Chapter Fifteen

 

Tarl pulled the machine with the flexible arm back to the couch and removed the U-shaped end, replacing it with the flat one. He sat in his chair, positioned it over Sabre's head and switched on the screen. Tassin found the ghostly image of Sabre's skull quite unsettling, but also fascinating. His flesh was a faint paleness surrounding whiter bones, and the barrinium shone like silver. Tarl moved the flat disk slowly down Sabre's chest, first his right side, pausing at his rib cage to point out the two half-healed ribs and the bony scar where his arm had been broken long ago. Reaching his feet, Tarl moved the disk back up Sabre's left side, his expression becoming more and more incredulous.

"You're perfect. I can't find a single flaw." He held up his hand when Tassin opened her mouth. "Even A grades have tiny flaws in their plating. It's practically impossible to get it perfect. Yet his is. How old are you?"

Sabre looked vague. "Not sure. About twenty-eight I think."

"Add time spent in cold sleep, and you could be thirty."

"Possibly."

"You could be Darinon's last cyber." Tarl looked excited.

"Which means?"

"Darinon was a legendary surgeon, the best Myon Two ever had. He always wanted to do a perfect job, but with the time constraints it wasn't possible. He worked at Myon Two for almost forty years, and when he retired, he demanded to be allowed to work without constraint on his last cyber. He wanted to do a perfect job. They let him. They said he chose the best cyber of the batch, and the operation took three hours longer than usual, but he did it. He made a perfect cyber." Tarl moved the disk to Sabre's right hand. "Look at that. Every finger perfect. That's excellent work."

"If the plating is made beforehand and inserted, then bonded to the bones, what causes flaws?" Tassin asked.

"Sabre told you that?"

"Yes."

Tarl gazed at the screen. "You make it sound so simple. But it's the time constraint that causes most of the mistakes, others are just carelessness." He switched off the machine and pushed the disk away, moving closer to Sabre's head. "They start on the skull, cutting the skin open here, here, and here." He indicated the thin pale scars that ran down the centre of Sabre's brow to half way down his nose, and the two that ran along his cheek bones.

"Each piece of barrinium is inserted along the bone and fused to it with a small electrical shock, which also bonds the pieces together. The scalp is cut open, here." He traced the line of white hair that ran over the top of Sabre's head. "The barrinium is inserted in pieces here too, with small holes for the blood vessels that feed the scalp. Often these aren't done properly, and many cybers have white patches of hair. The lower grades often have areas with no scalp at all, where it died due to a lack of blood.

"Next they do the throat, cutting it open along the sides of his neck and lifting the skin to insert the mesh. Small blood vessels reconnect afterwards through the mesh. Then they cut open his chest and ribs, encasing the heart in mesh before they reinforce the ribs and add the mesh under the skin of his chest. After that they do the limbs and finally the spine.

"Each piece is inserted next to the bone, which they scrape clean to ensure that the barrinium bonds with it. The flaws happen when they don't get the bones clean enough, and there are areas where the barrinium fails to bond. This isn't serious; he'd still be a grade A, but all too often the plating isn't placed perfectly. It's out of position, leaving gaps at the top or bottom, and protruding pieces, which can interfere with movement."

He paused, eyeing Sabre, who watched him with a peculiar, unreadable expression. "The real flaws are nerve damage, when a surgeon pinches or even cuts a nerve when they're opening the host up, resulting in loss of sensation or even movement. These are C-grades. But they're doomed to be lower grades even before they come to the operating table, and there are different grades of surgical teams.

"The less experienced surgeons get hosts that are already flawed, either blind or deaf, or, in some cases, have nervous twitches from improper hook placement. Others are damaged in training accidents, when they break bones or strain their hearts with too vigorous exercise. The ones with damaged hearts often die during the operation."

Tassin felt sick. "It all sounds macabre, and like most of them are badly damaged before they're even sold."

Tarl nodded. "Most are. That's what makes Sabre unusual. Someone spent a lot of time and a great deal of trouble on him. But even the damaged ones are excellent killing machines, loss of sensation, blindness, deafness or misalignment of the plating doesn't affect their performance. Nerve damage and missing plating does. Quite often they don't bother to reinforce all the finger bones of the left hand, and they rarely bother with the toes."

"But Sabre's toes are ..."

"Yeah. Every last one."

Tassin cast Sabre a smile. "See? You are special. Unique."

"Wonderful."

"I heard that Darinon singled out a host for his final operation years before, and ensured that he was not damaged," Tarl said.

Sabre frowned. "The blue tag."

"The what?"

"I had a blue tag on my right wrist. No one else did."

"Then you're the one." Tarl shook his head in wonder. "That's incredible. You become the only cyber to get free, and you're Darinon's perfect one."

"Aren't I the lucky one?"

"You have every right to be bitter, but it means that you're the best cyber ever produced, superior to all other A-grades."

"I feel so privileged."

"Why didn't Darinon keep him?" Tassin asked.

"He intended to. It was to have been his retirement gift, but he died a year after he retired, while Sabre was undergoing his final two years of training. They say the years spent in heavy gravity weakened his heart, and it failed."

"What a shame," Sabre muttered.

Tarl turned to the bank of machines again, and a great clang echoed through the ship, making Tassin jump.

Sabre's brow band flashed. "There are five armed men outside, with a vehicle."

Tarl glanced at him. "Sounds like my shipment has arrived. You only noticed them now?"

"I wasn't watching. I have a few other things on my mind."

"Right. Stay here, I'll go and sort it out."

Tarl left, closing the door, and Tassin perched beside Sabre, smiling down at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy."

"Did hearing that... upset you?"

"I knew it already. Not the part about Darinon, but the rest."

"You are special, you know. If for no other reason, you're special to me."

He sighed. "If I'm special at all, it's because of you. I'm the only cyber who's ever been befriended by a queen."

She smiled. "How do you feel about that, now that you have your memories back?"

"Much as I did before, only with the added bonus of knowing that your feelings for me have put you in extreme danger."

Her face fell. "I thought you'd be happy."

"I am... but I'm not worth it. Saving me has earned you a death sentence, Tassin. Myon Two will hunt you down. You deserve a friend who knows how to make you happy, to make you laugh. How to take care of you. I don't. I only know how to kill."

"Having you as my friend makes me happy, and if you... care for me too, I'll be ecstatic. You do know how to take care of me. You looked after me all that time on Omega Five."

He closed his eyes. "One day... you'll hate me." His words were slurred.

"How can you say that?"

Kole stepped closer, shaking his head. "Leave him, he's drugged. You won't get much sense out of him now."

"How can he say such things?"

Kole shrugged. "He's -"

The door slid open, and two brutal looking men armed with laser cannons shoved Tarl in, sending him staggering. Two more followed, aiming lasers at Tassin and Kole. Sabre sat up and yanked the needle from his arm, slid off the couch and fell to his knees. His eyes were glazed, and, when he tried to stand up he staggered sideways, collided with the wall and slid down it to sit on the floor, swaying. Tassin wondered if Tarl had betrayed them, but a glance at his stiff, grim expression dispelled that idea. The men with the laser cannons aimed them at Sabre, and a short, stocky man with a well-trimmed black beard entered, his green eyes scanning the room. His hair, slicked back with gel, had an unnatural sheen to it, and a broad nose, thick brows and slack wet lips coarsened his square countenance. A rich, blue satin shirt, black velvet trousers and shimmering, well-cut jacket clad his rotund form.

"Well, well, what have we here?" He chortled. "So, Mandure was right, Tarl, you've brought me a bonus."

"You hate Mandure," Tarl said.

"Hmmm. Yes, I do. But I never turn down a lucrative business proposition. He went through the right channels, and asked politely for his property to be returned to him. Or half of it, at least. Whether or not I will remains to be seen. But this is a pleasant surprise." His eyes raked Tassin, then flicked to Sabre. "What's wrong with the cyber?"

"He's sedated."

"Excellent. That makes it easy." He gestured to one of his men, who marched up to Tassin and pressed a laser to her head. "Now, tell me where the money is, or she gets hurt." Sabre tried to stand up, but fell over again. "Order the cyber to stand down; he's not going to do you any good."

Tassin glanced at Sabre. "Don't do anything, Cyber."

"Good. Now, where's the money?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'm asking the questions, sweetie." He turned to Kole. "Would you like to see her fingers broken?"

He shook his head. "It's in the cyber's medical pouch."

"Wonderful. Bring them to me. Any funny business, and she dies." Kole went over to Sabre and dug the translucent wafers out of his pouch, handing them to Gaylor, who tucked them away in his jacket. "Right, now you can transfer the cyber to me, or I'll just kill him. Your choice."

"We'll transfer him."

"Marvellous. Where's the code sheet?"

"I can remember them."

"You'd better, or she gets a broken finger."

"You can't do it while he's sedated," Tassin said.

"No. Probably not." He turned to Tarl. "Give him the antidote."

Tarl shot him a hate-filled look, went to the cabinet and filled another syringe, injecting Sabre in the arm.

"What are you going to do with us?" Tassin demanded.

"That remains to be seen. Mandure said I could have you, so... I might let you live, if you co-operate. If you order the cyber to attack us, you die first, so he won't, anyway."

"What have we ever done to you?"

"You fell into my lap, like ripe plums for the plucking. Mandure was more than a little pissed off that you escaped with his money. His humiliation makes me inclined to be lenient with you, so don't do anything stupid."

Sabre raised his head, staring blankly ahead, and she was glad he had grasped the situation despite the drug.

Gaylor nodded to Kole. "Right, he seems to be alert now."

Kole addressed Sabre. "Cyber, serial number XZD-4987-LP6493. Command input, authorisation password... moonlight. Initiate transfer protocol."

"Password accepted. Transfer protocol initiated," Sabre intoned. "Proceed."

"New owner is..."

"Gaylor Travard." Gaylor supplied.

"New owner is Gaylor Travard. Transfer codes are midnight... planet, velocity, picture, rapture, star burn."

"Codes valid, transfer accepted. Proceed with voice imprint."

Kole glanced at Gaylor, who said, "I do love it when things go my way."

"Voice imprint accepted. Transfer complete."

"Excellent, another cyber for my stable." His eyes roamed over Tassin in a manner that sickened her. "So, what else do you have to offer?"

"You've got what you wanted. Leave her alone," Kole said.

Gaylor approached Tassin. "No, I don't think I will. She's a choice bit of strumpet, and when I've finished with her, the flesh merchants may be interested in what's left."

"You can't do that!"

"Oh, but I can. I have the upper hand. Note the lasers pressed to your heads, dear boy. Does that give you a clue?" He turned to one of his men. "Get the stuff loaded."

"You still want me to take the shipment?" Tarl asked, clearly surprised.

"Why not? These are just riffraff who wandered in from the forest, nothing to do with you. So you gave them food and shelter. I won't hold it against you. It made them dead easy to find." He noticed Sabre's hands jerk and frowned. "A grade C? Mandure said he was a grade A. Lying bastard." He turned to Tassin. "Now I'm disappointed, and I do so hate to be disappointed. I hope you're more worthwhile."

Gaylor swung away. "You men, see to the loading, and handcuff our unwelcome guest. Lock him in a cabin. Cyber, stand up. Command privilege, password moonlight, name Ambrey. Voice imprint."

A tall, grizzled soldier spoke a few random words, and Sabre said, "Voice imprint accepted."

"Stay here and obey Ambrey. Dudson, bring her. If anyone tries anything stupid, kill her."

The soldier who held a laser to Tassin's head shoved her to the door, keeping a hold on her collar and a wary eye on Kole. Tarl stood aside to allow Gaylor to precede Tassin and her captor, casting Sabre a nervous glance.

 

 

Ambrey went over to Kole and snapped a pair of handcuffs onto his wrists. A soldier pushed Kole out, and Ambrey glanced back at Sabre.

"Watch the captain; make sure he doesn't try anything stupid."

"Understood."

As the door slid shut behind them, Tarl turned to Sabre, raising his hands. "I had nothing to do with this, I swear."

"How did they know I couldn't protect Tassin?"

"They saw you on the internal security cameras. You're unarmed, and with the drip and everything, they thought you were incapacitated, I guess."

Sabre shoved him against the wall, clamping his throat to it. "You'd better be telling the truth."

"Check your bio scanners," Tarl said in a strangled voice. "And you don't scare me."

Sabre glanced inward at the scanners, which revealed no tell-tale signs of deception. Tarl pried at his hand, and rubbed his throat when Sabre released him.

"What are you going to do?"

"That depends on how much time Tassin has before that pig makes good on his threats," Sabre said.

"He won't rush it. He thinks he has culture, but he's almost as bad as Mandure."

"And you do business with him."

"Hey, a man with a Myon Two death sentence hanging over his head has very little choice, you know."

Sabre nodded, frowning. "Then I'll go to his mansion with his men and free her."

"He must have more than twenty cybers."

"How many does he have in his bedroom when he's... entertaining?"

"How the hell should I know?"

Sabre looked vague, his eyes unfocussed. "The men are in the hold, and Kole's locked in cabin three, alone."

Tarl went over to a screen on the wall and pressed a key on the pad beside it. An image of the hold appeared, where all four men unloaded boxes from three anti-gravity sleds. He tapped another key, and the image changed to one of Kole in a cabin, trying to free himself from the handcuffs. Sabre led the way to the cabin, and Tarl used his codes to open the door. Kole looked up with a wary expression that changed to grim satisfaction when Sabre entered.

"Can you get these damned things off me?" He turned his back, and Sabre gripped the short chain, snapping it with a jerk. Kole swung around. "Right, get your weapons, let's take care of those guys and go after Tassin."

Sabre shook his head. "Bad plan. Gaylor took the vehicle, his mansion is too far away to reach on foot before nightfall, and it's got more security than a bank.”

“How the hell do you know that?”

Sabre tapped the brow band. “GPS, and security info from Myon Two. The vehicle will return to fetch the men, and I'll go back with them and get her."

"Alone?"

"I don't see how you can come with me, and if you did, you'd just get in the way."

"Gaylor probably has an army at his mansion."

Sabre nodded. "And he thinks I'm his now."

"Right. But it's still risky. I could help."

"I doubt it. You pretend to be a prisoner, and when the men leave, Tarl will get the ship ready for an emergency take-off. When I return, we'll want to leave in a hurry." Sabre glanced around sharply, winced and rubbed his head.

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"I'll have to be, wont' I?"

"What about the money? Can you get that too? We're going to need it."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Let's get out of here before someone checks on us," Tarl advised.

Sabre followed him to the bridge, detouring to collect his weapons and don his armour, clipping the helmet to the holder on his hip. After fifteen minutes, Ambrey appeared in the doorway.

"Right, it's stowed. Lord Gaylor wants you off world right away. Get going."

Tarl touched a few buttons, and a faint hum came from deep in the ship's bowels.

Ambrey’s eyes raked Sabre’s armour. "Cyber, come with me."

Sabre followed him out to an air-car, where the rest of the men waited. The car speeded over the forest for more than an hour before a sprawling complex of white marble buildings came into view, set in park-like gardens replete with fountains, lakes and sports fields. Lord Gaylor, it seemed, entertained himself royally when he was not kidnapping young women. Sabre tried not to think about what might be happening to Tassin. The air-car landed in a vast courtyard that trees growing through holes in the mosaic brick paving shaded. Dozens of buildings surrounded it, including three massive hangars, two of which were large enough to house space faring ships, two long rows of stables, what appeared to be a zoo, four clusters of semi-detached cottages, a storehouse, gymnasium, games’ rooms, workshops, two barracks, a factory and an indoor arena. The men disembarked, and Ambrey turned to him.

"Your barracks are over there. Go eat and rest."

Sabre headed towards the squat building Ambrey indicated, scanning the rest of the compound. Hundreds of life signs moved around the buildings, including many animals, but the stone prevented him from scanning the interiors. He searched for the mostly likely place that Gaylor would reside, deciding on a palatial structure to his left with a pink crystal dome and gilt doors.

In the barracks, five cybers rested on hard, narrow cots and twelve caskets were stacked against the far wall. He helped himself to a meal from the cyber ration dispenser, mindful of Tarl's advice. Sitting on one of the spare bunks, he forced himself to eat the revolting grey paste, its taste bringing back unpleasant memories. Then he stretched out in an identical position to the rest of the cybers and closed his eyes. The memories plagued him; flashes of vivid images so real that he could not help reacting to them, his reflexes automatic.