Hidden Empire - Kevin J. Anderson [104]
Though she spent most of the time indoors near heaters, Cesca had felt restless after the grim funeral for Ross. She had suited up to pace across the ice shelf, looking up at the glittering colors embedded in the solid sky. "I'm Cesca. What is it?" she said, putting an edge into her voice. Obviously this young man hadn't come looking for light conversation.
Now Jess and Bram Tamblyn emerged to see the visitor. Accompanied by her silver-skinned compy EA, Tasia emerged a moment later, as if reluctantly intrigued by the interruption.
The message runner had blond hair and brown eyes, with the square jaw and distinctive nose of the Burr clan, but the embroidered symbols on his insulated vest showed that he also claimed blood ties with the Maylors and Petrovs. "A Goose scientific station was destroyed at a gas giant, along with four moons!" he said, reaching into his left pocket, then finding nothing, searching the three pouches sewn into the right side of his jacket. He finally pulled out a displayer.
"By the Guiding Star, another gas giant?" Jess said. "One of ours? Was there a skymine in place?"
"No. It was Oncier, the world they just ignited to make a sun."
"Stupid warmonger experiments," Bram Tamblyn grumbled. "What does that have to do with us? Did the test backfire on them?"
"No, sir. They were attacked, just like at Golgen." The Burr boy pushed the activator button on his displayer, and the holo-image projected a flattened picture of Dr. Serizawa's transmission intercepted by the EDF. "One of our traders picked this up from the emergency news releases."
Cesca watched in horror as the spherical alien ships dismantled the moons, then obliterated the scientific research station. "And does Jhy Okiah believe this is the same thing that happened to Ross and the Blue Sky Mine?"
"That is her guess," said the young man.
"It's not a guess," Bram snapped. "It's obvious!" Then he swayed, clutching Jess's arm. Jess supported his father stoically but made no comment about the old man's wavering condition.
The message runner added, "Everyone is panicked. They don't know what these things are, or how to react. Remember, no one on Earth has heard about the destruction at Golgen yet."
"Then perhaps we should tell them," Cesca said.
"The Speaker thought you might suggest that," he said. "She is willing to inform Chairman Wenceslas."
"Shizz, of course she should inform them!" Tasia said, appalled. "This is a threat that affects all of us."
"Yes, but Roamers like to keep their secrets," Cesca said.
"I'm sick of our secrets," the girl said. "What good does it do to withhold this knowledge? If these alien...things attack more of our skymines, we'll be forced to call on the Eddies. We don't have a military of our own."
"Oh, that reminds me," the message runner said. "King Frederick himself asked his people to perform their patriotic duty, to strengthen the defenses for all humanity against these strange antagonists, to stand together." The young man fumbled with the displayer, trying to call up another file. "I recorded the King's exact message. Here, I can play it."
Bram Tamblyn said, "It's no surprise the Big Goose would use this sudden attack as an excuse to shore up the EDF. Damned Eddies!"
"An excuse?" Tasia cried. "How can you say that, Dad? Those ships killed Ross. Who knows where else they're going to attack?"
Bram gasped, and his face turned grayer. Jess held him up and said, "Drop it, Tasia. Come on, Dad. Let's get you inside. You need to rest."
Cesca hurried to take Bram Tamblyn's other arm. Tasia's compy offered her assistance. "Shall I take readings? Dispense medications?"
"Leave him alone, EA," Tasia said. "It's just his usual melodrama."
Even with her minimal medical experience, Cesca could see that the old man was not feigning his distress. They took Bram inside his curved hut and put him to bed. Jess sat at the man's side.
Cesca found packets of Bram's favorite pepperflower tea and brewed him a cup, though the old man had great difficulty sitting up to take