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

As soon as all seemed quiet Jasperodus took a number of men on a reconnoitre. Keeping close to the sides of buildings, they passed through streets displaying only a few bewildered citizens who quickly disappeared at the sight of an armed force.

A burly figure came staggering towards them, a bottle clasped in one hand and a machine-gun in the other. It was the commander of one of Jasperodus’ battalions.

‘Any news?’ Jasperodus demanded of the besotted rebel.

‘Imperial troops are in the city. They moved in this morning from Axlea – only forty miles away.’

‘How many?’

‘At least four thousand, I’d say. They’re moving fast. They’ll be at the palace soon.’

‘And where are your men?’

‘I don’t know. Drunk. Whoring.’

Jasperodus grunted in disgust. The man was useless. At least, he thought, he could depend on the robots and slotmen.

He hadn’t known of the presence of troops in Axlea. Perhaps they had been quartered there en route for rest or retraining. Still, the situation was not irredeemable. He could contain it – if he could rouse his shabby army out of its stupor.

But what of Inwing? Jasperodus found himself in the grip of an unaccustomed anxiety.

‘We will move towards Subuh,’ he announced, ‘and gather up what we can on the way.’

At the first vidbooth they came to he put a call through to his headquarters in the enclave and ordered a search of the surrounding district for Inwing. He also called the vidbooth exchange to inform the operators of his whereabouts and of the direction he was heading in. Possibly Chisel would try to contact him again.

Barely half an hour later this hope was rewarded. The moronic robot trembled with the duress of too much responsibility as he stared out of the vidscreen.

‘Well?’ Jasperodus snapped. ‘Where are you? How are things with Inwing?’

‘We are in the north of Subuh, sir, in Monk’s Road. We have carried him as fast and as far as we could, but it has made no difference; he is still unconscious.’

Jasperodus became exasperated, both at Chisel’s peculiar reasoning and at his actions. If he and Bootmaker had been carrying Inwing openly through the streets all this time it was a miracle the assassins had not struck.

And as luck would have it a segment of the relief force from Axlea now lay between Jasperodus and North Subuh; the imperial troops had been attempting to carve up the city, cutting off borough from borough. Also, in heedlessly heading north Chisel had put the assassins between himself and South Subuh, thus depriving himself of possible help from that quarter.

‘Inwing is with you now?’ Jasperodus queried.

‘He lies in an alley, with Bootmaker standing over him.’

‘And you are armed?’

Chisel displayed a machine-gun. ‘I have this, and Bootmaker is similarly equipped.’

Jasperodus paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately. ‘Listen to me carefully, Chisel. This is the most important thing that has ever happened to you. An assassination squad is out to murder Major Inwing, and you alone are in a position to prevent it. Have you got that?’

‘Yes, sir, but I am scarcely capable of initiative! I do not have the brain to plan strategy!’

Jasperodus waved aside the robot’s complaints. ‘Even robots can make efforts. You must try your utmost; use what mental capacity you do have and think out ways to frustrate the killers. If you try even you, Chisel, can think. I am depending on you to do this thing.’

Chisel’s head trembled even more and his distress and exertion were almost palpable. ‘I am trying my hardest. We will not fail. I swear it! You can depend on it!’

‘Good. Now the first thing you must do is to get Inwing under cover. He is far too vulnerable out in the open. Find a room in a stout building. A small room with no windows and only one door, so that it can easily be defended against intruders. As soon as you have installed yourselves and Inwing into this room call me again through the central exchange.’

Chisel took in the instructions with great attentiveness. Suddenly he stiffened. ‘A man I recognise has just passed the booth. He is one of the assassins!’

‘Do not panic,’ Jasperodus warned. ‘If he is moving away from the location of Inwing, let him pass. If he is moving towards the alley …’

‘He moves towards the alley!’

‘Do not let him near Major Inwing!’ urged Jasperodus, agonised. ‘Kill him!’

Chisel turned and stumbled from the booth. Jasperodus’ screen went blank as the equipment switched itself off with his departure. He waited for some minutes but Chisel did not return.

He wondered if he had done enough to make the preservation of Inwing Chisel’s overriding goal.

Then he turned his attention to getting through the cordon that separated him from North Subuh.

‘This is no way to save the city,’ Arcturus grumbled. ‘What are we supposed to be doing?’