The first purposefully moving object Harry encountered on board theWeapon was a crude-looking club, swung with robotic speed and power in the hands of the tame robot Perdix, who was standing armed and ready to defend his master against any intrusion by the bad machines. The robot pulled its swing at the last instant, so the club only grazed Harry"s helmet, hitting the deck with an impact that gouged out chunks of material. Harry ripped out an oath, and came with a hairsbreadth of blasting the cabin"s two occupants, before he realized just who and what they were.
On perceiving that the intruder was a human being, the robot Perdix lowered the crude weapon he had improvised by twisting free a damaged stanchion. Naturally Perdix offered no apology.
The haggard face of Professor Gianopolous was peering anxiously at Harry from the copilot"s seat, on the other side of the control room. The inventor"s voice broke in the middle. "Harry! Thank G.o.d it"s you-I thought you were one of them."
Little more than the man"s face was visible, above a web of forcefield binding, entangling his limbs and body, effectively shackling him into his chair.
Harry burst out with a demanding question.
Gianopolous was almost gibbering. "Your people? I"ve no idea, Harry, why ask me? I"ve just been stuck here, where the lady bound me up, before she went dashing out to join Cheng. Perdix has been trying to get me loose, but he can"t make a dent in this stuff . . . What"s happening out there?"
"What"s happening is that all h.e.l.l"s broke loose. And the lady"s not coming back." Harry paused to survey the inventor"s situation, and gave the silvery blur of the forcefield a testing touch with his armored hand. "I can fire a shot into this web, and that"ll probably break you free. Of course there"s a chance that you"ll be mangled by the recoil when it breaks."
Gianopolous closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "Go ahead. I"d prefer to die quickly rather than sit here till I starve to death, or the berserkers come- Silver, you"ve just pa.s.sed through the yacht, haven"t you?
Isn"t there anyone there? What about Satranji? He was supposed to stay on board, and fight the ship."
"He seems to have decided that he had other business." Harry warned the inventor: "Turn your face away, bend over as far as you can. There"s going to be some fireworks." Harry brought up the muzzle of the carbine, and Perdix, quick to catch on, swiftly interposed his metal body in the crucial place.
A single shot from Harry"s carbine-its gauge indicated he could count on half a dozen more-set the inventor free, and the flaring explosion in the confined s.p.a.ce scorched the tame robot, though not seriously.
Gianopolous seemed to have been partially deafened by the blast, but was otherwise unhurt. He quickly set about providing himself with a s.p.a.cesuit from the spares on board-unfortunately none of them were armored. Harry delayed his own pa.s.sage through the ship just long enough to ask a question or two.
"What about the next ship? There"s another attached to this one, on the opposite side from the yacht."
Gianopolous had heard the sounds of its arrival, vibrating through the hull of his own ship. Then he had been told by his robot that a third ship was indeed attached in that place. "But I haven"t detected any signs of life from it. I thought maybe it was another berserker."
"Not quite. I"m heading over there."
But again Harry"s further advance was momentarily delayed, this time by the arrival of Dorry, who reported having checked out the possibilities of escape by means of the yacht"s small craft, and found that they were nonexistent. The robot also reported that terrified refugees were beginning to creep into the yacht. "I have told them that the small craft are all inoperable, but they are disinclined to believe that."
"I can"t do anything about that. If they stay there, it"ll keep "em out of my hair, at least."
The inventor, still struggling to get into his protective suit, sounded almost eager. "Then what are we going to do, Silver? What are we going to do?"
Harry grunted. "You can suit yourself. I"m moving on. How about borrowing your robot?"
"If Perdix goes, I"m coming with you too. I"m not staying here alone."
Perdix picked up his club again.
A few minutes later, Harry, now with two robots and one man at his heels, at last found his way into the Chewing Pod .
Dorry had informed him that she was still carrying some key or code, given her by Satranji many days ago, for opening the hatch of theChewing Pod . The same device would also give its possessor control over thePod "s automatic pilot, but that would probably not help. The appearance of the ship strongly suggested that its drive would almost certainly be useless.
The tame robot had been given this key by Satranji at some earlier time, or had acquired it during the days she spent aboard that ship. Dorijen went on to remind Harry that she had almost perfectly memorized the vessel"s interior layout, and could guide him to the limited number of places aboard where two, or even more, living prisoners could be kept with some security.
"I was of course never privy to my former master"s plans in this regard. But confinement in a state of suspended animation seems most likely," Dorry suggested.
"I was thinking along those lines myself. The quick and easy way to keep people on ice is to put them into medirobots."
"Yes. There are only a small number of places aboard theChewing Pod where that would be feasible and convenient."
Dorry paused, then added: "Perhaps I should remind you, sir, that in the event we encounter the confessed goodlife Satranji, I stand ready to provide active a.s.sistance. As he is human-"
"That"s doubtful."
"Excuse me. As he is human, I say, I of course cannot use deadly force against him, under any circ.u.mstances."
"Of course."
"But I can and do volunteer to put on a s.p.a.cesuit at your orders, sir, then move about as a decoy, an imitation human to draw enemy fire."
"Thanks for the offer. When the time comes, I"ll consider it."
"Sir, to a robot, no thanks are-"
"-ever necessary. Yeah, I know. It"s a bad habit I"ll try to break."
Once inside thePod , brought to a momentary halt by its garish decorations, unlike those of any s.p.a.ceship that Harry had ever seen before, he let the crippled robot take the lead. Dorry made short work of guiding him to the place where the two medirobots had been put away.
This was a short hallway intended primarily for the use of maintenance and service machines, running between the galley and the dining room, kept air-filled because of frequent traffic between it and the dining room. The two coffin-sized, waist-high units had been shoved close against one wall, leaving only a narrow strip of pa.s.sage open along the opposite one.
Dorry suggested that with the help of Perdix, the two medirobots with their unconscious burdens could be fairly quickly loaded into the ship"s launch, or one of its lifeboats, a.s.suming at least one of those small craft was still functional, and a quick getaway accomplished.
Thinking quickly, Harry decided against that plan. The best and simplest way would be to awaken and release the people first.
The robot could consider, or suggest to Harry, the possibility that Becky and Ethan would be in somewhat less danger staying where they were.
But Harry overruled the suggestion: in this situation the only path to real safety lay in escaping from the Gravel Pit entirely.
Bending over first one of the long boxes and then the other, Harry could see the small indicators showing that both devices were occupied, and in operation.
Suddenly the rogue"s voice was once more an active presence in Harry"s helmet, affecting to be surprised that the medirobots were here.
Harry growled back something nasty. "You didn"t know that, I suppose. But when I got aboard this ship, you managed to locate me in a hurry."
"Of course, Harry Silver, when theChewing Pod is this close to me as it is now, I find it relatively easy to establish communication with any ent.i.ty aboard. Did you not know that this vessel was once my gift to your goodlife enemy? But that does not mean I constantly monitor the function of every device on board.
And, as you must know, a human body in a state of suspended animation is not easily detected."
Harry only grunted, not wanting to waste time in argument.
He focused his attention on the pair of medirobots. Crippled Dorry knew where s.p.a.cesuits were kept, and somewhat clumsily began the process of getting out a pair of them, one child-sized, and bringing them into the hallway.
Seizing the opportunity for a moment"s private talk with the tame robot, Harry told Dorry that he wanted to keep watch on the inventor. "Also, I have my reasons for not wanting Mister G to be armed."
Dorijen accepted the idea calmly. "You are fearful that if he finds a ready means of escape he will immediately take it, without waiting for anyone else."
"Exactly. So do whatever you can to prevent that." He hesitated. "If you can come up with a spare weapon somewhere, better give it to Perdix. We can all feel a little safer that way."
If the readouts on the coffin-shaped boxes were to be believed, Harry"s wife and child were both in good shape. Both faces were dimly visible, through semitransparent lids. Harry stared at each of them for only a moment. There was no time to spare.
Harry found the right control and started his son"s revival process. But Becky had to be awakened first, if for no other reason than that her skills as a veteran s.p.a.cer and combat veteran might be needed immediately. Harry wanted someone standing guard over the kid while he and Dorry finished checking out thePod "s lifeboats and launch, to see what the prospects were for a quick, successful getaway.
Harry"s armored fingers fumbled with the clasp. If there was a lock, it wasn"t very formidable, and his powered gauntlets tore it free. In a moment he had unfastened the outer coffin lid and thumbed the emergency revival b.u.t.ton.
This body also was nude, and Harry could see at a glance that all its major parts were still in place. As had been the case with the members of Cheng"s family, there were no plugs stuck in their wrists and ankles.
The thick lid eased itself away. Becky"s eyes opened slowly, and her voice lacked any urgency. "Harry.
It"s you."
"Who were you expecting?" Somehow his voice was warbling all up and down the scale. He heard himself say: "d.a.m.n it, woman, you knew me, even in this motherless suit."
The crease of a frown appeared in Becky"s forehead. "Looks like someone"s been using it for target practice. Of course I knew you, Harry, I"ve seen you in a lot of strange getups. Harry, don"t cry, I"m all right, my G.o.d, where"s Ethan?" Raising her head enough to look around a little, she goggled at the unfamiliar narrow corridor. "I can"t remember anything. Where are we?"
"You always wanted to ride on a ship that was fixed up in real luxury. Well, see, this is it." Though she wouldn"t be able to tell it from her immediate surroundings; no gaudy decorations had been wasted on this corridor. There was no time to waste, and Harry was lifting her out of the coffin, hoping she would be able to stand up.
"Where"s Ethan?" More insistently this time; motherhood was awakening.
"He"s right over here, in the other bin. His readings are fine, I"ll get him out in a minute. Don"t stand around like that with nothing on. Here"s Dorry, a good robot, she"s got a s.p.a.cesuit ready for you. Get yourself into it. I"ll do the kid."
"All right," said Becky doubtfully. "Dorry, you look like h.e.l.l."
"Indeed I do, ma"am."
Becky was beginning to move, slowly. Harry remembered, all too well, how coming up suddenly out of that deep artificial sleep could hit you, like a combination of drunkenness with a bad hangover. His wife"s voice was sleepy again, luxurious with blissful ignorance. Confusion persisted, but the peculiarity of her surroundings was beginning to sink in. "Harry, what happened to this poor robot? Is this your ship?"
"Yours and mine. For as long as we need it."
"All paid for?"
"G.o.ds of deep s.p.a.ce, is it paid for! I doubt any ship has ever cost like this one-but the rent"s been paid, in advance. And a good down payment on something better."
At last Becky was starting to come fully awake, and alarm was naturally setting in. She turned back, resisting Dorry"s gentle two-fingered tug.
"Harry, these are b.l.o.o.d.y motherless medirobots, what am I doing in a medirobot? I don"t remember . . .
you know what I think . . . ?"
"Tell me later. Or I"ll tell you about it. Right now, will you just get moving?"
Harry turned to the other lifesaving device, saw that emergency revival was having its effect, and in moments was reaching into the warm interior to deliver a smooth child-body back into the world.
"Daddy . . . are you the doctor?" came Ethan"s sleepy murmur. And the five-year-old"s arms went around Harry"s armored neck. Ethan was just as quick at identification as his mother had been, though he could hardly have seen much more than a bulky shape in a strange suit. He must have heard Daddy"s voice on the airspeakers.
"Today I am your doctor, kid. Daddy"s checking you and taking you home. Got to get you right into your own suit." Not that the launch had children"s sizes available, but an expert like Becky, once she got her mind together, would be able to fit a child into an adult size so it would at least serve as backup life support, even if the kid could hardly move. Under these conditions, cutting down the five-year-old"s mobility, keeping him in one place, could be a definite advantage.
Becky wasn"t up to full speed yet. But, working on instinct, she had managed to get her own suit on already. Now she was complaining. "Harry, this suit"s not going to fit him. It"s just way too loose."
"You take over, do the best you can. And tell him he"ll grow into it. We"re going home."
The five of them, four suited humans and Perdix, had just left the service hallway, pa.s.sing through the doorway into the ornate dining salon, when an elaborate screen, part of the room"s lush decoration, was knocked aside, revealing the asymmetrical body of Harry"s dedicated a.s.sa.s.sin. The ring that the a.s.sa.s.sin had taken from him, days ago, was still visible on its right hand.
Professor Gianopolous squealed and turned to run. The berserker"s monstrous other hand swung through the edge of the falling screen to pulp the inventor"s skull before he had taken a full step, spattering its bone and clever brain over walls and floor and life-units alike.
TWENTY-FOUR.
Gianopolous had gone down dead, the inadequate helmet of his simple suit completely shattered by the a.s.sa.s.sin"s blow, his headless body twitching.
Harry had begun the act of swinging the carbine around-no need for an exact physical pointing of the muzzle, but he had to get within a certain angle of the target that his eyes were in the process of locking on. The tip of the muzzle had much less than a meter to go in its swift arc, and he was trying to swing it with all his might, but already he sensed that he was not likely to complete the move in time. Part of his mind noted, in the way it had of tallying useless things, the scars of fresh combat that marked the a.s.sa.s.sin"s body and its ugly head.
At the same time, Perdix, reacting to a berserker"s threat with his own robotic speed, had used his right hand to hurl his primitive stanchion-club straight at the killing machine"s head. Before the streaking missile reached its target the left hand of Perdix had drawn from somewhere a heavy pistol-in the dreamlike slowness in which these things seemed to be happening, Harry realized that Dorry must have dug out a weapon from somewhere on the ship and given it to Perdix just as he, Harry, had suggested.
Scattered around the room behind the a.s.sa.s.sin were the helpless refugees, noncombatants, frozen by slow time in a variety of awkward poses. All were just starting to react.
The a.s.sa.s.sin"s monstrous left hand came up with speedy competence, to strike the thrown metal in midflight, brushing it aside. In the same instant a portal on the a.s.sa.s.sin"s robust chest flicked open, not far from the spot where a human heart would dwell in living flesh. Fire came hammering out of the cavity at the tame robot, cutting it down, the heavy-caliber handgun spinning useless from the hand of Perdix to go flying across the room, falling somewhere near the entrance to the dining salon.
But the tame robot"s effort had occupied the a.s.sa.s.sin for just long enough. The pieces of Perdix had not had time to hit the deck, when Harry"s swinging weapon came within the proper angle of the target picked by the direction of his gaze. The last half-dozen forcepackets that his carbine"s charge could throw erupted from the muzzle. At point-blank range, they were enough.
A few seconds later, Harry was shakily advancing upon the shattered remnants of his fallen foe. The a.s.sa.s.sin had been thoroughly mangled, brain and all. Harry was just in the act of reaching for the monster"s right hand, which was still relatively intact, with some dazed purpose of retrieving his ring, when fresh sounds of movement caused him to look up in alarm.
But the small group of figures advancing toward him were only people, some of the prisoners that he had rescued. Claudia Cheng was walking carefully in their lead, with Winnie in his misfit suit hobbling beside her.
Fewer than a dozen people, actually, but they seemed to crowd theChewing Pod "s dining salon, elbowing and almost trampling each other in a rush to what they must perceive as safety. Harry sighed and lowered the carbine"s muzzle.
"We didn"t know about your helper," someone commented brightly.
"Helper?" Harry"s mind seemed to have gone blank.
And at the same moment, someone else: "He just joined us as we were coming in-"