Free Demon Lord VII - Dark Domain by T C Southwell Page B

just do
as I say. It would save a lot of arguments.”
    “I do not have
to listen to you at all, yet I do.”
    “For which I am
glad. But I can claim to be older and wiser than you.”
    “Older,
certainly, but I do not know about wiser, when it comes to
protecting me.”
    “No, in that I
am wiser than you, too,” Kayos said. “You do not value your life as
much as you should.”
    Bane threw up
his hands. “All right, we will do it your way, but when you get to
the light realm, shield yourself.”
    “I shall.”
    “I will
instruct Sarjan.”
    Bane Moved to
the containment room, and Kayos followed. The four contechs
stiffened in alarm when Bane appeared in their midst, two jumping
up and retreating.
    He addressed
the nearest, who remained seated. “Summon Commander Sarjan.”
    The man touched
the communications device on his console and spoke into it, then
rose and sidled away. Several tense minutes passed before a
concerned-looking Sarjan trotted in and stopped a few feet from
Bane.
    “What is
it?”
    “I have found
another of your dra’voren, and I intend to lure him in there.” Bane
gestured to the shredder room. “When he appears, you will have only
an instant in which to use your stunner. Can you do it?”
    Sarjan nodded.
“How will you lure him in?”
    “Rest assured,
I will not be going in there. I know I cannot trust you.”
    “Right. When’s
it going to happen?”
    “Shortly. Make
your preparations.”
    Sarjan turned
to the senior contech. “Bring the generators online. Prepare for
shredding.”
    “Yes sir.” The
man ran his hands over his control panel.
    Bane went to
the back of the room, and Kayos cast his shield over him. The
contechs stared at the spot where he had vanished, and Sarjan
scowled, plainly unhappy with the situation.
    “Time to go,”
the Grey God said.
    Bane clasped
his shoulder. “Be careful.”
    “I have not
lived this long by being reckless.”
    The Demon Lord
released him, and Kayos Moved. The containment room crew stared at
Bane when he reappeared and strolled back to the middle of the
room, where he could watch the window and scanner screen. He
stopped beside Sarjan, who eyed him with deep mistrust, but stood
his ground.
    “What did you
learn about the droge?” Bane asked.
    “He’s made of
inert plasma, a form of stable dark power, like your clothes.”
    “I could have
told you that.”
    “We’re still
running tests.”
    “There is not
much more to learn about him. He has no power.”
    Sarjan licked
his lips. “Could you... capture a fiend for us to study?”
    Bane chuckled.
“I could, but you could not hold it. It would assume its true form
and slip from your bonds, or go below. Even capturing one would
be... difficult. I would more likely destroy it in the attempt. But
I could summon one.”
    “Would
you?”
    “Perhaps. What
will you offer in return?”
    Sarjan
hesitated. “What do you want?”
    “Does your word
of honour mean anything, Sarjan?”
    “Yes.”
    “Even if you
gave it to me?”
    Sarjan nodded.
“It doesn’t matter who I give it to. I would keep it.”
    “Then I would
ask for your word of honour that, should the opportunity arise, you
and your crew will offer me no harm.”
    Sarjan frowned,
avoiding the stares of his crew. “Just myself and my crew?”
    “If you deliver
me to someone else who would harm me, that will also be breaking
your word.”
    “I see. I’ll
have to think about it.”
    “You have five
minutes.”
    Sarjan walked
away, and the senior contech went over to whisper in his ear. They
held a brief discussion, then Sarjan nodded and faced Bane again.
“Very well, you have my word.”
    “On what?”
    “I swear upon
my honour that neither I nor any member of my crew will try to harm
you, should we be able to do so.”
    “Is there
anyone on this ship who is not a member of your crew?”
    “No.”
    Bane paused,
regarding him. “To assure myself that you are telling the truth, I
wish to read your mind. Will you