Conduit - M J Marlow (best short books to read txt) 📗

looked up to see that a fine wire mesh was being drawn above us. Security or imprisonment, I wondered. Almost an hour later, we finally stood there looking up at the impressive edifice. It was as large as a building. An archway waited for us to enter, and we did. Inside was a nesting chamber for me. Along the sides were the chambers for my companions. Walkways from the ledges outside their chambers led to my chamber. I assumed the walkways would move away if there was a threat and I needed to be isolated. This world and the structure on it were now home to me and the six women who had been my companions from the world we were stolen from. “Fancy prison,” Cindy sniffed as we looked around. “They’ve thought of everything, haven’t they?” “I would opt for steerage on a fast ship home,” Molly replied as she fingered the curtains on her chamber. She looked at me. “This isn’t your fault, Dulcie. So don’t you dare feel guilty.” She looked up as a chime sounded. “What is that supposed to mean?” “I’m certain we’ll find out,” I sighed. Sure enough, android attendants stepped out of spaces that opened in the wall. They herded each of us to our chambers. I watched as a glass wall sealed my friends into their chambers and they collapsed. I tried to push past them to help and the android grabbed my arm and pulled me away. It pushed me inside my chamber and glass filled the six archways. I could feel myself growing weary and knew I was being sedated. I stumbled to an archway and beat on the glass, crying to be let out. “You must rest now,” a pleasant voice spoke over an intercom. “It is the hour of slumber.” “I don’t want to rest,” I protested, even as I slid down the glass to my knees. “I don’t want…” I passed out and the android came in to carry me to the nest. It laid me down and covered me with a shimmering fabric. Then it went to a corner as the chamber sealed again and waited until its next command. I woke to the sound of alarms and watched as the archway glass darkened. Something was happening and I had no way of knowing what it was. I searched with my mind and saw a ship descending. It was fired on and hit the water hard. I got to my feet and cried out in pain as the android caught my arm and put me back down on the nest. “I will not be treated like this,” I protested and tried to get up. It fastened a collar around my throat. “Is this how you treat a queen?” “We must protect the queen,” the android replied, “even from herself.” It laid its hand on an archway and I saw what was happening. “An assault was attempted. Those who struck at you will be punished.” “Wait,” I cried as I saw the twins being pulled out of the ship. “Those are not Sylenni males. They are not subject to the ban.” I saw the android nod. “You will bring them to me at once. I will know why they attacked me.” “It shall be done, my lady.” I could have sobbed in relief as I heard this. Obviously I had some clout here. An hour later the twins were shoved into my chamber and held on their knees. They had been bound so they could not harm me, but otherwise they were unharmed. They were very happy to see me well. “Everd said we might be able to see you,” Jason informed me. “So we took the risk.” He struggled in his bonds. “Are these necessary?” “That is for the queen to decide,” the android answered. “If she judges you harmless, you will be allowed limited freedom.” “Limited freedom?” “They will remain here in the sanctuary as your slaves, my lady,” the android told me. “It will be their duty to see to harvesting foodstuffs for you and your ladies.” I bit my lip. I did not want my brothers as slaves. But at least here they would be close. They might even be able to help me and the others find a way out of this nightmare. I bowed my head and turned to the twins. I looked properly outraged at their affront and the android nodded. It stepped back to listen to my judgment. “You attacked the Queen of the Sylenni in her sanctuary,” I said to them sternly. “What do you have to say in your defense?” “We came seeking to assure ourselves that she was well,” Jason replied. “We needed to see for ourselves that she was unharmed,” Jonas added. “You can see that we are well,” I answered. “You have earned slavery as your reward for challenging Sylenni tradition. Surely, you could have found another, less punishing way to make certain I was well?” They shook their heads and I sighed. “Very well, humans. You have heard the punishment. You are now slaves to the Queen of the Sylenni. Serve us well and there will be no further judgment on you.” “With our lives, Your Majesty,” Jason said as he went on one knee. “With all that we are, O Queen,” Jonas added as he joined his twin. The android stepped forward with two golden collars with designs that mirrored those on my wrists. I flinched as it fastened them around my brother’s throats. He started to lead them away and I told him to stop. “You will leave the slaves here with me,” I told the android. “There are certain orders I wish to give them that require privacy.” “It is not safe to leave the queen unguarded…” “These slaves have given their loyalty to us,” I broke in and made the android quiet. “And I am more than capable of causing them harm if they try to cause harm.” I nodded towards the archway. “Leave us.” The android removed the collar from my throat and left the chamber. When it was gone, the archways sealed. I threw my arms around my brothers. “You idiots! What are you doing here? No,” I said when they started to tell me, “don’t tell me. He’ll hear and find some way to take you away from here.” “If by ‘him’ you mean that bastard, Ashad,” Jason hissed; “then he already knows. Everd presented us to the Council before Ashad could prevent it and we asked for permission to visit you.” “They told us point blank,” Jonas continued, “that we would end up as your slaves, but we didn’t care. We needed to be where we could make sure no one was hurting you.” He looked around. “Nice crib, Dulcie.” “I’d rather be back in the apartment building on Wentworth,” I said fiercely. “I am glad you’re here. Mary and the other women will be happy to have two such strong men to protect us.” “They brought those poor women here as well?” Jason frowned. “There was no reason for that…” “I was told we were the only females the Sylenni have now,” I broke in. I saw him shake his head. “Again they lie!” “You are the only queen, Dulcie,” Jonas told me. “But there were dozens of females in the Council. Things have changed a bit since those five bastards left the system. Ashad is not going to find it as easy to claim kingship as he had hoped.” “He did something to me, Jon,” I frowned and looked at my wrist. “He says I am one with him now and have no choice.” “He can’t do that,” Jason replied. “Everd is going to bring Ashad before them on the charge that he force the breaking of your bond with him through lies.” “Everd knows you can’t confirm this,” Jonas told me when I looked frightened. “He knows Ashad well enough to know what tricks he would pull.” He frowned as the archway opened and the android came in with two others. “Hey!” he hissed as he was yanked away. “Let go!” “The slaves will go to their places now,” my android said, “to be fitted with their control programs.” “Their what?” I cried and was on my feet. I tried to push past him and the others pulled my brothers away. “What are you doing?” “They will be programmed to their duties, my queen,” the android told me. “To make certain no disloyal thoughts enter their minds. Once this is done, they will know only the task they have been given and perform them flawlessly.” “NO!” I screamed and tried to get to my brothers. I was pushed back and put in the collar. “Let me go! I won’t let you turn my brothers into zombies!” “It is what happens to slaves, my queen,” the android informed me emotionlessly. “It is not damaging. They can be returned to their true minds when you no longer require their services. And then they will be executed for invading your Sanctuary.” “It’s all right, Dulcie,” Jason said as he quit fighting. “At least we’re here,” Jonas nodded. I watched in horror as my two brilliant brothers were led away and placed in open sections of the wall. I could not turn away as they were stripped and placed into metal shells like the androids. Then I realized that the beings I had assumed were androids were not. These were living beings inside these metal frames, forced to obey programs being fed into their minds. It was not right! I now had one more crusade to fight and it was going to start here in this Sanctuary. “Who decides these things,” I asked the android as my brothers were finished and they walked out of the place to begin their duties. “Have I any voice in what happens to my slaves at all?” “It has never been an issue, my queen,” the android replied. It paused a moment. “The Sanctuary is controlled from the chamber beneath your own.” “Am I allowed to visit there?” “I can take you,” the android bowed to me and removed the collar. “Is it your wish to go there now, my queen?” “Yes,” I nodded and got to my feet. I watched as a section of flooring opened up and formed stairs down to the next chamber. “That is convenient.” I went down the stairs and saw a series of corridors moving off in every direction. There was an entire complex hidden beneath the sanctuary, I frowned. What purpose could that possibly serve? The android led me to the control center and motioned me to lay my hand on a lighted panel. I did so and whimpered as something pricked my palm. “Welcome, O Queen of the Sylenni,” a voice sounded. “First of your kind since the Ancient herself to step within this complex.” “No one else knew of its existence?” “No one else cared to learn,” the voice replied. “You are other than we expected. Your home world is far from this system.” It quieted a moment. “We are honored to welcome you, Dulcinea of Earth as our new controller.” “I’m in charge?” “Yes, Dulcinea,” the voice assured me. “You have but to command and your will is our program.” “No matter what I command?” “We are keyed to you now, O Queen,” the voice replied. “We may advise but we may not command.” “Then my first command is this,” I smiled as I took a nearby seat. “I want all on this island set free of their collars and harnesses.” I looked at the one standing near me. “I will not have any being serving me against their will.” Lights flashed on the panel in front of me and I watched as the android shell fell off of the being beside me. Instead there stood a female felinoid. She went to her knees and bowed her head to me.