A Forest of Stars - Kevin J. Anderson [110]
With the Empire abandoning dozens more splinter colonies, the ambitious Hansa could easily take over those empty worlds. According to their history, humans would be inclined to attempt such expansion, if they perceived the Ildiran Empire as weak…
But he was getting ahead of himself. If the circumstances demanded it, a military conflict against the human race was something in which he could excel. Kori’nh knew that such a battle would provide many opportunities for glory and heroics.
In addition to studying legendary exploits in the Saga, he had absorbed the drama and insanity of Earth’s military history. During the millennia of the Ildiran Empire’s peacetime ennui, there had been no chance for a man like himself to perform heroic deeds beyond civil service or small rescue operations such as the one at Crenna. That simply wasn’t enough.
Yes, the humans were a potential enemy the Adar could understand and fight. But not the hydrogues. Kori’nh was incapable of fighting the first enemy he’d ever encountered in his career.
Around him, the Comptor operation went as well as could be expected, but even so he felt like a failure. The abandoned colony left a forlorn scar that filled him with such a sense of loss. He began to realize how misplaced his earlier perception of himself had been.
On Qronha 3, the very moment they had come face-to-face with a true antagonist, the Solar Navy had instantly backed down. On Hyrillka, his defense of the citadel palace and the Designate had been embarrassingly useless. And now, he was helping a perfectly viable splinter colony simply pack up and leave.
Was this his destiny? Was this how he wanted to be remembered?
Joining young Zan’nh, Kori’nh walked in silence to the nearest transport ship. The young Tal could sense that his commander was deeply troubled, but he remained silent, letting the Adar mull over his thoughts.
Finally, Kori’nh admitted, “Bekh! Right now, Zan’nh, the most impressive thing that can be said of my career is that I ‘facilitated an efficient evacuation.’” He had wanted to achieve so much more.
Frowning, the Adar climbed aboard the last vessel, and the Solar Navy left Comptor behind. Empty.
55
TASIA TAMBLYN
After the hydrogue attack on Boone’s Crossing, Basil Wenceslas called an emergency EDF command session back at the Mars base. In the face of such an overwhelming defeat, General Lanyan brought in a broad spectrum of officers and participants for their input, especially those with direct experience facing off against the deep-core aliens.
Including Tasia Tamblyn and Robb Brindle, two heroes of the Boone’s Crossing battle.
The meeting room was a chamber dug into a dry, rusty canyon. The interior stone walls had been coated with clear polymer so the natural oxide-red rocks still shone through. One entire wall of reinforced armorglass looked out upon the sweeping, ruddy landscape and bruised skies, where dust clouds whipped through the thin Martian air.
Silvery Remoras streaked overhead, practicing precise combat maneuvers. EDF soldiers jumped out of troop transports, using outrageously large airfoil wings to slow their descent in the rarefied atmosphere. Ground-based hand-weapon exercises continued as troops practiced siege techniques against well-defended strongholds.
As she watched the activity, Tasia couldn’t imagine that such skills would be relevant against the impossibly alien hydrogues.
“Let us start by looking on the bright side, Mr. Chairman,” General Lanyan said, standing at the head of the conference table. “The damage to our Grid 7 patrol fleet at Boone’s Crossing was relatively small, all things considered. We lost only one Manta cruiser and two hundred and twelve Remoras.”
Chairman Wenceslas was not impressed. “So, it was less of a debacle than our previous encounters, but still a disaster.”
Liaison officer Admiral Stromo nodded. “I believe that’s what the General meant, sir.”
Admiral Willis added with a proud smile, “Thanks to the rapid thinking and innovative ideas of Commander Tamblyn here, we successfully evacuated over