The alien invasion fleet had returned! Gorruk had no choice but to convene the global defense organization. The defense of the planet was governed by treaty, although, as leader of the largest konish military power and as a general officer in the Planetary Defense Command, he could initiate defensive activity. Sustaining the attacks would require the authorization of the Planetary Defense Senior Command—a neutral staff appointed and approved by all governments of the planet. The thought of having to deal with the international body gave him indigestion, but they were unlikely to obstruct his efforts. The racial memories of the first invasion weighed heavily on all kones.
"Alert Planetary Defense!" Gorruk ordered. "Longo's recommendations are sound. Launch the first wave, on my authority. Direct Longo to attack the orbiting ships."
"Colonel Longo has a recommendation, Exalted One."
"Now what?" asked Gorruk, displaying impatient fury. "What?"
"Colonel Longo states that it will take two moon cycles before our interceptors close within combat range. He proposes a coordinated attack on the orbiting ships at that time. To attack sooner would alert their fleet to our intentions."
Gorruk pondered the suggestion and acknowledged its merits. "Send my concurrence to Colonel Longo."
"Peregrine has located the likely site of Harrier's crew," the corvette group leader reported. "Commander Quinn has good photo on what appears to be a man-made site, although clouds and snow cover make it difficult to resolve. We're queuing up radar-imaging now."
As the group leader spoke, the image on the screen changed to reveal an optical close-up of the planet's surface. The wide expanse of a snow-covered lake was stitched by linear trails, apparently footprints. The trails converged at the gate of a stockade. The stockade presented itself as an attention magnet, straight lines forming an irregular pentagon. The dark rectangles of structures, with IR chimney signatures, testified that it was an inhabited encampment.
"What makes us positive those are our people?" Runacres asked.
"We're not, Admiral," a staff intelligence officer answered. "Maximum magnification reveals bipedal creatures, but they're wearing bulky clothes—furs. Our assessment is based primarily on the settlement's proximity to the position given in Ensign Hudson's message. And, uh…we have found no other candidates, Admiral."
"How close to the domed station is it?" Commodore Wells asked.
"Not even the same continent, sir, although there is a preliminary report of a smaller, fixed-base facility on the same continent as our people," the group leader answered. "Let me put the situation plot back up."
The projected image changed to an abstract holographic depiction of the planet. The image was rotated, revealing the sites under discussion.
"The newly discovered site is located here, near the ocean outlet of the same large river that flows next to the suspected Harrier site. We're bringing up photos, although they are quite oblique." The images changed, revealing a long-distance and coarse-grained depiction. "Strangely, IR gives us no imaging. We think the facility may be cold iron. Peregrine has scheduled an overflight within the hour."
"Go back to the Harrier site," Runacres ordered.
The reconnaissance image reappeared, and the group leader clicked in to maximum magnification. He positioned the laser pointer on the screen.
"Horses," he said. "Or something that looks like a horse."
"Horses!" Runacres exclaimed. "Domesticated animals would indicate an indigenous species, don't you think? Has there been time to domesticate wild animals?"
"I can't answer that, Admiral," the intelligence officer replied. "No one around here knows much about horses, although if there were an indigenous, village-building population on the planet, statistically, we should have discovered them much sooner. There would likely be many more sites, and those would likely be nearer the equator."
"Any more news on the satellites?" Sarah Merriwether asked.
"Sensors have detected seven satellites, Captain," the intelligence officer said. "Five appear to be downward-looking birds. The other two have intermittently tracked our units with surveillance radars, and one of them has been actively communicating. We estimate it to be a manned, er…so to speak—an alien ship with a crew onboard."
"It would appear our arrival is no longer a secret," Merriwether said. A funereal silence settled over the briefing room.
"Commander Quinn has requested permission to drop in," the group leader broke the spell. "She wants to put a lander on site. The area across the river has been terrain-mapped and qualified. The weather isn't cooperating, however. A heavy cloud layer has moved in, and surface winds are gale force and higher."
"Denied," Runacres replied. "I want more information and better conditions."
Commodore Well's communicator sounded an override alert. "Admiral, we have detected multiple up-Doppler radars in search mode," he announced. "Something's headed our way, and fast."
Runacres snapped to his feet. "Set General Quarters, battle-stations. Direct Tasmania to go active," Runacres ordered. "Group leader, intercept and destroy all contacts."
"Standard warning messages, Admiral?" the corvette commander asked.
"Intercept and destroy, Captain."
"Colonel Longo," the technician reported. "Telemetry has terminated. Analysis suggests our probes were destroyed. Enemy radar emissions have also terminated."
Longo cared not. He had located the enemy fleet. At least six and as many as eight large interstellars had been imaged. The position fix was firm, and PDF interceptors were already accelerating toward datum, without the need to employ search radars.
He looked at the scientists kneeling before him.
"We must terminate our interview," Longo ordered. "Your loyalty will be rewarded, and your services will be requested in the future."
Scientists Mirrtis and H'Aare bowed obsequiously and departed. Longo watched them crawl away, realizing that, despite Emperor-General Gorruk' s instructions, he would not kill all of the aliens. An avenue to power was opening.
Chapter 40. Spring Again
Lee's infant was named Hope, and Hope grew fat and healthy. Lee did not die. She clung to life, but a profound weakness hung over her, just as winter held sway over the valley—deep and cold. Fenstermacher doted on her, staying at her side to the exclusion of his other duties, and Buccari overlooked his dereliction in favor of his dedication, for the shy and unassuming Lee was everyone's friend; all hands anguished for her recovery. Lee's invalid condition punctuated the universal feeling of helplessness that grew with every continuing day of endless winter. Spring—would it ever return?
A tired mantle of snow layered the ground in crusty, porous drifts, and yet the harsh absolutes of winter had softened; inquisitive rodents, energetic birds, and darting insects made tentative appearances. Nothing green yet, but the nude tree limbs swelled imperceptibly, and hints of bud color shaded the extremities of branches. The warm breath of spring descended lightly upon the dirty mirror of winter.
Late on a bleak morning, the new season arrived with a discordant symphony; on the great river, great chunks of ice shattered and twisted. The irrepressible liquid force of the river crushed its own brittle armor, causing the ground to tremble and the air to vibrate. The awestruck humans assumed another that quake was rattling the land; there had been many since their arrival, but these sounds were peculiar—drawn out, animate. The earthlings stared in wonder as the moaning and crunching continued unabated.