Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

knocking?"
    "Time is of the essence," said the robot. "Shub does not approve of the situation on Virimonde, but unfortunately, we cannot be seen to interfere directly. So, we propose to offer you the chance to go to Virimonde, and do investigative and destructive things on our behalf. Are we right in assuming this would appeal to you?"
    "Could be," said Emma, not lowering her gun.
    "Hold everything," said Nina. "I mean, all right, it's a great story and everything, darlings, but what could we actually do there? They're not going to listen to us, are they?"
    "We can boost your camera's signal," said the robot. "We can guarantee that whatever you broadcast will get out live and uncensored."
    "My kind of robot!" said Nina. "Hold everything, part two. How are we going to get there in time to do anything?"
    "We will teleport you right to the Deathstalker Standing."
    "And back?" said Nina, who could be practical when she had to be.
    "Should you survive the situation on Virimonde," said the robot. "But we have faith in Emma Steel to protect you from most dangers."
    "Why choose us?" said Emma.
    "It's hard to find anyone worthy of trust these days," said the robot. "You will do this for us, in return for future favors. The nature of the favors to be decided by you, at a future date. Should you survive."
    "Oh, please, Emma," said Nina. "We absolutely have to go! We can't do anything about the Terror, but just maybe we can do something to screw up the Durandal's plans on Virimonde."
    "We're going," said Emma. "Nina, grab your camera—and a whole lot of really big guns."
    "Super!"
    Twenty minutes later, they were both on Virimonde. Unfortunately, Shub had chosen to materialize them outside the Deathstalker Standing, right in front of the closed and sealed main gates. Emma looked at the gates, and then turned and looked at the huge army of Church Militant attack troops. She already had her sword and gun in her hands, and now she activated the force shield on her arm. She felt she was being remarkably calm, all things considered. Nina, on the other hand, let out a squeak loud enough to wake the dead, ducked behind Emma, and grabbed for the biggest gun out of the several she'd brought along in her backpack.
    "Is your camera working?" said Emma, still quite calm and collected, considering an army of attack troops was just starting to become aware of her presence.
    "What? What? Oh, yes, we are going out live, and I personally would like to stay that way. I don't see a bell anywhere on these gates. Do you see a bell anywhere on these gates?"
    "Oh, I think they know we're here," said Emma. "Their security sensors will have picked us up by now.
    The question is, will they open their gates for two uninvited strangers, and risk letting in the bad guys?"
    "Tell them who you are! Everyone's heard of Emma Steel! Oh, shit, the army's looking at us. Emma, why are the soldiers looking at us like that?"
    "Probably because we appeared out of nowhere…"
    "Espers!"
    The cry went up from somewhere inside the army, a simple enough misunderstanding about how Emma and Nina had arrived, but in a moment all the troopers were shouting it. They surged forwards, their faces ugly with hate and repulsion. An energy blast snapped out of nowhere and ricocheted off Emma's raised force shield. Nina said some baby swear words, her face pink with rage, and stepped out from behind Emma, holding a gun so big she needed both hands to aim it. She fired the thing, and shot a hell of a big hole out of the first wave of attackers. The charge faltered, but kept coming. Emma braced herself, while Nina hammered on the closed gates with the butt of her gun, yelling Emma Steel! and Press!
    alternately.
    The first soldiers arrived, and Emma stepped forward to meet them. She shot the nearest one in the face, and then swung her sword in short, savage arcs. Blood flew on the air, and soldiers fell to either side of her, screaming and thrashing on the ground. Emma fought on, all cold precision, using the razor-sharp edges of her force shield as a second weapon. The dead and the dying piled up before her, and the troopers didn't seem nearly as eager to close with her as they had been. Nina fired another wild blast from her gun, and a whole section of the advancing troops suddenly disappeared, leaving only blood and scattered body parts behind. But the main part of the army was still pressing forwards.
    The main gates to the castle swung suddenly open, and Nina yelled out in