Read Online McCollum - GIBRALTAR STARS by Michael McCollum - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael McCollum
Tags: Science-Fiction
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space it looked very like Sar-Say’s home planet. The sight of it made him long for a world that he might never see again.
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It was not in Sar-Say’s nature to dwell on what might have been. However, if he regretted anything, it was that he had been too truthful with the humans during his first weeks in captivity. Had he known then what he knew now, he might have talked his way out of his dilemma.
But he had not known humans that day. He had been blissfully unaware of their existence up until the moment they boarded the Hraal to rescue him. By the time they came aboard, he had used Muulbra’s backup controls to ensure that he was the sole survivor. The precaution might have been unnecessary, but a Master does not take chances with his own life, not where subservients are concerned.
At first he thought humans were merely a species with which he was unfamiliar, and that it would be a simple matter to order them to take him through their gate to somewhere he could arrange transportation. He was anxious to report the assassination attempt to his clan leaders.
However, it soon became clear that his savior/captors did not recognize who and what he was. That, of course, was impossible anywhere inside Civilization. Which meant that he was nowhere inside Civilization. Whoever these strange bipeds were, they must be a wild species, as yet unknown to the Race. That thought left him trembling from both fear and excitement.
To discover a wild race was both a danger and an opportunity. The danger was that they would kill him when they discovered who and what he was. However, the opportunity was worth the risk. For ancient custom ceded control of any newly conquered star system to its discoverer and to his clan. Once Sar-Say got word back to Civilization, the beautiful blue-white world of humanity, along with its ugly gray moon and all of their other possessions, would be his to command.
So, not knowing how much, if anything, the humans knew of Civilization, he decided not to risk a lie. When he learned enough human language to allow him to communicate, he told them the literal truth, save for his own identity.
Twice since humans ‘rescued’ him, he had come close to winning his freedom. The first opportunity came when the humans took him along on their expedition to scout Civilization. Although confined to the ship, he had been confident he could convince them in time to add him to their shore party. Once in contact with any native species, he would issue an order to seize his companions.
It had not come to pass. Through bad luck, Mark Rykand had encountered a member of the trading species that Sar-Say pretended to be. As a result, the expedition fled before he had a chance to cry for help.
On their return to Earth, his captors fell to arguing among themselves about what to do. It had been during this period that he was transferred from his orbital prison to confinement on Earth.
The transfer allowed him to make his second escape attempt. With interest about his species high among the humans, he quickly found himself an ambassador, although one continuously guarded. Sar-Say used all he had learned of humans to charm those he met. Eventually, he found an individual whose personal avarice outweighed loyalty to his species.
As sole representative of the Broa on Earth, Sar-Say was in a position to promise his confederate wealth beyond imagining in exchange for aid in his escape. The plan worked perfectly, but his freedom was short lived and he was recaptured before he could put the rest of his plan into action.
He did not regret the attempt, but it worsened his situation considerably. The thought of what would have happened had he obtained a starship galvanized the humans to action. In a fit of insanity peculiar to their species, they decided to forego hiding from his race.
Tiny Earth had declared war on Civilization!
Sar-Say’s personal situation deteriorated as well. He was quickly transferred to the humans’ most
#
It was not in Sar-Say’s nature to dwell on what might have been. However, if he regretted anything, it was that he had been too truthful with the humans during his first weeks in captivity. Had he known then what he knew now, he might have talked his way out of his dilemma.
But he had not known humans that day. He had been blissfully unaware of their existence up until the moment they boarded the Hraal to rescue him. By the time they came aboard, he had used Muulbra’s backup controls to ensure that he was the sole survivor. The precaution might have been unnecessary, but a Master does not take chances with his own life, not where subservients are concerned.
At first he thought humans were merely a species with which he was unfamiliar, and that it would be a simple matter to order them to take him through their gate to somewhere he could arrange transportation. He was anxious to report the assassination attempt to his clan leaders.
However, it soon became clear that his savior/captors did not recognize who and what he was. That, of course, was impossible anywhere inside Civilization. Which meant that he was nowhere inside Civilization. Whoever these strange bipeds were, they must be a wild species, as yet unknown to the Race. That thought left him trembling from both fear and excitement.
To discover a wild race was both a danger and an opportunity. The danger was that they would kill him when they discovered who and what he was. However, the opportunity was worth the risk. For ancient custom ceded control of any newly conquered star system to its discoverer and to his clan. Once Sar-Say got word back to Civilization, the beautiful blue-white world of humanity, along with its ugly gray moon and all of their other possessions, would be his to command.
So, not knowing how much, if anything, the humans knew of Civilization, he decided not to risk a lie. When he learned enough human language to allow him to communicate, he told them the literal truth, save for his own identity.
Twice since humans ‘rescued’ him, he had come close to winning his freedom. The first opportunity came when the humans took him along on their expedition to scout Civilization. Although confined to the ship, he had been confident he could convince them in time to add him to their shore party. Once in contact with any native species, he would issue an order to seize his companions.
It had not come to pass. Through bad luck, Mark Rykand had encountered a member of the trading species that Sar-Say pretended to be. As a result, the expedition fled before he had a chance to cry for help.
On their return to Earth, his captors fell to arguing among themselves about what to do. It had been during this period that he was transferred from his orbital prison to confinement on Earth.
The transfer allowed him to make his second escape attempt. With interest about his species high among the humans, he quickly found himself an ambassador, although one continuously guarded. Sar-Say used all he had learned of humans to charm those he met. Eventually, he found an individual whose personal avarice outweighed loyalty to his species.
As sole representative of the Broa on Earth, Sar-Say was in a position to promise his confederate wealth beyond imagining in exchange for aid in his escape. The plan worked perfectly, but his freedom was short lived and he was recaptured before he could put the rest of his plan into action.
He did not regret the attempt, but it worsened his situation considerably. The thought of what would have happened had he obtained a starship galvanized the humans to action. In a fit of insanity peculiar to their species, they decided to forego hiding from his race.
Tiny Earth had declared war on Civilization!
Sar-Say’s personal situation deteriorated as well. He was quickly transferred to the humans’ most
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