Responding to his orders, calm robots mounted the weapons stations on the stolen EDF ships. PD and QT, who had trained and practiced, were ready at the gunnery consoles. Sirix issued the command for his small fleet to power up, advance toward Relleker at full speed, and open fire.
Before the Klikiss swarmships could react to the unexpected black robot attack, EDF jazers and volleys of explosive projectiles scattered the cores of the clusters. The repeated detonations left nothing more than sparkling wreckage, like fireworks against the starry blackness. Component ships flew in all directions, without guidance.
Sirix, QT said, numerous Klikiss warriors remain on the ground. They have infested the established colony and are continuing the battle.
They would have come here to conquer. Sirix ran his weapons inventory swiftly through his efficient cybernetic mind. He still possessed four nuclear warheads that could vaporize part of the continent where the Relleker colony had been. He could not risk allowing any portion of the two wounded subhives to remain. If he could not have Relleker for his own purposes, he would certainly not leave it for the Klikiss.
The warhead drop was precise, and flashes of atomic fire spread outward, disintegrating the remaining Klikiss and purging Relleker of the infestation. along with any hidden humans who might have survived.
When the stolen EDF ships slowly withdrew from the system, Relleker was totally dead. It is good to have a clean victory for once, Sirix said aloud, though he remained discouraged that he had not acquired the technological facilities he had hoped for.
The two compies stared at the screen as the planet receded. Our problem remains unsolved, Sirix, PD said.
30
King Peter
Every breath smelled like wet ash.
Because the fungus-reef city had burned to the ground, Peter needed to establish a new temporary headquarters for his government. Admiral Williss troops cleared the few still-smoldering trees, leveled the ground, and set up modular barracks.
She reported to Peter. With your permission, sire, Id like to get my corps of engineers working to ensure we have clean water and proper food supplies. Our standard rationpacks arent gourmet fare, but theyll do in a pinch. Besides, you people eat bugs, so I dont suppose youre too picky.
Peter let the joke slide. You and your ships couldnt have arrived at a better time, Admiral.
Better late than never. Does this mean you accept us as part of the Confederation military?
Part of it? Most of it, Id say. When you finish basic operations here, I want you to report to the Osquivel shipyards. Thats where most of our fleet is being constructed. Youll have to work out the details with my current. commanding officers, I suppose youd call them. Robb Brindle and Tasia Tamblyn.
Willis chuckled. Brindle and Tamblyn? I should have known theyd find themselves in the thick of things. Brindles father served as my exec, but he. elected not to change his employment at the present time.
You left him behind when your ships mutinied? Estarra clarified.
Willis tried not to look scandalized by the Queens choice of words. Some people are just a little slow to make the right choices.
Estarra adjusted the baby tucked against her side, careful not to wake him; he had finally fallen asleep with salve on his burns. Peter, if Admiral Willis is going to the Osquivel shipyards, she should take the hydrogue derelict with her. We need to get it to Kotto Okiah.
He nodded. Yes, its about time for that although Im glad it was here when we needed it.
The silvery wental ship landed in the middle of the meadow, where droplets from the sparkling downpour continued to drip from the high trees. Jess Tamblyn and Cesca Peroni, crackling with internal wental energy, stepped through the flexible membrane of their vessel and stood glistening, coated with a permanent sheen of living water. They exchanged smiles of hard satisfaction.
Im glad we got your message, Cesca said. The green priests signaled this emergency loud and clear.
Jess looked very pleased with himself. We needed to show the wentals how they could fight. The faeros have already done them enough harm. Its time for us to go on the offensive.
A shadow crossed Cescas face. The faeros will strike and burn everything they can: the Confederation, the Hansa, the wentals, the verdani everything. Thats why we need everything to fight them.
Jess added. As you saw here, the wentals have truly awakened, and well lead them. He looked at the sky, watching the colorful sunset deepen. Ive already summoned my water bearers to help spread the wentals, as before. We met with Nikko Chan Tylar and his father in the Osquivel shipyards, and they are already taking theAquarius on new missions.
A deeply satisfied expression overlaid Cescas anger. The faeros dont know it yet, but the rules have changed. Theyre in for a surprise.
31
Caleb Tamblyn
Cold. Lonely. Hopeless.
During the seemingly endless days hed been stuck here, Caleb had thought of many words to describe his situation. Escape pods werent designed to be luxury accommodations, but at least he was alive. Still.
Stranded. Isolated. At his wits end.
When the faeros had closed in on the Tamblyn tanker, Denn Peroni and Caleb had been on the edge of the Jonah system, minding their own business, carrying a load of wentals. Who could have foreseen that Denns bizarre new religion that allowed him to see the interconnected universe would make him vulnerable to the fiery elementals?
Denn had known that he himself couldnt get away, but hed forced Caleb to stumble into the escape pod, and the emergency engines had blasted him free before hed known what was really happening. The water tanker exploded behind him, and the fireballs had dragged the dispersed wentals into the sun.
Caleb had tumbled for a day in empty space before crashing on the icy lump of Jonah 12. Not long ago this place had been a Roamer outpost, a hydrogen-processing plant designed by Kotto Okiah himself. But it had been devastated. something to do with rampaging Klikiss robots, if he remembered correctly.
Little remained on Jonah 12s cratered ice fields no transports, no buildings, no way of transmitting an emergency signal. and no one within range to detect it even if he could shout out. Caleb didnt have the slightest idea how he was going to get out of this.
A sophisticated and serviceable Roamer model, the escape pod had its own life-support engine and batteries designed to keep passengers alive for a week at most. Even though he rationed his supplies and kept exertion to a minimum, Caleb wouldnt last long enough for anyone to notice he was missing.