The Cyber Chronicles VIII - Scorpion Lord

by T C Southwell

  "I'm being a normal man. It would have worked on one."

  "I want to fight like a cyber."

  Sabre eyed the boy. "You can't do that. You're not strong enough."

  "As much as I can, then. I'm stronger than I was. I've been working out every day."

  "Even so..."

  "Come on, teach me something Vorn won't," Fairen pleaded. "He's way too concerned about me. He lets me win all the time, and I want to lose. I want to know how good or bad I really am."

  "Then you need to spar with a soldier. Even the most highly trained fighter has no chance of even landing a punch on a cyber."

  "Give me something to aspire to. Show me how bad I am, then I'll try harder to improve."

  "You're doing great."

  Fairen frowned. "Don't feed me platitudes. Fight me."

  "You might get hurt."

  "I don't care."

  "Do you even know what it's like to get hurt?” Sabre asked. “Have you ever had so much as a bruise?"

  "How could I, when everyone treats me like I'm made of glass?"

  "It's not fun."

  "Please?"

  Sabre sighed and rubbed his brow. "I never thought I'd meet a man who wanted a cyber to beat him up, and when I do, he's a boy."

  "I'm almost fifteen!"

  "I don't care. I'm not going to risk it."

  "Just counter the shoulder throw. What harm can that do?"

  "I could break your neck."

  Fairen glared at Sabre, who rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "Okay, fine, if you really want to know how useless a man is against a cyber, I'll show you. But don't blame me if you get a few bruises in the process."

  Fairen grinned. "I won't."

  "And I hope there aren't any hidden dart guns in here ready to kill me the instant I lay a hand on you."

  "No, not even surveillance."

  "Good. Then prepare to be humiliated."

  The boy took up a fighting stance, his hands spread. Sabre walked around him, and Fairen turned to face him. The cyber lunged and the boy tried to spring aside, but Sabre grabbed Fairen's wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. He swept the boy's legs out from under him and sent him crashing face down on the mat. Pinning his arm without twisting it too much, Sabre placed a knee on Fairen's back and leant forward.

  "How was that?"

  Fairen groaned, "Humiliating enough."

  "Good." Sabre released him and rose to his feet.

  Fairen jumped up, rubbing the side of his face, then leapt at Sabre, aiming a kick at his gut. The cyber stepped aside, grabbed the boy’s ankle and yanked, sending him crashing onto his back. He bent him in half and held him down with his knees pressed to his cheeks.

  "Happy now?"

  Fairen smiled. "Not yet."

  Sabre chuckled and released him. Fairen bounced up again, flushed with excitement and exertion. His hand stole up to rub his back, which undoubtedly smarted. The boy bounced and lunged, his fist flashing towards Sabre's face. The cyber swayed aside and grabbed Fairen's wrist, yanked him off his feet and sent him rolling across the mat. Fairen picked himself up again, grinning and rubbing his shoulder. Sabre walked over to a rack of staffs and selected one, tossing it to Fairen.

  "Try to hit me."

  "Okay." The young Overlord hefted the staff, twirling it.

  "Every time I touch you, I could kill you."

  Fairen charged, swinging the staff high. Sabre dropped into a forward roll, leapt up beside the boy and tapped him on the solar plexus. The boy spun, swinging the staff. Sabre ducked under it and lunged in to tap Fairen on the cheek. Fairen jabbed the staff at him, and Sabre jumped back. He turned and ran up the wall, somersaulted over the boy and landed behind him, tapping him on the back of the head. Fairen spun, sweeping the staff around. Sabre leapt into a backward flick-flack, bouncing up on the other side of the room. Walking back to the boy, he tilted his head.

  "Had enough?"

  "No."

  The cyber chuckled. "Well I have, for now."

  "When you can take this away from me, we'll stop." He brandished the staff.

  "Okay."

  Sabre lunged, and the boy stepped back, raising the staff, then realised that his hand was empty. The cyber tapped the staff on the floor, grinning, and Fairen laughed.

  "That was amazing."

  "You did well. Against a fighter your own age, you might win. You'd beat an untrained man, and probably give even a trained fighter a few bruises."

  The boy's grin widened, and he rubbed his shoulder again. "I think I have a few bruises now."

  Sabre shook his head. "Don't expect me to apologise. You asked for it."

  "I don't. I enjoyed it. I wish Vorn would fight me like that, but he won't. He keeps on about 'owner risk too great' or some rubbish."

  "Good. When you're good enough and big enough to handle it, he'll spar with you."

  "Why can't he do what you just did?"

  "You're his owner. He won't risk harming you."

  Fairen headed for the door. "So an owner can't order his cyber to harm him?"

  Sabre fell into step beside him. "No."

  When they returned to Fairen's private rooms, Shrain was waiting. Fairen went over to the counter to pour a fruit juice, and the commander bowed.

  "My Lord, there’s a distress signal from Thayta Three."

  Fairen shook his head. "Not now, I'm busy."

  "It is urgent, My Lord."

  "What's the problem?"

  "Corsairs are attacking them."

  Fairen grimaced. "They're on the Rim. It's too far, and I have ships in tow."

  "No other Overlord can respond."

  "They can't all be so busy."

  "You're the least busy, My Lord."

  Fairen sipped his drink. "I said I'm too busy, Shrain."

  "How long will it take?" Sabre asked.

  Fairen glanced at him. "If I translocate, not long, but I'll have to release the enforcers."

  "What corridor are we in?"

  The Overlord smiled. "We're not in a corridor. We're using a tunnel drive."

  "So we have nine hours before they can get to Myon Two. Plenty of time to for you to deal with a few Corsairs."

  Fairen looked pensive. "All right." He addressed Shrain. "Release the enforcers; order them to return to Myon Two. Their commanders will remain here."

  Shrain bowed. "Very good, My Lord."

  The young Overlord turned to Sabre. "You'd better go and warn your friends about the translocation. The ship will announce it, but it can be disturbing, especially a long jump, which this will be."

  Sabre drained his glass. "Okay."

  "Sabre."

  The cyber stopped in the act of swinging away, turning to face the boy again.

  Fairen sighed. "I was towing the enforcers so we could spend some time together. Now we'll be at Myon Two in just a couple of hours."

  "We will spend some time together, I promise. When this is all over, and Tassin knows I'm safe."

  Fairen nodded. "I hope so."

  "Translocation in two minutes," Shrain announced.

  Sabre trotted along the corridor to the suite where Kole and company resided. Dull booms and distant groans echoed through the ship as it assumed translocation formation. The trio looked alarmed when he came in, turning to him with wide eyes.

  "What the hell's going on?" Kole demanded.

  Scorpio's husky voice announced, "Translocation in thirty seconds."

  "We're translocating," Sabre said. "It's going to be weird. You'd better sit down."

  Estrelle gasped and plonked herself down on the couch, grabbing Martis' hand when he sat beside her. Kole frowned and sank down on the other couch, and Sabre settled on the arm.

  "What's it going to be like?" Estrelle asked.

  "Weird."

  "How weird?"

  The ship said, "Translocating."

  A stasis field gripped Sabre in a suffocating embrace, cutting off his air as the room filled with white light. He squi
nted, experiencing a vague floating and spinning sensation, immobilised as if he was trapped in thick jelly. The feeling lasted a few seconds, then vanished. Estrelle gasped, swaying, and Martis looked like he wanted to be sick.

  Sabre smiled at Estrelle. "That weird."

  Kole stared ahead with wide eyes. "Wow. That was amazing." He turned to Sabre. "Where are we now?"

  "The Rim. Thayta Three."

  "Why are we here?"

  "Corsairs are attacking them."

  "Wow. Can we go see what's happening?"

  Sabre stood up. "I'll ask Fairen. Come on."

  The cyber led them to the door of the command centre, where he told them to wait, entering alone. Fairen stood gazing out of the massive screens, and turned to smile at Sabre.

  "Are they all right?"

  "They want to see the battle."

  "What battle? Oh." He pulled a face. "All right, I guess. Hand me the hood, will you?"

  Sabre obliged. "You wouldn't have to wear this if you would just trust them. I do."

  He pulled the hood on, adjusting the voice distorter before covering his face with the veils. "Old habits die hard."

  Fairen signalled to the guards, who ushered the trio in. The three approached Sabre, looking a little nervous, and Fairen nodded to them before turning to regard the screens again, ignoring their awkward bows. A pale, pearly planet hung in space, gilded by a minor yellow star. Three golden moons orbited it, and ships darted like silver minnows between them, strafing space with lines of blue fire. Dark, boxy ships moved more slowly amongst them, pulsing red flashes of scorching light.

  "Why haven't they stopped fighting?" Estrelle whispered.

  "They're Corsairs," Sabre said.

  Fairen turned his head and nodded to Shrain, who stood in the shadows. The commander murmured into his com-link, and dull booms and deep groans echoed through the ship as the Red Death spread its vast arms, going into attack formation. Several Corsairs broke off and headed away, the silver defenders chasing after them. Streams of blue fire shot from the Scorpion Ship, vaporising every Corsair it touched, and it did not miss. In seconds, dozens of enemy ships simply vanished, leaving clouds of spreading debris. Shrain glanced up from his com-link.

  "Unknown enemy ship, My Lord."

  "Where?"

  "Off our starboard bow. It's big." Shrain frowned at the com-link. "It's just emerging from behind a moon."

  "How big?"

  "It's not a ship... It has only manoeuvring thrusters. They must have towed it here. It's some sort of battle station."

  "So this was a trap for an Overlord," Fairen remarked.

  "It would seem so, My Lord."

  "How brave of them."

  "The rest of the Corsair ships have been destroyed, and the battle station is arming a weapon." Shrain tapped the box, his eyes darting over the screen. "It's a plasma gun."

  "Let me see it."

  The image on one of the screens changed to show a bright golden moon with a glinting silver orb emerging from behind it. The orb was made up of countless struts that formed a lattice that supported five long curving arms, the tips glowing red. A tiny, glittering sphere nestled at the centre of the filigree orb. Lines of blue fire streamed from the Scorpion Ship to strike the lattice, making parts of it glow.

  "Turn the ship," Fairen ordered.

  The image in the screen moved sideways as the Red Death turned to face the battle station, which moved onto the other three main screens. Sabre could imagine what it must look like to the pilots of the defender ships, to see the massive Scorpion Ship turning to face an enemy, its huge main arms spreading to pour laser light at it.

  "The lattice is too thin," he said, frowning. "Your lasers can't destroy it. Target the sphere at the centre."

  Shrain glanced up at him, nodded and tapped his com-link. The barrage of laser light swept inwards towards the sphere, which blazed, shedding beams of blue light.

  "Mirror shielding, My Lord," Shrain said.

  Fairen nodded. "Main gun."

  More dull booms and deep, distant groans echoed through the ship, joining the sounds of the still-spreading arms. Sabre tried to imagine what the defenders outside must be seeing now. The tail gun, normally stretched out behind the ship, was curving over it, just like the tail of a scorpion.

  Shrain frowned at the com-link's tiny screen. "My Lord, the enemy's plasma weapon is almost armed."

  "Arm the main gun."

  "Six minutes to firing, My Lord. They're going to fire first."

  Fairen said, "Scorpio, battle mode."

  Shrain lowered the com-link, raised his eyes to the screens and stepped back into the shadows.

  Fairen walked closer to the screens, glaring at the battle station. "You picked the wrong Overlord."

  Estrelle sidled up to Sabre, who folded his arms as he gazed at the vista. She whispered, "What's happening?"

  "The Scorpion Ship is an AI. It's also the most formidable of the Overlord ships. Fairen just ordered her to fight the battle station. It should be interesting."

  Streams of green fire poured from emitters on the Scorpion Ship's foremost pair of legs and mantled the main arms, forming a scintillating net of light in front of the ship. The battle station's arms stopped aligning, and the glowing ends flashed brilliant vermilion. Estrelle squeaked and grabbed Sabre's arm. He unfolded them, allowing her to grip his wrist. The net of vermilion light swelled as it shot towards the Scorpion Ship. It hit the web of green fire, which shredded it, vaporising all that it touched. Remnants came through to strike the front of the ship with a sound like distant thunder. A wave of green light swept over the Scorpion Ship's hull, burning away the plasma.

  The battle station's weapon fired again, and another net of plasma particles shot towards them. Everything froze as the stasis field clamped down, releasing them a split second later. Estrelle swayed, clinging to Sabre. Martis doubled over, retching. The battle station remained in the forward screens, but side-on now. Flames sprouted from its edges as it turned towards them. The Scorpion Ship had translocated to avoid the second plasma net, reappearing beside the battle station.

  The husky female voice spoke. "Main gun, ready. Targeting. Preparing to fire."

  Sabre wished he could see the huge main gun fire, but it was above them, out of sight. A beam of blue light shot past from above, struck the mirror sphere and made it blaze. A bolt of scarlet plasma followed, spreading into a net of glowing, deadly super-heated particles. It struck the orb, shredded the lattice of silver struts and ate through them to the core, which disintegrated into a cloud of particles. Shreds of plasma passed through the orb and struck the moon beyond, mottled its smooth golden face with a pattern of dark craters and raised a cloud of silver dust.

  Fairen said, "Scorpio, exit battle mode."

  Shrain came forward, consulting his com-link. "Superficial damage to the moon, My Lord."

  "They will survive with a mottled moon," Fairen commented. "A small price to pay for salvation."

  "The leader of the Thayta Three defenders wishes to speak to you, My Lord."

  Dull booms and groans echoed through the ship again as it reconfigured, and Fairen inclined his head. "Bring him aboard."

  A few minutes later, a tall, lean man in a sparkling silver uniform entered, surrounded by Fairen's men. They stopped some distance from the dais, and he bowed. Fairen strolled to the dais, stepped up onto it and went over to the throne, where he sat down with unhurried arrogance. He raised a gloved hand and beckoned to the Thaytan commander.

  "You may approach."

  The handsome grey-haired man marched to the edge of the dais and bowed again. "I bring the gratitude of an entire civilisation, and a planet, My Lord." He clasped his fist before his chest. "Thayta Three is forever in your debt. Thank you for coming to our aid. We will revere the Scorpion Lord for all time."

  Fairen tilted his head. "A small matter, Commander."

  "For you, My Lord. Never have I seen such power, such magnificent omnipotence. We wer
e doomed without your help."

  The young Overlord glanced at the screens. "I'm afraid I damaged your moon, Commander. Convey my regrets to your people."

  The Thaytan commander shook his head. "They won't mind, My Lord. A small price to pay."

  "I know how Thaytans prize beauty above all else. Your world is beautiful, and, until now, your moons. Now one is scarred. Some regret is in order."

  "Then I accept it, on behalf of all Thaytans, My Lord."

  "Did the battle station fire on Thayta?"

  "No, My Lord. It was strange. The Corsairs attacked our ships and started a battle, but the station remained behind the moon until you arrived."

  Fairen nodded. "It was meant only to attack me. It seems the Corsairs wish to destroy an Overlord."

  The commander frowned. "Then they were grievously in error, My Lord."

  "Indeed, but had it been another Overlord, such as Astravan, they might have succeeded. Only the Red Death, the Golden Griffon and the Black Widow are capable of destroying a battle station like that one."

  "Surely an Overlord who was unable to take on that battle station would have fled, and called another who could?"

  Fairen nodded. "Let's hope so, if it happens again."

  "And perhaps the Overlords should look to arming themselves better, too. The universe needs them. The destruction of one would be a terrible blow to society all over the galaxy."

  "Your support is noted, and well received. Farewell, Commander."

  The Thaytan bowed again, clasped his fist and backed away, then turned and left with his escort.

  Fairen turned to Shrain. "Prepare for translocation to Myon Two."

  "Yes, My Lord, at once."

  Once more the dull booms and groans echoed through the ship, and Kole let out a huge sigh, spreading his hands. "Wow. That was... unbelievable."

  Fairen rose and stepped down from the dais, walking towards Kole, who backed away when he got too close. Several armed men emerged from the shadows around the walls, their dart guns aimed at Kole. Fairen stopped and gestured, making the men retreat, then faced Kole.

  "I have saved twenty-two worlds from destruction, and destroyed seven."

  Kole gaped at him. Fairen turned and exited through the side door. Sabre freed himself from Estrelle and wandered over to the hacker.