The Cyber Chronicles IX - Precipice Read Online Free PDF Page B

My
Lord."
    "And someone
told Prello, whose name Prello will discover, or share your fate.
Did you really think you could abduct and torture an Overlord's
friend, and get away with it? Just how arrogant has Myon Two
become?"
    Parvan bowed
his head, wringing his hands. "We thought, without the bracelet
-"
    "He could not
summon me to his aid, I know. You thought Jorran would destroy his
mind and silence him forever, or put him back under cyber control.
You all plotted against me!" Fairen's voice rose to a shout. He
stalked along the edge of the dias, and his voice dropped to a
soft, dangerous tone, taking on a rasping edge that made even
Sabre's hair bristle.
    "I am the
Scorpion Lord. Your planet is at my mercy. No one defies an
Overlord. And you... are a fool."
    Fairen stopped
in front of Parvan and stretched out his hand, snatching it back
quickly. "I judge you to be guilty. Execute him."
    Sabre jumped as
a bolt of blue light shot from the ceiling, burnt through the top
of Parvan's head and emerged from his groin to vanish into the
floor. Parvan stood for moment, his eyes wide and mouth agape, then
crumpled. Four guards came forward, picked up the corpse and bore
it away. Fairen beckoned to the ten enforcers, who gaped at
him.
    "One of you
approach, I care not which. I will judge you all."
    The men surged
back as soldiers stepped from the shadows to seize one of them.
They brought him to the dias and forced him to his knees. He begged
for mercy, but Fairen spread his hand towards him, then lowered
it.
    "I judge you to
be guilty. Execute him."
    The laser beam
shot through the top of the man's head, and the soldiers carried
his corpse away as it slumped. Two more of Fairen’s men hauled
another enforcer from the group and forced him to his knees in
front of the dais. Fairen raised his hand, then lowered it.
    "I judge you to
be guilty. Execute him."
    A beam of hot
blue light ended the third man's life, and the soldiers removed his
corpse. Sabre looked away as six more men perished in an identical
fashion. The judgements and executions seemed too quick to be true
justice, and he wondered if Fairen was so angry that he was
condemning the men out of hand. The last man was brought forward, a
terrified youth who struggled and wailed as the others had done.
The guards made him kneel, and Fairen stretched out his hand. He
hesitated, stepped closer to the sobbing young man, and then
lowered his hand.
    "Who are
you?"
    The youth
looked up, tears running down his cheeks. "I wasn't even there! I'm
the cook's assistant on Bental Seven, I swear!"
    Fairen nodded,
pulling his glove back on. "I judge you to be innocent. Release
him. Find me the real tenth man."
    The weeping
youth collapsed as the guards let him go. Fairen strode to the side
door and vanished through it. Everyone stood frozen in stunned
silence that only the terrified assistant cook’s soft sobs
broke.
    Sabre found
Fairen in his private sitting room, leaning on the drinks counter
with his hood gripped in one fist. The boy glanced around, looking
pale and shaken. Sabre approached and hugged him, patting his back.
Fairen clung to him, fighting to stifle the sobs that racked
him.
    "Cry, Emrin,"
Sabre murmured. "There's no shame in it. On the first day I got
free of cyber control, and opened my eyes to see the world clearly
for the first time, I wept."
    Fairen sobbed
against his chest while Sabre rubbed his back. He marvelled at the
sensitive nature of this youth who judged men and condemned them
with utter certainty of their guilt. Fairen released Sabre and
swung away, rubbing his face. Sabre poured drinks from the
omnipresent pitcher, discovering it to be a warm, milky concoction
this time. He took a cup to Fairen, who sat on the couch, his head
bowed.
    Sabre held out
the cup. "Are you okay now?"
    The young
Overlord raised his head and nodded, took the cup and gulped the
thick drink. "I've never judged so many men."
    "That was
tough, I could tell."
    "They were all
guilty, except