As he walked down the corridor on the third period since he’d decided to feed the figures into the Computer, he knew there was no turning back. It was the start of a new work session. He had to do it before the time came for him to return to his sleep cubicle. He had been tempted simply to drop the paper and scriber into the disposal vent and forget the whole act of rebellion.
He was tempted, but deep down, he knew he had gone too far. There was no return to the secure happy ignorance of the other human operatives who walked to work beside him.
He came to his own work cubicle. He sat down and pressed the stud that activated the console. The printout immediately began to feed figures at him. His conditioning told him that his fingers should move to the console and begin to respond. Instead, he sat rigid. A light flashed above the console. Still he did nothing. He knew his inactivity had been recorded as a malfunction. The therapy squad would already be on their way.
He took the list from where he’d hidden it in his coverall. His fingers flew, copying the groups of figures. The light went out. The printout stopped. The strip continued to unwind but there was nothing on it. CYN 256 went on working at the console. Another light came on. It was red and it rapidly flashed on and off. The printout started again.
0I0I0I0I0I0I0I0I0I0I0I0I0I0I
CYN 256 looked at it in horror. The Computer was responding to what he had done, but he didn’t, understand it. The printout was meaningless. He had revealed himself but he had achieved nothing. He knew no more now than when he had started the whole insane scheme.
His hands fell away from the console. A set of tiny vents opened in the ceiling. A steel door slid out from the wall and sealed the entrance to the cubicle. CYN 256 knew it was his end. There was a faint hiss as pink, poisonous gas billowed from the vents.
CYN 256 closed his eyes, took a deep breath and died.
***
Billy, Olad and the Minstrel Boy stood very still as the three Ocpol patrolmen walked slowly towards them with their guns raised. They let their hands hang loosely at their sides, and made no threatening move. Billy edged carefully towards the Minstrel Boy.
‘What do we do now?’
‘Fuck knows.’
The three Ocpol halted a few paces from their captives. The one in the middle, who had what appeared to be the insignia of an officer on the front of his helmet, gestured with his gun.
‘You will place your hands on your head.’
Billy, Olad and the Minstrel Boy did as they were told. The officer glanced at the patrolman on his right.
‘Search them for weapons.’
The patrolman moved towards Olad. He walked round behind him. He carefully patted him down. When he reached the gun and the heavy knife at Olad’s belt, the patrolman leaned forward and hooked the gun out of the belt. As he reached again for the knife, Olad pivoted on his toes, grabbed him by the throat and spun him round. The other Ocpol fired. Olad had the patrolman in front of him. The first two shells hit him in the chest. The force of the impact knocked both of them to the ground.
Billy snatched out his own gun and fired a burst at the officer. He spun round and fell. Billy turned his attention to the last of the Ocpol. He was already staggering round in circles, tugging vainly at one of the Minstrel Boy’s knives that was buried in his throat. He sank to his knees, coughing blood, and then sprawled forward face down in the damp earth. Billy looked at the Minstrel Boy.
‘Do you think there are any more inside the ground car?’
The Minstrel Boy started quickly towards the car.
‘We can only find out.’
Billy followed him. They reached the car without anything happening. They pressed themselves against its dark grey armour plated side. The Minstrel Boy’s hand went to the door handle.
‘When I nod, go.’
‘Okay.’
The Minstrel Boy twisted the handle and jerked the door open. Billy thrust his gun into the interior of the ground car. It was empty. The Minstrel Boy grinned.
‘It looks like we’ve even got transport.’
Billy looked around. A grey dawn was starting to show through the unrelenting drizzle. Olad was on his feet walking unsteadily towards them. Billy shouted.
‘Hey Olad, come on over here. We got ourselves a car.’
The Minstrel Boy frowned.
‘He looks like he’s hurt.’
They hurried towards the Siderian. Before they could reach him, he staggered and pitched forward. Billy and the Minstrel Boy ran to where he lay. Olad was face down in the mud. He didn’t appear to be breathing. The Minstrel Boy gently rolled him over. His studded leather tunic was smeared with blood. The Minstrel Boy felt for his pulse.
‘He’s dead.’
Billy’s eyes widened.
‘Dead? How? The Ocpol took those two shots.’
The Minstrel Boy slowly stood up.
‘The shells went right through the Ocpol, and got Olad as well.’
Billy went pale.
‘Shit.’
The Minstrel Boy nodded.
‘It’s a hard world.’
‘Is that all you got to say?’
‘What else do you want?’
Billy began to get angry.
‘What are we supposed to do with him? You just want to leave him lying there?’
‘What else do you figure we can do? Bury him maybe? That’d just give a few more Ocpol ground cars the time to catch up with us.’
‘We can’t just leave him like this. He was our buddy.’
The Minstrel Boy looked down at the body.
‘He was someone we met on the road.’
Billy looked at him in horror.
‘Is that all you’ve got to say? The man’s dead. He saved us.’
The Minstrel Boy nodded.
‘I know. He’s dead, and I’m cutting out. Are you coming with me, or do you want to honour your buddy’s memory by waiting around to get picked up?’
The Minstrel Boy turned on his heel and walked quickly towards the car. After a few moments’ hesitation Billy followed. The Minstrel Boy slid behind the wheel. Billy had hardly got the passenger door closed before the Minstrel Boy roughly jammed the car into drive. It took off with a lurch.
They drove in silence for a long time. It was only broken as they approached the nothings. The Minstrel Boy glanced at Billy.
‘Look around, see if you can find a stasis unit in this heap.’
Billy stared sullenly straight ahead.
‘Find it yourself. You’re so fucking smart. You know everything.’
The Minstrel Boy stamped on the brakes and the car slewed to a stop. He reached over and grabbed Billy by the lapels of his coat. He pushed his face very close to Billy’s.
‘Listen, either we try and get out of this together or you can stay right here. You either cooperate, or I dump you. Which is it going to be?’
Billy looked at him. He closed his eyes and sighed.
‘Okay, okay. I’ll do what you want.’
The Minstrel Boy pushed the car into drive again.
‘Find the stasis generator. We’re going to need it.’
Billy hunted around. He looked beside the seats, on the control panel and in the back of the vehicle. Eventually he looked at the Minstrel Boy with a frown.
‘There doesn’t seem to be one.’
‘You’ve looked everywhere?’
‘Yeah. It don’t seem likely that they’d hide the stasis generator.’
‘Shit! Isn’t there any kind of point where we can plug in our own porta-pacs and extend their field to include the car?’
Billy shook his head.
‘There’s nothing. It must have been designed for use in stable areas only.’
Outside, the landscape was already starting to break up. Large holes of grey emptiness were honeycombing the previously solid plain. Billy looked out of the narrow side window. He turned anxiously to the Minstrel Boy.