Gridlinked

'He's still there then - Blegg?'

'Yes, and managing to annoy everyone with the minimum effort.'

They walked towards the carrier.

Mika went on. 'I also thought you might need a medic, if you haven't got one…'

'A couple of the men are trained, Thorn as well. There was an attack last night, but most injuries have been tended to.'

'Attack. Presumably not the Maker?'

'A Separatist group.'

Mika nodded. 'I see one injury that hasn't been tended to,' she said. She gestured to the dracoman now called Scar.

Cormac could not think of a reply. Just then one of the regulars came running across.

'Sir! Sir! Something took one of the bodies in the night.'

Mika looked at Cormac, and Cormac looked at Mika. They both looked at the dracomen.

'Probably an animal. We should have buried them,' Cormac told the man.

'Shall we bury them, sir?'

'If you like.'

The regular departed.

'You could have at least fed them,' said Mika accusingly, and then walked over to the wounded draco-man. Cormac watched her go, a slight smile twisting his features, and then he frowned and headed back for the carrier. Once inside he called to the soldier at the gun.

'You, go outside for a moment, please,' he said.

The soldier climbed down from the control seat, saluted, and quickly went on his way. Cormac dropped down on the bunk opposite Stanton.

'You were right,' he said.

Stanton just stared back at him.

Cormac went on. 'How long do you think Pelter will… let me sweat?'

'The longer he leaves it, the more it will work for him. Your men will be tired, less alert. But he does want to kill you rather badly. I'd say two days at most.'

'Now tell me why I should believe you.'

Stanton looked down at the floor for a long moment before replying. 'Pelter has a large quantity of money with him. I intended to relieve him of it once I found a way round Crane.'

'Crane?'

'Mr Crane. The broken Golem. Watch out for him. He was a Twenty-five, and now he's armoured and very tough. You wouldn't believe what he's capable of.'

'I would,' said Cormac. 'I have two Golem Thirties with me.'

Stanton stared for a long moment, then a slow smile broke out on his face. 'Won't Pelter be surprised,' he said.

'Tell me about this money. That's not like you, John. You've had ample opportunity to rip Pelter off.'

'That's what Jarvellis said.'

'jarvellis?'

Stanton told him, and Cormac made his decision. He couldn't wait for Pelter. He needed to resolve some things now before Dragon got impatient and threw a tantrum that many of those on Samarkand might not survive. He took up the two Enropower boxes from under one of the bunks, and then left Stanton where he was. Outside the carrier he turned to the soldier.

'Get back on that gun. The call I'm just about to put out does not apply to you.'

The man nodded and quickly ducked back inside the carrier. Cormac tucked one of the boxes under his arm and pulled his comunit.

'I want all of you into the camp right now,' he said, and then walked to where Mika was working on Scar. He saw that she had been forced to use wire to pull together the rent in Scar's tough hide. The dracoman seemed unconcerned. Cormac wondered if an anaesthetic had been used, if one had even been needed. He dropped the two boxes at his feet and looked around as they all came in.

Thorn, Aiden and Cento were the first to join him, all three of them carrying energy weapons, then the sergeant with his six remaining men. When they were all gathered round, Cormac studied mem for a moment before speaking.

'Right. There's another group out mere who may attack. We stay here and they can come in at their leisure. I know their leader, Arian Pelter, and am certain that any plans he's formulating revolve around an attack on us on the ground. Especially as those plans will be dependent on the broken Golem he has with him, one Mr Crane.' He shot a look at Aiden and Cento, but could discern no reaction. 'I'm not prepared to wait for that attack. I came here to do a job, and I'm going to do it. Sergeant, I want you and your men up as spotters and as a first line. I want you, with another man on the turret guns, to take up the carrier and circle the perimeter of the ruins. The rest of your men will operate outside that perimeter, as before. If it looks like anyone is coming in, you inform me immediately and then we form our response to the nature of the attack. This is where Pelter falls down: he can't do that. He's ruthless, but stubborn to the point of idiocy. He'll stick with a plan to the end. We - ' Cormac gestured to Cento, Aiden and Thorn,' -will be going in on sky-bikes. If we come out in a hurry you get to the ground and under cover. Your main concern then will be self-preservation. Any questions?'

The sergeant shook his head.

'Very well, get going.'

'You want me out of the way,' said Mika.

Cormac nodded and turned his attention to the draco-men. 'Dragon wanted you here. You have been useful, but I cannot see what purpose you might serve now. Do you have any suggestions?'

The dracomen stared at him in silence.

'Very well, Mika, take them with you and stay with that AGC. If we run, be ready to come with us back to the runcible. Let's go.'

The men broke and headed off into the surrounding trees. Cormac stooped down and picked up the two boxes at his feet. By men the sergeant was already in the carrier. There was a low thrum of AG and a backwash of dust as he took it into the sky. Five sky-bikes followed him up. Cormac gestured to the three with him and walked over to the two remaining sky-bikes.

'There been any movement in the ruins?' he asked

Aiden replied, 'No movement, but the Maker is certainly in one of the underground silos. Viridian reported a change in energy levels last night during the attack, but that was all.'

'OK, we'll land as close as we can get and go in on foot. I want some idea of what we're dealing with. That at least.'

'We're dealing with the thing that killed Gant,' said Thorn.

Cormac studied him speculatively before going on. 'We're still operating on the premise that what Dragon told us is true. I don't like that, but those are my instructions. We'll try the proton guns first. I don't want to be responsible for levelling a heritage site just yet.' He glanced at Cento and Aiden. 'You two can fly them. Thorn and I will go pillion. If there's any kind of attack, take us down into the forest on the other side.'

The two Golem mounted the sky-bikes. Cormac placed the two boxes in a pannier before mounting up behind Cento. As Cento lifted the bike into the sky behind Aiden and Thorn, Cormac wondered at the Golem's lack of comment.

'Do you have a problem with what I'm doing?' he asked.

'I have no problem. The mission is paramount and you cannot wait for an attack that may or may not come.'

'Then it's the broken Golem, isn't it?'

Cento took a moment to reply. When he did reply his voice was flat and characterless.

'If there is a hell for us, then that is where this Mr Crane is.'

26

I have to state categorically that I believe in him. The Quince Guide (which I do not believe was compiled by humans; more likely it was compiled to mislead humans) has it that he is a mythical character comparable to Robin Hood or King Arthur. Let's look at the legend. He is supposed to be immortal, and supposed to possess powers the like of which enabled him to survive the destruction of his home city of Hiroshima. He is supposed to have meddled with human destiny, and to still be meddling… Oh hell, I'm rambling. The plain truth of the matter is that I believe in him because of his name. For Chrissake, what myth-maker worth his salt would come up with such a ridiculous name for someone who is practically a demigod? Horace Blegg, I ask you…