This Day All Gods Die Part 43

Briefly he scanned the bridge. He might have been considering it considering it the same way Warden Dios did. Then he picked Min Donner. the same way Warden Dios did. Then he picked Min Donner. You tell them. You tell them. Since Morn had abandoned him, Min was the highest authority here. Despite the combative fury in her eyes, the judgment which lined her mouth, he moved toward her. Since Morn had abandoned him, Min was the highest authority here. Despite the combative fury in her eyes, the judgment which lined her mouth, he moved toward her.

She met him with her fists poised to strike, as if he were an enemy she intended to defeat with her bare hands.

Dolph started forward to give her his support; but Morn halted him with a sharp gesture.

"Yes, I did that," Angus told Min's knotted outrage. Stifled vehemence seemed to strangle him; but only a hint of it showed in his voice. "Sold all f.u.c.king twenty-eight of them. And the Amnion paid me by teaching me how to edit datacores." He grinned at the sudden shock in her gaze; the instant recoil. "It's supposed to be impossible, but I can do it."

As if she were unaware of them, Min lowered her arms.

Stiffly he went on, "That's why Com-Mine Security couldn't find enough evidence to execute me. I deleted it. And it's why I don't have to listen to my priority-codes. I blocked them."

Everyone on the bridge stared at him. Min studied him as if he were about to reach critical ma.s.s. Mikka watched with her face full of tears. Under his breath Vector muttered something that might have been, "Well, d.a.m.n."

From his g-seat Ciro smiled at Angus like a soul mate.

"If I hadn't done that," Angus said quietly while acid frothed and spat inside him, "they would all be dead dead by now. Why do you suppose that a.s.shole Fasner wanted Nick to have my priority-codes? So Nick would kill them. But first he would have hurt them so much they would have begged to die. by now. Why do you suppose that a.s.shole Fasner wanted Nick to have my priority-codes? So Nick would kill them. But first he would have hurt them so much they would have begged to die.

"I saved saved them," he insisted. "Because I them," he insisted. "Because I could. could. Because I sold Vestabule's G.o.dd.a.m.n ship." Because I sold Vestabule's G.o.dd.a.m.n ship."

And because Morn had released him.

Abruptly he flung out his arm. Trembling with desperation and strain he couldn't show, he pointed an accusation at the speakers.

"He knew about it." The director of the UMCP. "He knew about it." The director of the UMCP. "He knew. knew. Before he ever put me aboard Before he ever put me aboard Trumpet Trumpet, and sent me to Billingate, and let Milos torture me, he knew. knew. He told me so." At last he found the strength to raise his voice: his datacore allowed it. "He's been He told me so." At last he found the strength to raise his voice: his datacore allowed it. "He's been counting on it! counting on it!

"And he's still still counting on it. I don't know what the flick he thinks he's doing, but I am s.h.i.t-positive he's still counting on what I can do! He's counting on it. I don't know what the flick he thinks he's doing, but I am s.h.i.t-positive he's still counting on what I can do! He's using using all of us, all of us, right now right now, the same way he's always used us!"

Now Min's face showed nothing, gave nothing. She concentrated on absorbing what she heard.

Finally Morn intervened. "That's enough, Angus." She didn't shout. Nevertheless a vibration of force in her tone stopped him. "It doesn't make any difference. Not now. Not here. We can all yell about this later."

She may not have wanted Vestabule to hear him explain what he meant.

Roughly he swung away from Min to confront Morn across the gap between their stations. If he could have acted of his own free will, he would have howled, wailed, Do you think I f.u.c.king care care what f.u.c.king what f.u.c.king Vestabule Vestabule hears? hears? You don't have the right to despise me! You don't have the right to despise me! But now it wasn't his zone implants that restrained him: it was Morn herself. The impacted hurt in her gaze told him how she would respond. But now it wasn't his zone implants that restrained him: it was Morn herself. The impacted hurt in her gaze told him how she would respond.

While I'm in command, n.o.body will be forced to do something like this.

I don't sell human beings.

I need a better answer.

Mikka, prepare to fire.

She may have been the only one here who could imagine how much harm his welding had done him. If he couldn't match her, he could at least try not to get in her way.

He took a step or two toward her, then stopped like a man who didn't believe in himself enough to go on. Instead of resisting her, he groaned in the direction of her pickup, "Are you listening, Dios? Do you like what you hear?"

Then he lapsed into silence as if his zone implants had shut him down.

His voice conflicted by static, Warden replied at once, "Oh, I hear you, all right. I hear you fine." Then he added, "So does Vestabule. You've betrayed one of their secrets. Now he has even more reason to prefer a war if you don't give yourself up.

"There's just one thing I want to know, Morn," he went on before anyone could speak. "Did he tell you about Viable Dreams?" Viable Dreams?"

Even more reason- More reason for everyone aboard the cruiser to make Angus comply with Vestabule's demands.

But Morn didn't hesitate. "Yes, Director." Her tone was as cold as the gap. "He told me. Both Davies and I knew."

"He couldn't work on his datacore without help," Warden pursued. "I a.s.sume you helped him. When did he tell you? Before or after?"

"Before," she answered simply. "I knew before I decided to help him."

"I see."

Warden paused. During the silence Angus felt the last seconds of his life ticking away.

When Dios spoke again, his manner had changed. Almost gently, he said, "You know him better than I do, Morn. I'll trust your judgment."

Then his voice changed focus. "Angus, are you you listening?" listening?"

Angus flinched inwardly. "I try not to," he growled. If he could have wept, he would have. "But I can't get you out of my head."

"You're d.a.m.n right I've been using you, Angus." Warden pierced the distortion as if he intended to give Angus orders after all. "I've been using you and Morn ever since you reached Com-Mine. After Starmaster Starmaster died. I was using you when I switched your datacore. And I'm going to keep right on using you. died. I was using you when I switched your datacore. And I'm going to keep right on using you.

"I've heard how you justify yourself, Angus," he p.r.o.nounced harshly. "Now I want you to hear me me.

"We're facing a total crisis here. An outright apotheosis."

Between one heartbeat and the next, Angus collapsed on the deck as if he'd been cut off at the knees. In the prison of his skull, a tidal wave of images and sensations broke over him. An inarticulate gargle of shock or surprise bubbled up from his chest. Spasms he couldn't control gripped his shoulders.

Davies gasped in dismay. Morn came half out of the command station, then froze.

Something Warden had said- He was still talking. He might have been unaware of a reaction he couldn't see. "Are you listening listening, Angus?" he demanded. "Vestabule has his guns aimed at Suka Bator. If we don't do what he wants, he's going to give us a super-light proton vasectomy."

A thick cry tore its way past Angus' teeth. Before his zone implants could intervene, his synapses fired as if he were being transfigured. His knees jerked up to his chest. He tucked his head against them; cowered on the deck while everything he knew and understood came to an end.

Warden may not have heard him. Or maybe he knew exactly what was happening. His voice rang as he proclaimed, "I will use anybody I can to do my job."

MORN.

For a moment Morn remained frozen; caught between Angus' fall and the instant knowledge that Warden Dios had caused it. In response to Angus' defiance he'd invoked commands no one else knew about, and now the only man who might have helped him lay stricken on the deck, huddling into himself like an infant. The shock held her while she struggled to catch up with it.

Warden did this.

Because Vestabule had told him about Viable Dreams Viable Dreams, and he no longer trusted his welded cyborg? Because he had no other way to enforce Angus' compliance; fend off the threat of war and untold bloodshed?

I will use anybody I can to do my job.

She couldn't catch up; not like this; not with Angus groveling on the deck, and everyone she depended on stunned to silence.

Abruptly she dropped back into her g-seat; turned to her pickup. "Director, Angus just collapsed." She made no effort to hide her urgency. "I don't know what's happened to him. I'll call you back."

Warden shouted her name, trying to hold on to her, make her keep her channel open; but she hit her pickup toggle and cut him off in midsyllable.

Around her, everyone stared at Angus as if he were becoming an Amnioni in front of them. The only man who might have helped Warden- They insist on Angus.

He wrapped his arms more tightly across his knees. His shoulders hunched: he might have been strangling something inside himself.

Christ, Warden! What have you done? done?

"Good G.o.d," Dolph protested softly. "Somebody help him."

None of the duty officers obeyed. In their separate ways, they all seemed too shaken to react; too confused. And Mikka had nothing left to give: she used the last of her will, her heart, to hold herself steady on targ.

But Davies lurched stiffly to his feet. Morn may have made the decision to help Angus block his priority-codes; but Davies had done most of the work. He'd cut open his father's back; dipped his hands in his father's blood. When the imponderable stresses of Trumpet's Trumpet's singularity grenade had driven Angus into stasis, Davies had spilled more blood to bring him back. Dismay and bafflement filled his face as he moved to Angus' side. singularity grenade had driven Angus into stasis, Davies had spilled more blood to bring him back. Dismay and bafflement filled his face as he moved to Angus' side.

Awkwardly he knelt to the deck; put his hands on Angus' shoulders to roll him over.

As soon as he saw his father's face, he recoiled in surprise. "s.h.i.t "s.h.i.t, Angus! What the f.u.c.k're you doing?"

A manic grin stretched Angus' stained face. Tears squeezed from his eyes: crazy humor flushed his cheeks. He looked like a man who'd locked himself into a ball so that he wouldn't break out laughing.

"It's got to stop," he croaked at Davies as if that were the funniest thing he'd ever heard. "It's got to stop."

Abruptly Morn felt a new gulf yawn open at her feet. Hidden intentions and vast risks pulled at her like the strange forces of the gap. They would kill her, kill everyone, if she didn't start understanding them now now.

"Angus-" Her voice caught. She swallowed fiercely, tried again. "Angus, what's happening to you?" What did Warden do? do? "What the h.e.l.l is going on?" "What the h.e.l.l is going on?"

I will use anybody- With a conspiratorial roll of his eyes, Angus raised a heavy finger to his lips. Whispering intensely, he warned, "Don't let Dios hear you. Don't let Vestabule know."

Davies jerked up his head; shot a frightened glance at Morn.

Quickly she turned to communications. "Cray?"

Cray took a deep breath; forced herself to consult her board. "We aren't transmitting," she confirmed. "We still have a channel to Calm Horizons Calm Horizons through Center. They're standing by. But they can't hear us." through Center. They're standing by. But they can't hear us."

An abyss of incomprehension- Morn choked down a surge of bile. "All right, Angus. They can't hear us." Repeating Cray's words seemed to be the best she could do. She took hold of herself; required something better. "Get up. Talk to me."

As suddenly as he'd fallen, Angus uncoiled his limbs and sprang to his feet. Without transition his collapse ended-or changed. Wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands, he moved toward her. His burst of amus.e.m.e.nt was over, but he went on grinning as if he'd been let in on one of life's essential secrets.

When he reached her, he leaned over her console and growled cheerfully, "Jesus, Morn! If he can do that that, I bet he can do other things, too. I bet he could have made me kill myself.

"Why do you suppose he didn't? Get it over with? Put me out of my misery?"

If the idea frightened him at all, he didn't show it. He faced her with his hands braced like defiance on her board and his chin up, still grinning.

Morn ground her teeth in frustration. "I can't answer that. You still haven't told me what happened."

Glowering, Dolph raised his voice. "Captain Thermopyle, I want to know what's going on."

Min nodded harshly. "This isn't optional, Angus," she put in. "We need need to know. If we have to fight now, for G.o.d's sake to know. If we have to fight now, for G.o.d's sake say so. say so. I can coordinate a first strike, hit that defensive with everything we have. We can't save Suka Bator-or UMCPHQ-but every bit of hurt we put on her will reduce the slaughter. I can coordinate a first strike, hit that defensive with everything we have. We can't save Suka Bator-or UMCPHQ-but every bit of hurt we put on her will reduce the slaughter.

"Stop smirking"-her voice sharpened to a shout-"and tell us what Warden did to you!"

Apparently Warden hadn't explained his game to her. She and Morn had that much in common: they were both guessing. Min may have had nothing to go on except her faith in him-and her confidence in her own people.

But her demand didn't touch Angus. He glanced at Dolph; turned a baleful glare on Min. Then he ignored them.

"He did that pretty well," he told Morn. Moment by moment an eerie eagerness grew in him. Yellow excitement shone from his eyes. "Gave us the opening we need." He slapped one palm on the command board. "Now we can get started."

His att.i.tude seemed to take her by the throat. She didn't know how to answer him; had no idea what he was talking about. Started? Her arm in its cast seemed to throb with prescient dread. He knew how to rescue Warden- Nevertheless she held his gaze. "d.a.m.n you," she whispered thinly, "tell me what happened."

Davies came forward a step or two, then stopped as if he couldn't get any closer. Mikka had dropped her hands from the targ board in order to concentrate on Angus and Morn. Mutely her damaged face asked again, What have you done to my brother? What have you done to my brother?

Vector had braced himself on the back of the command g-seat to take some of the strain off his joints. Frowning, he inquired, "Started on what, Angus?" Mikka's question in different words. "I thought you refused to get involved in this."

Angus paid no attention to Vector; focused exclusively on Morn. Perhaps no one else mattered to him. "Vector's willing," he reminded her. "Davies is willing. That's all we need.

"Here's what you're going to do," he announced while his certainty strangled her. "First you're going to call Dios again. Offer him the same deal as before. He can have Davies and Vector, but not you or me. Tell him"-Angus grinned maliciously-"I'm having convulsions, I must have burned out a circuit or something, fried a few synapses, you can't send me over there because you can't control me, I look like I'm already dying. Tell him whatever you want. He'll accept it. This is a G.o.dd.a.m.n negotiation, isn't it? Make Make him accept it." him accept it."

Morn opened her mouth to protest; catch her breath. But Angus overrode her.

"If he still objects, offer him Trumpet. Trumpet. Even if Vestabule is still human enough to want me for revenge, he can't ignore bait like that. The datacore of a UMCP gap scout ought to be worth a f.u.c.king fortune. Not to mention all those singularity grenades, and that dispersion field generator." Even if Vestabule is still human enough to want me for revenge, he can't ignore bait like that. The datacore of a UMCP gap scout ought to be worth a f.u.c.king fortune. Not to mention all those singularity grenades, and that dispersion field generator."

She stared at him as if he'd threatened to rape her. The pressure he exerted made her want to puke.

"After that," he went on triumphantly, "you can concentrate on talking to the Council. Donner'll help you. She'll make them listen." He sounded certain. Antic.i.p.ation danced like flames of madness in his eyes. "Leave the rest to me."

It made no sense. What had changed? What had Warden done done to him? to him?

G.o.d, she needed to understand! understand!

Fighting for breath, she countered, "The rest of what?" what?"

He didn't explain; might have been too eager to see how completely he confused her. Instead he went on, "Give me Mikka and Ciro. Give me the fat man here." He nodded at Captain Ubikwe. "Give me Trumpet Trumpet and the command module. Then you can forget about Warden Dios. Forget Fasner. Forget that f.u.c.king Amnioni if you feel like it. and the command module. Then you can forget about Warden Dios. Forget Fasner. Forget that f.u.c.king Amnioni if you feel like it.

"I'll deal with them," he promised.

As soon as Angus mentioned the command module, Dolph started fuming. "That's enough, Thermopyle," he barked. "You're going too far too fast. This is my ship my ship, G.o.d d.a.m.n it. If you think I trust you enough-"

"It isn't up to us, Dolph," Min interrupted quietly. Her tone seemed to ache with the force of her restraint. "This is Morn's decision." Whether or not she grasped what was happening had apparently become irrelevant. "That's why she's in command. To make choices like this. Instead of you or me. She's paid for the right. h.e.l.l, so has Angus. And we've already been disqualified. Compromised-"

"Compromised?" Captain Ubikwe yelled at her. Captain Ubikwe yelled at her. "How?" "How?"

She shrugged. "We take Warden's orders. We're cops-that's what we do. We obey. And some of those orders come from Holt Fasner."

Although the words seemed to hurt her, she said again, "This is Morn's decision."