Crown of Empire by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Author:Chelsea Quinn Yarbro [Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: C429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 9780671722081
Amazon: 0671722085
Publisher: Baen
Published: 1994-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Wiley was groggy from physical and emotional shock. He wiped his hand across his forehead, subconsciously trying to rub away present reality and return himself to the familiar round of wealth and privilege in which he’d spent his life until this terrible day.

The armored aircar didn’t have windows, but Wiley could see the forward vision screens past the shoulders of the driver and co-driver. The vehicle was slanting down toward a huge sty-colored dome in which the aircar’s own reflection raced toward Wiley’s eyes at redoubled speed.

They shot through the barrier into dimness rather than shattering impact. The dome was a polarizing bubble rather than a materiel wall. The shield not only protected the interior from observation, it combed sunlight and decreased the degree of illumination beneath the dome. Cernian eyes were adapted to much lower light levels than those of humans—

And almost all the figures Wiley saw within the domed enclosure were Cernians. There were hundreds of the aliens, driving equipment, unloading cargo and performing maintenance on the dozen or so starships on the ground within the domed starport. Perhaps there were more: the enclosed area was so large that moving figures were lost against its scale.

“This is Haiken Maru headquarters, isn’t it?” demanded Wiley pugnaciously. “I know it is! The bubble north of the city is Haiken Maru headquarters!” One of the Cernian guards blinked twice at him. The others didn’t give even that much acknowledgement.

The aircar slowed. Besides barracks, sheds, and a maintenance hangar capable of holding one of the grounded starships, the headquarters complex included three-hundred-story concrete warehouse towers. The aircar slowed further as the driver angled toward the landing pad on the roof of the central tower.

“We are arriving,” one of the Cernians informed Wiley. It was the first time any of them had spoken since they had spirited Wiley away from the Kona Tatsu station.

“I can see that,” said Wiley. He rubbed at his eyes, wondering if it was his hands or his face that felt so rough. The pilot set the aircar down and cut the engine. The silence was abrupt. Wiley had not been aware of how loud the aircar was until now.

“You will leave after I do,” the Cernian informed him, holding a Meinhauser pistol aimed at the center of Wiley s chest.

“You bet,” said Wiley. He tried not to shiver as he looked at the pistol, but he could not completely conceal his fear. His captors pushed him toward an access door. Air puffed out as the door opened: it was an airlock, and the pressure within was higher than ambient at this altitude.

Wiley stepped into the chamber in front of his guard. The outer door shut behind them and pressure built. The building was a sealed unit with enough positive internal air pressure to prevent gas or biotoxins from being introduced from the outside in the event of an attack.

“Move along,” said the Cernian, gesturing with his Meinhauser as the inner door opened.

“I’m moving,” said Wiley.

Beyond the airlock

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