The Recreated descended implacably on the homeworld Golgotha from one direction, while the Shub fleet closed in from another. The two great boogeymen of human history had finally come calling, and the barricades stood largely unmanned. The ragged remains of the Imperial Fleet were scattered across the Empire, fighting doggedly against impossible odds, while great armies fought to the death on the worlds below, no quarter asked or given. Ghost Warriors, Furies, Grendels, and insect aliens stormed Humanity's last redoubts, where men, women, and children fought with desperate courage for their species' survival. Humanity might be going down, but it was going down fighting.
The nano plague was everywhere now, springing up on planet after planet. There were quarantines and forbidden zones and draconian health regulations, and none of them did a damned bit of good. There were no warning signs, no anticipatory symptoms; nothing that could be guarded against or fought. Infected people watched in horror as their bodies suddenly mutated and transformed, their genetic code being rewritten from the inside. Grotesque and awful shapes lurched through the streets of human cities, killing and feeding and pleading for help, before they finally succumbed to the inevitable final stage of the plague: meltdown. Many tried suicide, or called for mercy killings, but the nanotech within them remorselessly kept them alive until the final nightmarish end. Great gray rivers of undifferentiated goo swept slowly through silent and deserted human cities.
Shub had always understood the effectiveness of terror weapons.
There was mass rioting everywhere, as law and order and social structures broke down. Looting became epidemic as supplies grew scarce, and distribution became increasingly haphazard, and people grew tired of queuing for hours outside stores with mostly empty shelves. Panic spread faster than the plague. Religious crazies came bursting out of the woodwork, like rats joining a sinking ship, prophesying doom and destruction and the end of all things. According to them, all kinds of Messiahs were on their way, but somehow always tomorrow, never today.
The revealing of Shub agents in high positions had only boosted the already general air of paranoia. People no longer trusted one another, even when it was clearly vital that they had to work together for survival. All it took was a shouted accusation, and a mob could form in seconds, chasing suspected Shub agents to their deaths. Guards patrolled the streets in large groups, backed by merciless laws and powers of a type not seen since Lionstone's last days. They maintained a kind of peace, even if it was often only the peace of the newly dead.
The media ran little but news channels, often twenty-four hours a day. The public was desperate for information, and even bad news was better than the nightmares their imaginations conjured up when there was no news. Live broadcasting dominated, mostly because things were happening too fast now for reflection or in-depth study. The only ray of hope left in the Empire was the forthcoming Royal Wedding on Golgotha. Parliament made sure the preparations got extensive coverage. It was the only thing left that still distracted people.
The public had lost its faith in heroes. Jack Random had gone crazy, Owen Deathstalker and Hazel d'Ark were missing, presumed dead, and no one had ever trusted Ruby Journey anyway. And the one they'd loved the most, the daredevil esper hero Julian Skye, had died in a suicide pact with his love BB Chojiro. His holo show was still popular, though. Fans held candlelight vigils outside his old Family house, declaring fervently that their hero would return to save them all, just when things seemed darkest. Some legends never run out of steam.
The hunt was still on for Daniel Wolfe, the nano carrier; Public Enemy Number One. There was no trace of him anywhere, which should have been impossible. No human on any world would aid or hide him now, for any amount of money. People would burn down the houses of anyone even suspected of hiding him. But those few cool heads remaining remembered Shub's teleport facilities. Daniel Wolfe could be anywhere. Anywhere at all.
When the second and traitorous Half a Man murdered General Beckett, and blew up his flagship, that effectively put an end to the Imperial Navy as a single force. Both Army and Navy had respected Beckett, and followed wherever he led. Now, any number of officers were competing for the vital position, and factions tore what was left of the Fleet apart, producing only confusion and anarchy. There was no overall game plan anymore. Increasingly now, each planet and each ship fought alone, protecting its own. Parliament issued increasingly hysterical orders, and was ignored by everyone. Now Golgotha stood alone, the homeworld of Humanity left effectively unprotected while Shub and the Recreated raced to see which would get there first.
Maybe it was the end of all things, after all.
Jack Random was on the run, but he was used to that. He took advantage of the general chaos, hiding himself in the din with the ease of long practice. No one noticed one more hooded wanderer in the crowded streets, and anyone who made the mistake of trying to mug him found himself staring down the barrel of an energy gun. But mostly no one bothered him. Others had their own problems.
He'd tried hunting down old friends and allies, appearing at back doors at unexpected hours, looking for support, or a place to go to ground, or even a handful of credits for a hot meal, but no one would see him, let alone talk to him. By now everyone had heard what he'd done. He had put himself beyond the pale, and all hands were turned against him. Truth be told, he took a kind of cold satisfaction from that. It felt good, not having to live up to other people's expectations anymore. He was his own man now, unfettered and uncompromising, free to do whatever he considered to be the right thing, and to hell with everyone else.
He was currently sleeping on the cold, hard concrete floor of one of his weapons caches, wrapped in a cloak and his own bitter satisfaction. He'd never trusted peace to endure, and he'd been right. He'd left caches of weapons and supplies all over the Parade of the Endless, just in case he might need them again someday. In fact, the city contained enough hidden guns and explosives and other useful items for him to fight a very long war, if need be. He smiled at the thought, lying stiffly on the hard floor, and watched his breath steam on the air before him. The lockup garage he was currently calling home was both secret and secure, but it was completely lacking in comforts, most definitely including any form of heating. Winter had come early to Golgotha, as if things weren't bad enough, and the nights were bitterly cold. And all Random had was his cloak and his rage to keep him warm. But Jack Random had put up with worse in the past, in his long fight for honor and revenge.
He sat up slowly, wincing, and wondered why, if he was a Maze-enhanced and rejuvenated superbeing, he still woke up most mornings feeling like someone had just dug him up, and then hit him over the head with the shovel. He hawked and spat, coughed for just a little longer than was comfortable, and then washed out his mouth with what was left of the last night's alcohol. Booze was cheaper than clean water at the moment, and easier to find. Even if it did taste like battery acid. There was a worm at the bottom of the bottle, and he chewed it noisily. All he had for breakfast was a few protein cubes in the emergency locker, and he didn't feel up to facing them just yet. Instead, he rose slowly to his feet and then forced himself through a series of exercises, until his body was running smoothly again. He strapped on his gun and sword, and searched through the boxes of supplies for a bandolier of grenades. He was only partway down his list of crooked politicians, and he was looking forward to hunting them down one by one. The last thing on his mind was the previous Empress, Lionstone XIV, also known as the Iron Bitch, so he was more than a little surprised when he suddenly heard her voice speaking in his head.
Hello, Jack. It's been a while since we last talked, hasn't it?
"Indeed it has," said Random, looking vaguely about him, even though he realized the voice was coming through his comm implant. "How the hell did you find me? And my private comm channel, for that matter?"
I'm with Shub now. Nothing is hidden from us. We have agents everywhere.
"Nice try, but no. If you could locate me that easily, you'd have
sent somebody to kill me by now."
Why should we want to kill you, Jack, when you're doing such a wonderful job of spreading dread and despondency among your fellow humans? But as it happens, you're quite right; you've hidden yourself very well. But you gave yourself away when you entered the undermind. That place is a mystery to us; we can see into it only dimly, and there are things there we dare not look at. But when you and the others of your kind appeared in the undermind, you shone like suns. And when you left, you left a trail we were able to follow. So; we thought we'd have this little chat. You don't mind, do you?
"What could we possibly have to talk about?" said Random flatly.
You're an official Enemy of Humanity now, Jack, just like us. And after all you did for them. But then, you never really fitted in with the common crowd, any more than I did. We were both leaders, both had a vision of the Empire and what it should be, and we both saw that vision betrayed by those with smaller minds. You don't owe the people anything anymore, Jack. They weren't worthy of you. You put your life on the line for them, over and over again, helped them set up their own government, only to see your great dream disappear in the face of petty self-interests. I could have told you, Jack. People are just no damned good. They'll always need someone to do their thinking for them. To dream the dreams they are not capable of.
"Get to the point, Lionstone."
Very well. I propose an alliance. A limited partnership, between you and I, to achieve certain specific goals. Nothing to do with the war, of course. We will help you to stay free and unobserved, supply you with whatever you need, and in return you will perform certain missions for us. Nothing that will outrage your precious sensibilities, I assure you. Be honest, Jack; you know you have more in common with us than you do with the pathetic creatures currently pretending to run things. They betrayed the Empire much more than you and I ever did. I would never have let things fall apart like this.
"So," Random said slowly, "the enemy of my enemy is now my friend, or at least my ally. Nothing new there. I made equally repellent deals and agreements in the past, to sustain my rebellion against you. How time makes fools of us all. What is it exactly that you want from me, Lionstone?"
We need something that only you can get for us. In return, we'll make it easier for you to continue with your chosen mission. What could be simpler?
"And if I say no?"
That would be very foolish, Jack. We can reach Ruby Journey through the undermind too, if we have to. It would be simplicity itself to contact her and tell her where you are. In return for her helping us get what we need. I think she'd go along with a deal like that, don't you?
"Yeah," said Random. "I think she probably would. Tell me more about what it is you want."
Some time back, workmen performing everyday maintenance in the depths of my subterranean Palace stumbled across something interesting. A hidden crypt; hidden so well in fact, that no one had disturbed it in over nine hundred years. The workmen stopped what they were doing immediately, and contacted my security people, who drew the matter to my attention. I was fascinated. The Empire of those far-off days was far more technically advanced, in ways long lost to us. Such knowledge is worth more than armies, and I wanted it. So I had the workmen executed, to be sure the secret stayed secret, and a few of my security people too, just to keep the others on their toes, and then I went down into the depths of my Palace, to see these wonders for myself.
Unfortunately, much of it was so advanced as to be meaningless to me. I was no scientist. But I did find much of interest, including a stasis chamber, with clear instructions on how to lower the field. And when I did, who should I find sleeping there but the man you knew as Dram, the Widowmaker. We struck a deal. In return for helping my scientists unravel the mysteries of the past, he would become my right-hand man. Of course, you know how well that turned out. So; after Dram died on the Wolfling World, I had the crypt sealed away behind stasis fields of my own, and a few new booby traps of my own devising. I couldn't trust my scientists with it, without Dram looking over their shoulders. And if I couldn't have the past's technology, I couldn't see why anyone else should.
Anyway; Shub has decided that it wants that old tech. The AIs have an endless thirst for knowledge. And you are one of the very few people who might be able to get into the crypt. Without my body, I can't shut down the booby traps or the stasis field. And Shub can't teleport past a stasis field. But with my coaching, you should have little real trouble gaining access to the crypt, and the treasures it holds.
"And what do you get out of this?" said Random. "A chance to clone yourself another Dram?"
I think not, said Lionstone. I've moved beyond such things. I'm a part of Shub now, and I want what the AIs want.
"All right," said Random. "It all seems straightforward enough. But if it should turn out that any of the tech we find could be of use to me, in my mission, I want my share. I also want a guarantee that you'll keep Ruby off my back."
Of course. Would you like her killed?
"No! Not that you could anyway, but… Ruby is my business. To deal with as I see fit. No; just make sure she can't find me. You can do that, can't you?"
Of course. Your terms are quite satisfactory. We are now partners. If this business goes well, we can discuss further deals and relationships later. Shub is the inevitable victor of this war, Jack. Humanity cannot hope to stand against so many foes. Join with us. Become as I have, free from the restrictions of mere flesh. There is power and glory here, Jack, beyond your wildest dreams.
"Why me? What makes me so special to Shub?"
Your powers. Your abilities. They fascinate the AIs. Come and join us. Jack. You'll have to give up your humanity, but you really won't miss it much. It's such a small thing, in the real scale of things.
Random sniffed. "Let's see how this deal with the Devil works out first. When do you propose to teleport me to the crypt?"
No time like the present, said Lionstone.
And in a moment. Jack Random was gone, and the lockup garage stood still and silent and quite empty.
Ruby Journey stood leaning with her back to the door of the lockup garage, looking inconspicuously about her. She was wearing her old dark leathers and white furs, her sword and her gun, and looked every inch the bounty hunter and professional killer she had once been. Nobody bothered her. This was an area where people minded their own business, if they knew what was good for them. Much like all the other districts Ruby's search had led her through, as she checked one possible bolt-hole after another. Jack Random had gone to great lengths to hide behind any number of cutouts, false names, and carefully faked corporate identities. The city guard could have searched for years, and found nothing but blind alleys, false leads, and expertly laid trails that only disappeared into a tangle of dead ends. Jack Random knew everything there was to know about being on the run. But Ruby Journey knew all there was to know about being a bounty hunter, and chasing fugitives was second nature to her. And it helped a lot when she knew how her prey thought.
In some respects, the trail had almost been too easy to uncover. As though Jack had wanted her to find him. Perhaps he did. The mind can work in funny ways when you're on the run. The urge to turn and face your pursuer, and get it over with, can be almost overwhelming. It didn't matter. She would find him, and kill him, and that would be that. Ruby Journey had known many ups and downs in her long career as a bounty hunter, but she'd never once failed to deliver on a commission, once she'd accepted it. It was all Random's fault anyway. She didn't give a damn how many people he killed, or why, but by cutting all his ties to Parliament, he'd threatened her hard-won security, and she wouldn't, couldn't, let him endanger that. She'd been a rebel, fought the good fight, and won. As a victor, she was entitled to the spoils. And though her new life might not be everything she'd hoped, it beat the hell out of starving on Mistworld. She couldn't, wouldn't, go back to what she used to be. Not for anything, or anyone.
She turned and studied the anon
ymous lockup door. Solid steel, maybe an inch thick. A lock that would take hours of skill and patience to crack. Just like all the others. They hadn't kept her out either. She let her fingertips trail across the smooth, cold steel. Jack might be in there, or he might not. Once, she would have known, deep down in her mind, in her soul. But her marvelous Maze powers wouldn't work where Jack Random was concerned, anymore. It was the same with all the Maze people. They canceled out each other's powers when they came into conflict; as though the Madness Maze had placed restrictions deep within them, so they couldn't use their powers against each other. Just thinking about Jack as her enemy, her prey, was enough to take away all Ruby's more than human strength and abilities. So she concentrated on the locked door before her, letting it fill her mind. Inhuman strength blazed in her muscles again, and she smiled her old wolfish smile.
She struck out at the door with her fist, almost casually, and the metal dented deeply under the impact. Ruby's smile widened, and she hit the door again and again, until it buckled under the relentless attack, tearing away from its hinges and the impressive lock. She gripped the edge of the door with her unbruised hands, and ripped it away amid a harsh squeal of rending metal.
Ruby threw the door aside and surged forward into the dark interior of the lockup, disrupter in hand, and then moved quickly to one side, so she wouldn't be silhouetted against the outside light. No point in making an easy target of herself. She stood very still in the concealing gloom, barely breathing, listening. There was someone else in the lockup. She could feel it. Whoever it was, he was good. She couldn't see or hear a thing. But she could tell. Which suggested it wasn't Jack Random. She reached out for the light switch by the door, and hit it. Bright light filled the lockup, blindingly bright for normal eyes, but Ruby's vision adjusted in an eye-blink. There were weapons, basic provisions, and more explosives than Ruby felt comfortable about sharing a confined space with, but no trace of Jack or anyone else. The lockup garage was entirely deserted. Except she knew it wasn't. She concentrated, reaching out with her mind, and almost immediately she became aware of a presence, ahead of her, just to her right. She aimed her disrupter carefully, and showed her teeth in a smile that had no humor in it.
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