Chapter 2

Decimal’s Place

DECIMAL LIGHTLY TOUCHED the tip of his right index finger to the control screen. A stream of data flooded up the wires in his arm. The computer chips implanted in his brain fizzed into life.

The downloaded information flashed across Decimal’s mind. He could see digital maps; readouts from scanners; data on weapons – everything he wanted to know about the soldiers and military equipment under his command.

The Chief of Peace was pleased. Things were going well. Almost all his White Knights were in position. The last unit was being battle-tuned right now, here in the West One Peace Keep. They would soon be ready to join the attack force, bringing it to its full strength of four thousand robot troops.

All that was needed then was the green light from the Chairman.

If things were going to plan, the Chairman would already have made his announcement. Once the cover story about the reactor leak was in place, the Corporation’s ‘task force’ could go into action.

Decimal twitched his right eyelid. It had a micro-switch beneath it – one of many electronic components that the Chief of Peace had chosen to have surgically added to his body. He was as much machine as human.

The control screen filled with a vidcam image of the battle-zone. It showed the front ranks of White Knights, in precise formation, silently awaiting the order to advance. Just beyond them, a curving wall of green light rose from the ground. It was part of a vast dome of energy that enclosed a large circular area.

Another eyelid-twitch activated the camera’s zoom. It closed in on a cluster of derelict buildings at the centre of the enclosed area – the remains of the ancient reactor. Decimal switched the camera to thermal imaging mode. He could make out the heat shadows of several bodies moving among the ruined buildings.

Fools, he thought coldly. They don’t stand a chance. They’ll be wiped out.

The troublemakers had been particularly foolish to hide out within striking distance of a Peace Keep. The Corporation’s fort-like Keeps stood at regular intervals all around Nu-Topia’s perimeter. The West One stronghold was an ideal command centre for Decimal’s operation.

‘General. Permission to report.’

Decimal turned to look into the visored face of a White Knight, standing stiffly to attention behind him. The soldier’s gleaming armour was marked with a black shoulder flash.

‘Yes, Captain? What is it?’

‘Sir, the executive shuttle is approaching the Keep’s docking bay. Estimated time of arrival less than four minutes, sir.’

‘Thank you, Captain.’

So the Chairman was on his way. Good. Now the party could really get started . . .