The Orphaned Worlds

by Michael Cobley

  ‘Of course. My comrade-in-arms is Franklyn Gideon, Captain of the Stormlions commandery, and of the scoutship Starfire.’

  Gideon gave an amused nod in Theo’s direction before his expression grew serious.

  ‘I’m afraid that I am in no position to speak on behalf of my people – due to political intrigue I and many of my officers and men are now considered outlaws. I can tell you, however, that the great majority of Tygrans will stay loyal to their leaders and to the pact with the Sendrukan Hegemony.’

  ‘A people convinced of absurdities is capable of terrible things,’ said Ajegil. ‘What do you and your men believe in, Captain?’

  ‘In the principles of the founders and in the defence of our world. We may be outcast for now, but we shall uphold these principles and demonstrate our worth by going to Darien and fighting for the freedom of our brothers and sisters there. In any case, who can tell what the future has in store for the likes of Becker and his cronies?’

  Ajegil nodded and looked at Theo.

  ‘Major Karlsson, what will Dariens do?’

  ‘Argue, I should think.’ He smiled. ‘Even in the face of disaster, my fellow Dariens usually find time for a good disagreement on fundamentals. Then afterwards we’ll fight as one, throw stones and empty beer bottles if we have to. But we’ll fight – no one strikes at us with impunity.’

  ‘Brave words, Major,’ said Ajegil.

  Theo shook his head. ‘When someone’s trying to take away your home, my Roug friend, you don’t stop to wonder what’s the brave thing to do, you do the right thing and fight.’

  Last, the Roug faced the Pyrean.

  ‘I am well acquainted with the tragic situation of your people, Kao Chih, but tell our new colleagues of your purpose.’

  ‘Free our people on Pyre, firstly and most urgently,’ Kao Chih said. ‘Free them from dust and death and bring them eventually to somewhere like Darien, to be reunited with their dislocated relatives, my own folk from Human Sept. Gregory approved of this, as did Mr Vashutkin …’

  ‘That would be a damn fine idea,’ Theo said. ‘Once we’ve got this little local difficulty cleared up.’

  ‘When I look at you,’ said the Assessor Ajegil, ‘I see three quite distinct Human variants yet there is a basic bond and a common quality that motivates and unites you. In the light of your species’ widely differing cognitive and cultural heterogeneity, it is interesting to see this concord.’

  ‘One of our devotional texts is called the Celestial Litany,’ said Gideon. ‘And there are a few lines from it that you might find interesting:

  Humanity’s Fire enfolds us all,

  Its light can bring forth truth,

  Its heat can forge great souls,

  Yet that light can also blind,

  And that heat can devour,

  Humanity’s Fire can burn us all.’

  ‘An intriguing viewpoint,’ Ajegil said. ‘I would like to learn more but Mandator Reen tells me that our time together is at an end.’

  Farewells were made, and even Yash, the Voth, said formal words of departure, which clearly amazed Kao Chih. The effect was slightly spoiled when he then said:

  ‘Just wanted to prove that I’ve got some jelking manners!’

  Parting company with them, Theo and Gideon were swiftly ushered by a pair of Roug attendants to a small-craft berth where the Starfire’s skiff was moored. Ten minutes later they were aboard, strapped in and heading back to the scoutship.

  ‘So, next port of call – Darien,’ said Gideon.

  ‘That is the truth,’ Theo said, considering the few details that he had learned from Kao Chih. ‘I’m just hoping that there’s something to come home to.’

  ROBERT

  The journey back up to normal space followed an erratic route through a succession of tiers and eye-challenging scenes. Ring orbitals braceleted together in an immense, extravagant world-girdling chain. Hourglass-shaped structures, their hexagon-patterned outer surfaces missing sections, the hollow interiors lined with curved spines. Hundreds of domed asteroids, some containing desiccated gardens, others with clusters of buildings, and all linked by a lattice of walkway conduits, which time and neglect had tangled together. Huge spheres of opaque ice hanging in orbit around a barren rocky world, all clasped by metallic grids which in places had burst or snapped. When their ship, the Evidence of Absence, came near enough, magnified shots revealed the foggy shapes of creatures inside them. And no sign of life anywhere – everything was deserted, the abandoned relics of dead civilisations.

  The last spectacle they encountered before arriving back in normal space was a massive world lit by the dull glow of three slow-orbiting suns. In the shadow of low, rounded mountains stretched vast stony plains scarred and gouged by immense mechanical behemoths, gigantic mobile mounds of compacted technology. Rusting armour sections, cut and shaped ship hulls, hammered vehicle shells, roof sections, and a multitude of other fabricated materials formed the huge carapace from which pipes and girders poked, chains and cables trailed, and oily effluent trickled. The upper slopes bore solar panels to catch the suns’ feeble rays while at the crumbling, corroded base scores of mammoth caterpillar track assemblies groaned and rasped as they bore that stupendous burden across the stony plain.

  According to Rosa, these were the last remnants of huge mechanised armies that had escaped the control of their creators. Fortunately, their programming, while ingeniously self-perpetuating, carried a fundamental flaw that prevented it from improving themselves to true artificial sentience. The Construct, she said, was confident that these shambling, hill-sized hulks would in a century or so weaken and degrade and grind at last to an exhausted halt, never to move again.

  ‘An interestingly long-term perspective,’ Robert said. ‘What if some outside agency meddled with this setup and, for example, gave some of these ramshackle monsters a serious upgrade? How would that affect the Construct’s assessment?’

  She regarded him for a moment. ‘This tier and several others in the Upper region are being continuously monitored. Any atypical behaviour would trigger surveillance and analysis, with units of the Aggression on standby. Does that answer your question, Father?’

  They were both sitting on blue-padded benches in the bridge of the Evidence of Absence, an oblong, pale green chamber. Other than the benches there were almost no other furnishings, consoles or displays, apart from the big viewscreen that curved across an entire wall. And an interaction node, a kind of floating holocon-sole with a rounded base, hovering on suspensors next to Rosa. The ship had somehow omitted to assign one to Robert.

  ‘Yes, it answers my curiosity which, as you know, is considerable, especially about worlds I’ve never visited before. Like this one …’ He indicated the screen, currently showing images from a probe flight. ‘I mean, does it have a name? What were the inhabitants like? What are those war-factory mountains called … ?’

  ‘I see, I understand.’ Smiling, Rosa stood. ‘The world was known as Ulorthagandin, the inhabitants called themselves the Phovada, and the mech-amalgams were the Zoanry …’

  ‘And what about … ?’

  She silenced him with a raised hand and said, ‘Ship, would you please provide my father with an interaction node?’

  ‘Certainly, Sim-Rosa.’

  A niche opened in the wall next to the screen and a second holoconsole glided smoothly over to stop at arm’s length from Robert. Pleased, he gave Rosa a small bow of the head.

  ‘I appreciate it, thank you.’

  ‘I hope you make good use of it.’ Rosa headed for the door, which opened. ‘We’ll be arriving in the Omet deepzone in an hour, right inside the Achorga star system, and an hour after that we’ll be in orbit around the hiveworld, known as Purliss Two.’

  Robert nodded. ‘I am sure that this will keep me occupied till then.’

  After she was gone, he sat looking at the door for a few moments, smiling. I always wondered what my daughter would be like as a grown woman, and even if the Co
nstruct’s version of her is only partly right, she is still impressive.

  Then he turned to the floating console, configured the holofield for keypad and fingertipping, then started an infosearch. And paused, frowning.

  ‘Ship, can you put this node’s display up on the big screen?’

  ‘Yes, Robert.’

  At once, half the screen was occupied by Robert’s workfield, embellished with the Canyon interface he’d learned to use back on the Plausible Response.

  ‘Excellent. Now let’s see what your databanks have under the heading “Achorga”.’

  There was a pause, and then canyons of data rushed by in a dizzying blur.

  Two and a half hours later, Robert and Rosa were gearing up in the Evidence of Absence’s armoury while the Ship carried out a stealthy approach to the Achorga hiveworld. It also delivered a running commentary on the inbound vector, interspersed with odd factoids on the hives, the worlds, and the invasions of territories adjacent to the Omet.

  Rosa, he realised, was actually slightly taller than he was, prompting him to wonder if she had chosen to be so. Like him, she had dressed in dark blue form-fitting body armour but Robert had insisted on a heavier, knee-high boot, keeping in mind what he’d read about the types of parasites that infested Achorga hives.

  ‘Twenty-two minutes until orbital insertion around Purliss Two,’ said the Ship. ‘Atmosphere-capable pinnace seventy-two per cent partitioned.’

  Moving to the weapon racks, Rosa picked out a flechette carbine plus grenade attachment, with a hand beamer for backup. Robert chose a heavy-calibre slug gun with a variety of different ammo; the weapon had a cold, solid weight that was oddly reassuring to his senses, to his recently implanted skill-instincts. He had never fired a weapon in combat or training, yet this new part of him knew this gun intimately and was looking forward to using it. And when he thought about the historical associations, the Swarm invasion 150 years ago, the siege of Earth, he knew that the rest of him was too.

  ‘Pinnace now eighty-nine per cent partitioned. Purliss Two has seventy-eight minor Achorga nests, fifteen lesser hives, and three dominant hives that vie for supremacy. The target lies beneath the dominant hive, which controls the eastern regions of the northern-temperate landmass.’

  Before they left, Robert also selected a plain-hilted sabre as his secondary weapon; its edge might not be quite as irresistible as the kezeq shard yet it was still well suited to close-quarters work. It came with a silver-inlaid scabbard harnessed for over-the-shoulder use, which suited him perfectly.

  ‘We are now assuming para-stationary orbit over Purliss Two’s northern hemisphere and the target hive. Pinnace is now operational – please proceed to the Forward Utility chamber for boarding.’

  The pinnace was a rounded, flattened pod with stubby wings and an array of suspensors for propulsion. The cockpit had a transparent canopy that curved flush with the upper hull. As they fell away from the Evidence of Absence, Robert felt a queasy lurch but it passed in a moment, leaving only a calm readiness, even a certain anticipation. I must be getting used to this Umhang und Dolch business – a week ago I’d have been fighting my own terrors.

  Robert surveyed the view above the planet’s rim, the foggy haze of the Omet deepzone, vast swirls of interstellar dust that covered a volume of space almost three thousand light years across at its widest. It bordered on the Indroma Solidarity, Ginima-Fa, and Urdisha, all of whom suffered regular migratory swarm attacks, although on a somewhat smaller scale than the invasion of the Solar System a century and a half ago.

  And a quarter global turn away, a cluster of bright points hung motionless above the planet, a fleet of fleets, a gathering of nest-ships and transports, waiting for the next swarm.

  He felt a slight vibration as they entered the atmosphere under suspensor-controlled descent. Hull camo was active and stealth countermeasures ensured that the little craft gave off an objective profile no bigger than a leaf. Cloud cover was widespread and it was several minutes before they broke through to get their first view of the Achorga-modified landscape.

  At one time, a civilisation had spread across this world. The patterns of habitation, vehicle highways, cultivation lattices, and the darker, more concentrated layouts of city centres were all clearly visible from high altitude, as were the scars of war. Massive craters spread across grids of built-up conurbation, their edges blurred by weathering and plant growth, while dark, barren swaths bore testament to an ingrained toxicity.

  And it was on the ruins of one smashed city that an Achorga hive had been built. Tapering, asymmetrical spires climbed from the centre, a cluster of towers in purple, ochre and crimson, the highest reaching nearly a kilometre. The Swarm Hive on Mars during the Achorga invasion had topped a kilom and a half in the lower Martian gravity, and had relied on environment differentials to power its internal microclimates. Here, huge wind-gathering sails curved out from the secondary towers in long, trailing triangles of some pale yellow substance, a few showing holes or tears. Along the top edge of each ran a thick cable; anchored at regular intervals all the way down were the moor-pipes of rain-funnellers held aloft by a knot of gasbags.

  The phantasmagoric scene was repeated out towards the horizon and beyond, conglomerations of towers and sails resembling a fleet of grotesque, garishly coloured vessels ploughing across a broken landscape, interspersed with stretches of overgrown ruin.

  None of the spires was their destination. From his earlier research, Robert knew that most of an Achorga hive lay beneath the surface and it seemed likely that the Zyradin, the lifeform they had come to retrieve, also lay underground. According to the Construct the Zyradin emitted a very specific and exotic particle that caused several secondary particles – a signature that could be detected and tracked. Just such detectors were provided for them both, and as the pinnace swept lower they began to register. Robert and Rosa compared readouts.

  ‘Definitely in the vicinity of that greater hive,’ she said, pointing. ‘And very likely underground.’

  ‘So, do we take our handy little boat in through one of the big openings, guns blazing?’ he said, gazing at the console display where the sensor system was continually updating a layout of the hive’s various entrances. ‘Or do we go creeping in like cautious mice?’

  A ghost of a smile touched her lips. ‘Caution is good. Remaining undiscovered for as long as possible.’

  ‘The mice strategy it is then,’ he said. ‘You never know – it might actually survive contact with the enemy.’

  Landing half a mile from the greater hive, they hid the pinnace in an ancient, disused hillside tunnel then proceeded on foot in the dull light of an overcast afternoon. Wearing a small filter mask, Robert followed Rosa, using what cover was available. The vicinity and approaches of any hive were watched over by several tevorga, an Achorga variant bred for acute eyesight and obsessive attention to detail. To that end there was around the hive a wide zone cleared of anything that would provide concealment or cover to fire from. As they paused behind the crumbling remains of a wall made from odd triangular bricks, Rosa produced a pair of small, silverglassy hemispherical objects and gave them to Robert. She took out a second pair and pressed them onto small square platelets on the shoulders of her body suit. Robert did the same.

  ‘Holofield projectors,’ she said. ‘Set for contour cloaking, but the camo effect is time-limited to fifteen seconds after which the cells need to recharge.’

  ‘How do I turn them on?’ Robert said, studying one of them.

  ‘Yours are slaved to mine,’ said Rosa. ‘So remember, Father, once they’re on we have fifteen seconds to reach that cluster of small openings.’ She pointed.

  Robert nodded, fingering one of the little silvery domes. ‘Okay, I’m ready.’

  ‘Short-range comm functioning?’

  He tapped the neck pickup and the earbead. ‘I hear you loud and clear.’

  ‘Good. We go on my mark – three … two … one … go!’

  Rosa acti
vated the holocloaks on two, and Robert had just a moment to smile at her disappearing act before the go! spurred him into a mad dash.

  They made it with seconds to spare and, visible again, they climbed into one of several low tunnels that sloped in and down. Inside, the sides were ridged and unpleasantly tacky, gleaming in the light of the redlamps clipped to their chests. The moist air was laced with an acrid odour and as he moved along at a crouch he thought he could hear a scuttling sound behind them. Frowning, he glanced back towards the pale radiance from outside.

  ‘Did you hear that?’ he said.

  ‘These hives contain tens of thousands of Achorga,’ said Rosa as she peered down at the handheld detector. ‘And the acoustic qualities of these tunnels probably transmit sound and vibration quite a distance. Perhaps we should keep the conversation to a minimum …’

  They continued on down the gently sloping tunnel for several minutes until Rosa stopped, gesturing for quiet. The silence revealed nothing for a moment, then Robert heard a ticking sound which grew and multiplied. A second later, up from below came a carpet of small, finger-sized insectoids. He recognised them as a species of secondary symbiotes, just as Rosa tripped and trod on several of them, staggered back and trod on several more. She had a pained look as she regarded the splatter of bug innards underfoot, which then drove the still-oncoming insects into a feeding frenzy.

  ‘The smell’s going to spread quickly,’ he told her. ‘Come back up here …’

  Too late, a section of wall came apart as a crowd of larger insectoids smashed their way in and pounced on the writhing heap of cannibalistic small bugs. Then the tunnel floor near Rosa heaved up and split, throwing her off her feet as snakelike creatures with snapping jaws lunged out, straight towards the ongoing slaughterous feast. Rosa had edged away from the gap, flechette pistol out, when the floor behind her tore open and a gleaming yellow tentacle coiled about her and dragged her out of sight.