examination moved to Lance's arms and legs, where a similar pattern of injuries were to be found, particularly along his left arm. Much of the skin there was black and blistered, like it had been burned or boiling liquid poured over the flesh. She was barely able to hold back the tears as she saw the state he was in.
“Lance,” she said more softly, her palm resting against his forehead. “What have they done to you?”
“Gwen,” Lance muttered as his eyes moved to focus on her. “Water, please.”
Gwen looked hurriedly around the cell. The trays of food and water had been removed, and the only source of liquid was the pool of stagnant water that had trickled down the wall. She cupped what she could in her hands and tipped it slowly into Lance's waiting mouth, ignoring the slimy residue that remained on her fingers. There was barely enough left in the small pool for a second helping.
“My arm,” Lance mumbled as his eyes unfocussed again. “Don't, let them...”
Gwen stroked his forehead tenderly, crying to herself as Lance drifted in and out of a fitful sleep.
*****
Triltan took a slow, deep breath and activated her link to the Vanguard. Within seconds her father's image appeared on the large screen at the guard's desk in front of her.
“Triltan, finally!” Caran Doc exclaimed. “We've been-. Wait, that doesn't look like the interior of the Vanguard?”
“No, father,” Triltan began before explaining what had happened since arriving at the hive.
“And the AI?” Caran Doc asked. “Merlin?”
“I suspect he's somewhere inside the network too,” Triltan explained, “but I haven't been able to locate him. Wherever he is, he'll be in as much danger as Arthur and the others.”
“I'm on my way,” Caran Doc said haughtily. “Return to the Vanguard and jump a short distance away, I'll be with you in a little over a week's time.”
“Father, I-” Triltan began before Caran Doc cut her off.
“Do as you're told,” he demanded. “We'll discuss your actions when I arrive.”
Triltan was about to agree when she paused, her hand hovering over the console before her. “No, father,” she said, looking up to meet her father's eyes.
“Triltan?” Caran Doc replied with confusion.
“I said no,” Triltan continued, a little louder than before. “I won't go and hide while I wait for you to come and rescue me. I'm not a child and I haven't been for a long time.
“These people have been kind to us, to me, and they're in trouble. I'm going to do whatever I can to help them and you're not going to stop me.”
Caran Doc opened his mouth to protest, but after a moment's hesitation he closed his eyes slowly and nodded. “No, you're right, you're not a child anymore,” he said softly. “You grow more like your mother every day, and she would have done the exact same thing. Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”
“They're my friends,” Triltan continued, “and I'm the only one here who can help them. I defeated the guards and I've infiltrated the computers. I'm going to do everything I can to rescue them.”
Caran Doc smiled despite himself. It wasn't just that she looked exactly like her mother, she had her good heart as well. He should be proud, he realised, proud that she had the courage to stand up for what she believed in, for what was right. “Be safe, Triltan,” he said at last, looking at her admiringly. “And please, don't take any unnecessary risks. I'll join you as soon as I can.”
Triltan nodded and disabled the connection before she lost her nerve. She'd done it! She'd finally stood up to her father and told him what she had been desperately trying to tell him for so long. And to say she reminded him of her mother; she didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.
She didn't remember much about her mother, only the faintest sensations of comfort and warmth. Of course there were pictures and videos, countless recordings of her, but only one memory which Triltan
“Lance,” she said more softly, her palm resting against his forehead. “What have they done to you?”
“Gwen,” Lance muttered as his eyes moved to focus on her. “Water, please.”
Gwen looked hurriedly around the cell. The trays of food and water had been removed, and the only source of liquid was the pool of stagnant water that had trickled down the wall. She cupped what she could in her hands and tipped it slowly into Lance's waiting mouth, ignoring the slimy residue that remained on her fingers. There was barely enough left in the small pool for a second helping.
“My arm,” Lance mumbled as his eyes unfocussed again. “Don't, let them...”
Gwen stroked his forehead tenderly, crying to herself as Lance drifted in and out of a fitful sleep.
*****
Triltan took a slow, deep breath and activated her link to the Vanguard. Within seconds her father's image appeared on the large screen at the guard's desk in front of her.
“Triltan, finally!” Caran Doc exclaimed. “We've been-. Wait, that doesn't look like the interior of the Vanguard?”
“No, father,” Triltan began before explaining what had happened since arriving at the hive.
“And the AI?” Caran Doc asked. “Merlin?”
“I suspect he's somewhere inside the network too,” Triltan explained, “but I haven't been able to locate him. Wherever he is, he'll be in as much danger as Arthur and the others.”
“I'm on my way,” Caran Doc said haughtily. “Return to the Vanguard and jump a short distance away, I'll be with you in a little over a week's time.”
“Father, I-” Triltan began before Caran Doc cut her off.
“Do as you're told,” he demanded. “We'll discuss your actions when I arrive.”
Triltan was about to agree when she paused, her hand hovering over the console before her. “No, father,” she said, looking up to meet her father's eyes.
“Triltan?” Caran Doc replied with confusion.
“I said no,” Triltan continued, a little louder than before. “I won't go and hide while I wait for you to come and rescue me. I'm not a child and I haven't been for a long time.
“These people have been kind to us, to me, and they're in trouble. I'm going to do whatever I can to help them and you're not going to stop me.”
Caran Doc opened his mouth to protest, but after a moment's hesitation he closed his eyes slowly and nodded. “No, you're right, you're not a child anymore,” he said softly. “You grow more like your mother every day, and she would have done the exact same thing. Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”
“They're my friends,” Triltan continued, “and I'm the only one here who can help them. I defeated the guards and I've infiltrated the computers. I'm going to do everything I can to rescue them.”
Caran Doc smiled despite himself. It wasn't just that she looked exactly like her mother, she had her good heart as well. He should be proud, he realised, proud that she had the courage to stand up for what she believed in, for what was right. “Be safe, Triltan,” he said at last, looking at her admiringly. “And please, don't take any unnecessary risks. I'll join you as soon as I can.”
Triltan nodded and disabled the connection before she lost her nerve. She'd done it! She'd finally stood up to her father and told him what she had been desperately trying to tell him for so long. And to say she reminded him of her mother; she didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.
She didn't remember much about her mother, only the faintest sensations of comfort and warmth. Of course there were pictures and videos, countless recordings of her, but only one memory which Triltan
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