Ghostworld (Deathstalker Prelude) Read Online Free Page A

Ashrai created these trees?”
    “No,” said Silence. “Their civilisation was never that advanced. In fact, the original Investigating team uncovered evidence that suggested the Ashrai actually evolved long after the trees had first been planted. Which gives you some idea of how long these trees have been here.”
    “But if the Ashrai didn’t genegineer the trees,” said Ripper slowly, “who did?”
    “Good question,” said Silence. “Whoever it was, let’s hope they don’t come back to find out who’s been messing with their garden. Now then, where was I? Ah yes. There are twenty substations on Unseeli, overseeing the automated mining machinery as it destroys the forest’s roots so that the trees can be easily felled and harvested. Base Thirteen oversees all the other substations, and is the only manned station on the planet. Its personnel spend most of their time sitting around waiting for something to go wrong so they can go out and fix it. They last communicated with the Empire four days ago. We haven’t been able to get a word out of them since. At present, the situation is merely annoying, if a little disturbing. But if it continues, and the supply of metals slows as the mining machinery breaks down, the Empire could be in serious trouble. I’m afraid we’ve all become just a little too dependent on Unseeli’s riches. Any questions so far?”
    “Yes,” said Ripper. “What are you doing here, Captain? It’s not usual for a ship’s Captain to expose himself to danger like this.”
    “This is not a usual situation,” said Silence. “And I have … personal reasons for being here. Which I don’t intend to discuss at this time.”
    “All right,” said Frost. “Let’s talk about Base Thirteen instead. A force screen is the last refuge for a base under attack. What could possibly have threatened them so much, scared them so badly, that they had to retreat behind a force screen to feel safe?”
    “Maybe they saw ghosts too,” said Diana Vertue.
    Silence smiled briefly. “When we get inside the Base, you can ask them.”
    “And just how are we supposed to get inside?” said Frost sharply. “We don’t have anything powerful enough to break through a force screen. The disrupter cannon on the Darkwind might do the job, but that kind of firepower would flatten everything inside a square mile, most definitely including everything and everyone inside the screen. You’d be able to carry away what was left of Base Thirteen in a medium-sized bucket.”
    “Right,” said Stasiak, scowling unhappily. “There’s only one way we’re going to get past that screen, and that’s if someone inside the Base gets to the main command centre and shuts down the screen. And that doesn’t seem very likely, just at the moment. So, Captain, unless you have access to some kind of super-weapon the Empire has never heard of, we’ve come all this way for nothing.”
    Silence looked at him calmly. “Don’t raise your voice to me, Stasiak, there’s a good chap. I know what I’m doing. Computer, any hostile life signs outside the ship?”
    “Negative, Captain,” said the AI promptly. “There are no life signs anywhere within reach of my sensors. My files tell me that Base Thirteen has one hundred and twenty-seven personnel, but I regret I am unable to confirm that. The force screen blocks my sensor probes.”
    “What about the things that attacked us on the waydown?” said Diana Vertue. “They can’t have just vanished.”
    “My sensors detected no life signs at any time during the descent,” said the AI. “If there had been any attackers, I would have detected them and informed you of their nature. May I remind you, esper Vertue, this is a scorched world. Nothing lives here.”
    “Well, something beat the hell out of this ship on the way down,” said Frost. “I can see some of the dents from here.”
    “I agree that the pinnace has suffered extensive storm damage,” said the AI calmly.