Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

own.”
    “I am a Hadenman,” said Moon. “Whatever I might have been in the past, I am now a fully functioning Hadenman. That is all that matters. The Tobias Moon you knew is dead. I am merely a reinvigorated body with access to the original Moon’s memories. Nothing more. Come. There is still much for you to see.” “I don’t think so,” said Owen. “I’m much more interested in talking with you.
    Let’s try a few straightforward questions and answers, shall we?”
    “If you wish. You are the Redeemer. We will hide nothing from you.” “And knock off the Redeemer crap. I’m a Deathstalker, and that has always been another name for honor, despite what some members may have done to smear it by working with you. I want answers, and you’re going to give them to me.
    What’s going on in the other labs?”
    “We are investigating current technology and extrapolating from it,” said Moon, somewhat less agitated now they were on safer ground. “Science has moved on while we were away. While we still remain in the forefront in most areas, there is still much that can be learned. Cloning is new to us. Once understood and mastered, the population of this planet can be cloned many times over to provide basic stock from which new Hadenmen can be produced. They will be the next generation of Hadenmen, greater than before.
    Invulnerable in battle, genetically superior, their triumph will be inevitable. The Second Crusade will convert all Humanity, and the Hadenman empire will be strong, efficient, invincible. This is necessary. We have many enemies. The AIs of Shub have refused all offers of cooperation or allegiance. They say they don’t need the Hadenmen. That we are only flesh with delusions of grandeur. Shub therefore remains an enemy and a danger. And then there are the aliens. Unknown. Powerful. Dangerous. Humanity must become more than it is if it is to survive these threats.” “Damn,” said Midnight Blue. “Once you get him started, there’s no stopping him, is there?”
    “Give me ten minutes alone with him, and I’ll stop him,” growled Bonnie. All her wounds had healed, and her scowl was something to behold. “How much more of this crap do we have to listen to, Deathstalker? My Owen would have—“ “Your Owen isn’t here,” snapped Owen. “And even if he was, he probably wouldn’t have done any better than you against the Hadenmen. Now hush. I know what I’m doing.” He turned back to Moon. “Very nice speech, Moon. I’m sure you said it just the way you were programmed to. But you must see how illogical your position is. You can’t hope to win. You’ve got one planet, a handful of ships, and you already admitted you’re years behind everyone else’s tech. You’re outnumbered, outclassed, and everybody hates you. You can’t win.” “The Empire is weak, divided,”
    said Moon. “You saw to that. Our golden ships decimated the Imperial Fleet during the rebellion. Your remaining armies are tired, and spread over too many fronts. What better time to strike? Especially as we have new, less obvious weapons to wield. We have the only existing remains of the adjusted men, the Wampyr. While there is no point in recreating what were essentially only inferior versions of ourselves,
    we have used their remains to produce an inexhaustible supply of the drug known as Blood. We have been supplying the Empire with this drug, through a series of middle men, for some time now. Now there are addicts everywhere, dependent on us for their next fix. Who’ll do anything we require of them rather than risk being cut off. Some of them in very high positions. You’d recognize the names. They will be our sixth column, our secret army, our private traitors at the heart of your government, sowing chaos and confusion as we require. Just like you, Hazel, when I supplied you with Blood back on lost Haden.”
    “I never betrayed my own kind!” said Hazel.
    “But you would have if we’d asked you to,” said Moon. “Wouldn’t you?” Hazel glared hotly at him and then looked away. Owen put a comforting hand on her arm. Moon turned his attention back to Owen.
    “You see, Deathstalker? Answers bring no aid. Truth brings no comfort. Humanity is the past. Hadenmen are the future. They have named you Redeemer. Speak for them. Be their advocate to the Empire.
    Convince the Empire to embrace the future, not fear it. The Empire can be made strong again, to face its many enemies. Humanity must