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Back Beyond the Burn Line Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. Copyright
  2. Contents
  3. Epigraph
  4. Part One
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. 28.
  33. 29.
  34. 30.
  35. 31.
  36. 32.
  37. Part Two
  38. 1.
  39. 2.
  40. 3.
  41. 4.
  42. 5.
  43. 6.
  44. 7.
  45. 8.
  46. 9.
  47. 10.
  48. 11.
  49. 12.
  50. 13.
  51. 14.
  52. 15.
  53. 16.
  54. 17.
  55. 18.
  56. 19.
  57. 20.
  58. 21.
  59. 22.
  60. 23.
  61. 24.
  62. 25.
  63. 26.
  64. 27.
  65. 28.
  66. By Paul McAuley:

‘I can find no records of anyone by that name, or her agency. As for the godown, it appears to have been rented by Management and Supply. It is possible that you have encountered a group of Originists who want to get hold of the map, or a special-interest group within the high echelons of the Authority. One of a number of projects and entities which fail to properly inform Mother about their activities.’

‘I haven’t been able to find the map. I caused a diplomatic incident when I tried and failed to find something related to it. Why does she still need me?’

Ysbel was tired and bitter and angry. She felt like a hostage to fortune, used by both sides with little or no agency of her own.

‘That involves decisions to which I am not privy,’ Zaquil said. ‘You really should leave now. I have taken control of your captors’ runabout. It will take you where you need to go.’

‘And where is that?’

‘To the airfield, of course. You and Goodwill Saltmire need to leave the city before you get into more trouble, and I imagine that you want to find out what is hidden in the forest in bear country.’

‘You freed Goodwill?’

‘Let’s say I persuaded him to do the right thing.’

‘You did all this without consulting me.’

‘You were otherwise occupied. And I have every confidence that you would have made the same choices.’

‘That’s not the point,’ Ysbel said. She was especially irritated because the helper had guessed right about what she wanted to do. ‘Don’t act without my permission again.’

‘Of course not,’ Zaquil said, not sounding the least bit chastened. ‘If you have no more questions, I suggest you climb aboard the runabout.’

‘Restore my link first. And give me back my bots.’

‘It would be best to keep your link switched off for now. In case it could be used to trace you.’

‘These people. Damage Limitation. They can do that?’

‘Since I do not know who they are or what powers they possess, it would be best to err on the side of caution. As for your bots, I am afraid that I was unable to locate those which were taken from you, but I still have control of the one I was using in the Library’s basement. It’s waiting for you in the hopper,’ Zaquil said.

‘You have a hopper?’

‘How else are we going to reach bear country? Don’t worry, Ysbel! Everything is in hand,’ Zaquil said, and the window closed.