Eye of the Zodiac

"Knowledge we must have. It is ours, stolen from the Cyclan. The affinity twin was developed in our laboratory."

"Old history," said Dumarest. "Possession, now, is all that counts. I have it and you do not. That makes me the master."

"A fool. Give us the correct sequence of the fifteen units and you will be rewarded. That I promise."

"Money, a place in which to live, luxury, good food, men to obey me, security-for how long? No, Hsi. We both know that I remain alive only because you need me. Once you have the secret, I will follow others. Derai," said Dumarest bitterly. "Kalin, Lallia-I have reason to hate the Cyclan."

Hate, an emotion unknown to the cyber as were all others. Love, fear, pity, greed, ambition, hope-all things which weakened lesser men.

"Mistakes have been made," admitted Hsi. "You were an unknown factor incorrectly assessed. Those who failed have paid the penalty. But I shall not fail. I have you and you cannot escape."

"No?"

"You cannot kill me, your concern for the inhabitants of this valley prevents you. You cannot escape- my raft will respond only to my personal control. You could cripple me, but what will that serve? No, Dumarest, for you this is the end. The very people you protect will hold you prisoner in order to save their lives. Logic, surely, dictates that you accept the inevitable."

The summation of known facts which, to the cyber, led to only one conclusion. Dumarest would not kill, he could not run, he could only wait. Soon now he would be held in a secret laboratory, his brain probed, the essential sequence of the units discovered.

"Logic," said Dumarest. "The cold calculations of a mechanical mind. Well, perhaps you are right. We shall see."

He moved down the chamber, turning, fumbling beneath his tunic, fingers busy at his belt. When he turned, he held something in his hand. A small metal tube, the walls thick, strong.

"The affinity twin," he said. "You wanted it-yon may have it."

"The sequence-"

"Is something else." Dumarest raised his voice. "Odo?"

He stumbled as he entered the chamber, Vestaler at his side, Usdon at his rear. Catching his balance to stand, he was drooling, eyes blank as he looked at the dead.

"Odo want," he mumbled. "Give Odo something nice."

Dried fruits which he stuffed into his mouth to stand chewing, spittle dribbling over his chin. Vestaler was uneasy.

"Earl, what do you intend to do? If you kill the cyber, we shall all die. If you do not-"

"He could have lied," said Usdon. "Did he?"

"No."

"Then, if he dies, we shall all be destroyed?"

"Yes."

"So it is in your interest that I be kept alive," said Hsi evenly. "More, that I be obeyed. Dumarest must be held fast, firmly bound and guarded. You will do that. He will be placed in my raft, together with men to watch him." He rose from where he sat at the end of the table. "I shall leave immediately."

Usdon glanced at Vestaler. "Master?"

"We have no choice," said Vestaler bitterly. "I am sorry, Earl, but we have to do as the cyber says."

Do as he had predicted, but the achievement was minor, the mental pleasure small.

Dumarest said, "Wait. There is another way."

"The valley-"

"Will not be harmed. That I promise." The metal tube parted in his hands, revealed two small syringes, one tipped with red, the other green. "Red," he said, showing it to Hsi. "The submissive half of the affinity twin."

"So?"

"You wanted it-here it is!"

Dumarest moved with a sudden release of energy, crossing the distance between them before the other realized what he intended, the cyber's hand lifting, touching the syringe now buried in his neck.

"No! You-"

"Have solved the problem," said Dumarest harshly. "Think about it, cyber-if you can!"

If the man could still think at all. His intelligence was trapped by the biological unit now nestling at the base of his cortex, totally divorced from the control of his body, the machinery of his mind. Aware, perhaps, as if in a dream. Lost in a timeless limbo.

"He isn't dead," said Dumarest as the others moved towards him. "Think of him as a cup waiting to be filled." He moved again, this time towards Odo, the green syringe plunging into the idiot's flesh. A moment and it was done.

"Odo!" Vestaler looked at him, the limp body supported by Dumarest's arms. "I don't understand," he said blankly. "What has happened?"

"Odo is asleep," said Dumarest. "You must take good care of him. He can be fed, washed and kept warm, but he can do nothing for himself." He lowered the heavy body to the ground.

"And the cyber?"

Hsi looked at his hands. He turned them, peering, mouth open, slack in the skull-like contours of his face. His eyes were empty, vacuous, the blank windows of a deserted house. From his lips came a thin drone.

"Odo wants… give Odo… Odo good…"

The intelligence of the idiot now dominant in the body of the cyber. The transfer of ego which was the magic of the affinity twin. Dumarest handed him a scrap of dried fruit.

"What happened?" Usdon was baffled. "I saw-what happened?"