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.What controls on the device to press?How might her actions upset the delicate forces that at the moment were holding the enemy back from wholesale slaughter?Rejecting that plan, at least for the moment, the commander said: "There's a point you might want to consider.Goodlife activity makes you subject to a Templar trial, right here and now.The people who have come from Salutai to arrest you would not have jurisdiction.They could not murder you as you fear.""And what outcome could I expect from the Templar trial?"She was silent."On the other hand, what if I were found innocent? Why, then, I suppose I'd be free.No longer under Templar jurisdiction.Therefore quite free to be arrested by Lergov and carted off to Salutai, as soon as a functioning ship became available.Not that I'd ever reach that world alive—but we've been through that, haven't we? My being murdered would not affect your legal position in the least.An acceptable outcome to you, as no one could accuse you of breaking regulations.No, I intend to have the next available ship for myself.""All right, forget that suggestion.It wasn't well thought out." She hesitated, then took a plunge."But I don't think your plan is well considered either.""What do you mean?"Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"Suppose I were to agree to it." The commander had to force herself to speak those words."Suppose you did obtain a ship somehow, captured the next one to try to dock, and you got away.How would we be any better off here? We'd still be facing an overwhelming force of berserkers.""But no, not at all.I would leave them on a timer, as it were.They would deny you access to the docks for a time, simply to prevent any quick repairs of the remaining ships, and use of them for hot pursuit of me, assuming such were possible.After the set time had elapsed, they would disable themselves or allow themselves to be disabled.A treasury of knowledge, such as the Templars have always sought.And you would have obtained it for them.I'm making you an offer that no real goodlife would make, and you know it.""But at what price?" Commander Blenheim whispered."At what price? You've helped them to kill human beings here, people under my command, Templars.No one but a goodlife would have—"There was another outburst of noise, of fighting, somewhere outside the echoing empty room in which they were talking.Again the general turned to the controller at his side."What was that?""As before," the machine-voice answered him."It was necessary to take action against a local instance of aggression by the badlife.""Are you sure? Your communications must be imperfect too.""The probability is more than eighty percent.""Not good enough, for me." Harivarman waved a hand at the berserker."Go out and see for yourself, about that fighting.Report back to me directly.""It is not necessary—"The general thumbed something on his control device."This is an order.Go out and see to the matter yourself."There was no more hesitation.The machine moved away, pacing with silent elegance, despite its damaged appearance.Now the two humans were alone.Now, thought Commander Blenheim, I could risk everything, attack him with my bare hands.Across the table from her, Harivarman, looking almost absentminded, was again picking up the Council's order for his arrest."There are some changes I would like to see made in this," he announced, surprising her when she thought that she was beyond surprise."Before I'd even want to start negotiating with the Council." And, looking at her meaningfully, he pulled a writing tool out of his pocket.* * *It was half an hour later when the base commander left the man who had once been her prisoner.Her head was whirling as she departed, with relief at her own survival thus far, and with fear.And with a new and twisted hope.Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlChapter 15The berserker machine that had called to Chen Shizuoka in Prince Harivarman's voice was now calling to him again, as it advanced along an otherwise deserted street that led obliquely toward the plaza where Chen and Olga were trying to hide:"Chen Shizuoka.Come with this machine to safety.Chen Shizuoka, this is Prince Harivarman.Come—"And even as the Prince's voice boomed forth from the berserker, it kept walking closer to where Chen and Olga were holding their breath, afraid to move
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