A Forest of Stars - Kevin J. Anderson [189]
Finally, the three hydrogues answered in unison, voices echoing from identical mouths of the Roamer simulacrum. “Humans were irrelevant to this conflict until they obliterated one of our worlds. Now all of their lives are forfeit in the war—”
“It was an accident,” DD interrupted. “I know this has already been explained to you. They meant no aggression at Oncier. My masters were attempting to warm cold worlds by creating new stars.”
“The stars belong to the faeros,” said the hydrogues. “The gas planets are ours.”
“The humans have allied themselves with your ancient enemies,” Sirix said.
“They have made themselves combatants in a struggle they cannot comprehend. This war is not about them.”
Outside the gigantic citysphere, a bright line appeared, like an exploding star squashed flat. DD watched through the transparent wall as the bright line opened like a vertical mouth, lips parting in space-time, ripping into a wide vortex. Then another titanic crystalline city slid through the opening, like a baby being born. An escorting group of smaller spiked warglobes followed it.
Once the additional cityships had arrived in Ptoro’s thick atmosphere, the transgate closed behind them, sealing with a bang. The new citysphere drifted forward to join itself with the cluster of domes in the hydrogue metropolis.
The trio of hydrogues hummed and shimmered, as if exchanging information, and Sirix interpreted for DD. “That sphere comes from another hydrogue world where the human military attempted to fight them by dropping atomic weapons deep into the clouds. They destroyed several warglobes and harmed six populous cityspheres.”
DD listened with alarm. “And how many humans were killed?”
Ignoring the question, the Klikiss robot turned to the hydrogue representatives. “It is self-evident the humans must be punished.”
“No, the hostilities are only escalating,” DD urged. “You can negotiate a peace. There must be some common ground.”
“Humans have attacked us,” the hydrogues said, once more in perfect unison. “Again.”
“And you have destroyed dozens of their skymines. You even vaporized four human moons.”
“That does not matter,” Sirix said with the persistence of a crusader. “For what humans have done to the hydrogues, for what they continue to do to their own compies, they must be eliminated.”
The three quicksilver aliens shimmered as they stood together. “There can be no mutual understanding. The verdani remain hidden among them.”
“What do you mean?” DD asked. “What are you talking about?”
Sirix buzzed. “The hydrogues have gathered cityspheres and warglobes for a major new movement. Soon they will attack each human world, obliterating one after another after another. They will destroy any human ships they encounter. The hydrogues will ensure a swift and absolute victory for us. Before long, the human race will be extinct. Like the Klikiss.”
99
ANTON COLICOS
With a group of uneasily adventurous Ildirans, Anton Colicos left Maratha Prime and rode with them in a low-flying shuttle headed toward the darkness. Although Anton was filled with a scholar’s enthusiasm for discovery, the Ildirans were obviously having second thoughts about their decision to accompany him and Vao’sh. But Anton was certain they would get over it.
They cruised over the sun-scorched landscape, heading at high speed into nightfall. Rememberer Vao’sh sat beside him, guardedly intrigued by their expedition. He, Vao’sh, and ten tourists, mostly nobles and bureaucrats—the minimum group necessary to keep the Ildirans comfortable for a few hours—crowded into the shuttle. They talked quickly and breathlessly with each other, expecting to be safely frightened. This was a new experience for all of them.
Grinning, Anton suggested, “Maybe you could do this more often. Even when Maratha Secda is completed