CHAPTER
129
GENERAL NALANI KEAH
Even though half of the Kutuzov’s comm systems were down after the supernova blasts, Keah’s crew jury-rigged enough of a signal to transmit to the remaining CDF ships, calling a rendezvous point outside the nebula. The two Juggernauts and the remaining Mantas limped to a safe distance.
Adar Zan’nh intercepted the transmission and called his warliners to join General Keah at the same point. The ships converged beyond the dust boundary, while inside the nebula the new supernovas poured out light like a fire hose of radiation.
The last shadow cloud was being dissolved by the stellar eruptions, torn to shreds. As the surrounding dark veil was stripped away, the hexagonal cylinders also began to crumble, turning to brittle crystal that shattered and fell away like ashes. “That’s a lot more than a ‘setback,’” Keah said.
Her crew cheered, confused but exuberant. Keah wasn’t sure what she was seeing, but she didn’t want to complain about it.
She stood on the Kutuzov’s bridge, arms crossed over her chest as she paced back and forth in front of her command chair. She couldn’t be expected to sit still. Her long dark hair had come undone and hung in a decidedly nonregulation tangle, but she didn’t care. Although the events certainly warranted it, she was not posing for the history books.
And then, equally miraculous, as soon as the hex cylinders broke apart and dissipated, the thousands of remaining bugbot battle vessels also vanished, as if they had never even existed. All of them, even the wreckage.
Nadd was still shaking. How could a hairless man clad in a loincloth manage to look disheveled? Keah asked, “Mr. Nadd, have you informed the network that we are still alive?”
“Yes, General,” he said, shivering. “I tried to keep a running commentary through my treeling during the battle, but sometimes I got distracted.”
“A lot of us did, but now you can catch up. Fill them in, and tell them that to the best of our knowledge, the Shana Rei are defeated.” She stared out at the images, reveling in the supernova blaze. “Now isn’t that a glorious sight?”
The remaining Ildiran warliners gathered around. Their solar-sail fins had been torn to tatters, and their hulls were blotched and streaked from energy impacts. “It appears we have survived,” said Adar Zan’nh.
“Stating the obvious, Z.” Then her voice grew heavier. “Plenty of us didn’t survive, though, and it’ll be a while before we can tally our casualties, both among the CDF and at Fireheart Station. Right now, I just want ten minutes to digest the fact that we won. I mean, really won!”
“That was our objective, General,” said Zan’nh.
“If I didn’t know better, Z, I’d accuse you of being sarcastic.”
“Sarcasm was far from my intent,” he said.
The ships in her battle group transmitted their ID beacons, and her officers took an inventory, beginning the grim task of compiling a list of casualties from each ship. After the annihilation of Relleker and Earth, though, even huge casualties no longer had any real meaning. There was no way to grasp the harm that the Shana Rei had done to the Confederation and the Ildiran Empire.
As she stared out at the roaring sea of gases, Keah nodded slowly to herself. “Fireheart is going to be an even more impressive nebula—a fitting memorial for everyone killed by the shadows. In fact, I’d venture to say that’s the most spectacular graveyard in the Spiral Arm.”
“It is better than medals or ribbons,” Zan’nh said.
The human historian appeared on the screen beside the Adar. “I recorded everything—and it is definitely something for the history books.” Anton shook his head. “It was a rough time there when you all were out of commission because you thought the Mage-Imperator had died. I was the only one with his wits about him!”
“Before the next expedition, I will have to teach you how to pilot a warliner,” Zan’nh said to the man. “Just to be sure.”
Now Keah was convinced she heard sarcasm. Once they got back to a safe, calm situation, she promised herself that she would host the Adar for a fine dinner aboard her Juggernaut, regardless of whose turn it was.
“I’m not sure we’ll ever understand all the factors that came together at the right time,” Keah said, “but we kicked the butt of the undefeatable enemy—that’s good enough for me. Would you like to shuttle over for a celebration, Z?”
The Adar considered, gave her a considerate bow as he faced her on the screen. “I would like that very much, but I need to return to Ildira. Too much remains unsettled, and I need to know exactly what happened. The Mage-Imperator is still alive, and your green priest has provided enough basic information to reassure us, but there are still many vital questions.”
She smiled. “We’ll have plenty of time later, Z. Make your own celebration in whatever way Ildirans prefer to celebrate. The shadows are gone, the bugbots are gone—all in all, I’d say that’s a good day.”
“Yes,” the Adar agreed. “All in all, a good day.”
CHAPTER
130
TASIA TAMBLYN
The Voracious Curiosity spun wildly out of control. How many of the CDF, Solar Navy, or Roamer ships had failed to escape the blast? Robb tried to stabilize their flight, increasing shields against the torrent of radiation. Tasia held on, but she felt a rip in her heart knowing that Rlinda Kett and the Declan’s Glory were among the lost.
The multiple new supernovas unleashed millions of times more starlight than even the original core supergiants. The remnants of Fireheart Station and the Roamer operations had been vaporized in an instant. Fierce cosmic radiation slammed into the dust barrier at the edge of the nebula, plowing the gases and building up a steady shock front.
Continuing their glorious flight away, the two newborn treeships spread their branches wider. Furious light from the supernovas provided all the nourishment they needed. Tasia realized that Rlinda’s delivery of the wental water had allowed the verdani treeships to come into being, saving Celli and Solimar. Jess and Cesca had somehow known, and Rlinda had given her life to make that happen.…
“At least Rlinda got to see what she accomplished,” Robb said, thinking the same thing as Tasia. “Now her ashes and Captain Roberts’s are intermingled out in the universe, just as she wanted.”
Tasia’s heart was too heavy for her to answer.
As the supernovas let out a victorious shout of light into the nebula, they watched the shadow clouds disintegrate, the hex cylinders crumble into nothingness, the black robot ships vanish.
Shell-shocked, Station Chief Alu kept staring through the heavily filtered windowports while Robb worked on emergency repairs to the Curiosity’s overloaded systems. Alu shook his head. “My whole facility is gone.”
“I hope you had insurance,” Tasia said.
“The Roamers will hold together,” he said with a long sigh. “I’m sad about the destruction, but we can start again and build somewhere else—it’ll be a lot easier now that the Spiral Arm is free of the Shana Rei.”
Howard suggested, “You might not have to go far. There are still opportunities right here. We’ve never had the chance to study a brand-new supernova so soon after the blast.”
Shareen also brightened. “It’s a giant laboratory. Think of the tests we can run, the information we’ll gather.”
Alu pursed his lips as the possibilities dawned on him. “Not just a laboratory, but a factory. Imagine how many exotic isotopes and ions were created in just the past hour? All those treasures have been flung out here for the taking. We can build another Fireheart Station to harvest them.”
Howard and Shareen were both grinning. Shareen said, “Kotto Okiah would have been proud.”
As Tasia accelerated the Curiosity away, she suddenly swerved, yelping as her collision-avoidance detectors sounded loud alarms. With their overloaded sensors they nearly crashed into another ship that was lumbering along, battered and mostly dark. In an instant, Tasia recognized it.
; A burst of static came over the comm along with a weak transmission, barely discernible words—and a familiar voice. “Glad you found me! I’m busy trying to do repairs here, and that’s hard to accomplish with glue, chicken wire, and duct tape.” The screen flickered, and a poorly resolved image of Rlinda Kett appeared. “I could use some help, if you’re not too busy trying to run me over.”
Tasia cried out, “We thought you were killed in the supernova blast!”
“Outrunning an exploding star is certainly within my abilities. The Curiosity would have done better, no doubt about that, but Declan’s Glory is a decent ship.” She chuckled. “Actually, the treeships shielded me. Both Celli and Solimar enfolded me in their huge branches at the last instant and blocked the worst of the radiation blast.”
Tasia felt overjoyed as she docked against Declan’s Glory. Many of Rlinda’s systems had been blown, and the hull was severely damaged. The big trader woman met Tasia and Robb at the airlock, giving them an enormous hug. The two had donned exosuits for protection, but Rlinda wore a regular ship suit.
Robb said, “I’m sure you received a substantial dose of radiation with shields as bad as these.”
“Probably so,” Rlinda said. “But I’m alive, and I can undergo treatment for the exposure. Now get over here, you two.”
“You should have your own suit on now,” Tasia chided. “Your exposure is accumulating.”
“You’re right, I should … but when we escaped from Earth, we flew away so fast I didn’t have time to double-check the emergency locker. I only had two suits aboard, one medium and one small.” She gave a wry smile. “I doubt they’d fit me even if I somehow figured out how to combine both of them.”
Robb carried the Curiosity’s extensive repair kit, ready to check what sort of shape the ship was in. He looked around in dismay at the flickering interior lights. Several system banks still spat out cascades of sparks. “Go over to the Curiosity while we check out repairs,” he said. “It’s more sheltered there.”
“Shizz, why bother?” Tasia pointed out. “There’s not much left of Declan’s Glory. It would take a month to complete repairs, and we should get out of here pretty damn soon. Leave it behind with all the other wreckage in the nebula.”
“Not a chance. I’ve grown rather fond of this ship, after all we’ve been through together,” Rlinda said. “And I need a ship of my own, unless you want to give me the Curiosity back? I didn’t think so.” She led them toward the engine compartment. “Let’s spend a day at least fixing my stardrive and setting my shields back up. If we get Declan moving, I can take some of your passengers, lighten your load.” Rlinda frowned. “And don’t tell me you’ve got enough elbow room and life support to hold them for very long.”
“Not really,” Tasia admitted.
Robb got back to the point. “Even so—Rlinda, you need to be in shelter. Right now. You’ve received a substantial dose already, and we can find someone to wear your two spare exosuits and help us with repairs.”
Tasia grudgingly agreed. “But I’ll allow only eight hours. If we can’t get your ship functioning by then, we just leave it behind. These people have to get to Newstation.”
Rlinda looked around at the nearly destroyed ship. “Eight hours is well within my repair estimate.”
Tasia let out a lighthearted laugh, then suddenly found herself choked up. Tears welled in her eyes, and she gave Rlinda a furious bear hug. “We saw the shock wave wash over your ship. We thought you were gone!”
Rlinda patted her on the back, then dismissed the dire situation. “Heroic deaths are fine, dear girl, but I would rather die of old age in a bed with a nice dessert in front of me.”
CHAPTER
131
ARITA
Human settlers had lived in the worldforest for mere centuries, and with the extreme rarity of the microfungus infecting Reyn, the Therons simply did not have enough experience to know how to treat it. But the old verdani knew about the debilitating disease.
The Gardeners had tended their separate worldforest for countless generations, and a similar illness had struck them intermittently over all those millennia. The ancient memories retrieved from the lost verdani mind held the key—a rare and transient plant that hid in the worldforest ecosystem. With the flood of old memories released by Ohro’s blood, the Theron green priests could now see the plant, could share the images from the Onthos recollections. They knew what to look for.
Far out in space, Collin rode with Arita in the Prodigal Son as they departed from the Iswander extraction field. Delighted to receive the message through telink, the young green priest grabbed Arita. “They know how to cure Reynald! The Onthos memories showed us the right plant—an extract to be used as a molecular block against the microfungus inside of your brother.” He grinned.
Arita was so delighted that she threw her arms around him. “What is it? What did we miss before?”
“We didn’t miss it. It was right in front of us—an elusive plant, but the researchers had so many possibilities to test. Now they just need to find a sample. Where are your botanical record books?”
Arita called up images in her logs, all the specimens she had catalogued in her many years of studying the worldforest. She and Collin scrolled through countless plants, and Arita guided him through her personal organization structure, searching for the correct white flower. Collin pointed vigorously. “That one. That is what the Gardeners say we need to find for Reyn.”
It was a creamy white vine orchid that the original settlers had named a starflower. It was ethereal and transient, blooming for only a day and then disappearing, though its root systems lay hidden for years. “I know that flower.”
All the information that Zoe Alakis had given them from Pergamus had sent the medical researchers on the right track, but it was the Gardeners’ restored knowledge that had brought out the singular answer.
“The medical researchers need to extract the cure from a starflower root,” Collin repeated what he learned through telink, “but unless the plant is blooming, a starflower is impossible to find.” He frowned. “And starflowers rarely bloom.…”
Arita brightened. “Wait, at the funeral for Father Idriss a year ago, starflowers bloomed over his fresh grave. They are long gone now, but the roots will still be there until the next blossoming. The green priests know where it is, my parents know where it is! They can get the roots from there and save Reyn.”
She beamed. “Send the message, tell them how to cure him.” She looked up, called to Garrison in the cockpit. “Can we go back to Theroc? I want to be there as my brother recovers.”
Garrison smiled. “We’ll take you home.”
* * *
The Prodigal Son landed on the treetop canopy, and Osira’h hurried out to greet the ship, leaving Reynald’s bedside for the first time in days. Arita embraced the Ildiran halfbreed, exuberant with their news about how they had discovered Eternity’s Mind and how the shadows were finally defeated.
But she had other business first. “Let me see Reyn. How is he recovering?”
“Follow me,” Osira’h said. “He wanted to come see you himself, but he still doesn’t have all his strength. I would not let him get out of bed.” She gave a small smile. “I tend to be very protective right now. But the doctors say that the new treatment has cleansed the contamination from him. If you hadn’t told us where to find the starflower…” Osira’h looked tired, but happy. “I haven’t felt this joyous or mentally exhausted since the end of the Elemental War.”
Osira’h led them to Reyn’s recovery chambers in the fungus-reef. Her brother had gotten out of bed and sat at his desk. Arita hurried over to sweep him into a hug as he rose to his feet.
Osira’h grabbed his shoulder. “Not so fast. Do not strain yourself.”
Arita felt just as concerned. “You should be in bed resting.”
“I’ve already spent too much time in bed,” Reyn said. “I feel stronger than I have in a year. Just let me bask in my health.�
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Osira’h put her arms around him. “I plan to take most of the credit for your recovery.”
“A lot of people can share that credit.”
A thin pinch-faced man appeared in the doorway bearing a tray of food and surrounded by an aura of officiousness. The aromas of the dishes surrounded him like tantalizing, mouthwatering music. “Excuse me, I have a delivery of food for the Prince—and his companions.” The man looked around the room, as if disappointed at how many mouths there were to feed. “I am Zachary Wisskoff from the Arbor restaurant.”
“We didn’t order any food,” Reyn said. “But it smells delicious.”
“It’s supposed to smell invigorating,” Wisskoff said. “I chose the items after careful consideration. Rlinda Kett sent a message informing me that I was to take care of you until she arrives.”
Reyn brightened. “Rlinda’s on her way?”
“Yes, apparently she intends to take a more active role in restaurant management. She just survived the Shana Rei in the Fireheart nebula, but now for some reason she is worried about Arbor. Her ship is on its way to Handon Station for repairs, but she will be here soon to look over my shoulder.” He added in a cool, deadpan voice, “As you can tell I am thrilled at the prospect.” He heaved a noisy breath, let it out. “She instructed me to make the best possible meal for you, so you can regain your strength.”
Osira’h, Arita, and Collin cleared the desk so they could set out the meal Wisskoff had brought. The man bustled about with unnecessary attention to detail to make sure that all the dishes were served with the proper perfection. When the meal had been laid out, he stood back and watched as they ate with great gusto. The smells were wonderful.
Wisskoff seemed to be waiting for something. “Although Rlinda did not specify, I believe she does not intend for there to be a charge for the food.”
Reyn looked up. “Thank you very much.”
The man’s smile was as thin as a sheet of paper. “I’ll be sure to let Rlinda know, so she can add your gratitude to the account. If there is nothing else?”
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