Barrington Bayley SF Gateway Omnibus: The Soul of the Robot, The Knights of the Limits, The Fall of Chronopolis

The Imperator hummed and clicked. ‘Sentenced to death for cowardice and dereliction of duty. Placed at the disposal of the Courier Service. Dispatched to the receipt of Commander Haight on the thirtieth day of the fifth month of this year.’

‘The facts are as you state, Imperator. However I am still alive, as you can see.’

‘Poor little tool of broken time …’

‘Imperator, I have just returned from the Hegemony,’ Aton said. He launched into his tale, describing Commander Haight’s experiment, their meeting with the Hegemonic ministers, and his subsequent discovery of his new powers. Throughtout, the Imperator made no interruption except for the continuous humming that swelled and receded in volume.

Finally, with complete frankness, Aton related the intransigence of the emperor and of the advisers who surrounded him. ‘You are mightier even than the emperor, Imperator,’ he said. ‘Command that the empire make peace. Draw back from this suicidal course.’

‘All must be as it has been.’

Aton puzzled over the words. He had heard that the Imperator rarely expressed itself in plain speech.

‘The enemy of the empire is the enemy of mankind,’ said the Imperator. ‘Fight, Aton. The power is yours alone.’

‘Imperator, I do not understand you. Can you not explain what I am to do? Your meaning is not clear.’

‘We live in dreams and walk in sleep. All that is real is unreal.’

Suddenly Aton heard footsteps behind him. Approaching out of the gloom came a young man wearing a short cloak of deep purple. The face was that of an Ixian, but unlike most of that brood, the eyes had a steady percipience and the man’s whole bearing an uncharacteristic lack of vanity. As he came closer Aton recognised Prince Vro.

‘An incredible story!’ said the prince.

‘You heard?’

‘Forgive my eavesdropping,’ the other said with a shrug. ‘I merely happened to be passing. It was a scene I could not resist. Yes, I listened to every word.’

A rumble caused Aton to whirl around. The Imperator was withdrawing into its chamber. The golden panel closed and left them in silence.

‘I must say I think you’re wasting your time petitioning that machine in there,’ the prince told him affably. ‘Nobody has ever got any sense out of it, and in my opinion never will for the simple reason that our much-vaunted Imperator is quite insane.’

Aton must have looked shocked, for Prince Vro laughed softly. ‘Well, is it any wonder, my friend? Infused with the brains of all the emperors! If my father is anything to go by, it must consist of lunacy piled on lunacy.’

He clapped Aton on the back. ‘We are somewhat exposed here. I was on my way to supervise the readying of my time-yacht, in preparation for a certain romantic quest. Come with me. Afterwards we can talk in my quarters.’

With a last despairing look at the Imperator’s dwelling, Aton followed.

Prince Vro’s chill and morbid apartment intensified still further Aton’s feeling of desperation. While looking over the yacht the prince had explained his great loss to him, describing the steps he was taking to recover his beloved.

Yet despite the prince’s bizarre preoccupation, Aton saw him for a man of rare intelligence by the standards of the Imperial Palace. It was a relief to be able to talk to him.

‘Hmm. This certainly explains the rule about the disposal of couriers,’ Vro remarked, lounging in an easy chair and dividing his attention between Aton and the empty sarcophagus in the wall hologram. ‘Evidently people exposed to the strat are liable to develop a natural time-travelling ability. The Church wouldn’t like that.’

‘Then that means I’m not the first,’ Aton pointed out. ‘The phenomenon must already be known. Where are the others?’

‘It is, no doubt, a closely guarded Church secret,’ Vro said. ‘Chronmen who are pulled out of the strat are generally put in the care of secluded monasteries and are never heard of again. Officially that’s because they’re mentally deranged. Now we know there’s more to it, eh, Captain? We can be sure care is taken to see they never realise their powers. You’d better watch your step or you might find yourself forcibly enlisted as a monk.’ Vro smiled faintly.

Aton reflected. ‘Did you mean what you said about the Imperator?’ he asked.

‘Of course. It’s a demented machine, no more. That’s why it’s only a figurehead. My father can’t quite believe it’s not rational, of course. He treats it as a totem and consults it from time to time. But it never says anything meaningful.’

‘Then will you help me, Your Highness?’ Aton pleaded earnestly. ‘You, at least, seem to understand what the present situation will lead to. Can you not try to persuade your father?’

‘I?’ Prince Vro chuckled. ‘Affairs of state are far from my interests.’

‘But how can you ignore them at a time this?’

‘I care only for my beloved Veaa,’ Vro said, gazing pitifully into the mausoleum. ‘Let the world perish, it’s nothing to me.’

Aton sighed deeply.