The Age of Scorpio Read Online Free Page A

coming down with all but the most sophisticated advertising nano-viruses. Nanite pollution was so extreme in all but the most expensive enclaves in Known Space that without a screen you would be dead within days, or at very best sporting a colourful rash advertising the latest soft drink.
    However, for cultures that did not have such a high level of nanite pollution exposure, the nano-screens themselves could be potentially harmful.
    ‘First-contact protocols?’ Brett asked. He had just realised that he’d always wanted to say that.
    Melia and Eden stopped and looked at him as if he was mad.
    ‘What do you think happens if there’s a crew on board, arsehole?’ Eldon demanded. Brett was taken aback by the anger in his tone. Eldon was just pissed off that he had to spell this shit out to Brett. ‘We get nothing. Reining in our nano-screens is the least of our issues.’
    Brett just stared at Eldon as he lifted one foot and then the other so the spacesuit could assemble the hard-wearing soles.
    Eldon was holding the quick-release holster for his double-barrelled laser pistol to the thigh of the suit so it could bond, as Eden handed out the double-barrelled disc guns. The disc guns were basically electromagnetic shotguns. It fired solid-state cartridges of smart matter that split into multiple razor-sharp aerodynamic discs. Designed to be fired semi-automatically, the disc guns had a pump-action mechanism to help clear the inevitable jams. Like most brutal close-quarters weapons, they had been designed by one of the tribes of lizard uplifts. Eden held out one of the weapons to Brett. He eyed it through his visor for a while and then took it from her.
    ‘Just so you know,’ Eldon said, holding up a hardened biohazard container. ‘Just so you’re in just as much trouble as the rest of us if this screws up. Just so you can’t claim you had no knowledge or rat us out, this is a bucket of the most potent virals I could lay my hands on. If we get in and there’s crew, this is for them.’ Brett stared at it. He looked like he was about to object but he caught a glimpse of three hard faces watching him through darkening visors. ‘In fact, I think you should carry this.’ Eldon held the canister out. Eldon was enjoying this, starting the boy down the long road of moral compromises and disappointments that was life. He also thought he was doing the boy a favour. You want to prosper, then people are going to have to die; it was an important life lesson.
    ‘I don’t want to—’ Brett began.
    ‘Just fucking man up,’ Eden snapped at him. Brett had thought they were friends.
    Brett swallowed hard and took the canister from Eldon.
    ‘Fuck up, you get left. Don’t hold up your end, you get left. Understand?’ Eldon was starting to feel more in control again. Also, he was never going to get tired of making this kid miserable. Brett just nodded.
    With a thought Eldon fired the Swan ’s engines gently to spin the ship slowly and match up the end of the tunnel of flesh with the Swan ’s crew airlock. Compared to the jarring impact of most docking arms, this felt like a kiss.
    Eden checked the readings from the sensors on the outer airlock door in her neunonic feed. ‘We’ve got a seal. Atmosphere looks fine, all within uplift tolerances, no discernible exotics, no discernible nano-activity, but I’ll run a more thorough check when we’re through . . .’
    ‘What?’ Melia asked.
    ‘Nothing, just it looks a bit moist is all.’
    Eldon tried not to think that he’d let his clone insurance lapse. He transferred command protocols to Nulty.
    ‘You’ve got the Swan , Nulty,’ he said across the interface.
    ‘Okay, boss. Go careful.’
    Eldon sent the command to open the airlock.

2
Northern Britain, a Long Time Ago
    The sound of the water lapping against the rocks at the mouth of the cave had pushed through into her dream and gently woken her. Britha opened her eyes. Her lover’s silver skin reflected the sunlight