Horizon Storms - Kevin J. Anderson [188]
Though this had taken place thousands of years ago, the sheer violence of the scene resounded like a shout in the claustrophobic silence. Something awful had destroyed both the ancient Klikiss creature and the powerful robot. What sort of predator would strike both the Klikiss and their machines?
Orli shuddered, and the rock-walled chamber seemed much smaller now, the air thicker. Backing away, she bumped into the rough rock of the far wall and let out a yelp of fear. This was not the kind of mysterious treasure she had hoped to find.
To calm herself, she drew several deep breaths and tried to hum one of the tunes she had made up on her synthesizer strips. She told herself she had nothing to worry about. Everything that might have attacked the Klikiss had been gone from Corribus for millennia.
The rational part of her mind realized that what she had found in this cave might be a truly significant archaeological find. But though her head was clear and her thoughts perfectly logical, her heart still hammered in her chest. She wanted to be out of the sheltered cliff chamber she had discovered.
Orli suspected it would be a very long climb back down to the colony settlement.
Chapter 95 — PRIME DESIGNATE THOR’H
After his uncle’s startling imitation of the Mage-Imperator’s ascension ceremony, Thor’h was glad to turn his abilities to arranging for the creation of an opulent chrysalis chair for the new self-proclaimed Imperator.
By now, surely his father had sensed something amiss here at Hyrillka.
The Prime Designate instructed Hyrillka’s best artisans, rememberers, and sculptors to design a fittingly extravagant vessel for the true leader. The craftsmen and artists worked with absolute dedication, refusing to rest or take sustenance until they were finished.
Along its curved sides inlaid with jewels, crystals, and precious metals were scenes from the Saga of Seven Suns, tales of great Mage-Imperators from Rusa’h‘s honored lineage. The events Thor’h had chosen to depict were taken from the mists of the past, with no connection to the unpleasant present, the misdirection and corruption his own father had laid upon the Ildiran people.
After his giddy day of celebratory shiing consumption, Rusa’h had bound the disjointed thism of the Hyrillkan people to himself, forming a tight new web completely separate from the rest of the Ildirans. Hyrillka’s population followed the new Imperator’s every instruction, and any person who had accidentally or intentionally failed to ingest the potent stimulant drug was tracked down and forced to partake. Except for Pery’h, all of Hyrillka was now a single unified organism. Thor’h had willingly and joyously offered his own abilities to support his uncle’s rule.
Only his stubborn brother had refused. The new Imperator’s unquestioning guards still held Designate-in-waiting Pery’h under house arrest within the citadel palace, refusing to let him see anyone. Thor’h had gone to speak with his brother several times, alternately taunting and pleading with him, but still Pery’h refused to see the obvious, though he was utterly isolated and suffering for it.
Unlike the rest of Hyrillka’s population, no one of the Mage-Imperator’s bloodline could be forced to cooperate with the new network of thism. Pery’h had to change his mind willingly, had to break of his own accord from his deluded father. But the young man refused—and it was beginning to be a problem for his uncle’s plans…
Within three days, Thor’h proudly presented the new chrysalis chair to Rusa’h, who lay with glazed eyes, still recovering from the castration knife that had given him complete access to the parallel thism network. Rusa’h was nearly strong enough to go out among his people again, and when he saw the chrysalis chair, his face lightened like the brightest sunrise in the Horizon Cluster. “It is magnificent. Thor’h, you are truly my Prime Designate.”
Thor’h stood beside his uncle, beaming with pride. Because the new Imperator had issued orders that none