The Ashes of Worlds

Overhead, forty-nine Ildiran streamers raced back and forth, creating sonic booms and leaving a crosshatched pattern of exhaust trails. Though reluctant to leave Ildira again himself — considering what had happened on his last innocent mission to Theroc — the Mage-Imperator nonetheless sent Nira, Osira’h, and Prime Designate Daro’h; through thethism he would know what he needed to know.

Next to King Peter, Estarra held baby Reynald in her arms. She didn’t care that this was a formal government ceremony: She intended for their baby to witness the birth of a truly unified Confederation. Proud grandparents Mother Alexa and Father Idriss wanted to watch the child, but the Queen’s word was final.

OX never allowed himself to be more than a few steps away from the King and Queen. His synthetic skin was polished and all his systems up-graded — especially his memory capacity, to accommodate the data that Deputy Cain had saved in the archives, as well as the new experiences he had accumulated since escaping from Earth with Peter and Estarra.

“Now I can store several more lifetimes’ worth of memories,” the Teacher compy had said when the restoration upload was complete. His optical sensors gleamed gold with excitement.

“You have a lot more work ahead of you, OX,” Peter had said. “You taught me so many valuable things that I was hoping you’d teach our son, too.”

“Will you be Reynald’s Teacher compy?” Estarra asked.

OX did not hesitate. “I would be honored.”

After the Ildiran skyparade wrapped up overhead, the streamers raced back to their warliner in orbit, and King Peter called for attention. “People of Earth and Theroc, people of the human race — whether former Hansa colonists or Roamers — and representatives of the Ildiran Empire.” He looked around to see rapt attention on the faces of the large crowd that sat shaded under the green canopy of leaves. “Endings are often sad, beginnings usually joyous. Today we have both. After listening to an overwhelming majority of representatives, I exercise the authority vested in me as the leader of the Confederation to formally dissolve the Terran Hanseatic League.”

King Peter listened to the surge of applause. Deputy Cain and Sarein clapped the loudest.

When the cheering died down, Estarra spoke. “The King and I welcome all peoples who wish to live in peace, so that a strong civilization can thrive in the Spiral Arm. We have seen the costs of enmity and destruction. Now let us reap the rewards of cooperation, commerce, and friendship.”

Peter continued even before the applause had quieted. “Our past was built on the whims of tyrants, the blood of innocents, the embers of stars, and the ashes of worlds.” Beside him, Estarra held the baby in one arm. He took her free hand. “Together, we build a new future for all, and together we can achieve the impossible.”

Glossary

Adar— highest military rank in the Ildiran Solar Navy.

Aguerra, Carlos — Raymond’s younger brother.

Aguerra, Michael — Raymond’s youngest brother.

Aguerra, Raymond— streetwise young man from Earth, former identity of King Peter.

Aguerra, Rory — Raymond’s younger brother.

Ala’nh, Tal — one of the remaining cohort commanders of the Ildiran Solar Navy.

Alexa, Mother — former ruler of Theroc; wife of Father Idriss and mother of Reynald, Beneto, Sarein, Estarra, and Celli.

Andez, Colonel Shelia — EDF soldier, former Roamer captive with Patrick Fitzpatrick III, chosen to lead Chairman Wenceslas’s “cleanup crew.”

Andropolis, Dr. Tito — Hansa scientific adviser assigned to assist Chairman Wenceslas in creating technological “miracles.”

Aquarius— Nikko Chan Tylar’s wental-repaired ship.

Archfather — symbolic head of the Unison religion on Earth.

Barrymore’s Rock — isolated Roamer fuel depot destroyed by Sirix’s black robots.

BeBob — Rlinda Kett’s nickname for Branson Roberts.

Beneto — green priest, second son of Father Idriss and Mother Alexa, killed by hydrogues on Corvus Landing, returned in a wooden body as an avatar of the worldforest, then later joined with verdani battleship.

Big Goose — Roamer derogative term for Terran Hanseatic League.

blazer — Ildiran illumination source.

Blind Faith— Branson Roberts’s ship, destroyed during an escape from Earth, rebuilt by Roamers at the Osquivel shipyards.

breedex — a hive mind of the Klikiss, which controls all the members of a subhive.

Brindle, Conrad — Robb Brindle’s father, former military officer, returned to active duty; when Robb left to join the Confederation, Conrad insisted on remaining loyal to the EDF.

Brindle, Natalie — Robb Brindle’s mother, former military officer returned to active duty.

Brindle, Robb — young EDF recruit, comrade of Tasia Tamblyn, captured and held prisoner by hydrogues after trying to contact them at Osquivel, rescued by Jess Tamblyn. With Tasia, Robb joined the Confederation and helps them build their military.

Burton— One of the eleven generation ships from Earth, seized by Ildirans at Dobro and its passengers used in breeding experiments for generations.

Cain, Eldred — deputy and heir-apparent of Basil Wenceslas.

cargo escort — Roamer vessel used to deliver ekti shipments from skymines.

Celli — youngest daughter of Father Idriss and Mother Alexa; she recently became a green priest.

Chan, Marla — mother of Nikko Chan Tylar, wife of Crim Tylar. Marla was killed by Klikiss during the colonists’ escape from Llaro.

Charybdis — primordial water planet, site of Jess Tamblyn’s original dispersal of wentals. Charybdis was devastated in an unprovoked faeros attack.

chrysalis chair — reclining throne of the Mage-Imperator.

cleanup crew — elite watchdog security group given special orders by Chairman Wenceslas to quell dissent. They are led by Colonel Shelia Andez.

cloud harvester — ekti-gathering facility designed by Hansa.

cohort — Ildiran Solar Navy battle group consisting of seven maniples, or 343 warliners, commanded by a tal.

Colicos, Anton — son of Margaret and Louis Colicos, translator and student of epic stories, sent to Ildiran Empire to study theSaga of Seven Suns. He was captured with the Mage-Imperator’s Ildirans and held prisoner on the Moon.

Colicos, Louis — xeno-archaeologist, husband of Margaret Colicos and father of Anton, killed by Klikiss robots at Rheindic Co.

Colicos, Margaret — xeno-archaeologist, wife of Louis Colicos and mother of Anton, vanished through transportal during Klikiss robot attack on Rheindic Co and lived among Klikiss. After helping colonists escape from Llaro, Margaret was recaptured by the new breedex.

competent computerized companion — intelligent servant robot, called compy, available in Friendly, Teacher, Governess, Listener, and other models.

compy — shortened term for “competent computerized companion.”

condorfly — colorful flying insect on Theroc like a giant butterfly, sometimes kept as pets.

Constantine III — stormy, primordial planet, site of Roamer facility to extract polymers and raw materials from its thick atmosphere; known for exotic flame-proof materials.