The warlord asked, “But when we reach this command centre, how will you discover what the signal is that will bring the new Sky Lord to Earth?”
“That information will be stored somewhere in the centre’s computer. Given time I’m sure I’ll be able to coax it out. So what do you say, Shumi Horado, warlord of the skies; do we have a deal?”
The warlord had, of course, said yes.
“… But if everything you told him was the truth, you’ll just be giving him the new airship for nothing,” said Jan, mystified.
“Ah, well, not everything was the truth,” Milo said, with a smile. “The command centre isn’t at the Armstrong spaceport, it’s actually in a nearby city. At the top of a building called the Sky Tower. I remember it now. Very distinctive. Should be easy to find once we get to the city.”
Jan’s shoulder’s slumped. Fatigue was suddenly overwhelming her. She sat down in a chair and said wearily to Milo, “And just how are we going to reach this city?”
“We’re going to fly there.”
“Oh really? In what? Do you have a third Sky Lord salted away somewhere?”
“We’re going to fly to the city in one of those Jap gliders.”
“Oh Mother God, you’re serious. …”
He nodded.
“They looked incredibly dangerous.”
“Nonsense. They’re great sport. I used to fly in similar gliders once upon a time just for fun. We called them hang-gliders. Of course, that was before I had myself immortalized. Couldn’t take the risk then. …”
“What risk? You said they weren’t dangerous.”
“Well, accidents happen. When you become immortal your attitude to taking risks changes. You have more to lose.”
“I can imagine,” she said dryly. Then another thought occurred to her. “You intend for us to enter a city! What about the plague spores?”
Milo shrugged. “It’s a risk we’ll have to take. But with luck we won’t have to touch down on the ground. We’ll land right on the Sky Tower.”
“A risk. You’ve just told me you avoid taking risks,” she pointed out.
“It’s not possible to avoid all risks in this life,” he said blandly.
Jan gave him a suspicious look. “Why do I get the feeling that I’ll be the only one at risk from the plague spores? Would I be right in thinking that your immortality comes with a totally effective immune system?”
“I doubt if such a thing is possible,” he replied, “But yes, I do admit that my immune system is more efficient than yours. But don’t worry, the chances of our encountering an active plague area are probably very remote.”
“That’s not what I’ve heard,” she muttered.
Milo yawned. “Anyway, that’s the reason why you might as well put Ceri out of your mind. The glider will only take two of us.”
“I’m not going to put her out of my mind,” Jan said firmly.
“Very well then. Stay behind here if you like. I’m sure you will enjoy life as a geisha girl, tending to the wants of Horado’s samurai. If you thought life as a woman under the Aristos was bad enough, wait until you experience the Japanese variety.”
Jan didn’t need to be told that. The little she’d so far seen of life in Horado’s society was enough to convince her that women had no status at all at any level. They were totally subservient to the men.
“Well?” asked Milo.
“No, I don’t want to stay here,” she admitted. “But I can’t just abandon Ceri. I can’t. …”
Milo ran his fingers over his scalp and frowned. “Look,” he said eventually, “I can’t guarantee it, but maybe there’s a chance we can buy her off Horado later.”
“How do you mean?” she asked hopefully.
“Well, when we get control of our Sky Angel maybe we can do a deal with Horado. Offer him some Old Science technology in return for your sea nymph?”
“You really think he’d agree to that?”
“I don’t see why not,” said Milo. “But remember, I’m not guaranteeing anything.”
Jan stared hard at him. “Milo,” she said slowly, “I want you to promise me—swear to me on whatever you hold sacred—that if everything goes as you plan you will try to do what you just said about Ceri.”
Sighing, he said, “Very well, you have my sincere promise. Now let’s put an end to this talk and go to bed. I still need a lot more sleep.” He stood up and began to remove the kimono. “You can share the bed with me if you like. As I told you, I’m presently incapable of sex, so you can rest easy.”
“If you don’t mind,” she told him. “I’d prefer to sleep by myself. On the floor.”
Milo shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Wearing nothing but a loincloth-like undergarment, he climbed into the single bed then reached up and dimmed the lights.
Jan remained in the chair. After a while she said, “Milo, why are you taking me with you.”
“We’re partners, remember. We have an agreement. You helped me and now I’ll help you.”
“Somehow I don’t think you’ve ever made a habit of keeping your side of any bargain. You don’t need me any more, so you could easily leave me here.”
“Who says I don’t need you any more?”
“Milo, I’m never going to be your lover.”
After a silence he said, “We’ll see. Stranger things have happened.”
Jan sat there in the darkness for some time, then she spoke again. “Milo?”
“What is it now? I’m trying to sleep.”
“The warlord. He mentioned a woman. Miranda. Who was she?”
Milo didn’t answer for a long time. Then he said, “She was someone special to me.”
“You were in love with her?”
“There’s no such thing as love, but, yes, I cared about her more than I’ve ever cared about anyone else apart from myself.”
“What made her so special to you?”
“Because she was me.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Are you mad? You can’t stay here! It’s too dangerous! We’ve got to leave, and soon. The morons have already destroyed my corporation headquarters! They’ll come here next!”
Milo and Miranda were in the Sea Room. Holographic screens created the illusion of being on the beach of a tropical South Sea island. Sound effects and concealed heat lamps added to the illusion. Miranda, wearing the jacket and trousers from a man’s ancient, and very valuable dinner suit, was reclining languidly in a hammock strung between two palm trees. She sucked on the straw protruding from the replica coconut then said calmly, “I mean it, Milo. I’m not coming with you. I’m staying. I’ll be safe here, for the time being at least. The estate is well-defended. After that, well, I don’t know where I’ll go. But I’ll survive somehow.”
Milo stared at her in disbelief. “What’s got into you? You know you couldn’t survive on your own. You’re coming with me and that’s that. So get up and start packing a bag.”
She made a slurping sound through the straw, then said, “Milo, you don’t seem to be taking in what I’m telling you. I’m saying that I don’t want to be with you any more. Do you understand?”