Nobody is answering our calls,auster said. When we know something, Ilex will inform you immediately.
If Laton is on Lalonde he may make an attempt to capture and subvert Aethra. He has had over twenty years to perfect his technique. We have no weaponry to resist him. Can you evacuate us?
That will depend on the circumstances. Our orders from the First Admirals office are to confirm his existence and destroy him if at all possible. If he has become powerful enough to defend himself against the weapons we are carrying, then we must jump back to Fleet Headquarters and alert them. That takes priority over everything.auster extended a burst of sympathy.
We understand. Good luck with your mission.
Thank you.
Can you sense Darcy and Lori?auster asked Ilex .
No. They do not answer. But there is a melodic in the affinity band which Ive never encountered before.
The voidhawks perceptive faculty expanded into Austers mind. He perceived a distant soprano voice, or a soft whistle; the effect was too imprecise to tell. It was an adagio, a slow harmonic which slipped in and out of mental awareness like a radio signal on a stormy night.
Where is it coming from?auster asked.
Ahead of us,Ilex said. Somewhere on the planet, but its skipping about. I cant pin it down.
Keep tuned in to it, and if you track down its origin let me know right away.
Of course.
Jeroen van Ewyck datavised his console processor to point one of Ilex s secondary dishes at a navy ELINT satellite orbiting Lalonde, then opened a channel down to the office in Durringham. There was nothing like the usual bit rate available, the microwave beam emitted by the navy office was well below standard strength. A flustered rating answered, and switched the call straight through to Kelven Solanki.
Were here in response to the flek you sent on the Eurydice , Jeroen van Ewyck said. Can you advise us of the situation on the planet, please?
Too late, Kelven datavised. Youre too bloody late.
Auster ordered the bitek processor in his command console to patch him into the channel. Lieutenant-Commander Solanki, this is Captain Auster. We were dispatched as soon as we were refitted for this mission. I can assure you the Admiralty took the report from you and our Intelligence operatives very seriously indeed.
Seriously? You call sending one ship a serious response?
Yes. We are primarily a reconnaissance and evaluation mission. In that respect, we are considered expendable. The Admiralty needs to know if Latons presence has been confirmed, and what kind of force level is required to deal with the invasion.
There was a moments pause.
Sorry if I shouted off, Kelven said. Things are getting bad down here. The invaders have reached Durringham.
Are these invaders acting under Latons orders?
Ive no idea yet. He started to summarize the events of the last couple of weeks.
Auster listened with growing dismay, a communal emotion distributed equally around the other Edenists on board. The Adamists too, if their facial expressions were an accurate reflection of their thoughts.
So you still dont know if Laton is behind this invasion? Auster asked when he finished.
No. Id say not; Lori and Darcy had virtually written him off by the time they got to Ozark. If it is him backing the invaders, then hes pulling a very elaborate double bluff. Why did he warn Darcy and Lori about this energy virus effect?
Have you managed to verify that yet? Jeroen van Ewyck asked.
No. Although the supporting circumstantial evidence we have so far is very strong. The invaders certainly have a powerful electronic warfare technology at their fingertips, and its in widespread use. I suppose Kulu will be the place to ask; the ESA team managed to get their prisoner outsystem.
Typical of the ESA,erato said sourly.
Auster nodded silently.
How bad are conditions in the city? Jeroen van Ewyck asked.
Weve heard some fighting around the outlying districts this evening. The sheriffs are protecting the spaceport and the government district. But I dont think theyll hold out for more than a couple of days. You must get back to Avon and inform the First Admiral and the Confederation Assembly whats happening here. At this point we still cant discount xenocs being involved. And tell the First Admiral that Terrance Smiths mercenary army must be prevented from landing here, as well. This is far beyond the ability of a few thousand hired soldiers to sort out.
That goes without saying. Well evacuate you and your staff immediately, Auster said.
Forty-five of them?ocyroe asked. Thats pushing our life-support capacity close to the envelope.
We can always make a swallow direct to Jospool, Thats only seven light-years away. The crew toroid can support us for that long.
Theres some of the ratings and NCOs Id like to get off, Kelven Solanki datavised. This wasnt supposed to be a front-line posting. Theyre only kids, really.
No, all of you are coming, Auster said flatly.
Id like to capture one of these sequestrated invaders if possible, Jeroen van Ewyck put in quickly.
What about the marines, Erato?auster asked. Do you think its worth a try?
Ill fly recovery if we can spot them,the pilot said. His thoughts conveyed a rising excitement.
Auster acknowledged his leaked feelings with an ironic thought. Pilots were uniformly a macho breed, unable to resist any challenge, even Edenist ones.
The Juliffe basin is proving difficult to resolve,Ilex said with a note of annoyance. My optical sensors are unable to receive a clearly defined image of the river and its tributaries for about a thousand kilometres inland.
Its night over the basin, and were still seventy thousand kilometres away,auster pointed out.
Even so, the optical resolution should be better than this.
Commander Solanki, were going to attempt to recover the marines as well, Auster said.
I havent been able to contact them for over a day. God, I dont even know if theyre still alive, let alone where they are.
None the less, they are our naval personnel. If theres any chance, we owe them the effort.
The statement drew him a startled glance from Jeroen van Ewyck and the other two Adamists on the bridge. They quickly tried to hide their gaffe. Auster ignored it.
Christ butAll right, Kelven Solanki datavised. Ill fly the recovery myself, though. No point in risking your spaceplane. It was me who ordered them in there to start with. My responsibility.
As you wish. If our sensors can locate their fishing boat, do you have an aircraft available?
I can get one. But the invaders knocked out the last plane to fly into their territory. One thing I do know is that theyve got some lethal fire-power going for them.
So has Ilex , Auster said bluntly.
Joshua Calvert fell back onto the translucent sheet and let out a heartfelt breath. The beds jelly-substance mattress was rocking him gently as the waves slowed. Sweat trickled across his chest and limbs. He gazed up at the electrophorescent cell clusters on Iones ceiling. Their ornate leaf pattern was becoming highly familiar.
Thats definitely one of the better ways of waking up, he said.