“As I have said,” Ari-Dun said angrily. “You are a fool, Gar-Wan. I had asked the Queen for clemency, a chance to save the lives of those you claim you care about. When I spoke to her of Sal-Wan-”
“What of Sal-Wan?” Gar-Wan interrupted as he rose quickly from the cot. “Where is she? Is she well?”
Ari-Dun was silent for a moment as he enjoyed watching the anxiety on Gar-Wan’s face. “She is well enough, for the moment,” he said. “As are your children. I spoke to the Queen on their behalf, in memory of the friendship we once shared. She had agreed to allow Sal-Wan and your children to live with me, that I would raise them as my own, but only if you renounce your ideas.”
Gar-Wan felt his blood boil at the thought of Ari-Dun forcing his wife to live with him. He’d seen the way Ari-Dun looked at his wife, but he never imagined him to be capable of such treachery. “You stay away from my family,” Gar-Wan snapped.
“It is such a shame,” Ari-Dun continued. “I will see you at your trial, Gar-Wan.”
“You stay away from my family!” Gar-Wan screamed, running towards the energy shield. The jolt he received was powerful enough to throw him across the cell.
*****
Orlac 552 woke first, momentarily disorientated as he gazed around the small chamber. It didn’t take him long to remember Eve 221’s rescue and the poor way in which they found Adam 359. Orlac 552 looked down at his friend. Adam 359 was sleeping deeply, his chest rising and falling reassuringly.
Orlac 552 drank from the damaged pipe before waking the others. Eve 221 woke with a start, her arms raised ready to defend herself, while Adam 359 took a while to come around, his head still throbbing. “How long have we been asleep?” he asked.
“A little over six hours,” Eve 221 replied, repeating what Merlin was telling her. “They’re still searching for us, but far away from here.”
They each took turns drinking from the broken pipe. They were all hungry, but there was nothing available for them to eat. Adam 359 complained the most, but Orlac 552 wondered if it was only to divert their questions away from the pain in his head. Whenever he thought they weren’t looking, Orlac 552 saw Adam 359 wince and place his hands delicately over the small marks on his temples.
“Where do we go now?” Orlac 552 asked. “We can’t hide in here forever, we’ll starve if nothing else.”
“What happened to the others, from the factory?” Adam 359 asked. “The ones who weren’t sucked out into space?”
Eve 221 waited as Merlin searched the hive’s network for news about the slave riot in the factory. Merlin could still feel the presence of the security system, always close, always watching. Every time he stepped into the hive network it seemed a little faster, a little smarter. He was eager to leave as quickly as possible, but he needed to do as his King asked. Moving as quickly as he dared, he scoured the news channels throughout the hive.
There was surprisingly little to be discovered through the general communication channels, only a vague story about a malfunction on the factory level causing the external doors to open by mistake. The report did say, however, that everyone who was on the factory level at the time of the malfunction died.
Further investigation into the coded transmissions between the senate and the local guard station confirmed what Merlin had feared. A small number of slaves had been brought to the guard command centre for interrogation, while the remainder had already been recycled. The birthing chambers were already increasing their output, ready for Ari-Dun to receive a fresh workforce.
Merlin passed the news onto Eve 221, who reluctantly passed it onto the others. Adam 359 felt his heart sink, a dead weight in the centre of his chest.
“I tried,” he said. “When the guard Commander reappeared, I tried to tell them it was me. He wouldn’t listen, he’d already made up his mind about what he was going to do. First the mine and now the factory, all their deaths are on my hands.”
“It’s not your fault,” Orlac 552 assured him. “You couldn’t know what would happen.”
“I was angry,” Adam 359 continued. “I threw that bowl at the camera because I was angry, and look what came of it? Can you believe they looked to me to lead them after that? All because I couldn’t control my temper.”
“We were all angry,” Orlac 552 replied. “They’d denied us sleep, took away our food. Just because you threw the first bowl, the others were already restless. If it hadn’t been you, then someone else would have started it.”
“Orlac 552’s right,” Eve 221 added. “Their deaths weren’t your fault, but you can learn from what happened. We know now that the other slaves feel just as angry, feel just as oppressed, and they’re ready to rise up if only someone will show them how.”
“Not me,” Adam 359 insisted.
“Why not you?” Eve 221 replied, a hint of anger in her voice. “You’re more qualified than any of us. You had an army stand with you against the Mori, ready to fight at your command. More importantly, Orlac 552 tells me you taught them mercy, honour? What more can a leader show those who follow?”
“A knight should be truthful and honourable, both graceful in defeat and merciful in victory,” Adam 359 muttered to himself.
“Exactly,” Eve 221 said. “You’ve demonstrated all those qualities and more, and you were willing to sacrifice yourself to save others. I, for one, am happy to stand with you.”
“As am I,” Orlac 552 added. “We’ve seen the lengths they’ll go too to keep us down. All they’ve done is show us how far we have to climb.”
“We have to keep fighting, now more than ever,” Eve 221 insisted. “Or all those deaths will have been in vain.”
Adam 359 stood, his legs still weak after his ordeal during the interrogation. The words of his friends gave him strength. They believed in him, despite his failings and despite his weaknesses. He owed it to them, to all of them, to try.
“It doesn’t sound like I have a lot of choice,” he said. “Merlin, get us back to the ship. We’ll need to plan if we’re going to do it right this time.”
*****
Merlin directed them down through the levels, climbing ladders and sliding down narrow chutes. Eve 221 suggested climbing onto one of the nearby lifts, but Merlin was concerned about Adam 359’s coordination in light of his ongoing headaches.
The journey was slow and tiresome, but gradually they made their way back to level five-four-seven where they had docked their scout ship on returning to the hive. As they descended the last ladder, they found themselves in a narrow maintenance tunnel that led to the large open space of the docking ring.
“Which one’s ours?” Orlac 552 asked, pointing to the selection of ships.
Eve 221 listened to Merlin before saying, “That one, over there.”
Adam 359 and Orlac 552 looked out through the bars towards the landing platform where the Mori scout ship stood. Between them and the ship, apart from the metal bars over the end of the tunnel, was two hundred metres or more of empty space. Above and below them they could make out thousands of docking platforms, as far as they could see.
“This is insane,” Orlac 552 said. “Does Merlin think we can all fly or something?”
“There’s a walkway just above us,” Eve 221 explained. “We should be able to climb up onto it and get around to the ship, just like we did on the asteroid.”
“What about guards?” Orlac 552 persisted.
“I’ll distract any guards,” Merlin said, which Eve 221 passed on to the other two.
Orlac 552 looked to Adam 359 for support. “Merlin hasn’t guided us wrong yet,” Adam 359 said. “I think we should trust him.”
“Thank you, my King,” Merlin replied, to which Eve 221 only rolled her eyes.
“He said just get on with it,” Eve 221 remarked.
Orlac 552 grunted before beginning to remove the metal bars from the end of the tunnel, unscrewing them slowly. His worm-like fingers gave him a tight grip, and he made short work of them. Eve 221 stashed them back inside the tunnel, trying to keep the
noise to a minimum.
Once the opening to the tunnel was clear, Merlin triggered his distraction. Working his way through the network, he made his way to anther of the scout ships docked on level five-four seven. Once he was happy that the ship was empty, he overloaded one of the plasma cannons, the explosion and subsequent fire drawing all the guard’s attention. He also managed to turn all the cameras away from the walkway and towards the burning wreckage.
“Now,” Eve 221 said before beginning to climb up out of the tunnel.
The walkway was just as Merlin had described. Once they were halfway out of the tunnel, they could see it directly above them. They pulled themselves up and through the gaps in the supports. Eve 221 went first with Orlac 552 close behind. Once they were both safely on the balcony, Orlac 552 turned and offered Adam 359 his arm as Eve 221 kept watch.
As it turned out, Adam 359 was more than capable of making his own way onto the walkway. He still felt a little unsteady on his feet, but his headache was gradually subsiding and the spots and stars in his vision had all but disappeared.
The commotion from the explosion had drawn all the surrounding guards as well as numerous teams of slaves who were busy spraying a cream coloured foam all over the burning ship. Adam 359 and the others were easily able to creep along the walkway without being spotted, running up the ship’s gangway and out of sight before anyone even knew they were there.
As soon as the gangway had closed behind them, they made their way directly to the galley.
“I’m so hungry,” Orlac 552 said. “Has it been two or three days now since we ate?”
“Don’t ask me,” Adam 359 said. “I slept through most of it.”
Merlin’s hologram appeared just as Eve 221 began pressing buttons on the food dispenser. “I’m so pleased to see you all safe,” he said.
“Thank you, Merlin,” Eve 221 replied. “We couldn’t have found our way back here without you. Have you heard from Gar-Wan?”
Merlin looked thoughtful for a moment. “No, I haven’t,” he said, his brow furrowed. “Let me see what happened at the Senate.”
Merlin’s hologram flickered as he searched through the network, looking for information about Gar-Wan. Unfortunately it didn’t take him long, the news about the trial was being broadcast throughout the hive. “Oh dear, Guinevere, I’m so sorry,” he said. “Sir Gawain is to be tried before the senate tomorrow, he’s been charged with high treason.”
Chapter 12
The Prisoner
Earth Year 6238
“We have to help him,” Eve 221 insisted. “After everything he’s done for us, we owe him.”
“Eve 221’s right,” Adam 359 agreed. “Do you know where he’s being held?”
Merlin’s image flickered as he accessed the network. He cast out copies of himself as before, but he noticed that the security system seemed to ignore them, instead only investigating those copies which lay between it and Merlin. The security system had a line on him, and that made Merlin nervous.
He found details of Gar-Wan’s incarceration within the high security cells on the senate level, normally reserved for only the most dangerous criminals in the hive. Merlin took a moment to examine the cameras around Gar-Wan’s cell, spotting him lying on the cot behind an energy shield.
“I’ve found him,” Merlin said, his holographic form becoming more defined. “He’s on the Senate level, protected by two of the Mori-Gran’s own Imperial Guards.”
“How do we get to him?” Eve 221 asked.
“With great difficulty,” Merlin said honestly. “The only way into the cell block is through the guarded door, there’s no access from the hive ship’s maintenance tunnels.”
“What do you suggest?” Adam 359 asked.
“If you try to free him by force, I can see only a 0.3% chance of success,” Merlin replied. “The Imperial Guard are the most highly skilled soldiers on the hive, and there’s a small army of regular soldiers on the senate level to contend with.”
“We can’t just leave him,” Eve 221 said anxiously.
“I’m sorry, my Queen,” Merlin told her. “I can see no other way.”
Adam 359 saw the anguish on Eve 221’s face as her eyes began to water. It made his chest feel tight and gave him an urgent need to help her. “Please, Merlin,” he said. “Put the plans for the senate level on the screen.”
Merlin did as he was asked, and the four of them spent the next five minutes scrutinising them, zooming in on various sections.
“Merlin’s right,” Orlac 552 said at last. “The only way in is through the door to the cell block, which we know will be heavily guarded.”
“Please-” Eve 221 began until she was interrupted.
“It’ll be heavily guarded,” Orlac 552 said again, louder than before. “But what if we stop thinking like soldiers and start thinking like what we are? Slaves. How would a slave get access to the cell block?”
Orlac 552 spent the next few moments explaining his plan, the smile on Eve 221’s face widening with every word. “You always were a little deceitful,” Merlin said with a grin.
“Are you sure you can do this on your own?” Adam 359 asked.
“It’s the only way for the plan to work,” Eve 221 replied.
“So what will we do?” Orlac 552 asked. “While you’re out there, risking your life.”
“Us?” Adam 359 replied. “We’re building an army.”
*****
Eve 221 snuck out of one of the rear escape hatches and moved stealthily through the shadows until she was out of the hangar bay. She was slight, and the guard’s attention was still intermittently on the ruins of the scout ship, which still sparked and smoked. She was still wearing the green of a house slave, and once she was back within the corridors of the hive ship, no one paid her a second glance.
Once the others had discussed Adam 359’s plan, Merlin suggested they try to get some rest. “You’ll need it, before we begin,” Merlin said. “And besides, it’ll take Guinevere some time to reach the senate level.”
“We’re really doing this, then?” Orlac 552 asked.
“We are,” Adam 359 replied. “We’re going to free the slaves, or die trying.”
“I’m not too keen on the second part,” Orlac 552 said with a smile.
“Fear not, Sir Lancelot,” Merlin smirked. “You’ve returned from the dead once already!” If Merlin was joking, neither of them found it amusing.
Though they each retired to their cabins, neither of them managed any sleep. Adam 359 lay with his eyes closed on the small bunk, but every time his mind drifted it went to images of Eve 221, captured or killed by the Imperial Guard.
Merlin talked Eve 221 through the hive, up in the lift and as close as she could get to the Senate level without drawing attention. From there, she accessed a small hatch and climbed through into the maintenance tunnels. She made good time, climbing ladders and even riding atop one of the many lifts until she finally found herself where she wanted to be. When she climbed through the duct into one of the supply lockers, Merlin informed her that she had a little over two hours until Gar-Wan’s trial.
*****
“It’s almost time, Arthur,” Merlin said. “You should make ready.”
Adam 359 stood, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. He emerged from his cabin and walked through the circular corridor towards the galley, where Orlac 552 was already waiting for him.
“I see you didn’t sleep much either,” Orlac 552 said.
“No,” Adam 359 said wearily. “How’s she doing, Merlin?”
“Everything is going according to plan,” Merlin replied. “Eat something while you can.”
Adam 359 accessed the food dispenser, handing Orlac 552 a bowl of the gelatinous gloop and helping himself to a meat stew which was as bland and unappetising as normal. He managed two mouthfuls before he gave up, the knot in his stomach twisting and turning with every bite.
Orlac 552 was similarly troubled, moving the contents of his bowl around wit
hout eating any of it. Lifting his head, he looked Adam 359 in the eye. “If this doesn’t work,” Orlac 552 said. “If I don’t make it, I just want you to know…”
Orlac 552 couldn’t finish his thought, the pain of realisation too great. “Same here,” Adam 359 said after a moment of contemplative silence. “If you wanted to turn around and go back to the hive, I’d understand you know?”
“After seeing Ma’Han with my own eyes?” Orlac 552 replied, his voice tinged with anger. “No. They deserve to pay for what they did.”
Adam 359 nodded. “I’ve thought about it, about quitting,” he said. “But it’s all just so wrong. Humans, Dorgans, we deserve to be free. Someone has to make a stand, so why shouldn’t it be me? Why shouldn’t it be us?”
“This is your destiny, Arthur,” Merlin said. “I understand your fear and apprehension, but the time has come to put them aside. The plan is in motion, and you owe it to your people to lead this fight.”
“Thank you, Merlin,” Adam 359 said. “I hope I make you proud.”
“You already have, my King,” Merlin replied.
Adam 359 and Orlac 552 stepped from the galley and opened the small armoury locker beside the gangway. They fastened chest plates and back plates onto each other, as well as leg guards and wrist guards. They didn’t have any of the helmets worn by the Imperial Guard, but they were more protected than most of the guards on the hive ship.
Orlac 552 took a plasma rifle and hooked it onto the magnetic strip on his back plate. Everything was a little too big for him, especially around the waist, but he tightened the straps and supports as much as he could. He made a noise when he walked, a creaking clattering sound, but better that he thought than being unprotected against plasma fire.
Adam 359 clipped a plasma pistol onto his left hip before gripping the hilt of Excalibur in his right hand. It felt different for some reason, stronger and more powerful than before. It still hummed as it had done every time he held it, but he felt more sure of it in his hand. After one practice swing, he clipped it onto the magnetic strip on his back plate and stepped into the cockpit.
X-Calibur: The Return Page 14