Part 26 (2/2)

Martle's flitter had been heading for an access point halfway up one of the hotel towers in the eastern sector. This one was near the s.p.a.ceport and overlooked towers in the eastern sector. This one was near the s.p.a.ceport and overlooked the hole left in the Overcity by the Sc.u.mble s.h.i.+p that had crashed some years the hole left in the Overcity by the Sc.u.mble s.h.i.+p that had crashed some years beforehand. She had recognized the one he was aiming for; it maintained suites beforehand. She had recognized the one he was aiming for; it maintained suites of rooms with variable environmental controls for the various alien diplomatic of rooms with variable environmental controls for the various alien diplomatic delegations that regularly came, cap in hand, to the Empress. Forrester had a delegations that regularly came, cap in hand, to the Empress. Forrester had a hard time keeping up with him; his flitter had a higher power rating than any hard time keeping up with him; his flitter had a higher power rating than any she'd seen. Must have cost him a bomb. she'd seen. Must have cost him a bomb.

Martle had brought his vehicle in for a smooth landing on the shelflike access point, and paid a valet bot to park it for him. It hadn't been hard to spot him: point, and paid a valet bot to park it for him. It hadn't been hard to spot him: 162 162out of his robes he usually wore an expensive five piece shrivenzale-skin suit and boots woven out of ditz hair. Circling high above like a hawk, Forrester had boots woven out of ditz hair. Circling high above like a hawk, Forrester had watched him enter the hotel, then swooped down and dashed in towards a slot watched him enter the hotel, then swooped down and dashed in towards a slot just ahead of a large, black diplomatic flitter. The bot had tried to wave her just ahead of a large, black diplomatic flitter. The bot had tried to wave her away, but she had flashed her forearm at it. A laser had tickled her flesh, and away, but she had flashed her forearm at it. A laser had tickled her flesh, and the bot had backed away humbly. the bot had backed away humbly.

'Park it!' she had snapped, jerking her thumb at her unmarked flitter, and then she had run into the hotel sub-lobby. The walls were lined with orange fur, then she had run into the hotel sub-lobby. The walls were lined with orange fur, and the floor was a mosaic of the sh.e.l.ls of small turtle-like creatures. Opulent. and the floor was a mosaic of the sh.e.l.ls of small turtle-like creatures. Opulent.

Opulent to the point where it made Forrester feel physically sick. It reminded her too much of her family's mansion on Io: the same careless att.i.tude towards her too much of her family's mansion on Io: the same careless att.i.tude towards wealth, the same impersonal feeling. wealth, the same impersonal feeling.

Martle had just been vanis.h.i.+ng into a null-grav shaft. She had ducked back in case he had seen her, then, after his feet had vanished upwards, she jogged across case he had seen her, then, after his feet had vanished upwards, she jogged across the lobby, avoiding various human, beppled human and alien guests, and dived the lobby, avoiding various human, beppled human and alien guests, and dived in after him. in after him.

And here she was, standing outside the open door of the hotel room, personal vibroknife in her hand, listening to him shouting. A tiny bud of worry was vibroknife in her hand, listening to him shouting. A tiny bud of worry was flowering inside her chest. The moron obviously needed backup, but had been flowering inside her chest. The moron obviously needed backup, but had been too proud to ask Forrester to come with him. He'd be glad she was there. too proud to ask Forrester to come with him. He'd be glad she was there.

Wouldn't he?

'You should be careful who you speak to like that,' a calm, sardonic voice said.

'I might just have you killed.'

'You wouldn't dare!' Martle snapped. 'I've been doing your dirty work for so long that you've forgotten what it's like to get your hands soiled. I've set so long that you've forgotten what it's like to get your hands soiled. I've set everything up for you. If you kill me, who'll protect you from the Adjudicators?' everything up for you. If you kill me, who'll protect you from the Adjudicators?'

'What makes you think you're the only Adjudicator on my payroll?'

Forrester very deliberately tried not to think about what was being said. She didn't a.n.a.lyse the words for their meaning. She didn't dare think about Fenn didn't a.n.a.lyse the words for their meaning. She didn't dare think about Fenn Martle, fairest Adjudicator on the force, taking bribes. Martle, fairest Adjudicator on the force, taking bribes.

She didn't succeed.

She had to see who Martle was talking to. Edging closer to the door, she tried to peer round the jamb. to peer round the jamb.

'Someone else?' Martle sounded shaken. 'Who?'

'No harm in telling you, I suppose,' the voice drawled. 'Your Adjudicator Secular. Ras.h.i.+d, is that her name? Expensive, but she's worth every penny.'

'But '

'Why? Because I needed the extra protection. We have the Hith s.h.i.+p, thanks to a pilot who was open to bribery, and we've s.h.i.+pped it here to Earth. A fascinating vessel. Exploitation will start any day now. We tortured the navigator to a pilot who was open to bribery, and we've s.h.i.+pped it here to Earth. A fascinating vessel. Exploitation will start any day now. We tortured the navigator for information, and we were about to do the same with the pilot until they both for information, and we were about to do the same with the pilot until they both 163 163managed to escape. The pilot left Earth, but I've traced him to Oolis. No doubt if I pay enough money to the local militia, they'll kill him for me. The navigator is I pay enough money to the local militia, they'll kill him for me. The navigator is still on Earth, somewhere in the Undertown. I wouldn't be concerned about him, still on Earth, somewhere in the Undertown. I wouldn't be concerned about him, except that he took a vital control nexus from the s.h.i.+p before he went. We can't except that he took a vital control nexus from the s.h.i.+p before he went. We can't operate the engines properly without it. We need to find him.' operate the engines properly without it. We need to find him.'

'I can do that for you.' Martle sounded as if he was pleading. Forrester couldn't believe it. Through the doorway, past Martle's expensively dressed figure, she believe it. Through the doorway, past Martle's expensively dressed figure, she could see a large picture window, overlooking the hole in the Overcity where could see a large picture window, overlooking the hole in the Overcity where the Sc.u.mble s.p.a.cecraft had crashed. Far, far below, the fires of the Undertown the Sc.u.mble s.p.a.cecraft had crashed. Far, far below, the fires of the Undertown glittered. glittered.

'But you're unreliable,' the other man said. 'And you are becoming increasingly expensive. Ras.h.i.+d can give us far better protection if we find this pilot and kill it. expensive. Ras.h.i.+d can give us far better protection if we find this pilot and kill it.

You, I'm afraid, are yesterday's news, Mr Martle.'

Forrester edged an inch further into the doorway, and saw the figure Martle was talking to. It glistened like metal, but it looked like a man. A man in an was talking to. It glistened like metal, but it looked like a man. A man in an old-fas.h.i.+oned suit, with a round-collared s.h.i.+rt. Its head had been moulded to old-fas.h.i.+oned suit, with a round-collared s.h.i.+rt. Its head had been moulded to resemble a face: a middle-aged face with a stern frown, a supercilious droop to resemble a face: a middle-aged face with a stern frown, a supercilious droop to the eyes, a sneer. The sort of man you wouldn't want to cross in business. Or the eyes, a sneer. The sort of man you wouldn't want to cross in business. Or anything else. anything else.

A bot built to resemble a man? There were laws against that sort of thing. And why was it giving Martle orders? why was it giving Martle orders?

It saw Forrester.

'My dear,' it said affably, gesturing her into the room, 'please join us.' It turned to Martle. 'You see,' it said. 'You're getting to be a liability, my boy. You were to Martle. 'You see,' it said. 'You're getting to be a liability, my boy. You were followed.' followed.'

'Please . . . '

'No, Mr Martle, I'm afraid my mind is made up.' It shook its head in mock sorrow, but Forrester could sense an undercurrent of dark humour in its voice. sorrow, but Forrester could sense an undercurrent of dark humour in its voice.

'Fenn . . . ' she said uncertainly. 'I don't understand. Why are you taking orders from a bot?' from a bot?'

Martle looked away, unable or unwilling to meet her gaze.

'I'm not a bot, my dear,' the bot said, striding forward surprisingly nimbly.

'Yeah, sure,' she said, 'and I'm the Draconian amba.s.sador. Well, if you're for real, then I'm obliged to inform you that your words, gestures and postures will real, then I'm obliged to inform you that your words, gestures and postures will be recorded as soon as I can find a security bot to do it, and that they may be recorded as soon as I can find a security bot to do it, and that they may form part of any legal action taken against you. Under the terms of the Data form part of any legal action taken against you. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 2820, as amended 2945, I am also obliged to inform you that Protection Act 2820, as amended 2945, I am also obliged to inform you that you and any appointed legal representative will be able to purchase a copy of all you and any appointed legal representative will be able to purchase a copy of all recordings upon payment of the standard fee. Until recording starts I am obliged recordings upon payment of the standard fee. Until recording starts I am obliged to warn you that you should say nothing.' to warn you that you should say nothing.'

'Martle,' the bot said. 'You wish to redeem yourself in my eyes. Kill her.'

164.Forrester raised her eyebrows and looked over at her partner, inviting him to share her amazement at the audacity of the bot. Her partner, who had saved share her amazement at the audacity of the bot. Her partner, who had saved her life five times that she could count. Her partner, with whom she had shared her life five times that she could count. Her partner, with whom she had shared moments, memories, laughs and tears. Her partner, who was pulling a small but moments, memories, laughs and tears. Her partner, who was pulling a small but lethal needle out from a concealed holster. lethal needle out from a concealed holster.

'Roz, I'm sorry,' he murmured, raising the gun.

And the Falardi's claw carved its way up his spine with a thunk that she would hear for ever.

His hand, on the trigger.

The Falardi's claw carved its way The look in his eye.

Thunk!

She flicked her hand, sending the vibroknife spinning through the air towards Martle. It caught him in his right eye, sending him spinning backwards, screaming, the needle dropping from his spasming hand, falling to the floor just before Martle. It caught him in his right eye, sending him spinning backwards, screaming, the needle dropping from his spasming hand, falling to the floor just before his body hit the wall. his body hit the wall.

Thunk.

She stood, as still as a statue, seeing the blood but somehow not understanding it. A numb feeling crept over her body, as if she had been wrapped in cotton wool it. A numb feeling crept over her body, as if she had been wrapped in cotton wool and insulated from the world. Shock? Was she in shock? She couldn't move her and insulated from the world. Shock? Was she in shock? She couldn't move her legs. She couldn't even blink. legs. She couldn't even blink.

The bot walked between her and Martle's body. It was holding a small stunner, and she suddenly recognized the feeling from training sessions on Ponten IV She and she suddenly recognized the feeling from training sessions on Ponten IV She had been stunned, and shortly, she guessed, she would be dead. had been stunned, and shortly, she guessed, she would be dead.

'Thank you, my dear,' it said. 'You have done my dirty work for me, but provided me with a problem. One dead Adjudicator I could account for, with provided me with a problem. One dead Adjudicator I could account for, with Adjudicator Secular Ras.h.i.+d's help, but two would raise eyebrows back on Ponten Adjudicator Secular Ras.h.i.+d's help, but two would raise eyebrows back on Ponten IV. No, I think that the easiest solution will be to wipe your memory of our IV. No, I think that the easiest solution will be to wipe your memory of our meeting and implant a new version of events. An alien, I think, killing your meeting and implant a new version of events. An alien, I think, killing your partner and escaping while you tried to save his life. That way you all get to partner and escaping while you tried to save his life. That way you all get to be heroes, and I remain safe.' It walked closer, its impa.s.sive metal face radiating be heroes, and I remain safe.' It walked closer, its impa.s.sive metal face radiating sardonic good humour. 'There are people down in the Undertown who are experts sardonic good humour. 'There are people down in the Undertown who are experts at that sort of thing. It's the best course of action. I'm sure that, given the choice, at that sort of thing. It's the best course of action. I'm sure that, given the choice, you would agree with me.' you would agree with me.'

The bot raised the stunner.

The last thing she could remember seeing was Martle's blood pooling beneath his head his head and the first thing she saw when the lid of the time tank opened was Chris Cwej smiling down at her. His skin was pink and new. And furless, apart from a fuzz of golden hair across his scalp. and the first thing she saw when the lid of the time tank opened was Chris Cwej smiling down at her. His skin was pink and new. And furless, apart from a fuzz of golden hair across his scalp.

'Hey, Roz,' he said tenderly.

'Are you okay?' she asked.

165.'I'm fine,' he said, placing an arm beneath her shoulders and easing her upright. 'I feel like I've slept for a month. Probably have: all the beppled cells have been replaced. I'm me again. But what about you? How do you . . . how do you feel?'

Forrester turned her attention inwards. The memories were there, as they always had been. She accepted them. She knew they were true.

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