The Cyber Chronicles VIII - Scorpion Lord (28 page)

"Where is
he?"

"Lair
Nine."

"What's the
problem?"

"He did not
say, My Lord."

Fairen swung
away. "Read me the message."

Shrain
consulted his com-link. "Overlord Fairen, I require your assistance
urgently on Lair Nine. Sabre."

"Urgently?"

"Yes, My
Lord."

"How long
before translocation?"

Shrain
consulted the com-link again. "One minute, My Lord."

"Hurry it
up."

"It cannot be
hurried up, My Lord."

Fairen sighed
and sat on his throne. "I know, Shrain."

"Thirty
seconds to translocation, My Lord."

Fairen glanced
at the screens again. "He doesn't know it, but Sabre just saved
about five million people."

"You could
always come back and finish the job, My Lord."

"They'll
evacuate the soldiers. Now the balance of power is skew." Fairen
shrugged. "No matter."

"Translocating... now."

Chapter Fifteen

Estrelle
joined Martis in the bridge doorway, staring at the fiery lines
that caged the ship. Martis put an arm around her, and she leant
against him, shivering. Striker was still in full deceleration
burn, the white-hot flames that sprouted from the bow mingling with
the barrage of deadly light that filled the screens.

"We're going
to die, aren't we?" she asked.

"No," Sabre
said, "Fairen's coming."

"Overlords
don't come when one man calls them."

The cyber
smiled. "Wait till you see what happens when he arrives. It's quite
spectacular."

"It'll take
him hours, if he's far away."

"Overlords
translocate. He'll be here in a few minutes."

A bang made
Estrelle and Martis jump, and Kole swore. "Those damned enforcers
are taking pot shots at us too now."

"They're
trying to damage our engines, that's all," Sabre said.

"Great, then
we'll be adrift in a crippled ship."

"That's the
idea."

"Your Overlord
had better hurry up then, because... Bloody hell!"

A blinding
flash of white light filled the screens as vast, blood-red ship
shimmered into being off the port bow. Massive curved arms and a
needle-pointed tail glinted in the starlight. The smugglers ceased
firing and turned to run, and the blue laser light from behind died
away at the same time. Estrelle gaped at the enormous ship that
blocked out half the planet, tiny lights shimmering on its hull.
Lines of green fire streamed from its arms as they began to extend
and spread. It lashed out in a web of scintillating green light
that latched onto most of the smuggler ships and disappeared behind
them as it trapped the enforcers, too. One tongue of fire licked
over Striker, and the ship shuddered, coming to an abrupt halt that
made Estrelle and Martis stumble into the back of Kole's chair
despite the anti-inertia field.

"That's it,"
Sabre said. "All fighting stopped. Fairen has arrived."

Kole gaped at
him. "That's Overlord Fairen."

"Yup. And it
took him all of five seconds to stop everyone."

"That's the
Scorpion Ship."

"Yeah,
Kole."

"The Red
Death."

Sabre nodded.
"That's right."

"Unable to
complete orbit docking," Striker crooned. "Grappler field
detected."

"Engines
offline, Striker," Kole said, unable to tear his eyes from the
crimson ship.

"Engines,
offline."

A thin beam of
red light shot from the Scorpion Ship and vanished behind them.

"He's talking
to the enforcers,” Sabre explained. “Then he might talk to the
smugglers, but I doubt it."

"Laser
communications," Kole said. "No eavesdropping."

A minute
passed, then the filament of green light that held Striker
vanished, and the red beam flicked across to touch the ship's bow.
A husky female voice said, "Striker, you have permission to dock
with the Scorpion Ship. Berth five."

"Bugger me,"
Kole said.

Sabre ordered,
"Striker, approach the Scorpion Ship and dock in berth five."

Striker moved
towards the Red Death, which loomed over and around them like a
floating city, blotting out the planet and the sun as they
approached its belly. A port opened ahead, marked with the number
they required, and Striker headed for it. Kole peered out at the
scarred, ancient hull as it moved past.

"Just how big
is this thing?"

"One hundred
and forty kilometres long and ninety-eight kilometres wide, a
hundred and fifteen when its arms are spread. The gun in the tail
is a particle plasma cannon. It destroys planets."

"I've never
heard of a ship being allowed to dock with an Overlord before."

Striker
drifted into a cathedral-like docking berth, and the doors rumbled
shut behind them. Lights flicked on all around as the ship floated
down onto the expanse of scarred floor, settling on its landing
legs.

"I feel like a
fly that just flew up a horse's arse," Kole muttered.

Estrelle
whispered, "What are we waiting for?"

"The dock is
filling with air, then we wait for permission to disembark," Sabre
replied.

A door opened
in the dock wall ahead, and Sabre recognised Commander Shrain as he
approached the ship, gesturing. Sabre rose and went through to the
corridor.

"Striker, open
outer door."

"Atmosphere,
detected. Door, opening."

Kole followed.
"Are we allowed to come?"

"I don't know.
I'll ask."

The door sank
in and slid aside, and a set of steps opened to the ground, where
Shrain stood. Sabre descended to stop in front of him, and the
commander inclined his head.

"Sabre.
Welcome."

"Commander
Shrain. It's good to see you again. I trust Fairen didn't cut off
any of the ship's arms to get here this time?"

"Overlord
Fairen did not, sir."

"Good."

"Overlord
Fairen will see you now."

"And my
companions?" Sabre asked.

"If you wish,
sir. No weapons."

"Of course."
Sabre stripped off his harness and drew his lasers, tossing them to
Martis, who stowed them aboard the ship. Kole pulled a laser pistol
from his trouser pocket and put it on a table, then preceded the
others down the steps to Sabre's side. Shrain led the way into a
corridor, four guards falling in behind the group. Kole looked back
at them with raised brows.

"I thought you
were his friend?" he asked Sabre.

"No one enters
the presence of an Overlord without his men being there, and he
doesn't know you."

"But we're
your friends. Surely the friends of his friend are his friends
too?"

Sabre said,
"That's a stretch, so no, don't assume that."

"You're making
me nervous."

Estrelle tried
to slip her hand into Sabre's, but he shook her off with a frown,
and she clung to Martis instead. Shrain led them through what
seemed like, and probably was, kilometres of immaculate black,
velvet-floored corridors. They passed hundreds of doorways with
glowing crimson frames and travelled up for some distance in a
lift. The true vastness of the Scorpion Ship was only appreciated
when one had to walk through it, Sabre mused. At last they entered
an area he recognised, where expressionless soldiers guarded the
doors. Shrain entered one and stepped aside, gesturing for them to
precede him. Sabre walked across the echoing vastness of the
chamber from where Fairen commanded the ship. Four massive circular
screens gave a view of the flotilla of smuggler ships and six
enforcer battle cruisers trapped by the Scorpion Ship's
grapplers.

Six enforcer
officers were lined up on one side, and a pair of scruffy smugglers
stood next to the door, guards surrounding them. Sabre approached
the dais where a black-garbed figure, his face hidden by a veiled
hood, sat on the black throne.

The cyber
smiled and bowed. "Overlord Fairen. Thank you for coming."

"I keep my
word," Fairen's deep, sexless voice said. "Myon Two has
transgressed once more. There will be consequences."

"Whatever you
decide to do to them, it won't be enough."

Fairen rose
and strolled to the edge of the dais, his gloved hands clasped
before him. "Perhaps I will let you choose their punishment."

"That would
be... dangerous, for them."

Fairen raised
a hand and beckoned to the enforcers. "Approach."

The officers
obeyed, their faces stiff with well-concealed trepidation, and
bowed low. Fairen folded his hands again and contemplated them.

"Why were you
engaged in a conflict with the residents of Lair Nine?"

The officer
nearest to him said, "We were following the fugitive ship, Striker.
The smugglers fired on us first."

Fairen tilted
his head. "Don't make me drag it out of you bit by bit, Commander,
I'm not that patient."

The officer
raised his chin. "Two fugitives from Myon Two were aboard the ship
Striker. They're traitors, condemned to life imprisonment."

"For what
crime?"

"Theft of
Cybercorp property."

"What did they
steal?"

"A cyber."

"No one can
steal a cyber, Commander," Fairen said.

"They're
Cybercorp technicians, My Lord, they can."

"Ah. I am
unversed in the intricacies of Cybercorp management. So where is
this cyber they stole?"

The officer
glanced at Sabre. "He stands before you, My Lord."

"Does he,
indeed?" Fairen turned to Sabre. "Are you a cyber belonging to Myon
Two, whom these two technicians stole?"

"No, My Lord.
I'm a free man Cybercorp kidnapped and tortured for seven days.
These two technicians helped me to escape to Eden Five, where my
friend, owner of the ship Striker, came to help me return home.
When we left Eden Five, the enforcers pursued us and tried to board
us in a corridor."

Fairen
inclined his head. "This is the truth." He faced the enforcer
officer again. "And you also speak the truth, as you know it. But
Myon Two duped you, Commander. This is Sabre, whose control unit is
registered to me. He does not belong to Cybercorp, and he is no
longer to be considered a cyber. I have forbidden Myon Two to
pursue him, and they have disobeyed me."

Fairen swung
away, raising a hand to beckon to the smugglers. The men sidled
closer, eyes darting, to bow before him.

"What have you
to say, as the residents of Lair Nine, and the rivals of the
enforcers in this conflict?" Fairen asked.

The larger man
glared at the enforcer officers. "They came out of the corridor,
and we defended ourselves, My Lord."

"Did they
attack you?"

"No, we didn't
give them a chance."

Fairen nodded.
"You fired first."

"Yeah, but
they're enforcers, and they were chasing a ship."

"Were they
firing on the ship?"

The man
shifted. "Not right then, no."

"But you knew
they would?"

"Why else
would they be chasing it?"

"Indeed."
Fairen tilted his head. "So you fired on them because they were
enforcers, since you didn't know the ship they were chasing. It
wasn't a smuggler vessel."

"Yeah, that's
right. They're scum."

"The
enforcers."

"Yeah. My
Lord."

Fairen turned
away. "You are criminals, and therefore prone to violence. I
decline to judge you. You may return to your ships." He nodded to
Shrain. "Release the smugglers."

Commander
Shrain muttered into his com-link, and the lines of green fire that
trapped the smuggler ships vanished as the crooks were escorted
out. Fairen returned to his throne and sank down on it, addressing
the enforcer officers.

"You are not
knowingly guilty, but you should not be ignorant. All should know
an Overlord's decree. It is public record." Fairen turned his head
towards Commander Shrain. "Keep the enforcers grappled, and set
course for Myon Two. Accommodate these gentlemen for the
journey."

The officers
were escorted out, and Fairen turned to Sabre. "Introduce your
friends."

The cyber
indicated the tall blond hacker. "Kole Arvan, who helped me escape
from Ferrinon Four after Tassin first found me."

"A good
friend?"

"An irritating
one, but his heart is good."

Fairen
inclined his head. "Welcome, Kole Arvan."

Kole bowed.
"My Lord."

Sabre gestured
to Estrelle. "Control Unit Technician Estrelle, who freed me from
Myon Two and helped me to escape."

Estrelle
bobbed and mumbled.

Sabre glanced
at Martis. "Host Technician Martis, who aided her."

Martis flushed
and bowed, looking nervous.

Fairen said,
"You are to be commended, Estrelle and Martis. Why did you choose
to free Sabre?"

Estrelle
nudged Martis, who cleared his throat. "He's... They were hurting
him, My Lord. Um... burning him. We couldn't stand by and do
nothing. He's not under cyber control. I - we... They were going to
damage his brain with drugs, so he'd be compliant."

"Who planned
to do this?"

"Ah, um, Host
Research Department Head Jorran Draval."

"He is a dead
man." The distorter did not completely disguise the anger in
Fairen's voice, and Sabre stepped forward.

"May we speak
in private, My Lord?"

Fairen
addressed Shrain. "See to it that Sabre's companions are
accommodated comfortably."

Shrain
beckoned to the trio, whose members cast Sabre anxious looks before
they followed him. Fairen rose and stepped down from the dais,
crossing the chamber to vanish through a side door. When Sabre
followed, he found himself in Fairen's private lounge, with its
white furniture, back-lighted crimson curtains and black walls and
floor. Fairen stood by the drinks counter. He pulled off the veiled
hood when Sabre entered, turning to face him.