Borne On Wings of Steel Read Online Free Page B

have to pay to gain access to their vast knowledge resources, but at least our questions will be answered honestly as we honestly pay for them,” Minstrel-Zuuk said with confidence.
    Jaric sighed. “Even if it's not the answer we want to hear."
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Chapter Three
    "PLEASE SELECT AN appropriate queue. Please be patient, average waiting time is currently seventy-seven krinos,” an emotionless voice enunciated from the nearest speaker.
    Minstrel-Zuuk and the others waited behind about twenty other customers—each appearing to be of a different alien race—in this particular queue. Behind Minstrel-Zuuk stood Jysar and Rok, with Kyle and Jaric bringing up the rear.
    "And that means?” Kyle asked.
    "About ten minutes,” Minstrel-Zuuk translated.
    "Not bad.” Jaric looked around at the dozens of lines full of aliens waiting their turn, each queue containing perhaps a hundred aliens waiting just like them.
    "There are over seventy thousand of these controlled search rooms in which to gain access to their network in this city alone. Imagine how many there are for all twenty-four cities.” The seven eye-stalks looked first one direction and then another simultaneously .
    Jysar's eyes widened with amazement at the technology surrounding them.
    "As I mentioned, this is the largest single store of knowledge known. Even to Minstrels, and we get around.” The seven eye-stalks suddenly turned in seven different directions. Minstrel-Zuuk smiled with satisfaction. “Wow, I just had to try that once. A real panoramic view, so to speak."
    "Guess a Zuuk can really keep an eye on things, eh.” Jaric laughed.
    "You bet.” Minstrel-Zuuk chuckled.
    "Why don't aliens just log on from their ships, or from their own planets? They have multi-system networks in this Quadrant connecting planets, don't they?” Jysar asked with disbelief.
    "The Mrad are shrewd businessmen. Their massive computer does indeed connect to the local inter-system network. But the data flow is only one-way, they search out data and bring it in, but none go out from it."
    "Why do the other races allow that?” Jysar's voice filled with exasperation. “Why don't others protect their data from the Mrad?"
    "They tried at first. But the Mrad have ingenious ways to sneak into computer systems and capture data, even from outside the known Quadrants.” Minstrel-Zuuk stretched its eye-stalks as far out as it could, surveying the myriad of aliens all around for a moment. “In fact, their system even has some basic information about the races of the Three Kingdoms, although neither the Hrono, the Kraaqi nor the Mewiis have any reciprocal knowledge."
    Jysar's eyes narrowed. “The nerve of them, taking data like that."
    "The Mrad make a lucrative living on data. And it is true, in the beginning a lot of races were angry. But soon they all acquiesced after using the system. They discovered that the benefits of using the data for a modest fee outweighed the problem of actually having to travel to the floating cities of this world. Actually, the Mrad make it worthwhile, running a nice tourism trade on the side too. Some of the best hotels, entertainment, food and drink are here.” Minstrel-Zuuk yawned. “And because their data acquisition techniques are so far-reaching, if any references to human survivors exist in any of the nearby Quadrants or from a passing starship's logs that they've lifted, this massive system will contain it."
    "Cool,” Kyle said.
    "Not very proper, taking data like that,” Jysar said stoically.
    "Who cares,” Jaric added. He turned as an alien bumped into him.
    Jaric found three black eyes staring back from a face covered with short, curly fur. Two huge nostrils on its furry forehead suddenly flared open. The alien's eyes widened as a look of disgust grew over its hairy visage. It took a half-step backward only to bump into a large, bird-like alien behind it.
    The bird alien with iridescent green feathers stared in shock, its