Part 50 - Imperator Galactica (XII)

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The atmosphere being held in place by an AG field gave the night a preternatural calmness and a faint smell of ozone.

The tractor array was a jutting tower of badly maintained machinery. Even in her drunken state McAfree could see what rough condition the thing was in. Some of the indicator lights were even burnt out.

"Behold, my mystifying songbird," announced the Emperor, indicating the array with a sweeping gesture "A grand feat of technology carried out for the glory of House Gormenghast! Although currently in use, even as we speak, holding my new ship in place in the sky, it could just as easily be configured to act as a repulsor! I would like to draw your special attention to both the size and the shape of the device."

Subtle, thought McAfree.

The two were accompanied by four guards, but they were keeping a reasonable distance in order to allow their master to work his seductive arts.

McAfree walked around the tractor array, inspecting it and making impressed noises.

"Oh yeah," she said, stroking the side of it "Now I'm completely overwhelmed with lust."

Her tone didn't exude sincerity.

"Oh what's this?" she asked, opening a panel on the side of the array.

"Hold now," said the Emperor "You mustn't interfere with it."

"Gee golly I sure hope this part isn't important," said McAfree, as she grabbed hold of a small, transparent, gas-filled tube and violently yanked it free of the panel. What indicator lights had not burned out began to go haywire.

"Stop!" yelled the Emperor, rushing over.

The guards began their advance as well, but they were all too late. With obvious effort but in very little time she snapped the tube in half with both hands and threw the pieces on the ground. The gas dissapated.

The Emperor seized her by the collar with both hands, his face red with anger and his eyes bulging.

"What do you think you're doing you stupid bitch?" he demanded.

McAfree heroically managed a smug smile, despite her fear.

"Good luck replacing that quantium on this barren rock. Can't be reliably synthesized outside of, you know, a supernova."

"I'll kill you!" bellowed the Emperor, shaking her and spitting.

The guards now surrounded them in a tight circle, but none dared get between McAfree and the Emperor.

The Emperor let go of McAfree and pushed her away. He drew his particle pistol.

"You- you might want to reconsider that," said McAfree, speaking with nervous rapidity and backing away "Now that the Armstrong is free of your tractor beam my value as a hostage just skyrocketed. I'm the only one you have still intact."

"Just die!" screamed the Emperor, and he fired.

Luckily for McAfree he was a terrible shot. Even at such close range his beam flew wild, hitting the ground near McAfree's left leg and causing a small explosion of earth and rock. She screamed.

McAfree ran towards the other side of the tractor array, trying to put it between herself and the Emperor, but before she could two guards seized her arms.

The Emperor slowly advanced on her, his boiling anger turned to a seething self-righteousness.

"I apologize for my outburst, darling Yoshiko," said the Emperor, getting in close "Of course I won't shoot you down here, like a dog. A bitch, one less couth than I might be tempted to say. No, no, no, my dear, my darling, that wouldn't do at all. You have offended the Emperor of the Milky Way, the ruler of all mankind. You have vandalized Imperial property in the aid of rebels and oathbreakers. You are a terrorist, my dear. To merely shoot you would be dreadfully anticlimactic. It would put me off, Yoshiko, and I can't have that. Now that I have regained my composure I have something much more appropriate in mind for you."

McAfree struggled against the guards, but it was useless. She did not like the way the Emperor had said the word 'appropriate'. Panic was beginning to grip her.

This was all Mitzner's fault, she decided.

* * *

"The tractor beam has disengaged," said Marceaux, back on the bridge.

"Ensign Guildenstern, get us out of the operational range of the tractor beam but stay within range of our weapons," said the Captain "Commander Gibson, put together an away team. It's been far too long since I've been yelled at by an Admiral. Let's depose an Emperor."

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