Must’ve fallen for me or something, Entryua thought as he looked askance at Kyte’s emotionless mug, ‘cause I can’t seem to shake him.
When the occupying forces commandeered the airborne fire ships and the airborne ambulance ships, he thought he’d finally be free of them, but he jumped the gun. Kyte insisted on accompanying Entryua, and Sleet gave him permission disinterestedly.
The fire ships that were made to land under duress proceeded to leave the firefighters, police officers, and soldiers who couldn’t board in their wake. Consequently, the conflagration flared right back to full power. In addition to the single ambulance ship separated to act as a messenger, they established a light-wave communications system unaffected by radio wave jamming five üésdagh above the city of Guzonh, desperately scanning for a certain hovercar . A group of airborne vessels floated up from the central area of the range of city-trees below, exchanging information with the fire ships using the primitive means of blinking lights.
So over the top , Entryua scoffed. They were just wrestling with a bunch of lowlife radicals over two borderline children, and apparently willing to make use of all of the military power they had stationed in Guzonh to do it.
“Inspector,” said Kyte, “do you know why I’ve taken you here?”
“No idea,” said Entryua, his tone drenched with cold hostility.
“To give me directions.”
“You’re more than aware,” Entryua sighed, “that I’m an officer of Lune Beega. Born and raised. Guzonh geography isn’t—”
“Not Guzonh. You’re going to take me to the Abh.”
“Huh?”
A mocking, nihilistic smile. “You’re going to take us straight to the pit of hell. I’ll make the Abh watch as I kill you, then the mental slaves that obstructed her arrest, and then the boy she’s made her little pet. If the Abh’s artificial pseudo-intelligence possesses the faintest trace of emotion, I’m sure she’ll feign sorrow.”
“I’ve got next to no ties with the Abh.” The bastard bond between you and me runs much deeper, Entryua refrained from adding.
“That is why I will do you the service of simply shooting you. That being said, I rather think the people who more broadly supported the Abh shall face quite miserable deaths. Especially that boy. He’ll be screaming for a whole night, I wager. As for the Abh herself, I will of course have a more elaborate farewell in store for her.”
“And here I thought you were a tad more civilized.”
“Oh yes, military law naturally forbids executing prisoners without trial, as well as cruel executions. Yet this is a time of crisis. We haven’t even been told where the current location of Military Headquarters is. As such, we must have some room for discretion. Because here, the annoying, sanctimonious types in my country can never know what’s happened.”
Does he mean business? Or is he just trying to get me quaking in my boots as revenge? Entryua couldn’t be sure.
Then he remembered: there was no way Kyte had the authority to decide such a thing. There had to be a commissioned officer higher in rank than lieutenant in the unit stationed in Guzonh.
On the other hand, he didn’t know the particulars of foreign military power’s operations. And the fact of the matter was that madness is contagious.
A United Humankind Armored Air Mobile Personnel Transport Vessel landed right next to them.
“Over here!” Marca pulled Jinto by the hand, and they hid behind a city-tree.
The hovercar was abandoned as soon as they entered the city proper. Otherwise they would have gotten blown up along with it.
They’d changed out of their dirty clothes; Marca had used her wallet to purchase new garb from the close-by automated clothing store. Their compuwatches and circlets had been stowed away once again, and Lafier now had her froch hidden using a wide-brimmed hat.
“Let’s go through the underground,” proposed Min.
“Yes, let’s,” said Marca.
And so the five members of the Guzonh Cell of the Clasbule Anti-imperial Front and their two hostages descended, stepping forth into a brightly illuminated undercity center. It was about the same width as one of the aboveground shine-roads, with automated stores situated 500 dagh apart from each other. People were standing alone, and drifting away at around jogging speed.
The seven got on the automated track.
“Things’re really ramping up, huh?” said Jinto.
“You sullied their names. Stomped all over their reputations. It’s no wonder they’re going all out,” said Marca, looking back.
“Might it not be wise for you five to surrender?” suggested Lafier. “We’re the ones that they’re after. After all, I have no desire to embroil you in this.”
“It’s too late for that,” said Min coldly. “At least for me, I’m already hopelessly embroiled. They know my name. And I’ve been worried sick about my family this entire time.”
“Is that not all the more reason to surrender?”
“We can’t let the sacrifices we’ve made go in vain. We want some kind of recompense,” said Marca.
“Independence and interstellar ships are out of the question, but the House of Crybh will present you with tokens of its appreciation for your deeds thus far.”
“So that’s how the Abh repay their dues,” Undertaker scoffed. “With gobs of gold and shinies.”
“Sorry, but what we want are interstellar ships ,” said Marca.
A confounded look crossed Lafier’s face. “I’m telling you that simply will not come to pass.”
“What if they got them on loan?” piped up Jinto. “I dunno what they wanna do with interstellar ships , but they probably aren’t gonna pick a fight with the Empire , at least, not in the near future. So what’s the problem?”
“You’re right; we could perhaps do it that way,” Lafier nodded.
“If that’s our only choice... Shall we shake on it?” Marca looked at each of her comrades in turn.
“I wanted to try flying an interstellar ship myself... but oh well,” said Bill. “Guess I’ll just play a bit with the steering gear when I find the chance...”
“The ship’s destination is based on where the borrower wishes to go, right?” Min asked. Lafier gestured affirmatively. “Excellent,” he continued. “I take it detours are also allowed. I plan to shape an independent interplanetary conflict coalition.”
Daswani nodded wordlessly.
“Might as well have them throw in the gobs of gold and shinies while we’re at it,” said Undertaker.
“That should be much easier compared to the interstellar ships ,” Lafier assured him.
“Then make us that promise, Your Highness,” said Marca. “Promise us you’ll lend us one or more interstellar ships . That is, without any fees or time limit.”
“That is not the promise I can make.” She furrowed her eyebrows. “I can only promise that I will ask Her Majesty the Empress .”
“That’s fine. The Empress is sure to humor the pleading of her adorable granddaughter.”
“If I live to seek another audience with Her Majesty , I will ask her without fail.” And with that, Lafier jumped into the automated track going in the opposite direction.
“Come, Jinto!”
“Ah, right!” Jinto took her lead.
Surprisingly, Marca followed them.
“I’m going to make sure you live to seek another audience with her,” she whispered. “So I’m coming with you. We’re the ones who can send you back into space.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jinto.
“Undertaker really is an undertaker,” she answered enigmatically.
“Take a look at that signal, if you would.” Kyte pointed out the window. “That’s notification that the Transit Bureau has been seized. Soon the underground tracks will be stopped, and my army’s battle troops will flood in. The Abh has nowhere to run.”
Kyte kept Entryua abreast of all of the particulars of the progress of their manhunt, though likely only because he had nothing else to do. Every new bit of information would conclude with the words, “The Abh has nowhere to run.” .
As he listened to Kyte’s rather dead monotone, Entryua felt fear creep across like ice. He knew for sure now. He knew that when they captured the Abh, he would die. It didn’t matter whether Kyte had the authority to do so. There was no question: as soon as he heard news of the Abh’s discovery, he’d take the fire ship to the scene and gun Entryua down with total glee.
He looked down; fires were raging all over the streets. The cars had been destroyed either because they looked somewhat similar to the one hovercar, or because they’d tried to ignore the checkpoint inspection. He could even see the flashes of gunfire.
“Civilians are hereby informed...” The air-mobile tanks were blaring their heavy-handed broadcast as they made their sweeping motions. “...That they are to aid in our search. You must answer any and all questions with the whole truth. In addition, if you spot suspicious persons, notify the nearest soldier. We are looking for an Abh. Civilians are hereby informed that they are to aid in our search...”
“Now look at that, sir.” Kyte pointed to the top of a city-tree. The soldiers were sending coded signals by blinking their handheld lights. “They’re messaging that they’ve searched all of the rooms in that city-tree. They’re scouring every building with a fine-toothed comb... The Abh has nowhere to run.”
“Searching premises without warrants, huh...? That’s every officer’s dream,” said Entryua, trying his damnedest to serve up some sarcasm.