS SUIT . HIS EYES BEGAN TO GLAZE OVER AND HE LOST
CONSCIOUSNESS. THE VEINS ALONG HIS TEMPLES BULGED UNDER
THE PRESSURE.

- 'I FEEL DEATH IS NEAR...IF THIS IS TO BE MY END, SO BE IT . 'I

DESERVED IT ...,' PINDOR FELL INTO A DELIRIUM CAUSED BY THE LACK
OF OXYGEN.

SUDDENLY, THERE WERE NOISES FROM THE TACHYON ENGINES, LIKE

GIBBERISH DUE TO THE DISTORTIONS IN SPACE-TIME THEY WERE
CAUSING, AND THE ENTIRE HUMAN CROWD WENT INTO A FRENZY. IT
WAS AS IF AN INVISIBLE KNIFE WAS CUTTING A THIN, ETHEREAL,
ALMOST INVISIBLE SILK, AND THROUGH THIS OPENING IN THE MIDDLE
OF NOWHERE THE OUTLINE OF SOME OBJECT OF SOLID MATTER
BEGAN TO PROJECT . BEFORE LONG THE HULL OF THE HUGE
TRANSPORT SHUTTLE TOOK ON A CLEARER OUTLINE AND BECAME
VISIBLE. ‘EMZIROU’ WAS PREPARING TO ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE.

151
LATERAL STABILISERS ON THE SECONDARY ION THRUSTERS WERE
TO ENSURE A SMOOTH VERTICAL DESCENT BEFORE LANDING IN
SPECIALLY ADAPTED BAYS FOR SHIPS OF THIS CLASS.

ACUSTRO WAS DEFINITELY ANNOYED THAT THE DELIVERIES WERE

COMING AT SUCH A SUBLIME MOMENT , BUT HE COULDN 'T HAVE
PREDICTED IT. NOR WAS THERE ANY WAY TO COVER UP THE
EXECUTION. IT WASN'T THAT HE WAS ASHAMED, BUT HE HATED
OUTSIDERS, BE THEY EVEN HIS OWN SUPPLIERS, BEING SO AWARE
OF EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COLONY. SO HE DEVISED A
FOOLISH BUT DARING PLAN.

HE MADE AN UNAMBIGUOUS GESTURE TO ASSISTANT HEAD W ARDEN

VIAR TO GO AND MEET THE 'GUESTS', TO PULL THE WOOL OVER THEIR
EYES. THIS OF COURSE HE WOULD USE AT A LATER STAGE TO MALIGN
HIM AND SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY ONTO HIS SHOULDERS. 'BUT ...
ALL IN GOOD TIME ... ' ACUSTRO THOUGHT TO HIMSELF.

VIAR TOOK THREE OF HIS MEN AND HEADED FOR THE ISOLATED
SECTIONS THAT WERE NOT FAR FROM THE EXECUTION SITE. JUST IN
CASE, HE ISSUED ORDERS FOR FULL COMBAT READINESS. HE WAS
AWARE THAT HE HAD NO CHOICE TO REFUSE HIS SUPERIOR AND HIS
MIND TRIED TO ASSESS THE SITUATION.

THE POSTS SET UP BY ACUSTRO SIGNALED BY IRENIC LAMPS WHAT

WAS THE CORRECT PLACE TO LAND. IN RESPONSE, THE SHUTTLE
SENT A BRIEF GLARE TO CONFIRM THAT THEY HAD UNDERSTOOD.

- 'NOW IS OUR MOMENT ,' THOUGHT LYREUTH, UTTERING A BARELY

PERCEPTIBLE SIGH, 'W E HAVE TO PROCEED WITHOUT YOU,
JONATHAN! REST IN PEACE, MY FRIEND!'

THE OTHER PRISONERS W ERE ALSO ON TENTERHOOKS AS TO WHAT

WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. FOR THE THIRD DAY NOW THERE HAD BEEN
NO WORD OR BONE FROM JONATHAN HEARNS. ONE THING WAS
CLEAR-HE HAD MANAGED TO ESCAPE. BUT WHETHER HE HAD
SURVIVED WAS MERE CONJECTURE. HIS FRIENDS THOUGHT HIM

152
DEAD. BUT LIROITH FELT THAT PERHAPS HE WAS WAITING FOR A
MOMENT LIKE THIS TO JOIN THEIR ATTEMPTED MUTINY.

CHAPTER NINE: ENSARIAN

LOCATION: UNKNOWN

TIME: UNKNOWN

ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE WERE SEATED AROUND THE ROUND

MEETING TABLE. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS OBVIOUSLY TENSE. THE
ROOM THEY WERE IN WAS NEITHER VERY LARGE NOR VERY SMALL,
BUT INFINITELY CURIOUS. ITS WALLS HAD THE APPEARANCE OF A
COBWEBBED SILKEN THREAD. IN FACT, THE COVERING WAS MADE OF
TOP-SECRET HYON FIBERS, ONE OF THE PRIDES OF THE SCIENTIFIC
PROGRESS OF UBUNDER'S SCIENTISTS, WITHOUT PARALLEL.
MOREOVER, UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, ANYONE WOULD BE
SURPRISED THAT NO DOOR LED OUT OF THE ROOM, AS IF IT HAD NONE
AT ALL. THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF ITS COMPLETE SOUNDPROOFING
AND INABILITY TO BE TAPPED EVEN WITH A RHIANDAN TERAFLYTHER,
WHICH COULD OVERCOME MORE ORDINARY DEFENSES SUCH AS
HYDRONIC DOORS, FOR EXAMPLE. THE REASON FOR THESE
EXTRAORDINARY SECURITY MEASURES WAS ROOTED IN THE
INFINITELY DELICATE SITUATION IN WHICH THE EASTERN PART OF THE
PLANET, UBUNDER, FOUND ITSELF. NOTHING SAID IN THIS HALL WAS
TO BE HEARD BY OUTSIDE EARS.

ADMIRAL GEOFFREY SPEARS NERVOUSLY TAPPED HIS FINGERS ON

THE METALLIC TABLE W ITH THE EXTREMELY PRECISE POLISH AND
EMBLEM OF THE UBUNDER MILITARY COUNCIL (THE EQUIVALENT OF
THE IMGRADON MILITARY TRIBUNAL) AND STRUGGLED WITH HIS
TIRED EYESIGHT TO CATCH THE EYES OF THE OTHERS PRESENT AT
THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT MEETING. IN THIS TOP-SECRET

153
CHAMBER WERE GATHERED THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD DECIDE THE
FATE OF THE POPULATION OF HALF THE PLANET , AND IN BOLDER
PREDICTIONS, THE ENTIRE PLANET .

- 'SO YOU'RE SAYING, THEN,'SPEARS INTERJECTED WITHOUT

FURTHER ADO, 'THAT THOSE FROM ELOHY DON'T JUST WANT OUR
SUPPLIES OF INTERRON FUEL AND KEVLARITE?'

- 'THAT'S RIGHT, JEFF,' RETORTED ELISANDRA DIONNE, UBUNDER'S

INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, 'I'M AFRAID THERE'S SOMETHING FAR BIGGER
AND UNPLEASANT BEHIND ALL THIS.'

AT HER WORDS, THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM STIRRED, BARELY

NOTICEABLY. BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THEY WERE ALL ON EDGE
AT THE TURN OF EVENTS, AND ESPECIALLY AT THEIR COMPLETE
OBSCURITY.

- 'SPEAK PLAINLY,
ELISANDRA,' REAR ADMIRAL KENJI NOLSURO
URGED HER WITH THE POLITENESS OF HIS ETHNICITY.- 'TELL US
EVERYTHING. LET US KNOW .'

- I HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT POINTS POSITIVELY TO THE

EXISTENCE OF A SECRET ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE ELOHYN AND THE
GUARRON. AS ILLOGICAL AS IT MAY SEEM AT FIRST GLANCE, THEY
ARE ACTING IN TANDEM AGAINST US.

- 'IMPOSSIBLE,' CHEERS WENT UP THROUGHOUT THE HALL.

A STRANGE MIXTURE OF DISBELIEF AND CONFUSION WAS WRITTEN

ON MOST FACES. IT WAS AS IF THEY HAD WITNESSED SOME
SACRILEGE. THESE WORDS SOUNDED DOWNRIGHT SACRILEGIOUS
TO THEM. IT WASN'T LONG, HOWEVER, BEFORE THE AGITATED
SPIRITS CALMED DOWN.

- 'BUT STILL QUITE TRUE,' CONTINUED ELIZANDRA WITH A

PECULIARLY MYSTERIOUS SMILE. - 'I TOOK CARE TO SEND OUR BEST
PILOT ON A RECONNAISSANCE, AND...'

154
THERE WAS COMPLETE SILENCE IN THE HALL. SURELY EVEN THE
FALL OF A PIN COULD BE HEARD.

- '...SO FAR, I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY INTEL FROM HIM,' SHE
UTTERED AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE.

- HOW COULD SUCH AN ALLIANCE EVEN EXIST? ADMIRAL SPEARS

COULDN'T STAND IT . I MEAN, HOW DO THEY EVEN COMMUNICATE
WITH EACH OTHER?

- 'APPARENTLY THEY HAVE FOUND A WAY AFTER ALL,' INTERVENED

FOR THE FIRST TIME EOHINIS STZADIS. HE WAS PERFORMING
DIPLOMATIC FUNCTIONS, AND ALTHOUGH HE WAS FORMALLY A
MILITARY SPOKESMAN, HE WAS MORE LIKE A CONFRERE OR
MEDIATOR. THAT IS TO SAY, HE ALWAYS LOOKED TO RECONCILE THE
PARTIES AND SMOOTH OUT THE CONFLICT .

- 'THEIR SCIENTISTS ARE VERY FAR AHEAD,' ELISANDRA BEGAN

AGAIN, 'WE ASSUME THERE ARE MORE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE THAT
WE DON'T EVEN SUSPECT . THAT'S WHY I SENT OUR MAN THERE. TO
SCOUT OUT THE PLACE.'

- 'AND WHERE, EXACTLY?,’ ASKED VICE ADMIRAL NAVARRO GOMEZ.

- 'REALISTICALLY, WHERE THE ENEMY LEAST EXPECTS IT.' REPLIED

ELIZANDRA, QUITE UNRUFFLED, 'IN THE VERY HEART OF ELOHY.
IMGRADON.'

- AND HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CONTAIN THE SITUATION IN THE

CAPITAL - MOST OF THE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN ALMOST COMPLETELY
DESTROYED BY BOMBARDMENT AND PLASMA BLASTS.

- 'W E'LL HOPE FOR SOME KIND OF MIRACLE,' ADMIRAL SPEARS

REPLIED A LITTLE THOUGHTFULLY, THEN CUT IN, 'OR RATHER, WE'LL
CREATE ONE.'

- 'AND IF WE STILL FAIL?,' VOICED HIS CONCERNS GEN. STOCKTON,

IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS AND FOOD SUPPLY FOR THE
CIVILIAN POPULATION OF ENSARIAN.

155
- 'THEN GOD HELP US!,' SAID ELISANDRA GRIMLY, PURSING HER LIPS
TESTILY AS SHE WATCHED THE REACTION OF HER COLLEAGUES.

THE ATTENDEES GLANCED AT EACH OTHER AND DIRECTED THEIR

GAZE TO ADMIRAL SPEARS, WHO HAD NARROWED HIS EYES
SLIGHTLY, LOST IN THOUGHT . SUDDENLY, HE BROKE THE SILENCE
THAT HAD FALLEN AND CUT IN:

- IN MY OPINION, THERE IS NOTHING TO LINGER OVER. IT'S A MATTER

OF DAYS BEFORE THEY REACH US. FROM TOMORROW I AM ORDERING
FULL MILITARY MOBILISATION, INCLUDING FOR THE CIVILIAN
POPULATION.

ALTHOUGH WITH SOME RELUCTANCE, ALL PRESENT IN THE ROOM

NODDED THEIR HEADS IN APPROVAL. IN THIS RESPECT EVERYONE
SHARED ONE OPINION.

THE MEETING CAME TO AN END.

THE HALL SANK INTO DARKNESS.

^^^

THERE WAS TRUE CHAOS IN THE STREETS OF ENSARIAN. ABOUT A

THIRD OF THE CITY HAD ALREADY COMPLETELY COLLAPSED, AND THE
REMAINING TWO-THIRDS WERE BARELY HOLDING ON AND WOULD
SOON COLLAPSE AS WELL. THE BEAUTIFUL GOTHIC ELEMENTS IN THE
ULTRAMODERN BUILDINGS OF THIS CITY-STATE WOULD BE
OBLITERATED FOREVER. THE POPULATION WAS IN COMPLETE
SHOCK. ELECTRONIC SCREENS, ACTING AS BILLBOARDS, RELAYED
REAL EVENTS OF THE FIGHTING. BUT THERE WAS NO ONE TO
MONITOR THEM. THE FEELING OF EMPTINESS WAS SIMPLY
OVERWHELMING. TO SOME EXTENT, THIS COULD BE EXPLAINED BY
THE MARTIAL LAW AND THE STRICT BAN ON CIVILIANS ON THE
STREETS.

156
PROSTITUTION WAS INDEED A PROBLEM. THERE WERE WEALTHY
FAMILIES WHO COULD AFFORD IT AND WHO COULD BUY BASIC
COMMODITIES SUCH AS GORENAY HIRAS AND ELENDORANS
(EQUIVALENT TO BREAD AND POTATOES) ON THE BLACK MARKET , BUT
EVEN THESE WERE BECOMING PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE AND
WOULD SOON BE BEYOND THE MEANS OF EVEN THE WEALTHIEST.

THE GLASS SPHERE OF ENDOSIAN THAT WAS THE PRIDE OF THE CITY
HAD CRACKS THAT MADE FRESH OXYGEN SCARCE, AND THIS FORCED
ANYONE DARING TO GO OUT FOR A 'WALK' TO CARRY AN ASPIRATOR.

THERE WERE RUMOURS OF GUARRONS RAIDS, AND QUITE CLOSE TO

THE TOWN. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES PEOPLE WOULD HAVE
GREETED THEM WITH DERISION, BUT THESE WERE NOT NORMAL
CIRCUMSTANCES. NOW ANYTHING SEEMED POSSIBLE TO ANYONE
AND NO ONE FELT PROTECTED.

THE MONUMENT TO KING MIDRIEL, THE PATRON OF THE HUMAN

RACE ON THIS PLANET , WAS CRACKED AND HAD SPLIT DOWN THE
MIDDLE. THIS, MANY BELIEVED, PORTENDED EVIL.

MARK'S FAMILY WAS FORCED TO ENDURE HARDSHIP. THEY DID NOT

ENJOY ANY PRIVILEGES, AS DID THE CHIEFS OF THE CITY.

VARIOUS SCHISMATICS BEGAN TO PREACH UTTERLY FOOLISH

THINGS AND SOW FURTHER FEAR IN THE PEOPLE. OF COURSE THIS
COULD NOT BE DONE IN THE STREET BECAUSE OF MARTIAL LAW . BUT
DARK THOUGHTS SET IN AMONG THE PEOPLE AND THEY BEGAN TO
ACQUIRE THE INSTINCT OF A HERD OF WILD ANIMALS BEING CHASED
BY SOME PARTICULARLY POWERFUL AND RUTHLESS PREDATOR.
W HAT ELSE WAS LEFT TO THESE SUFFERING-TORMENTED
CREATURES BUT THE HOUR OF SPEEDY DELIVERANCE? W HO COULD
HELP THEM? THESE QUESTIONS NO ONE DEIGNED TO ANSWER.

THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION FURTHER EXACERBATED THE WHOLE

SITUATION AND BECAME A FERTILE GROUND FOR THE CREATION OF
NUMEROUS LEGENDS WITH WHICH CHILDREN WERE LULLED TO SLEEP
AT NIGHT .

157
GUARDS WERE ON DUTY AT THE BORDER POSTS OF THE
MEGALOPOLIS, THOUGH MOST OF THEM HAD BEEN TURNED INTO
PILES OF RUBBLE AND THIS RATHER DEFEATED THEIR FUNCTION. BUT
THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE. SO AT LEAST THERE WAS STILL
SOME TINY GLIMMER OF HOPE.

IT WAS CLEAR TO EVERYONE THAT THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE

END.

THE NEWS OF THE SLAUGHTER OF MANY OF THEIR SOLDIERS DID NOT

ACT PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGINGLY, BUT EVACUATION WAS
INEVITABLE.

IT WAS JUST THAT HIGH COMMAND HADN'T DECIDED TO GIVE THE

ORDER FOR IT YET . THE CITY WAS DIVIDED INTO ZONES OF
INFLUENCE BETWEEN THE OPPOSING TROOPS AND THE FIGHTING
WAS BEING FOUGHT WITH VERY VARIABLE SUCCESS. SOMEONE OR
SOMETHING HAD TO CHANGE THE SITUATION, BUT WHAT ?

^^^

SINCE THE BOMBING HAD STARTED IN ENSARIAN, THE CIVILIAN

POPULATION HAD TO DEPRIVE THEMSELVES OF MANY THINGS.
INCLUDING THE LIGHT OF THE ZEGANDARIAN SUN. THE SITUATION
WAS GETTING WORSE BY THE DAY, AND ALREADY SOME OF THE MAIN
FIGHTING HAD MOVED TO THE VERY APPROACHES OF THE CAPITAL.
AND IF A CURFEW HAD EXISTED BEFORE, IT NOW , IN THE FACE OF
FULL MILITARY MOBILIZATION, CONSTITUTED A WOEFULLY
INADEQUATE PREVENTIVE MEASURE.

UNDER THE PRESCRIPTIONS OF UBUNDER'S MILITARY COUNCIL,

ANYONE UNFIT TO FIGHT - AND THIS INCLUDED CHILDREN UNDER
FOURTEEN, THE SERIOUSLY ILL, THE DISABLED, THE PARTURIENT ,
AND THE ELDERLY - WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE SECRET BUNKERS
BENEATH THE CITY, BEARING THE SECRET NAME OF THE 'GARDEN OF
THE EAST' BECAUSE OF THEIR COMPLETE OXYGEN AUTONOMY FROM
THE SURFACE. SPECIAL GREENHOUSES W ITH GREEN PLANTS,

158
VIGILANTLY GUARDED BY 'GHOST WARRIORS' PROVIDED
PRACTICALLY ENDLESS REFRESHMENT OF THE AIR, AND ULTRA-
MODERN AERATION PLANTS DISTRIBUTED IT TO ALL POINTS OF THE
HUGE UNDERGROUND FACILITY.

THE BUNKER ITSELF WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY THREE

HUNDRED AND FIFTY FEET BELOW THE ZEGANDARIAN SURFACE, SO
THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE SHOCKWAVE OF PROTON
BOMBS THAT WERE ABOUT TO RAIN DOWN ON THE CITY FROM THE
ELOHYN SIDE.
BUT THE FORESIGHTED ARCHITECTS OF THIS
PECULIARNOAH'S ARK DID NOT RELY ONLY ON THE THOUSANDS OF
TONS OF EARTH AT THE TOP, BUT ALSO ON THE SUPERMASSIVE
DOUBLE CONCRETE PROTECTIVE CUSHION, MORE THAN FIVE METERS
THICK, WHICH BROUGHT ADDITIONAL SECURITY FOR THE
DELIVERANCE OF THE LAST REMNANTS OF THE POPULATION OF THE
EASTERN PART OF THE PLANET.

MARK'S FATHER AND MOTHER HAD STILL MANAGED TO GET A PLACE

IN THIS LIFEPOD, AND IN A RATHER UNUSUAL WAY.

THEY HAD BEEN AT HOME FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS, WHEN SAID
CURFEW WAS STILL IN EFFECT, WORRYING ABOUT THE FACT THAT
THEY HADN'T RECEIVED ANY NEWS ABOUT THEIR SON IN MONTHS.
KEITH'S FATHER DID GIVE THEM SOME SUPPORT - THOUGH RATHER
TOKEN, AS HE HAD RECENTLY RETIRED AND HAD LARGELY LOST HIS
FORMER POSITION. STILL, THEY COULD HARDLY HAVE SURVIVED
WITHOUT HIS EFFORTS TO SUPPLY THEM WITH PROVISIONS FROM
TIME TO TIME. OWING TO THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
HIMSELF AND ADMIRAL SPEARS, THEIR APPLICATION FOR
CONSCRIPTION (A TERM COINED BY THE UBUNDER MILITARY
COUNCIL) WAS ACCEPTED, AND WHEN THE SAID PROCEDURE BEGAN,
THEIR NAMES WERE AT THE HEAD OF THE MILITARY LISTS.

THE SEALING PROCEDURE WAS NO LESS CURIOUS AND INNOVATIVE.

UNLIKE THE AIRTIGHT DOORS OF THE PAST , THE ADVANCED FUTURE
USED MANORIUM PLASMA DISKS, WHICH, WHEN CLOSING THE DOORS
OF ZEGANDARIAN KEVLARITE, LITERALLY ‘FUSED ’ WITH THE METAL
INTO A HOMOGENEOUS W HOLE, EVEN MODIFYING THE CRYSTAL

159
LATTICE OF ITS ATOMS AFTER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THEM -
WHAT'S MORE THE ENTIRE CHEMICAL REACTION TOOK PLACE IN MERE
SECONDS. BUT THE FORESIGHTED ARCHITECTS OF THIS PLACE HAD
ALSO TAKEN ANOTHER FEATURE OF THE TERRAIN INTO ACCOUNT ,
FOR THE ZEGARAI MOUNTAINS WERE ONLY ABOUT TWO THOUSAND
ZEGANDARIAN MILES AWAY AND CONSTITUTED A ZONE OF SERIOUS
SEISMIC ACTIVITY, AND HENCE IT WAS ENTIRELY LOGICAL THAT THE
ENTIRE IMMENSE MASS OF THE FACILITY SHOULD REST ON A FIRM
FOUNDATION DEEP IN THE BOWELS OF THE PLANET . SOMETHING FAR
MORE SOLID THAN LAYERS OF HARDENED HUMILIATED SOIL, WHICH,
WHILE POSSESSING SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT PROPERTIES FROM ITS
TERRESTRIAL COUNTERPART, WAS CERTAINLY NOT CAPABLE OF
ACTING AS A SOLID FOUNDATION. FOR THIS PURPOSE, THEY HAD
CONSTRUCTED A SPECIAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM WITH NUMEROUS
HOLES, LIKE A HONEYCOMB, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL STABILITY TO
THE FACILITY.

THE HUGE UNDERGROUND BASTION, WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO GIVE

SHELTER TO A MILLION HUMAN BEINGS, WAS CONNECTED IN A
RATHER PECULIAR WAY TO THE FATES OF COMPLETE STRANGERS,
EVEN THEIR THOUGHTS. HERE, STRANGE AS IT WAS, A PECULIAR
KIND OF SOCIALIST ORDER HAD REIGNED, ONE THAT SUITED THE
SITUATION PERFECTLY, SINCE MOST PEOPLE HAD ABANDONED THEIR
BELONGINGS AND MONEY ON THE SURFACE DUE TO THE LIMITED TIME
THE AUTHORITIES HAD ALLOTTED FOR SEALING THE BUNKER. IN
OTHER WORDS, THERE WERE NO CONCEPTS SUCH AS ' MINE' OR
'YOURS' HERE, BUT EVERYTHING WAS 'OURS'. THE MAXIM THAT
BECAME THE CREDO FOR THESE UNHAPPY AND TORMENTED
CREATURES WAS EVEN IN DERIVING PLEASURE FROM THE SHARING
OF THE COMMON GRIEF AND MISERY AMONG ALL THE MEMBERS
DURING THE LONG AGONIZING DAYS OF WAITING.

ONE OF THE MOST DEPRESSING FEATURES THAT LOOMED AT FIRST

GLANCE WAS THE LACK OF TRUE DAYLIGHT , WHICH COULD NOT
REACH EVEN THROUGH THE SINTERED HATCHES DUE TO THE GREAT
DEPTH, SO PEOPLE WERE ACCUSTOMED TO THE IRRADIATION LAMPS
CASTING A LAZY GREENISH GLARE INTO THE ENDLESS

160
UNDERGROUND CAVERNS AND LEAVING THEIR FURTHEST CORNERS
IN SEMI-DARKNESS.

THE QUADRANTS WERE NINE IN TOTAL, CONNECTED BY AN INTRICATE

SYSTEM OF EXTREMELY WELL-FORTIFIED UNDERGROUND TUNNELS
THAT GAVE THE WHOLE PLACE AN UTTERLY CONFUSING
APPEARANCE TO ANY NEWCOMER. HOWEVER, NO ONE WAS ABLE TO
LEAVE A QUADRANT SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE BORED OR
WANTED TO CHAT WITH THEIR NEIGHBOR. IF IT WAS ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY THOUGH, SPECIAL GHOST WARRIORS WOULD
ACCOMPANY HIM AS HE CROSSED THE QUARANTINE ZONES BETWEEN
QUADRANTS. THE UNPLEASANT NEWS WAS THAT IF HE DID WANT TO
RETURN, HE WASN'T ALLOWED TO, AS HIS COMPANIONS TREATED HIM
AS A TRAITOR TO THEIR QUADRANT .

DAILY LIFE WAS FILLED WITH A LOT OF MINDLESS ACTIVITIES ON THE

PART OF THE INHABITANTS, WITH EACH QUADRANT HAVING
DEVELOPED ITS OWN PASTIME.

THE FIRST QUADRANT WAS BASICALLY A GAME OF SOME STRANGE

MIX OF POKER AND MAHJONG CALLED ‘ENTOSIS’, WITH EACH PLAYER
EARNING THE LOSING PLAYER'S RATION OF FOOD. IT WAS ALSO THE
ONLY WAY TO GET EXTRA FOOD, AND IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT
THIS ‘SPORT ’ WAS PARTICULARLY POPULAR IN THIS QUADRANT.
SOME OF THE ENTERTAINMENT WAS MUCH MORE HARMLESS, BUT
THERE WERE ALSO ORGANIZED ILLEGAL FIGHTS, SUCH AS IN THE
SEVENTH QUADRANT , FROM WHICH THE WINNER EARNED ONLY THE
RIGHT TO A RELAXED REGIME WHEN CROSSING THE QUARANTINE
ZONE.

MARK'S FATHER AND MOTHER WERE HOUSED IN THE NINTH

QUADRANT , WHICH IN TURN WAS ALSO ONE OF THE FURTHEST FROM
THE FACILITY. THEY HAD ONLY A SLIGHTLY WIDER MARCHING BED
MADE OF PLEXIGLASS, WHICH WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF THE RUBBER
USED IN THE PAST . THE QUIZON WRAPS WERE A NATURAL ADDITION
AS THEY BELONGED TO THE MILITARY.

161
IT WAS NECESSARY TO SAY THAT ALTHOUGH THE GHOST WARRIORS
PERFORMED THEIR FUNCTION, COMPLETE SAFETY DID NOT EXIST
AND EVERYONE WAS LEFT TO FEND FOR HIMSELF. BUT AS LONG AS
HE WAS WITHIN HIS QUADRANT , EACH CITIZEN WAS STILL ACUTELY
AWARE THAT , IN THEORY AT LEAST , HE COULD WAIT OUT THE
EVENTUAL END OF HOSTILITIES ON THE SURFACE.

'THE UNREASONABLE THINK OF ME

AS SOME VISIBLE FORM.

THEY DO NOT KNOW MY ETERNAL

UNMANIFESTED, SINGULAR SELF.'

UNKNOWN AUTHOR

^^^

- 'MOMMY, WILL THEY FIND US,' ROIAN CRIED, SNUGGLED INTO HER
LAP. 'I'M SCARED.'

- 'DON'T BE AFRAID, I'M HERE FOR YOU,' HIS MOTHER WHISPERED. 'I
WON'T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU.'

THE LIMP WOMAN DIDN'T EVEN FULLY BELIEVE HER OWN WORDS, BUT
WHAT ELSE WAS THERE FOR HER TO DO. AND SHE, LIKE THE OTHERS,
HAD FALLEN INTO A WORLD SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. EVERYTHING
WAS HAPPENING WITHOUT ANY LOGIC, AND SO HER ONLY THOUGHT
WAS TO FIND A PIECE OF HIGH CALORIE FOOD. NOT EVEN A CRUMB!
BUT THE RATIONS WERE DWINDLING EVERY DAY, AND NO FRESH
REPLENISHMENTS WERE ARRIVING FROM THE SURFACE. EVEN THE
GAME OF ENTOSIS WAS NO LONGER PROVIDING A SUPPLEMENT TO
THE RATIONS, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO BITE THEIR
THROATS OUT FOR ANY FOOD. THEY HAD BEEN HERE FOR OVER
FOUR WEEKS AND THERE WAS NO PROSPECT OF THE SITUATION

162
CHANGING FOR THE BETTER. THEY WERE IN THE MYTHICAL SEVENTH
QUADRANT WHERE CLANDESTINE FIGHTING WAS TAKING PLACE. IT
WAS THE MOST BANDIT -LIKE AREA IN THE GARDENS OF THE EAST,
BUT AS BAD LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, THIS WAS WHERE THEY HAD BEEN
ASSIGNED.

THE MOTHER STOOD UP, WRAPPED HERSELF IN HER QUIZON SCARF,

A GIFT FROM HER HUSBAND. PINDOR CERTAINLY HAD NO OTHER
PASSION THAN PHILOSOPHY AND HIS FAMILY, WHICH HE ALWAYS PUT
FIRST. THE THOUGHT OF WHEN THEY WERE STILL TOGETHER
FLOATED INTO HER MIND. SHE IMAGINED LUSH MEADOWS SPREADING
BENEATH THE VAST SPHERE OF ENSARIAN ENDOSIAN. SO MANY
SMILING FACES. CHILDREN PLAYING UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYES OF
THEIR PARENTS. SO MANY HAPPY MOMENTS. THE RAYS OF THE SUN
WERE NOT SO SCORCHING, AS THE ENDOSIAN, UNLIKE A REGULAR
GLOSSY, NOT ONLY HELD BACK THE ATMOSPHERE, BUT SHIELDED
AGAINST THE RELATIVELY WEAK COSMIC RADIATION OF THE OUTSIDE
WORLD. IT ALL SEEMED SO LONG AGO TO HER. AND THIS HAD BEEN
THEIR DAILY ROUTINE ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO. SHE TOOK PINDOR'S
IMMEDIATE DISAPPEARANCE EXTREMELY HARD, BUT SHE COULD
FEEL IN HER HEART THAT HE WAS STILL ALIVE AND HAD NOT
FORGOTTEN THEM. AS CRAZY AS IT WAS, SHE EXPECTED TO SEE HIS
CLEVER FACE PEEKING AROUND SOME CORNER DOWN HERE. BUT NO
MATTER HOW MUCH SHE STARED, THE WALLS AROUND THEM
REMAINED AS DARK AND DEAF AS THEIR CRADRANT BRETHREN.

- 'I'LL GO AND LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO EAT ,' SHE SAID. 'YOU WAIT
FOR ME HERE. OUR LUCK MAY SMILE ON US.'

THE BOY ONLY SHOOK HIS HEAD IN SURPRISE, BUT SAID NOTHING.
BUT SO FAR HIS MOTHER HAD NOT BROKEN A PROMISE OF HERS.
ONLY THIS TIME DOUBTS CREPT INTO HIS CHILDISH FANCY AS TO
WHETHER SHE WOULD REALLY SUCCEED. HE MIGHT PERISH. EVEN
DOWN HERE, WHERE THE GHOST WARRIORS KEPT WATCH FOR THE
OBSERVANCE OF SOME ORDER.

- 'YOU'LL HAVE TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN UNTIL I GET BACK,' SHE

ADDED.

163
- THE BOY LOOKED AT HER AND HIS EYES FLASHED.

- 'I'M COMING WITH YOU,' HE SAID. 'IT'S TOO DANGEROUS. THERE ARE
ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE HERE. I'LL PROTECT YOU.'

- 'NO, YOU MUST STAY HERE,' REPLIED HIS MOTHER, WITH A

FIRMNESS IN HER VOICE THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE. I HOPE
TO BE BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SHE TURNED AND WITHOUT ANSWERING HIM FURTHER POINTED HIM

TO THE NEAREST SOLDIER ON POST :

- 'PRIVATE SUMMERS, KEEP AN EYE ON HIM. HE'S THE ONLY ONE I

HAVE LEFT ,' HER VOICE BARELY REGISTERED A TREMOR.

THE GHOSTLY WARRIOR, THOUGH DRESSED HEAD TO TOE IN FLASHY

GEAR AND EQUIPPED WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART COMMUNICATIONS
EQUIPMENT , SEEMED TO NOD ONLY IMPERCEPTIBLY. NO ONE
NOTICED THAT NOD. BUT EVEN IF HE HAD NOTICED IT HE PROBABLY
WOULDN'T HAVE PAID ATTENTION. UNDERNEATH THE GEAR AND THE
BROAD NARAREN OF THE ARMOR WAS ANOTHER WOMAN WHO MIGHT
HAVE FELT AT LEAST A FLEETING SYMPATHY FOR THE PLEA MADE BY
A LONELY AND DEFENSELESS MOTHER.

PRIVATE SUMMERS. PERHAPS THE ONLY FEMALE GHOST WARRIOR

IN THIS QUADRANT EARLIER WAS AN AVOWED PACIFIST. BUT ONCE
SHE SAW WHERE THE SITUATION WAS HEADED, SHE REALIZED THE
ONLY POSSIBLE WAY WAS TO BECOME PART OF THIS ELITE CORPS OF
PROTECTORS. SHE HAD ESCAPED HER BROKEN FAMILY WHERE SHE
HAD TO ENDURE THE OPPRESSION OF HER STRICT STEPFATHER. OF
COURSE IN TIME MANY OF HER COLLEAGUES HAD BEEN REPLACED,
SOME HAD DIED, SHE HERSELF DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS DAY WOULD BE
HER LAST BUT SHE GAVE HERSELF WHOLEHEARTEDLY EVERY DAY.
SHE PATROLLED MOST CAREFULLY AND SCRUPULOUSLY SAW THAT
THE ESTABLISHED ORDER WAS OBSERVED.

INSTANCES OF FIGHTS BETWEEN SOME OF THE RESIDENTS WERE NO

EXCEPTION. QUITE ROUTINE ONES AT THAT. BUT SHE NIPPED THEM
IN THE BUD. SHE WASN'T GOING TO LEAVE CONTROL OF THIS PLACE

164
TO PURE CHANCE, AS IT WAS THEIR LAST REFUGE. SOMETIMES,
THOUGH VERY RARELY, SHE FELT LIKE A ROBOT, DEVOID OF FEELING
AND OBLIGED ONLY TO STRICTLY CARRY OUT THE INSTRUCTIONS
GIVEN TO HER. AH, SHE WAS A WOMAN AFTER ALL. AND SHE SENSED
THAT SOMETHING BAD W AS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

'THE ARCHIPELAGO IS A WORLD WITHOUT DIPLOMAS, A WORLD

WHERE YOU TESTIFY BY SELF-DESCRIPTION.'

SOLZHENITSYN, THE GULAG ARCHIPELAGO

^^^
BEING LEFT ALONE IN THE DARK, ALL ALONE WITH COMPLETE
STRANGERS, WAITING FOR THE ONE PERSON WHO COULD TAKE CARE
OF YOU IS ACTUALLY NOT AN EASY TASK AT ALL. LITTLE ROIAN WAS
TRYING TO BE OBEDIENT AND NOT BREAK HIS MOTHER'S ORDER, BUT
HIS CHILDISH CURIOSITY WAS BURNING HIM. THERE WERE SO MANY
INTERESTING ACTIVITIES DOWN HERE THAT OCCUPIED MOST OF THE
OCCUPANTS' TIME. STAYING AWAY FROM THEM WAS DEFINITELY
COSTING HIM EFFORT . PRIVATE SUMMERS, IN BETWEEN HIS PATROL
DUTIES AND KEEPING AN EYE ON PUBLIC ORDER, KEPT AN EYE ON
HIM, BUT NOT TOO OFTEN SO AS NOT TO DISTURB HIS LITTLE MAN'S
SENSE OF FREQUENCY. HE WATCHED HIM WITH ONE EYE, BUT HE
COULD CLEARLY SEE THAT THE LITTLE ONE WAS NOT SOME LIL' BOY
OR MAMA'S BOY. HE WOULD EASILY TAKE ON THE DUTIES OF A
PATROLLING GHOST WARRIOR IF HIS AGE ALLOWED. HIS MOTHER
HAD BEEN LINGERING FOR A FEW HOURS NOW , AND THE SON WAS
BEGINNING TO WORRY IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO HER.

ROIAN HAD BEEN WAITING FOR HER FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS, BUT A
FEW MINOR INCIDENTS HAD STILL OCCURRED DURING THAT TIME,
ONE OF WHICH WAS NOTEWORTHY. STILL, THINGS HADN'T QUITE
GOTTEN OUT OF HAND YET, AND HE WAS HOPING TO SEE HER WHEN

165
HE HEARD TWO MEN TALKING IN THE DARK. THEIR CONVERSATION
WAS QUITE ORDINARY, BUT INTERESTING AT THE SAME TIME .

- 'YOU KNOW , MY FRIEND?,' CALLED THE FIRST VOICE, WITH A SLIGHT

TREMOR. 'I WAS MARRIED! W HAT TO DO! I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE.
BUT ONE THING I SHALL NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF.'

- 'AND WHAT HAPPENED ?,' THE VOICE OF THE OTHER STRANGER

TREMBLED.

- W HEN SHE DIED, THAT IS, SHORTLY BEFORE SHE DIED, SHE SHARED
SOMETHING WITH ME, SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPRINTED DEEP IN MY
SOUL. HALF-OPENING HER EYES, SHE SIMPLY MOUTHED, 'YOU'RE
NOT THINKING OF ME.' I'M NOT BEING MELODRAMATIC, BUT THEN I
BECAME ACUTELY AWARE OF THE CURSED IRONY OF OUR OWN
SURVIVAL AND OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF CREATING OFFSPRING TO
WHOM WE CAN JUST CONVENIENTLY PASS ON OUR OWN MISTAKES
AND FAILURES. THAT STONE I WILL DRAG TO MY GRAVE. SHE WAS
ACTUALLY RIGHT , BUT MAYBE SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS
TALKING ABOUT . I STILL LOVED HER, THOUGH. OR MAYBE I LOVED MY
OWN SURVIVAL, BECAUSE I SAW MY SALVATION IN HER ALONE. SHE
WAS MY GUARDIAN ANGEL. BUT THAT ANGEL WAS ALREADY DYING.

- 'YOU'RE RIGHT ...,' HIS COMPANION SUPPORTED HIM, 'BUT CAN WE

DO ANYTHING BUT WAIT AND HOPE?'

- NO, THAT IS OUR GREATEST MISTAKE. DEATH MAY OVERTAKE US AT

ANY MOMENT . W E MUST LIVE NOW AND AT ONCE. EVEN IF THERE IS
AN AFTERLIFE, IT IS CERTAINLY NOT LIKE THIS ONE.

- 'W HAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO?,' A VOICE NEARBY CUT THEM OFF.
'IF I'M GOING TO DIE IN THE MORNING, AT LEAST LET ME BE CHEERFUL
AND CHEERFUL. DEATH WITH A SMILE IS SOMEHOW MORE PLEASANT
PERHAPS.'

- 'NAIVE ROMANTIC,' THE FIRST OF THE TWO INTERLOCUTORS CUT

HIM OFF. 'LIFE FORGIVES US NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, AND
YOU WANT US NOT TO DISCUSS IT.'

166
- 'NEVER MIND, TALK TO YOURSELF,' HE SAID HALF-ASLEEP. 'BELIEVE
IT OR NOT , IN THE END EVERYONE ENDS UP TIRED, LONELY AND
REPULSED AND THEIR DEATH IMPRESSES NO ONE. ALL IN ALL, HIS
LIFE WAS PRETTY MEANINGLESS. NO TWO OPINIONS!'

ROYAN DIDN'T HOLD BACK AND INTERVENED.

- AND DO YOU KNOW WHERE MOM IS?

- 'W E HAVEN'T SEEN HER, MY BOY ...,' THE FIRST INTERLOCUTOR
PRONOUNCED STRANGELY KINDLY. 'BUT SHE'S CERTAINLY NOT
HERE.'

- 'SHE WANTED TO BRING ME SOMETHING TO EAT .,' HE MURMURED

TIMIDLY.

HARDENED AS THE MEN W ERE, THEY REMAINED SILENT AND DID NOT
TELL HIM THAT THEY HAD SEEN HER HANGING HERSELF A LITTLE
FURTHER DOWN IN A DARK CORNER. EVEN HERE A MINIMAL AMOUNT
OF CONSCIENCE DETERRED THEM FROM DOING SO. HE WOULD
NEVER SEE HER. THE LIMP WOMAN HAD LONG SINCE FLOWN OFF TO
A BETTER, OR PERHAPS WORSE, WORLD, AS DIFFERENT RELIGIONS
HAD DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS ON THE MATTER.

- 'TAKE THIS AS YOUR FIRST BRUSH WITH HARSH REALITY,' ONE OF

THE THREE MEN TOSSED IN.

- BUT IT WAS A CONSCIOUS CHOICE AND YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME.

ACCEPT IT!
AS IF A SIMPLE DEATH HAD CHANGED EVERYTHING. IN REALITY, THE
PLACE HERE WAS NOT THE SAME, FOR IT HAD ALREADY BEEN DEFILED
BY THE BASEST THING THE UNIVERSE COULD IMAGINE - SUICIDE.
SUICIDE CAUSED BY UTTER HOPELESSNESS. A VERITABLE FEAST OF
DEATH. QUANTUM PHYSICS, OF COURSE, WAS OF A DIFFERENT
OPINION. IT WASN'T JUST AN END OF LIFE, IT WAS A SIMPLE
TRANSFORMATION. FOR MOST ORDINARY PEOPLE, THESE TWO
THINGS WERE SOMEHOW CONTRADICTORY. THEY WERE
COMPLETELY INCOMPATIBLE. W ELL MAYBE IT WASN'T IMPLEMENTED

167
IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY. BUT IT WAS. AND THAT WAS THE THING
THAT MATTERED.

- W ELL WE'RE NOT YOUR PARENTS. AND YOU KNOW IT NO WORSE

THAN WE DO. BUT YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR
OWN ACTIONS. YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR OWN FOOD. YOUR MOTHER'S
GONE. W HAT ELSE IS THERE FOR YOU TO DO BUT FIGHT AND
SURVIVE?

THE BOY SAID NOTHING, BUT A LARGE TEAR DROPPED FROM HIS EYE
AND PATTED HIS CHEEK. HE GUESSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER.
A LUMP SETTLED ON HIS THROAT. IT CLENCHED ITS LITTLE FISTS, BUT
QUICKLY RELEASED THEM HELPLESSLY.

THEY WERE GOING TO DIE IN A FEW DAYS ANYW AY DUE TO LACK OF

FOOD. THESE OLD MEN WERE JUST PHILOSOPHIZING, OR MAYBE
NOT? THE WATER HAD ALSO BEEN FLUSHING FOR A LONG TIME NOW ,
BUT IT WAS STRANGELY KEPT QUIET ABOUT THAT . IT WASN'T
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT. IT WASN'T
MORAL. OR SO HE THOUGHT AT THE TIME.

IT JUST TURNED AND HEADED FOR THE OTHER QUADRANT , WHERE

HIS MOTHER HAD HEADED. THE DARKNESS SWALLOWED HIM. HE HAD
HIS OWN SURVIVAL TO ATTEND TO.

^^^

- 'W HAT HAVE WE DONE, ELISANDRA?,' SPEARS TURNED TO HER.

'W E MESSED THIS WHOLE MESS UP. US AND NOBODY ELSE.'
- 'IT'S NOT ALL OUR FAULT ,' SHE CALLED BACK. 'W E'RE DEFINITELY
DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO FIGHT OFF THE ATTACKS. W HETHER
WE MANAGE TO DO SO IS ANOTHER MATTER!'

- 'W E'VE LOST TOO MANY PEOPLE. 'THE CAPITAL IS IN RUINS,'

STOCKTON CALLED BACK. HE WAS NEAR THEM.

168
IT HAD BEEN ABOUT TWO MONTHS SINCE THEY HAD DEFENDED THE
CITY. KENJI HAD BEEN SENT TO TRANSPORT THE CRIMINALS . SO, HE
WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULDN'T WITNESS ALL THE BACCHANALIA.
HE HAD LEFT THE CAPITAL IN COMPLETE ANONYMITY.
THE FIGHTING HAD BEEN SO FIERCE THAT THEY HAD LEARNED OF THE
DEATHS OF NAVARRO GOMEZ AND EOHINIS S ZZADIS, WHO HAD
PERISHED IN AN EXTREMELY RIDICULOUS MANNER. SOME OF THE
DEFENSIVE LINES HAD BEEN BROKEN AND IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF
TIME BEFORE THEY REACHED THE ‘GARDENS OF THE EAST ’. W HAT
WAS EVEN SCARIER WAS THAT THEY HAD TO ADMIT THEIR OWN
DEFEAT. THEY HAD TO ADMIT THEY WERE WRONG AND REALIZE IT
LOUD AND CLEAR. CLEARLY THEIR CALCULATIONS ABOUT WARFARE
WERE NOT VERY ACCURATE.

THE ENEMY HAD MORE ZIRUARXS, AND NOT LEAST WELL-ARMOURED

NIRANGA DESTROYERS, AND ENOUGH ESONIUM BOMBS. THE
PROTON BOMBS THEY TRIED TO RESPOND WITH WERE NOT ENOUGH
FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT THEY DID NOT GIVE MUCH PERIMETER
PRECISION. THERE WERE GAPS AND HUGE AND VIOLENT
EXPLOSIONS.

SPECIAL INTERCEPTORS ACCOUNTED FOR EVERY POSSIBLE DANGER

AND FROM THEN ON, THE ZIRUARXS HAD THE FUNCTION OF BURYING
THEMSELVES IN THE SAND AND BEING UNDETECTABLE WHILE THE
SMALLER COMBAT UNITS TRIED TO FIND BREACHES IN THE DEFENSES
AND PENETRATE.

THE DESTROYER-CLASS COMBAT SPEEDERS WOULD DO A PRETTY

GOOD JOB TOO. THEY WERE MEANT TO SECURE THE FLANKS OF THE
OPPOSING ARMY AND NEUTRALIZE THE DEFENSIVE OUTPOSTS. THEY
HAD CAPTURED MOST OF UBUNDER AND WOULD SOON FINISH THEM
OFF AS WELL. THERE WAS NO MOVING! THERE WERE TOO MANY W HO
VAINLY BELIEVED IN SOME ILLUSORY SALVATION THAT MIGHT NEVER
COME. IT WAS A BATTLE OF LIFE AND DEATH.

- 'DO WHAT YOU CAN, ELISANDRA,' SIGHED SPEARS. 'PERHAPS AN

OLD AND TIRED ADMIRAL LIKE MYSELF SHOULD HAVE RETIRED AND

169
SOMEONE MORE WORTHY TAKE OVER HIS DUTIES. MAYBE THIS CITY-
STATE DESERVED BETTER. AND MAYBE WE DEFINITELY HAD A
CRAPPY STRATEGY. W E ENDED UP ON THE LOSING SIDE. TOO BAD!
YOUR GIRL COULD HAVE CHANGED THE OUTCOME OF THINGS! W HO
KNOWS?'

- DON'T DO THAT , JEFFREY, YOU HAVE A REAL CHANCE TO DO

SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE. YOU'LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS A
HERO!’ SHE TRIED TO CHEER HIM UP. YOU'RE ONLY FIFTY! YOU HAVE
TO FIND THE STRENGTH TO DEFEND THE CITY YOU LOVE SO MUCH.
HE GAVE US EVERYTHING WE ARE!

- 'I DON'T THINK SO,' REPLIED SPEARS, ALMOST VOICELESSLY. 'IF

WE'RE STILL ALIVE BY THEN. AND THERE'S SOMEONE TO REMEMBER
US BY.'

STOCKTON ONLY COUGHED . HE DID WELL TO REMAIN SILENT . HE

DIDN'T WANT TO ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE. HE KNEW THERE WAS NO
POINT. EVERYTHING WOULD BE RESOLVED IN A MATTER OF HOURS.
NOT EVEN MINUTES.
HIS HAND CONSULSIVELY REACHED FOR HIS
WEAPON. IT HAD TO BE WITHIN HIS REACH. IT HAD TO BE AVAILABLE -
JUST IN CASE. AT LEAST HE COULD PRESERVE HIS DIGNITY IN THESE
LAST MOMENTS OF HIS LIFE.

SOMETHING UNHEARD OF AND ABNORMAL WAS APPARENT IN THAT

MOMENT . FRENZIED, GREEN-SKINNED GUERRILLA WARRIORS
POUNCED ON THE ENEMY ARMY. W ITH THEIR PRIMITIVE WEAPONS,
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN POWERLESS, BUT WHO KNOWS WHERE
THEY WERE EQUIPPED W ITH ADVANCED PLASMA RIFLES AND
PROTECTIVE NANOSUITS. SOME OF THEM WERE STILL RIDING THEIR
HEAVILY ARMED GROANDUS. THEY KNEW NO MERCY AND WERE
CRUSHING EVERYTHING IN THEIR PATH.

ALL THREE RUBBED THEIR EYES, THINKING THEY WERE DREAMING.

THEY WOULD NEVER ACCEPT THAT SOMEONE WAS JUST DOING SUCH
A THING. IT WAS A HELL OF A CRUSH. W HAT WERE THE MOTIVES OF
THE MORTAL ENEMIES OF THE HUMAN RACE TO PROTECT THEM. IT
DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!

170
- 'SPEAK ADMIRAL JEFFREY SPEARS TO ALL OUR AVAILABLE FORCES
- GIVE THEM YOUR SUPPORT IN THEIR INTENTIONS TO HELP US. LET'S
SWEEP THE ELOHYN SCUM AWAY,' HE SHOUTED.

THE SMALL NUMBER OF TROOPS MASSED IN VARIOUS CORNERS OF

THE POLIS ENTERED INTO COHESION WITH THEIR UNTIL RECENTLY
MORTAL ENEMIES. BRUTALLY READY TO DESTROY AND DEFEAT . IN
THE HOPE OF SOON DELIVERANCE OR DEATH. THOUGH THEY SPOKE
NO LANGUAGE, THEY FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE. JUST AS PEOPLE WHO
HAVE A COMMON CAUSE DO. AND BELIEVE IN AN IDEA.

THEY HAD TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT ONE THING THOUGH. THERE WAS

NO REASON TO RELAX JUST BEFORE THE END. THAT WAS SIMPLY
UNACCEPTABLE. THEY HAD TO WIN WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT . AND TO
OVERCOME THE RESISTANCE. INCH BY INCH. MILLIMETER BY
MILLIMETER.

THE ENEMY LINES BEGAN TO BEND. HE WAS ALMOST DEFEATED. IT

WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY ROUTED THE REMNANTS
OF THE ALREADY HALF-BROKEN BUT SLIGHTLY OUTNUMBERED
ELOHYN ARMY.

- 'YEAH, HEROES, GO FORTH! NO MERCY! FIGHT TO THE LAST DROP

OF BLOOD!,' THE ADMIRAL ROARED OVER THE RADIO, INSPIRED BY
THE IDEA OF A POSSIBLE VICTORY.

- 'YOU WILL NOT GIVE UP,' ELIZANDRA JOINED IN. 'THEY ARE NO
BETTER THAN YOU. FORWARD!'

UBUNDER SEEMED TO BRIGHTEN. THE GREEN HILLS, BLACKENED BY

THE MANY EXPLOSIONS AND THE RUMBLE OF MACHINE GUN FIRE
SOMEHOW SHYLY GAVE W AY FROM UNDER THE PILES OF DEAD
WARRIORS. THERE WAS SMOKE EVERYWHERE, BUT MANY WISHED
THEY COULD SMELL SOMETHING ELSE. TO SEE IF THEIR BROTHER,
SISTER, HUSBAND OR COMRADE W AS STILL ALIVE. THAT WAS FAR
MORE IMPORTANT .

171
- 'W E CAN'T LET THE CITY PERISH,'
STOCKTON CALLED. 'I WILL
PERSONALLY GO TO HELP WITH BOTH HANDS. THERE MAY BE SOME
STILL ALIVE AMONG THE CORPSES.'

STOCKTON RUSHED OUT OF THE SAFETY OF THE BUNKER. HE TOOK

THE HALF-BROKEN ELEVATOR TO REACH THE SURFACE.HE HAD TO
DO IT TO WASH HIS CONSCIENCE. HE NEEDED TO BE UP THERE
AMONG THE WOUNDED AND THE WRONGED, NOT SAFELY HUDDLED
AMONG THE WELL-PROTECTED WALLS UNDERGROUND. HE OWED IT
TO THEM. AND A LOT OF IT .

AS HE FLED IN A WAY HE DIDN'T EVEN SUSPECT WAS POSSIBLE, HE

BECAME ACUTELY AWARE OF SOMETHING INTERESTING. IT WAS THE
BROTHERLY CRIES OF W ARRIORS EMBRACING. W AS IT ALL OVER IN
JUST A MOMENT ? W AS THIS WHOLE STORY GOING TO END JUST LIKE
THAT?

W ITH FINAL LEAPS, HE OVERCAME THE GHOST WARRIORS'

RESISTANCE TO LETTING HIM OUTSIDE WITHOUT A SPECIAL
PROTECTIVE SUIT AND WITHOUT GUARDS. HE STILL PUT ON THE SUIT,
JUST IN CASE, AND ACCEPTED TWO GHOST WARRIORS TO
ACCOMPANY HIM. CLIMBING THE LAST METERS TO THE SURFACE,
HOWEVER, HE FELT THE WIND OF CHANGE. THAT SWEET SPRING
WIND, BRINGING A LIGHT -HEARTEDNESS. MAKING EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE - EVEN LOVE. HE WONDERED WHERE THEY HAD GONE
WRONG WITH THEIR TONS OF SERIOUS CALCULATIONS AND WELL
THOUGHT OUT MOVES. THEY HAD HELD THE POSITIONS FOR WEEKS.
AND THE BATTLE, AND PERHAPS THE WAR, HAD BEEN DECIDED IN A
MATTER OF HOURS. THAT WAS THE IMPORTANT THING!

EMERGING FROM THE BUNKER, HE LOOKED AROUND AND SAW THE

AFTERMATH OF TOK RUKH MIN'S RELENTLESS ATTACKS, THE
BRUTAL GUARRON PSYCHOPATHIC ASSASSIN WHO HAD BROUGHT
MANY OF ENSARIAN'S FINEST WARRIORS TO THEIR KNEES.
IRONICALLY, THE CHIEFTAIN HIMSELF, LAY NOT FAR FROM WHERE
THE BUNKER CONNECTED TO THE SURFACE. HIS WEATHERED FACE
STILL SHOWED DEEP WOUNDS INFLICTED BY SOME OF ENSARIAN'S
FINEST WARRIORS. THERE WAS A WHOLE PILE OF DEAD BESIDE HIM.

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THE REMAINS OF THEIR BODIES WERE SIMPLY A DISGUSTING SIGHT .
EVEN FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE, HIS SPIRIT REFUSED TO
SURRENDER.

NOT FAR TO THE NORTHEAST, THE RUINS OF THE FRONT

APPROACHES TO ENZOK RA, ENSARIAN'S RICHEST DISTRICT , COULD
BE SEEN. THERE HAD ONCE BEEN THE COMMERCIAL PART OF THE
CITY. ENSARIAN'S WEALTHY INHABITANTS INDULGED IN NOISY
REVELRY UNTIL MIDNIGHT, AND SO THIS DISTRICT DID NOT HAVE A
PARTICULARLY GOOD REPUTATION. THE BUILDINGS THERE HAD AN
EXTRAORDINARILY BIZARRE AND ALMOST SURREAL SHAPE. BUT
STILL IT WAS THE FACE, AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE FACE
AT THAT , OF ENSARIAN. NOW IT WAS COVERED IN RUINS AND THICK
SMOKE ENVELOPED IT . THE GUARRON WARRIORS HAD SACKED AND
BURNED IT , AND MOST LIKELY THE ENTIRE POPULATION HAD BEEN
SLAUGHTERED TO DEATH BY THE MERCILESS HUMANOID
CREATURES.

FARTHER ON WAS INTOK RUL, THE SECOND LARGEST DISTRICT AND

A VERITABLE PARADISE FOR SCHOLARS AND STUDENTS. THERE
WERE THE SCIENCE CENTERS AND LABORATORIES. THE GUARRON
HAD NOT DARED TO DEMEAN VALUABLE SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS
AND ARTIFACTS THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND. IT WAS A GREAT LOSS
TO THE ENTIRE ENSARIAN CIVILIZATION THAT WAS IRREPARABLE.

THE SITUATION WAS MOST UNFORTUNATE AT AZAK INTUL, THE

OLDEST DISTRICT AND THE CLOSEST TO THE BUNKER. THERE THE
GUARRON HAD NOT EVEN CARED TO LOOT BECAUSE OF THE
UNSPEAKABLE AND SAVAGE FEROCITY OF THE FIGHTING. IT WAS
EVIDENT THAT THEY HAD BEEN FOUGHT WITH VARYING SUCCESS.
SOMEWHERE DEEP IN THE BOWELS OF THIS QUARTER THERE WAS AN
ATMOSPHERE OF RESENTMENT AGAINST THE ARISTOCRATS AND
THEIR MANNERS, DESPITE THE WORDS OF BROTHERHOOD AND
EQUALITY ALREADY MENTIONED. IT WAS HERE THAT THE GUARRONS
HAD SUFFERED THEIR GREATEST LOSSES. LITERALLY THE ARTILLERY
HAD TRAMPLED THEM LIKE CHOPPED MEAT . IT WAS SIMPLY UNREAL.
HERE AND THERE A LASER CUTTER STUCK OUT AT SOME AND

173
ANOTHER, DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND TO MARK THE END OF ITS
OWNER.

AND YET HOPE SEEMED TO HAVE ALREADY WON. THE HOPE OF A NEW
LIFE!
HE NOW BELIEVED MUCH MORE THAT THE END HAD COME. AND
HIS CHEST HEAVED CONTENTEDLY TO INHALE THE COMPRESSED AIR
THAT THE SUIT 'S SUCTION SYSTEM WAS FEEDING HIM.

NUNDRAG MET HIM ON THE SURFACE, PROUDLY RIDING HIS

GROANDUS. BESIDE HIM, HIS BATTLE COMPANIONS DRAGGED BODIES
OF THE SLAIN, BUT THIS TIME THEY DID NOT FEED THEM TO THEIR
ANIMALS. THEY HAD RESPECT , AND THEY KNEW THEY SHOULDN'T!

- 'W E FOUND OUT ABOUT ELMBAUM'S BETRAYAL. I MYSELF SENT MY

BROTHER SECRETLY ON A JOURNEY TO THE NORTHEAST TO FIND OUT
THE TRUTH FULLY. INSTEAD OF KILLING EACH OTHER, IT IS HIGH TIME
WE FIND THE REAL CULPRIT AND LET HIM GET HIS JUST DESERTS. W E
ARE ALSO YOUR BROTHERS BECAUSE WE ARE DESCENDED FROM
YOU. THIS WHOLE FABRICATED LEGEND HAS BEEN SHATTERED TO
DUST. EVERYTHING WILL NOW FALL INTO PLACE, OR SO I HOPE. MY
FATHER IS A CLEVER MAN. HE MAY BE CRUEL AND RUTHLESS. BUT
HE IS SMART .,' THE PRINCE SPOKE THROUGH AN INTERPRETER WHO
STRUGGLED TO GARBLE HIS WORDS INTO HUMAN SPEECH. IT WAS
DEFINITELY AMUSING.

- 'AND WHAT IS YOUR BROTHER REALLY LOOKING FOR?,' STOCKTON

ASKED HIM.

- 'SEVA'S ARMOUR!,' WAS THE SHORT REPLY.

- 'SE- WHAT?,' STOCKTON PUZZLED.

- 'SEVA, THE LAST GREAT QUEEN OF AU KAKTIR,' THE PRINCE SAID
THROUGH A CHUCKLE. 'IT WAS ACTUALLY A SKELETON THAT MY
WARRIORS PLACED THERE. IF HE WON'T LISTEN TO ME, AT LEAST LET
HIM LISTEN TO HER. OR READ WHAT 'S WRITTEN ON THE NOTE.'

174
EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND STOCKTON, HE
COULDN'T HELP BUT AGREE THAT THE GUARRONS DID W ANT TO HELP
HIM, AND THEY DID.

- 'AND WHEN WILL HE BE BACK?,' ASKED STOCKTON AGAIN. 'IT'S TIME

FOR US ALL TO TAKE ON THE MAIN VILLAIN TOGETHER.'

- 'IT WON'T BE EASY. HE HAS LONG SINCE LEFT THESE PARTS.,' THE
PRINCE MUTTERED WITH A SIGH. 'W E CAN ONLY WAIT AND HOPE
WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO CATCH HIM.'

CHAPTER TEN: RODWELL

RODWELL. IT WAS A PLACE THAT SEEMED TO HAVE SUFFERED SOME

TERRIBLE MISFORTUNE, THE EFFECTS OF WHICH THE MOST
EXQUISITE PEN AND THE MOST FLOWERY TONGUE WOULD HAVE BEEN
UNABLE TO DESCRIBE. THE SENSE OF DESOLATION AND
HOPELESSNESS RADIATED FROM EVERYWHERE. THE TRACES OF THE
DESTRUCTION WERE EVERYWHERE VISIBLE. PORTABLE
COMMUNICATION TOWERS HAD BEEN TORN OUT AND HALF
DEMOLISHED, MACHINE-GUN NESTS HAD BEEN TURNED INTO HEAPS
OF SLAG, EXPOSED AND RAGGED - WITH MORE HOLES THAN A
HONEYCOMB, AND HUGE CRATERS OVER FIVE METRES DEEP YAWNED
WHERE SOLDIERS' WARDS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. HERE AND THERE
THE WIND THAT BLEW MADE A NUMBER OF RUBBISH AND DEBRIS ROLL
ACROSS THE SURFACE. THE LIFELESS BODIES OF SOLDIERS WITH
PRE-DEATH TERROR WRITTEN ON THEIR FACES LAY PROSTRATE AND
USELESS TO ANYONE. A VERITABLE MORTUARY. IT WAS AS IF
SOMEONE'S EXPERIENCED HAND HAD ATTEMPTED TO NOT JUST
DESTROY, BUT OUTRIGHT WIPE THIS HUMAN ABODE FROM THE FACE
OF ZEGANDARIA ONCE AND FOR ALL. THIS EFFECTIVELY LEFT
UBUNDER'S NORTHERN FRONT ALMOST COMPLETELY
DEFENSELESS, AND THE ONLY OBSTACLE THE ELOHIAN FACED WAS

175
THE REMNANTS OF THE SOUTHERN FRONT THEY WERE CURRENTLY
FLEEING! A VERITABLE CATASTROPHE!

SUCH THOUGHTS SWIRLED THROUGH SASIA'S HEAD AS THE SMALL

BATTLE SPEEDER FLEW OVER THE REMAINS OF THE BATTLE
APPROACHES. HE AND ZENGAR ONE-EYED COULD BARELY FIT IN THE
CRAMPED COCKPIT . SASIA MENTALLY THANKED THAT THE
UBUNDER'S MILITARY DESIGNERS HAD PROVIDED A SECOND, SPARE
SEAT BEHIND THE PILOT.

NEEDLESS TO DESCRIBE THE INHUMAN EFFORT IT HAD COST THEM

TO GET OUT OF THE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL AND OUT OF THE BASE
AFTER THE GUARRONS HAD COLLAPSED THE HANGARS ALMOST
COMPLETELY. THEIR ESCAPE WAS A TRUE MIRACLE.

THEY WERE BOTH VERY AWARE OF THAT FACT.

ALTHOUGH SHE SEEMED SEEMINGLY CALM, IN TRUTH IT HAD TO BE

ADMITTED THAT SASIA STILL DIDN'T HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN ONE-
EYED. DESPITE HER EXCELLENT MILITARY TRAINING AS AN ELITE
PILOT, AS SHE STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE BATTLE BATTERED SPEEDER
ON COURSE, HER BUILT UP INSTINCT FOR SELF-PRESERVATION MADE
HER IMAGINE THE LITTLE TANTURAN MAN, NO MORE THAN SIX FEET
TALL, SUDDENLY DIGGING HIS TINY FINGERS INTO HER NECK AND
STRANGLING HER TO DEATH. THEN IT WENT DARK BEFORE HER EYES.
THEN THE SPEEDER SLOW LY LOSES ALTITUDE, SPIRALS LIKE A BADLY
FOLDED PAPER RACKET , AND CRASHES INTO THE GROUND,
BURSTING INTO FLAMES THAT ENVELOP IT FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.
RECOVERING FROM HER HEAVY IMAGININGS, SASIA SHOOK HER
HEAD AND CONCENTRATED ON THE FLIGHT OF THE MACHINE .

HER MISGIVINGS WERE DUE TO A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT HER

GREATEST FEARS WERE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOW
TRULY RUNNING OUT OF OXYGEN. IT WAS A REAL STROKE OF GOOD
FORTUNE THAT IN THE SPEEDER COCKPIT , SHE KEPT TWO SPARE
COMPRESSED AIR CAPSULES AT ALL TIMES, WHICH WERE VIRTUALLY
INTACT DESPITE THE INFERNAL FIRE THAT HAD BROKEN OUT IN THE
HANGARS. AT THE MOMENT , THEY WERE THE ONLY REASON THEY

176
WERE ALIVE. BUT SHE KNEW THAT ONCE THEY RAN OUT, DOOM WAS
NOW INEVITABLE. NO AMOUNT OF HEROISM AND LUCK COULD
REPLACE THE COMPRESSED OXYGEN THEIR LUNGS WERE GREEDILY
GULPING DOWN AS THE LACK OF FRESH ONE WAS MAKING THEM
ACCUSTOMED TO IT .

BECAUSE OF RODWELL'S FOGGY WEATHER, SASIA WAS FORCED TO

FLY AT AN EXTREMELY LOW ALTITUDE, A FACT THAT STRETCHED HER
ALREADY FRAYED NERVES TO THE LIMIT . SASIA DID NOT KNOW THIS
REGION WELL. IT WAS TRUE THAT SHE HAD ACCESS TO MILITARY
MAPS OF THIS PART OF THE PLANET , BUT SHE HAD NEVER COME THIS
CLOSE. W HO KNEW WHAT WAS WAITING FOR THEM DOWN THERE?
AND INEVITABLY THEY W OULD HAVE TO LAND, FOR THEIR FUEL WAS
NEARLY DEPLETED.

IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD HER THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SUCH
A FLIGHT WITH AN ALMOST COMPLETE STRANGER INTO THE VERY
HEART OF ONE OF THE MOST MYSTERIOUS AND DANGEROUS PLACES
ON THE PLANET , SHE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE THOUGHT THEM
CRAZY. BUT THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK.

- 'DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FLYING?,'

SHE SUDDENLY ASKED ONE-EYED, WHO SEEMED TO HAVE FROZEN
AND SHE COULDN'T EVEN DETECT HIS PRESENCE.

- 'OF COURSE, MADAM,' HE REPLIED A LITTLE GREASILY. 'UNCLE

ZENGAR IS TRUE TO HIS WORD.'

- 'OUR OXYGEN'S ALMOST RUNNING OUT ,' SHE STAMMERED

SLIGHTLY, SAYING IT WITH AN AW KWARDNESS THAT MADE HERSELF
STARTLE.

- 'I KNOW THAT VERY WELL,' ONE-EYED REPLIED CALMLY.

AFTER A SHORT SILENCE HE ADDED:

- THAT'S ANOTHER GUARANTEE THAT YOU'LL KEEP YOUR PROMISE

AND NOT TRY TO BLOW MY BRAINS OUT LIKE IN THAT DAMNED
TUNNEL.

177
THE LAST WORDS WERE SPOKEN WITH A SLIGHTLY WRY SMILE, BUT
SASIA SEEMED TO DETECT A SUBTLE REPROACH IN THEM.
- 'W HERE ARE WE GOING, ANYWAY?,' SHE COULDN'T STOP HERSELF
FROM ASKING.

- 'TO OUR FRIENDS IN RODWELL, OF COURSE,' ONE-EYED REPLIED

WITHOUT BATTING AN EYELID.

'HOPE EVERY LEAVE,

STEPPING INTO THIS HOUR,

TO HIM ABOVE PRAY,

HE HAS TURNED AWAY FROM US.'

^^^
SASIA STRUGGLED TO MAKE OUT THE STRANGE INSCRIPTION
CARVED INTO ONE OF RODWELL'S ROCKS. BEHIND HER, ZENGAR THE
ONE-EYED GASPED IN ANGUISH:

- AND YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE ME. I TOLD YOU IT WAS HERE.

SASIA COULD NOT DENY THAT THIS INSCRIPTION WAS HARDLY
PLACED BY ACCIDENT . BUT THEN AGAIN, IT SEEMED ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE TO HER THAT THERE WERE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS HERE
BESIDES THE TWO OF THEM.

- 'W E HAVE NO TIME TO LOSE,' SHE INTERRUPTED HIM, 'W E COULD

RUN OUT OF OXYGEN AT ANY MOMENT AND SUFFOCATE.'

- 'FOLLOW ME,' ONE-EYED MUTTERED WITH MILD DISPLEASURE.

THE TWO OF THEM SANK INTO THE DARK CAVE OPENING SET IN THE
LOW CLIFF, JUTTING OUT OF THE SAND LIKE A CHILD'S HALF-CURLED

178
FOOT ON THE BEACH. W HAT WAS SASIA'S ASTONISHMENT WHEN,
AFTER ONLY A HUNDRED YARDS, SOMEONE CALLED OUT TO THEM:

- 'STOP! DON'T MOVE OR I'LL SHOOT!,' A SOFT FEMALE SILHOUETTE

WITH A DETERMINED EXPRESSION ON HER FACE EMERGED SLOWLY-
SLOWLY-FROM THE DARKNESS. SEVERAL MORE MEN ARMED WITH
PLASMA SUBMACHINE GUNS SLOWLY WALKED UP BEHIND HIM.

THE TWO COMPANIONS HELD THEIR BREATH IN ANTICIPATION OF THE

MOST FRIGHTENING.

- 'MY NAME IS NEOLA,' PRONOUNCED THE STRANGE RED -HAIRED

WOMAN, POINTING A SLEEK PLASMA PISTOL AT THE TWO, 'AND YOU
HAVE JUST STEPPED INTO THE LAIR OF THE RODWELL PIRATES.'

- 'MY GIRL, IS ALL THIS NECESSARY?,' UTTERED ZENGAR, FULLY

AWARE THAT ANY SHARPER MOVEMENT COULD COST HIM HIS LIFE.

ONLY NOW DID SASIA REMEMBER THE STRANGE SOUNDS SHE HAD
ENCOUNTERED DURING HER RECONNAISSANCE MISSION. IT HAD
CROSSED HER MIND EVEN THEN THAT THE GUARRONS HAD GRUFFER
VOICES AND MADE ROUGHER SOUNDS, AND THE NOISES SHE'D
PICKED UP HAD SEEMED MORE LIKE INTERFERENCE FROM A MUFFLED
RADIO TRANSMISSION. AS THE PILOT OF AN ULTRA-MODERN MILITARY
SPEEDER, SHE WAS WELL AWARE THAT HER AIRCRAFT HAD
SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT TO AUTOMATICALLY DECODE ANY
RANDOMLY PICKED UP SIGNAL WITHIN A THREE ZEGANDARIAN MILE
RADIUS. SO THAT WAS WHAT THEY WERE! HER THOUGHTS WERE
INTERRUPTED BY A QUIET, SHORT CRY:

- UNCLE ZENGAR, IS THAT YOU ? HOW COULD YOU STILL BE ALIVE?

THIS UNUSUAL OUTPOURING OF FEELING TOUCHED SASIA. SHE
COULD HARDLY IMAGINE THAT THE SHORT MAN W AS CAPABLE OF
GAINING THE FAVOR OF ANYONE.

- 'PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS, BOYS,' THE REDHEAD COMMANDED,

'THEY'RE FRIENDS.'

179
SHE TURNED AND WAS ABOUT TO RETURN TO THE DEPTHS OF THE
DARK CAVE FROM WHICH SHE HAD CRAWLED, WHEN SHE SUDDENLY
ADDED

- 'SEARCH THEM, JUST IN CASE. IN TIMES OF WAR SUCH MEASURES

ARE NOT SUPERFLUOUS. DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY, UNCLE
ZENGAR,' SHE SHOT HIM A LOOK.

THE MEN STAGGERED TO THEIR FEET AND CHECKED THEM MOST

CAREFULLY FOR CONCEALED WEAPONS AND LISTENING DEVICES. IN
THE SHORT TIME IT TOOK FOR THIS ROUTINE PROCEDURE, S ASIA HAD
TIME TO CAST A GLANCE AROUND. THE CAVE WAS DEFINITELY MUCH
BETTER MAINTAINED THAN THE NARROW HOLE THEY HAD TO PASS
THROUGH TO ENTER WOULD SUGGEST.

THE SMALL GROUP FORMED A CORDON AROUND THEM, AND THUS

THEY WALKED ANOTHER TWO HUNDRED YARDS OR SO UNTIL THEY
FACED ANOTHER OPENING IN THE ROCK. THE NAKED EYE WOULD NOT
HAVE NOTICED IT AT ALL - SO UNREMARKABLE WAS IT.

W E ARE IN FOR A DEEP DIVE, MY FRIENDS. GET READY!’ SAID NEOLA,

WHO LED THE GROUP AND SIMPLY JUMPED INTO THE HOLE WITHOUT
FURTHER ADO.

SEEING THEIR CONFUSION, ONE OF THE MEN NUDGED THEM.

- 'NO BIG DEAL. AND SO WAS I THE FIRST TIME. JUST FOLLOW HER.
'DON'T FORGET,' HE ADDED. 'I'M RADSOIL, AND HE HERE,' HE
POINTED VAGUELY INTO SPACE, IS CALLED EDOUARD.

^^^

ONCE THEY EMERGED FROM THE OTHER END OF THE SO -CALLED

HOLE, SASIA NOTICED THAT THEY WERE IN A RELATIVELY LARGE
CAVE, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF IT A GLASS FIRE WAS CRACKLING
MERRILY, LIBERALLY DOUSED WITH INTERRON FUEL TO KEEP IT
BURNING LONGER.

180
NEOLA SMILED ENIGMATICALLY AT THEM. SHE LOOKED LIKE A
SAMIDDHA HIDDEN IN HER REFUGE, RECEIVING GUESTS. ONLY THESE
GUESTS, WERE SEEKING SALVATION FOR THEIR LIVES.

- 'SIT DOWN, WHAT ARE YOU SCARED OF,' SHE JOKED. 'ENDWHITE,
THEY MUST BE HUNGRY, GIVE THEM TWO BLOCKS OF HIGH CALORIE
PILOT FOOD.'

ACTUALLY, IN A CAVE LIKE THIS THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR A HUMAN

TO ACTUALLY SIT , MUCH LESS IF THEY WERE WEARING A SPACESUIT,
ALBEIT THE LIGHTWEIGHT PILOT TYPE THEY USED IN THE NAVY. BUT
COME ON, THAT WAS THE TALE.

- 'OUR COMPRESSED AIR BOTTLES WILL RUN OUT SOON,' SASIA

HASTENED TO ADD. 'I'M EVEN STARTING TO FEEL IT NOW . MY GUNS
ARE LIKE 'STUCK'.'

NEOLA JUST LOOKED AT HER OUT OF THE CORNER OF HER EYE AND
SMILED PLAYFULLY, TURNING SLIGHTLY ON HER HEEL. IT WAS AS IF
SHE DIDN'T CARE AT ALL ABOUT HER SURROUNDINGS AND THE FACT
THAT THEY WERE IN A SEMI-DESERTED AREA, THOUSANDS OF MILES
FROM THE NEAREST OUTBREAK OF CIVILIZATION.

- DON'T SWEAT SUCH A SMALL THING, WE MAY BE SHORT OF QUITE A

FEW THINGS, BUT WE STILL HAVE ENOUGH BOTTLES FOR AT LEAST A
MONTH TO COME.

- 'MY GIRL,' ZENGAR ENDOOKIA DARED TO OPEN HER MOUTH, 'YOU

HAVEN'T CHANGED AT ALL SINCE THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU.'

- 'BUT, YOU, UNCLE ZENGAR, HAD TWO EYES THEN,' NEOLA SHOOK
HER HEAD, 'CLEARLY TIMES ARE CHANGING,' HERE SHE PAUSED
BRIEFLY, 'THINGS ARE DEFINITELY TAKING A TURN FOR THE WORSE.'

AFTER RESTING FOR A FEW MINUTES, GETTING A BURST OF

STRENGTH FROM THE CONCENTRATED CALORIC FOOD AND
CHANGING THEIR OXYGEN BOTTLES, THEY WERE NOW ABLE TO
SATISFY THE CURIOSITY OF THEIR KIND 'HOSTESS'.

181
- 'W ELL, TELL US WHAT BRINGS YOU THIS WAY,' SHE COULD NOT
CONTAIN HERSELF.

W ITHOUT SPARING ANY DETAILS OF THEIR SHARED EXPERIENCES,

THEY BOTH RECOUNTED THE MOST INTERESTING OF THEIR
ADVENTURES TOGETHER. SHE LISTENED ATTENTIVELY AND
INTENTLY WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THEM, HER FACIAL FEATURES
CHANGING BARELY NOTICEABLY.

- HONESTLY, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST SIX WEEKS NOW AND
WE'RE COMPLETELY CUT OFF FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD. OUR ONLY
'CONNECTION' IS THE RADIO AIRWAVES.
BUT IT KEEPS CRACKLING
AND PICKING UP ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. NO MATTER HOW HARD WE
TRY, FOR THE MOMENT WE ARE COMPLETELY ISOLATED FROM WHAT
IS HAPPENING ON THE SURFACE.

- 'I CAN HELP YOU FIX IT , AS I'M A QUALIFIED AERONAUTICAL

ENGINEER,' SASIA OFFERED HER SERVICES. 'PERHAPS THE RELAY
AND ONE OR TWO INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FOR THE DIGITAL SOUND
TRANSFORMER NEED TO BE REPLACED.'

THE MEN WERE SILENT IN BEWILDERMENT, BUT IT WAS CLEAR FROM

THEIR EXPRESSIONS THAT SOMETHING WAS BOTHERING THEM. IT DID
NOT ESCAPE THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE ONE-EYED ZENGAR, WHO
MOVED HIS SINGLE EYE NOW TO NEOLA, NOW TO SASIA, THOUGH HE
REMAINED SEEMINGLY UNPERTURBED.

- 'W E DON'T HAVE SUCH THINGS,' ENDWHITE VENTURED TO CALL.

'BUT WE CAN FIND THEM IF WE LOOK. THERE'S A LOT OF DEBRIS AND
RUBBISH ROLLING AROUND. THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOMETHING OF
USE.'

- 'W ELL, WELL,' NEOLA INTERJECTED MOST UNEXPECTEDLY. 'I THINK

IT'S TIME FOR BED. IN HIBERNATION MODE, SPACESUITS CONSUME
LESS COMPRESSED OXYGEN, AND WE SHOULD CONSERVE IT. W HO
KNOWS IF WE'LL FIND NEW SUPPLIES FROM SOMEWHERE?'

EVERYONE COMPLIED WITH WHAT SHE SAID, AS IT WAS GOING TO

DAWN SOON. SASIA ALSO FLOPPED INTO A MAKESHIFT 'SLEEPING

182
BAG' THATNEOLA'S PEOPLE HAD MADE OUT OF VARIOUS PIECES OF
QUISSON AND PLEXONIARS, BUT SLEEP COULD NOT HOLD HER IN ITS
EMBRACE FOR A LONG TIME. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS AT THE EDGE OF
HER PHYSICAL CAPABILITIES, AMONG COMPLETE STRANGERS WHO
GENERALLY STILL DIDN'T INSPIRE MUCH CONFIDENCE IN HER, SHE
TRIED TO FORCE HERSELF TO SLEEP AND HAD ALMOST SUCCEEDED
WHEN SHE MOST SURPRISINGLY HEARD SOME STRANGE, BARELY
AUDIBLE SOUNDS. PRETENDING TO BE ASLEEP, SHE SCARCELY
OPENED HER EYELIDS, AND SOME SEMBLANCE OF LIGHT FILTERED
THROUGH THE NARROW SLITS BETWEEN HER KNITTED LASHES. IN
THE FARTHEST CORNER OF THE CAVE, ALMOST COMPLETELY
OBSCURED BY CLOSELY SPACED STALACTITES, TWO WISPY
SILHOUETTES SHIMMERED. ONE WAS SHORT AND TANTURING, WHILE
THE OTHER WAS TALL AND SLENDER. SASIA LISTENED IN ON THEIR
CONVERSATION.

- 'W ILL HE TAKE US WHERE WE WANT TO GO?,' SOME STRANGE VOICE

BABBLED IN THE DARKNESS. ONE HAD TO MAKE QUITE AN EFFORT TO
CATCH THAT LOW , THICK, BASS SOUND, MUCH LESS TO MAKE OUT
THE MEANING OF THE INARTICULATE SPEECH.

- 'W E CANNOT BE SURE, BUT TREAT IT WELL FOR NOW . YOU MUST
NOT RAISE ANY SUSPICIONS. I CLEARLY SENSE THAT SHE DOES NOT
TRUST US YET . AND WHY SHOULD SHE?,' ADDED ANOTHER VOICE,
WHICH, THOUGH GREATLY MUFFLED, SOUNDED LIKE A BADLY OILED
SEWING-MACHINE OF THE DISTANT PAST . IT WAS JUST IRRITATINGLY
IMPOSSIBLE, BUT CERTAINLY CAUTIOUS ENOUGH.

- 'YOU'RE RIGHT,' THE FIRST VOICE CHUCKLED. 'SHE HASN'T EVEN A

CLUE WHERE SHE'S GOT TO. DID YOU PUT HER GUN AWAY,
REMEMBER?'

- 'NEVER MIND,' THE SECOND VOICE CONDESCENDED, 'LET'S GO TO

BED, BECAUSE SHE MIGHT HEAR US.'

183
^^^

SASIA HAD TAKEN IT UPON HERSELF TO FIX THE DAMAGED SPEEDER

IN A TIMELY MANNER. AND SHE KNEW HOW TO KEEP HER PROMISES.
ONE WOULD HAVE SIMPLY ENJOYED WATCHING HER CAREFULLY
ATTACHING THE INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND SOLDERING
CAPACITORS, USING A TRANSLATOR PNEUMATIC HAMMER TO
STRAIGHTEN EVASIVE HULL PARTS, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST TRYING
TO DO A BASIC UPDATE TO THE OLD OPERATING SYSTEM TO FIX A BUG
THAT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF INTERRON FUEL
IN THE TANK. SHE THEN SET ABOUT CHECKING THAT THE
MICROPLASMA TURBINES WERE MAINTAINING THE REQUIRED RPMS
TO MAKE A STABLE FLIGHT. OF COURSE SHE WASN'T DOING THIS
ENTIRELY ALONE AS HER FRIENDS WERE HELPING HER AS BEST THEY
COULD, OR AT LEAST TRYING.

SWEAT DRIPPED FROM HER BROW DESPITE THE SUIT'S BUILT-IN

COOLING. BUT THEY HAD NO TIME TO WASTE. SHE HAD TO FINISH
THIS AN HOUR SOONER.

NEOLA WASN'T JEALOUS THAT IT WAS SASIA WHO HAD BECOME THE
CENTER OF ATTENTION DUE TO HER COMPETENCE. THEY HAD TO GET
OUT OF HERE AND SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS AWARE OF
WHAT SHE WAS DOING. EXCEPT SOMETHING WAS NAGGING AT HER,
AND THAT WAS HOW THEY WERE GOING TO GET RID OF HER AFTER
SHE DID HER JOB. UNCLE ZENGAR WAS DEAD. ONE NIGHT THEY JUST
SAW THAT HE HAD BOWED HIS EYES FOREVER. BUT AT LEAST HE HAD
BROUGHT HER TO THEM. NEOLA WAS GRATEFUL FOR THAT, TOO.

ENDEAVOUR FUSSED AROUND THE PILOT AS IF HE LIKED HER . TRULY

THIS LITTLE WOMAN, SHE POSSESSED THE AGILITY OF A CAT AND HAD
A MIND AS SHARP AS A RAZOR. HOW SHE ONLY SKILLFULLY FIXED THE
DIGITAL SOUND TRANSLATOR, WITHOUT WHICH THE SPEEDER WAS
PRACTICALLY USELESS. HOW HE DEFTLY CONNECTED WIRES,
ADJUSTED EVERY DETAIL WITH INFERNAL PRECISION.

ONE THING WEIGHED ON HIM, THOUGH. HE'D BEEN THE ONE CHOSEN
TO KILL HER SO THAT NEOLA AND HER PEOPLE COULD SAVE

184
THEMSELVES. THERE WAS ONLY A MAXIMUM OF FOUR PEOPLE THEY
COULD FIT IN THE SPEEDER, AND THAT WAS IF THE PILOT SEATS WERE
REMOVED. THE PURPOSE WAS THE COMPRESSED AIR BOTTLES
WOULD KEEP THEM IN HIBERNATION UNTIL THEY WENT INTO ORBIT
AROUND ZEGANDARIA. THE SPEEDER WASN'T SUITED FOR SO-
CALLED SPACE JUMPS, NOR DID IT HAVE AN EXTRA REINFORCED
HULL, BUT IT WOULD LAST AT LEAST A LITTLE WHILE THE ENZORIA
TOOK THEM IN. SUCH A PLAN WAS VERY BOLD, BUT THEY WERE
COUNTING ON IT TO SUCCEED.

- 'W HAT ARE YOU THINKING?,' JOKINGLY THREW SASIA AT HIM, HER
FACE AS RED AS A RADISH. 'IT'S LIKE SOMEONE THREW AN EZONIUM
BOMB IN YOUR FACE! HA HA. RELAX A BIT .'

- 'W ELL ... I ... SUCH,' ENDWHITE MUTTERED. 'I'M GLAD WE'RE ON THE
SAME TEAM. I LIKE BEING OF USE.'

- 'YOU REALLY ARE,' SHE TOSSED HIM A COQUETTISH LOOK. 'I

HARDLY THINK YOU'LL FIND A SIDEKICK LIKE THAT AROUND.'

NEOLA FOLLOWED THEIR CONVERSATION ALL TOO CLOSELY, ALBEIT

FROM A DISTANCE.SHE WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF SHE COULD
RELY ON ENDEAVOUR OR IF SHE HAD TO INVOLVE SOMEONE ELSE.
SHE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE LOOKS THEY WERE THROWING EACH
OTHER. W HAT WAS GOING ON HERE?

BEFORE THE RENOVATIONS HAD STARTED THEY'D GONE TO A PLACE

NEARBY THAT EVERYONE CALLED THE GRAVEYARD. ALL SORTS OF
JUNK ROLLED IN THERE AND IT WAS THE STRANGEST AREA IN ALL OF
RODWELL. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR SASIA TO FIGURE OUT THAT
THIS WAS WHERE THEY'D STASHED THEIR SOUL-HARVESTING BATTLE
COMPANIONS TO KEEP THEM OUT OF SIGHT . IT WAS A PRACTICE IN
THE ARMY TO LET THE WOUNDED DIE OF THEIR OWN VOLITION, OR
TURN OFF THEIR OXYGEN SUPPLY. NO AMMUNITION WAS WASTED
THAT THE LIVING MIGHT LATER NEED. IT TOOK THEM MORE THAN TWO
DAYS TO LOCATE TARPAULIN TUBES FOR INTERRON FUEL AND
MISCELLANEOUS CHARCALS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN USEFUL. W HAT
WAS THEIR SURPRISE W HEN PIECES OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITRY

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SHOWED THEMSELVES FROM UNDER THE DEBRIS, AND SASIA , SET TO
WORK ASSEMBLING AND JOINING THEM WITH LOW -VISCOSITY GLUE,
AND THEN WITH METAL-BASED LEROUANE PARMESAN. THE
COLLECTED WIRES TURNED OUT TO BE COMPLETELY FRIED AND
UNFIT FOR ANYTHING. THEY HAD TO BE RE-WALKED, SOMETHING
THAT WASN'T VERY MUCH TO THE LIKING OF NEOLA, WHO WAS
SKIMPING ON EVERY CAPSULE OF COMPRESSED OXYGEN. THE
SECOND TIME, HOWEVER, THEY GOT LUCKY AND SOMEHOW
MANAGED TO FIND EVEN A RIANDAN TERAFLYTHER. THE DEVICE WAS
JUST LYING HALF BURIED IN THE DUST AND SAND, BUT AFTER A BRIEF
CHECK IT APPEARED TO BE WORKING.

- 'THIS THING CAN BE USED,' SASIA SAID CALMLY. 'BUT I NEED TO GUT
THE HULL AND GET THE IRETHIUM THREADS FOR THE TRACER.'

- 'AS LONG AS YOU'RE SURE THEY' LL DO THE JOB,' ENDWHITE

SHRUGGED. 'IT'S ALL RIGHT .'

W HEN THEY RETURNED, THEY SAW THAT NEOLA'S PEOPLE HAD

POLISHED THE SURFACE OF THE HULL COMPOSITE AND APPLIED A
SPECIAL PROTECTIVE PASTE, AS SHE HAD INSTRUCTED. UPON
ENTERING THE STRATOSPHERE, IT WAS WHAT WOULD PROVIDE THEM
WITH PRECIOUS SECONDS BEFORE THE HULL BEGAN TO GLOW
DANGEROUSLY.

THE VERY IDEA WAS MORE THAN A LITTLE FAR-FETCHED, BUT BEHIND
THEM WAS DEATH, AND IN FRONT OF THEM WAS DEATH AGAIN . THERE
WAS SALVATION ONLY IN THE SKY, IN OPEN SPACE. THEY WISHED
THEY COULD FLY LIKE BIRDS. TO FLY FREE. TO THINK OF NOTHING.
ABOUT ALL THIS WAR. ALL THIS CHAOS. BUT NOTHING COULD
CHANGE NOW . ALL WAS LOST LONG AGO. THEY COULD ONLY HOPE
THEY WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND OF COURSE ACT .

- 'W HEN WILL YOU BE READY?,' NEOLA GLARED AT THEM FROM

UNDER HER EYEBROWS AND GROWLED SLIGHTLY DEFIANTLY.

186
- ALL THAT 'S LEFT TO DO IS SET UP SOME OF THE RELATIONAL
MECHANISMS IN THE TRANSFORMER BOX TO EQUALIZE THE COCKPIT
PRESSURE.

- 'OKAY.,' THE REDHEAD MUTTERED, TURNING AROUND AND SEEMING

TO STOP CARING ABOUT THEM ALTOGETHER.

- 'I THINK SHE'S JEALOUS,' ENDWHITE MUTTERED.

- 'DON'T THINK SO,' SASIA WHISPERED WITH HER HEAD SLIGHTLY
BOWED. 'THERE'S NO REASON FOR HIM TO. LET'S GET TO WORK,
PARTNER.'

IT WAS STARTING TO GET DARK NOW , AND THEY NEEDED TO USE THE
LAST REMNANTS OF DAYLIGHT TO WORK OUT SOME FINAL DETAILS.
THE NEXT MORNING THEY ALSO HAD TO PREPARE A SPECIAL
MAKESHIFT CHUTE FOR THE HORIZONTAL TAKEOFF OF THE SPEEDER,
AS THE LATERAL STABILIZERS WERE STILL GIVING SOME DEFECTS ON
VERTICAL TAKEOFF.

- 'W HAT WERE THOSE OBSOLETE EQUATORIAL STABILISERS FOR,'

SASIA SAID ANGRILY. 'THEY GAVE SERIOUS DEVIATIONS IN THE
BALANCE OF THE MACHINE WHEN THE POLARITY CHANGED. BUT
THAT'S WHAT WE CAN PUT IN.'

ENDWHITE MENTALLY COUNTED THE MINUTES UNTIL HE WAS GOING

TO DRIVE THE LASER CUTTER INTO HER BACK. HE HAD MENTALLY
PREPARED HIMSELF AND WHERE TO HIDE THE CORPSE. HE WAS EVEN
CONSIDERING DUMPING HIS COMRADES. HE KNEW THAT ONCE HE
WAS DONE WITH THE PILOT, IT WOULD BE HIS TURN. AND THEY'D
PROBABLY JUST STRANGLE HIM WITH A PIECE OF QUIZON. J UST LIKE
IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS. HOW CORNY!

BUT THE SPEEDER HAD TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL AND WELL

STOCKED WITH OXYGEN CAPSULES. OTHERWISE IT WAS POINTLESS
TO TAKE THAT RISK AND MISS HIS LAST CHANCE TO GET OUT OF HERE.

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W HAT WAS TAKING SO LONG WITH THE REPAIRS ENDWHITE
COULDN'T FATHOM, BUT HE WAITED PATIENTLY FOR AN OPPORTUNE
MOMENT .

HE WAS WELL AWARE OF WHAT NEOLA HAD PLANNED, ALONG WITH

RADSOIL AND EDWARD. HE HAD TO GET AHEAD OF THE MOMENT.

^^^
RADSOIL - A LARGE MAN - KNEW WELL THE MEANING OF THE WORD
'BOSS'. NEOLA WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO SAVED HIS HIDE ONCE AND
HE WOULD NEVER FORGET IT . HIS ROUGH HANDS, LIKE STEAM
HAMMERS, WERE AT HER DISPOSAL. EDOUARD WAS WEAK, BUT
UTTERLY UNPREDICTABLE, AND IN ENDEAVOUR'S OBSERVATION,
WOULD DO ANYTHING IF ASKED. W ITH GREAT EFFORT THEY HAD
SURVIVED IN THESE CAVES THESE PAST FOUR WEEKS, AND DESPITE
NEOLA'S SEEMING KIND WORDS, THE BLOOD OF HIS SLAIN BATTLE
COMPANIONS HUMMED IN HIS EARS. THIS WAR SHOULDN 'T HAVE
BEEN THERE AT ALL. BUT WAS THERE A CHOICE? THE FIRST
RECRUITMENT HAD NEARLY CAUGHT HIM IN A FIELD NEAR ENSARIAN
WHILE TENDING A SMALL PLANTATION OF ELENDORANS. HE'D
BASICALLY GONE TO THE FRONT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, HAD GONE
THROUGH THE MANDATORY SIX WEEKS OF TRAINING IN
MARKSMANSHIP, ZIRUARX'S MANAGEMENT , AND HAND-TO-HAND
COMBAT, AND HAD DEFENDED POSITIONS THE UBUNDER HIGH
COUNCIL HAD DEEMED IMPORTANT .
W HEN THE ENEMY CAME AND
HAD OCCUPIED ALL OF RODWELL, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE
OUTPOSTS FOR SYNTHROS, HE WAS A MACHINE GUNNER.

PLASMA MACHINE GUNS W ERE ONE OF THE MAIN WEAPONS FOR

HOLDING OFF ENEMY FIRE.

RODWELL MANAGED TO WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE ENEMY

ATTACK FOR EXACTLY THREE DAYS BEFORE CAPITULATING
INGLORIOUSLY. RUNNING OUT OF AMMUNITION WAS DEFINITELY A
PROBLEM. SUPPLYING NEW FRESH MANPOWER WAS TOO. DESPITE

188
NEOLA'S BOASTFUL WORDS THAT OXYGEN BOTTLES WERE
PLENTIFUL - THIS WAS NOT TRUE AT ALL. IN FACT , THEY WERE
ALMOST OUT OF THEM, BUT WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS THAT THIS
SKILLED PILOT WITH A COMBAT SPEEDER WAS COMING TO THEM AS A
GODSEND. EDOUARD, WHO WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE INTELLIGENT ,
WAS A PILOT, BUT WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT . HE WOULD STEER
THE CROOKED-LEFT SPEEDER - IF ONLY TO GET AWAY FROM
RODWELL.
THE PLAN TO KILL SASIA WAS MOSTLY DICTATED BY THE FACT THAT
THEY CONSIDERED HER A TRAITOR. NO PILOT WAS GOING TO FLY
COMPLETELY ALONE OVER A SEMI-DESERTED AREA WITHOUT
MARKER PATCHES ON HER SPACESUIT , MUCH LESS DRAG SOME
DANCER DWARF BEHIND HER.

THEY COULD SENSE THAT ENDWIGHT WAS HESITANT , SO NEOLA HAD

GIVEN THEM THE AUTHORITY TO STEP IN AND DO THE JOB FOR HIM IF
THE SITUATION GOT OUT OF HAND.

- 'GET THE PIECE OF QUIZON READY,' RADSOIL MUTTERED.

- 'I'LL TAKE ONE TOO, IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT ,' ADDED EDOUARD.
'ENDWHITE MUST THINK WE DON'T SUSPECT HIS IDEA TO DUMP US
LIKE A SACK FULL OF ELENDORANS.'

- 'HE THINKS HE CAN GET AWAY WITHOUT US.,' RADSOIL CHUCKLED.

'THE CHIEF GAVE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS.'

NEOLA'S GOAL, HOWEVER, WAS NOT TO RETURN TO ENSARIAN, BUT

TO DUMP ALL THOSE FOOLS. THEY WERE GOING TO COURT MARTIAL
THEM. YES THEY WERE HER BATTLE COMRADES, YES THEY OBEYED
HER IMPLICITLY BECAUSE SHE KEPT THEM ON LIFE SAVING DRUGS.
W ITHOUT HER, THE WOUNDS INFLICTED ON THEM BY THE PLASMA
WEAPONS WOULD HAVE REOPENED. THEY WOULD HAVE PERISHED.
THAT GRATITUDE WAS TURNING INTO POWER IN HER HANDS. BUT
THE TRAINED RADSOIL AND EDOUAR THE PSEUDOPILOT MIGHT NOT
NEED HER SERVICES SOON. THE SITUATION WASN'T IN HER FAVOR,
AND SHE HAD TO USE THE SITUATION AND BEAT EVERYONE ELSE TO

189
GET AWAY SCOT -FREE. SHE HAD HEARD OF VARIOUS WAYS TO LEAVE
THIS PLANET WITHOUT A TRACE AND TAKE UP RESIDENCE ON ONE OF
THE MANY UNINHABITED COLONIES BEYOND THE ASTEROID BELT .
SHE JUST HAD NO CLEAR IDEA HOW TO GET THERE. THERE BEGAN A
WHOLE NEW WORLD SHE HADN'T EVEN DREAMED OF. SHE HAD NO
IDEA HOW SHE WAS GOING TO SURVIVE ALL ALONE, OR IF THE
CONDITIONS IN THOSE COLONIES WERE BEARABLE FOR A LADY WITH
HER RANK OF COLONEL AND MILITARY DOCTOR. THE SPACE AROUND
THE ASTEROID BELT IN QUESTION WAS PRACTICALLY VERY POORLY
EXPLORED, BUT THAT WAS WHERE RECKLESS DAREDEVILS W ENT,
WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO SURVIVE. SHE COULD, IF SHE WAS
LUCKY, JOIN SOMEONE TO HELP HER.

THERE WAS, HOWEVER, ONE PROBLEM THAT WORRIED HER

GREATLY. SHE COULDN'T COUNT ON THE SPEEDER HOLDING UP
WHEN SHE ENTERED THE STRATOSPHERE, AND IF THERE WAS NO
ONE UP THERE TO PICK HER UP, SHE WOULD JUST PERISH
INGLORIOUSLY.

SINCE SASIA WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO UNDERSTOOD AND READ
SPACE MAPS WELL, THOUGH IT WAS ONLY PERIPHERALLY COVERED
IN HER PILOT TRAINING, SHE HAD MADE A PLAN TO MAKE CONTACT
WITH SOME SHIPS STANDING IN GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT AND
PATROLLING NEAR THE PLANET.ONE WAS THE CALLISTO 142, THE
OTHER THE EMSATO 199. THE TWO SPACECRAFT WERE THE ONLY
ONES THAT COULD GET THEM TO THAT PART OF THE PLANET , AND
THAT WAS ASSUMING HER CALCULATIONS PROVED CORRECT . OF
COURSE THERE COULD BE A DISCREPANCY IN THE PLOTTED
TRAJECTORIES. BUT THERE WAS NO AVOIDING THAT .

NEOLA WAS AWARE OF HER ACTIONS AND HAD TO ADMIT THAT THE
PLAN TO LIQUIDATE HER WAS STILL ON THE TABLE. INWARDLY SHE
DIDN'T WANT TO WIPE OUT HER TALENTS, BUT WHAT ELSE WAS THERE
TO DO WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO HOLD HER RESPONSIBLE AS A
SENIOR OFFICER FOR THE HUGE LOSSES SHE HAD SUFFERED.
ENSARIAN PRISON WAS A TRULY FRIGHTENING PLACE. NOT THAT
NEOLA WASN'T USED TO THE BARRACKS WAYS, BUT IT WAS A LIVING

190
HELL IN THERE.LIFE IMPRISONMENT WITH NO RIGHT OF EXCHANGE
FOR A MISDEMEANOR OF HER KIND. AN ETERNITY BETWEEN FOUR
WALLS. AND ETERNAL LONELINESS. NOT IF SHE HAD TO SPEND THE
REST OF HER LIFE SOMEWHERE, FAR BETTER TO DO IT IN OPEN
SPACE WHERE THERE WAS STILL SOME HOPE OF SALVATION .

SHE HAD ALSO HIDDEN AN ESSENTIAL FACT. THE RADIO BEACON WAS
NOT COMPLETELY EMPTY. QUITE BY ACCIDENT , SHE HAD
INTERCEPTED SOMETHING. THE SIGNALS PICKED UP, DESPITE THE
INTERFERENCE, INDICATED THAT COMMUNICATION COULD BE MADE
WITH SOME OF THE ENEMY'S FORWARD OUTPOSTS. BUT SHE HAD NO
DESIRE TO DESERT EITHER, GIVING AWAY VALUABLE INFORMATION.
EVERYONE KNEW THE ELOHYN POLICY FOR DEALING WITH
DESERTERS. THEY LIQUIDATED THEM ONCE THEY GOT HER.

SO SASIA - THE MILITARY PILOT - WHO SHE'D ONLY KNOWN FOR A

FEW HOURS WAS HER ONLY ROUTE TO SALVATION. PRETTY IRONIC,
BUT ALSO PRETTY SCARY.

HER PLAN WAS TO SIMPLY STRANGLE SASIA WITH A PIECE OF

QUIZON, AND THEN HIDE HER IN THE CEMETERY, WHICH WAS NO
MORE THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES AWAY FROM THEIR HABITAT . THEY'D
NATURALLY RIP OFF THE IDENTIFYING PATCHES, AND TO MAKE SURE
THE TRACKS DIDN'T SHOW THEY'D JUST SET FIRE TO HER CORPSE
WITH SOME INTEREST FUEL. THE IDEA WAS AT ONCE VERY SIMPLE
AND VERY SNEAKY. BUT NEOLA HAD SURVIVED THIS WAY ALL HER
CONSCIOUS LIFE. HOW WOULD THE SITUATION BE ANY DIFFERENT
THIS TIME? IT WAS PARADOXICAL THAT SHE HAD CHOSEN TO
PRACTICE SUCH A HUMANE PROFESSION AS A MILITARY MEDIC.
USING THE RADSOIL AND THE EDUAR, SHE COULD ATTACH HERSELF
TO ONE OF THE TWO SMALL PATROL SHIPS WITH THE STOLEN
SPEEDER AND HIJACK IT. THEN, SHE COULD ‘VEGETATE’ FOR A WHILE
IN GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT AFTER SHUTTING DOWN ALL POSSIBLE
SYSTEMS ON THE SHIP AND LEAVING IT IN HIBERNATION. IF HE WAS
LUCKY, HE COULD USE IT AS A DECOY FOR A REAL BATTLECRUISER
WITH WHICH TO GET TO THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT, OR AS IT WAS
ALSO KNOWN 'QUADRANT 426'. AND THEN? THEN HE'D THINK OF IT ...

191
AS A SENIOR OFFICER, SHE WAS AWARE THAT THE SPACE OF THE
GALAXY EXPLORED SO FAR WAS DIVIDED INTO 452 QUADRANTS, AND
THEY WERE IN QUADRANT 39. COLLAPSAR JUMPS WERE THE ONLY
WAY TO BRIDGE SUCH A DISTANCE, AND WITH ALL-OUT WAR
BREAKING OUT ON THE PLANET, CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL
AUTHORITY WOULD BE LOOSENED AND SHE MIGHT AS WELL BITE OFF
A SMALL PIECE OF THE PIE BEFORE SHE GOT OUT.

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE NAVY

STARFLEET WAS IN A STATE OF FREE 'HOVER' IN OPEN SPACE NEAR

THE ORBIT OFZEGANDARIA. THE VIEW OF THE HOME PLANET FROM
ALOFT WAS TRULY IMPRESSIVE. THERE WAS SOMETHING PRIMAL AND
UNIQUE ABOUT IT . IT WAS SORELY MISSED BY EVERYONE ON THE
ENZORIA CREW . THE ULTRA-MODERN MILITARY CRUISER, CAPABLE
OF MOVING AT SUPERLUMINAL SPEEDS, WAS UNDER THE COMMAND
OF REAR ADMIRAL KENJI NOLSURO.

IT DESCENDED MAJESTICALLY ON THE BRIDGE, BUT WITHOUT

UNNECESSARY EXCESSES. HE DEFINITELY KNEW HOW TO MOTIVATE
THE BOYS. ASIDE FROM BEING A TALENTED MILITARY PILOT AND
BATTLESHIP COMMANDER, KENJI HAD ANOTHER PASSION THAT WAS
NOT AT ALL SURPRISING - MARTIAL ARTS. HE HIMSELF WAS THE
FOUNDER OF AN ULTRA-MODERN STYLE OF ARMY COMBAT THAT
INCORPORATED ELEMENTS OF BOXING, KICKBOXING, WRESTLING,
GRAPPLING, AND NINJUTSU - AS MANY WOULD PUT IT , 'A LETHAL
COMBINATION.'

W HEN THEY WEREN'T ON WATCH, SOLDIERS LIKED TO HAVE FREE-

FOR-ALL FIGHTS WITHOUT RULES IN LOW -GRAVITY CONDITIONS. FOR
EACH OF THE RECRUITS, IT WAS A REAL TEST . IT WAS BASICALLY A
TEST OF MANHOOD, AN ENTRANCE EXAM YOU HAD TO PASS TO BE
TRUSTED. THE IDEA ACTUALLY BELONGED TO KENJI, WHO BELIEVED
THAT ‘A WEAPON IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN EXTENSION OF THE

192
ARM.’ THAT IS, TRAINING HAD TO START WITH THE LIMBS THAT
NATURE HAD ENDOWED US WITH.

- 'HOW ARE THE QUANTUM STABILIZERS, ENLOW ?,' HE ASKED,

STANDING BEHIND THE SHIP'S FIRST CAPTAIN IN THE HUGE COMMAND
ROOM FILLED WITH HOLOGRAM SCREENS. 'DO WE NEED TO CHANGE
THE PARAMETERS IN CASE AN ASTEROID STORM HITS?'

DOUG ENLOW , THE YOUNGEST CAPTAIN OF A TOP-TIER

BATTLECRUISER IN THE HISTORY OF THE ZEGANDARIAN AIR FLEET,
SMILED SLIGHTLY, BUT ANSWERED IN ALL SERIOUSNESS:

- EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL, SIR. ON-BOARD COMPUTERS

REPORT NO ONE IN OUR VICINITY. THE NEAREST ONE IS IN THE BETA
CENTAURI CONSTELLATION.
- 'AND HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO WAIT FOR NEW RECRUITS?,'
KENJI TURNED TO DOUG WITH ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE IMPATIENCE.
- YOU KNOW IT'S NOT UP TO US, COMMANDER, BUT FROM WHAT I
HEAR, IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS TODAY.

- 'VERY WELL THEN,' KENJI SAID WITH A SLIGHT, ELEGANT BOW AS HE

MOVED AWAY AND INTO HIS OWN QUARTERS.

THE QUARTERS FOR SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE ZEGANDARIAN FLEET,

EVEN THE MOST SENIOR, WERE NOT MODELS OF COMFORT AND
SPACE. KENJI'S QUARTERS WERE NO EXCEPTION. BUT HE NEEDED
TO COLLECT HIS THOUGHTS. HE'D BEEN WAITING LIKE A MISGUIDED
DEVIL FOR A SECOND W EEK NOW , WHILE THOSE DOWN THERE
BICKERED ABOUT GOD KNEW WHAT. BUT HE HAD NO CHOICE.
ACCORDING TO THE ARRANGEMENTS THEY HAD WITH ELOHY,
RESOURCES FROM UBUNDER'S AIR FLEET WERE SUPPOSED TO BE
INVOLVED IN TRANSPORTING CRIMINALS. OF TERRIBLE WAR
CRIMINALS, AS HIS MASTERS ASSURED HIM. DESPITE HIS FREE-
SPIRITED TEMPER, KENJI RESPECTED SENIORITY. AN ORDER WAS AN
ORDER. SOMETIMES HE WONDERED HOW GUILTY THOSE HE WAS
TRANSPORTING TO LABOR COLONY 206 ACTUALLY WERE. BUT IN
THESE MATTERS, HE WAS KEPT COMPLETELY IN THE DARK. THE

193
HONEST AND INTELLIGENT FACES OF THE CHAINED MEN, ACCUSED OF
TREASON, AWAKENED THE REMORSE OF HIS CONSCIENCE. HE
DOUBTED WHETHER HE W AS DOING THE RIGHT THING, AND THIS
CAUSED NIGHTMARES IN HIS DREAMS.

KENJI WAS UNDER NO ILLUSIONS THAT HE WAS THE MAN WHO WAS
SENDING THEM TO AN UNPLEASANT PLACE. HE KNEW THAT IT HELD A
SPECIAL STATUS AND W AS PRACTICALLY OUTSIDE THE JURISDICTION
OF THE UBUNDER MILITARY COUNCIL AND THE MILITARY TRIBUNAL
OF IMGRADON. OTHER LAWS SIMPLY RULED THERE. THE LAWS OF
THE COLONY.

HIS THOUGHTS WERE INTERRUPTED BY A LIGHT TAPPING ON THE

HYDRON DOOR.

- 'THEY HAVE ARRIVED, SIR. THEY'RE HERE NOW !,' THE VOICE WAS
THAT OF HIS ADJUTANT , W INNOW RICHWATER.

KENJI WOULD HAVE WIPED AWAY THE FINE BEADS OF DISCOLOURED

SWEAT ON HIS BROW , BUT THAT WOULD HAVE SPOILED HIS
IMMACULATE HAIRSTYLE. AND AN OFFICER OF HIS RANK HAD TO KEEP
UP APPEARANCES.

- 'UNDERSTOOD, ADJUTANT. I'M COMING!,' HE UTTERED IN A

SEEMINGLY INDIFFERENT VOICE.

IN LESS THAN TWO MINUTES THE REAR ADMIRAL, FOLLOWED BY HIS

ADJUTANT , REACHED ONE OF THE MOST UNTIDY STORAGE ROOMS ON
BOARD, WHERE THEY USUALLY STOWED THE NEWCOMERS. CRATES
OF SUPPLIES AND VARIOUS TOOLS THAT WARSHIPS SUCH AS THE
ENZORIA DELIVERED TO THE PLANET ON WHICH THE COLONY WAS
LOCATED ROLLED AROUND.

THE ROOM WAS RELATIVELY DIMLY LIT. W ITH HIS EXCELLENT PILOT'S
EYESIGHT , KENJI COULD SENSE EVEN IN THE DIM GREENISH LIGHT
THAT BATHED THE HOLD THAT HIS PASSENGERS WERE FAR FROM
RANDOM THIS TIME. BUT HE COULD NOT REMEMBER WHERE HE HAD
SEEN THESE FACES.

194
AN ENTIRE PLATOON OF 'GHOST WARRIORS' - THAT WAS WHAT THEY
CALLED ZEGANDARIA'S MOST ELITE COMMANDOS - HAD BEEN
ENGAGED TO GUARD THE NEW PRISONERS.

THE PRISONERS WORE TORTURED AND DEJECTED EXPRESSIONS.

THEIR EYES WERE LIKE THE EYES OF CATTLE BEING LED TO THE
SLAUGHTER - IN THEM ONE COULD READ AN ANIMAL TERROR OF THE
UNKNOWN. IN THE BOTTOM OF HIS SOUL KENJI WANTED TO SAY A
WORD OR TWO OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEM, BUT HE REFRAINED,
REALIZING THE FULL ABSURDITY OF THE SITUATION. W HAT WOULD
THE OTHERS SAY, INCLUDING HIS OWN ADJUTANT ? SURELY THEY
WOULD THINK HIM MAD! THE HEAVY DEAD ATMOSPHERE IN THE HOLD
WAS SUFFOCATING HIM.

HE MERELY WAVED HIS HAND. AND LEFT THE ROOM, BATHED IN SUCH
A SICKLY GREENISH COLOR, SUGGESTING UNHAPPY THOUGHTS,
EVEN TO A FREE MAN OF HIS STATION.

- 'W AS ANYONE MISSING FROM THE LIST ?,' HE TURNED TO THE

ADJUTANT .

- 'NO, SIR! THEY ARE ALL PRESENT!,' SAID RICHWATER, STRETCHED

LIKE A STRING BEFORE HIS COMMANDER.

- 'THEN PUT IT INTO OVERDRIVE, BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE

BEHIND SCHEDULE,' HE CALLED TO DOUG ENLOW , ENTERING THE
ENSORIA'S COMMAND ROOM.

^^^
TO SOME, THE
COSMOS MAY SEEM INFINITE AND INDEFINITE IN
NATURE. A SOURCE OF MYSTERY AND UNATTAINABILITY. THIS IS OF
COURSE TRUE, BUT ONLY TO A DEGREE. DISTORTIONS IN SPACE (AND
WORMHOLES IN PARTICULAR) HAD LONG SINCE PROVIDED THE
HUMAN RACE WITH ALMOST LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES FOR TRAVEL IN
THE VAST VACUUM OF SPACE. CONTRARY TO NAÏVE PERCEPTIONS,
THEY DID NOT ALLOW DIRECT POINT -TO-POINT TRAVEL, SINCE

195
QUANTUM-LEVEL CONNECTED BLACK HOLES COULD ALSO BE USED
AS WORMHOLES. OF COURSE, THEIR EXACT LOCATION, AND THE
TYPES OF SHIPS THAT WERE CAPABLE OF PASSING THROUGH THEM,
WAS A TOP MILITARY SECRET. THAT WAS WHY IT WAS NO WONDER
THEY HAD SENT AN ENTIRE REAR ADMIRAL TO ESCORT THE
'CRIMINALS' IN QUESTION.

THE SHIP SLOWLY BEGAN TO CONCENTRATE POWER AROUND ITS

HULL. THE QUANTUM STABILIZERS WERE TURNED OFF. THE FOUR
MAIN ION ENGINES WENT TO FULL POWER. THEY WERE ABOUT TO
REACH FIRST SPACE SPEED.

KENJI WATCHED THE PROCEDURE OF PREPARING TO MAKE THE

HYPERSPACE JUMP WITH WELL-CONCEALED TENSION. AS A MILITARY
PILOT WITH EXTENSIVE FLYING EXPERIENCE, HE KNEW THAT
EVERYTHING COULD ALW AYS GO WRONG IN SUCH SITUATIONS.

DOUG, HOWEVER, KNEW HIS JOB AND WATCHED FOR EVEN THE
SLIGHTEST POSSIBLE MISTAKE.

- ENGINES AT FULL POWER. REACHING SECOND SPACE SPEED AFTER

10, 9, 8.

- '7, 6, 5,' KENJI MENTALLY COUNTED DOWN AS WELL.

SUDDENLY THE ENTIRE CRUISER SHUDDERED AND REACHED THE

THRUST IT NEEDED TO OVERCOME THE PLANET 'S GRAVITATIONAL
FIELD AND LEAVE ITS ORBIT. ‘THE ENZORIA ENTERED OPEN SPACE.

THE CADETS, WHO WERE ON THE BRIDGE AND NOT EVEN AWARE OF
THE LIVING 'CARGO' ON BOARD, COULD BARELY RESTRAIN
THEMSELVES FROM HOOTING AT DOUG'S SKILL. HE WAS SIMPLY A
NATURAL TALENT . OF COURSE, THEY DIDN'T, BECAUSE A POSSIBLE
SHOW OF DISRESPECT TO A SUPERIOR OFFICER COULD HAVE COST
THEM NOT ONLY THEIR ENTIRE FUTURE CAREERS, BUT A SERIOUS
REPRIMAND FROM THE ZEGANDARIAN COURT MARTIAL.

THE ADJUTANT HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS ALL THE

SPECTACULAR PREPARATIONS FOR MAKING THE HYPERSPACE JUMP,

196
BECAUSE KENJI HAD SENT HIM ON AN IMPORTANT MISSION - TO
EXTRACT SOME INFORMATION FROM THE CAPTIVES. HE CREPT
ALONG THE LONG, DIMLY LIT AND OPPRESSIVE CORRIDORS OF THE
MILITARY CRUISER. HE SEEMED TO BE IN THE SHAFT OF SOME
PHARAONIC TOMB.

HE HAD GREAT RESPECT FOR THE REAR ADMIRAL, BUT IT WASN'T HIS
SENIORITY OR VALOR THAT MADE HIM SUBMIT WITHOUT QUESTION.
RICHWATER HIMSELF WAS ALSO WONDERING EXACTLY WHERE THEY
WERE GOING.

HIS CURIOSITY WAS FUELED BY THE FACT THAT THE ENZORIA WAS
TAKING ITS SECRET ‘CARGO’ NOT TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION, BUT TO
AN ASTEROID NAMED CALISTRO 325. FAR FROM POSSESSING THE
DIMENSIONS OF A SMALL PLANET , THE STELLAR BODY IN QUESTION
WAS MORE LIKE A GIANT CHUNK OF ROCK ORBITING THE ASTEROID
BELT OF THE CICADA CONSTELLATION IN STELLAR QUADRANT 415.
THE SHEER NUMBER OF ASTEROIDS MADE REACHING IT A
COMPLICATED ENOUGH TASK EVEN FOR A SUPERMODERN CRUISER
LIKE THE ENSORIA. IT ALSO MADE IT MORE INCONSPICUOUS. EACH
TIME DURING THEIR ARRIVAL, THE ASTEROID HAD A SERIOUS
SECURITY PRESENCE. THOUGH TAKING HIS FIRST STEPS IN HIS
CAREER AS A SENIOR MILITARY OFFICER, RICHWATER WAS NOT
YESTERDAY'S MAN. THE LACK OF MARKINGS ON THE SOLDIERS'
SPACESUITS SPOKE VOLUMES THAT EVEN A MAN WITH THE RANK OF
REAR ADMIRAL, SUCH AS KENJI WAS, SHOULDN'T JUST STICK HIS
NOSE INTO THESE THINGS FOR NO REASON.

OTHERWISE HE WAS RISKING HIS HEAD. THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE

ON THE ASTEROID EXCEPT THE ‘DISTRIBUTION CENTER,’ AS THE
SOLDIERS CALLED IT AMONG THEMSELVES. IT WAS A COLLECTION OF
SEVERAL FACILITIES - A SPACEPORT FOR LAUNCHING SHUTTLES,
INTERRON FUEL DEPOTS, AND A COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
THOUGH NOT PARTICULARLY LARGE, THE STRUCTURES IN QUESTION
TOOK UP NEARLY A THIRD OF THE ASTEROID'S AREA.

- 'DEVIL KNOWS WHERE THEY'RE TAKING THEM NEXT ...,' RICHWATER

WIPED THE SWEAT FROM HIS BROW . 'I RISK BEING COURT -

197
MARTIALLED IF I CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE COMMANDER'S ORDERS,
BUT IF I DISOBEY, I'LL BE COURT -MARTIALLED AGAIN!'

AFTER WALKING THROUGH A SERIES OF ROOMS, HE FINALLY MADE IT

TO THE CRUISER'S STORAGE AREA. THE SMELL WAS DEFINITELY NOT
PLEASANT , BUT THIS WAS A WARSHIP AFTER ALL, NOT AN
AMUSEMENT PARK. HE HAD NO RIGHT TO BE PICKY ABOUT IT .

THE ADJUTANT REACHED TO RUN HIS PALM OVER THE ULTRAMODERN

TOUCH-SCREEN READER ON THE HYDRONIC DOOR, BUT IT REFUSED
TO OPEN AND MADE A QUIET BUT EAR-PIERCING SOUND. THAT
SOUND, THERE WAS NO DOUBT , MEANT DENIAL. SWEAT TRICKLED
DOWN HIS FOREHEAD AND HE DECIDED TO MAKE A SECOND ATTEMPT
WHEN SOMEONE'S HAND POLITELY BUT FIRMLY TAPPED HIS
SHOULDER AND PULLED HIM OUT OF THE DAZE INTO WHICH THE
ANXIETY OF NOT BEING SEEN HAD DRIVEN HIM.

- EXCUSE ME, SIR, BUT YOU ARE FORBIDDEN TO BE HERE.

RICHWATER TURNED AND RECOGNIZED THE VOICE AS BELONGING TO
ONE OF THE SO-CALLED GHOST WARRIORS. IN THE DIMLY LIT ROOM,
THE OUTLINE OF HIS FACE WASN'T CLEARLY VISIBLE, BUT THERE WAS
A SUBTLE STRAIN IN HIS VOICE.

I HAVE BEEN SENT PERSONALLY BY GENERAL GENE PAILEY ON A

SECRET MISSION TO CHECK ON THE CONDITION OF THE CAPTIVES. -
W INNOW LIED WITHOUT BATTING AN EYE.

THE SOLDIER WAS STUNNED, THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT , BUT

APPARENTLY HESITATED AT THE MENTION OF THAT NAME, AND DID
THE HONORS.

- 'SO TRUE,' HE FROZE IN PLACE.

THE GHOST WARRIOR PLACED HIS PALM ON THE TOUCH READER AND
THIS TIME THE DOOR RESPONDED TO EVEN THE LIGHTEST TOUCH
AND OPENED HOSPITABLY. THERE WAS AN ALMOST IMPENETRABLE
DARKNESS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE WAREHOUSE, BROKEN BY THE
FRAGMENTARY LIGHTS OF THE IRENIC PHOSPHORESCENT LAMPS

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THAT CONSUMED NO ELECTRICITY AND COULD BURN ALMOST
FOREVER. THEIR DRAWBACK WAS THAT THEY BARELY FLICKERED.

- 'SIR,' PRONOUNCED THE SOLDIER, SCARCELY AUDIBLY, 'YOU HAVE

NO RIGHT TO QUESTION THEM AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THEY WERE
CONVICTED OF, OR AS TO THEIR IDENTITY. THAT'S TOP SECRET . I
WILL PERSONALLY SUPERVISE YOUR CONVERSATION.'

RICHWATER WAS DUMBFOUNDED. HE HADN'T EXPECTED THIS TURN

OF EVENTS. THE ADJUTANT STEPPED FORW ARD, TRYING TO PUT AS
MUCH CONFIDENCE AND GRAVITY INTO HIS GAIT AS HE COULD THAT
WOULD FINALLY SUGGEST TO THE GUARD THAT HE WAS THEIR MAN.
THE SOLDIER MADE WAY FOR HIM TO PASS FIRST. BUT ON CLOSER
INSPECTION W INNOW 'S INTENSE GAZE COULD NOT MAKE OUT THE
SILHOUETTE OF EITHER PRISONER. THEY WERE SIMPLY GONE! IT
WAS AS IF SOMEONE'S EXPERIENCED HAND HAD SWEPT AND
CLEANED THE CRUISER'S HOLD LIKE A SURGICAL INTERVENTION
ROOM. ‘SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE,’ THAT THOUGHT FLASHED
THROUGH HIS MIND FOR A SPLIT SECOND.

SUDDENLY, HE FELT A DEAFENING SOUND BEHIND HIM, LIKE THE

IMPACT OF A BLUNT OBJECT , AND HIS GAZE REFOCUSED.

- 'THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR STICKING YOUR NOSE IN THE WRONG
PLACE, YOU FOOL!,' WERE THE LAST WORDS HE HEARD BEFORE
DARKNESS ENVELOPED HIM.

^^^
PEOPLE TEND TO DENY THE EXISTENCE OF ANY
SUPERINTELLIGENCE, IMAGINING THAT EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON
THEIR FREE WILL AND ESPECIALLY THEIR PERSONAL QUALITIES, BUT
RESORTING TO PRAYERS FOR HELP DIRECTED TO IT IN MOMENTS OF
REAL CRISIS AND TRIAL. SUCH WAS THE CASE WITH RICHWATER. HE
WAS NOT MUCH OF A BELIEVER; HE DID NOT EVEN HAVE ANY RESPECT
FOR RELIGION. BUT NOW ONLY SOMETHING NARROWER COULD HELP
HIM. HE MENTALLY REPEATED 'GREAT MIDRIEL, PROTECTOR OF

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ZEGANDARIA, PROGENITOR OF THE HUMAN RACE, SAVE ME!' THIS
HASTILY CONCOCTED SEMBLANCE OF A PRAYER WAS THE BEST THAT
CAME TO HIS MIND.

RAISED TO BECOME A SENIOR NAVAL OFFICER, COMING FROM AN

ARISTOCRATIC FAMILY WITH A TRADITION IN THE MILITARY FIELD, HE
HAD A SOMEWHAT WARPED MIND. AN EXTREME INDIVIDUALIST BY
NATURE, HE HAD BECOME KENJI'S FAVORITE. BUT IT WAS NOT A
CLOSE FRIENDSHIP, BUT RATHER A SYMPATHY BUILT ON THE BASIS
OF A PURELY OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIP. RICHWATER HAD ALWAYS
DONE HIS BEST TO BE FIRST IN EVERYTHING. HIS WHOLE LIFE SO FAR
HAD BEEN BUILT ON THIS SEEMINGLY SIMPLE LIFE PRINCIPLE . TO HIM
THERE WAS NOTHING BUT BLACK AND WHITE, AND THE THINGS OF
LIFE, AS WE KNOW , ARE NOT ALWAYS SO. IT WAS ALSO FOR THIS THAT
HE HAD SET OUT ON THE TRAIL OF THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
OF THE CAPTIVES, THOUGH THAT WAS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS AT ALL.
AN ORDER, AFTER ALL, WAS AN ORDER.

THE ADJUTANT MOVED ABOUT THE CRAMPED ROOM. HE TRIED TO

FREE HIS HANDS, A VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE THING TO DO. WHATEVER
THEY HAD TIED HIM UP WITH WAS DEFINITELY VERY TIGHT . THE
BLURRY IMAGES BEFORE HIS EYES, ALBEIT SLOWLY, BEGAN TO
CLEAR AS HE TRIED TO FOCUS HIS GAZE ON THEM. THE VOICES HE
HEARD WERE QUITE HARSH, EVEN REACHING A LOW GROWL.

- 'W HAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT , CAPTAIN?,' HE MANAGED

TO CATCH WITH A GREAT EFFORT .

- 'W HY DON'T WE KILL HIM RIGHT NOW ? THERE'S NOTHING TO DEAL

WITH. W E'RE LATE WITH THE DELIVERY ANYWAY.,' HE HEARD A FIRM
MALE VOICE WITH A SLIGHTLY SQUEAKY FRENETIC NOTE.

- 'NO. A FIRM NO.,' A VOICE, A LITTLE SOFTER COMPARED TO THE

OTHERS, OBJECTED. 'HE'S A VALUABLE PRISONER. AT LEAST HE'LL
TELL US WHAT HE KNOW S. AND WHY SHOULDN'T HE JOIN THE
COLONY'S WORKFORCE. HE WON'T BE SUPERFLUOUS. THE NEED
FOR ORE MINING IS GROWING.'

200
THOUGH HIS HEAD WAS HEAVY,
RICHWATER WAS BECOMING WELL
AWARE THAT HIS SITUATION WASN'T ALL ROSY. IT WOULD BE A
MIRACLE IF HE MADE IT OUT ALIVE. THE MUFFLED SHADOWS SEEMED
TO STIR RESTLESSLY, APPARENTLY THEY HAD SENSED THAT HE WAS
CAPABLE OF HEARING THEM. THEY APPROACHED SLOWLY AND
HOVERED OVER HIM. RICHWATER WAS NO COWARD, BUT HE WAS
UNDER NO ILLUSIONS AS TO WHAT WOULD FOLLOW .

THOUGH IN A BAD WAY AND WITH HIS HEAD HEAVY AND SEEMINGLY
ROLLING STONES, HE MANAGED TO NOTICE THAT HE WAS NOT IN THE
HOLD OF THE SHIP WHERE HE HAD BEEN ATTACKED, BUT ABOARD A
SHUTTLE THAT WAS DEFINITELY NOT ONE OF THE SMALLER ONES
DESIGNED FOR PURELY MILITARY PURPOSES. ITS INTERIOR WAS
MUCH CLEANER THAN THE HOLD OF THE ENZORIA AND
CONSIDERABLY BETTER LIT, BUT BY NO MEANS MORE COMFORTABLE.

- 'I AM DAVID PENROSE,' CAME THE SOFT , THICK MALE BASS, 'AND
YOU ARE CURRENTLY ABOARD THE TRANSPORT SHUTTLE E MZIROU.'

- 'W HAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ME?,' DARED RICHWATER TO

ASK, NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE HE HADN'T HEARD AS TO SEE THE
REACTION OF HIS CAPTORS.

- 'I THINK YOU HEARD VERY WELL A MOMENT AGO,' SMILED THE
CAPTAIN. 'BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING TOO. W HY WOULD AN
ADJUTANT , EVEN A REAR ADMIRAL, STICK HIS NOSE WHERE IT
DOESN'T BELONG?'

- 'BECAUSE YOU'RE KIDNAPPING INNOCENT PEOPLE,' RICHWATER

TRIED TO OBJECT , REALISING THE ABSURDITY OF HIS OWN WORDS.

- 'MY BOY,' CAPTAIN PENROSE STRETCHED HIS LIPS INTO A BROAD

SMILE, 'AS A MAN OF THE ARMY YOU SHOULD KNOW WELL THAT A
SOLDIER IS MERELY FOLLOWING ORDERS. MY JOB IS TO TRANSPORT
THEM TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION. AND YOU OBEY YOUR
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, DON'T TELL ME YOU DECIDED TO PURSUE US
ON YOUR OWN INITIATIVE.'

201
- 'W HAT ABOUT THE ASTEROID YOU HAD A SHUTTLE BASE BUILT ON?,'
SNAPPED RICHWATER.

- 'W HAT ASTEROID?,' SMILED CAPTAIN PENROSE WITH DELIBERATE

SLYNESS.

- 'ARE YOU GOING TO DENY IT NOW ?,' SAID W INNOW ANGRILY. 'AND
THAT'S NOT TRUE?'

- 'I'M NOT SAYING IT ISN'T,' PENROSE CONTINUED IN HIS SOFT AND

EVEN BOOMING VOICE, 'BUT YOU'LL SEE FOR YOURSELF ITS TRUE
FUNCTION ONCE WE REACH OUR FINAL DESTINATION. THIS, LET'S
CALL IT AN ASTEROID, JUST SERVES AS A COVER, NOT A POINT OF
ATTACHMENT FOR SHUTTLES AND SHIT .'

- 'THEN WHY IS IT SO WELL GUARDED?,' STAMMERED RICHWATER,

EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW THAT WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION THEY
HAD HIS LIFE COMPLETELY AT THEIR DISPOSAL.

- BECAUSE EVEN A COVER NEEDS GUARDING. YOU CAN SEE FOR

YOURSELF THAT WE NEED TO KEEP HIM SAFE FROM PRYING EYES.

- 'CAPTAIN, YOU'RE EXPLAINING TOO MUCH,' THE MAN WITH THE

GROWLING VOICE DARED TO OBJECT , 'WHAT BUSINESS IS IT OF HIS
TO KNOW ALL THIS.'

- 'NOTHING, LINUS,' CAPTAIN PENROSE TOOK UP QUITE CALMLY,

'THIS INFORMATION CAN'T HELP HIM MUCH. LET'S SATISFY HIS
CURIOSITY.'

RICHWATER COULDN'T HELP BUT AGREE, HOWEVER, THAT THE

TRANSPORT SHUTTLE WAS MOVING AMAZINGLY FAST .AS A MAN OF
THE FLEET , HE WAS OBLIGED TO ADMIT THAT EVEN THEENSORIA
WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO COMPETE WITH SUCH A CRAFT .

- 'W E MUST BE MOVING AT SECOND SPACE SPEED,' HE ADDED

NAIVELY.

THE CREW THAT WAS THE ROOM LAUGHED. THE ADJUTANT FELT
AWKWARD AND FOOLISH, FOR HE STILL WANTED TO SALVAGE SOME

202
OF HIS DIGNITY IN THE FACE OF THIS 'SCUM' AS HE MENTALLY
REFERRED TO THE CAPTAIN AND THE OTHERS.

- 'THESE ARE SUPERMODERN TACHYON ENGINES, MY BOY. THE

SPEED YOU MENTIONED IS WELL BELOW THE CAPABILITIES OF THIS
MACHINE. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE'RE GOING ALMOST A
THOUSAND TIMES FASTER,' SNEERED PENROSE.

- 'IMPOSSIBLE,' RICHWATER WAS DUMBFOUNDED. 'SO NOT EVEN

KILLER WAR CRUISERS ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.'
- 'YOU SEEM TO BE STUCK IN A WORLD YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, AND
IT CONFUSES AND DEPRESSES YOU.,' THE CAPTAIN LAUGHED AGAIN.
'W AIT UNTIL WE REACH THE COLONY. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING
YET.'

^^^
THE HYPERSPACE JUMP W AS SUCCESSFUL, BUT KENJI WAS BUSY
WITH IMPORTANT THOUGHTS. ‘W HERE WASRICHWATER SUNK?’
BECAUSE OF HIS HIGH RANK AS A MILITARY MAN, HE COULDN'T JUST
GO WANDERING AROUND THE CRUISER AND LEAVE THE COMMAND
ROOM UNATTENDED. THAT THOUGHT WAS DOWNRIGHT UNNATURAL.
BESIDES, THE GRAVITATIONAL FIELD OF THE SHIP OUTSIDE, THE
OFFICER'S BAY, AND THE PRISONER'S CELL THAT RICHWATER HAD
UNWITTINGLY WITNESSED WAS QUITE WEAK, AND ONE COULD QUITE
EASILY START HITTING THE WALLS LIKE A RUBBER BALL IF ONE
WASN'T WEARING A SPACESUIT WITH PROGRAVETON BOOTS. ON THE
OTHER HAND, HE DIDN'T HAVE ANOTHER TRUSTED PERSON TO SEND
LOOKING FOR THE ADJUTANT EITHER. KENJI KNEW , HOWEVER, THAT
WHATEVER HAD HAPPENED, IT WAS UNLIKELY TO HAVE BEEN DUE TO
MERE COINCIDENCE. NO, THINGS LIKE THESE WERE MUCH DEEPER
AND SERIOUS. EVERYTHING HAD TO HAVE SOME LOGICAL
EXPLANATION, OF COURSE, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, TO THE MOST
DISCERNING EYES, THIS LOGIC SEEMED SOMEHOW TOO LOGICALLY
LOST AND SEEMED TO LEAD TO NOTHING. TODAY, FOR THE SECOND

203
TIME, HIS THOUGHTS WERE FOCUSED ON THAT VERY QUESTION, AND
THAT WAS NO COINCIDENCE EITHER.

IN THAT INSTANT AN INGENNIOUS THOUGHT FLASHED INTO HIS MIND.

SURE, A RANDOM WALK AROUND THE SHIP FOR A MAN OF HIS RANK
WOULD BE ABSOLUTE MADNESS, BUT NOT IF HE CHECKED
RICHWATER'S GAUGE. IN THE ADVANCED FUTURE, SPECIAL
TRACKING SENSORS HAD BEEN ADDED TO THESE ULTRAMODERN
COUNTERS, AND IF SOMEONE HAD INGESTED A HIGHER DOSE OF
RADIATION THAN USUAL, THE SIGNAL SENT BY THE DEVICE STILL HAD
TO BE REGISTERED. HYPERSPACE JUMPS MAY HAVE ALLOWED TWO
POINTS IN SPACE TO BE DISTORTED AND SO PEOPLE COULD TRAVEL
VAST DISTANCES, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND AGAINST COSMIC
RADIATION MANKIND HAD GOT NO FURTHER THAN THE LEAD SCREENS
USED IN THE PAST , WHICH REDUCED THE RADIATION DOSE, BUT NOT
COMPLETELY. THE TRICKY PART IN THE PLAN WAS IN ONE MINOR
DETAIL, WHICH HAD TO DO WITH THE PROVISION THAT NO CREW
MEMBER SHOULD TURN OFF HIS GAUGE COUNTER WHILE ON WATCH.

LEAVING ASIDE THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE MATTER, THE MAJORITY

OF THE SHIP'S CREW WAS BETWEEN TWENTY AND THIRTY YEARS OF
AGE. PERSONALLY, KENJI WAS TWENTY-NINE, AND HAD JUST ABOUT
MADE HIMSELF A GRANDFATHER AMONG ALL THESE YOUNGSTERS.
HE KNEW THAT THIS ELEMENTARY TRICK COULD BE OF GREAT USE,
BECAUSE IF SOMETHING DID HAPPEN TO RICHWATER, THERE WAS
OBVIOUSLY A CHANCE THAT HE WOULD BE NEXT .

NOW THERE WAS THE SECOND PART OF THE PLAN, WHICH WAS HOW
TO LEAVE THE COMMAND ROOM ON SOME PRETEXT .

CLEARLY THE CREW MEMBERS WERE BUSY WITH THEIR WORK AND
ABSORBED ENOUGH TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE VARIOUS HOLOGRAPHIC
INDICATIONS OF THE SHIP'S SPEED AND COURSE.

BUT THEY STILL HAD TO EXERCISE AT LEAST A LITTLE CAUTION AND

ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

204
- ERENGALES, STAND IN FOR ME WHILE I'M GONE.
ENGAGE
THRUSTERS AT FULL POWER ONCE WE CLEAR THE ASTEROID BELT .
BE ALERT FOR ANY AMBUSHES OR SURPRISES. PUT THE ENERGY
SHIELD AT THIRTY PERCENT . PLASMA MACHINE GUNS STAND BY.
PREPARE THE ON-BOARD PHOTON CANNONS JUST IN CASE, BUT
ONLY THE MAIN ONES - TO THE AFT BAY AND MAIN DECK. LIVE ! W E'RE
FALLING BEHIND!

HILDA WAS PROBABLY THE MOST AMBITIOUS MEMBER OF THE CREW ,

SHE HAD COME THIS FAR BY TOOTH AND NAIL AND WAS PROBABLY
THE ONLY ONE WHO WASN'T A NATIVE OF ZEGANDARIA BUT ONE OF
ZEGANDARIA'S COMPANIONS, ELONTO SIBU. A SMALL ASTEROID
THAT COULDN'T EVEN DEVELOP SPACE FARMING IN THE TRUE SENSE
OF THE WORD DUE TO THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT SURFACE AREA. BUT
IT WAS BOLD AND STUBBORN AND WANTED TO BREAK THROUGH AT
ALL COSTS.

HILDA ERENGALES TOOK COMMAND OF THE SHIP AS SOON AS KENJI

LEFT THE HALL. SUDDENLY SHE HAD THE POWER TO RUN THE
CRUISER, AT LEAST FOR A LITTLE WHILE. AS SECOND ADJUTANT , SHE
HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO PROVE HERSELF IN THAT REGARD YET ,
AND HER QUALITIES HAD ALWAYS REMAINED IN THE SHADOWS. NOW
SHE WAS GOING TO DO HER BEST TO CATCH UP IN THAT REGARD.

KENJI LEFT THE COMMAND ROOM, FOLLOWED ONLY BY HIS

PERSONAL GUARDS. BUT HE WANTED TO BE LEFT ALONE, AT LEAST
FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND NOT BECAUSE HE COULDN'T WAIT TO CHECK
HIS ADJUTANT 'S GAIGER COUNTER. HE WANTED TO BE SURE IF THE
SHIP WAS CAPTURED, BUT THE CONQUERORS W ERE STILL SOMEHOW
CUNNINGLY HIDING, AND BEHIND THE FALSE CALM ALL AROUND,
DISASTER WOULD STRIKE AT ANY MOMENT . OF COURSE TIME WAS
RUNNING OUT ...

205
^^^

KENJI WAS GRIPPED BY FEARS FOR HIS OWN SAFETY. AND DECIDED
TO LOOK FOR RICHWATER. BUT AFTER NOT FINDING HIM, HE
REALIZED THAT THE SITUATION WAS EVEN WORSE THAN BEFORE.
PASSING THROUGH THE CORRIDORS, HE ENCOUNTERED
ABSOLUTELY NO ONE. ‘ANYWAY - I'M NOT GOING TO RISK GOING TO
THE BAY WITH THE PRISONERS. I'LL CHECK THE ESCAPE SHUTTLES
FIRST!’ HE GROPED HIS WAY DOW N THE CORRIDOR, TRYING TO
MAINTAIN SOME DIGNITY. THIS WAS HIS LAST CHANCE TO SURVIVE!
‘LET HILDA ENJOY THE POWER ENTRUSTED TO HER!,’ HE THOUGHT
AGAIN. ‘HER REIGN WILL NOT LAST LONG!’ THEN HE SLOWLY MADE
HIS WAY TO A PART OF THE SHIP KNOWN ONLY TO HIM. BEHIND THE
COMMAND ROOM, WERE THE SERVICE CORRIDORS, AND BELOW THE
LOWER BRIDGE, A SINTERED HATCH THAT NO ONE WOULD HAVE
NOTICED WITH THE NAKED EYE. IT WAS SO NONDESCRIPT AND
HIDDEN AS TO BE SIMPLY EXPENSIVE. KENJI TURNED THE VALVE
CAREFULLY, AND THE HATCH SLOWLY OPENED. HE PUSHED HIMSELF
IN RATHER DEFTLY AND CLOSED IT . EVERYTHING WAS FALLING INTO
PLACE AS THERE WAS A WEAPONS CACHE HIDDEN IN THERE
SOMEWHERE. AS HE CRAWLED THROUGH THE GUT-LIKE TUNNEL OF
THE SQUADRON, HE COULD DEFINITELY IMAGINE THE FOOD GOING
THROUGH THE MAN'S BODY TO ITS EXIT ON THE OUTSIDE. A MOMENT
LATER HE WAS IN THE CORRESPONDING CACHE THE SIZE OF A SMALL
ROOM. THERE WAS A PARTICULAR KIND OF WEAPONRY IN THERE.
SOME OF THEM WERE QUITE INTERESTING IN BOTH FORM AND
FUNCTION. HE PUT ON A SPECIAL COMBAT SUIT THAT WOULD
PROTECT HIS BODY WHEN HE WAS FORCED INTO THE SPACE
CAPSULE. HE THEN RETRIEVED HIS WEAPON AND CHECKED THE
CHARGES ON THE PLASMA BLASTER. EVERYTHING WAS ACCURATE.
EVERYTHING BUT ONE. IT WAS BEST NOT TO FIND OUT HE'D LEFT THE
SHIP AT ALL. HE HAD TO BE CAREFUL. HE DID HIS BEST TO ERASE ALL
POSSIBLE TRACES. EVERY MOVEMENT WAS WELL MEASURED . THERE
WAS NO ROOM FOR IMPROVISATION. THEN HE MENTALLY PRAYED
THAT THE SHOT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL AND SOMEHOW GET
THROUGH THE SHIP'S SHIELD. TWO THINGS WERE NECESSARY FOR

206
THAT PURPOSE. FIRST HE HAD TO SHUT IT DOWN. HE HAD TO GO
BACK DOWN THE GUT. AND TO GO TO A DIFFERENT BAY, BUT ONE
THAT WAS HEAVILY GUARDED. HE WAS UNDER NO ILLUSIONS THAT
HE WAS UNLIKELY TO STOP THE GUARDS WITH SOME SORT OF
BLASTER. THESE WERE TRAINED GHOST WARRIORS WHO WERE
BETTER THAN EVEN HIM. BUT NOT SMARTER. OR SO HE HOPED. HE
WAS GOING TO SHOW THEM WHAT A REAR ADMIRAL COULD DO!

HE HAD PICKED UP THE FIRST SPECIAL WEAPON, WHICH WAS CALLED

A THERMOFLON TORCH. HE WAS GOING TO MELT THEM WITH IT . THE
ENTIRE CORRIDOR WAS UNDER VIDEO SURVEILLANCE, SO HE USED A
SPECIAL NANOSUIT TO HIDE IT EVEN FROM THE INFRARED SENSORS.

HE WENT BACK AND WALKED RATHER BOLDLY THROUGH THE

CRUISER'S STORES. W HAT WAS HIS SURPRISE WHEN HE FOUND
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AND NO ONE! THAT PUZZLED HIM EVEN MORE.
AS CRUSHED AS HE WAS, HE WENT BACK TO THE COMMAND ROOM.
W ASN'T THIS SOME KIND OF HOAX!

HE TRIED OPENING THE MASSIVE TRIPLE HYDRON DOOR. NO RESULT!

HE TRIED AGAIN! SAME AGAIN! THE DOOR SEEMED TO HAVE TWISTED
AND WOULDN'T BUDGE. HE PLACED HIS PALM ON THE TOUCH
READER. NOTHING!

DECIDED TO USE THE BURNER! THE STRONG FIERY BLAST OF THE

POWERFUL WEAPON WASHED OVER HIM! HE COULD JUST FEEL THAT
HE WAS IN THE MIDST OF SOME KIND OF MAROON AS THE DOOR CAME
DOWN IN LAYERS LIKE SOME KIND OF HALF-HARDENED SLAG. HE
DEFINITELY WANTED TO GIVE UP, BUT HE COULDN'T AS THE SUDDEN
CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE COULD BE DANGEROUS AND EVEN CAUSE
AN EXPLOSION. HE STOOD AT SUCH AN ANGLE THAT THE SLAG
PASSED BY HIM. IT TOOK QUITE A WHILE. BUT IN THE END KENJI HAD
TO ADMIT WITH PRIDE THAT HE WAS MORE OF A TEST THAN THE
DOOR. AT LEAST IN THEORY. FIFTEEN MINUTES HAD PASSED. THE
HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DOOR WAS MEDIUM-SIZED, BUT HE
COULD SQUEEZE HIS ATHLETIC BODY THROUGH IT. W ITH AN
EXCELLENTLY PRACTICED LEAP, HE DOVE AND WENT THROUGH THE
OPENING, AIMING THE TORCH IN HIS DIRECTION. IT WAS AN IDIOTIC

207
CONTRAPTION! THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A WHOLE PLATOON OF
WARRIORS ON THE OTHER SIDE. BUT AGAIN THERE WAS NO ONE!

TOO STRANGE! HE LOOKED AROUND! THE SENSORS AND NANO-

SCREENS WERE OFF, AND NOTHING COULD BE SEEN THROUGH THE
HUGE HOOD OF REINFORCED ENDOSIAN. IT WAS ALSO CLOUDED
OVER.

ONE THING WAS CERTAIN - THE SHIP WASN'T MOVING! OR SO IT

SEEMED TO HIM!

- 'ECHO, IS ANYONE THERE?,' HE CALLED OUT SHORTLY.

NO REPLY FOLLOWED. KENJI UNDERSTOOD. THEY HAD KIDNAPPED

THE CREW . ONLY HE HAD MIRACULOUSLY ESCAPED. BUT WHERE HAD
THEY GONE. NOW HE WAS ALONE ON THE SHIP.

- 'HILDA, ALWAYS DREAMING OF TAKING MY PLACE. HERE NOW SHE

HAS TAKEN IT!,' HE JOKED, WITH RATHER CAUSTIC BLACK HUMOUR.
PITY THERE WAS NO ONE TO HEAR HIM!
KENJI WALKED ROUND AND LOOKED ROUND EVERY CORNER . THERE
WERE NO SCRATCHES, NO PLASMA MARKS, LET ALONE BLOOD OR
EXPLOSIONS. JUST IN CASE, HE TURNED AND LOOKED THROUGH THE
HOLE AGAIN. NATURALLY, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. NO
FOOTSTEPS COULD BE HEARD FROM THE CLATTERING NANOBOTS. IT
HAD JUST BEEN A STORM, AND HE HAD SAVED HIMSELF. THE CREW
OF NEARLY TWO HUNDRED SEEMED TO HAVE EVAPORATED.

BUT THE QUESTION REMAINED, WHERE WAS THE SHIP ACTUALLY?

AND WHO HAD HIJACKED IT? KENJI HAD HIS SUSPICIONS THAT IT
MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE ELOHYNS EXACTLY. IT WASN'T THEIR
STYLE TO ACT QUITE SO PRECISE. W AS IT ANOTHER RACE ? OR SOME
SORT OF SUPERBEING?

W ERE THEY STUCK IN SOME SORT OF SPACE-TIME ANOMALY? HE

KNEW VERY WELL THE PROPERTIES OF THE SO -CALLED
GRAVITATIONAL SINGULARITY THAT WAS SO CHARACTERISTIC OF
BLACK HOLES. THERE, THE CONTINUITY OF SPACE-TIME WAS

208
BROKEN. BUT THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT HERE. IT SHOULD BY
THAT LOGIC NO LONGER EXIST, ALONG WITH THE WHOLE SHIP.

THAT WAS OBVIOUS.

AFTER HIS BRAIN KEPT JUMPING FROM ONE HYPOTHESIS TO
ANOTHER, HE WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH ONLY ONE THING . HE
COULDN'T STAY HERE EVEN A SECOND LONGER. HE RETURNED TO
THE SHUTTLE BAY. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH
THEM. AT LEAST THEY WERE IN PLACE. HE POKED AT ONE OF THEM
A LITTLE NERVOUSLY. AND JUST SHUT THE HATCH TIGHTLY. THE
LAUNCHER SQUEAKED SLIGHTLY AS THE SMALL ESCAPE VEHICLE
UNHOOKED FROM THE SILO SLID INTO OPEN SPACE. BETTER THERE
THAN ALONE IN THAT GHOST SHIP! HE DIDN'T NEED HIS CAPTAIN
ANYMORE!

THE SHUTTLE MADE ITS WAY AMIDST THE ENDLESS EXPANSE! IT

LOOKED LIKE A SMALL BRIGHT DOT THAT FINALLY DISAPPEARED
ALTOGETHER. THE ENSORIA CONTINUED TO FLOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF
NOWHERE, LIKE SOME COLOSSUS DEVOID OF LIFE.

THE FEELING OF FLYING IN A SHUTTLE IN THE ABSOLUTE DARK

VACUUM OF OUTER SPACE WAS INCOMPARABLE. KENJI JUST STOOD
THERE PEACEFULLY, FEELING LIKE HE WAS IN SOME SORT OF SLED.
HE'D SEEN A PICTURE LIKE THIS IN AN E-BOOK LONG AGO. THEN HE
CLEARLY REALIZED THAT HE WAS AT THE MERCY OF FATE. THE
SHUTTLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH SPARE OXYGEN CAPSULES AND HAD
AUTONOMY FOR UP TO THREE DAYS, BUT AFTER THAT ITS FUEL
WOULD RUN OUT AND THE CRAFT WOULD JUST FLOAT AWAY IN OPEN
SPACE LIKE A LITTLE SPECK OF DUST . KENJI REALIZED THAT HE
MIGHT HAVE MADE A MISTAKE, BUT WHOEVER THE HIJACKERS WERE,
THEY HAD OBVIOUSLY TAKEN EVERYTHING ON THE SHIP THAT WAS
EDIBLE, AND THAT MEANT STARVATION. NOT THAT THE RATIONS OF
THE CRUISER'S PERSONNEL WEREPLENTIFUL, QUITE THE
CONTRARY, BUT AT LEAST THERE W AS SOMETHING TO EAT .

KENJI SET THE SHUTTLE INTO HIBERNATION MODE, AS IT COULD LAST

LONGER THAT WAY. HE HOPED SOME SHIP WOULD FIND IT AND

209
RESCUE HIM. IF NOT , IT WOULD SINK INTO ETERNAL OBLIVION . IT WAS
NOT A ROMANTIC DEATH, BUT A RATHER UNFORTUNATE END. BUT
SOMETIMES FATE LIKED TO PLAY PRANKS. AND MURDEROUS ONES
AT THAT!

THERE WAS NO WAY TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT KENJI MIGHT HAVE
DIED EARLIER. SOMEHOW HE HAD HIT THE MOMENT TO LEAVE THE
COMMAND ROOM. FOR BETTER OR WORSE, IT HAD TURNED OUT TO
BE THE RIGHT SPUR OF THE MOMENT DECISION. 'HILDA WANTED THIS
SHIP, AND SHE COULDN'T RESIGN HERSELF TO THE POSITION OF
SECOND ADJUTANT!,' HE THOUGHT . 'AND I BELIEVED I WAS DOING
SOMETHING JUST AND GOOD! W HAT A BLIND MAN I WAS! AND WHAT
A FOOL! THESE MEN DIED PERHAPS THROUGH MY FAULT . BUT AT
LEAST I GOT THE SKIN OFF! NOT THAT THAT 'S MUCH TO BRAG ABOUT!
THIS SHUTTLE MAY SOON BE MY TOMB. OXYGEN IS EXTREMELY
LIMITED. I'LL START BREATHING FROM TIME TO TIME TO CONSERVE IT!
BUT EVEN THAT WON'T HELP ME FOR LONG. BEST NOT TO THINK AT
ALL. THE BRAIN CONSUMES ABOUT ONE- FIFTH OF THE BODY'S
ENERGY, WHICH IN PRACTICE WOULD MEAN THAT I WOULD BE AT AN
EXTREME DISADVANTAGE IF I INDULGED IN THOUGHTS. NO, I'LL JUST
STAY AND DO NOTHING!'

STRANGE ROCK FORMATIONS FLEW PAST THE SHUTTLE AND COULD

SMASH IT TO PIECES, AND BESIDES, THE RADIATION RADIATION WAS
NOT TO BE IGNORED EITHER. THERE WAS ONE MORE THING, THE
NANOSUIT PROTECTED ITS OWNER FROM SOME HARMFUL EFFECTS,
BUT THE RADIATION STILL HAD ITS EFFECT. EVEN IN THE FACE OF THE
SHUTTLE'S DEFENSES AND THE SIXTEEN-LAYER NANOSUIT MADE OF
ADVANCED BIOPOLYMERS, IT WOULD SLOWLY CREEP IN UNTIL IT
REACHED CRITICAL LEVELS.

BUT SUDDENLY SOME STRANGE OBJECT FLASHED IN THE DISTANCE.

KENJI STRAINED TO SEE IT . THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
THERE. HE ACTIVATED THE ISOMETRON NANOBINOCULAR , WHICH
WAS AN ADVANCED VERSION OF THE INFRARED ONE. IT GAVE MANY
TIMES THE MAGNIFICATION AND HAD FILTERS TO PROTECT THE EYE
FROM HARMFUL GLARE. W HAT A SIGHT! THIS THING WAS DEFINITELY

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MOVING TOWARDS THE SHUTTLE, AND AT AN EVER-INCREASING
SPEED.

- 'DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A CRUISER TO ME, OR A SHUTTLE, OR EVEN THE

REMAINS OF A SPACE SATELLITE,' HE MUTTERED, BARELY AUDIBLY.

NOW A KIND OF FRENZY CAME OVER HIM. SOME WILD RAGE THAT
THREATENED TO EAT HIM FROM THE INSIDE.

- 'JUST DON'T LET IT PASS ME BY!,' HE SCREAMED, NOT CARING MUCH

THAT NO ONE WOULD OR COULD HEAR HIM.

THE BRIGHT THING KEPT COMING TOWARDS HIM, TAKING ON

CLEARER OUTLINES. NO DOUBT THEY WOULD SOON COLLIDE. BUT
WHEN - IT WAS HARD TO SAY, AND EVEN HARDER TO PREDICT . THE
SPEED OF THE OBJECT IN QUESTION WAS INCREASING WAS
INCREASING.

CHAPTER TWELVE: HANS

HANS AUSLANDER WAS A VERY STRANGE AND SLIGHTLY REPULSIVE

MAN WHO AT THE SAME TIME POSSESSED A KIND OF ATTRACTION AND
MAGNETISM. EVERYTHING AROUND HIM MOVED TO A PARTICULAR
RHYTHM THAT HE LIKED TO SET . HANS'S APPEARANCE WAS NO
DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF OTHER YOUNG MEN HIS AGE. HE HAD
POLITE MANNERS AND W ORE GLASSES WITH QUANTUM NANO-
STICKS. THE YOUNG MAN HAD OPTED TO STUDY COMPUTER SCIENCE,
BUT LATER GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN WORMHOLES AND
QUANTUM MECHANICS, WHICH WAS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AT HIS
CHOSEN INSTITUTION. HE WAS ALWAYS FIRST AMONG THE OTHERS.
BUT SOMEWHERE DEEP IN HIS HEART HE WAS AWARE THAT
SOMETHING INSIDE HIM WAS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS. HE HAD
PRINCIPLES AND BELIEFS THAT HE FOLLOWED CONTRARY TO THE
ACCEPTED NORMS. AND THAT WAS WHY HE FOUND IT VERY
DIFFICULT TO PROGRESS IN LIFE. IF AT ALL WE CAN CALL HIS

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PATHETIC ATTEMPTS TO DRAG HIMSELF FORWARD 'PROGRESSING'.
LIKE SOMEONE WARY OF FALLING VICTIM TO AN ACCIDENTAL STRAY
PLASMA SLOPE. HANS DIDN'T HAVE MANY FRIENDS, NOR DID HIS SO-
CALLED ACQUAINTANCES HAVE MUCH IN COMMON WITH HIM. HIS
GENIUS LIVED LIKE A COCOON. HE WAS TOO WILLFUL BY
CONVENTIONAL NORMS. HE LOVED TO TEACH HIS CLASSMATES,
WHILE SOMEWHERE INSIDE HIM EVERYTHING WAS TURNING UPSIDE
DOWN, AND HE WAS LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO SATISFY THAT
ARDOR! TRY AS HE MIGHT , HE WAS TRYING TO SURVIVE! SO MANY
TIMES HE HAD STARTED SOME NEW VENTURE THAT LOOKED TOO
PROMISING, BUT IN VAIN - IT ALWAYS TURNED OUT NOT TO BE RIGHT
FOR HIM. IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING ELSE, HE DIDN'T STOP TRYING,
BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER HE FELT THAT HIS TIME WOULD COME.
HE JUST HAD TO WAIT PATIENTLY. AND TO HOPE.
HIS ADMISSION TO THE CADET SCHOOL WAS ALSO A VERY
INTERESTING PART OF HIS LIFE, WHERE HE SEEMED TO FEEL, FOR A
VERY SHORT TIME, LIKE PART OF SOME KIND OF SOCIAL COMMUNITY.
BUT THAT WAS ONLY WHILE HE WAS A CADET . HE WAS EXCELLENT
AT IMITATING ANY KIND OF CONFORMITY. SOMETHING IN PRACTICE -
VERY USEFUL FOR HIS SURVIVAL IN AN UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT .
ALTHOUGH THE WELL-CONTROLLED AND REGULATED CLOSED
COMMUNITY OF THE CAMPUS AND THE TEACHING STAFF COULD
HARDLY BE A MODEL OF REAL SOCIETY.

HE HAD ALWAYS SHIED AWAY FROM FRIENDS AND LOUD PARTIES AND
REVELS. HE WAS A LONE WOLF. BUT THAT WAS WHY HIS WORK WAS
WELL DONE. NO, IT WAS MORE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT IT WAS
PERFECTLY DONE.

AS SOON AS HE GRADUATED, HE EXPRESSED HIS OVERWHELMING

DESIRE TO SEE THE STARS. BACK THEN, THAT WAS MORE EXOTIC
THAN PRAGMATIC FOR MOST YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR CAREER
CHOICE. THE ZEGANDARIA SOCIETY WAS PERPLEXED AS TO WHY
THEY SHOULD BOTHER W ITH WORMHOLES WHEN IT WAS SOLELY THE
JOB OF THE MILITARY. BUT HANS KNEW THERE WERE OTHER WAYS
TO ACHIEVE HIS CHERISHED DREAM. HE WAS MORE THAN SINGLE-

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MINDED.AT FIRST HE WAS NOT ALLOWED NEAR ANY AIRCRAFT, BUT
THEN THE SITUATION CHANGED. AND HE SOMEHOW WON A VERY
IMPORTANT COMPETITION FOR A NEW MODEL ISORENDER. THE
DISCOVERY WAS NOT WITHOUT THE SYMPATHY OF MANY IMPORTANT
PEOPLE WHO, FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, STOOD UP FOR HIM
AND JUST GAVE HIM A CHANCE. A CHANCE TO SHOW WHAT HE CAN
DO BEST. AND HE LIVED UP TO EXPECTATIONS.

HAPLOID HYDRAULICS POWERING A NANOSUIT MADE OF

COMPOSITES WAS SOMETHING ASTOUNDINGLY IMPRESSIVE - EVEN
MORE SO FOR A FRESHLY GRADUATED CADET . AUSLANDER HAD
DONE A BRILLIANT JOB. INWARDLY, HE KNEW THAT IF IT HADN'T BEEN
FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED PROTECTION, HE WOULD NEVER HAVE
BEEN ALLOWED TO COME THIS FAR.

BUT HANS DIDN'T GET UPPITY, HE CONTINUED TO WORK TIRELESSLY

AND GIVE HIS BEST . UNTIL HE MADE IT ABOARD THE ENZORIA.

SOME WOULD SAY THAT HANS AUSLANDER WAS A DIRTY TRAITOR. A

SNEAKY, CUNNING AND CALCULATING CAREERIST . BUT SOMEWHERE
DEEP IN HIS SOUL HE KNEW THAT WASN'T THE CASE. THE YOUNG MAN
CARRIED A SAMURAI MENTALITY AND COULD ONLY SERVE ONE
MASTER. EVERY DISCONNECTION DROVE HIM MAD. AND
SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE, EVERYONE COULD DIE. HE WAS WELL
AWARE THAT HE WAS DOING HIS DUTY RATHER THAN COMMITTING
OUTRIGHT TREASON. THE GOVERNOR WAS HIS SUPERIOR, NOT
KENJI AND HIS VAUNTED CREW .EVEN BEFORE THE HYPERSPACE
JUMP, VERY DISTURBING REPORTS HAD REACHED HIS EARS. AND
THEY WOULD ALL LEAD TO HIM SOONER OR LATER. THAT MUCH WAS
CLEAR. HE HAD TO DO SOME WORK AND MANAGE TO SURVIVE. THE
OBVIOUSNESS OF THE FACT THAT KENJI HAD NEVER PERFORMED THE
HYPERDISTANCE JUMPS WITHOUT HELP FROM ANOTHER WOULD
PLAY A KEY ROLE. YES, HE WAS EXPERIENCED, BUT HE NEEDED
SOME SUBTLETIES AS THE AREA OF ERMUK SOR WAS TOO SPECIFIC .
ENZORIA NEEDED TO REACH THE COLONY, BUT NOT BEFORE GOING
THROUGH A THIRD-DEGREE WORMHOLE DISTORTION OF SPACE,
SOMETHING FAR TOO COMPLEX. TACHYON ENGINES, ACCORDING TO

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PHYSICS, WERE DIVIDED INTO THOSE OF FIRST , SECOND, AND THIRD
DEGREE. TO PASS THROUGH A THIRD-DEGREE WORMHOLE, THE SHIP
SIMPLY NEEDED AN ENGINE OF THE SAME DEGREE. THIS MISTAKE
WAS MADE BY MANY OF THE CREWS WHO TRAVELED INTO THE
UNKNOWN SPACE WILDS OF ERMUK SOR. THIS AREA HAD TAKEN TOO
MANY CASUALTIES AND MANY CREWS HAD GONE MISSING IN THEIR
ATTEMPTS TO TRAVERSE THIS DEAD ZONE. KENJI WAS A YOUNG
REAR ADMIRAL, AN EXCELLENT PILOT AND KARATE PLAYER, BUT TOO
POORLY PREPARED FOR THIS KIND OF TRAVEL.

SOMEWHERE DEEP DOWN, AUSLANDER FELT THAT HE HAD TO GAIN

THE CONFIDENCE THAT HE COULD WIN AN UNEQUAL FIGHT WITH HIS
OPPONENT - THAT WAS WHY HE HAD BEEN RECRUITED BY ELMBAUM.
'IN THE END, YOU WILL ALL BE GONE AND ONLY HUSKS IN MORTAL
FORM WILL REMAIN!,' MENTALLY CHIDED AUSLANDER, 'AND I WILL
HAVE SIMPLY COMPLETED THE TASK!'

W HEN HIS SHIFT CAME, HE PREPARED TO CARRY OUT HIS DASTARDLY

SCHEME AND WIN IN A DESPERATE RACE AGAINST TIME.

DOUBTS WERE FURTHER RAISED WHEN HE TRIED TO BOARD WITH A

FAKE NARENZIUM CHIP. HE HAD TO CONVINCE THE CREW AT LENGTH
THAT HE WAS A SECOND EXTRA SET TO THE REGULAR CREW AND
THAT HE WAS A NARROW SPECIALIST IN WORMHOLE DISTORTIONS OF
SPACE AND QUANTUM MECHANICS.

THE VAST KNOWLEDGE HE DEMONSTRATED OPENED THE PLACE UP

FOR HIM ALL TOO EASILY, BUT HE ALSO HAD TO FIGHT FOR A KIND OF
SOCIAL RECOGNITION FROM THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS
AFTERWARDS. IT WASN'T EASY AT ALL. IN THE END THE OTHER CREW
MEMBERS ACCEPTED HIM AS ONE OF THEM ANYWAY.

THEY ALL THOUGHT OF HIM AS A ROOKIE, BUT HE KNEW THE EFFORT

HE HAD MADE TO EARN HIS PLACE AMONG THE OTHERS. HE DECIDED
TO FIGHT WITH ALL HIS MIGHT .

SOON HE ROSE TO THE RANK OF A FRONT -LINE OPERATOR AND

EXPECTATIONS GREW . EVEN KENJI WAS IMPRESSED BY THE DEEP

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UNDERSTANDING HE HAD OF THE PRINCIPLES OF SPACE.
SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF HIS MIND, HE COULD VAGUELY HEAR
SOMEONE OR SOMETHING TRYING TO OPEN HIS EYES THAT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THIS MAN. KENJI WAS EITHER BLIND
OR HE WAS DEAF. HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO HIS INNER VOICE.

GREAT CARE HAD TO BE TAKEN BEFORE A COLLAPSAR JUMP WAS

MADE, AS THE SHIP COULD EASILY FALL INTO WHAT WAS CALLED A
LATENCY HOLE. ACCORDING TO SUPERLUMINAL PROPULSION
PRINCIPLES, A SO-CALLED BUBBLE OF SPECIAL SPACE WAS USED,
WHICH DID NOT MOVE, BUT SIMPLY MOVED AT THE EXPENSE OF
DISTORTING SPACE. BUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THE BUBBLE
BURST, OR TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY ITS INTEGRITY WAS VIOLATED?

AUSLANDER'S GOAL WAS TO CREATE CONDITIONS THAT WOULD

DISRUPT PROPER ENTRY INTO THE TIME TUNNEL. W OULD ANYONE
HAVE FELT? NATURALLY, YES, BUT IN PRACTICE, HE WOULD HAVE
‘WIGGLED’ OUT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AT THE LAST MINUTE. HE
MIGHT HAVE PERISHED, BUT WOULDN'T HISTORY REMEMBER HIS
DEEDS! OR SO HE HOPED!
BEFORE BOARDING THE ENZORIA, HE HAD STUDIED ALL POSSIBLE
EVACUATION PLANS FOR THE CREW ALL TOO THOROUGHLY.
EVERYTHING INVOLVED IN THE CAREFUL EXECUTION OF HIS PLAN
HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. HE WAS ALL TOO AWARE
THAT THE CYCLICAL DISTORTIONS INVOLVED W OULD PUSH THE SHIP
FORWARD. HE HAD ONLY TO UPSET THE CORRECT BALANCE
BETWEEN MATTER AND ENERGY. NOTHING MORE!

AUSLANDER WAS WELL AWARE THAT IN ORDER TO CREATE THE SO-

CALLED CONTRACTION AT THE FRONT OF THE BLADDER, THE
GRAVITATIONAL FIELD GENERATED BY THE OBJECT HAD TO BE
STRONG ENOUGH. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE EXPANSION OF THE
SPACE BEHIND THE OBJECT REQUIRED ANOTHER PREREQUISITE,
WHICH WAS RELATED TO SO-CALLED NEGATIVE MATTER. HE SIMPLY
CONSIDERED TO BREAK THE SYNCHRONICITY BETWEEN MATTER AND
ANTIMATTER IN CREATING THE BUBBLE. AND HE MANAGED TO DO IT.

215
W HEN THE SHIP BEGAN TO CONCENTRATE ENERGY AROUND ITSELF,
AS THE FIRST LINE OPERATOR IN MAKING THE HYPERSPACE JUMP, HE
DECIDED TO CHANGE SOME OF THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE
TACHYON ACCELERATOR AND SET THE THIRD STAGE TACHYON
ENGINE TO OPERATE AS A SECOND STAGE ONE. HE WASN'T SURE IF
THAT WOULD HAVE UPSET THE BALANCE AT ALL, SINCE HE'D NEVER
DONE IT . IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE STUPIDEST THING HE'D EVER
DONE. STILL, THE CHANGE IN ACCELERATION JOLTED THE SHIP IN A
WAY THAT COULDN'T HELP BUT BE FELT .

THE CREW , LED BY DOUG ENLOW WAS GIVING IT THEIR BEST SHOT ,
BUT NO ONE NOTICED THE SMALL CHANGE IN INSTRUCTIONS.
ACCORDING TO HER, THE SWITCH TO SECOND STAGE WOULD ONLY
BE FOR A SHORT TIME UNTIL THE MATTER AND ANTIMATTER LEVELS
WERE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. AT THE LAST MOMENT , IT WOULD
SWITCH TO THIRD DEGREE, JUST BEFORE ENTERING THE COLLAPSAR
TUNNEL. HOWEVER, THAT NEVER HAPPENED. THERE WAS IMMENSE
CONFUSION ON BOARD AND EVERYONE WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS
REALLY GOING ON.BUT ONLY ONE PERSON KNEW THE ANSWER FOR
SURE! AND HANS AUSLANDER! THE ROOKIE WHO
THAT MAN WAS
HAD EVERYONE IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND. THAT INCLUDED HILDA
EHRENGEILS. NOW HIS MOMENT HAD COME!
HILDA WAS ON THE BRIDGE GIVING HER ORDERS. SHE WAS NOW IN
HER ELEMENT AND WANTED TO USE THIS ONE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHINE AND IMPRESS THE WHOLE CREW . PERHAPS SOONER OR LATER
SHE WOULD RISE TO THE RANK OFFIRST ADJUTANT TO THE REAR
ADMIRAL. THAT WAS WHAT SHE WANTED WITH ALL HER HEART. SHE
PRAYED TO SOME UNKNOWN HIGHER POWER THAT SHE WOULD HAVE
AT LEAST A LITTLE LUCK. ALL THIS COULD TIP THE SCALES IN HER
DIRECTION.

THE COMMAND ROOM WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE MAIN

COMPARTMENTS - COMMAND AND CONTROL, WEAPONS AND RADAR.
NOW COORDINATION BETW EEN THEM WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
ANYTHING. W HERE WITH DIFFICULTY, WHERE WITH LUCK, THEY HAD
TO OVERCOME THE TIME-SPACE DISTORTION.

216
HILDA CAME DOWN THE BRIDGE AND GAVE FURTHER ORDERS TO
DOUG ENLOW :
- THERE ARE NO QUASARS AROUND, NOR ANY OTHER OBJECTS SUCH
AS ASTEROIDS TO PULL US TOWARD THEM AND OFF COURSE. BE
CAREFUL WITH ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU GET FROM THE
OUTSIDE. I WANT YOU TO LOOK TO ME FOR CONFIRMATION.

- 'SO TRUE,' DOUG BELLOWED AS IF HE WERE ON A FITZGERALD.

- WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE TACHYON ENGINE
STAGES. 'THEY CAN SUCKER US,' HE RETORTED IMMEDIATELY.

HILDA KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

BUT WHO KNEW THE MOST ABOUT THE
MATTER IN THAT RESPECT . IT COULD ONLY AND ONLY BE HANS
AUSLANDER. BUT WHERE HAD HE GONE?

HILDA FIXED HER GAZE ON A SMALL FIGURE WHO WAS TALKING

INTENTLY TO SOME OF THE CREW , BUT SEEMED TO BE MOVING
FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY AND SOMEHOW HEADING FOR THE
COMMAND ROOM DOOR.

- W HY ISN'T HE IN THE OPERATOR'S CABIN, SHE WONDERED. A

MOMENT LATER SHE REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. 'TRAITOR!'
SHE ROARED AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS. 'VILE SCOUNDREL!'

HANS AUSLANDER STARTED TO RUN, CONSCIOUS OF HIS ALMOST

FUTILE ATTEMPTS TO SLIP AWAY.
THEY WERE GOING TO CATCH HIM.
THEN EVERYTHING SHUDDERED, TURNED WHITE AND DISAPPEARED.
THE SHIP WAS LOST FOREVER. THE MOMENT KENJI LEFT THE
COMPARTMENTS AND FLEW OUT INTO OPEN SPACE WITH THE
SHUTTLE WAS A LIFESAVER FOR HIM, BUT HOW HAD HE ACTUALLY
SLIPPED AWAY? SIMPLY, ON AUSLANDER'S FIRST ATTEMPT , WHICH
WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, HE WAS ALREADY DOWN THE CENTRAL
CORRIDOR, WHICH WAS LOCATED JUST PAST MID-SHIP. THE CREW AT
THE FRONT OF THE SHIP, SPECIFICALLY THE COMMAND ROOM, HAD
BEEN SUCKED INTO THE TIME-SPACE TUNNEL AND DISAPPEARED
WITHOUT A TRACE. AUSLANDER WAS ALSO NO LONGER ON BOARD,
AS HE TOO WAS IN THE SAME COMMAND ROOM. W HEN KENJI HAD

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RETURNED WITH THE BURNER, THE SIMPLE CHANGE OF ENGINE
STAGE HAD CAUSED SOMETHING LIKE A TEMPORARY 'KNOCKBACK'.
KENJI WAS LUCKY HE HADN'T BEEN STUCK IN THE COMMAND ROOM
FOR TOO LONG WHILE CONDUCTING HIS IMPROMPTU INVESTIGATION.

A MOMENT LATER, THE REAR ADMIRAL DISTINCTLY FELT THE SHIP

SHUDDER. BUT THE SHIP WAS NOT YET COMPLETELY SUCKED IN. THE
TIME-SPACE TUNNEL HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO CLOSE WHEN THE
LEVEL OF GRAVITY SUDDENLY GENERATED BY THE SHIP'S
QUANTILION REACTOR REACHED THE MINIMUM REQUIRED LIMIT . IN
THAT TIME OF ALMOST FIFTEEN MINUTES, KENJI HAD MANAGED TO
MAKE IT TO THE ESCAPE POD.
TO HIS VERY GREAT GOOD FORTUNE!
AND WE KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: VICTORY

ZARAG TU, THE MOST BLOODTHIRSTY OF THE GUARRON

CHIEFTAINS, ENTERED THE DIOMEDES BASE IN THE LEARNIA
DISTRICT WITH THE SELF-CONFIDENCE OF A CONQUEROR AND
CONQUEROR, WHICH IN FACT HE WAS. HIS DIGNIFIED BEARING
SUGGESTED FROM AFAR HIS ROYAL ORIGINS. HIS HEAVY FORGED
ARMOR OF ZEGANDARIAN KEVLARITE GLEAMED DAZZLINGLY UNDER
THE SCORCHING RAYS OF THE SUN, AND HIS CAPE SPUTTERED
UNDER THE FORCE OF THE WIND. EVEN THE WAY HE HELD THE REINS
OF HIS GROANDUS BETRAYED A THREAT , TO ANYONE WHO DARED TO
REBEL AGAINST HIS AUTHORITY.

ACCORDING TO THE ANCIENT TRADITIONS OF THIS RACE, NO ONE

HAD THE RIGHT TO CHALLENGE HIS CONQUESTS. IT WAS DIFFICULT
FOR THE PEOPLE TO REALIZE THE PRINCIPLES OF HIERARCHY AMONG
THE GUARRONS, FOR THEY MEASURED AND JUDGED THEM
ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING, AND FAILED TO SEE
THROUGH THE EYES OF THE ENEMY. THEY WOULD HAVE DOUBTED
EVEN IF A GUARRON HIMSELF HAD TOLD THEM THAT THE SINGLE

218
MOST VALUABLE QUALITY FOR THEM WAS NOT VALOR OR STRENGTH,
OR EVEN WISDOM, BUT A SENSE OF UTTER INDIFFERENCE AND
CALLOUSNESS BEFORE THE ENEMY'S COPIOUSLY SPILLED BLOOD.
ONLY INDIVIDUALS CAPABLE OF FEELING NO MERCY WERE ELEVATED
TO THE THRONE OF UGROK SON. EVEN THE SLIGHTEST SIGN OF
SOFTNESS ON THE PART OF THE LEADER WAS BOUND TO LEAD TO A
COUP THAT COST THE OFFENDER HIS LIFE AND POWER.

HOWEVER, THESE CREATURES WERE NOT PRIMITIVE, AND THEY TOO

HAD CUSTOMS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF HUMANS, EXCEPT THAT THE
PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE PRONOUNCED -
NO ONE STRONGER WOULD BIND HIMSELF TO SOMEONE WEAKER AND
CARRY HIM ON HIS BACK. IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE
WOUNDED IN BATTLE WERE KILLED BY THEIR BATTLE COMPANIONS,
WHOSE LIVES THEY HAD NOT INFREQUENTLY SAVED EARLIER.

THE FOREMAN WAS GREETED SOLEMNLY WITH SHOUTS:

- UGHORNA LEGOL!

THE GUARRONS WERE AS IF INTOXICATED BY THE EXTRAORDINARY

VICTORY ACHIEVED. THE DEMOLISHED BASE W OULD REPRESENT A
VALUABLE SOURCE OF KEVLARITE, FROM WHICH THEIR SAGES CAST
ARMOR AND WEAPONS, LIKE THE MEDIEVAL MASTERS OF THE HUMAN
RACE, WHOSE EXISTENCE THEY HAD NOT EVEN SUSPECTED IN THE
PAST.

THE HIGH CHIEFTAIN DISMOUNTED FROM HIS HEAVILY ARMOURED,

NATURALLY SPIKED GROANDUS, CROSSING HIS ARMS IN FRONT OF
HIS POWERFUL CHEST .

- 'ONGURO ZENAL,' HE GROWLED. (TRANSLATED: 'VICTORY IS OURS,

IT BELONGS TO ALL.')

A MIGHTY WAVE OF APPROVING ROARS FOLLOWED THAT

STATEMENT . TO THE UNACCUSTOMED HUMAN EAR, THEY COULD
HAVE BEEN LIKENED TO SOME INFERNAL CACOPHONY OF
UNINTELLIGIBLE SOUNDS, BUT IN FACT THEY WERE FULL OF
AMUSEMENT , PRIDE, AND ELATION.

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- 'KEZANO ARDOM,' ZARAG TU BEGAN AGAIN AFTER ALL THAT
CHORUS HAD DIED DOWN, 'DISANA AR DU TOH. (TRANSLATED: ‘THE
LOOT BELONGS TO THE MOST RUTHLESS.’)

- 'NIBONO RI IMBERO ZACHI,' HE CONTINUED, THOUGH SUBTLE SIGNS

OF IMPATIENCE WERE BEGINNING TO SHOW IN THE CROWD.
(TRANSLATED: 'A TRAITOR BROUGHT IT TO US.')

EVEN THE SIMPLE RANK-AND-FILE SOLDIERS SENSED THAT TODAY'S

VICTORY WAS PIVOTAL AND WON WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
BLOOD, GUARANI AND FOREIGN. THAT IS WHY THEY WERE SILENT
AND LISTENED TO THE LAST WORDS OF THEIR GREAT LEADER.

- 'EMSHO ZHI LI OMO DAZO' (TRANSLATED: 'W E HATE TRAITORS, BUT

THERE ARE NO RULES IN WAR.') HE WAVED HIS HUGE GREEN PAW TO
INDICATE THAT ANY FURTHER TALK WAS UNNECESSARY.

THE BRUTAL CREATURES DIDN'T WAIT LONG TO BE PLEADED WITH,

BUT POUNCED MERCILESSLY ON WHAT WAS LEFT . EACH WAS FREE
TO TAKE WHAT THEY DEEMED WORTHY FOR THEMSELVES. THE
SIMPLER SOLDIERS EVEN DRAGGED AWAY THE BODIES OF THE SLAIN
HUMAN SOLDIERS TO FEED TO THEIR OWN GROANDS. THE
GUARRONS THEMSELVES, WHO HAD DEVELOPED A STRONG
PERSONAL BOND WITH THE ANIMALS ENTRUSTED TO THEM, FELT
ANXIETY WHEN THEY HAD TO FEED THEM. AND THEY CERTAINLY HAD
REASON TO - CASUALTIES WERE NOT RARE, AS THE MONSTROUS
CREATURES WERE HIGHLY UNPREDICTABLE, EVEN TO THEIR OWN
RIDERS. HOWEVER, THE SYMBIOSIS BUILT BETWEEN THEM WAS SO
ANCIENT THAT NO ONE AMONG THE MOST PROMINENT GUARRON
CHRONICLERS DARED TO STATE WITH PRECISION WHEN THE
MONSTROUS CREATURES WERE TAMED BY MEMBERS OF THEIR
RACE.

SO GREAT WAS THE CONFUSION AROUND THAT IT RESEMBLED A

BUILDING SITE OF THE DISTANT PAST , WHEN HUMAN WORKERS,
USING ONLY THEIR BARE HANDS, ERECTED ASTONISHING AND
SPECTACULAR BUILDINGS - WORKS OF ART . ONLY NOW IT WAS THE

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OPPOSITE - INSTEAD OF CREATION, DESTRUCTION REIGNED ALL
AROUND.

PRINCE NUNDRAG - THE SON OF ZARAG TU - OVERSAW ALL THE

LOOTING MOST CAREFULLY, AS SOMEONE COULD STILL STEAL
SOMETHING UNBECOMING OF HIS RANK, THUS HARMING THE ROYAL
FAMILY OF UGROK SIN.

EVERYONE EXPECTED THE PRINCE TO SUCCEED HIS FATHER ON THE

THRONE, BUT HE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF WEAKNESS OR INSECURITY
DESPITE HIS VENERABLE AGE OF 165 ZEGANDARIAN YEARS. HIS
YOUNGEST SON, NUNDRAG, WAS HIS ONLY FAVORITE, AND IT WAS
FOR THIS REASON THAT HE WAS CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN HIS
FATHER'S CAMPAIGN.

THE PRINCE WAS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM HIS PEERS, GROUNDED

ONLY IN THE BELIEFS OF GUARRON FOLKLORE. IT WAS IN THESE THAT
CONTAINED THE REASONABLE EXPLANATION FOR THE GUARRON
HATRED OF MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RACE. ACCORDING TO
LEGEND, THE TWO RACES HAD COMMON ORIGINS AND ROOTS. THE
MOTHER GODDESS MARAK TULBA HAD GIVEN LIFE TO TWO GREAT
SONS, GIMLIN ORN (THE PROGENITOR OF THE GUARRONS) AND
MIDRIEL (THE PROGENITOR OF THE HUMAN RACE). HOWEVER, THE
DIFFERENCE IN THEIR APPEARANCE BECAME APPARENT AS SOON AS
THEY WERE BORN. NOWHERE IN THE LEGEND, HOWEVER, WAS IT
STATED FOR WHAT REASONS HER YOUNGER SON MIDRIEL HAD
BECOME HER FAVORITE. W HEN SHE HAD TO BEQUEATH HER SECRET
POWERS TO THEM SHE CHOSE HIM. THIS UNEXPECTED TWIST
ANGERED GIMLIN GREATLY AND FORCED HIM TO DECLARE A DUEL ON
HIS BROTHER. THE TWO MET ON THE MYTHICAL MOUNTAIN OF ECLEC
ZON, WHERE MIDRIEL DEFEATED HIM. DESPERATE AND BROKEN,
GIMLIN RETREATED TO THE MISTY MOUNTAINS NORTHEAST OF
RODWELL. THERE, HOWEVER, HE PLOTTED HIS TERRIBLE REVENGE
AGAINST THE HUMANS. MOST OF THE GUARRON WERE INDEED
WAITING FOR THE DAY WHEN HE WOULD APPEAR FROM SOMEWHERE
AND LEAD THEM ONWARD TO CONQUEST .

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PRINCE NUNDRAG HAD SOME DOUBTS ABOUT THE LEGEND, AS
THERE WERE DEFINITELY MAJOR HOLES IN IT . BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP
HIM FROM INTERNALLY AGREEING THAT THE GUARRON WERE
CREATED SOLELY TO DEFEAT THEIR ENEMIES.

MOREOVER, HE HAD HEARD SOME DISTURBING RUMORS ABOUT THE

ORIGINS OF HIS RACE.
HE HOPED IN TIME HE W OULD BE CONVINCED
OF WHAT WAS RIGHT TO BELIEVE.

^^^

THE DESERT SEEMED TO REALLY HAVE NO END. AND THE WINDS

CONTINUED TO BLOW EVER SO RELENTLESSLY. EACH SUCCESSIVE
SAND WAVE POLISHED THE ALREADY SMOOTH AS GLASS SURFACE OF
THE NEARBY DUNES. BARELY VISIBLE TO THE EYE, GRAINS OF SAND
WERE SENT INTO INFINITY, WHERE THEY BECAME COMPLETELY
INVISIBLE, ONLY TO HAVE THIS CRUDE DANCE OF NATURE CONTINUE
AGAIN AND AGAIN. FINALLY, THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN HEAVEN AND
EARTH WAS COMPLETELY LOST AND EVERYTHING BECAME ONE. FOR
THE LAST THOUSAND YEARS HUMAN CIVILIZATION HAD DEFINITELY
CHANGED ITS COURSE, BUT THE PRIMAL LOGIC OF THE CYCLE OF
NATURE HAD REMAINED INTACT . IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WAS
PITCHED A HUGE TENT OF A VERY FANCIFUL SHAPE, RESEMBLING THE
ANCIENT BABYLONIAN ZIGGURATS ERECTED IN PRAISE OF THE GODS.
SURROUNDING IT WERE A STRONG GUARD OF GUARRONS AND A FEW
GROANDUS, WHO, UNUSUAL AS IT WAS FOR THEIR KIND, SEEMED TO
FEEL SOMETHING AKIN TO AWE, AND WERE LESS GAP-TOOTHED THAN
USUAL.

SUDDENLY THERE WAS A COMMOTION IN THE MAKESHIFT

ENCAMPMENT AS THE GUARDS CAUGHT SIGHT OF RIDERS IN THE
DISTANCE. IN A FLASH, LOUD CRIES RANG OUT ALL AROUND, AND
EVEN A FEW OF THE HUGE MONSTERS GROWLED DEFIANTLY,
STARTLED BY THE SUDDEN NOISE.

- THE PRINCE IS COMING BACK! PRINCE NUNDRAG IS ALIVE!

222
IT WAS HARD TO DESCRIBE THE 'SEMBLANCE' OF JOY THAT WAS
WRITTEN ON THE RUGGED FACES OF THOSE STERN WARRIORS AS
THEY UTTERED THOSE WORDS. AS ALREADY MENTIONED, THE
GUARRONS UNDERSTOOD CONSIDERABLY OF WARFARE, FOR IT WAS
IN THEIR BLOOD TO FIGHT. THEY WOULD WASTE NO TIME IN IDLE
TALK, FOR THEY SPOKE THE LANGUAGE OF NATURE; MOREOVER,
THEY WERE ITS ELEMENT . THE VICTOR WITH THEM WAS GREETED AS
A DEITY, BUT AT THE SPECIAL CEREMONY HIS MORTAL ORIGIN WAS
NECESSARILY EMPHASIZED. THE SIMPLE WARRIORS EVEN BELIEVED
THAT TOUCHING THE PURPLE CLOAK OF THE RULER OF UGROK SIN
WOULD BRING THEM, IF NOT HAPPINESS, AT LEAST SOME
PROTECTION AGAINST BAD LUCK.

THE DUST CLOUD OF THE APPROACHING CARAVAN WAS GROWING

LARGER AND CLEARER IN OUTLINE, AND IF HITHERTO THE GUARRONS
HAD STILL HAD SOME MISGIVINGS ABOUT A POSSIBLE HUMAN ATTACK,
BOLDLY AND CLEVERLY DISGUISED AS IT WAS, THEY WERE
COMPLETELY DISPELLED. THEIR HUGE PAWS LOOSENED THEIR GRIP
AROUND THEIR WEAPONS, ALWAYS HELD AT THE READY, BUT THE
GUARDS REMAINED EVER SO VIGILANT .

- 'I WOULD NEVER MISTAKE THE ROAR OF THE GUARRONS OF NAS

RADAL,' ONE OF THE GUARDS STANDING NEARBY GROWLED SOFTLY,
'MARK MY WORD, THIS IS A GOOD OMEN.'
- 'THE MOTHER GODDESS PROTECTS US,' ADDED ANOTHER
STANDING NEARBY.

HOWEVER, IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT ANY OF THE OTHERS HEARD HIM,

AND EVEN IF THEY DID, THEY PAID HIM NO MIND. AS BANAL AS IT
SOUNDED, IN THOSE FEW MOMENTS TIME SEEMED TO HAVE STOPPED
ITS COURSE, SO ANTICIPATED WAS THE JOYOUS EVENT THAT COULD
UPEND THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THEIR KIND. FOR A FEW SPLIT
SECONDS, EVEN THE DESERT WAS IN ABSOLUTE SYNC WITH THEIR
DESIRES TO SURVIVE AND REGAIN THEIR FORMER MIGHT , AND IT WAS
AS IF THE RELENTLESS SANDWIND OF ZEGANDARIA HAD SUBSIDED.
NATURE'S SILENCE, HOWEVER, WAS A LULL BEFORE THE STORM.

223
PRINCE NUNDRAG NEARLY LEAPT FROM HIS GROANDUS BEFORE THE
ANIMAL HAD FULLY STOPPED ITS PROGRESS, ELICITING CHEERS OF
APPROVAL FROM HIS SUBJECTS. HE WAS FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL OF
HIS PERSONAL BODYGUARDS, AS WELL AS A FEW LOOKOUTS WHO
WALKED ALONGSIDE THE CARAVAN. FARTHER ON, AS FAR AS THE EYE
COULD SEE, A LONG LINE OF GUARRON WARRIORS WAS DESCENDING
LIKE A CENTIPEDE. ONE COULD EASILY SENSE HOW MUCH THEY
DESIRED TO SEE HIM ON THE THRONE AS SUPREME LEADER. HE
HONOURED THOSE PRESENT WITH A REGAL NOD AND GROWLED
APPROVINGLY AT THEIR CONGRATULATIONS. EVEN BEFORE THEY
CAME TO THEIR SENSES, HE FLEW INTO THE HUGE TENT THAT WAS
NOT MEANT FOR MERE MORTALS, BUT ONLY FOR THE RULERS OF THE
LAST DYNASTY.

THE INSIDE OF THE TENT WAS WORTHY OF DESCRIPTION, AS IT WAS

COVERED WITH ELURIAN SKINS OF SLAIN NOBLE ANIMALS THAT WERE
ONLY FOUND IN THE MISTY MOUNTAINS, OR THAT WERE ALMOST NO
LONGER EVEN FOUND THERE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HUGE TENT
STOOD ZARAG TU, THE SUPREME LORD OF THE GUARRONS,
REGALLY.

- 'NUNDRAG, DID YOU TAKE WHAT WAS LEFT? YOU UNDERSTAND

YOURSELF THAT WE HAD TO GO BACK TO STRENGTHEN OUR
POSITION AND SECURE OUR REAR,' THE VOICE BOOMED MIGHTILY
AND IMPLACABLY.

- 'OF COURSE, YOUR MAJESTY,' PRINCE NUNDRAG WAS STRICTLY

OFFICIAL, BECAUSE THE PROTOCOL OF THE HIERARCHY REQUIRED IT.
IN PRACTICE, THE RULER STOOD HIGHER THAN THE PRINCE.
'EVERYTHING WAS EXECUTED EXACTLY AS YOU ORDERED.'

ZARAG TU NODDED, SLIGHTLY BORED, BUT CONTINUED IN THE SAME

IMPLACABLE TONE.

- W HAT DO YOU THINK OF THE FIGHTING SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE?

THEY SHOWED MORE RESISTANCE THAN WE EXPECTED. THEY EVEN
DARED TO SHOW UNHEARD OF AUDACITY AND TRIED TO HUMILIATE
OUR WARRIORS.

224
NUNDRAG WAS PRUDENT ENOUGH TO PAUSE A MOMENT AND WAIT A
MOMENT LONGER TO SEE IF HIS FATHER WAS GOING TO ADD
ANYTHING ELSE, THEN ANSWERED SLOWLY AND COMPLETELY
CALMLY.

- I THINK THIS BIOHUMAN SPECIES HOLDS A LOT OF SURPRISES, BUT

IT'S PRETTY HELPLESS WITHOUT ITS MODERN TOYS, WHEREAS A
GUARRON CAN OVERPOWER A HUMAN EVEN WITH ITS BARE HANDS,
IN ANY WEATHER.

THE KING NODDED AFFIRMATIVELY.

- HAVE YOU DISTRIBUTED THE SPOILS AMONG THE WARRIORS,

NUNDRAG?

- 'YES, YOUR MAJESTY,' REPLIED THE SON.

- THE COMMON WARRIORS BROUGHT US VICTORY, NUNDRAG, NOT

THAT TRAITOR. HE JUST HELPED THEM A LITTLE. THAT IS ALL. NEVER
FORGET THAT YOUR POW ER RESTS ON THEM AND THEIR LOYALTY.
AND NOW LEAVE ME.

THE PRINCE BOWED RESPECTFULLY AND LEFT THE TENT . OF

COURSE HE HAD DONE EVERYTHING HE HAD BEEN ORDERED, AND
MORE. BUT IT DID NOT ESCAPE HIS GAZE THAT , DESPITE HIS
FATHER'S STERN FACE, A CERTAIN DESPONDENCY PLAGUED HIM. HE
EVEN TRIED TO BANISH THAT THOUGHT , AWARE OF ITS FUTILITY.

- 'W ELL NOW WAS THE TIME TO SAVOR THE VICTORY, AND FLAUNT IT
LIKE A TROPHY.,' NUNDRAG HEARD A MOCKING VOICE BEHIND HIM.
'THERE WAS NO NEED TO EVEN TRY TO GUESS WHO THE OWNER
WAS. HIS OLDER BROTHER, KIER ZOH, STOOD A FEW STEPS AW AY
FROM HIM, BUT YOU'RE DADDY'S FAVORITE AFTER ALL. W HATEVER
THEY'RE SAYING, MAYBE IT REALLY IS TRUE THAT HE'S CLAIMING YOU
AS HIS HEIR.'

NUNDRAG PRETENDED HE DIDN'T EVEN HEAR HIM. HE DIDN 'T WANT

TO GET INTO CONFLICTS JUST TODAY. HE DIDN'T WANT TO CLOUD HIS
VICTORY. BUT HE WAS CLEARLY AW ARE THAT THOUGH CLOSE TO THE

225
TENT, THE USUAL GUARDS WERE NOT AROUND THEM FOR SOME
UNKNOWN REASON. AND SUDDENLY HE STOOD AT ATTENTION.

- 'DO YOU THINK YOU CAN COMMAND OUR GLORIOUS ARMIES,

APPEAR A WORTHY SUBSTITUTE FOR OUR GREAT FATHER?,' ASKED
KIER ZOH, BARING HIS TEETH LIKE A RABID DOG.

NUNDRAG INSTINCTIVELY GRIPPED THE HILT OF HIS HAJJAR, READY

FOR ANY UNPREDICTABLE ACTION FROM HIS BROTHER. HE KNEW THE
TWO WOULD EVENTUALLY FIGHT TO THE DEATH, FOR SUCH WERE THE
RULES OF SUCCESSION TO THE THRONE, BEQUEATHED ACCORDING
TO LEGEND BY GIMLIN ORN HIMSELF.

- 'RELAX, DON'T TAKE YOURSELF SERIOUSLY. THIS IS NOT THE TIME

OR PLACE FOR IT THOUGH. THAT WOULD BE TO SULLY THE BLOOD OF
THE ROYAL FAMILY. SOMETHING, PRACTICALLY, UNACCEPTABLE.,'
GROWLED HIS BROTHER, SLIGHTLY SCORNFULLY.

- 'I'M NOT AFRAID TO CONFRONT YOU,' NUNDRAG REPLIED CALMLY.

'YOU KNOW THAT VERY WELL.'
- 'YOU MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO VERY SOON,' KIER
ZOH GROUND OUT THROUGH HIS TEETH, MOVING AWAY WITH QUICK
STEPS.

THE PRINCE TURNED, BUT HIS BROTHER SEEMED TO HAVE SUNK INTO
THE GROUND. A HUNDRED YARDS OR SO PAST THE TENT A FEW
GROANDUS WERE LAZILY MUNCHING AWAY, APPARENTLY NOT SO
COMFORTABLE UNDER THE RAYS OF THE SCORCHING SUN DESPITE
THEIR THICK SKINS.

NUNDRAG THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT. HE REMEMBERED THAT HIS

FATHER HAD LOOKED DEJECTED, AND ONLY NOW DID HE REALIZE THE
REASON FOR IT .THE APPARENT CHALLENGE HAD STARTED THE SO-
CALLED GUARRON RITUAL, THE DANCE OF DEATH. THE TRADITION
WAS STRONGER THAN EVEN THE HIGH LORD OF THE GUARRONS AND
HE COULD DO NOTHING . MOREOVER, WHILE THE GAMES LASTED,
HOSTILITIES WITH THE ENEMY USUALLY CEASED, AND THIS COULD
MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO POSSIBLE ATTACKS BY THE HUMAN

226
RACE. THIS RITUAL GAVE THE MORE NEGLECTED OF THE SONS THE
RIGHT TO GAIN THE UPPER HAND OVER THEIR FAVORED BROTHERS
BY DECLARING A DUEL. USUALLY IT WAS NOT HELD IMMEDIATELY,
FOR THE ONE WHO ANNOUNCED THE CHALLENGE, SYMBOLICALLY
SPEAKING, TOOK THE ROLE OF ‘HUNTER’ AND THE CHALLENGED ONE
TOOK THE ROLE OF ‘VICTIM,’ NO MATTER WHAT PLACE HE OCCUPIED
IN THE LINE OF SUCCESSION. HIS STATUS WAS RETAINED UNTIL THE
MOMENT HE PIERCED THE THROAT OF HIS BLOOD RIVAL. THE WHOLE
CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME COULD HAVE LASTED EVEN A WHOLE MONTH.
OF COURSE, SUCH CASES WERE NOT AT ALL SOME KIND OF
EXCEPTION OR PRECEDENT, AS NUNDRAG STILL HAD SOME
RECOLLECTION THAT THEIR GLORIOUS FATHER HAD COME TO POWER
IN THE SAME MANNER. IN PRACTICE, IT WAS RARE FOR THE PREVIOUS
RULER TO PASS AWAY FROM NATURAL DEATH. THE GUARRONS WHO
HAD TAKEN OVER AS CO-VIEWERS ENSURED THAT OTHERS WOULD
NOT INTERFERE IN THE DUEL. THEY WERE USUALLY AMONG THE REST
AND DID NOT BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH, BUT THEY WERE
UNRESERVEDLY DEVOTED TO THEIR SOVEREIGN AND CLEARLY
UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR TASK, WHICH IN PRACTICE
MEANT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE HONOR FOR MERE MORTALS .

- 'W ELL, IF YOU REALLY WANT WAR, MY DEAR BROTHER, YOU SHALL
HAVE IT ,' HE MURMURED THOUGHTFULLY. 'EVEN THOUGH YOU PUT
OUR ENTIRE RACE IN MORTAL DANGER WITH YOUR MINDLESS
JEALOUSY AND GREED.'

THE CEREMONY OF WELCOMING THE VICTOR BEGAN ONLY WHEN

DARKNESS HAD ALMOST COMPLETELY FALLEN OVER SYNTHROS.
THE GUARRON CAMP WAS ABOUT TWO HUNDRED ZEGANDARIAN
MILES FROM DIOMEDES BASE IN A NORTH-NORTHEASTERLY
DIRECTION. LIKE WISE WARRIORS, THEY HAD LEFT THE MOUNTAINS
BEHIND, WHICH ON THE ONE HAND PROVIDED THEM WITH SAFE
COVER, AND ON THE OTHER PROVIDED A BACKUP ROUTE FOR
WITHDRAWAL BACK NORTH TO XANDERAR, OR EVEN TO THE MISTY
MOUNTAINS NORTHEAST OF RODWELL. AND THE ENDLESS
WILDERNESS BEFORE THEM WOULD PRECLUDE ANY ATTEMPT AT AN
UNRECRUITED ASSAULT . NOT THAT SUCH WAS VERY LIKELY, GIVEN

227
THE DEVASTATION THROUGHOUT THE SURROUNDING AREA AND THE
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HUMAN WARRIORS SLAUGHTERED.

- 'TIME. THE PRINCE SHOULD GET READY.' SHOUTED THE SPECIALLY

TRAINED 'HERALDS'. 'THE CEREMONY OF BLOOD BAPTISM SHOULD
BEGIN.'

EVERY VICTORY WON GAVE THE VICTOR THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF

INVIOLABILITY REGARDING HIS STATUS AS LEADER. THE ONLY THING
THAT COULD VIOLATE SUCH IMMUNITY WAS THE ‘DANCE OF DEATH,’
WHICH HAD TO BE PLAYED WITH OR WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE
PARTICIPANTS. THAT WAS WHY KIER ZOH WAS IN NO HURRY TO
ATTACK HIS BROTHER, BECAUSE THAT COULD HAVE CONFLICTED
WITH THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT TRADITION AND THAT COULD
HAVE BROUGHT DISUNITY AMONG ALL THE GUARRONS. AND EVEN HE
COULDN'T ALLOW THAT, NOT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, WHEN THE
BRAVE WARRIORS HAD FINALLY COME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN
TO AVENGE THEIR HUMILIATION AND RECLAIM THEIR RIGHT TO RULE
THIS PLANET LONG BEFORE HUMANS SET FOOT HERE. GREAT CARE
AND CAUTION HAD TO BE EXERCISED, AND THE PRINCE WAS WELL
AWARE THAT HE WOULD IN NO WAY MISS THE OPPORTUNITY
PRESENTED BY FATE OR TRADITION (AND HE WAS NOT SURE WHICH!).
THE GUARRONS MIGHT HAVE MANY PRINCES, BUT ONLY ONE KING!
THE BATTLE DRUMS OF THE GUARRONS OF NAS RADAL (AS THE
ROYAL FAMILY'S PERSONAL ELITE GUARD WAS CALLED) BOOMED
RHYTHMICALLY AND SOLEMNLY. EACH OF THEM LITERALLY BRISTLED
WHEN THEY HEARD THAT SOUND. HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY
AND TRADITION ECHOED IN EACH HARSH HUM. THESE SOUNDS WERE
SACRED TO EVERY TRUE WARRIOR, AND HE WAS WILLING TO GIVE HIS
BLOOD FOR THEM. BUT THIS TIME THE MEANING OF THEIR SOUND
WAS DIFFERENT .THEY WERE FILLED WITH PRIDE AND A SENSE OF
RESTORED DIGNITY. THEY WERE FULL OF SPARKS OF NEW HOPE.
THEY WERE GLIMMERS OF A NEW DAWN. THEIR NEW DAWN. THEIR
NEW BEGINNING.

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THE PRINCE STEPPED SOLEMNLY OUT OF THE SECOND CEREMONIAL
TENT HIS SUBORDINATES HAD PITCHED ESPECIALLY FOR HIM. ALL
AROUND, THOSE PRESENT HAD LOWERED THEIR HEADS.

HE WAS DRESSED IN A SPECIAL CEREMONIAL ROBE OF QUIZON THAT

THE SOLDIERS HAD TAKEN FROM THE BURNED AND LOOTED BASE OF
THE PEOPLE. HE WALKED SLOWLY AND WITH DIGNITY BETWEEN THE
TWO LINES OF BOWING SOLDIERS, SUBJECTS AND ONLOOKERS FROM
THE STABLE. EVERYONE WANTED TO SEE HIM UP CLOSE, ESPECIALLY
SINCE RUMORS OF THE ALTERCATION WITH HIS BROTHER HAD
SPREAD THANKS TO THE SCOUTS. EVERYONE WAS NOW AWARE THAT
A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT WAS IMMINENT , AND THIS WAS POSSIBLY
THE MOST INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT .

NUNDRAG SAT ON A MAGNIFICENT THRONE, A SPECIALLY PREPARED

BUCKET OF THE BLOOD OF SOLDIERS KILLED EARLIER SPILLING AT HIS
FEET. THE CROWD AROUND WENT ABSOLUTELY WILD. THEY KNEW
THAT NO ONE HAD THE RIGHT TO DECLARE A DUEL ON ANYONE ON A
DAY LIKE TODAY, AND NOT EVEN THE BRAVEST GUARRON WOULD
STEP UP TO THAT TRADITION.

THE YOUNG HEIR STOOD UP AND EVERYONE FELL SILENT.

MY BRAVE WARRIORS, THERE IS NO TIME FOR IDLE TALK, ESPECIALLY

WHEN VICTORY IS SO NEAR. YESTERDAY MY BROTHER KIER ZOH
ANNOUNCED A DUEL, SO EXPECT THE HUNT TO BEGIN SHORTLY. I
KNOW WELL THE TRADITIONS OF OUR GLORIOUS ANCESTORS AND
FOR THE SAKE OF THE SURVIVAL OF OUR SPECIES, I WILL LOOK TO
WIN IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND PROVE THAT I DESERVE TO BE
YOUR RULER IN THE FUTURE.

IN THE FARTHEST CORNER OF THE CAMP, A FELLOW WATCHER

OBSERVED THE CEREMONY UNNOTICED AND EVEN BEFORE IT WAS
OVER QUIETLY SLIPPED AWAY WITHOUT ANYONE SEEING HIM. HE HAD
AN IMPORTANT MISSION, ASSIGNED TO HIM BY THE PRINCE HIMSELF,
TO ASSIST HIM DURING THE HUNT , IN EXCHANGE FOR THE POSITION
OF HIS CHIEF DEPUTY. KIER ZOH HAD PREDICTABLY W ITHDRAWN AND
SUNK INTO THE GROUND. MOREOVER, TRADITION DICTATED THAT

229
AFTER THE CHALLENGE WAS ANNOUNCED, HE WOULD BE LYNCHED
BY THE SUBJECTS FOR ATTEMPTING TO USURP POWER. SO HIS LIFE
WAS IN DANGER ON THAT SINGLE DAY OF HIS BROTHER'S
CORONATION AS KING. FROM THE NEXT DAY, HOWEVER, HE
REGAINED HIS STATUS AS PRINCE, AND THE LIFE- AND-DEATH CHASE
WAS ON.

PERHAPS SUCH AN EXPLANATION OF THE CHANGE OF POWER WOULD

SOUND A LITTLE CONFUSING TO THE PEOPLE, BUT THE TRUTH WAS
THAT HIS PRINCIPLES HAD NEVER BETRAYED THE UNITY OF THIS RACE
THAT HAD STRUGGLED TO SURVIVE FOR THE LAST FEW THOUSAND
YEARS. THE W ATCHER QUIETLY WALKED PAST THE TENT OF THE
WOMEN OF NAS RADAL WHICH WAS AT THE EDGE OF THE CAMP AND
SANK INTO THE DESERT , BUT HIS INTENTIONS DID NOT ESCAPE THE
WATCHFUL EYE OF RAS TIAN, THE DAUGHTER OF ZARAG TU'S
FORMER CHIEF OF THE W ATCH. SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN, TALL
AND SLENDER, AND COVERED THE GUARRON NOTIONS OF BEAUTY.
SHE COULD RIDE FOR HOURS, SHOOT A BOW WITH NO LESS
ACCURACY THAN ANY MAN IN THE CAMP, BUT SHE POSSESSED
SOMETHING THAT VERY FEW MEN COULD BOAST - A SUBTLE
INTUITION OF THE SITUATION AND ITS POSSIBLE FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT .

THROUGH THE SCARCELY OPEN PROCESS OF THE TENT, OUT OF THE

CORNER OF HER EYE, SHE CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE LOOKOUT MOVING
AWAY, WHICH AT ONCE GAVE HER GRAVE MISGIVINGS AS TO HIS
INTENTIONS. IT WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT , DESPITE THEIR
SPECIAL STATUS AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, LOOKOUTS WERE NOT
ALLOWED TO LEAVE CAMP ON THIS CORONATION DAY, AND THIS
THIRD MAJOR TRADITION OF THE SPECIES WAS VIRTUALLY
UNBREAKABLE.

'W HO IS HE?,' SHE THOUGHT, 'I MUST TELL PAPA AT ONCE. HE'LL
KNOW BETTER THAN I WHAT TO DO.'

230
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: KEITH

KEITH AND MAJOR KETROL STRODE THROUGH THE DARK ROCK AND
SAND REGIONS OF THE NORTHERN BORDER OF SYNTHROS. THIS
TROUBLED AREA WAS ONE OF THE KEYS TO THE WAR IN GENERAL. IT
HAD WON ITS AUTONOMY BEFORE THE LAST GREAT W AR FOR AU
KAKTIR BEGAN. AND IT WAS OF ENORMOUS ECONOMIC AND
POLITICAL IMPORTANCE. THEY WERE TRYING TO USE THE LAST
MINUTES BEFORE DAWN TO FIND A SAFER HIDING PLACE. THEY KNEW
ALL TOO WELL THAT THE GUARRON HAD TAKEN OVER THE ENTIRE
SOUTHERN FRONT, AND IT WAS UTTER MADNESS TO TRY TO RETURN
TO ENSARIAN. THEY HAD BOTH BEEN THROUGH A NUMBER OF
ADVENTURES SINCE THEY HAD PARTED WITH SASIA. ONE OF THEM
HAD EVEN INCLUDED AN ATTEMPT TO TAME A HUGE GROANDUS TO
SERVE AS THEIR TRANSPORT. SOMETHING THAT , QUITE
UNDERSTANDABLY, DIDN'T WORK OUT .
THE ANIMAL NEARLY
CRUSHED THEM TO DEATH AND THEY WERE SIMPLY FORCED TO
SHOOT IT AT POINT BLANK RANGE.

'I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW NATURE COULD EVER CREATE SUCH A

CREATURE. I'D SAY WE JUST PUT IT OUT OF ITS MISERY, KEITH,' THE
MAJOR HAD SAID IN HIS TYPICAL STYLE AS HE PULLED THE TRIGGER
ON HIS ZIRAULT.

THEIR WANDERING HAD NOW BEEN GOING ON FOR NEARLY A MONTH.

TO SOMEONE BIASED, IT WOULD BE A LITTLE STRANGE WHY THEY
HADN'T MOVED AWAY FROM ENSARIAN, OR AT LEAST TRIED TO
CAPTURE A SPEEDER THEY COULD USE TO GET TO A SAFER PLACE,
BUT THE TRUTH WAS THEY HAD NO SUCH OPTION. KEITH WAS
COUNTING ON FINDING IN THE ENEMY'S UNDERBELLY, AT LEAST A
PLASMA RIFLE OR SOME MORE SERIOUS WEAPON, BECAUSE FOR
NOW THEY WERE ONLY RELYING ON THE MAJOR'S BLASTER. W ATER
WAS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM. AS DISGUSTING AS IT SOUNDED,
KEITH HAD MANAGED TO SWIPE A SMALL FILTRATION PROBE , WHICH
HE WAS ABLE TO USE TO PUMP OUT SOME OF THE KILLED ANIMAL'S
BODILY SECRETIONS AND TURN THEM INTO WATER. WELL, OF

231
COURSE, THE WATER DIDN'T TASTE THE BEST POSSIBLE UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT AT LEAST IT GUARANTEED THEIR SURVIVAL.

ONE MIGHT THINK THAT MAJOR KETROL WAS JUST A FRIVOLOUS

LOUT, INCAPABLE OF ANYTHING BUT EXCELLENT WEAPON HANDLING
AND SHAKE DRINKING, BUT TO THINK OF IT THAT WAY WOULD BE TOO
ELEMENTARY. BEHIND HIS DISGUSTINGLY FLIPPANT CHARACTER,
THE MAJOR ESPOUSED A SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE. OTHERWISE HE WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED
THE MANY BATTLES HE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN.

IT DEFINITELY GAVE HIM THE IMPRESSION THAT KEITH WAS MORE

TACITURN THAN USUAL, AS IF SOMETHING OCCUPIED HIS MIND ALL
THE TIME. THE MAJOR HAD ENCOUNTERED ALL SORTS OF ODDBALLS
IN HIS LIFE IN THE ARMY, AND WAS 'USED TO EVERYTHING' TO SAY
THE LEAST . BUT THIS TIME SOME STRANGE FEELING GRIPPED HIM
FROM WITHIN. SOMETHING SEEMED TO BE WHISPERING TO HIM TO BE
MORE ALERT THAN EVER AND NOT TO LET HIS GUARD DOWN, DESPITE
THE DECEPTIVE FEELING SUGGESTED BY THE SURROUNDING DEAD
DESOLATION, REMINISCENT OF A CALM BEFORE A STORM. FOR THE
FIRST TIME SINCE MEETING KEITH, HE WONDERED HOW WELL HE
ACTUALLY KNEW HIM. IT WAS TRUE THAT HE HAD RESCUED HIM FROM
THAT ‘CURSED GUARRON WORM,’ AS HE PUT IT , BUT GENERALLY
SPEAKING, APART FROM THAT FACT , THEIR ACQUAINTANCE DATED
BACK SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE SASIA HAD FIRST MET THEM ON THEIR
WAY OUT OF UNCLE ZENGAR'S TAVERN.

THE RISING SUN, WAS BEGINNING TO DYE WITH CRIMSON LIGHT THE
DESERT EXPANSE THAT LAY BEFORE THEM. THE VIEW WAS
INDESCRIBABLY BEAUTIFUL. THEY WERE STRUCK BY ITS PRIMAL
LOGIC. IT WAS AS IF THIS ALMOST DEAD PLANET WAS BEING REBORN
AND LIVING A NEW LIFE, MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE LAST .

- 'KEITH, DON'T YOU THINK WE'RE GOING IN CIRCLES?,' SAID THE

MAJOR, CLEARLY LOSING PATIENCE.

232
- 'MOVEMENT IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH, MAJOR,' KEITH TRIED TO
THROW IN A NOT VERY APPROPRIATE JOKE, BUT HE HIMSELF KNEW
THAT JERRY WAS RIGHT .

THE MAJOR DIDN'T ANSWER, JUST MADE A SOUR GRIMACE, MAKING

THE WORDS SUPERFLUOUS.

- 'W HAT DO YOU THINK, ENDWALKER, DID THAT GIRL MANAGE TO GET
AWAY?,' HE MAJOR SUDDENLY SNAPPED AT HIM.

- 'W HO KNOWS?,' TOSSED IN KEITH, AS IF CASUALLY, BUT INWARDLY

THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WAS NOT AT ALL INDIFFERENT TO
HIM.

THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT HER THAT KEPT HIM FROM
FORGETTING HER. IN HIS MIND SHE STOOD OUT LIKE A COLOURED
IMAGE AMIDST THE GENERAL GREY BACKGROUND. YES, IF ONLY SHE
COULD HAVE SAVED HERSELF! BUT IT WAS SO UNLIKELY.
PRACTICALLY THE WHOLE BASE HAD BEEN RAZED TO THE GROUND.
RATIONAL THINKING SIMPLY TOLD HIM THE WORST. BUT HE FELT IN
HIS HEART THAT THERE WAS STILL SOME CHANCE THAT HIS FEARS
WERE GROUNDLESS.

^^^
- 'YOU KNOW , KEITH, SOMETIMES BEFORE I FALL ASLEEP I THINK
ABOUT HOW MY HEART W ON'T BEAT ANYMORE IN THE MORNING. YOU
PROBABLY THINK I'M SOME KIND OF SENTIMENTAL FOOL, DON'T YOU?
BUT THERE COMES A TIME IN A MAN'S LIFE WHEN HE TAKES STOCK
OF ALL HIS GOOD AND BAD DEEDS,' PRONOUNCED THE MAJOR,
CLIMBING ANOTHER DUNE. THIS TIME THERE WAS SOMETHING
ALTOGETHER PECULIAR IN HIS TONE.

- 'ONE WOULD NOT EXPECT SUCH THOUGHTS FROM YOU, MAJOR,'

SAID KEITH, WITH A LITTLE GASP. 'YOU ARE A MAN WITH THE HEART
OF A LION,' HE ADDED RESPECTFULLY.

233
KEITH LOOKED OVER HIS SHOULDER FOR A SECOND, NOT SLOWING
HIS PACE IN THE SLIGHTEST. THE OLD MAN WAS PACING BARELY TWO
OR THREE YARDS BEHIND HIM.

- THIS WAR WAS NOT STARTED BY US, AND IT WILL NOT END WITH US.
DAMN IT! DON'T LET THE CURRENT MOMENT SURPRISE AND FOOL
YOU, NO MATTER WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON.

- 'MAJOR?,' MUMBLED KEITH, SLIGHTLY CONFUSED. INWARDLY HE

THOUGHT, 'W HY ARE YOU TALKING SO INCOHERENTLY?'

- I'M PERFECTLY FINE MY BOY, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEANT

IN TIME. IF WE'RE STILL ALIVE...

KEITH FELL SILENT . HE DARED NOT ASK. W ASN'T IT OBVIOUS

EXACTLY WHAT HIS WORDS WERE? OR WAS HE JUST TRYING TO
POUR OUT THE PAIN IN HIS SOUL. THE TWO WERE STILL COMPLETE
STRANGERS. AND THEY'D PROBABLY REMAIN SO. KEITH WAS UNDER
NO ILLUSIONS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT RETURN AT ALL.

- 'THIS WILDERNESS WILL END SOMETIME,' THE MAJOR SAID AS IF

WITH THE LAST OF HIS STRENGTH, AND LAUGHED. 'IT CAN'T LAST
FOREVER.'

PRESENTLY, CRAWLING ON THE DUNE LIKE LITTLE CATERPILLARS IN

THE MIDST OF THE ENDLESS WASTE, THEY HEARD IN THE DISTANCE
LOUD SHOUTS AND DRUMS. INSTANTLY THEY LAY DOWN IN THE SAND,
BURROWING JUST AS THEY HAD BEEN TRAINED IN THE SPECIALIZED
OFFICER PROGRAM, AND CROUCHED IN ANTICIPATION. KEITH PULLED
OUT HIS INFRARED BINOCULARS TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE
ENEMY. THIS KIND OF ENHANCED BINOCULARS GAVE BOTH AN
INFRARED PICTURE COMBINED WITH BIOMETRICS, SUCH AS DNA AND
VOICE RECOGNITION. THE BINOCULARS' ULTRA-MODERN
PROCESSOR CHIP IMMEDIATELY MADE A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE
AVAILABLE BIOMETRIC DATABASE AND THE ONE REGISTERED BY THE
SENSORS, AND THE INFRARED SURVEILLANCE HAD ANOTHER
FUNCTION. BECAUSE OF THE PLANET 'S THIN ATMOSPHERE, LOOKING

234
THROUGH ORDINARY MILITARY BINOCULARS OF THE PAST COULD
EVEN LEAD TO BLINDNESS.

THERE WAS ALSO NO DOUBT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON IN THE

ENEMY CAMP. BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP THEM FROM AT LEAST
LOOKING. THEIR COVER WAS STILL SOLID ENOUGH FOR THAT
PURPOSE. AND IF THEY USED IT REALLY WELL THEY MIGHT EVEN GAIN
SOME ADVANTAGE.

FOR A SECOND, THE BEAUTIFUL ORANGE-PURPLE SKY OF

ZEGANDARIA CAME BACK INTO THE YOUNG MAN'S SIGHT . IT WAS
ALREADY DAWN AND THEY HAD TO HURRY. 'SO UNREACHABLE...' RAN
THROUGH HIS MIND. IT WAS AS IF ITS RAW BEAUTY HID ANOTHER,
BETTER, UNSEEN WORLD FROM HIS VIEW . A WORLD HE ASPIRED TO
WITH THE UNCONSCIOUS LONGING NOT OF AN ADVENTURER , BUT OF
A DISCOVERER. A DISCOVERER OF A BETTER LIFE, OF A MORE
EXALTED EXISTENCE. IF ONLY THERE WAS A W AY TO GET OFF THIS
DAMNED PLANET ONCE AND FOR ALL. IN HIS MIND, IT WAS HARD TO
DESCRIBE A GREATER HELL THAN THE ONE HERE. BUT HE HAD A
MISSION THAT BROOKED NO DELAY.

HIS GUILTY CONSCIENCE MADE HIM RUSH EVEN MORE. HE HAD TO

TRY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT AN HOUR SOONER. EVEN AT THE COST
OF HIS OWN LIFE. THE YOUNG MAN HAD GROWN UP ON THIS PLANET ,
BREATHING IN THE AIR OF FREEDOM. BUT THAT AIR HAD NOT BEEN
FREE FOR A LONG TIME. THAT AIR WAS SUFFOCATING YOU.

SUDDENLY SOMETHING SEEMED TO MAKE KEITH TURN, SOMETHING

STRONGER EVEN THAN INSTINCT . MAJOR KEITHROWL HAD STUCK HIS
FACE IN THE SAND AND WASN'T MOVING. W ITH TWO MASTERFUL
LATERAL ROLLS, HE FOUND HIMSELF BESIDE HIM, HIS FINGERS
FRANTICALLY SEARCHING THE CAROTID ARTERY TO CHECK HIS
BATTLE COMPANION'S PULSE. HE ALSO CHECKED HIS W RISTS, JUST
IN CASE. THERE WAS NO DOUBT! EVEN THE SHORT TIME OF A MINUTE
OR TWO THAT KEITH HAD FOCUSED ON THE ENEMY HAD PROVED
MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR THE MAJOR'S DEMISE. IT LOOKED LIKE A
HEART ATTACK. HIS FACE HAD STILL RETAINED ITS RUDDINESS, BUT
HAD FOR THE FIRST TIME ASSUMED A SERIOUS EXPRESSION. HIS

235
FINGERS, HOWEVER, WERE CLENCHED INTO FISTS; EVEN IN HIS
ETERNAL SLEEP HE REFUSED TO SURRENDER.

- 'REST IN PEACE,' HE MURMURED SOFTLY, RETRIEVING HIS ZIRAULT

400.
THE MAJOR'S PLASMA PISTOL WAS A BIT OF AN OLD MODEL, BUT IT
WAS HARD TO FIND A W EAPON, EVEN OF THE MOST ADVANCED IN ITS
CLASS, THAT COULD RIVAL IT IN FIREPOWER. IT CERTAINLY WOULD
HAVE BEEN USEFUL. THE WIND HAD CHANGED ITS DIRECTION OF
BLOWING, AND THE SAND HAD SLOWLY BEGUN TO OVERWHELM THE
WRETCH. KEITH TORE OFF HIS IDENTIFYING PATCHES AND TOOK UP
RESIDENCE BEHIND THE DUNE AGAIN. NONE OF THE CAMP HAD FELT
ANYTHING. ‘I HAVE TO LEAVE SOON.’ WAS HIS LAST THOUGHT BEFORE
HE JUMPED OFF AND BEGAN TO DESCEND UNNOTICED ON THE OTHER
SIDE. HE WAS ENTERING THE ENEMY CAMP...

^^^
KEITH HAD DESCENDED ON THE WINDWARD SIDE, SO NO ONE HAD
SENSED HIM. THIS WAS PRACTICALLY A WELCOME SIGHT FOR HIM.
BUT THE GROANDUS HAD AN EXCELLENT SENSE OF SMELL AND
COULDN'T BE EASILY FOOLED. THEY HAD ALMOST SNIFFED HIM OUT,
BUT THE SUDDEN CHANGE OF WIND SAVED HIM FROM BEING
DETECTED.

HE TRIED TO FIND THE ROYAL TENT . BUT IT WASN'T SO EASY, NOT

BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SEE IT , BUT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST BARELY
SNEAKING BETWEEN THE OTHERS. IN A LITTLE WHILE HE WAS BEFORE
HER. THE GUARDS WEREN'T ON DUTY FOR SOME REASON. HE
WALKED IN.

ON THE THRONE IN FRONT OF HIM WAS ZARAG TU.

- 'W HO ARE YOU?,' HE CALLED OUT.

- I AM THE PARLIAMENTARIAN OF ELMBAUM.

236
- 'AH,' MEANS GORDON, STILL ACTING LIKE THAT, FROM A DISTANCE.

- 'HE TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR SECRET,' KEITH SAID, SOMEWHAT

CALMLY.

- AND DID HE TELL YOU THAT HE IS NOT A LITTLE GUILTY OF A NUMBER

OF CRIMES IN CONNECTION WITH THE ORIGIN OF OUR RACE.

- 'DON'T WORRY, I KNOW THAT TOO. THAT THE WAR AT XANDERAR

WAS LIKE CHILD'S PLAY WITH THE LAST W AR FOR AU KAKTIR. I'M
AWARE OF SOMETHING ELSE TOO. OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.,' HE
REGRETS IT .

- 'REALLY?,' ZARAG TU GAVE HIM A QUESTIONING LOOK. 'THE HUMAN

EXPERIMENTS WERE HIS IDEA. I'M JACOB W ALLACE, MY BOY. O F
FLESH AND BLOOD. BUT I LOOK RIDICULOUS DON'T I?'

KEITH DROPPED HIS EYES. HE REALIZED THAT DESPITE HIS

RECRUITMENT , HE HAD NO MORAL RIGHT TO ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST
A THREAD TO PICK UP THE CRUMBLING PIECES OF THIS PLANET. NO
MORE, NO LESS.

- 'IF WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS TRUE, THEN MY ROLE IS A VERY SAD

ONE,' KEITH SAID CONVULSIVELY, SHAKING.

-I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY. BUT THERE IS ONE CONDITION,

YOU MUST TELL ME WHERE GORDON INTENDS TO RUN OFF TO. I
KNOW HIM TOO WELL. HIS PERSONAL SURVIVAL INTERESTS HIM FAR
MORE THAN MONEY AND POWER. HE DREAMED OF BECOMING SOLE
RULER OF THIS PLANET , DID, HOWEVER BRIEFLY.

- BUT YOU ARE SO OLD. KEITH WAS SLIGHTLY CONFUSED, 'HOW IS

THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?'

- GORDON IS OVER A THOUSAND YEARS OLD AND I'M ONLY A

HUNDRED AND SIXTY. THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE ACCUMULATION OF
SO-CALLED SUBJECTIVE TIME IN THE MANY COLOSSAL LEAPS HE
TOOK TO BUILD HIS EMPIRE. THE CITIZENS OF ELOHY WERE HAPPY,

237
BUT UNAWARE OF HIS ILLEGAL TRADE WITH VARIOUS OTHER
CIVILIZATIONS AND GALAXIES.

- 'I THOUGHT WE WERE ALONE IN THIS PART OF THE GALAXY,' KEITH

SPOKE SOMEWHAT AWKWARDLY.

- 'COMPLETELY UNTRUE,' ZARAG TU OR JACOB W ALLACE

INTERRUPTED HIM. 'HE WANTED TO MAINTAIN THE ILLUSION OF
EXCLUSIVITY THAT WORKED IN HIS EYES. HE WANTED TO WIN AT ALL
COSTS. HE WANTED TO BE NUMBER ONE. RUN OVER EVERYONE AND
EVERYTHING. AND STAYED ALONE WITH HIS OWN EXCEPTIONALISM.
THE LAB IN THE NINTH QUADRANT HAD BEEN CREATED WITH HIS
VERY KNOWLEDGE, BUT IT WAS NOT ON THIS PLANET , AS GORDON
LIED, BUT IN THE TRUE COSMIC NINTH QUADRANT . GORDON DIDN'T
WANT TO RISK ANYONE FINDING OUT WHAT WAS BOTHERING THEM.
HIS PLAN FOR DOMINATION WAS IN TOO EARLY A STAGE. PRETTY
PROSAIC RIGHT ? BUT STILL COMPLETELY TRUE. GORDON COULDN'T
HAVE FRIENDS. AT LEAST NOT REAL ONES. HE LIVES ONLY WITH
HIMSELF AND FOR HIMSELF. HE'S COMPLETELY SELFISH. BUT HE HAD
TO BRING THE WHOLE PLANET TO THIS STATE AND DO SUCH GREAT
HAVOC.'

KEITH LISTENED IN SILENCE. HE WAS REALLY CONVINCING HIMSELF

THAT THE WAR HADN'T BEEN STARTED OVER SOME KEVLARITE OR
INTERRON FUEL, NOR WAS IT RACIALLY BASED, EVEN THOUGH THE
GUARRON WERE ARTIFICIALLY GENETICALLY ENGINEERED LIZARD-
MEN. AND ALL BECAUSE OF THE WHIMS OF ONE MAN. TOO BAD!

KEITH, HOWEVER, HAD DECIDED TO GO ALL THE WAY.

- 'HOW CAN I HELP YOU, YOUR MAJESTY?,' HE ASKED.

- 'ACTUALLY, THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO,' ZARAG TU

BRIGHTENED. 'I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS A MAP, ALBEIT A VERY,
VERY OLD ONE, FOR THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT. GORDON DOESN'T
KNOW ABOUT THIS LITTLE SECRET OF MINE. HE DOESN'T KNOW THE
QUADRANT EITHER. NOR DOES ALMOST ANYONE ON THIS PLANET ,
EXCEPT THE FUGITIVES WHO NEVER RETURNED.'

238
- 'SO I HAVE TO FIND HIM,' KEITH ASKED QUICKLY.

SOME FOOTSTEPS OF GUARDS COULD BE HEARD, BUT THEY WERE

STILL FAR AWAY.

- 'YOU MUST CONTACT MARK AND HIS FRIENDS,' W ALLACE TOLD HIM
CONFIDENTIALLY. 'I AM THE VOICE THAT GUIDES THEM. A FTER MY
TRANSFORMATION INTO THIS NEW LIFE FORM, THE ARCHANEANS
GIFTED ME WITH THE TEAR OF INSIGHT . THANKS TO IT, I GUIDE BOTH
MY SONS, NUNDRAG AND KIER ZOH, AS WELL AS MARK AND HIS
FRIENDS. YOU MUST FIND GORDON AND PUT THE ARMOR OF SEVA
ON HIM. THAT WILL RESTORE THE BALANCE, OR SO I HOPE.'

KEITH LISTENED MOST INTENTLY.

- 'YOUR WILL BE DONE, MY LORD,' HE REPLIED.

ZARAG TU MERELY WAVED HIM THAT HE COULD GO.

- 'I'LL KEEP THE GUARDS AWAY FROM YOU UNTIL YOU LEAVE THE
CAMP. IT'S TOO SOON FOR THE W HOLE TRUTH TO COME OUT FOR ALL
TO SEE. HERE'S THAT EBON TIARA FOR YOU. PUT IT ON THE HEAD OF
THE GROANDUS AND HE WILL LISTEN TO YOU. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO
CROSS THE DESERT ON FOOT .

- 'SO I HAVE TO GO BACK?,' ASKED KEITH.

- NO, GO BACK HOME TO UBUNDER. THEY CAN STILL GET YOU A
FLYING MACHINE THERE. ELOHY MUST BE COMPLETELY W RECKED BY
GORDON'S AMBITIONS TO SHOW THAT HE'S ALWAYS RIGHT.
KEITH BOWED AND STEPPED CAUTIOUSLY OUT OF THE TENT. TWO OR
THREE GROANDS WERE GRAZING ABOUT . HE FLUNG HIMSELF WITH A
START ON ONE OF THEM, ALMOST LYING ON TOP OF IT. THE ANIMAL
WOULD HAVE TORN HIM ALIVE, BUT THE CHIEF'S GIFT PROTECTED
HIM, AND HE BECAME MEEK AS A LAMB.

KEITH SPURRED HIM ON. SO MUCH DEPENDED ON HIM NOW . NONE

OF THE GUAROONS WENT AFTER HIM, FOR NONE SAW HIM EITHER.
THEY WERE IN THE OTHER PART OF THE CAMP, FULLY OCCUPIED IN

239
FEEDING THEIR ANIMALS, AND ALSO PLAYING AT THEIR FAVORITE
GAME OF 'ORIMO.'

THE DESERT SWALLOWED HIM UP. HE HEADED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT
TOWARDS ENSARIAN. THERE WAS THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE POLIS

MARK AND THE OTHERS W OKE UP IN A BRAND NEW PLACE. ALL

AROUND WAS BRIGHT AND QUIET, ALMOST FLESHLESS - SO
ETHEREAL WAS THE WHOLE SETTING. OUR ADVENTURERS FELT AS IF
THEY HAD BEEN REBORN, BUT IN A NEW , BETTER AND FAR SUPERIOR
FORM. ALL THE LIGHT AROUND WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE
SOLID WHITE CAPE PAUL HAD SEEN IN HIS DREAMS OR WHATEVER IT
WAS. THERE WOULD HARDLY BE A HUMAN WORD TO DESCRIBE SUCH
A THING.

HAVE WE REALLY CROSSED THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO

WORLDS?’ THE RAT BARELY SPOKE TO HIS ASTONISHED- TO-THE-
BONE COMPANIONS, WHO AT THIS POINT WEREN'T EVEN FULLY ABLE
TO COMPREHEND WHAT HE WAS SAYING TO THEM.

- 'BOYS, I'M GOING TO TELL THIS THING TO MY GRANDCHILDREN ONE

DAY,' GRANDPA JACK SNAPPED IN HIS TYPICAL COWBOY STYLE. 'I
BET THEY WON'T BELIEVE A WORD OF WHAT MY EYES SEE.'

AFTER THE EUPHORIA DIED DOWN, MARK GAVE BRIEF AND PRECISE
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE GROUP IN ORDER TO COORDINATE THEIR
ACTIONS. THEY WERE IN A NEW , COMPLETELY UNFAMILIAR PLACE
WHERE OTHER LAWS OF TIME AND SPACE APPARENTLY RULED. AND
THAT SOUNDED REALLY FRIGHTENING AT FIRST . THERE WAS SIMPLY
NOTHING OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AROUND THAT DEFIED
DESCRIPTION.

240
THEY WANDERED FOR A W HILE LONGER IN THE DENSE VEIL OF FOG -
NO ONE, OF COURSE, COULD TELL HOW LONG! - AND GRADUALLY
BEGAN TO MAKE OUT THE DOORS BARELY EMERGING IN THE
DISTANCE, LIKE THE GHOSTLY RUINS OF A LONG-SUNKEN SHIP.
INTRICATE SYMBOLS WERE ETCHED ON THEM, BUT EACH OF THE
COMPANIONS VAGUELY GUESSED THAT WHATEVER HAD CARVED
THEM HAD HARDLY DONE SO BY ACCIDENT . BUT ITS HIDDEN MEANING
THEY WERE NOT YET ABLE TO FATHOM. ONLY PAUL HAD SOME
VAGUE IDEA. THE WORDS OF THE UNFAMILIAR VOICE STILL RUMBLED
IN HIS HEAD, SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR.

THE GROUP CONTINUED TO APPROACH IN A STATE OF FULL BATTLE

READINESS, AND ALL WERE DOING THEIR BEST TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED. SUDDENLY PAUL, WHO WAS CALLING FOR THE FIRST
TIME, SOFTLY PROCEEDED:

- BOYS, SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE, DON'T YOU NOTICE THAT IT IS

TOO QUIET AROUND HERE, AND THE DOORS ARE SLIGHTLY AJAR?

ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ALL AT THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS, THEY

STRAINED THEIR HEARING TO PICK UP EVEN THE FAINTEST
VIBRATION. IN VAIN!
THE DEAD SURROUNDINGS REMAINED EVER SO
LISTLESS AND EXPRESSIONLESS.

- 'TAKE POSITION,' MARK COMMANDED QUIETLY.

- 'LET'S JUST SEND ONE TO CHECK IT OUT,' RAT INTERJECTED. 'I
HONESTLY DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE THIS PLACE. IT DULLS THE
SENSES AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE SOMETHING MIGHT POP OUT
AT YOU.'

- 'MARK LET THAT SOMEONE BE ME,' PAUL UTTERED IN A LOW

DETERMINED VOICE, 'REMEMBER WHAT THE VOICE SAID ABOUT ME.'

- 'I'M NOT LETTING MY BEST SNIPER GO WITHOUT HAVING PROVIDED

COVER,' MARK OBJECTED. 'IF IT'S GOING TO BE ANYONE, IT BETTER
BE ONE OF THE HOSTAGES.'

241
- 'THEY'VE ALREADY PLAYED THEIR PART WITH THE MINEFIELD. BUT
WE'RE DEALING WITH THINGS OF AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT NATURE
HERE. THINGS THEY CAN'T FATHOM. THIS TIME, I THINK THEY'LL BE
POWERLESS TO HELP US,' ZOLSKY'S VOICE HAD BECOME SIMPLY
UNRECOGNIZABLE.

- YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT 'S IN THERE, THAT'S TRUE. BUT IT'S TRUE
THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN THE SQUAD WHO WIELDS A SNIPER
RIFLE LIKE YOU. IF WE LOSE YOU, THAT WILL PROVIDE US WITH LONG
RANGE COVER.

- 'MARK,' SUDDENLY CALLED DURNYAM, WHOM NO ONE EXPECTED

TO EVEN FLINCH, DESPITE HIS MERITS IN DEFUSING THAT MINE, HE
REMAINED WITH THE STATUS OF HOSTAGE, 'I KNOW WHY THE DOOR
IS SLIGHTLY AJAR AND NOT WIDE OPEN.'

EVERYONE WAS STUNNED. EVEN THE HOSTAGES. HOW -HOW COULD

THIS YOUNG BOY BE AW ARE OF THIS EPHEMERAL WORLD? HE HAD
HARDLY BEEN HERE BEFORE. IN FACT , MANY OF THEM DOUBTED
THERE WAS ANY SIGN OF LIFE HERE AT ALL, DESPITE THE ELABORATE
SYMBOLS ON THE DOORS, AND WERE MORE LIKELY TO SEE IT AS THE
ABODE OF CREATURES BEYOND HUMAN CONCEPTION.

- 'IT IS NOT WITH WEAPONS THAT WE MUST ENTER, MARK, BUT WITH
A KIND WORD,' HIS EYES GLOWED WITH A SPECIAL RADIANCE AND
ACTUALLY HAD AN EFFECT ON THOSE AROUND HIM. 'SO FAR WE HAVE
PROVED THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH ALL SORTS OF TRIALS TO GET
HERE, SO THE DOORS ARE SLIGHTLY AJAR TO SHOW THE
BENEVOLENCE OF THOSE BEHIND THEM TO OUR COURAGE AND
DEDICATION, BUT TO OPEN THEM FULLY WE NEED TO REALISE THAT
THE END GOAL OF OUR JOURNEY IS IN FACT ITS TRUE BEGINNING.'

- 'I'LL BE DAMNED IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS ONE IS TALKING

ABOUT...' THE RAT MUTTERED, CONFUSION READING IN HIS GAZE,
'HE MUST NOT BE WITH EVERYONE. PAUL...'

- 'STAY STILL,' PAUL COMMANDED.

- 'LET'S HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY,' MARK CONFIRMED.

242
- 'LEAVE YOUR WEAPONS AND GO CALMLY AHEAD,' CONTINUED
DURNYAM. 'ONLY THEN WILL THE DOORS OPEN TO ADMIT US. W E ARE
IN A HOLY PLACE, LET US SHOW HUMILITY.'

- 'SINCE YOU KNOW SO MUCH, SURELY YOU ARE AWARE OF WHAT

THESE SYMBOLS ON THE DOORS MEAN?,' THE FATHER ASKED HIM
THOUGHTFULLY.

- 'I HAVE JUST TRANSLATED THEIR MEANING FOR YOU. T HEY ARE
WRITTEN IN ULTRASITHIAN, A LANGUAGE I KNOW PERFECTLY WELL.,'
THE YOUNG MAN ADDED CALMLY.

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT MARK WAS EXPERIENCING SOME HESITATION,

AS WERE THE OTHER SURVIVORS SO FAR, BUT SLOWLY AND
GRADUALLY THEY LOWERED THEIR WEAPONS. THEY UNDERSTOOD
INSTINCTIVELY THAT THE YOUTH WAS RIGHT. IF THEY WANTED TO
KILL THEM, THE ULTRAS WOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE SO. ON THE
OTHER HAND, EVERYTHING AROUND WAS SO STRANGE THAT A
PERSON WHO CAME TO SUCH A PLACE COULD ASSUME THAT
EVERYTHING WAS POSSIBLE HERE.

- 'W ELL, WELL, YOU LEAD US THEN,' MARK'S VOICE HAD BECOME
SOFT AND SEEMINGLY DISEMBODIED. 'AND WE - WE'LL FOLLOW YOU.'

EVERYONE'S WEAPONS THUDDED TO THE GROUND IN THE

FLESHLESS MIST . THE HANDS THAT HAD SHED SO MUCH BLOOD,
INCLUDING INNOCENT BLOOD, RELAXED MEEKLY. THE SOUL -
THIRSTING FOR PEACE - BOWED.
THEN, MOST UNEXPECTEDLY, THE DOORS CREAKED AND SLOWLY
OPENED.

243
'I MUST NOT WASTE MY DAYS TRYING TO PROLONG THEM. I MUST USE
MY TIME.'

JACK LONDON

^^^
- 'W ELL?,' THE VOICE ASKED HIM. 'W AS THAT WHAT HE WAS
EXPECTING?'

- 'I NEVER THOUGHT SUCH A THING COULD HAPPEN!,' EXCLAIMED

PAUL.
- 'IT'S THE SO-CALLED TIMELINE. OR A SCENE OF INCESSANT
REPLAY,' REPEATED THE VOICE.

- 'SO THIS SCENARIO WILL REPEAT ENDLESSLY?,' ASKED PAUL, WHO

HAD STUDIED ENOUGH PHYSICS, AND QUANTUM PHYSICS AT THAT .

- YOUR WORK IS ALMOST COMPLETE, BUT ONLY IN ITS FIRST PART.

YOU WERE IN THE ROLE OF ATTRACTOR.

- 'HUH? 'W HAT?,' ALMOST SHOUTED PAUL.

MARK AND THE OTHERS W ERE ABLE TO HEAR THE VOICE QUITE
CLEARLY NOW . THEY DIDN'T NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM
THAT THIS WAS THE SAME VOICE PAUL HAD SPOKEN TO THEM ABOUT
WHEN HE HAD DISAPPEARED FOR A FEW HOURS.

- YOU ARE THE ONE AROUND WHOM THE SYSTEM REVOLVES, AS YOU
DETERMINE ITS DEGREES OF FREEDOM.

- 'BUT HOW COULD IT HAVE COME TO THIS?,' SAID PAUL, SOMEWHAT

INDIGNANTLY.

- 'IT'S VERY SIMPLE,' THE VOICE REPLIED. 'APART FROM YOUR INNATE
TELEPATHIC ABILITIES, YOU BECAME AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS
CAUSAL CYCLE AFTER YOU KILLED VOLTARIAN.'

244
- 'EXCUSE ME?,' PAUL MUTTERED.

- 'YOU HEARD ME CORRECTLY. YOU KILLED HIM,' THE VOICE

REPEATED IN A SLIGHTLY ADMONISHING TONE.

- 'W HO IS HE?,' INTERJECTED HER MARK.

THE VOICE PRETENDED NOT TO HEAR HIM. BUT THIS SILENCE WAS
DOWNRIGHT ICY.

- ULTRA CITY IS NOT WHAT JACOB W ALLACE TOLD YOU IT WAS. AS

YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF, IT'S A ZONE OF PECULIAR ANOMALY IN
SPACE-TIME. ACCORDING TO THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE , THERE
MUST BE OBSERVERS. THE ARCHANAEANS WERE SOARING HIGH IN
THE SKY. THEY WERE MOST COMFORTABLE DOING SO. THE PROBLEM
IS, YOU'VE ALREADY KILLED A LOT OF THEM. AND DELIBERATELY AT
THAT. FOR WHICH, BY THE WAY, YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE!

- 'YOU MEAN WE BROUGHT ALL THIS IMBALANCE ON OURSELVES JUST

BY SHOOTING A COUPLE OF NOTHING AND NO CHICKENS THAT WERE
ABOUT TO KILL US,' THE RAT NEARLY SCREAMED. 'W HAT DOES THAT
LOOK LIKE ? THAT VOICE, IF IT'S GOING TO BE A WHISTLE, SEEMS TO
BE MOCKING US MAYBE!'

MARK THOUGHT . AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, HE REFUSED TO

TAKE ANY PART IN THE ARGUMENT .

- 'IT IS TOO OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A HIGHER ORDER THAN THE

MATERIAL WORLD IN WHICH WE CURRENTLY FIND OURSELVES,' THE
VOICE CONTINUED. 'YOU'VE BEEN OVER HALF THE PLANET, YOU'VE
KILLED A LOT OF BASTARDS, YOU CAN EVEN SENSE IT INTERNALLY,
AND YOU KEEP DENYING IT. I WONDER IF I SHOULDN'T FEEL SORRY
FOR YOU. BUT STILL. HERE THE VOICE BECAME SERIOUS, ‘STILL, I'LL
TRY TO HELP YOU, AS I DID BEFORE. YOUR WORK ISN'T OVER YET ,
AND IT WON'T BE OVER SOON.'

- 'YOU'RE TELLING US ABOUT SOME PARALLEL WORLDS,' GRANDPA

JACK DARED TO ASK, 'EVEN A COWBOY LIKE ME KNOWS THAT
PHYSICISTS PROVED IT CENTURIES AGO. W E CAN EVEN PERFORM

245
COLLAPSAR JUMPS. TO WARP SPACE. BUT ONLY THE PEOPLE IN HIGH
COMMAND HAVE ACCESS TO THESE DELIGHTS. W E'RE JUST PAWNS
AND CANNON FODDER. NOTHING MORE!'

- 'IT'S OBVIOUS YOU KNOW NOTHING. IT'S EVEN OBVIOUS,' THE VOICE
UTTERED WITH SOME POORLY DISGUISED TENSION. 'YOU COULD
HAVE DIED HUNDREDS OF TIMES. YOU COULD HAVE NEVER EVEN
GOTTEN OUT OF THAT SPACE-TIME ANOMALY, RATHER REMINISCENT
OF A BLACK HOLE, BUT EXTREMELY DIFFERENT FROM IT . AND YOU
KEEP REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE OVER AND OVER AGAIN . W HY?'

DURNYAM, WHO HAD LED THEM HERE, AND HAD READ THE WRITING
ON THE DOOR, WAS ALSO SILENT . HE FELT THE VOICE WAS RIGHT . IT
WAS NOT AS THEY IMAGINED IT. QUITE THE CONTRARY.

- 'W ELL, TELL US,' SAID MARK, 'IF YOU ARE THE SUPREME MIND, AND
WE HAVE COME TO ULTRA CITY TO FIND THAT IT NEVER WAS, IF WE
HAVE WILLINGLY OR UNWILLINGLY DONE ALL YOUR BIDDING ALONG
THE WAY, AT LEAST TELL US WHERE JACOB W ALLACE IS , OR AT
LEAST WHAT IS LEFT OF HIM?'

- 'W ELL, THAT I CAN NO LONGER TELL YOU,' THE VOICE STAMMERED
OPENLY. 'YOU'LL HAVE TO FIND HIM YOURSELF, AND THEN YOU'LL
FIND OUT THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT 'S REALLY GOING ON
AROUND YOU AND WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW . SO FAR YOU HAVE
ONLY FOUND OUT HALF. THE BANDAGE IS STILL ON YOUR OTHER EYE
AND IS PREVENTING YOU FROM SEEING THE WHOLE PICTURE.'

- 'I THINK IT'S TIME TO GO HOME,' SAM W ALLACE CALLED SOMEWHAT

UNSTEADILY. 'IT'S OBVIOUS WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY OTHER
HELP HERE.'

- 'I THINK WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOME. AND ULTRA CITY DOES EXIST,
BUT NOT IN THE MATERIAL SENSE.,' MARK SPOKE QUITE
CONFIDENTLY. 'AND WHEN WE FIND JACOB, IF WE FIND HIM,
EVERYTHING WILL FALL INTO PLACE AND THE PUZZLE WILL FALL INTO
PLACE.'

- 'EXACTLY,' THE VOICE AGREED, AND SAID NO MORE.

246
THE WHOLE SCENE AROUND THEM COULD NOT BE COMPARED TO
ANYTHING THEY HAD SEEN BEFORE. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY
INTANGIBLE. IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
BUT THIS TIME IT COULDN'T BE CALLED ‘NOTHING’ AT ALL. THEY HAD,
APPARENTLY, PASSED INTO THE NEXT INTELLECTUAL LEVEL, AND
PERCEIVED THE ENVIRONMENT DIFFERENTLY. THAT IS, IT WAS
BECOMING MORE AND MORE MATERIAL, BUT IT REMAINED
IMMATERIAL AT THE SAME TIME. IT WAS QUITE DIFFICULT TO
DESCRIBE! MAYBE THEY WERE BRAND NEW PEOPLE NOW , MAYBE
NOT! W HO KNOWS TIME WAS GOING TO TELL!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: ELOHY

ELOHY EMBODIED THE MORE PROGRESSIVE VIEWS OF THE WESTERN

PART OF THE PLANET , FOR THE LOGIC OF SURVIVAL THERE WAS BUILT
ON RAW COMPETITION RATHER THAN BROTHERHOOD AND EQUALITY.
THE BUSINESS MODEL OF THIS EMPIRE WAS BORROWED FROM THE
ANCIENT ANCESTORS WHO LIVED BEFORE THEM IN THESE LANDS -
THE IMMIGRANTS. THE CAPITAL CITY WAS NAMED IN THEIR HONOUR.
BUT STRANGE AS IT WAS, THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN
THESE ANCIENT INHABITANTS AND IT OTHER THAN THE NAME AND THE
BUSINESS MODEL MENTIONED. HOW SPECIAL THE CITY ITSELF WAS
COULD BE JUDGED BY A FEW CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES THAT
IMMEDIATELY STOOD OUT.

FIRSTLY, UNLIKE ENSARIAN, GREENERY WAS NOT ABUNDANT HERE,

BUT THAT DID NOT MAKE THE CITY ANY LESS BEAUTIFUL, ON THE
CONTRARY IT GAVE IT A KIND OF TECHNOCRATIC CHARM THAT HAD
CONTRIBUTED PARTICULARLY MUCH TO ITS REPUTATION AS A
SETTLEMENT OPEN TO THE ENTIRE GALAXY. ITS POPULATION WAS
SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THAT OF ITS RIVAL, BUT IT WAS SPREAD
OVER AN AREA NEARLY TWICE ITS SIZE. THEREFORE, ULTRAMODERN
AND ULTRATALL BUILDINGS AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER
CONSTRUCTIONS WERE IN ABUNDANCE AND COULD DEFINITELY

247
ANCHOR THE GAZE OF ANY NEWCOMER WITH THEIR RAW BEAUTY.
THE CAPITAL'S MAIN INCOME CAME FROM TRADE IN INTEROVORE
FUEL AND ZEGANDARIAN KEVLARITE, BUT ALSO FROM COLONIZING
CERTAIN RESOURCE-RICH AREAS OF THE PLANET, SUCH AS THE
AUTONOMOUS REGION OF SYNTHROS. BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING
IN WHICH ITS RULERS HAD NEVER SUCCEEDED, NAMELY THE
TRANSITION FROM COMMODITY TO INTELLECTUAL CAPITALISM.
THINGS WERE STILL TOO MATERIALISTIC, AND RESOURCES WERE
DEPLETING FASTER THAN THE GROWING POPULATION.

ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC WAS THAT ALL BOYS OVER THE AGE OF

FOURTEEN WERE REQUIRED TO JOIN A SPECIAL UNIT CALLED THE
YOUNG LIONS OF I MGRADON, FROM WHICH, AFTER AN INTENSIVE SIX
YEARS OF GRUELING TRAINING AND DRILL, AND AFTER
SUCCESSFULLY PASSING AN EXAMINATION, THEY EMERGED AS THE
‘ANGELS OF IMGRADON,’ THE FOREMOST DEFENDERS OF THE
WELFARE AND SECURITY OF THIS PLACE. LAST BUT NOT LEAST ,
VALOR AND HONESTY WERE HONORED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT , BUT
THE FREE EXPRESSION OF FEELINGS WAS NOT . THE YOUTHS COULD
NOT PLAY TOGETHER IF THEY CHOSE, BEING TOO BUSY WITH MORE
IMPORTANT THINGS TO FILL THEIR TIME, AND CHOSEN BY THEIR
PARENTS.

THANKS TO ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC WORK AND RELIANCE ON THE

HAPLOID CHROMOSOME SET, ALMOST UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES
WERE AVAILABLE TO REMOVE CERTAIN DEFECTIVE OR NON-
FUNCTIONAL GENES IN THE RESPECTIVE HOMOLOGOUS PAIRS, AND
PARENTS IN PARTICULAR HAD THE RIGHT TO ORDER THE ISOLATION
OF GENES RELATED TO THEIR CHILDREN'S AGING PROCESS. AS A
RESULT, EACH FAMILY HAD ON AVERAGE ONE CHILD AND BIRTHS HAD
BECOME RELATIVELY RARE. GROWTH WAS ALWAYS PERSISTENTLY
POSITIVE, DUE TO THE EXTREME INCREASE IN LIFE EXPECTANCY.
W HICH, IN TURN, CREATED SOME ANXIETY. AND PERHAPS RIGHTLY
SO!

NO LESS PERPLEXING WAS THE SO-CALLED TRANSPLANTATION OF

MEMORIES. PARENTS WANTED THEIR CHILDREN TO BE PROUD OF

248
THEIR ANCESTORS AND COULD ORDER THIS BEFORE BIRTH ITSELF,
WHEREBY TRAINED BIOENGINEERS MADE THE APPROPRIATE
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE EMBRYO'S DEVELOPMENT . IT WOULD
DEFINITELY SEEM A BIT FRIGHTENING IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG.
BUT THE BIRTH CONTROL COMMISSION THAT WAS FORMED FOR THIS
PURPOSE WAS THE LINCHPIN OF THIS WHOLE POLICY THAT WAS
BEING PURSUED. A POLICY OF EXPANSION AND DOMINATION, BUT
ALSO A SENSE OF INSULARITY DESPITE ALL THIS COSMOPOLITANISM.

ANY ALIENS THAT CAME FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE GALAXY WERE
WELCOME, BUT NOT CIVILIANS FROM THE OTHER SURFACE POLITIES
OF ZEGANDARIA. THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY TREATED AS SPIES AND
SUSPECTED. THAT WAS WHY NO ONE DARED TO STEP FOOT IN THE
POLIS JUST THEN. THE NARENZIAN CHIPS GUARANTEED FULL
TRACEABILITY OF ANY CITIZEN IF MORE SERIOUS SUSPICIONS AROSE
OF COLLABORATION WITH CERTAIN ENTITIES OR OF A FORGED
CITIZENSHIP. IT WAS JUST ABOUT THE EASIEST WAY TO GET A TICKET
TO LEAVE THE PLANET IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DARK QUADRANT,
WHERE NO ONE'S JURISDICTION COULD CATCH MISCELLANEOUS
FUGITIVES OR CRIMINALS LOOKING FOR A LAST CHANCE TO SURVIVE.

THIS SUPER-DEVELOPED CITY-STATE WAS, AS THE MILITARY

TRIBUNAL OF IMGRADON LIKED TO POINT OUT, ‘MADE TO LAST.’ AND
NOTHING WAS ABLE TO UNDERMINE ITS GREATNESS, STRENGTH, AND
MOST IMPORTANTLY, ITS FUTURE PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT .

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE SPECIAL ABOUT ITS ATMOSPHERE,

WHICH FILLED THE CHEST WITH A YOUTHFUL CASUALNESS, IF
SOMEWHAT SUBDUED BY ALL THE SNOBBERY AND ILL-DISGUISED
MILITARY AGGRESSION. IT WAS ‘THE FEELING OF A BLUE SPRING.’ OF
LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES FOR THE YOUTH WHO WANTED TO DEVELOP.
OR AT LEAST THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD. THE CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT WAS GIVING OUT RATHER LARGE, IF NOT
PARTICULARLY SELFLESS, GRANTS FOR ALL SORTS OF PROJECTS.
THANKS TO THEM, THE MAERX STREET REFINERIES WERE BUILT . A
SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE POPULATION OF THE POLIS WORKED
THERE. THE URUS ONX SPACEPORT WAS ANOTHER SIMILAR

249
EXAMPLE. BOTH PROJECTS WERE THE WORK OF YOUNG AND
ENTERPRISING PEOPLE WITH A STRONG DESIRE TO CHANGE THIS
PART OF THE PLANET . BUT IT WAS ONLY CLEVER MANIPULATION THAT
STIMULATED THEIR GENIUS. LATER, EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN FROM
THEM IN THE MOST RUTHLESS WAY, TO BECOME THE PROPERTY OF
THE CITY'S SOLE RULER, GORDON ELMBAUM.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS WERE HIGHLY VALUED AND TOLERATED BY THE

MIDDLE CLASS OF THE POLIS. THEY WERE ANOTHER OF SEVERAL
POSSIBLE PATHS FOR ADVANCEMENT . ALBEIT A FALSE ONE. IT
SIMPLY CREATED OBEDIENT PAWNS IN THE HANDS OF THE
GOVERNOR OF IMGRADON. PAWNS RULING OTHER PAWNS. IN THEIR
OWN MADNESS FOR SUPREMACY AND PROSPERITY.

BUT THERE EXISTED A CATEGORY OF CITIZENS WHO WERE OUTSIDE

ITS BOUNDS AND WERE DOWNRIGHT DESPICABLE. NO ONE SPOKE
FOR THEM. AND EVEN PRETENDED NOT TO NOTICE THEM. THESE
WERE THE MADMEN CONFINED TO ST. JOSEPH'S CLINIC.

YOUNG LIONS OF I MGRADON CADET SCHOOL

TIME: UNKNOWN

LOCATION: UNKNOWN

STATUS: TOP SECRET

^^^
- 'YOU NEED TO HIT THE ENEMY HARDER,' ENSIGN PIERCE SHOUTED
TO THE YOUTHS, FORCING WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT THE TRAINING
BEANBAGS FILLED WITH QUIZON AND KEVLARITE AND MIMICKING THE
HUMAN BODY. - EVEN MY GRANDMOTHER HAS MORE STRENGTH
THAN YOU, AND SHE'S DEFINITELY GETTING ON IN YEARS.

250
- 'W E'RE GIVING IT OUR ALL, SIR,' ONE OF THEM BARELY DARED TO
MUTTER.

- 'MOOOO?!,' ROARED THE ENSIGN. 'W ELL APPARENTLY NOT

ENOUGH!TRY HARDER,' HE ADDED CLUMSILY.
- NO MORE OF THE GROUP CALLED HER. THE SILENCE WAS
DOWNRIGHT MURDEROUS AND DID NOT BODE WELL.

- 'BESIDES, HERE YOU HAVE A SACK OF EVERYTHING AGAINST YOU,

AND DOZENS AND EVEN HUNDREDS OF OPPONENTS AWAIT YOU ON
THE BATTLEFIELD. NO ONE IS GOING TO ATTACK YOU SINGLE-
HANDEDLY, SO GET OFF YOUR ASSES! AND THAT'S AN ORDER!,’ HE
FINISHED HIS OMINOUS TIRADE, TURNING HIS BACK ON THEM.

AS THE TRAINING WAS TAKING PLACE IN A WELL-ISOLATED HALL,

WHICH PRYING EYES COULD NOT REACH, ALL THIS WAS BEING DONE
WITH THE UTMOST EXPEDIENCY, FOR AFTER THE GENERAL PHYSICAL
TRAINING, THERE WERE LATER TO BE CLASSES IN SPECIAL
MARKSMANSHIP, LASER-CUTTER COMBAT , AND ALSO SOME
DIVERSIONARY ACTIVITIES.

- 'AS LONG AS YOU ARE HERE, I WANT YOU TO GIVE ONE HUNDRED
AND TEN PERCENT . AND NO THOUGHT OF WOMEN, FUN OR
DRINKING,' HIS VOICE BOOMED AGAIN FROM THE OTHER END OF THE
HALL AS HE HAD MOVED AWAY TO OBSERVE THE OTHER GROUP'S
TRAINING.

THE EYES OF TWO OF THE TRAINERS WERE WATCHING HIM VERY

SERIOUSLY AND RESPONSIBLY, AND WHEN THE DISTANCE WAS SAFE
THEY STRUCK UP A SUBTLE CONVERSATION.

- 'THIS ONE'S TAKING HIMSELF FAR TOO SERIOUSLY,' DUOLORS

MUTTERED DEVILISHLY. AS HE SAID THIS, HE KEPT POUNDING THE
SACK AS IF HIS LIFE DEPENDED ON IT . JUST TO MAKE YOU FEEL
EXPENSIVE!

- 'MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T HEAR YOU, OR YOU'LL HAVE A FIT ,'

RODRIGO MUTTERED FROM UNDER HIS NOSE.

251
- 'SHALL WE DROP IN TO OUR PLACE TO-NIGHT?' TOSSED DUALLERS.

- 'NOT TONIGHT, I HAVE A MEETING WITH BECKY, I'M BUSY,' RODRIGO

MUTTERED BREATHLESSLY, 'FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO COME WITH
YOU. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER GUYS HERE. I'M SURE SOMEONE
WOULD STILL AGREE TO HAVE A DRINK.

- 'YEAH, BUT THEY'RE NOT FUN LIKE YOU. I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO
BE BORED,' DUOLORS TOSSED IN.

- 'SOME OTHER TIME INDEED,' RODRIGO REPLIED SERIOUSLY.

THEY WERE ABOUT TO WRAP UP GENERAL PHYSICAL FITNESS

TRAINING AND MOVE ON TO MORE SPECIALISED MARKSMANSHIP AND
DIVERSIONARY EXERCISES. CERTAINLY NONE OF THOSE WILLING
WERE WILLING TO WASTE ANY TIME, BECAUSE THE SOONER THEY
FINISHED, THE SOONER THEY COULD GET DOWN TO THE CITY AS
CIVILIANS AND RELAX FOR A WHILE. MOST LIKELY IT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN FOR THE LAST TIME, AS THEY WERE NEARING THE END OF THEIR
SIX-MONTH INTENSIVE TRAINING PERIOD IN WHICH THEY WOULD BE
PUT UNDER THE MOST EXTREME CONDITIONS POSSIBLE BEFORE
ENTERING ACTUAL COMBAT. THEIR TRAINING SCHEDULE HAD
BECOME RATHER MORE CHAOTIC, BUT NO LESS EFFECTIVE.
UNCONVENTIONAL FIGHTERS COULD NOT BE CREATED WITH
CONVENTIONAL AND HALF-HEARTED TRAINING METHODS. AND EVEN
A JUNIOR INSTRUCTOR KNEW THAT.

- 'RECRUITS, WE'RE RAISING THE PIGEONS,' LAUGHED ENSIGN

PEARCE AFTER A MOMENT , COMING AROUND THE CORNER, 'I HOPE
YOUR SPIRITS HAVEN'T GOT TOO HIGH. BECAUSE IT 'S IN DANGER OF
BECOMING EVEN MORE SO...'

- 'AND WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW , COMRADE EPHRAIMITE?,'

SOMEONE FROM THE GROUP TURNED AROUND.

- 'BOYS,' HE MADE A MEANINGFUL FACE, 'AND LET ME TELL YOU, YOU

WON'T UNDERSTAND ME, BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER, EVER BEEN
THERE.'

252
- 'RIGHT, SO TRUE, SIR,' THE CADETS SHOUTED IN CHORUS.

NO ONE ELSE GUFFAWED AND ASKED ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTIONS.

ON ONE SIDE OF THE HALL AROUND THE SYNCRANIAL HATCHES,
WHICH HAD AN ADDITIONAL AND REINFORCED COMMONALITY, WAS
WAITING FOR THEM A SPECIAL ZIRUARX (AN ASYMMETRICALLY
SHAPED ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER WITH A SHIFTED CENTER OF
GRAVITY MADE OF SPECIAL COMPOSITES USED ONLY BY THE
MILITARY).

- 'THERE WON'T BE ROOM FOR EVERYONE IN IT,' ADDED ENSIGN

PIERCE. 'MY WORK IS DONE. BUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW RIGHT
NOW IS THAT YOU ARE BEING GIVEN THE CHANCE TO CHOOSE WHICH
OF THESE ZIRUARXS YOU WILL GO WITH. THERE WILL BE FORTY IN
ALL.'

THE BOYS WERE FROZEN IN THEIR POSTURE PEACEFULLY, LISTENING

MOST ATTENTIVELY. THIS TURN OF EVENTS W AS RATHER
UNEXPECTED, FOR THEIR TRAINING W AS PRACTICALLY OVER, AND IT
DID NOT BODE WELL.

- 'YOUR CHOICE OF GENERALITIES WOULD NOT BE VERY GREAT, AS

IT WAS A MATTER OF A TIME DIFFERENCE OF AN HOUR OR HOUR AND
A HALF UNTIL THE OTHERS ARRIVED.,' HE CONTINUED WITH A LITTLE
BOREDOM.

- 'SO WHO WILL BE FIRST ?,' HIS VOICE TRAILED OFF SLIGHTLY.

FROM THE GROUP,

RODRIGO, DUOLORS AND A FEW OTHER GUYS
RAISED THEIR HANDS. NOT TOO VIGOROUSLY AND NOT TOO
LANGUIDLY, COMPLETELY IN THE SPIRIT OF MILITARY TRADITION.

- 'W ELL, THAT SETTLED THEN, I HAND YOU OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE

FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.,' AS IF TAKING A LOAD OFF HIS
SHOULDERS HE UTTERED AND TURNED HIS BACK ON THEM, LEAVING
THE HALL THROUGH ONE OF THE SYNTH HATCHES.

- 'I DON'T THINK YOU'LL HAVE TIME TO SEE BECKY,' DUOLORS

PRONOUNCED THOUGHTFULLY.

253
THE SERGEANT WHO EMERGED FROM THE ZIRUARX WAS ONLY
SLIGHTLY SHORTER THAN THE BATTERED BUT NONETHELESS TALL
BODY OF THE ENSIGN. MAYBE BY ABOUT TWO INCHES. HE HAD A
RATHER UNDEFINED FACE, AS IF HE HAD BEEN MOULDED ON A
MOULD, AND GENERALLY INSPIRED A GOOD DEAL OF RESPECT . HIS
GAZE WAS SLIGHTLY ALOOF, AND IF ONE WERE TO LOOK AT HIM
CLOSELY, ONE WOULD OUTRIGHT SCREAM, SO GLASSY WERE HIS
EYES.AND YET THE WEARINESS DIDN'T SEEM TO SHOW . HE NIMBLY
LEAPT FROM THE OPENING OZARI HATCH, CROUCHED, AND DEFTLY
STOOD TO PAY HIS RESPECTS.

- 'HELLO CADETS, I'M SERGEANT ZORIN, WHO ARE WITH ME?,' HE

STEPPED TO THE POINT .

RODRIGO, DUOLORS AND THE OTHERS APPROACHED HIM. FROM

NOW ON HE WAS THE MAN WHO HAD THEIR DESTINY. AT LEAST FOR
THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS.

- YOU COULD SAY YOU HIT THE JACKPOT. LET'S GO, WE HAVE NO TIME
TO WASTE. I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING TO BE TOGETHER.

INSTANTLY EVERYONE CRAMMED INTO THE 'RUMP' OF THE ZIRUARX

AND OFF IT WENT .
SINCE ITS ENGINE WAS POWERED BY INTERRON
FUEL AND NOT ANTI-GRAVITY LIKE THAT OF THE NIRANGAITERS, ITS
SPEED OF TRAVEL WAS DEFINITELY LOWER, BUT ITS
MANEUVERABILITY AND ABILITY TO FIND FIRE FROM A VARIETY OF
ANGLES WAS PROVERBIAL. AND THE INFANTRY TROOPS DEFINITELY
BENEFITED FROM THIS FACT TO THE GREATEST EXTENT . IT WAS
BECAUSE OF THIS THAT THESE FORMIDABLE FIGHTING MACHINES
WERE THE BACKBONE OF FIREPOWER. EACH WAS CAPABLE OF
CARRYING UP TO EIGHT MEN AT A TIME AND HAD OXYGEN AUTONOMY
FOR UP TO SIX DAYS WITHOUT REFUELING. THE ARMOR WAS
CONSTRUCTED OF A SPECIAL COMPOSITE OF KEVLARITE, NANO-
BASED CARBON FILAMENTS, AND ALSO SILICON ARONAULT THAT
ONLY THE MILITARY HAD ACCESS TO. HOWEVER, THE INSIDE OF THE
WAR MACHINE WASN'T ENTIRELY UNCOMFORTABLE, AND IT WAS STILL
KIND OF ANNOYING IF ONE WAS USED TO THAT LEGENDARY SPINNING
LIKE IN A CENTRIFUGE.

254
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: BECKY

BECKY MORNINGALE WAS CROSSING THE CENTRAL SQUARE OF THE

POLIS, WHICH WAS REMARKABLE IN ITSELF, AT A FAST PACE. A DOZEN
FEATHERLESS ARCHONS, FOR INSTANCE, SOARED HIGH ABOVE THE
BUILDINGS. THEY WERE DRUGGED AND THEIR LEGS WERE BOUND
WITH SPECIAL ZERETHIUM THREADS, THIN AS SILK AND STRONGER
THAN TITANIUM, LEST THEY ACCIDENTALLY ATTACK PASSERSBY.
THIS PECULIAR AND, TO SAY THE LEAST, ECCENTRIC CONTRIVANCE
WAS, OF COURSE, A FIGMENT OF THE SICK FANTASIES OF GOVERNOR
GORDON ELMBAUM, WHO WAS NOW IN HIS FIFTH TERM OF
GOVERNING THE ENTIRE CONURBATION, AND WHOSE MAIN IDEA WAS
TO SHOWCASE IMGRADON'S DOMINANCE AS THE NUMBER ONE
SUPERPOWER ON THE ENTIRE PLANET!

THE GIRL WAS DRESSED IN A LIGHT AND LOOSE JACKET AND A THIN
SHEER DRESS, PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE SEASON, BUT
SOMEHOW CONTRASTING BRIGHTLY WITH THE ALL-OVER GREY
BACKGROUND. SHE WAS CLUTCHING TIGHTLY UNDER HER ARM HER
PERSONAL DATA ASSIST, WHICH HAD LONG BEEN CONSIDERED
SOMETHING EXTREMELY OLD-FASHIONED BECAUSE EACH USED NEO-
RADIO QUANTUM CHIPS COMBINED WITH INTELLIGENT PLASMA GLASS
EMBEDDED IN THE RETINA OF THE EYE. BUT SHE WAS A
TRADITIONALIST AND DID NOT GIVE IN TO OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE ON
WHAT TO USE AND WHAT NOT TO USE. EVEN INWARDLY SHE
SECRETLY SCOFFED AT THOSE WHO WERE TOO SLAVISH TO NEW
TECHNOLOGY AND DIDN'T TRY TO USE AT LEAST A LITTLE OF THEIR
GREY BRAIN MATTER.

HER TRIP TO THE UNIVERSITY WAS BORING, AS IT DIDN'T LAST MORE

THAN A QUARTER OF AN HOUR, SO SHE DIDN'T HAVE TOO MUCH TIME
TO BE PREOCCUPIED WITH THOUGHTS OF HERSELF. IN ANY CASE,
THIS DAY WAS GOING TO PASS LIKE ANY OTHER. AFTER ALL, SO
WHAT! HER MOOD TODAY WAS NORMAL AND EVEN GOOD. SHE WAS
DEFINITELY IN A HURRY FOR AN IMPORTANT STUDENT EVENT, AS SHE
WAS THE PRESIDENT OF A STUDENT CLUB AND AS ITS LEADER, THERE

255
WAS NO WAY SHE WOULDN'T ATTEND. AT FIRST SHE COULDN'T STAND
MOST PEOPLE, FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT SHE THOUGHT THEY
WERE WASTING THEIR TIME ON NONSENSE INSTEAD OF DOING
WORTHWHILE AND INTERESTING THINGS. SOME EVEN THOUGHT SHE
WAS TOO NARROW -MINDED AND EVEN LAZY. BUT THAT SIMPLY
WASN'T TRUE, SHE LIKED TO GET A LOT DONE WITH MINIMAL EFFORT,
AND ANOTHER NAME FOR THAT WAS INTELLECT . THAT WAS WHY HER
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS WAS VERY LIMITED. SHE WASN'T THE KIND OF
PERSON WHO WOULD JUST ACCOST THE FIRST PERSON SHE MET ON
THE STREET AND ASK THEM THE TIME OR WHAT TIME IT WAS AND THAT
WOULD BE THE END OF THE WHOLE CONVERSATION. SHE
POSSESSED A RICH INNER SOUL AND A WORLD OF HER OWN THAT
SHE DIDN'T ALLOW ANYONE INTO, AND THERE WEREN'T MANY WHO
WOULD. THE CITY SHE LIVED IN DEFINITELY SEEMED STUPID TO HER,
AND WHILE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION ON THIS PLANET
IT WAS JUST ABOUT THE COOLEST PLACE YOU COULD FEEL TRULY
SUCCESSFUL EVEN IF YOU JUST RESIDED, SHE WAS LOOKING FOR
NEW AND UNDISCOVERED HORIZONS. PLACES WHERE NO ONE
BEFORE HER HAD SET FOOT.

AS PRESIDENT OF THAT CLUB, HER DUTIES INCLUDED ORGANIZING

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT GATHERINGS FOR SOME OF THE STUDENTS.
BECKY DID THESE THINGS MAINLY BECAUSE SHE WAS OF THE
OPINION THAT IT WOULD IMPROVE HER PEOPLE SKILLS, AND IN DOING
SO SHE WAS CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIALLY IMPORTANT CAUSES. BUT
HER ULTERIOR MOTIVE WAS TO USE THIS MODEST ‘POST’ AND THE
OPPORTUNITIES IT OFFERED TO OPEN THE WAY FOR NEW
ADVENTURES AND CHALLENGES. SHE DIDN'T WANT TO RETIRE LIKE
EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS HUSTLING LIKE IDIOTS AT THE INTERRON
FUEL REFINERY ON MAERX STREET, THE URUS ONX
INTERPLANETARY SPACEPORT THAT WAS OUTSIDE THE ENTIRE
CONURBATION, OR THE PLEXONIARX MINES SOME THIRTY-FIVE
ZEGANDARIAN MILES NORTHEAST OF I MGRADON. SHE WAS LOOKING
FOR ANY POSSIBLE WAY TO 'GET OUT ', SHE WAS A SMART GIRL AND
AS SUCH IT WAS WELL WITHIN HER CAPABILITIES TO DO SO . THERE

256
WAS SIMPLY NO TIME TO WASTE. EVERY SECOND WAS PRECIOUS AND
PRECIOUS.

ONCE THROUGH THE PLAZA, SHE PULLED INTO ONE OF THE SIDE
BLOCKS OF THE MAIN BOULEVARD CONNECTING THE CENTRAL PART
OF THE CITY AND THE TOWER DOTTED WITH RIANDAN TERRAFLYERS
WHO TAPPED THE ENTIRE AGGLOMERATION AROUND THE CLOCK IN
THE NAME OF THE DEMOCRATIC VALUES OF THE POLIS.
EAVESDROPPING WAS EVEN RECOMMENDED TO THE CITIZENS
THEMSELVES, AND THERE WAS A SPECIAL PRICE LIST WITH SMALL
CASH REWARDS FOR ANYONE WHO SLANDERED THEIR NEIGHBOR
FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THROWING THEIR GARBAGE WHERE IT DIDN'T
BELONG. IN THIS WAY, ORDER REMAINED INTACT . AND USUALLY
NOBODY THOUGHT OF BREAKING IT .

AFTER WALKING AROUND FOR A WHILE, A BUILDING STOOD OUT ON

HER RIGHT , WHICH DIDN'T SEEM TO FIT IN AT ALL WITH THE WHOLE
SURROUNDINGS. ON THE ONE HAND IT WAS IN THE CENTRAL PART OF
TOWN, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY IN A WELL ISOLATED AND TUCKED AWAY
AREA, AND ON THE OTHER IT WAS KIND OF QUAINT AND OLD
FASHIONED, OUT OF PLACE AS IF OUT OF FAIRY TALES. IT WAS THE
INFAMOUS ‘ST. JOSEPH'S CLINIC’, WHICH HOUSED THE SOCIAL
OUTCASTS, THE PARALYZED, THE MENTALLY ILL, AND ALSO PEOPLE
LEFT TO DIE ALONE BECAUSE THEY WERE DECLARED ‘HOPELESS’. IT
WAS DEFINITELY AN ABODE OF SUFFERING AND HOPELESSNESS,
WHICH THE CITIZENS OF IMGRADON QUITE UNDERSTANDABLY
AVOIDED. IT DID NOT , AS THEY PUT IT , ‘MAKE A GOOD
ADVERTISEMENT ’ FOR THEIR TOWN. AND IN THEIR OWN EYES, THEY
WERE RIGHT TO DO SO , AS IT WAS IN KEEPING WITH THE SELFISH-
INDIVIDUALISTIC VALUES OF IMGRADON, WHERE PERSONAL SUCCESS
WAS ELEVATED TO A PEDESTAL.

BEFORE ENTERING THE BUILDING, BECKY GLANCED UP AT THE SIGN

AND A FLASH SEEMED TO PIERCE THE SKY. A HEAVY RAIN HAD BEGUN
TO FALL, BUT IT WAS MORE OF AN IMITATION AS GOVERNOR
ELMBAUM INSISTED ON THE FACADE AND REALISM OF EACH THING,

257
NOT CARING ABOUT THE INNER SUBSTANCE OF IT. IN THE END, IT WAS
ALL 'ADVERTISING.' AND BUSINESS.

EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS ALREADY LATE FOR HER LECTURES AT THE
UNIVERSITY, SHE STILL DECIDED TO DROP BY. HERE SHE'D DO A TWO-
WEEK INTERNSHIP, WHICH CONSISTED OF SWAPPING HOSPITAL
ELECTRONIC PATIENT RECORDS. SOMETHING RATHER TRIVIAL. BUT
IT HADN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER, AS UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE CITY WAS
SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH. THANKS TO HER HIGH GRADES FROM
UNIVERSITY, HER OWN WITS, AND NO SMALL AMOUNT OF LUCK, SHE
WAS HERE. THERE WAS ANOTHER REASON FOR HER ZEAL,
HOWEVER, AND THAT WAS THE FACT THAT IMGRADON'S VISA POLICY
DID NOT ALLOW ANY CITIZEN, WHOEVER THEY WERE, TO LEAVE THE
CONFINES OF THE POLIS WITHOUT HAVING DONE THE MANDATORY
MINIMUM FIFTEEN DAYS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. COMPLETELY
UNPAID. AND THAT WAS IN THE IDEAL CASE. UNDER MORE NORMAL
CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PERIOD GREW TO AS MUCH AS SIX MONTHS,
AND IN THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO, COULD REACH A FULL YEAR.
THE ‘POLIS INTENDANCY’ DID NOT LOOK KINDLY ON IDLERS AND
INVALIDS, WHOM IT CONSIDERED UTTERLY USELESS TO SOCIETY. IN
OTHER WORDS, EVEN A PERFECTLY HEALTHY AND WELL-EDUCATED
PERSON WHO FAILED TO PUT IN THE MANDATORY TWO WEEKS UNTIL
THE AGE OF TWENTY-FIVE WAS PUT ON A SPECIAL BLACKLIST AND
LOST ANY REAL CHANCE OF BEING HIRED BY ANYONE. FOREVER. AND
THAT MEANT STARVING TO DEATH!

QUITE A FEW OF THE PATIENTS OF THE HOSPITAL IN QUESTION WERE

HERE FOR THAT VERY REASON. BECAUSE THEIR BRAINS COULDN'T
CONTAIN THE REASON THEY HAD ENDED UP HERE. NOT THAT THIS
WAS WHERE THEY BELONGED. THERE WAS SIMPLY NOWHERE ELSE
TO HOUSE AND HIDE THEM FROM THE EYES OF OTHERS.

BECKY ENTERED THROUGH THE RATHER OLD-FASHIONED DOUBLE-

LEAF GOTHIC DOOR. BUT BEFORE SHE DID, A THRILL OF EXCITEMENT
SEEMED TO CUT THROUGH HER STOMACH. FEELING THAT THE
STAKES WERE MUCH HIGHER, SO SHE HAD NO MARGIN FOR ERROR.

‘YOU'D THINK I WAS PREGNANT,’ SHE THOUGHT JOKINGLY.

258
AN OLD LADY GREETED HER AT THE FRONT DESK WITH A VERY
INDEFINITE SMILE.

- 'BECKY MORINGALE,' THE GIRL INTRODUCED HERSELF WITH A

SLIGHT STAMMER.

THE WOMAN LOOKED UP FROM THE NEWSPAPER SHE WAS READING

WITH VISIBLE ANNOYANCE. APPARENTLY THIS PLACE WAS THE ONLY
PLACE WHERE SUCH THINGS COULD BE SEEN.

- 'AH, ARE YOU THE NEW ADDITION?,' SHE ADDED IN A DRAWLING AND
SLIGHTLY ANNOYED VOICE. 'THERE WAS NO NEED FOR YOU TO COME
TODAY. PRETENDING TO BE A FREAK. BUT... SINCE YOU CAME, I
WON'T BE BRINGING YOU BACK.’ SHE SHOT HER A QUESTIONING
LOOK, ‘YOUR DESIRE TO SURVIVE IS OBVIOUSLY STRONG, SINCE
ABSOLUTELY NO ONE ELSE WANTED TO INTERN WITH US. HOW
IRONIC, AFTER A FEW YEARS YOU FIND YOURSELF ON THE TOP FLOOR
OF THE PSYCH WARD.'

BECKY LISTENED TO THE WOMAN'S FRIGHTENING WORDS WITH A

RATHER UNDEFINED, AND FACE HIDDEN BEHIND HORN-RIMMED
GLASSES AND RATHER W ELL-GROOMED, ALBEIT FALSE TEETH.

- 'YOU WON'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE W ITH ME,' BECKY SAID, NOT
WANTING TO GET HERSELF INTO ANY UNNECESSARY TROUBLE
BEFORE IT HAD EVEN STARTED.

- 'I DON'T DOUBT IT EITHER,' THE WOMAN SHOOK HER HEAD. 'YOUTH
IS LIKE A 'BLUE SPRING'. THERE ARE SO MANY PATHS AHEAD OF US,
AND EACH ONE SEEMS TRUE. THE TROUBLE IS,' SHE PAUSED
BRIEFLY, 'THEY LEAD NOWHERE. W ELL, AT LEAST MOST ...'

BECKY DIDN'T BLINK, BUT GAVE THE APPEARANCE OF LISTENING

MOST INTENTLY. SHE KNEW SHE SHOULDN'T BE DISTRACTED; MUCH
LESS LET IT SHOW .

STARTING THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW - IN THE HOSPITAL WARD ON

THE SECOND FLOOR.

259
- 'HOW ?,' SHE BARELY MURMURED. 'I WAS GOING TO SORT OUT THE
ELECTRONIC HOSPITAL RECORDS.'

IF IT HAD BEEN ANYONE ELSE, THE OLD WOMAN WOULD HAVE

OBJECTED AND EVEN GONE INTO A RAGE. BUT THEN SHE SAW
BEFORE HER A PURE AND GOOD TWENTY-THREE-YEAR OLD GIRL.
SMART AND READY TO FIGHT. EVEN IF HIS FIGHT WAS COMPLETELY
POINTLESS.

- LOOK WHAT, MY GIRL, YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CITY HAS

TWO FACES...

- 'I KNOW ,' BECKY HASTENED TO REPLY.

- 'NO, YOU DON'T,' THE WOMAN ADDED SADLY. 'I'M HERE, AND EVERY
DAY I HEAR THEIR SCREAMS, THEIR MOANS, THEIR WHEEZES.
YESTERDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE HUNG HIMSELF FROM ONE OF THE
BUILDING'S SYNTERALIAL HATCHES.'

- 'BUT ISN'T IT GOTHIC? W HY ARE YOUR HATCHES SYNTERALIAL?,'

SHE ALMOST HID HER INDIGNATION.

- 'BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE BETTER INSULATION,' THE WOMAN

REPLIED CALMLY. 'SOCIETY PREFERS TO PRETEND IT DOESN'T HEAR
CERTAIN THINGS.'

^^^
W HEN SHE WAS ALREADY IN FRONT OF THE UNIVERSITY, THE OTHERS
WHO HAD RECOGNIZED HER BEGAN TO PICK UP STEAM. SHE HAD
BEEN DELAYED FOR OVER A QUARTER OF AN HOUR BECAUSE OF HER
DETENTION AT THE CLINIC.

- 'W HERE ARE YOU GETTING LOST?,' WAS THE QUESTION DIRECTED
FROM ALL SIDES.

- 'W E'VE RUNG YOUR ULTRAS MANY TIMES,' MEIOR LOOKED AT HER
REPROACHFULLY, A YOUNG MAN A HEAD TALLER THAN HER AND THE

260
ONLY ONE IN THE ENTIRE CLASS WHO OUTCLASSED HER IN
KNOWLEDGE.

- ’I DON'T HAVE AN ULTRAPHONE. MY PERSONAL DATA ASSISTANT

BROKE,’ SHE LIED.

- NEVER MIND, IT'S TIME TO VOICE OUR CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

SLOGAN NOW .

- 'DID YOU PREPARE YOUR SPEECH, REMEMBER?,' MEIOR ASKED

HER, A LITTLE HURRIED AND INSPIRED.

BECKY WAS READY WITH HER SPEECH MUCH EARLIER, BUT IT ALL
SEEMED A BIT POINTLESS TO HER. NOT BECAUSE THEIR CAUSE
WASN'T WORTH IT, BUT BECAUSE SHE KNEW HOW ELMBAUM DEALT
WITH THE LIKES OF THEM. HE CALLED THEM 'VAIN' AND SET SPECIFIC
MEASURES IN ORDER TO NEUTRALIZE THEM.

- 'THE RISK IS WORTH IT ,' A GIRL WITH A GINGER GOATEE NAMED

REONA CALLED. 'LET'S GO.’
JUST AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO STEP ONTO THE ANTI-GRAFFITI STEPS
IN FRONT OF THE CAMPUS RECTORY, THEY HEARD THE ROAR OF
ORONIUM BEEPERS. THEIR HOWL MEANT 'ALERT.'
- 'IT'S UNLIKELY THAT ELMBAUM HAS FIGURED OUT OUR INTENTIONS
JUST FROM THE RIANDAN TERRAFLETERS. THOSE ARE PRETTY
EXABYTES OF AUDIO. EVEN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE NEEDS TIME TO
READ AND ANALYZE THEM AMONG THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
RECORDINGS TO FIND SOME OF THE 'DANGEROUS' CODE WORDS,'
BECKY MUTTERED IN FRUSTRATION.
SUDDENLY, AS IF OUT OF NOWHERE, PEOPLE BEGAN TO FLEE,
SHOUTING, ‘A MOMENTARY MARTIAL LAW IS DECLARED!’ THE CROWD
WAS COMING FROM THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE CITY. IT
SWEPT EVERYTHING LIKE A WAVE. IT LOOKED LIKE A HERD OF MAD
CATTLE THAT JUST WANTED TO SURVIVE. IN LESS THAN A MINUTE
THEY WOULD BE UPON THEM AND RUNNING THEM OVER.

261
THE GROUP OF 'ADVENTURERS' INSTANTLY LOOKED AROUND AND
BEGAN FRANTICALLY SEARCHING FOR SOME SAFER PLACE TO HIDE.
BUT THERE WAS NONE.
- 'W E COULD USE THE CURVES OF ONE OF THE BUILDINGS TO CLIMB
UP AND WATCH FROM ABOVE,' REONA SUGGESTED.

THEY BEGAN TO CLIMB AND ENDED UP IN A SIDE 'TERRACE ' ABOUT

TWO METERS OFF THE GROUND. THIS WAS JUST WHAT WAS CALLED
A ‘BREATHING PASSAGE’ BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY BUILDING AND AN
AUXILIARY ANNEX FOR STUDENT PRACTICE.

THE WAVE OF PEOPLE WAS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND

COULD ALMOST HAVE FLOODED HALF THE POLYS. EVERYONE WAS
SCREAMING AND FIGHTING, TRYING TO GET FURTHER AWAY FROM
THE DANGER. SUDDENLY A POLICE CORDON SET UP ON THE
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SQUARE. AN INDESCRIBABLE MELEE SPUN
OUT BETWEEN THE TWO GREAT MASSES OF HUMANITY, WHICH
BECAME A BLOODY MASSACRE.

- 'YOU CANNOT ENTER THE QUARANTINE ZONE. THE WESTERN PART

OF THE CITY HAS BEEN SEALED OFF.STAND DOWN OR WE'LL OPEN
FIRE.,' ORDERED SOME LIEUTENANT WITH A HOARSE VOICE AND A
HELMET OF REINFORCED KEVLARITE.

THE CROWD DIDN'T HEAR HIM AND CONTINUED ITS CHAOTIC RUSH IN
THE FORBIDDEN DIRECTION.

- 'GET READY. ONE-TWO-THREE. TAKE OFF THE GUARDS,' THE

LIEUTENANT IN QUESTION ISSUED QUICK ORDERS, 'FIRE!'

THE FRAGMENTARY RECOILS OF THE NEUROSHOCK RIFLES SILENCED

SOME OF THE MEN. EVEN UNDER MARTIAL LAW , NO REAL PLASMA
WEAPONS WERE USED AGAINST CIVILIANS, AND THEY WERE DEADLY.
SOME OF THE REAR RANKS WERE TRIPPING OVER THE ALREADY
FALLEN. THERE WAS AN INDESCRIBABLE FRICTION.

- 'W E CAN'T GO BACK HOME,' MEIOR CUT IN.

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- 'I HAVE AN IDEA OF A SAFE PLACE,' CUT IN BECKY. 'ST JOSEPH'S
CLINIC. NOBODY'S GOING TO HEAD THERE. AT LEAST NOT RIGHT
AWAY. EVERYONE WANTS TO ESCAPE TO THE MORE CENTRAL
WESTERN PART OF TOWN. ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT FOR THE MOB TO
BREAK THE CORDON AND RUN.'

- 'THEY WON'T MAKE IT. THE POLICE WILL HOLD THEM OFF,' REONA
FEARED.

- 'W ILL THEY?,' CALLED HISOO, A SHORT AND STOCKY, TOPLESS BOY
WITH GLASSES.

AS IF TO SUPPORT HIS SUSPICIONS, THE STREAM BEGAN TO FLOOD

THE FAR OUTNUMBERED POLICE UNITS.

- 'SIR, THE NEUROSHOCK WEAPON CHARGES ARE RUNNING LOW !,'

SOME SOLDIER SQUEALED.

- 'THIS TIME USE THE PLASMA RIFLES!,' THE LIEUTENANT BELLOWED.

- 'BUT THAT'S AGAINST ORDERS!,' THE SOLDIER TRIED TO OBJECT.

- 'GO TO HELL! ACT! I TAKE IT ALL ON MYSELF...,' MUTTERED THE
LIEUTENANT .

- 'I CAN'T LOOK,' REONA COVERED HER EYES, BUT BECKY DIDN'T
FLINCH. SHE WAS JUST SORT OF FROZEN IN SHOCK.

- 'LET'S GO,' MEIOR URGED THEM, AND THEY BACKED INTO THE
NARROW GAP TO THE OTHER STREET . 'THE CLINIC WAS ONLY TEN
MINUTES FROM HERE! IF WE MISS REACHING IT, WE'RE DEAD!'

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: GORDON

ELMBAUM WASN'T ECSTATIC EITHER. HE EXPECTED HIS TROOPS TO

SHOW MORE PROFESSIONALISM AND DETERMINATION TO DEAL WITH
THE ENEMY. HOW COULD THESE IDIOTS BEND LIKE REEDS ! A NEW

263
ELECTION WAS APPROACHING AND ELMBAUM WAS DREAMING OF HIS
SIXTH TERM, WHICH WOULD MAKE HIM THE LONGEST REIGNING
GOVERNOR IN HISTORY. COULDN'T FIGURE THEM MILITARY GUYS
OUT! W HAT WERE THEY DOING WITH SOME CIVILIAN OBJECTS! THEIR
JOB WAS TO FIGHT AND SHOOT , NOT THINK! THINKING WAS HIS JOB!

HE INTENDED TO TRY A CUNNING OPTION THAT WOULD BUY HIM

EXTRA TIME, EVEN IF IT CAME AT THE COST OF TOO MANY
CASUALTIES.

HE SLICED OFF THE TIP OF HIS CIGAR WITH ONE OF THOSE OLD-
FASHIONED KNIVES AND TOOK A DEEP DRAG. ‘W HAT'S CALLED IS
WHAT'S CALLED. W HAT ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT ? ABOUT SOME
PHILOSOPHIES AND SCRUPLES.’ THE WAR FOR THAT KEVLARITE AND
INTERON FUEL WAS COMING TO HIM IN SPADES. NOT THAT MONEY
DIDN'T MATTER, BUT HE KNEW FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE THAT
POWER, ABSOLUTE POWER, WAS FAR MORE INTERESTING AND A FAR
STRONGER OPIATE.

ACCORDING TO THE SIGNALS GIVEN TO HIM BY THE POLICE

CORDONS, THE CROWD WISHED TO HIDE IN THE WESTERN PART OF
THE POLIS, WHICH WAS WELL FORTIFIED AND FORMED WHAT WAS
CALLED A SECOND PROTECTIVE RING THAT THE ORDINARY CITIZENS
OF THE POLIS NEVER HAD ACCESS TO. IT WAS RESERVED FOR THE
SENIOR NOMENKLATURA APPARATUS OF THE RULERS. GORDON WAS
IN THE THIRD RING , IN THE DUNGEONS OF A HEAVILY FORTIFIED
SKYSCRAPER, MORE THAN FORTY METERS DEEP.

'AFTER ALL, COMMUNICATING WITH THE VOTERS CAN SOMETIMES BE

DIFFICULT ,' HE SMILED.

IN FIVE MINUTES, THE SECURITY CONFERENCE, OF WHICH HE WAS

CHAIRMAN, WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. THE APPARENT CALM OF THE
POLIS WAS ALSO HIS IDEA, BECAUSE HE NEEDED SOME TIME TO
TRANSFER SOME OF HIS VAST HOLDINGS TO THE SECRET TUNNEL
BRANCHES BENEATH HIS OWN SKYSCRAPER. THE ILLUSION THAT THE
ARMY WAS THE ABSOLUTE GUARANTOR OF SECURITY WAS ALSO HIS
IDEA. THE EVENTUAL ARMAGEDDON COULD KILL SOME OF THE

264
PEOPLE WHO DISAGREED WITH HIS WAY OF GOVERNING. AND THAT
WOULD ONLY STRENGTHEN HIS POWER.

‘ONE BULLET , TWO BIRDS,’ HE SCRATCHED HIMSELF AND LEFT HIS

OFFICE UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE GUARDS. ‘PLAYING MY
CARDS RIGHT WILL GIVE ME AN ENORMOUS POLITICAL ADVANTAGE,
EVEN WITHOUT AN ELECTION.’

SIR, THE POLICE CORDONS ARE BROKEN. THEY'RE COMING

TOWARDS US. - TRUMPS ONE OF THE MILITARY UNDER HIS DIRECT
COMMAND.

W ITH WONDERFULLY ACTED SKILL, ELMBAUM EXPRESSED ALARM.

EVEN CONCERN. IT WAS FAIR TO SAY THAT HIS NATURE AS A
POLITICAL CHAMELEON WAS ABLE TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A
DIVERSITY OF CHARACTERS THAT EVEN SOMETIMES ARGUED WITH
EACH OTHER, CAME INTO CONFLICT , BUT ALWAYS COMPLEMENTED
EACH OTHER AND NEVER GOT IN EACH OTHER'S WAY IN THE TRUE
SENSE OF THE WORD. SUCH A LONG POLITICAL CAREER WAS BY NO
MEANS A MATTER OF CHANCE. HE WAS SIMPLY A NATURAL TALENT.

- MOBILIZE AS YOU MUST GHOST WARS, BUT STOP THEM, HE CALMLY

ORDERED.

- ’BUT, SIR, THEY ARE NOT ONE OF OURS. YOU WANT US TO FIGHT
MERCENARIES ?,’ THE MILITARY MAN TRIED TO OBJECT .

- DO AS YOU'RE TOLD. NO ONE WILL HOLD YOU TO ACCOUNT. JUST

ROUND THEM UP. W E HAVE QUITE A FEW CAPTURED SOLDIERS. THEY
KNOW WHAT DISCIPLINE MEANS.

ELMBAUM WAS A FINE PSYCHOLOGIST AND KNEW THAT IT WAS FAR

PREFERABLE TO TREATING THEM AS DESERTERS TO THE POSSIBILITY
OF TREATING THEM AS PRISONERS AND AS MERCENARIES. HE'D
GIVEN ANYONE WHO'D SHOWN THEIR LOYALTY TO HIM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO RISE QUICKLY IN THE HIERARCHY. REGARDLESS OF
HIS PAST.
HE'D QUICKLY ELEVATE THEM, AND EVEN MORE QUICKLY
HAVE THEM STUCK IN THE MUD HE'D PULLED THEM OUT OF EARLIER.

265
INCIDENTALLY, TOO MANY PROBLEMS WERE CREATED PRECISELY BY
THE MUDDLED MINDS OF SOME OF THEM. THEY HAD TO REALIZE THAT
THEY HELD THEIR FATE IN THEIR OWN HANDS. THAT WAS GORDON'S
METHODOLOGY, AND IT USUALLY PROVED TO BE A WINNING ONE.

- 'GET THEM ANY EQUIPMENT THEY NEED,' HIS VOICE BOOMED AS HE

LEFT.

GORDON ENTERED THROUGH THE SOLID MAHOGANY DOOR INTO A

SITTING ROOM. A SITTING THAT COULD LAST UNTIL TOMORROW
EVEN.HE HAD TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE DETAILS. AS WELL AS HIS
NERVES!

HE HAD A TOUGHER BATTLE AHEAD OF HIM FOR THE CONFIDENCE OF

THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESSMEN, THE SECOND GOVERNING BODY
AFTER THE W AR COUNCIL. W ITHOUT THEM, HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE
TO LAUNCH A DIRECT ATTACK WHERE HE MOST DESIRED. IN THE
HEART OF THE CITY. HIS PLAN WAS TO WREAK HAVOC AND MANAGE
TO MOVE OUT BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE.

TOO BAD HE COULDN'T MISS THE GATHERING.

^^^
ELMBAUM DEFINITELY KNEW HOW TO WAGE POLITICAL WARFARE AND
ALSO NEGOTIATE. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT EVEN A GOVERNOR
NEEDED THE SO-CALLED ‘THREADS OF POWER’ TO BE THE BASIS OF
HIS RULE. HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL, BUT AS A WELL-TRAINED
MANAGER, HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE INEVITABILITY OF THAT
FACT. AND HE ACCEPTED IT . NO, ACTUALLY, HE DIDN'T ACCEPT IT ,
BUT HE HAD LEARNED TO PRETEND TO BE HAPPY! SO WHAT!
MANAGEMENT COULD HAVE SOME 'PRICKLY SIDES'. APPARENTLY HIS
IDEA OF 'COMPLETE HAPPINESS', WHICH HE ASSOCIATED WITH
'COMPLETE POWER' AND NOTHING ELSE, WAS NOT POSSIBLE .

AROUND THE NEGOTIATING TABLE WERE ALL THE OLD

ACQUAINTANCES AND THUGS WHO HAD A STRONG INTEREST

266
ESPECIALLY IN THE INTERRON FUEL, WHICH WAS THE ONLY
RESOURCE THAT REALLY MATTERED, WITH THE MARTIAL LAW THUS
CREATED. EVEN KEVLARITE WAS LOSING ITS VALUE FOR A REASON
IN A WAR OF NERVES SUCH AS THEY WERE PLANNING TO PLAY OUT .

GENE PALEY STOOD BEHIND ONE END OF IT , WHICH WAS A

COMBINATION OF COMPOSITE ELEMENTS AND HOLOGRAPHIC
DECORATIONS. HIS FAITHFUL ADJUTANT ISONGDAR WAS ALSO IN THE
CORNER AT A RESPECTFUL DISTANCE. HE WASN'T VERY
ENTHUSIASTIC HIMSELF, AND DEFINITELY FELT OUT OF PLACE, EVEN
THOUGH HE WAS THE FIRST ADVISOR TO SUCH AN IMPORTANT MAN
AS THE GOVERNOR. BUT HE WOULD BE ONE OF THE LINKS IN
ELMBAUM'S PLAN TO CONTACT THE GENERAL. STILL, THE CONFLICT
OF INTEREST WAS OBVIOUS, BUT ONLY TO THOSE PRESENT HERE.
ISONGDAR WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL ADVISOR, BUT HE WAS AN
ADJUTANT TO A FULL STAFF.

THE INTENDANT MEMBERS WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE,

ELMBAUM HIMSELF ON THE THIRD. THIS WAS THE BASIC IDEA OF THE
TRINITY OF POWERS - POLITICAL, MILITARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE AND
OPERATIONAL. THROUGH DEFT MOVES, ELMBAUM HAD MANAGED TO
KEEP HIS SKIN IN THE POLITICAL ARENA AND SECURE OBEDIENT
PAWNS. FEW WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT THE ECO-PROTESTS
WERE HIS DOING. IT WAS HARD TO GET A DOZEN STUDENTS TO
SHOUT FOR HIS CAUSE, BUT HE FOUND THEM. ALL THE OTHERS WHO
HAD STEADY JOBS AND SKILLS HAD MOVED OUT OR WERE LIVING IN
LESS ACCESSIBLE AREAS OF THE POLIS. BUT HE STILL NEEDED SOME
OPPONENTS. AND SINCE THERE WERE VIRTUALLY NONE, HE'D HAVE
TO CREATE AND MODEL THEM HIMSELF. HE WOULD EVEN TRAIN THEM
TO ARGUE AND FIGHT WITH HIM. OR PERHAPS MORE ACCURATELY
FOR HIM AND HIS INTERESTS. HE WOULD HAVE HELPED THEM
‘VEGETATE’ AND SURVIVE ALMOST FOREVER IN A PERFECT CYCLE. BY
‘PROTECTING’ THEM, HE WAS ACTUALLY PROTECTING HIMSELF.
THINGS WERE QUITE CONNECTED, AS SQUISHY AS IT SEEMED. HE
WAS JUST FOLLOWING HIS OWN PATH. HE HAD NO CONTEMPT FOR
PALEY OR THE MEMBERS OF THE INTENDANT, NOR DID HE CONSIDER
THEM BENEATH HIM, BUT HE WAS ALL TOO DETERMINED TO DO

267
EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER BUT NOT BECOME THEIRS. IT WAS JUST
THAT THE SITUATION AS IT WAS WAS CHANGING HIS PLANS A LITTLE.

'NOTHING WILL DISTRACT ME.,' HE MENTALLY TOLD HIMSELF. 'THEY

CAN TALK ALL THEY WANT, AND TRY ALL SORTS OF MEANS. I KNOW
ALL THEIR NUMBERS, AND THEY KNOW MINE, BUT I READ THEIR MINDS
COMPLETELY, AND THEY DON'T READ MINE COMPLETELY.'

GIVEN THE EXTREME CONDITIONS, THERE WAS LITTLE PREAMBLE OR

UNNECESSARY EMOTIONAL VERBIAGE. THESE WERE BUSINESS MEN
AND THEY WERE DECIDING IMPORTANT BUSINESS MATTERS.

PALEY STARTED FIRST . HE THOUGHT HE HAD PREPARED HIMSELF

WELL AND WOULD DEFEND HIS CAUSE TO THE END.

- THE SITUATION WAS SERIOUS. THE PARTIAL BREAKING OF THE

SECOND FORTIFIED RING SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT THE THIRD IS
COMING NEXT , AND THEN WE ARE.

- 'THERE IS NO ROOM FOR PANIC,GENE,' THE CHAIRMAN OF THE

INTENDANT ADDRESSED HIM DIRECTLY.'YOUR PEOPLE WILL DO
THEIR JOB PROPERLY. I'M CONFIDENT .'

- 'DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO OBJECT TO, GOVERNOR ELMBAUM?

OR DO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION TO MAKE?,' THE VOICE TURNED TO
THE GOVERNOR WITHOUT CIRCUMLOCUTION.

ELMBAUM HAD ASSUMED A SOMEWHAT GOOD-NATURED AND CALM

EXPRESSION, HIS GAZE FIXED AS IF ON NOTHING. HE STOOD THUS
FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE SECONDS.

- 'GENTLEMEN,' HE BEGAN QUITE BUSINESSLIKE, 'IT SEEMS TO ME

THAT NO ONE HERE REALIZES THAT THIS HAS LONG SINCE BECOME A
WAR FOR EXISTENCE, AND NOT ONE OF IDEALS AND SO ON. THE
CONFLICT HAS LONG SINCE BEEN OVER THAT INTERRON FUEL. NOR
IS IT ABOUT THE GUARRONS ...'

- 'MAKE YOURSELF CLEAR,' ISONGDAR ALMOST SNARLED, DRAWN

OUT IN TYPICAL SOLDIERLY FASHION. HE WAS STARTING TO TURN

268
PALE, BUT HE WAS STILL TRYING TO CONTROL HIMSELF. GENE
PALEY'S DIGNITY PREVENTED HIM FROM SPEAKING DIRECTLY, SO HIS
ADJUTANT WAS THE CONVENIENT PAWN FOR THAT PURPOSE.

- 'ALL I'M SAYING IS, IF THESE PEOPLE WANT TO GET TO US, LET
THEM,' THE GOVERNOR CONTINUED CALMLY, 'W HAT'S THE BIG
DEAL?'

ALTHOUGH HE HAD SEEN A LOT ON THE BATTLEFIELD, GENE PAILEY

GAVE HIM A SOMEWHAT PECULIAR LOOK.

- 'W HY DID YOU ORDER US TO DO THE OPPOSITE JUST A FEW HOURS

AGO?,' HE STAMMERED, FILLED WITH SOME RESENTMENT . 'THE
ENTIRE POLIS IS NOW IN BLOOD AND FILTH!'

- 'BECAUSE A FEW HOURS AGO THE SITUATION WAS DIFFERENT ,'

ELMBAUM WAS EXTREMELY LACONIC.

- 'EXCUSE ME, GORDON,' CALLED CONGRESSMAN CHRIS

ZONRETHIS, 'DON'T YOU HAVE SOME BETTER SOLUTION OR SUPER
EVACUATION PLAN?'

HE WAS A DIGNIFIED MAN OVER FORTY-FIVE. AND HE HADN 'T DONE

ANYTHING ELSE OUTSIDE OF POLITICS.

- 'NO, I HAVE SOMETHING BETTER,' ELMBAUM NODDED

MEANINGFULLY.

- 'AND WHAT 'S YOUR BRILLIANT IDEA?,' ZONRETHIS ASKED

IMPATIENTLY.

- 'SEE THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD RINGS?,'

CONTINUED GORDON, POINTING TO ONE OF THE HOLOGRAPHIC
IMAGES HOVERING IN THE AIR ABOVE THE CONFERENCE TABLE.
'THERE, YOUR FIGHTERS,' HE TURNED, BUT WITHOUT LOOKING
DIRECTLY AT PALEY, WHO WAS FROWNING SLIGHTLY, PRIMARILY
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GRASP THE POINT OF THE GOVERNOR'S WHOLE
GAME, 'WILL MAKE A CONTROLLED MICRO-BLAST OUT OF THE
EMBEDDED ESONIUM BLANKS OF THE COMBAT DETONATORS. W HEN

269
THE HUMAN WAVE PASSES THAT TRACK, THEY'LL FALL INTO THE OPEN
CRATER!'

- 'IMPOSSIBLE,' PALEY ALMOST SHOUTED, 'SO YOU WANT TO OPEN A

CRATER TO THE UNDERGROUND GEOTHERMAL VENT WE USE TO
POWER THIS PART OF THE POLIS! THIS IS PURE MADNESS!'

- 'LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY,' ELMBAUM SAID QUIETLY. 'I HAVEN'T

BEEN IN THIS POSITION FOR FIVE TERMS JUST NOW . THIS IS OUR ONLY
CHANCE TO SURVIVE!'

- 'HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR THIS WAVE TO WASH OVER US?,'
CALLED CHRIS ZONRETHIS AGAIN.

- 'NO MORE THAN THREE HOURS. AT MOST FOUR ...,' ADDED

ISONGDAR, WHO WAS WELL INFORMED BY HIS INTELLIGENCE.

- 'IF THE GHOST W ARRIORS SQUEEZE BY THEN,' GORDON ADDED

WITH A TOUCH OF IRONY, 'WE CAN'T RELY ON THEM ALONE.'

- 'AND THE PROTON MISSILE LAUNCHERS?,' CALLED ADMIRAL PALEY.

’STILL, THEY'RE AN OPTION TOO.’

- 'NO, THIS MASS OF MEN MUST BE BURIED ONCE AND FOR ALL,'
PALEY STRETCHED HIS GRIN WRYLY. 'OTHERWISE WE'LL ALL HAVE
OUR HEADS BLOWN OFF BY THE UNCONTROLLED PERIMETER OF THE
EXPLOSIONS. THE PLATFORMS HAVE CODES THAT CAN'T BE
ACTIVATED WITHOUT CAUSING A MICRONUCLEAR EXPLOSION. THEN
WE HAVE NOWHERE TO RUN!'

- 'I'M SENDING THE BOMB SQUAD TO THE DUNGEONS IMMEDIATELY,'

ISONGDAR TRUMPETED.
- 'THE SPEEDERS ALSO NEED TO BE IN READINESS TO WITHDRAW AND
LEAVE IMGRADON,' ADDED E MLBAUM.

- 'W HERE ARE WE GOING?,' THE ATTENDEES CALLED OUT.

- 'THIS IS TOP SECRET UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! CARRY OUT

ORDERS!,' CUT IN ELMBAUM, LEAVING THE ROOM.

270
^^^

- 'GOVERNOR ELMBAUM,' WHISPERED GENE PALEY'S ADJUTANT. 'I

HAVE CARRIED OUT YOUR ORDERS. SOON THERE WILL BE NO TRACE
OF THIS CITY-STATE.'

- 'YOU STILL OWE ME SOME THINGS, ISONGDAR,' ELMBAUM REPLIED,

A LITTLE WISTFULLY. 'REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE DEPENDENT ON ME
TO A DEGREE FROM WHICH THERE IS NO MOVING.'

- 'I KNOW , BUT GENE PALEY IS PROBABLY THE ONE PERSON I CAN'T
TAKE ANY STEP FORWARD WITHOUT . THAT'S WHAT REALLY BOTHERS
ME. IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO FOOL HIM. HE ALREADY SUSPECTS
ME,' THE ADJUTANT TRIED TO SHUSH.

- 'THE ADMIRAL WON'T BE COMING INTO OUR PLANS VERY SOON,'

ELMBAUM REPLIED CALMLY, 'MY JOB IS TO GET HIM OUT OF THE WAY.
W HEREVER WE GO, HIS VOICE WILL NO LONGER BE HEARD.'
- 'I WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY MY PART WELL. BY THE WAY, YOUR IDEA
OF GOING TO THIS PARTICULAR PLACE IS ALMOST INGENNIOUS,' THE
ADJUTANT CONTINUED.

- DON'T FLATTER ME, PLEASE. I'M JUST DOING WHAT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN DONE LONG AGO. NOW LEAVE ME ALONE. BY THE WAY,
THERE'S ONE MORE THING. I HAVE A STRONG SUSPICION WE'RE
MISSING SOMETHING SOMEWHERE. TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT. AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE. LET THE OTHERS THINK WE'RE DRAGGING OUR
FEET ON THE FINAL PREPARATIONS. ONLY THE TWO OF US WILL
KNOW THE TRUTH.

- 'IN THE MEANTIME, SHALL I SEND AN ORDER TO CLOSE LABOR

COLONY 206?,' HE ASKED SOMEWHAT CAUTIOUSLY.

- NATURALLY, ONLY NOT IMMEDIATELY. CHRIS ZONTRETIS WILL BE

AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PLAN. W E MUST TREAD CAREFULLY.
GENE PALEY'S ALREADY PRETTY VULNERABLE WITHOUT A LOT OF
HIS PEOPLE, WHO WE SENT FOR GREEN SPAWN ANYWAY. T HIS WAR
AS A WHOLE IS A COMPLETE FARCE. BUT OUR PERSONAL SURVIVAL

271
IS NOT. W E MISSED THE STUDENT MOVEMENTS, THOUGH. CONTACT
THE BORDER POSTS AND TELL THEM TO SHOOT ANYTHING THAT
MOVES AND PREPARES TO LEAVE TOWN, EVEN IF IT 'S IN UNIFORM.
W E'LL LEAVE THEM LIKE PIGS TO THE SLAUGHTER.
ISONDAR NODDED SILENTLY. MORALITY WAS A RATHER STRETCHED
CONCEPT . BUT HE WAS A SMART MAN.

- 'AND LASTLY,' THE

GOVERNOR ADDED, 'GET THE CAPTURED
ARCHANEANS. CAPTURE THEM WITH ZERITH NETS OR WHATEVER
YOU FIND, BUT TAKE THEM.'

THE GOVERNOR'S RICHES WOULD BE DUTIFULLY LOADED ONTO A

SPECIAL SPACE-CARRIER PLATFORM THAT WOULD DEPART
SEPARATELY FROM THE SHUTTLES. IT SOUNDED MIND-BOGGLING
THAT SUCH VAST WEALTH WOULD BE FLYING AROUND WITHOUT LIVE
SUPERVISION, AND ITS ONLY SECURITY WOULD BE THE LIORIAN
ALGORITHM GUIDES WHO WOULD ACTIVATE THE PLATFORM'S
SECURITY SYSTEM. BUT THE GOVERNOR WAS COUNTING ON THE
SHEER CHAOS ALL AROUND. STILL, ISONGDAR COULD HAVE
BETRAYED HIM AS WELL, AS HE HAD HIS PREVIOUS EMPLOYER.

- 'THAT'S WHY POLITICS IS A DIRTY BUSINESS!,' HE WHISPERED,

SOMEWHAT INDEFINITELY.

SPECIAL NANOROBOTS WERE LOADING THE VARIOUS VALUABLES

INTO COMPARTMENTS ON THE TRANSPORT PLATFORM'S FUSELAGE.
THERE COULD BE SEEN ALL SORTS OF JEWELS, SUCH AS FEATHERS
FROM ARCHANAEANS, RARE ELURIAN SKINS STOLEN FROM
GUARRON CHIEFTAINS AND EVEN KINGS, A VAST AMOUNT OF
GALACTIC CREDITS, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST ENOUGH
ZEGANDARIAN CRYSTALS. THERE WERE ALSO SOME STRANGE
THINGS THAT COULD NOT BE CALLED JEWELS, BUT WERE PLACED IN
ABSOLUTE SECRECY AND SEALED AWAY SEPARATELY. NO ONE BUT
GORDON KNEW EXACTLY W HAT THEY WERE.

- 'W E MUST HURRY,' THE ROBOTS WERE SAYING AMONG

THEMSELVES, 'THE GOVERNOR HATES ANY DELAY.'

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TO BE PRECISE, THEY POSSESSED NO EMOTIONS, YET THEY ONLY
SHOOK AS IF TREMBLING WITH TERROR LEST THEY SHOULD VIOLATE
HIS ORDERS. THE LIORIAN GUIDE-ALGORITHMS HAD AN IMPORTANT
OTHER FUNCTION. INSTANT SHORT-CIRCUITING WOULD BE THE
PUNISHMENT FOR ANY OF THEM IF THE ALGORITHM WAS NOT
EXECUTED PRECISELY TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL. THE CREATION OF
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MIMICKING FEELINGS WAS LONG AGO
INVENTED. BUT REAL HUMAN EMOTIONS COULD NOT BE COPIED
COMPLETELY. IT WAS SIMPLY UNTHINKABLE.

CHRIS ZONRETHIS WAS ALSO PREPARING FOR THIS JOURNEY INTO

THE UNKNOWN. AS A HEREDITARY CONGRESSMAN, HE KNEW THAT
WHEREVER THEY WENT , WHATEVER THEY TOOK NOW WOULD
REPRESENT HIS ENTIRE FORTUNE IN THE FUTURE. NO POSITIONS OR
TITLES WOULD APPLY IN THEIR NEW HOME.

HE WAS TALL AND TOO SOPHISTICATED. PERHAPS THE MOST

SOPHISTICATED NON-ARISTOCRAT RESIDING ON THE POLIS. HE
WASN'T AS RICH AS THE GOVERNOR, BUT HIS RICHES WERE
INHERITED, NOT STOLEN. AT LEAST FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW , THAT
WAS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.

OF THE THREE, ONLY GENE PAILEY HAD SMIRKED HARD ENOUGH,

BUT HE WAS TRYING HIS BEST TO HOLD HIS GROUND. HE WAS UNDER
NO ILLUSION THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ISOLATE HIM, BUT WITH
THE PSYCHE OF AN EX- MILITARY MAN, HE HOPED HE COULD COPE
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO WORK OUT
SOMEHOW . HE HAD NO RIGHT TO SLACK OFF. HE COULDN'T KEEP
ISONGDAR ON A LEASH LIKE A DOG. HE WAS A SENIOR MILITARY
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT WHO WAS BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT
AS THE SITUATION CHANGED. BUT ONE THING BURNED HIS BRAIN,
AND THAT WAS WHERE THEY WERE GOING. IT CERTAINLY WASN'T TO
LABOR COLONY 206, NOR TO SOME BACKWATER PART OF THIS
PLANET, AS THEY WOULD BE LEAVING SOON, BUT WHAT WERE THE
OPTIONS THEN. ONE OF THEM FLASHED THROUGH HIS MIND.
PERHAPS THE GOVERNOR WAS PLAYING A TRIPLE GAME. ON THE
ONE HAND HE HAD CREATED THE CONFLICT , THOUGH NOT ENTIRELY

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INTENTIONALLY AS THERE WERE OTHER EXTRANEOUS FACTORS. ON
THE OTHER HAND, SOMEWHERE IN THERE HAD APPEARED NOT-SO-
OBVIOUS SIGNS OF HIS INTENTIONS.W HAT IF HE JUST WANTED
SOMETHING ELSE. MAYBE HIS WEALTH WASN'T THE ONLY THING HE
WAS INTERESTED IN?

CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE CRAZIES

'W HEN A MADMAN CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD BY OTHER MADMEN, HE

SIMPLY REMAINS A MISUNDERSTOOD MADMAN.'

BUKOWSKI

GETTING TO THE CLINIC DIDN'T SEEM SO SIMPLE. THEY HAD TO

WATCH OUT FOR SENTRIES, RAMPAGING CIVILIANS, AND LAST BUT
NOT LEAST , GHOST WARRIORS - MARAUDERS - ROAMING THE CITY.
THE GOVERNOR HAD GIVEN THEM CARTE BLANCHE TO DO ANYTHING
BUT CONTAIN THE SITUATION.

THE IRONY WAS THAT THESE WERE ELOHYN CAPTURED SOLDIERS,

PARDONED AND RECRUITED TO HIS CAUSE. ANYTHING WAS TO BE
EXPECTED AFTER SUCH A DUBIOUS 'AMNESTY'. THE MEGALOPOLIS
LOOKED LIKE AN ASH HEAP, AND UP UNTIL A FEW HOURS AGO IT HAD
BEEN A RELATIVELY PLEASANT PLACE TO LIVE DESPITE ITS
GRANDIOSE ATMOSPHERE AND HYPOCRITICAL MORALITY UNDER
WHICH ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE THRIVED. IN THAT SHORT SPAN OF
TIME, THEY ONLY MANAGED TO PASS A FEW SHORTCUTS. YET THEY
WERE FINALLY BACK IN FRONT OF THE HOSPITAL IN QUESTION.
STRANGELY ENOUGH, IT STOOD ALMOST INTACT, SAVE FOR THE
SLIGHTLY WARPED SURFACE OF ONE OF THE SYNTH HATCHES. THE
SHOCKWAVE OF THE MICROCELLULAR ESONIUM BOMBS DID NOT
FORGIVE EVEN MADNESS!

274
- 'DON'T YOU THINK THE MAD WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO HAVE US AS
DEAR GUESTS?,' VENTURED HISSOU.

- 'GO ON, UNTIL THE SENTRY HAS PASSED AND SHOT US ON THE SPOT
LIKE DOGS,' ADDED MEIOR TENSELY. 'W E HAVEN'T A SECOND TO
LOSE!'

THE HYDRON DOOR WAS OF COURSE FIRMLY BOLTED AND NO

MATTER HOW HARD THEY KNOCKED NO ONE OPENED IT . THE
IMITATION RAIN CONTINUED TO POUR DOWN OVER THEIR HEADS.
W HO KNOWS WHY THE ARTIFICIAL EERIE ATMOSPHERE MADE NO
IMPRESSION ON THEM. THEY HAD SEEN MUCH MORE FRIGHTENING
AND EVEN GROTESQUE PICTURES A LITTLE EARLIER. THEY HAD
WITNESSED A COMPLETE LACK OF MORALITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
TOWARDS THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF THIS POLIS ON THE PART OF
ITS OWN SOLDIERS WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT IT FROM THE
ENEMY. MOREOVER, WHO HAD SWORN TO DO SO! W HAT ELSE WAS
THERE TO SEE?

- 'HEY, YOU, SHOW YOUR ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION CARDS! OR

AT LEAST THE NARENZIE CHIPS ON CIVILIANS! AND NO UNNECESSARY
MOVEMENTS!,' THEY SUDDENLY HEARD A GRUFF VOICE BEHIND
THEM.

HISU STARTED TO TURN AROUND CAUTIOUSLY, BUT EVEN THAT

SLIGHT MOVEMENT SEEMED TOO ABRUPT FOR THE GRUFF VOICE. BY
THE TIME HE CAME TO , HE HAD FALLEN SUBDUED BY SEVERAL
PLASMA BLASTS. HIS NAIVE CHILDISH FACE HAD LOST ITS NATURAL
FLESH COLOR. HIS EYES WERE QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED, BUT HE
REMAINED LYING THERE, LIKE A RESTLESS CHILD CURLED UP IN A
BALL LIKE A KITTEN, WHO WOULD JUMP UP AT ANY MOMENT AND RUN
OFF IN SOME DIRECTION TO DO PRANKS. IT ALL HAPPENED SO
QUICKLY! THE LITTLE BODY THUMPED IN THE MUD ALMOST
NOISELESSLY, AND SEEMED TO BLEND INSTANTLY WITH THE
SURROUNDING GREYISH AND SOMBRE TONE. IT JUST BECAME
ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE, BUT IF ONE WERE TO LOOK INTO THE
EXTINGUISHED EYE SOCKETS, WHICH WERE SIMPLY FRIGHTENING,
ONE WOULD READ SOME GOOD-NATURED REPROACH.

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THE OTHERS JUMPED INTO DIFFERENT CORNERS AND SCRAMBLED,
TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, WITH A PRIMAL ANIMAL INSTINCT
FOR SURVIVAL, LIKE WOUNDED ANIMALS FACING SLAUGHTER.

- 'W HY ARE YOU MAKING THIS SO DIFFICULT ?,' A STRANGE VOICE

SLIPPED INTO THE DARKNESS, FILLED WITH MILD ANNOYANCE. ITS
OWNER'S FACE, HOWEVER, COULD NOT BE SEEN.

THE SPLINTERS HAD MANAGED TO WOUND ONE OR TWO OF THE

STUDENTS, BUT NOT TOO SERIOUSLY. BUT THIS TIME THEY HAD
ADDED POISONOUS AMBRAN GAS TO THE PLASMA, WHICH COULD KILL
YOU INSTANTLY. OF COURSE THE SOLDIERS HAD DELIBERATELY
DILUTED IT AND IT WAS NOW CAUSING THEM FRANTIC AGONY,
DESPITE THE SUPERFICIAL INJURIES TO THEIR LIMBS.

- 'W HAT CAUSE ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR?,' THE VOICE TOSSED IN
WITH A SUBTLE SNEER. 'IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD STEP ASIDE AND TRY
TO BEG FOR MERCY...'

SUDDENLY A NOISE INTERRUPTED THESE REFLECTIONS. AN EMPTY

BEER CAN THUMPED AGAINST THE LEGS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE
VOICE. A LITTLE LATER AN OLD SOFA CAUSED A SORT OF COMMOTION
AMONG THE ALMOST INVISIBLE WARRIORS. THEY HADN'T PRACTICED
BEING PELTED WITH COUCHES. IN FACT, NONE OF THEM HAD EVEN
SEEN A REAL ONE IN THEIR LIVES.

SUDDENLY A NOISE INTERRUPTED THESE REFLECTIONS. AN EMPTY

BEER CAN THUMPED AGAINST THE LEGS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE
VOICE. A LITTLE LATER AN OLD SOFA CAUSED A SORT OF COMMOTION
AMONG THE ALMOST INVISIBLE WARRIORS. THEY HADN'T PRACTICED
BEING PELTED WITH COUCHES. IN FACT, NONE OF THEM HAD EVEN
SEEN A REAL ONE IN THEIR LIVES.

SUDDENLY, THE BOLTED HYDRON DOOR BARELY CREAKED OPEN,

AND BECKY AND MEIOR, WHO HAD BEEN CROUCHING, SAW IT
UNEQUIVOCALLY AS SALVATION. THEY JUMPED! IMMEDIATELY! BUT
BECKY WAS FASTER AND MEIOR WAS CARRIED AWAY BY HER
MOMENTUM. THE GHOST W ARRIORS MANAGED TO FIRE, AND ONE

276
SPLINTER LICKED HIS LEG.THE SEARING PAIN REACHED HIS SKULL,
AND HE FELT A STRANGE LIGHTNESS AND WEIGHTLESSNESS .

THE DOOR CLOSED. RATHER, IT SLAMMED TOO SHARPLY. AS SOON

AS THEY TURNED AROUND THEY NOTICED THAT THE SAME OLD
WOMAN WHO HAD GIVEN HER THE PECULIAR 'INTERVIEW ' EARLIER
THE DAY BEFORE WAS W ATCHING THEM.

- 'DIDN'T I TELL YOU EARLIER TODAY DARLING, THAT SOONER OR

LATER EVERYONE ENDS UP ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF ST. JOSEPH'S
CLINIC?,' SHE HAD LOOMED OVER THEM RATHER ANXIOUSLY, ‘BUT
SOMETIMES IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET YOUR SANITY BACK.

MEIOR, WHO WASN'T FEELING WELL, JUST FAINTED. THOUGH HE WAS

A BORN FIGHTER, THE PAIN IN HIS WOUNDED LEG, THE KILLING
FATIGUE AND OVEREXERTION CAME TO HIM IN SPADES.

^^^
- 'I DON'T LIKE YOU, MEIOR,' SASIA ADMITTED TO HIM HONESTLY.
'YOU'RE NOT MY TYPE. I'M IN LOVE WITH RODRIGO. HE KNOWS WELL
WHAT HE'S DOING. BUT HE MAY NEVER COME BACK FROM THE
FRONT.'

- 'I DIDN'T MAKE YOU LOVE ME, BECKY,' THE YOUNG MAN STAMMERED
IN A STRANGE WAY. 'I JUST PROPOSED. SO WHAT ?'

- 'EVERYTHING CHANGED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES, AND YOU HAVE

NO IDEA HOW MUCH HAPPENED WHILE YOU WERE KNOCKED
UNCONSCIOUS BY THE PAIN. YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU
SAY. THE CRAZIES - THEY HELPED US,' SHE POINTED WITH A
SOMEWHAT INDEFINITE HAND.

THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE MADHOUSE WAS SOMEWHAT MALEVOLENT,

BUT NOT THREATENING . JUST STRANGELY MYSTICAL, SINCE THE
ENTIRE BUILDING WAS SEALED OFF ON ALL SIDES AND THEY WERE IN
LIKE A TIN CAN. IT WAS PRETTY GLOOMY.

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- 'SEE WHAT, I'LL FORGET AND ASSUME YOUR RAMBLINGS ARE
CAUSED BY THE PAIN,' SHE ADDED.

MEIOR GRITTED HIS TEETH. A NEW CONVULSIVE SPASM SHOOK HIM.

- 'W HAT IF IT NEVER COMES BACK?,' HE ASKED CAUTIOUSLY.

- 'IF IT DOESN'T COME BACK, I'LL DEVOTE MYSELF TO JOURNALISM. I

LOVE INFORMING PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT 'S REALLY GOING ON.
THERE'S NOTHING TO LIE ABOUT. OUR GOVERNOR IS CLEVERLY
USING THE WHOLE SITUATION TO JUGGLE THE FATES OF SO MANY
PEOPLE. BUT SOONER OR LATER, HE WILL GET HIS JUST DESERTS
TOO.'DON'T DOUBT IT,' SHE MOVED THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION
AWAY SLIGHTLY.

- BECKY, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE. AND I CAN'T EVEN GET UP.
I'M HURT. W HAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? YOU COULD SAY WE DON'T
HAVE A WEAPON EITHER!

- I'M NOT LEAVING YOU. YOU SAVED BOTH OF US. I OWE IT TO YOU,
PARTNER! YOU DID YOUR DUTY.

THIS TIME MEIOR SAID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. AND BETTER.

THE CRAZIES STOOD SILENTLY BOUND IN THEIR HOSPITAL BEDS,

WHICH WEREN'T VERY FAR FROM THEM. THEY HAD TO BE ON THEIR
GUARD THOUGH. THESE PEOPLE HAD BECOME SO INVESTED IN THEIR
ROLES AS PATIENTS THAT THEY WERE ALREADY PLAYING TOO
SERIOUSLY. THEY WERE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS.

MRS. EDWATER HAD TIED THEM UP CAUTIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY

WERE TOO MUCH. OUTSIDE VISITORS WERE AS RARE AN
OCCURRENCE AS RAIN FALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF A DESERT . SHE DID
HER DUTY CONSCIENTIOUSLY. AND UNQUESTIONINGLY. IN THE
SAFETY OF THEIR OWN BEDS, THE CRAZIES WOULD BE FAR MORE
COMFORTABLE THAN OUTSIDE. OUT THERE IN NORMAL CIVILIAN
SOCIETY, THEY SIMPLY HAD NO CHANCE OF SURVIVING.

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-I NEVER IMAGINED THERE WAS SUCH A PLACE IN OUR CITY. AND
UNDER OUR NOSES. W HAT A JOB!’ MUTTERED MEIOR, ‘STRANGE
CHOICE OF ESCAPE FROM REALITY. BUT THOSE GHOST WARRIORS
MUST STILL BE LURKING OUTSIDE. THEY WON'T GIVE UP UNTIL THEY
CATCH US. AND WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GET OUT . IT'S GETTING
TO BE QUITE A STALEMATE AS WE'RE DRILLED RIGHT NOW . I DON'T
SEE A WAY OUT .

- 'W E'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT,' BECKY ENCOURAGED HIM.

- 'RODRIGO'S A BRAVE BOY!' SNEERED MEIOR, 'BASS INSIST THEY'VE

BEEN SENT FOR GREEN CAVIAR WHILE THESE MARAUDERS ARE
RUNNING AMOK HERE. THAT'S PRETTY MEAN,' HE INDIGNANTLY SAID.

- 'W HAT IS TO BE DONE?' SHE AGREED.

THEY WERE BOTH STARVING.
THEY WERE ALSO TORMENTED BY
THIRST.
THEY NEEDED TO DRINK SOME WATER. AND SATISFY THEIR
HUNGER.

MRS. EDWATER WAS QUITE KIND THIS TIME. AND SHE TRIED TO GIVE
THEM HER FULL COOPERATION AS BEST SHE COULD. NOT ONLY DID
SHE HELP IN BANDAGING MEIOR'S LEG, BUT ALSO IN DISINFECTING
THE WOUND WITH THE SIMPLEST RIVANOL. EVEN IN THE FUTURE, NO
ONE WAS GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON MODERN MEDICATION.
ESPECIALLY FOR CRAZY PEOPLE!

MISS EDWATER'S STRANGE BEHAVIOR COULD BE EXPLAINED IN PART

BY THE FACT THAT HER SURVIVAL NOW DEPENDED TO SOME EXTENT
ON THEIR STRANGE QUIRKS OF GETTING INTO CONFLICTS WITH THE
MARAUDERS LURKING OUTSIDE. SHE WASN'T GOING TO OPEN THE
DOORS IN ANY CASE.

- 'YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE!,' SHE CUT IN. 'IF YOU COME OUT,
YOU'LL BE SHOT IMMEDIATELY! IF YOU DON'T - YOU'LL JUST STARVE
TO DEATH. W E CAN'T FEED YOU. W E ONLY FEED THE INSANE WITH
GORENAI HIRAS AND ELENDORANS. THIS BROKE FROM THE
GENEROUS HEART OF OUR GOVERNOR AND THE BUDGET OF THE
POLIS.'

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- 'THEN WHY DON'T YOU HAND US OVER TO THOSE SCOUNDRELS AND
BE DONE WITH IT,' MEIOR CUT IN. 'THERE'S NOTHING TO DRAG IT OUT.
HAND US OVER AND THAT 'S THAT!'
- 'I WON'T DO IT,' SHE SPOKE ENTHUSIASTICALLY. 'YOU WERE THE
FIRST TO LOOK UPON MY CHARGES AS HUMAN BEINGS. YOU ARE THE
WAY TO THEIR SALVATION.'

- 'SHE MAY HAS GONE COMPLETELY MAD. W E NEED TO BE SAVED,'

BECKY WHISPERED. 'BUT AT LEAST IT MIGHT BE OF USE.'
- 'ISN'T THERE A BACK ENTRANCE, OR AN UNDERGROUND
WAREHOUSE?,' ADDED MEIOR, HOPE IN HIS VOICE.

- 'THERE'S SOMETHING BETTER,' SHE SAID CRYPTICALLY. 'BUT YOU'D

HAVE TO BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO GET IT . YOU HAVE TO EARN YOUR
OWN DELIVERANCE. IT WON'T COME TO YOU WILLINGLY.'

- 'UNDERSTOOD,' REPLIED MEIOR. 'I WILL DO WHAT IS ASKED OF ME,

AND I WILL NOT BE A BURDEN TO YOU. W ITH THAT WOUNDED LEG .'

- 'OH, NO, MY DEAR,' SOMEWHAT BREAKING THE STRICT FORMALITY

OF MISS EDWATER, 'YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT. NO ONE IS A BURDEN AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THE WILL TO
SURVIVE. AND EVEN THEN, GOD WILL NOT LOOK AWAY FROM US.'

- 'I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND YOU,' MEIOR SAID, SOMEWHAT

STRANGELY.

- 'BUT I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND ME PERFECTLY. RELAX,

EVERYTHING WILL FALL INTO PLACE. THIS UNIVERSE DOESN'T WISH
US DEAD, BUT IT DOESN'T KEEP US FROM PERISHING EITHER. IN FACT,
IT IS QUITE INDIFFERENT TO OUR DECISION WHETHER WE SURVIVE OR
NOT. BUT WE CERTAINLY CHOOSE WHETHER TO MAKE OUR LIVES
MEANINGFUL,' SHE FINISHED SOMEWHAT TOO CALMLY.

OUTSIDE, THE SAME ARTIFICIAL STORM THAT WAS GOVERNOR

ELMBAUM'S VERY PRIDE CONTINUED TO RAGE. AND THERE WAS A
REASON WHY! HE HAD DEVOTED SO MANY RESOURCES TO

280
MAINTAINING THE ILLUSION OF IT . AND THINGS, AS WE KNOW , WERE
MUCH MORE PROSAIC. YOU ONLY HAD TO HAVE THE RIGHT FRAME OF
MIND TO SEE THEM. IT WAS A PITY THAT THAT WAS WHAT SEEMED SO
STRANGE TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

IT WAS HARD TO BE OMNIPOTENT IN THE MIDST OF SO MUCH SADNESS

AND DESPAIR. IT WASN'T A LIE TO SAY THAT MANY PEOPLE EVEN
REACHED FOR THEIR LIVES WITHOUT THINKING. MRS. ELMBAUM WAS
USED TO VARIOUS SITUATIONS LIKE SLIT VEINS, SCATTERED SKULLS
AND WHATNOT . BUT SHE STILL CARRIED OUT HER JOB
UNQUESTIONINGLY AND CONSCIENTIOUSLY.

THEY WENT DOWN TO A GROUND FLOOR WHERE EVERYTHING WAS

QUITE SPECIAL. BELOW THE MADHOUSE WAS AN OFFSHOOT OF THAT
GEOTHERMAL VENT THAT GOVERNOR ELMBAUM HAD ORDERED
BLOWN UP. PRACTICALLY THE WHOLE TOWN WAS ON TOP OF IT. BUT
WHAT WAS WORTH NOTING WAS THAT THERE WERE ALSO SECRET
TUNNELS THAT LED OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF THE POLIS. AND ONE
OF THE EVACUATION TUNNELS IN PARTICULAR WAS UNDER THE ST.
JOSEPH CLINIC.
THERE WAS NO MISTAKING IT, OUR ADVENTURERS WERE NOT AT ALL
FOND OF THE ESCAPE ROUTE IN QUESTION. IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS
TO DESCEND TO SUCH GREAT DEPTHS, ESPECIALLY AS THEY HAD NO
REAL PROTECTIVE SUITS EITHER. FORTUNATELY, THEY HAD TO GO
NO MORE THAN A FEW HUNDRED METERS AND THEY WOULD BE
OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF THE POLIS. AS WAS WELL KNOWN FROM
PHYSICS, THE HEAT OF SUCH VENTS WAS FORMED AS A RESULT OF
THE DECAY OF NATURALLY OCCURRING RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS,
AND WHEN THE TEMPERATURE BECAME TOO HIGH, IT BROKE THE
SURFACE LIKE A GEYSER.

THIS WOULD PRACTICALLY MEAN INSTANT DEATH.

- 'W ELL, I WISH YOU LUCK,' SAID MISS EDWATER, HER SERIOUS FACE
NOT LOOKING PARTICULARLY HOPEFUL. 'YOU HAVE A REAL CHOICE
OF GETTING OUT OR BOILING ALIVE! BUT AT LEAST IT 'S A WAY OUT!
NOW , I'M CLOSING THE HYLIRON VALVE AND THE HYDRON DOOR THAT

281
HIDES IT .
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GO BACK. GOOD LUCK! AND
GOODBYE! YOU WERE GOOD COMPANY!'

THE TWO OF THEM TOOK OFF INTO THE UNKNOWN ALONE.

W HO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT BENEATH THE RUINS OF THIS
POLIS LAY A WHOLE COMPLEX SYSTEM OF UNDERGROUND TUNNELS,
AND OF COMPLETELY NATURAL ORIGIN? GEOTHERMAL VENTS WERE
A NATURAL THING FOR THE PLANET ZEGANDARIA, BUT THEY WERE
LOCATED AT TOO GREAT A DEPTH. THEY SERVED AS A MAJOR
ENERGY RESOURCE AND WERE AN ALMOST INFINITE SOURCE OF
POWER. W HAT COULD ORIENT THEM IN THE DARKNESS WAS THE
LIGHT OF A USELESS FLASHLIGHT THAT MEIOR HAD ACCIDENTALLY
TAKEN WITH HIM. IT HAD SOME PECULIAR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES,
SUCH AS THE LIGHT THAT EMANATED FROM IT DID NOT DISSIPATE AS
IN THE WELL-KNOWN LANTERNS OF THE DISTANT PAST .

SUDDENLY THEY HEARD A SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS.

- 'THE GOVERNOR SAID TO PLANT MORE EXPLOSIVES,' CALLED A
PARTICULARLY GRATING AND IRRITATING VOICE.

- 'SO WHAT ? IT'S MOVING OUT OF HERE! W HAT DOES HE CARE!,'

REPLIED THE FIRST VOICE. 'EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE ONE WAY
OR ANOTHER. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, COMRADES!’ HE ADDRESSED THEM
RATHER AMIABLY. - BE CAREFUL WITH THE BLANKS!'

SOMEWHERE FAR AHEAD OF THEM CAME THE SOUND OF SOMETHING

HEAVY LANDING. THE ESONIAN DETONATORS WERE DEFINITELY
WORTH DESCRIBING. THEY WERE A RATHER UPGRADED VERSION OF
SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A CAPSULE DETONATOR. THE SENSITIVE
EXPLOSIVE WAS CALLED AN EZONE C213, AND THE BREMSSTRAP
EXPLOSIVE WAS AN ORDINARY EZONE C206. THE FORMER HAD A
HIGH IMPACT SENSITIVITY AND THE LATTER HAD TREMENDOUS
IMPACT POWER.

THE GOVERNOR HAD MADE A GOOD CALCULATION OF W HAT HE WAS

DOING. HIS SAFE DEPARTURE FROM THE PLANET WAS ASSURED.

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THE TWO DID THEIR BEST TO PASS UNNOTICED BY THE MEN . IT WAS
QUITE DANGEROUS, AS THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING CAUGHT WAS
ENORMOUS.

MEIOR GRABBED HER ARM. BECKY DIDN'T FLINCH THIS TIME .

- ON THREE. JUMP!

THEY MANAGED TO DART INTO THE ADJACENT GALLERY, WHERE IT

WAS DEVILISHLY QUIET . MEIOR HAD LOST THE FLASHLIGHT , SO THEY
CONTINUED ON IN TOTAL DARKNESS. THERE WAS NO WONDERING
WHICH WAY TO GO, AS THE DARKNESS THAT LAY BEFORE THEM WAS
BLACK AND BLUE. THEY JUST PROCEEDED CAUTIOUSLY INTO THE
DARKNESS. IN THE DISTANCE, A BRIGHT DOT COULD BE SEEN.

AFTER SOME MORE WANDERING, THEY HAD EMERGED FROM AN

ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE OPENING, AND THE VAST ELANDON FIELD
THAT SURROUNDED IMGRADON STRETCHED OUT BEFORE THEM.
THEY WERE ALMOST SAVED! THEY CROUCHED DOWN AND RUSHED
AS FAR AWAY FROM THAT CURSED CITY AS THEY COULD!
HOPEFULLY, AT LEAST IN THE UNKNOWN, THEY FOUND SALVATION!

CHAPTER TWENTY: KIER ZOH

- 'W AIT, MY DEAR BROTHER,' SAID KIER ZOH THROUGH HIS TEETH,
CROUCHING BESIDE A QUAINTLY SHAPED STONE, 'WAIT UNTIL I HAVE
DISEMBOWELED YOU AND RESTORED OUR ANCESTORS TO GLORY
ONCE AND FOR ALL.'

THE PRINCE WAITED FOR HIS FELLOW ZONTRAG, WHO WOULD

REPORT TO HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THEIR CAMP. HE HIMSELF
WAS IN DANGER THAT FIRST DAY. BUT AS OF TOMORROW , HE HAD
COMPLETE FREEDOM AND THE RIGHT TO SETTLE HIS ACCOUNTS AND
PUT ON HIS HEAD THE CROWN HE FELT WAS HIS DUE.

283
QUITE A NUMBER OF CHILDHOOD MEMORIES SURFACED BEFORE HIS
EYES. HIS BROTHER WAS ALWAYS MORE FAVORED IN GAMES WITH
HIS COMPANIONS. HE HAD ALWAYS BEEN THEIR FATHER'S FAVORITE,
TOO. AND HE WAS LIKE A THORN IN THEIR SIDE, BEING SPARED SO
MANY THINGS JUST BECAUSE HE WAS A PRINCE.

- 'LET ME JUST SURVIVE UNTIL TOMORROW ,' HE HISSED.

MORE THAN TWO HOURS PASSED AND THERE WAS NO SIGN OF

ANYONE APPEARING. THE PRINCE HAD DONE HIS BEST TO MOVE
AWAY FROM THE CAMP AND HIDE WELL. HE KNEW THAT IF HE MISSED
HIS CHANCE IT WOULD COST HIM HIS HEAD. AND HE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE
DYING AT ALL.

SUDDENLY SOME STIRRING WAS NOTICED AND A SLIGHT MURMUR

WAS HEARD. THE NOBLEMAN WAS CROUCHED TO WINDWARD, AND
WHOEVER WAS COMING TOWARDS HIM WOULD BE AT A
DISADVANTAGE. THE INFRARED SENSOR ON THE LASER CUTTER
HUMMED SOFTLY. KIER ZOH WAS STARTLED. IT COULD ONLY MEAN
THAT ONE OF THEIR OW N WAS APPROACHING HIM. THE SENSORS
WERE A SIMPLE SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS FROM A
DISTANCE. THE GUARRON HAD STOLEN AND CLEVERLY USED SOME
OF THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY OF THE HUMANS, THOUGH THIS
WAS ALMOST PREHISTORIC BY ZEGANDARIAN TIME STANDARDS.

'ZONTRAG, YOU SON OF A BITCH, DID WE AGREE TO WARN ME WITH

SOME SORT OF SIGNAL. IF I KILL YOU, IT'LL BE YOUR OWN FAULT.,'
THOUGHT KIER ZOH.

BUT WONDER WHY THE FOOTSTEPS SEEMED TO STOP. KIER ZOH

BEGAN TO SWEAT . HE WANTED TO JUMP UP AND STICK THE BLADE IN
THE INTRUDER'S NECK, BE IT HIS OWN CO-CONSPIRATOR, BUT
SOMETHING MADE HIM UNABLE TO EVEN MOVE.

'OR HAS HE COME UP W ITH SOME DASTARDLY PLAN?,' THE PRINCE

WONDERED, GRIPPING THE HILT EVEN TIGHTER, ASSUMING A
COMBAT 'PLOUGH' STANCE. THIS FIGHTING STANCE, WIDELY USED BY
THE WARRIOR GUAROONS, ALLOWED FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND

284
THE ABILITY TO PARRY BLOWS IN AN ORDERLY RETREAT . ONE COULD
BOTH SLASH AND PARRY.

THEY MUST HAVE FIGURED OUT HIS PLANS. KIER ZOH KNEW HIS
BROTHER'S INTELLECT WELL, AND HE WAS DEFINITELY NOT TO BE
UNDERESTIMATED.

SUDDENLY, A PLAYFUL FIGURE APPEARED FROM BEHIND THE ROCK.

IT LOOKED FAR TOO SLENDER TO BE THAT OF A MAN. YET SHE WAS
WELL PUT TOGETHER.

THE PRINCE GAPED. IT CERTAINLY WASN'T ZONTRAG, NOR WAS IT HIS

BROTHER. BUT THEN WHO DARED TO COME HERE?

- 'I COME TO YOU UNARMED,' HE HEARD A VOICE THAT WAS TOO

UNAMBIGUOUS.

- RAS TIAN!

KIER ZOH LOOKED AT HER IN DISBELIEF. W HAT WAS SHE LOOKING

FOR HERE?

- I DO NOT COME TO BEG YOU TO SPARE MY BROTHER'S LIFE, FOR I

KNOW THE RULES OF THE DANCE OF DEATH. OUR TRADITION IS
UNBREAKABLE. BUT HAVEN'T YOU LOST SOMETHING LATELY?

THE NOBLEMAN PURSED HIS LIPS TESTILY, STILL CLUTCHING THE HILT
OF HIS WEAPON. ‘HOW DARE HE BLACKMAIL ME?’ HE WONDERED.

- 'YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY MISSING SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT,' RAS

TIAN CONTINUED WITHOUT EVEN BATTING AN EYE AT HER.
KIER ZOH WAS IN NO HURRY TO ANSWER, AS HIS FACE WAS HIDDEN
BENEATH THE HOOD OF ELURIAN SKIN, AND THE FACT THAT HE WORE
A MASK PREVENTED HER FROM SEEING THE STRETCHED, DEVILISH,
FRIGHTENING SMILE ON HIS FACE.

- 'I MAY HAVE TAKEN SOME PRECAUTIONS AFTER ALL,' HE HISSED.

285
- 'BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO AFTER YOU BECOME KING?,' SHE
ASKED HIM SOMEWHAT CASUALLY.

- NOTHING IN PARTICULAR, EXCEPT TO PLACE THE GUARRONS

UNDER MY POWER AND RESTORE THEIR DIGNITY. THE HUMAN ARMY
IS DEFEATED, ALBEIT WITH MY BROTHER'S HELP, WHICH MAKES MY
TASK EVEN EASIER.

- 'YOU'RE VERY MUCH MISTAKEN,'RAS TIAN OBJECTED IN A TONE

THAT TRULY STARTLED HIM. HER CONFIDENCE COULDN'T BE
MISTAKEN.

- 'IN WHAT?,' KIER ZOH WAS CALM, BUT HIS TONE SHOULDN'T FOOL
ANYONE. 'DIDN'T I WAIT ALL THESE YEARS TO GET WHAT I WANT?'

- 'MARAK TULBA BEQUEATHED SOMETHING ELSE TO OUR RACE. THAT

IS WHY SHE BROUGHT DOWN GIMLIN ORN. THAT 'S WHY SHE CHOSE
MIDRIEL. SHE CHOSE GOOD,' SHE WHISPERED, SOMEWHAT SOFTLY.
- 'YOU KNOW NOTHING,' THE PRINCE LAUGHED AT HER. 'I HAVE BEEN
UNDERESTIMATED AND UNNOTICED ALL MY LIFE. NOW AT LEAST
TRADITION IS ON MY SIDE. I HAVE A RIGHT TO REVENGE MYSELF FOR
ALL THESE YEARS OF DISAPPOINTMENT .'

- 'TRADITION IS NOT ON ANYONE'S SIDE,' RAS TIAN REPLIED

SHARPLY. 'OUR ANCESTORS CREATED IT FOR THEIR TIME. BUT IT'S
DIFFERENT NOW ...'

- KIER ZOH HAD TURNED ALMOST WHITE WITH SPITE, 'W HO CAN SAY
THAT TO MY FACE? LET HIM HAVE THAT AUDACITY? I'LL SLAUGHTER
HIM LIKE A DOG!'

TRANSFORMED, COVERED IN ELURIAN SKIN FROM HEAD TO TOE, RAS

TIAN APPROACHED THE CLERIC. SHE HAD BECOME SIMPLY
UNRECOGNIZABLE. HER TALL STATURE WAS ACCENTUATED BY THE
BENZOIN NARAMENTS TYPICAL OF THE GUARDSMEN OF THE KING'S
ARMY. SHE STEPPED SLOWLY, OBLIVIOUS TO HER OPPONENT'S
ANGER. HE SEEMED TO FLINCH.

286
- 'YOU WERE THE ONE SAVED AT THAT RIANTIAN WELL. YOUR FATE
WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT , BUT YOUR BROTHER BROKE THE
CURSE,’ HER VOICE BOOMED MENACINGLY.

STRANGE AS IT SEEMED TO HER, KIER ZOH WAS LEFT WITH HER

MOUTH HANGING OPEN, BUT STILL WITH HER EYES SQUINTED, FULL
OF HATRED. HE KEPT HIS EYES ON HER, EVEN WONDERING IF HIS
FELLOW SCOUT HAD ALREADY BEEN KILLED BY ONE OF HIS
BROTHER'S TRUSTED MEN.

- 'W HATDO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS WHOLE STORY?,' HE ALMOST

HISSED.'EVEN THE DEAD GROANDUS IN THE SACRED FIELDS OF AU
KAKTIR WERE NOT BORN AT THAT TIME - AND YOU ARE SO YOUNG.'

- 'YOU'RE WRONG AGAIN,' SHE TURNED TO HIM WITH A PURE SMILE.

THE PRINCE WAS NOW QUITE CONFUSED. DISBELIEF WAS WRITTEN
ALL OVER HIS FACE. BUT SOMEWHERE THERE W AS BEGINNING TO BE
READ SOME VAGUE NOTE OF READINESS TO ACCEPT WHAT WAS SAID
AS AT LEAST POSSIBLE. NOT AS TRUTH, OF COURSE!
THIS WAS
SHEER MADNESS! HE, A PURE-BLOODED WARRIOR OF
ZARAG TU'S
CAMP, A PRINCE OF THE GUARRONS, SAVED IN THIS WAY. BUT STILL,
SOME GLIMMER ILLUMINATED HIS MEMORY.

- 'W HO ARE YOU?,' HE ASKED HER IN A VOICE QUITE INHUMAN.

- 'I AM MARAK TULBA,' REPLIED THE MAIDEN WITH ICY CALM.

THE PRETENDER TO BE KING SCREAMED AND FELL ON HIS EYES. HIS

FOREHEAD HIT THE HARD SAND. NO GUARRON - GOOD OR BAD,
PUREBLOOD LORD OR COMMON SOLDIER - HAD THE RIGHT TO
DISBELIEVE HER.

- 'THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE,' THE PRINCE ORDERED THE WORDS,

SUBDUED AS IF BY A HIGHER POWER. 'YOU ARE PURELY AND SIMPLY
THE DAUGHTER OF TUR 'AI SAN. CHIEF OF MY FATHER'S GUARD. IT IS
NOT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DECEIVE ME.’ HE WAS ALREADY ON THE
POINT OF LASHING OUT .'

287
- 'STOP, MERE MORTAL, AND THINK. W HAT HAPPENED THEN?,' HER
VOICE BOOMED AGAIN.

KIER ZOH SEEMED TO SINK DEEP INTO HIS OWN SUBCONSCIOUS AS

IF SPELLBOUND, AND THEN HE SAW A SMALL BABY FOOT PROTRUDE
FROM THAT SAME WELL. SOME HAND WAS INEXORABLY CLASPING IT ,
BUT WHAT IT WAS HE COULD NOT SEE, MUCH LESS UNDERSTAND. IT
ALL UNFOLDED VERY QUICKLY, AND HE WAS ONCE AGAIN THROWN
OUT OF ALL THAT NOTHINGNESS HE HAD BEEN IMMERSED IN ONLY
MOMENTS BEFORE.

HE LOOKED AROUND. IT WAS BEGINNING TO GET DARK. THERE WAS

NO SIGN OF THE GODDESS'S SPIRIT. OF RAS TIAN TOO.

^^^

THE PRINCE PONDERED. THE SACRED FIELDS OF AU KAKTIR WERE

LEGENDARY AND WERE LOCATED BEHIND THE MISTY MOUNTAINS. IN
THIS DISTANT PLACE W AS THE CRADLE WHERE HE HIMSELF HAD BEEN
BORN. W HY WAS THIS HAPPENING TO HIM RIGHT NOW ? POWER
COULD HAVE ESCAPED HIM. ALL TOO EASILY AT THAT. YES, OF
COURSE, HE WAS NOT ALONE. THERE WERE OTHER ALLIES BESIDES
ZONTRAG WHO HAD HIS BACK, BUT MOST WANTED HIS BROTHER AS
THEIR LEADER. THAT WAS KNOWN BY ALL. SOMEHOW HE MORE
CLEARLY EXPRESSED THE LINE OF SUCCESSION. TRADITION,
HOWEVER, WAS ABOVE THEIR PREFERENCES. NO ONE WOULD STEP
ON IT. HE REMEMBERED ONE OF HIS FAVORITE CHILDREN'S SONGS.

NA RAS TU RI OZO

W E SING AND LAUGH.

ANO SIRO DAS TUL

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 W E DEFEAT OUR ENEMIES.

JI LI HO NO DO.

TRAITORS DIE.

THE LITTLE GUARRON BABIES WERE LULLED TO SLEEP WITH HER BY

THEIR BRAVE WARRIOR MOTHERS. EACH OF THEM WOULD BE PROUD
IF HER CHILD BECAME A NAS RADAL, OR IN OTHER WORDS, PART OF
THE RULER'S ELITE GUARD.

ONE THING, HOWEVER, INEVITABLY CROSSED HIS MIND, AND THAT

WAS THAT , IN ADDITION TO BEING CRUEL, THE GUARRONS WERE
SELFISH. PERHAPS THAT WAS WHAT WAS RUINING THEM. HE ALSO
REALIZED WHAT A BIG EGOIST HE WAS, WANTING ALL THIS POW ER
FOR HIMSELF TO HIDE THE FACT THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO
ANYTHING, OR MORE ACCURATELY, THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO
REALIZE HIS FULL POTENTIAL. THE LIFE OF A PRINCE WAS NOT AS
EASY AS IT FIRST SEEMED. IT WAS REALLY HARD TO FIND A PLACE
UNDER THE SUN. THIS REALLY PISSED HIM OFF AND HE STUCK THE
BLADE OF THE LASER CUTTER INTO A NEARBY ROCK. THERE WAS A
DEAFENING CLATTER, NOT BECAUSE THE BLOW WAS TOO LOUD, BUT
BECAUSE THE BLADE NEARLY BROKE ON CONTACT WITH THE HARD
CHUNK OF GRANITE.

NOW HE WAS ALONE, COMPLETELY ALONE, DAMN ALONE AND FREE

TO MAKE A DECISION. A DECISION ON WHICH HIS FURTHER FATE
DEPENDED.

‘PERHAPS IT IS MY DESTINY TO RETURN TO AU KAKTIR AGAIN,’ RAN

THROUGH HIS MIND. - ‘PERHAPS THEREIN LIES THE ANSWER. BUT
FIRST I MUST END THIS DUEL. FOR BETTER OR WORSE. OTHERWISE
I'LL LOOK LIKE A COWARD AND A FOOL.’

289
'REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THEN.,' THE VOICE OF THE GODDESS
RAN THROUGH HIS MIND.

'SURELY THERE IS A WAY FOR BOTH THE WOLF TO BE FULL AND THE
LAMB TO BE WHOLE,' HE CONTINUED HIS REASONING.

AT THAT MOMENT A NOISE CAME FROM BEHIND HIM. IT WAS

ZONTRAG. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE HAD DEFINITELY BEEN IN A
HURRY AND WAS SWEATING. FROM UNDER HIS BUSHY EYEBROWS HIS
EYES DARTED RESTLESSLY.

- 'THERE'S A BIG DISCREPANCY BETWEEN YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND

WHAT THEY'RE UP TO. W HATEVER YOU DO, YOU WON'T BE THE NEXT
KING,' HE SNARLED. 'THE CEREMONY WAS TO TAKE PLACE WITH OR
WITHOUT A DUEL. BUT THE COMMONER'S EYES WERE TO BE
BLINDFOLDED. THAT WAS CONVENIENT . YOUR FATHER REGRETTED
IT, BUT NUNDRAG HAD BEEN CHOSEN.'

HERE KIER ZOH TURNED, AND HE WAY WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED.

- 'REALLY?,' HE ASKED WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SLYNESS IN HIS
VOICE.

- SEE THE DUEL COULD NOT BE AVOIDED. THAT MUCH IS CLEAR. BUT
HE WON THE SYMPATHY OF THE NAS RADAL FIGHTERS WITH HIS LAST
VICTORY. THAT IS A VERY STRONG TRUMP CARD IN HIS HANDS.
EVERYONE SEES IN HIM THE WARLORD.

- 'BUT HE STILL HAS TO KILL ME, DOESN'T HE?,' THE PRETENDER TO

THE THRONE GROWLED.

- 'RAS TIAN SAW ME. SHE'S ON MY TRAIL,' ZONTRAGG SNAPPED,

CHANGING THE SUBJECT OF THE CONVERSATION. 'I PRETENDED NOT
TO NOTICE HER. I SNEAKED AWAY AND HID.'

- 'SHE WAS HERE A MOMENT AGO,' KIER ZOH NAILED HIM FOR A
MOMENT . 'SHE BEAT YOU TO IT .'

THE SPY SIMPLY FELL SILENT.

290
- A WHOLE THEATRE PLAYED OUT. SAID SHE WAS THE MOTHER
GODDESS MARAK TULBA. AND I FELL ON MY EYES TO SHOW HER I
BELIEVED HER. W E HAVE TO BUY TIME, HOWEVER LITTLE IT IS.

THOUGH HE WAS SKILLED IN HIS CRAFT , ZONTRAG REMAINED

GAPING-MOUTHED FOR A SPLIT SECOND. THEN HE ADDED WITH
DIGNITY.

- ACTUALLY, THAT WAS PART OF MY PLAN. THE LITTLE BRAT

COULDN'T DIE IF WE DIDN'T MAKE HER FEEL IMPORTANT. BUT SHE
COULD DEFINITELY BE AN ASSET TO US.

- 'AU KAKTIR?,' THE PRINCE RECITED.

- 'EXACTLY,' THE SPY WHISPERED, INDICATING THAT HE HAD BEEN
BEHIND THE ROCK AND HAD OVERHEARD SOME OF THEIR
CONVERSATION. 'W E'RE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE MISTAKES THIS
TIME. W E MUST SOMEHOW MAKE THEM FOLLOW US. THE GROANDUS
HAVE AN EXCELLENT SENSE OF SMELL. IT WON'T BE A PROBLEM FOR
THEM TO FIND US.'

- 'SHALL WE PROCEED AS PLANNED?,' ASKED HIS CO-CONSPIRATOR,

JUST IN CASE. 'THE ONLY WAY TO TRULY DEFEAT HIM IS TO MAKE HIM
LOSE HIS LEGITIMACY AS RULER. AND THAT CAN ONLY HAPPEN ON
YOUR TURF. NOT ON HIS.'

- 'EXACTLY,' WAS THE PRINCE'S RESPONSE.

BEHIND THEM, THE DESERT WHISPERED MAGICAL WORDS AND HUGE

SAND CLOUDS CRASHED AGAINST THE ROCK THEY HAD HIDDEN
BEHIND. IT WAS BEGINNING TO GROW DUSK. THE SYRENATH WINDS
WERE GOING TO PICK UP AND MAKE THE AIR EVEN HARDER TO
BREATHE. ONCE RAS TIAN HAD FOUND THEM, HIS BROTHER WOULD
SURELY SOON FINISH AS WELL AND THE DUEL COULD BEGIN. BUT
RIGHT THEN, HE WOULD FALL INTO THE TRAP!

THEY HAD TO GET TO AU KAKTIR AT ALL COSTS. THEIR PLAN WAS TO

RIDE RELENTLESSLY THERE, TO AVENGE THEIR OWN RACE FOR ITS
CHOICE TO ACCEPT NUNDRAG. THE CLIMATE OF THE MOUNTAINS

291
WAS HARSH, AND EVEN LARGE ANIMALS LIKE THE GROANDUS WOULD
HAVE A HARD TIME CLIMBING SOME OF THE RIDGES. MOREOVER,
THEY WERE NOT STOCKED WITH FOOD AND WATER. THEY WERE
GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH TRAITORS, AS THE CHILDREN 'S SONG
WENT. OR SO THEY HOPED.

AFTER MORE THAN TWO DAYS THEY WERE AT THE FOOT OF THE
MOUNTAINS. THE MAJESTIC COGS WERE SHROUDED IN MIST , AND
CRUSHED ELATERAN CLAY ENCASED SOME UPWARD-CURVING AND
POINTED, BOAR'S-TOOTH-LIKE, SHALLOW ROCK FORMATIONS
CALLED EOLIERANTS AND RESEMBLING SOMETHING BETWEEN A
STALAGMITE AND A PONOR. A FINE RAIN WAS BEGINNING TO FALL,
AND THE RUSTLING WATER WAS LOST UNKNOWN WHERE IN THESE
FORMATIONS. THE HARSHNESS OF THE SURROUNDINGS MADE THE
BLOOD IN THE VEINS FREEZE. KIER ZOH HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A
PLACE. THE UPWARD SLOPES WERE MORE THAN STEEP WITH SHARP
CUTS FROM WATER THAT HAD FLOWED FOR MILLENNIA.

- 'IT IS SAID THAT THERE ARE ARCHANEANS STILL LURKING UP THERE,'

ZONTRAG INTERRUPTED HIS MUSINGS. 'REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR
ELDERS FROM THE SO-CALLED VOLTARIAN CIRCLE. W E MAY RUN
INTO THEM.'

- 'W E HAVE WEAPONS, DON'T WORRY,' KIER ZOH REPLIED CALMLY

BUT FIRMLY.'W E'LL DEAL WITH THEM SOMEHOW IF THEY GET TOO
AGGRESSIVE.'

IT WAS ONLY RIGHT TO POINT OUT HERE THAT BESIDES BEING THE
KING'S SPY, ZONTRAG WAS ALSO THE PRINCE'S GODFATHER, WHICH
WAS WHY THE BOND BETWEEN THEM WAS SO STRONG. SHE WOULD
NOT ABANDON HIM IN THE BATTLE FOR THE CROWN.

THEY HAD A TOUGH CLIMB AHEAD OF THEM. AND AN EVEN HARDER

DESCENT INTO THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS OF UGROK SIN - AU
KAKTIR.

'THE HARD PART , MY DEAR PRINCE, IS YET TO COME,' ZONTRAG

CALLED, 'BUT WE NEED NOT SEEK THE SUPPORT OF THE W ISE

292
ARCHANAYANS. THOUGH FEW IN NUMBER, THEY WOULD BE A
STRONG SUPPORT IN A POSSIBLE CLASH WITH YOUR BROTHER'S
FORCES.

THEY BEGAN TO SLOWLY CLIMB THE FOOTHILLS OF THE MOUNTAIN,

THE GROANDUS BEING DROWNED IN FOAM AS THEY CROSSED THE
DESERT . THEY DEFINITELY NEEDED TO FIND A PLACE TO STAY FOR
THE NIGHT AND CHOOSE A PLACE SAFE FROM AMBUSHES.

THE VOLTARIAN CIRCLE, AS FAR AS I KNOW , IS A COLLECTION OF THE

DOZEN OR SO SURVIVING ARCHANIANS AT ECLEC ZONE. THEY ARE
THAT ANCIENT . ALMOST AS OLD AS THIS PLANET . BUT THEIR AGE
DOESN'T SHOW IN THE SLIGHTEST. SO WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO
ANGER THEM.

- 'ARE YOU SURE WE'LL BE ABLE TO ARGUE?,' ASKED KIER ZOH.

- I THINK THEY WANT THE SAME THING YOU WANT , AND MUCH MORE.
THEIR RACE IS QUITE NEAR EXTINCTION, AND THEY MUST SAVE
THEMSELVES SINGLY. MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN CAPTURED IN THE
CAPITAL OF ELOHY, IMGRADON. THEY WERE KIDNAPPED DURING THE
LAST WAR FOR AU KAKTIR. AND THEY HAVE BEEN SLAVES EVER
SINCE.

- 'I HAVE NOT HEARD OF IT ,' KIER ZOH ADMITTED QUITE FRANKLY.

- 'THERE'S NO WAY YOU HAVE,' ZONTRAG SPOKE SOFTLY. 'EVEN

AMONG THE GUARRON IT IS NOT SPOKEN OF, FOR GREAT SHAME AND
PAIN AND CURSE HAVE BEEN UPON US SINCE THAT TIME.'

- 'W HAT HAS HAPPENED?,' ASKED THE PRINCE WITH INTEREST AS

THEY RODE.

- THIS STORY HAS BECOME A BYWORD FOR DISGRACE - BEFORE THE

LAST WAR FOR AU KAKTIR, THE ARCHANEANS WERE A FLOURISHING
NATION, BUT NOW THEY HAVE LONG LOST THEIR POWER AND HAVE
NOTHING TO LOSE. ON THIS DAY VOLTARIAN, THE WISEST OF THE
ARCHANEANS, HAS UTTERED A GREAT OATH OF ETERNAL PEACE AND
THE OBLIGATORY DEFENCE OF THEIR NESTS HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS.

293
BUT, AS IS OFTEN THE CASE, NOTHING HAPPENS BY CHANCE.
GOVERNOR ELMBAUM HAS CAPTURED A DOZEN OF THEM.
- 'W AIT,' THE PRINCE INTERRUPTED HIM. 'IT'S THE HUMAN CHIEF,
ISN'T IT?'

- 'EXACTLY,' ZONTRAG ENCOURAGED HIM. 'BUT HE'S NOT HUMAN AT

ALL. HE ACTUALLY CARRIES OUR BLOOD AS WELL.'

- 'HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?,' THE PRETENDER TO THE THRONE

GASPED.

- 'HE HAS MIXED THE BLOOD OF OUR SLAIN WARRIORS AND THEIR
ENGINEERS HAVE CREATED WHAT I THINK THEY CALL A LIFE-
EXTENDING SERUM.' CONTINUED ZONTRAG. 'HE WILL LIVE MUCH
LONGER THAN A NORMAL HUMAN LIFE. BUT THERE IS A CURSE. HIS
SKIN IS CONSTANTLY PEELING AND HE CAN'T LAST LONG IN THE SUN
BECAUSE THERE'S A CONFLICT BETWEEN OUR GENES AND HIS. I BET
THE BLOOD OF THE SLAIN WHISPERS TO HIM, ‘SNEAK, COME DOWN
TO US. THEN DOWN IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS.'

- 'AND THE ARCHANEANS THEMSELVES, WHY HIM?,' ASKED KIER

ZOH.

- HE IS, IN FACT, WHY HE ENSLAVED THE ARCHANAEAN CHIEFTAINS,

WHOSE HEALING KNOWLEDGE ALLEVIATED HIS SUFFERING, SINCE HIS
OWN SCHOLARS COULD NOT DEAL WITH SUCH AN ELEMENTAL
PROBLEM. HIS REASONING IS TOO ONE-SIDED. IN HUMAN TERMS.
BUT YOU, KIER ZOH, HEIR TO THE THRONE OF UGROK SIN, HAVE A
CHANCE TO CLEAR YOUR NAME OF THE ANCESTRAL CURSE TO
INHERIT THE THRONE THROUGH BLOOD IF YOU FIND THE CURE FOR
ELMBAUM.

- 'IS THAT REALLY WHY WE SET OUT?,' THIS TIME THE PRINCE WAS
NOT SURPRISED IN THE LEAST.

- 'AND NOT ONLY THAT ,' ZONTRAG REPLIED AMIABLY, 'THE

ARCHANEANS KNOW ALL THE SECRETS OF THIS WAR. THEY KNOW
ABOUT ITS MIXED ORIGINS TOO. HE CAN UNRAVEL THE KNOT OF THE

294
CONFLICT . HE ALONE KNOWS SOME SECRETS THAT EVEN THEY DO
NOT.'

- YOU MEAN HE IS THE SOURCE OF ALL THIS WAR ON THIS PLANET?

- 'YOU SAID IT,' WAS THE ANSWER ACROSS THE ROOM.

- 'IS AU KAKTIR OUR FINAL DESTINATION?,' THE PRINCE CONTINUED.

- 'NO,' ECHOED IN HIS EARS.

- HE WILL BE OUR FINAL DESTINATION. BUT NOT BEFORE WE FIND
SEVA'S ARMOUR.

- 'THE LAST GREAT QUEEN OF AU KAKTIR,' THE PRINCE WHISPERED.

- 'W E NEED THIS ANCIENT ARTIFACT TO CATCH HIM IN THE ACT. THAT
WAY, BOTH HUMANS AND ARCHANEANS, NOT LEAST OUR OWN RACE,
MIGHT LIVE IN PEACE. IT WILL EXPOSE ITS TRUE NATURE. GENE PAIRS
AFTER MUTATION ARE NOT PARTICULARLY STABLE. ACCORDING TO
THE LEGENDS, THE ARMOR CONTAINS A SPECIAL OINTMENT
DESIGNED FOR EACH HEIR TO THE THRONE. IT INTERACTS WITH OUR
BODIES. SINCE ITS NOT PUREBLOOD, THERE WILL BE A CHEMICAL
BACKLASH.

KIER ZOH, THE BLOODTHIRSTY WARRIOR, GAPED. HE WAS

BEGINNING TO BELIEVE THE RAMBLINGS OF TUR 'AI SAN'S DAUGHTER
A LOT MORE. EVERYTHING WAS FALLING INTO PLACE. THE WELL WAS
PERHAPS A METAPHOR EXPRESSING THE HIDDEN MEANING OF
SOMETHING MUCH DEEPER? BUT WHAT WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF IT?
HIS MIND WANDERED, BUT HE COULD NOT FIND THE ANSWER. AND
HE COULD SENSE HOW VITAL IT WAS. MUCH MORE IMPORTANT EVEN
THAN HIS DUEL FOR THE THRONE!

- 'YOU KNOW , WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT SOME WELL OR SOMETHING?

THEN IT APPEARS THAT MY BROTHER IS THE REAL TRAITOR?,' HE
ALMOST ROARED.

- 'I EXPECTED YOU TO THINK OF THAT , YOUR HIGHNESS, LONG

BEFORE,' SAID THE SPY. 'THAT IS WHY YOUR BROTHER WAS

295
PREFERRED, BECAUSE HIS CONQUESTS WILL HIDE THE TRUTH OF THE
ORIGIN OF OUR RACE, AS YOUR OWN FATHER HOPES!'

- 'AND HOW DID HE GET ALL THIS INFORMATION?,' THE PRINCE

SUDDENLY REALIZED, WONDERING HOW A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL COULD
BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF EVERYTHING.

THE SPY WAS SILENT. BUT HIS LOGIC WAS UNAMBIGUOUS. AND IT DID
NOT BODE WELL. NOR ANY POSSIBLE FUTURE SALVATION OR WAY
OUT OF THE CONFLICT .

- 'W AS THIS THE LEGEND OF GIMLIN ORN AND MIDRIEL?,' THE PRINCE
FINALLY ASKED. 'W E ARE JUST SOME APPENDAGE OF THE HUMAN
RACE. IN FACT , WE ARE ALL NO RACE AT ALL, BUT ARE MERELY THE
PRODUCT OF AN EXPERIMENT BY HUMANS?'

- 'RATHER OF A WELL THOUGHT OUT AND PLANNED ACCIDENT . AS

MUCH AS YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT HUMANS ARE NOT ENTIRELY
TO BLAME,’ HIS FAITHFUL COMPANION ADDED BLUNTLY.' 'YOUR
FATHER ACTUALLY CAME TO POWER, REINFORCING THIS LEGEND
AND MAKING US BELIEVE IN IT, DESPITE THE DOUBTS MANY HAD.
THERE WERE SOME WHO STILL REMEMBERED. THOUGH THEY
PREFERRED TO FORGET .'

KIER ZOH FELT HE WAS ABOUT TO LEARN THE MOST HARROWING AND
TERRIFYING PART OF THE STORY, AND NOT FROM THE MOUTH OF HIS
FELLOW SCOUT . HE HAD TO WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE ENCOUNTER
WITH THE ARCHANAYANS. IF THEY MADE IT TO THE TOP OF THE
MOUNTAIN AT ALL.

SUDDENLY A FEATHER, SHARP AS A STEEL RAZOR, STUCK IN FRONT

OF THE PAWS OF THE LARGE GROANDUS THE PRINCE WAS RIDING.
BUT HE DID NOT EVEN FLINCH. IN THE DUSKY MORNING A MISTY
SILHOUETTE FLOATED IN THE SKY ABOVE THEM. CIRCLING, IT
BLOTTED OUT THE SUN. IT WAS MAJESTIC, LIKE THE HUGE BLACK
SHADOW OF A BIRD SPREADING ITS HUGE WINGS. THERE WAS NO
DOUBT THAT THE NESTS OF THE ARCHANAYANS WERE NEARBY!

296
^^^

- 'HOW DARE YOU DISTURB THE PEACE OF THE PUREBLOOD

DESCENDANTS OF VOLTARIAN?,' A MENACING VOICE BOOMED IN THE
HEIGHTS. 'HOW DARE YOU COME THIS FAR, WHERE NO HUMAN FOOT
IS ALLOWED?'

KIER ZOH TRIED TO MAKE A VISOR OVER HIS EYES, USING HIS
HANDFUL, BUT HE STILL COULDN'T MAKE OUT THE FEATURES OF THIS
HUGE CREATURE.

- 'YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR, TURN BACK OR YOU WILL PERISH!,' THE
VOICE BOOMED AGAIN.

- 'W E'RE COMING TO VOLTARIAN HIMSELF,' ZONTRAG SHOUTED, 'TO

TELL US SOME THINGS ABOUT THE WAR FOR AU KAKTIR.'

- 'VOLTARIAN IS LONG DEAD. YOU TWO HAVE NO BUSINESS HERE,'

THE VOICE MUTTERED, NOT QUITE CONFIDENTLY BUT RATHER
GRUFFLY, APPARENTLY IMPLYING THAT THE GROANDUS POSED A
THREAT TO THEIR YOUNG.

- I'M SURE IT ISN'T. YOUR RACE IS ALMOST IMMORTAL,' ZONTRAG

DIDN'T GIVE IN, 'THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CHANGES YOU'LL NEED TO
GET USED TO BEFORE W E GET TO YOU.

- 'THESE THINGS HAVE NO PLACE UP HERE, NEAR THE NESTS,' THE

VOICE SHRIEKED IMPLACABLY, THEN FLEW AWAY INSTANTLY.

- 'RELAX, HE'LL BE BACK,' ZONTRAG REPLIED CALMLY. 'HE'S JUST

GOING TO LET THE OTHERS KNOW . I THINK WE'LL MAKE IT , EVEN IF WE
HAVE TO DUMP THE GROANDUS HERE ALREADY. IF THEY COME BACK,
ALL THE BETTER, OUR PEOPLE WILL THINK WE'RE DEAD OR LOST . A
GUARRON NEVER LEAVES HIS GROANDUS WHILE HE IS ALIVE. THAT
WAY WE'LL BUY SOME EXTRA TIME BEFORE TUR 'AI SAN'S DAUGHTER
BRINGS THEM TOO CLOSE.'

THE MOUNTAIN WAS SHROUDED IN A MIST THAT WAS ALMOST

IMPENETRABLE. SO THICK THAT THE GROANDS WERE PULLING BACK

297
AND BITING THE AIR. THEY HAD TO GET RID OF THEM AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE OR THEY COULD SERIOUSLY HURT THE RAMPAGING
ANIMALS AS THE MONSTROUS CREATURES THREATENED TO THROW
THEIR RIDERS OFF. W HATEVER ZONTRAG WAS SAYING, THE PRINCE
WAS EVEN MORE ON GUARD THAN BEFORE. EVERYTHING WAS GOING
ACCORDING TO PLAN. FOR NOW .

THEY WAITED A WHILE, BUT NO ONE RETURNED. THEN, SUDDENLY,

THERE WAS A FLUTTER OF WINGS. A WHOLE FLOCK OF ARCHANEANS
SWOOPED DOWN ON OUR HAPLESS ADVENTURERS, STRIKING THEM
WITH THEIR WINGS. KIER ZOH THOUGHT ABOUT PULLING OUT HIS
LASER CUTTER AND STABBING THE NEAREST OF THE CREATURES,
BUT SUDDENLY GAVE UP. HE JUDGED THAT THE ODDS WERE NOT ON
THEIR SIDE, MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY WERE ABOUT A DOZEN OF THEM,
AND ONLY IF THEY HAD ASKED COULD HE HAVE INSTANTLY DRIVEN
HIS HARD-AS-STEEL FEATHERS INTO THEIR FLESH. AFTER TAKING A
SOLID AMOUNT OF BEATING FROM THEIR HOSTS, A VOICE THAT
SOUNDED LIKE A HOARSE WHEEZE SAID:

- STOP! THEY CAN BE TRUSTED! LET THEM PASS ON!

THEY SAW NO SILHOUETTE OR FACE. THEN SUDDENLY THE GROUP
OF MAN-LIKE BIRDS FLEW AWAY AND HID IN THE THICK FOG.

THERE WERE SCARS AND BRUISES ON BOTH OF THEIR FACES. THE

PRINCE'S REGAL BEARING NO LONGER LOOKED SO DIGNIFIED. HE
WOULD EVEN WAGER THAT HE HAD SOME OTHER BROKEN RIB AS
WELL. HE TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND THE SHARP PAIN THAT PASSED
THROUGH HIS CHEST JUST SHOWED THAT THESE WERE JUST
BRUISES. STILL, THEY BOTH NEEDED A FEW SECONDS TO COMPOSE
THEMSELVES. THEY WERE IN NO POSITION TO RESIST , FOR KIER ZOH
WANTED TO WIN THE ARCHANAYANS AS ALLIES AND RECLAIM HIS
CROWN.

- 'NOW WE CAN GO HIGHER UP,' ZONTRAG SUGGESTED.

THE MISTY MOUNTAINS DID NOT BEAR THAT NAME FOR NOTHING.
THE PASSAGE UPWARDS W AS BECOMING MORE AND MORE

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DIFFICULT .
THEY COULD NOT SEE MORE THAN TWO FEET IN FRONT
OF THEIR NOSES. THEIR FEET PICKED OFF OCCASIONAL ROCKS AS
THEY SEARCHED FOR MORE STABLE FOOTING AS THEY CLIMBED.
SWEAT POURED FROM HER BROW , BUT STILL, THEY RELENTLESSLY
CONTINUED.

THE ANCIENT SLOPES OF THE MISTY MOUNTAINS HOUSED THIS

RACE, OF WHICH SO LITTLE W AS KNOWN, BUT WHICH WAS
RENOWNED FOR ITS HEALING POWERS. THEY WERE ONCE THE
DOMINANT RACE ON THE PLANET. THIS WAS LONG BEFORE THE
GUARRON HAD EVEN APPEARED. THIS WAS KNOWN EVEN TO KIER
ZOH.
THEY WERE ENTERING UNKNOWN TERRITORY. THE SIPEI BELOW
WERE MONSTROUS. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN DIZZY.
HE AND
ZONTRAG STRAINED THE LAST OF THEIR STRENGTH, BUT THIS CLIMB
SEEMED ENDLESS.

SOMEHOW , THOUGH,
KIER ZOH FELT INWARDLY THAT SOMETHING
MIGHT BE WRONG. HE KNEW HE WAS ON THE RIGHT TRACK, BUT HE
FEARED CHANGE. HE ANTICIPATED IT WITH SUSPENSE. W ITH EACH
SUCCESSIVE CLIFF THEY JUMPED OVER, OR LOOSE BOULDER THAT
CAME THEIR WAY, HE FELT THAT PERHAPS HIS SEEMING DESIRE TO
CLAIM THE THRONE WAS MERELY A PRETEXT TO KNOW AND ACHIEVE
SOMETHING FAR GREATER, BEYOND HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING. BUT
WHAT? ZONTRAG BREATHLESSLY FOLLOWED HIS MASTER . THEIR
HUGE GREEN PAWS WERE WOUNDED TO BLOOD. IT WASN'T SO EASY
TO REACH THE TOP, BUT THEY PERSISTED.

SUDDENLY, A CRACK SEEMED TO BE HEARD. THE PRINCE TURNED

AROUND. THE OLD SPY HAD SLIPPED, AND MIRACULOUSLY HAD
CAUGHT HOLD OF A TWIG THAT WOULD GIVE WAY UNDER HIS WEIGHT
AT ANY MOMENT . HIS TIME WAS RUNNING OUT . DESPAIR WAS
WRITTEN ON HIS FACE. HE WAS SIMPLY A PASSENGER. KIER ZOH
WONDERED IF IT WAS WORTH SAVING HIM, SINCE IT WOULD MEAN
FOLLOWING HIM INTO THE ABYSS. ZONTRAG UNDERSTOOD HIS
INTENTIONS AND SAID:

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- 'LET ME DIE, PRINCE. SAVE YOURSELF,' AND FLEW INTO THE ABYSS.

SUDDENLY GREAT WINGS FLAPPED FROM SOMEWHERE AND A YOUNG

AND STRONG ARCHANAEAN TOOK THE FALLING CREATURE. PAYING
NO ATTENTION TO ANYTHING, HE SIMPLY SOARED INTO THE AIR.
MAJESTICALLY GRAZING THE AIR WITH HIS WINGS, HE SOARED EVEN
HIGHER, TOWARDS THE VERY TOP. ITS SILVERY FEATHERS WERE
RAZOR SHARP. THE LIGHT REFLECTED IN THEM WAS SIMPLY
BLINDING. THEN SUDDENLY IT DISAPPEARED.

THE PRINCE FOLLOWED IT WITH HIS GAZE. HE SHOULD HAVE

FOLLOWED IT , BUT NOW HE REALLY WONDERED WHY THEY WERE
SAVING ZONTRAG RIGHT NOW . THE BEHAVIOUR OF THESE 'THINGS',
AS HE MENTALLY CALLED THEM, WAS APPARENTLY QUITE
CONTRADICTORY. HE KNEW , HOWEVER, THAT HE WOULD HAVE A
HARD TIME GETTING OVER THE LOSS OF HIS LOYAL ALLY, SO WITHOUT
WANTING TO ADMIT IT EVEN TO HIMSELF, IN HIS HEART , HE THANKED
THEM. THAT DIDN'T STOP HIM FROM HATING THEM TO DEATH AT THE
SAME TIME, FOR ALL THE BEATING HE TOOK. THE CHALLENGER, WITH
THE LAST OF HIS STRENGTH, TROTTED TO THE TOP. THERE WAS STILL
A LITTLE WAY TO GO.

AFTER A FEW HOURS, HE WAS ALREADY STANDING ON ONE OF THE

HIGHEST SLOPES - THE VERY TOP, BUT THERE WAS, STRANGELY
ENOUGH, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THERE. THERE WERE NO NESTS OF
ARCHANGELS, NO FEATHERS, LET ALONE THE REMAINS OF THE
CORPSES OF THE STRANGE MAN- LIKE CREEPS. HE WAS ALMOST
READY TO SCREAM HERE, REALIZING HE WAS ALL ALONE, ON THIS
PEAK WHERE HE WOULD SURELY DIE IF HE DIDN'T FIND SOME FOOD.
HE WAS READY TO EAT EVEN A PORTION OF THE HIGH-CALORIE FOOD
THEY WERE GIVING THE HUMAN PILOTS. BUT EVEN THAT WASN'T ...

A MAJESTIC PICTURE UNFOLDED BEFORE HIS EYES. HE HAD CLIMBED

SO HIGH THAT HE COULD PRACTICALLY SEE THE OUTLINE OF THE
ZEGARAI MOUNTAINS, OR AT LEAST PART OF THEM. THEIR RIDGES
WERE IMPOSING AND DEFINITELY HIGHER THAN THOSE OF THE MISTY
MOUNTAINS. HE HAD YET TO DESCEND INTO THE VALLEY, BUT THERE
WAS NO TELLING WHO OR WHAT AWAITED HIM. IT WAS ALL UP TO HIM

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NOW . HIS VERY MIND WAS WHISPERING TO HIM, ‘YOU'VE COME TOO
FAR TO DIE JUST LIKE THIS. YOU MUST FIND THE WELL! YOU MUST
FIND SEVA'S ARMOR!’

THE PRINCE HEADED THAT WAY. ALONE, BUT DETERMINED TO FIND

THE ANSWER TO THE RIDDLE.

^^^
THE PRINCE WAS ALREADY DESCENDING INTO THE 'VALLEY OF
KINGS'. W HERE HE WAS BORN. W HERE WAS THE BONEYARD OF HIS
RACE IN THE NOT SO DISTANT PAST . EVERYTHING WAS DIFFERENT
NOW . OR PERHAPS TOO MUCH TIME HAD PASSED. AND HE COULDN'T
TELL EXACTLY. HE WAS ON GUARD FOR A SUDDEN ATTACK. HE
WASN'T SURE IF ANY MEMBERS OF THEIR RACE STILL LIVED ON THESE
LANDS. HE COULD SEE A VAGUE TREPIDATION RISING IN HIM FOR
REACHING UNSUSPECTED HEIGHTS, BUT SOMEHOW HE COULDN'T
ACCEPT THAT HE WAS READY FOR IT. EVERY ONE HAS SUCH A
MOMENT IN HIS LIFE. HE WAS ALONE, UTTERLY ALONE, AND HE
COULD TAKE IT ALL OR DIE. IT WAS UP TO HIM. HE COULD FEEL THE
ACHE IN HIS STOMACH, MAKING HIM RUSH EVEN MORE. MAYBE IT WAS
BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIRDS' FEATHERS HAD HOOKED HIM QUITE BY
ACCIDENT . HE BENT HIS GAZE AND REMAINED PINCHED. SOMEONE
HAD PLACED A SMALL LEATHER POUCH ON HIS BELT . HE COULDN'T
BELIEVE IT. HE RUMMAGED IN IT AND FOUND A STRANGE PARCHMENT
WITH THE WORDS 'GO ON WITHOUT FEAR, EVEN IF YOU DIE , THIS IS
YOUR PATH, DON'T STOP...' W HOEVER THE PRANKSTER WAS
OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD POETRY, BUT THE PRINCE SET ABOUT
SEARCHING FOR A DEEPER MEANING IN THE WORDS.

HE REMEMBERED THAT HIS FATHER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE OF

THE CONFLICT WITH HIS BROTHER. HE ALSO TRIED TO THINK OF RAS
TIAN'S WORDS, ABOUT HIS BROTHER. DAMN! THERE WERE SO MANY
PEOPLE, SO MANY WORDS BEING SAID. HE COULDN'T CONNECT ANY
OF THEM TO WHAT WAS WRITTEN.

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ALL THAT SWIRLED IN HIS HEAD WERE VARIOUS IMAGES OF BLOODY
BATTLES. NOTHING MEANINGFUL. MENTALLY, HE DECIDED TO PUT
OFF SOLVING THE MYSTERY UNTIL LATER. THE ANSWER LAY DOWN
THERE SOMEWHERE AND HE WOULD DEFINITELY FIND IT .

HE REGRETTED THAT HE WAS PLAGUED BY AN INTENSE THIRST AND

COULDN'T DRINK SOME ENSARIAN WINE. EVEN THE GUARRONS LIKED
TO STEAL IT AND DEFINITELY THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST DISCOVERY
HUMANS HAD MADE. HE'D PROBABLY DRINK A WHOLE MECH AND FALL
ASLEEP LIKE A STUMP. BUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING COULD HAVE
CUT HIS HEAD OFF. IT WAS A MATTER OF HONOR! A ROYAL ONE AT
THAT! W HO WOULD DARE SLEEP AFTER BEING SO CLOSE TO THE
MARK? W HO WOULD MISS SUCH A CHANCE?

SUDDENLY, FOUR PAIRS OF STRONG HANDS GRABBED HIM FROM

BEHIND AND TWISTED HIS OWN BEHIND HIS BACK. HE WAS FORCED
TO BEND OVER. BUT KIER ZOH WAS A DEFT WARRIOR. USING HIS
INVISIBLE FOES AS A FOOTHOLD, HE MASTERFULLY SPUN AND DROVE
SUCH A KICK INTO THEIR THUGS THAT THEIR INVISIBLE TEETH WOULD
SURELY HAVE SNAPPED OUT . HE FELT THEM DROP HIM. HE TURNED.
THERE WAS NO ONE THERE. W AS HE GOING TO PASS OUT?

HE CONTINUED DOWN THE ANCIENT SLOPES. THE SURROUNDING

AREA LOOKED GRITTY AND DRY, YET NOT COMPLETELY DEVOID OF
VEGETATION. HE HAD TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FACT. SO WHAT?
SURELY THERE WAS A WAY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THE
GUARRON WERE DEFINITELY NOT FARMERS LIKE HUMANS, BUT EVEN
THEY HAD A BASIC KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA. STRANGE LITTLE
LIANA- LIKE BUSHES WERE SEEN HERE AND THERE. THEY DEFINITELY
LOOKED LIKE VOLUNTEER WEEDS. NOTHING IMPRESSIVE. HE
WALKED AND WALKED. THE SOIL BURNED HIS FEET. MAYBE HALF A
DAY PASSED LIKE THAT . SUDDENLY HE REALIZED SOMETHING
IMPORTANT . HE HAD TO FIND SAFE COVER, BECAUSE HE WAS
SCRATCHING AGAIN. HE GLANCED FOR THE NEAREST BUSHES AND
JUST CROUCHED BEHIND ONE. THE LASER CUTTER WAS IN ONE OF
HIS HANDS, READY FOR ANY CONTINGENCY.

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A LITTLE LATER, SLEEP OVERCAME HIM. SOMEONE WITH A HOOD ON
THEIR HEAD APPEARED TO HIM IN HIS SLEEP AND WHISPERED
'YOU'RE VERY CLOSE, WHEN YOU FIND THE ANSWER YOU'LL DIE...'
HE WOKE, DRENCHED IN SWEAT . IT WAS TERRIBLY STRANGE. HE
FELT HIS NECK WITH HIS HAND. W AS HE LIVING IN A NIGHTMARE? NO
- THIS WAS EVEN WORSE. HE WAS LIVING IN HIS OWN FICTIONAL,
ILLUSORY WORLD, WELL-FED, WITH THE STATUS OF A PRINCE. W HAT
WAS THERE EVEN TO TALK ABOUT ? HE NEEDED TO WIN! EVEN JUST
ONCE! NOT FOR GLORY! BUT TO FEEL LIFE FILLING HIM AGAIN!

IT OCCURRED TO HIM TO FEEL HIS BELT. THE POUCH WAS NO LONGER

THERE. IT OCCURRED TO HIM THAT EVEN THOUGH NOTHING WAS
CLEAR TO HIM, HE WAS BEGINNING TO GRASP THE LOGIC IN THIS
WHOLE THING. IT EVEN MADE TOO MUCH SENSE TO HIM.

IN THE DISTANCE, A SETTLEMENT OF SOME SORT APPEARED. THE

PRINCE WAS STILL TOO FAR AWAY TO BE SURE WHAT IT ACTUALLY
WAS. STRANGE TENTS WHERE THEIR ANCESTORS HAD MOST LIKELY
LIVED WERE VISIBLE HERE AND THERE. HE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE
ANY CHANCES AND GO STRAIGHT INTO THE VILLAGE, BUT TO WAIT , AT
LEAST FOR A LITTLE W HILE, TO LOOK AROUND. THE PAIN IN HIS
STOMACH SEEMED TO INTENSIFY AGAIN. W HY THE HELL COULDN'T HE
GET RID OF IT ? AND WHY WAS SHE CALLING RIGHT NOW WHEN HE
NEEDED ALL HIS STRENGTH.

W HEN HE FINALLY GOT THE COURAGE TO GO INSIDE, HE SAW THAT

THE VILLAGE WAS ACTUALLY QUITE DESERTED AND DEAD QUIET . SHE
DECIDED TO SEARCH IT ANYWAY. ANYTHING COULD BE OF USE TO
HIM. HE WALKED INTO JUST ABOUT THE FIRST TENT THAT CAME INTO
SIGHT.

THEN HE HEARD THE VOICE BEHIND HIM.

- SO YOU DECIDED TO COME AFTER ALL!

- I CAME TO HEAR THE TRUTH. AND NOT LEAST TO ACCEPT MY FATE,

HE DECLARED RATHER CLICHÉD AND PATHETIC.

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- O H, SO IT IS, EH,' YOU'LL FIND IT OUT SOON ENOUGH. EVEN TO-
NIGHT. BUT UNTIL THEN, BE MY GUEST . EAT AND DRINK TO MY
HEALTH.

- 'BUT I DON'T SEE YOU,' REPLIED THE PRINCE A LITTLE AWKWARDLY.

- 'IT IS NOT NECESSARY,' THE VOICE REPLIED SIMPLY. 'THE
IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU ARE HERE.'

HE TURNED AND SAW A TABLE SET, LIKE IN THE FAIRY TALES. HE SAT
DOWN AND BEGAN TO EAT. THERE WAS SOME OF THE CHICKEN MILK.
THERE WAS SOME FRUIT THAT HE HAD EATEN AS A CHILD - LIKE
ELMOANA BANANAS, AND IT WAS PLISTOREAN PASTA. GOD HOW
DELICIOUS THEY WERE! CONSIDERING THE NOMADIC LIFE THEY LED,
THESE TWO FOODS WERE A REAL DELICACY. SUDDENLY, SOMETHING
IN THE CORNER STIRRED. HE DECIDED TO CHECK. HE SQUEEZED THE
HANDLE OF THE KNIFE AND SAW A HUGE SACK MOVING LEFT AND
RIGHT. HE WENT TO UNTIE IT . INSIDE HE FOUND THE BODY OF HIS
FAITHFUL COMPANION ZONTRAG. HE WAS DEAD. IT LOOKED LIKE A
HEART ATTACK. QUITE A NASTY ACCIDENT! BUT AT LEAST HE HAD
DIED WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE. IN HIS HANDS WAS A NOTE ‘THIS IS
FOR YOU, PRINCE! I'LL SEE YOU TONIGHT!’

- 'SO BE IT,' SAID THE PRINCE.

STILL, THERE WAS TOO MUCH TIME BEFORE EVENING. SO HE
DECIDED TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT AND WANDER AROUND THE
VILLAGE. IT WAS DEFINITELY STRANGE. A KIND OF NOSTALGIA CAME
OVER HIM FOR THIS MUCH MORE SETTLED LIFE COMPARED TO HIS
PRESENT ONE. EVERYTHING WAS FALLING INTO PLACE SOMEHOW .
EVERYTHING WAS SO SIMPLE. THE PRINCE WAS WANDERING
AIMLESSLY THROUGH THE STREETS WITHOUT ANY REAL THOUGHT
WHEN HE FINALLY SAW SOMETHING RATHER INTERESTING.

SOME SMALL CEMETERY, NOT FAR FROM THE VILLAGE. IT LOOKED

EVEN MORE LONELY THAN THE VILLAGE ITSELF. AFTER A FEW
MINUTES, HE WAS ALREADY THERE. HE SAW A SMALL PLAQUE,
ALMOST COMPLETELY ERASED, THAT SAID ‘SEVA’ ON IT. HE STARTED

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TO DIG THE GRAVE. THE MORE HE DUG AND THE MORE DIRT HE
THREW AWAY, THE MORE IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT HE WAS DOING
NOTHING. HE WAS ONLY WASTING HIS STRENGTH. FINALLY A STONE
SARCOPHAGUS WITH INTRICATE INITIALS ON IT CAME INTO VIEW . THE
PRINCE WASN'T SURE IF HE COULD MOVE IT AT ALL. IT WAS SO HEAVY.
SO HE DECIDED TO PUSH IT AWAY. THAT SEEMED POSSIBLE TO HIM.

W HEN HE DID, HE SAW THE QUEEN'S REMAINS. ON HER NECK WAS

THE SAME INSCRIPTION, ‘HERE WE MEET AGAIN!’

THE PRINCE CRIED ALOUD. IT WAS THE VOICE!

^^^
- 'YOU SHOULD HEAR MY VOICE MORE OFTEN, KIER ZOH,' THE
SKELETON KEPT TELLING HIM, GIGGLING FURIOUSLY. - I AM THE LAST
GREAT QUEEN OF AU KAKTIR. ME AND NO ONE ELSE. THAT IS WHAT
I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER. YOU AND YOUR BROTHER FOUGHT OVER
NOTHING! AND THE WHOLE DAMN PLANET IS AT WAR, BUT I'M
CHANNELING A GROUP OF BRAVE MEN WHO WANT TO HELP. EVEN IF
THEIR HELP PROVES USELESS. THEY WANT TO HELP! YOU
UNDERSTAND ME!’ THE SKELETON WAS JUST DISGUSTING. - AND
WHAT DID YOU DO? CAN YOU TELL ME? YOU MADE THE MISTAKE OF
GOING DOWN A PATH THAT WASN'T FOR YOU AT ALL. YOUR BROTHER
IS BECOMING A KING, BUT NOT YOU. YOUR SITUATION IS DIFFERENT.
YOU WILL HAVE AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT ROLE. THE ROLE OF
REDEEMER.

KIER ZOH WATCHED HER. THAT SKELETON MUST HAVE LOST HIS
MIND. BUT HOW WAS THAT POSSIBLE SINCE THERE WASN'T A DROP
OF BRAINS IN HIS ROTTEN SKULL? HOW DARE SHE SPEAK TO HIM LIKE
THAT? THIS WAS INTOLERABLE! STRANGE BUSINESS! BUT THERE
WERE SIGNALS REACHING HIS MIND THAT CLEARLY SHOWED SHE
COULD BE TRUSTED. SHE WAS AWARE OF WHAT SHE WAS SAYING!

- 'I'LL LISTEN TO YOU,' SAID THE PRINCE. 'I AM GUILTY. AND BECAUSE
I WAS WRONG, I BEG ATONEMENT FOR MY DEEDS.'

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- 'ISN'T IT A LITTLE LATE?,' THE SKELETON CONTINUED TO QUARREL.
'I'LL HELP YOU, BUT YOU MUSTN'T STRAY THIS TIME. YOU WILL FIND
ELMBAUM. AND YOU WILL BRING HIM BACK ALIVE. ALIVE, NOT DEAD.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME ?'
- 'YES,' REPLIED THE PRINCE, IN A TONE AS IF HE W ERE BEING
WHEELED AND CUT TO PIECES. 'I WILL BRING HIM BACK. I PROMISE.'

- 'BUT YOU CAN'T FIND HIM WITHOUT MY HELP,' THE VOICE GREW
SERIOUS. 'YOU'LL BE REUNITED WITH A GROUP OF BRAVE MEN WHO
ARE HUMAN.'

- 'HUMANS,' ROARED KIER ZOH, RED WITH RAGE.

- 'YES, PEOPLE. OF FLESH AND BLOOD. W ITH MUTUAL STRENGTH
YOU WILL FIND IT .,' THE VOICE WAS ALREADY LOSING PATIENCE, BUT
HE WAS TRYING TO KEEP HIS COMPOSURE.

- 'ALL RIGHT, LET'S ASSUME I AGREE! W HAT DO I GET?,' HE ASKED

SOMEWHAT HAUGHTILY, SEDUCED BY THE THOUGHT OF PLAYING
SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SAVING THE PLANET .

- 'NOTHING,' WAS THE SIMPLE ANSWER.

- 'HOW COME NOTHING? NOTHING AT ALL?,' HE ALMOST SPUTTERED.

- 'YES, NOTHING. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO,' THE VOICE

REPLIED.

- 'GOOD. I ACCEPT,' HE SAID AFTER SOME INTERNAL STRUGGLE. 'I'LL

DO WHAT YOU WANT .'

- 'YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR IT, TOO,' THE VOICE ADDED. 'THIS IS THE
SECRET. ONLY THEN WILL IT BE REAL.'

SUDDENLY THE SKELETON CRUMBLED. ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS THE
INSCRIPTION ‘BEHOLD, WE HAVE MET!’

KIER ZOH WAS QUITE STARTLED. HE STOOD BY THE SHALLOW

GRAVE. AND HE WONDERED IF HE WAS DREAMING. W HAT THEY

306
WANTED FROM HIM. HE WASN'T FIT TO BE A PRINCE, HE WASN'T FIT
TO BE A KING, HE WASN'T EVEN FIT TO BE USURPER TO THE THRONE!

BUT MAYBE HE WAS GOING TO BE A SCAPEGOAT! HIS EGO WAS

CALLING TO HIM! IT NAGGED AT HIM SO HARD! SOMETHING WAS
GNAWING AT HIS BRAIN!

- 'AT LEAST I HAVE A CHANCE TO FIX THINGS,' HE BLURTED OUT .

BY THE TIME HE TURNED AROUND, MARK AND THE OTHERS W ERE
BEHIND HIM. THEY LOOKED AROUND FOR A WHILE, FATHER ALMOST
PULLING OUT HIS BLASTER AND NOT SHOOTING HIM IN THE HEAD, BUT
THE RAT WHO KNOWS WHY STOPPED HIM. THEY DIDN'T SPEAK THE
LANGUAGE, THEY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, THEY DIDN'T
KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE. THEY STARTED DRAWING SIGNS IN
THE SAND. IT WAS NAIVE, BUT IT WORKED. COMMUNICATION PROVED
SUCCESSFUL.

THE VOICE HAD OPENED A PORTAL FROM THE ZEGARAI MOUNTAINS

TO DEATH VALLEY, AND THEY HAD TRAVELED THOUSANDS OF MILES
IN JUST A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF A SECOND.

KIER ZOH EXPLAINED IN DETAIL WHAT WAS REQUIRED OF THEM. AND

HE WAS MORE THAN SATISFIED THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD IT . THAT
WAS ENOUGH FOR HIM. IF ANY OF THE SUBJECTS SAW HIM, KNEELING
IN THE DUST , DRAWING STRANGE SHAPES, THEY WOULD KILL HIM ON
THE SPOT . BUT IT WAS DIFFERENT NOW . NOW HE HAD A PURPOSE.
HE HAD TO ACHIEVE IT . HE HAD TO SUCCEED. SOMETHING HAD TO
SPUR HIM ON. IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING. THIS WAS WHAT HE NEEDED!

IF HE HAD NEEDED TO, HE WOULD HAVE EVEN OVERTURNED THE

ENTIRE PLANET . NOT EVEN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. HIS MISTAKE HAD
TO BE ATONED FOR. HIS VOICE SPOKE FROM WITHIN. HE HAD TO
EARN FORGIVENESS. AND BEG IT HIMSELF! SOMETHING THAT WAS
NOT AT ALL EASY!

MARK, PAUL, GRANDPA JACK, RAT AND THE OTHERS LOOKED

AROUND. INSTEAD OF THE ROTTEN SKELETON, THEY SAW JUST A

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HANDFUL OF DUST . IT WAS THAT SIMPLE. AND DAMN SIMPLE ! THERE
WASN'T ANY DOUBT!

THEY HAD TO ACT TOGETHER! AND THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT!

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: DOOM

'DON'T MULTIPLY THE ENTITIES ANY MORE THAN NECESSARY.'

THE ZIRUARXS WERE ALREADY ENTERING SYNTHROS. IT TOOK THEIR

LEADERS QUITE SOME TIME TO OVERCOME THE UNEVEN TERRAIN, AS
WELL AS THE SEMI-DESERT CLIMATE THAT WAS ALSO GIVING THEM
QUITE A FEW HEADACHES. THE MACHINES DID HAVE ONE
PECULIARITY, NAMELY THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL, SILICA ARONAULT ,
OF WHICH THEY WERE MADE, COMBINED WITH THE ADDITIONAL
REINFORCED THERMOFLON ARMOUR ON THE TURRET, DESPITE THEIR
IMMENSE MANOEUVRABILITY, MADE THEM RELATIVELY HEAVY FOR
THE SINKING, EVEN SINKING, ELANDON SOIL OF SINTROS. UNLIKE
THE HUMILIAS - IT WAS HIGHLY UNSTABLE. LIKE, WE SAID, THE
INTERRON FUEL WAS LITERALLY DRIPPING, EVEN JUST POKING A
FINGER IN IT . APART FROM THAT FACT , THE MULTIPLE DRILLINGS HAD
FRAGMENTED IT COMPLETELY. IT WAS ALSO WHY THE ELOHENIANS
PREFERRED TO BUILD THEIR BASE IN LEARNIA AND USE THE ENTIRE
TERRAIN OF SYNTHROS AS A NATURAL ‘MOAT’ AROUND THE
APPROACHES TO THE BASE. IT WAS A SMART DECISION, BUT NOT
THAT SMART , BECAUSE THERE REMAINED THE PROBLEM OF
TREACHERY. A TRAITOR HAD HELPED THE GUARRON INFILTRATE THE
BASE, BUT THE ADVANCING TROOPS WERE UNAWARE OF THAT FACT
AT THE TIME. NOR DID THEY KNOW THAT A SHORT TIME LATER PARTS
OF THEIR OWN ARMIES WERE SACRIFICED IN COMBAT FOR NOTHING
AND NOTHING AT ALL. AGAIN, THIS WAS DUE TO TREACHERY, BUT
FROM A MUCH HIGHER AUTHORITY. THEY WERE SIMPLY FULL OF
ENTHUSIASM TO DO THE JOB THEY WERE BEING PAID TO DO! THEY

308
TALKED QUITE LOUDLY IN THE ZIRUARX, BUT THEY EXPECTED AT ANY
MOMENT TO SPRING UP AS IF ON COMMAND AND START SHOWERING
THE ENEMY WITH BULLETS WHILE THEIR COMRADES COVERED THEM.

RODRIGO AND DUOLORS WERE, COINCIDENTALLY, IN THE SAME

ZIRUARX THAT HAD ARRIVED FIRST AT THE SECRET BASE BEFORE
THEY WERE ASSIGNED.

- 'MAYBE BECKY WILL HAVE TO SORT HERSELF OUT ,' RODRIGO

TOSSED IN. 'BUT SHE'S A MAN'S GIRL AND KNOWS HOW TO GET OUT
OF TROUBLE. LET'S HOPE THE CITY SURVIVES WITHOUT US.'

- 'IF WE GET OUT OF HERE, YOU'VE GOT A BEER FROM ME,' DUOLORS
MUTTERED. 'W ATCH MY BACK, LEST SOME PLASMA BOUNCE ME.'

- THEY WERE ARMED, IN ADDITION TO THE PLASMA RIFLES, WITH

SPECIAL BONETIER RIFLES THAT GENERATED A POWERFUL KINETIC
SHOCKWAVE THAT COULD TAKE THE ENEMY RIGHT OUT. THAT WAS IN
CASE THEY NEEDED A PLAN B.

SERGEANT ZORIN, WHO WAS THE MOST SENIOR IN THE GROUP, HAD
GIVEN THE BOYS QUICK, CONCISE AND PRECISE INSTRUCTIONS ON
WHAT TO DO IF THE PLATOON MEMBERS GOT SEPARATED AND HOW
TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.

THEY WERE TO USE A PARTICULAR FORM OF DISLOCATION BEFORE

THEY BEGAN TO TAKE OVER ENEMY POSITIONS. BEHIND THEM WAS A
SMALL SQUAD OF ARMORED NIRANGAIS THAT THE PLATOON
LEADERS WOULD USE TO OBSERVE AND AVOID FLANKING THE ENTIRE
DIVISION. THE BATTLE CORPS SPLIT IN TWO.

AS MANY AS EIGHTY SPEEDERS CIRCLED ABOVE THEM AND SCOUTED

THE AREA. THEY HAD SPECIAL INFRARED SENSORS DETECTING ALL
BIOMETRICS OF MOVING SUBJECTS WITHIN A THIRTY-FIVE
MICROSCINTIMETER RADIUS.

- 'DO NOT MULTIPLY THE ENTITIES MORE THAN NECESSARY OR IN

TRANSLATION MASTER THE POSITION WITH AS FEW FORCES AS
POSSIBLE.' REPEATED SERGEANT ZORIN BEFORE THE BRIGHTENING

309
HATCH OPENED AND THE BOYS WENT THE HELL OUT. 'DON'T WASTE
ANY EXTRA AMMO. YOU HAVE ABOUT FORTY MINUTES TO BREAK
THROUGH THE ENEMY FROM THE SOUTHERN APPROACH. IF THEY
START TO CHASE YOU, RETREAT IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, THEY'RE
NOT SUCH BIG FOOLS TO CHASE YOU INTO THE INTEROFFENSIVE
FUEL FIELDS. END. IF THEY DO, WE'LL MEET THEM WITH EZONIUM
BOMBS AND MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM THE NORTHEAST SIDE. I'VE
DEPLOYED A FEW ZIRUARX TO PROVIDE COVER FOR YOUR
WITHDRAWAL. END!'

RODRIGO, DUOLORS, AND THE OTHERS DIDN'T WAIT LONG TO PLEAD

WITH THEM. THEY JUMPED LIKE SPRINGS AND POURED OUT LIKE ONE
OF THE ZIRUARX'S DRONES. A MOMENT LATER, HOWEVER, THEY
GAPED IN ASTONISHMENT.

- 'THEY'VE SMASHED THE BASE LIKE A MATCHBOX!,' GASPED

RODRIGO. 'BUT I WONDER HOW THEY DID IT, AND WITH WHAT ?', HE
ADDED, EYEING THE BREACHED FIVE- METRE WALL OF DIOMEDES
BASE, 'W HAT THE HELL DID THAT!'

ZORIN WALKED OVER AND CALMLY SAID:

- NOW IT'S MORE THAN CLEAR THEY SENT US FOR GREEN SPAWN.
IT'LL TAKE US A FEW DAYS TO GET BACK, EVEN WITH THE
NIRANGATERS.

THE BOYS LOOKED AT EACH OTHER DUMBFOUNDED.

- 'LOOKS LIKE ALL THAT TRAINING WAS FOR NOTHING,' DUOLORS

GRUMBLED INDIGNANTLY.

SUDDENLY THEY HEARD A WHEEZING SOUND. THEY WENT TO CHECK.

IT WAS THE BASE COMMANDER, COVERED IN BLOOD AND BARELY
BREATHING.

- 'HOW MANY WERE THERE?,' A FEW DOZEN VOICES ASKED HIM,

ALMOST IN CHORUS.

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- 'I DON'T KNOW ,' HE BARELY MUTTERED. 'BUT THERE WAS
SOMETHING ROTTEN HERE. ALL THE BOYS WERE GONE. THE
GUAROONS KILLED THEM! FILTHY LIZARDS! BUT THAT FENCE WAS
KNOCKED DOWN BY TRICKERY!'

SPEAKING, SPITTING BLOOD. THE PITIFUL REMAINS OF HIS UNIFORM

SWAYED GROTESQUELY. ONE OF HIS LEGS WAS EVEN MISSING. HE
TRIED TO REACH A SMALL STONE TO BRACE HIMSELF ON, BUT HIS
STRENGTH WAS NOT ENOUGH. HE FELL ON HIS EYES. THEN
SUDDENLY HE GASPED.

EVERYONE IN THE SQUAD LOOKED UP. PERHAPS THEY WERE ABOUT

TO LEARN EVEN MORE UNPLEASANT TRUTHS. THEN, ONE AFTER
ANOTHER, THEY SCATTERED TO EXPLORE THE BASE.

THE DEVASTATION WAS COMPLETE. HOLES WERE EVERYWHERE.

BUT WHAT OUR ADVENTURERS DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT SEVERAL
GUARRON OUTPOSTS WERE HIDDEN AT THE REMAINS OF THE BASE'S
COMMAND CENTER. THEY WERE PLAYING SOME STRANGE GAME OF
THEIRS CALLED ‘ORIMO’, OR SO IT SAID ON THEIR CARDS. IT MOST
LIKELY RESEMBLED SOME OF THE HUMAN GAMES. THEIR LASER
CUTTERS WERE ON THEIR BELTS AND THEY JUST HAD NOTHING TO
DO. THE GUARRON HAD LEFT THESE HEROES AS LIAISONS TO WARN
THEM OF POSSIBLE DANGER WHILE THE DANCE OF DEATH LASTED.
THEY HARDLY NUMBERED MORE THAN TEN OR FIFTEEN.
BUT THEY
WERE STILL DANGEROUS. AND TOO DANGEROUS.

- 'DOOLERS,' ZORIN WHISPERED, 'USE THE BONETIER RIFLE. NOW!'

SERGIO DUOLORS READIED THE STRANGE WEAPON THE SIZE OF A
LARGER HAMMER, WHICH USED A SPECIAL MECHANISM AND
GENERATED A POWERFUL SHOCK WAVE.

- 'NOW!' ROARED ZORIN. 'KNOCK THEM THE FUCK OUT!'

THE KINETIC WAVE WAS STRANGE TO SAY THE LEAST. AS WE KNOW
FROM PHYSICS, THE MEDIUM OF PROPAGATION WAS CALLED A
CONTINUOUS ELASTIC MEDIUM. A SPECIAL DRUM IN THE BACK OF THE
WEAPON, CALLED AN EQUALIZER, CREATED WHAT WAS CALLED AN

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OSCILLATION OF A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PARTICLES, WHICH WAS
DIFFERENT FROM THE OSCILLATION OF THE PARTICLES OF THE
ENVIRONMENT . ANOTHER DEVICE CALLED AN INTENSIFIER
DETERMINED THE INTENSITY OF THE SPHERICAL WAVE GENERATED
BY THE GUN. THE THIRD AND FINAL PART, CALLED A DIRECTION
FINDER, CREATED ITS DIRECTED MOTION ALONG A CERTAIN
COORDINATE. AND A POWERFUL ‘BAAM!’ FOLLOWED.

THE GUARRONS WERE LITERALLY CRUSHED LIKE COCKROACHES.

THEIR SEVERED LIMBS SCATTERED AROUND THE BASE. EVEN THEIR
HEADS WERE HARDLY RECOGNIZABLE AND LOOKED LIKE CRUSHED
CARDBOARD BOXES. THEIR EYES WERE LEAKING. AND THE RIB
CAGES OF THEIR CHESTS STUCK OUT LIKE BROKEN TOOTHPICKS.
SUCH WAS THE EFFECT OF THE DREADED WEAPON IN QUESTION.
- 'GOOD WORK, DUOLORS,' ZORIN CALLED, 'IF WE GET BACK ALIVE,
I'LL OFFER YOU UP FOR PROMOTION. W HAT WAS YOUR CURRENT
RANK?'

- 'PRIVATE, SIR,' HE REPLIED BREATHLESSLY.

- EXCELLENT. NOW SEARCH THE STOREROOMS FOR ANYTHING ELSE

THAT MIGHT BE OF USE TO US.

THEY RUMMAGED AROUND THE BASE FOR A LONG TIME. MAYBE

MORE THAN FIVE HOURS. THEY SEARCHED EVERY POSSIBLE NOOK
AND CRANNY FOR SUPPLIES, VARIOUS WEAPONS, ULTRAS, AND
WHATNOT .THEY FOUND ALMOST NOTHING AND CAME BACK ANGRY.
AND THERE WAS DEFINITELY A REASON WHY.
- 'W HAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THEIR ATTACK ON THE BASE, SIR?,'
DARED RODRIGO TO ASK. 'THEY TOOK ALMOST NOTHING OF USE.'

- 'DON'T BE SO SURE,' ZORIN COUNTERED HIM SOMEWHAT CALMLY.

'W HATEVER THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, THEY FOUND IT.'

SOME OF THE OTHERS WERE STILL FUSSING AND LOOKING AROUND,

HOPING TO FIND SOME LOOT WORTH ALL THE W AY HERE.

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- 'NOW ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS CONTACT THE OUTPOSTS THAT HAVE
OUR BACK,' ZORIN CONTINUED. 'HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT
WITH THEM.'

- 'OUTPOST ALPHA, THIS IS TEAM BETA 1, 2, 3, DO YOU COPY?,' HE

CALLED SOMEWHAT MECHANICALLY OVER THE CYCLOTRON
SYNTHESIZER.

NOTHING.

- 'POST ALPHA, DO YOU READ?,' HE REPEATED.

THE SAME SILENCE.

ZORIN PALED.
- 'THEY'VE DISCOVERED OUR PLANS,' HE SAID. 'LET'S GET OUT OF
HERE SOON! OTHERWISE THEY'LL WIPE US OUT!'

SUDDENLY THERE WAS A STRANGE NOISE BEHIND THEM. IT WAS LIKE

A HUMMING. THEY HAD WALKED INTO A TRAP.

THE GUARRONS HAD DEVELOPED A RATHER EFFECTIVE FIGHTING

TECHNIQUE, WHICH THEY CALLED ‘TUL AI SOR’ OR TRANSLATED AS
‘SACK’. APPARENTLY THOSE WITH THE LASER CUTTERS HAD
SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SIGNAL THE OTHERS, BUT HOW ? THEY
DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIME TO DO IT!

IT WAS NECESSARY TO MENTION HERE THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES

OF THIS RACE WERE NOT STRATEGIC GENIUSES, BUT RELIED MOSTLY
ON THE TACTICS OF SUDDEN AND LIGHTNING ATTACK. THEIR
STRATEGIC PLAN INVOLVED THE CONSTANT EXHAUSTION OF THE
ENEMY WITH A SERIES OF SUCH ATTACKS. EVERY AVERAGE PLATOON
COMMANDER KNEW THIS. MOREOVER, ZORIN HAD SERIOUS COMBAT
EXPERIENCE BEHIND HIM. BEFORE THE RAID ON THE DIOMEDES
BASE, HE HAD FOUGHT TWO OTHER MILITARY CAMPAIGNS WITH A
MORE LIMITED RANGE. THE FIRST HAD BEEN IN THE DEFENSE OF THE
ELOHYN'S INTERRON FUEL REFINERY, AND THE OTHER HAD BEEN SO
LONG AGO THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER IT ANYMORE! BACK

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THEN HE HAD TRAINED HIMSELF TO BECOME AN ‘ANGEL OF
IMGRADON’ AND DEFEND IT.
IT TURNED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THEIR OPPONENT WASN'T AS
SMART AS THEY EXPECTED, HE WAS SNEAKY, BUT NOT SMARTER
THAN THEM. AT LEAST NOT THIS TIME.

THERE WERE ONLY FIVE OR SIX OTHER GUARRONS IN THE NEXT

SECTION OF THE COMMAND CENTER. HEARING THE STRANGE SOUND
OF THE KINETIC WEAPON, THEY HAD COME TO CHECK OUT WHAT WAS
GOING ON.

ZORIN TOOK THEM DOWN WITH HIS ASSAULT RIFLE WITHOUT

FURTHER ADO, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THE CORPSE OF ONE WAS
FALLING THAT HE SPOTTED A SMALL POUCH OF QUISSON IN WHICH,
FROM THE OUTLINE OF THE OBJECT , HIS TRAINED EYE RECOGNIZED
AN AESONIAN THERMOBOMB.

- 'GET DOWN!,' HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO SHOUT.

SUCH AN ENORMOUS MASS OF EARTH AND ROCK DEBRIS ROSE THAT
IT OVERWHELMED THE OTHERS. THEIR SHATTERED LEGS AND ARMS
WERE CHARGING AROUND AS IF THEY WERE PART OF A CANNIBAL
FEAST. THE ABOMINATION WAS COMPLETE! TORN PARTS OF THEIR
HEADS HAD MINGLED WITH THE HYDRAULICS OF THEIR NANOBOTS.
AND IT WASN'T FUN AT ALL! ZORIN KNEW THAT THE PRACTICE IN
BOMBING WAS TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND PLUG YOUR EARS TO KEEP
FROM GOING DEAF FROM THE SOUND WAVE CREATED BY THE
EXPLOSION. W ITH BOMBS IN THE ADVANCED FUTURE, HOWEVER,
THIS WAS RELATIVELY USELESS. THE BOMB ITSELF PRODUCED A
SPECIFIC THERMAL WAVE THAT COULD MELT EVEN THE STRONTIUM
ARONAULT OF THE ZIRUARXS.THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
TO ONE OF THEM. SPECIFICALLY, WITH THEIR MACHINE. I T BURST
INTO FLAMES AND BEGAN TO SLOWLY MELT . THEN, NATURALLY, IT
EXPLODED. THE FACT THAT THERE W ASN'T TOO MUCH INTERRON
FUEL IN THE TANK HELPED KEEP THE MIGHTY ‘BOOM!’ FROM
OVERTAKING IT .

314
ZORIN LOOKED AROUND. IT SEEMED HE WAS THE ONLY SURVIVOR.
HE TRIED TO TURN ON THE CYCLONIC SYNTHESIZER. HIS EARS
HUMMED. THE GREENISH SENSOR LIGHT REPORTED THAT THE
DEVICE WAS WORKING. THE SMALL DISPLAY REPORTED SOMETHING
DIFFERENT , HOWEVER. THE STRAIGHT LINE TRANSFORMED INTO AN
IRREGULAR SINE WAVE AND HE HEARD:

‘NOBODY'S GETTING OUT OF HERE! UGHORN LEGOL!’

IT WAS BEYOND BELIEF, WHOEVER THAT VOICE BELONGED TO COULD

REPRODUCE HUMAN SPEECH WITHOUT MUCH DIFFICULTY. W HAT THE
HELL WAS GOING ON HERE?

IF THEY'VE LEFT TWO WHOLE PLATOONS HANGING AROUND A RUINED

BASE THAT NO ONE IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM IN THE NEAR FUTURE,
AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF RESOURCES TO REBUILD IT,
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING IMPORTANT GOING ON!’ HE
MUTTERED UNDER HIS BREATH, PREPARING TO FIGHT FROM ANY
POSITION.

HE TRIED TO CONTACT THE ZIRUARX WHO WERE ONLY A FEW MILES

AWAY. AGAIN HE GOT NO REPLY.

'I'M NOT GOING TO LET SOME REPTILES TORTURE ME LIKE A DOG,' AS

IT BRIEFLY CROSSED HIS MIND TO BLAST HIS OWN HEAD WITH HIS
BLASTER, BUT AFTER A BRIEF MOMENT OF HESITATION HE CHANGED
HIS MIND.

HE CRAWLED OVER TO THE NEAREST ZIRUARX THAT HAD BEEN LEFT

ALMOST UNTOUCHED BY THE EXPLOSION AND CRAMMED HIMSELF
INSIDE. THE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT WAS INTACT. HE MADE A
THIRD ATTEMPT AT COMMUNICATION USING THE ENCRYPTED
FREQUENCIES. HE HEARD SOME STRANGE WHISPER-LIKE NOISE. NO
VOICE OR RESPONSE.

HE INSTANTLY DARTED TO THE COCKPIT AND SEALED THE MACHINE

FOR SECONDS. THE OZARIUM HATCH MADE THE MACHINE
ABSOLUTELY INACCESSIBLE TO ANY KIND OF LIGHTER WEAPON,
EXCEPT FOR ESONIUM BOMBS AND PROTON BOMBS. NO AMOUNT OF

315
MACHINE GUN FIRE, LASER CUTTERS, OR PLASMA RIFLES WOULD
EVEN SCRATCH ITS COMPOSITE ALLOY.

SUDDENLY THE BUZZING IN HIS HEAD INTENSIFIED AND BLOOD

DRIPPED FROM HIS NOSE. HE SENSED SOMETHING W AS WRONG.

- 'THIS MACHINE WILL BE YOUR GRAVE, MAN!,' THE STRANGE VOICE

SOUNDED AGAIN.

AFTER A WHILE THE HIGH PRESSURE MADE HIS HEAD BURST LIKE A
RIPE WATERMELON. HE WAS DEAD IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.
RODRIGO, DUOLORS, AND THE OTHERS TOO.

THE FOCUS OF LONG AND EXHAUSTING PREPARATIONS HAD NOT

PREPARED THEM FOR ANYTHING VERY IMPORTANT . TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED. EVEN IF THAT UNEXPECTED, WAS BEYOND THEIR
IMAGINATION OF ANYTHING POSSIBLE. AND THE ENEMY WAS WELL
VERSED IN JUST THAT . AND HE HAD WON THIS BATTLE. W ITH MINIMAL
CASUALTIES.

NOW DIOMEDES' BASE SEEMED MORE FORLORN EVEN THAN BEFORE.

AND SCARIER EVEN THAN RODWELL. A VERITABLE ABODE OF DEATH.
THEY WERE NEVER COMING HOME. BUT EVEN IF THEY HAD THAT
CHANCE - IT WOULDN'T EXIST IN JUST A FEW HOURS. THEY SIMPLY
HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING IT ANYMORE. NOR COULD THEY SENSE IT.
THEY HAD ALREADY LOST. FOREVER! OR MAYBE NOT QUITE ?

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: ZORIN

W HEN YOU'VE HAD A SILVER SPOON IN YOUR MOUTH ALMOST ALL

YOUR LIFE, WHEN YOUR PARENTS HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH A GOOD
EDUCATION, AND WHEN YOU'RE A MILITARY DOCTOR ON TOP OF
THAT, YOU SOMEHOW BEGIN TO SEE THE WORLD W ITH DIFFERENT
EYES. NEOLA WAS STRANGELY TRYING TO FORGET ABOUT HER POOR
CHILDHOOD BEFORE SHE WAS ADOPTED BY HER WEALTHY

316
GUARDIANS. THE IMMENSE HARDSHIPS SHE HAD TO GO THROUGH TO
REACH THE TOP. AND THAT SAME PEAK WAS DEFINITELY NOT WHAT
SHE EXPECTED. THAT PEAK WAS DECEPTIVE AND BUILT ON TOO
MANY ILLUSIONS. DISASTROUS ILLUSIONS. BUT THIS 'STAIN', AS SHE
CALLED HER ORIGINS, WOULD STAND AS LONG AS SHE LIVED AND
REMIND HER THAT SHE HAD ACCOMPLISHED ALMOST NOTHING ON
HER OWN. THAT HER FALSE BRILLIANCE HAD BEEN BESTOWED UPON
HER BY FATE.

HER STUDIES IN THE MEDICAL CORPS HAD BEEN ENTIRELY COVERED

BY THE MANY EX-CAL CREDITS THAT WERE THE CURRENCY OF THE
FUTURE. TO DO EVEN THE SIMPLEST MATH, IT WAS EQUIVALENT TO
THE ANNUAL UPKEEP OF AN ENTIRE PLATOON OF ELITE SOLDIERS.
THE REASON THEY VALUED IT WAS FAR DIFFERENT THAN BEING ABLE
TO PERFORM BASE MANIPULATION. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE WAS ALSO
RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING NARENZIE IDENTIFICATION CHIPS ON
SOME SOLDIERS' HEADS. AND THAT COULDN'T BE DONE BY JUST
ANYONE.

THE HEADHUNTERS RADSOIL AND EDWARD MIGHT HAVE BEEN

INSUFFICIENT TO GET HER WHERE SHE WAS GOING. THAT WAS MORE
THAN CLEAR. AND ENDWHITE WAS A HIDDEN LEMON, TOO.

W HILE NEOLA WAS BUSY WITH HER THOUGHTS, SASIA HAD ALREADY
FINISHED REPAIRING THE SPEEDER. BEHIND HER BACK, ENDWIGHT
WAS PREPARING TO LAND THE INSIDIOUS BLOW AND CARRY OUT HER
PLANS TO GET AWAY. BUT SUDDENLY SOMETHING UNFORESEEN
HAPPENED.

AS IF OUT OF NOWHERE,ZORIN EMERGED, BLEEDING AND BARELY

BREATHING. BUT HOW WAS THAT POSSIBLE SINCE HE WAS ALREADY
DEAD? ACTUALLY, HE WASN'T. FEW KNEW , AND WERE INDEED
AWARE, THAT ANY COMMANDER, EVEN THE MOST INFERIOR, WAS
TOO PRECIOUS TO BE SACRIFICED. THAT'S WHY THE ONE KILLED IN
THE ZIRUARX WAS HIS CLONE. BUT WHY WASN'T THIS TOLD TO THE
YOUNG RECRUITS? FOR ONE SIMPLE REASON - THEY WOULD IN NO
WAY ACCEPT SUCH INEQUALITY! MOREOVER, HE WAS EXPECTED TO
ENCOURAGE THEM TO BOLDLY ENTER COMBAT! ZORIN WAS CAPABLE

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OF TELEPATHIC COMMUNICATION WITH HIS CLONE-DOUBLE , BUT IT
WAS DEFINITELY AFFECTING HIS HEALTH. HE HAD FELT A STRANGE
INTERFERENCE WITH THE THOUGHTS, OR SEMBLANCE OF SUCH, AS
THE IRENEGETIAN NANOCODE OF THE HUMANOID ANDROIDS WAS
CURTLY CALLED. SOMEONE WAS VERY EXPERTLY FINGERING AS IF
THEY WERE STRETCHING THE STRINGS OF SOME MUSICAL
INSTRUMENT . BUT WHO WAS THIS SOMEONE? COMMUNICATION WAS
VIA AN EMBEDDED CHIP IN THE BRAIN'S LIMBIC SYSTEM, WHERE
INCOMING INFORMATION WAS STORED. SOMETIMES ZORIN RECEIVED
TOO MUCH INFORMATION FROM HIS CLONE, WHICH CAUSED HIM A
HUGE HEADACHE, BUT THE FORESIGHTED BIOENGINEERS HAD
ARRANGED FOR A SPECIAL METHOD OF SHUTTING DOWN THE
COMMUNICATION, IN ORDER TO AVOID OVERLOADING THE BRAIN, AND
THUS POSSIBLE BRAIN DEATH. THE CREATURE THAT HAD
DELIBERATELY 'KILLED' THE ANDROID WAS APPARENTLY TRYING TO
GET TO ZORIN'S BRAIN AS WELL, BUT STILL WITHOUT SUCCESS. THIS
WAS WHAT WAS CALLED BIO-OBJECT IMPACT , BUT IN THIS CASE
ZORIN WASN'T EVEN SURE IF HIS OPPONENT WAS FLESH AND BLOOD.
AND WHAT WAS GOING ON ANYWAY? APPARENTLY SOMEONE WAS
QUITE SERIOUSLY INTERESTED IN KILLING HIM, AND RATHER
SNEAKILY AT THAT .

HE'D TAKEN THE HUGE DISTANCE FROM SYNTHROS TO RODWELL

WITH ONE OF THE NIRANGAITERS. W HY HADN'T HE GONE BACK TO
IMGRADON? VERY SIMPLE - GOING TO RODWELL WAS A SURE WAY
TO GET MORE SERIOUS WEAPONS, OR AT LEAST SOME
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT . AND HE WASN'T WRONG. OF
COURSE HE'D BEEN WANDERING AROUND THE PILES OF JUNK IN THE
CEMETERY FOR A WHILE. HE'D BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING HE
COULD USE. HE HADN'T TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE SMALL FACT THAT
THAT WAS WHERE THE PIRATE DESERTERS WERE LURKING, WITH
DUBIOUS INTENTIONS OF COOPERATING WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE MILITARY IN IMGRADON. THERE WAS NO TELLING HIM THAT THEY
EVEN HAD AN UPRIGHT AIRCRAFT .

318
HAD THEY SEEN HIM EARLIER, THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GONE
INTO HIDING, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND THERE WAS NO MOVING.
SOMETHING JUST HAD TO BE DONE.
- 'LEGITIMIZE YOURSELF RIGHT NOW ,' ENDWHITE TRIED TO LOOK
SCARY, POINTING HIS BLASTER AT THE SERGEANT .

ZORIN WASN'T GOING TO DEAL WITH ANY NONSENSE. IT JUST WASN'T

HIS STYLE.HE RAISED HIS HANDS HYPOCRITICALLY, BUT WITH NO
REAL INTENTION OF SURRENDERING. AS HE APPROACHED, HE
TWISTED HIS HAND BEHIND THE BACK OF HIS HEAD IN A FLASH AND
POINTED THE BLASTER AT HIS HEAD.SASIA HAD A TRAINED EYE AND
REFLEXES, BUT EVEN SHE COULDN'T REACT THIS TIME.

- 'W HERE ARE THE OTHERS?,' ASKED ZORIN. 'TAKE ME TO YOUR

BOSS?'

- 'I'M SASIA ...,' THE PILOT BEGAN.

- 'I DON'T CARE MY GIRL WHO YOU ARE,' ZORIN CUT HER OFF . 'DO AS
YOU'RE TOLD. OTHERWISE, SHOOT,' HIS FINGER RAN DOWN THE
TRIGGER.

NEOLA ALMOST SQUEALED WHEN SHE SAW WHO WAS STANDING IN

FRONT OF HER. BUT SHE HURRIED TO HIDE. BUT ZORIN DIDN'T
PARTICULARLY CARE. HE WAS DETERMINED TO SHOW THEM THAT
THEY HAD TO TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY.

RADSOIL AND EDWARD TRIED TO REACH FOR THEIR WEAPONS, BUT

ZORIN SHOT THEM WITHOUT BLINKING AN EYE. THAT LEFT ONLY
SASIA AND ENDWIGHT. THEY WERE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE OF USE.
AND HE ASKED ONE LAST QUESTION:

- CAN THIS SPEEDER FLY?

- 'IT CAN,' WAS SASIA'S ANSWER. 'I JUST FIXED IT.'

ZORIN DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES, HAVING STUNNED THE

TWO LARGE MEN, HE TIED THE PILOT DOWN SO AS NOT TO GET IN HIS
WAY. ENDWIGHT WAS PARALYZED WITH A SPECIAL KICK THAT ZORIN

319
HADN'T TAUGHT THE ROOKIE. STILL, NO MATTER HOW SELLOUT THE
COMMAND WAS, HIS CHANCES OF SHINING WERE CONSIDERABLE.
EVEN WITHOUT GOVERNOR ELMBAUM, THERE WAS NO ONE TO
EVALUATE HIM. BUT ALL IN GOOD TIME.

ZORIN PICKED UP A METAL ROD, WHICH HE BEGAN USING TO HIT THE

TWO WHEREVER HE COULD FIND THEM. THEY WERE TIED SECURELY
WITH IRRETIA STRINGS HE HAD FOUND IN THE CEMETERY. THEIR
SUITS RATTLED LIKE EMPTY TIN CANS, BUT THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO
FEEL IT. AFTER A WHILE THEY CAME OUT OF THEIR REVERIE.

- 'LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY,' HE GROWLED AT THEM, 'IF YOU DON'T

COOPERATE, YOU'LL JUST DIE FROM SUIT DECOMPRESSION. W HO
ARE YOU?'

THEY BOTH PALED.

BUT THESE WERE PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS
AFTER ALL. THEY WEREN'T GOING TO GIVE UP THAT EASILY. SO IN
DEFIANCE, THEY CONTINUED TO REMAIN SILENT .

W ITHOUT SAYING ANOTHER WORD, ZORIN CAREFULLY POKED A

SMALL HOLE IN THE LACES OF THEIR SUITS AND HELMETS.

- 'W AIT,' RADSOIL BARELY MUTTERED. 'NEOLA'S GUILTY.'

- 'HUH?,' ZORIN JUST GAPED. 'SO THERE WERE OTHERS. VERY

INTERESTING. W HERE IS SHE ?'

- 'DOWN IN THE CAVES,' EDWARD JOINED IN.

ZORIN LEFT THEM WITHOUT PAYING ATTENTION. SOON THE

DECOMPRESSION WOULD FINISH THEM OFF COMPLETELY. BUT HE
COULDN'T LEAVE THE PILOT ALONE. SHE WAS TOO VALUABLE. AND
SHE HAD TO CATCH THAT NEOLA, TOO.

IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE CAUGHT UP TO HER AND PINNED HER TO

THE GROUND. SHE SCREAMED AND STRUGGLED, BUT ZORIN
MANAGED TO RESTRAIN HER.

- 'THERE MAY BE A SLIGHT CHANGE IN YOUR PLANS,' HE SAID

BREATHLESSLY.

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W HEN THEY RETURNED THEY SAW THAT THERE WAS INDEED ONLY
ROOM FOR FOUR IN THE SPEEDER. ZORIN SAT FURTHEST BACK,
KEEPING AN EYE ON ALL THREE OF THEM. ONE WRONG MOVE ON
THEIR PART AND HE'D BLOW THEIR BRAINS OUT. AND WITH A CLEAR
CONSCIENCE AT THAT .

- 'W HAT WILL BE THE COURSE OF THE FLIGHT ,' SASIA TRIED TO ASK
HIM IN A COOL VOICE.

- 'W ELL, GIVEN WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUE TOLD ME, I THINK I'M REALLY
GOING TO FLY IN YOUR DIRECTION!,' REPLIED ZORIN UNPERTURBED.

SASIA WAS LIKE BEING STRUCK BY THUNDER. BUT SHE STEELED

HERSELF AND SAID.

- THIS FLIGHT COULD BE EXTREMELY RISKY AND WE COULD ALL DIE.

ARE YOU SURE YOUR BODY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE STRAIN? W E
DON'T HAVE SPECIAL SPACESUITS, AND I DID THE CALCULATIONS
UNDER VERY PRIMITIVE CONDITIONS. W E MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DOCK
WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ALL.

- 'YOU TALK TOO MUCH, MY GIRL,' ZORIN REPLIED IN A SLIGHTLY

ALTERED VOICE, 'YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVEN'T NOTICED THE STATE I
ARRIVED HERE IN. THAT WE ARE FROM TWO OPPOSING CAMPS
DOESN'T CHANGE THINGS MUCH . W E CAN HELP EACH OTHER. YOU
ARE DESERTERS AND I AM A FAILED COMMANDER. I HAVE TACTICAL
KNOWLEDGE THAT THOSE PSEUDO-COMMANDOS DOWN THERE
DON'T, BUT I HAVE ANOTHER QUALITY THAT IS EVEN RARER. I CAN
READ MINDS. AND I CAN SEE VERY EASILY WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING
TO THROW ME OVERBOARD,' HIS VOICE HELD AN UNCONCEALED
THREAT .

- 'LET'S TAKE OFF THEN,' SASIA CONFIRMED. 'EVERYTHING IS YOUR

RESPONSIBILITY.'

ZORIN KEPT WATCHING THEM, BUT NONE OF THEM MOVED. THE

SPEEDER PEELED SMOOTHLY FROM THE SURFACE. THE THRUST OF
THE FOUR MAIN ENGINES HAD REACHED FULL POWER AND IT SLOWLY
ROSE VERTICALLY. THEN CAME THE HARD PART. THEY NEEDED TO

321
REACH AN ACCELERATION THAT WOULD HELP THEM OVERCOME THE
STRATOSPHERE AND GET OUT INTO NEAR SPACE IN OPEN ORBIT .
HERE, THE TRAINED WARRIOR WAS NOT IN HIS OWN WATERS AT ALL.
BUT HE HAD NO CHOICE. THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK. AND HE
WAS A FUGITIVE LIKE THEM.

GRADUALLY, AS THE MACHINE ROSE, EVERYTHING BEGAN TO BLUR

BEFORE HIS EYES. IT WAS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT THAN THE ZIRUARX
HERE, BUT HE HAD TO ENDURE. HIS BODY WAS CLAD IN RADSOIL'S
SPACESUIT . IT WAS A LITTLE WIDE FOR HIM, DESPITE HIS
EXTRAORDINARILY BROAD SHOULDERS. THEY'D GLUED THE SMALL
HOLE SHUT WITH EMBOSSED FABRIC GLUE. EVERYONE WAS
REQUIRED TO CARRY A SMALL TUBE IN ORDER TO PREVENT MORE
REVERSIBLE DECOMPRESSIONS IF THE SUIT 'S INTEGRITY WAS
COMPROMISED. ZORIN HOPED IT WOULD LAST. HE EVEN PRAYED OUT
LOUD. HE COULD FEEL THE FIRST SIGNS OF THAT PARTICULAR CRUSH
ON HIS OWN BODY. AND THE PAIN WAS SERIOUS. HE GRITTED HIS
TEETH. AND TIGHTER STILL HIS WEAPON, WHICH HE KEPT POINTED
AT THE BACKS OF THE THREE OF THEM.

IT WAS NECESSARY TO MENTION THAT THE ATMOSPHERE OF

ZEGANDARIA CONSISTED OF ONLY TWO LAYERS, THE
STRATOSPHERE AND THE EXOSPHERE. THERE WAS NO PRESENCE OF
AN OZONE LAYER OR THICK AND DENSE CLOUDS OF HYDROGEN
SULFIDE. JUST THICK LAYERS OF HAZE THAT CONSISTED MAINLY OF
WATER AND METHANE AND VARIOUS GASES. AND AS WE SAID, IT WAS
POISONOUS AND SUFFOCATING. THE PLANET 'S ECCENTRIC ORBIT
MADE SOME OF ITS REGIONS A VERITABLE DESERT , WHILE OTHERS
WERE SIMPLY SUBJECT TO REGULAR DOWNPOURS. RODWELL,
WHERE THEY HAD PRACTICALLY TAKEN OFF FROM, WAS JUST SUCH A
DESTINATION. SASIA WOULD HAVE CHOSEN A FAR MORE
COMFORTABLE LOCATION ON A WHIM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT
WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

REACHING THE STRATOSPHERE DIDN'T TAKE THEM TOO LONG .

MAYBE ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES OR EVEN LESS. IT WAS
DIFFICULT TO POSITION THEMSELVES IN THE EXOSPHERE, WHERE

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THE SITUATION WAS QUITE DIFFERENT . THE HULL OF THE MACHINE
HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO CRACK. ALTHOUGH IT WAS A MODERN
COMBAT SPEEDER, IT WAS NOT SUITED FOR SPACE TRAVEL.

- 'W E'VE MADE IT,' SASIA SAID AFTER THEY'D BEEN SHUDDERING IN A
STATE OF VERY LOW GRAVITY FOR OVER AN HOUR. 'NOW GET SOME
OXYGEN FROM THE RESERVE CAPSULES. GET THE ERRONIAN VESTS
READY AS WELL.'

THESE VESTS WERE SPECIAL. MADE OF EXTREMELY STRONG BD 18

GRADE QUIZON, THEY WERE USED FOR HANGING ROPES AND OTHER
ODDITIES. THEY WOULD GO OUT INTO OPEN SPACE, BUT NOT BEFORE
ALERTING PATROLLING SHIPS. ‘THE EMSATO 199 WAS THE CLOSER
ONE AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONVENIENT TO BOARD. YES,
THEY WERE GOING TO BE REAL PIRATES NOW .

- 'GET THE WEAPONS READY, BUT HIDE THEM,' SASIA ORDERED.

ZORIN OBEYED HER, AS HERE HE HAD NO DOUBT THEY WERE GOING

TO PLAY HIS NUMBERS. THEY ALL POURED OUT OF THE SHIP'S RUMEN
AND FLOATED LIKE BABIES INTO THEIR MOTHER'S AMNIOTIC WATERS.
THEN THEY MANAGED TO ATTACH SPECIAL BOARDING HOOKS AND
SECURE THEMSELVES TO THE HULL OF THE PATROL SHIP. W HETHER
THEY WANTED TO OR NOT, THEY HAD TO ACT AS A TEAM.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: EMZIROU

THE BRIGHT SPOT GREW LARGER. AND IT WAS CLOSING IN ON

KENJI'S LITTLE ESCAPE POD WITH EXTRAORDINARY SPEED. ITS
OUTLINE STOOD OUT VERY VAGUELY, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE OUT
‘EMZIROU ’. IT COULDN'T BE! HE HAD HEARD THAT NAME! IT WAS
SURELY A LARGE TRANSPORT SHUTTLE THAT COULD BRING HIM TO A
SAFE HAVEN! BUT HOW COULD HE GET HER ATTENTION!

323
HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE CAPSULE AS HE WISHED, FOR HE
COULD EASILY VEER FROM ITS FLIGHT PATH. AND THE AUTOPILOT
MIGHT NOT BE ACTIVATED QUICKLY ENOUGH, AND HE MIGHT LOSE
THIS LAST CHANCE OF CONTACT WITH OTHER INTELLIGENT BEINGS IN
OPEN SPACE, DOOMING HIMSELF TO A SLOW DOOM. BUT IT COULD
HAVE DONE SOMETHING ELSE! HE PULLED OUT A SMALL EXONIUM
BOMB HE HAD CAREFULLY STASHED IN HIS SPACESUIT. HE DROPPED
IT INTO A SPECIAL LAUNCHER ON THE FLARES, AND FROM THERE THE
BOMB WAS SIMPLY SUCKED OUT OF VACUUM AND FLEW OUT INTO
OPEN SPACE.

AT FIRST NOTHING HAPPENED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT.

BUT LATER, THE SHOCK WAVE CREATED BY THE EXPLOSION SEEMED
TO STIR UP THE SPACE DUST AND ROCKS THAT PASSED
DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO ITS LITTLE LIFE-SAVING SHELL. YES, THE
CLOUD IN QUESTION WAS VERY SMALL AGAINST THE INFINITE
EXPANSE, BUT THE SHUTTLE SEEMED TO NOTICE IT .

THE EMZIROU ACTIVATED RED LIGHTS THAT WERE ON EITHER SIDE

OF ITS HULL. IT WAS A DISTRESS OR ALARM SIGNAL. GRADUALLY, THE
SHUTTLE BEGAN TO APPROACH THE APPROPRIATE DESTINATION.

SPECIAL AILERON ROPES, MUCH STRONGER THAN THE ZERETHIUM

ONES, WERE LAUNCHED FROM THE TRANSPORT SHUTTLE TO THE
OTHER SMALL CRAFT . THEY BEGAN TO PULL IT TO A CLOSE ENOUGH
DISTANCE WHERE AN ARTIFICIAL GRAVITATIONAL FIELD CREATED BY
THE SHUTTLE WOULD NOW SUCK THE CAPSULE IN. THIS TOOK LONG
ENOUGH, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW
PROBLEMS WITH FIXING THE CAPSULE, DUE TO ITS EXTREMELY
UNCONVENTIONAL SHAPE, WHICH RESEMBLED A SEMI- CURVED
RHOMBOID WITH THE TIPS CUT OFF.

IT WAS STILL DANGEROUS AS MANY THINGS COULD GO WRONG.

ONCE THE GRAVITATIONAL FIELD WAS ACTIVATED, THE CAPSULE
LURCHED A BIT CLUMSILY BEFORE ENTERING THE LARGER SPACE
BEAST'S RUMEN. ‘E MZIROU’ HAD MADE IT . IT HAD BEEN SAVED!

324
SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO OPEN THE CAPSULE, BUT APPARENTLY
WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS SO FAR. KENJI WAS WEARING A SPACESUIT
SO EVEN HER UNSEALING WOULDN'T BE LETHAL TO HIM. THEY COULD
MAKE OUT VARIOUS VAGUE SILHOUETTES THAT HAD CROWDED
AROUND.

KENJI FELT LIKE A NEW BORN THAT WOULD LEAVE ITS MOTHER'S
COMFORTABLE WOMB AT ANY MOMENT AND RETURN TO THE HOSTILE
OUTSIDE WORLD. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THEY REMOVED THE
ENDOSIAN COVER AND HE SAW FACES HE THOUGHT HE HAD SEEN
SOMEWHERE.

CAPTAIN DAVID PENROSE GREETED HIM, GRINNING EAR TO EAR.

THEY HAD JUST RETURNED FROM THE COLONY, WHERE THEY HAD
STOWED ALL THE NECESSARY PROVISIONS AND EQUIPMENT . PINDOR
WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD MANAGED TO MAKE IT ONTO THE SHIP,
AND LIROITH AND THE OTHERS WERE STILL THERE, WHERE A PRISON
RIOT OF UNSUSPECTED PROPORTIONS HAD BROKEN OUT . THE
COLONY, AS WE KNOW , CONSISTED OF OVER FIVE HUNDRED
PRISONERS AND AT LEAST SIX HUNDRED GUARDS, SEPARATELY
ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMMAND STAFF. IN ALL ABOUT SIX HUNDRED
MEN. AND THAT WAS NO SMALL NUMBER FOR SUCH A REMOTE POINT.

EVEN AS VIAR'S GREASY FACE CAME INTO VIEW AND HE SAW THE
OVERLY STRONG GUARDS, IT WAS CLEAR TO CAPTAIN PENROSE
THAT SOMETHING WAS AMISS. OF COURSE, THEY WERE ONLY
SERVING THE FINAL DESTINATION AND THERE WAS NO REASON TO
GET MIXED UP IN THIS IF THEY PRETENDED THEY DIDN'T SEE
ANYTHING. THE CAPTAIN FEARED THE SHUTTLE WOULD BE DETAINED
AND THEY ARRESTED AT THE COLONY. BUT, THANKFULLY, NO SUCH
THING HAPPENED.

PINDOR HAD SAVED HIMSELF IN A VERY STRANGE AND UNUSUAL WAY.

HE WAS HALF DEAD WHEN LIROITH AND THE OTHERS CAME OUT OF
THEIR COMFORTABLE HIDING PLACE AND ATTACKED THE
UNSUSPECTING GUARDS. THEY WERE ARMED WITH SIMPLE ASTERON
CUTTERS THEY HAD STOLEN FROM THE WAREHOUSES AND

325
QUARRIES. COMBINED WITH THE SURPRISE ATTACK, THEY HAD
GAINED A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE.

PINDOR'S HALF-OPENED EYES HAD MIRACULOUSLY REMAINED

UNTOUCHED WHEN A PLASMA BLAST HAD TORN THROUGH HIS
COLLAR AND HE WAS ONLY LEFT STANDING THANKS TO THE SUIT 'S
HYDRAULICS. THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE ORDEAL HE HAD WALKED
ALMOST AS IF IN A DREAM, SINCE THE HYDRAULICS WERE
CONTROLLED BY THE NEUROIMPULSES GENERATED BY THE
PRISONERS' BRAINS, SO THEY COULD GET TO THEIR FEET EVEN IF A
GUARD ENTERED THEIR CELL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT . THE
DISTANCE BETWEEN THE EXECUTION SITE AND THE SHUTTLE WAS
LESS THAN A HUNDRED METERS, AND PINDOR WAS NOT RELYING ON
HIS OWN STRENGTH, BUT ON THE LITTLE REMAINING ENERGY
POWERING THIS EXOSKELETON OF BIOBATTERIES.

NO ONE HAD PAID ATTENTION TO HIM, FOR THE PLASMA BLASTS HAD
KICKED UP ENOUGH DUST AND BROKEN CRYSTALS TO DISTRACT
ATTENTION FROM HIM FOR A TIME WHILE THE GUARDS TRIED TO
RESTRAIN THE PRISONERS.

ONE OF THE SHUTTLE CREW HAD SPOTTED HIM W HEN HE WAS ABOUT
TEN METERS AWAY FROM THEM. THEY WERE JUST FINISHING
UNLOADING. VIAR HAD RETREATED WITH HIS RETINUE, BUT AS BAD
LUCK WOULD HAVE IT , AN ACCIDENTAL BOUNCE HAD HIT HIM IN THE
SUIT'S TETHER AND HE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY DIED OF
DECOMPRESSION. HIS PROXIMITY TO THE TRANSPORT SHUTTLE
SAVED HIM. HE JUST WALKED INSIDE, NOT REALIZING WHAT HE WAS
DOING. CAPTAIN PENROSE WAS SPEECHLESS AS A LARGE MAN
WEARING A BATTERED SPACESUIT STOOD IN FRONT OF HIM, FOAM
COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH AND BLOOD ALL OVER HIS FACE. HE
IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE DENT IN THE SUIT AS WELL.

- 'SEAL THE BREACH QUICKLY,' HE ORDERED. 'W E HAVE A

NANOPROBE ON BOARD FOR EMERGENCIES.'

326
THE SMALL NANOPROBE W AS IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED ON AND
BEGAN TENDING TO THE WOUND, CAREFULLY PATCHING THE HOLE IN
THE SUIT .

THE SHUTTLE WAS BEING FIRED AT HARD BY THE PLASMA WEAPONS,

BUT ONCE THEY TURNED ON THE SHIELD, IT BECAME VIRTUALLY
UNTOUCHABLE BY THOSE ORDINARY WEAPONS. THEY NEEDED
PROTON BOMBS, AND THERE WERE NONE ON THE COLONY.

PINDOR WAS STILL PICKING UP A SOUL ON A GRAVITY BED AND WAS

IN A WAKING COMA FROM WHICH HE MIGHT NEVER EMERGE. NO ONE
ON BOARD HAD THE MEDICAL TRAINING TO CARE FOR HIS WOUNDS
MORE PROFESSIONALLY, AND ONLY THE NANOPROBE AND STRONG
ANTIBIOTICS GIVEN TO HIM FROM TIME TO TIME BY THE CAPTAIN KEPT
HIM IN A STATE OF LETHARGY.

KENJI COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE IT . HE WAS PRISONER 421, WHOM

HE HAD PERSONALLY TRANSPORTED TO THIS HELLHOLE.

PENROSE NOTICED HIS REACTION.

- 'ADMIRAL, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU!,' HE ASKED SERIOUSLY.

-I DON'T KNOW EITHER, BUT THE WHOLE CREW OF THE SHIP JUST
DISAPPEARED,’ HE MUTTERED.

PENROSE GAVE HIM A PUZZLED LOOK. BUT RATHER TENSELY. HE

REALISED THAT THEY MIGHT AS WELL NOT HAVE RETURNED SAFELY
TO ZEGANDARIA AT ALL.

KENJI WALKED OVER TO THE CELLMATE'S BED AND LOOKED AT HIM.

HE DEFINITELY LOOKED CALM NOW . SOME PARTICULAR BLISS WAS
WRITTEN ALL OVER HIS FACE. THE NANOPROBE HAD USED A SPECIAL
DIFFUSION PROCESS OF A SPECIAL COAGULANT AND A SPECIAL
VACUUM PROBE TO SUCK DRIED BLOOD AND FOAM FROM THE
SUFFERER'S FACE. THIS TOOK A FEW MINUTES.

- 'W HO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED!,' SAID KENJI INDIGNANTLY.

327
- 'W E ARE SOLDIERS,
REAR ADMIRAL. BUT A HUGE MUTINY HAS
BROKEN OUT IN THE COLONY. 'IT'S NOT SAFE FOR US TO GO BACK
THERE,' PENROSE ADDED RATHER GUILTILY.

- 'BUT WE CAN GO BACK ABOARD THE ENZORIA AND USE ITS

RESOURCES, CAN'T WE,' KENJI ASKED.

PENROSE HESITATED. THAT WAS QUITE OUT OF THE CHARTER. HOW

COULD HE REFUSE A SUPERIOR OFFICER, PLUS IF THERE WAS A
MUTINY IN THE COLONY, AND SOMETHING SO UNUSUAL HAD
HAPPENED TO THE ENZORIA, THEY WOULDN'T BE WELCOMED WITH
OPEN ARMS ON ZEGANDARIA. FINALLY, HE MADE UP HIS MIND.

- 'SET A RUNNING SPEED OF FOUR PARSECS,' ORDERED CAPTAIN

PENROSE.
THE SPACEWALK WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING STRANGE. GRAVITY,
EVEN IN THE DISTANT FUTURE, WAS FULL OF MANY UNCERTAINTIES.
BUT ONE THING WAS CERTAIN, SUPERLUMINAL SPEED W AS
POSSIBLE. TYPE THREE TACHYON ENGINES WERE CAPABLE OF
WARPING SPACE AND FORMING SO-CALLED ZERO TIME TUNNELS.
THE SPEED OF THE TACHYONS IN QUESTION WAS STRICTLY GREATER
THAN THE MAXIMUM SPEED OF LIGHT IN A VACUUM. PENROSE NEVER
TOOK EXCESSIVE RISKS. THERE WERE RUMORS OF CAPTAINS FOND
OF THE EXPERIMENTS W HO HAD DISAPPEARED WITHOUT A TRACE AS
A RESULT OF COURSE MISCALCULATIONS. ANOTHER UTTERLY
DILETTANTE MISTAKE WAS TO STUMBLE UPON SOME MAGNETAR THAT
WOULD SIMPLY TEAR THEIR FLESH TO SHREDS.

PINDOR WINCED. IT WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE WHO HAD

FALLEN INTO AN AWAKE COMA TO DO SO, BUT ACCORDING TO
MEDICAL THEORIES, THE PATIENT MIGHT AS WELL HAVE COME OUT
OF THAT STATE SUDDENLY.

- 'W HERE AM I?,' HE ASKED WITH ALL HIS STRENGTH.

- 'SAFE,' KENJI ANSWERED HIM, 'THIS SHIP SAVED US BOTH, YOU'LL

TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT WHEN YOU'RE BETTER.'

328
^^^

DAVID PENROSE CERTAINLY KNEW HIS BUSINESS, BUT WHAT WAS

HIS SURPRISE WHEN, ON CHANGING COURSE, HE SPOTTED A FLYING
OBJECT SOME 0, 1 ASTRONOMICAL UNITS AWAY.

- 'THERE'S SOMETHING THERE!,' HE CRIED. 'YEAH, HEROES, BRACE

YOURSELVES!'

- 'IT SAYS 'EMSATO 199',' KENJI CALLED.

- NO DOUBT, IT'S A COMPANION SHIP, BUT WHAT'S IT DOING ALL THE
WAY OUT HERE, SO MANY LIGHT YEARS FROM ZEGANDARIA?

THE SHIP'S BATTERED HULL GAVE AWAY THE OBVIOUS PRESENCE OF

AN ABOARDING PARTY. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF LIFE. THE SHIP
HAD ITS ENGINES SHUT DOWN. THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS WERE NOT
ON EITHER.

- 'BE ON THE LOOKOUT,' ADDED PENROSE. 'GET THE PLASMA

WEAPONS READY, JUST IN CASE.'

AFTER A WHILE THE SHIP WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THEM. HOWEVER,

THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD RETRACT IT, AS IT WAS
CONSIDERABLY LARGER THAN KENJI'S CAPSULE.

IT WOULD BE PROPER TO DESCRIBE THE FACT THAT THIS SHIP HAD

NO REAL CHANCE OF FIGHTING EVEN AGAINST A HEAVILY ARMED
TRANSPORT SHUTTLE LIKE THE EMZIROU. IT WAS ZORIN'S IDEA; WHO
AS AN EXPERIENCED MILITARY MAN LIKED TO PRETEND HE WAS A
‘DEAD FOX’. IT WAS ALL WELL PLANNED. THE CREW OF THE SHIP, WAS
JETTISONED INTO OPEN SPACE, AGAIN ZORIN'S IDEA. HE DIDN'T CARE
ABOUT THE METHODS AT ALL, AS LONG AS EVERYTHING WENT
ACCORDING TO HIS VIEWS. HE HAD PREPARED HIMSELF WELL
ENOUGH.

SASIA HAD NEVER OPERATED ANYTHING OTHER THAN A COMBAT

SPEEDER AND WAS MAINLY FAMILIAR WITH AERIAL VEHICLE AVIONICS,
BUT THIS WAS STILL A SPACESHIP. STILL, SHE HAD TRIED TO KEEP UP

329
AND KEEP THE SHIP ON AUTOPILOT UNTIL THEY OVERCAME THE
PLANET'S GRAVITY. AFTER THAT, THEY FLOATED COMPLETELY FREE
IN OPEN SPACE. THEY WERE NOT SPOTTED BY ANY PATROL OR
OTHER SHIPS.

NEARLY TWO WEEKS WAS ENOUGH TO GET THEM SIGNIFICANTLY FAR

FROM THE PLANET 'S ORBIT.

‘THE EMZIROU WAS ON FULL COMBAT ALERT. PENROSE SENT THE

CREW FOR THE WEAPONS AND SETTLED HIMSELF IN THE SHUTTLE'S
COCKPIT , GIVING THE VICE-CAPTAIN A CHANCE TO REST A BIT . AS
SOON AS THEY WERE CLOSE ENOUGH, PENROSE ORDERED THE
ENGINES AND ALL MAIN POWER TO THE EMZIROU SHUT DOWN. ONLY
THE EMERGENCY POWER WAS LEFT RUNNING AT MINIMUM LOAD.

- 'THE CAPTAIN OF THIS SHIP IS VERY CLEVER,' ZORIN SAID. 'THIS IS

GOING TO BE A GAME OF NERVES. HIS AGAINST OURS. BUT UNCLE
ZORIN HAS DEALT WITH MORE SERIOUS OPPONENTS.'
SASIA, ENDWIGHT AND NEOLA JUST KEPT QUIET . THEIR HANDS
WERE UNTIED, BUT ZORIN KEPT AN EYE ON THEM, AND THEY DIDN'T
WANT TO RISK HIS PROVERBIAL GUNSLINGER'S REFLEXES.

- 'THINK OF ME AS A PRISONER,' HE SPOKE SUDDENLY. 'YOU WILL BE

BELIEVED BECAUSE YOU ARE FROM UBUNDER. AND AN ELOHYN LIKE
ME WOULD MAKE HIM A HEAD SHORTER.'

ZORIN QUICKLY INSTRUCTED THEM, EXPLAINING HOW TO EMBELLISH

THE STORY TO MAKE IT MORE BELIEVABLE. NEOLA, KNEW WHAT HE
WAS TALKING ABOUT .

- 'TIE HIM UP,' SHE ORDERED SASIA AND ENDWHITE.

THEY QUICKLY CARRIED OUT THE ORDER. ZORIN WAS BOUND FROM
HEAD TO TOE.

- 'NOW TURN ON THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS,' ZORIN ADVISED THEM.

HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE DULY CARRIED OUT .

330
PENROSE, HOWEVER, DID NOT FALL FOR THE TRAP.

- THERE MIGHT BE AN ARMY HIDING IN THAT SHELL. SEND JUST ONE

OXYGENIST TO UNPRESSURIZE HER HULL. IF THEY ENGAGE THEIR
DEFENSES SUDDENLY, WE'LL OPEN DEADLY FIRE AND STILL
INCINERATE THEM INSTANTLY.

THE OXYGENIST WAS PUT INTO A SPACESUIT AND SENT, TETHERED

BY A THICK AELYRON ROPE, TO THE HULL OF THE COMPANION SHIP.
HE LOST A LOT OF TIME WHILE CUTTING THE SHIP'S SYNTH HATCH.
CERTAINLY SUCH A SIGHT IN OPEN SPACE LOOKED EXOTIC.

- 'THE CABIN IS UNPRESSURIZED,' HE RADIOED.

- 'ACKNOWLEDGED,' REPLIED PENROSE CURTLY.

- I SEE SEVERAL PEOPLE, THEY APPEAR TO BE UNARMED. TWO
WOMEN AND TWO MEN. THEY APPEAR TO BE ONE OF OURS.

- 'DON'T BE SO SURE,' STAMMERED PENROSE. 'IT COULD JUST BE A

HOAX. TAKE THEM OUT ONE BY ONE. JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE.'

AS SOON AS EVERYTHING WAS EXECUTED TO THE LAST COMMA, OUR

ADVENTURERS FOUND THEMSELVES FACE TO FACE WITH THE
CAPTAIN.

- 'W HO ARE YOU?,' HE ASKED THEM CALMLY. HIS EYES REGARDED

THEM QUESTIONINGLY.

- 'I AM NEOLA, THE MILITARY DOCTOR. THIS IS ENDWHITE - ONE OF

THE SOLDIERS, THIS IS SASIA,' A MILITARY PILOT , AND THIS IS ZORIN
- AN ELOHYN COMMANDER.

PENROSE WHISTLED IN SURPRISE.

- 'AND WHERE ARE YOU RUNNING OFF TO WITH THAT PRISONER?,' HE

SNEERED. 'HE HAD HOPED TO EASILY EXPOSE THEIR SHALLOW LIE.'

- 'ACTUALLY, WE WEREN'T RUNNING AWAY?,' REPLIED SASIA, IN ALL

SERIOUSNESS.

331
- 'AND WHAT WERE YOU DOING?,' SAID PENROSE, GENUINELY
AMUSED.

- 'W ELL, WE'D JUST AGREED TO LEAVE THE PLANET WITH THIS
CAPTIVE,' SHE REPLIED BLUNTLY.

- 'AND WHY?,' PEROSE CONTINUED TO PERSIST.

- 'BECAUSE WE FOUND TREACHERY IN COMMAND AND DECIDED TO

DO OUR WARRIOR DUTY,' SASIA CALLED PASSIONATELY.

PENROSE BECAME COMPLETELY SERIOUS.

- YOU'RE JUST DESERTERS, MY GIRL, DON'T PUSH THESE CHEAP

NUMBERS ON ME. TO AN OLD WOLF LIKE ME THEY'LL BE HARD TO
PASS. I KNOW WHAT 'S GOING ON OUT THERE RIGHT NOW . BUT
YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE BETRAYAL. THERE REALLY IS. BUT WE
HAVEN'T UNCOVERED IT YET EITHER. IT SEEMS TO BE REALLY
EXTENSIVE THOUGH.

- 'W HAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH US?,' INQUIRED ENDWHITE.

- 'W E'RE NOT GOING TO KILL YOU, OR DUMP YOU MERCILESSLY INTO
OPEN SPACE!,' SAID PENROSE SIMPLY. 'YOU DESERVE RESPECT , AT
LEAST, FOR HIJACKING ONE OF THE MAIN SATELLITE SHIPS, AND ALSO
FOR ACTING AS A TEAM. W E ARE ALSO TEETERING ON THE EDGE OF
GALACTIC LAW . RICHWATER, OUR REAR ADMIRAL'S ADJUTANT , WAS
ALSO ESCORTED BY US.'

KENJI PALED.
- 'THEN YOU SERVE ELMBAUM, DON'T YOU?,' HE ASKED, SLIGHTLY
ANNOYED.

- I SERVE NO ONE, REAR ADMIRAL, OUR COLLEGE IS INDEPENDENT

AND EXISTS OUTSIDE THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, BUT STILL HAS SOME
TIES TO IT .

- 'IS HE STILL IN THE COLONY?,' INQUIRED KENJI.

332
- 'PROBABLY,' REPLIED PENROSE UNPERTURBED. 'I DIDN'T KNOW HE
WAS YOUR ADJUTANT THEN. I FOUND OUT LATER.'

- 'W HAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?,' ASKED ENDWHITE.

- AS THINGS STAND, THERE IS NOTHING FOR US TO DO BUT GO TO
THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT, WHICH IS BEYOND ALL LEGAL
JURISDICTION. AT LEAST THERE WE WON'T BE TREATED AS TRAITORS
AND DESERTERS. NOR WILL THEY HAVE THE COURAGE TO LOOK FOR
US THERE.

THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT WAS OFFICIALLY OFF-LIMITS TO

EXPLORATION AND INCLUDED STAR SYSTEMS OF UNKNOWN SPECIES .
HOWEVER, THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MANY PULSAR STARS
THERE, OR WHAT ARE CALLED AMONG ASTROPHYSICISTS ‘ZOMBIE
STARS.’

- 'LET'S GO,' CALLED PENROSE. 'REVERSE COURSE.'

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: A NEW REALITY

ELMBAUM INTENDED TO HEAD RIGHT FOR THE UNKNOWN

QUADRANT, WHERE IT WAS A LITTLE-KNOWN FACT THAT THERE WAS
ALSO A PLANET WITH PERFECTLY SUITABLE CONDITIONS FOR LIFE.
FEAR OF COSMIC RADIATION AND THE VAST , UNIMAGINABLE
DISTANCE WOULD HAVE STOPPED ANY DAREDEVILS WHO MIGHT
POSSIBLY HAVE SOUGHT TO HOLD HIM TO ACCOUNT FOR HIS
OUTRAGES. GORDON KNEW HE HAD TECHNICALLY FAILED, BUT LIFE
WAS MUCH KINDER.
HE WASN'T GOING TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF FOR
ANYTHING OR ANYONE. HE WASN'T AN IDEALIST ; HE WAS A
PRACTITIONER.

THE UNFAMILIAR QUADRANT APPEALED TO HIM, SINCE COLONY 206,

TO BEGIN WITH, WAS NOT A VERY SUSTAINABLE SPACE SETTLEMENT.
IT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED TWENTY YEARS AGO.

333
THE RICHES HE HAD CAPTURED HE WOULD USE TO CREATE A
CLOSED-LOOP ECONOMY BASED ON GAMBLING AND VARIOUS FORMS
OF SPACE FARMING. HE KNEW THAT ACCORDING TO SOME RUMORS,
FORMER DAREDEVILS AND PRISONERS HAD GONE THERE. T HAT WAS
WHERE HE AND HIS 'RETINUE' HAD TO GO, AND THEY HAD NO CHOICE
BUT TO FOLLOW HIM. HE HAD TO DO HIS JOB CONSCIENTIOUSLY.

THE SPACE PLATFORM HAD DEPARTED, IT WOULD CARRY THE RICHES

INTO FREE ORBIT , WHERE THEY WOULD BE OVERLOADED.

CHRIS ZONRETHIS WAS HIS PARTNER, AND OFFICIALLY GENE PALEY.

THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE THREE SEEMED UNBREAKABLE, AS

ELMBAUM STILL NEEDED THEM. HE HAD TO TREAD CAREFULLY.
THEY FLEW OUT EXACTLY AT THE APPOINTED TIME. GORDON TOOK
ONE LAST LOOK AT THIS PLANET , WHICH IN THAT MOMENT OF SELF-
FORGETFULNESS SEEMED TO HIM LIKE A BIG NOTHING . EASILY
REPLACEABLE AND NOT ALL THAT VALUABLE.

LATER, HOWEVER, HE CLEARLY REALIZED THAT THEY HAD QUITE A

WAY TO GO UNTIL THEY REACHED THEIR FINAL DESTINATION AFTER
ALL.

HE ALSO REMEMBERED THE DECEPTION WITH GENERAL ZENGAL.

'THAT HOLOGRAM WAS MY IDEA. I EASILY FOOLED THEIR PILOT. I
KNEW ALL OF ELIZANDRA'S PLANS. ALWAYS ACTING SO
CONSPIRATORIAL, AND I WIN WITH MY RUSTIC METHODS. AS LONG AS
THEY'RE BANGING THEIR HEADS OVER THE LABOR COLONY AND
THEIR OWN SURVIVAL ON THIS PERISHING PLANET , I'LL JUST SURVIVE.
ALL THAT'S LEFT IS TO NEUTRALIZE PALEY. HE'S THE ONLY ONE STILL
BOTHERING ME. HIS EYES LOOK EVER SO PENETRATING.'

- 'THE PLATFORM HAS ALREADY DEPARTED, SIR,' A SOLDIER CALLED.

- 'EXCELLENT,' SAID ELMBAUM. 'NOW I WON'T BE DEALING WITH ANY

MORE STUDENT PROTEST MOVEMENTS, POLITICAL ACTIVISTS, OR
REFINERY WORKERS' STRIKES. I JUST GOT SICK OF THAT SHIT . TIME
TO GET A LIFE, GORDON. YOU'RE GETTING ON IN YEARS.'

334
NATURALLY THOSE WORDS WERE NOT SPOKEN IN THE PRESENCE OF
THE SOLDIER.

'THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT ON THIS PLANET BUT DUMBED-DOWN

GUARRONS, A FEW ARCHANAEANS, AND THOUSANDS OF HUMAN
BODIES BURIED BENEATH THE RUINS,' HE CONTINUED HIS OMINOUS
TIRADE TO HIMSELF. AND SO IT MUST .

GENERAL ZENGAL WAS THE MOST HEADSTRONG AND ORIGINAL

COUNTERINTELLIGENCE MEASURE THAT HAD OCCURRED TO HIM.
ONE OF THE CHIEF FUNCTIONS OF COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE WAS TO
IMPORT DISINFORMATION. AND THIS COMPUTER-GENERATED AND
CLEVERLY USED SCREEN SUCCEEDED IN DECEIVING THE ENEMY'S
MOVES.

SASIA HAD PASSED THE INFORMATION TO ELISANDRA, SHE TO

SPEARS AND NAVARRO, BUT WITHOUT REVEALING HER SOURCE.
THAT WORKED FOR A WHILE. AS TIME WENT ON, THE FUTURISTIC
HOLOGRAPHIC ILLUSION BECAME HARDER AND HARDER TO MAINTAIN,
BECAUSE IT HAD TO LOOK INSANELY REAL, OR PERHAPS AT LEAST SO
REAL AS TO CONVINCE THE ENEMY THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY
BRIGADIER GENERAL OLLIE ZENGAL, COMMANDER OF THE NINTH
AIR COMPANY OUT OF EVIN DERR BASE, ABOUT A HUNDRED AND
NINETY MILES WEST OF RODWELL. THEY HAD TO MAKE UP A STORY
ABOUT HIM BEING A DOUBLE AGENT FOR THE ELOHYN FORCES AND
ALSO THE UBUNDER FORCES. IT WAS TOO TIME CONSUMING
BECAUSE THE WHOLE SCENARIO WAS BEING PROCESSED ON
ADVANCED MODEL QUANTUM COMPUTERS.

THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT WITH THE GENERAL TOOK MONTHS. MY

COMPUTER SPECIALISTS CHANGED IT SO MUCH AND HE WAS JUST
THE PERFECT RECRUITER FOR THE LIEUTENANT . SASIA COULD HAVE
TILTED THE WAR BACK AT DIOMEDES BASE, BUT MY PLAN FOILED
THEIR METHODS. ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS FOR ENDUOCLES TO MAKE
CONTACT WITH THE GUARRON CHIEFTAINS, WHO WERE STRONG AND
POWERFUL. THIS PLANET WILL STILL REMAIN THEIRS, BUT I AM
ALMOST THEIR DESCENDANT. I HAVE THEIR BLOOD IN MY VEINS. IF HE
CONVINCES THEM, PERHAPS ONE DAY I WILL RETURN HERE WHEN

335
THE RADIATION HAS WORN OFF. I'VE BEEN ALIVE FOR OVER A
THOUSAND YEARS NOW , SO I DON'T MUCH CARE. THAT LEGEND WITH
MIDRIEL AND GIMPLIN ORN WORKED FOR SO MANY YEARS. BUT NOW
IT'S TIME TO CHANGE TACTICS AT LEAST A TINY BIT. THE
ARCHANEANS ONLY MATTER.

BUT SOMEONE DID HEAR HIS WORDS. AND IT WAS GENE PALEY. HE
KNEW THAT THIS WHOLE COMPLICATED PUZZLE W AS ALREADY
STARTING TO LINE UP GRADUALLY, AND IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF
TIME BEFORE EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE. HE HATED THE
GOVERNOR FOR HIS BRUTAL CALLOUSNESS AND DESPOTISM. SHE
SUSPECTED HIS SECRETS, BUT EVEN HE WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED.
ALMOST FOR A MOMENT HE SAW THE WHOLE PICTURE.
‘SO TO HIM WE ARE JUST SOME PAWNS THAT HE MOVES AROUND THE
CHESSBOARD AS HE PLEASES.’ HE THOUGHT ANGRILY. ‘YOUR DAYS
ARE NUMBERED, GOVERNOR!’

^^^

GORDON ELMBAUM WAS ENJOYING A LUXURY HE DESERVED , ONE HE

COULDN'T EVEN AFFORD IN HIS NATIVE IMGRADON. HE WAS FED UP
WITH THE PROTESTS OF SOME UNIONS - ETERNALLY DISSATISFIED
WITH THE STATUS QUO HE HAD IMPOSED. HE HAD TO PRETEND, IF
ONLY A LITTLE, BUT THE PAIN OF HIS MIXED BACKGROUND BURNED
HIM FIERCELY. HE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CONSTANTLY RELIEVE IT,
AND THE ARCHANEANS' FEATHERS WERE THE ONLY MEANS OF DOING
SO. THERE WAS NO FOOLING HIMSELF, HE KNEW THEY WERE A
LIMITED SUPPLY AND IF HE RAN OUT HE WOULD DIE IN HELLISH PAIN.
HE WAS SURE THERE WAS A FATAL DEFECT SOMEW HERE IN HIS
CHROMOSOME PAIRS AND NOTHING WOULD BE ABLE TO CURE HIM
COMPLETELY. HE JUST NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO CONSTANTLY
RELIEVE HIS ACHES AND PAINS.

CHRIS ZONRETHIS WAS PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE TO HIS NEEDS IN

VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOW BUSINESS PARTNERS, AND

336
CHRIS KNEW THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS HIS ONLY CHANCE TO
SHORE UP HIS MATERIAL POSITION. YES, HE WAS WEALTHY, BUT
THAT WEALTH WAS AS UNSTABLE AS SOME GIANT'S FEET OF CLAY.
FOR HIS PART, GORDON, FOR ALL HIS POWER, WAS DOOMED TO A
KIND OF ‘SOCIAL DEATH.’ NOTHING WAS TO BE THE SAME. HE KNEW
THAT RETRIBUTION AWAITED HIM, AND EVEN IF HE ESCAPED IT , HE
WOULD FOREVER BE ON THORNS LEST SOMETHING FROM
SOMEWHERE SHOULD STRIKE. W AS THIS THE CAREER HE HAD
FOUGHT FOR. VERY DOUBTFUL.

GENE PALEY WAS ONE WHO WOULD HAVE GLADLY BROKEN AWAY
FROM THAT TRIUMVIRATE, BUT THE CAREER OF A FORMER FAILED
ADMIRAL WAS NOT A GOOD FRESH START . BESIDES, MOST PLACES
ON THE PLANET HAD BEEN TOTALLY WRECKED BY THE PROLONGED
ARTIFICIALLY INDUCED CATACLYSMS AND WARFARE.W HAT TO DO?
GENE BORE A RESPONSIBILITY NO LESS THAN THAT OF THE
GOVERNOR. HE HAD ORCHESTRATED THE POGROMS AT RODWELL
AND DIOMEDES BASE IN LEARNIA. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TOO
MANY BAD THINGS. HE WAS ALSO THE ORDERLY OF THAT TRAITOR
WHOSE NAME HAD NOT YET BEEN REVEALED. HE WAS THE REAL
PUNCHING BAG IN THE HANDS OF THE POWER-HUNGRY GOVERNOR.
NOW HE HAD TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
THE SOCIAL LIFE OF THE RULERS IN THE DISTANT FUTURE WAS TOO
FAR REMOVED FROM THAT OF THE PAST . THEIR CONFERENCES AND
MEETINGS QUITE OFTEN INCLUDED READY-RECORDED
HOLOGRAPHIC PRESS RELEASES, AND IT WAS ALL SO ARTIFICIAL
THAT THERE WAS NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE
TO THINK, BUT THEY DID HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TO CONTROL THEIR
MILITARY AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES. THE PEOPLE WERE A HERD TO
BE MANAGED.

W HEN THEY SUCCESSFULLY LEFT THE PLANET ON THE SPECIAL

VOLTAN-CLASS LONG-RANGE SPACE SHUTTLES, THEY INTERCEPTED
THE TRANSPORT PLATFORM THAT WAS LAZILY ‘FLOATING’ IN THE
VACUUM OF SPACE, COLLECTING ALL OF THE GOVERNOR'S
VALUABLES. THEY DIDN'T FAIL TO SET OFF AN EXONIUM AUTO-

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DETONATOR BOMB TO BE A PLEASANT SURPRISE TO ANYONE
CURIOUS WHO HAPPENED TO DECIDE TO BOARD THE PLATFORM. IT
WAS GORDON'S STYLE OF SAYING ‘GOODBYE!’.
THE EXISTING METHOD OF TRACKING AIRCRAFT BY DETECTING
TRACES OF THEIR BURNT FUEL COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
THEY MADE A COURSE DEVIATION AND HEADED FOR THE NEAREST
QUASAR, WHERE THEY WOULD PASS AT A LARGE AND SAFE ENOUGH
DISTANCE TO AVOID BEING SUCKED IN BY THE BLACK HOLE AT THE
CENTER OF THAT GALAXY. IT WAS A DANGEROUS AND LOGICAL
UNDERTAKING. THEN THEY HAD TO MAKE A FEW COLLAPSAR JUMPS
AND DEDUCT THE APPROPRIATE SUBJECTIVE TIME. AND THEN - IF
THEY SURVIVED UNTIL THEN, THEY'D THINK OF IT .

ELMBAUM KNEW THAT THE VAST AMOUNT OF GALACTIC CREDITS

GUARANTEED HIM RESPECT WHEREVER HE WENT, BECAUSE HE
COULD PAY WITH HARD AND STABLE CURRENCY.

CHRIS ZONRETHIS WOULD ACT AS HIS FINANCIAL ASSISTANT, AS

GORDON DIDN'T LIKE TO TOUCH DIRECTLY, AND NEEDED A
MIDDLEMAN. AS MUCH AS HE HATED OTHER PEOPLE BEING PRIVY TO
HIS SECRETS, HE COULDN'T DENY THAT HE COULDN'T AVOID
WORKING WITH SOME OF THEM.

TO HIDE HIS WEALTH, WHICH NUMBERED IN THE QUASI-MILLIONS , HE

NEEDED TO BUILD A SPECIFIC FINANCIAL PYRAMID, AND ZONRETHIS
WOULD BE THE MAN TO RUN IT . THE INTERESTING MOMENT CAME
JUST WHEN HE HAD TO TRANSFER HIS ASSETS. HE JUST WASN'T
GOING TO DO IT . NOT EVEN B-CLASS WARSHIPS HAD BEEN TO WHERE
THEY WERE GOING.

AFTER EXPERIENCING QUITE A FEW ADVENTURES, THEY FINALLY

REACHED ONE OF THE LAST INTERMEDIATE DESTINATIONS BEFORE
THEIR FINAL GOAL. THEY LANDED ON THE PLANET SEBUR NAG
WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE LOCALS WERE EXTREMELY PEACEFUL AND
NAIVE. THEY LOOKED LIKE HUMANOIDS WITH SLIGHTLY WEAKER
BODIES THAN HUMANS. GORDON NEEDED AN INTERPRETER, BUT

338
THERE SIMPLY WASN'T ONE. ZEGANDARIAN SPEECH WAS NOT VERY
COMMON IN THIS PART OF THE GALAXY.

GORDON WAS VERY DESPERATE, AS HIS RICHES WOULD NOT SERVE

HIM ON A PLANET WITH SUCH A PRIMITIVE SYSTEM, WHERE ALL
ECONOMIC LIFE WAS BASED ON BARTER.

THEY MANAGED TO GET SOME PROVISIONS AND ALSO FUEL FOR THE
SHUTTLES IN EXCHANGE FOR VERY KIND WORDS AND GESTURES.
BUT GORDON HAD TO PART WITH A RATHER LARGE AMOUNT OF
ARCHANAY FEATHERS, WHOSE HEALING FUNCTIONS KEPT HIM ALIVE.
THE LOCALS WERE VERY WILLING TO EXCHANGE HIS OWN
ARCHANAEIDS, WHICH WERE PUT IN SPECIAL CAGES INSULATED WITH
THE AFOREMENTIONED HYON FIBERS SO THAT THEIR SCREAMS
COULD NOT BE HEARD.

GORDON SAW THAT IT WAS TOO RISKY TO STAY ON THIS PLANET . HE

HAD NO IDEA WHERE THEY SHOULD GO NEXT , BECAUSE ALTHOUGH
THE TIME JUMPS WERE RELATED TO THE SO-CALLED ZERO TIME,
THEY ALSO HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TECHNICAL
CAPABILITIES OF THE SHUTTLES. THEY NEEDED A SHORT BREAK. SO
THEY DECIDED TO STAY A LITTLE LONGER.

GORDON ATE AND DRANK ON HIS STOMACH. CHRIS ZONRETHIS WAS

DANCING WITH THE LOCALS, WHO WERE SHAKING THEIR BIG VIOLIN-
LIKE HEADS STRANGELY. ‘W HAT A STRANGE PLACE THE UNIVERSE
WAS, APPARENTLY IT REALLY DOES HAVE EVERYTHING HERE!’
THOUGHT GORDON.

SUDDENLY, GENE PALEY BURST INTO ONE OF THE EQUAZARIUM

WARDS OF THE ‘BUILDING’ WHERE GORDON WAS HOUSED.

- 'GORDON, BELIEVE IT OR NOT , THEY'RE ON OUR HEELS, AND

THEY'LL BE HERE SOON!,' SAID PALEY BREATHLESSLY. 'OF COURSE,
HE WAS BLUFFING A BIT, NOT BECAUSE WHAT HE HAD SAID DIDN'T
RING TRUE, BUT BECAUSE SOMEWHERE IN THERE, HE SECRETLY
WANTED THE GOVERNOR TO GET WHAT HE DESERVED, BUT HIMSELF

339
TO GET AMNESTY FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS. THE COURT MARTIAL
WOULD HAVE EXECUTED HIM OUTRIGHT FOR TREASON.'

THE CLIMATE OF SEBUR NAG WAS SOMETHING LIKE SUBTROPICAL

AND THE PLANET WAS COVERED WITH FORESTS OF EXOTIC PLANTS
CALLED EOPHYTES. THEY RESEMBLED TREES, BUT HAD AERIAL
ROOTS, ALTHOUGH THE ATMOSPHERE OF SEBUR NAG WAS QUITE
POOR IN OXYGEN. IT WAS KNOWN THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER
INTELLIGENT LIFE BEYOND THE THREE OR FOUR POLYPS ON ITS
SURFACE. NOR WERE THERE ANY LARGE ANIMALS . JUST
MICROORGANISMS AND SMALL INSECTS TYPICAL OF EOPHYTIC
FORESTS.

- COVER THE SHUTTLES DEEP INTO THE NORTHEAST OF THE PLANET.

EVEN IF IT'S A FALSE ALARM, WE NEED TO BE SURE - GORDON SPOKE
WITH UNRUFFLED CALM, BUT SOMEWHERE IN THERE PALEY
GLIMPSED THE FIRST STIRRINGS OF UNCERTAINTY. THE GOVERNOR
WASN'T USED TO BEING IN THE ROLE OF THE HUNTED, BUT LIKE A
TRAINED PREDATOR HE STALKED HIS VICTIMS AND EXECUTED THEM
MERCILESSLY.

SEVERAL DAYS PASSED. THE ANXIETY PROVED FALSE. BUT PALEY

RECEIVED SOME PRAISE FOR HIS DILIGENCE. IT ALLOWED HIM TO GET
A LITTLE CLOSER TO GOVERNOR ELMBAUM, WHOSE CONFIDENCE
WAS BEGINNING TO CRACK. HE JUST NEEDED A LITTLE MORE
PATIENCE.

THE GOVERNOR WOULD MAKE HIS FIRST MISTAKE SOONER OR

LATER, AND FROM THEN ON IT WAS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE
ACHIEVED HIS GOALS.

^^^
THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT WAS AN INTERESTING PLACE. THE MOST
CHEERFUL AND PLEASANT PEOPLE IN THE UNIVERSE WERE
GATHERED HERE. ALL THE EX-CONVICTS AND ADVENTURERS WHO
HAD MANAGED TO AVOID ENDING UP IN LABOR COLONY 206 SPENT

340
THEIR TIME EATING AND DRINKING. IT WAS QUITE ENJOYABLE.
GAMBLING FLOURISHED IN ALL ITS FORMS. THERE WAS GAMBLING ON
‘ENTOSU’, ‘MANTRIX’ AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST ON ‘ORIMO’. IT WAS
SO INTERESTING. SOME OF THE BEST COSMIC POKER MASTERS
WERE THERE. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM POLITICAL PRISONERS.
THERE WERE NO CRIMINAL ELEMENTS ‘MUDDYING THE WATERS’ IN
THE QUADRANT . W HEN THEY WERE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, THEY SET
OUT ON THEIR BRAND NEW LIFE PATH. THERE WAS DEFINITELY A LOT
OF WORK TO BE DONE HERE, BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF FOOD.
THEY WERE DEVELOPING SPACE FARMING ON A VERY FRIENDLY
BASIS ON THE PLANET ‘ZENTICA 12 54’, WHICH WAS NOT MARKED ON
ANY STAR CHARTS. FOR THIS REASON, NO ONE BOTHERED THEM
WITH MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS.

THE SOCIAL ORDER WAS MORE THAN GOOD, AS MORE THAN SIX
THOUSAND PEOPLE RESIDED HERE PERMANENTLY. AND TO BE
DECLARED SUSTAINABLE BY SPACE STANDARDS, A COLONY HAD TO
BE AT LEAST TOWARDS FOUR THOUSAND PERMANENT RESIDENTS.
THEY HAD ‘EMIGRATED’ BUT THEY HAD BROUGHT NEW VALUES TO
THE NEW PLACE. THEY HAD ALSO BROUGHT THEIR WORLDVIEW .

APART FROM ELENDORANS AND GORENAI CHIRAS, THERE WERE

MANY OTHER CROPS BEING GROWN, INCLUDING SOME THAT THEY
HAD CULTIVATED THEMSELVES. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WERE VERY
FOND OF GROWING THE EMSATAN TREE, WHICH PRODUCED STRANGE
BUT VERY TASTY FRUITS. THEY HAD MADE A SMALL RESIDENTIAL
COLONY OUT OF THE SAME XENTARI THEY HAD AT LABOR COLONY
206. BUT THERE WAS ONE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. THERE WAS A
REAL CAMARADERIE HERE. THERE WAS NO BETRAYAL. THERE WERE
NO BACK THOUGHTS. THIS WAS HEAVEN FOR THEM. HERE TIME WAS
TRULY STOPPED. AND NO ONE CARED HOW LONG THEY HAD TO STAY
HERE. NO ONE WAS IN A HURRY TO GET ANYWHERE.

THE FUGITIVES HAD MANAGED TO AVOID THOSE TAWDRY LAWSUITS

THAT PINDOR AND THE OTHER INTELLECTUALS HAD FALLEN PREY TO.
HERE THEY LIVED BY THEIR OWN LAWS. AND IT COULD BE SAID THAT
THEY LIVED WELL. AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING. OF COURSE,

341
THOUGH VERY RARELY, THEY HAD CONCERNS THAT SOMETHING BAD
MIGHT DROP ON THEIR HEADS OUT OF THE BLUE. BUT FOR NOW ,
THEY WERE CALM.

GORDON ELMBAUM WAS GOING TO A NOT ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE

PLACE IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT HE INTENDED TO ENFORCE HIS
OWN LAWS UPON THEM. NO THAT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN FOR
CERTAIN. HE JUST HADN'T HIT THE RIGHT SPOT .

SO FROM THREE PLACES AT ONCE, THREE GROUPS OF

ADVENTURERS WANTED TO IMPOSE THEIR VALUES ON THE
UNKNOWN QUADRANT. THE QUESTION WAS WHO WOULD ARRIVE
FIRST.

TIME, AS WE KNOW , IS A RELATIVE CONCEPT. BUT HERE, FOR THE

FIRST TIME, THE COLONISTS' FIRST-BORN CHILDREN COULD BREATHE
‘FREE’ AIR, WHICH, THOUGH FED THROUGH COMPRESSED AIR
BOTTLES, WAS MUCH MORE PLEASANT THAN THE STIFLING
ATMOSPHERE OF ZEGANDARIA.

ANY ATTEMPT TO QUELL THE REBELLION COULD HAVE MEANT THE

END OF THIS PARADISE. SO FLEETING. CREATED FROM THE ONE
NOTHING. IT WAS THE ONE PLACE OF JOY CREATED BY THE UTTER
TIMELESSNESS OR COMPLETE LACK OF IDEA OF WHAT WAS
HAPPENING DURING THAT TIME.

THE CONCEPT OF A TRIAL DIDN'T EXIST HERE BECAUSE THE WORD

'CRIME' DIDN'T EITHER.
GORDON WAS STILL ON SEBUR NAG, BUT NOT FOR LONG . CHRIS
ZONRETHIS HAD ALREADY STARTED WITH THE PLANS TO BUILD THEIR
SPACE DOMINANCE. THAT WAS MORE THAN CERTAIN. THEY WEREN'T
GOING TO LET IT FAIL DUE TO ELEMENTARY CARELESSNESS.

ZONRETHIS' FINANCIAL PYRAMID WAS BUILT ON MORE THAN A FLAT

IDEA. THEY WERE GOING TO SELL A SORT OF ‘SPACE INDULGENCE’
TO ANYONE WILLING AND READY TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOME
PLANET. THEY RELIED ON THE IGNORANCE OF THE COLONISTS, WHO
HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON ELSEWHERE IN THE GALAXY. BUT

342
FOR THERE TO BE AT LEAST ONE SUBLIMINAL MOMENT , THERE HAD
TO BE A SURPRISE. FOR THOSE WHO WON, THEY HAD PREPARED A
FULL PARDON.

NATURALLY ONE WOULD HAVE JUST WONDERED IF THIS WASN'T

SOME KIND OF NONSENSE, GIVEN THAT THEY WERE FINE AND WHERE
THEY WERE AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT WASN'T. THE PLANET ZENTICA
12 54 WAS EXTREMELY SMALL, AND THAT WAS GOING TO CAUSE
OVERPOPULATION PROBLEMS SOON ENOUGH. THE MAIN REASON
WAS THE FACT THAT VERY FEW OF THE PLACES WERE HABITABLE.

THE GOVERNOR WAS READY TO PLAY HIS PART PROPERLY, AS

BEFITTED A MAN OF HIS RANK. DISSLAN MIGHT BE CAPABLE OF FIXING
ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS ON THE SHUTTLES, BUT PROBLEMS LIKE
THESE WERE THE SOLE PURVIEW OF GORDON ELMBAUM.

THE GOVERNOR WAS ALSO HIDING WHERE HE WOULD LEAVE HIS

HEALING FEATHERS, LIKE AN INDIAN CHIEF UNWILLING TO PART WITH
THE HALO OF HIS GLORY. HE WAS TO BE NOT JUST A MENTOR TO
ZONRETHIS, BUT HIS EQUAL BUSINESS PARTNER. THAT WAS THE KEY
TO SUCCESS.

A LITTLE LATER, HOWEVER, SOMETHING EXTREMELY UNFORESEEN

HAPPENED.

THE AUTHORITIES OF SEBUR NAG TOLD THEM THAT BEFORE THEY

COULD PROCEED, THEY WERE SUBJECT TO A THOROUGH
BACKGROUND CHECK THAT WOULD DECIDE WHETHER THEY SHOULD
GO TO JAIL.GORDON WAS ASTONISHED, BUT KEPT HIS MOUTH SHUT
ANYWAY. THE FORMALITIES DRAGGED ON FOR FAR TOO LONG.
THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE. HE AND ZONRETIS WERE IN A
SITUATION FROM WHICH THERE WAS NO MOVING.

FORTUNATELY, THEY WERE INFORMED THAT THEY HAD FOUND

NOTHING AMISS AND COULD CONTINUE ON THEIR SPACE JOURNEY,
MUCH TO GORDON'S EXTREME RELIEF.

SEBUR NAG WAS IN QUADRANT 175, WHICH MEANT THAT ,

DEDUCTING THE RELEVANT SUBJECTIVE TIME, THEY COULD REACH

343
THE CHERISHEDQUADRANT 426 AFTER TOO MUCH LONGER. MORE
THAN GORDON WOULD HAVE LIKED.

HE KNEW THAT TWO OF THE SHUTTLES WERE INTACT AND COULD BE

USED TO HUNT HIM DOWN, BUT HE HAD TO RESIGN HIMSELF. HE WAS
COUNTING ON HIS BRIBES AND HIS INNATE CHARM AS A POLITICAL
ORATOR TO GET SUPPORT IN EVERY PLACE HE WENT.

THEY DECIDED TO MAKE A SMALL CHANGE IN THE PLAN. INSTEAD OF

JUMPING FROM QUADRANT TO QUADRANT , THEY COULD MANEUVER
TO CONFUSE AND MISLEAD THE OPPONENT .

THE CLAIM THAT ‘W ARP DRIVE’ WAS ENOUGH TO GET AWAY FROM
THEIR PURSUERS SIMPLY WASN'T TRUE. BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS DEFINITELY RELEVANT . AND THAT WAS THE ABILITY TO
HIDE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

GORDON KNEW THERE WAS A SPECIAL AREA OF ANTIMATTER. IT WAS

WELL KNOWN FROM PHYSICS THAT MATTER AND ANTIMATTER
SHOULDN'T EXIST , AS THEY WOULD DESTROY EACH OTHER ON
CONTACT . NOT WHERE GORDON WAS GOING. THE PLACE, CALLED
AN ANTIMATTER HIDEOUT, WAS A LITTLE-KNOWN SERVICE USUALLY
PROVIDED TO ULTRA-RICH CROOKS AND CRIMINALS WHO NEEDED TO
AVOID THE BLOWS OF THE LAW . AN ENTIRE PARALLEL UNIVERSE
MADE OF ANTIMATTER. THEY DECIDED TO HIDE IN A SPECIAL VACUUM
CHAMBER THAT COULD MOVE WITHOUT COMING INTO CONTACT WITH
THIS ANTIMATTER AND DISRUPTING ITS INTEGRITY.

AFTER SEBUR, THE NAGS VISITED THE PLANET OSONIA, WHICH WAS
FAMOUS FOR ITS TRADE IN JUST SUCH VACUUM CHAMBERS.
DIFFERENT PLANETS AROUND THE GALAXY HAD COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT , AND FOR THE FIRST TIME
GORDON WAS GETTING TO KNOW ITS TRUE APPEARANCE. IT WAS
ASTOUNDING HOW LITTLE HE ACTUALLY KNEW . APPARENTLY, HE
WAS TOO LIMITED AND SELFISH A MAN. AND APPARENTLY HE
CONSIDERED HIMSELF MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE WHILE RULING
SOME LITTLE PLANET LIKE ZEGANDARIA. SO THEY HADN 'T EVEN
HEARD OF HIM HERE!

344
W HEN THEY SOLD HIM THE CHAMBER, THEY WARNED HIM THAT IT
WASN'T VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO STAY IN IT FOR TOO LONG,
BECAUSE ITS ISOLATION MIGHT STILL SUCCUMB. THEN THEIR DOOM
WAS INEVITABLE. BUT THEY HAD TO TAKE SOMETHING ELSE INTO
ACCOUNT AS WELL. THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK
JUST LIKE THAT .

CHRIS ZONRETHIS WAS QUITE REMORSEFUL BECAUSE THEY

COULDN'T TAKE THE TREASURES WITH THEM.

- 'W E'LL HIDE THEM ON OSONIA,' ELMBAUM SPOKE SIMPLY, 'AT

LEAST FOR A WHILE, UNTIL THEY FORGET ABOUT US. BUT NOT TOO
LONG THOUGH.

'THE GREAT ELMBAUM WILL BE HIDDEN IN A MOST ORDINARY POT,

LEST THEY COOK IT! W HAT AN OXYMORON!,' THOUGHT ZONRETHIS
JOKINGLY, BUT HE DIDN'T VOICE HIS HUMOR, FOR GORDON MIGHT
NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD.

- 'NATURALLY WE'LL STAY THERE AS LONG AS IT TAKES. THAT'S

CLEAR!,' SAID ZONRETHIS QUITE SIMPLY. - 'W E MUST DO OUR BEST
AND NOT DESPAIR.'

THE TREASURES WERE TRANSPORTED TO ONE OF THE MANY CAVES

OF OSONIA IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY POTENTIAL PROBLEMS . THERE
WERE ALSO MERCENARIES THERE TO GUARD THEM. THEY WOULD
RETURN THERE WHEN THEY COULD. IF THEY RETURNED AT ALL.

GORDON TOOK ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF ARCHANIAN FEATHERS

WITH HIM, WHICH HE HID IN A SPECIAL COMPARTMENT OF HIS SUIT.
HE MADE SURE ZONRETHIS DIDN'T SEE IT . THAT WOULD HAVE
BROUGHT OUT HIS WEAKNESS.

^^^

A UNIVERSE MADE OF ANTIMATTER WAS SOMETHING POORLY

UNDERSTOOD EVEN BY PHYSICISTS OF THE FUTURE. IT WASN'T THAT

345
MANY BRAINS HADN'T STUDIED THOUSANDS OF FORMULAS TO PROVE
ITS EXISTENCE, BUT NO ONE HAD GONE SO FAR AS TO CONDUCT A
RESEARCH EXPEDITION AND VERIFY EVERYTHING IN PRACTICE. NOW
GORDON WAS GOING TO APPEAR IN THE ROLE OF UNWITTING
EXPERIMENTAL RAT .

HE AND ZONRETHIS SLIPPED INTO THE CHAMBER AND THEIR

ASSISTANTS SEALED IT . THEN A SPECIAL LAUNCHING DEVICE TOOK
THEM ONTO THEIR SHIP, WHICH WOULD TRANSPORT IT TO A CERTAIN
POINT FROM WHICH THE LAUNCH INTO THE FREE VACUUM OF SPACE
WOULD TAKE PLACE.

BOTH FEARED THEY MIGHT NEVER RETURN, BUT SOME REASSURED

THEM THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY OUT. THEY WERE
STILL BEING CHASED AND HAD TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.

AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF THE VACUUM CHAMBER,

WHICH, FOR AN ADDITIONAL COST , WAS REINFORCED WITH SPECIAL
LAYERS OF ALLOY, THEY BEGAN TO FLOAT THROUGH THE
NOTHINGNESS OF THE VACUUM OF SPACE.

THEY WERE WEARING IZENTIA SPACESUITS, MANUFACTURED ONLY

ON THE PLANET OSONIA, FOR ENTHUSIASTS WHO WISHED TO MAKE
LONG-DISTANCE SPACE JOURNEYS.

THEY KNEW THAT TIME IN THIS ANTIVERSE WENT BACKWARDS, AND

IF THEY STAYED LONG ENOUGH, THEY MIGHT EVEN REJUVENATE.

OF COURSE, LEAVING THE CONFINES OF THE CURRENT UNIVERSE

WAS NOT SUCH A SIMPLE AND ELEMENTARY MATTER, NAMELY, AN
ENGINE WITH ENOUGH ACCELERATION WAS NEEDED TO BRIDGE THE
BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO UNIVERSES. SUCH AN ANTIMATTER
ENGINE WAS UNDER DEVELOPMENT ON THE PLANET OSONIA, BUT
EVERYONE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED THAT GORDON AND ZONRETHIS
WERE SUITABLE EXPERIMENTAL MICE. THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE
WAS IMPLANTED IN THEIR BRAINS IN NEGATIVE TIME. BUT THEIR
BODIES HAD TO SPEND A FEW WEEKS IN A SPECIAL SIMULATOR,

346
WHERE THEY COULD CATCH UP ON THE YEARS OF PHYSICAL
TRAINING THEY HAD APPARENTLY MISSED.

REACH FIRST SPACE SPEED, REACH SECOND SPACE SPEED, REACH

THIRD SPACE SPEED, THEY HEARD IN THE TRANSMITTER.

ELMBAUM HAD WORRIED TOO MUCH BECAUSE ACCELERATION WAS A

PROBLEM. THEY HAD ENOUGH INITIAL THRUST AT LAUNCH, BUT NOW
A TECHNICAL MALFUNCTION COULD OCCUR.

BUT EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY AFTERWARDS - TEXTBOOK. TOO

MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS HAD BEEN EXPRESSED AS TO THEIR
ACTUAL SURVIVABILITY. A TEAM OF SCIENTISTS HAD INSTRUCTED
THEM TO TAKE SPECIAL NOTES, AS MANY THINGS COULD GO WRONG.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT RECORDED THE RESULTS OF THE FLIGHT.
ELMBAUM HAD BEGUN TO REALIZE THAT IT WASN'T MONEY THAT
WOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE HIM, BUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT TO DO
NEXT. W HILE THESE COWARDS W ERE JUMPING FROM QUADRANT TO
QUADRANT , WHICH EVEN WITH SUBJECTIVE TIME DEDUCTED COULD
TAKE HUNDREDS OF YEARS, GORDON HAD CHOSEN THE SMARTER
MOVE. THINGS WOULD FALL INTO PLACE LATER, OR SO THE
GOVERNOR HOPED.
BUT SOMEWHERE IN THE PLAN THUS CONSTRUCTED SOMETHING
WAS DEFINITELY LIMPING, AND LIMPING BADLY. THEY COULDN'T JUST
STAY IN THE NEW PLACE. THEY HAD LIMITED SUPPLIES OF FOOD AND
WATER. EVERYTHING HAD TO BE CALCULATED. THEY WERE GOING
TO STAY, HOWEVER, FOR A SHORT TIME. THE ANTIMATTER ENGINE
MIGHT FAIL ON THEIR EVENTUAL RETURN AND THEN THEY WOULD BE
IRRETRIEVABLY LOST . AND THIS TIME, NO ONE WOULD SAVE THEM.

PASSING INTO THE NEW REALITY, THEY SENSED SOMETHING

STRANGE. THE TIME FLOWING BACK WAS HARD TO DESCRIBE, BUT
THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE IN THERE SOMEWHERE. THEIR
MEMORIES SLOWLY BEGAN TO FADE, AS IF THEY HADN'T LIVED THEIR
PREVIOUS LIVES. THEY HAD TO STRUGGLE TO REMEMBER. IT WAS
TOO MANY PROBLEMS THAT HAD ACCUMULATED OVER THE YEARS,

347
TOO MANY UNREDEEMED SINS. W HY EXACTLY WERE THEY GOING TO
BE ‘CLEANSED’ NOW ? W HAT HAD CHANGED AFTER ALL? NO ONE
ANYWHERE HAD TOLD THEM THAT THE RECOVERY OF MEMORIES
THEY WERE SO PROUD OF WOULD NOT HELP THEM IN THE NEW
PLACE.

SOME OF THE FINANCIAL MACHINATIONS HE HAD CARRIED OUT

UNDER GORDON'S PRESSURE, CRUELLY DEPRIVING THE REFINERY
WORKERS OF THEIR WAGES, FLASHED THROUGH CHRIS'S MIND.
ANOTHER MEMORY ALSO 'STUNG' HIM ALMOST IN THE FACE, NAMELY
THE MISUSE OF KEVLARITE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
SPACEPORT . NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED WERE SOME CROOKED DEALS
WITH UNION LEADERS THAT GORDON HAD BOUGHT THROUGH HIS
AGENCY. THESE MEMORIES WERE LIKE SO MANY BRIGHT SPOTS
BOMBARDING THEIR MINDS.

GORDON AND ZONRETHIS CONTINUED TO STAY QUIET AND

PEACEFUL IN THEIR CELL. SHE KEPT DRIFTING OFF TO WHO KNEW
WHERE. BUT SOMEWHERE IN THERE SOMETHING FLICKERED. THE
TWO FIXED THEIR EYES ON THE ENDLESS DARKNESS. IT WASN'T A
SPACESHIP. IT WASN'T ASTEROID DEBRIS OR ANYTHING, BUT THERE
WAS SOMETHING STRANGE ABOUT THAT LIGHT . THEN THEY HEARD
THEVOICE! IT WAS THE REAL VOICE NOW! NOT THE ONE THAT HAD
BEEN JACOB W ALLACE'S, GUIDING HIS SONS AND MARK'S LITTLE
BAND OF ADVENTURERS. THIS VOICE WAS OF A HIGHER ORDER. THIS
WAS THE UNIVERSAL VOICE!

- GORDON HAD NOWHERE TO HIDE! THE CRIMES HE COMMITTED

CAUSED GREAT IMBALANCE THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE. W HY ARE
YOU TRYING TO ESCAPE YOUR FATE? AND HOW FAR DO YOU THINK
YOU'LL GET BY DOING EVIL TO OTHERS!

HE AND CHRIS BOTH HEARD THE WORDS CLEARLY. THE CAPSULE

WAS DEADLY QUIET .

- 'YOU ARE TRYING TO ESCAPE HUMAN JUSTICE. BUT YOU CAN'T

ESCAPE GOD'S!,' THE VOICE THREATENED HIM.

348
GORDON WASN'T RELIGIOUS, HE WAS EVEN LESS RELIGIOUS THAN
AN ATHEIST OUGHT TO BE. BUT THIS TIME HE WAS STARTLED.
TERRIFIED FROM THE BOTTOM OF HIS SOUL!
- ACTUALLY, GORDON, YOU ARE BEING GIVEN THE RARE CHANCE TO
FIX ALL THE MESSES YOU CREATED AND ATONE FOR YOUR GUILT IN
FRONT OF EVERYONE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? JUST BECAUSE
TIME HAS STARTED TO RUN BACKWARDS DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE
INNOCENT AT ALL, DOES IT? BUT IF YOU REPENT , THEN MAYBE YOU'LL
BE FORGIVEN. MAYBE!

GORDON LISTENED INTENTLY WITHOUT EVEN A GRUNT. IN FACT, HE

DIDN'T EVEN DARE TO BREATHE.

- THEY'RE LOOKING FOR YOU, GORDON, IT'S TRUE THAT THEY'LL

DEFINITELY NEVER FIND YOU HERE, BUT YOU HAVE TO DECIDE
WHETHER YOU'RE A MAN OF DIGNITY WHO FACES UP TO DIFFICULTIES
AND SOLVES THEM, OR WHETHER YOU'RE JUST A SOFTIE RUNNING
FROM FAIR JUSTICE.

GORDON WASN'T USED TO BEING TALKED TO LIKE THIS. TO BE FAIR ,

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD HAPPENED. AT FIRST, HE WAS
TERRIBLY ANGRY. HE WAS GOVERNOR ELMBAUM. THE OMNIPOTENT
AND OMNIBENEVOLENT OMNIPOTENT OVERLORD OF HALF OF
ZEGANDARIA. EVEN IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE, THAT FACT WAS A FACT!
- STOP YOUR STUBBORNNESS, GORDON, AND LOOK AT THE FACTS.
IF I DAMAGED YOUR ANTIMATTER ENGINE, YOU WOULD NEVER
SUCCESSFULLY RETURN TO WHERE YOU SHOULD BE. TIME GOING
BACKWARDS MEANS THAT YOU WILL BE REJUVENATED UNTIL YOU
BECOME BABIES...

- 'AND THEN?,' ASKED ZONRETHIS IN HORROR.

- 'AND THEN YOU JUST DISAPPEAR!,' THE VOICE CALMLY ANSWERED

THEM.

- 'I WANT TO SAVE YOU PRECISELY BECAUSE YOU ARE SO SINFUL AND
HAVE SO MUCH TO ATONE FOR. A SPECIAL MISSION FALLS TO YOU. IF

349
YOU, GORDON, DO AS YOU ARE TOLD, I WILL CURE YOUR AFFLICTION,
WHICH YOU HAVE CREATED IN YOUR QUEST TO LIVE FOREVER. 'AS
YOU CAN SEE, YOU LOSE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING,' THE VOICE
INSISTED.

- 'IT'S VERY EASY FOR YOU,' GORDON TRIED TO KEEP HIS

COMPOSURE. 'I'M HAUNTED IN SO MANY PLACES. I'VE HAD TO
SURVIVE, AND IT'S SO HARD TO KEEP THE BALANCE ALL THIS TIME.'

-I UNDERSTAND YOU, GORDON, BUT YOUR SURVIVAL SHOULDN'T

COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE SURVIVAL OF SO MANY OTHER BEINGS
ACROSS THE GALAXY. TOO MANY HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF YOUR
PRIDE AND STUBBORNNESS. I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT
YOU HAVE LONG SINCE CROSSED EVERY POSSIBLE LINE.

- 'THEN WHY ARE YOU WILLING TO DO SOMETHING SO GREAT FOR

ME?,' HE ASKED QUITE SINCERELY.

- 'BECAUSE OF YOUR MOTHER,' SAID THE VOICE, SLIGHTLY

TOUCHED.

- 'W HAT'S ALL THIS GOT TO DO WITH IT?,' ALMOST SHOUTED

GORDON. 'HE WAS GETTING CONFUSED NOW , AND NOT IN A JOKING
WAY.

- 'YOUR MOTHER IS ACTUALLY BECKY MORINGALE,' PRONOUNCED

THE VOICE MOST CALMLY.

HARDLY ANYTHING WOULD HAVE MADE A GREATER IMPRESSION ON

GORDON THAN WHAT HE HEARD. HE COULD HAVE BEEN CHASED BY
ARCH-NAYSAYERS, EVEN BY ALL SORTS OF CRIMINALS AND
ADVENTURERS. ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN
CHASING HIM, BUT SUCH A CLAIM DIDN'T JUST DEMEAN HIM, IT CALLED
HIS EXISTENCE INTO QUESTION.

- 'EXPLAIN IT TO ME!,' HE GROUND OUT THROUGH HIS TEETH.

- THERE IS NOTHING SIMPLER THAN THAT . THE MOMENT THE

WATCHERS OF THE PLANET SOARED INTO THE SKY, THE MOMENT

350
PAUL SAW THE FACE OF THAT FLIRTATIOUS WOMAN. IT WAS ALL THE
MOMENT OF YOUR CONCEPTION AS A UNIVERSAL BEING!

- 'PLEASE?', GORDON ALREADY FELT LIKE HE WAS GOING MAD.

- IT'S JUST THAT THE VOICES IN THE UNIVERSE ARE OF A DIFFERENT
ORDER, DEAR GOVERNOR. THE W ATCHERS ARCHANAEANS, BEING
THE MOST ANCIENT RACE, HAVE SPECIAL SENSES. THEY WERE
APPOINTED BY THE HIGH COUNCIL OF VOICES TO MONITOR WHAT
HAPPENS ON ZEGANDARIA. AND I AM THE SO-CALLED UNIVERSAL
VOICE. BECKY WENT IN WITH THE CRAZIES YOU KICKED OUT
BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT THEY WERE EXPENDABLE AND TOOK AWAY
THEIR RIGHT TO LIFE. TO A NORMAL AND HAPPY LIFE. YOU DYKED
THEM QUITE UNDESERVEDLY, JUST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FIT YOUR
IDEA OF THE PERFECT CITY-STATE. THEY WERE THE DISSENTERS
WHO WERE SIMPLY INCONVENIENT . W HAT PAUL SAW WAS JUST PART
OF THE PICTURE. THEY HAD ALREADY FOUND JACOB W ALLACE, WHO
I WHISPERED ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO AND HELPED GIVE GUIDANCE
TO ALL THOSE WHO WANTED TO CHANGE THINGS FOR THE BETTER.

- 'BUT, WAIT A MINUTE, THEY'RE NOT COMPLETELY INNOCENT

EITHER. THEY ALSO FOUGHT WARS AND ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR
MANY DEATHS,' GORDON APOLOGIZES, NOT SO MUCH OUT OF
MEANNESS AS NUMBNESS. THE VOICE SEEMED TO HAVE BEWITCHED
HIM.

- GORDON, THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT ONE OF RESPONSIBILITY, BUT OF

REMORSE. STOP WITH YOUR BUREAUCRATIC TERMS. EVEN IF
UNINTENTIONALLY, BECKY MORINGALE HAS BECOME YOUR
SPIRITUAL GUARDIAN MOTHER, EVEN THOUGH SHE HATES YOU AND
SEES THAT YOU HAVE TURNED THE PLANET INTO A DUMP. THAT'S THE
CORRELATION BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. YOU SHOULD THANK HER,
AS HER MERCY AND COMPASSION FOR A NOBLE CAUSE, THOUGH
INSIGNIFICANT AT FIRST GLANCE, SAVES YOU IN MY EYES .
OTHERWISE THERE WOULD BE NO FORGIVENESS FOR THEE.

- 'W HAT IF I JUST HYPOCRITICALLY AGREE? THEN WHAT WOULD

HAPPEN?,' ASKED GORDON.

351
- 'THAT WOULD BE AT YOUR EXPENSE TOO! THE CONTRITION MUST
BE SINCERE. 'THAT 'S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO,' WHISPERED THE VOICE.

- 'VERY WELL, I REPENT,' PRONOUNCED GORDON, NOT VERY

CONFIDENTLY.

- 'AH, NOT LIKE THAT ,' THE VOICE CONTINUED TO SPEAK CALMLY TO
HIM. 'SINCERE MEANS THAT BOTH YOU AND CHRIS WILL START
HELPING THOSE YOU HAVE BEEN PERSECUTING AND DESTROYING
WITH YOUR BUREAUCRATIC THINKING. THEN YOU, GORDON, WILL BE
A HERO IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD. AND YOU WILL BE CURED
OF YOUR INSIDIOUS DISEASE.'

GORDON BOWED HIS HEAD AND WEPT. HE WAS SINCERE. HE COULD

SEE THERE WAS NO WAY OUT. THE SHAME WAS BORN OF THE
MAGNITUDE OF HIS SINS. IT WAS TOO TERRIBLE. CHRIS COULD SEE
THAT THE GLASS OF THE WHOLE SUIT HAD BECOME SWEATY AND HE
COULD HARDLY SEE THE GOVERNOR'S FACE. THEN FOR THE FIRST
TIME HE REALIZED THAT MAYBE HE HADN'T GOTTEN ENOUGH LOVE AS
A CHILD. OTHERWISE MAYBE HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SO CRUEL TO
EVERYONE AROUND HIM!

^^^

SPENDING TIME IN THE NEW REALITY, WHICH COULD BE CALLED BY

THE TERM ANTI-TIME, HAD AFFECTED BOTH OF THEM IN A SPECIAL
WAY. THEY CAME BACK FROM THAT ANTI-UNIVERSE CHANGED. IT
WAS AS IF THEY HAD SLEPT A LONG AND DEEP SLEEP AND HAD
SUDDENLY AWAKENED. CHRIS, WHO WAS THE FINANCIAL BRAINS,
REALIZED THAT GORDON HAD TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH HIS
MONEY.HE COULD HELP A LOT IF HE WANTED TO. HE WAS ALREADY
AWARE OF THE GOVERNOR'S SHAMEFUL SECRET AND THE MIXED
BACKGROUND HE WAS TRYING TO HIDE.

THE VOICE HAD KEPT HIS PROMISE. HE HADN'T DAMAGED THE

ANTIMATTER ENGINE AND THEY HAD RETURNED WITHOUT INCIDENT.
THAT WAS THE GOOD NEW S.

352
THE GOVERNOR WAS UTTERLY CHANGED. HE DECIDED TO RETURN
TO OSONIA FIRST. HE WAS SAFE THERE. HIS MONEY WAS THERE,
TOO. IT WAS NOT SO SAFE ON SEBUR NAG, BECAUSE THEY COULD
FIND HIM THERE MUCH MORE EASILY THAN BEFORE. ON THE OTHER
HAND, THERE WAS ALSO THE FACT THAT SO MUCH HAD CHANGED
WHILE THEY WERE GONE TO CONSIDER. THE TRANSITION FROM
UNIVERSE TO ANTIVERSE HAD BEEN MADE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
MANY SCIENTISTS WOULD HAVE WRITTEN TOO MUCH ON THE
SUBJECT . GORDON WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT AS WELL.
NOW HE WOULD BE A CELEBRITY AGAIN. BUT UNINTENTIONALLY. HE
HAD VOWED TO HELP OTHERS. THAT WOULD HENCEFORTH BE THE
MEANING OF HIS LIFE. HE'D JUST GONE DOWN A BAD PATH. BUT HE
COULD FIX HIMSELF. HE COULD CHANGE HIS LIFE. HE COULD AND HE
HAD TO. HE'D BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH, AND ONLY NOW WAS HE
REALIZING THAT TRUE SALVATION WAS JUST WITHIN REACH. ALL HE
WANTED WAS CONTRITION.

THE GOVERNOR STOPPED IN ONE OF OSONIA'S LARGEST

SETTLEMENTS. THERE WERE AS MANY AS SIX SPACE COLONIES ON
THIS PLANET WITH THE STATUS OF POLIS. IN THE LARGEST OF THEM,
OZIN TUN, HE MADE A SORT OF MEMORIAL TO THE VICTIMS. THE
LOCALS LOOKED AT HIM AND WONDERED IF HE W AS CRAZY TO GIVE
SO MUCH MONEY. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS KURTOASIA, BUT IT WASN'T.
GORDON WAS DOING IT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO.
ON AN ALTAR MADE OF THE PUREST OBSIDIAN HE LAID ELURIAN
SKINS, WHICH HE LIBERALLY POURED WITH BLOOD. THIS WAS IN THE
OLD GUARRON TRADITION, AND THE HIDDEN MEANING WAS THAT
EVERYTHING WAS GOING BACK TO WHERE IT CAME FROM, THAT IS,
TO MOTHER EARTH.

HE THEN FREED THE CAPTURED ARCHANAYANS. THEY COULD NOT

BELIEVE IT. THEIR LEADER, EZEK RU - SECOND ONLY TO VOLTARIAN
- LOOKED ON IN AMAZEMENT. THE ARCHANAYANS LOOKED A LITTLE
LONELY, BUT UNDER THEIR WISE BROWS, EYES FULL OF SADNESS
PEERED OUT . THE HUMAN BIRDS HUGGED GORDON. HE FELL TO HIS
KNEES AND ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS. HIS TEARS DID NOT GO

353
UNNOTICED. THE ARCHANAYANS WONDERED WHAT HAD CAUSED
THE SUDDEN CHANGE, BUT THEY WERE SURE IT WAS GENUINE.

SO MANY DESTINIES HAD BEEN PUT TO THE TEST . GORDON KNEW

WHAT TO DO, AND HE WOULD DO IT . THIS TIME HE HAD DECIDED TO
ATONE FOR HIS CRIMES.

W ITH PART OF THE MONEY HE SUPPORTED ALL OF THEM. HE SENT

FOR TREATMENT THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THIS RACE WHO HAD
SPENT A LONG TIME IN THE PRISON OF OSONIA. AS IT WAS KNOWN,
THEY WERE ALMOST IMMORTAL, SO THE TIME THEY HAD SPENT
HADN'T AFFECTED THEIR APPEARANCE MUCH. DURING THE TIME
GORDON AND CHRIS HAD BEEN IN THE ANTIVERSE, SEVERAL
GENERATIONS HAD CHANGED ON OSONIA. THE PREVIOUS
INHABITANTS DIDN'T REMEMBER GORDON. HE WALKED THE STREETS
OF THE POLIS. MOTHERS WALKING THEIR CHILDREN LOOKED AT HIM
STRANGELY. OSONIA WAS A FAIRLY PEACEFUL PLANET , SO THE
LOCALS DIDN'T SEEM IMPRESSED EVEN IF A STRANGER LIKE GORDON
SHOWED UP. THE ONLY ONES WHO RECOGNIZED HIM BY NAME ALONE
WERE THE DESCENDANTS OF THOSE GUARDS HE HAD HANDPICKED
TO GUARD HIS RICHES.

THE GOVERNOR'S ENTIRE FORTUNE WAS STORED IN THE CAVE OF

TUBUR NOG. ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE HAD ACCESS THERE. THIS
CAVE WASN'T PARTICULARLY LARGE, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE
TWO DOZEN SMALL CAVERNS WITHIN IT HAD STORED THE
GOVERNOR'S VARIOUS VALUABLES. HE KNEW WELL WHERE TO
STORE HIS POSSESSIONS.

- ‘SHALL WE LOAD UP YOUR TREASURES, SIR?,’ THE HEAD OF HIS

GUARD, WHO PROBABLY HADN'T BEEN BORN WHEN GORDON LEFT
OSONIA, BARKED.

- 'CERTAINLY, MY BOY,' GORDON SPOKE KINDLY, GRINNING EAR TO

EAR. NOW HIS SMILE WAS GENUINE. HE WANTED TO BE GOOD AND
HE WAS TRYING HIS BEST TO THAT END.

- 'IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE LONGER,' THE GUARD FRETTED.

354
- 'YOU'VE GOT ALL THE TIME YOU NEED,' GORDON SAID CALMLY. 'NO-
ONE'S ARGUING WITH YOU.'

THE PEOPLE OF OSONIA HAD FOUND OUT ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S

INTENTIONS AND HIS GRAND PLANS. HE HAD BEEN INVITED TO MAKE
A SPEECH. THE INHABITANTS HEARD WITH SHOCK HIS CONFESSIONS
OF THE TERRIBLE CRIMES COMMITTED ON HIS HOME PLANET .
GORDON WAS NATURALLY TO BLAME FOR MOST OF THEM. HIS
STATUS AS GOVERNOR OF A PLANET AND HIS IMMENSE WEALTH
GUARANTEED HIM THE PERSONAL INVIOLABILITY OF OSONIA, BUT
NOT OF SEBUR NAG, WHICH WAS ON FRIENDLY TERMS WITH
ZEGANDARIA. HE HAD TO TREAD CAREFULLY. HE COULDN'T AFFORD
TO BE IMPRISONED OR KILLED BEFORE COMPLETING HIS MISSION.

OSONIA WAS THE PERFECT PLANET TO START A FAMILY, WHICH

MIGHT HAVE BEEN A GOOD CHOICE WITH ANOTHER HUMAN, BUT
GORDON ELMBAUM WAS DEFINITELY NOT YOUR AVERAGE SPECIMEN.
SUCH A SELFISH MAN HAD RARELY BEEN BORN. GORDON SOMETIMES
LOATHED HIMSELF. AND THERE WAS REASON WHY.

THE REMORSE EXPRESSED BY GORDON FOR HIS DEEDS WAS

HEEDED BY THE PEOPLE OF OSONIA. AFTER ALL, THEY WERE
APPALLED BY THE VARIOUS CRIMES AND AGREED THAT THE
GOVERNOR SHOULD SHOW SOME MORALITY AND SERVE HIS
PUNISHMENT IN A PRISON CELL. THEY DID NOT EVEN SUSPECT THAT
HE WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF LABOR COLONY 206.

ALTHOUGH HE DIDN'T WANT TO STAY TOO LONG ON OSONIA,

GORDON WAS FORCED BY CIRCUMSTANCES TO STAY A LITTLE
LONGER. CHRIS ZONRETHIS WAS HIS RIGHT -HAND MAN. STILL. HE
ALSO FELT IT HIS DUTY TO HELP.

ON WHAT HAPPENED TO PALEY. GENE PALEY, WHO WAS ALSO ONE

OF HIS MAIN ASSOCIATES.
W HEN THEY HAD LEFT SEBUR NAG, THE
ADMIRAL HAD FIRMLY STATED HIS OPINION THAT HE DID NOT WISH TO
CONTINUE WITH THEM. IN THE ENSUING SCANDAL, HE HAD EVEN
PULLED OUT HIS PERSONAL WEAPON. GORDON COULDN'T LET HIM
LIVE NATURALLY. AND HE HAD ORDERED HIM TO BE STRANGLED WITH

355
A PIECE OF QUIZON. HIS GRAVE WAS NEAR A PICTURESQUE COLONY-
VILLAGE NEAR NARAS TU, THE CAPITAL OF SEBUR NAG. NOW HE
FELT HE MUST VISIT HIS OLD FRIEND.

HAVING ARRANGED ALL POSSIBLE FORMALITIES, THE GOVERNOR

WAS READY TO DEPART . IT WAS MORE THAN OBVIOUS THAT HE WAS
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND THERE WAS REASON WHY.

BEFORE FALLING ASLEEP, HE CLASPED HIS HANDS FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN PRAYER:

‘O GREAT MIDRIEL, I HAVE COMMITTED SO MANY SINS.

I KNOW I AM NOT WORTHY TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.

I WILL SURRENDER WILLINGLY, BUT NOT BEFORE I MAKE THINGS
RIGHT.’

THEN HE FELL ASLEEP. AND SLEPT LIKE A BABY.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: LEAVING

MEIOR AND BECKY WANDERED THE ENDLESS ELANDON FIELD, BUT

WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO FIND THEIR BEARINGS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE
EVEN THE MOST RUDIMENTARY COMPASS. THE CROPS HAD BEEN
UTTERLY DESTROYED BY THE EXPLOSIONS, AND THE LAND WAS
DISGUSTINGLY PLOUGHED AND PLOUGHED. IT WAS SIMPLY
UNPLEASANT TO LOOK AT. SO MUCH SADNESS. S O MUCH
HOPELESSNESS. THEIR NATIVE HOME WAS DESTROYED.

- 'YOU KNOW BECKY, EVEN THOUGH YOU WILL NEVER BE MINE, YOU
BROUGHT ME OUT OF THE DESPONDENCY I LIVED IN AS A FRESHMAN.
OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS ARE ABOVE YOUR OWN. YOU TAUGHT

356
ME TO LIVE FOR MORE THAN MYSELF,' MEIOR TOLD HER IN ALL
SERIOUSNESS.

- 'THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS POLIS. EVERYONE HERE LIVES

ONLY FOR THEMSELVES,' HER VOICE HELD IRRITATION.

THEY WANDERED FOR A FEW DAYS. BUT MOST UNEXPECTEDLY,

BECKY LOOKED AT THE MARK ON HER ARM. SHE REMEMBERED A
DREAM IN WHICH A BOY HAD THE SAME SCAR. HIS NAME WAS
DURNYAM. SHE HAD HAD THIS DREAM RECENTLY.
- 'HOW ARE YOU FEELING, BECKY?,' ASKED MEIOR, CONCERNED
ABOUT HER CONDITION.

- 'I'M FINE, JUST A BAD DREAM, AND A BAD DREAM AT THAT, AND
SOMETHING INSIDE TELLS ME THAT IT 'S FOR MY OWN GOOD,' SHE SAID
SOMEWHAT CONFUSEDLY.

MARK AND HIS GROUP WERE ALREADY DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN,
WITH KIER ZOH LEADING THEM WITH THE INSTINCT OF A KILLER DOG.
HIS RACE WAS EASY TO NAVIGATE, EVEN BY SIGNS LIKE SMALL
STONES AND SO ON. IN THE DISTANCE, THEY GLIMPSED BECKY AND
MEIOR. THE TWO OF THEM HAD A PITIFUL LOOK. ALONG THE WAY,
THEY HAD ALSO LOST PART OF THE GROUP. THE RAT HAD FALLEN
INTO A DEEP CAVERN AND DIED RIDICULOUSLY. THE FATHER HAD
ALSO DIED, DRAGGED BY IT . THE TREACHEROUS PONIES HAD HAD
THEIR SAY WHEN IT CAME TO CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS. THE TREK
OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND KILOMETERS THEY HAD TAKEN IN SEVEN
DAYS. THEY HAD SLEPT ONLY TWO OR THREE HOURS.

THE CAPITAL WOULD BE REACHED IN SOME MORE TIME. KIER ZOH

HAD MANAGED TO KILL GAME FOR HIS COMPANIONS TO FEED ON. A
GREAT HUNTER, HE WAS ALSO NO MEAN COOK. THOUGH THEY DID
NOT SPEAK EACH OTHER'S LANGUAGES, THEY UNDERSTOOD EACH
OTHER WITH SIGNS. COMMUNICATION WAS NOT A PROBLEM FOR
EITHER OF THEM. OF THE WHOLE GROUP, ONLY MARK, PAUL,
DURNYAM, SAM W ALLACE, GRANDPA JACK, RUSSELL, AND OF
COURSE, KIER ZOH WERE LEFT .

357
W HEN THEY SAW THEM,BECKY AND MEIOR STARTED TO RUN, BUT
TRIPPED AND FELL ON THEIR EYES.

MARK AND PAUL WENT TO PICK THEM UP. KIER ZOH LOOKED A LITTLE
SURPRISED AT SUCH AN EMOTIONAL OUTPOURING ON THEIR PART .
HUMAN EMOTIONS WERE STILL ALIEN TO HIM. BUT SOMEHOW HE WAS
BEGINNING TO SENSE THE CHANGE IN HIMSELF. APPARENTLY
COMMUNICATING WITH HUMAN BEINGS WAS LIKE THAT . DEEP INSIDE
HE WAS SOMEHOW BEGINNING TO ACCEPT IT .

BECKY AND MEIOR TOLD THEM WHAT THEY KNEW .

- 'LET'S GO NOW ,' THEY ALL CALLED IN CHORUS.

THEY HAD FOUND THE DISCARDED NIRANGAITERS AND ZIRUARX OF
ZORIN'S MURDERED TEAM. THEY WERE PLENTY FOR THEIR LITTLE
GROUP. AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS, THEY HAD REACHED I MGRADON.
THEY DIDN'T DARE VENTURE IN AGAIN. BECKY AND MEIOR
WONDERED WHY THEY HAD TO COME BACK HERE AT ALL, BUT AFTER
LEARNING WHAT IT WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT THEY READILY DECIDED
TO HELP TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.

W HEN THEY ENTERED THE CITY, THEY FOUND THAT IT HAD LONG
BEEN AN ASH HEAP, AND THE DESTRUCTION HAD TURNED IT INTO
SOMETHING OF AN ISLAND, SURROUNDED BY THE WASHED OUT
WATERS OF THE EXPLODED GEOTHERMAL VENT . THERE WAS NO
SIGN OF THE ST. JOSEPH CLINIC.

THERE WAS NO SIGN OF POSTS OR GUARDS. ABSOLUTELY NO LIVING

SOUL.

- 'GORDON HAD BLOWN SOMEWHERE. DEFINITELY IN THE RIGHT

DIRECTION,' MARK SAID ANGRILY.

THEY HEARD A COUGH. BEHIND THEM WAS KEITH. HE HAD

CAREFULLY GONE TO ENSARIAN AND TOLD SPEARS AND ELISANDRA
WHAT HAD HAPPENED. EVEN THOUGH ENSARIAN HAD COMPLETELY
COLLAPSED, THERE WERE STILL SMALL FRESH RESOURCES HIDDEN
IN THE UNDERGROUND BUNKER AND ALSO SOME REMNANTS OF HIS

358
VAST ARMY. THEY HAD AGREED TO JOIN AND CAPTURE G ORDON.
W ITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES, SPEARS AND ELISANDRA LEARNED THE
SAD TRUTH ABOUT JACOB W ALLACE AND THE NEED TO GO TO WAR
WITH HIS OWN RACE TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF HIS FALLEN SOLDIERS
AND THEIR FAMILIES, HORRIBLY DISFIGURED BY THE GOVERNOR'S
EXPERIMENTS.

THAT MUCH WAS CLEAR. HE HAD TO BE PUNISHED.

MARK REACTED SOMEWHAT ANGRILY BECAUSE HE THOUGHT KEITH

WAS PLAYING A DOUBLE GAME, BUT ONCE HE SAW THE EBONIAN AND
KIER ZOH CONFIRMED HIS CLAIMS, ALL DOUBTS WERE GONE.

THERE WASN'T ANYTHING IN ALL OF I MGRADON THAT COULD BE

USED. THERE WASN'T EVEN POTABLE WATER.

- 'IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET TO THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT, BUT

NOT IMPOSSIBLE,' CALLED GRANDFATHER JACK. 'A COWBOY LIKE ME
UNDERSTANDS THIS AND THAT! BUT WE'VE GOT TO FIND A FLYING
MACHINE!'

THEY DECIDED TO WAIT FOR THE REMNANTS OF THE ENSARIAN ARMY

TO REACH ELOHY. SOME OF THE GUARRON, LED BY NUNDRAG,
JOINED AS WELL. THEY HAD TO DRAW UP A GENERAL PLAN OF ATTACK
AGAINST THE GOVERNOR. AND THIS TIME THEY HAD TO CATCH HIM
DEAD OR ALIVE.

THEY DECIDED TO GO TO THE URUS ONX SPACEPORT . THE

OPERATION TO CAPTURE HIM STILL HAD TO START SOMEWHERE.

THE GIGANTIC FACILITY WAS ONE OF THE PRIDES OF ZEGANDARIA,

AS ROUGHLY ALL THE FLYING VEHICLES ON THE PLANET WERE MADE
THERE. THEY HOPED TO FIND AT LEAST ONE OR TWO SURVIVORS TO
USE FIRST. MIGHT AS WELL HAVE SOME PARTS.

359
^^^

REONA ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE STUDENTS WERE PULLED OUT
OF THE RESCUE SQUADS THE ENSARIANS WERE ORGANIZING. THEY
WATCHED WITH DISBELIEVING EYES BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY
WERE IRRETRIEVABLY LOST. ELOHY WAS IN A WORSE SITUATION.
THEY HAD TO HELP PEOPLE IN DISTRESS. IT ALL SEEMED TO BE
FORGOTTEN VERY QUICKLY ONCE THEY WERE UNITED IN THEIR
HATRED OF THE COMMON ENEMY.

SHE AND BECKY BOTH HUGGED EACH OTHER. MEIOR STOOD OFF TO
THE SIDE. MARK ALSO MADE A REMEMBRANCE OF FATHER AND RAT
AND THEIR RIDICULOUS DEMISE. HE HAD TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR
SERVICES TO THE MUTUAL SURVIVAL OF THE ENTIRE TEAM. THEY
WOULD BE MISSED BY ALL. THE FIGHTERS EACH SHED A MANLY TEAR.
BUT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, IT WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL.

HOWEVER, HERE AND THERE IN THE CITY THERE WERE SOME ALIVE.
IT TURNED OUT THAT ONE OF THE CAVERNS WAS INTACT AND THE
LAST REMNANTS OF THE TOWN'S POPULATION HAD TAKEN SHELTER
THERE. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY PEOPLE IN ALL. THE SURVIVORS
OF ENSARIAN, INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE UNDERGROUND
BUNKER, NUMBERED AROUND FOUR HUNDRED. ROIAN - LIZ AND
PINDOR'S SON - WAS ALSO AMONG THEM. THE BOY HAD MANAGED
TO FIND FOOD IN ONE QUADRANT AND LITERALLY PULL IT OUT OF THE
HANDS OF A DYING MAN WHO DIDN'T NEED IT .
W HEN THE FIGHTING
WAS OVER, HE LEFT WITH THE OTHERS. ZARAG TU'S SURVIVING
GUARRON DID NOT NUMBER MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY,
BUT SOME OF THEM WERE WOUNDED. ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF
THEIR RACE, THEY WERE TO BE EXECUTED BY THEIR FELLOWS. BUT
THE GUARRON REALIZED HOW POINTLESS THAT WAS NOW .

THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE PLANET NOW NUMBERED UNDER A

THOUSAND OF ALL RACES.

MARK STOOD UP TO SPEAK. ALL EYES WERE FIXED ON HIM. THE

GUARRON DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HIS SPEECH, BUT THEY IMMEDIATELY

360
SAW IN HIM THE STRONG LEADER, AND THAT SUBDUED THEM. HE
KNEW HOW TO LEAD THE GROUP. THEY FELT IT INSTINCTIVELY.

- IT WAS TIME FOR THIS PLANET TO HAVE NEW LIFE; IT WAS TIME FOR
THE TRUTH TO BE TOLD. YOUR LEADER IS MY COMMANDER, GENERAL
JACOB W ALLACE.

THE GUARRON UNDERSTOOD HIM. THEY TOO HAD HEARD OF THE

FACT THAT THEY WERE A HYBRID RACE, BUT THEY PREFERRED TO
BELIEVE IN THE LEGENDS THAT SILENCED THEIR PAIN.

MARK CONTINUED. HE HAD TO USE A MIXTURE OF HUMAN AND

GUARRONS SPEECH HE HAD LEARNED AT THE ЕNSARIAN CADET
SCHOOL.

- EVEN IF WE CATCH THAT SCOUNDREL ELMBAUM, IT WON'T BRING

BACK THE SHATTERED ECOSYSTEM OF THIS PLANET, OR YOUR
BATTLE COMRADES. AS A DECLARED EXTRAORDINARY PROXY BY THE
MEMBERS OF THE UBUNDER MILITARY COUNCIL, AND WITH THE
POWERS GRANTED TO ME BY THE SURVIVING ЕLOHIANS, I SUGGEST
WE USE THE LAST SURVIVING SHIPS OF THE URUS ONX SPACEPORT
AND LEAVE THIS PLANET FOR GOOD.

EVERYONE LOOKED AROUND. NO ONE HAD EXPECTED SUCH A

THING.

- 'FRIENDS,' MARK ADDRESSED THEM, 'THE CHOICE IS YOURS. BUT

WE CAN START AFRESH. THIS GALAXY IS LARGE ENOUGH FOR US TO
FIND A PLANET WITH SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS TO ZEGANDARIA.'

ZARAG TU STOOD BESIDE HIM. HIS TWO SONS, TOO.

- 'THIS MAN SPEAKS THE VERY TRUTH TO YOU,' HE BEGAN IN
GUARRON, AND THE FIGHTERS LISTENED MOST ATTENTIVELY.
'THERE IS NO POINT IN BEING ENEMIES ANYMORE. THE POPULATION
HAS BEEN DESTROYED. IT IS POINTLESS TO LET US ALL PERISH. THE
GUARRON LOOKED ON IN SOME DISBELIEF. THEY NEEDED SOME TIME
TO PROCESS WHAT WAS BEING SAID. BUT FINALLY THEY ACCEPTED
IT.'

361
SOMEONE DARED TO ASK:

- W HAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WHEN WE CATCH THE GOVERNOR?

MARK TOOK THAT QUESTION SERIOUSLY ENOUGH.

- THAT'S FOR YOU TO DECIDE.
I THINK IT'S EVERYBODY'S RIGHT TO
JUDGE HIM, NOT JUST OURS. BUT I ALSO THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD
FOLLOW HIM INTO THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT. W E CAN ALL START
OVER THERE.

- 'W HAT IF OUR BODIES CAN'T ADAPT TO THE NEW CONDITIONS?,'

SOMEONE ELSE ASKED.

- W E'LL BUILD A SMALL COLONY FIRST, AND THEN A SETTLEMENT ON

AN EXOPLANET WITH SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS. ZEGANDARIA WAS
ALSO MUCH WILDER BEFORE ANYONE SETTLED HERE AT ALL.

EVERYONE ACCEPTED HIS ARGUMENT WITH CONVICTION.

SPEARS AND ELISANDRA ALSO JOINED IN AS THE ONLY SURVIVING
SENIOR MILITARY.

- 'W E STAND FIRMLY BEHIND YOU. 'BUT AT THE MOMENT WE CAN

PROVIDE YOU WITH ALMOST ONLY GROUND FORCES AND ALMOST NO
AIRCRAFT ,' THEY REGRETTED.

HERE MARK INTERRUPTED THEM.

- GORDON DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DESTROY ALL THE AERIAL VEHICLES

IN THE SPACEPORT . W E HAVE TWO SURVIVORS WHICH, THOUGH IN
POOR CONDITION, CAN BE REPAIRED.

- 'W E'LL MOBILISE ALL OUR SPECIALISTS,' SPEARS NOTED.

INDEED, TWO VOLTAN SHUTTLES HAD SURVIVED, DESPITE

EXPLOSIONS AND ALSO DELIBERATE ARSON. THAT HAD TO BE TAKEN
INTO ACCOUNT . BUT IT ALSO HAD TO BE SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT
HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO EVACUATE ALL OF THE NEARLY SEVEN
HUNDRED SURVIVORS.

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ENGINEERING TEAMS BEGAN TO REBUILD THEM, BUT THE PLACES
STILL WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH. THEY HAD TO COME UP W ITH
SOMETHING.

- 'AND WHY NOT ACTUALLY TAKE OUT THE COCKPIT AND PUT IN A
BRAND NEW ANTI-GRAVITY LANDING GEAR? THAT WAY, ALL THE
PASSENGERS WOULD BE ON ONE BIG COMMON PLATFORM AND WE
COULD HAUL MORE,' ENGINEER ANDREW DISLAN OPINED.

- 'IT WOULD CHANGE THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF THE VEHICLE, BUT

IN A VACUUM ENVIRONMENT, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER THAT MUCH, AS
LONG AS THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS IN THE VERTICAL TAKE-OFF,'
ADDED ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES.

- 'SOUNDS REASONABLE. W E CAN AT LEAST TRY,' DISLAN AGREED.

NATURALLY THINGS WEREN'T GOING VERY SMOOTHLY, MUCH LESS
PLEASANTLY. ADMIRAL SPEARS' DAUGHTER, GABRIELLE, WAS
HANGING AROUND. SHE WAS ONLY FIFTEEN YEARS OLD, BUT SHE
WAS TERRIBLY KEEN ON ALL SORTS OF FLYING APPARATUS. DESPITE
HER TENDER AGE, SHE KNEW TOO MUCH. THE GUARRONS SOMEHOW
LIKED HER BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO VIVACIOUS AGAINST THE
GENERAL GREY BACKGROUND. SHE WAS THE SOUL OF THIS PLACE.
OR AS THEY AFFECTIONATELY CALLED HER, GABBY.
EQUAN STABILIZERS WERE NOT SUITABLE FOR HIGH-END SHIPS
BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT SUFFICIENTLY STABILIZE THE THRUST OF
LARGE ION ENGINES.THE TWO VOLTAN SHUTTLES HAD JUST SUCH
ENGINES. IT WAS NOT AMONG ELMBAUM'S PRIORITIES TO LEAVE
THEM THE SHUTTLES WITH THE BEST ENGINES. HIS OWN WERE
REBUILT WITH TACHYON ENGINES, WHICH WERE AN EXCELLENT
OPTION AND FARED MUCH BETTER THAN THEIR ION COUNTERPARTS.
THE ONLY REASON ELMBAUM HADN'T SET THEM ON FIRE OR BLOWN
THEM UP WAS THAT THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TIME TO
GET AWAY.

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- 'YOU KNOW THIS PLANET IS SO BORING? I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO
ESCAPE TO SOMEPLACE REALLY INTERESTING,' SHE LOOKED AT HIM
WITH THAT CHILDLIKE LOOK THAT WOULD MAKE A ROCK MELT .

DISLAN WAS ONLY WORKING. HE HAD TO CHECK SOME THINGS

ABOUT THE ENGINE THRUST. W HILE ION ENGINES COULD
THEORETICALLY ACHIEVE HIGHER SPEEDS THAN THEIR CHEMICAL
EQUIVALENTS, THE THRUST PROBLEM REMAINED. THERE WAS
ANOTHER DRAWBACK. IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG, THERE WAS NO
WAY TO MAKE REPAIRS IN OPEN SPACE. EVERYTHING HAD TO BE
WORKED OUT VERY SLOW LY AND CAREFULLY.

- 'I'VE HEARD THAT ONLY CRIMINALS AND ADVENTURERS GO TO THE

UNKNOWN QUADRANT. BUT MAYBE YOU'RE MORE FAMILIAR THAN I
AM?,' SHE TRIED TO SOMEHOW TALK HIM DOWN.

DISLAN WAS NOT THE MOST TALKATIVE OF PEOPLE. HE LIKED EVEN

LESS TO HAVE SOMEONE 'GRIND' ON HIS HEAD WHILE HE HAD
SERIOUS AND RESPONSIBLE WORK TO DO. SO HE FORCED HIMSELF
TO ANSWER.

- THAT WAS THE WAY TO TALK. IN FACT, HARDLY ANYONE FROM THIS
PLANET WAS THERE. THERE ARE TOO MANY UNKNOWNS
SURROUNDING THIS PLACE. AND MAYBE IT 'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT EITHER.

- 'W HY ARE YOU TALKING IN RIDDLES?,' SHE ASKED HIM.

- 'BECAUSE IT IS THE VERY TRUTH!,' HE ANSWERED HER, A LITTLE

CLUMSILY.

- 'ACCESS TO IT IS SIMPLY FORBIDDEN BY THE MILITARY COUNCIL.

AND NOT ONLY THAT ,' THOSE WERE APPARENTLY THE LAST WORDS
TO ROLL OFF HIS TONGUE.

GABRIEL LOOKED AROUND. W HY DID EVERYTHING HAVE TO SEEM SO

STRANGE. SHE JUST WASN'T USED TO NOT HAVING A QUESTION
ANSWERED. SHE WAS DADDY'S FAVORITE DAUGHTER. AND AS SUCH,
SHE SHOULD ALWAYS GET WHAT SHE WANTED. FOR NOW , SHE

364
PRETENDED TO RESIGN HERSELF TO NOT GETTING THE INFORMATION
SHE WANTED. BUT ONLY FOR NOW . EVERYONE WAS GOING TO TELL
HER SOMETHING SOONER OR LATER.

SHE STARTED WALKING AROUND AMONG THE BUSTLING PEOPLE,

MAKING FINAL PREPARATIONS BEFORE THEY LEFT THE PLANET .
EVERYONE WAS BUSY ORGANIZING THEIR OWN SURVIVAL. THE
GUARRON WANTED TO AT LEAST TAKE THEIR LASER CUTTERS,
BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM THEY DIDN'T FEEL SAFE. THE HUMANS, ON
THE OTHER HAND, WERE CLAMORING FOR MORE BOTTLES OF
COMPRESSED AIR. FINALLY, SOME BALANCE WAS ACHIEVED.

THE TWO SHUTTLES WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO EVACUATE

ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE, BUT THEY COULD TRY TO BOARD SOME
OTHER SHIPS IN CLOSE ORBIT THAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO AT LEAST
TRANSPORT SOME OF THE PASSENGERS TO THE FIRST WAYPOINT
WHERE THEY COULD FIND BETTER SHIPS. SURELY THEY'D COME UP
WITH SOMETHING ON THE FLY.

THE PREPARATIONS TOOK SEVERAL DAYS. FINALLY EVERYTHING

SEEMED TO BE READY. THERE WERE NO MALCONTENTS, BUT THAT 'S
WHY EVERYONE WANTED TO TAKE ONE LAST GOODBYE TO THEIR
HOMETOWN.

THEY WERE GOING TO MISS IT A LOT . THE BEAUTIFUL CRIMSON

REFLECTIONS OF THE SKY THAT SO RESEMBLED A MOLTEN COPPER
PLATE, IRIDESCENT IN DIFFERENT SHADES. SO UNFATHOMABLE TO
MOST OF THEM. NOW HE WOULD ACCEPT THEM AND BE THEIR
SALVATION.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: THE CHASE

- 'ZORIN SPEAKING,' THE SERGEANT'S LOW , THICK VOICE CAME OVER

THE RADIO. HE'D ALREADY EARNED THE RESPECT OF CAPTAIN
PENROSE, WHO WAS MAGNANIMOUSLY CEDING TO HIM SOME

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AMATEURISH TASKS THAT ZORIN WAS HANDLING BRILLIANTLY AND
HAD NO CAUSE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT . W HATEVER WE SAY, THE
CAPTAIN HAD A KEEN EYE FOR VALUABLE FOOTAGE.EVEN MORE SO
FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT WELL PROVE INDISPENSABLE.

- 'W E NEED TO CHANGE SOME PARAMETERS ON THE SHIP'S COURSE,'

ZORIN VOICED HIS CONCERNS, 'SINCE YOU'RE COMING FROM THE
COLONY, THE ENGINES SHOULD DEFINITELY BE SHUT DOWN FOR A
WHILE. ONCE WE GET THE AUXILIARY ION THRUSTERS ONLINE, WE
CAN PROCEED.'

- 'ONE WOULD THINK YOU W ERE BORN ON A SHIP, SERGEANT, YOU

SHOULDN'T HAVE BECOME A MARINE, YOU SHOULD HAVE BECOME A
SPACE W OLF,' THE CAPTAIN NOTED.
- 'I'M LEARNING ON THE FLY, CAPTAIN PENROSE. SASIA IS AN
EXCELLENT PILOT ,' HE SAID RATHER FLATTERINGLY. 'I LEARNED TO
LOVE THE SKY FROM HER, TOO. I HATED IT BEFORE. BUT NOW I LOOK
AT IT WITH DIFFERENT EYES.'

- 'YOU LIKE TO PHILOSOPHISE, MY DEAR,' SAID PENROSE QUITE

SERIOUSLY.

- 'HEAVEN CAN BE EVEN MORE INSIDIOUS THAN EARTH,' HE THREW IN

QUITE SERIOUSLY.

SASIA HAD BEEN APPOINTED NAVIGATOR BECAUSE SHE HAD A MORE

THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF CALCULATING TRAJECTORIES . W HAT
SHE DIDN'T KNOW , SHE WOULD LEARN ON THE FLY. AND SHE WAS A
SMART GIRL. SHE JUST WASN'T INTO AVIONICS NOW , BUT
SPACECRAFT . TWO WEEKS WAS ENOUGH TIME FOR HER TO LEARN
SOME BASIC SKILLS, AT LEAST AS FAR AS CALCULATING SPACE
COURSES WAS CONCERNED.

- 'HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO GET THERE?,' WONDERED KENJI.

- 'IT'S HARD TO SAY,'

PENROSE TURNED TO HIM. 'BUT ONE THING I
KNOW FOR CERTAIN. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN
CHANGE. FOR EXAMPLE, WE USE SUBJECTIVE TIME WHEN WE MAKE

366
A TIME JUMP FROM POINT A TO POINT B. BUT HERE WE GO FOR THE
FIRST TIME. W E DON'T KNOW AT ALL WHAT IS WAITING FOR US ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE TUNNEL. EVERYTHING HAS TO FALL INTO PLACE
THOUGH. WE ARE PROFESSIONALS. IFELMBAUM WANTS TO GET
THERE, THEN WE CAN DO IT . AND NO WORSE THAN HIM.'

- 'W E'LL HAVE TO GET THROUGH THE POSTS IN STAR QUADRANT

FORTY-FIVE BEFORE WE MAKE SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE JUMPS TO
QUADRANT 426. THE SHUTTLES' ARMAMENTS ARE UP TO PAR, BUT
NOT THAT UP TO PAR. W E MIGHT HAVE PROBLEMS,' LINUS VOICED
HIS CONCERNS, THE SAME ONE WHO'D RIBBED THE CAPTAIN ABOUT
HIS BRIEFING ON THE RICHWATER.

- 'THE EMZIROU IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PROJECT ,' THE CAPTAIN

MUTTERED. 'ONE OF THE FEW FITTED WITH TACHYON ENGINES. AN
IMPRESSIVE SHIP!'

THE CREW BUSTLED ABOUT DOING THEIR JOB AS BEST THEY COULD.
ADJUSTMENTS HAD TO BE MADE TO THE CALCULATIONS. TOO MUCH
SERIOUS WORK HAD TO BE DONE. AND THERE WAS NO ONE TO WAIT
FOR THEM!

THEY HAD TO CHANGE EVERYTHING FUNDAMENTALLY.

AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE COULD BE MADE OF EVERYONE'S
CHILDHOOD, WHEN EACH DAY SEEMED VERY LONG, AND TO THE
ADULT IT WAS RATHER SHORT AND MONOTONOUS, AS WERE MANY OF
THE OTHER PRECEDING DAYS.

- 'THIS UNIVERSE IS JUST A PROTOSTELLAR CLOUD,' PENROSE

WAXED POETIC. 'AND LOOK WHAT IT 'S EVOLVED INTO IN ALL ITS
EXISTENCE.'

IN PREPARATION FOR MAKING A FLIGHT AT SUPERLUMINAL SPEED,

SOME PREPARATIONS NATURALLY HAD TO BE MADE. THE FIRST , AND
MOST SERIOUS, WAS TO DON SPECIAL NANOSUITS TO ENABLE THE
BODIES OF THE CREW TO BEAR THE DIFFERENCE IN ACCELERATION.
SECOND, THE TACHYON ENGINES HAD TO BE SET UP AS WELL. IT WAS
WELL KNOWN FROM PHYSICS THAT BY LOSING ENERGY, THE

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TACHYONS ACCELERATED. BUT HERE WE HAD TO RECALL THAT THE
DIFFERENT TACHYON ENGINES WERE NOT THE SAME. ‘THE EMSIRU
HAD A SPECIAL KIND OF THEM, WHICH, BESIDES HAVING BUILT -IN ION
STABILIZERS BEFORE REACHING FULL POWER, COULD ALSO WARP
SPACE THROUGH THE SO-CALLED ‘WARP ENGINE’ .

ACCELERATION WAS REACHED RELATIVELY QUICKLY. HOWEVER,

ONE THING HAD TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT . W HEN SPACE WAS
CURVED AND A MATERIAL BODY WAS ABLE TO PASS THROUGH IT , THE
FINAL DESTINATION HAD TO BE ACCURATELY CALCULATED.

PENROSE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE CICADA CONSTELLATION IN

STELLAR QUADRANT 415, BUT HAD NO IDEA WHAT AWAITED THEM IN
THE 426TH QUADRANT .

THE SPACE SHUTTLE WAS ABOUT TO BE PUT TO THE TEST.

- 'I'VE DONE TIME JUMPS,' KENJI ADMITTED TO HIMSELF. 'IT WOULD

BE INTERESTING TO PARTICIPATE.'

- VERY WELL, REAR ADMIRAL, YOU WILL BE IN CHARGE OF SPECIFIC

PARTS OF THE SPACE MASS CALCULATION PROJECT. THE SET
PARAMETERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT , ESPECIALLY IN CASE W E
MANAGE TO DEAL WITH A POSSIBLE AMBUSH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE TIME TUNNEL.

KENJI SET TO WORK ON THE CALCULATIONS. HE HAD TO HURRY.

EVERYONE DONNED THEIR NANOSUITS AND BEGAN TO MENTALLY

PREPARE FOR THE LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN.

^^^

THE TIME-SPACE JUMP WAS SUCCESSFUL, WITH THE MASS

TRANSFER CALCULATION OF A MATERIAL OBJECT IN SPACE
DEFINITELY BEING KENJI'S DOING. HE WAS SIMPLY BRILLIANT. BUT
THAT WAS HOW EXHAUSTING THIS WHOLE EXERCISE HAD TURNED
OUT TO BE. THEY MANAGED TO RECOVER THE SHIP'S COURSE.

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HAVING ALSO HAD TO USE SEBUR NAG AS AN INTERMEDIATE
STATION.

THERE THEY HAD TO REFUEL WITH PROVISIONS AND ALSO SOME

OTHER THINGS. YES, IT WAS A PRIMITIVE PLANET , BUT IT WAS THE
ONLY HABITABLE ONE IN A RANGE OF MANY LIGHT YEARS AWAY. THEY
DECIDED TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE CAPITAL CITY OF NARAS TU.
THIS STRANGE CITY WAS ANYTHING BUT MODERN. IT COULDN'T
COMPARE TO ENSARIAN OR IMGRADON. IT COULDN'T, AND IT
SHOULDN'T.

THE VIOLIN PEOPLE, AS WE MIGHT CALL THEM, WERE COMFORTABLE

ON THEIR HOME PLANET , AS THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED TO DO
ANYTHING EXTRAORDINARY. ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS WORK AND
PRODUCE PLEXONIARS, WHICH WAS THE PLANET 'S MAIN EXPORT
COMMODITY. THE OTHER, AND ONLY, ATTRACTION WAS THE DANCE
FESTIVAL. THE PEOPLE OF THIS PLANET LOVED TO DANCE. AND THEY
DID IT LAUGHING. THAT'S HOW THEY FELT ABOUT LIFE.

KENJI, CAPTAIN PENROSE AND COMPANY AGREED THAT THERE

COULD HARDLY BE A MORE RELAXING PLACE TO REST BEFORE
MAKING THE NEXT SERIES OF HYPERSPACE JUMPS. AND IT WOULD
HAVE ALL GONE QUITE HARMLESSLY AND UNEVENTFULLY IF KENJI
HADN'T DECIDED TO TAKE A STROLL THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE.
ASIDE FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED FOUR POLIS, THERE WERE TWO
VILLAGES ON THE ENTIRE PLANET - ONE OF WHICH, HIMUN S OR, WAS
PALEY'S BURIAL PLACE. GORDON HAD, AFTER ALL, PLACED A
MODEST PLAQUE OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE ADMIRAL. EVEN A
SCOUNDREL LIKE HIM FOLLOWED SOME MOST ELEMENTARY RULES.

KENJI CHOSE HIMUN SOR FOR HIS WALK. AND IT WAS THERE THAT
HE WALKED THROUGH THE CEMETERY PARK. HE WOULDN'T HAVE
NOTICED THE ADMIRAL'S GRAVE BY THE INITIALS ALONE, BUT IT
STRUCK HIM THAT IT DIDN'T MATCH THE STYLE OF THE REST OF THE
CEMETERY.

KENJI DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AROUND. W HAT WAS HIS SURPRISE

WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE BURIED MAN WAS ACTUALLY A

369
RESIDENT OF ZEGANDARIA. BECAUSE PALEY WASN'T A NAME
PECULIAR TO THE LOCAL POPULATION. W HEN HE SAW THE INITIALS
'J. L. PALEY' HE SLAPPED HIMSELF ON THE FOREHEAD. HOW HAD HE
NOT THOUGHT OF THAT! IT WAS THE ADMIRAL. BUT WHAT WAS HE
DOING HERE?

EVENTUALLY THINGS BEGAN TO SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL AS HE

NOTICED THE STRANGE BEHAVIOR OF THE LOCALS. THEY WERE
POINTING FINGERS AT HIM AND WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER. IT WAS
BENEATH HIS DIGNITY AS A MILITARY AVIATOR TO TAKE THEM ON, BUT
HE COULDN'T IGNORE THEM EITHER. HE DIDN'T SPEAK THE NATIVE
TONGUE, THOUGH HE SPOKE MORE THAN TWELVE LANGUAGES,
INCLUDING AN INTERGALACTIC DIALECT OF THE STAR FEDERATION
THAT UNITED THE PLANETS FROM QUADRANT 0 TO QUADRANT 100.
YET THE INHABITANTS OF QUADRANT 175, AND IN PARTICULAR
SEBUR NAG, SPOKE A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE ALTOGETHER.

KENJI DECIDED TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF WITH GESTURES. THIS, THOUGH

SLIGHTLY UNACCUSTOMED TO HIM, SEEMED THE MOST APPROPRIATE
OPTION. HE LEARNED FROM THE LOCALS THAT GORDON ELMBAUM
HAD BEEN AT THIS LOCATION AND THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
PALEY'S DEATH. OF COURSE SEBUR NAG SEVERAL
ON
GENERATIONS HAD CHANGED AS WELL, DURING GORDON'S TIME IN
THE OTHER DIMENSION. BUT STRANGE WHY THE INHABITANTS OF
THIS PLANET STILL CHERISHED THE MEMORY. PERHAPS IT WAS
BECAUSE ALIENS CAME HERE RELATIVELY RARELY. OR ALMOST
NEVER.

KENJI IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED PENROSE:

- CAPTAIN, I BELIEVE WE'VE HIT A TRAIL. AND THIS TIME IT 'S NOT A
FAKE.

- 'GO AHEAD, REAR ADMIRAL,' PEROSE MAINTAINED HIS FORMALITY.

- IT SEEMS TO ME THAT OUR FRIEND GOVERNOR ELMBAUM HAS BEEN

HERE.

- 'SO FAR SO GOOD,' SAID PENROSE CALMLY.

370
- 'AND THAT HE KILLED PALEY,' KENJI FINISHED.

HERE PENROSE WAS ALMOST GOING TO SOB. THE GOVERNOR HAD

MADE A LOT OF FORWARD MOVES.TOO MANY. APPARENTLY THEY'D
MISSED IT, BUT WHILE MAKING THE HYPERSPACE JUMPS, THE
DEDUCTED SUBJECTIVE TIME HAD SAVED THEM FROM
OBSOLESCENCE AND CERTAIN DEATH. THEY HAD ONLY AGED A FEW
SECONDS.

CLEARLY, SEBUR NAG WAS NO LONGER THE PERFECT RESTING

PLACE ON THEIR ONWARD JOURNEY TO THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT .

THE INHABITANTS OF HIMUN SOR GRACIOUSLY FED THEM WHAT

THEY HAD AND LET THEM GO ON THEIR MERRY WAY.

THE VERY NEXT DAY THEY PREPARED TO LEAVE THE PLANET.

THE WEATHER ON ITS SUPPOSEDLY CALM SURFACE HAD CHANGED.

STORMY WINDS BLEW , RUFFLING THE TURBULENT BUT TENDER
VEGETATION THAT WAS FOUND THERE. SEBUR NAG WAS MUCH
MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN ZEGANDARIA. THEY CALLED IT THE PURPLE
PLANET. THERE WERE SO MANY EMERYRIDIUM BLOSSOMS HERE,
SATURATING THE ATMOSPHERE WITH OXYGEN. SOME EVEN CALLED
IT THE PLANET OF NEW HOPE. THE TWO MEN STOOD SHOULDER TO
SHOULDER. THEY WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO EACH OTHER
BEFORE HEADING INTO THE ABSOLUTE UNKNOWN.

- 'THAT GORDON HAD KILLED PALEY SO BRUTALLY DID HIM NO

HONOR AT ALL. TO STRANGLE YOUR OWN ADMIRAL EXCEEDED NOT
ONLY THE BOUNDS OF BAD TASTE, BUT OF HUMAN CONSCIENCE IN
GENERAL. THOUGH OBSTINATE, HE HAD NEVER BETRAYED HIM,'
PENROSE SAID INDIGNANTLY. A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, WHETHER
CAPTAIN OR GOVERNOR, SHOULD NEVER HAVE RESORTED TO SUCH
METHODS TOWARDS HIS LOYAL MEN. GORDON WAS CLEARLY
ALREADY HEADING FOR HIS DOWNFALL. SOMETHING TELLS ME,
HOWEVER, THAT THIS STORY IS NOT OVER AT ALL. AND WE HAVEN'T
SEEN THE NASTIEST PART OF IT YET .

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- 'THE DEATH OF AN INNOCENT CANNOT ATONE FOR YOUR SINS,'
KENJI PRONOUNCED WITH AN ICY EXPRESSION. 'THOUGH
STRANGERS IN THIS NEW WORLD, WE MUST SEEK IT . IF WE FIND IT ,
WELL, IF NOT , AT LEAST OUR CONSCIENCE WILL BE CLEAR FOR
HAVING TRIED.'

ZORIN APPROACHED. HE HAD OVERHEARD THEIR CONVERSATION.

- AS FAR AS I CAN SEE GORDON IS NO FOOL TO RETURN TO SEBUR

NAG. I JUST DON'T TRUST HIM. THE NEXT PLANETS ARE TOO FAR
AWAY. AND WHICH ONE IT IS, WE CAN ONLY GUESS,' HE GUESSED.

- 'YOU KNOW , WHILE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SHARE CLASSIFIED

INFORMATION, I'VE HEARD OF THE SO-CALLED ANTIMATTER STASH. IT
IS POSSIBLE THAT IN HIS DESPERATION GORDON RESORTED TO IT ,'
SASIA INTERJECTED.

- 'HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT ?,' SNIFFED PENROSE. EVEN HE HAD NOT
HEARD OF SUCH A SHENANIGAN. HE WAS JUST THE CAPTAIN OF A
CONRABAND SHIP UNDER THE MILITARY JURISDICTION OF THE
FORMER ZEGANDARIAN HIGH COMMAND. THIS WAS GETTING TOO
DELICATE EVEN FOR A MAN LIKE HIM, USED TO SEEING ANYTHING AND
EVERYTHING.

- 'W ELL, I HAD A MEETING WITH GENERAL ZENGAL,' SASIA

STAMMERED.

ZORIN SLAPPED HIMSELF ON THE FOREHEAD.

- 'THERE IS NO SUCH GENERAL IN ALL OF I MGRADON. GORDON HAS

SIMPLY TRICKED YOU. 'BUT THERE MAY BE A GRAIN OF TRUTH IN ALL
THIS MISINFORMATION,' THE SERGEANT LAUGHED. 'GENERAL
ZENGAL, GENERAL ZENGAL. 'GORDON ALWAYS HAD TASTE AND A
HIGH LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE,' HE FINISHED HIS THOUGHTS.'

THE LOCALS HAD NEVER SEEN A SHIP LIKE THE EMZIROU, SO THE
NEWCOMERS LOOKED LIKE GODS TO THEM. GODS THAT HAD COME
BRIEFLY TO THEIR FUNNY LITTLE PLANET THAT THEY LOVED SO MUCH
BECAUSE THEY HAD NEVER LEFT IT .

372
- 'HOW ABOUT WE TAKE SOMEONE WITH US,' SUGGESTED LINUS,
CAPTAIN PENROSE'S CRAZIEST CREW MEMBER. 'W E'LL HAVE SOME
REAL MUSIC ON BOARD. REAL FIDDLE PEOPLE. W ELL ALMOST .'

- 'E, LINUS, ONLY YOU COULD COME UP WITH SUCH A CRAZY IDEA.
'DEFINITELY CRAZY,' CAPTAIN PENROSE PATTED HIM ON THE BACK.

A LITTLE LATER, THE EMZIROU WAS GETTING READY TO TAKE OFF.

BUT THEN SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.
ONE OF THE FIDDLE MEN APPROACHED AND CONFIDENTIALLY SAID
TO THEM:

- THIS ADMIRAL PALEY, GIVE

IS A RECORDING FROM IT TO US FOR
SAFEKEEPING IN CASE YOU EVER PASS BY HERE.

- 'W E'LL BE SURE TO LOOK IT OVER,' KENJI CALLED BACK, CAREFULLY

TUCKING IT AWAY.

NOW THEY REALLY COULD LEAVE. ‘THE EMZIROU LEFT THE

ATMOSPHERE OF OSONIA AND HEADED INTO THE TRUE UNKNOWN,
BEYOND THE SO-CALLED FIRST RING OF THE OUTER ASTEROID
BELT. THE ASTEROID BELT IN QUESTION STRETCHED ACROSS A
DIAMETER OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LIGHT YEARS, AND WAS
SOMETHING TRULY IMPRESSIVE. SOME CLAIMED THAT IT WAS
FORMED BY FAILED ATTEMPTS TO FORM PLANETS, BUT NO ONE HAD
FULLY EXPLORED IT DUE TO ITS EXTRAORDINARILY HUGE SIZE.

- 'LET'S HEAR THE RECORDING THOUGH,' ZORIN SUGGESTED. 'IT

MIGHT BE HELPFUL.'

- 'LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE REPRODUCING IT ,'

KENJI, WHO WAS A SPACE ENGINEER FIRST-CLASS, WAS ALSO A
LITTLE NERVOUS. 'THE TECHNOLOGY SEEMS A LITTLE DATED, BUT
WE'LL MANAGE.'

SUDDENLY, EVERYTHING STARTED TO SOUND TOO CLEAR.

'YOU WHO ARE LISTENING TO THIS RECORDING MADE SHORTLY

BEFORE I DIED SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL. GORDON ELMBAUM IS

373
NOT ONLY A SCOUNDREL, BUT MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN I
THOUGHT. HE IS INDEED GUILTY OF ALL THE CRIMES OF ZEGANDARIA,
SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS MANY ALREADY KNOW NO WORSE THAN
I. BUT I HAVE ALSO DISCOVERED SOMETHING THAT MAY BE OF USE
TO ALL THOSE AFTER ME WHO CHOOSE TO HOLD HIM TO ACCOUNT .
GORDON DOES NOT RELY ON ORDINARY TIME JUMPS, WHERE ONLY
SO-CALLED SUBJECTIVE TIME ACCUMULATES, IN HIS ATTEMPT TO
ESCAPE. HE HAS A MUCH DEEPER IDEA. HE WANTS TO CONNECT
WITH THE HIGHER MIND RUNNING THE UNIVERSE, OR THE SO -CALLED
UNIVERSAL VOICE. I BELIEVE THAT EVEN AN ARTIST LIKE GORDON
CANNOT FOOL THE VERY CREATOR OF OUR UNIVERSE. BUT, WHAT
WAS MY AMAZEMENT WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT CHRIS ZONRETHIS,
NEVER EXISTED, BUT WAS JUST A HIGHLY EVOLVED ANDROID WHO
CARRIED A PART OF GORDON'S MIND IN HIS OWN HEAD. I KNOW IT
SOUNDS CRAZY TO YOU, BUT GORDON NEVER SEPARATED FROM
CHRIS SIMPLY BECAUSE GORDON AND CHRIS ARE THE SAME THING,
OR MORE ACCURATELY, BECAUSE THEY SHARE A COMMON
CONSCIOUSNESS IN PART. GORDON HAS COMPARTMENTALIZED
THAT KNOWLEDGE WHICH HE WILL NEED AFTER HIS SO-CALLED TALK
WITH THE HIGHER MIND. HE INTENDS TO MAKE USE OF THE SO-
CALLED ANTI-TREMES TO REJUVENATE HIMSELF SUFFICIENTLY,
SINCE THE FEATHERS OF THE ARCHANAEANS ARE UNABLE TO KEEP
HIM HEALTHY AND VITAL FOR MUCH LONGER. THEY ONLY RELIEVE
HIM. HOW DO I KNOW THIS, YOU ASK? W HEN GORDON ANNOUNCED
AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE THREE, THEY REMOVED THE NARENZIAN
CHIPS FROM OUR HEADS. THEN THEY WIRED US UP WITH SPECIAL
HYON CHIPS - JUST LIKE THE HYON FILAMENTS, THEY ISOLATE NOISES
FROM THE OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT AND WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH
EACH OTHER THROUGH A TELEPATHIC LINK. YOU HEARD RIGHT .
GORDON HAS REASSURED HIMSELF THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO
HIM, HE CAN LIVE ON THROUGH ME OR CHRIS UNTIL HIS
CONSCIOUSNESS IS TRANSFERRED TO A STABLE MEDIUM. EVEN IF
THAT DOESN'T STRIKE YOU AS AN UNPRECEDENTED MIRACLE, SINCE
IT'S STILL VERY POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN TO HIM,
GORDON HAS ALSO TAKEN ANOTHER REALLY ODD MEASURE. HE'S
INVITING HIMSELF TO TRANSFER THE REMAINING PIECES OF HIS OWN

374
MIND AND THOUGHTS TO THE SURVIVING ARCHANIANS, AND WILL
ARRANGE FOR THEIR RETURN TO ZEGANDARIA. YOU HEARD ME
RIGHT. EVEN IF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING EVER SURVIVES AND
RETURNS TO MY HOME PLANET , THEY WILL NOT LEAVE IT ALIVE.
GORDON'S HATRED WILL HAUNT HIM EVEN FROM THE GRAVE.
HOWEVER, WHEN I DEFIED HIS PLANS, I WAS MET WITH HIS VIOLENT
REACTION. GORDON NEVER FORGIVES STUBBORNNESS. THAT'S WHY
HE CHANGES HIS SKIN LIKE A CHAMELEON EVERY TIME, BUT HE
SURVIVES. END OF RECORDING! MADE IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF
THE LUNAR CYCLE OF SEBUR NAG YEAR 293475 OF THE CYCLO TO
CALENDAR, SUPREME LEADER OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE PLANET.'

THE RECORDING WAS FURTHER CORRUPTED. THERE MAY WELL

HAVE BEEN SOME MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION, BUT OBVIOUSLY
IT WOULD NOT SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY. THIS MAY WELL HAVE BEEN
DONE QUITE DELIBERATELY, AS PALEY, UNDER THE MUZZLE OF THE
PLASMA WEAPONS, WAS MADE TO SPEAK WHAT PLEASED HIS MORE
POWERFUL PARTNER.

- INTERESTING PLANS THIS GORDON HAS. CLEARLY HIS POWER IS

GROWING. HE'S ALREADY MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF AS A
UNIVERSAL FACTOR,’ ZORIN STROKED HIS CHIN. HE PLAYS ROLES ,
BUT WHEN ONE OF HIS MANY GUISES AND INCARNATIONS IS BROKEN
INTO A THOUSAND PIECES, LIKE A MIRROR, HE WILL LOSE HIS
BEARINGS AND BECOME VULNERABLE. W HAT HE'S DONE, BY THE
WAY, ISN'T ALL THAT IMPRESSIVE, BUT I'M AMAZED AT HOW MANY
DIFFERENT BACKUPS HE'S PREPARED AHEAD OF TIME.

- 'CHECK THE RECORD TO SEE IF IT'S REAL. DON'T SEND US FOR

GREEN SPAWN LIKE WITH THE NON-EXISTENT GENERAL ZENGAL,'
SASIA ADDED CAUSTICALLY.

- 'W E HAVE A SMALL LAB ON THIS SHIP FOR CHECKING SUCH

COMMUNICATION RECORDS,' PENROSE JOINED IN. - 'W E'LL EVEN GO
OVER IT A FEW TIMES JUST IN CASE. NOW LET'S CALCULATE HOW
MUCH SUBJECTIVE TIME WILL ACCUMULATE ON THE NEXT TIME JUMP
TO CALISTRO 325 IN THE CICADA CONSTELLATION IN STELLAR
QUADRANT 415.'

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- THIS IS TOO DELICATE BECAUSE WE ARE COUNTING ON
REPLENISHING OUR FUEL SUPPLY FROM THE SMALL REFINERY OF THE
FAKE ASTEROID, WHICH MAY BE LONG GONE AND THERE IS
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN PLACE AT THESE COORDINATES.

- 'THERE MAY STILL BE SURVIVING PRISONERS OUT THERE

SOMEWHERE,' SASIA HOPED.

- 'I DON'T THINK SO,' KENJI DARED TO CONTRADICT HER. 'TOO MANY
JUMPS MAKES SUCH A THING A VENTURE WITH A FOREGONE
CONCLUSION. BUT IF YOU'RE SO INSISTENT , WE COULD SET THOSE
COORDINATES.'

EMSIRU SWITCHED ON HIS QUANTUM STABILIZERS. AND ENTERED A

PREPARATORY PHASE FOR MAKING A HYPERSPACE JUMP.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THE CYCLO TO

- THIS ANDROID MIGHT AS WELL HAVE KILLED ZORIN. BUT YOU

DROPPED IT . YOU FAILED WHEN IT WAS IN YOUR HANDS, AND YOU
MISSED A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY - ITS OWNER'S VOICE WAS SIMPLY
FURIOUS.

HIS FACE WAS STILL NOWHERE TO BE SEEN. BUT THE SHADOW CAST
OVER HIM WAS OMINOUS.

- CHRIS, YOU ARE MY OTHER SELF. I WILL NEVER BECOME GOOD, NO

MATTER WHAT THOSE FOOLS ON OSONIA THINK. A PLANET HIDING MY
RICHES, TOO FAR FROM BOTH ZEGANDARIA AND THE UNKNOWN
QUADRANT.

- 'I'M SORRY, GOVERNOR. THAT IS ALL I CAN SAY. I CAN ONLY REGRET
THAT HE CAME TO HIS SENSES BEFORE BRAIN DEATH OVERTOOK HIM.
'W E'VE LOST AN EXPENSIVE ANDROID,' ZONRETHIS REPLIED .

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- ZORIN'S TOO SMART . MUCH BETTER THAN ALL THE OTHERS PUT
TOGETHER. AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SUBJECT . BUT THERE'S
SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE SAID. HE IS NOT, AND
NEVER WILL BE, HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING. HE KNEW
HE HAD A TRAITOR. THE TRAITOR WAS KEITH ENDWALKER , OF ALL
PEOPLE. BUT MOST LIKELY NO ONE SENSED IT. HE WAS ALSO MARK'S
FRIEND, GOT SOMEWHAT UNDER THE SKIN OF SASIA, ELIZANDRA'S
SPY PROTÉGÉ, EVEN MANAGED TO TRICK THE NICE JACOB WALLACE.
HE'S ON THE SHIP WITH THEM NOW TOO I GUESS. NATURALLY WE
CAN'T COMMUNICATE, BUT WE HAVE EVERY REAL REASON TO COUNT
ON HIM TO BRING THEM DOWN FROM THE INSIDE. OSONIA WILL WASH
MY FACE, WHICH HAS LONG FELT SICK AND SLACK.

- GOVERNOR, I'VE NEVER HEARD YOU TALK LIKE THAT. LOOK, CHRIS,
THE IMPLANTATION OF MEMORIES WAS TO SOME EXTENT WRONG. I
DON'T SAY THIS OUT OF SCRUPLES, BECAUSE YOU KNOW DAMN WELL
I DON'T HAVE THEM, BUT WHAT SANE PERSON WOULD CHOOSE BAD
MEMORIES FOR THEMSELVES? FEW OF US COULD BE LIKE THAT . FEW
OF US COULD RESIST THE PRESSURE. SO MANY DIFFERENT
PROBLEMS. SO MANY HARD FATES. EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS A
MONSTER. BUT THIS MONSTER HAS SERVED FIVE FULL TERMS,
MAKING TWENTY-FIVE ZEGANDARIAN YEARS. THIS CITY WAS IN MUCH
WORSE SHAPE BEFORE I TOOK OVER, BUT PEOPLE HAVE SHORT
MEMORIES.

- 'GOVERNOR, WHAT ARE WE TO DO ABOUT CYCLO TO, THE SUPREME

LEADER OF SEBUR NAG?,' INQUIRED ZONRETHIS.

- 'THAT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY. AT THE MOMENT, OSONIA IS LITERALLY

TYING ME TO LIFE. CYCLO TO IS A WARLORD MINDSET, BUT HE WILL
NEVER HAVE A GALACTIC, LET ALONE A UNIVERSAL MINDSET . IT'S
JUST CONVENIENT TO MANIPULATE. W E'LL GO BACK TO SEBUR NAG
FOR SUPPORT ,' THE GOVERNOR CONTINUED CALMLY.

- 'SO IT'S ALL JUST THEATRE AGAIN?,' ASKED THE CONGRESSMAN,

WHO WAS AN ANDROID BUT HAD NEVER BEEN AW ARE OF THAT FACT .
HE WAS PROGRAMMED THAT WAY. GORDON GUARDED IT LIKE THE
APPLE OF HIS EYE. AND THERE WAS A REASON WHY.

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- FOR NOW , YES. I SUSPECT THAT SOMEONE OTHER THAN THOSE
WHO WERE ALREADY ON THE SURFACE OF THE PLANET MIGHT HAVE
FOLLOWED ON OUR HEELS. WE MUST BE CAREFUL. THIS IS
SOMETHING TOO SERIOUS TO BE GROPING THROUGH FINGERS.
SOONER OR LATER, THEY'RE GOING TO DROP IN ON SEBUR NAG.
SOME OF THEM MIGHT MAKE IT TO OSONIA. I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN
FOOL THE UNIVERSAL VOICE, BUT WE CAN AT LEAST SETTLE SCORES
OVER THE HALF-LOST WAR WITH UBUNDER.

- 'HOW DID IT START?,' THE CONGRESSMAN ASKED.

JACOB KNEW OF OUR PLANS TO COMBINE PRODUCTION ON BOTH

HALVES OF THE PLANET . SYNTHROS WAS A SMALL OBSTACLE, BUT I
WOULD NEVER, ON ANY OCCASION, ALLOW MYSELF TO SIMPLY START
A WAR LIGHTLY OUT OF GREED OR A LUST FOR POWER. I WANTED
PEACE AND TRANQUILITY, BUT I WANTED THE AUTONOMOUS RULE OF
SYNTHROS TO BE ABOLISHED SO THAT I COULD TRADE FREELY W ITH
THE INTERGALACTIC FEDERATION. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, OF
COURSE. UBUNDER HAS ALWAYS HAD A PARTICULARLY CLEAR AND
PRECISE SENSE OF MORALITY. EXTREMELY UNPLEASANT , BUT A
FACT. IT'S SO HARD TO TELL RIGHT FROM WRONG SOMETIMES. BUT
EVEN FOR THAT , I STILL WOULDN'T START THE WAR. JACOB W ALLACE
WAS AN AUTHORITY. HE WAS ALWAYS THE BETTER AND MORE
PREPARED OF THE TWO. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF HE HELPED
THEM GET TO ME SOMEHOW .

- 'BUT I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE STILL NOT TELLING ME SOMETHING,' THE

CONGRESSMAN COUNTERED.

- YOU KNOW ME PRETTY WELL, CHRIS. W HAT HAPPENED TO ME WAS

ACTUALLY QUITE DANGEROUS. I LOST MY ONLY SON.

- 'AND WHAT'S HIS NAME?,' THE CONGRESSMAN ASKED HIM AGAIN.

- 'VIAR,' WAS ELMBAUM'S TERSE REPLY. 'I HEARD HE HAD A SON,

THOUGH HE NEVER SAW HIM. I WAS FED UP. BECAUSE OF THESE
PROBLEMS, I HAD TO SEND HIM AS A REGULAR SUPERINTENDENT TO
LABOR COLONY 206.'

378
- 'W HY AS AN ORDINARY?,' THE CONGRESSMAN CONTINUED. 'SO
YOU HELD ALL THE POW ER!'

- HE NEVER SAW ME. I SENT HIM TO AN ORDINARY FARMER. HE

THINKS HE IS HIS FATHER. IN FACT I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM OR MY
GRANDSON, WHICH IS RATHER SAD.

- 'AND WHAT IS YOUR GRANDSON'S NAME?,' THE CONGRESSMAN

CONTINUED WITH HIS QUESTIONS.

- 'HE IS A TECHNICAL GENIUS. HIS NAME IS DISLAN,' THE GOVERNOR

REPLIED SIMPLY.

- 'ANDREW DISLAN?,' GASPED ZONRETHIS.

- 'EXACTLY,' REPLIED ELMBAUM. 'THEN HE WAS ON THE SPACE
SECOND RING TO KEEP IT SAFE BEFORE THE WAR BROKE OUT.'

- 'THEN IT ALL SEEMS MUCH MORE PROSAIC,' SIGHED ZONRETHIS.

'AND ULTRA CITY?'

- AGAIN, JACOB'S STUPID SHENANIGANS. HE WAS FIRMLY OF THE

OPINION THAT IT WAS A GOOD AND PROPER WAY TO CREATE
STABILITY AND BALANCE IN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES.
SOMETHING I'M FAR FROM SURE OF. ULTRA CITY NEVER REALLY
EXISTED. IT WAS ACTUALLY A HYPERSPACE ANOMALY THAT WAS
CONVENIENT FOR US.

- 'AND ALL THE RUMORS ABOUT IT BEING A NEUTRAL CITY-STATE?,'

ASKED ZONRETHIS AGAIN.

- 'THAT WAS NONSENSE. W HEN YOU REPEAT A LIE A THOUSAND

TIMES, IT BECOMES THE TRUTH,' GORDON CONTINUED HIS
REASONING, 'BUT ONE THING IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. NOT A WORD
CAN BE SAID WHEN WE SPEAK OF THE ARCHANAEANS AS OBSERVERS
OF OUR CIVILISATION. THEY PERFORMED EVERYTHING EXACTLY.

- 'W HAT NEXT?,' STILL CHRIS ZONRETHIS ASKED HIM.

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- 'HONESTLY, NOT MUCH,' ELMBAUM SAID, A LITTLE SADLY. 'I'M SICK
OF FIGHTING AND WARS FOR STUPID SUPREMACY. BUT THAT 'S LIFE .
EITHER YOU EAT THEM OR THEY EAT YOU.'
- 'AND WHAT HAS BECOME OF YOUR ADJUTANT ISONGDAR?,' ASKED
ZONRETHIS.

- 'IF HE BETRAYED PALEY, HE'D BETRAY ME. W E LEFT HIS CORPSE ON

SEBUR NAG UNDER A ROCK. HIS AMBITION DESTROYED HIM. AND
THERE WERE SOME GOOD POINTS THAT COULD HAVE HELPED US IN
THE MOMENT ,' ELMBAUM SIGHED. ‘W HEN WE LET SOMEONE GET TOO
CLOSE, THEY JUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR KINDNESS. THAT IS.
BUT AT LEAST NO ONE W ILL FIND HIM THERE. I'M SURE. LET HIM LIE
STILL.
ON THE OTHER HAND, AREA NINE WHERE WE DID THE GENE
EXPERIMENTS WAS ALSO A BIG MISTAKE. NOW AT LEAST SOME
SECRETS MIGHT NOT COME OUT EVEN IF WE GET CAUGHT .'

- 'LET'S HOPE WE DON'T STAY ON THIS PLANET TOO LONG,'

ZONRETHIS ADDED. 'THAT WAY THE RISK PURE AND SIMPLE
INCREASES.'

THE CONVERSATION WAS TAKING PLACE ON ONE OF THE WELL

ISOLATED DOCKS OF OSONIA. ZONRETHIS HAD RENTED IT FOR A
HUGE SUM OF MONEY AND NOW THEY WERE LIVING THERE . IT WAS
JUST QUITE BEAUTIFUL TO OBSERVE THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE
PLANET THROUGH THE THICK DOME OF ENDOSIAN. IT WAS
UNFORGETTABLE. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS INTIMATE - LIKE BETWEEN
OLD FRIENDS. THEY KNEW THE DENOUEMENT WAS COMING VERY
SOON. IT WAS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY FOUND THEM.

^^^

GORDON KNEW THAT TIME WAS RUNNING OUT , SO HE AND CHRIS

DECIDED TO GO TO CYCLO TO, WHO WAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
THE SUPREME ORACLE OF THE PLANET SEBUR NAG. THEY BOOKED
ONE OF THE PRIVATE SPEEDERS, INACCESSIBLE TO THE ORDINARY
COMMONERS OF OSONIA, AND SET OFF, HEAVILY GUARDED BY HALF

380
A PLATOON OF OSONIAN MERCENARIES. THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN
RANGES, COVERED IN SOME SEMBLANCE OF SNOW THAT WAS
ACTUALLY MORE LIKE FROZEN METHANE, WERE DEFINITELY EYE
CATCHING. THE WHOLE PLANET WAS QUITE PECULIAR, BUT THEREIN
LAY ITS CHARM. THERE WAS NO AVOIDING THE ENCOUNTER THAT
WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE. CYCLO TO WOULD GIVE THEM THE
ANSWERS, OR AT LEAST HE COULD TELL THEM WHAT TO DO. THE
JOURNEY WAS GOING TO TAKE SEVERAL LEAPS OF SUBJECTIVE TIME.
THE JOURNEY WASN'T THE MOST APPEALING THING, BUT THEY WERE
GIVING IT THEIR BEST TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE.

CYCLO TO HAD THE STATUS OF A DEITY OF THE NATIVE SEBUR NAG.

NO ONE COULD CHALLENGE ITS AUTHORITY AND NO MERE MORTAL
COULD APPROACH IT . BUT IT WAS TERRIBLY DEPENDENT ON
GORDON, AT LEAST FINANCIALLY. THE GOVERNOR HAD MADE HIM A
PUPPET WHO WAS PRACTICALLY A HOSTAGE TO HIS OWN PLANS.
THIS SUITED HIM CONSIDERABLY. NO MATTER WHAT, THERE WERE
TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO BE BOUGHT OFF BY HIM. HE'D
RATHER JUST BUY ONE AND KEEP THE OTHERS THROUGH HIM . IT WAS
A SOMEWHAT WINNING STRATEGY. BUT GORDON HAD ALREADY
BEGUN TO BEND, OR RATHER EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES WERE
ABOUT TO DO THAT TO HIM.

SOMEWHERE DEEP IN HIS HEART, HE KNEW THAT CHRIS WAS COMING

WITH HIM OUT OF OBLIGATION, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE FATES OF THE
TWO WERE LINKED BY A COMMON CAUSE. THERE WAS NO OTHER
REAL EXPLANATION FOR IT.

THE SEBUR NAG HAD BEEN WARNED IN GOOD TIME OF THE

GOVERNOR'S VISIT AND HAD MADE PREPARATIONS. SOMETHING
THAT WAS TO BE EXPECTED.

CYCLO TO POSSESSED SUPERNATURAL ABILITIES CAPABLE OF

GENERATING BRAINWAVES AND MOTIVATING EACH OF HIS SUBJECTS
TO DO CERTAIN THINGS OF HIS OWN VOLITION. W ITH THIS, HE
CONTROLLED THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE PLANET SEBUR NAG.

381
HE WAS NOT PARTICULARLY MORAL OR BENEVOLENT IN HIS RULE,
LET ALONE CALM, BUT ABOVE ALL HE WANTED TO SHOW TO HIMSELF
THAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING PRESSURE.

THERE, SOMEWHERE IN HIS HEART, HE HAD LOST THE THREAD OF HIS

FEELINGS AND FELT THE PAIN OF FAILURE AND THE SUBSEQUENT
DOOM ASSOCIATED WITH IT. HE HAD TO HOLD AND STABILIZE HIS
POWER. AND GORDON WAS HIS ONLY ALLY.

THE TWO OF THEM FIXED THEIR EYES ON EACH OTHER. THEY WERE
USED TO UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER WITHOUT UNNECESSARY
TALK, EVEN THOUGH GORDON DID NOT SPEAK THE DIALECT OF
SEBUR NAG AND NEEDED AN INTERPRETER. THEY HAD WORKED OUT
THEIR OWN SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE TO AVOID OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE
IN THEIR CONVERSATION. IT WAS A SPECIAL MOMENT IN THEIR LIVES.

CHRIS WAS IN THE ROLE OF CONFRERE, BUT IN FOREIGN TERRITORY.

HE WAS TRYING TO BE AS COOPERATIVE AS POSSIBLE.
- 'SO, GORDON, THEY'VE GOT YOU ALL OVER THE PLACE NOW , EH?,'
ASKED CYCLO TO IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS.

- 'SO IT SEEMS, AND THE OPTIONS SEEM TO BE RUNNING OUT ,' THE
GOVERNOR REPLIED, A LITTLE RETICENTLY.

- 'DEATH ISN'T THE SCARIEST THING , MY DEAR FELLOW ,' THE

SEBURNAG TURNED TO HIM MORE CHEERFULLY. 'THERE ARE FAR
MORE TERRIBLE AND AW FUL THINGS. FOR INSTANCE, HAVING
NOWHERE QUITE TO GO. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING?'

- 'DO YOU BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION?,' ASKED GORDON.

- 'LEAVE THAT NONSENSE ALONE,' CYCLO TO COUNTERED.

- 'I NEED SOME MORE TIME,' GORDON APOLOGISED.

- AS LONG AS IT TAKES, YOU'LL HAVE IT , BUT NO MORE THAN TWO
WEEKS. YOU NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM BY THEN.
ALREADY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING ABOUT YOU. I CAN'T HIDE

382
YOU FOREVER. AND I HAVE MY OWN PROBLEMS,’ THE SEBURNAG
TOLD HIM, A LITTLE NERVOUSLY.

CHRIS DID HIS BEST TO LIGHTEN THE ATMOSPHERE. THE THREE OF

THEM WALKED OUT TO A SPACIOUS TERRACE COVERED IN ENDOSIAN.
EVERYTHING WAS VISIBLE ON IT. THE ‘PLANET OF NEW HOPES ’
COULD HAVE BEEN THE PLANET OF NEW NIGHTMARES. THIS GORDON
UNDERSTOOD ONLY TOO WELL.

HE HAD TO GET BACK TO OSONIA AND GET READY FOR A FIGHT OF

HIS OWN.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: THE SWARM

THE MYERANIAN THREAT THAT NO ONE SUSPECTED WAS ALREADY

APPROACHING SEBUR NAG. THE M YERANIANS HAD ORGANIZED
THEIR SWARM. THEY FIGURED THEY COULD ATTACH THEMSELVES
UNDETECTED TO A SMALL TRANSPORT FLEET OF SHIPS NEAR KIKLUK
SOR, THE BORDER PLANET BEYOND THE HUNDREDTH QUADRANT
THAT EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO AVOID. MIERU REMEMBERED WELL
WHAT HE WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH. SEBUR NAG WAS THE ‘PLANET
OF NEW HOPES.’ THOUGH PARASITIC, HER RACE WOULD HAVE TO BE
MUCH MORE RESTRAINED AND RESPONSIBLE IN THE NEW PLACE TO
ENSURE THEIR SURVIVAL. IT WOULD NOT HAVE INDISCRIMINATELY
DESTROYED RESOURCES, AT LEAST AT FIRST , WITHOUT BEING SURE
IT WOULD FIND A NEW LOCATION. THAT MUCH WAS CLEAR. IT WAS SO
FRIGHTENING TO THINK THAT ALL OF THESE CREATURES WERE
CONFINED TO THEIR NUNDRIGO, EACH SHIP HOUSING UP TO FIVE
HUNDRED OF THE LITTLE CREATURES. IN STATURE THEY WERE ALL
LIKE MIERU AND LOOKED LIKE CHILDREN. MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE
USED THEIR SUPER-ADVANCED VILLERIA CANNONS TO TAKE HER
OVER. HOWEVER, THAT WOULD BE A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. FIRST,
THEY HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING FOR SURE WHAT FORCES WERE
DEPLOYED ON SEBUR NAG. AND SECOND, AND MUCH MORE

383
IMPORTANT , THEIR FLEET WAS RELATIVELY SMALL TO DEPLOY AN
ALL-OUT WAR. TRUE, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SHIPS STATIONED
IN THE IMMENSELY LONG TUNNELS BENEATH THE CRYPT THAT THIS
RACE HAD BEEN BUILDING FOR DECADES, CLEVERLY CONCEALING
THEIR EXISTENCE THROUGH HUGE BRIBES TO GOVERNOR ELMBAUM.
FOR ALMOST THIRTY YEARS THEY HAD BEEN SILENTLY BUILDING
THEIR PLAN. THEY KNEW ABOUT THE CORRUPT GOVERNOR, WHO
WAS THEIR ONLY CHANCE TO LEAVE THEM ALONE WHILE THEY
GATHERED THE STRENGTH TO SURVIVE. THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY
TO ACHIEVE IT . AND THE MYERANIANS WERE RICH AND HELD ALL THE
NEAR-PLANET TRADE THROUGH THE GOVERNOR NATURALLY. HE
REGULARLY REPORTED A PERCENTAGE OF ALL PROFITS TO THEM. IF
HE HAD SCREWED THEM, THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED HIM INSTANTLY
WITHOUT A THOUGHT . EVEN GORDON WASN'T THAT BRAZEN. OR
RATHER STUPID. THEY'D HEARD ABOUT HIS ESCAPE ON SEBUR NAG
FROM THEIR OWN SOURCES, BUT THEY HADN'T EVEN SUSPECTED
HE'D MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO OSONIA. THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF
THIS PLANET .

GORDON HAD TAKEN THEM INTO ACCOUNT WHEN HE HAD SET OUT
TO ESCAPE. THE SWARM HAD APPROACHED SEBUR NAG AT A SAFE
DISTANCE.

MIERU ORDERED THEM TO LOOK AROUND A BIT BEFORE DOING

ANYTHING. HER SWARM WOULD NOT BE SACRIFICED IN COMBAT FOR
ANYTHING OR ANYONE. ANYTHING COULD GO WRONG. AND SHE HAD
ALREADY ATTACKED ENOUGH. AS THE SAYING WENT WHEN YOU HIT
A HIVE WITH BEES, THEY COULD STING YOU.

SEBUR NAG SEEMED CALM AND BY NO INDICATION HE HAD SENSED

THE APPROACHING DANGER.

THE SWARM HAD THE TIME IT NEEDED TO REGROUP AND BE LEVEL IN

FENDING OFF ANY RESISTANCE FROM THE SEBURNAGIANS.

THE HUGE FLEET , INCLUDING OVER THREE HUNDRED NUNDRIGO ,

WAS ABOUT TO LAUNCH THE ATTACK.

384
MIERU WANTED TO PRESERVE THE PLANET 'S RESOURCES, NOT
DESTROY IT MERCILESSLY, AS THEIR FLEET HAD NOWHERE TO GO
AFTERWARDS. MAYBE GORDON WAS HERE AT THE MOMENT .

THE VILLERIA CANNONS THE LITTLE GUYS HAD COULD EASILY EVEN
CAUSE AN INTERNAL IMPLOSION OF THE PLANET IN JUST TWO OR
THREE HOURS OF AIMED FIRE. THE MYERANIANS USUALLY AVOIDED
USING THESE FEARSOME WEAPONS, AS THE END OF THE BATTLE IN
SUCH A CASE WAS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.

THE LITTLE QUEEN DIDN'T WANT IT THAT WAY.

SHE ORDERED HER
FAITHFUL ADMIRAL KAT' NOR MUS TO MAKE AND COST , BUT TO GET
AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE PLANET TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT
IT. A SMALL NUMBER OF SCOUT SHIPS - MORTS - HAD BEEN DROPPED
INTO THE HIGH EXOSPHERE AND WOULD, ON A SET SIGNAL, BE PUT
INTO A FREE FALL THAT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST HALF A DAY. THEY
KNEW THAT THE MORTS WOULD NOT INITIALLY ATTRACT ANYONE'S
ATTENTION. A LITTLE LATER, HOWEVER, THE EVARICEAN ANTI-
RADAR SYSTEMS WOULD STILL INTERCEPT THEM AND DESTROY AT
LEAST SOME OF THEM. MIERU DIDN'T RELY ON THEM TOO MUCH.
THEIR GOAL WAS TO INSTILL PANIC AND SHOW THAT THEY WERE
FINALLY GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN PLANET TO SETTLE ON
UNDISTURBED BY ANY OTHER RACE.

MIERU WAS COUNTING ON DROPPING LITTLE KILLER COCOONS, AS

THEY CALLED THEIR EQUIVALENT OF HUMAN ESONIAN BOMBS, THAT
WOULD BURROW DEEP BENEATH THE PLANET 'S SURFACE AND CAUSE
MODERATE EARTH TREMORS THAT WOULD STARTLE THE NATIVES. IT
WASN'T GOING TO BE EASY TO MAKE SOME PREPARATIONS BECAUSE
THE ONES THEY HAD WERE VERY LIMITED IN QUANTITY. SHE DECIDED
TO ACT PROFESSIONALLY AND NOT RUSH INTO RELEASING ALL OF
THEM. THE SHIPS HAD SCANNED SOME SMALL CAVERNS ON THE
SURFACE OF THE PLANET WHERE THE COCOONS IN QUESTION,
COULD FALL AND BE USED IF NEEDED, EVEN IN A GROUND ASSAULT
OF A HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND SMALL M YERANIANS.

385
SOMEHOW ALL THIS HAD SHARPENED EVERYONE'S NERVES TO THE
LIMIT. THIS WAS HAPPENING ACCORDING TO A PRECONCEIVED
SCENARIO THAT HAD BEEN WORKED OUT BY THEM FOR YEARS.

CYCLO TO AND GORDON WERE STILL ON THE TERRACE AND THE

GOVERNOR WAS JUST ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN THEY SAW
SOMETHING IN THE SKY THAT LOOKED LIKE FIREWORKS. GORDON
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SENSED THAT IT WAS NOT HIS OLD
ACQUAINTANCES SPEARS AND ELISANDRA, BUT SOME OF HIS
FORMER VASSAL ALLIES THAT HE HAD TO DEAL WITH ONCE AND FOR
ALL. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THINGS WEREN'T AS
COMFORTABLE HERE ON SEBUR NAG AS THEY WERE ON OSONIA. HIS
RICHES WERE LOCKED UP RIGHT THERE, AND SO WERE MOST OF THE
PEOPLE HE HAD AT HIS DISPOSAL.

- SOMETHING WE NEVER EVEN EXPECTED WAS BEGINNING,

GORDON. 'BE CAREFUL THAT WAVE DOESN'T SWEEP US AWAY!' THE
SOVEREIGN VOICED HIS CONCERNS.

- 'I'VE ALWAYS SLIPPED UP SO FAR, MATE,' GORDON COUNTERED,

'AND I KNOW ONLY TOO WELL THAT WE'RE BOTH IN THIS GAME
TOGETHER. I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER IT TOO WELL. SOMEWHERE
DOWN THERE SOMEONE'S COMING FOR MY HEAD. W ANTS IT ON A
PLATTER. AND HE BELIEVES HE'D BE A BETTER MANAGER THAN ME.
BUT MAYBE HE'S WRONG!'

CYCLO TO DIDN'T ANSWER.

HALF-TURNED TO HIS INTERLOCUTOR,
HE SENSED THE HIDDEN THREAT .GORDON HAD NOT PROVED A
PARTICULARLY LUCRATIVE PARTY, NOT BECAUSE HE HAD NOT
BENEFITED ENORMOUSLY FROM IT OVER THE YEARS, BUT SIMPLY
BECAUSE IN HIS LUST FOR GRANDOMANIA HE HAD SET TOO MANY
PEOPLE AGAINST HIM. THIS MADE HIM AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
ALLY.

CYCLO TO MENTALLY RAN THROUGH OPTIONS ON HOW TO GET OUT

OF THE SITUATION IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. AND IT WAS TRYING
TO REORGANIZE ITS OW N RESOURCES, BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE
ENOUGH TIME TO ACT . THEN IT DECIDED ON A DESPERATE ACT .

386
^^^

TO BE FAIR, MIERU DIDN'T HATE THE GOVERNOR. SHE JUST DIDN'T

LIKE HIS APPROACH. HE WAS MORE RELAXED IN HIS DEALINGS WITH
HIS 'WARDS'. THE QUEEN DIDN'T SEE WHY GORDON HAD TO
HARVEST NEARLY SEVENTY PERCENT OF THE COMMERCIAL PROFITS
GENERATED BY THE PLANETS OF THE SO-CALLED INNER RING.
GORDON WAS JUST A GREEDY AND INSOLENT SCOUNDREL WHO WAS
GOING TO MAKE HER PAY. BUT IT WASN'T THE MONEY THAT WAS THE
REASON, IT WAS HIS TREATMENT OF HER RACE. M YERANIANS WERE
SHORT IN STATURE AND A BIT SHY IN THEIR CONTACT WITH OTHER
RACES. GORDON HAD DEMONSTRATED HIS USE OF THIS APPROACH
TO ISOLATE THEM AND DISCOURAGE THEM FROM SKIPPING OVER HIM
WHEN MAKING COMMUNICATIONS WITH CERTAIN RACES. IN SHORT HE
WAS TRYING TO IMPOSE AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX ON THEM,
CLEARLY AWARE OF THEIR INTELLECTUAL AND MATERIAL
SUPERIORITY. THE MYERANIANS HAD TO GRIT THEIR TEETH AND
ENDURE THESE ARBITRARY ACTIONS, AS THEY STILL FELT LIKE
PAWNS IN THE EXPERIENCED HANDS OF THE CITY LEADER.

NATURALLY THEY HAD A GOOD ENOUGH MEMORY TO TEACH HIM

ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT IT WOULD BE WELL FOR HIM TO RESPECT
THEM AT LEAST A LITTLE, FOR WITHOUT THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT
HE WOULD NOT HAVE WON THE ELECTION.

THE PECULIARITY IN THE EDUCATION OF THIS RACE WAS IN THEIR

MANNER, UNENCUMBERED BY MATERIAL SCRUPLES, FOR THEY
SECRETLY POSSESSED MOST OF THE WEALTH OF THE PLANET
ZEGANDARIA. EVEN A NOT INSIGNIFICANT PORTION OF GORDON'S
FORTUNE WAS ALSO TO SOME EXTENT THEIR PROPERTY.

GORDON'S MAIN SIN WAS HIS GUILT, THAT HE HAD WILLINGLY OR

UNWILLINGLY DELAYED THEIR DEVELOPMENT , OR AT LEAST SOME OF
THEIR PLANS RELATING TO IT.

THE MYRANIANS WERE LOOKING A THOUSAND YEARS INTO THEIR

FUTURE. COMPELLED BY CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY HAD HAD TO
REDUCE SOME OF THESE PLANS TO A PERIOD SHORTER THAN THIRTY

387
YEARS, A PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE THING. AFTER MUCH DEBATE,
THEIR SCIENTISTS ARRIVED AT THE ONLY POSSIBLE SOLUTION - THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SUPERMODERN NUNDRIGO SHIPS, PREVIOUSLY
UNKNOWN, TO ALLOW FUTURE SETTLEMENT AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE
PLANETS OF THE SO-CALLED OUTER RING. THOSE PLANNED AFTER
THE HUNDREDTH QUADRANT BELONGED TO IT . THERE WAS NO
MISTAKING IT , GORDON HAD BEEN WRONG ENOUGH TO BE WORRIED
ABOUT THEIR RETRIBUTION. BUT HE WASN'T SURE IF THEY WERE THE
ONES ATTACKING HIM, AS HE'D SCREWED TOO MANY OTHER RACES
OVER THE LONG TERM, SUCH AS THE ELINAZAI, THE ARRHENOI, THE
PENOQUAQTORS, AND MANY OTHERS. THESE RACES HADN'T EVEN
SET FOOT ON THE SURFACE OF ZEGANDARIA, BUT THE CONTACTS
WERE KEPT BY GORDON AND HE WAS HOARDING THE PROFITS HE
STORED IN THE BOWELS OF HIS SKYSCRAPER. GORDON FOLLOWED
A RATHER SIMPLE INVESTMENT PRINCIPLE. QUANTITATIVE
ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH WOULD AT SOME POINT CARRY HIS REAL
POWER FAR BEYOND THE CONFINES OF THE PLANET ZEGANDARIA.

MIERU WAS NO TRIFLE. GORDON HAD BEEN GETTING HIS FOR SO

MANY YEARS WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH IN RETURN. NOW IT WAS
HIS TURN TO PAY WITH INTEREST.AND HE WAS DETERMINED TO DO
SO. AND HOW ! THE QUEEN OF THE M YERANIANS WAS GOING TO
PUNISH HIM IN HER OW N WAY. THE MYERANIANS HAD A SAYING,
‘NUNDRIGO IR HUS DO SO LIR EX COUS MO.’ THE QUEEN WAS
DETERMINED TO ACQUAINT HIM WITH ITS MEANING.

^^^

CYCLO TO SENSED THAT THE PLANET WAS UNDER SIEGE EARLY

ENOUGH. HE HAD ALREADY SENT ORDERS TO MOBILIZE AVAILABLE
FORCES FOR A COUNTERATTACK. HE COULD USE GORDON'S
MOMENTARY WEAKNESS TO TAKE HIM OUT . BUT SOMETHING HAD
UNHINGED HIM. THE ORACLE WHO HAD FORETOLD AN ENTIRE PLANET
COULD NOT FIND THE STRENGTH WITHIN HIMSELF TO END IT ONCE
AND FOR ALL. HE ASSUMED THAT GORDON WAS BEING HUNTED BY
OTHERS, AND IF HE KILLED HIM NOW HE WOULD SULLY HIS DIGNITY AS

388
HIGH PRIEST OF SEBUR NAG HIMSELF. AND THERE WAS NO TELLING
IF THE HATRED OF HIS PERSECUTORS WOULD SPILL OVER ONTO
HIMSELF.

THE MYERANIANS HAD NO SUSPICION OF HIS ABILITIES, AS THE

SEBURNAGI WERE NOTORIOUS FOR KEEPING SECRETS. NONE BUT
GORDON WAS AWARE OF HIS ORACLE GIFT.

EVERYTHING HAD TO THW ART THIS DESPERATE ASSAULT AIMED AT

THE SURVIVAL OF THE MYERANIANS.

CYCLO TO ORDERED GORDON TO BE TAKEN TO SAFETY, ALONG WITH

THE GUARDS HE HAD BEEN LEADING SINCE OSONIA. HE NEEDED TO
THINK FOR A MOMENT . AFTER A WHILE HE BEGAN TO CONCENTRATE
ENERGY THROUGH HIS MIND. EMANDAN'S ENERGY FIELD WAS
SOMETHING VERY RARE AND REQUIRED PARTICULAR SKILL TO USE
AGAINST CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. CYCLO TO DECIDED TO ATTACK THE
SHIPS CREW DIRECTLY WITH A PSYCHO ATTACK, HE STRAINED AGAIN
BUT SEEMED TO BE BLIND. HIS MIND WAS SLIPPING LIKE A SMOOTH
PANE OF OBSIDIAN-COLORED ENDOSIAN, AND HE COULD NOT SEE
WHAT LAY BEYOND.

THE DORMANT ANGER IN THE ORACLE'S CHEST WAS UNLEASHED. HE

REALIZED THAT SOMEW HERE DEEP INSIDE HE HAD BEEN VERY
WRONG. HIS MORALE HAD FALLEN, AND SO HAD THE ENERGY AURA
HE WAS TRYING TO USE AGAINST THE ENEMY INVADERS. THERE WAS
NO ESCAPE. HE WAS MENTALLY DEAD THIS TIME. PERHAPS HE
WOULD EVER REGAIN HIS EQUILIBRIUM. PERHAPS HE WOULD REAP
GREATER SUCCESSES NEXT TIME. BUT THE INVADERS WERE COMING
NOW . HE HAD NOT HEARD OF THE MYERANIANS. HE DIDN 'T EVEN
KNOW WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE. I MMEDIATELY, HE ORDERED THE
ACTIVATION OF THE LEVEL TWO ENERGY NERIUM SHIELD AS THE
ONLY ALTERNATIVE THAT WOULD KEEP THE APPROACHES TO THE
CAPITAL CITY OF NARAS TU OPEN.

NARAS TU HAD TO SURVIVE AT ALL COSTS. THE DEATHS OF SO MANY

SEBURNAGI COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, BUT CYCLO TO REALIZED
CLEARLY HIS GREAT MISTAKE. GORDON WAS NEVER REALLY

389
NEEDED, AND THANKS TO HIS BENEFICENCE, HE HELD THE POWER.
CYCLO TO REALIZED HIS INGRATITUDE WITH A BITTER TASTE.
HIS TALL DRY FIGURE HUNCHED SLIGHTLY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE
DREADED BLOW , BUT NONE FOLLOWED. THE MYERANIANS WERE
STUBBORNLY SILENT . THIS, HOWEVER, DID NOT DISSUADE
CYCLO
TO.

THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF NARAS TU WAS THAT IT WAS THE

CAPITAL OF THE TRANSITION ZONE TO IVINON RUS, THE MOST
RESOURCE-RICH PART OF THE PLANET. BESIDES, CYCLOLOQUE TO
DIDN'T WANT THE ENTIRE SEBURNAG CIVILIZATION, BUILT WITH SO
MUCH EFFORT AFTER YEARS OF BLOODY WARS, TO COLLAPSE.

THE SEBURNAGI WERE VALIANT WARRIORS, BUT HE DECIDED TO

SIMPLY NOT ANSWER THE PROVOCATION. INSTEAD, SOMEWHERE
DEEP IN THE BOWELS OF THE PLANET LURKED THE FLOWER OF RIEN
.
INSTEAD OF BEING ENEMIES, CYCLO TO WOULD WELCOME THEM AS
DEAR GUESTS . AND SINCE HIS INTUITION WHISPERED TO HIM THAT
THEY HAD SOME KIND OF LEADER AFTER ALL, HE THOUGHT OF GIVING
HIM THE FLOWER.

THIS FLOWER WAS EXTRAORDINARILY BEAUTIFUL. BLOOD-RED AND

BEWITCHING TO THE SENSES, IT LOOKED LIKE A ROSE WITHOUT
THORNS, BUT IN PRACTICE IT W AS MUCH MORE SPECIAL. IT WAS
CYCLO TO'S MOST TREASURED POSSESSION. NO ONE ELSE ON THIS
PLANET, NOT EVEN GORDON, HIS CLOSEST ASSOCIATE, SUSPECTED
IT. HE GUARDED IT LIKE THE APPLE OF HIS EYE. THE FLOWER COULD
PROVE TO BE HIS ONLY SECRET ALLY AGAINST THE M YERAN SCUM
THREATENING HIS THRONE.

CYCLO TO HAD DECIDED TO BE A LOYAL PARTNER WITH GORDON -

INSOFAR AS A HOST SHOULD SHOW A SEMBLANCE OF COURTESY,
HOWEVER INSIDIOUS, TO HIS GUEST WHO APPEARED TO BE A THREAT
TO HIM.

390
CYCLO TO COULD SIMPLY GIVE THE MYERANIANS WHAT THEY
WANTED. BUT IN THAT CASE, IN HIS OWN EYES, HE WOULD HAVE
MORALLY LOST THE WAR. THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT
GORDON WOULD BE LEAKING VERY IMPORTANT SECRETS ABOUT
THEIR COOPERATION. AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF THE
GAME FOR THE ORACLE. AND FOR MANY OTHERS W HO WERE PART
OF THEIR CLIQUE.

EVEN ON SEBUR NAG THEY SENT THE CRIMINALS, OR RATHER THE

TRAITORS, TO THE APHILIM FOREST WHERE THEY WERE IRRADIATED
WITH PSYCHIC RADIATION, AND BLINDED, BUT ONLY UNTIL THEY
REGAINED THEIR LEVEL OF MORALITY. THEN THEY GRADUALLY
BECAME LUCID. THE ORACLE MADE NO SECRET OF HIS WORRY THAT
IT MIGHT BE A LONG TIME BEFORE HE EVER REGAINED HIS OWN
SIGHT. IT COULD PROVE TO BE QUITE DIFFICULT TO FIND A WAY BACK
TO RESTORE HIS OWN MORALE.

CYCLO TO REMEMBERED A STORY FROM LONG AGO ABOUT A YOUNG

SEBURNAG WHO HAD IT ALL AND WAS IN A HIGH GOVERNMENT
POSITION IN THE NARAS TU COLONY CITY OF SITOK IRO, A BIT OF A
LARGE SETTLEMENT FOR SPACE HUNTING OF BIRDFISH. T HAT WAS
THE REAL LIVELIHOOD IN THOSE PARTS. AND THE YOUNG MAN, LIKE
EVERYONE ELSE, HAD GIVEN HIS ALL TO KEEP UP HIS DAILY CATCH.
BUT IN TIME HE BECAME CARELESS, CARELESS AND LAZY. HE FELL
VERY LOW . AND HIS FELLOW CITIZENS TRAVELED MUCH OF THE
PLANET TO CORRECT HIS UNPLEASANT TEMPER AND RESTORE HIS
MORALE. AS HE SLOWLY BEGAN TO GO BLIND, HE BEGAN TO REALIZE
THAT HIS SALVATION DEPENDED ON HIM AND NO ONE ELSE . BUT IT
WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MERELY TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION, BUT
TO REALLY TRY TO BECOME A BETTER SEBURNAG. IN THE END, THE
STORY STILL ENDED WITH A HAPPY ENDING (HE WAS A LEGEND AFTER
ALL!).
THE SEBURNAG SAW WHAT WAS OF VALUE IN HIS LIFE, WHICH
WAS TO BE PART OF A SOCIUM, OR AT LEAST TO TRY, BY HELPING
OTHERS.

THE MYSTERY OF THESE LITTLE HOLES IN THE PSYCHE WAS GREAT .

THEY WERE THE PROFOUND KEY TO SALVATION - SUCH AS IT WAS

391
MEANT TO BE. HOWEVER, CYCLO TO WANTED TO SOAK THE NEWLY
ARRIVED MONARCH AND THUS DELIVER HIMSELF. THE FLOWER
COULD DESTROY HIS BEHAVIORAL AND MANAGERIAL QUALITIES IN
THEIR INFANCY. IT WAS STILL SOME CHANCE, BUT NOT FOR LONG .
MIERU COULDN'T FALL FOR THE TRAP THAT EASILY, BUT CYCLO TO
KNEW THAT WHEN THE NUNDRIGO SHIPS RAN OUT OF FUEL, SHE HAD
A DECISION TO MAKE. HE WANTED TO PUT HER IN A STALEMATE AND
DESTROY HER. HE COULD EVEN SOMEHOW ADAPT THE M YERANIANS
TO LIFE ON SEBUR NAG. SO MANY SLAVES! THEY COULD HAVE BEEN
A HUGE HELP!

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: IN THE FOREST

THE MESSAGE BROUGHT TO THE PALACE OF CYCLO TO SPOKE OF AN

UNEQUIVOCAL MEETING BETWEEN THE ORACLE AND THE PRINCESS.
CYCLOUS TO RETURNED THE MESSENGER WITH THE REVERSE
DEMAND THAT THE MEETING BE ON HIS TERRITORY, AND
FURTHERMORE GAVE THE EXPRESS WISH THAT IT SHOULD BE HELD
IN THE FAMOUS AFILLIA WOODS, WHICH WERE AVOIDED BY THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION. THESE FORESTS WERE ENTIRELY
EATEN BY APHILIUM APHIDS, WHICH WERE FOUND ON A VERY DISTANT
PLANET THAT HAD LONG SINCE CEASED TO EXIST, AND WAS CALLED
EARTH. NATURALLY, THE APHIDS WERE KEPT IN SPECIAL
CONDITIONS TO BE PRESERVED AND TRANSPORTED TO SEBUR NAG.
CYCLO TO WANTED TO HAVE A FULLY EXPOSED FOREST , BECAUSE
HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL AGAINST THE HUGE PURPLE
BLOSSOMS THAT COVERED THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF HIS DOMAIN.
HOWEVER, THE REAL REASON WAS THAT THERE WERE EXTREMELY
DENSE FORESTS NEAR THE BARE WOODS, WHICH WERE A
CONVENIENT PLACE TO HIDE HIS HUGE ARMIES. SOME OF THE
SEBURNAGI HAD EVEN BURROWED UNDERGROUND AND ONLY CAST
THEIR EYES OUTWARDS, READY TO ACT ON A SET SIGNAL AND
ATTACK THE ENEMIES. HE WAS ALWAYS INVITING REPRESENTATIVES
OF ALIEN RACES TO THIS PLACE TO SETTLE SCORES WITH THEM. HE

392
WAS QUITE IMMORAL. AND THAT WAS WHY HE DOUBTED HIS ORACLE
SKILLS A LITTLE, BUT HE STILL KEPT GUESSING.

THE PRINCESS WASN'T LATE AND SHOWED UP. SHE WAS

ACCOMPANIED BY HER LOYAL MYERANIAN WARRIORS. SO MANY
LITTLE MEN IN ONE PLACE WAS VERY HARD FOR ANYONE TO GATHER.
THEY MOVED IN A SYNCHRONICITY THAT WAS EVEN HARD TO
DESCRIBE. EVERY STEP THEY TOOK EVEN CREATED A SORT OF
RESONANCE ON THE SURFACE OF THE GROUND.

THE ORACLE GAINED A SERIOUS EXPRESSION. THE PRINCESS

WANTED GORDON ELMBAUM AND MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE. BUT
CYCLO TO WAS SURE HE HAD TO PLAY IT SAFE, AND HE SIMPLY DIDN'T
WANT TO TRUST HIS DIVINATION GIFT ALONE.

SEVERAL OF THE LITTLE NUNDRIGO WERE ALLOWED TO LAND NEAR

THE FOREST . MIERU HOPED THE KILLER COCOONS IN QUESTION HAD
FALLEN IN THE VICINITY, HAVING BEEN DEFTLY DROPPED BY THEIR
SHIPS BACK WHEN THEY WERE EXPLORING THE PLANET. THEY'D
TIPPED THE SCALES IN HER FAVOR. THEY WERE SO SMALL THAT NO
ANTI-RADAR SYSTEMS COULD DETECT THEM. AND THEIR POWER WAS
AMAZING. THE DEVICES COULD MELT ANYTHING WITHIN TWO
HUNDRED METERS IN DIAMETER. AH, IF ONLY THERE WERE A FEW OF
THEM AROUND!

EVERY STEP HAD TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY. IT WAS KNOWN THAT IT

WOULD ALL MAKE AN IMPACT, BUT NOT LEAST THE M YERANIANS
THEMSELVES WERE FASCINATED BY THE BEAUTIFUL PLANET THEY
WANTED TO SETTLE ON. THOUGH A PARASITIC RACE, THEY COULD
NOT ADMIT THAT THEY HAD NEVER INHABITED SUCH A PLACE. THE
PURPLE BLOSSOMS WHISPERED A LULLABY TO THEM. SEBUR NAG
WAS WELCOMING HIS GUESTS.

MYERANIAN WARRIORS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY

WHEN ATTACKING IN GROUPS. THEY WERE SIMPLY UNSTOPPABLE.
THE LITTLE VICIOUS MEN WERE CAPABLE OF DEALING WITH
OPPONENTS EVEN OF GIANT SIZE. NO ONE AND NOTHING WAS ABLE

393
TO STOP THEM. THEY WERE LIKE A HUGE COLONY OF RABID
LOCUSTS. SOMEWHERE INSIDE, THE ORACLE REALIZED THIS .

THE COMMANDERS OF THE SEBURNAGI ALSO SENSED THAT

SOMETHING WAS WRONG. W HY WERE ONLY A FEW SHIPS COMING TO
AUDIENCE?

THE DESIGN OF EACH NUNDRIGO SHIP WAS VERY INTERESTING.

THEY HAD BORROWED SOME ELEMENTS FROM THE ZIRUARX'S
THERMOFLON ARMOR AND WRAPPED THE SKELETON OF THE SHIPS
WITH THEM.EACH OF THEM COULD WITHSTAND A MICRONUCLEAR
ATTACK. ONE OF THE SHIPS WAS OVER A HUNDRED AND TWENTY
METERS LONG.

CYCLO TO WAS IMPRESSED BY THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THEY

WERE USING. APPARENTLY THEY WERE FOLLOWING THEIR OWN
PATH OF DEVELOPMENT AND DIDN'T WANT TO COOPERATE WITH THE
OTHER RACES VERY-MUCH.

MIERU SPOKE FIRST AND TRIED TO BE MORE WELCOMING. THE

ORACLE DIDN'T MIND THAT . HE WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST A
GENTLEMAN.

SOMEWHERE IN THE DISTANCE, THE WIND WAS BLOWING AND

REMINDING EVERYONE OF THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING NEW ,
BEAUTIFUL AND UNKNOW N. A WHIFF OF SOMETHING SO DEEPLY
INGRAINED WITHIN EACH OF US, SOMETHING LONG FORGOTTEN BUT
UTTERLY IMPORTANT .

- 'W E HAVE NO INTENTION OF ATTACKING YOUR PLANET,' MIERU

ADDRESSED HIS INTERLOCUTOR MEEKLY. 'W E ONLY WANT TO STAY
HERE WITH OUR SHIPS AND REST .'

- 'I DON'T MIND,' SAID CYCLO TO, EXTREMELY MILDLY. 'BUT IS THAT
THE ONLY THING YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, OR IS THERE SOMETHING
ELSE?'

- 'W E'RE LOOKING FOR A MAN,' SHE SHOWED HIM A HOLOGRAM IMAGE
OF THE GOVERNOR.

394
- 'I KNOW HOW TO HELP YOU, BUT I ALSO WANT SOMETHING IN
RETURN,' HE SAID FLATTERINGLY. 'W E SEBURNAGI ARE KNOWN FOR
OUR HOSPITALITY. LET ME OFFER YOU A FLOWER, MADAM.,' AND HE
VERY CAREFULLY TOOK THE FLOWER RIEN OUT OF THE HEM OF HIS
ROBE.

MIERU WAS DEEPLY IMPRESSED BY THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER. THERE

WAS NO DOUBT . SOMEWHERE IN THERE, THE FLOWER HAD AN
IRRESISTIBLE ATTRACTION FOR HER.

- 'W HOEVER TAKES THIS FLOWER GAINS IMMENSE POWER,' HE

CONTINUED HIS HYPOCRITICAL TIRADE SLOWLY.

MIERU WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE FLOWER, BUT AT THE LAST MOMENT
PULLED HIS HAND AWAY. THERE WAS SOMETHING ROTTEN HERE. HE
DECIDED TO ACTIVATE THE COCOONS.

THE DIPLOMATIC DETONATOR DID ITS JOB. SEBURNAG LIMBS FLAILED

IN THE AIR. AND THE M YERANIANS JUMPED UP AND NEARLY CHEWED
THE REMAINING SURVIVORS TO DEATH.

THE ORACLE WAS SIMPLY SPEECHLESS. APPARENTLY HIS

CLAIRVOYANT ABILITIES WERE NOT ENOUGH TO WIN THE BATTLE.

MIERU ORDERED HIM TO BE CHAINED AND THROWN INTO AN

ISOLATED CHAMBER WHERE HE WOULD SIMPLY STARVE TO DEATH.

THE MYERANIANS SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE OVER

THE PLANET . AGAIN, SNEAKY WITH THEIR SURVIVALIST APPROACH.

W ITHOUT TOUCHING THE FLOWER, USING HER SUPERNATURAL

ABILITIES, SHE HANDED IT TO THE GOVERNOR, WHO RESISTED
TAKING IT . AS SOON AS THE FLOWER TOUCHED HIS CHEEK, AN
INSTANT REACTION FOLLOWED. HIS EYES BUGGED OUT UNTIL HE
STOPPED BREATHING. W HEN HE PULLED HIMSELF TOGETHER, HE
SAW THE FEW SURVIVING SEBURNAGI BACK AWAY FROM HIM,
POINTING THEIR FINGERS IN DISBELIEF.

HE SCOWLED.

395
- W ITH YOUR FLOWERS ON YOUR HEAD, ORACLE! NOW TAKE ME TO
GORDON! AND THAT IS AN ORDER!
W HEN MIERU CAME FACE TO FACE WITH THE GOVERNOR, SHE SPAT
AT HIM. MORE ACCURATELY, SHE WANTED TO, BUT INSTEAD SHE
SMEARED THE VISOR OF HER OWN SUIT. SHE HATED HIM SO MUCH
FOR HIS ARROGANT ATTITUDE.

GORDON BOWED HIS HEAD, NOT IN SHAME, BUT BECAUSE HE

CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT HE HAD BEEN OUTSMARTED THIS TIME.
AND AT HIS OWN GAME AT THAT.

CYCLO TO HAD ROLLED HIS EYES AND LOST THE PSYCHOLOGICAL

POWER HE WIELDED OVER HIS SUBJECTS.
HE WAS NOW A BEATEN
CARD.THE LITTLE QUEEN DIDN'T CARE ABOUT HIM SO MUCH
ANYMORE. W HAT MATTERED WAS GORDON AND HIS KNOWLEDGE OF
CERTAIN MATTERS DIRECTLY CONCERNING HER AND THE RULE OF
HER SUBJECTS.

- 'TELL ME GORDON, HOW EXACTLY DID HE STAY IN POWER FOR FIVE

WHOLE TERMS?,' ASKED MIERU BLUNTLY. 'THAT INTERESTS ME
GREATLY!'

- 'NO SECRET!,' STAMMERED GORDON.

W ITHOUT UTTERING A SOUND, MIERU POURED BERAN POLLEN INTO

HIS SUIT 'S OPENING, FORCING HIS VICTIM TO TELL THE TRUTH.
GORDON BEGAN TO FLUSH LIKE A CANCER AND FELT THE FLESH
ABOVE HIS SKULL SWELL AS IF HE HAD CEREBRAL EDEMA.

- 'I'M GIVING YOU ONE LAST CHANCE,' SHE SAID STERNLY, 'OR YOU'RE
GIVING ME THE INFORMATION I NEED. OR THE POLLEN WILL FINISH
YOU.'

- 'IT WAS ALL DONE WITH THE HELP OF MY SPECIAL ABILITIES GIVEN
TO ME BY THE ARCHANEANS,' HE GROWLED SOFTLY.

396
- 'W HAT RACE IS THAT ?,' THE LITTLE PRINCESS INQUIRED. 'I HAVE
NEVER SEEN THEIR REPRESENTATIVES. THEY MUST BE VERY
ADVANCED INTELLECTUALLY AND TECHNICALLY!'

- 'NOT EXACTLY,' MUTTERED GORDON. 'I PUT THEM UNDER MY

CONTROL AND THEY GAVE ME SUCH A LONG LIFE.'

- 'AND SO? THAT'S YOUR SECRET!,' THE LITTLE PRINCESS

INDIGNANTLY CRIED. 'YOU ARE NOT A MORAL MAN AT ALL, G ORDON.
BUT WHAT WONDER, YOU ARE QUITE FIT FOR THE POSITION YOU
HOLD.'

- 'NOW LET ME TELL YOU MY LITTLE SECRET, GOVERNOR! THE

FICTIONAL DEITY THORNUS WAS A GOOD EXCUSE TO MANAGE TO
EXIST FOR SO MANY YEARS. AND THE CATHEDRAL WAS OUR
GRAVEYARD. M Y RACE IS NOT THE MOST RELIGIOUS, BUT IT WAS THE
ONLY STABLE THING WE COULD THINK OF. THAT WAY WE COULD HIDE
FOR LONG ENOUGH AND SURVIVE. OUR MODEL TURNED OUT TO BE
MORE PROFITABLE THAN YOURS,' THE LITTLE PRINCESS HAD
CHANGED THE EXPRESSION ON HER FACE, SHOWING SATISFACTION
THAT SHE HAD FINALLY PREVAILED OVER HER OPPONENT. 'W HERE
YOUR MONEY WASN'T REACHING THE PEOPLE, THE GOD THORNUS
WAS. WE SECRETLY FUNDED SOME OF THE MERCENARIES WHO
FOUGHT AGAINST YOU. EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE PLANET GOT SICK
OF YOU AND CHASED YOU OFF HARD.,' MIERU CONTINUED TO GLOAT ,
BUT SHE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO.

CYCLO TO REALIZED FOR THE FIRST TIME HOW USED BY THE

GOVERNOR HE ACTUALLY WAS. SO MUCH TIME AT THAT FOR ONE
NOTHING. CYCLO TO MENTALLY AGREED THAT GORDON DESERVED
A TERRIBLE FATE AS WELL.

SEBUR NAG WAS ENCHANTING WITH THE MARANATHA THAT

DESCENDED OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN SLOPES OF THE ZIN OR TUG
MOUNTAIN RANGE. W ONDERFUL MAJESTIC HILLS RISING NOT TOO
FAR FROM THE CASTLE OF CYCLO TO. GORDON COULD EASILY HAVE
BEEN LEFT WEARING ONLY A SPACESUIT , WITHOUT A SPARE
COMPRESSED AIR BOTTLE AND SACRIFICED AS A SEBURNAG TIRFAN.

397
ALTHOUGH NO SUCH ANIMALS WERE FOUND ON THE PLANET SEBUR
NAG, THEIR NATURAL HABITAT BEING ANOTHER PLANET BEARING THE
SONOROUS NAME OF MAR TUN DOK, THEY WERE CARRIED IN HUGE
TIBENIAN CAPSULES FOR TRANSPORTING ANIMALS IN SPACE
CONDITIONS. CYCLO TO HAD AN ENTIRE HERD INHABITING AN
ISOLATED AREA, AS THE ENTIRE AREA OF THE PLANET THAT HOUSED
HIS ADMINISTRATIVE DOMAIN WAS WARMED BY AN ARTIFICIAL SUN
THAT FULLY SUPPLIED HIS NEEDS. GORDON ALWAYS STAYED AT THIS
RESIDENCE OF HIS BECAUSE OF SAID SUN.

AT FIRST, MIERU SIMPLY SAID THEY COULD LET GORDON GO TO THE

TYRPHANS, WHO WOULD STOMP HIM TO DEATH, BUT CYCLO TO WAS
MERCIFUL. HE DECIDED TO LET PROVIDENCE PUNISH THE CRUEL
POLITICIAN.

THE METROPOLITAN CITY OF NARAS TU WAS EXACTLY SIX HUNDRED

AND SEVENTY-FIVE SEBURNAG MILES FROM THE SOVEREIGN'S
CHAMBERS. HE LOVED SPENDING TIME HERE, PLOTTING DEVIOUS
PLANS WITH GORDON ELMBAUM. NOW , HOWEVER, UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF THE LITTLE QUEEN, THE GOVERNOR WOULD BE SENT
BACK INTO OPEN SPACE. AND KEEPING HIM COMPANY WOULD BE HIS
CLONE-PROTÉGÉ, CHRIS ZONRETHIS. IT WAS MEANT TO BE!

THEY PREPARED GORDON'S SHIP AND REPROGRAMMED IT TO

MAINTAIN AUTOPILOT UNTIL ENTERING THE SO -CALLED
PREPARATORY EXANAL PHASE, BEFORE MAKING THE COLLAPSAR
JUMP. FOR THE FIRST TIME, GORDON WAS ABOUT TO OBSERVE
SOMETHING OVER WHICH HE HAD NO CONTROL - BEING SENT IN A
COMPLETELY UNKNOWN DIRECTION.

CYCLO TO KNEW THAT ON OSONIA, WHICH WAS INCOMMENSURABLY

DISTANT FROM SEBUR NAG, SOME PEOPLE WERE QUESTIONING OUR
HERO VERY HARD. AND THEY WERE BURNING WITH DESIRE TO STOP
HIM AND HOLD HIM TO ACCOUNT .
THE ORACLE DECIDED THAT THIS
WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

398
CHAPTER THIRTY: THE RECKONING

KENJI DECIDED TO GO BACK TO OSONIA AGAIN, AS THE JOURNEY

FURTHER WAS TOO RISKY. THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL,
AND THE NEXT QUADRANTS WERE EXTREMELY POORLY EXPLORED
AND PERHAPS COMPLETELY DESERTED.

PENROSE ACCEPTED HIS ARGUMENT WITH SLIGHT RESERVATIONS,

BUT AGREED NONETHELESS.

THE POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED FROM THE CAGE WERE HAPPY

TO SEE PINDOR, WHO WAS STILL IN AN AWAKE COMA. W HEN THEY
INQUIRED ABOUT HIS CONDITION, THEY WERE VERY SADDENED. TO
SURVIVE THE JUMPS, HIS BODY WAS IN A SPECIAL ISOLATED AIRTIGHT
CHAMBER TO WHICH ONLY CAPTAIN PENROSE HAD ACCESS.

SHORTLY BEFORE TAKEOFF, THEY SAW A SMALL WHITE DOT MOVING

ACROSS THE SURFACE OF THE PLANET . IT WAS JONATHAN HEARNS.
W ITHOUT GIVING IT MUCH THOUGHT , THEY ACTIVATED A SPECIAL
GRAVITY FIELD THAT SUCKED IT INSIDE THE HULL OF THE SHIP.

ACUSTRO TURNED WHITE WITH RAGE AS HE SAW THE FUGITIVE

HEARNS ACROSS FROM HIM. HE KNEW THAT JONATHAN WAS MOST
AWARE OF MANY DETAILS SURROUNDING THE COLONY AND WOULD
ONLY MAKE HIS ALREADY ROSY SITUATION WORSE. ACUSTRO WAS
PROBABLY LOOKING AT A DEATH SENTENCE OR BEING SHOT ALIVE IN
A BURIAL CAPSULE INTO OUTER SPACE. HE WASN'T GOING TO GET
AWAY WITH THE ENORMOUS ATROCITIES HE'D COMMITTED.

JONATHAN HELD HIMSELF IMPASSIVELY. BUT THERE WAS TRIUMPH IN

HIS GAZE. TRIUMPH AT LOOKING HIS FORMER OPPRESSOR STRAIGHT
IN THE EYE, AND NOT EVEN BLINKING. HE HAD TO BE TAUGHT THAT
HE WASN'T OMNIPOTENT .

THE RETURN OF OSONIA THIS TIME WOULD ALSO AROUSE THE

SUSPICIONS OF THE LOCALS. SO THEY DECIDED TO REMAIN IN A

399
STATE OF FREE HOVER IN CLOSE ORBIT TO THE PLANET . THEY COULD
THINK OF NO BETTER IDEA THAN THAT .

PENROSE ACTIVELY SET ABOUT INTERROGATING ACUSTRO. HE

ANSWERED RATHER STIFFLY AND GLOSSED OVER SOME MINOR
DETAILS, HOPING TO EASE HIS SITUATION. THEN PENROSE
QUESTIONED THE PRISONERS ONE BY ONE. KENJI HAD GIVEN HIM
SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION AND NOW HE WAS CHECKING
EVERYTHING. NO ONE HAD LIED. W HICH WAS GOOD.

LIROITH WAS LOOKED UPON WITH PARTICULAR RESPECT AS HE WAS

ONE OF THE MAIN INSTIGATORS OF THE MUTINY. THE PRISONERS
WOULD GIVE HIM THE CREDIT HE DESERVED AS SOON AS THEY
LANDED IN SOMEPLACE MORE PEACEFUL.

THE FLIGHT WAS NOT MUCH MORE INTERESTING THIS TIME.

STANDING IN A CLOSE ORBIT TO OSONIA, THEY CAUGHT SOME

CHANGES, WHICH WAS OF COURSE NORMAL FROM THE
ACCUMULATED SUBJECTIVE TIME. THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG
WITH THAT . THE PLANET WAS ALSO DIFFERENT FROM WHEN SPEARS
AND THE OTHERS HAD LANDED ON IT .

BUT THEN SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENED - THEY SPOTTED A

MILITARY SHUTTLE ALSO STANDING IN CLOSE ORBIT AROUND THE
PLANET. THEY DECIDED TO LOOK THEM OVER FROM A SAFE
DISTANCE. SPEARS HAD ALSO DECIDED TO MAKE SUBJECTIVE JUMPS
IN HOPES OF GETTING A LOCK ON THE GOVERNOR. SO FAR, IT
WASN'T WORKING OUT FOR HIM. GORDON WAS STILL GOING TO SHOW
UP SOMETIME.

SPEARS ALSO SPOTTED 'EMSIRU'. HE IMMEDIATELY GUESSED THAT

A SIMILAR SHUTTLE WAS MOST LIKELY COMING FROM ZEGANDARIA.
BUT JUST IN CASE, HE ORDERED BATTLE READINESS.
SOON SIGNALS WERE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE SHIPS AND THEY
GUESSED THEY WERE FRIENDLY.

400
MIRACULOUSLY, GORDON'S SHIP MATERIALIZED BETWEEN THEM.
THIS HE COULD NOT HAVE FORESEEN. INSTANTLY THEY FIRED ON
THE ENGINES. AND THE INTERRON FUEL IGNITED. THE SHIP SLOWLY
BEGAN TO ‘LOSE’ ALTITUDE AND PLUMMET INTO DEEP SPACE. ON
BOARD IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE GOVERNOR. W ITH HIS ENGINES
DAMAGED, HE HAD NOWHERE TO ESCAPE EVEN IF HE CATAPULTED A
LIFE CAPSULE. SPEARS CHASED HIM DOW N WITH ONE OF THE
SHUTTLES. KENJI DIDN'T BOTHER HIM. IT WAS POINTLESS TO INCLUDE
HIM. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE GOVERNOR WAS CAPTURED. AS WAS
HIS PROTÉGÉ, CHRIS ZONRETHIS.

THE TWO OF THEM WERE TAKEN INTO A SPECIAL ROOM COVERED IN

HYON FIBER WHERE THE INTERROGATIONS BEGAN. THE GOVERNOR
WAS BEATEN AND TORTURED WITH SPECIAL DEVICES, BUT DESPITE
THE PAIN HE CONFESSED NOTHING. THEIR SURPRISE WHEN THEY
REALIZED THAT CHRIS WAS AN ANDROID AND NOT A HUMAN WAS
IMMENSE. THEY REMOVED THE DEITY CHIP FROM HIS HEAD ALONG
WITH THE HYON CHIP.

THE GREATEST COMPUTER SPECIALIST WAS JONATHAN HEARNS,

AND HE QUICKLY SET ABOUT DECODING THE ENCRYPTED
INFORMATION. IT WAS INTERESTING TO SAY HERE THAT THE DATA
CHIPS WERE AN OLDER TECHNOLOGY, BUT GORDON HAD
PRESCIENTLY TRANSFERRED ALL THE VALUABLE INFORMATION TO
THE ION CHIP.

- 'W E NEED SPECIAL EQUIPMENT TO BREAK THE HYON CHIP, WHICH

I'M NOT SURE WILL BE FOUND ON OSONIA,' CALLED HERNS. 'THERE
MAY BE ANOTHER WAY, BUT IT WILL TAKE LONGER.'

- 'HOW MUCH?,' HE WAS ASKED IN CHORUS.

- 'MAYBE ROUGHLY FOUR HUNDRED ZEGANDARIAN YEARS,' HE

REPLIED.

- 'THAT'S TOO MANY,' WAS SPEARS' REPLY. 'BUT IT'S NOT FAIR TO
JUDGE IT BEFORE WE'VE GATHERED THE FULL EVIDENCE.'

401
- YOU KNOW , WE COULD LEAVE THE DECRYPTION MACHINE AND DO A
FEW JUMPS WITH SUBJECTIVE TIME. IN THAT TIME, THE PASSWORD
CRACKING WILL BE DONE.

SPEECH-STEADY.
THEY INSTALLED THE MACHINE IN TUBUR NOG'S CAVE, WHICH IS
WHERE THEY FOUND HIS RICHES. W HEN THEY RETURNED AFTER
FOUR HUNDRED YEARS, THEY FOUND ALL THE INFORMATION
DECRYPTED:

'YOU WHO LISTEN TO THIS INFORMATION SHOULD KNOW THAT NO

ONE IS INSURED OF BEING JUDGED BY THE PEOPLE'S WRATH. MY SON
VIAR WAS ASSIGNED AS A SUPERINTENDENT AT LABOR COLONY 206,
I NEVER SAW HIM. MY GRANDSON ANDREW DISLAN DOESN'T KNOW
ME EITHER. I, GORDON ELMBAUM, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY
ACTIONS, BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THOSE ACTIONS
SHOULD BE CLARIFIED. AS WE KNOW , THIS WAR WAS STARTED FOR
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MOTIVES THAN OFFICIALLY STATED. IF YOU
LOOK WHERE YOU NEED TO, YOU WILL SEE THAT I AM NOT LYING TO
YOU. BUT WHAT BECAME THE MAIN REASON FOR THE CONFLICT WAS
PRECISELY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REAP MAXIMUM DIVIDENDS WITH
MINIMUM EFFORT . W HAT DO I MEAN? I WAS NOT ALONE IN MY DEEDS,
I WAS ASSISTED BY KEITH ENDWALK, THE SON OF AN OLD FRIEND OF
MINE. HE WAS THE REASON DIOMEDE BASE FELL. BUT NO ONE
SUSPECTED HIM BECAUSE HE CLEVERLY COMBINED HIS PART OF THE
PLAN WITH THE GUARRON ATTACK. JACOB WANTED REVENGE ON HIS
OWN PEOPLE FOR ALL THE WRONGS THEY HAD DONE HIM. THERE
YOU SEE, ALTHOUGH I AM THE MASTERMIND, I AM NOT THE ONLY
CULPRIT . BESIDES, CHRIS ZONRETHIS WAS ACTING UNDER MY
PRESSURE THE WHOLE TIME, NOT REALIZING HE W AS AN ANDROID.
THE RICHES I HID ON OSONIA ARE ONLY A FRACTION OF ALL MY
WEALTH THAT I NEVER MANAGED TO TRANSPORT . IT'S IN AN
UNDERGROUND BUNKER, RIGHT WHERE SERGEANT ZORIN'S MEN
WERE KILLED IN THE ATTEMPTED ASSAULT AND THE GUARRONS
WERE KILLED.'

402
THOSE PRESENT LOOKED AROUND. THEY STARED IN AMAZEMENT AT
DISLAN, WHO HAD BOWED HIS HEAD, FLUSHED WITH SHAME. HE
COULD NOT BEAR SUCH HUMILIATION. ALL HIS LIFE HE HAD LIVED
WITH THIS BURDEN. NO ONE SET OUT TO ATTACK HIM. ON THE
CONTRARY. BUT HE SLIPPED AWAY UNNOTICED AND BURST HIS
SKULL INTO AN ADJACENT GALLERY. THEY TRIED TO STOP HIM, BUT
IT WAS TOO LATE. GABRIEL BURST INTO TEARS WHEN HE SAW HIS
LOVER'S BLOODIED FACE. HE SEEMED TO BE MORE AT EASE NOW
THAN IN LIFE. EVEN SPEARS WAS TOUCHED.

ELMBAUM WAS TAKEN FROM HIS CELL ABOARD THE SHIP. HIS EYES
WERE HOODED, AND HIS EXPRESSION W AS MORE THAN SERIOUS.

SPEARS MET HIM. THEIR EYES MET. ELMBAUM SAID NOTHING. THEN
SUDDENLY HE ASKED:

- 'W AS IT HE?,' HIS VOICE WAS SIMPLY UNRECOGNIZABLE.

- 'YES, IT'S YOUR DEAD GRANDSON,' CONFIRMED THE ADMIRAL, WHO

COULD NOT SYMPATHISE WITH SUCH A VILE CREATURE AS G ORDON,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME WAS TRYING TO PUT HIMSELF IN HIS PLACE.

HE PULLED BACK TO LEAVE HIM FOR A MOMENT WITH THE DEAD MAN.
GORDON CAREFULLY FELT THE BODY. HE DID INDEED RECOGNIZE
HIS OWN BLOOD. IN THE CURVE OF HIS LIPS AND ON HIS
CHEEKBONES, BUT MOSTLY IN HIS EYES. THOSE WERE VIAR'S EYES.

- 'I HAVE LOST MY SON AND MY GRANDSON,' GORDON MOANED,

CRUSHED BY THE WEIGHT OF HIS TERRIBLE FATE.

- 'GOVERNOR,' SPEARS TOLD HIM LATER, GIVING HIM SOME TIME TO

COMPOSE HIMSELF, 'YOUR WEALTH HAS BEEN CONFISCATED FOR
THE BENEFIT OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE UNFORTUNATE WAR. THEIR
FAMILIES WILL BE FULLY COMPENSATED. THEY TOO HAVE LOST THEIR
CHILDREN.'

GORDON WAS SILENT . HE HAD NOTHING TO SAY. HE LOOKED AT

CHRIS'S OPEN HEAD, THE ANDROID HE HAD CREATED IN HIS OWN
IMAGE, AND SIGHED HEAVILY.

403
- 'YOU HAVE DEFEATED ME, GENERAL, AND YOU, REAR ADMIRAL,' HE
SPOKE RATHER HEAVILY.

- 'I HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH?,' INTERJECTED KENJI. 'W HAT

HAPPENED TO THE CREW OF THE ENZORIA?'

- 'THE CREW IS SAFE, BUT ONLY IF YOU LET ME GO,' GORDON REPLIED
CHEEKILY.

KENJI BARELY REFRAINED FROM SMASHING HIS FACE.

- 'YOU MEAN YOU KIDNAPPED THEM AS INSURANCE?,' THE REAR
ADMIRAL ASKED OUTSIDE HIMSELF.

EVEN THROUGH THE TEARS, WHICH WERE GENUINE AS FAR AS HIS

DEAD SON AND GRANDSON WERE CONCERNED, GORDON WAS
DANGEROUS.

- 'I'LL TELL YOU WHERE THEY ARE, BUT ONLY ON ONE CONDITION,' HE
WHISPERED CONFIDENTIALLY.

- 'I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE IN A POSITION TO MAKE ANY CONDITIONS,'

SPEARS PRONOUNCED GRAVELY.

- 'I WANT MY ASHES SCATTERED OVER MY NATIVE ZEGANDARIA,' THE

GOVERNOR PRONOUNCED WITH ANGUISH.

THEY ALL GASPED. THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IT TO BE A TRICK. THE

REQUEST WAS TOO PERSONAL.

- 'W ELL, WELL, WHERE ARE THEY?,' ASKED KENJI AGAIN.

- 'W ELL, HERE ON OSONIA,' HE ANSWERED THEM SOMEWHAT

BREATHLESSLY.

- 'SHOW ME!,' THE MILITARY MAN ORDERED.

GORDON LED THEM TO A CEMETERY WHERE THERE WERE MANY

GRAVES, REPRESENTING THE MOST ORDINARY BURIAL CAPSULES IN
WHICH THE BODIES OF THE DEAD WERE LAID.

404
KENJI RECOGNISED HILDA. HE RECOGNIZED OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE CREW .

- 'BUT HOW DID YOU KIDNAP THEM?,' WONDERED KENJI.

- 'THROUGH THE TIME GATE,' GORDON REPLIED SIMPLY.

AT FIRST THEY THOUGHT HE WAS JOKING, BUT HE WASN'T. GORDON

WAS MORE THAN SERIOUS.

-I JUST HAD A MAN ON BOARD TO DIRECT YOUR SHIP TO SUCH AN

ANOMALOUS AREA THAT THERE IS NO ESCAPE.

- 'A BLACK HOLE,' KENJI CORRECTED HIM.

- 'AN ANOMALOUS ZONE,'
ELMBAUM INSISTED. 'W HERE EVERYONE
JUST DISAPPEARS FOREVER.'

- 'AND WHY IS THE SHIP STUCK?,' INSISTED KENJI AGAIN.

- APPARENTLY THE PROPERTIES OF THIS ANOMALY ARE LIKE THAT .
BUT IT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE SO-CALLED 'DREAM GATE'. THOUGH
THE PRINCIPLE IS SIMILAR.

KENJI WRYLY-LEFT UNDERSTOOD SOMETHING OF THESE CHAOTIC

EXPLANATIONS.

- 'ARE THESE BODIES REAL?,' HE ASKED THE GOVERNOR.

- 'THEY'RE JUST CASTS,' PRONOUNCED ELMBAUM, MOST

UNFEELINGLY.

KENJI BARELY REFRAINED FROM HITTING HIM. HE WAS GOING TO

SMASH HIS FACE IN.

- 'THERE'S ONLY ONE THING I DON'T UNDERSTAND,' HE GROUND OUT

THROUGH HIS TEETH. 'HOW DID I SURVIVE MYSELF?'

ELMBAUM SMILED ENIGMATICALLY AND KENJI DIDN'T INTERRUPT HIM.

405
- 'THERE ARE TOO MANY PARADOXES IN THIS UNIVERSE, AND THE
GATE OF TIME IS ONE OF THEM. YOU JUST HAD THE LUCK OR
INSTINCT TO SENSE THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AS A MILITARY
COMMANDER, IT IS WELL KNOWN TO YOU THAT THE BOUNDARIES
BETWEEN DIMENSIONS CAN INTERTWINE AS THEY EXIST
DIFFERENTLY IN SPACETIME, KEEPING IT STABLE. HOWEVER, YOU
SLIPPED AWAY, JUST AT THE MOMENT THE TIME GATE WAS OPENED,
ALBEIT UNINTENTIONALLY BY ONE OF THE CREW MEMBERS.

- 'AUSLANDER. ONLY THAT ROOKIE COULD BE FOOLED LIKE THAT,' HE

SNARLED.

- 'IT HAD TO BE SOMEONE,' ELMBAUM PRONOUNCED, AS IF TO

JUSTIFY IT . 'I RECRUITED HIM, AND HE WASN'T ON YOUR SHIP BY
ACCIDENT .'

- 'AND HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO GET UNDER HIS SKIN?,' ASKED
KENJI.
- I WAS SECRETLY DIRECTING HIS AMBITION. AS THE FIRST LINE
OPERATOR ON MAKING THE JUMP, HE WANTED TO SHINE - IT WAS HER
THAT RUINED HIM. HE JUST DIDN'T SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE. AND HE
WAS WORKING FROM A TEMPLATE.

NOW KENJI HAD THE PUZZLE SORTED OUT. IT WAS MORE THAN
OBVIOUS ELMBAUM HAD ERADICATED ANYTHING LIVING THAT HAD A
CHANCE OF EVEN INDIRECTLY THREATENING HIM. HE HATED THE
GOVERNOR EVEN MORE THEN, BUT HE ALSO ADMIRED HIM. HE WAS
JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE. HE HAD ANTICIPATED SO MANY MOVES!

- SO THE WAR WAS NOT STARTED BY YOU IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE
WORD?’ HE WHISPERED.

- 'EXACTLY,' REPLIED GORDON, 'BUT I STILL DON'T DENY THAT I'M

GUILTY. I AM AWARE THAT I HAVE CAUSED TOO MUCH DEATH AND
SUFFERING, YET I ASK NO MERCY.'

KENJI DECIDED THEN TO OPEN THE BOXES AND SEE WHAT THE
GOVERNOR WAS HIDING IN THEM. THEY TURNED OUT TO BE RARE

406
SEMANTIC PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIM, HIS FAMILY, AND JACOB W ALLACE
WHILE HE WAS STILL HUMAN. NEXT TO THEM, HOWEVER, WAS A
WOMAN KENJI DIDN'T RECOGNIZE. THEY WERE IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL
PLACE. AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THIS PARADISE, THEY WERE
SMILING HAPPILY. KENJI THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, ‘THEN GORDON
OBVIOUSLY WASN'T GREEDY FOR MONEY OR POWER.’

EPILOGUE

OUR ADVENTURERS HAVE REACHED THE UNKNOWN QUADRANT. IT

WAS LIKE PARADISE TO THE LOCALS, BUT TO THEM IT DIDN 'T SEEM
LIKE ANYTHING SPECIAL. THEY KNEW FULL WELL THAT EVERYTHING
WAS GOING TO BE IN THEIR FAVOR SOONER OR LATER. THE
COLONISTS FLATLY REFUSED A RETURN TO THEIR HOME PLANET , BUT
LATER AGREED.

W HEN THEY ALL RETURNED, THEY SAW THAT ZEGANDARIA HAD

TAKEN ON A MORE PLEASANT APPEARANCE THAN BEFORE. LEFT
ALONE AND WITHOUT WARS, LUSH GREEN VEGETATION HAD
COVERED THE PLANET . THERE WAS WATER ON ITS SURFACE AND IT
SEEMED TO BE WAITING FOR THEM. OF COURSE THERE WAS STILL AN
OVERWHELMINGLY DESERT NATURE. BUT THINGS IN THAT ASPECT
WERE AS IF IN A POSITIVE SENSE. THE PLANET WAS NO LONGER
HOSTILE TO ITS CHILDREN.

THE OSONIA JUDICIAL COMMISSION HAD UNANIMOUSLY DECIDED

THAT GORDON ELMBAUM WAS GUILTY OF DELIBERATELY
ORCHESTRATED GENOCIDE ON HIS HOME PLANET . W HEN HE WAS
QUESTIONED THERE WAS ONE VERY INTERESTING QUESTION AMONG
THE QUESTIONS, AND THAT WAS HOW EXACTLY HE HAD RECRUITED
KEITH ENDWALKER AND HOW HE HAD BETRAYED THE DIOMEDES
BASE. GORDON'S ANSWER WAS:

- KEITH IS A BOY WHO HAD PLAYED ON MY KNEES AS A KID. HE

BASICALLY DOESN'T REMEMBER ME, THOUGH. HIS FATHER WAS

407
INDEBTED TO ME FOR GETTING HIS POSITION IN THE HOME OFFICE.
IT'S TRUE THAT I BLACKMAILED HIM INTO HELPING ME. BUT HE WAS
THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD GO THERE WITHOUT AROUSING
SUSPICION. THE DISABLING OF THE BASE'S FIREWALL, HOWEVER,
WAS NOT EXACTLY DONE BY HIM. HE GAVE THEM THE ACCESS
PASSWORDS AT THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD. JACOB W ALLACE OR
ZARAG TU KNEW WELL HOW TO USE THE INFORMATION GIVEN AND
HOW TO STRIKE AT THE RIGHT MOMENT . AND AS FOR THOSE WHO
TALK ABOUT MORALITY, LET THEM KNOW THAT JAKE WAS JUST
GETTING REVENGE FOR THE CARELESSNESS AND NEGLIGENCE
SHOWN TOWARDS HIM. I SIMPLY USED IT ALL TO MY ADVANTAGE.

THEY TRANSPORTED HIM TO ZEGANDARIA, WHERE GORDON WAS

CHARGED AND CONVICTED OF TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY-FOUR
CRIMES OF VARIOUS KINDS. THE MAGISTRATES WONDERED
WHETHER THEY SHOULD GIVE HIM THE CHOICE BETWEEN INSTANT
DEATH, BEING SHOT INTO ACAPSULE, OR SIMPLY
SPACE
IMPRISONING HIM IN THE NOTORIOUSSHOR TUK PRISON, NOT FAR
FROM OZIN TUN. GORDON WAS INDIFFERENT. HE HAD FALLEN INTO
A RATHER PECULIAR STATE AFTER LEARNING OF THE DEMISE OF HIS
ONLY TWO RELATIVES. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE EXACTLY
WHAT HE WAS FEELING. THE FORMER GOVERNOR HAD SHUT HIMSELF
COMPLETELY IN AND ALLOWED NO ONE INTO HIS THOUGHTS. IT HAD
TAKEN SOME TIME, HOWEVER, DURING WHICH TIME HE HAD BEEN PUT
IN THE ARMOR OF SEVA. SEVA WAS ACTUALLY JACOB W ALLACE'S
DEAD WIFE, CATHERINE W ALLACE, WHO HAD FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE
WITH HIM AND HIS TRANSFORMED SOLDIERS. IT HAD AN INSTANT
EFFECT. GORDON TURNED GREEN AND EVERYTHING JUST LASTED A
FEW SECONDS BEFORE HE REGAINED HIS NORMAL FLESH COLOR.
NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED. HE JUST STAYED LIKE THAT FOR A WHILE,
BUT IT WAS LIKE HE W AS NUMB. W HEN HE CAME TO, HIS DNA WAS
COMPLETELY ALTERED ACCORDING TO THE TESTS THEY DID ON HIM.
THIS ONLY COMPOUNDED HIS SENTENCE WITH ANOTHER CRIME LIKE
MISAPPROPRIATION OF ANOTHER'S IDENTITY AND APPROPRIATION OF
ANOTHER'S GENES.

408
GORDON'S WISH CAME TRUE THOUGH, AND AFTER HIS DEATH
SENTENCE WAS CARRIED OUT, HIS ASHES WERE SCATTERED OVER
ZEGANDARIA. GORDON WAS PUT TO DEATH BY CONFINEMENT IN AN
AIRTIGHT CHAMBER AND GASSING WITH LETHAL AMBRAN GAS. JUST
THE KIND THAT OUR ADVENTURERS WOULD HAVE DIED FROM. MANY
WERE RELUCTANT TO GO TO THE EXECUTION, BUT THOSE WHO DID
ATTEND AGREED COMPLETELY THAT HE GOT WHAT HE DESERVED.
HIS DEMISE DID NOT ELICIT A DROP OF SYMPATHY. OF COURSE
THERE WERE A FEW FAMILIES FROM OSONIA THAT HE HAD HELPED IN
TIME. THEIR HEIRS HAD COME TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE, BUT
THEY TOO WERE SHOCKED TO LEARN WHO HE REALLY WAS.

ADMIRAL SPEARS AND ELIZANDRA DIONNE WERE MARRIED. THEY

HAD BEEN BATTLE COMRADES FOR SO MANY YEARS. THEIR
MARRIAGE BECAME ONE OF THE CENTRAL EVENTS. ELIZANDRA WAS
SO ELEGANT IN HER DRESS. IT WAS DEFINITELY AN UNFORGETTABLE
MOMENT .

GABRIELLE MOURNED HER BELOVED DISLAN FOR A LONG TIME, BUT

LATER REALIZED IT WAS JUST A CHILDISH WHIM AND HE WAS NOT HER
ROLE MODEL. SHE DEVOTED HERSELF TO SCHOLARSHIP AND
DESCRIBED THE HISTORY OF ZEGANDARIA FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS.

KENJI STAYED BEHIND TO INSPECT LABOR COLONY 206, AS THERE

WERE MANY THINGS THAT WERE NOT PUT AWAY. AS MANY AS SIX
EXPEDITIONS HAD GONE TO THE PLANET ZIRUL TAN, WHERE IT WAS
ACTUALLY LOCATED. ON ONE OF THOSE EXPEDITIONS HE
DISCOVERED WHAT HAD REALLY HAPPENED TO RICHWATER. IT WAS
TRUE THAT THE OTHER PRISONERS HAD RELAYED TO HIM HOW HE
HAD INITIALLY BEEN CONSIDERED A TRAITOR AND SUBJECTED TO
WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE ‘PRISON WELCOME’. THAT VERY NIGHT HE
DEVELOPED A FEVER BECAUSE OF THE CRUEL INJURIES ON HIS BODY.
BUT NO ONE HAD ANY RECOLLECTION OF EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS,
AS THERE HAD BEEN TOO MANY KILLED IN THE RIOT AND ONE OF THEM
WAS HIM. ON HIS FIRST VISIT TO ZIRUL TAN KENJI DIDN'T HAVE TIME
TO LOOK AROUND AT ALL THE VICTIMS, BUT ON THE SECOND VISIT,

409
WHICH WAS AFTER ABOUT THREE MONTHS OF SUBJECTIVE TIME, HE
WAS ABLE TO FIND HIM. HE WAS LYING DISCARDED UNDER ONE OF
THE GUARDS' XENTARS. HIS FACE WAS HALF-SMUDGED . KENJI
CHECKED WITH AN ELECTRONIC FACE SCANNER TO SEE IF IT WAS
INDEED HIM. THERE WAS NO DOUBT . HIS IDENTITY WAS CONFIRMED.
THEN THEY TRANSPORTED HIS BODY AND BURIED IT ON THE NATIVE
ZEGANDARIA. W HEN KENJI DUG THROUGH THE AKUSTRO ARCHIVES,
HE WAS CONVINCED THAT DESPITE THE BRUTAL TORTURE, HE HADN'T
BETRAYED A SINGLE MILITARY SECRET . BECAUSE OF HIS BRAVERY
AND FAITHFUL SERVICE, HE WAS AWARDED THE ‘ORDER OF
POSTHUMOUS SERVICE’ AND WAS SENT ON HIS FINAL EARTHLY
JOURNEY WITH FULL HONORS.

HILDA ERENGALES, DOUG ENLOW AND ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS OF

THE ENSORIA CREW WERE ALSO HONORED. THEY BURIED THEIR
CASTS, CAREFULLY STORED IN A SPECIAL CONTAINER.

BECKY DIDN'T REUNITE WITHMEIOR AND EVERYONE JUST WENT

THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.
BECKY GAVE HERSELF OVER TO
JOURNALISM. MEIOR TO WRITING.

PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT WAS THE MOMENT SHE MET HER

BROTHER, DURNYAM. IT TURNED OUT THAT HIS SPECIAL ABILITY TO
SEE SO MANY THINGS W AS PARTLY DUE TO HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH
HIS TWIN SISTER. THEIR GODPARENTS WERE THE ARCHANEANS
THEMSELVES, WHO HOPED THAT THROUGH THEM THE OMEN OF
THEIR SALVATION WOULD BE FULFILLED. AND THEY WERE NOT
MISTAKEN. W ITHOUT THEIR HELP, THERE WAS NO TELLING WHAT THE
OUTCOME OF THE WAR WOULD HAVE BEEN.

SASIA CONTINUED HER CAREER AS A PILOT . SHE BECAME AN

INSTRUCTOR - WHICH WAS HER DREAM. THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED
UNIT UNDER HER COMMAND DID RECONNAISSANCE PATROLS IN
CLOSE ORBIT AROUND THE PLANET TO KEEP IT SAFE.

CAPTAIN PENROSE HELPED IMMENSELY IN THE TRANSPORT WORK.

SINCE THE ZEGANDARIAN HIGH COUNCIL HAD LONG SINCE CEASED
TO EXIST AS A GOVERNING BODY, IT WAS NOW DIRECTLY

410
SUBORDINATE TO NO ONE. IN FACT, IT WAS ALL JUST A FORMALITY,
BUT TO HIM THAT WAS ALL THAT MATTERED.

LATER, A SPECIAL MEMORIAL W AS ESTABLISHED IN MEMORY OF ALL

THOSE WHO HAD DIED DURING ZEGANDARIA'S TOO-LONG WAR.
ZORIN ESTABLISHED A MILITARY ACADEMY FOR PEACEFUL
PURPOSES. MARK AND HIS FRIENDS BECAME WAR HEROES.

W HEN THEY MET SASIA, THEY EMBRACED, BUT THERE WOULD NEVER
BE ANYTHING MORE BETWEEN THEM THAN AN EXTRAORDINARILY
STRONG CHILDHOOD AFFECTION AND FRIENDSHIP. MARK HAD TO
ADMIT THAT SOME PEOPLE JUST HAD A BIT MORE OF A SPECIAL
MISSION THAN OTHERS, AND MAYBE THEY WEREN'T MEANT TO BE
TOGETHER AS SPOUSES. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED
TO BE SAVING THE ENTIRE PLANET FROM CERTAIN DOOM. BUT HE
KNEW HE WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR PAUL, SAM
W ALLACE, FATHER, RAT, GRANDPA JACK AND EVERYONE ELSE. AS
WELL AS THE UNQUESTIONING DEVOTION OF THAT BRAVE WOMAN
PILOT. W HEN HE SAW HER IN FRONT OF THE NEWLY BUILT MILITARY
ACADEMY, MARK CHEERFULLY BECKONED HER OVER:
- REMEMBER THOSE CHASES THROUGH THE STREETS OF ENSARIAN?
NOW WE MUST SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THEY ARE COUNTING ON US.

W AR WAS OFFICIALLY BANNED ON THE ENTIRE PLANET. GOVERNOR

ELMBAUM'S MONEY WAS GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO REBUILD ALMOST
THE ENTIRE INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST. AND THERE WAS ALMOST NO
TRACE OF IT LEFT . ONE OF THE ENGINEERS FROM OROS HINTO HAD
AGREED TO HELP WITH HIS TECHNICAL EXPERTISE. HE HAD BEEN
RESPONSIBLE FOR INTRODUCING THE TACHYON ENGINES TO THE
GENERAL POPULATION, FOR CONSTRUCTING HIGH-SPEED
ARSINAEAN TUNNELS BENEATH THE PLANET'S SURFACE TO CONNECT
THE PREVIOUSLY DESTROYED POLIS, AS WELL AS OTHER LOCAL AND
MORE REMOTE AREAS.

HAD ANDREW DISLAN LIVED HE WOULD HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN

OF USE, BUT HE WAS TRANSPORTED BACK TO ZEGANDARIA AND HIS

411
ASHES WERE ALSO SCATTERED INTO THE AIR, MUCH LIKE HIS
GRANDFATHER'S.

NEOLA REMAINED VIRTUALLY IN A MILITARY HOSPITAL THAT HAD

BEEN SET UP AT ZORIN'S ACADEMY.
SHE DID NOT FORGET THE GOOD ONE-EYED UNCLE ZENGAR WHO
HAD PLAYED SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS WAR. EVERY TIME
SHE EXAMINED A PATIENT, HE SEEMED TO COME INTO VIEW AND
GAILY STARE AT HER W ITH HIS SINGLE EYE.

ONE DAY SHE FOUND AN ELECTRONIC NOTEBOOK SHE HAD TAKEN

WITH HER WHEN THEY LEFT RODWELL. IT WAS SO SMALL THAT NO
ONE HAD NOTICED IT .
SHORTLY BEFORE SHE DIED, UNCLE ZENGAR
HAD SCRIBBLED SOMETHING ON IT .
SHE STRUGGLED TO READ HIS
REVEALED HANDWRITING:

'TO MY NEOLA. THE DAUGHTER WHO NEVER KNEW OF MY

EXISTENCE. THE DAUGHTER WHO, TO SECRETLY WATCH OVER AND
PROTECT , I WAS FORCED TO MOVE W ITH THE STABLE. THE
DAUGHTER I GAVE UP TO THAT FOSTER FAMILY WHO REVOKED MY
CARE OF HER. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT GOOD OLD UNCLE ZENGAR,
WHO DISCOVERED ENDUOCLE'S TREACHERY, PROTECTED SASIA
AND BROUGHT HER TO HIM TO DELIVER HER! THAT WILL EASE HIS
CONSCIENCE FOR THE YEARS HE HAS MISSED, AND FOR THE MANY
OTHER MISTAKES HE HAS MADE IN HIS LIFE. FORGIVE HIM!'

AS SHE READ THESE LINES, NEOLA QUIETLY SHED A FEW TEARS.

APPARENTLY SHE KNEW SO LITTLE ABOUT HIM. AS A TOKEN OF
APPRECIATION FOR HIS DEED, SHE MADE SURE THAT EVERYONE
KNEW OF HIS KINDNESS. UNCLE ZENGAR WOULD NEVER BE
FORGOTTEN! HE WAS THE TRUE SAVIOR OF ZEGANDARIA!

KEITH ENDOWOCLE WAS PUBLICLY CENSURED FOR HIS TREACHERY,

BUT IN VIEW OF HIS MERITS, ESCAPED THE DEATH SENTENCE. HE
RECOUNTED EXACTLY HOW HE HAD BEEN RECRUITED BY THE
GOVERNOR, WHO HAD BLACKMAILED HIM WITH THE FACT THAT HE
WOULD KILL HIS PARENTS THROUGH HIS HENCHMEN FROM AMONG

412
THE ‘GHOST ’ WARRIORS. KEITH WAS DETERMINED TO SAVE HIS
PARENTS, EVEN AT THE COST OF SUCH A DASTARDLY ACT . HE
SERVED HIS PUNISHMENT IN A PRISON ON ZEGANDARIA, FROM
WHERE HE EMERGED AN OLD MAN OF ALMOST NINETY-THREE AFTER
MORE THAN SIXTY-FIVE YEARS IN PRISON. W HILE IN PRISON HE
OFTEN THOUGHT OF HIS OLD FRIEND MAJOR KETROWL. HIS OLD
COMRADE'S WISE WORDS WERE RUNNING THROUGH HIS MIND,
‘DON'T LET THE CURRENT MOMENT FOOL YOU THIS WAR DIDN'T
START WITH US IT WON'T END WITH US.’ KEITH HAD REPEATED THIS
TO HIMSELF A BILLION TIMES, WATCHING THE DAMP WALL, TRYING TO
FIND SOME NEW MEANING IN THEM EACH TIME. BUT SOMETHING
SEEMED TO PREVENT HIM FROM LOOKING BEYOND. THE STRANGE
THING WAS THAT INSIDE HIS MIND HE COULD CLEARLY SENSE
SOMETHING. IT WAS THE SPIRIT OF CHANGE. THERE WAS NO
AVOIDING IT . AS HE LAY IN PRISON, THE WORLD OUTSIDE WAS
SLOWLY AND IMPERCEPTIBLY CHANGING-FOR BETTER OR FOR
WORSE IT WAS HARD TO TELL, BUT IT WAS CHANGING. ALL THIS
COULD NOT HELP BUT HAVE AN IMPACT ON HIS MIND. W HERE WOULD
HE GO NEXT ? AND THERE WERE STILL SO MANY YEARS LEFT OF HIS
SENTENCE. TOO MANY YEARS. HE HAD TO SERVE THEM OUT. ALONE
AND WELL INSULATED FROM THE LURKING DANGERS OUTSIDE.

ONE DAY THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE HYDRON DOOR. THE HAND
KNOCKING ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS CONFIDENT AND OBVIOUSLY
KNEW WHAT IT WANTED. SOMEWHERE INSIDE KEITH ENDWALKER
GATHERED HIS THOUGHTS AND REALIZED THAT JUST THE BEGINNING
OF HIS NEW LIFE SEEMED TO BE BEGINNING. UNLIKE MANY OTHER
POLITICAL PRISONERS, HE HAD NOT GONE MAD OR LOST HOPE. IF HE
WAS LUCKY HE COULD SEE THE DAWN AGAIN. AT LEAST ONE LAST
TIME!SOMEWHERE OUT THERE HE COULD FIND SALVATION! AND
FORGIVE HIMSELF!

AS SOON AS THE DOOR SLAMMED BEHIND HIM, HE REALIZED THAT HE

HAD YET TO FACE AN EXISTENCE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE
SAD BUT RELATIVELY PREDICTABLE ONE IN PRISON. AND THERE WAS
SOMETHING ELSE - NO ONE REMEMBERED HIM AND NO ONE NEEDED
HIM.

413
HE TRIED TO LOOK IN A DIGITAL MIRROR AND COULDN'T RECOGNIZE
HIMSELF. ‘IS THAT ME?’ HE WONDERED. - ‘IS IT POSSIBLE?’ HIS HEART
FLUTTERED, BUT HE KNEW THE ANSW ER WELL. HE WAS STILL ALIVE.
ALBEIT ALL ALONE. BUT AT LEAST HE KNEW WHAT HE WANTED. HE
WANTED TO START OVER. HE HAD TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH HIMSELF
UNDER NEW CONDITIONS. AND MAYBE EVERYTHING WOULD FALL
INTO PLACE. KEITH HAD FRIENDS IN THE PAST. THE LAUGHS WITH
MARK, SASIA AND THE OTHERS HAD REMAINED A DISTANT DREAM.
W HAT A ROMANTIC PERIOD IT HAD BEEN ALONE! AND NOW HE WAS
GOING TO BUILD HIS FUTURE WITH ONLY HIS TWO HANDS. HE DIDN'T
HAVE THAT MUCH TO LOSE. HE WAS AN OLD MAN, BUT HIS MIND WAS
ENLIGHTENED AND HE W ANTED TO LIVE THE LAST MOMENTS OF HIS
LIFE WITH DIGNITY. FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE CLEARLY REALIZED THAT
THERE WAS NO HAPPINESS OR UNHAPPINESS, BUT A SUBJECTIVE
VIEW OF THIS LIFE AND THAT DISTANT ‘PICTURE’ THAT HAD IMPRINTED
ITSELF DEEP IN HIS MIND DEFINITELY DID NOT CORRESPOND TO
REALITY. SAD, BUT A FACT! AT LEAST HE WAS HONEST WITH HIMSELF!
AND NOW BOLDLY FORWARD! THERE WAS NO TIME TO WASTE!
THEN HE LEFTZEGANDARIA ABOARD SOME SHUTTLE AND NO ONE
SAW HIM AGAIN.

KEITH MARRIED AND HIS SON BECAME A PROMINENT PUBLIC FIGURE,

ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT LIVE TO SEE HIS FATHER AS HE DIED VERY
YOUNG. UNLIKE HIS LIFE, WHICH WAS FILLED WITH TUMULTUOUS
MISHAPS, HE HAD A RELATIVELY HAPPY LIFE AND A CAREER MARKED
WITH SUCCESS. HE FULLY RECEIVED PUBLIC RECOGNITION FOR HIS
WORK AS A ZEGANDARIAN LAWYER AND TRIED TO ALLEVIATE HIS
PARENT'S SUFFERING AS BEST HE COULD.

THIS WAS AT LEAST A PARTIAL CONSOLATION FOR HIS IMPRISONED

FATHER. IF ANYONE HAD ASKED HIM WHAT HE HAD LEARNED FROM IT ,
HE WOULD HAVE ANSWERED UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT ONE HAD TO
TAKE ONE'S DUTY, WHATEVER CAME AFTER.

ACUSTRO RECEIVED PUNISHMENT FOR HIS CRIMES, WHICH WERE

CERTAINLY SEVERE. HE WAS CAPTURED AND QUESTIONED BY MANY
MAGISTRATES. THEY UNANIMOUSLY DECIDED TO PUNISH HIM

414
HARSHLY AND HE WAS EXECUTED IN THE SAME WAY HE HAD DEALT
WITH HIS VICTIMS. HE WAS TIED NAKED ON A HUGE ZEGANDARIAN
CRYSTAL, WHICH THEY GLOWED WHITE. THE MOANS AND SCREAMS
DID NOTHING FOR THE STERN LOOK AND IMAGE HE HAD BUILT UP FOR
HIMSELF IN FRONT OF THE OTHER PRISONERS. ACUSTRO WASN'T
GOING TO BE THE BLOODSUCKING VAMPIRE OF LABOR COLONY 206.
NEVER AGAIN!
VIAR'S CORPSE WAS NOT FORGOTTEN EITHER. OF COURSE,
GOVERNOR ELMBAUM DIDN'T LIVE TO SEE IT, AS HE HAD BEEN
EXECUTED EARLIER. KENJI HAD STOWED HIM AWAY WITH THE
OTHERS. HOWEVER, AS HE LOOKED AT HIS DEAD EYES, DISFIGURED
FACE, AND TWISTED FINGERS, KENJI WONDERED IF THE MAN HAD
REALIZED WHY HE HAD PRACTICALLY LIVED. THEY LAID HIS CORPSE
BESIDE THE SPECIAL SPACE URN CONTAINING THE ASHES OF HIS
SON, ANDREW DISLAN. THAT WAY, AT LEAST IN THE AFTERLIFE, THE
TWO OF THEM WOULD BE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. A MEMORIAL WAS
ERECTED TO VIAR TO REMIND HIM OF HIS ATROCITIES ON THE
COLONY. A BUST OF ACUSTRO COULD ALSO BE SEEN BESIDE IT .
THOUGH CONSTRUCTED OF THE PUREST AND NOBLEST
ZEGANDARIAN KEVLARITE, THE FIGURES LOOKED AS IF THEY DID NOT
KNOW EACH OTHER, BUT SOME COMMON CAUSE HELD THEM
TOGETHER.

JACOB W ALLACE LED THE GUARRONS, AS HE HAD EARLIER. PRINCE

NUNDRAG AND KIER ZOH BECAME BROTHERS AGAIN. NO LONGER
WOULD THE THRONE OF UGROK SIN SEPARATE THEM. THE FEW
SURVIVING GUARRONS TRIED TO COEXIST W ITH THE HUMANS,
THOUGH AT FIRST THEY ORGANIZED THEIR OWN SETTLEMENTS.

SAM W ALLACE MET WITH HIS FATHER. ZARAG TU'S EYES AND HIS
MET. JACOB IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED HIS YOUNGEST SON .

- I MANAGED TO HIDE IT IN TIME BEFORE ALL THIS STARTED. BUT HE

DIDN'T SHAME HIS FATHER. HE FOLLOWED MY ORDERS STRICTLY AND
FOUGHT TO THE END. SAMI IS A GLORIOUS BOY!

415
- 'HURRAH!,' THE BROTHERS CRIED, ONE OF THE FEW WORDS OF
HUMAN SPEECH THEY HAD LEARNED.

RAS TIAN WAS HAPPILY MARRIED TO THE YOUNGER OF THE

BROTHERS, WHOSE EYES SHE HAD ONCE OPENED TO THE FACT THAT
IT WAS NOT DONE BY MERE FLAUNTING AND DEADLY HATRED . IT WAS
AS IF SHE HAD REJUVENATED HERSELF SO MUCH. THE ALLEGORICAL
STORY OF THE GODDESS AND MARAS TULBA'S INCARNATION IN HER
HAD OPENED THE EYES OF MANY, IF ONLY FOR A MOMENT . RAS TIAN
WAS HELD IN SPECIAL ESTEEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO
RESTORING THE DIGNITY OF THE GUARRON. EVENTUALLY
EVERYTHING WAS FALLING INTO PLACE.

THE ARCHANAYANS RETURNED TO THEIR HOME PLANET AND AFTER

A THOROUGH INSPECTION WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR
HOMELANDS IN THE MISTY MOUNTAINS. THERE THEY HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE AS THEIR ANCESTORS AND PRESERVE SOME
OF THE LOST KNOWLEDGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

REONA BECAME THE NEW LEADER OF A STUDENT MOVEMENT TO GIVE

THIS SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION A VOICE. SHE DID MUCH TO
ORGANIZE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON MANY IMPORTANT ISSUES.

HISS WAS NOT FORGOTTEN BY HER FRIENDS. IT COULD BE SAID THAT

HE SAVED THEM WHEN THE SOLDIERS HAD DRIVEN THEM AWAY. THEY
DRANK IN HIS MEMORY AND ERECTED A SPECIAL MEMORIAL WHERE
HE WAS HONORED AS A MARTYRED HERO.

DURNYAM, IN HIS ROLE AS LEADER OF MARK'S GROUP, HAD BECOME

THE MORAL TEACHER OF THE NEW ZEGANDARIAN GENERATION.

ROYAN WAS ABLE TO SEE HIS FATHER. PINDOR WAS STILL IN A

WAKING COMA FROM WHICH HE WAS UNLIKELY EVER TO EMERGE.
BUT THE BOY CALMED EVEN AT THE SIGHT OF HIM. SHE COULD STILL
SPEAK TO HIM FROM TIME TO TIME AND HOPED HE COULD HEAR.
ROIAN BEGAN HIS ILLUSTRIOUS ORATORICAL CAREER ACROSS
ZEGANDARIA TO SHOW ALL THE SURVIVORS HOW THE FREE SPIRIT
COULD OVERCOME ANYTHING. HE DIDN'T FORGET PRIVATE

416
SUMMERS, WHO HAD HELPED HIM SURVIVE. SHE HAD BECOME LIKE A
SECOND MOTHER TO HIM. OR RATHER, AN OLDER SISTER. SHE'D
FORMALLY CLAIMED CUSTODY OF HIM WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

FINALLY, LIROITH, JONATHAN HEARNS, AND ALL THE SURVIVING

POLITICAL PRISONERS HAD REVIVED SCIENCE ON THE PLANET . NO
ONE COULD STOP FREE ENERGY FROM BECOMING AVAILABLE TO
EVERYONE ANYMORE. THE INEXHAUSTIBLE AMOUNTS EXTRACTED
FROM THE VACUUM OF SPACE MADE SOME OF THE PLANET 'S
RESOURCES LESS VALUABLE AND IN DEMAND. INSTEAD, EVERYONE
COULD NOW FEEL HAPPY AND FREE. EVEN THE PLANET 'S AIR WAS
NOW BREATHABLE. THIS REVOLUTIONARY DISCOVERY OF LIROUT
CHANGED ITS APPEARANCE COMPLETELY.

PRINCESS MIERU, THE LEADER OF THE MYERANIANS, TREATED

THEIR NEW HOME WITH CARE AND ATTENTION. SHE WELL
REMEMBERED THE THIRTY YEARS OF VASSAL SUBJECTION UNDER
WHICH HER RACE HAD PAID ENORMOUS DUES TO GORDON ELMBAUM
AND OBEYED HIM FOR EVERYTHING. THE MOMENT OF PAYBACK
LINGERED IN THE PSYCHE OF THE MYERANIANS. THEY HAD ACTED
NOT AS VENGEFUL CREATURES, BUT AS OPPRESSED ONES . IT WAS
NOT AN ACT OF NOBILITY, BUT A RIGHTEOUS QUEST FOR A NEW LIFE.
SOMEWHERE DEEP INSIDE, THE LITTLE PRINCESS AGREED THAT
GORDON HAD BEEN FORCED TO ACT THIS WAY BY CIRCUMSTANCES,
BUT THEY WERE ALSO ACTING THIS WAY BECAUSE OF THOSE SAME
CIRCUMSTANCES.

A TRUCE HAD BEEN REACHED WITH CYCLO TO, THE ORACLE-

SOVEREIGN OF THE PLANET SEBUR NAG. THE DEAD SEBURNACIANS
- NO MORE THAN TWO OR THREE HUNDRED - HAD BEEN AWARDED
PLANETARY HONORS. THEY HAD DONE THEIR DUTY WITH DIGNITY.
DEEP DOWN, HOWEVER, THE MYERANIANS CONTINUED THEIR
ISOLATED WAY OF LIFE. THEY ALLOTTED THEM CONSIDERABLE
SPACE IN THE SIMOR SIN VALLEY, WELL AWAY FROM THE CAPITAL
CITY OF NARAS TU, AND GAVE THEM A SOLEMN PROMISE THAT THEY
WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THEIR DEVELOPMENT AS LONG AS THEY
DID NOT DESTROY THE PLANET'S RESOURCES OR CAUSE DISORDER.

417
THE MYERANIANS AGREED.
THE MIERU BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THEIR PURELY CONSUMERIST -PREDATORY MINDSET HAD TO BE
PERMANENTLY CONSIGNED TO THE PAST IF THEY WERE TO SURVIVE
INTO THE FUTURE. FAR AHEAD - INTO THE UNFORESEEABLE FUTURE.

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO AUSLANDER? W ELL HARDLY ANYONE

REMEMBERED HIM, EXCEPT KENJI AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE WHO
WITNESSED THE CONVERSATION WITH ELMBAUM. HANS AUSLANDER
HAD LIVED LIKE A TRAITOR, ACTED LIKE A TRAITOR, AND FINALLY JUST
DIED LIKE A TRAITOR. IT WAS SO NATURAL. THE DEEP QUALITIES OF
A TRAITOR REMAIN SO TO THE VERY END. HE WAS FORCED TO ACT
OUT OF HIS OWN MOTIVES AS WELL. THE TRUTH WAS THAT SOME
PEOPLE SIMPLY HAD NOTHING ELSE TO SHINE WITH. SUCH WAS THE
CASE WITH AUSLANDER.

ENNIO HAMMER SENT HIMSELF INTO EXILE.

THERE HE COULD
COLLECT HIS WRONG THOUGHTS. THERE SHE WOULD REMEMBER
MIERU AND WHAT HE HAD DONE TO HER. THERE THE HATRED FOR
HIS ENEMY ANDREW DISLAN WOULD BURN HIM. IT WAS PERFECTLY
NORMAL FOR HIM TO STAY ON SOME LONELY PLANET AND TRY TO
SURVIVE ON HIS OWN, OR JUST VEGETATE IN THE SPARSELY
POPULATED PART OF SOME OTHER PLANET . BUT WHAT KIND OF LIFE
WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN? THE CREW OF THE SPACE SECOND RING
SCATTERED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. MILITARY DISCIPLINE COULD
NOT HOLD THE MEN, GIVEN THAT THE MILITARY FACILITY IN QUESTION
NO LONGER EXISTED AND THEIR COMMANDER WAS GIVING THEM
VAGUE AND OBSCURE ORDERS, NOT OUT OF DUTY, BUT OUT OF SELF-
INTEREST .

ONE EVENING ENNIO HAMMER WAS ENCOUNTERED BY A GROUP OF

FRENZIED MARAUDERS ON ONE OF THE SPARSELY POPULATED
PLANETS BEYOND THE DVEST QUADRANT. HE WAS TRYING TO
SURVIVE, THOUGH HE HAD LONG SINCE BECOME A MENTAL WRECK
AND IMAGES OF THE PAST KEPT SURFACING BEFORE HIS EYES. THE
PLANET DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A REAL NAME, BUT BORE AN
ALPHANUMERIC DESIGNATION - CFRG 1583. HE HAD VISITED A
SMALL INN, AS THE POPULATION INHABITED SIMPLE ZERVILONS THAT

418
HAD AN EVEN SIMPLER CONSTRUCTION THAN THE XENTARI. THE
PLANET'S ATMOSPHERE WAS TOO RICH IN VARIOUS VAPORS SO
STANDING OUTSIDE THE WELL INSULATED ZERVILONS WAS NOT
ADVISABLE. ENNIO WAS GRIPPED WITH MELANCHOLY TOWARDS HIS
FORMER POWER, BUT HIS INSTINCT FOR SELF-PRESERVATION WAS
STILL WORKING FLAWLESSLY. HE ROSE TO GO. W HILE HE WAS IN THE
TAVERN A NUMBER OF MALICIOUS GLANCES SHOT HIM, BUT WHEN HE
WANTED TO MEET THEM WITH A LOOK OF DIGNITY THEY AVOIDED HIM.
HE FELT THEY WERE ABOUT TO DESTROY HIM. THIS TIME FOR GOOD.
PERHAPS SOME RUMOR HAD REACHED HIM EVEN HERE. HE HADN'T
STAYED IN ONE PLACE LONG SINCE HE'D ESCAPED WITH THE CREW .
HE'D TRAVELED TO A SUM OF PLANETS, SOME MORE BACKWATER
AND DESERTED THAN OTHERS. BUT NOWHERE COULD HE FIND A
SAFE HAVEN. A DRUNKEN ARGUMENT BROKE OUT ON THE WAY OUT,
WHICH ESCALATED INTO A BRUTAL BRAWL. ENNIO WAS DEFENDING
HIMSELF. HE WOUNDED ONE, THEN A SECOND, EVEN A THIRD WITH
HIS LASER CUTTER. BUT THE FOURTH DROVE A PIECE OF EULORAST
INTO HIS SUIT 'S SPLINTER TO CAUSE DECOMPRESSION. THE RESULT
WASN'T LONG IN COMING , AND THOUGH THE SUIT REPAIRED ITSELF,
AS THE DAMAGE DONE W ASN'T SEVERE, VERY SOON HE BEGAN TO
SUFFOCATE FROM LACK OF OXYGEN, BECAUSE THEY HAD AFFECTED
THE COMPRESSED AIR ASPIRATION SYSTEM. THIS MADE HIS
MOVEMENTS SLUGGISH AND UNCOORDINATED. ONE FINAL BLAST OF
ELMOSATOR THERMOPLASTIC FINISHED HIM OFF FOR GOOD. HE WAS
KILLED AND THE REMAINS OF HIS BODY SCATTERED IN DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS.

- 'LOOK AT HIM, HE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT EX-MILITARY MAN,' SAID

ONE OF THE UNCOUTH MEN WHO WERE MOLESTING HIS CORPSE.
'W HAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR HERE?'

- 'W E'D BETTER GET OUT OF HERE, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT
MIGHT HAPPEN TO US,' SAID HIS COMRADE. 'AT LEAST WE TOOK HIS
VALUABLES.'

- 'W ELL, THEY WEREN'T MUCH,' LAUGHED THE OTHER. 'BUT YOU'RE
RIGHT, IT'S NOT SAFE HERE.'

419
THEIR FOOTSTEPS FADED INTO THE DISTANCE. ENNIO WAS DEAD, HIS
LIFELESS EYES BULGING. THE GLASS OF HIS SPACESUIT WAS
SHATTERED. IN THE REFLECTION OF THE VIEWFINDER, THE
RECEDING SILHOUETTES WERE VISIBLE. IT WAS TOO SAD TO DIE
ALONE AND ABANDONED. THE ONE WHO HAD CAUSED SO MUCH HARM
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE PLANET ZEGANDARIA. HERE, AT LEAST , HIS
BODY COULD FIND REST . FOREVER! THE ALL TOO BANAL DECAY OF A
MAN LIKE HAMMER WAS PERHAPS ALL TOO INSTRUCTIVE, AS THIS
MAN HAD ONCE CONTROLLED THE ENTIRE SKIES OF ZEGANDARIA.
THERE - HIGH IN THE SKY - HE HAD FELT LIKE A GOD. AND NOW , LYING
DOWN ON THE GROUND, HE WAS MUCH CLOSER TO THE WORMS. BUT
THERE WEREN'T EVEN ANY WORMS ON THIS PLANET BECAUSE OF THE
WEATHER CONDITIONS!

THERE WAS A LASTING PEACE ON ZEGANDARIA BECAUSE THE

PLANET WAS BEGINNING ITS NEW LIFE. NOW UNFETTERED BY THE
STRUGGLES OF THE PAST, TRADE HAD INTENSIFIED AND MANY OF THE
FEW SURVIVORS WERE BEGINNING TO REALIZE HOW SMALL A PART
OF THE GALAXY THEY W ERE. THEY CONSIDERED THEIR PLANET TOO
SPECIAL, BUT MANY OTHER RACES CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THEM.
IT GORDON HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM
TURNED OUT THAT
MUCH EARLIER AS WELL. BUT NOW IT WAS DIFFERENT! THE RACES
OF OZ TU NAL, THE FIDDLE PEOPLE (THEIR REAL NAME WAS
ERZONIANS), AND MANY OTHERS WERE THEIR FRIENDS, EVEN
THOUGH THEY WERE AT AN INDESCRIBABLY GREAT DISTANCE FROM
THEIR PLANET . NOW THEY COULD ALL LOOK TO THE STARS IN PEACE.
FOR THEY WERE AT HOME. IT WAS THE TIME OF THE NEW CHILDREN
OF ZEGANDARIA. AS WELL AS ALL THOSE WHO WOULD BE BORN
AFTER THEM. THE TIME OF US ALL!

AS THEY SETTLED THE PROBLEMS OF THEIR HOME PLANET , THEY

DECIDED TO EXPLORE THE SPACE BEYOND THE UNKNOWN
QUADRANT. OF COURSE KENJI, MARK, PAUL, SASIA AND ALL THE
OTHERS WERE LONG GONE AMONG THE LIVING. THEIR DESCENDANTS
DID, AND SO DID THE HEIRS OF THEIR HEIRS. MANY GENERATIONS
CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING THIS HAPPEN. IT WAS NOT WITHOUT
SURPRISE THAT THEY DISCOVERED THAT A WHOLE NEW UNIVERSE

420
BEGAN FROM THERE! APPARENTLY THE UNIVERSAL VOICE HAD BEEN
PROTECTING THEM ALL THIS TIME!

A NEW STORY WAS BEGINNING, THE SUBJECT OF A MORE ELEVATED

CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT THAT IS A STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY.

END

421
 AUTHOR'S NOTES:

1. AN ALLUSION IS MADE THAT THE HEROINE FITS A

LONELY AND QUIET PLACE LIKE THIS.

2. THE WORD DEMON COMES FROM GREEK AND UNTIL

THE 5TH CENTURY B.C. MEANT ONLY ‘GOD’, ‘DEITY’. AN
ALLUSION IS MADE TO DISLAN'S ABILITY TO ESCAPE FROM
ANY TRAPS HIS ADVERSARIES SET.

3. THE GOD THORNUS IS A FICTIONAL GOD OF THE

MYERANIANS. HE APPEARS AS AN UNSPECIFIED
SUPERIOR CREATURE WITH SLIGHTLY HUMAN FEATURES,
BUT MYERANIANS FEATURES, WHICH ARE LARGE EYES
AND FAIR SKIN.

4. THE PARSEC IS APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO 3.26 LIGHT

YEARS.

5. MAGNETARS - NEUTRON STARS WITH MAGNETIC

FIELDS.

6. IMPLOSION - A PROCESS IN WHICH OBJECTS ARE

DESTROYED BY COLLAPSING (OR SQUEEZING) ON
THEMSELVES.

7. MORT - FROM THE ENGLISH, THE WHISTLING OF A

HUNTING HORN THAT HERALDS THE DEATH OF THE
HUNTED ANIMAL.

422
8. A FAMOUS MYERANIAN PROVERB - 'ONLY THE VICTORS
GET ETERNAL PEACE.'

9. RIEN - FROM LATIN NOTHING. AGAIN THE ALLUSION IS

MADE THAT THIS FLOWER TURNS EVERY MATERIAL OR
IMMATERIAL THING INTO NOTHING AND MAKES IT
DISAPPEAR. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT COMES FROM THE
LATIN RES, WHICH MEANS ‘THING, AFFAIR,’ MAKING AN
ALLUSION TO THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS OF THE
PLANET.

10. THE SEBURNAGIAN TYRPHAN, AN ANIMAL OF THE

FAMILY OF THE MARHABEANS. SOMETHING BETWEEN A
LAMB AND A LLAMA. W ITH TASTY MEAT AND A RATHER
NASTY TEMPER.

11. A PLAY ON WORDS - FROM THE GERMAN AUSLÄNDER

MEANING FOREIGNER. HERE IT IS USED IN THE SENSE OF
SOMEONE WHO IS FOREIGN TO SOMETHING.

12. ZERVILON - A NET-LIKE STRUCTURE ENCLOSING A

MASSIVE FLEXIBLE SKELETON OF NANOMATERIAL.
SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A HUGE TENT.

SYNOPSIS:

423
 IN THE VERY DISTANT FUTURE, A FIERCE WAR IS BEING FOUGHT
BETWEEN TWO SUPER -CITY-STATES, ENSARIAN AND IMGRADON, ON THE
PLANET ZEGANDARIA OVER THE RESOURCES ZEGANDARIAN KEVLARITE
AND INTERON FUEL. THE TWO CAMPS BEGIN THE CLASH LIGHTLY AS A JOKE
WITH GOOD INTENTIONS MUCH LIKE CHILDREN, BUT FROM A MINOR DISPUTE
AND LOCAL CONFLICT, IT QUICKLY GROWS AND SPREADS TO THE ENTIRE
PLANET, AND LATER EVEN REACHES UNIVERSAL PROPORTIONS. MANY
OTHER DISTANT PLANETS SUCH AS SEBUR NAG AND OSONIA ARE ALSO
INVOLVED. GRADUALLY, ALL THE RACIAL, MORAL AND RELIGIOUS FAULTS
IN THE VIEWS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE PLANET BECOME APPARENT,
WHO FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON CANNOT COEXIST. TWO BRAVE TEAMS
OF ADVENTURERS RACE AGAINST TIME IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO STOP OR AT
LEAST REDUCE THE HOSTILITIES AND THE NEVER-ENDING FIRE OF HATRED
TO BE EXTINGUISHED.

ALL TOO SOON IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT THE FURTHER HUMANITY'S

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES HAVE GONE, THE FURTHER BEHIND CONCEPTS
LIKE FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE HAVE BEEN LEFT. EVEN NEWBORNS ARE
IMPLANTED WITH MEMORIES SELECTIVELY, ACCORDING TO WHAT THEIR
PARENTS WANT THEM TO BE.

BUT SOMEWHERE DEEP IN THE BOWELS OF THE PLANET LURKS A THIRD

PLAYER. HE SEEMS ALMOST INVISIBLE, BUT HE LARGELY DETERMINES THE
END AND THE DENOUEMENT OF THE WHOLE ARMAGEDDON . LITTLE
PRINCESS MIERU IS ALSO THE MAIN VILLAIN'S DOOM.

THERE'S NO TIME TO WASTE, AND EVERY FEELING IS ALL TOO FLEETING

- MOSTLY UNTIL SOME RANDOM PLASMA BLAST BLOWS YOUR SKULL OFF.
AND DANGER LURKS AROUND EVERY CORNER.

MARK, SASIA, FATHER, RAT, GRANDPA JACK, SAM WALLACE,

RUSSELL, DURNYAM, MIERU, ENNIO HAMMER, SERGEANT ZORIN,
RODRIGO, DUOLORS, BECKY, MEIOR, HILDA, KENJI, NEOLA, KIER ZOH AND
OTHERS REPRESENT THE VARIOUS CHARACTERS AND PERSPECTIVES ON

424
THE WHOLE CHANGED REALITY. NONE OF THEM ARE WHOLLY GOOD OR BAD,
AND SOMETIMES THEY GET TO MAKE SOME PRETTY WEIRD DECISIONS.

AND, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE REDEMPTION MOMENT AT THE END. THE

DIRTY SECRETS OF LABOR COLONY 206 AND THE EVIL DICTATOR ACUSTRO,
WHO HAS IMPRISONED THE GREATEST SCIENTIFIC LUMINARIES ON THE
PLANET, BECOME THE BASIS FOR A NEW BEGINNING. BECAUSE MAYBE
EVERYONE'S BEEN A LITTLE GUILTY OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.

AND THE ENDING IS SLIGHTLY UNEXPECTED. ONLY THE MOST MORAL

SURVIVE, AND THOSE WHO HAVE FOLLOWED THEIR DESTINED PATH ALL
ALONG. AND THE CULPRITS ARE PUNISHED! AND YET SOME OF THEM MAY
BE FORGIVEN! AFTER THE FACT!

425