Overdrive Read Online Free PDF Page A

a
moustache, Logan had to play it back again to make sure. It was Felix alright.
The walk gave it away. He doubted anyone who didn’t know Felix personally would
have spotted it, assuming they had access to the same military tracking program
that he did.
    Recognizing the
StarCruise company, Logan placed a call, and handing over his security
clearance, received a report on Felix’s  (now known as Horace Belloc) destination. Interesting. The StarCruise Hedonist ship the Dirty Little Minx , had left port
3 hours ago. He’d need a fast ship to catch it. Only one of his friends had
access to one, and the Chocolate Avenger would doubtless be busy.
    With nothing to
lose, Logan made the call.
    ◊
     
    This was the bit
Tarquin Compton-Burnett, AKA the Chocolate Avenger liked the best. Standing in
a Unamuno’s premiere Snareball arena surrounded by a million cheering fans was
a high unlike any other. Of course the rush he felt had nothing to do with the
27 illegal substances coursing through his blood stream.
    He raised both
hands into the air, one holding a stun cannon, the other a Field gun. The fans
of the “Death Skippies," or the Skips as they were affectionately known,
went wild. Standing 6’7’’, with glowing ebony skin, a silver head cap over his
bald scalp, and clad in only a leopard skin G-string, Tarquin knew he was an
impressive sight. The Death Skippies for whom Tarquin was the leading goal
scorer, were now second in the table, a position that was greeted with vigorous
celebration by their fans. Tarquin could see a group of them getting into the
swing of things by having an impromptu orgy down near the front of the stand.
Tarquin waved. Those that had any free limbs waved back.
    He looked around at
his home ground. The arena was a kilometer in diameter, still probably the
largest Snareball arena ever built. Fully enclosed and capable of seating more
than a million people, it was quite an experience to be in the crowd, let alone
be playing on the field. His ten team mates looked as hyped as he felt.
Smiling, Tarquin looked up into the face of his 14’ Kangaroo mount standing
next to him. His Kangaroo looked back.  “Whatya reckon Bob. We gonna win?” Bob
looked unconvinced and started industriously scratching a flea with a forepaw. 
Tarquin shrugged. What did you expect when your mount had only slightly higher
than animal intelligence.
    Bob and the other
10 Kangaroos standing next to their riders, were of course a product of Genetic
Engineering. Based on the giant Procoptodon which lived in the late
Tertiary period of Earth, they had been modified specifically for the
gladiatorial arena. The GE’d version of Procoptodon was larger, slightly
more intelligent and had a significantly larger pouch. In addition, they were
equipped with their own AI to enable their riders to link with and control
their mounts.
    Trumpets sounded
heralding the imminent arrival of the opposition – The Tumultuous Transgressors
or TT’s. Tarquin watched as they filed into the arena, greeted by a rapturous
uproar by their fans. The TT’s rode upon GE’d versions of Wombats. The Wombat,
an Indigenous Australian mammal from old earth, resembled a small squat bear
that walked upon all four legs. Unamuno’s version, like the Procoptodon, was
specifically bred for the arena.  Using Earth’s early Pliocene Ramsayia
Lemleyi as a template, these wombats stood 8’ at the shoulder and weighed
well over a tonne. Although built like a tank, the huge mammal could turn on a
surprising burst of speed when required.
    The TT’s were
currently No.1 in the Gladiatorial standings, a position the Skips envied and
could succeed, depending on the outcome of this game. Tarquin looked across at
his adversaries and was not filled with an overwhelming feeling of confidence. The
TT’s were at the top of the table for good reason. They had proven their
superiority in both skill and sheer bludgeoning power time and again. The last
time the TT’s and the