“Then you can stay where you are. We have just witnessed the battle. We do not have weapons such as yours. But we do have a defense. An electric screen nearly half a mile across has been placed about you. Watch.”
They looked at the screen, and a tiny drone-torpedo came winging its way from the violet dome. It came to within a thousand yards of them and suddenly crashed into an unseen barrier. Broken and blazing, it came falling down like a crippled bird.
“There,” the voice said triumphantly. “That is what will happen to you. Why don’t you leave us? You are not wanted. Leave us.”
“Faith, he’s a hospitable soul,” Odin murmured.
Ato’s voice was shaking in wrath when he answered. “We can find a way to smash that curtain. We want Grim Hagen and his prisoners. When we have them we will depart.”
“Grim Hagen is our ally. We have already sworn our allegiance. I have no more words for you.”
There was a clicking sound and the loudspeaker died with a sputter of static.
It sputtered again, and this time Grim Hagen’s voice mocked them. “There, Ato. You have your answer. You are wasting your time. But I am a reasonable man. You can have Maya. You can have the ship. You can have the prisoners—the few that are left. I will trade all these for Wolden’s secret.”
“Greed has you in its hand, Grim Hagen. I know nothing of my father’s secret. I do not even know if he succeeded—”
“Then summon him and let him decide for himself. You are young, but two-thirds of my life is gone now—”