Vigilante Series 2: Nebula Vigilante by T. Jackson King Read Free Book Online Page B

on Omega?”
    “Moment,” she said. “ There are 6,114 organic sapients on Omega, all of them located within three kilometers of your location. Of that number, 1,048 are bondServants belonging to fourteen different species. The rest are visitors.” She paused. “Human components of the total working lifeforms are 152 bondServants, while two casino Owners and two super-rich humans are also present. Total species on Omega are 31, with four of them being methane or chlorine breathers.” A second briefer pause happened. “There are 23 starships in orbit, most of them recent arrivals, from yachts to supply freighters. As for combat suits that could pose a threat, there are two Guardian combat types based in the Guardian box next to the Tachyon Pylon. Total enforcement personnel among the 6,114 sapients are 44, counting the Guardians in suits, at the Arrival Hall and in the barracks that you are heading for.”
    “Matt, are we going into battle?” Eliana asked, a tone of concern in her voice.
    “Not if I can help it,” he said. “But I had us arrive in person, versus by Remote, for several reasons. One, for you to see this place that I plan to destroy in four hours.” She gasped. “Second, to locate the Guardians barracks and freeze its doors so no Guardian can exit when Mata Hari arrives overhead to recover us. And third . . . I wanted to physically see the place and Owners who once treated my dead lover Helen as if she were simply property, bond property that would jump here and serve there upon their orders.” He grimaced inside Suit’s helmet, noticing and storing the locations of the few ultrasonic crowd control blisters and the numerous gas emitters for putting the super-rich into a quiet sleep while some emergency was resolved. He turned to face Eliana, his faceplate clear, even as a cyborg part of him noted they had arrived just meters from the main entrance to the Guardian barracks.
    “My dearest, destruction of this place is needed as a lesson to the Anarchate. It is a plan I disc ussed with Mata Hari and BattleMind while you were doing laser gun practice in the armory hall. This is only Stage One of a bigger deal that will involve—”
    “Matthew Dragoneaux? Is it really you in all that fanciful combat armor? Well, perhaps we will be paid— ”
    “Shut up,” Matt told the bear-like Meligun alien , one of the casino Owners who had quoted the impossible price for Helen’s contract release. He finished turning away from Eliana to face the black-furred alien with two pink eyes, large elf-like ears, two legs and four arms. Evolved from a sextupedal ancestor, the Meligun, like humanity’s tree-living ancestors, have developed into an upright, walking version of a bear that had arms at the waist and shoulder levels, all the better with which to crumple opponents, he thought. This alien was the one who gave him and Helen the toothy smile when it said two million platinum Standards was her buyout price. Beside him, Eliana stepped back and turned round to cover his back. Redundant given Suit’s 360 All Surround perception zone, but thoughtful and in keeping with the basic covert training he had given her. But now that he had been recognized, things must move a bit faster.
    In Matt’s mind he tachlink signaled Mata Hari to take out the Tachyon Pylon with a few carbon dioxide lasers. Best to save the neutron antimatter pontoons for later. He went to gestalt focus now, simultaneously taking in inputs from a half dozen EMF frequencies, the comlink chatter of the Port bondGuides, the casino dome supercomputer, the Guardian barracks, and the Port AI. He also looked down at the stumpy Meligun.
    “ Owner Zik tho-mesh, Helen Sayinga Trinh is dead, thanks to you.”
    The Meligun bear looked surprised. “Me? She ran off with you. If she is dead, that is your fault, you bipedal silliness that thinks it can bypass the Rules of the Anarchate!”
    Matt smiled, showing his teeth. The Meligun took a step back. “Owner