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Chapter Three Nick's hands had been bound, his ebony stick had been taken away and after a short drive, the alien jeep had arrived at a sumptuous villa - all creamy walls and climbing purple plants. He knew he was about to meet a bad guy. But then meeting bad guys was what Nick seemed to do a lot these days. It was part of the job description. Sure enough he was soon standing before a swarthy-looking man - not a Yahanan - wearing robes of emerald green. 'Greeting,' said the man with a slight smile. His voice was smooth and educated and his eyes twinkled with intelligence. 'You may leave us,' he said to the guards who bowed and withdrew, closing the door behind them. 'I guess you're the baddest bad ass on the block and I am your prisoner?' asked Nick The man's smile broadened for a second. 'Please, sit,' he said. Nick hobbled towards the sofa trying to take in his surroundings. The room was actually quite small as megalomaniacs' boudoirs went. The walls were decorated with understated tapestries and four pillars marked out the inner area where two couches and a low table stood on a brightly coloured rug. There were no windows and only one other door, set back to the right of the farthest pillar. The faint hum of an air conditioner and a gentle aroma of jasmine - or something similar - filled the room in an unobtrusive manner. Nick sat. 'I cannot tell you how excited I am to have found you,' said the man. 'I didn't know I was lost,' said Nick, wondering how far he could push this guy before he turned nasty. The man laughed. 'Now, I suspect that we are both busy men, so we'll get down to business. You are not from this planet. You recently arrived on Yahanis and you are not alone.' The man fixed Nick with an even stare. 'Would you care to elucidate? 'I don't know what you're talking about,' said Nick 'Hmmm,' said the man. 'Very well. Perhaps we can trade information. My name is Jeret Seth. I arrived on this godforsaken planet some years ago and have been trying to leave ever since. I have been working on a way of doing that, but my plans to do so have been disrupted by a group of militants who call themselves the Wasi - I see from your expression that you've heard of them. As they have taken from me my means of escape, I was hoping that you would be able to help.' 'You want us to give you a lift?' asked Nick, almost smiling. 'Don't these Yahanans have interplanetary travel?' 'Not yet,' said Seth. 'They have a primitive satellite launching system and ambitious plans, but so far nothing that would take me further than one of their dusty moons. With most government funds funnelled into keeping their gene pool uncontaminated, there is little left for a space program.' He paused. 'And thank you for not denying you are and your companions are space travellers.' Nick swore silently. This Seth character was silky smooth. 'Your silence does you credit, Mr…?' 'My friends call me Nick.' 'Excellent, Nick. Now, I have been very open with you and while I do not expect you to trust me, I would like you to be a bit more forthcoming.' 'Look, I'm sorry to hear about your problems, all right? But I've got a few corkers of my own right now,' Nick said, standing up. 'What say you let me go and I'll see what I can do?' 'I had hoped we could be civilised about this,' said Seth, glancing over his shoulder. Nick followed his gaze as a silvery figure stepped out from behind a veined marble pillar. For a brief moment, Nick's heart froze as he thought it was a Cyberman. But it was just an android - and a featureless one at that. 'This is Rasa,' Seth continued. 'He's my personal bodyguard and sometime assistant.' 'I am being civilised,' said Nick, eyeing Rasa with suspicion. 'You're the one who just produced a killer robot out of nowhere.' 'You have to see it from my point of view,' said Seth returning his gaze to Nick. 'If you don't help me, I will be forced to find other methods to persuade you.' Nick watched, rooted to the spot, as the android moved gracefully away from the pillar and took up position across the table from him. 'Right,' said Nick. 'And those "Other methods" wouldn't happen to involve knives and skewers, would they? Or mind-altering drugs?' 'Nothing quite so crude,' said Seth. 'Rasa, the ADNA, please.' Before Nick could register what was happening, the android had raised its arm, releasing a tiny silver dart from its hand, which embedding itself in Nick's throat. He fell back on the couch, grabbing at the barb. He tore it out and threw it on the floor, feeling the warmth of his own blood on his fingers. 'What the hell was that!' Nick shouted, wincing at the pain that was seeping steadily from his throat. 'That was an anti-deoxyribonucleic acid compound,' replied Seth pulling a cord that hung from the ceiling. 'Anti?' breathed Nick through clenched teeth. 'That is correct. I produce some of the best DNA restoratives on the planet and I have a very exclusive clientele, but sometimes they toy with the idea of not paying me for my product. So I constructed a compound that would reverse - or indeed exacerbate - the condition of a being's DNA. I have only tested it on Yahanans, so I shall be interested to see what it does to you.' Nick closed his eyes. The pain was spreading rapidly throughout his system. 'You're nuts,' he said through clenched teeth. 'You kill me and you'll never get out of 'ere.' As he spoke, he became aware that the doors had opened again and squeezing his eyelids opened saw the two guards had returned. 'It will take some time for the drug to completely destabilise your genetic coding. Rasa here has the antidote, which will be administered as soon as we reach your time ship.' 'Time ship?' hissed Nick. 'You really are nuts!' 'I think we have moved beyond our polite little charade,' said Seth. 'I know you are a time traveller. Please don't insult my intelligence.' He rose from the couch and addressed the guards. 'Bring him.' |
