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Very soon this will also be exclusive. I have just finished editting apter Twelve and am now on Chapter Thirteen. 

His Word
Outer Planetary System
Gestatin

The Protectorate vessel His Word winked into real space. They had deliberately jumped into the very limits of Gestatin’s system. Jersey City had been their first stop and what they had found there had confirmed their worst fears and driven them here.

His Word  was packed with detection equipment and armament. There was a minimal human crew; those sufficient or at least necessary for deployment of Doctor Alberto’s new toys. Euthan Palace had sent its best, unwilling to sit idly by. No mistakes would be tolerated. These RP units were modified, added to and improved. Not only were there examples of Jan’s successors, but also something new. At the outermost limits of detection, four shapes split from the main ship and slowly increased power.

*

“Will it work?”

Inspector Jordan held little faith in machines. He had read of Jan’s awakening and leant towards the Resurrectionists’ viewpoint; machines were dangerous. Where he differed from the hard-line fanatics was that he believed all such weapons should be under Protectorate control, his control.

“Of course,” sneered Doctor Alberto, “there will be no mistakes this time.”

“That is so comforting,” replied Jordan, as he watched the screens showing the status of each of the RP units, “it would be most unfortunate if anything were to go wrong.”

Doctor Alberto was unsure how to take the Inspector’s comments, so he concentrated on what he knew.

“Our drones have also been deployed, they will be sending back data shortly.”

“I thought I told you that they were a risk too far?”

The Doctor winced; he had forgotten that little detail.

“It was decided that we needed confirmation…”

“Decided?” interrupted the Inspector, “You go too far, my good Doctor. Remember the consequences of failure…”

Further discussion was cut short as the drones entered Gestatin’s atmosphere. They had been programmed to deliberately avoid the orbiting vessels, their objective to piece together how fared the Protectorate forces on the ground.

All waited. No identification beacons responded to the drones’ signals. The main city was in ruins and Doctor Alberto took manual control, sending his spies in ever-widening circles. He found the aftermath of the explosion; local carrion birds squabbled over decaying corpses. On he drove his charges, finding the more recent kills. Behind him stood the Inspector, watching, puzzled by the obvious signs of feeding.

“There are no large predators on Gestatin…”

It was a statement. Doctor Alberto merely grunted in agreement. He took one probe to ground level.

“See there?” He was excited, the scientist in him taking over, “They were torn apart, eaten, they…”

He stopped abruptly as the video feed shook. A clawed hand held his probe, all attempts to free it thwarted. Teeth closed over his camera, shredding metal. All went black.

“What was that?” asked the Inspector sharply.

“I have absolutely no idea,” returned the Doctor, “but a most interesting development.”

Jordan stared at the strange scientist in disbelief. Such curiosity was fine in a laboratory, but he had the feeling that none of them were going to like the answer, when it came.

�Who are you?�

James spoke out loud, not sure whether he was imagining things. He would not be surprised to find the existence of multiple personalities in his head; insanity was clearly an option.

�I am you...and you are me...� the voice continued.

�You called me Master...�

"That is all I have ever had. What else is there?�

Cameron discounted another of Jan�s games, intermittent cursing continuing in the background was a give-away. No, this was something new.

�Where are you?�

�I am part of you...we are connected.�

James shivered, now it was clear; the RPB�s brain was alive? Yes, definitely crazy.

�Okay,� he began, �let�s assume I�m not losing it for a moment, and that I believe you. How have you gathered life? You were only a machine.�

�I know,� the voice was child-like, scared, �I was RPB-762. I have that data. The rest of this is new to me. A-a-a-rgh!� Shared pain screamed through James� body.

�What the frak!�

�We are under attack...� the thin voice strengthened, tinged now with anger, �...and I DON�T LIKE IT!�

*

�Ooh,� chuckled Jan, �baby wants to play...�

Further thought was interrupted as alarms began blaring. Four objects had been detected, coming directly for his ship a full power.

�Hello,� he muttered, �now what do we have here?�

Although the ship�s system could not identify his unknown assailants, Jan recognised their distinctive signatures.

�Time to go, I think,� and he surged towards the hanger, all thought of Cameron�s torture forgotten.

*

�We�ve been detected!� Doctor Alberto said, scurrying from one screen to another.

�I can see that,� replied Jordan, �now what are you going to do about it?�

�Just watch,� said the Doctor, activating he RP units fully.

Gestatin
Third Ecclisiarch Protectorate
Zone of Conflict


Sondra scraped her claws along the remains of the probe’s body. It was curious, not of local design, which suggested that they were about to have visitors. With only five followers, she would have little chance of survival and therefore propagation was the only tool.

It would be difficult to control the other five; they wanted, no needed, to kill. What she had planned was something quite different. She bared her teeth in a strange approximation of a grin; if there was enough prey, they could not kill them all, could they?

*

The fifteen man patrol was searching. They had lost contact with their comrades earlier in the day and all semblance of boredom had well and truly disappeared. Other forces were scouring contiguous segments and kept in constant contact. Rumour had it, that the Protectorate had launched another attack and this idea held sway until they found the bodies.

The afternoon heat had already begun to bloat what was left. Rotting flesh, blood and worse stained the earth, with more than a little fresh vomit being added to the stench. Chewed limbs, cracked bone and strange tracks covered the ground. Weapons ready, the patrol fanned out; no-one was taking any chances. Still, they missed the important tell-tales and rifles did not react until Sondra and her beasts were amongst them. He had decided that no restraint was the best policy. They could kill, she would infect.

Auto-rifles chattered wildly as the pack struck; more bullets slamming into soil than beast. Those that did find their target were ignored; fresh meat would soon cure all wounds.

Sondra waited until a terrified soldier scurried her way. Clawed hands cupped his skull, bending him backwards. Fangs slid free from their gum sheaths and she wasted no time, piercing his neck and pumping poison into willing flesh. This venom was pure virus; deadly in its effectiveness.
She dropped his twitching body, leaping past one of her fellows, tearing him aside, cracking armour and biting, before once more continuing on her mission. Two more. It was a start. Looking up, she saw another. Eyes glinting, she attacked.

*

The virus was changing; improving itself and its carriers. It had become selective in transmission; food was food procreation was another thing. There was only a simple sentience in its make-up: carriers provided mental and physical capacity. In Sondra, it had found a soul-mate. Her rage and need for vengeance gave the virus a base of operations; it did not want her higher functions activated. Physical need was all that mattered.

 

Cameron was confused. He had followed the sounds of battle and now watched the beasts feed. They could be nothing else; animals whose urges were clear. Yet, one sat apart, crooning softly to its reanimated charges.

“What are we doing?”

“Waiting,” replied Cameron, “and hiding, just in case.”

“Are you frightened?”

“Always,” replied Cameron, as he watched the gruesome conductor play her new audience, “and especially now.”

Bright light sparkled high above, and his conjoined senses recognised the death of a ship high above the planet. For the light show to have been visible from here, the destructive process must have been intense. It did not bode well.

*

Inspector Jordan laughed joyfully. At times he forgot how much he enjoyed his vocation, and then there were days like these. Doctor Alberto’s creations had performed well; their attack had been efficient and deadly. The Protectorate’s faith now totally repaid in violent action.

“No time for reverie,” Doctor Alberto’s voice rasped through the fanatical Inspector’s glee, “we should end this, now.”

“Of course,” said Jordan, “what next?”

“Our true goal can now be fulfilled,” the Doctor said, his finger following the flight path written across the data screen, this city could hide the rogue unit, but not its electrical signature. My suggestion is that we deal with the RPB’s separately. If subtlety is impossible, then we use overkill.”

One eyebrow rose questioningly in Jordan’s austere features.

“We remove the city and the threat in one.”

Jordan’s face creased into a satisfied smile, “Do it,” he said, his eyes flicking back to the destruction before him. Could the day get any better?