Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

Owen," said Shub through its robot. "We owe him so much that can never be repaid."
    "Are you ready to risk the destruction of your homeworld for him?" said Finn. "The planet you built to
    house your minds? Everyone knows where Shub is these days. And you have run down your energy levels quite considerably, just recently."
    "All that lives is holy," the robot said calmly. "Though we're thinking of making an exception in your case."
    "My army is ready to land," Finn said briskly. "An armed force so big it will sweep right over you. And if you even look like you're trying to make a run for it, I'll have my ships scorch the planet from orbit. I'm pretty sure the Maze will survive. And that's the real prize, after all. I would prefer to have you as my prisoners, so my scientists can scour the secrets of the Maze from your changed bodies, but the Maze is the key. When its secrets are mine, I will be able to bestow its glories on all those who follow me."
    "Blow it out your arse," said Brett. "You'd never share that kind of power with anyone else. You just want it for yourself."
    "Dear Brett," said Finn. "Always there with the mot juste."
    "You don't half fancy yourself, don't you?" said Owen. "Better than you have tried to take me down, and failed."
    "It's true," said Silence. "They have. I was one of them, once. I think I got closest."
    "Yes," said Owen. "I think perhaps you did."
    "Well, this has all been very amusing, but I'm afraid I must bring this to a close," said Finn. "It's not like you ever had a real chance, after all. You've all been serving my purpose, from the very beginning. I know everything you've done, everywhere you've been, all you think you've accomplished. I know Lewis has been through the Maze, and survived, and presumably will develop powers. I know Owen is with you, and Captain Silence. And how do I know all these things? Because I placed a spy among you. A spy you never suspected, who has been sending me regular reports. Isn't that right, Rose?"
    Finn laughed at the surprise and shock on their faces. He was still laughing as his holo image faded away to nothing, and was gone. Everyone looked at Rose. She shook her head slowly. The viewscreen flickered into life again, revealing Admiral West's face, scowling triumphantly.
    "I demand your immediate surrender. You have no choice. My armies are ready to land."
    "Not now!" said Lewis. "We're busy!" He gestured sharply at the robot, and the screen shut down again.
    "I am not a spy," said Rose. "I've been many bad things in my life, and gloried in them, but I've never lied about who and what I am."
    "A spy," said Jesamine. "A traitor among us. It all makes sense now. Why they always seemed to be waiting for us… How else could Finn know we'd be here today? He must have been assembling that fleet in hyperspace for ages, but it only appeared once we were all gathered at the Maze! And he wasn't surprised to see that Owen was back. He knew! And he knew who Silence really was! The only way he could know these things is if someone told him." She glared at Rose. "I never trusted you. Once a psycho…"
    "Rose isn't a spy!" said Brett sharply, moving forward to put himself between Rose and the others, glaring into their accusing faces. "I vouch for her. I touched her mind, remember? I'd know if she was a
    spy."
    "You'd say that anyway, Brett," said Jesamine.
    "Normally, I'd say you can't trust anything Finn says," Lewis said slowly. "But a spy among us does make sense…"
    "I won't let you hurt her," said Brett. "You'll have to go through me first. Once, that might not have meant much, but Rose has taught me a lot of things. And I bet I could do some really nasty things to you with my esp compulsion, if I really put my mind to it. I'll have your brains dribbling out your ears before I'm through!"
    "Oh, Brett," said Rose. "You say the nicest things."
    And while they were all caught up in the argument, the reptiloid Saturday, who'd been lurking unobtrusively in the background for some time, stepped suddenly forward and lashed out with a clawed forearm, smashing Silence's head so hard against the nearest wall that it dented the steel. While Silence was still slumping to the floor, Saturday swept her great bulk around impossibly quickly, and her other clawed hand sank deep into Owen's side and out again. Bones broke and splintered under the force of the blow, and blood jetted on the air as Owen was thrown back against the opposite wall. The reptiloid started towards