Anger turned into rage as Tanner thought about that.
Direct your anger at the alien beside you. He is the cheater. He is the Coalition—
“No. He’s. Not.” Tanner said. “You alien freaks from the Triangulum Galaxy are the cheaters. You want to devour humanity. Well, guess what? I’m here to stop you, me, Tanner of Remus.”
Saying that made Tanner feel better. He drew the blaster. With his thumb, he flicked it on so it purred with power.
Tanner checked the barrel, liking the red glow.
No! the thing shouted in his mind. I do not allow you to live. I will require your life from you, pest. You cannot come into our nest, not at the great moment of my awakening. I am the Radiant Sigil, the First Rarified of Excellence!
Tanner saw an angry comet rise from behind a shimmering force field. Only a small trickle of golden motes bled from it. The thing began to pulsate, and it charged, a comet-like tail growing behind it. It weaved strangely. Tanner realized it was trying to time and thereby dodge his shot.
I am too quick for you. I am too powerful. I am the Radiant One. I am your god.
“Yeah, I don’t think so, buddy,” Tanner said. He gripped the blaster in both hands. He wondered if this was how the Innoo Flaam and the Phazes had duked it out in the old days twenty thousand years ago.
Closing one eye, Tanner tracked the creature with the other.
“Careful,” Acton said from behind. “There are more than one here. I believe they plan to swarm you.”
Tanner glanced around. He saw three more of the comet-like aliens. They were coming low, trying to catch him unawares.
“Sneaky little tykes, aren’t you?” Tanner said under this breath. Instead of training the blaster on the others, he kept the gun fixed on the first Phaze, the one calling itself the Radiant One.
Four Phazes converged upon Tanner. He stepped to the edge of the gravity sled. “Get ready,” he said over his shoulder. “We’re going to have to dance for thirty seconds after my first shot.”
Suddenly, the Radiant One rushed him. Tanner tracked it more tightly, and the thing veered hard. Whirling to his right, Tanner saw a different Phaze rushing upward at him. He pulled the trigger. A gout of red power flowed from the blaster. The beam struck the Phaze directly.
The thing screamed into Tanner’s mind. He was ready and hunched his shoulders. With everything in him, he kept pulling the trigger and kept the beam on target.
Suddenly, a mindless shriek sounded in his head. The comet-thing exploded in a flash of golden motes. Electrical discharges flashed in every direction.
Tanner flattened onto the disc floor. At the same time, Acton tapped the controls. They went up fast, the gravity sled humming with power.
Come back, murderer. You will face our wrath. We will torment you for an existence.
“Keep moving,” Tanner shouted. “They’re pissed.” He stared at the heavy blaster. It vibrated, with the barest of pink color at the barrel.
For thirty seconds, Acton dodged the Phazes. At twenty seconds, a comet flashed hard at them. Tanner raised the gun. The thing veered at the last moment.
“They don’t like playing chicken,” Tanner said.
“I don’t understand the idiom,” Acton said.
A click sounded. Tanner checked his gun. “You don’t have to, my friend. Let’s go back to hunting. I want to kill me more of these galaxy murderers.”
“May I suggest something else?” Acton said.
“What’s that?”
“We will continue to flee.”
“That doesn’t make sense—oh, yes, draw them in. Good thinking, Acton.”
As Tanner spoke, the Shand manipulated the controls. The gravity sled began to climb.
Tanner peeked over the edge. “They’re coming after us, all three of them.”
“I will switch direction at your word.”
“Got it,” Tanner said.
You flee too soon, mortal. You were presumptuous to come into our place of power. You—
“Switch!” shouted Tanner.
Acton tapped the controls. The gravity sled shuddered, and instead of going up, it went down.
As soon as Tanner adjusted to that, he stood up.
What is this? Why is the machine descending? I suspect a trick, my brothers.
The first Phaze blazed into sight. Tanner aimed and fired. A second later, a hot beam poured square against the photon-electrical creature.
It screamed in Tanner’s mind, and it exploded in a blaze of multiple colors. If it hadn’t been such a deadly game, Tanner might have enjoyed the display.
Dropping to his stomach, hooking an arm around a bar, Tanner shouted, “Start jinking. We have thirty seconds to go again.”
The disc did exactly that. Instead of seeing the remaining two Phazes come after them, the two comet-like beings shot straight up.
“Where are they going?” Tanner asked. “Are they going to get reinforcements?”
“I do not know,” Acton said. “But now that they have fled, even if momentarily, let us destroy the great machine, the heart of the transporter. In this way, no more Phazes can come through and those that are still charging up inside a cyborg will be left without their intellects.”
“Sounds good to me,” Tanner said. “What do we have to do?”
“My box is a special kind of bomb. That is what the Lithian attempted to destroy before. As soon as we land over there, I will set it. Then, we must flee before the Phazes return with reinforcements.”
-51-
The gravity sled began to float toward the shimmering force fields below. Acton trained the majority of the spotlights there. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of cyborgs began to stir in vast incubation tubes. Beside the large tubes—many of them holding a hundred or more cyborgs—were stockpiles of plasma tubes, X-ray mortars and heavy rifles.
“What is this place?” Tanner shouted.
“I have no more time to explain. According to my instruments, the last two Phazes are heading through the time field.”
“So?”
“It must mean they plan something else than facing us,” Acton said. “We don’t know how much time we lost coming through the warp.”
“I hate this place,” Tanner said. “I especially hate that big old thing over there.” He pointed out the glass dome with brain sheets in green computing gel.
“That is the Web Mind. It must sense us, even though I have the feeling the Phazes have blinded it.”
“How would they do that?”
“The easiest way, I’d imagine,” Acton said, “by unhooking its video feeds. Sensory deprivation is a cruel tactic against any human-like organism.”
Tanner stared at the Web Mind dome. He spun around. “I have an idea. Can we talk to the Web Mind?”
“Why would we want to?”
“You said they were arrogant and pompous.”
“To an intense degree,” Acton said.
“Then maybe we can use that,” Tanner said. “If the Phazes have taken over, won’t the Web Mind hate that?”
“Ah, yes, that is subtle and quick. And it may be our best hope. The heat coming from the lava stream is too much. I cannot take the sled much lower or risk our never rising.”
Without further ado, Acton went to another box. With a few taps, the cover slid off. He worked frantically inside it. Soon, the dome down there glowed with an eerie color.
“I have gained contact,” Acton said. “It is a crude link, but we should be able to talk to it. I suggest you do the talking. I am too logical. The Web Mind is sure to have reverted into an emotional wreck. You are therefore better suited to communicate with it.”
“Thanks, I guess,” Tanner said. He took the microphone Acton handed him. “Hello,” he said.
A strange mechanical voice replied from a speaker in the nearby box. “Who is this? Who dares to address the Supreme Majesty of the Galaxy?”
“I am an enemy of the Phazes,” Tanner said.
“What are
Phazes? Make your meaning clear before I obliterate you.”
“Yes, Great One,” Tanner said. “I will gladly do that. I have come a long way to speak with you.”
“That is logical,” the Web Mind said. “I am the greatest and most supreme intellect alive. And yet, if you can fathom the horror of this, my allies have betrayed me. They are ravenous devils without gratitude—”
“They are fleeing, Great One,” Tanner said.
“Never interrupt me again. That is the supreme sacrilege. Surely, you must realize that.”
“I do,” Tanner said. “I am in gross error. I thought you didn’t realize that the Phazes, your allies, rush to escape your wrath.”
There was a pause. Then, the Web Mind asked, “How do you know this?”
“They race through a time warp to reach the surface. I believe they mean to leave the planet.”
“Without me?” the Web Mind asked.
“That is why I wanted to speak with you. Since I know you are the greatest living intellect, I yearned for your aid. If I aid you, Great One, would you help me with a problem?”
There was another pause before the Web Mind said, “Yes, of course, of course I will aid you. You are human, are you not?”
“I am, Great One. Will that be a problem?”
“No, no, I love humans. Perhaps after this is over you can show me your homeworld—if it is near.”
“It is very near,” Tanner said. “Oh, this is marvelous. I’m hoping you’ll aid me regain my throne.”
“Yes, of course I will, of course. You can trust me implicitly.”
“Thank you, Great One. But what shall we do about the time warp?”
“Silly human, I will deactivate it. If you will simply hook me up to the machines over there…”
The Web Mind gave Tanner instructions about what to do to the black, powerless machines he’d seen earlier.
“I will gladly do what you say, Great One, but the heat from the lava stream—”
“Yes, yes,” the Web Mind said impatiently. “I already understand your problem. Simple biomasses such as you are very weak. That is one of my greatest defense mechanisms. Now, listen closely while I tell you how to do this. Are you listening?”
“I am,” Tanner said.
“Good,” and the Web Mind proceeded to tell them how to blanket the heat from the lava stream. “Once you have landed, you can hook me to the power core. I can do everything else then.”
“You are kind to aid me like this,” Tanner said.
“I realize that,” the Web Mind said. “Now, enough talking, hurry and obey me or…”
“Or?” Tanner asked.
“We will speak of that later. First, do I as say and all will go well with you. You have my solemn word on this, and my word is golden.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Tanner said. “I’m signing off, Great One, to go and do your will.”
***
Soon, Tanner watched the shimmering shielded ground draw nearer.
“What’s powering all this, by the way?” the centurion asked.
Acton didn’t answer. He was too busy bringing the sled closer by degrees. Finally, they hovered over the humming, shimmering mass. Below a newly strengthened force screen, the lava stream continued its sluggish flow. They only felt a little of its intense heat now.
Tanner licked his lips. From this low height, he could see that the Web Mind dome was huge, two-stories and three acres of brain mass pulsating with thought. How many humans had been mind-stripped to feed the beast?
“Look,” Tanner whispered. “More cyborgs stir. Some of them are watching us through their tubes.”
“The Web Mind will surely release the cyborgs once you hook the foul creature to its machines,” Acton said.
“He or it had no compunction about lying to me,” Tanner said.
“Of course not,” Acton said. “To the Web Mind, you are a gnat, less than gnat. Would you keep your agreement with an ant?”
“If the ant bargained in good faith, I would.”
Acton grinned. “Perhaps that is so. Now comes another tricky bit. You will have to jump down.”
“I know.”
Acton nodded, left his station and went to the nullifier box. “If this breaks down…”
“I know,” Tanner said, wiping sweat from his face. “How about you find out where their nullifier is. It’s my prize, remember?”
Acton did not respond.
Tanner decided to drop it for the moment. Either the Shand had honor or he didn’t. If he didn’t…Tanner hadn’t decided yet if he would shoot Acton if he broke his word. The centurion would improvise when the moment came.
“There,” Acton said, standing. “I have set it. “Now…” He hurried to the control, dropping them lower yet as the sled headed to the dome.
A click sounded. Power flooded from the nullifier, and a small portion of the force screen disappeared. Heat billowed from that spot, but not the former lava heat.
“Here we go,” Tanner muttered. He knelt, slid over the edge, hung on as he looked down and let go. He dropped and hit rock. With an intense longing, Tanner looked up at the hovering sled. That was his ticket home. If something happened to the gravity sled, he would be stuck down here with the waiting cyborgs.
Time to move, he told himself.
With a feeling of growing dread, Tanner trotted away from the sled. He reached huge optic fiber cables. Bending his knees, he grabbed a coupling, grunting as he lifted. Dragging, sweating, straining, he brought it to a port. He could have used the Lithian’s strength. Had Acton foreseen this moment? Tanner couldn’t see how.
For the next few minutes, the centurion worked with a will, huffing, puffing and sweating harder each second. Around him, the larger dark machines whirred with power. That created more light as they turned on. Video lenses soon swung around, watching him. He stopped for a moment and waved. He couldn’t help himself. After that, he worked faster.
Soon, entire sections of machines snapped on with lights and power. The Web Mind was getting its senses back and maybe more control. This seemed like a grim gamble. What else could they do, though?
Huge generators roared into life. Other machines powered up. More force screens shimmered into existence. Out of the corner of his eye, Tanner noticed cyborgs climbing out of a big tube. Several of the vile creatures glanced at him.
They gave Tanner the creeps.
Instead of dashing at him, instead of going for heavy rifles, the cyborgs raced to work on repairing the Web Mind.
Tanner blinked sweat out of his eyes. He looked up. The gravity sled was higher than he remembered. Was Acton cutting out on him?
The sled began lowering. “Get ready,” the Shand shouted, with his voice coming over the edge.
Tanner walked to the lowering sled, even though he wanted to sprint. The cyborgs felt like beasts, Remus lions perhaps. They would surely look up if he moved too fast.
Finally, Tanner jumped up. He grabbed hold of the sled and chinned himself onto the top. “You have no idea how good it feels to be back on board,” he said.
“It has been an adventure, Centurion. I will not soon forget you.”
Tanner stared at Acton. “What does that mean? Are you double-crossing me?”
“How do you gain that understanding from my words? I am impressed with you. We have one more risk, and then we shall discover how cunning the Web Mind is.”
“What risk? What are you talking about?”
“Over there,” Acton said. He manipulated the sled. It slid across the shimmering floor.
“Humans!” the Web Mind boomed, speaking through vast speakers.
“Can you hear me, Great One?” Tanner asked.
“I can pick up any audio signal I desire down here,” the Web Mind boomed. “My capacities are returning. The star lords have acted faithlessly. They are attempting to escape. I will alert the orbital lasers.”
“Uh…” Tanner said. “Can lasers hurt these star lords?”
&n
bsp; “This is incredible,” the Web Mind said. “The lasers do not harm such creatures. I do not understand. I should have known that. How can a mite like you have understood such a thing before me?”
“I think it’s the warp up there doing that,” Tanner said.
“Silly mite,” the Web Mind boomed. “That is not a warp. It is part of the interstellar bridge, the link between our galaxies. The star lords derive power from there. They have turned their entire galaxy—never mind. You don’t need to know about that. I have learned so much. Yes, the star lords are traveling through what you refer to as a warp. Do they seek to escape me? I will depower the bridge for a span.”
“Down there,” Acton whispered. The sled was over a storage area. “Jump down and grab that black unit. Slide it here as fast as you can.”
Tanner breathed deeply. Nearby, two or three hundred cyborgs worked like ants, repairing various things. They seemed grotesque in a manner Tanner couldn’t explain.
The sled lowered. Tanner jumped down and walked fast to the storage unit. As he did, several cyborgs let go of a heavy line and began striding toward him.
“I know what you are doing,” the Web Mind said. “I do not approve of anyone stealing from me. My servants will bring you to the vats. You will amuse me until the bridge collapses. I have already begun the process.”
“You said you’d help me if I helped you,” Tanner said.
“I will help you,” the Web Mind boomed. “I will help you leave your senseless existence and enter one of worth.”
“Doing what?” Tanner asked. He’d reached the storage unit. Now, he tugged and pulled, dragging a nullifier across the floor.
“You will serve me,” the Web Mind replied. “Nothing could be greater or mightier than that.”
“I think you have a point,” Tanner said, breathing heavily.
“You are attempting to mollify me. It won’t work. Stand aside from the unit. I do not want my servants to harm you unnecessarily.”
Tanner didn’t know what Acton was doing. He could hear the servomotors in the approaching cyborgs. Three of them drew near. They must have weighed a lot more than him, as they clanked heavily with each step. Their strength and likely speed would dwarf his own.
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