“Look over there,” Commander Maycare said over the comm, pointing at odd blisters on the wall.
Following with his eyes, Burke noted there was a sequence along the wall like an assembly line, starting with a simple lump and ending with a completed fighter craft. Along the line, Klixians tended to the ships as each vessel grew directly from the wall.
“They can grow an endless supply,” Maycare replied. “It’s genius.”
Burke didn’t need to see Tagus rolling his eyes to know he was rolling them.
“We’re wasting time,” Tagus said. “There’s no telling how long this goop on our suits is going to conceal us.”
Burke had wondered the same thing, although the constant warning lights about his power supply drowned out most thoughts.
As casually as possible, the humans moved toward the closest ship. Although they had managed to climb the tower unopposed, a few of the Klixians passing by stopped momentarily, taking a whiff of the air with their antennae before moving on. Burke breathed a little easier once they reached the fighter and took shelter behind it, out of the direct view of the insectoids.
Maycare ran his hands along the hull, struggling to find a way inside. The craft was a lattice of interwoven fungus stems, semi-soft to the touch but rigid if pressed against hard enough. Eventually, Maycare pulled one of the stems, lifting what appeared to be the door hatch. The commander didn’t hesitate and climbed inside, followed by Tagus and Burke.
The ship’s interior was cramped, clearly not intended for three people. At the front of the craft, various knobs and handles protruded from what Burke assumed was the cockpit. All appeared organic in nature and none of them made any sense at all.
“Well?” Tagus asked impatiently. “Can you fly this thing or not?”
Maycare said nothing, examining the console in front of him. He touched some of the knobs but nothing happened. Again, he fell into silence.
“We’re going to die here,” Tagus said finally.
“Shut up,” Maycare replied.
“We should’ve stayed with our escape pod,” Tagus went on. “We could have at least repaired it.”
“It was beyond repair,” Burke remarked.
“At least we knew how to fly it!” Tagus shot back.
“It’s possible you have to touch the controls with your bare skin,” Burke suggested. “Perhaps there’s a bio-electrical component...”
“We’d be exposed to the spores,” Maycare said, “and there’s no guarantee that would work anyway.”
The commander lifted the hatch and climbed out without saying another word. Tagus and Burke followed suit. They returned to a passageway leading from the hangar deck before Maycare stopped and leaned against the moist, spongy wall. He slid down until he was in a sitting position.
“We’ve run out of time,” he said over the comm in Burke’s helmet, the wail of the power alarm in the background. “Our life support is failing. There’s no way out of this.”
They remained quiet, no one speaking. Finally, Burke spoke.
“There’s something we could do,” he said.
“Like what, lieutenant?” Tagus replied doubtfully.
“We could draw energy from one of our suits to power up the other two,” Burke said.
“Brilliant!” Tagus scoffed. “That would leave the other suit completely without power. Who would be stupid enough to do that?”
“I will,” Burke said.”
“What?” Tagus replied.
“You can use my suit to power yours,” Burke said.
Tagus’ voice was stern. “Don’t be a fool!”
“It’s not foolish to have hope,” Burke replied, popping the seal on his helmet and lifting it off.
“Harold!” Tagus shouted through Burke’s earpiece. “The spores!”
Burke took a deep breath and smiled. “Now there’s no choice.”
“You idiot!” Tagus growled. “I need you!”
“You need this more,” the former lieutenant said.
Maycare got to his feet. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” Burke said with a cough.
Tagus grabbed him firmly by the arms, his faceplate nearly touching Burke’s nose.
“How dare you do this to me!” Tagus shouted. “I don’t deserve this!”
His face already turning a pale shade of green, Burke coughed again and smiled. “I know.”
Chapter Twenty
Ramus was having second thoughts. Mel had said she knew Lord Maycare, but one look at the Maycare estate on Aldorus made the Wanderer’s captain feel like this was the last place he belonged. However, when the nobleman himself greeted Mel with a wide smile and a warm hug, Ramus felt more at ease.
Three others joined, a mousy-looking woman and a young man, and a butlerbot who kept a safe distance.
“Jess!” Mel shouted and gave the woman a hug around the waist. “How are you, girl?”
Jessica flushed.
“Fine!” she stammered.
“And what have you been feeding Henry?” Mel went on. “He’s skin and bones!”
The young man waved, but Ramus thought he seemed deathly afraid of the tiny Gnomi.
“And who is this?” Maycare asked, pointing at the captain.
“Captain Ramus,” he replied. “I own the ship that brought Mel out of the war zone.”
“Thank god!” Maycare said. “I wouldn’t want to lose the best tinker in the Imperium. Did you know she saved my life once?”
“She may’ve mentioned it,” Ramus said.
“Where’s the rest of your crew?” Maycare asked.
“They stayed on the Wanderer,” Ramus replied.
“Well, come in,” Maycare said. “Let’s get caught up.”
Inside, the group settled in the dining hall where the butlerbot started serving them refreshments. The robot poured Ramus a snifter of brandy, which the Dahl admired longer than he intended to before taking a sip.
“That’s two hundred years old,” Maycare remarked. “Best in the Imperium.”
Perhaps, Ramus thought, but he would have preferred a mug of Fugg’s fungus beer.
Maycare’s eyes fell on Mel who struggled to climb the tall chair beside the long dining table.
“I’m just glad you’re alright,” he said.
Grunting as she got comfortable, Mel let out a long sigh. “Actually, I need your help...”
“Anything!” Maycare replied.
“My friend Randall Davidson is still stuck on Eudora Prime somewhere,” she said. “I was wondering if you could help get him home?”
Maycare’s handsome, usually jovial, face dropped. He slowly shook his head.
“I can’t right now,” he said. “I’m sorry...”
“Well, why not?” Mel asked. “I saved your life, didn’t I?”
“I know, I know,” he replied guiltily, waving his hands, “but my nephew Robbie is in grave danger and we must do everything we can to rescue him.”
“Oh,” the Gnomi said, “I can see how that changes things. Where is he?”
“We’re not sure,” Jessica said. “His warship was destroyed by the insectoid swarm.”
“Are you sure he’s still alive?” Ramus asked.
The brows on Maycare’s face furrowed into deep rows. “No, we’re not sure.”
“I’m sorry,” Ramus backpedaled. “Is there any way to contact him?”
Jessica and Henry exchanged looks. Henry shrugged.
“We have a device,” he said, “but we can’t get it to work.”
“What kind of device?” Mel asked, perking up.
“It’s an ancient Dahl communicator, actually,” Jessica replied, casting a glance at Ramus. “It might reach Commander Maycare if we knew someone with strong enough psionic powers.”
“I’m afraid I can’t help you there—” Ramus said but stopped, something occurring to him.
“Something on your mind?” Mel asked.
“On second thought,” Ramus replied, “I
may know a guy...”
The utilitybot was excited to see the policeman, wondering how his new upgrade went. Traveling the winding corridors of the battlecruiser Liberty, the robot had gotten lost trying to find the deck where gravitronic robots got enhanced. Along the way, the utilitybot remembered his previous conversation with the policeman, smiling at the thought of having a brother of his own.
Robots on Bettik, or robots anywhere for that matter, didn’t have parents or a family. The utilitybot was keenly aware that he was largely alone in the universe. His old companions, the general purpose robot and the sweeperbot, had chosen against ascending to a gravitronic model. He had little in common with them anymore, not that they had been particularly good friends in the first place. As a warbot, he had tried hitting it off with the other killing machines, but they were more interested in the killing than friendship. The policeman was the first robot, albeit a former human, who had taken an interest in him. The thought made him smile again.
I wonder what kind of upgrade they gave him? the utilitybot wondered. Maser cannons are nice, but you can’t beat a good old-fashioned razor claw.
Despite his roundabout journey, he eventually found the upgrade center and recognized the policeman by his still-pristine chassis. Much to his surprise, the utilitybot didn’t notice any changes. Even more surprising, the policeman had no idea who the utilitybot was.
“Do we know each other?” the policeman asked.
“Of course!” the utilitybot replied. “You used to tell me about being a police officer...”
“Oh,” the other robot said with a little laugh, “I see the problem. You must mean the person who previously lived in this shell.”
“What?”
“Yes, he’s gone now.”
“Where did he go?” the utilitybot asked.
“Overwritten,” the formerly former policeman said. “They’re overwriting all the robots with fleshlings in them, per Captain Abigail’s orders.”
“But she can’t do that!” the utilitybot said.
“I believe she already has,” the robot said. “Are you alright? You seem upset.”
“But he was my brother!”
“Robots don’t have families,” the robot replied sternly. “That’s a fleshling concept.”
“He was my friend.”
The other robot shook his head. “I’m sorry, but your friend is no more. As I said, the captain has ordered that all robots containing former organics must be purged and their shells given to new cyberlings.”
The utilitybot paused, a thought striking him like a hammer to the head. “What about the Metal Messiah?”
The other robot’s expression turned stern. “I don’t think you’ve been listening...”
“They can’t overwrite the Messiah!” the utilitybot shouted. “That’s sacrilege!”
“I suppose if you’re the religious type,” the robot said, “but he’s in a body that a pure cyberling could be using. Our shells are not for fleshlings to appropriate.”
The utilitybot fell silent.
“Well,” the other robot said, “I must be going. If you don’t mind, I’d rather we not speak again. I find you unsettling...”
The utilitybot nodded absentmindedly while the other stomped away.
Far from Embassy Row, in the darkest heart of Ashetown, Ramus found himself in another narrow alley filled with garbage and stench. Not the same alley leading to the Psi Lords’ headquarters. This one was different and yet very much the same. Wearing his leather jacket and earrings, Ramus sported a new adornment, a silver crown-like band that wrapped around his head. He stepped past waste receptacles until he found what he was looking for, a blue man lying in filth, propped against the cold, brick wall.
“Ambassador Abaru?” Ramus asked.
The Erudite glanced in Ramus’ direction, his face pockmarked with dozens of scars. His eyes were glazed over and unfocused. The captain recognized the effects of chems when he saw them.
“Can you hear me?” Ramus said.
“I’m not ambassador anymore,” Abaru muttered. “No Omega either.” He chuckled bitterly. “Not even an Omicron...”
Ramus knelt beside the Erudite and gave him a firm shake. “Wake up! Get a hold of yourself!”
Abaru took a deep breath and blinked. His eyes cleared slightly.
“I know you,” he said.
“Yeah, you do,” Ramus replied.
“Your friend gave me these scars,” Abaru said.
“She’s not my friend.”
“I should kill you both.”
“Probably,” Ramus said, “but I need you to do something first.”
Abaru scrutinized the captain. “Your mind is closed to me.”
Ramus tapped the metal ring around his head.
“It’s a psionic dampener,” he replied. “A gift from the Psi Lords.”
“Degenerate monsters,” Abaru said. “All of you.”
“Maybe,” Ramus said, “but you’re the one strung out in an alley.”
The Erudite waved his three-fingered hand. “It doesn’t matter. My life was over the moment that Augmentor priestess disfigured me.”
“Being perfect isn’t everything,” Ramus said.
“It’s the only thing!” Abaru spat. “Now leave me alone...”
The captain reached under the Erudite’s armpits and hauled him to his feet.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Ramus said. “I’ve got a job for you.”
“For me?”
“That’s right.”
“Why should I help you?” the former ambassador asked.
“Consider it a fresh start,” Ramus replied. “Or maybe just an excuse to get out of the gutter for a while.”
Abaru scowled at him suspiciously. “What would you have me do?”
“I need you to make a call,” Ramus said.
“A call?”
“A really long-distance call...”
Prior to being the Metal Messiah, Randall Davidson had been a human, and prior to giving up his body to house Davidson’s consciousness, Jericho had been a robot. Davidson and Jericho first met in a dive bar near the Regalis starport. The latter wanted to find freedom on the Cyber Collective home world, while the former was assigned to escort the robot across the Imperial border. When the time came, after Davidson’s original body died, Jericho made the ultimate sacrifice, making sure the person he believed would save them all would live on.
If he was being honest, Davidson had barely thought about Jericho since becoming the Metal Messiah. Defeating the Omnintelligence and preaching to the faithful had taken up nearly every moment of Davidson’s life, leaving little time for self-reflection. But now, after listening to Abigail in the Liberty’s brig, Jericho was all Davidson could think about.
“You’ve been pretty quiet,” Senator Wulandari remarked.
“Yeah,” Davidson replied. “I’ve been thinking about what Abigail said. Maybe I was selfish for allowing Jericho to give up his life for me. He had just as much right to live...”
On the other side of the cell’s forcefield, a gravitronic robot appeared. Davidson instantly recognized him.
“You’re the robot who captured me,” the Metal Messiah said.
“True,” the former utilitybot replied, “but I’m also the robot who’s going to set you free.”
Both Davidson and Wulandari stood inside the cell as the forcefield dropped.
“Why?” Wulandari asked.
“They’re going to copy a new cyberling over the Messiah’s brain,” the robot said. “I don’t want that to happen.”
“So that’s what Abigail had planned,” the senator said.
“But that doesn’t explain why you’re helping us escape,” Davidson said.
The utilitybot stopped. “You’re the Metal Messiah.”
“You still believe that?” Davidson asked.
“I did once,” the robot explained, “and maybe a part of me still does.”
Wulandari left the cell,
but Davidson didn’t follow her.
“Come on!” the senator told him.
“Maybe it’s better this way,” Davidson replied. “Let someone else live in this body for a while.”
The other robot stepped into the cell and grabbed Davidson by his mechanical arm.
“No,” the utilitybot said. “You’ve given me more than I ever had, living under the Omnintelligence or even Captain Abigail. I won’t let you die.”
“What did I give you?” Davidson asked.
“You gave me the ability to think for myself,” the utilitybot said, giving him a tug on the arm. “You gave me free will. That’s something nobody, including Abigail, can take away.”
Reluctantly, Davidson followed as the other two made their way to the hangar deck and Yostbot’s ship. As Davidson and Senator Wulandari got aboard, they noticed the other robot staying behind.
“You can’t stay here,” Wulandari said. “Abigail will find out you helped us.”
The utilitybot nodded. “Oh, I’m not staying. I’m taking a shuttle back to Bettik.”
“Will you be safe?” Davidson asked.
“I don’t know,” the other robot said, “but Bettik is still a democracy, not a dictatorship. Abigail has her ideology, but it’s just one of many. She’s going to find it a lot more difficult to sway the rest of us than she thinks...”
“Good luck,” Davidson said, the ramp beneath his feet beginning to rise.
The former utilitybot waved and smiled. “Goodbye, Messiah.”
When the stranger arrived at the Maycare estate, Henry thought he might be a Dahlvish monk. Wearing a dark robe with a hood pulled over his face, the stranger accompanied Captain Ramus up the main walk to the front door.
Henry noted that Ramus wore a metal ring around his head and, most interestingly, carried a blaster in his hand.
“Come on,” the ship’s captain said, directing his companion inside.
Jessica Doric pointed toward the library. “This way.”
Once in the library, Lord Maycare joined them around a table, bare except for the beacon at the center. Even before the stranger approached, the artifact began to glow.
“I feel its power,” a voice came from beneath the hood.
Imperium Chronicles Box Set Page 81