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."We have a.shall we say, a cooperative double of LadyBloodstar-a perfect lookalike who has moved in and assumed the role.at the expense of the real one,of course.Have you memorized the guard positions and the different strike points I gave you?""Yes, Your Ladyship.""Good.At precisely one minute past noon, our double will make her move.It will cause confusion withinthe hall sufficient for our purposes.At the same time, ten small canisters of TCN-14 will be explodingoutside the hall, eliminating the guards there.Your men, in gas masks, will move in effortlessly and takeup the positions of the fallen SOTS guards; they will therefore be in a perfect position to control theimmediate area.SOTS picked those spots very carefully for their maximum effectiveness, and we'll makethem work to our advantage.If all goes well, we'll have effected a complete coup in just under tenminutes.And I assure you, my dear Gospodin Howard, that your part in it will not go unrewarded."Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlWithout waiting for further acknowledgment, Lady A cut off the call.Jules was horror-struck as he listened to the plans.Although Lady A had been most circumspect intelling Howard about the double she had for Lady Bloodstar, Jules could guess instantly the double's truenature-a robot.He and Vonnie had already faced a sample of this particular kind of menace once before,on the planet Ansegria.There, a robot that looked and acted exactly like a specific person had been setas a trap to ensnare the Crown Princess Edna.SOTE had learned that there were at least three moresuch robots loose somewhere in the Empire, though their appearances and their missions had remained amystery.Now, in at least one case, that mystery was solved.One robot was a duplicate of LadyBloodstar:The fact that Lady A's organization would be using canisters of TCN-14 outside the hall was an ominoussign, too.Trichloronoluene was a deadly nerve gas developed in pre-Empire times, when individualplanets could-and did, with astonishing frequency-make war upon each other.The TCN spread out fromits source in a noxious green cloud, and a single whiff was lethal; whole cities had been known tosuccumb to it as it rained down in explosive canisters from spaceships orbiting a hostile world.Onehistorian had even gone so far as to say that it was TCN-14, rather than economic or political causes,that had made the Empire necessary; there had to be peace between the planets, because the alternativewas simply too unthinkable.If Lady A were using TCN-14 merely to eliminate some guards and keep the populace from getting outof hand during her takeover, then her regime obviously would be conducting its business in the mostcold-blooded way possible.Vonnie's voice came over his com unit, breaking him out of his horrified reverie."We're gettingcompany.Looks like some of our blasterbats are arriving.""We'll wait until they're all in, then make our haul," Jules said between very tight lips.Then, as succinctlyas he could, he outlined the conspiracy's plan to topple the Empire.Vonnie listened very quietly.Jules knew that quiet mood of hers-it was a rage beyond words, beingdirected at Lady A and her minions, and he pitied them a little.He himself would rather have a dozenpeople ranting at him than have Vonnie go suddenly quiet like that."We'll get them," was all she said-but her tone spoke volumes.Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlThe hour of ten o'clock came and the men were all assembled in the designated meeting room.Monitoring via his microphones, Jules could hear their restless stirring becoming suddenly quiet asHoward entered the room."Now that we're all here," the criminal leader said, "we can begin."That was Jules's cue."We move in now," he said tersely to Vonnie."Give me two minutes to start someconfusion, then come in and help me mop up."He left his closet and ran down the hall to the fire detector.Aiming his blaster at the spot on the wall justbelow the thermocouple, he shot out a narrow beam of high intensity.The sensor in the wall, detectingthe sudden increase in temperature near it, immediately sent in the alarm to the local fire station.At thesame time, it began a series of high-pitched wails echoing down the corridors of the old gymnasiumbuilding.The alarm did indeed cause confusion in the ranks of the men who'd come to hear Howard'sorders.Some sat openmouthed in their chairs, not knowing what to do.Others looked to Howard for hisreaction.A handful more panicked, getting up from their seats and running out of the room.In doing so, they moved straight from the frying pan into the fire-Jules's fire.The SOTE agent cut themdown like targets in a shooting gallery with a rapid-fire series of stun-gun bolts.Within a mere tenseconds, six of his adversaries were lying unconscious on the floor, and the fight hadn't even begun.By now the automatic sprinkling system had turned on, and water mixed with fire-extinguishing foam wasspraying forcefully from all the ceilings in the building.Everyone-Jules as well as the gangsters-wassoaked as the building tried to defend itself from the supposed menace.The footing was treacherousfrom the slippery fluids, but Jules did not much care-this was one fight he intended to win effortlessly.Sliding into the meeting room, his first shot went straight at Howard.Then, with a deft spin like a balletdancer, he turned and directed his stun-gun fire around the room.Most of the men were too surprised toeven reach for their guns before Jules's bolts hit home.Those who made at least an attempt to reach fortheir own weapons still were no match for Jules's DesPlainian reflexes.By the time Vonnie raced into the building, gun drawn, there was nothing left for her to do.She sloggedher way through the water and foam, which was ankle deep in some places, until she reached her fianc 'sside."I guess you really meant it when you said you needed me to mop up."But Jules had no time for even the most basic of humor."These thugs won't be going anywhere for awhile," he said, taking Vonnie by the arm and leading her back toward the front door."The firedepartment can take care of them until the crisis is over.We have more important things to do."Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlThere were less than two hours before Lady A's plans were to go into effect.Jules only hoped thatwould be enough time.CHAPTER 11 The Battle for the Pirate AsteroidAs Yvette began explaining her plan to Pias, she repeatedly emphasized the crucial ingredient of timing."Everything has to be coordinated.We have to take each step in order, and we have to make sure theothers know what they're supposed to do, or the whole thing goes up in smoke."Pias nodded.Being responsible for the safety of the more than forty people from their ship undercircumstances like these was not an enviable task.Yvette's plan was deceptively simple-and in itssimplicity lay the one hope they had that it would work."I'm ready to try it if you are [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]