Read Online Slaves of Hyperion (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 6) by Michael G. Thomas - Free Book Online Page A

to the scuffle the more people he met until eventually he was forced to push through at a walking pace.
    “Out of my way!” he snapped, his patience now starting to wear thin. A number of the civilians moved, and he and his group of young soldiers were able to approach the man on the floor. He seemed fine and tried to push back into the throng before Spartan grabbed him. He was almost the same height as Spartan but much lighter build and wore the uniform of a naval cadet. Spartan glared at him, his eyes almost squinting from the set of lights running along the wall.
    “What’s going on?” he demanded.
    The man looked to Spartan and shook his head angrily.
    “Get off me, man, they’re here again, the animals! Get off me!” he roared and struck Spartan in the face with the back of his hand. The impact caught Spartan by surprise and snapped his head around to the side. The attack may have been fast, but it wasn’t enough for him to lose his grip. He held in tightly, pulling the man closer as he tried to get away.
    “Do that again, and I’ll have you up on charges!” he said calmly but with conviction.
    The man lifted his hand once more, and Spartan delivered a powerful punch directly into the man’s stomach. It was short and hard and knocked all the air out of the cadet’s chest. He dropped to his knees and choked for air.
    “Now, everybody clear this place!” he shouted.
    This time the crowds moved back to reveal two Biomechs. Each of the monstrous creatures stood almost three metres tall and was heavily armoured in crude looking metal with the symbols of axes on their chests. The nearest looked to Spartan, but only part of its face was visible due to the armoured helm fitted tightly around his skull.
    “Spartan!” it roared and then lurched forward, both of its arms raised high.
    The young soldiers with Spartan fanned out, each adopting a balanced fighting stance, just as each had been taught back in basic training. The creature was already at Spartan and swung its right arm around in an exaggerated hook. It swept towards Spartan who took one step forward and did the same. Their muscled arms crashed together with a dull thud into a lock. Those around them watched in confusion and surprise at the odd turn of events.
    “Khan, you crazy bastard!” laughed Spartan with genuine pleasure.
    Khan started to laugh with the low rumble that all the Jötnar shared. These synthetic creatures were in fact the most recent models of Biomechs that the Zealots and their allies had created. Unlike the early designs, they were possibly entirely artificial and had been created in the factories back on Prometheus. It was hard to tell how much of them was made from harvested human material and how much was completely synthetic. They were sentient though, and Spartan was under no illusions that they represented a subspecies of humanity that deserved respect for what they had done. Khan turned to one of his comrades, a Jötnar warrior Spartan had never seen before.
    “This is Osk,” he said in much better English than in their last encounter.
    Spartan looked at the Jötnar and scratched his forehead.
    “There’s something different, what is it?”
    Khan laughed even louder and much to the annoyance of the crowd who were starting to become frustrated at the noise. Spartan turned and looked at any that were coming too close. It was then that he spotted his comrades from New Carlos. He waved them over and each moved slowly, suspicious of the three-metre tall monsters.
    “These are fellow warriors from Centauri Prime. They fought hard and in hand-to-hand combat during the battle for New Carlos.”
    Khan nodded to all of them and placed his hand across his chest.
    “If Spartan speaks for you, then you have my respect. He told us of New Carlos. A difficult battle.”
    There appeared to be genuine warmth in the tone of Khan, and Spartan worried his friend may have changed more than he realised. He did see the look in his eye and