Page 39 of Agrippa's Acceptance

The clone shot him. “Hurry, down there, set the bombs and get back here so we can go to the second temple.”

They hurried down the stairs. It soon became apparent that she was only holding Amelagar and Anatu back. “I will wait here.”

They didn’t argue, just increased their pace until they looked like two whirlwinds going down the steep winding staircase. She chewed on her foreclaw until they came into sight again. Without a word they went back up and carefully approached the entrance. The clone stood waiting for them.

The second and third temple was easy, but the fourth one had too many clones going in and out. “We will have to be satisfied with blowing up three temples,” Amelagar said.

The clone shook his head, his eyes cold. “No, this is where they clone people. It has to be blown up.”

“Why would you want to destroy your people?”

“I am not destroying them, I am saving them.”

“By blowing them up?”

“I will not explain myself to a machine. How do we blow up this temple.”

Amelagar stared at the temple for a while and then said thoughtfully, “if you are allowed inside, you can plant the bombs.”

The clone sneered and Agrippa wondered if that was his normal expression. “I go where I please. Give me the bomb and get back to the ship. You know the route. Walk fast, but look as if you belong here.”

Amelagar explained where and how to set the bombs and the clone took the small pack and walked to the temple.

Number Two spoke for the first time. “You will have to get back to your ship on your own. We orchestrated riots for today which should make it easier for you to get away.” He handed over a piece of paper. “The coordinates.”

“Thank you. I hope this helps you defeat the clones.”

Number One looked thoughtful. “They might destroy each other and make our job easier.”

Everything went fine, until they were almost out of the ghetto. A group of young men gathered around them. “Hand over what you have and we will only hurt you a little.”

Agrippa feared her heart would explode out of her chest. But she’d underestimated Amelagar. He kicked and punched and within minutes all the young men were lying on the ground, groaning.

Agrippa and Anatu exchanged glances and ran full out for the space ship. LBS opened the ramp for them and they ran in. “Take off, take off now,” Amelagar shouted. “Agrippa, input those codes.”

Agrippa put in the codes and then she turned to Amelar and could feel her ryhov drain of color. “Will the explosion harm my people.”

“Not if they are outside the temples. From what I saw down there, the explosions should destroy everything, but the depth of the temple will contain the explosions underground.”

“I really hope you are right.”

They left orbit and flew to the dark side of the moon where the clone ship waited. It opened its hangar doors and they flew inside. The moment they landed inside, Agrippa threw herself into Amelagars arms and he held her tight. “I didn’t think we’d make it,” she whispered.

“I had my doubts too.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

One day later, Agrippa tiptoed down the corridor and carefully peered around the corner. The ship they stole might be bigger than the one they arrived in, but between the four marines and two cyborgs and a tunrian, it felt overcrowded. She reached her destination and quickly slipped inside.

There was no way to hide from LBS, but he did not seem interested in them. The first morning after they left Tundra, he had woken them with an unearthly sound. Agrippa had jerked on the bed, as if someone had attached electricity wires to her.

When the marines stopped swearing and threatening LBS with a demotion, the marines explained it was the sound of a bugle and that it was traditional to wake them with that every morning. So far, she haven’t found a way to program that habit out of LBS. But she and Anatu were determined to keep trying.

Amelagar waited for her, and there was something different about him. It was almost as if he vibrated with some strong emotion. “Is something wrong, Amelagar?”

His fierce green eyes shone even brighter. “Why now?”

“I don’t understand. Why now what?”

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