The Cyber Chronicles 04: Cyborg

by T C Southwell

  ****

  Two days later, Tassin stepped out of a hired air-car and gazed at a palatial mansion, impressed. Manicured gardens stretched away all around, the verdure broken only by marble paths and polished bronze statues. Beyond it, forest clad the land to the horizon and beyond, as she knew from the three-hour trip here from the capital city. Clipped trees shaded lawn so finely mowed it looked like velvet. Fluted marble pillars framed the edifice’s gleaming brass front doors, and the sweeping roof appeared to be made from pink crystal.

  Charon Six was what Kole called a ‘wonder world’, where rich moguls built vast mansions and owned huge estates, living like kings. Tassin had spent the last of their money on a new dress of scarlet silk patterned with gold satin and a pair of strappy high heels, and her hair flew loose about her shoulders in a shining sable cascade. Sabre disembarked behind her, clad in full cyber armour, including the helmet, which he had glued back together. He carried the scabbarded sword, a laser strapped to each thigh. Kole joined them, also wearing a new, fashionable suit of dark grey brushed velvet.

  A white-uniformed servant met them at the top of the shallow steps and led them inside. The mansion's opulence amazed Tassin, and she gazed around in wonder at the many expensive hangings, paintings and statues. Mosaics made from precious stones adorned the walls; a king's ransom just in the entrance hall. The servant preceded them through echoing halls hung with silk and satin, the floors imbedded with diamonds, and into a room decorated entirely in white. Gossamer curtains billowed in the breeze and white roses climbed trellis-covered walls under a transparent roof.

  The servant stopped and announced, "Lady Tassin Alrade and Mr Kole Arvan."

  Tassin gazed around, wondering who was listening, then froze, her blood chilling. Two cybers, clad in polished silver partial armour, stood on the far side of the room, staring ahead. Her attention was jerked away from them as a tall, slender man dressed in an impeccable white formal suit rose from the depths of a huge chair. His piercing dark eyes raked them, lingered on Sabre and came to rest on her. A slight smile curled his full lips, and he put down the vidbook he held.

  "Welcome. Forgive the clandestine nature of our meeting. I have enemies. I am Jerrad Mandure."

  Tassin approached him. "Pleased to meet you."

  Jerrad took her proffered hand and pressed the back of it to his lips. "Such beauty I have not seen before. I am in awe, Lady Tassin."

  "You flatter me."

  He nodded to Kole. "Welcome, Kole Arvan."

  "We have the item you bid for."

  Jerrad waved a hand. "That can wait. We will have refreshments first, naturally." He gestured to a delicate table spread with dainty treats and a silver tea service. "Please, sit."

  Tassin sank down on the plush white settee, and Kole settled beside her. Sabre took up a guard position behind her, and Jerrad eyed him as he sat opposite.

  "Of course, you have a cyber. I should have expected that. You are undoubtedly a woman of great wealth."

  "You have two," Tassin pointed out.

  "Actually, I have eighteen, all A-grades, but who's counting?"

  "Whatever do you need so many for?"

  "As I said, I have enemies, some of whom live close by. What grade is yours?"

  Tassin smiled. "A, of course."

  "Naturally." Jerrad snapped his fingers, and a white-clad servant appeared to pour the tea and hand it out.

  Tassin sipped hers, discovering that it was a scented herbal variety she detested, and took a sugar-frosted biscuit to hide the taste.

  "I trust your journey here was not too arduous? You came by yacht, of course."

  "Something like that. What line of work are you in?"

  Jerrad smiled, revealing even white teeth that looked too perfect to be natural. "My wealth is inherited. I have never worked. You?"

  "Inherited, of course." Two can play at that game, Tassin thought, starting to get irritated. "I assume you are also of noble birth?"

  "My family is descended from the best blood lines, of course. Your title is a minor one, was it inherited too?"

  "Actually, I am incognito. I have a far higher status than a mere lady, I assure you."

  "And what might that be?" Jerrad nibbled on a pastry.

  "I am a queen."

  Kole choked on his tea and grabbed a napkin, coughing. Jerrad eyed him, then turned his flaccid smile on Tassin once more. "How marvellous to make such a claim."

  "Oh, it is not just a claim, I assure you. I am descended from a long line of royalty."

  "How delightful. You have a castle, too?"

  "Indeed." Tassin took another biscuit. "I even have a kingdom, and subjects."

  Jerrad turned and beckoned to one of his cybers, who strode over to him. Tassin tensed, glancing at Kole, who had paused with his cup raised and his mouth open. Jerrad cast Tassin a stiff smile.

  "Forgive me, Lady Tassin, but I must confirm the veracity of your claim." He looked up at the cyber. "Cyber Thirteen, is this woman telling the truth?"

  The cyber turned his head towards Tassin. "Yes."

  Jerrad sent him back to his post with a gesture. "My apologies, Highness. I am... honoured by your presence."

  Tassin tilted her head. "Of course you are. Now may we get down to business? I have a busy schedule."

  "May I ask why you have chosen to sell such a unique and valuable item?"

  "It irks me greatly. It was the weapon of my enemy, King Torrian, who sought to wed me and thus annex my kingdom by right of capture, a foul man. I defeated him, naturally."

  "Naturally." Jerrad looked a bit stunned now.

  "So, although you have offered a paltry sum, and I have had better offers, I have decided to let you have it. I am sure you cannot afford more than you offered. The sword is, of course, priceless."

  "Of course," Jerrad echoed faintly.

  "I expect all your wealth is tied up in this magnificent estate, which does you credit, but pales when compared to mine, I have to say."

  "No indeed, I have vast sums available."

  "Truly, you are then a remarkable man to make such a low bid for something as rare as this. And as powerful."

  "Why did you accept it then?"

  Tassin fanned herself. "Ah, but I tire of chasing all over the universe. I have no need of more wealth, of course."

  "Of course." Jerrad cleared his throat. "How much have you been offered?"

  "Well, I believe it was over two million, not so Kole?"

  Kole nodded, his eyes darting. "Two point four, to be exact."

  "And are you a courtier, Mr Arvan?" Jerrad enquired.

  "Oh no," Tassin interjected. "Kole is my advisor in this little venture. He has vast experience in the field of ancient, priceless artefacts and so on."

  "I see." Jerrad glanced at Sabre again. "Presumably you have a veritable army of cybers at your estate... kingdom, Queen Tassin."

  "No of course not." She giggled. "I am beloved of my people, my dear Jerrad, all of whom would lay down their lives for me, and some of whom own such great wealth that they have the armies. It is so tedious to worry about armies, do you not think?"

  Jerrad looked peeved. "Of course. So what's he here for?"

  "To carry the sword, naturally. It is rather heavy."

  "In full armour?"

  Tassin glanced at Sabre. "Oh, well, I just think it looks fine; although the silver is nice, too."

  Jerrad put down his teacup. "Would an offer of two point six be more to your liking, then?"

  "Oh, I am sure you do not have to prove your wealth to me, Jerrad."

  "My wealth is self-evident, Queen Tassin. I just hate to be outdone."

  "Of course you do. I would accept it, naturally."

  Jerrad's eyes glinted. "You're most gracious. May I see it now?"

  Tassin raised a hand in a languid gesture, and Sabre walked around the settee to hold out the sword to Jerrad.

  The billionaire eyed it. "This is not the item in the picture."

  "I am a
fraid it is, dear boy. Would you like a demonstration?"

  "I think that would be in order."

  Tassin stood up and held out her hand imperiously. Sabre placed the sword hilt in it, and she staggered a little under its weight, casting Jerrad an innocent smile. "It is such a dashed heavy thing."

  Gripping the plain leather sheath, she drew the sword, and it whined.

  Jerrad's eyes widened. "It makes sounds?"

  "Oh yes, it has many powers, but do not ask how it was made, I pray you."

  Jerrad studied the silver blade, which Kole had spent half an hour polishing the previous day. "It looks... ordinary."

  Tassin turned the impossibly ornate hilt towards him. "This is not ordinary, Jerrad. No human could have crafted something so fine."

  "It still doesn't look like the picture."

  "No." Tassin raised the weapon. "Sword, become crystal."

  Jerrad leapt back with an oath as the sword flashed to crystal, radiating shafts of scintillating ruby light.

  "There." Tassin smiled. "Is it not pretty?"

  "It understands you?"

  "And so much more. May I show you, or will your cybers be alarmed?"

  "Show me."

  Tassin looked around for a suitable target and spotted a porcelain bird bath just outside the door. She pointed the sword at it. "That should do. Sword, destroy that... thing."

  A bolt of brilliant light shot from the tip of the blade and struck the bird bath with a sound like a slamming door. The bird bath exploded in a cloud of dust and steam. Tassin lowered the weapon and turned to beam at Jerrad, who gaped at the ruined bird bath.

  "There, how was that?"

  "Bloody amazing." Jerrad stared at the sword.

  Tassin caressed the blade. "Sword, I think you have impressed the one who will cherish you. Are you not pleased?"

  The sword chimed, then reverted to metal with a flash of pink light. Jerrad reached for it, his eyes alight, but Tassin held it out of his reach.

  "Payment, Jerrad. Do not be uncouth."

  "Yes, yes, of course." He snapped his fingers, and a servant appeared. "Fetch me two point six million credits from the safe."

  The servant's eyes widened, but he hurried out. Tassin smiled and sheathed the sword, handing it back to Sabre. "A word of warning, dear Jerrad. It does not like to be toyed with, but it loves to be cherished and admired."

  "Of course, I shall treasure it."

  "I am sure you will."

  "That was more powerful than any laser cannon ever invented. It... it vaporised that bird bath."

  Tassin raised her brows. "Is that what that thing was? It was a bit tacky, if you ask me. And it only uses as much power as it needs."

  "You mean, the bigger the target, the more power it uses?"

  "Precisely. I do believe that is what I just said, was it not, Kole?"

  He cleared his throat and put down his teacup. "Yes."

  "How can you bear to part with such an amazing thing?" Jerrad demanded.

  Tassin sighed and examined her fingernails. "As I said, it irks me, and I do so dislike being irked."

  The servant returned carrying two large translucent wafers and six smaller ones, which Jerrad took and offered to Tassin with a bow. She gestured to Kole, who rose and took the fortune. Sabre held out the sword to Jerrad. He took it eagerly, holding it as if it was made of glass, his expression avaricious.

  Tassin turned away. "It was pleasant doing business with you, Jerrad. Now, I have an appointment."

  He looked up. "Yes, thank you, Queen Tassin. My servant will show you out."

  "Of course he will." She headed for the door, which a hovering servant opened.

  Chapter Twelve

  The journey back to the air-car was achieved in silence, and only when they had been flying away from the Mandure estate for almost half an hour did Kole clear his throat and glance at her.

  "You're a queen?"

  Tassin smiled. "A meaningless title away from Arlin, except to posturing idiots like Jerrad Mandure."

  "But you're a real queen."

  "Of a primitive country on a forgotten backwater planet." Tassin turned to Sabre. "Please take that ugly thing off your head."

  Sabre unclipped the helmet and pulled it off, rubbing his face.

  "So should I call you 'Highness'?" Kole enquired.

  "I'd rather you called me by my name. ‘Highness’ is the wrong term in any case; it's the title of a prince or princess. A queen is ‘Majesty’."

  "Okay."

  "So now we just have to buy a ship and go home." Tassin grinned at Sabre. "Isn't that wonderful?"

  Kole shook his head. "Actually, you can't buy a ship here."

  "Why not?" Tassin frowned at him. "Surely they sell them here?"

  "Oh, sure, luxury yachts by the bushel, but that's not the problem."

  "Then what is?"

  "If you buy from a reputable dealer, you have to produce identification, since the ship has to be registered in your name. You don't exist."

  Tassin raised her brows. "I beg to differ."

  "I mean, you don't exist in the system. People from restricted planets like Omega Five aren't registered in the intergalactic directory."

  "So..."

  "So you'll have to travel to an outlaw world and buy one there, on the black market, no questions asked."

  Tassin sighed, some of her happiness leaking away. "Or you could register it in your name."

  "Sure, if you want the enforcers here in two hours."

  She groaned, shaking her head. "I don't want to go to another outlaw world."

  "If you want a ship, we'll have to."

  "Fine. But not one as bad as Rashid, I hope."

  Kole shrugged. "They're all pretty lousy."

  Tassin turned to Sabre again, who stared out of the window with a pensive expression. "Sabre? What's wrong?"

  He looked down at his hands, which were clad in tough armoured gloves. "I... had a memory flash when you told Jerrad you were a queen."

  "That's wonderful! What did you remember?"

  "Killing a slave on Patril Two."

  Tassin's mouth dropped open. "You did?"

  He nodded, frowning. "It's fuzzy, but I was ordered to kill a girl who had displeased her master. He happened to be the son of the woman who owned me."

  "That wasn't you. That was the cyber."

  "It makes no difference. It was my hands that throttled her."

  "Of course it makes a difference. You weren't responsible."

  He looked out of the window again. "It makes me wonder what other terrible things I'm going to remember."

  "You never told me much about your past. But there are some good memories, too. The main thing is they're coming back."

  "Perhaps Shasen's injections are finally working," Kole commented.

  "She was an innocent," Sabre said.

  Tassin nodded. "How did she displease her master?"

  "I don't know. They don't tell cybers why, they just ordered me to throttle her... slowly. She begged for mercy. She clawed at the brow band as if she wanted to tear it off and free me so I would stop."

  Tassin shivered and touched her throat. "And you would have, if you could."

  "But I couldn't. I had to watch her die..." Sabre's expression stiffened and his eyes grew distant. "Kole, there are two air-cars pursuing us with four armed cybers in each."

  "Shit." Kole pushed the control lever forward, and Tassin grabbed her seat as the air-car dived towards the dense woodland below.

  "Who could it be?"

  "Mandure, I'll bet," Kole said. "He'd like to get his money back."

  "Is everyone a crook in this universe?"

  "I thought he was too quick to hand over so much money. Billionaires don't usually part with it that easily. If we can just reach the next estate, we'll be okay."

  "How far is that?" Tassin hung onto her seat, her stomach churning. They descended into the forest and weaved between huge tree trunks.

  "Twenty-four kil
ometres."

  "We'll never make it," Sabre said. "They're catching up fast, and we're on their scanners."

  "Can't you jam their scanners?"

  "No."

  Tassin twisted to look at Sabre. "What can we do?"

  He shrugged, apparently relaxed. "Crash the air-car and seek cover behind stone."

  "How?"

  He gazed at the forest floor whizzing past below. "First we disable the anti-collision circuit, then slow the car until we can jump out. There's bound to be stone down there."

  "Why can't we just keep going? How can they stop us?"

  "They wouldn't be chasing us if they couldn't stop us. They might use a grapple on us, or shoot out our engines and crash us. The credit wafers are indestructible, after all."

  "What about the law? That's murder!"

  Kole said, "On Charon, the moguls make the laws. They own the bloody planet."

  "Oh, wonderful. Why did we come here?"

  "Because only moguls like these will pay millions for an oddity. Okay, Sabre, how do I disable the anti-collision?"

  The cyber leant forward between the seats, brushing past Tassin to feel under the dashboard in front of her. Ripping off a metal plate, he groped inside and tore out a handful of crystals and wires with a shower of sparks, making her yelp. The air-car shuddered and bobbed. Kole pulled back on the lever, and the vehicle slowed. Sabre opened the door beside him and peered at the ground.

  "Get ready to put it on autopilot, and as soon as I say go, jump. Tassin, come here."

  She climbed into the back seat, and he put his helmet on her, then studied the ground again. "Go a bit lower, Kole. We're still too high."

  The air-car sank towards the ground, and Sabre closed his eyes, concentrating. "Okay, there's an area of stone coming up, get ready." He turned to Tassin and pulled her into an embrace that she would have enjoyed, if not for his armour. "Kole, bend your knees and roll when you hit the ground."

  "Right."

  Sabre tensed. "Go!"

  Tassin gasped as he rolled out of the door in an odd move that ensured he landed feet first. The ground rushed up, then his arms dug into her back as his feet hit the ground. He rolled sideways through the leaves, shielding her from the impact. When they stopped rolling, he jumped up and pulled her to her feet. Kole sat up a few metres away, looking stunned, and gripped his ankle, his hair full of dead leaves. Tassin tottered after Sabre, who hauled her towards a slab of rock partially hidden under the leaves. Her stiletto heels sank into the soft soil, soon becoming clogged with leaves. Kole limped after them, cursing. Sabre scowled at the sheet of stone.