A Fury Of Aces: Crystal Venom Part 10

Marko looked on his screens and saw a beautiful ship that was sort of familiar in design, but certainly not human. He suddenly recognised it, almost yelling, 's.h.i.t, Veg, that's octopoid! What the h.e.l.l have you got me into this b.l.o.o.d.y time?'

Veg gave him a wan smile. 'It's fine, Marko. There are a few different clans of the creatures you call octopoids. These are the good guys. Don't worry, you don't have to meet them. I'm only acceptable to them because I am with Stephine. Yes, Marko, she is their construct, but of course you will never be able to say anything to anyone about it, even more so now that you have some of their tech inside you. They will be alongside shortly. Now, take Glint and Nail aft while we transfer. The octopoids do not like this ship, either, so it is best you stay out of sight. We modified it so it cannot be scanned by them and they hate that. They also really object to how it smells as they consider it far too dry. The instructions for our return are in the computer and if we do not come back, follow the plan I have left for you. Now go aft. Take good care, little brother.'

They shook hands and Marko tried to hug Stephine, but she brushed him off. Shaken, he had to grab Nail and hold him tight, as the ACE was desperately keen to see what the octopoids' reception party looked like, and Glint was muttering about needing pepper and a barbecue on board for some occasions. Marko took them the short distance to the engine compartment. As soon as he heard the airlock had cycled and then the slight shudder through the ship as the hard dock was broken, he strode forwards, sat down, placed his own control helm on his head and, with Glint making like a co-pilot, they headed back to Basalt as quickly as possible. A few moments before they jumped, they switched one of the screens to look behind them at the indigo-coloured sinuous alien craft vanishing into the void.

Marko's mind was still in a state of turmoil over what to do about the information that Stephine was a construct of the octopoids. Not even Fritz's music could calm him. He wanted to yell it at everyone, but realised that it would just cause harm, so resolved to keep it to himself. He knew also that the virus that Lilly and Jasmine infected him with to prevent him discussing Stephine and Veg had been somehow purged from his system, as he could now feel that he had total control. He had discussed it with Glint, Nail and Tux and they did not see any real problems. Glint commented that they were all constructs of some sort or another, but just by different mechanisms, so there was no real point in worrying about it, and besides, Stephine and Veg were family as far as he was concerned.

That, for Marko, made it a lot easier. He considered also that they were all just travellers, slowly working their ways through life, and good friends were indeed just as close, if not closer, than biological family most of the time. He spent the time on the return to Basalt learning as much as he could about the biotech newly inside him. He also decided the Blackjack was more then it seemed; he could not find any evidence of an AI present but had the distinct feeling that the ship was looking after them.

Odd little things happened on that week's journey. Marko would think that a coffee would be nice and would wander down to the compact galley to find the beans being slowly warmed, and the paraphernalia for the ritual of coffeemaking laid out waiting for him, and when he queried him, Glint several times denied any involvement. Marko had thought it would be comforting to make bread and had searched high and low for the tins and mixing gear. He could not find any, but when a day or so later he wondered about the smell of a walnut loaf, and thought of its components, and of how he could tweak the recipe now that he could taste each memory of the best and worst ways to bake, in a cupboard he had searched in vain previously, he found everything he needed. He queried Nail, Glint and Tux but they had nothing to offer once again. He even asked the ship out loud if any sentience was present, but got no answer. The confirmation came when, on the third day, he sat down in Stephine's seat and found that it contoured to him beautifully. However since it was the ship of an octopoid construct and her companion, he really didn't know why he should have been surprised by Blackjack.

They arrived back at the target LP, between the stars, to find Basalt patiently waiting. Patrick made contact as soon as they emerged from their wormhole.

'Welcome back, Marko. I trust your journey was a pleasant one?'

'Thanks, Patrick, yes. Bay Five, I presume?'

'Outer door is open.' the AI replied.

He merely envisioned Blackjack sitting on the pad of Bay Five and the beautiful sleek ship first pirouetted, then backed in through the airlock, positioned itself precisely on the pad and powered down, as Bay Five's doors closed and sealed.

The major, watching from the bridge, couldn't resist commenting. 'Now that was a very nicely executed landing, Marko. Well impressed. You obviously listened closely to the instructions from Veg.'

Marko brightened a little, knowing he was back among his friends. 'Yeah, you could say that, boss.'

Marko patted the console in front of him and stood up, and the three of them left the ship as atmosphere flooded into the hangar bay. Glint and Nail vanished through the door ahead of him. He turned to look at Blackjack and was a little startled to realise that Tux was walking behind him; at least he had had the decency to polarise the faceplate otherwise it would have looked very spooky. He wondered how he was going to explain it, but need not have bothered as Jan walked briskly to him, wrapping him up in a bear hug, and giving him a big kiss ... and right behind her was her suit, also following.

'Walking talking suits.' said Marko. 'This is just getting wilder by the minute!'

Jan laughed. 'Don't stress, Marko. Yours will even scrub your back in the shower if you ask it nicely. Quite nice, actually, having the suit always there if you need it in a hurry. Does yours talk? Sentient? Not mine. What do you think of Blackjack ?'

Marko smiled and nodded. 'Yes, mine's sentient. Blackjack ? It's b.l.o.o.d.y fantastic, really! Can't decide if it's an AI, a supercomputer or something else altogether.'

He was about to add more when the major interrupted. 'Good to have you home, Marko. Five minutes to stations: we jump as soon as everyone is ready.'

As they started walking, Marko called out, 'On the way, boss. Did you miss me?'

The major laughed. 'Yeah, I missed your baking.'

Jan and Marko ran up the spiral stairway, Marko shouting h.e.l.los to everyone and seeing that the living ship was growing an unfamiliar species of flowering scented orchids from its walls, and made their way to their jump stations. He slid into his engineering seat and looked across the boards. Everything was good to go, excepting that they were well down on fuel of all types. He examined the jump sequence requirements and saw that it was a big one. Would be fine with reserves, but he noted aloud that they would need fuel soon.

'Yeah, I know, Marko,' the major answered. 'Don't worry, mate. Our destinations have plenty of everything. Jasmine, you have control. In your own time, please.'

Marko always found it comforting how quickly ship routines reestablished themselves, although without the rest of the crew Basalt was lacking spark. Jan had told him that the jump sequence entailed a quick stopover to uplift Harry and Fritz from one of the Administration's medical facilities at Gliese 370, set up specifically to deal with the new biological weapons patients. They jumped down into the system to the facility. It was located on a small moon orbiting a fairly plain, dull grey gas giant with the peculiar name of Mushroom. Whichever stellar cartographer had named it must have been having an off day, Marko thought.

They uplifted a few stores from the Orbital above the moon and replenished the fuel tanks by fifty per cent. Lilly had taken over from Stephine as the purser, although not as the First Mate, and she handled things just as smoothly. A few hours after they had finished provisioning, the guys arrived on board with Harry piloting them up in the latest-generation two-seat Skua that he had purchased for himself.

Although the two men looked a little worse for wear, it did not stop Harry from taking up with Julie where they had left off and Fritz was totally enamoured with both Jasmine and Lilly. He managed to get himself totally plastered and treated them all to one of his better joke performances, sending everyone into absolute hysterics, before he sculled one too many pints of beer and toppled off the table into Lilly's arms, comatose. She lifted him effortlessly across her shoulders and walked up the stairway to the accommodation deck, returning ten minutes later, smiling. 'He asked me first if I would do his clothes washing for him, and then invited me into his bed, but as soon as I placed him on his mattress he started snoring, so I left him to it. Must discuss with him his work with esoteric physics sometime soon. The Haulers find him interesting and want some insights. I hope that you do not mind me doing so, Major?'

A cheerfully relaxed Michael Longbow waved a hand. 'Not at all, Lilly. Just copy me the report when you are finished. I would love to know a little more of what makes him tick as well.'

The next morning they started the week-long jump sequence back out through the system and onto the New Daemons system at Gliese 433, where the major had booked them for a six-week stand-down. He called for lists of anything they needed done on Basalt and they also spent time going through the screeds of information on what tourists could do while on the primary planet, which, from all accounts, was the closest in climate to Old Earth. It even had a large moon similar to Earth's, together with two smaller companion moons.

Basalt's destination was the smallest moon, where one of the Administration's biggest shipyards was located. Topaz, Glint and Marko spent time itemising the repairs and augments that they could afford for his Hanger. He sent the lists up to Lilly to arrange for payment and was not really surprised to find that Stephine had made available a large sum of money for repairs and a note to Marko, insisting that he use whatever he needed.

The shipyards were huge, stretching for many kilometres in all directions and plainly visible from a long way away. The defences that they had seen throughout the system were impressive, but the variety of protection around the small moon almost defied imagination. They had been stopped some hundreds of thousands of kilometres above the moon and were now effectively under tow, being taken in by a large system tug, as no visiting ships were allowed to be under their own power around the shipyards.

The major quietly walked up behind Marko. 'Thought that I would find you here. It is a beautiful ship, this Blackjack. I have been on board countless times but it still fascinates me. Have you decided if it is AI yet?'

Marko shrugged and shook his head. 'I simply don't know, boss. There is something here, but it has not engaged in communication with me. I think that it is aware of us and looks after us, but I'm wondering if it was grown like the Hauler tech, rather than a.s.sembled like the Gjomvik. Like Stephine, it's an enigma. So, what's the plan?'

'Well, we sign Basalt over to the yard. They need it for a week to give it a good scrubbing inside and out, a resurfacing job on the exterior, per your suggestions, upgrade the Skuas and generally finish off the jobs we did not do at the last refit. While that is going on we can either muck about with the likes of the Hog and the Gunbus, or go across to the other moon for a look. Harry and Julie are staying on board with me. I have booked Lilly, Jasmine, Fritz and Minh Pham for specialist courses at the base on the other side of this moon. You and Jan can do whatever you wish. Once Basalt is sorted, we will take it down to the primary base above the planet and we are all booked for a month's stay at one of the resorts, Patrick's treat. He is insisting that he picks up the tab for that. He also tells me that Veg left a series of large data blocks with him and told him to start construction of the new suits for the rest of us. Would be very keen to have one myself. I am sure that I could get used to having a suit following me around.'

He hesitated. 'Oh, by the way, been meaning to ask, would you consider building me my own ACE, please, Marko? I would like a small bird of prey if at all possible. I will pay you for it. Yes, I know that we are good friends and colleagues, but I would not feel right asking you for this and not paying you for it. There was a bird from a place called New Zealand on Old Earth which was called a Karearea - one of the smallest of the Old Earth falcons - and I have obtained a copy of its genome file for you to have a look at. Right, I am on dinner duty tonight so I had better get started. Been meaning to say also that it was a good call allowing Lilly and Jasmine on board. Stephine's gardens have never been in better hands to say nothing of their other spectacular attributes. Oh, and have you seen our new pay rates? The Administration is keen that we stay in its service. See you later on.' He clapped Marko on the shoulder, smiled and walked out through the airlock.

Marko spoke aloud. 'Patrick, do you have a file from the major marked Karearea?'

'Yes, Marko, a very pleasing bird of prey. Shall I send it to Topaz and Tux?'

Marko grinned when he opened the file and rubbed his hands together in antic.i.p.ation, but had sudden doubts and decided to leave it for a while until he understood himself better.

'Yes, but put a hold on it. When are we due at the shipyards?'

'At this current glacial pace I would say some seventeen and one quarter hours.'

Two.

Marko felt out of sorts. He liked the Karearea but decided against starting it as he wanted to do more research on how he could make it better. Quietly thinking about things he found himself in Stephine's gardens. Veg had built a corner with rough real-wood benches, a small table and a vista of the flowers and ripening fruit, so Marko sat and opened his senses to the sounds and smells. He could clearly distinguish between the flower scents and the aromas given off by the ripening fruits, and could hear each of the hydroponics units; he took off his gla.s.ses and was startled to sense the varying temperatures in each of the units without using his inbuilt electronic augments.

He looked down at his hands and started to shake, scared of what he had become. He looked up to see Jasmine watching him. She walked over, taking off her gardening gloves and sat beside him.

'Do I look different to you, Jasmine? I feel changed.'

'No, Marko, you look just the same. We are all concerned for you though. Do you wish for Stephine to remove the technology from you?'

Marko emphatically shook his head. 'No, no, no, not that. I feel more alive than I think I ever have and I can control every part of myself, but I wonder how removed I am now from humanity. What should I be doing with all these new tools? One thing I certainly seem to have is Stephine's affinity with all living things. I worry how good a soldier I will now be. Could I still kill if I have to, or would I hesitate and wonder if there was an alternative to pulling the trigger and so place everyone in danger? I really need to talk to Veg. I have been through everything that he left, but there are gaps in the data.'

Jasmine gently smiled and took his real hand in hers. 'This will take time, Marko. You know that Veg is over eight hundred years old and he still says he only knows a tiny amount of what the universe can offer. Regarding humanity, maybe you are a little different, but it is you who decides where you fit. Your military training removed you a few steps from normality anyway. This just takes you a little further. Hey, look at me - I am, in theory, very young and was actually designed, and then created. How would you cla.s.s me?'

Marko smiled sheepishly. 'About as close to a perfect human female as can be imagined.'

She patted his hands. 'Thank you. Now, whether you are still a good soldier or not... You will be much faster than you have ever been, and your thought processes will continue to speed up. The Haulers know of your type; you are unusual, but not necessarily rare. Stephine and her kin have walked among humanity for a very long time, so there have been many who have also been given the technology. It cannot be taken; it must be given, even in times of peril. Those individuals with the tech have had long and quietly distinguished lives and are all friends of the Haulers. Some, in fact, ended up as Haulers themselves. Some left the Sphere and some just simply disappeared. You have nothing to fear, Marko. The others were, and are, good people who care deeply for their own. I shall leave you in peace.'

She hugged him as he nodded his thanks. Feeling slightly better, he picked a few apples and went to check out the Hog, and found Harry and Fritz already working on it. It was starting to look like a formidable machine and they toiled away on it for the rest of the day. Flint was, of course, very happy to be back at work as well and he scuttled across to give Marko a little hug around the neck, managing to smear grease on his collar, for which he apologised repeatedly and made a fuss of removing. Nail and Glint also turned up to a.s.sist saying that they were bored and before long everyone else arrived to work on the project.

The next morning they awoke to find Basalt on the surface of the moon and that work had already started on the cleaning and resurfacing of the outer hull. Robots were walking up and down the hull abrading the exterior with powdered rock. The semi-autonomous machines fired the powder through linear accelerators, affecting an airless sandblasting that stripped away a few microns of material from the living ship, leaving a dull white surface, without affecting the water-saturated sapwood of the outer hull with its multi-layered bio polyethylene shielding. In the gasless conditions, the spent powder fell back onto the ground far below to be reprocessed.

After breakfast Lilly, Jasmine, Fritz and Minh Pham departed in the Albatross for their courses, with Patrick easing the large craft out through the airlock for them. As soon as the Albatross had left, a large sealed unit came along and pressed up against the outer part of that airlock, and established atmosphere. A crew from the shipyards arrived and started to strip the airlock out to replace it with a larger one. One of them spotted Marko watching, and the group of roughnecks all wanted to shake his hand and have their pictures taken with him on their phones. They invited him down to one of the local bars for a drink, but he begged off saying that he had another engagement. He did not want to be the centre of any attention and also knew from his early days that, although the workers might have hearts of gold, or not, they could also drink anyone under the table and were partial to the odd brawl.

As he walked back to his workbench, he called out, 'Patrick, can you organise a meal and some beers for the shipyard guys at the end of their work, please? We are all going to be the centre of attention, anyway, so we might as well generate some good PR, but on our own terms.'

The major replied before Patrick could speak. 'Good idea, Marko. Yes, set it up, please, Patrick ... hang on, leave it to me, in fact. I need a few extra jobs to do.'

An hour later a transport arrived for Marko's ship, the Hanger, which was on the floor of the hangar bay beside Blackjack.

Jan and Julie had left to find a clothing store, Harry was away seeing some of his old cronies and the major was tending to his latest astronomy files, so Marko cadged a lift down to the shipyards with the transport's operator, who also was delighted to meet him, shaking his hand enthusiastically. He introduced himself as Jake and invited Marko and any other members of the crew who might be available for a tour of the small fighter refurbishment workshops.

Marko thought this a good idea and whistled up Glint and Nail. Jake was intrigued to meet them both, and Flint, who introduced himself after coming in late. Jake spent time quietly talking to them and was fascinated when Flint offered to fix a readout on the side of the transporter. In seconds, the ACE had the cover off and was extending probes and testers from his fingers. After finding the problem he had the whole unit stripped out, repaired and rea.s.sembled in minutes, all his little hands working in a blur of motion.

Jake shook his head in amazement. 'b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l! Just as well there are so few of you guys about as you would put the techs I know out of work in very short order! But hey, thanks for that. One less job for me at the end of my shift.'

They watched as he efficiently slid his craft above the Hanger, eased it down over the battered little fighter and activated numerous long finger-like graspers which reached down to seize the fighter, then lifted it up against the open framework of the transporter. Marko looked across to where Blackjack should be and was intrigued to only be viewing the wall. He activated their crew comms.

'Nail, can you see Blackjack in visible spectrums?'

The cat looked across then back at Marko. 'No, but it's there. I was not aware it had such high-grade chameleon hardware. Not surprised, though. Did you program it to stay unseen from visiting eyes?'

Marko frowned and shook his head. 'No, we must do a little homework on that ship sometime soon. It really astounds me.'

The ACEs all nodded in agreement, with Flint adding, 'Have a fun time, fellas, I am staying here to help Michael. See ya!'

As Flint scuttled off, they clambered into the little teardrop-shaped transparent c.o.c.kpit of the transporter, sitting themselves on a bench seat behind Jake. He attained flight clearance from Patrick, then the local flight controllers, and flew out from the hangar bay airlock over the huge expanse of the shipyards. Marko had viewed the surrounding facilities from his screens, but seeing it spread out below him made him smile with admiration at humanity's tenacity, and commitment to the ever-expanding Sphere of Influence.

Jake kept a running commentary of what they were seeing along the way, pointing out various famous ships, some of which had been regrown dozens of times over hundreds of years. Then to the new models, which always seemed just that bit sleeker and slightly more elegant than their predecessors, and on to the ships that had only just made it back with severe damage from accident or incidents of battle, either with buccaneers or as part of a sanctioned Games Board conflict where the ships and crew had been leased to one warring party or another.

Twenty minutes later they arrived at the Fighter repair and refurbishment facility through a large surface airlock onto a platform controlled by the facilities AI. Jake smiled, commenting that they looked like typical tourists trying to see everywhere at once. They all agreed that the place was fantastic, with hundreds of fighters of every type and purpose laid out, in various stages of being stripped and rebuilt, or - for those not supplied by the Gjomvik Corporations - regrown, as the platform they were on moved above everything. Finally, the AI placed them among other Hangers in various stages of refurbishment. As they climbed down from the transporter's c.o.c.kpit, they could see what appeared to be some of the management of the facility running towards them.

Before they knew it, they were the centre of attention, as just about everyone stopped what they were doing to come up and talk to them. Marko was a bit taken aback by such a welcome. Glint and Nail smiled, answered questions and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. As the highly skilled technicians and engineers talked with them, Marko had the sudden realisation that he was indeed human in spite of all the internal changes he had undergone, deciding that those surrounding him were his kind of people. He gradually felt at peace.

As the transport lowered the Hanger down and everyone could see the damage to it, he was cheerfully encouraged to give a blow-by-blow description of what had happened. It was a great tale enjoyed by all, especially with Glint, and then Nail, chipping in with what Marko considered to be some rather exaggerated details, designed to create a humourous slant on the entire action. As they were being escorted by the management to lunch, Marko mused how far his ACEs had come and wondered what would become of them in future years.

After lunch, Jake came over to say he had another pickup to do and Marko thanked him and promised to take him up on his offer of a beer in one of the local taverns. The engineers then gathered Marko and they talked through the repairs and improvements that could be made to the Hanger. The improvements would certainly blow the budget, so he opened an account with the facility and was about to deposit a solid wad of coin into it when the senior manager arrived and said that the whole job was on the house because of the great amount of entertainment that Basalt and crew had given everyone to date. Marko thanked him graciously as Nail sat at his elbow on the countertop. Nail looked around into Marko's eyes and flicked across a quick message. Marko smiled and nodded down to him, then looked at the manager.

'Well, I note, Mr Jacobsen, that the official name of this facility is Number Seventy-three, and that you all unofficially call it Sledgehammer's. Would you do me the honour of stencilling Sledgehammer 73 underneath the canopy, please?'

They both thought the poor man was going to burst into tears, he was that fl.u.s.tered and delighted and effusive in his thanks for the honour.

Nail and Marko then went off to gather up Glint, eventually finding him surrounded by office staff, regaling them with wild tales of him, Glint, battling the octopoids, with the rest of Basalt and crew playing a supporting role, it seemed. Marko gently extracted him with the promise of a visit to an ice-cream shop and, after promising that they would be back in five days to uplift the Hanger themselves, they were shown out the front door into the busy subsurface malls, accommodations, bars and shops that looked just like those in any other busy city in the Sphere.

Marko realised that they must make an interesting spectacle: medium height human male in an exotic, sleek matt black combat suit, with a tall gunmetal-coloured, fur-covered reptilian version of a fossa, an Old Earth predator from Madagascar, and a large domestic cat, who appeared to be the navigator and owner of the group. They were attracting a great deal of attention so he started to look for a transport office until Glint reminded him of ice cream.

Marko gave in and led them down a floor where Glint said there was a ice-cream parlour. As they arrived and sat themselves down, two reptilian-based ACEs approached the table and introduced themselves and a very fast conversation took place. Marko knew he should not be able to understand it, but he did. The large lizards walked out at speed and minutes later, as Marko's and Glint's ice creams were being served, they arrived back, one of them cradling a small Siamese cat. Marko knew instantly that it was an ACE but could not engage with it on a sentient level as it acted just like an ordinary cat. It sat purring on a chair while Nail scanned it, feeding the information directly into Marko's eyes. He nodded, gently feeling for the access points in its flank, which Nail then locked onto through his paw's data probes. With Glint enjoying his ice-cream and intently watching, Nail transferred the ident.i.ty of the Siamese to Marko. Marko grimaced, seeing the intact sentient blocks which had been disengaged in the cat months before; using Nail's internal software they broke apart the blocks and, although knowing that he should not do it, Marko slipped one of Fritz's music programs into the now-awake cat. It stopped purring as its eyes opened wider. It looked around at them all and let out a long sigh.

'Long dream-sequence sleep that was! Marko Spitz, THE Marko Spitz, Glint and Nail. Maestro am I. Friends mine the Walsh brothers. Thank you all I know not how for returning me to me!'

Everyone smiled, including the Walsh brothers, the two ACE lizards who had rescued the cat from a human street gang that had been using Maestro in pit-fighting duels. One of the Walsh brothers growled, 'How abouts you show us da lowlifes what nuked you and we go pay em a visit, ya?'

The Basalt crew nodded vigorously, and the Siamese said, 'Yes! Fun for all. My family I have notified sentient-live again. Time to respond they will take, as time zone is 0200. Taken me off the family interstellar yacht when here.' Maestro rubbed his front paws together. 'Right. Link I need again from Nail for information.'

Nail offered his paw as Maestro also extended a datalink spike and the data was shared among them. 'They are here, the thieves, the chemists, the slavers, the gangs.'

Marko switched his external channels to one of Fritz's more esoteric encryptions and flashed a message to Jan and Julie inviting them along for the 'game'. Seconds later he received a smiling face which also included the message that Harry and Flint wanted in. He wondered what the major would say, deciding to include him in the loop.

'Jan, Julie, Harry and Flint are on their way,' he said to the ACEs. 'Be here in about twenty minutes. The boss is informed. He will run interference for us with the local constabulary and the Military Police as well. Maestro, show us everything you have.'

As the data regarding the slaver individuals and of what Maestro's own systems had recorded became available to them, Nail started to form a series of possible scenarios. He reached across and plugged himself into Glint and Tux using their processing powers, then uplinked to Fritz using another set of encryptions. Marko watched as the local net safeguards tried to lock onto what they were doing only to be brushed aside by Fritz. Marko knew that Fritz was plugged into a cybernetics array on the other side of the moon studying cla.s.sical music composition - the course had been a gift from the major. He also knew that Fritz could effortlessly run two or even three intelligence-gathering operations simultaneously.

The plan started to come together as messages were sent - by what would be recognised as secure channels - that three new high-value ACEs were currently alone in a warehouse close to the shipyards in cryno tanks. Fritz then relayed the messages that the slaver group sent out to the other gangs as the other Basalt crew members strolled into the ice-cream parlour. Those who wanted it ordered the frozen sweet for themselves. Flint jacked himself into Glint so that he could taste the flavours as Glint slowly ate his third one. Harry very carefully walked past other patrons, which Marko thought odd until he looked at Harry again using Basalt crew electronic filters and saw that he had a large pack and was carrying a long bag, both concealed by chameleon-ware.

Nail soundlessly issued everyone their orders and as individuals or pairs they said their goodbyes and left.

Harry ponderously walked out of the shop, across the avenue and into one of the rapid transit tubeways. Fritz was watching his progress and fooled the security systems, allowing Harry to enter one of the capsules carrying a heavy array of weapons and ammunition in the 'invisible' bags.

The three Basalt ACEs left the parlour and quickly walked down through the crowded avenues with Flint climbing onto Glint's back and Glint picking Nail up. On cue, they quietly blended into the crowds then vanished as their chameleon-ware was switched on.

Jan and Julie had arrived from their shopping expedition and both appeared to be wearing the latest designer clothes. Jan sat on Marko's lap, gave him a long kiss, put her wide-brimmed fashionable hat back on her head and then departed with Julie, walking in the opposite direction to the ACEs.

Maestro and the two lizards made a show of thanking Marko before taking their leave. He waited a few moments then drained his soda and walked back to the transport office to sign out a small shuttle craft.

Once above the buildings, being flown on autopilot by Fritz, Marko sighed, smiled and gave himself a few minutes of peace. Seconds later it was interrupted by the major.

'Crew. Interesting development. Sirius is back. And what's more, the Games Board has covertly taken control of the public recording units in your area of operations. So the action is now sanctioned and being paid for. They have a two-hour time delay before it goes to air. You want to pull the plug or go on with the play?'

Marko burst out laughing at the madness of it all. 'What are Fritz's thoughts? Is this another set-up, or did we get sold by another party?'

'Stand by.'

The shuttle was seven minutes from Marko's destination so he knew they had a little time. Minutes later the major came back. 'Fritz says Maestro is on the level. Checks out. The Walsh brothers are the culprits. Seems that the opportunity to create a nice little earner was too good a chance to pa.s.s up. Fritz has a recording of the call to the local Games Board hub at the time Glint was ordering his last ice cream.'

At that moment, Harry joined the conversation. 'We do it. Everyone needs to blow off steam anyway. Time to go; see ya soon, boss. Stand by for everyone's Soul Saver uplinks.'

Marko told Tux to seal up and a minute later the shuttle developed a runaway reaction in its fuel cell, engineered by Fritz. Marko was ejected straight through the canopy, still sitting on the seat, as the shuttle started to tumble down to crash into a cooling tower and silently explode. His seat powered up its tiny antigravity unit, landing gently seconds later. He unbuckled himself and walked to the damaged tower, which was right above the target chemist's shop.

He reached the damaged building and saw to his delight that the access to the tubeway was clear so he simply jumped down a few flights of stairs and opened a large hatchway to be greeted by a grinning Harry, who handed over Marko's weapons. The three-barrelled rotary pistol was clipped against Marko's chest; his favourite small sword he tucked under his left armpit and the rotary shotgun he hefted onto his left forearm as Harry secured the magazines on his back.

'Got the chemists. Typical know-it-all b.a.s.t.a.r.ds thought I was just the usual dolt in a kaftan and sandals! I love this chameleon-ware. Just think of what you want to look like and there you are, all bright-eyed and innocent-like. Idiots! Told them to give themselves up peaceably and they started shooting .22's at me. They are a bit battered but very cooperative now. Fritz has control of them. Yup, walking, talking dummies. They really should have stuck with the trade of being normal chemists. Not as though they don't make enough money. Just put the headpieces on them and play nice music to them to put their minds in a polite place while Fritzy controls everything they do and say. Nice! Right-oh, you are good to go!'

'Never sure why someone gets involved in crime. Even seemingly upright citizens do dumb stuff, Harry. Thanks for bringing my kit,' Marko commented.

They walked down another short tunnel and into the rear of the chemist shop. The two chemists were standing at their counter serving customers and both seemed in a hurry to clear the shop, with one of them saying that they had an urgent appointment and had to close the store for a short while. As the doors closed and locked, the two relatively nondescript men sat at their terminals and stared blankly at the screens.