The Orphaned Worlds by Michael Cobley Page A

own mech specialist will be here later today to brief him on the Namul-Ashaph’s operational parameters.’
    ‘I will so instruct him, your Clarity,’ Kuros said, scarcely able to realise that he was not facing demotion and disgrace after all. ‘Is there any other service which we can render, your accommodation for example?’
    ‘That will not be necessary – I will be residing aboard the Purifier. ’ The Clarified started towards the door. ‘A transport bearing the Namul-Ashaph is due to assume orbit by tomorrow morning. I shall inform you before then of possible landing sites and initial tactics.’ With the door partly open, Teshak looked over his shoulder. ‘I look forward to our cooperation, Ambassador.’
    Then he was gone.
    At once, Kuros subvocalised his companion’s call-phrase and General Gratach appeared. He seemed normal, the intricate details of his power armour gleaming with heightened radiance, his form edged with a nimbus missing from the earlier virtual image.
    ‘Has the Clarified Teshak departed?’ Kuros said flatly.
    ‘ He is aboard a squad-flyer that is now taking to the air .’ Gratach’s demeanour was formal and inexpressive.
    Kuros gazed at his mind-brother, emotions conflicting.
    ‘How limited was your autonomy during the Clarified’s period of dominance?’ he said.
    ‘ Completely. The Clarified Teshak made it clear that he exercised power of erasure over my subspace link. I was to answer questions, obey directions and do nothing else .’
    ‘What kind of questions? What was their purpose?’
    ‘ The Clarified mostly queried me as to the veracity of your own replies, while some referred to my own ensigilate origin and my role as your mind-brother. Purpose – testimony corroboration.’
    Kuros regarded Gratach, his image a perfect reproduction of the hero of the Three Revolutions War. He wondered how the real General Gratach would have reacted to such a thoroughgoing humiliation. Almost certainly with ritual suicide. Mind-siblings, however, were incapable of choosing to negate their own sentient existence.
    ‘What are your thoughts on this experience?’ he said.
    Gratach’s eyes narrowed. ‘I experience feelings of fury and shame, but duty to you remains my prime consideration. I intend to improve my efficiency, to extend and augment my skills, so that I may be prepared for all tasks and eventualities.’
    ‘Your steadfast nature, as ever, is a source of strength to me, brother. Leave now and tell my technical assisters to compile a list of effectives who will be instructed in the operation of Namul-Ashaph.’
    Gratach straightened to attention. ‘It will be as you command, brother … Brother, the datanode office reports an incoming high-priority call from the Ezgara commander, Juort.’
    ‘Put it through on a screen then attend to your tasks.’
    Gratach disappeared and a holoframe appeared, showing a blue-armoured, dark-visored Ezgara officer from the waist up.
    ‘Captain, what occasions this call?’
    ‘Ambassador, we have pinpointed one of the commandos we thought battle-dead on the forest moon four weeks ago. Atmospheric sampler drones have traced Tygran DNA to a specific location near the southern coast, therefore I ask your permission to carry out an extraction mission.’
    ‘If your commando is still alive, Juort, why has he made no attempt to contact either you or the Brolturan garrison?’
    ‘Possible explanations are limited, Ambassador,’ said the officer. ‘I believe that he has been captured by the indigenes, who have used some kind of psycho-active agent to break his conditioning. Severed from the battle-death reflex and unable to take the Night Road, he may have revealed important information.’
    ‘Perhaps it would be wise to eliminate any Uvovo found nearby,’ Kuros said. ‘After you recover the man, how will you deal with him?’
    ‘He will be taken back to Tygra and debriefed under neural scan. If found non-culpable he may be assigned to menial