Chapter Nine

 

Tarl disconnected the access cable and moved the brain scanner away on its jointed arm. Martis frowned in puzzlement. Tarl glanced around, spotted a resuscitation unit and pulled it over, then removed the paddles from the ends of the cables, exposing the wires. Martis made a strangled sound as Tarl adjusted the amperage on the resuscitation unit down to a few milliamps.

"What the hell are you going to do?" Martis asked.

"Wake him up," Tarl replied.

"With shocks?"

"Yup." Tarl touched the ends of the cables together, causing a fat spark to jump between them with a soft crackle. "It's not ideal. I made a special instrument for this, which worked great, but this will do the trick, I reckon."

"Wait," Martis said. "Where are you going to put that shock?"

"Through his brain, of course, where else?"

"You can't!"

Tarl turned to him, frowning. "Look, I know you're a host researcher, but you know shit, okay? I've done this before."

"To him?"

"Yeah, to him. I used it to destroy his memory block a long time ago."

"But this isn't the same thing!"

Tarl shook his head. "It will work. It must, because nothing else will."

"It's insane. You'll cause brain damage."

Estrelle nodded. "I agree."

Tarl eyed them. "You kids just sit back and watch. You might learn something about cybers."

Martis turned to Kole. "You can't let him do this. He's going to destroy Sabre's brain."

Kole shrugged, looking uneasy. "He's the expert."

"I wouldn't do anything to harm Sabre," Tarl said, turning to the cyber, the cables poised. "Sorry, bud, this is going to hurt."

Tarl touched the ends of the cables to the edges of the brow band, and a fat blue spark shot into it with a pop. The control unit filled with flashing red lights, and Sabre went rigid, his back arched and his hands clenched. After several seconds he relaxed, and Tarl studied the lights on the brow band, most of which turned green again, then the cyber's face.

"You really don't want to come out of there do you, bud?" he murmured, and touched the cables to the brow band again.

Martis made a strangled sound, turning away as Sabre's back arched again, lifting his midriff off the table, his lips drawn back and his hands clenched. Tarl studied the brow band as the cyber relaxed, nodding. The seventh control light flickered green.

"He's starting to come out of it."

Tarl touched the cable ends to the brow band once more. Martis made choking sounds; Estrelle looked like she wanted to be sick. Sabre convulsed again, and the sixth control light flashed, the seventh becoming steady.

"The cyber's taking control," she muttered.

"No, it can't," Tarl said.

All seven control lights turned green, flashed once, and turned red again, then two new lights flashed green. Sabre opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. Tarl switched off the resuscitator and put down the cables.

"Welcome back, bud."

Sabre groaned, raising a hand to his brow.

"Get him painkillers," Tarl ordered. "He's going to have one hell of a headache."

Estrelle jumped up and ran to a cabinet, digging in it. Sabre turned his head, his brows drawing together, and his eyes flicked over them, coming to rest on Tarl. His mouth worked, and he coughed.

"Tarl..."

"Yeah, bud, I'm here."

"You... bastard."

"Sorry, I had to do it."

The cyber sat up in a smooth movement and swung his legs off the table. Tarl jumped up, retreating. Sabre glared at him, slid off the table and swayed a little as he stood.

Martis and Kole backed away, and Martis said, "I should warn you, he's probably still very very angry, Tarl."

"Oh yeah," Tarl agreed, "he's furious."

Sabre stalked towards the cyber tech, who retreated, shaking his head. The cyber's hands flashed out, gripped Tarl's throat and slammed him against the wall with a bang, pinning him to it.

"Ow. Calm down, bud," Tarl squeaked.

"You bastard." Sabre thrust his face closer to glare into Tarl's eyes. "Why the hell did you do that? You think that was fun, do you?"

"No, but you're awake."

"I should break your bloody neck!"

"But you won't, so how about letting me go so I don't have to talk like I swallowed a frog, huh?"

Sabre's grip tightened until Tarl's face mottled, then the cyber released him and stepped back. Tarl sagged against the wall, rubbing his throat.

"Thanks." He coughed. "We need to talk."

"We found Tassin," Kole announced.

Sabre swung around. "Where?"

"Wait." Tarl shot Kole a furious look. "Let's not worry about that now. She's fine, bud, relax. We'll get her back soon. She's in no danger, I swear. First, we need to help you get a grip."

Sabre turned to him and slammed his hands against the wall on either side of the cyber tech's head. "I want these feelings gone! Can you do that? Old buddy? Old chum? Hmmmm?"

Tarl rubbed his ears. "No, but I can help you to deal with them."

"How?"

"I'll figure it out."

Sabre pushed himself away from the wall, clasping his brow, and Estrelle held out two pills. The cyber took them and popped them into his mouth, then turned to Tarl again.

"You'd better start figuring then, and fast."

"Okay, okay, I have a headache too now, from being smashed into the wall."

Estrelle tipped another two pills from the bottle and held them out.

Tarl took them, eyeing Sabre. "Okay, you're angry, let's deal with that first. What are you so mad about?"

The cyber glared at him. "I have all this shit in my head, and it's driving me nuts!"

"Yeah, it's shit, but it's human shit. It's a part of who you are now. Do you want to be a half man all your life, unable to feel like the rest of us?"

"You don't feel like this, I guarantee it."

Tarl nodded. "Yeah we do, just not all the time, because we deal with it. We work through it, put it aside, get over it, whatever we have to do, and with time it fades. You're just new to it, but you're going to have to get used to it."

Sabre pointed at Martis. "He reprogrammed me. Did he do the right thing?"

Tarl shot Martis an incredulous look. "And you let him?"

"I was already having trouble before the brain block failed. I had strange feelings then too, just not this bad."

"What did you do?" Tarl asked Martis.

The host researcher spread his hands. "I built a bridge between his machine mind and his flesh, I swear, that's all. I erased some subroutines that would have hampered him, and reprogrammed his core to accept a host choice instead of cyber law."

"You reprogrammed his core commands?"

"Yeah."

Tarl glanced at Sabre. "How do you feel?"

"I am so sick of people asking me that. I'm angry, and it won't go away."

"Because you're being constantly irritated by the other feelings." Tarl turned to a cabinet and took out a handful of bottles, going through them until he found the one he wanted. "Okay, this should work on you. I don't think cybers were ever immunised to this, simply because it can't be used to incapacitate them."

"What's it going to do to me?"

"It'll calm you down, make those feelings a lot less, so you can get used to them slowly."

Tarl filled a syringe and turned to Sabre. "Okay?"

The cyber eyed him, then shrugged. "I suppose, of all the people who poke, prod and bugger around with my mind, I should trust you the most, hey, old bud?"

"Yeah, you should."

Sabre held out his arm so Tarl could inject him, then smiled and yanked him into a bone-crushing embrace, making him cough and groan as his ribs creaked.

"It's good to see you again."

Tarl drew in a gasp as the cyber released him, staggering a little. "You too, even if you did just break my back."

"Serves you right for sending shocks through my brain, you bastard."

"I already got my throat crushed for that."

"You'll be paying for a while yet, trust me."

Martis stepped forward, sensing that the danger was over. "Are you having any side effects, Sabre?"

The cyber turned to face him. "Like what?"

"Dizziness, blurred vision, nausea?"

Sabre shook his head. "Just a bloody headache." His eyes flicked past Martis to Kole, and he walked closer to the hacker. "Good job, finding Tarl. Where's Tassin?"

"We think she's on the ship we just rescued Tarl from, but it's heavily armed."

"You think?"

"Yeah. She might have been sold. Tarl hasn't seen her for a while."

Sabre swung back to Tarl, who shot Kole a dirty look. "Thanks, Kole."

"Any time, pal."

"Why didn't you stop her?" Sabre demanded.

"The only person who could have stopped her from getting on that shuttle was you, bud. I didn't stand a chance in hell."

"You managed to keep her out of the castle when I fought her damned cousin... What was his name?"

"Yeah and I got kicked and punched for it. I couldn't grab her with her soldiers there, they’d have gutted me."

Sabre nodded, rubbing his brow. "Yeah, you're right. If she couldn't go around you, she'd have gone over you."

"Are you feeling a bit calmer, bud?"

"Yeah. More like myself, detached."

Tarl smiled. "Good."

"How long was I out?"

"Two weeks."

Sabre sank down on a stool. "God, it was like having a damned circus in my head, especially the wild rides. I couldn't think straight."

"And none of these idiots thought about giving you a tranquiliser?"

"Apparently not."

"Hey," Martis protested, "we were in the middle of a search for you and Tassin. We couldn't sedate him."

"That's exactly what you should have done."

"It'll impair his thinking; slow down his reactions. It's dangerous. It wouldn't work on an in-control cyber, but he's now incapacitated."

Sabre frowned at the host tech. "I don't really care. The main thing is I can think straight. I'm not going out of my mind with worry, and I don't want to shove everyone I see through a wall anymore."

"Better to have him incapacitated than out cold," Tarl pointed out.

"I didn't know that was going to happen."

"Ignorance is bliss, but stupidity is just dumb."

Sabre sighed. "I'll have to go to that ship and see if she's there."

"That would be very dangerous while you're sedated," Tarl said.

"There, you see?" Martis crowed.

"Oh shut up, you little shit, he needs to be sedated. We have four cybers we can use. He doesn't have to do it himself."

"What about offering to buy her?" Kole asked. "That might work, only we can't do it ourselves, but we've got Striker. I doubt they noticed her clamped to Pathos."

Sabre nodded. "That will work."

"I can't do the talking, though. I spoke to an officer when I went to get Tarl, he might recognise my voice."

"I'll do it," Sabre said.

"You should talk to a guy called Baron Ashmond. He's Endrovar’s right hand man."

"Okay."

Tarl peered at the cyber, frowning. "You all right?"

Sabre nodded, looking down at his hands. "Just tired."

"It's the sedative. Maybe someone else should go; Sabre needs to rest."

"You gave him too much," Martis accused.

Tarl glared at him. "Maybe I did, but better that than him going off his rocker, huh?"

"I guess. I'll do it then."

Kole nodded. "Okay, let's go to Striker. We don't have to unclamp, just use her com-unit."

"I'm coming." Sabre stood up, yawning.

"Me too," Tarl added.

In the corridor, enforcers stepped from their path, eyeing Sabre, who ignored them, stifling his yawns. They followed Kole to the docking port where Striker was clamped and into the ship.

"Hello, Kole," Striker crooned.

"Hi sweetie." Kole entered the bridge and flopped down in the command seat. Martis eased into the co-pilot’s chair, and Sabre stood in the doorway with Tarl.

"Remember," Kole said to Martis, "this is Striker calling Imperial. Ask for Baron Ashmond, and don't give your real name."

"I'm not an idiot," Martis retorted.

"Really? You sure had me fooled."

Sabre glanced at Tarl. "They don't like each other much, do they?"

"Doesn't seem that way."

Kole ordered Striker to open a channel, and Martis called Imperial, waiting several minutes before he received a reply, which was terse and impatient.

"Imperial here, what is it, Striker?"

"I'd like to speak to Baron Ashmond."

"Putting you through." Another long pause followed, then a different voice said, "Baron Ashmond."

"This is... Eckock, on the explorer ship Striker. Um, I'm interested in buying a female slave from you."

"You're a bit late; the Net auction was more than a week ago."

"She's been sold?"

"That's what I just said."

Martis frowned. "You only had one female slave to sell?"

"Yes, the black-haired woman, young, small, claimed to be a queen. That one."

"Right, that's the one I want. Who bought her?"

"Why do you want to know?"

Martis hesitated. "Well, I... um, I'm still interested. I thought I might be able to buy her from whoever has her now."

"No chance of that."

"Why not?"

Ashmond sounded impatient. "Because she was bought by an out of system guy, and he's long gone."

"I'd still like to know who it was."

"It was Tarvin Stargane, okay? Happy now?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Kole looked up at Sabre, who frowned at the floor. "Striker, close channel."

"Channel closed," the ship crooned.

"I'll find out who he is," Kole said.

Sabre raised his head. "Yeah, you do that."

Tarl put a hand on the cyber’s arm. "We'll find her. Come on, you should lie down."

Sabre shook him off. "Quit mothering me."

"Okay." Tarl raised his hands.

Kole turned to grin at Martis. "Eckock?"

"I was nervous, okay?"

"Sure, Eckock, whatever you say."

Martis rose and brushed past Sabre and Tarl, leaving the ship.

Sabre sighed, shaking his head. "You lot are either going to end up killing each other, or I'm going to end up killing the lot of you."

"He's the irritating one." Tarl stabbed a finger at Kole.

"I know. I'll start with him."

"Sure," Kole said. "Just let me find Tassin first, like I found Tarl for you."

"You did good, and I appreciate it. Keeping rubbing my nose in it, though, and I'll have to rub your nose in something too."

"What?"

Sabre shrugged and turned away. "Something smelly."

Kole looked at Tarl. "Something smelly? What's he talking about?"

"Shit, I reckon," Tarl replied. "He's been dying to stuff you down a loo for some time now."

Tarl followed Sabre, and Kole jumped up and hurried after them, catching up in the corridor.

Sabre swung around and frowned at the hacker. "I thought you were going to find out who this Tarvin guy is?"

"Now?"

"Yeah. Now."

Kole scowled. "I have to do everything around here. I just want you to know, I don't appreciate the threats."

"Threats?"

"Yeah, you know; the whole 'rub my nose in it' thing. Not a good idea. You need me."

Sabre stepped towards Kole, who raised a warning finger.

The cyber studied him. "You really don't want to piss me off right now. Bad idea."

"I'm helping you, and you're threatening me?"

"I'm not threatening you. Why do you think I'm threatening you? Did I make a threat?"

"Not in so many words, but just because you're a killing machine doesn't mean you can go shoving people around. It's rude, and it won't make you any friends."

Sabre spread his hands. "I didn't shove you. And if I’m a killing machine, why aren’t you afraid of me?"

"Because you're not a killer, but you are a bully."

The cyber tilted his head. "So why are you helping me?"

Kole looked away. "I'm helping Tassin, not you."

"That's not true."

"Okay, fine, it's because you need me. This is actually something I'm better at than you. That alone makes it all worthwhile, but I want to help Tassin too."

Sabre raised his brows. "You're still trying to win a pissing contest with me? Is this some sort of obsession with you? A game of one-upmanship with a cyber? What are you trying to prove, and to whom?"

Kole shrugged, looking uneasy. "Maybe just that there's a few things I can do better. But stuff my head down a loo any time soon, and the attraction's going to sour pretty damn fast."

Sabre considered. "Oh, I get it. You're trying to impress Tassin. That's it, isn't it? Do you imagine that if you prove you can do some things better than me, she'll like you instead? I'm not sure how it works, but I'm pretty sure that plan won't work. I could do this myself, but your help is appreciated, since it allows me to do other things while you do this."

"At least I didn't cop out when the going got tough."

"That's true. You're used to having all this shit in your head. If you think that makes you better than me, fine. But let me tell you something." Sabre lowered his gaze to the floor. "You're a free man. You don't have to prove anything to anyone, because you are better than me, so you can relax."

Kole shook his head. "I wish I could do half the stuff you can, so I know I'm not better than you. But you're wrong, I'm not trying to prove anything to Tassin, I know it won't do me any good. She loves you."

"So... you're trying to prove it to me?" Sabre smiled. "That's nuts. Why? So you can be my friend? I thought you didn't like me?"

"I just want to be around when you catch whoever has Tassin, so I can watch you kick some butt. That's going to be fun."

"Right, well then you'd better find out who this guy is whose butt I'm going to kick, so I can kick it, hey?"

The hacker inclined his head and headed off down the corridor towards Striker. Sabre turned to Tarl, who raised his brows.

"Intuitive of you."

"It's pretty obvious. I seem to be a magnet for men who want to share the excitement and be my friend. Why is that? Bragging rights?"

Tarl shook his head. "You're a bit off on that one. You're a natural leader, although it doesn't come naturally to you all the time. Others sense it and feel safe when they follow you. Men like you become legends, and we all want to rub shoulders with a legend."

Sabre snorted and continued down the corridor. "I'm no legend. I'm just a broken killing machine."

Tarl fell into step beside him. "Maybe not yet, but one day you will be."

"And with you, it's guilt, right?"

"Maybe it was at first, but now it's many things, including friendship."

"Do you think I'm a bully?"

Tarl chuckled. "Of course you are. It's your nature, but we don't really mind because when you do it it's not humiliating. It's actually quite a lot of fun, since it's good natured. And even when it's not, there's no shame in being bullied by you because you could bully anyone, and the fact that we all survive your rather pathetic attempts to bully us with hardly a bruise just proves what a good guy you are."

Sabre smiled. "Pathetic attempts?"

"Yeah, you're not a good bully if no one's scared of you. And being amongst the privileged few who know they're safe, no matter how much they rile you is... well, it makes us special, and everyone wants to be special. Martis and Estrelle haven't figured it out yet, but they will. He's still scared of you, and she's... in awe, I think."

"Then I do scare some people, so I'm not such a bad bully."

"He just doesn't know you well enough yet,” Tarl said, “but he'll learn, especially if you bully him a lot."

"So the more I bully you guys, the less scared you get?"

"Pretty much, yeah, because the more often you do it, the more we realise that you're really just fooling around."

"I'll have to start dishing out a few bruises then," Sabre said.

"The more you talk like that, the more we know you're not serious. Bullies crave power; they enjoy humiliating others. You only enjoy humiliating your enemies, and you don't need to bully anyone to have power."

"But I like bullying you."

"Sure you do, because it's good natured, like this." Tarl pushed Sabre, making him bump into the wall.

The cyber chuckled, nodding. "You're right, it's fun." He shoved Tarl, sending him staggering into the wall.

Tarl rubbed his shoulder. "More fun for you, I think."

"Push harder then."

The cyber tech shook his head. "I'm not going to get into a shoving match with you, bud. I don't have reinforcing."

"Pity."

"No one to play with, huh? Damned if you aren't like an overgrown puppy."

The sound of footsteps behind them made them stop and swing around.

Kole ran up, looking excited. "I found him!"

"That was quick," Sabre said.

"Yeah, well he's only the most famous person in this quadrant, isn't he? I just typed his name in and I got screens of data. He's a bloody king, can you believe it? Ruler of the Estron System, descended from the high kings who once ruled the Stargarde Marches, heir to a huge fortune, amongst other things."

Sabre frowned. "That complicates matters. It makes finding her easier, but freeing her much more difficult. He's going to have airtight security."

"We could offer to buy her back," Tarl suggested.

"Men like that don't part easily with their new toys, and he doesn't need the money."

"Tassin will give him hell. He won't enjoy playing with her for long."

Sabre strode down the corridor again. "The trouble is, men like that tend to break pig-headed toys."

"At least we know where she is," Tarl said, hurrying after him.

"Yeah, and Tarvin's a cripple," Kole added, trotting to catch up. "His back was broken in a fight ten years ago, with a cyber."

"Then we know he's stupid, that's for sure," Tarl said.

Sabre shook his head. "That tells me that he's a fighter, probably an egomaniac, and probably bitter and twisted. If Tassin provokes him, she's playing with fire."

"Oh, she'll provoke him, you can bet on that."

"That's what I'm afraid of. She's in danger, and she probably doesn't realise it because she's been brought up to believe that kings are noble, although she had Torrian as an example of one who's not. Still, she might find out the hard way."

Sabre entered the bridge, and the officers glanced around, their faces stiffening in alarm. Thestan rose and stepped away from the command seat as if it had become red hot. Sabre frowned at the screens, where a moon hung.

"Set course for the Estron System."

Thestan relayed the order to the pilot, who ran his hands over his console. The moon moved across the screens as thrusters fired, changing the ship's trajectory to line it up with the closest photon corridor entry vector.

Thestan turned to Sabre. "Which planet are we going to?"

"The King resides on Parthis Two, so we'll start with that one." The cyber glanced at Kole. "Did you find out the name of Tarvin's ship?"

"Yeah, it's Shadow Hawk. That's his flagship, an A-class destroyer."

"Estron destroyers are the equivalent of a battleship. There's not much that can outgun one." Sabre scowled. "Certainly not a Myon Two battle cruiser."

"Nope." Kole smiled. "But there's one ship that can outgun anything."

"I won't call Fairen unless I have to."

"If you engage an Estron destroyer, you'll have to."

"That would be a last resort."

"Maybe you can reason with him," Tarl said. "And if Tassin's pissed him off enough, he might be glad to get rid of her."

Sabre shook his head again. "If he knows what I'm after, he'll use her as a hostage. He won't allow anyone to browbeat him. Nobility tend to be proud, and only respect other royals, so he won't co-operate. I need a pretext to get aboard his ship. Does he have cybers?"

Kole consulted his data wand, tapping the keys. "Yep, a whole stable of them. Forty-one to be exact." He frowned. "That's odd."

"What?"

"According to the Net info, Myon Two gives them to him. Ten years ago they gave him thirty, and they've given him one a year since then."

Sabre frowned. "As if he works for them, or sells them something. But there's no barrinium on any of the Estron planets... Unless it's something to do with his being crippled by a cyber, but they kill and cripple people all the time. But he's a king... then again, he fought the cyber, so he can hardly claim compensation for terminal stupidity." Sabre glanced at the sub-commander. "Thestan?"

"I have no idea."

"But you can find out."

Thestan's lips thinned. "It must be classified, or I would know already, so they won't tell me, or you."

Sabre nodded. "It probably doesn't matter. It helps that he's got cybers, but the number makes things worse."

"So what's the plan?" Kole asked.

"I'm not sure yet. Knowing Tassin, she's probably told him everything by now, so any attempt at subterfuge will be futile. Unless... we go as who we are, a Myon Two enforcer ship. If we tell Tarvin we want a meeting, he might agree. Clearly he has some sort of relationship with Myon Two, and, even if we don't know what it is, it might get us aboard his ship."

Tarl nodded. "And then what? He'll keep us under guard, and he probably won't allow more than a couple of us to board."

"And Pathos no longer looks like an enforcer ship," Thestan pointed out.

Sabre shot him a frown. "So we're disguised, investigating something, barrinium smugglers, perhaps. You have the Myon Two codes and passwords, so you can identify yourself."

The sub-commander inclined his head, looking unhappy. "Yes. But you'll need to give him a reason for the meeting."

"Yeah." Sabre gazed out of the screens, pondering. "Maybe we have something to offer. He's a paraplegic. Maybe we've found a way to cure him. If only I knew what his relationship with Myon Two is..."

"There's no way to cure a broken back," Tarl said.

The cyber sighed and shook his head. "You're not helping." He paced around, glaring at the floor, then looked up. "Emperor Endrovar. Thestan, how long before we enter the corridor?"

Thestan glanced at his navigation officer, who said, "Twelve minutes, thirteen seconds, sir."

"Enough time." Sabre turned to Tarl. "You're going to send a distress message to Endrovar."

"I am?"

"Yeah. You've been captured by Myon Two enforcers. They're taking you to be executed for your treasonous acts all those years ago. You need him to rescue you. Give him our co-ordinates and our destination. Sound scared and desperate."

"But -"

"Now, Tarl." Sabre gripped his elbow and led him over to the com-station. "I'll explain afterwards."

The cyber handed Tarl the microphone and glanced at the com-station officer. "Open a channel."

Tarl licked his lips. "Calling Imperial, this is Tarl Averly. I've been captured by Myon Two enforcers. They're going to execute me for treason. I need your help. We're on course for the Estron System, co-ordinates 463-870-476, acknowledge."

Static hissed from the com-station, then a voice said, "This is Imperial, message received. How far are you from the corridor?"

Tarl glanced at Sabre, who shook his head, and the tech said, "I'm not sure, not far I think, but I -"

Sabre gripped Tarl's neck, making him break off with a squeak. The cyber plucked the microphone from his hand and dropped it on the floor. Turning to the coms officer, he made a throat-slitting motion. The officer closed the channel, and Sabre smiled at Tarl, who rubbed his throat, frowning.

"Any reason why you had to half strangle me?"

"To make it seem authentic, like you were caught sending the message." Sabre picked up the microphone and put it on the com-station.

"Right, so now are you going to tell us why you just gave away our location to Endrovar, who wants to kill you?"

"For precisely that reason. We can't take on Tarvin's ship, or Endrovar’s, they're bigger and better armed. But Tarvin is an ally of Myon Two, or has some sort of relationship with them, and I reckon his ship is a match for Endrovar’s."

"But why would he fight Endrovar?" Tarl asked.

"Because we're going to start the fight." Sabre settled into the command chair and gazed out of the screens. "If we exit the corridor close to Parthis Two, we should end up pretty close to Shadow Hawk. Imperial will be hot on our heels, because it's faster than us. They can't attack us in the corridor, but when we get to Parthis they will.

"Then we ask Tarvin for help. If he doesn't agree, we hide behind him, try to get Endrovar to attack him, or at least come too close for comfort. Not only will Endrovar be in Estron space, he'll also be endangering the King. If Tarvin agrees to give us protection, he should be curious about why Endrovar was after us, and that's a possible reason for a meeting. If not, we tell him we're damaged and ask for help to repair the ship. Either way, it gives us a reason to stay at Parthis."

"There are a number of loopholes in your plan,” Tarl said. “What if Tarvin doesn't want to help us, and attacks us instead?"

"Doubtful. If Myon Two is giving him cybers, his relationship with them must be at least amicable."

"What if Shadow Hawk isn't at Parthis Two?"

Sabre nodded. "Then we'll have a bit of a problem, but I reckon it will be. If not, we still seek sanctuary from Estron warships. Tarvin will hear about it, which will make him curious. Once he finds out about you, he's going to want to meet you. With a stable of forty-one cybers, he might try to negotiate your freedom so you can work for him. He must have some sort of hold over Myon Two."

"I guess so." Tarl was clearly unconvinced. "But I have to tell you, I'm not happy about being used as a pawn in all this."

"You're not a pawn, you're the bait."

"Even worse."

Sabre smiled. "You're actually the prize, so you're the safest of all of us."

Kole said, "Tassin's on Tarvin's ship, what if Endrovar destroys it?"

"Unlikely. He's in his own space, so he'll summon help, and Shadow Hawk is a match for Imperial. If she is badly damaged, that gives us a reason to board her on a rescue mission."

"I think Tarl gave you too much sedative."

Tarl glared at Kole as Thestan glanced at Sabre, his brows rising. The cyber met his gaze with a flat stare, and the sub-commander looked away. Sabre cast Kole a hard glance, making the hacker shift in guilty unease.

The navigation officer looked up at Thestan. "Sir, Imperial is giving chase, catching up rapidly. She'll be in a position to fire in about three minutes. Two minutes to corridor entry."

Thestan nodded, and Sabre frowned at the navigation officer, then went over to stand beside him. "While I'm on the bridge, you'll direct your information to me, Lieutenant, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

A short, tense silence fell, then Thestan said, "Imperial might try to board us in the corridor."

Sabre shrugged. "They might, but we have a cyber pilot, so I doubt they'll succeed. And even if they do, we have four cybers."

"So do they," Tarl said.

"A-grades?"

"No, B-grades, and pretty beaten up right now, but still..."

"They won't be able to board us, so I wouldn't worry about it."

Tarl nodded, and the navigation officer said, "Entering corridor. Deploying solar wings. Engines offline."

"It's a good thing this corridor goes all the way to the Estron System," Kole remarked, consulting his data wand. "Although it passes fourteen light minutes from it. We'll have a pretty hairy last leg."

"This ship can handle it," Sabre stated.

The forward screens filled with light, and dark shields slid across them, dimming the intense luminescence to a bearable level. The navigation officer glanced around. "Imperial just entered the corridor. They're still gaining on us."

"Of course, they have a faster ship."

"This is a risky plan," Thestan said.

"Any time you want to get off, find an airlock. I'll be in my quarters."

Sabre marched to his cabin, flung himself down on the bed and glared at the ceiling. The emotional turmoil in his head continued, muted by the sedative, but still intrusive. The despair had left him, since he now had hope, but immense anxiety plagued him, along with visions of Tassin beaten and bound, or dead. It made him aggressive and angry, and he disliked his inability to control his irritation and frustration entirely. He longed to vent his pent-up anguish, but he had already destroyed the gym and there was nothing else to take it out on. He wanted his cool, rational mind-set back, and wondered if he would ever have it again. If this was what it meant to be human, it was not all it was cracked up to be. On top of it all, his heart seemed to be filled with lead, which added to his misery. He wanted Tassin back. She was the cure that would end his suffering, and he would do whatever it took to achieve that, or, as he had promised her, die trying, since he did not want to endure the suffering that would result if he failed.

Tarl came in, his brow furrowed with concern. "How are you feeling, bud?"

Sabre closed his eyes. "Fine."

"A bit angry, maybe?"

"That man pisses me off."

"Yeah." Tarl sank down on a chair. "But you're dealing with it okay?"

"I haven't chucked him out of an airlock yet, have I?"

"This has got to be tough for you, rubbing shoulders with enforcers, Tassin in danger. Not the best time to have to deal with all those new feelings as well."

"Are you going to psychoanalyse me now?" Sabre asked.

"I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Good, then leave me alone."

Tarl stood up, dug in his pocket and held out a bottle of pills. "Here. If you feel like breaking heads, take two of these. It's the same stuff as the injection; it'll calm you down."

Sabre took the bottle with a sigh, tucking it into his medical kit. "Thanks."

Tarl paused by the door to glance back. "I don't trust these enforcers. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what we're doing on a Myon Two ship."

"Fairen gave it to me. Ask Kole, he'll fill you in on most of it, Martis and Estrelle can tell you the rest."