Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

sense, that’s been our salvation. It limits the damage Shub’s been able to do.” “What about force shields?” said Ruby. “A good Screen could handle any weather this world could throw at it.”
    “Loki’s electromagnetic fields are very unusual. You wouldn’t believe how much power it takes to maintain Vidar’s Screen. Nothing short of a starcruiser could generate enough power to maintain a traveling shield on Loki for any length of time.”
    “This was all covered in the briefings before we left, Ruby,” said Random. “I do wish you’d learn to pay attention.”
    “You’re the brains in this outfit, Random. But even I can see what’s happening on this map. The rebels have been surrounding Vidar, cutting the city off from outside help. This is their next target, has to be.
    Vidar itself.” “Right,” said Random. “They’re finally ready for the killing stroke.” “Then we have to do something,” said Savage, turning to glare at Random and Ruby. “You’ve got to do something! You’re the great heroes!” “Easy, boy,” said Ruby. “We can’t just rush out and attack the rebel forces on our own.
    Even I’m not that crazy.”
    “So what do we do? Sit and wait for them to come to us?”
    “Almost,” said Random. “Rather, we make them come to us, in a setting we choose. We can’t risk letting them lay siege to Vidar. This city wasn’t built to stand off attacks by Ghost Warriors. We need to face them in the field. According to the briefing we were given, your computers can predict lulls in the weather, moments of calm in the storms. Is that right?”
    “Well, yes. We’re managing about eighty percent accuracy. But lulls never last for long.”
    “This one won’t have to. We find our calm spot, occupy it to our best advantage, and then wait for the rebel forces to come to us. And then we kick their ass. The rebels may have Ghost Warriors, but you’ve got us. And we’ve never lost a battle yet.”
    “Come bloody close sometimes,” muttered Ruby.
    “Shut up, Ruby. We can do this, Peter. It’ll mean leaving Vidar practically defenseless, but it’s a necessary risk. Our powers will make the difference. One last battle to end it all.”
    “Hold everything,” said Ruby. “This all depends on the rebels and Shub sending their whole force against us, to fight on ground they must know we’ve chosen and prepared. Why should they do that?”
    “They’ll come to us because we’ll have something they want. Something they want very badly.”
    “Like what?” said Ruby.
    “Us,” said Random. “You and me. The secrets and powers of the Madness Maze. Shub will risk everything for a chance at us, and you can bet rebel spies in the city will have got the word out by now.”
    “Oh, great,” said Ruby. “Just wonderful. We’re going to be the bait in a trap, in a weather lull that may or may not last till the battle’s over, with a whole army of Ghost Warriors intent on getting to us at all costs. Have I missed anything?”
    “Actually, no,” said Random. “How about it, Savage, what do your computers have to say about upcoming lulls in the weather?”
    “Way ahead of you,” said Savage, bent over his terminal. “And it looks like our luck’s in for once.
    There’s a major lull due in the next few days. It should last for several hours, and it’ll cover half a square mile around a valley not too far from Vidar. This particular lull turns up on a regular cycle, so it’s fairly dependable. Just what the doctor ordered.” “About time something went our way,” said Ruby. “Then let’s go talk to the people who think they’re in charge here,” said Random. “We’ve got an army to put together, and not a lot of time to do it in.”
    In a steel and stone bunker deep beneath the surface of Loki, the rebel forces planned their next objectives. Or at least, the human element did. Young Jack Random and his Ghost Warriors took their orders from the rogue AIs back on Shub, and mostly they chose not to share their objectives with the human rebels, who were told what they needed to know and nothing else. The leaders of the human rebels, ex-Planetary Controller Matthew Tallon and ex-Mayor of Vidar Terrence Jacks, sat facing each other across a simple metal table in a cramped room with bare walls and a low ceiling that served many functions, as necessary. Tallon and Jacks got the room to themselves for the moment, because they were the leaders. They picked bitterly at