Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

Redeemer. And they did fight on our side during the rebellion.”
    “Does your Owen make long, boring speeches as well?” asked Hazel, and both alternates nodded solemnly.
    “The Hadenmen made our rebel victory possible,” said Owen loudly, ignoring Hazel. “How did you two manage without them?”
    Midnight shrugged. “Slow and hard and bloody. Lots of people died. Lionstone always said if she went down, she’d take the Empire with her, and she came bloody close to succeeding.”
    “Right,” said Bonnie. “The Iron Bitch and her Fleet made us pay heavy for our victory.”
    “You see, Owen,” said Hazel gently. “You did do the right thing, after all.” “Only if we can put a stop to whatever they’re doing now,” said Owen. He wasn’t ready to forgive himself yet, but he did take some small comfort from the thought of how badly things might have gone without his Hadenmen allies. He pointed out the four manual controls on the metal seal, and the four of them slowly cranked the massive weight open. Once the heavy bolts had withdrawn, the seal swung open remarkably easily. They left it standing open, just in case they had to make a sudden retreat in a hurry, and then Owen led the way into the narrow brick tunnel beyond. Within a few minutes they came to a simple steel grill set into the tunnel ceiling, through which light from above shone down in rigid shafts, cutting cleanly through the green haze of the sewer. The four of them clustered beneath the grill, but could see nothing beyond. “We must be right under the street,” said Hazel. “Somewhere on the outskirts of the city. Want to pop up and take a look?”
    Owen thought about it. “How far are we from where you entered the system the last time?”
    “Miles,” said Hazel. “Well within the city proper.” “We go up,” said Owen. “Less chance of Hadenmen this far out. Stand back while I do the honors.”
    The metal grill gave easily under Owen’s hand, and Hazel gave him a boost up through the opening. He
    pulled himself up and out into the street, and looked quickly about him, eyes squeezed up against the light. The street was empty, and utterly quiet. Owen gave the all-clear, and took a closer look around as the others clambered up into the street to join him. They made a lot of noise, but there was no one there to hear it. No one at all. The green-tinted haze drifted up out of the opening, slowly dispersing. Hazel kicked the grill back into place. All four of them took deep, satisfying breaths of the clear, slightly chilly city air as they looked around them, getting the vile stench of the sewers out of their mouth and nose.
    Owen and Hazel hadn’t actually gotten around to telling Midnight and Bonnie that the green air was poisonous, and since they were still alive and well, there didn’t seem much point now. They stamped their boots on the ground, trying to shake off the worst of the thick black gunk they’d been treading through, but were only partially successful. And yet despite all the noise they’d made, still no one came to investigate. Owen gave up trying to hush the others, and went back to looking about him.
    They’d emerged right on the edge of Brahmin City, in an area apparently as yet untouched by the Hadenmen modifications. The buildings were just buildings, and there was no trace anywhere of the shimmering Hadenmen tech. The street was deserted, empty, with not a sound anywhere, nothing to show that people had ever been there. And despite the gathering evening, none of the street lamps had come on.
    “Damn, this is spooky,” said Hazel. “There ought to be someone about. Somebody working. I mean, cities don’t run themselves.”
    “Human cities don’t,” said Owen. “There isn’t even anyone looking out the windows. Even the most oppressed and subservient captives ought to have enough gumption left to peek out their windows to see what’s going on.” “Want me to kick in a few doors?” said Bonnie.
    “Not for the moment, thank you,” said Owen. “We’re here to rescue people, not terrorize them.”
    “It must be getting dark inside those houses,” said Midnight. “But no one’s put on any lights yet.”
    “Maybe it’s forbidden,” said Hazel.
    “Maybe there’s no one home,” said Owen. “Maybe they’ve all been… taken somewhere.”
    “I’ll tell you something else,” said Midnight, after they’d all thought about that one for a while. “There’s no transport running anywhere