Dark World

IV | View to a Kill

IV | View to a Kill

“My lord, the charge is complete.”

Valdus looked up from his map table and smiled. “You see? And we are still here—with our limbs included. You worry too much, old friend. And the focusing of the beam?”

“I have adjusted the apex angles of the prisms so that the wave front should converge on the ferryman alone,” said Lector. “But I must warn you, sire. The plasma core is only marginally stable; should any single constant become variable once the weapon is fired ... the results could be catastrophic—especially if the shields of the gondola create a mirror effect.”

“There will be no mirror effect,” said Valdus. “Lieutenant Crith, how long until they are out of range?”

Crith ground his binoculars. “They are moving slower than anticipated, my lord, although at this distance it’s impossible to say why. Regardless, I’d estimate no more than five minutes.”

Valdus expressed his satisfaction by placing his hands on his hips and exhaling. “We’re ahead of schedule. You’ve done well, Lector.” He moved around to the chair built into the side of the sun engine. “I’ll sight the target myself. General Hirth, prepare your boarding party.”

“Be advised, my lord,” said Lector, “that I have not yet re-slaved the trigger mechanism to the sighting device ...”

“Then I trust you’ll trigger it from your control panel precisely on my word. Watch me closely.”

He settled into the chair and pressed his forehead against the sighting scope, activating the lead-measuring and rangefinder scales. “Everyone don your goggles. Men with no eyes make poor soldiers.”

He worked the controls of the turret until the tiny boat slid into view, then zoomed in as close as he could on the ferryman’s head, which remained hardly larger than an apple seed, before scanning right to the passenger.

Is it you, my elven-faced nursemaid and most preferred port of call? Why do you not activate? You should not assume I can see you, if that’s the case. But then you have always assumed me to be perfect and infallible, not so much a man but a slab of granite for you to push yourself against. If only you knew to what lengths I have gone to ensure the success of the revolution, the lengths I intend to go.

He re-focused on the ferryman. And you, Taker. Today I take from you. First, I will take your head clean from your body. And then I will take your gold-plated key ...

A raven called from somewhere in the gloom, and he pushed the thoughts from his mind. “Lieutenant Crith, see to it that Hirth has assigned archers to monitor the mists.” He ground his brow against the sighting scope. “If it flies, kill it.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Today, my friends, we make history once again. Long live the Revolution!” He narrowed the sights on the ferryman’s head. “Prepare to fire.”