The Ascendant Stars (25 page)

In the event it was several hours before Theo could get everyone round the same table. Stragglers from the ambush arrived in ones and twos and only after the last of them had been sedated, medicated or operated on was it possible to lead his sister Solvjeg away to quarters in the southern sublevel. A nearby chamber had been laid out for the meeting and some twenty minutes later Theo and Captain Gideon were sitting across from Solvjeg and Ian Cameron. Greg’s brother had had a shave and a change of clothing, which if anything emphasised his gauntness. A beaker of water poured from the table jug sat untouched before him.

Also in attendance was Listener Weynl, looking weary yet alert. Seated on a raised chair, he was able to face everyone at eye level.

Gideon began by addressing Solvjeg.

‘Frauwas Cameron, the major has made me aware of the death of your youngest son. Please accept my condolences for your loss.’

‘Thank you for your kind words, Captain,’ she said. ‘Has there been any further news about Gregory?’

‘My communications officer has been unable to re-establish contact with my ship,’ said the Tygran. ‘Unfortunately it appears that all offworld communications across this region are being jammed by the facility on Giant’s Shoulder. But according to the
meagre sensor data we’ve been able to gather, it seems that there is a skirmish taking place in near-Darien space. Several vessels are involved and combat exchanges appear to have shifted further outward, beyond high orbit. We continue to monitor the situation as best we can but details are difficult to ascertain.’

On hearing this, the lines in Solvjeg’s face deepened and she closed her eyes.

Well done, Captain
, Theo thought.
Is that a Tygran attempt at being supportive and morale-boosting?

‘Sister,’ he said. ‘I told the captain here about the boatyard bombing, and what you said about infiltrators … ’

‘Yes, and I am now sure that they come from that nest of rogue droids,’ Solvjeg said angrily. ‘On Giant’s Shoulder, the same monsters which brought down destruction on your men, Captain, and which sent a spy into your midst. We saw the possessed host that accompanied my brother’s captor. The internal mind-struggle was plain as could be.’

‘The major tells me that the infiltrators you intercepted off in the Eastern Towns had visible implants, yet this host which suicided had none. Correct?’

Solvjeg nodded.

‘Then it seems likely that our spy’s origin is different from those you encountered.’ Gideon sat back in his chair. ‘I have seen the effects of Blue Chain and the effects you describe correspond to the use of too little. The machine-molecule particulates take time to build, especially when they have to replicate themselves within a host, so what you saw were the results of a Blue Chain collective too few in number to effectively dominate their host, resulting in the indecision and mental instability.’

‘And this Blue Chain definitely would originate with the Hegemony?’ said Ian Cameron.

‘Without a doubt,’ said Gideon. ‘The Hegemony ambassador, this Kuros, who is currently residing in the Brolturan enclave north of Trond. Our planned strike against the Spiralist stockades would liberate nearby villages and Trond itself, making it easier to mount an attack on the Brolturans. Reports say that they have a
hangar full of assault flyers and gunships, just what we need to take on Giant’s Shoulder.’ He frowned. ‘Of course, attacking that enclave would be very difficult, and if Brolturan reinforcements arrive then all our plans will be of no consequence.’

‘There may be an alternative,’ Ian Cameron said.

Theo leaned forward. ‘You mentioned the possibility of an alliance with a splinter group of Spiralist zealots.’

Ian nodded. ‘One of their leaders came to us and offered the help of his faction in any attack on Giant’s Shoulder. He told me that the prophet lied, and that an alien machine is now in control up there.’

The Uvovo, Listener Weynl, cleared his throat. ‘This alien machine is actually a creature known as a Knight of the Legion of Avatars. It landed on Darien some days before the Spiral armada’s invasion. Our Seer Cheluvahar was following this vile creature through Greathome Forest – as you call the Forest of Arawn – for several days before he was captured by it. As Rory had been earlier.’

Gideon glanced at Theo. ‘So when we met them on the way north, they could well have been enslaved by this Knight of the Legion.’ He glared at the Uvovo. ‘My men claim to have heard rumours that this thing is an ancient enemy of the Uvovo – is this so? And what is the truth about the Forerunner installation within Giant’s Shoulder? – it has been described to me as a malfunctioning matter transporter but I cannot see the Hegemony or their Brolturan pets expending this amount of effort over something that does not work. In the meantime, this Knight of some Legion now seemingly controls it, supported by an army of combat mechs. A satisfactory explanation would be most helpful.’

Theo and Listener Weynl exchanged a look, almost by chance. Theo decided to respond first.

‘Captain, you are correct – there is more to Giant’s Shoulder than what you have seen or heard. There is a Forerunner artefact inside it, a warpwell. The first time I saw that chamber and that well with the light pouring out of it … an amazing sight, I can tell
you. But yes, as I recall it, the warpwell is really the front door of a prison, a prison in hyperspace, y’see, and … ’

‘If I may, Major Karlsson,’ said Listener Weynl. ‘Might I tell the tale from our side?’

‘Certainly, Weynl, go ahead.’

‘Captain Gideon,’ said the Uvovo. ‘The Legion of Avatars was the last great enemy faced by the ancient Forerunners. They swept across the star-rivers in vast numbers, hundreds of millions, laying waste to entire civilisations. To fight them, the Ancients caused warpwells to be built on a hundred worlds – Giant’s Shoulder, which we call the Waonwir, is the location of one such device. At the height of that last immense battle the warpwells snatched every enemy machine and creature and dragged them down uncountable, immeasurable distances, thrust them into the light-less, frozen chasms beneath the deepest underdomains … ’

‘They were imprisoned in the abyss of hyperspace,’ Theo explained. ‘All except one, a Legion Knight, a kind of armoured cyborg.’

‘So I gather,’ Gideon said. ‘And is this warpwell likewise the last of its kind?’

‘The Sentinel of the well told me that Hegemony scholars have discovered the dead remains of several others throughout their territory,’ Weynl said. ‘But ours does appear to be the only functioning example yet found.’

‘The major described it as the front door of a prison,’ Gideon said. ‘If all that you’ve said about the Knight creature is true, do we know if it has tried to break down that door?’

‘Been wondering that myself,’ Theo said.

All eyes were on Weynl, who seemed to consider the Tygran’s question for a second or two before speaking.

‘It fills me with sorrow to have to say yes, it has succeeded in unlocking the well. Six days ago, before dawn on the day after Gregory Cameron was sent to Segrana, every Listener and sensitive Uvovo on Umara was aware of the very moment when the well was opened. Certain bearers of wisdom estimate that it would take between three and five days for the unlocking to travel
all the way to the imprisoning depths, and perhaps the same for the enemy to make its ascent.’

Theo was stunned. Gideon frowned and leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. Ian Cameron picked up his beaker of water and drank it off in a single swallow. Solvjeg seemed the only one unsurprised, her face still serious, her eyes more intense.

‘So, to summarise,’ Gideon said, ‘the Hegemony and/or the Brolturans are due to arrive here soon in the shape of an undoubtedly substantial battle fleet with the intention of pacifying the colony while deterring any moves from the likes of the Imisil. At the same time, a portal into hyperspace will shortly – maybe today, maybe in four days’ time – disgorge an alien fleet of unknown size, unknown combat abilities and unknown intent.’

The Uvovo looked sombre. ‘Captain, you should expect them to number in the many thousands and for them to fight any who oppose them with a relentless fury.’

‘Well, now,’ Theo said to Gideon. ‘Always handy to know these things, eh?’

Then Solvjeg leaned forward. ‘Then we should mount a joint attack on Giant’s Shoulder, your people, ours and the Spiral renegades … ’

‘As I’ve already explained,’ Gideon said, ‘without the Brolturan flyers we would have no airborne force and without that … ’

‘Except that we have aircraft,’ Solvjeg said. ‘When we liberated Hammergard, we also liberated North-East Fields.’

‘Ah, zeplins,’ Theo said. ‘How many, sister?’

‘Seven, perhaps eight – our engineers were hard at work on another when we left.’

The Tygran captain’s brow was furrowed with thought.

‘What kind of passenger capacities do they have?’

‘Average is a dozen each,’ said Ian Cameron.

‘It would be a high-risk operation,’ Gideon said. ‘Casualties would very likely exceed fifty per cent, but a slim chance exists. If my heavy-weapons team can take control of that defence battery, that would swing the odds in our favour. However, that doesn’t address the problem of how to close the warpwell and stop this
Legion from escaping … could we demolish it with explosives, Listener?’

‘It was constructed by the great Ancients, Captain Gideon,’ the Uvovo said. ‘I doubt that it would be so easily … ’

He broke off at the sound of a commotion outside. Then the door swung open and a young, red-furred Uvovo stumbled in, half-restrained by a Human sentry.

‘Listener, Listener! – you must come to the Hall of Discourse!’

Theo gestured at the guard, who released the animated Uvovo.

‘Why are you interrupting us, Ajinos?’ Weynl said. ‘What is this about?’

‘The Seer,’ the young Uvovo said. ‘He is in the Hall … and he speaks with Segrana!’

‘Chel?’ Theo said as he stood. ‘Chel’s here?’

‘We must go,’ said Listener Weynl, slipping down and hurrying to the door. ‘Immediately.’

Minutes later they entered the Hall of Discourse. Normally half-lit by the multicoloured glassy panels dotted across the tall, curved walls, now a column of shining white radiance rose from the Forerunner platform, sending light into every corner. A figure knelt at the centre of it, one small hand held out, palm upwards. As he approached Theo could see that Chel’s lips were moving, and closer still he could make out the Uvovo’s voice, quietly muttering responses as part of a conversation with another voice, deep and muted. At that point, Chel got to his feet and faced his audience.

‘Captain Gideon,’ he said. ‘My apologies for disappearing in the middle of the attack, but neither I nor my companion were entirely in our right minds. I had to get us both to the nearby daughter-forest or risk losing our selves completely.’

‘So, you and Rory,’ Theo said, ‘you were both enslaved by that creature, this Knight … are you okay now? Are you free of its control? – is Rory?’

Chel took off the thin shift he wore, revealing shaven patches in his body fur, on arms, chest and neck. The bare skin showed healing wounds like regularly spaced holes and incisions.

‘Rory was semi-conscious when we reached the forest,’ Chel said. ‘He had to be helped into a vudron for the healing sleep, which has to run its course without interruption. It worked well for me – my body was able to reject the pain implants and begin healing its wounds. I am completely free of the Knight’s enslavement. Rory I am unsure of – when I left he was still in the dream and I could not tell if his implants had been expelled.’

‘You certainly seem more composed than at our last encounter,’ said Gideon. ‘Forgive my cautious nature, but is there any way for us to verify this?’

Listener Weynl was outraged. ‘He is the Seer of Segrana and he stands in the pureness of the Ancients!’

A bright thread of light appeared in the radiance next to Chel, blurred, glowing knots pulsing up and down its length.

‘
The Seer Cheluvahar has been made free of the enemy’s devices
,’ said a deep, almost gruff voice. ‘
I am the Zyradin. I speak for Segrana.
’

Weynl raised his hands. ‘Zyradin of the Ancients, we know your name. We have learned that the warpwell has been opened. Have any of the Legion monsters survived the long ages of their imprisonment, and how long before they reach us?’

‘
Many have survived and the first of them will emerge in little more than two days’ time.
’

There was a long moment of silence filled with the dread of anticipation. Just then, Theo knew that there was only one course open to them. He glanced over at his sister and nodded sombrely.

‘Looks like we attack,’ he said.

‘It appears so,’ said Gideon.

‘But to succeed we must find a way into the warpwell chamber,’ said Weynl, looking up at Chel. ‘Can the Zyradin use the Forerunners’ ancient devices to transport a bomb into the chamber?’

Chel shook his head. ‘The Legion Knight has placed interference machines throughout the chamber. These, combined with the disruptive effects of the activated warpwell, make such a ploy impossible. Other tactics must be considered.’

‘
You will need someone capable of getting past the Legion
Knight’s machines by subterfuge. There is one such, still resting and healing in the daughter-forest to the north.
’