asked. note 252 But behind her thoughts he sensed chasms of horror; self-disgust so extreme that it had become something close to awe. He wondered if Skade was letting him taste her feelings deliberately, or whether her control was simply not good enough to mask what she really felt. Why did you let Delmar do this to you? note 253 She glanced down, though she could not tilt her head. note 254 Felka stepped back. ‘What about your body?’ note 255 ‘Well, that’s fine then. But unless I’m missing something, you’re still a prisoner.’ note 256 The head spun around through a disconcerting two hundred and seventy degrees. From out of the room’s shadows stepped what Remontoire had until then taken to be a waiting general-utility servitor, the kind one might find in any well-appointed household. The bipedal androform machine had a dejected, slumped appearance. It was headless, with a circular aperture between its shoulders. note 257 Help you into it ? Remontoire queried. note 258 Remontoire placed both hands around the silver pedestal and pulled. There was a soft click and the upper part, along with the head, came loose in his hands. He elevated it, finding it much heavier than he had imagined it would be. Hanging beneath the place where the pedestal had separated was a knot of slimy wriggling cables. They thrashed and groped like a fistful of eels. note 259 Remontoire did as she asked. Perhaps the possibility of dropping the head flickered through his mind once or twice, though rationally he doubted that the fall would do Skade very much harm: the floor would most likely soften to absorb the impact. But he fought to keep such thoughts as well censored as he could. note 260 He slid the silver core into the machine until he encountered resistance. Is that it ? note 261 Skade’s eyes widened perceptibly, and her skin took on a blush it had lacked before. note 262 The servitor’s forearm jerked violently forwards, the fist clenching and unclenching spasmodically. Skade pulled it back and held the outspread hand before her eyes, studying the mechanical anatomy of gloss-black and chrome with rapt fascination. The servitor was of a quaint design that resembled medieval armour; it was both beautiful and brutal. You seem to have the hang of it. The servitor took a shuffling step forwards, both arms held slightly in front of it. note 263 ‘Not to bother doing what?’ asked Felka. note 264 ‘Of course,’ Felka said uneasily. note 265 ‘Why’s that?’ ‘Because I would very much like him to see what he has done to me.’ Skade turned around with a creak of metal. ‘Now, there is something else you wanted to see, I think. Shall we continue?’ The suit of armour led them out of the room. CHAPTER 15 A word pressed itself into Volyova’s skull, as hard and searing as a cattle brand.
note 266 She could not speak, could only shape her own thoughts in response. Yes. How do you know my name ? note 267 Again she moved to hammer on the door that had sealed her inside the cache weapon, but when she tried to lift her arm nothing happened. She was paralysed, though still able to breathe. The presence, whatever it was, continued to feel as if it was directly behind her, looking over her shoulder. Who … She sensed a terrible mocking delight in her own ignorance. note 268 You speak Russish. note 269 Why… now? note 270 I… have. Nearly. note 271 She felt, despite still being paralysed, a tiny easing of her terror. So the presence was a computer program, no more than that. She had simply triggered a layer of
