The Cyber Chronicles V - Overlord

by T C Southwell

  Tassin nodded. "Of course."

  For a long time after the door closed behind him, she stared at it, thinking about what she would have to do to enlist the cyber's aid. Tears stung her eyes at the prospect, and the sacrifice Sabre was prepared to make for her. It proved that his feelings for her still lived beneath Trina's control, strong enough to make him force those words out. In order to make the cyber try to take control, her life would have to be in danger. Then Sabre would step aside and allow it to gain the upper hand to save her as he knew only it could now. Trina was in for a nasty surprise.

  Chapter Twenty

  Two hours after Sabre left, Tassin went in search of Trina, her mind made up. She had spent the time trying to think of another way out of the situation, reluctant to put Sabre through the ordeal of cyber control again, but had failed. There was no other way.

  Tassin found Trina relaxing in the dining room, surrounded by her fawning entourage, who vied for her attention like love sick schoolboys. All except Sabre, who frowned into a cup of coffee.

  Trina glared at Tassin. "What do you want?"

  "I want you to release Sabre and Tarl. Give Pryan back his ship, and let him go too. What you're doing to them is wrong."

  Trina snorted. "You think you can make demands? I have control, not you."

  "In fact, you can let Kernan and Kaylar go as well, while you're at it."

  "Go back to your cabin, or I'll have you thrown in the brig."

  Tassin leant against the edge of the door, her heart pounding. "No."

  "You'll do as I say!"

  Kernan stood up. "Go to your cabin, Tassin."

  She shook her head. "You know what she's doing is wrong. You've been with her the longest; surely you've found a way to defy her control since she made you kill Riana?"

  He winced. "We don't want to hurt you, any more than I wanted to hurt Riana, but she wouldn't obey Trina either."

  "Is that a threat?"

  "If it will make you do as she tells you."

  "I don't think she's going to let me go, anyway. I might tell people about her. Someone might decide to stop her reign of terror. She can't risk it. She's going to make you kill me too." Tassin glared at Trina. "You should have left her with the sand runners. I wish I hadn't saved her now."

  "You didn't!" Trina said. "Sabre did!"

  "It was my idea, but yes, we couldn't have pulled it off without Sabre, and for his reward, you enslave him."

  "I love him!"

  "This isn't love," Tassin said. "You don't know what love is, but it certainly isn't this."

  "I know all about love. My mother taught me! You do as you're told, and you get loved, you disobey, and you get killed."

  Tassin shook her head, quelling a spurt of pity. "That's slavery. That's what your mother was, a slave, and you know it."

  "Yes, she was a slave, and she taught me how to get what I want. Only I'm better at it than she ever was. She used her beauty; it made men do what she wanted, but when it faded, so did her power. Mine never will!"

  "Let them go."

  The girl's scowl deepened. "Kernan, get rid of her."

  He nodded. "I'll lock her in her cabin. She won't upset you again, sweetheart."

  "No! I said get rid of her!"

  He almost cowered, bowing his head. "No, please."

  "Do it!"

  Kernan headed for Tassin, who drew the dagger from her belt and brandished it. He smashed it from her hand with a brutal blow, making her yelp. She fought the urge to run. He must attack her in Sabre's presence. She noticed Trina shoot the cyber a calculating glance. Kernan grabbed her wrist and tried to drag her out. She struggled, kicking his shins. He swore and twisted her arm behind her back so she could not kick him, and she gasped in pain. Several red lights flashed on Sabre's brow band, and Tassin decided that the time had come. She had to spark the cyber's takeover before Kernan thought to silence her.

  "Cyber! Protect me! I order you!"

  The control unit sparkled with red lights, and Sabre stiffened. His face twisted and his hands flashed up to grip the band. Trina jumped up in alarm as he slid to the floor. His eyes rolled up, and he went limp. The control unit blazed red for a moment longer, then the diagonal line of seven red lights flashed and turned green one by one. When all of them were green, his eyes opened. Kernan gaped at him, then shot Trina a horrified look and released Tassin, backing away.

  Sabre rolled to his feet and reached Tassin's side in a couple of strides. His punch sent Kernan crashing into the wall to slide senseless down it. Swinging back to Tassin, Sabre stared through her, turning his head towards Kaylar, who rose slowly, his eyes wide. Tarl grimaced and bowed his head, spreading his hands on the table.

  Tassin pointed at Trina. "Lock her in the brig."

  The girl shook her head. "No! Sabre, stop! Kill her!"

  "There is no more Sabre," Tassin said. "You're talking to a machine, one that I own! Sabre's gone. He sacrificed himself so the cyber could save me, because of what you did to him."

  Trina retreated as the cyber walked around the table, her face chalk pale. "Kaylar! Help me!"

  The red-haired man stepped into Sabre's path, his face stiff with dread. The cyber smashed him aside, sending him sprawling.

  "Tarl!" Trina shrieked.

  Tarl rose to do battle, picked up a chair and swung it at Sabre, who ducked and grabbed it. He wrenched it from Tarl's grip, hurled it aside and gave him a shove that sent him rolling over the table to land with a thud on the other side. Tarl jumped up as Sabre reached Trina and grabbed her wrist, making her shriek. Yanking his laser from his pocket, Tarl pointed it at Tassin.

  "Stop, or she dies!"

  The cyber swung around, releasing Trina. The brow band flashed, and he yanked up the end of the table and hurled it at Tarl. The ex-technician went down under it with a grunt, the laser bolt hitting the ceiling. Tassin headed for the door as the cyber went after Tarl. Sabre flipped the table off him and wrenched the weapon from his hand.

  "Don't kill anyone!" Tassin yelled as she darted after Trina, who fled, shouting for Pryan.

  Sabre overtook her in the corridor. He caught the fleeing girl and lifted her off her feet in a throat hold that made her gurgle and claw at his arm. Pryan appeared in a doorway, his eyes widening in horror at the scene, then he shook his head and bolted. Sabre dragged the struggling girl to the barred cell in the ship's stern and flung her into it, locking the door. Trina shook back her tangled hair and glared at Tassin through the bars.

  "Kernan will release me! He'll kill you both!"

  Tassin raised her brows. "Kill a cyber? I don't think so." She turned to Sabre. "How can we prevent the crew from releasing her?"

  "Change the codes in the door lock."

  "Do it."

  The brow band filled with electric blue light for a moment. "Done."

  "Pryan will find a way to let me out!" Trina shouted.

  Tassin shrugged. "Even if he does, what are you going to do? I'm protected by a killing machine."

  Trina slumped. "What are you going to do with me?"

  "Be glad I'm not going to flush you out of an airlock, like you planned to do to me. Perhaps I'll hand you over to the authorities when we reach Toron. What do they do with people like you?"

  "I'll be executed!"

  "It's probably what you deserve. You can't be allowed to keep doing this to people."

  "I won't, I swear! Just let me go!"

  Tassin sighed. "I don't believe you. Having a power like yours is too much of a temptation."

  "Please!"

  Tassin turned to Sabre. "What is she?"

  "A human female."

  She rolled her eyes. "I mean what's the power she has?"

  "Unknown."

  Tassin faced Trina again. "Well, whatever it is, it doesn't work on machines. Release the rest of the men."

  "No!"

  Kaylar ran in, followed by Tarl. "Tassin, let her go."

  "No."

  "You can't do this."
/>   "I do believe I just did."

  Kaylar went to the door and tapped a code into the lock, which buzzed, and a red light flashed. "He's changed the codes."

  "Kaylar, do something," Trina said, her eyes overflowing.

  "I wish I could, my love. We'll think of something, I promise. We won't let anything bad happen to you."

  Tassin snorted and walked away down the corridor, Sabre following. They passed Kernan standing in the dining room doorway, rubbing his head. He glared at them before heading in the direction of the brig, doubtless to join Tarl and Kaylar comforting Trina.

  Returning to her cabin, Tassin sat on the bunk, her heart heavy. Sabre took up a guard stance beside the door, staring over her head. She longed to call him from his dark prison under the cyber's control, but could not. Even after Trina was handed over to the authorities, when would it be safe for him to free himself? Would he try to free Trina? Would her control only end with her death?

  An alarm brayed, jerking her from her reverie, and she glanced up at Sabre. "What's that?"

  "Proximity alarm."

  "Another ship? Are we being attacked?"

  "A large ship has captured this vessel in a Voltron grappler field."

  Tassin jumped up. "What ship? Why didn't you warn me earlier?"

  "Its configuration appears to be that of an Overlord vessel. It only came into scanner range a moment ago, just after the alarm sounded."

  "Which Overlord?"

  The brow band flashed. "Ramadaus."

  "Oh, god...." Tassin yelped as her bones tingled, then everything went dark and intense cold gripped her. The world spun, and she was weightless. Solid ground hit her feet, and she sprawled on a smooth floor. She clung to it as her head swam and her skin crawled in the aftermath of her translocation. As the spinning slowed, she shook back her hair and raised her head. She lay on an expanse of silvery marble that stretched away to the perimeter of a vast room. A row of four massive oval screens gave various views of star-sprinkled space. In one, a tubby, rust-streaked ship hung in the grip of snaking beams of green light.

  Gleaming gold framed the screens, and tendrils of it spread across the expanse of silver wall in a filigree pattern, forming swirling designs much like those on the Moth Ship's hull. Cloth-of-gold curtains interrupted the monotony of silver and gold decorations, hanging from the ceiling in an orgy of opulence to form precious pools on the floor. The curtains were back-lighted, and glowed with soft radiance. Dozens of immobile soldiers in silver and gold uniforms stood beside the walls, their hands resting upon the hilts of the small silver weapons holstered on their belts.

  A graceful throne with a high, ornamental back formed from fine golden wires studded with diamonds stood on a shallow dais in front of the screens. Behind it, a console sparkled, and a row of small, glowing screens were filled with scrolling data. To her right was a ring of seven silver circles, and close to her left, a sweeping, fluted counter curved out from the wall. A selection of bottles and glasses were visible through the translucent material, which might have been a pale yellow cloudy crystal.

  A hooded Overlord stood a few feet away, facing her. "I apologise for the rudeness of my interception," he said in a hard, sexless voice.

  Tassin sat up. "Ramadaus."

  "How perceptive of you."

  "Where's Sabre? What have you done with him?"

  "He's been translocated to a secure cell. Did you really think he could elude me?"

  She glared at him. "Why did you bring me here?"

  "You're my insurance. As long as I have you, he can do nothing."

  "Why can't you just leave him the hell alone?"

  "He's a danger, not only to society, but to Myon Two. He proves that cyber hosts are sentient beings, and this will undermine Cybercorp. It could even start a war."

  She shook her head. "We just want to be left alone to live out our lives in peace and obscurity. How can that threaten anyone?"

  "It's not going to happen. I know about Ravian's plans for him. She doesn't see how much trouble it could cause; she only sees the advantages he could give her."

  "Is it the trouble that bothers you, or that she'd have something you don't?" she enquired.

  "I have cybers."

  "Not like him."

  "He's an abomination."

  Tassin rose to her feet, her legs rubbery, and leant against the refreshment counter. "I love him. Doesn't that count for anything?"

  "Your pain is regrettable, but I wouldn't assume he feels anything for you, since he doesn't know what emotions are. Besides, the fate of one person counts for little when weighed against the destruction of societies." He strolled closer. "But I'm curious. How can an intelligent woman like you care about something like him?"

  "Easily. He's the gentlest, most caring man I've ever met, and, I have no doubt, ever will."

  "He's a simpleton. Granted, he has an exceptional brain, genetically engineered to provide the cyber with an excellent data storage facility, but that which you and Fairen perceive as purity or gentleness is nothing more than vacuous inexperience. Given time, he'll develop all the less desirable traits that other men possess."

  "So you admit he's a man?"

  Ramadaus turned to the refreshment counter and poured two pale amber beverages, placing one in front of her. "He was never meant to be a man, and freeing him from cyber control has made him more of a monster than a man, but in some respects, yes, he is."

  Tassin picked up the drink and gulped it, coughing and gasping as the alcohol stung her throat. "He's not a monster. He's not even -"

  Ramadaus raised a hand and turned his head. "Commander, what is the status of the cyber?"

  "He's assumed a resting pose in the cell, My Lord," a disembodied voice replied.

  "He's not trying to escape?"

  "No, My Lord."

  "Odd, but good. Bring him up."

  "At once, My Lord."

  "Are you going to judge him?" Tassin asked.

  "Why would I?"

  "So you can see..." She shook her head, taking another gulp of her drink. "There's something you should know. There's a girl on that ship who -"

  "I'm not concerned with your petty squabbles. I'll return you to the ship when the cyber has been executed."

  "Murdered, you mean."

  "Call it what you will."

  "Fairen won't let you."

  He shook his head. "Fairen won't find out until after he's dead."

  "You can't do this! He's not guilty of anything!"

  "I've already explained my reasons."

  "You're wrong! Besides, he's..." Tassin glanced around as the doors opened. Four guards entered, escorting Sabre, who was unarmed. Two cybers brought up the rear, clad in standard issue combat clothes, their expressionless faces almost identical to Sabre's. They were in their prime, with fewer scars than him. Tassin's pounding heart seemed to leap into her throat, making her queasy with dread. The cyber turned his head towards her, and, when the guards halted several feet away, ignored the order to stop.

  Ramadaus stepped back. "Halt, cyber, or she dies."

  Sabre stopped, turning his head to scan the room. His blank gaze passed over the many soldiers who stood by the walls, their silver weapons trained on Tassin.

  Ramadaus said, "A neat ploy, cyber, but you don't fool me."

  "He's not pretending," Tassin said.

  He turned to her. "Do you really think it would make any difference if he was under cyber control again?"

  "It should! You want to execute him because he's free, and now he's not, so what's your reason?"

  "He can get free. This just makes it impossible for me to read him, so you have no reason to complain if I don't."

  "You never intended to."

  He shrugged. "True."

  "So why did you bring him here? You could have executed him in his cell."

  "I had intended to inform him of the reason for his execution, as is customary, but if he's truly under cyber control, there's no point."

&
nbsp; Tassin yelled, "Sabre, trigger the beacon!"

  The cyber's hands snapped together to clasp the silver bracelet on his left wrist.

  "Stop him!" Ramadaus shouted.

  Nobody moved, which did not surprise Tassin, since it was clearly too late. A moment later the disembodied voice said, "Outgoing transmission detected; Overlord codes."

  "Did you stop it?" Ramadaus demanded.

  "No, My Lord."

  Ramadaus cursed. "Then we have little time." He turned to Tassin. "That was ill advised. All you did was speed up his end."

  "We're not going to die without a fight. Bringing me here was a mistake. If he's going to die, so am I. What were you going to do, order him to keep still while you killed him, or you'd kill me? That might have worked on Sabre, but it doesn't work on the cyber, does it? Unlike Sabre, it can't disobey me."

  "You wouldn't be that stupid -"

  "To die for the man I love? Yes, I would!"

  "That won't stop his execution, and he can't protect you."

  "I don't care! You don't understand, do you? You've never loved anyone. Sabre, kill them all!"

  "No!" Ramadaus shouted.

  Sabre turned to the guard beside him, gripped his head and snapped his neck with a vicious twist. The other three men reached for their weapons as a volley of poison darts hissed across the room from the soldiers by the walls. Sabre leapt high, and the darts passed under him, skittering off the floor. Ramadaus backed away as some of the deadly missiles passed close to him. Sabre landed beside another soldier and smashed his skull with a hammer blow that sent him sliding across the floor. The remaining two guards drew their weapons. Sabre kicked the gun from one man's hand and broke the other's arm with a sweep of his fist. A second volley of poison darts hissed from the walls. Sabre leapt sideways this time, landed in a graceful handspring and despatched the unarmed guard with a powerful kick that produced a crunch of breaking ribs.

  "Cybers, kill him!" Ramadaus bellowed.

  The cybers drew their lasers and fired at Sabre, who avoided the beams and the darts that shot past from the guards around the walls. Tassin snatched up her glass and smashed it on the counter. She charged Ramadaus, her back prickling as she expected the sting of darts. One of Ramadaus' cybers caught her before she reached the Overlord, grabbed her arm in a crushing grip and yanked her off her feet. She fell with a grunt, the broken glass slicing her hand. Sabre sent the cyber sprawling with a kick that broke his grip on her arm with bruising force. Leaping up, she charged Ramadaus again. More missiles flew past, perilously close.