Deathstalker 03 - Deathstalker War

the Red Man. Something that will change the whole world beyond recognition. Wouldn't you be scared?"
    "How long do these… displays go on?" asked Evangeline, tactfully changing the subject.

    The Bear looked at the bright lights in the night sky. "They never stop. The war never stops. It's the Shub imperative, you see. The urge to fight is built into the very programming that gives us our intelligence. To destroy, to kill, to make war, to tear down Humanity in Shub's name. Those few of us in Toystown have overthrown that conditioning, but most could not, even those who think of themselves as good toys. The best they've been able to do is turn the urge to fight against the bad toys, to destroy them or at least prevent them leaving this world and carrying the war to Humanity. Don't underestimate the courage of their convictions; they're fighting and dying right now, to protect you and your kind. Sometimes I wonder if it's only the war that keeps us from Humanity's throat. Maybe we need to keep the war going, to keep Humanity safe. Which makes it even more vital that Harker and his mad plans be stopped, wouldn't you say?"
    "I thought you said you were trapped on this planet?" Finlay said carefully.
    "We were," said Bruin Bear. "But now we have the Empire's pinnace, buried but still largely intact, and we have your ship. And some of us are quite intelligent, for toys. We could learn to repair and pilot those ships. That's why we have to find and take care of Harker and his army before news of the ships gets out. Please understand; the toys of Toystown will destroy both the pinnace and your ship, if necessary, to prevent them falling into the wrong hands. To protect Humanity."
    "You mean you'd strand us here?" said Giles.
    "If necessary," said Bruin Bear. "But don't worry. We'll look after you for the rest of your lives."
    The humans looked at each other. The thought of living out the rest of their lives in an enforced childhood was enough to give them all the shudders. They
    looked at Bruin Bear and saw him in a new light. In the tales of the Golden Lands, the Bear had always done what he saw as right, regardless of the cost.
    "What if we tried to stop you destroying the ships?" said Giles, his hand very near his gun. "What if we refused to let you do it?"
    The Bear looked at him sadly. "Then we'd kill you. We'd have no choice. We'd kill you all, to protect Humanity. We may only be toys, but we have learned the hard lessons of necessity. That is, after all, the first steps toward morality."
    He turned abruptly, and padded away. The humans watched him go in silence, until he disappeared back into the main stateroom. The night seemed suddenly so much colder and darker than before.
    "He's bluffing," said Julian. "He wouldn't really do that. He couldn't. He's Bruin Bear."
    "No, he isn't," said Giles. "I think that's the closest we've come to seeing the real him. There's an intelligence pushing him beyond the limitations of his original persona, whether he wants to go or not."
    "Hell's teeth," said Flynn. "What kind of a world is it, where you can't even trust Bruin Bear?"
    "A world Shub made," said Giles. "And don't you forget it."
    "I think we should all get some sleep," said Evangeline. "It's been a long day."
    "Maybe you can sleep, surrounded by creatures who've just threatened to kill you," said Toby. "I've never felt so awake in my life."
    "We'd better set a guard," said Giles. "We should be safe enough, as long as we're doing what the toys want, but I think we'll all sleep more soundly knowing there's someone on guard. Just in case. I'll take the first watch."
    "I'll relieve you in three hours," said Finlay. "Then Toby. The night should be over by then."

    "Damn it all," said Julian, suddenly so angry that he was almost reduced to tears. "Even our childhood's being taken away from us and spoiled. Is nothing sacred anymore?"
    He glared around at the others, but they had nothing to say. In the end, Finlay and Evangeline took him by the arms and led him away to the cabins, to get what sleep they could. Toby and Flynn looked at each other, shrugged, and went after them. Giles found a wall to put his back against, from where he could see most of the deck and the entrances onto it, sat down, drew his gun and put it on the deck beside him, then drew his sword and laid it across his knees, ready for use. And so he sat, looking out into the night, watching the bright flares of explosions in the night and listening to their