Horizon Storms - Kevin J. Anderson [87]
This would be the first real test of his ultimate responsibility for the Solar Navy. The soldiers, and the Mage-Imperator, would see how he dealt with this matter. Should he demonstrate his ability to be tough and strong…or should he just ignore the human intrusion? What actual harm did it cause? None.
Still, humans had proven that if they were given even the tiniest opening, they would seize it and push for more, and more, and more.
Adar Kori’nh had given his life to clear this planet of the hydrogue infestation, forever earning his place in the Saga of Seven Suns. Kori’nh had done it for his honor, for the Mage-Imperator, for the Ildiran Empire. The great Adar would never have sacrificed himself and forty-nine warliners for a bunch of opportunistic humans.
Determined to do the right thing, Zan’nh stood in the command nucleus as his septa escorted the largest of Ildira’s decommissioned skyfactories to the waiting gas giant. The Qronha binary, the closest star system to Ildira, comprised two of the seven suns in the capital world’s sky. Qronha’s lone gas planet was the first place Ildirans had harvested ekti, but the facilities had been destroyed in the hydrogue massacres at the beginning of the war.
Now Zan’nh intended to take back the world for Ildiran industry.
The big planet loomed in his warliner’s front viewport, the gentle storms rich with hydrogen available for conversion into stardrive fuel. The enormous skyfactory moved behind them, drawn along at high speed. Guided by the eldest member of the skyminer kith, Hroa’x, this rejuvenated facility was filled with Ildiran workers eager to process the clouds of Qronha 3 in order to rebuild dwindling ekti stockpiles for the Empire, as the Mage-Imperator had commanded.
But first they had to deal with the matter of these trespassers.
From what Zan’nh knew, voracious humans seized anything they wanted. “Bekh! Just as they did on Crenna.” The old Adar had talked of how humans had swept in to seize the leftovers on Crenna for themselves as soon as the Solar Navy had evacuated the Ildiran victims of the blindness plague. Though they had paid the Mage-Imperator for the right to do so, the humans were like hungry carrion eaters, taking advantage of Ildiran tragedy.
Zan’nh’s voice was cold as he issued orders. “Detach Hroa’x and his skyfactory from our escort beams and allow him to choose the best position in the cloud decks. He’ll want to get started with his work.” He clenched the railing in the command nucleus, making sure he sounded implacable and tough. He was the Adar now, and he took orders from no one but the Mage-Imperator. “Meanwhile, all warliners accompany me.”
He didn’t want to provoke a war, however…unless it was necessary.
Now, with the new skymine still trailing them, the seven ornate battleships descended into the atmosphere of Qronha 3 toward the lone Hansa cloud harvester. The human-crewed facility blithely cruised along, spewing exhaust gases as it functioned at full capacity. It was not as large as an Ildiran skyfactory, and probably had only a fraction of the crew. His warliners could destroy it easily, if need be.
“Open weapons ports. Power up our energy projectors.” When the weapons officers acknowledged his order, Zan’nh thought of another idea. “And deploy all solar fins to their fullest extent. Extend banners and polarize the reflective coating.” That would make an intimidating show. The vessels extended peripheral projections, puffing themselves up in a dazzling threat.
Zan’nh pressed his lips together. Through the thism, his father would sense what he was doing. “Now, demand to know what they are doing here.”
After their warning was transmitted, a meek and frightened transmission came from the Hansa cloud harvester. Zan’nh had not yet made up his mind what to do, but he gestured to the communications officer.
“Hello?” said a man’s voice. “Is this the new Adar?