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Stump://
Chapter 2
The kitchen
was in disarray. It was a kitchen built for catering, with no
real food preparation capability, just the essentials to keep
things warm, or hot. Or cold. Some things need to be kept cold.
Or tepid, but now we're wandering.
Stump saw the tallish clock-watcher round the corner on the
far side of the kitchen. He'd have to run and vault stuff to
catch him, but Stump was young, and more or less in shape. This
was, after all, how he got paid, so he knew he could do it.
In seconds he had crossed the maze of caterers and food, plates,
spills (some that he had made), and counters. The moment before
rounding the corner, Stump paused and drew his weapon.
Merlin was a foot and a half of metallic rod-shaped pieces,
with a comfortable looking handle at one end. It was held like
a gun, but could be used as a baton, if the situation warranted.
And Merlin was programmed with second gen A.I. Kate would only
buy second gen A.I.s. They were easy enough to get along with,
and had none of that personality approximating software that
made things work questionably. And Merlin had to work right
every time.
"*Self Targeting: Active*" droned the digital voice
of a fatherly sounding man.
Stump hit the buttons to set the charge to 50,000 volts. He
could set Merlin as high as 150,000 volts without killing the
guy, but Stump really wanted him conscious as soon as possible.
A quick peak told him the coast was clear. Keeping Merlin
pointed level down the passage, Stump was careful to move fast
and keep tight to the wall, just in case.
15 yards, and the passage 'T'd. He snapped his head out, and
then back in too look down the far left side of the intersection
first. Nothing. He looked right.
Zap-O!
Yeah, the guy's gun actually made that sound. It must have
been a fourth of fifth gen A.I. interface with a humor problem.
A few more impacts right by Stumps head accompanied by the high-voiced
"Zap-O!"
Stump recognized solid impacts when he heard them. These were
right next to his good ear, and threatened to make him deaf
on that side, too. Solid projectiles were banned on all Stations,
for obvious reasons. This guy won't go down easy, Stump reasoned.
He keyed Merlin to 150,000 volts.
Keeping to the right side of the corridor, Stump was able
to get as close to the edge as possible without getting shot.
Going down to his knees, Stump watched the impact trails to
make sure they were all over his head, in case his timing was
off.
Holding Merlin close to his face, so he could look down the
barrel and scope the corridor as he volleyed back, Stump quickly
leaned out into the hall, squeezed off three quick shots, and
ducked back. The man was 30 feet down the hall, trying to use
the girding as cover. Not very effective against solid projectile
weapons, but highly adequate for cover from energy weapons.
Stump listened for the sounds of shot hitting the wall again.
One-two-three-four, pause, one-two-three, pause. Stump leaned
out during this second pause. It would be his longest.
Stump leaned out, fixing his position so he would skim the edge
of the girding as soon as he pulled the trigger. Stump was so
fixed on visualizing where the guy was, he almost failed to
notice the bright flash.
The bright flash was followed abruptly by unconsciousness. Stump
noticed that.
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