Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 9

An encounter with a villain...

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Chapter 9.

Oasis' gut seethed with nausea and acid fire, staring at the urbanely smiling face. Though different in detail, the smile, the cadence of that voice was all too familiar, and brought back echoes of the nightmare on Hyperion Station.

 

Through the other part of herself, the not-quite-separate yet not-quite-merged Kimberley, aka "K", she got fury and fear that intensified her reaction. I'm actually trembling, so furious and terrified that my body's shaking!

 

The fury was seeing an enemy – that enemy, one of the worst of all Hyperion – wearing the body and face of one of the best of Hyperion. "You murdered Jonny!"

 

Without conscious volition, she found herself taking a step forward, hands curling into lethal shapes; Wu was easing into a combat pose.

 

Fairchild raised a finger in a cautionary gesture. "Oh, now, that would not be a good idea. The Arena does not approve of violence, after all."

 

"I have beaten four of its Adjudicators," Wu snarled. "I can kill you before that many get here!"

 

"But then you will be murdering Jonny, not me."

 

The burning fire in her gut turned to ice.

 

He obviously saw the shift in her expression; that urbane smile broadened just a hair. "Oh, yes, indeed, Oasis-Kimberley, Wu Kung; I have not erased Jonny. He's just not… running the show at the moment. But that does provide me with a bit of insurance against overly-violent simian demigods, yes?"

 

"You get out of his body!" Wu clenched his fists. "Or I will make you do it!"

 

Oh, no! She stepped in front of Wu, hoping he would understand why, would remember that they absolutely must not show off their special Hyperion powers to anyone –and a thousand times less to Fairchild. "You wanted us to see you."

 

"Well, not you specifically, although it's always a pleasure to meet with such a fine young woman," Fairchild replied. "But it was important to have someone from our old group find me and have a little talk, so we knew where we stood."

 

Her brain was finally catching up with her anger, and it was screaming warnings at her. What the hell is he up to? This makes no sense. He could have kept this secret for a lot longer. What's his game?

 

She repressed another shudder. It should have been DuQuesne who met him. Or Ariane, maybe. Fairchild's a worse monster than any of the people I ever fought.

 

It occurred to her that they didn't have to face this on their own. But as she opened her mouth, that finger rose and wagged again. "Now, now, let's not bring anyone else into our little tête-à-tête, eh?"

 

Oasis swallowed her anger. "Then what do you want, Fairchild? It's hardly a coincidence you show up the very first day we start seriously looking for you."

 

"First day for you, dear Oasis. Third day I have been subtly, yet sufficiently obviously, walking the Arcade. Fishing, one might say, for just the right sort of tug on my line – people who would appreciate what I have here," he gestured to himself, "and truly value it – and the other, shall we say, merchandise I have to offer."

 

Telzey. Giles. D'Arbignal. It was deadly clear what he meant; since Fairchild was wearing the body of a Hyperion they'd thought burned to a cinder, they could reasonably assume Fairchild had the other three somewhere. Almost certainly in suspension; only an idiot would leave any of those three conscious enough to think about escaping, and Fairchild's no idiot.

 

Wu Kung's rumbling growl reached her ears, but this was merely anger in his throat; she didn't sense any indication that he was going to break the masquerade. "Do you have my world as well?" the Monkey King forced out between clenched fangs.

 

The smile broadened. "All things are possible, Sun Wu Kung. One must admit, it is so much more convenient to have a portable set of hostages as well as the more, shall we say, organic sort."

 

Wu spat something in his synthetic language that made Fairchild laugh. "Inventive in invective as always, Monkey."

 

"What. Do. You. Want?" Oasis ground out.

 

"Oh, you mean, in exchange for some of my merchandise?" Fairchild smiled broadly. "Amnesty and freedom, of course. I have various interests in our home system that were already becoming rather hedged in by various law-enforcement activities, and now that my existence is known I am sure there is a rather comprehensive set of charges prepared for me – possibly rivaling that of poor Maria-Susanna."

 

Charges? Charges! She fought to conceal a smile. I think Fairchild's outfoxed himself this time! "Yes, you're a very wanted man by now." She glanced at Wu.

 

Wu Kung suddenly grabbed Fairchild's arms, as Oasis said loudly, "By the authority vested in me by Captain Ariane Austin, Leader of the Faction of Humanity, I hereby arrest you, Alexander Fairchild, for multiple crimes against individuals and institutions of the Solar System, including but not limited to suborning the personal AISage of General Esterhauer, releasing lethal software constructs, accessing multiple sealed data repositories, and more. The full list of charges will be provided for you."

 

Fairchild's eyebrows had risen during her recitation; but instead of looking angry, frustrated, or worried, he simply smiled again. "Under what authority are you laying hands on me, Sun Wu Kung?"

 

"You are a member of the Faction of Humanity," Wu said. "That gives us the authority. Right, Oasis?"

 

"Exactly. Enforcement within a Faction is outside of the Arena's authority."

 

"Ah. So it is. But I believe you will find your jurisdiction is not so clear."

 

"Indeed," said a deep, buzzing voice.

 

For the second time that day, Oasis found herself dumbfounded with anger and horror. Emerging from the nearby crowd was a huge Molothos, shell red with a sprinkling of black. "Doctor Fairchild is currently under the protection of the Molothos, Oasis Abrams," said the huge alien. "You will have your… friend release him, or I will have to consider you to have violated the peace," he spat the word, "that Leader Dajzail so generously permitted to exist between us."

 

For a moment Oasis stood frozen, staring between the clawed alien and Fairchild’s sardonic smile. Then she forced herself to speak. "Let him go, Wu."

 

"This is… grrr!" Wu Kung released Fairchild with a visible effort.

 

"So much better," Fairchild said. "I will be open for contact every day for an hour at the day's peak; if anyone wants to negotiate for my … stock, please call me then." He brushed at his suit, straightening out the creases Wu's hands had caused. "But don't wait too long; I have other potential customers."

 

He turned to his alien companion. "My business here is concluded; you need tolerate no more of my 'perambulations' about the Arcade." With a courteous nod, he walked off; the Molothos followed after a glare at both Oasis and Wu.

 

"We just let him go?" Wu demanded.

 

"We have to! You think I like this?"

 

"I could follow them!"

 

Oasis and her second self considered that for a split second, then they both shook their collective head. "No, bad idea. You almost blew everything back there, didn't you?"

 

Wu hung his head. "Almost."

 

"And there's no way to know if Fairchild's trying to bait you. He might plan on you crossing a line. We've got to get back to the Embassy and let everyone know."

 

Wu Kung sighed. "You're right."

 

I wish I wasn't, Oasis thought. I wish I'd been wrong about finding Fairchild.

 

No you don't, came Kimberly's thoughts on the heels of her own. Now we know that Jonny, Giles, D'Arbignal, and Telzey – and maybe Wu's whole world – aren't lost. And no matter how this plays out, that is good news.

 

Oasis wished she could agree. But she couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, Fairchild had gained far more from their meeting than either of them knew.