Free The Cyber Chronicles V - Overlord by T C Southwell Page A

is
a courtesy, nothing more."
    "I don't
support your order. Some pain is necessary to train cybers."
    Ravian tilted
her head. "I had already deduced that. You wanted to speak to him,
and now you have."
    "He's an
abomination, and I believe that if you threatened him or his
freedom, he would kill you."
    "I disagree,
and it's not your concern."
    "Actually, it
is. You have no apprentice, and neither do I. Of the seven, only
the two oldest have apprentices. You could not be replaced, and
that concerns all of us."
    Ravian frowned.
"Since I have no intention of threatening him, he has no reason to
attack me, even if he would, which I don't believe. Your concern is
unfounded."
    "By Atrashka's
account he's a psychopath, incapable of human emotions or obedience
to our laws. He will kill without compunction if he feels
threatened, and, since he's paranoid, the threat could be imagined.
He should be destroyed."
    "Atrashka will
do and say anything to overturn my order, or, failing that, kill
Sabre. He's the one who's paranoid, and threatened by the existence
of a free cyber, yet Sabre had no wish to harm him when they met.
You haven't even done him the courtesy of reading him."
    Ramadaus
snorted. "I'm not a fool. You have no precautions in place. Even
now we're in danger."
    "I
disagree."
    "Of course you
do. You're a young, romantic girl, and he's a handsome man with the
added attraction of being lethal."
    A faint flush
suffused Ravian's creamy cheeks. "Now you go too far. I took
precautions until I had established that he was not a threat. Do
you question my judgement?"
    "Yes."
    "Then our
meeting is over."
    Ramadaus nodded
and swung away, replacing his hood and veil as he stalked to the
door, where the officer who waited there drew the silk aside.
Ravian scowled at the door after the cloth had closed behind him
for several moments, then turned to Sabre.
    "That was
unpleasant."
    The cyber
shrugged. "Like Atrashka, he finds me offensive. I don't blame him.
I find myself offensive."
    "They dislike
the notion of a man possessing your abilities. That's why, I
suspect, cybers were made as they are in the first place."
    Ravian turned
to gaze out of the screens as the gold and silver ship was encased
in a sheath of white fire. With a shimmer, it vanished. "I fear
that I've put you in greater danger, Sabre. I cannot protect you
from him."
    "He's going to
try to kill me, isn't he?"
    "He has reached
his judgement."
    "Great." He
sighed, rubbing his brow. "Maybe I should just flush myself out of
an airlock and save him the trouble."
    "No. You're
safe as long as you remain on this ship."
    "I can't stay
here."
    "Why not?"
    He shook his
head. "Tassin wants to go home, and she won't go without me."
    "Even if she
knows you'll be in danger?"
    "I've been in
danger since I was freed."
    "From
enforcers. He's an Overlord."
    "It's not fair
to expect her to give up her life and her dreams."
    Ravian looked
sad. "It's not right that you should die. I suspect that would
crush her dreams anyway, since you're a large part of them."
    "At least she
would be able to return to her life on Omega Five."
    "Why don't you
ask her what she wants? Perhaps she'll agree to return to her home
and leave you here under my protection. Knowing that you're safe
and free might be enough for her, and you would be able to
communicate with each other."
    "What use would
I be to you if I'm unable to leave this ship?" he asked.
    "You would be
my companion and friend. And you would be able to leave it for
short excursions. Ramadaus isn't all-seeing. He relies on his spies
just as I do. But you cannot return to Omega Five; he surely knows
about it."
    Sabre nodded.
"May I go?"
    Ravian inclined
her head. "Of course."
    Sabre headed
for the exit, where an aide drew aside the silk curtains.
     
     
    "Oh,
wonderful." Tassin jumped up from the couch where she had been
sitting beside Sabre in his quarters. She swung away, frowning. In
his absence, she had showered and washed her hair, which was