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set of
biomechatronic legs, similar to the braces Alex had used on Canada Station
Three. The prosthetics were bulky, making him look disproportionate, but it
gave him the ability to walk around under his own power.
    Chow Yin did so, stepping forward amid the mechanical hum of
the electronic pistons, and nodded to Michael. “Mr. Sanderson, welcome back to
Sol System. I see you’ve noticed my new legs. My engineers just fitted me with
them. Tell me, do they make me look too tall?”
    Michael ignored the question. “Why have you kidnapped us?”
    The Emperor only widened his smile. He turned to the others.
“Kenneth Harriman, Yaxche, pleased to have you join us.”
    A thousand thoughts raced through Michael’s mind. The last
he’d heard, Chow Yin had been sent to a penal station on the L3 point on the
opposite side of the Sun. In the span of four years, Chow Yin went from
prisoner to Emperor. Michael wondered at the events that had led to this
development.
    Alex took a step back. “I won’t do it.”
    “Now, now,” said Chow Yin. “I had hoped we could be civil.”
    At first, Michael didn’t know what they were talking about,
but a moment later, it came to him. Assuming it was Chow Yin’s engineers who
had advanced Kinemet technology to the point where they could fly a ship from
Pluto to the asteroid belt in two weeks, they still hadn’t mastered the element’s
superluminal aspect. As powerful as Chow Yin had become, carving out his own
empire, it was obvious he still had not been able to develop a Kinemat.
    That’s why he’d captured them, instead of killing them. Alex
was the only living Kinemat in Sol System, though he was not fully converted.
They would need him for study. Kenneth had been working with Alex, and was one
of the brightest quantum physicists in the community. Though Quantum Resources
had made recordings of Yaxche’s recitation of the Song of the Stars in Mayan,
it was more than likely they had not allowed those to get into Chow Yin’s
hands. Without the musical recipe, they could spend a century trying to get the
frequencies correct to prime Kinemet for a transformation.
    The Emperor needed Alex, Kenny, and Yaxche.
    He did not need Michael, and proved it a moment later when
he nodded to one of the soldiers near him. The man raised his rifle, aiming
directly at Michael’s head.
    Chow Yin said, “I had a banquet planned, where we could have
something to eat while we negotiated our partnership. It’s disappointing that
you’ve brought us to the ultimatum stage so quickly. You’re taking all the fun
out of it, Alex.” With a look of forced patience, he spoke slowly. “You will
help us, or your friend will die. There. Is that simple enough for you?”
    Michael gritted his teeth. “Don’t do it, Alex. Don’t give
this madman anything.”
    “Ah, I see you think I am bluffing. I assure you. I am not.”
The Emperor’s expression turned grave. “A demonstration is in order.” To the
soldier, he said, “Kill Mr. Sanderson, if you would be so kind.”
    “No!” Alex shouted, and instinctively tried to push Michael
out of the line of fire.
    Kenny was a second faster, and hit Michael with his body.
The ion pulse that was meant for the older man seared through Kenny’s chest,
instantly killing the physicist.
    Alex changed direction, reaching out to catch Kenny’s
falling body. A cry of outrage and despair escaped him.
    “You murdered him!” he yelled, though the words came out
incoherently.
    Michael, who had recovered his balance, slowly stood up
straight. He couldn’t believe Kenny was dead. A primal savagery began to grow
inside him. Thought did not control his actions. On pure instinct, he launched
himself at Chow Yin with only the image of his hands wrapped around the
self-styled Emperor’s neck to fuel him. He had no care that he would most
likely be shot dead by a soldier before he got more than half way to their
leader. Kenny had never hurt anyone. He didn’t deserve to be cut