Part 44 (1/2)

Ferran turned briefly to the Deputy. 'Like it never went away. Computer, use internal sensors to locate Miranda.'

'Internal surveillance is not functioning.'

'You told me all s.h.i.+p systems were working at full capacity.'

'The surveillance system, while powered from the s.h.i.+p's generators, is your technology retrofitted to the s.h.i.+p. As such it is not cla.s.sified as a s.h.i.+p system.'

Ferran stared up at the pyramid. Computer was artificially intelligent, and had shown signs of having a personality, a sentience, in the past. He had often been struck by a sense that Computer was being insolent, or wilful.

'Why would it be malfunctioning?' he asked his Deputy.

She wore a puzzled expression. For his benefit, he a.s.sumed, as she wouldn't be feeling feeling puzzled. 'It would have gone to stand-by mode when the power went down. It sounds as if it hasn't automatically started up again when power was restored.' puzzled. 'It would have gone to stand-by mode when the power went down. It sounds as if it hasn't automatically started up again when power was restored.'

Ferran turned back to Computer. 'Are the internal cameras working?' They were original features of the s.h.i.+p.

'They are. A visual search of the s.h.i.+p will take several minutes, and coverage is limited to those areas mapped by your people.'

Ferran narrowed his eyes. Computer had steadfastly refused to release any technical information or deck plans of Supremacy Supremacy unless his people figured it out for themselves. His best engineers had tried to override Computer's security, but had found nothing. Computer seemed to bear no malice to those who tried or have any objection to the mapping teams. Almost perversely, when a mapping team had searched an area, Computer released the details. There seemed no way round this, and Computer offered no explanation. unless his people figured it out for themselves. His best engineers had tried to override Computer's security, but had found nothing. Computer seemed to bear no malice to those who tried or have any objection to the mapping teams. Almost perversely, when a mapping team had searched an area, Computer released the details. There seemed no way round this, and Computer offered no explanation.

'Computer put images from the internal cameras on screen.'

The holographic bubble became a montage, a confused collection of images. There was no sound, just movement and colour.

Ferran stared at them. 'How?'

In the refectory, three dozen slaves, and half a dozen guards were holding a group of technicians hostage, while a smaller group was barricading the doors.

The armoury door was open, and a small man was pa.s.sing out neutron guns to slaves and guards. None of the guards were wearing helmets, but some had material tied around their arms or necks scarves, bandanas: marks of individuality.

There was a firefight going on in the hydroponics area neutron bolts picking out guards, who fell from their positions in the trees and behind statues.

Slaves surged down corridors in the barracks areas, opening up the doors, dragging out the sleeping guards.

The saucer cradles at the far end of the s.h.i.+p were controlled by slaves, guards and technicians, who were sharing food and laughter.

The main engines were secured behind sealed bulkheads and doors thicker than any bank vault's. Inside the engine rooms, the engineers and technicians cowered, prepared barricades and argued among themselves. Ferran could not hear what they were saying, but it seemed one group the minority, thankfully wanted to open the doors and welcome the rebels in. For their part, on the other side of the barriers, slave crews were slowly burning big holes using heavy cutting gear.

'Computer: activate pain inducers throughout the s.h.i.+p. Everywhere but this room.'

'Unable to comply.'

The Deputy pointed him to the lower left-hand corner of the hologlobe. 'They've smashed the master control unit.'

Ferran stared into the screen, transfixed by what he saw.

'Seal the bridge,' he ordered.

She'd killed a man once.

Miranda had been haunted by it every day since.

She had no doubt that Sallak had deserved to die. He'd killed her parents, his master had murdered her family. It really was kill or be killed. She had rationalised it, come up with any number of philosophical and logical justifications for what she had done.

But none of them had explained why she had enjoyed enjoyed it. it.

The sense of power as she'd taken a life.

And during the years she'd been travelling, that was what had worried her the most. That Ferran was right, that locked inside her blood and her genes was a monster.

She'd started a riot. Perhaps she'd even started a revolution. She wasn't thinking that far ahead. For now, she wanted the slaves freed and Ferran captured.

Or killed.

Lives would be lost.

She'd not seen anyone killed here, let alone killed anyone herself, but it was inevitable. There was so much pent-up anger among the slaves. And among the guards and scientists Cate had been right: over one in three of them had switched sides the moment the possibility existed.

Graltor was at her side, keen eyes and ears listening out. Somehow, without either of them saying anything, he'd become her bodyguard. He was carrying a neutron rifle, and made the bulky weapon look small. No doubt he could hear the disturbance. Gla.s.s shattering, battering rains against doors. There was the smell of smoke in the air.

But the riot hadn't reached Miranda's room yet.

She stepped out of the travel tube. The door to her chamber was broken, and the lock looked like it had been blasted off.

Graltor went into her room first, made sure it was clear.

As Miranda followed, she saw Debbie Castle's body was just inside the door. Miranda checked it, but she was long gone, just as Cate had said. She closed the woman's eyes.

'I'll keep watch,' Graltor a.s.sured her. He brandished his neutron rifle, to emphasise his point, and leaned against the door frame, looking out into the corridor.

Miranda was already heading for the bed. Her father lay there, immobile, She ran her hand over his cheek. His lip was split and there was swelling round his left eye.

His eyes fluttered open. 'Miranda? I'm... it's... I think I might be dead.'

The Doctor's head flopped back.

'That's the Emperor?' Graltor asked. 'It doesn't look like the Emperor. When I was a gladiator, I was given a medal by the Emperor. He was '

'Shush,' Miranda said, laying her head on her father's chest. 'He's alive.'

The Doctor's eyes snapped open. 'Good,' he said.

He tried to sit upright, but the effort was too much.

'I can't believe you got here. How did you get here?'

'Atlantis. s.p.a.ce shuttle. Hijacked it.'