Deathstalker 02 - Deathstalker Rebellion

For PR as much as anything, to show our faces to potential supporters and backers. What were you and the Hadenman talking about?"
    "Didn't you recognize him? That was Moon."
    Owen looked quickly after the departing figure, but he was already gone,
    disappeared back into the anonymous host of Hadenmen. Owen looked back at Hazel.
    "No, I didn't recognize him. How did you find him; he looks the same as all the others now."
    "He found me."
    "Did… did he remember you?"
    "Not really. He recognized me. You and I are part of all Hadenman programming.
    But Tobias Moon is gone. There's nothing left of the man we once knew." She shrugged briefly. "No big deal. We were never close."
    Owen just nodded. It would only embarrass Hazel if he pushed her to admit she'd cared enough to seek Moon out in a city most people wouldn't have entered without a gun at their back. Hazel liked to think she was above such weaknesses as caring. "What was that flask he gave you?" he said finally, changing the subject.
    "Don't question me, aristo. My business is my business. Now, let's go. We have a meeting to attend, remember?"
    Women, thought Owen, though he had the sense not to say it aloud. All this, over a little expressed emotion. Heaven forbid that Hazel d'Ark should be seen to be anything but the strong, unyielding pirate with a heart of solid stone. He gestured for her to lead the way, and they set off back through the Hadenman city. None of the augmented men they passed looked up from what they were doing.
    "They're going to have to work to make this a tourist spot," said Hazel. "No bars, no sights, and the atmosphere's terrible."
    "Right," said Owen. "Maybe a petting zoo would help."
    "I doubt it. They'd probably put people in it." Hazel paused and glanced sideways at Owen. "Does it bother you that they're all being so nice and reasonable? I mean, these people, and I use the term loosely, used to be the
    official Enemies of Humanity. It used to be that if a human saw a Hadenman, it was the last thing he ever saw. Why are they helping us with the rebellion?
    What's in it for them?"
    "Dead humans, I expect. The old divide-and-conquer bit. They get to see the Empire fall and refine their fighting abilities at the same time. We'll just have to keep a close watch on our backs and make sure Haden doesn't get too powerful again. We can't do without them, Hazel. They're all we've got to throw against the Empire's armies."
    "And what if they're just going along with us to discover all our weak spots, so they can take us out once we've knocked over the Empire?"
    "Then, you and I will have to step in and save the day," said Owen calmly.
    "That's our job, remember? We're the heroes here."
    "Yeah," said Hazel. "Heroes."
    They teleported up into the great Hall of the Last Standing to find everyone else had got there before them. The Hall itself was huge, bigger even than the Hall in Owen's own Standing back on Virimonde, but it was still crowded from wall to wall with holos of politely chatting people. Everyone with an interest in rebellion had sent hologram representatives, if only to make sure they weren't left out of anything important. Owen and Hazel were stuck out on the fringe, for which Owen at least was grateful. He wanted to get some idea of what kind of bear pit he was stepping into before he opened his mouth. He looked around him unobtrusively, but the sea of faces were mostly unfamiliar. Quite a few seemed awed by the sheer size of the Hall, though they were all doing their best not to show it. Owen smiled slightly. They should be grateful they were in the Hall. The Hadenmen had wanted the meeting to take place in their city, but
    the humans turned that down very quickly, on the grounds that the city was just too bloody disturbing. There wasn't much the five humans agreed on, but the city was quite definitely one of them. Giles in particular had been very firm. He was convinced the Hadenmen were doing a great deal more than just rebuilding their city; that they were up to things no human could hope to understand. Either way, they all agreed it would be in everyone's best interests to maintain a safe distance between potential backers and the augmented men. The Hadenmen had insisted on sending a representative, in person, and people were keeping a safe distance from him, too. It didn't seem to bother him. He held a glass of wine in his hand but didn't drink from it, and smiled politely at anyone who passed. It wasn't a particularly