by John Ringo
“I concur,” Tirdal said. “That was my thought upon seeing the device. It was a tense moment, but I was able to avoid indication of the depths of my interest.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “That has been noted. You did well there, too.”
“I thank you,” Tirdal replied and continued. “I also chose not to give humans the knowledge of the ability to artificially induce lintatai in Darhel.”
“Yes, and we are grateful. It is a shame in many ways. The site would be a treasure trove for human and Darhel researchers. There are likely other devices in those mounds, and also elsewhere on the planet and in the system.”
“It seems almost certain,” Tirdal agreed. “But the system is currently in Tslek hands and would be just as useful to them. This must be avoided, I think. I know I personally prefer that neither gain access; some weapons are too evil to see the light of day.”
“Indeed,” was the reply. “And concurring, we are working to that end. Favors are being called in from the O’Neal Bane Sidhe, plans made. If all goes well, we can avoid having that knowledge become available until after lintatai has been put in its proper perspective.
“You have done well, I say again, Tirdal San Rintai. Your performance was exemplary under conditions more extreme than anyone could have anticipated. Much new knowledge and data have you brought us to consider.” She rose easily from her cross-legged position to stand. The meeting was over, and both had meditations and duties.
Tirdal did likewise. “I thank you, Rintalar. Please relay my thanks to those appropriate.”
“I will, Tirdal. And you should begin preparations for the Rintanal examination.”
A chance at advancement. It was not entirely unexpected, but appreciated nonetheless. And it showed respect for his abilities. “I am most honored, Rintalar. I shall endeavor to perform to that standard.”
“You had best, Tirdal,” she said with an earflick. “You will reflect on my training. And our Line will note how you do, youngling.”
* * *
The destroyer flickered into existence barely a diameter from the planet. Such a jump had been risky, but it was not as dangerous as a long approach to such a target. For long milliseconds, nothing happened as factors and preset calculations were compared. Then a swarm of angry dots erupted forth, flying straight as the meteoroids they would imitate. The kinetic weapons entered the atmosphere in a reticulan spread as ground-based missiles and beams blazed to intercept. Some were destroyed by counterfire. The lone Tslek desperately launched message drones, but the remaining weapons tracked in on the facility and adjusted their perfect courses into erratic terminal maneuvers. They hammered the ground, flashing into multikiloton incandescence and lifting the decoy base, now rubble, to the stratosphere and beyond. The bright spheres of the detonations subsided into mushroom clouds that would take days to dissipate, drifting around the globe in long, glowing streaks. Beams and more missiles fired space-to-space, destroying most of the few drones that had launched. The Tslek would find out what had happened sooner or later, but any delay was of tactical use.
Three of the planetary weapons, perhaps decoyed by the systems of the base, fell just to the south and west of the target area. The white flashes of the immolations were noted only by rough beasts.
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Document ID: fbd-9fea5c-5226-9a47-5a93-46b0-732c-3ff78b
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Document creation date: 26.09.2010
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